HUNTED - Jarvinia Many thanks to David for beta-reading this story, and for his many suggestions. Otherwise, it still would have been sent, but not in this much-improved state. This story was originally written in June of 1999, revised November of 2000. It is also the first solely Forever Knight story I have written, and my first post to FKFIC-l. Permission is given to archive at the fanfic page, and the ftp site. The characters of Forever Knight do not belong to me, and are used without permission. Other characters not part of Forever Knight are mine. ~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~ Hunted - (01/08) Nick walked into the precinct, and immediately noticed that his partner, Tracy Vetter, was not sitting at her desk as she usually was. He looked around as he approached his desk, but never got a chance to sit down. "Hey, Nick," Reese called from his office, "I need to talk to you about something." After entering, he was asked to sit down, Tracy already seated. The day's Toronto Sun paper was handed to him by the captain, and his attention was caught by the headline, 'Two More Cops Chased Through Toronto Ending in Disaster.' Nick handed it to his partner, and commented, "Another one." "Yep, the third in the past two weeks. This time no one came out unscathed, one dead, the other in a coma at the hospital." Reese looked at his finest pair of detectives, possibly the finest in the province, and explained, "This guy seems to be going after cops, all having at least one rookie in the car, the other officer not being much more experienced. He also seems to be targeting only officers, just those with squad cars, and only when they are in them and on duty too." "What does that have to do with us, Captain?" Tracy asked, wondering what was up. They knew it wasn't their case, and they didn't have any connections to those that were being targeted. The victims were uniformed officers, not plain clothes detectives. Reese looked at them, and gauged their reaction to what he was going to say. "The reason this guy keeps on getting away is because the officers driving have been just too inexperienced to know all the tricks, and don't know enough about the city, and thus are outwitted and they make a mistake. We need two people to go undercover, pretending they are inexperienced. They can't be other officers, they have to be detectives. That way hopefully he won't already have seen them, and know that we are playing a trick on him." "And you want us to be the two detectives to go undercover?" Nick asked, knowing he was right. It would be the only reason they would be told such information. Tracy told them, "My father would never let me be put in that much danger. He'd never go for it." "Actually, we already talked to him, and after we told him the situation, he reluctantly agreed. He knew that if you two couldn't do it, then no one else could either, and most likely, this would continue for a while longer." Tracy argued, "But, I'm sure we're not the best choice, I mean, aren't there others that would pull it off better?" "No. The two going undercover need to be used to working together, they also need to be relatively young, and you two are the youngest looking detective pair in Toronto." Once again, he considered the pair and said, as he always had to, "If you don't want to do it, I can't make you." Tracy glanced at her partner, checking to see if he would agree to it, and he nodded. "We'll do it. Does this mean I have to wear a uniform again?" Tracy asked, a faint whine in her voice, and Nick smiled at her comment. Reese grinned as well, happy that they could joke, especially considering how dangerous this undercover assignment was going to be. "Yes, you'll have to wear one, and you too, Knight. You'll also be driving one of the squad cars instead of the caddy, and will have to act the part." He paused, wanting to make sure they understood, then turning toward Nick, said, "I'll have someone come in later tonight that will help you look a little younger, and in the meantime, I'll have someone get uniforms for you two." "Actually, I know a way to make myself look a lot younger, although it'll mean a slight haircut." Immortality does have it's uses. At least it was easy to change one's age of appearance quickly. "Well, we'll still see what they can do, but if your idea will work better, then use it instead." Reese stood up, and then said, "Come on." They left the office, going to get the uniforms. After getting the correct size for both of them, the two detectives were instructed that they would be using a patrol car from the 86th precinct until everything was over, and that they were to go there tonight to meet the Captain. They would also get pins for their uniforms while there. They were told to think of the names they would be going under. As soon as they had arrived at the other precinct, they were called into the Captain's office, and told to sit down. "I'm Captain David Carter of the 86th precinct," the tall man sitting behind the desk stated, as he held out his hand to the pair. "Detectives Nicholas Knight and Tracy Vetter from the 96th," Nick introduced, as they shook hands. Carter waited for the detectives to sit down, and once they had done so, he began, "It's good that you could come by tonight. I have to emphasize that you don't have to do this. You two could very well be injured, or worse, if this guy goes after you." "We know the risks, but somebody has to do something," Tracy told him. "You're right, someone does have to do something, and I really hope nothing happens to you two." He looked at them, and knew they would both do it no matter the risks. Knight would do it to stop the guy, and his partner would to show she deserves her position. "Did you get uniforms yet?" Carter asked. "Yes, we did, although we need to get pins, and we were told something about choosing names?" Nick said, wanting to get everything done with plenty of time to spare. "Yes, here are the pins for your uniforms," he said as he gave two to Nick, and two to Tracy. "And as for the names, you need to have a different last one, something you could quickly adjust to. But your first names can stay the same, and I would recommend that they do. Do you know what you would like to use?" "Well, I could use Vachon for my last name. Nick, what about you?" she turned toward him and saw him smile slightly at her choice of names. However, she did not know his reason for doing so, and wondered what his assumed name would be. He had to think for a minute. The names he could adjust to easiest, Brabant and Chevalier, he couldn't use because it might cause Tracy to suspect what he is. "Parker, would work," he finally said. "Good, I'll get those made up, along with the badges," he said, meaning the name plates for their uniforms. "And I'll have one of our officers show you to the car that you'll be using, and remind you two of a few things. Oh, and each night you'll come to this precinct, check in here, and come in my office. While here you will also go by your assumed names. If someone recognizes you and calls your name, don't respond. Later, I'll say something to them." Nick nodded. Carter picked up his phone, and asked for Officer Hernandez to come in his office. Nick and Tracy stood up, and almost immediately, a dark haired man of about thirty entered the office. Carter told him to take the detectives to the car they were going to be using. He also informed them that they needed to come in at five o'clock each night unless told otherwise. Nick immediately told Carter, "I'm afraid that's not going to be possible. I have a severe allergy to sunlight, and am not able to go outside during the day." He'd remembered hearing somthing about an allergy. Apparently it really was severe if he couldn't come in. "How soon can you get here?" he asked, wanting them there as soon as possible each night. "About fifteen to twenty minutes after the sun sets," Nick said, adding a few extra minutes, for his safety. Carter considered Knight's words, then told him, "All right, now go on. I don't expect you back tonight. You'll get your name plates tomorrow when you come in, and you're supposed to go back to the 96th before you go home." Nick nodded. Then he, his partner, and Hernandez left the precinct walking to one of the squad cars. They were told which radio frequency they would use, how to respond, and also reminded where some of the features on the car were. "Is there anything else we need to do before leaving?" Tracy asked as they started toward the caddy. "No. Although I will caution you. Parking is hard to get and if you can, you might want to come in the same car." Nick thanked him. Then, they got back in his car, and on the way back to the 96th precinct, Nick told Tracy he would pick her up five to ten minutes after sunset. After entering, they were directed to one of the back rooms, where they typically did wardrobe for some of the undercover officers. When they opened the door, they saw a young brown haired woman, just a little older than Tracy. It was Julia Sullivan, who they both knew from going undercover before, and she told them to sit. "I was told to give these to you," she said as she held up the two belts, each with a radio, and spots for their guns and handcuffs. "We'll take them with us when we leave," Nick told her as he set his down on a nearby table. "Detective Vetter, if you want, you can go ahead and go home," she mentioned. "No, I'll wait. I want to see what he's going to look like tomorrow night," Tracy said, smiling, wondering what they were going to do to Nick to make him younger looking. First they tried several different ways of combing his hair, but with its length in some spots the look didn't work. Each time Tracy made her reaction clear, sometimes teasing him. Finally, after over a half hour of trying different things, Nick finnally mentioned, "I have a way that would work, but I'm going to need a haircut. Could you trim it?" "Yes, that's one of the things I will usually do if someone's going undercover, I just didn't know if you wanted it cut. Some people are completely against it and I've had a few bad reactions, so I didn't ask," she said. Then, after a pause, Julia asked, "How short do you want it cut?" "To about two, or two and a half inches all of the way around," Nick told her as she retrieved a cape to put around him, so that the hair would fall to the ground. Tracy watched as Nick had his hair misted with water, then trimmed, and dried. "How's that?" Julia asked, making sure she got it right. Nick pulled a few of the hairs over his forehead, and looked in the mirror, thankful he reflected. After seeing it was at the right length, he said, "Good." Then, he stood up, and taking the cape off handed it to her. Nick took the comb, and smoothed it back to how he had it when he came in. It was hard to tell that it was much shorter because of how thick his hair was. He thanked her and, after grabbing their belts, the two partners headed back to the main part of the precinct. Once they got back in the bullpen, they each grabbed a few things from their desks, then left for their own cars. Hunted - (02/08) Nick did not go directly home. Instead he made a stop by the morgue, and went to Natalie's office. He found her bending over a microscope, and as he walked in, he purposely made a few noises to let her know he was there. She acknowledged him with her hand, and as he silently walked in, he waited for her to finish her task. Natalie looked up, turned the microscope off, and took the slide out placing it on the counter. She asked, "What are you doing here so early?" knowing that he rarely came by at this particular time. It was only half way through the night, and she knew he didn't have anything to pick up. "Actually I'm