Please post the attached fiction to the Jadfe website. It is an N&N pairing.
Thank you,
Becky Chessman
bdundee@aol.com---------------------------------------------------------------------
LEGACY OF EVIL: RESOLUTIONS--An ADULT-- "Forever Knight" fan fiction story
by Rebecca L. Chessman
DISCLAIMERS: The characters from the television series "Forever Knight" belong to James Parriott and Barney Cohen. No infringement of their original copyright or ownership of the characters or series by Sony Television is intended. This is an exercise in admiration for TPTB who are the original creators of the characters and situations previously presented on television. Permission is granted to archive at fkfanfic's ftp site, fkfanfic.com, and the jadfe website. All other please ask.
I have created some new characters and taken liberties with the originals to continue from where the series left off at the end of season three. I am an unrepentant Nick and Nat Packer, and a Dark Knightie. I believe they belong together. But I set myself the task of finding an alternative that would not violate the integrity of their characters. I have tried to include real places and historic events and persons where they fit, but I did not use real modern people.
This is my first attempt at fan fiction. I hope its readers enjoy the adventure. I enjoyed writing it. I have posted this on adult lists as I feel the sexual content and the level of violence might be offensive to some readers. If you do not enjoy consenting sex between adult MF persons or violence directed at or around children, please avoid this story. I have used Nicholas, Nick, and the French spelling, Nicolas, to refer to the character of Nick Knight. The spelling changes as each character uses the pronunciation most familiar to them. I owe a great deal of thanks to Judy
Freudenthal for beta reading, and to Valerie Meachum for advice on medieval jewelry.Legacy of Evil: Resolutions by Rebecca L. Chessman
Chapter 1On Saturday evening a taxi delivered Nick, Natalie, Jules, and Janette to the airport for their flight to Stornoway. The short flight was uneventful. As soon as they retrieved their luggage, Nick led them to the car rental counter where they picked up a car to drive out to Callanish Village where the boat was stored. The wind was picking up, and clouds were massing in the west, a half hour later as Nick and Jules loaded their belongings into the boat.
"You said we'd have our own boat, Nick," Natalie exclaimed, "but I never envisioned one quite this large!" Her eyes took in the sturdy 35 foot fishing vessel built for voyages of a month or more, well able to handle heavy seas, if necessary.
"It has a galley, a head and two staterooms on the lower deck," Nick told her. "I made sure they redesigned it for comfort while maintaining its strength against the weather. The seas in this area can be treacherous."
"And the accommodations are for?" Natalie raised her eyebrows in a question.
"We'll need them, especially when I'm doing the census work the university is expecting. I'm going to have to be out for prolonged periods if I do the marine survey work the university wants. That means I'll have to take someone with me, at least to help handle the boat. We might as well
be comfortable," Nick said. "And I think we may find it's an excellent get away vehicle if we ever need to leave the island in a hurry," he added prophetically.
Everyone climbed in, except Nick, who stopped to make arrangements to have the rental car returned. With this business accomplished, Nick cast off the boat from the pier, jumped aboard, and settled behind the wheel to pilot them to the island.
The water in the loch was choppy, the wind was picking up. The predicted storm was coming in fast, but the distance they had to cover was so short that it took a mere five minutes to complete the trip to the boat dock on Kearstay Island. Nick docked the boat in the sturdy shelter built
over the pier. Everyone carried some of the baggage to the house they could all see, about five hundred yards up a slight slope, inland from the dock. The standing stones of Callanish could still be seen across the narrow loch to the southeast in the moonlight. The beautifully eerie presence of the
neolithic temple had not yet been obscured by the gathering clouds to the west.
Chimneys rose at either end of the tall rectangular house they approached. A steep, gabled, slate roof guaranteed the efficient displacement of either snow or rain. The windows were few, tall, narrow, and placed equidistant from the centrally located door on the front facade. The house faced southeast towards Callanish village. Around the building, the green, rolling terrain was interrupted only by a paved walkway and driveway which led from the pier, curved to the left across the front of the house, then followed the perimeter of the building around to the back toward the outbuildings. Nick unlocked the door to the two story stone house and flipped on the light switch, which illuminated the foyer in which they were standing and the hall which led to the back of the house.
"This is your house, Jules and Janette," Nick handed them each a set of keys. "The other house is located a half mile further over the hill. It looks pretty much like this one, and faces the same direction. There are garages behind each house, and there's a Land Rover in each one. That's
about the only way to get around the island. There're sheep tracks, but no formal roads. There is one other outbuilding that houses the generator, a freezer, the lab, and some tools. The place isn't elegant, but it's comfortable. Let's check and make sure our supplies were delivered properly."
