The second dark ages box.., p.35
The Second Dark Ages Boxed Set, page 35
part #1 of The Second Dark Ages Series
“We have solid information that the Wechselbalg in China have the components for a Kurtherian spaceship, but they can’t put it together.”
“Why would we be able to?” Michael asked.
“Because we know where there is another Kurtherian to ask, and we have Eve, of course,” Yuko answered, nodding to the AI.
Michael thought about that for a moment, then another couple of moments, “ArchAngel?”
Yuko nodded in agreement as Michael asked, “What about Boris?”
Akio stepped into the container. “Still alive, with a wife and family.” He walked over to the clothes that were next to Michael’s and dropped his robe.
Yuko’s eyes flashed to the ceiling in exasperation. “What is it with you guys not caring that there are two females present?”
“Why?” Michael asked, looking confused. “I was gone at least a hundred and fifty plus years. That would make you—”
Yuko’s normally serene voice was a bit agitated. “Still able to feel embarrassed when guys drop their clothes around me, thank you, Michael.”
Jacqueline came in as Akio finished buttoning his shirt. “Really, Yuko?” she asked the vampire as she padded over to her own clothes. “How about women?” she asked as she started to drop her robe.
“Oh for…” Yuko turned and walked out of the container as Michael and Jacqueline laughed behind her.
Akio looked at Michael, who winked back at him. “Trust me.” This time, Michael smiled when Akio did a passable imitation of rolling his eyes.
Akio was trying, Michael had to give him that. Maybe Michael could help encourage this a little.
“Michael?” Yuko’s voice came back to them. “You might want to come out here. We have new arrivals!”
Chapter Fifteen
Michael checked his pistols and his Ulfberht sword and walked out of the container to find the three main leaders of the humans.
They were still bloody.
“We were never properly introduced. I’m Kirk.” The dark-haired man with a beard waved. “Sorry, too much blood to be shaking hands.” He turned to point out his two compatriots. “The short blond one at the end is Timothy, and the gargantuan one next to me here is James.”
“I’d just like to say,” Timothy spoke next, “that I wasn’t going to shoot you.”
Michael raised an eyebrow before he started smiling. “Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you understood the consequences of aiming the rifle at me.”
“The hell…” James breathed out.
Kirk looked over at him. “That’s my line.”
“Well,” James replied, “you should use it more often.” He turned to Michael. “You really did tell Timothy that you would shove the rifle up his ass?”
Yes, Michael answered. Wouldn’t you do something like that if someone was pointing a gun in your direction?
“Well, of course.” James said.
“Dude,” Kirk hissed.
“One second, Kirk,” James replied before looking back to Michael. “But how?”
Like, how did I contact him? Michael asked while his lips curved in a smile.
“Yeah,” James asked.
Like this, Michael answered.
“Dude!” Kirk punched James.
James turned on his friend. “Son of a bitch, Kirk! The fuck?” he said as he rubbed his arm.
Kirk turned to point at Michael. “He’s not talking!”
“The hell he isn’t talking!” James replied. “We just had a—”
“Out loud,” Kirk clarified.
“What?” James looked back at Michael.
Like I said. Michael told him. Just like that.
“Oh.” James replied before turning to Timothy. “My apologies.”
“I was right three times now?” Timothy confirmed.
James looked at his friend a moment. “I really fucking hate you.”
“More attackers?” Michael tried to steer the conversation back to the relevant topic.
“Yeah, sorry.” Kirk took back control. “We have scouts and ways to track the other two large Were populations, and they’re on their way. Maybe two or three thousand more coming at us. They will arrive no later than a couple of hours from now.”
“You have radio?”
“Limited, yes.” Kirk agreed.
“Hmmm,” Michael responded, as Akio walked up next to him.
“That might be fun, but it’s too many to fight without spillage around us.”
“Agreed,” Michael answered. “Two pucks left?” Akio nodded to answer.
“How much time before they get here?” Michael asked Kirk for confirmation of the timeline.
“Two hours or so,” Kirk said.
“Okay,” Michael replied, and turned back to Akio. “Other weapons of mass destruction?”
Akio shrugged. “If we can make it back to base in time, we have some large bombs that would take out a small mountain.”
“Impressive, but too much,” Michael answered.
Mark joined the group as Jacqueline came out of the container. All three of the humans glanced at her before turning back to Michael.
Mark hugged her. “Your clothes are inside,” she told him. “Make sure Yuko knows when you’re ready to change, she’s working on her blushing.”
“I am not!” Yuko snapped as Sabine walked up.
“Mark is about to change,” Yuko told her.
Sabine shrugged. “I don’t care if he does,” she replied and smiled. “I’ve seen his girlfriend and his eyes won’t be wandering any time soon.”
“Like ever,” Jacqueline replied as she stared directly at Mark.
“Hey, I’m clean here. I just need clothes.” He turned to Sabine. “You go first, I’ll wait.”
Sabine patted him on the shoulder as she walked past. “That’s how you get the room to yourself, Yuko.”
Yuko stared at the young woman, her head rotating to follow her as she continued into the container. She could hear Eve point out the clothes.