off, but I came by to tell you that Tracy and I are going to be doing something slightly undercover." "What do you mean, slightly?" she asked, not knowing anything about it yet. He hesitated a second, then explained, "We're going undercover as cops, but the uniformed kind." "Are you able to say why?" she asked, aware that usually you can't. Nick listened for others, and hearing no one, replied, "Yeah, just don't tell anyone. It's because of the chases. They needed two people to go undercover to act as bait, and catch this guy." "And they picked you two because of your experience and young looks," she stated, and looked up at him. "You do know this could possibly cost you your 'life' here, and also your partner's life period?" she said, knowing what was going on in the papers. In all three cases, at least one was injured, or even killed as a result of the crash. So far only one had come out of the crash conscious, and only one of the three others that didn't die had woke up. Those were not good odds at all. "Yeah, I know, and I hope nothing happens to either of us. I don't know what I would do if I had to leave Toronto without you." Natalie knew that he meant what he said, although he never really admitted it. She didn't know what she'd do when he had to leave, which whether he 'died' or not, would be coming soon. "Does Tracy's father know she's doing this?" "Yes, and he agreed, albeit reluctantly. We are the only ones that could pull it off, and not look suspicious." Natalie shook her head in agreement. He was right. They were probably the only ones that could pull it off. "So, you won't be able to come by here as often, correct?" she asked, guessing. "I won't be able to come by during my shift, but when we get off, I could come by." "Well, you be careful. I want both you and Tracy to stay in one piece. I know it won't kill you, but if you happen to get in a crash, try to at least help Tracy. She doesn't have the advantage that you do," Natalie told him, hoping she wouldn't cry until after he left. Before he left he stepped up to Natalie, giving her a kiss on her temple, and assured her, "Don't worry, I will." Then, he left the room without another word. Natalie was a little surprised by his actions, he hadn't done that for almost a month. But she knew that Nick really did care, he showed it more in his actions than in his words. She returned to examining the slide she was looking at earlier, having to stop and wipe her eyes. 'Don't worry,' yeah, right. With their odds, Nick would be lucky if he didn't have to leave. Then, she decided to at least try to get some work done. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. The next night, Nick knocked on Tracy's door just a few minutes after sunset. They both smiled a little when they saw each other with Nick commenting, "So, do you feel like a rookie?" She hit him, knowing it was just Nick's way of being humorous. Then, she ruffled his hair a little more than it already was. "You look like one," she teased as she closed the door and walked down the hall. Nick followed soon after. His hair was slightly ruffled, coming onto his forehead slightly, and he had just a little bit of stubble on his chin, causing him to look just a little older than Tracy did. "So it works. I'm supposed to make my self look younger, so I did," Nick said, a boyish grin coming to his face, causing her to smile, and shake her head. She liked this side of Nick, a side he rarely revealed, and wondered why. They both got in, and after Nick adjusted the belt that held his gun, and other stuff, he started the car, and drove to the 86th precinct. On the way, each told the other a little how they felt about what they were doing, and reminded themselves of what they would be doing that night. As they got out of the Caddy, they didn't notice the man sitting across the street who watched the two officers walk into the precinct and noticed their young looks. He switched sides of the street, so that he could read their name plates and follow them to their car. Sure, it was just over a day since he chased the other two, but they just looked so young and inexperienced. He had to find out who they were. Perhaps, he would pick his next target a little early. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Nick and Tracy went to the Captain's office after checking in, and getting their name plates. As they did so, the duty officer reminded them that they probably wouldn't get anything that night, or the guy might not even go after them, but to always be prepared. Nick knew that the suspect had been making the chases closer and closer together, and that he could easily go after them that night. Carter also gave them different badges to complete everything. As he handed Nick's badge to him, Carter said, "I didn't know what you were going to look like, so I took your original badge photo and used it. The strange thing is, you look younger now than in the photo, and you have the same hairstyle and everything." Nick didn't say anything, and was glad Tracy didn't see the picture, because it was very true. If Carter noticed it, Tracy definitely would, and that would be hard to explain. Then, they went to their car. Once again, they did not notice the man reading their name plates, and catching the squad car's number as they got in and drove off. The first half of the night was uneventful. Tracy eventually asked if they could stop, and get something to eat around ten o'clock. They pulled into a taco place a few minutes later, again at Tracy's request, and went in to order. "Nick what are you going to get?" she asked as they approached the counter. "Um," he said, remembering he once told Tracy he did eat, just that he usually ate with Nat. "I'm not going to have anything tonight," he eventually told her. Tracy told him it wasn't good to skip meals. She said she'll get an extra burrito, and that she expected him to have at least one bite of it. Seeing as he couldn't do anything to change her mind, he told her that he would go along with it, but that he wouldn't eat too much of it. Paying for it, they went back to the squad car, and ate their dinners. After Tracy had eaten half of her burrito, she reminded him, "Nick, you said you'd eat at least one bite." Knowing he might as well get it over with, he took the other burrito out. Carefully unwrapping it, he took a very small bite. "Nick, a mouse could do better than that! Take another bite, a big one, and then I'll consider it fair," she said, teasing him slightly, not knowing his true nature. He reluctantly did as he was told, knowing that at least Natalie would be pleased, that is, if he could hold it down. He slowly chewed, having never eaten one before. Swallowing, he was happy that his meal was going to stay down, at least for now. Tracy's burrito was already gone, and looking over at Nick's, said, "Let me guess, you aren't going to have anymore?" A skeptical expression was all she got in return. "Do you mind if I have the rest?" "Go ahead," he offered, as the burrito nearly materialized in her hand. She jumped faintly at the suddenness, not knowing a human could move that quickly. Recovering, assuming she wasn't paying enough attention, she replied, "Thanks." Within seconds, almost half was devoured. He didn't know how she could eat so much of it, or for that matter, that fast. Whatever was in it was causing a little more than the normal queasy feeling. Once the second burrito was gone, she looked over at her now slightly green partner. "Nick, are you all right?" she asked, concerned. Despite the darkness, her mortal eyes easily noticed he was getting paler by the minute. "I'll be fine in a little bit, I just need to let it digest," he told her, but not really convincing her. He definitely didn't look well at all. She remembered that he really didn't want to eat it, and asked, "Nick, did you know this would happen?" He looked at her, and hesitantly said, "Yes." "Nick, why didn't you tell me? If you had, I wouldn't have made you eat anything," she said looking him in the eye, and feeling guilty that she was at least partially responsible for his present condition. She half-forced him to eat it. Then after about a minute, she asked, "Does this happen with most foods? Is that why no one ever seems to see you eat?" He shook his head, and told her, "I have trouble digesting most foods, although Natalie has found a few things that I can eat. She also makes these shakes that don't seem to make me quite as sick." Looked over at her, he added, "Don't worry, it'll wear off in a few minutes." "Good, because our lunch is over," she indicated, pointing at the clock. "It is, isn't it? We'll I guess we get to patrol a little more, don't we?" he inquired, eliciting a slight groan from his partner. They left the parking lot and drove around. About an hour later, they were on the Gardner Expressway, when they caught someone speeding at a pace that would have made a race car driver green with envy. As per procedure, they turned on the lights and siren in order to pull the driver over to the side of the road. When they saw the car stop, and then speed off again, they new this was probably the lunatic they were after. The two detectives remembered that's how the second chase had been started. They took off after him, following him off the next exit. Tracy called it in, and advised dispatch that they were in pursuit of the suspect. Nick watched her try to decipher the license, and read it off for her. She paused only a second before asking for the registration. One thing was for sure, this guy definitely knew his way around Toronto. But, as natives themselves, they also knew the city well, and kept up easily. Then, the car swerved, and went into the warehouse district, near where Nick lived, with the two detectives following close behind. They stayed in the area between the warehouse and downtown districts, and none of the back up seemed to be coming. Occasionally flashing lights would be seen a good distance behind them, but only for a few seconds. The other patrol cars could not keep up with the pursuit, leaving Nick and Tracy on their own. The chase was just going too fast. Eventually, as they sped down an alley, the car in front of them swerved. It crashed into the end of the alley, causing debris in the alley to move. As a result, the patrol car hit it. Nick knew he couldn't do anything to prevent the impact. Instead, he grabbed Tracy, and pulled her down, hoping to keep her alive. The car flipped, and the occupants felt time pass in slow motion. The windshield broke, and the car skidded on its top for several meters before finally coming to a stop. Hunted - (03/08) Nick was stunned. For a couple of seconds, he didn't move, and allowed his body to begin healing itself. Then, he unbuckled himself, then checked on Tracy. Other than being unconscious, she seemed to be fine. He unbuckled her as well, and pulled her out of the patrol car. He used his radio to call the accident in. After making sure that Tracy was in no further danger, he went to the other car, and found its driver dead. He remembered the man being outside of the 86th when they had left, and that he would have easily been able to see which car was their's. Nick realized that was how he chose his victims, and how he knew which cars he was going to target. Within five minutes, two more patrol cars had arrived, along with an ambulance. Nick stayed with Tracy, and gave his report to the other officers that had came. Once again, he was going by 'Nick Knight,' which confused a couple of the officers that didn't know him, but that had only seen his name plate. He went with Tracy in the ambulance for several reasons: their friendship, his concern for her well-being, and his lack of alternate transportation. Flying