Nick led them through the hallway to the back of the house to a large, comfortable country kitchen with a pantry. They checked the refrigerator and the freezer in the walk in pantry and found that they were, indeed, well stocked. Off the kitchen was a family room containing one of the fireplaces that fed into the chimney at that end of the building. "Would you mind breaking out your car and giving us a lift to the other house?" Nick asked. "I'd like to make sure it runs, and I think Nat's had enough traveling on foot. It sounds like the wind is really picking up out there."
"Of course, Nick," Jules answered. He turned to Janette, "Would you like to come or do you want to stay and unpack?"
"I'm staying," Janette said cheerfully as she winked at Natalie and said, "I'm going exploring." She turned and headed back down the hallway toward where she and Jules had left their luggage in the foyer.
"I'm looking forward to exploring, too!" Natalie exclaimed.
"Then, let's go," Nick said and led the way out the back door toward the left. The wind hit them full force and nearly pushed them back inside the house, until they gained the shelter of the garage.
"You're going to need a lift!" Jules exclaimed.
"The key with the K on it is the garage key," Nick noted. "The big one is the house key and the other is for the barn. The Land Rover key is hanging on the wall in the garage."
Jules opened the garage and flipped on the light inside. It was a sturdy, serviceable building containing not only the vehicle, but a workbench with hand tools and plenty of workspace. A collection of keys hung on the pegboard at the back of the workbench. Jules selected the Land
Rover key and ushered them into the car. The engine started with alacrity, and he pulled easily out of the garage and drove them in the direction Nick indicated until they found the second house. The wind buffeted the vehicle, and the rain started just as Jules pulled into the driveway. He parked
directly in front of the door to minimize the distance Nick and Natalie would have to travel to get into the house.
"Thanks for the lift, Jules. Drive carefully getting home. Call us when you get there, I'll worry if you don't," Nick shouted at him through the wind.
"I will. This is truly fierce weather. I wouldn't want to get caught out in this for very long." Nick and Natalie darted into the house with their bags, and waved from the doorway as Jules followed the driveway back towards his place.
Natalie stopped and stood in the foyer of their new home, turning to see every angle, as Nick flipped on the lights and closed the door. "It's pretty much a twin to the other house, although I think this one is a bit older and a bit larger." Nick said. "They both have three bedrooms and two and a half baths. The lab is in the barn out back. Let's check our supplies. Leave the luggage here. I'll take it up later."
Nick led Natalie to the kitchen at the back of the house. It had much the same arrangement as the one she had admired at Angus' house. "You remembered what I said, didn't you?" Natalie said. "I can see where they broke out part of a wall and made this into one big room! They did a
beautiful job on the work island! Oh, Nick, this is gorgeous. I love it!"
"Glad you like it," he said. He opened the refrigerator and peered inside as Natalie began opening cupboards. "Oh good. He got bacon!" Nick exclaimed.
"Nick, these are our dishes!"
"Yes, I had our things sent over. Some of my old glassware is still in Toronto for LaCroix to use, but I made sure they sent the things you might like, like your teapot and stuff." Just then the phone rang and Nick picked it up. "Jules, you made it OK?.....Good.....Yeah, so is
Natalie.......I imagine they'll be visiting tomorrow. Talk to you then!" Nick hung up the phone. "Jules got in all right. He says Janette is having a ball unpacking. She wants to get together tomorrow evening after she's settled in."
"Great, so do I!" Natalie exclaimed. "I want a cup of tea. Would you like something?"
"I've already got what I want," Nick told her, brandishing a wine glass, "so fix whatever you'd like. I think I'll build a fire in the fireplace down here, then take the bags upstairs. You just keep on
exploring."
Natalie put water on to boil, then went back to opening cupboards. When the pot began to whistle, she found the tea bags and her teapot, rinsed out the pot with hot water, dropped the Earl Grey bags inside, covered them with boiling water and set the pot on the table under a cozy to steep.
While the tea steeped, she investigated the pantry. Then she settled with her teacup on the sofa next to the fire with Nick, who was relaxing after carrying their luggage upstairs. They sat quietly together watching the flames devour the peat behind the glass doors fronting the fireplace insert and listening to the wind howl around the chimneys and the rain beat against the shuttered windows.
"This is lovely and cozy," Natalie said. "This is my old couch isn't it!"
"Yes, I left the black leather to LaCroix. I thought your things fit this house better. They're cheerier."
"I love the hard wood floors and the rag rugs in here. Is the view nice when the windows are open?"
