Guardian's Joy #3 (42 page)

“Shh, baby, shh.” Nardo stroked her hair and
when he heard her sniffle back tears, he lifted her chin. “It’s
over and we’re both here.”

He kissed her, long, and deep, and hard, and
she kissed him back, could have kept on kissing him till the end of
time, but Nico cleared his throat, twice, and Hope giggled.

“I guess she’s okay.”

JJ struggled to her feet pulling Nardo with
her.

“I called in to report,” Nico told them, “If
we’re right about these demons…” he nodded at the piles of dust,
“there will be vampires looking to feed tonight. Broadbent and Col
were posted to watch the service entrance on the far side of the
Sanctuary; one to watch, one to follow any vehicle that looked
interesting. The Director’s car left about a half hour ago and
drove straight to your suspected lab. Canaan wants to move tonight.
We’re to pick up Broadbent on the way.”

Chapter 42

They rode like two old married couples; men
up front, women in the back. It was snowing and the wiper blades
thump, thumped against the windshield. JJ felt like a perp in the
back of a squad car unable to hear the low conversation going on in
the front seat. She snorted a little laugh and wondered how Nico
would take the comparison of his luxury Town Car to the PD’s
battered Crown Vics. She leaned forward.

“What’s the plan?” Her question was directed
to Nardo, but she saw the corner of Nico’s mouth twitch, whether in
amusement or annoyance, she couldn’t tell.

“The plan,” Nardo answered, “Is for you two
to stay in the car.”

“I’d be happy if you could take us home, but
if you can’t…” Hope began.

“You will stay in the car,” Nico finished for
her and then glanced at JJ in the mirror. “You have already done
more than your share this night.”

Hope shrugged apologetically at JJ, but
didn’t argue with her mate.

“Damn right she did. Hope saved my life and
don’t think for a minute I don’t know it. She’s not meant for this
shit and that makes what she did all the braver.” JJ gripped the
front seat. “So I’m not talking about us, I’m talking about me.
I’ve trained.” She wiggled her fingers. “I have talents and I can
help.”

“Joy, you’ve done enough, too,” Nardo told
her. “This one isn’t your fight.”

“The hell it isn’t. You’re not the one
they’re planning to use as a brood mare. Yeah, that’s their pet
doctor’s plan and it’s making you fangy already. Now imagine you’re
me.”

Nico kept his eyes on the road. “It’s not our
call. Or yours. If you wish to be a member of this House of
Guardians, you must follow orders, as we all do and your orders are
as follows. You are to stay in the car and keep watch. You will
notify Canaan of any suspicious activity outside once we have
penetrated the facility.” He eyed them both in the mirror again.
“You are not to leave the car.”

Nico was Canaan’s Second and JJ knew he was
right. That didn’t mean she had to like it. She frowned, nodded,
and started to slide back in her seat then stopped and leaned
forward to peer through the windshield.

“What the heck is that?”

“Broadbent, I assume.”

“I know that, but who or what is he talking
to?”

Hope undid her seatbelt to get a better look.
“A powder puff?”

The round pink ball next to the tall, lanky
Broadbent turned, waved and moved off, skimming over the snow
covered road in a cloud of pink and white. The cloud disappeared as
they pulled up next to the professor. JJ opened the door and
scooted over in the seat to give him room. He handed her a steaming
Styrofoam cup before dusting off his coat and climbing in.

“Well?”

“Well what?” he asked. He lifted the wooly
flaps of his plaid hunting cap. Earflaps sticking out, strings
hanging, his long beak of a nose red from the cold, he settled
himself into the heated seat. “Ah, nights like this do give one an
appreciation of modern amenities.” He reached for the cup.

JJ held it away. “Well?”

“Well what?” he said again. “I don’t mind
answering inquiries, but I do need to know the subject.”

“Pink powder puff floating off in a cloud,”
she prompted and handed him his cup.

“Oh that,” he said and took a sip of the
steaming liquid. “She didn’t float off. She scooted. On a scooter,”
he explained.

“A scooter. It’s twenty degrees out
there.”

“Yes,” he said, smiling. “Quite
extraordinary, isn’t it.”

