Once again I cannot reach a logical conclusion.
C
HAPTER
N
INE
Samantha replaced the telephone headset in the receiver base. She rose from the desk and paced the room. Her clothes were still damp with sweat from working out before the phone call from Mr. Smith. She usually exercised three times a week when things at work were at a semi-normal pace and found it to be just the right amount to keep her edge under control. But now with an operation of such high consequence should she fail, Samantha worked out as much as three times a day especially during the part that she hated the most—the waiting. If she didn’t expend her nervous and frustrated energy she would probably kill someone. History had proven that to be the case.
Every day that the two girls—the creatures—were loose jeopardized the discovery of their own creature and Operation Iron Stake. If there was even a hint that such creatures existed, the whole world would become a turmoil and even worse, the United States would lose the advantage they had enjoyed over the years. If this advantage was lost due to any fault of hers, she knew she would be quietly removed. An accident would be arranged, or worse yet, Mr. Smith would be assigned her neutralization. He would enjoy that immensely, she thought.
The folder on Operation Iron Stake lay open on her desk. She had gone through it at least three times now looking for anything that might help the current situation. She had memorized many of the operations that had been completed, including the assignments that had fallen under her tenure as handler of the creature. She had written a summary of the major events so that she could quickly review if she thought it became necessary.
1949: Assassinations of key personnel in order to allow CIA establishment of Radio Free Europe.
1950: Assassinations of North Korean officials prior to invasion of South Korea.
1952: Assassinations of Egyptian officials to secure overthrow of King Farouk.
1954: Assassinations to ensure CIA supported coup in Guatemala in the overthrow of President Jacobo Arbenz.
1956: Assassinations in Hungary in support of anti-Communist rebellion.
1958: Assassinations in support of election of Charles de Gaulle.
As she continued going through the list, her thoughts also focused on her own personal knowledge from her experience with the asset.
1961: Assassinations in support of Bay of Pigs Invasion.
1964: Assassinations in key Russian positions to ensure failure of Khrushchev’s Agricultural reform.
1966: Assassination of Lal Bahadur Shastri in support of election of Indira Ghandi as Prime Minister.
1969: Assassination of Somali President Abdi Rashid Ali Shermarke.
1970: Assists CIA in Laos by assassination of key government figures.
1971: Assassination of Chinese Defense Minister, Lin Pao.
1972: Assists in Philippine Offensive to remove Communistic elements.
1973: CIA directed assassination of Chile’s Marxist President, Salvador Allende Gossens.
One of the cardinal rules maintained in the relationship with the asset was the separation of contact between the handler and asset. Samantha had met the creature in person on only two occasions. First, when she became her handler and second, before sending her on the op to kill General Stone. The importance of the General Stone op required her presence to ensure the creature understood exactly what needed to be done and the peculiarity of placing the collars on the dead bodies.
Samantha returned to the list and began going down the page looking at names. Some she had known, some she had not. Did it matter? In the end they were just names on paper that had been obstacles to the ideals and expectations of those in charge. Those obstacles were given to the handler to deal with appropriately. The term ‘handler’ was one that she had come to admire and cherish just as one would place importance on something sentimental to them.
Her eyes fell back to the list of names as she felt the beginnings of a laugh start to form in the back of her throat.
1975: Assassination of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.
1976: Assassinations in support of finding the murderer of US Ambassador Francis E. Melroy in Beirut.
1977: Assassination in Ethiopia in support of removal of Communist Forces.
1978: Assassinations in opposition to Soviet supported coup in Afghanistan.
1979: Failed attempt in infiltration of American Embassy in Iran.
1980: Assassination of Yugoslavian President Tito.
1983: Assassination of identified terrorists involved with bombing of US Marine barracks in Lebanon.
1985: Assassinations in Nicaragua in support of Contras rebels.
1986: Sabotage of Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
1988: Assassination of Pakistan General Zia ul-Haq.
1989: Assassinations in support of Czechoslovakian revolt against Communist government.
1990: Assassinations in support of overthrow of Communist party in Yugoslavia.
Handler. She allowed the sound to dance on her lips. She raised her finger and touched her lips to feel the vibration. She smiled. The term had been adopted somewhere along the line for reasons she didn’t know; however, she understood the implications of it very well. When Iron Stake had been placed into service, positive control had been maintained by the explosive device inside of her. The device was state-of-the-art in the mid-1940’s when it had been designed, but with technological advances, the device had been quickly replaced with even better technology.
Better technology meant the device was replaced every five years or so.
“Boom,” she said and she splayed her arms in front of her. “Boom…boom.” She liked bombs. Bombs were good ways to get your target. You didn’t have to be right on top of them to use a bomb, just close enough. Like in horseshoes and hand grenades.
1991: Assassination of key Iraqi officials to aide allied invasion of Operation Desert Storm.
1993: Assassination of Somalia dissidents associated with American soldier murders.
1994: Assassinations of Russian spies associated with American spy Aldrich Ames.
1995: Assassinations in support of investigation into death of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
1996: Assassinations in support of operation in Saudi Arabia as a result of bomb exploded at apartment complex.
1998: Assassinations in support of CIA operation to locate Osama bin Laden.
1999: Assassinations in Yugoslavia in support of NATO operations to halt ethnic cleansing.
2000: Assassination of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad.
2001: Assassinations of Chinese military officials involved with the capturing of American pilots.
2002: Failed assassination attempt on Saddam Hussein.
2003: Assassinations in support of democratic issues by students in Iran.