"I really don't know. I've only seen pictures and maps. It'll probably be a bit bleak, though. There are no trees to speak of, and the land is pretty flat. It's mostly peat bog, and some of that is a bit treacherous. Keep your eyes peeled if you walk very far from the house. It's probably safe to follow the sheep tracks. There's a little kitchen garden out back. It's going to be very quiet here. I hope you don't mind."
"We'll have to test my new vision on the peat bogs and see if it helps detect them. I'll find plenty to do, I'm sure. Jules wants me to relax, so that's what I'll do."
"Our video and CD collection is on the shelves on the other side of the fireplace next to all the equipment on the entertainment center, there's a satellite dish out back, and down the hall in the den is a computer and our library. Every thing should be here. There isn't an electron microscope, but you've got just about everything else out in the lab. Let me know if I've forgotten anything," Nick told her.
"I imagine you've had plenty of practice setting up homes over the years. I think I'll trust your judgment."
When she finished her first cup of tea, Natalie rose and carried a second cup with her as she explored the rest of the house. In addition to the den downstairs she found a formal dining room and living room combination. A laundry room, half bath, and mud room opened off of the kitchen and led to the end of the house that overlooked the garage. There were two back doors. The second led through a second mud room from the family room to the barn. From this arrangement, Natalie assumed, rightly, that their weather would often be soggy.
Upstairs were a master suite at the end of the hallway and two smaller bedrooms separated by a large bath. The bedroom closest to the master suite was furnished as a nursery. The other contained her bedroom furniture. Nick's king-sized bed and oversized dresser furnished the master
suite. There was still a great deal to be done. None of the beds had been made, and boxes still stood in each room containing shelving and other small furnishings. Linens had been placed in the linen closets in the bathrooms, but none had been hung out for use. Natalie went to the top of the stairs and called down to Nick.
"Hey, you. Come up here and help me unpack!" She heard Nick coming down the hall and turned and went to begin the job of turning the rustic house into a home.
Janette greeted them at her door the next evening when they knocked. She was dressed in her usual, elegant black, but her manner was very unlike the icy femme fatale Natalie had first come to know. Janette seemed to glow with a barely suppressed enthusiastic joy. Natalie could feel that Nick, too had noticed the change in Janette. He glanced at Natalie and sent her a gentle pulse of joy. Then he turned to Janette and said, "Well, are you going to keep us on the doorstep all night, or will you show us your new domain?"
"Nicolas, Natalie, you will not believe how well everything has come together. All my things arrived in perfect condition, and Jules' things go so well with them. I hadn't realized how similar our tastes were!" Janette exclaimed as she led them through the foyer into the hall and through each
room as they moved toward the back of the house.
Natalie was amazed at how different this house seemed to their own. Where their furnishings provided a cozy, comfortable, informal atmosphere, Janette had created an equally welcoming, but much more formal background in hers and Jules' home. The furniture in the living room and dining room was very definitely in a French style with classic lines. A very few, extremely well-chosen ornaments were displayed on the mahogany occasional tables and sideboards. Beautiful oriental carpets graced the hardwood floors. The den/office resembled Jules' Toronto office with its dark woods and leather. The kitchen was that of a French country house. It looked as if it had come
from the pages of 'Better Homes & Gardens.'
Janette settled her guests on the couch before the fire in the family room which extended the French country theme of the kitchen to which it was connected. Jules was awaiting them in one of two easy chairs pulled up to the fire opposite the couch. His manner also evinced the suppressed
joy that characterized Janette's every word and movement. It was obvious that something in their relationship had changed.
Janette went into the kitchen to pick up a tray full of glasses and bottles which she brought into the family room and placed on a table between the couch and the chairs. She offered each person a drink, according to their tastes. Then she settled into the chair next to Jules.
"You've done a simply magnificent job on this house!" Natalie said to Janette.
Janette beamed and looked fondly at Jules as she answered Natalie's comment, "Jules helped. He has a very artistic eye, for a doctor."
"I just told her what I liked. She did everything, herself. Janette is very gifted. She doesn't give herself enough credit," Jules said as he reached for Janette's hand.
Nick and Natalie exchanged a quick glance and smiled at each other. Nick placed his arm around Natalie's shoulders, and she settled against his side. The four friends spent the rest of the evening engaged in quiet conversation which ranged over a variety of topics.
Natalie thought she had never had a more interesting or convivial visit. She wondered at the changes she saw in Jules and Janette and marveled at the steady, quiet warmth that continued to emanate through her link with Nick. How very different this all was compared to the tense, even
frenzied existence, they had sometimes led in Toronto, and even on their honeymoon. Natalie found herself wishing they could stay here, like this, on this little island forever. She sighed and snuggled closer to Nick, leaning her head on his shoulder.