tempted him, but his injuries hadn't completely healed, and flying would only drain more of his energy. That, and he would have to explain how he arrived without help. Once to the hospital he couldn't go with her, but was instead taken to a waiting room, since he insisted he was fine. He told the doctor he would have his own physician check him out later that night. Both Captains, Reese and Carter, arrived about five minutes later. Reese asked Nick, "How is she?" Nick looked up at Reese, and then, at both captains, "I'm not really sure, she was unconscious at the scene, and had only minor scratches, I don't think that she has a concussion. I haven't been given an update on her condition yet, but should get one soon." As he spoke, he tried to hide the anger toward himself. After all, he had been the one driving the patrol car. Then, he returned to his previous position, sitting down in one of the chairs, and holding his head in his hands. Natalie came in a few minutes later, and went directly to Nick. After he told her what happened, she embraced him and tried to tell him that it wasn't his fault. But, he knew it was, and didn't believe her. But he couldn't tell her that, knowing she'd only worry more if he did. Tracy's father, Commissioner Vetter, arrived shortly after Captain Carter left. His anger, especially at Nick for allowing something like this to happen to his precious daughter, was clearly visible, and he seemed to barely be able to control it. He was stopped by Captain Reese, who talked to him for several minutes. Then, in a much calmer fashion than when he first came in, he walked up to Nick, and was about to say something, but didn't get the chance. The vampire detective stared up at him, and said, "Don't worry about punishing me for this. Once Tracy gets better, I just might resign." His voice contained as much, if not more anger at himself than the Commissioner's had. "Well, I won't allow it," Vetter said, causing Nick's head to snap back up, a questioning expression on his face. "What?" "Reese said you pulled Tracy down, hoping to get her out of danger?" Nick mutely nodded, then waited for him to continue. "What would have happened to her if you didn't do that?" Nick softly told him, "She would have almost certainly died." "Your actions saved her life then?" Nick again silently nodded. The Commissioner looked down at his daughter's partner. "I want you to keep being her partner. I know you've had a rough year, with both your previous partner, and Captain dying in a plane crash, then, being in the hospital yourself from saving her life once before. If anyone should have to apologize, it's me. I am greatly in your debt, and I will not allow you to throw your career away." The doctor finally came in. After the Commissioner talked to him, he found out that she should be fine. As Nick thought, she didn't even get a concussion, although she was still unconscious. The doctor then explained she was probably just sleeping it off, and that there shouldn't be anything to worry about. The Commissioner stayed for a while, and about a half hour before sunrise left. Nick and Natalie went into her room. While they were both happy that she was going to be fine, they hoped she would wake up soon. Suddenly, Nick had to close his eyes and he swayed slightly. Natalie quickly led him to a nearby chair. "What happened?" He waited for the sensations to pass, and then answered, "I'm not sure. It's...something to do with the community. I feel panic." Natalie looked out the window, and noticed that dawn was coming, and asked, "Is it dawn, or is it something different?" "Something different. I'm feeling more panic than I have ever felt before. I must talk to LaCroix. He'll know what's happening." Nick started for the door, and Natalie followed saying, "I'll take you, dawn's too close." *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. They arrived at LaCroix' home just after dawn. Nick told her where it was, and as they struggled to the door, Natalie shielded Nick from the sun as much as her petite form could. The door quickly opened, and they stepped in. She closed the door quickly behind her, shutting out the first rays of daylight. LaCroix stormed toward his son, and demanded, "What are you doing! It is after sunrise!" The younger vampire flinched, but didn't hesitate. "LaCroix, tell me what's happening in the Community. Tell me why I feel panic, from the others and from you," Nick said, the words slightly louder than normal, panic edging its way in. LaCroix looked over at mortal, as if he had just noticed her presence. Then, the Ancient quickly led Nick into another room. As soon as the door was firmly shut, LaCroix stated in a whisper, "Danger is surrounding the Community on all sides, and with darkness they will come." The description made no sense to Nick, and he asked again, "What is happening?" "Remember Mexico City, four years ago?" Nick hadn't been there, but he did remember something about Mexico City. Then it hit him. The color drained from his face as he realized the implications. "The Enforcers cleaned the city up. Toronto is next on their agenda." Mexico City had been cleaned up in three days. Every vampire in the area that had disobeyed the code was charged and sentenced. None getting off free. It had taken them four years to pick another target, and now they would be able to sentence him. LaCroix' presence would make no difference in the outcome. "Are you leaving?" "Yes. I will go to Detroit or Chicago, and wait until they have finished. Do not follow me. They will allow me pass through their net, but you will be caught. By not taking the mortals with you, you stand a better chance of surviving." Nick immediately dismissed the suggestion. "If I don't take them, they will not survive at all." LaCroix sneered at his son's decision, but it would not be changed. Nicholas needed to be as strong as possible. He also needed to get as far away by nightfall as he could. LaCroix nodded faintly, hoping the mortals would not be the cause of his son's death. Picking up his cloak, he silently handed it to Nicholas. He watched his child leave the room, and restrained himself. The urge to follow, to protect him from the Enforcers tugged on him. But, he could not. It would do no good. If anything, it would make matters worse. The cloak would at least protect Nicholas from the sun's deadly rays as they fled the city, but he would have to defend himself against the Enforcers. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Nick came out, his face blank and nearly white several minutes later. In his arms was a long black cape, undoubtably given to him by LaCroix. "Nick, what's wrong?" she asked, concerned at what had transpired between the two vampires. He simply put the cloak on, and pulled the hood up. Then, without another word, he left the penthouse, Natalie following close behind. Jumping in the trunk, he told her to drive to the loft, and then to wait in the car. He came down several minutes later with a duffle bag, and several bottles of blood. Placing the bag in the back seat, and bringing the blood with him, he told Natalie to drive to her apartment. She didn't ask him anything further, but simply watched him as he climbed in the trunk, and then, drove to her apartment. After rushing inside, Nick pulled the curtains shut. While he was taking the long cape off, she asked, "What is going on?!" He allowed her to see the panic in his eyes, "We have to leave. The Enforcers are coming, to sentence those who know of vampires, and those who have disobeyed the code. We have to get as far away from here as possible!" She stood, immobile, as her mind digested the information that her mind just received. "Natalie, you need to pack a bag, we need to leave as soon as possible, and get as far away as we can by nightfall." "What about Tracy?" Natalie asked, concerned about Nick's partner, knowing that she knew about vampires too. If what Nick said was true, she'd be killed as well. "Our next stop is Tracy's apartment. We're going to take her with us. Otherwise, she will certainly be killed." Natalie quickly packed a bag, and told her neighbor she would be gone for a while, so that Sidney could be fed. Then, as they exited her apartment building, she queried, "How are we going to take Tracy with us?" "We are going to get her out of the hospital, and take her with us. She should be fine, right?" "Yeah, she just needs sleep. But, how are we going to get her out of the hospital?" she asked. Nick looked at her, and suggested cryptically, "Guess." She realized that he was going to hypnotize the hospital staff. After stopping by Tracy's place, and picking up a bunch of stuff for her, they drove back to the hospital, arriving about an hour and a half after dawn. They entered Tracy's room, and discovering she was now only sleeping, got her dressed, and unhooked her from the medical equipment. Nick carried her out of her room, the cloak whipping behind him as they hurried through the building. Everyone who tried to stop them mysteriously forgot that they were even there, and soon, Nick placed Tracy in the Caddy's passenger seat. As the morning sun's rays beat down on them, he could feel his skin smoldering. As Natalie headed to the driver's side, he threw himself in the trunk, slamming the door shut. "Go!" he hissed in pain. Five minutes later, they were speeding down the highway, attempting to get as far away from Toronto as they could manage. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Around two in the afternoon, Tracy woke up and was startled to find herself in Nick's car, with Natalie behind the wheel. Natalie noticed the movement, and quietly asked, "Tracy, are you awake?" Tracy sat up slowly, her muscles tight from her long rest. "Yeah. What happened? Where are we?" she asked, confused as to why, and where they were driving. She remembered the crash, and realized that she had been taken to the hospital more than likely. But, why wasn't she still there? "Well, the squad car that you were in flipped over at the end of that car chase. Nick pulled you down, saving you from major injury. Basically, you slept for a little more than twelve hours, and no, you do not have a concussion. As to where we are, we are heading west, still in Ontario, and we need to get as far away from Toronto as possible." "Why, and where's Nick?" Tracy asked, wanting to know what they were running from, and if her partner was okay. Natalie looked over at Tracy and surmised, "Well, that's a little harder to explain." "Tell her," Nick said, his voice muffled coming from behind. Tracy looked back, and saw no one. "Where is he?" "Uh, he's in the trunk." "What's he doing in the trunk?!" She paused, and then demanded, "What's going on! Tell me!" "Nat, tell her the truth," Nick's voice advised, seemingly out of thin air. "Okay, but you're going to help. I'm going to find a shady place away from direct sunlight to park. Then, we can talk, and eat something if we want to," Natalie said as they entered a moderately-sized town. Tracy nodded, and asked if they could stop for a sandwich. After doing so, they found a place to park that was away from other people, and in the shade of a building. After Natalie parked the Caddy, both women climbed out of the car, and opened the trunk. Nick sat up almost immediately. "Are you going to explain now?" Tracy asked, slightly annoyed they hadn't offered the information earlier. Nick looked to Natalie for help. However, she merely gave him a look that said, 'I didn't get you into this mess, and I'm not going to get you out of it.' Then, he looked back at Tracy, trying to figure out a good way to say it. Finally, he just stated it, "Tracy, I'm not human, I'm a vampire. I'm like Vachon." Hunted - (04/08) It took about a