“Do we have a weatherman up there?” Michael asked, as he looked up at the clouds.
Akio pursed his lips and turned towards the container, but Eve’s voice came out before he could ask. “Maybe a forty percent chance of rain when the Weres get here.”
“Rain?” James and Timothy both asked.
“Not rain,” Michael replied as his eyes searched the clouds. “Ammunition.”
“Hey!” Sabine’s voice came out of the container. “Who gets the kiss for the extra rounds?”
“That would be Yuko,” Eve replied. Everyone turned to Yuko, whose cheeks were starting to turn red again.
“Um.” Timothy interrupted. “Not to appear unappreciative for what you did this morning, but why does it seem you guys are not too worried about two thousand Weres?”
“Or more,” James added.
“Or more,” Timothy agreed, “coming our way right now?”
“You plan on fighting again?” Michael asked, and all of the men nodded. “Well, we’ll be in a situation I happen to enjoy.”
“What kind of situation is that?” Kirk finally asked when Michael said no more.
Michael smiled. “A target-rich environment.” He looked at the buildings surrounding them. “Let’s look at your defenses and figure out how to fortify them against the Wechselbalg.”
“Sure.” Kirk shrugged and turned to start walking back towards the front lines. “Have you fought these guys a lot, then?”
“Well,” Michael said as Sabine came out and Mark replaced her. “I’ve killed a few in my time.”
“Dude,” Kirk’s voice was fading as they walked away. “You killed hundreds this morning.”
“Yes,” Michael agreed. “But I was just warming up.”
James and Timothy looked at each other, their eyes widening when Jacqueline snorted. They turned to her. “Is he kidding?” asked Timothy.
Jacqueline looked at Michael and Kirk as they walked away. “You know, I doubt it. If anything, he’s probably underselling himself. He tends to be humble about his ability to turn live bodies into corpses.”
Akio took a step towards Jacqueline. “What do you think he wants with the weather report?”
Jacqueline’s face turned from thoughtful to slightly fearful. “He wants to fight the elements again, and turn them on those who would dare challenge him,” she said softly as Mark walked up to the group.
“Who is challenging whom?”
“Michael,” Jacqueline said as she leaned back against him. Mark’s arms encircled her. “He’s hoping the weather comes again.”
“Oh, seriously?” Mark asked, and looked at the two distant figures. “That would be badass.” Mark looked at the men watching him. “God bless, but if he starts raising his arms to the sky, drop everything and run like hell. It isn’t a good place to be.”
“Where isn’t a good place to be?” James asked.
“With Michael,” Jacqueline answered. “When he decides to fight with Mother Nature.”
“You have some good defensive positions.” Michael pointed to a few places below the two men who were standing at the top of a five-story building. There were open places and some wrecked buildings in front of them. The stench of the dead bodies was blowing to the southwest, thankfully. “But for this fight, I want you to pull your people back to this building,” Michael then pointed to a similar one across the street, “and that one. Have your sharpshooters across the top and your fighters blocking the way up. Protect your shooters and harass the hell out of the Weres.”
“That’s going to leave us stuck up here,” Kirk stated. “We’ll be out of food and water with no way to resupply.”
“We can get you off the top, but you won’t need the help.” Michael told him.
“Why?” Kirk asked. “I’m not doubting you, I’m just asking because these people trust me and I need to know so that I can, in good conscience, tell them I recommend.”
“Because the Weres might have numbers, but I have what matters.”
Kirk asked. “What’s that?”
Michael turned from looking out over the plain to look at Kirk. He eyes flashed red and his visage took on the expression that Kirk would later describe as ‘a walking personification of Death.’ His voice dropped an octave. “I have the assurance I will be meeting my love at the end of this. This is merely a small stopping point to take care of someone who should have stayed in the ground.”
“The Duke?” Kirk asked.
Michael nodded. “His name, if I were to make an educated guess, is William Renaud. I thought he was dead after this amount of time. I’m not sure what idiots raided that crypt, but they would certainly have paid for their mistake.”
Kirk thought about his comment. “What assurance?”
Michael smiled. “Why, Kirk, I gave her a promise to come back and I’ll keep it, no matter how many stand between me and that day.”
“So why not just find the Duke and kill him?” he asked. “Why get involved in this?”
“That,” Michael replied, “would be dishonorable, Kirk.” Michael’s eyes flashed red again as they narrowed, and he looked at the horizon. “One thing I’m not, is dishonorable.”
The humans who had chosen to stay in Paris for the fight were holed up in the two buildings Michael had designated. Kirk and his people were on top of the building where Michael had spoken to Kirk. “They want us up here why?” Timothy asked.
“Trust me,” Kirk replied. “He never said why, just do it.” He turned from watching the Magnificent Seven walking down the street between the two buildings and out onto the plain. “If I had to guess, they’re going to pull some serious shit and don’t want us in the way.”
“Or hurt,” James added.
Kirk turned to James and thought about his comment. “Yeah, actually you’re probably right.”
“You know,” Mark said as they walked about a quarter mile from the buildings, “you could always make sure it rains.”
“Hmmm?” Michael asked and turned to Mark. “What do you mean?”