"Are you getting tired, Nat?" Nick asked her.
"Oh, no, I was just thinking how lovely and relaxing this is. And what a pleasure it is to spend the evening with such good company!" In the months to come the two couples would spend much of their time together. It would be best, she thought, if they continued to get on so well together.
"Thank you, Natalie," Janette said.
"Please come to our house tomorrow evening," Natalie requested.
"We'd be delighted!" Jules answered her. "Natalie, you and I need to get together, and continue our research. We haven't found out how long Nick has in the sun now. And we need to monitor the progress of your mutation and any effects on the baby."
"And I need to get started on the research the university has assigned us," Nick put in. "When you find out how long I can tolerate the sun, I'll be better able to gauge what I can do, and what I'll have to depend on Natalie to do for me. I'd like our cover to be authentic." Everyone agreed. They decided to begin their respective jobs after one more day of settling in.
"Nick, would you reestablish that link for all of us while we're here on the island?" Jules asked. "I think with the isolation here, we need it for safety."
"I had fully intended to do so. I'll set it up so that the link remains dormant unless it's activated. It can be activated from either end. To activate it, just concentrate on the individual you want to contact, then wait for them to respond. I don't think anyone wants to be intruded upon at
inconvenient moments, unless it is an emergency. Any of us can exclude or include any others, if they wish."
Nick watched as Jules and Janette exchanged a quick look and figured he had guessed correctly. They were ready to deepen their relationship, and the link he would establish went much farther than the usual blood bond. He concentrated for a moment as he structured the new bond and felt Natalie reward him for his efforts with a surge of warm affection. Janette and Jules murmured their thanks, but their eyes remained firmly fixed on one another.
"Well, I'm planning on using tomorrow to set up my lab," Natalie said.
"Same here," Jules agreed.
"This dedication to work is a bad habit," Janette purred at Jules.
"Don't worry, I'll leave plenty of time for other activities," he winked at her.
"I think we need to be getting back home to finish preparing for your visit tomorrow," Nick asserted as he rose and pulled Natalie to her feet.
"Nick's right. I haven't quite gotten one room arranged just the way I want it, and Janette's decor has inspired me!" Natalie said. She and Nick took their leave and headed for home.
As Nick piloted the Land Rover across the short distance between the houses, Natalie slid closer to him and leaned against his shoulder. "They're really enjoying being together. I've never seen Janette so content," Natalie said.
"I've known her a lot longer than you have, and I've never seen her this happy," Nick agreed.
As Nick and Natalie climbed into the Land Rover for their trip home, Janette closed her front door on the drizzly weather and turned to Jules. "That was a lovely visit. I think Natalie likes what I've done with the house," she remarked.
Jules pulled her into a close embrace and kissed her deeply. When their lips parted, he brushed her nose with his and murmured, "You knew she'd love it. It is beautiful. Almost as beautiful as you are mon coeur. It certainly reflects your elegance."
"You are too flattering! But that will get you anything you desire, cheri. Shall we go up?" Janette asked playfully.
"Mai oui." They ascended the stairs to their bedroom, where Jules convinced Janette that she had become the center of his universe.[End Chapter 1 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 2 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
Two evenings later at Natalie's lab, she and Jules were reviewing their results from the new tests they had set up with Nick's blood to check its reaction to sunlight and to ultraviolet light. Both Natalie and Jules believed ultraviolet was the electromagnetic wavelength frequency which vampires were unable to tolerate. Jules had discovered, using an ultraviolet light, with the samples he had taken, that Nick should now be able to tolerate three hours of unprotected sun exposure before his blood began to boil. Natalie had repeated the same exposure tests outdoors during daylight with fresh blood samples, and a small skin sample she had scraped from the inside of Nick's cheek. All their tests had shown the same results. Each sample had shown no effects until exposed to ultraviolet or full sun for three hours. However, immediately at the expiration of that period of time, the samples had instantaneously and explosively vaporized.
Now Nick was attempting full exposure to the artificial ultraviolet light Jules had used. Jules and Natalie had set it up in Natalie's lab and had connected it to a timer to ensure the accuracy of their readings. They were all nervous. Nick, Jules, and Janette were all old enough to withstand some ultraviolet exposure if they used enough protective clothing. But none of them had voluntarily attempted any exposure without some form of protection. Indeed, Janette had insisted, when they had discussed this particular test the evening before that, "Playing in the sun is an unnatural
activity for a vampire. Night life is quite sufficient enjoyment for reasonable people." She had refused to attend the test.