minute for his statement to register in Tracy's mind. Then she demanded, the anger showing slightly in her voice, "Why didn't you tell me?!" He winced at the words, but quickly explained, "The fewer vampires you knew, the less of a chance the Enforcers would find out how deep your knowledge truly is, and that you were still alive. It was to help protect you. I'm letting you know now, because you have no protection, and you are definitely going to need it. That's also the reason we are leaving Toronto, at least for a short while." "Wait a second, what are enforcers?" she asked, getting mentally lost. "They are vampires that enforce our code, the laws by which vampires live. One of the most important of those laws is to kill, bring across, or cause anyone that knows about us to forget. If we don't, the Enforcers come and take care of it, sometimes taking the vampire who leaked the knowledge." Tracy knew that Vachon had broken that rule, and since Natalie obviously knew, so had Nick. Then, she asked, "Why now though, why didn't we have to leave earlier?" This question he had been prepared for. With his hours spent in the trunk, all he could think about was their situation. "Every couple of years or so the Enforcers choose a city with a large population of vampires, find all of those that don't abide by the code, and then they execute the guilty parties. They usually also do a sweep of the country, state, or province the city is in, just to get a few more. "Vachon and I have committed one of the worst possible transgressions against the code, and that's to share the knowledge of our existence with you, with mortals. They've chosen Toronto, and they are going to start tonight. We were among the first out of the city. Even though I don't pay too much attention to what's happening within the community, their coming came in loud and clear. I felt it at about sunrise. We got ready to leave, and well, now we are out of the city. But that doesn't mean anything. "The Enforcers will be looking for groups like us, trying to escape the city in order to evade their reach. Most of the Enforcers aren't even in the city yet. They are all over the countryside and neighboring provinces. When it get's dark, they will strike." "Why do you say that it doesn't mean anything?" she asked. "Virtually every vampire in Toronto knows I've broken the code. There are two reasons that the Enforcers haven't done anything about me yet, because of who my master is and his standing in the community, and both of our ages." "But, why should that make any difference now?" "Because the Enforcers are making sure the code is enforced. When this happens, there are no exceptions. Toronto has a very large population of vampires, Paris being the only city with more. This, and the fact that the resident Enforcers here are more lax than in other cities, has caused the large population to grow even more. That is why Toronto was targeted to be cleaned up. "These Enforcers aren't that young, most being about Vachon's age, some as old as me, or older. They usually supervise the punishment, with lesser Enforcers carrying out their orders. Enforcers are stronger than normal vampires. I don't really know if one becomes an Enforcer by personal choice, or if you have to be one from the time one's brought over. They don't care who you are, it's just a matter of if you have broken the code, which all vampires have at least once, and a matter of how often and how serious your crime is." Her mind finished assimilating Nick's explanation of the enforcers, and the present situation. Now, she needed to satisfy her curiosity. "How old are you then? And who brought you across?" "I'm about eight hundred years old. I was originally a crusader coming back from the Holy Land. I was brought across by a vampire who is now almost two thousand years old. He's considered an Ancient, and is known for his power as well as his temper. Once, he was one of the most powerful Roman Generals, that is until Mount Vesuvius erupted, and destroyed his home city, Pompeii." Nick paused, wondering what his sire would think of his description. Then, as a smile began to manifest itself, he mentioned, "Actually, you met him several weeks ago. He's going by Lucien LaCroix at the moment." Tracy was completely stunned, not only at their ages, but of how different Nick was from his vampire father. Especially from what she had heard during his broadcasts as the Nightcrawler, and from when she had met him. Yet, this also explained why Nick listened to the show so often. She immediately had thought the DJ was a vampire. When she asked Vachon, he had denied it. Now, she knew why. The fewer she knew, the less of a danger she posed to their community. LaCroix must know about her knowledge through Nick, and he probably had just as much of a hand in her continued existence as Nick, or Vachon. She thought about what Nick said, and realized he hadn't actually said why they were running. He had covered everything, but that issue. Although she had a rough idea of the answer, she finally asked, "What is your crime?" Nick had been dreading that question. However, knowing he owed them an explanation, he proceeded, "My first offense is that I have revealed my secret to both of you despite the fact you are mortals. I'm also different than the others in the Community. I don't like being a vampire, and have been trying to become mortal again for the last hundred and fifty years. The Enforcers usually kill vampires like me. I'm a bad influence on the rest of the Community. Now, they will have the opportunity. I've broken the code more than most vampires, and have never been punished by them. I have always found a way out." "In other words, this is an excuse for them to kill you, and you're probably their main target," Tracy stated, making sure she got this right. Nick nodded. Reviewing what had been said, she added, "Then we've got to get moving. That way, we will have more time to think about what to do." "Yes, and as soon as it gets dark, we need to get off the road. It will be harder for them to track us in the forest." Natalie nodded, and agreed, "Yeah, you're right." Then, Nick closed himself in the trunk, as his two companions got back into the Caddy. Soon thereafter, they were back on the road, still heading west. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Several hours later, the sun had almost set. Nick told Natalie to pull off and park somewhere out of the way. He knew they were in a town. The car had slowed down, and the road became rougher. Once they stopped, Nick asked Natalie if it was okay for him to get out. When she answered in the affirmative, he did so. He gracefully, and silently jumped out of the trunk, putting his cloak on. Then, he pulled the hood over his head, and waited for Tracy and Natalie to get out. They had stopped in the end of a narrow alley. Hopefully no one would tow the car, but it might not be noticed right away. "Let's go." Natalie brought a small bag and stuffed some of the things from her doctor's bag into it. After she had done so, he walked to the North, knowing the forest was in that direction, his two companions silently following him. Twenty minutes later, the three refugees had ventured so deep into the forest that all signs of civilization had entirely disappeared. Although the sun had yet to set, Nick pulled the hood of the cloak off of his head, and did not hold it closed in the front. Every now and then, he would flinch slightly as a few rays of the remaining sunlight were able to filter through the trees, and make contact with his skin. But, he could not let it slow him down. They quickly traveled through the brush. At times, Nick helped them over fallen trees, or to climb a steep hill as their path went straight through the underbrush. He avoided using his vampiric powers, even when they could have saved valuable time. He explained that such displays would alert other vampires of his presence. Accordingly, he was shielding his mind as best he could, so if they flew over, the Enforcers would not know he was there. Hopefully, they would assume it was just a couple of mortals hiking in the woods. At one time Nick thought that he felt the presence of another, but didn't know for sure, because he could not use his vampiric senses. He didn't tell Tracy or Natalie, aware it would only cause their heart rates to increase, in turn revealing their location. For the most part, they didn't speak, only telling each other of dips in the ground, branches, or other things that could cause problems. Finally, Tracy asked, "Do you have any idea of where we are going, or are we just walking through the forest?" "I know exactly where we are, and we're going to a small cabin," Nick told her as he continued the process of clearing a path for Natalie and Tracy. "How far is it? And, how far have we gone?" Natalie asked, trusting Nick's response. "We've traveled about eight kilometers, and have another five to go before dawn." "Are you sure that we are going in the right direction?" Tracy asked, not seeing anything but forest in all directions. To her, everything looked the same. Nick looked skyward, and then to each side of them. He found some familiar landmarks, and told her, "Yes, and since you seem not to believe me, I'll show you proof." "When was the last time you were out here?" Natalie asked after about a minute, simply curious of when he had come out here. "About forty years ago, at least going straight through the forest," he stated, which didn't improve Tracy's trust in him knowing where they were. "What proof do you have?" Tracy insisted. She couldn't imagine remembering something, anything, let alone directions, for that many years. Forty years was a decade and a half longer than she'd even been alive. "I'll show you in a few minutes. Up ahead, there are tree carvings. A rose and a sun." The two followed him, both tiring, but keeping up all the same. About ten minutes later, they came upon a large tree, one that must have been several hundred years old. Sure enough, there were carvings of a rose and a sun in the trunk. By their appearance, they were probably done several decades ago. Natalie fingered the carvings, and asked, "Did you carve these?" Nick nodded. "Over sixty years ago. Come on. If we are to reach the cabin before dawn, or at least before the sun is too high, we need to keep moving." After they had walked for several minutes, Tracy asked, "How do you know if it's still there?" "I rented it to a couple just after moving to Toronto, about six years ago. They had been hiking, and came across the cabin. After discovering that I owned it, they asked if they could rent, or buy it from me. I let them, and as far as I know they should be there. After all, they are still paying the rent, and the last payment was addressed from the town we left." "Have you ever met them?" Natalie asked curiously. "Yes, although that was several years ago, but I'm sure they will remember me. Since then, we've sent letters back and forth, and they were wondering if I could come out some time. Although I'm sure they didn't mean like this," he said, referring to their current situation. Natalie silently nodded, and the trio continued through the forest, their clothes snagging every so often. Natalie knew they needed to be careful, that a scratch could alert vampires to a tasty meal, and they definitely didn't want that. The sun slowly began to rise. Nick covered his head with the hood of the cloak once again, but did not yet hold it tightly around himself. The combination of the cloak and the forest caused memories to surface, and immediately he was lost to them. Hunted - (05/08) ~~~~~~~~~~ France, 1403 Nick led the trio quickly through the thick forest as the dawn's light shown on them, burning