“The weather or the scooter?” She glanced at
Nardo who rolled his eyes, grinning. “Professor, tune in here. Who
the hell rides a scooter in this kind of weather?”

“Highway Helpers,” he answered
unhelpfully.

Nico sighed audibly. “Broadbent, who was that
person and what did they want?”

“Oh. I see. You could have just asked. She’s
a delightful young woman who assumed I was a stranded motorist. She
arrived shortly after Col left and kept me company until you
arrived.” He lifted the cup. “She had tea. Earl Grey. She said I
looked like a tea kind of person.”

“Did you get a name?” JJ had never heard of
Highway Helpers.

“No, I didn’t. Good Heavens, how rude.” He
was surprised at his lack of civility. “We didn’t exchange names.
She pulled up wearing this cute little pink outfit with her face
all framed with fur. She asked me if I needed rescuing and I said
no and she offered me tea. We chatted about this and that. She can
quote Thoreau quite handily. A cute little thing, really.”

“He said cute,” Hope whispered.

“Twice,” JJ whispered back.

Nardo made a motion like he was casting out a
fishing line. “And she reels him in.” He laughed. “Thoreau and tea.
Who could ask for more?” He shook his head. “And you didn’t get her
name or number.”

Broadbent flushed beneath his already cold
reddened face. “It wasn’t like that. She wasn’t trying to… um… pick
me up.”

Even Nico laughed at that. “We’re here,” he
said. “There’s Dov waving us in.”

“Looks like the party’s already started,”
Nardo commented. Two bodies were propped against the building
beside the parking lot entrance.

Nico backed carefully into the spot Dov
indicated and the three men got out. The two women moved to the
front seat.

“So much for all the fuss about surveillance,
huh?” JJ gave Nardo a wink and he shrugged.

“Who knew we’d get a chance at the Director
or that the weather would be so cooperative.” He reached across the
seat and gave her hand a squeeze, “I’ll see you in a little
while.”

They met no resistance when they entered the
building. The loading bay was stacked with crate after crate of
supplies. Three freezers, more commercial than the ones Grace used
at home, lined one wall and a huge refrigeration unit sat against
another. After checking a small office off to the right, Canaan
motioned them up the stairs two at a time.

They caught one uniformed guard coming from
the men’s room. Dov quickly shoved him back inside and after a
brief scuffle emerged wiping his hands on his jeans. He grinned and
gave Canaan a thumbs-down. A white coated man with horned rimmed
glasses came shuffling around the corner. He stopped with a look of
shock and then ran toward them instead of away.

“I’m a friend,” he whispered urgently, “Have
you come to get us out?”

Canaan drew him further down the corridor and
signaled Col to keep watch where the hallways intersected.

“My name is Isaac. Deter told me to expect
you, but he didn’t tell me when.”

He gave them an account of where everyone was
located and what areas were being used. Added to the blueprints
Nardo had gotten from the city’s building department, they now had
a more detailed plan of attack.

Walking ahead and acting as scout, Isaac led
them to the research areas where the guard was quickly disabled.
From there, there was little resistance until one true believer in
a white lab coat attacked Broadbent. The man’s fangs flared and he
lunged, shouting that he had the protection of the High Lord. The
Professor picked him up by the lapels and hurled him into a bank of
metal shelves that held rows of empty glass beakers and test tubes
where his attacker sprawled, unconscious, amidst the broken
glass.

Broadbent brushed nonexistent dust from his
coat sleeves. “Are there any other contenders?” he asked of the
group remaining. He sounded almost friendly though his face and
fangs showed he was ready for battle. “I thought not.” He turned to
Canaan, rubbing his hands together like an evil movie villain. “Are
we to pass judgment, my lord, or do you have other plans?”

“I think we’ll leave that for the Ruling
Council, Broadbent.”

The Professor bowed his head, earflaps
bobbling. “I accede to your wishes, as always. Come, Isaac, help me
sort the wolves from the lambs.” The group of scientists cowered
back from the mad professor.

“How could anyone be afraid of someone
wearing that dorky hat?” Dov asked of no one in particular.