Natalie suspected that Janette did not relish sharing Nick's discomfort through their blood link. Natalie empathized with her and had discussed that possibility with Nick. Nick had acknowledged the very real existence of a fallout of pain and had promised to cut his link to everyone for the duration of the test. Natalie had insisted that she needed to feel what he felt to better evaluate his reactions. Nick had been adamant that his own discomfort would be quite sufficient. He wanted to protect the baby from any adverse effects. Natalie had been forced to agree.
Nick was insisting that he wear a minimum of clothing, shorts and a t-shirt. "Since we already know regular clothing inhibits the effects of the ultraviolet," he said, "we won't get a thorough test if I'm not as fully exposed as possible."
The volatile reaction of the samples at the end of the three hour period was what gave Jules and Natalie pause. They wondered if the cumulative effect of the ultraviolet light would intensify Nick's body's reaction to the exposure and cause immediate spontaneous combustion. Nick was of the opinion that he would begin to feel uncomfortable long before that could occur.
"The samples in your dishes are just that, samples. I have feelings. I know when it's time to come in out of the sun. And I've had experience with sunned treatments before this," he said. "I think I'll be able to cope." Still, Natalie had slathered him with the strongest sun block she could concoct and had insisted that he wear the same type of heavy sun goggles for the test that he had used in the sunbed.
It had been very nearly three hours since Nick had settled under the ultraviolet lamp with the report of the findings of the previous marine wildlife survey team the university had sent to the area. Natalie and Jules had busied themselves with further sample preparations to attempt to isolate the enzyme they suspected Divia had introduced into Nick's system. They had managed to produce a chemical indicator that reacted with a color change in the presence of the enzyme.
"There, I think that's the culprit," Natalie said to Jules.
"I think you're right, Natalie. If we can isolate it and reproduce it, maybe we can produce the same results on unaffected blood in the test tube. Then we'll have some indication that our theory's right." Jules broke off suddenly and looked over at Nick, who had thrown the report he had been reading to the floor. Natalie, who had her back to Nick, turned and her eyes followed Jules' glance. She noted that Nick was now fidgeting in his chair. And with her new vision she watched, horrified, as the healthy glow she associated with her husband began to flare rapidly into a fiery glare.
She dropped the test tube she had been holding back into its rack and raced to meet Nick as he suddenly bolted across the room, ripping off the sun goggles and gasping for air. Natalie caught him in her arms and made him lie in a tub of icy water they had prepared. While Natalie settled
Nick in the tub, Jules raced to the freezer and pulled out bags filled with ice and dumped the contents over Nick. Natalie pulled Nick's shirt off and rubbed handfuls of the ice over each part of his body where the glare she could see seemed particularly intense.
They had hoped that Nick's own senses would alert him before irreparable damage to his system could be done. And rapid cooling should ameliorate the effects of the ultraviolet once he was out of the direct beam of the light. Nick immediately began to breathe a bit more easily when the
cold water and ice hit him. He rubbed ice over his face and burrowed into the coolness gratefully. "Well, that's a successful test, I think," Nick stated as he glanced at the digital readout on the timer above the ultraviolet light. It read 3 hours and 15 seconds.
"Yeah, well, I don't want you trying that length of time in the sun without an ice bath waiting," Natalie responded dryly.
"I wouldn't want to anyway. The last few minutes were extremely uncomfortable. I think I pushed it a bit."
"Nick, don't take chances with yourself like that! You're going to be a father soon, and I need you to be there to help me raise this kid." Natalie scolded him.
"I know, Nat, but we needed a good, solid test. And I figured we needed to find out my absolute limits in a fully controlled situation. You know being out in the real world is going to be very different," Nick replied.
"I know you're right, but I hate the chances you take," Natalie returned. "Now get out of that tub before you turn into an ice block." Nick rose from the tub, and Natalie wrapped a large towel around him. She noted that the normal, healthy glow had returned to Nick's body.
"I'm glad you pushed it, Nick," Jules told them both. "I think it has also proven what you thought, that your senses let you know when the danger becomes acute. And we now know that your current condition allows for longer exposure. Does the effect of the exposure seem to intensify
toward the end of the three hours?"
Nick nodded as he patted himself dry then draped the towel over his shoulders as he wrung out his wet T-shirt, "There was a brief period of irritation like an itch that seemed to spread for nearly fifteen minutes before it became truly painful. But the onset of the pain was abrupt. I know from past experience that I was close to really burning. I would have quit at least fifteen minutes earlier in any other situation. I'd like to try going outdoors for different periods of time during the day over the
next week or so. I'd like to see if three hours is the absolute limit for one day, or if I can be repeatedly exposed after rest periods between exposures."