their exposed pearlescent skin. "Nicholas! Are you sure you know where you are going!" LaCroix bellowed from a few steps behind his fledgling, fearing what would happen should they did not find shelter. "Yes, I'm sure! The house is just a little further," Nicholas said, knowing that LaCroix was getting irritable. If they didn't find the house soon, he would not die of sunlight, but from a quickly improvised stake through his heart. He silently wished LaCroix had looked at the map, instead of spending all of his time hunting, even though he knew it wouldn't change anything now. If he had, at least he wouldn't have to be the one to get them to a place of safety. Yet, they would still be hunted by the mortals. They all had a hand in their discovery, having taken too many from the area, and not heeding the warning signs. They knew the people were superstitious, and they had pushed too far. Merely an hour into the night they had been caught red-handed, their victims falling to the ground before a group of mortals. Apparently, they had followed them as they left the village, and were prepared to turn the tables. They'd been fleeing their stakes, fire, and crosses ever since. He continued, half-running through the woods, the trees and brush too thick to fly through. They'd put a good distance between themselves and the mortals, but not enough. In addition, he heard Janette's complaints about their plight, and her ruined clothes. Nicholas tuned his sister out, waiting for LaCroix to continue. He didn't have long to wait. "That's what you said ten minutes ago!" LaCroix retorted angrily at his son. The elder vampire knew that Nicholas was the only one who knew anything about this area, and that was only because he had hunted there a few nights earlier. His son had also actually looked at the map, which had been lost before the trio had been discovered. They entered a clearing, and a house was clearly seen in the bright morning light. Only one path was seen leading to it, and not very large. "See? I told you that I knew where we were," Nick assured them as they hurried to the cabin's door. LaCroix knocked on it, Nicholas and Janette standing behind him. When the homeowner answered the door, LaCroix explained that he and his companions were weary travelers who wondered if they might stay the day. The man nodded his head without hesitation, and opened the door wider, letting the trio enter. Closing the door on the morning sunlight, he was unaware that he would not survive the day due to this token of goodwill. ~~~~~~~~~~ Nick heard Nat's voice pulling him back to the present. Turning to her for a moment, he remembered the events after they were let in. They talked with the man and his wife for over an hour before retiring for the day. Awaking the following evening, they killed and drained the couple before heading to another town. As the memory slowly faded, and the sun rose increasingly higher, he continued to lead his present trio toward the cabin. He knew that they were less than a kilometer from their destination, and should arrive soon. He tried to force the last remnants of his memories away, and nearly succeeded. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Just after dawn, and less than a half mile from where Nick, Natalie, and Tracy were, a man exited an old, yet well cared for cabin. Pulling an ax out of a huge stump, he began to chop wood. The man paused after ten minutes, thinking he had seen movement in the woods, but dismissed it. Then, chopping a few more pieces he heard a branch snap, and knew it wasn't his imagination. After putting the ax down, he reached for the shotgun, not expecting danger, but wanting to be prepared for anything. He moved a few feet from the house, and after a minute was able to make out several forms coming toward him. The first was a figure, probably a man, covered in a cloak, which seemed to shield him from something. Two women followed closely behind him. Letting the gun slack, he walked toward the forest. Once a little closer, he called out, "Who's there?" his deep baritone voice traveling easily through the trees. Nick immediately looked toward the voice, and saw the man that he rented the cabin to, now a few years older. He decided the best thing to do would be to tell him who they were. He pulled the hood down in the relative shade, revealing his features, and replied, "Nicholas Knight, and two of my friends." The man was clearly surprised to see him, and in reply the trio heard, "Well, I wasn't expecting you out here, especially this early in the morning." Then, Nick exited the woods, helping Natalie and Tracy into the clearing. After doing so, he once again covered himself with the cloak, and turned his back on the rising sun. "How about we go inside? My wife was just preparing breakfast, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind a few guests," the man, now about fifty years old, offered. The three weary travelers readily accepted the offer. Entering, the man showed them in, Nick hanging his cloak up. Now assured his guests were comfortable, he introduced himself to the two women, "I'm Jonathan Henderson, and this is my wife, Elizabeth." Nick said, "This is my partner Tracy Vetter, and my friend Natalie Lambert." Jonathan nodded politely to them. "You can stay as long as you'd like, but I'm sure that you'd like to get cleaned up." Tracy indicated that she would. Jonathan had Elizabeth, whom he referred to as Beth, show Tracy where everything was, and bring her a large flannel shirt to change into. Tracy quickly showered, and then Natalie did as well. In the mean time, the Hendersons, Nick and Tracy spoke. "How did you get here after sunrise? I thought you were allergic to the sun," Beth asked, aware both of his allergy, and that it had been over a half hour past sunrise when they walked in. "I wore a hooded cloak that gave me some protection. I hung it on the hook before you entered the room. And yes, I am still allergic to it." They talked for awhile. Then, Nick finally got cleaned up himself, while Natalie and Tracy ate breakfast. They explained his absence, telling them he never ate anything in the morning. Over breakfast Beth asked many questions about how they liked their work and what new things had been discovered. She also told them about what their usual daily tasks entailed, and eventually asked why they hadn't come by earlier. Natalie explained to them that they could only stay the day, and that they would have to leave when night fell. She also expressed that they hoped to return in a few days, but that they did not know whether they would be able to do so. She didn't even know if she was going to be alive in a few days. During the day, the three got several hours of sleep, and with the exception of Tracy, it was their first rest in two days. Natalie and Tracy had dinner, while Nick got another half hour of sleep. Then, they got ready to leave, all dressed in different clothes than they had arrived in, and all wearing dark colors. They were each given a container of water in a backpack, and they put all of their stuff into the bag. Tracy volunteered to carry the bag first. They thanked the couple for their hospitality, and said their good-byes, hoping that they would come back by in a few days. It was about a half hour, almost forty five minutes before sunset when the trio left. They silently walked through the forest, almost until nightfall. Natalie finally broke the silence by asking Nick, "Can you still feel the Community?" Nick paused. Without reaching out with his senses, he could still feel the panic emanating from Toronto, but the volume seemed to have decreased Looking over at her, he explained, "Yes, I can. They are still panicked, but I can also tell that many have left Toronto, and that means that we will need to be careful. They will have discovered I have already left, and will undoubtably being looking for me." "What are we going to do when they find us?" Natalie asked, knowing that was a good possibility. "What do you mean, 'when'? Shouldn't that be 'if' they find us?" Tracy questioned. Nick looked at her, and then back at Natalie, before telling the latter that she should tell Tracy what she thought. Natalie turned to him, and commented, "You're getting weak, aren't you?" Nick shook his head in affirmation. Tracy didn't know what she was talking about, and asked, "What do you mean?" "I've had very little blood over the past week. I had some while we were driving, but none since then. Before that, it had been a couple of days, and this is all I have with me," he said, pulling out a small liquor flask, and holding it up. "And soon, if I am to keep shielding my mind from the others, I'm going to have to drink it, and hope that it will be enough for the night." Until then, Natalie had suspected that he was concentrating on something. Now that she knew why, she started to worry, even though she was fully aware her feelings would not help their situation. What were they going to do when the Enforcers found them? Soon after, Natalie took the cloak from Nick, wrapping it around herself, making it easier for Nick to move about. They continued through the forest, and about a half hour later, Nick had to drink his small supply of blood he had. Then, they continued, knowing that they would most likely be discovered, and soon. The good thing, Natalie decided, was that the forest was extremely thick. Most likely, the Enforcers would have to take to the ground to get them, and because of its thickness, they could not use extreme speed. For several hours, they moved at a steady rate through the woods. However, both Natalie and Tracy could see that Nick was visibly weakening. Suddenly, he lost his footing on a log, and fell. Natalie rushed to him immediately, and made sure he was all right. As Nick looked up at her, she could tell that he was completely drained. She asked, "How much longer can you shield your mind?" Nick looked down, and told her, "Fifteen minutes at the most, probably less. And that's if we don't do anything. If we continue, we'll be visible in a couple of minutes." Natalie rummaged through the bag that she was currently carrying, taking out the one full container of water, and a small packet. Then, she emptied the packet into the water, and putting the top back on, shook it hard mixing the contents as best she could to create a thick milky white mixture. She took the cap off, and as she handed it to Nick, said, "This should help a little, at least you won't starve." He took it, and hesitantly drank the contents, knowing full well what it was. He looked slightly green when he had finished it, but not as bad as after eating regular food. Instead, the reaction came from the nausea the substance caused at it sat in his digestive system. Tracy watched and asked, "What is that?" "It's called a protein shake. It contains the same protein that is found in blood, although it doesn't agree with his system all that well," Natalie explained. She then turned to Nick, and asked, "How's the nausea?" "It's passing, and although it is helping, I'm not going to be able to shield my mind anymore. We should separate. Then they won't concern themselves with you, they'll just go after me." Immediately Natalie told him, "No, we won't leave you. We are going to get out of this, together. Besides, they would know that we're gone as well, and that we're probably with you. They would still hunt us down, and that won't be too hard with our heartbeats." She wasn't going to be dissuaded, and he knew it. They rested a few minutes in dead silence. They all knew what would happen, nothing more needed to be said. Then, once again they began walking, and for an hour, they proceeded silently through the forest. Suddenly, Nick stopped, and after tilting his head to the side slightly, told them, "Run! Get as far away from me as possible, and don't go in the same direction!" They did as they were told, both frightened to death at what was going to happen, and knowing that it couldn't be avoided, now more than ever. Nick also ran, hoping to led the Enforcers away from Natalie and Tracy, or at least to confuse them. Hunted - (06/08) Tracy ran to the right. She thought that she was doing pretty well, that is, until she felt a whoosh of air. When she looked back, she saw a vampire that was so pale that even in the inky darkness, she could see every feature of his face. His eyes shone pure gold in the moonlight. She bolted, going as fast as she could, and discovered, as did the Enforcer, that it was dangerous to fly through this area. As he hit several unseen branches, Tracy increased the distance between them. He then took to the ground, and after picking up the pace, had caught up to the mortal woman. He knew that she was tiring, and that she couldn't run at full speed for long. Accordingly, he concentrated his energy before releasing it at the right moment. She was suddenly jerked back, and although she could run a while longer, the vampire was stronger. He told her not to struggle, and that if she did so, he would kill her. Then, her attacker commanded her to start back in the direction from which she had come, and he held onto her arm forcibly the whole time. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. Natalie had gone in the opposite direction, and was soon confronted with one of the Enforcers. She immediately froze. Then, when he moved toward her, she ducked into the deep brush, hoping it would slow him down, and it did. While the cape hampered her speed, it also prevented the sharp leaves and branches from cutting her skin. The Enforcer could not fly, or use his speed to chase her. He had to rely on his eyes. He took to the ground for the most part, except for the short distances that were free of the tangling brush. At one point he was able to grab her collar, and he pulled on it as hard as he could, knowing he couldn't overtake her, but that she wouldn't be able to recover quick enough to stay ahead of him. She stumbled, and he jerked her back again, this time throwing her off balance, and she fell to the ground. The vampire roughly stood Natalie up, and told her that further struggling would only lead to death. Then, she was told to walk back in the direction from which she came. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. The two women and their captors entered the area where the chase had started. Another vampire, clearly the one in charge, was waiting for them. At their arrival, he indicated that they were to follow him. They walked through the forest, following the way they had come, and after a few minutes, could hear the fighting going on ahead of them. As they approached, they could see three figures, Nick and two Enforcers. They could easily see that all three vampires' clothes were shredded from this confrontation. Every now and then, Nick would take to the air, carefully dodging branches, and then, land quickly. He would also land on a branch high above the ground. This caused the Enforcers, who were not used to pursuing others in such terrain, to run into the branches, cause themselves further injury, and thereby, slow themselves down even more. Tracy and Natalie were forced into a small clearing. A few minutes later, the other two Enforcers herded Nick into that area, and took advantage of the lack of obstacles in order to overpower their quarry. Each attacker held one of Nick's arms and shoulders down, making it impossible for their victim to move. "Well, well, well. You seem to be more capable than we've been led to believe," the leader told Nick. Nick simply laid on the ground, taking this time to get his strength back, and hoping that he would be given the chance to free himself later. He heard the Enforcer order his cohorts to bind the mortals' hands, and was glad that, at least for the moment, Natalie and Tracy were still alive. The leader circled Nick, who was still flat on his back. After a moment's consideration, he inquired of the captive vampire, "Since you seem to believe that these mortals should be allowed to live with our secret, maybe you should tell us why they should be spared." Nick looked up at the Enforcer. His voice shook slightly as he spoke, hoping that he could talk his way out of his situation as he had done countless times in the past. "Because, they can be useful to the Community, specifically Toronto's." "And how can they be useful?" the leader half-growled, yanking Nick's head back in the process. "Tracy is a homicide detective, and my partner. With her knowledge of what we are, we can hide evidence that leads to the Community. On many occasions, we have done just that, even without her knowing my true nature. Natalie is the county coroner. When a kill is done and the marks are not hidden as they should be, she attributed the cause to a wild animal attack. She assisted in finding a cure for the Fever, which as I'm sure you know, wiped out over half of Toronto's Community. They both care about our kind, and that is rare among mortals." The interrogator stood at Nick's feet, staring at his victim with amusement. "How can you be sure they won't tell others about what they know?" "Natalie has known for almost six years, even before I permanently moved to Toronto. After our first meeting, I left abruptly, yet she didn't tell anyone, nor did she say anything about the missing body. She was not repulsed by our nature. On the contrary, she was fascinated, believing that we are not as dead as even we might think. She has helped me to keep my secret even when others have begun to suspect the truth." "And what about your partner? How can you be sure she won't tell?" "She found out about another vampire, Javier Vachon, and she didn't tell even before she knew what he truly was. She was attacked by another, and Vachon had to tell her what he was. Then, he chose to let her go. She didn't even let on that she knew about us, and I was around her more than anyone else. When Vachon was killed, she followed his instructions, and buried him where he had asked. "I only revealed my vampire nature to her two days ago, several weeks after Divia had killed Vachon and several other members of the Community." Nick's eyes darkened angrily as a realization came to him. "You tried to stop her, didn't you! And you failed!" he spat. Nick's accusation surprised the leader. The truthfulness angered him, but it was not directed at the vampire before him. Instead to the now dead Enforcers that had failed in their duty. After composing himself, he stated, "Well now, you have explained why the two mortals should live, but we still need to decide if you should." He paused, looking away, then once he refocused his attention, continued, "How about, if you survive our purpose," referring to the death punishment that they were sent to deal, "I will let you and your mortal friends go, in return for an agreement which will be made at a later time." Nick listened to the Enforcer's proposition, and knowing that if he refused, all three of them would be immediately killed. In response, he asked, "And if I don't survive, what then?" "You will be pinned to the ground with several sticks, and will watch the sunrise for the last time," he was told, the Enforcer informed him while once again grabbing his hair, and staring straight at Nick with bright amber eyes. "What will happen to them?" Nick asked, yanking his head from the Enforcer's grasp. "They will watch your demise, then will be killed...painfully," came the emotionless reply. Nick looked fearfully toward Natalie and Tracy. He only had one option that would save them, and then possibly only for the moment. Natalie stood firmly, her eyes connecting with his, but underneath she was trembling with rage. Over the past six years she had worked with him to make him more human. She hadn't managed to find a cure, but they had partially succeeded. At least he was acting human, more than she suspected he had in a long time. Now, he would have to betray everything they'd done, not by choice, but necessity. The Enforcers were dragging him back into the Community. She nodded faintly, holding back the tears in an attempt to strengthen her agreement. For her part, Tracy still was slightly in shock from what was happening. Ever since they'd been partners, she had been on his case. If they weren't arguing, they were working separately, or Reese was giving them a lecture on how partners were supposed to work together, back one another up. Nick hadn't been very receptive of her, or much of anyone else, for that matter. In turn she'd gotten downright angry at him. Hell, until two days ago she didn't even know what he was, and if it weren't for the situation, she would still be ignorant of his dark secret. Yet, he'd saved her life on more than one occasion, and was now going to do so again. Her knowledge of the Enforcers was limited, but enough that she understood the odds. It could mean his own death, and she realized he would do anything if it spared them. She tried to show her agreement, but her muscles wouldn't work. As he looked away, her features echoed a portion of his fear, the rest he couldn't decipher. Swallowing nervously, he turned back to the Enforcer who was still watching him, and replied, "I agree to your proposition." His voice shook with the words. In the end, it didn't matter what would happen to him, only to Natalie and Tracy. The Lead Enforcer turned with an evil grin spreading menacingly across his face. It was all going according to plan. Brabant would not die a quick death. Rather, he would suffer first, no matter the outcome of the ordeal to come. He turned back to Nick, his smile still present, and remarked, "Very well." The Enforcer's eyes flashed red far a second, quickly returning to gold. He tilted his head slightly to the two holding the older vampire down, and told them, "Let him up." Then, turning to Natalie's attacker, ordered, "Join them." The Enforcer did as he was told, and the one holding Tracy, now held both women firmly by the arm. The other three stood next to each other, eyes glowing, watching and waiting for the vampire before them to stand up. Once Nick had done so, their leader approached, and said, "You will fight these three. If you can survive for a half hour, then you and your mortal friends will be left alone in the woods on terms which you will receive later. Begin now." He backed up to stand near the two mortals, to watch the events he put into motion, and to prevent any harm to himself in the process. The three approached Nick, eyes glowing and fangs descended, snarling, and displaying their true nature. They backed Nick up into a large tree, surrounding him on the other three sides before assaulting him. Nick barely escaped by flying straight up, and landing several meters away. However, the Enforcers quickly devised a countermeasure to this strategy. When they again attacked, one of the attackers grabbed the detective, and slammed him to the ground. Although Nick had been weakened by long hours of walking, and blocking his presence, he still had some strength, most of which he had regained while pinned to the ground. Marshaling his resolve, he pushed them off, and regained his footing. Lashing out at his nearest enemy, Nick's eyes momentarily flashed gold, then returned to their usual icy blue color. The Enforcer fell to the ground, and clutched his bleeding neck despite the fact that the wound had already begun to heal. For their part, his comrades were already inflicting damage on their target once again. However, their quarry was delivering more harm than