Broadbent smiled around his fangs. He patted
his plaid bonnet. “I’ve been told it lends an air of frivolity to
my otherwise serious demeanor.”

“Someone’s been lying to you, Prof. It’s more
like an air of insanity.”

“Guardians.” It was only one word, but
Canaan’s meaning was clear. They held their tongues and turned
their attention back to business.

“We need to get below. Broadbent, you and Dov
finish up restraining those that need it in here then go on to the
kitchens. Take Isaac and someone he trusts with you. Col, take the
reception area. You can handle one guard. Station yourself in the
central hall by the stairs. “He pointed to the two remaining
Guardians. “You two with me.”

Maximillian ad Doren set his glass down
carefully on the small table beside his chair and hoped the others
didn’t notice the tremor that tinkled the ice cubes. It was too
early for scotch, but he felt the need for something to settle his
nerves. Salvador had offered it to him while the doctor went to
fetch his Supermen, as he now referred to them. They walked through
the door; ad Fenton, two guards, and the two Supermen; one taller
than the other, both immense in proportion. For the first time
Maximillian regretted how quickly his body metabolized alcohol. How
could anyone think they could introduce these genetic freaks into
society.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” he said shakily
as ad Fenton latched the heavy steel door behind him.

These creatures before him weren’t men at
all. They were monsters. Their faces had grown and distorted. Their
eyes were vacant holes of black. Fangs, much longer and larger than
any he had seen before, protruded from their upper gums. Their
bodies still looked normal, but he could swear he saw the muscles
pulsating beneath their jackets. He wasn’t alone in his shock.
Salvador stiffened beside him.

“Why haven’t they been fed?” the Captain
asked coldly, “And why have you brought them here looking like
this? Their care is your job.”

Ad Fenton locked the steel door behind him.
“And providing their meals is your job, Captain. Dinner never
showed up.”

One of the creatures leaned toward its guard
and sniffed loudly.

“No,” the guard snarled and brought up the
wand he held against his thigh. Electricity sparked at the tip and
the creature stepped back. “Sorry, sir,” he said to the doctor.
“You know how they get when they haven’t…” He glanced nervously at
Maximillian. “I can bring them over to the kitchens to feed
on…”

“No! You mustn’t.” He turned angrily to
Captain ad Primus. “I told you demon blood was critical at this
point. They’ve been weaned from both Paenitentia and human. To let
them drink now would set us back weeks, maybe months. You assured
me you could keep us supplied.”

Maximillian could no longer hide his shock or
his fear. He scrambled over the back of his chair and stood behind
it as if it could shield him from the monsters, not genetic freaks,
but real monsters. “Blood? Demon blood? What is this? What have you
done?” He pointed an accusing finger at the doctor. “You said it
was genetic research. And you!” He turned to ad Primus. “You
assured me the deaths were due to over-aggressiveness, that it
would be addressed. Neither of you said anything about this! I
thought the killings were mistakenly attributed to vampires. These…
these things are real!”

“You didn’t know because you didn’t want to
know,” ad Primus snarled. He held up his hand to forestall another
comment, listened to the phone he held to his ear and frowned.
“She’s not answering.” He pointed at the second guard. “Did you
check the house?”

“N-no. sir. You told us to…”

“Do it now. I want a report as soon as you
get there. Don’t just stand there. Go!”

The guard opened the door to a resounding
crash from the other end of the hall and the echo of gunshots.

The whole operation had been too easy, almost
boring, until one of the security guards opened the basement door,
saw the three Guardians descending and slammed it shut with a
shout. The air in the hallway seemed to expand and contract as full
battle rage took them. Bodies hardened around expanded muscles.
Faces settled into frozen masks of determination. Glistening fangs
extended far beyond the norm for other Paenitentia.

Nico tried the knob, found it locked, and
stepped back as Canaan and Nardo turned in tandem and struck out
with their powerful legs. Their heavily booted feet hit the door
mid-height and it thundered into the cavernous basement room as
lock and hinges were destroyed.

Their kicks stepped into shoulder rolls, to
the left and right and the bullets fired passed through the air
where they once stood. Nico followed them through, releasing a
series of throwing stars with a speed that blurred the movement of
his hand.