"That sounds like a good idea, Nick. Why don't you try doing some outdoor chores through the next week. Begin with less than three hours exposure and extend the time gradually. I think that should be safe enough." Jules, Natalie and Nick began to plan a regimen for Nick to follow.
"The very first thing I want to do is watch the sunrise, with you." Nick told Natalie.
"I think that could be arranged," she replied. "We need to take this slowly, though. I know you need to go into Stornoway to pick up that shipment the university has sent. I'm going with you to make sure you don't overdo it."
"I don't need a nursemaid," Nick huffed.
"I know. You're an adult, and you know how to take care of yourself. But I'm still your doctor, and you'll follow doctor's orders, or we won't go." Natalie informed him.
"Natalie is right this time, Nick. That new sight of hers is going to help keep you alive. She can help you monitor your exposure. This is a new thing for a vampire to experience. It's like undersea diving for a human, very enjoyable, but very dangerous. It's something that calls for a safety buddy," Jules said.
"All right, I guess I do need time to discover my limits. And spending time with Natalie isn't such a bad thing," Nick said as he pulled her close to him.
"I think the first thing you need to do is go inside and put some dry clothes on. You're positively clammy," Natalie shivered.
"I'm going to head home and tell Janette the good news," Jules said as he walked toward the door of the barn. Nick and Natalie started for the house, "I'll dump the water in the tub later, and we'll tidy up the lab together," Nick said. "But just now I think I'm more interested in getting
some rest before we tackle a day in the sun together."
"Excellent idea," Natalie agreed. Nick contrived to turn their rest into an amorous adventure the aftermath of which was a deeply restful slumber. They awoke just as their room began to lighten with the new day. Nick leapt to the window on the east side of their bedroom, whipped up the shade, raised the window, and flung open the shutters.
"Look, Nat. It's magnificent!" he cried as the orange light in the sky intensified.
"It's the only clear morning we've had, Nick. It's as if it knew you needed a really glorious sunrise," Natalie said as she joined him on the window seat wrapped in a blanket. He wound his arms tightly around her and held her close, his chin resting in the curls on top of her head. He gazed,
mesmerized, as the sky's orange grew to gold, and the light in the sky intensified until it was a bright bluebird color graced with high mares' tails of cloud foretelling the next day's return to stormy weather.
"My mother used to share sunrises with me," Nick said quietly.
"Yes, you showed me last night. No wonder you missed them so," Natalie said as she reached up to stroke his cheek softly. He turned his head from the outdoors for the first time since they had settled into the window seat and captured her lips with his in a tender kiss.
"Ready for breakfast?" Nick asked as he released her.
"Ready for anything, love. This is going to be a very big day for you. I'm glad you're going to let me share it."
"I wouldn't want to share it with anyone else." He kissed her again gently.
That day Nick discovered that he could tolerate certain times of the day more easily than others. They drove to the island's boat barn around eight o'clock. They took their time, as they knew nothing in Stornoway, except the bakery, was likely to be open until after eight or nine. Nick
had ordered yet another car delivered to their boat barn near the village. When they arrived at the Callanish dock, they found the car parked neatly in its space inside the combination boat barn/garage. It was another Land Rover, large enough to haul passengers and boxes full of supplies. Nick took the wheel, and they headed toward Stornoway. It was nine o'clock by the time they made it into Stornoway with several stops along the way just to enjoy the view. Nick was amazed at the colorful landscape he could now enjoy, and was lost in contemplation on at least two occasions.
"I knew you were going to be overwhelmed by this experience, but I didn't know I was going to enjoy sharing it with you so very much," Natalie told him after they had sat gazing at the ocean pounding against the shore at a little cove a few miles outside Stornoway for some time.
"I had forgotten how wonderful just being outdoors in daylight could be," Nick told her. Then he had put the car in gear, and they drove into town and found a place to park. They spent the next hour browsing the shop windows like tourists. Then they went to the shipping company and claimed
their boxes. Natalie walked back to the car and drove it to the shipping company's delivery dock where Nick was waiting. He loaded the boxes into the Land Rover. Then they headed back toward Callanish.
The short time Nick had spent indoors at the shipper seemed to have been a sufficient rest between exposure times. He took his time driving back toward the boat barn in Callanish. But as it neared eleven o'clock, Natalie began to notice a sprinkling of little flashes of ruddy light playing over Nick's extremities.
"Nick, let's get you out of the sun," she exclaimed. Nick nodded, his lips compressed in a straight line of discomfort. Then he suddenly shut down their link, put his foot down on the gas, and began to drive quite briskly toward the village they could see just over the next low hill.