they were. Nick received several scratches, mostly to his face and arms. His eyes slowly began to change, the few gold flecks reflecting the moonlight into the black woods. The other two Enforcers did what they could to Nick. In the process, they received many injuries of their own. The third stayed back, letting his injury heal a little more. Twenty minutes later, the mandatory half hour had nearly passed. Nick was barely able to stand, let alone fight his adversaries. His clothes were ripped and blood-stained. Once again, he had been backed up into a tree. He attempted to fly up, thereby causing his opponents to come after him. When they did so, Nick grabbed one of them and threw him to the ground, breaking his neck in the process. With the Enforcer's other injuries, he would be incapacitated for a while. Then, using a substantial amount of his remaining strength, he grabbed one of the other Enforcers. Breaking several bones, he shoved the Enforcer into a nearby tree where a broken branch embedded itself in his heart, killing him instantly. Nick moved away from the third Enforcer, who had armed himself with a stick, prepared to kill if he could. He attempted several times to do so, each time merely succeeding in inflicting another cut into his opponent's skin. A minute later, the Enforcer tried yet again to incapacitate the older vampire, who seemed to be much stronger, and intelligent than he should be. The stick was pulled from his grasp when he extended his arm too far, and was thrown aside. Nick's anger finally revealed itself through the scarlet glow in his eyes. Nick flew toward the Enforcer who was now trying to back away. Using his remaining strength, he yanked the Enforcer's head to the side, sinking his fangs deeply into his opponent's neck, and quickly drained him. Then, Nick released his grip, the now limp body falling to the ground, and silence engulfed the forest for a few moments. Natalie and Tracy looked on, both horrified at the events they witnessed. Nick noticed their reactions as he turned back toward the head Enforcer. Wiping the corner of his mouth of the Enforcer's blood, and said, "I survived your Enforcers. Now, let us go." The Enforcer again began to circle Nick, who was barely standing, anew and looked at the bodies of his Enforcers. One was eternally dead, the other two only in appearance. "Yes, you did survive, but I have not given the terms of your existence yet." The lead Enforcer allowed his statement to hang in the air momentarily. Nick's patience grew thin at the apparent postponement of the answer. "Well, what are your terms!" he demanded. His eyes flashed crimson before becoming a steady orange-amber glow. The vampire was firmly in control. "The terms are, that you will be drained of all your blood, then left in the forest with your two mortal friends, who will of course, still be alive," he said, the smile on his face becoming even more sinister. "And, there is one more...." He flew toward Nick quickly, and repeated the action witnessed only moments before, the actions which gained Nick his survival. Hunted - (07/08) The Enforcer had completely drained Nick's blood, and his body went limp. His attacker tossed him to the ground, satisfaction glowing in his eyes. Nick landed hard on his side, then rolled onto his stomach, his face to the ground. After witnessing this barbaric act, Natalie pooled her strength, and freed herself from her captor's grip. Then, raking her nails across the Enforcer's face in payback, she rushed to Nick's side with his cape flowing behind her. She knelt down next to him, not knowing quite what to do. The action angered the Enforcer, and only his superior's glare stopped him from draining the mortal. Although their purpose had been defeated, the elder of the two was pleased. Motioning to the other, the two Enforcers left silently after releasing Tracy, and taking the two injured with them. Tracy stayed back, unsure of what she thought of her partner now that she had seen his true nature. He had used it to its fullest, right before her eyes, and to save her life. She took several steps forward until she was only a couple of meters from where Nick lay. As soon as she saw him, his injuries, and the paleness of his skin, she held her hands up to her mouth, and muttered, "Oh my God." Natalie looked up, and said, "Trace, help me turn him over." Then, she gently continued her own efforts in that regard. After a brief hesitation, Tracy helped Natalie. She couldn't just watch Natalie struggle. She had to do something. In less than a minute, the two women had Nick laying flat on his back. Natalie checked him over. She noticed that he was not merely in a healing sleep, but in a death-like state, as he had been when she first saw him, and then again about a month before, when he had been shot in the head. This time, he was completely drained. He had no blood that would help him recover until he could get more. Then, his paleness and injuries became more noticeable. She commented, not meaning to speak aloud, "This is worse than the other times." Tracy looked up, and asked, "Other times? What do you mean other times?" Natalie looked at her friend, and knew that she had to tell her the truth. Then, she gazed at Nick, her hand lightly stroking his face and his hair. After a few seconds, she explained, "When he was shot, the bullet embedded itself in his brain, causing him to lose his memory. LaCroix and I had to do some quick thinking so he could keep this life. But, this situation compares to when we first met." After a momentary pause, she continued. Her mind was finally being allowed to tell what many of her dreams consisted of. "It was almost six years ago, the night of my twenty-eighth birthday, April 14th. I had to work that night, and my first patient was a man killed by a pipe bomb as he tried to stop a robbery." Natalie smiled, faintly remembering every detail of the events from that night. "There was an explosion at a bank, and a man had been killed. I was told that it was bad, very bad, and that almost nothing was left. When I opened the body bag, the face I saw was almost untouched, and it was Nick's. While I called and asked if they had the right body, he sat up. When I turned around, he jumped off of the table. I was lucky that I worked in a morgue, and that he knew where the blood was kept. Otherwise, I would certainly be dead now." Tracy looked down at her partner, and asked, "He's going to be hungry when he wakes up, isn't he?" She was still stroking the side of his face, and merely nodded. Moments later, Nick took in a large breath, the muscles in his face twitched slightly. Then, he opened his eyes, revealing their golden color. Natalie stopped her actions, and instead, rested her arm on his shoulder. "Nick? What can we do?" she asked, both knowing, and not knowing what his condition was, and what to do. She had never seen a vampire completely drained of blood before. Nick removed Natalie's hand from his shoulder, then sat himself up. He looked directly at her, his eyes slowly becoming red from hunger. Placing his hands on either side of her face, risking his growing appetite, he instructed, "Nat, I want you and Tracy to start back to the cabin now. Leave me! I will catch up to you tomorrow night, soon after dusk." Natalie protested, "What are you going to do when the sun rises? I can't just leave you here!" She tried to touch his face, but he would not allow her to do so. He gripped her shoulders, and told her firmly with his blood red eyes and elongated fangs shining in the moonlight, "Natalie! I will be fine! I will survive because it is my nature to do so! But, if you remain here, you will not! Leave now!" He pushed her away with more force than intended, causing her to fall on her back. Tracy ran to her, and together, they watched as Nick backed up, eventually running into a tree. "Please! Leave now, and do as I said. I don't want you to die!" Natalie attempted to approach him again, but was stopped by a snarl. Instead, she took off his cloak, and placing it on the ground, told him, "Just in case you need it." Nick only looked at her, now barely recognizable, as she and Tracy backed away. Then, they started back the way they had come, back toward the cabin. *+.*+.*+.*+.*+. The two women walked the majority of the day. For the most part, they maintained silence, and on the few occasions they did speak to one another, the topic never touched upon their current situation. Eventually, they ran out of small talk. At that point, Natalie broke the impasse, "I'm sorry that we didn't tell you before. But, you have to understand, we knew nothing about you. By the time that we did, everything was just too chaotic. If it makes you feel better, we never told Schanke either. In fact, one time he figured out what Nick was, and ended up having the memory taken away." Tracy touched Natalie on the arm, and told her, "Nat, I know, and I don't blame either of you for not telling me. It was just a bit of a shock." She stopped, then she looked toward her friend, wondering if she should ask or not. "Natalie?" "Yes," she said uncertainly, hearing the questioning quality. "Vachon. Who, or _what_ was it that killed him? He said something about a little girl, a vampire." "Divia did. LaCroix's mortal daughter, and vampire master," she said simply, putting her distaste for the girl in her voice. Tracy heard Natalie's tone, and asked, "What really happened that night? I mean, everything that happened?" She took a deep breath and said, "The body that was found in the morgue belonged to a grave robber who was killed while opening the tomb of Ayahotep. Ayahotep, an Egyptian healer, was Divia's master. She killed him, and sealed him in a tomb almost two millennia ago. Soon after, LaCroix killed her, and also shut her in the tomb. When that thief broke the seal on the tomb, she escaped, and killed him. She was of an older vampiric race, and was able to kill easily. From what Nick told me, when she attacked Vachon, he went crazy from the images that she put in his mind, and asked to be put out of his misery." Natalie paused slightly, letting Tracy digest the information, putting it together with what she knew. "I know. He asked me to kill him. When I couldn't, he flew onto the stake I was holding. He died in my arms." The words were so quiet, they could barely be distinguished. Once Tracy looked relatively recovered from her memories, she continued. "Urs found out about what was happening to Vachon and went to Nick for help. She made it as far as the elevator to Nick's loft, but was dead by the time the elevator made it to the second floor. There was nothing that could be done for her. Divia went after everyone that was close to LaCroix, and her last target was Nick. He survived, but I think that was because of his age, and the fact that they were related. As she was attempting to kill LaCroix, Nick killed her, and LaCroix burned her body on the same night that you buried Vachon." Tracy stopped walking as Natalie's words sank in. She realized that far more happened on that night than she had originally thought. Now, at least she understood those events. However, it also dawned on her that she still didn't really know Nick, at least not as Natalie did. "Nat, you've known Nick for six years, right?" She received a nod, and then asked, "What's he really like, I mean when he doesn't need to keep his secret?" Natalie started walking again, and she had to think a while before answering, "Actually, he's not a whole lot different. He's a lot more caring, and humorous, but another reason that you don't see all of Nick is because Schanke died. They had become very close. He doesn't want to get too close to you because he wouldn't be able to handle another friend's death. As it was, he