“Well, what about doing the opposite of what you did in the clouds?” Mark asked. “Seems like it might work.”
“Maybe, but I was actually up in the clouds at the time.” Michael replied. “We’re on the ground.”
“So what happens if we get no lightning?” Jacqueline asked. “I mean, I’m not chickening out, but I have a date tonight and frankly, getting gory really isn’t my cup of tea. And two thousand?”
“It won’t be two thousand,” Akio said as he pulled out a tablet.
“Oh shit!” Mark exclaimed. “Dude, you have a tablet?”
Jacqueline slapped his arm. “Hey, Technolust Boy, pay attention over here.”
“Always, baby,” Mark threw her a kiss. “But c’mon!”
Jacqueline nodded. “Okay.” As Mark let go of her hand and walked over next to Akio as she huffed, “Nerds.”
“No,” Michael replied. “The correct term is geek.”
“What’s the difference?” Jacqueline asked.
“Um…” Michael thought about that a moment. “Nerds are more into science for science’s sake. Geeks are more into general smart stuff, not just science, and they love all things computer.” He paused a moment. “I’ll have to ask Tabitha about that some time to make sure I have it right.”
“Oh no you don’t!” She pointed at Mark, who was paying attention to them. “I saw you raise your head when she-who-shall-not-be-named was spoken of!” Mark dropped his head and continued his conversation with Akio.
“Jacqueline,” Michael said, “you need to realize that you have a wonderful guy in Mark, so don’t run him off with jealousy.”
“Yeah, I know,” she answered, “but he doesn’t give off the same scent as a mated Were, and it’s driving my inner wolf fucking crazy.”
“You’re both human,” Michael chided her, “not another version of Romeo and Juliet.” Michael pursed his lips. “I guess that isn’t exactly the right metaphor, actually.”
“Who?” she asked.
Michael just shook his head in exasperation. “A story for the ages. And apparently, another victim of the last war.”
Jacqueline giggled. “I’m just kidding Michael. I know who they are.”
Michael eyed the young woman, then shook his head and smiled.
Then all seven of them turned as one to the north.
Sabine looked in that direction. “What the hell, people? Aren’t they coming from the west?”
“Yes,” Eve agreed, “but that thunder we just heard was coming from the north.”
Gerard set up his lunch table, then pulled a red and white checkered tablecloth from the bag and laid it out. He noticed the storm coming. It should wash away some of the yuckiness from the killing that was going to happen soon. He laid his bread and cheese, and the bottle of wine he had been saving for a special occasion.
He hoped it hadn’t spoiled.
The rest were on the bottom floor of this tenement. He had seen the rooftop when they had arrived in Paris, and marked it as a good place for a picnic. Since Paris had some light, but not in all places, it might do for a nighttime destination on the night of a full moon.
Not tonight, though. He had plans and meetings before the Duke woke up. Gerard figured he would take the two Alphas and their seconds with him for a meeting with the Duke and his six lieutenants.
Akio turned the tablet so that Mark could see it. “We are watching the satellites above us. We have some ability to see through the thickening cloud cover, but it is starting to degrade fast. However, such a large mass of hot bodies will show up here.” Akio touched a button on the screen.
“That is so cool!” Mark replied. “What are we going to do?”
Akio punched the first button. “Did you know that often it isn’t the size of the projectile but rather how much kinetic energy it carries that determines the amount of damage it can do?
“No,” Mark replied. “I know the math. Well, sort of,” he clarified. “But how something really small can create a massive amount of damage is beyond me.”
Akio looked around like he was searching out a spy before he looked at Mark and whispered, “Me too!” and gave the young man a wink.
Half a second later, Eve called out, “I heard that!”
Akio turned towards Eve and smiled. For an AI, she did a remarkable approximation of a double take. She went back through her memory banks and couldn’t locate one other instance where she had personally witnessed him smiling. His nanocytes must have been working extra hard to fix those unused muscles.
Lilliana was one of the few female Alpha Weres anywhere in Europe, at least as far as she knew. She had grown up with three brothers who didn’t care what bodily attributes she had. It was a free-for-all, and she was the second oldest.
Her brother Marcel at the top had tried to push his authority down, and her brothers Terrence and Edward had tried to fight and claw their way up the sibling chain of rivalry. She wasn’t a beauty; she was built like an ox. She had muscles, and walked with a rolling forward momentum in her human form.
Two of her brothers had been gone for fifteen years now. The youngest, Edward, was the only one who had left, he had gone east to look for his future. The other two had stayed and challenged the previous Alpha, Clement. Clement had torn Terrence apart rather easily, and she had shaken her head at that. For three months, she had argued with that blockhead that he wasn’t strong enough to take Clement. So she had tried to teach him, to work with him, and finally she had almost killed him herself to prove he wasn’t ready.
All it did was make him more determined to challenge for the Alpha position. Lilliana had hung her head and kissed him good-bye. She wouldn’t watch the killing. If she could take him out, then so could many others in the pack. Either way, Terrence wasn’t going to be alive for long.
Within two weeks of Terrence failing to prevail, Marcel came to her. Enough ridicule had been thrown Marcel’s way about Terrence that he had decided he must challenge.