2004: Assassinations of General Stone and Commander Scott for their inappropriate handling of assets involved with ‘Team of Darkness’ Operations.
Her list ended, although she knew with certainty that there were a few more events that had been completed. A new policy had been adopted over the past few years of not even recording the missions. Some things just did not belong on the list because if they did, someone might find out one day and ask questions. She felt a warm smile come to her face as she thought about those missions and her thoughts drifted back to the explosive device.
The controlling device became smaller and more complex with every replacement and the current range of the tracking device was virtually worldwide. Which meant the ability to detonate the device was also possible anywhere in the world, so any attempt by the creature to escape was useless. Of course this bit of information had been kept from the creature until after the device had been installed. However, the one thing that had not changed over the span of time was the method of removal. The device was coded with the genetic code of two people, the handler and the head of the agency. Only these two people could have the device safely removed. Any other attempt would result in a small but deadly explosion.
Samantha smiled as she imagined the efficiency of such a kill. She smiled and felt warmth between her legs as she dreamt about the explosion and the effect it would have on the human body.
C
HAPTER
T
EN
“It will work out,” insisted Iliga, “We have safeguards enough.”
“Let’s hope you are right,” said Dimitri. “If not, this underground shelter may become our own crypt and we will never leave.”
“It is time to go,” Dimitri said.
The three men and two girls stood in the driveway outside of the barn on the farm in Suffolk, Virginia. Dimitri had procured the farm and then rented out the land at a very affordable rate to cattle owners. This not only gave him a steady stream of income, but also a steady source of food in the blood from the cattle. It was a win-win scenario.
They had finished feeding on the cattle that had been brought into the barn for the night, another arrangement that Dimitri had his hired help perform. Every evening, they would bring six cows into the barn, leaving the rest out in the field. This way the cattle were rotated every day, ensuring none were harmed.
Dimitri turned toward the two girls. “Are you alright?” he asked. He did not direct the question due to concern over the feeding, but was referring rather to the conversation that Ishma had had with her younger sister, Crema, concerning their future.
During the drive from Norfolk, Ishma explained to Crema what Dimitri had told her about her father and Josip and what their life would be like. The young girl had cried and wailed at the loss of her father. Yet Dimitri wasn’t sure if she really understood what her life would be like from this point on. Youth was pliable and could be shaped to change he hoped. She would probably adapt after a short period, however Dimitri was more concerned with Ishma. She was older which made her worldly enough to understand the possible satisfaction that could come from revenge and hatred rather than the peace of putting the past behind.
“We’re…okay,” Ishma answered cautiously, “a little shaky but okay.” As she spoke, she pulled her younger sister closer to her, hugging her tightly. Something between an unsure smile and a frown was upon the lips of the younger girl.
“We should go,” he said. “We have things to plan.”
The five of them got into the van that was parked on the side of the barn. Andre drove as always, Dimitri sat in the passenger seat, and Iliga sat in the back with the girls. Nobody spoke as they drove down the dark and empty roads.
This area of Suffolk was full of plenty of those. The people of the area were still trying to resist the pull of commercialism and development. In a small way it reminded Dimitri of the rural areas of Kosovo, although this land was flat as compared to the rough terrain of his own city. They passed a few deer, their eyes’ reflections caught by the headlights of the van as they passed. The animals were foraging in the fields for peanuts and corn as the van made its way back to the main road. Slowly the darkness gave way as they approached the more abundant streetlights of the main road. They turned onto the main highway, Benn’s Church, and headed toward Smithfield.
Dimitri did not feel as exhilarated as he usually did after feeding. His thoughts were troubled because everything was changing so suddenly. They had acclimated to their new environment. They had begun to settle into a new routine. They had secured a safe food source, had studied the area and the society, and learned adaptive strategies. But then they’d learned of the girls and now he wondered what changes they would bring to the group.
He felt the van turning left onto Route 17 and heading toward the James River Bridge. He could smell the brackish water of the river as they approached. He didn’t like the smell. For some reason he associated it with a rotting corpse of a dead animal and he tried to ignore it as he settled back into his thoughts.
The three of them had already decided that it would be best to take the girls back home to Kosovo. They had based this upon the assumption that perhaps having a sense of familiarity with their surroundings would help them adjust to their new lives as vampires. There were many places in the mountains that they knew; secret places such as the old library where Dimitri and his group had spent many quiet years. People also had a… Dimitri struggled to find the word to describe it, a respect for the old legends. It was as if they were proud that their area of the world had been the bedrock for these myths and stories. The people of the Balkans would drag their feet and struggle as they were pulled into the future.
The only problem with the plan to return home was how to get them out of this area. Since the escape, every possible method of leaving had been blocked. Dimitri had underestimated the strength and determination of whomever it was that had control over the girls and their captivity. He only hoped that that one mistake did not cost them their lives.
C
HAPTER
E
LEVEN
Christina had the strangest reaction then, an odd sensation of cold numbing her skin in a matter of seconds.
Then there was a slight pinch and her world exploded in her mind.
Christina tried to roll from side to side in her bed as if to escape something. Her sheets were wrapped around her legs preventing her from rolling away. Her hands were wrapped in front of her throat as if trying to prevent an attack.
She was immersed in the massive amount of sensations—her body felt as if she were being submerged into a pool of intense warmth. The feeling pushed aside all thought and allowed only the sensation of intense pleasure to carry her along whatever path it chose as she rode the never-ending wave.