"Let's get into the village and stop at the pub for lunch," Natalie suggested. It was the building closest to the edge of the settlement. Nick quickly agreed. Within a short time he pulled the Land Rover into the parking area which served the pub. He turned off the engine, pulled out the keys, and very nearly sprinted across the car park. Natalie found him waiting for her to catch up to him in the dark foyer of the nearly windowless pub. His normal, healthy glow had been restored, and the tiny
flashes of red she had observed earlier had disappeared.
The pub owner greeted them cheerfully, "Well, folks what can I get for you this morning?" he asked as they settled onto stools at the bar.
"What would you like, Nat?" Nick asked her.
"A pot of tea would be lovely," Natalie answered.
"A pot of tea and a pint of Tennent's Velvet, please," Nick said.
"Excellent choice," the landlord replied. He went to the end of the bar and ordered the tea from the kitchen then turned to pour out the pint Nick had ordered. He set a bar coaster and the ale on the bar in front of Nick and leaned against the back of the bar with a large smile. He was ready for a pleasant chat.
"You staying around here?" the publican asked curiously.
"Yes, we're using Kearstay Island as a base for some marine animal research for Edinburgh University," Nick told him. Then Nick took a deep draught of his ale, and Natalie felt him reopen their link and relax.
"Oh, so you're the university people we heard were coming! Welcome to Callanish," the publican said in a friendly manner. "The university sent some folk out about ten years ago. There was a plague among the seals. They were washing up on shore everywhere. They told us when they left that they'd be sending folks out to follow up, but it's been ten years now. The seals still get sick, but not as often and not so many. It was very sad to see them die like that. Although some do think they're a nuisance."
"I've been reading over the records from that study," Nick said. "They inoculated a lot of the seals to try to keep a viable population alive. We noticed a large colony on one of the rocks out in the loch on the way over this morning."
"Yes, that colony was nearly wiped out ten years ago. It's been growing recently."
Nick stuck his hand out and said, " I'm Dr. Nicholas Boyd, this is my wife Natalie. She's also a doctor. We have two other colleagues on the island, Drs. Jules and Janette deVille."
"Seamus Macdonald, most folks just call me Seamus. Nice to meet you both, Dr. Boyd," the publican shook Nick's hand vigorously.
"Call me Nick. We don't stand on much formality on the island."
"Thank you, Nick. Do you know why the university hasn't sent anyone out here sooner?" Seamus asked.
"I don't think the university had the funding. We're here on an endowment fellowship," Nick informed him. I think a permanent research facility is scheduled to be built on the island next year by the same group that's paying for our salaries. At least that's what we've heard."
"That might bring more jobs into the area. That would be a good thing for everyone," Seamus said.
Natalie's tea arrived just then and Seamus poured her out a steaming cupful. Natalie sipped and pronounced it a truly excellent brew. Nick sipped at his pint. They remained at the bar chatting with the publican for nearly half an hour. Nick and Natalie discovered, during the course of the
conversation, that they were sharing the island with a local shepherd named Hugh Morrison who regularly occupied one of the small sheilings during the summers while he cared for the sheep that were pastured on the island.
"What's a sheiling, Seamus?" Natalie asked.
"It's a small cottage, a hut really, that a shepherd uses while he's pasturing the sheep. They're not really designed for year round use," Seamus told her. "But Hugh's moved out of his crofter's cottage and has been living in the shieling, even in the nasty weather we've been having lately. He recently lost his family. I don't think he's quite himself."
"We're sorry to hear that, was it an accident that took them?" Natalie asked.
"Apparently his wife, an in comer from Glasgow, found our island life too slow for her tastes. She took off with their seven year old daughter a couple of weeks back. Folks around here say that Hugh'll become the local recluse if his wife and child don't return. I believe that Beathag, will eventually come back home."
"Is Beathag, Hugh's wife's name?" Natalie asked.
"Yes. Their little girl is called Morag. Hugh and Beathag were very happy when they were first married," Seamus asserted. "I think Beathag had some problems with her parents she hadn't worked out. Hugh occasionally hinted as much, and they never visited her in all the years she lived here. I believe when she has a chance to settle things, she'll be back."
Soon the lunch crowd began to arrive, Seamus became very busy, and they weren't able to learn any more about their closest neighbor. Nick ordered lunch, a second pot of tea for Natalie, and a second pint of ale for himself before Seamus got too occupied with the newest arrivals. Then they moved to a booth to eat their lunch.