nearly left after Schanke's death. He would have if Reese hadn't called him. If he hadn't heard, and recognized the music, realizing the connection between it and the explosions, he would have left." The comment struck her, and it occurred to her that if he had left, they would never have been in this situation. Yet, at the same time she wondered if she would have wanted a different partner. Despite their differences, she liked Nick. She respected him, and he returned that respect. It was because of him that she was able to get any credence at all from the other officers. "Do you think me and Nick will ever be able to have a partnership as he did with Schanke?" Tracy asked. This time it was Natalie that stopped, and she said, "You know what? I really don't know, but I think he'll let you try, and in my opinion I think you could. But, Nick is very hard to predict, and I could be wrong." Tracy nodded, and with a wince remembered what happened three nights before, "I think I might have ruined my chances already. When we were on patrol, I made him eat part of a burrito, and it made him sick...I didn't know it would, but he had told me clearly that he didn't want anything to eat...and well, you know,...as usual, I didn't listen to him." Natalie was a little surprised that he had managed to hold it down, and tried to put her friend's mind at ease, "Trace, don't worry, Schanke did that all of the time. Well, sort of. He purposely put garlic on everything just because of Nick's reaction to it, and Nick never held it against him. In fact, if anything, I think it made them better friends." Tracy nodded once again, and they resumed their path. By now, the sun had begun to set. They hoped they would see Nick soon. They didn't know exactly where the cabin was, and couldn't recognize anything from the previous night. A half hour past sunset, they heard a twig crack behind them, and stopped, hoping that it was Nick. Turning toward the sound's source, they saw nothing but trees and darkness. A sudden breeze, followed by a tap on Natalie's shoulder, confirmed the source of the noise. "Nick! Don't do that! I hate it when you do that!" Natalie exclaimed as she faced him. His clothes, partially covered by the black cloak, were shredded as well as streaked with dirt and blood from the previous night's struggle. On closer inspection she could see that his hair was slightly damp, and he looked like he was almost in shock. Something was definitely wrong, but what? She reached her hand up to his check, drawing his attention to her. His face was a blank expression. "Nick? What's wrong?" Their eyes met. She has to know what the rest of the terms were, but he didn't really want to tell her or Tracy. He glanced at his partner, and then looked back at Natalie. "Nat, the Enforcers have another term to the agreement." He paused, and watched as Natalie took a breath before continuing, "Both you, and Tracy, must be brought across or killed within a year, or we will all be killed. We will be hunted down and killed." Both Natalie and Tracy were completely stunned. They thought that the Enforcer had let them go. Tracy was the first to speak, "How did he tell you this? I never heard him say anything about this." He turned toward her, and explained, "When we drink another's blood, a link forms, allowing memories and thoughts to be exchanged. When the Enforcer drained me, he made it loud and clear about the terms of the agreement, with the addition of that part. I had a feeling they weren't going to let us go completely free. I should have expected something like this." He bowed his head, allowing the disappointment that he felt toward himself to manifest itself. Then, after a second of self-incrimination, he looked at his friends again, and surmised, "You know, all of our lives would be so much easier if I had just left Toronto after the gang robbery." He gestured slightly to Natalie, "You wouldn't have even known about the vampire Community, and probably would have thought me to be a part of some horrible nightmare. And you," he said gesturing to his partner, "You probably would never have known about vampires." Natalie got his attention back, forcing him to look at her, and told him, "Nick, when you bumped into me in the park, when you tested me, I could have just kept walking. In fact, I almost did. But, I wanted to know you. I wanted to help you. I made a decision that night which determined my future. I was aware of the risks then, and I have never regretted it. I never have and I never will. It was my choice then, just as it is my choice now that I am going to keep going. We still have a year, and that is better than being dead now with no future." Nick looked at her. She was very strong when confronted with facts. She had shown it before when she first met him, and several other times in the past. Again, she was showing her strength of will, that she would not give in. He would have buckled under this much strain in his mortal life. He was even being affected by it now. Then, he looked over at his partner, and saw the same strength of will. This quality became clear with her response, "I won't give up either. As Natalie said, we still have a year. If we can find a cure we can all get away, and they won't be able to track us." Her words gave them all hope. If a cure could be found, they would be able to escape the Enforcers' punishment. They wouldn't be able to be tracked, because they would just blend in. He nodded slightly, and told them, "Let's get back to the cabin. At least, the Hendersons won't be disappointed that we didn't return." Nick led them in the direction of the cabin, slightly different than the direction they had been previously headed in. Hunted - (08/08) Two hours later, they arrived back at the Hendersons' cabin where light shown in the windows, and a fire burned strongly in the fireplace. They quietly walked up to the door, and knocked on it. A few seconds later, Jonathan answered it with his wife standing close behind. They weren't that surprised that the trio had returned, or even at the time they had returned, but at their condition. Both Natalie and Tracy had several cuts from walking through the woods, some of which were still bleeding. But of the three travelers, Nick appeared the worst for wear. Even though his skin was clean, his clothes were not. Beth saw their condition, and asked, "Are you all right? What happened?" She followed them as they entered the house, and sat down. They all looked exhausted. After about a minute, Natalie told her, "Yes, we're all right. I think that we all just need rest. We had gotten scratched by some of the bushes, and weren't aware of how serious the cuts really are." "Are you sure that's all?" asked, the worry etched into her brow. She again answered, "Yes, we're sure." Jonathan came to stand behind his wife. Their guests had assured them they were fine, and he would not question their answer. "Would you like to get cleaned up?" "If we could, yes," Tracy said. "I'm going to get the Caddy, I should be back in about an hour," he informed them. Then, he asked Natalie for the keys. As she handed them to him, Natalie guessed that Nick would fly to the car, and then, drive it back there. After he left, she turned back to the Hendersons, "We're sorry if we've caused any inconvenience...." Before she could finish the apology, Beth stopped her, explaining, "Don't worry about it. We don't get visitors out her very often, and besides, we owe Nick for his kindness. He has let us rent the cabin for only one hundred and fifty dollars a month. And that's because we insisted on returning his kindness. He had wanted to give us the cabin outright!" Both Natalie and Tracy were surprised, but for different reasons. Natalie was surprised they were paying anything for the cabin. Once Nick insisted on something, it was difficult to change his mind. Tracy couldn't believe how little they were renting the cabin for. It was virtually nothing, and the cabin wasn't simple. It was two levels and had lots of extra room. It would cost a fortune to have one like it built. Then she remembered what her partner was. A vampire. He probably did have a fortune, and silently wondered why he worked. Then, they took showers, and tended to their cuts. Beth prepared a meal for them, and by the time they finished eating, an hour and a half had passed since Nick left. Suddenly, they heard a car engine turn off, and a door close. Natalie went to the door to find Nick bringing their things in from the caddy. Once she had helped him with the bags, Nat pulled out a few things she could change into. Then, she told Tracy they had brought a few items from her place. She thanked them, and then something occurred to her. "Nick, I don't ever remember being in the hospital. How did you get them to release me before I woke up?" Nick winced remembering the hospital. "We...didn't get you released. There wasn't time. It was already after sunrise and we had to leave." "What! You didn't have me released! My father's going to go crazy! Did you say anything to anyone?" This was going to be a problem, a big problem. When he fully realized what she meant, Nick flinched. Reese, Tracy's father, and everyone else had absolutely no idea what was happening. As far as they were concerned, they either disappeared, or were kidnaped. He eventually told her, "We need to figure out what we're going to say to explain our disappearance." "Yeah, but we can figure that out later. First, we need to tell them that we're okay, and when we'll be back. We can think of something to say on the way." Nick agreed and told her that he'd call the Captain. He took out his cell phone, and turned it on hoping that it would dial out of this area. It did, and after quickly dialing the precinct's number, he asked for the Captain. Reese answered with a frustrated hello. Nick guessed at the source of the frustration, and knew that his superior was going to be even tenser by the time they hung up. "Captain?" Nick said, and waited for an answer. It was not long in coming, "Knight?! Where are you?! What the hell is going on?! You better have Tracy with you, because her father's just about to go off the deep end!" Nick had to pull the phone away from his ear slightly, because of the loudness of the Captain's voice. Once all was silent again, Nick replied, "Yes, Tracy is here, and we're all fine. We'll explain everything when we get back to Toronto." "Why can't you explain what's going on now?!" "We'll explain when we get back. It would be a lot easier, besides the batteries on my phone are just about dead." The last comment, which happened to actually be true, made Reese decide not to force it. Instead he asked, "When are you going to get back?" "We'll be back in a couple of days." "Okay," Reese paused, and was about to hang up, but asked, "I almost forgot, what am I supposed to tell the Commissioner?" "Tell him what we told you, and emphasize that Tracy is fine. We all are." "Okay, see you in a couple of days." Then, Reese hung up, and Nick turned the phone off. He related the phone call to Natalie and Tracy, and told them that they could stay with the Henderson's about twenty four hours. They spent the remainder of the night resting, and then, they talked for much of the next day. That night, all three travelers were able to get a good night's sleep before leaving early the next morning. They thanked the couple for their hospitality. Elizabeth made them to promise to return. She knew they would, and probably sooner than they thought. They rode in silence back to Toronto. The silence allowed them to review the past couple of days, and realize what their future was going to hold. In a year they would both be dead, vampires, or hunted once again. ~fin~ Feedback to: jarvinia@gmx.com