Nick could feel that Natalie had something on her mind. She wanted to discuss Nick's physical condition without being overheard. Although she could see that he had recovered from his earlier discomfort, she wanted to insure them some privacy in case Nick had to resort to the flask of blood he had decided to carry with him for emergencies. To Natalie's vision the early morning hours had, apparently, been quite painless and extremely enjoyable for Nick. But the hour before noon had been patently miserable. She was concerned that he might have overdone his exposure on his first trip out. He confessed to her when they got settled in their booth that he was afraid he would never be able to be outside in the sun again. "Not only was it painful, physically, earlier, but, I feel a profound dread at the very idea of facing the sun, even now."
"Then we'll just stay here as long as we have to, love," Natalie consoled him.
"I just hope this feeling wears off before sunset. I'd hate to have to spend a suspicious amount of time here."
"If we have to, we'll just check into a room for the night. I noticed they have them available. We can always make up some kind of errand we need to do in town tomorrow morning," Natalie said. Nick made no comment but availed himself of a lengthy drink from his flask when he was sure no one was looking. Natalie noticed that the last bit of discomfort in his outward manner seemed to disappear immediately. "I'm glad you decided to bring the flask. Although the ale seemed to do you some good as well!" Natalie observed with a twinkle in her eye. "It's a good thing you're still
what you are, or you'd begin to acquire quite a little beer belly, my love."
Nick just grinned at her and took a sip from his second pint of ale. "It's wonderful to be able to really eat again. I always did love ale. The other drink seems almost medicinal now, more like vitamins than pleasure. It's odd!"
"Vitamins?! I hadn't thought we'd been married that long!"Natalie exclaimed.
"Not that, Natalie! When I take it from the flask, it's like vitamins. Not when I take it from the source. That's different, very different," he leered at her.
"Good," she grinned at him. "I hoped you weren't tired of me already."
"Never," he murmured fervently as he took her hand across the table and gazed deeply into her eyes. He sent her a rush of loving passion that made her blush and heartened her tremendously. He had shut their link down considerably while he had been suffering the effects of the sun, and its full restoration was a welcome relief.
"I love you, too," Natalie told him affectionately. Nick sighed deeply and released her hand as he resumed his attack on the cheese and biscuits remaining from his Ploughman's lunch. Natalie could feel him worrying, but ignored it and returned to her shepherd's pie. He needed to work out his own accommodation to his limitations. She had already accepted him as he was. They quietly finished their meal. When the waitress came over to ask if they wished to order anything more, Nick asked for the check. The pub was busy and the waitress didn't return for some minutes. Suddenly
Nick looked up at Natalie, "That feeling of dread, it's gone. Quite gone. What time is it?"
Natalie looked at her watch, "It's just one o'clock. Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm very sure. Maybe it's just the hours on either side of noon, when the sun is highest in the sky that're so uncomfortable. I've always been able to trust my instincts on this before, Nat. None of us ever wanted to go out in daylight. It was terribly difficult to function, the pain was horrendous, and there was that same feeling of dread. I'm glad it's gone." The waitress appeared with their check, laid it on the table, and hurried off to help another customer. "Let's settle our bill and go home," Nick suggested.
"Fine with me. If you have any problems, though, please let me know right away,"Natalie said as she rose from her seat. "But you need to consider that this reaction you had might also be from the multiple exposures you've had today."
"I realize that. We'll just have to repeat the tests under different conditions, doc!" Nick grinned at her. They went to the bar and settled the bill with Seamus who waved them out the door with a smile. As they left, Nick could hear Seamus telling the other local folk in the bar who they were and where they were staying. He knew everyone in town would know about the doctors on Kearstay Island within the hour.
Nick drove quickly to the Callanish boat barn, and parked the new Land Rover where they had found it that morning. They unloaded the boxes they had picked up at Stornoway into the boat and completed the trip out to the island uneventfully. They were both eager to return home. Nick was
beginning to feel extremely tired, and Natalie could feel his fatigue weighing on her. Neither of them were used to the daylight schedule they had maintained that day. They reached their own garage within thirty minutes of leaving the pub in Callanish. Nick pulled the Land Rover up to the boat barn so that they could more easily unload the boxes. Most of what was contained in the crates was veterinary supplies, equipment, and more records from the previous survey team. It took very little time to unload. Natalie parked the Land Rover in the garage as Nick began unpacking.
They had decided to divide the barn into two work areas. Natalie's lab occupied the right hand wall of the barn, while Nick's would occupy the left. The back wall was taken up with four box stalls, each large enough to accommodate a horse. Nick organized his supplies so that he could easily find anything he wanted quickly. Natalie soon joined him, and gave him a hand. Within a short time they had created what would pass for a well-equipped veterinarian's office. The large water-filled tub still stood in the center of the floor. Nick pulled it out onto the driveway in front
of the barn, hauled it over to what would become a kitchen garden in the spring, and there he dumped the contents. He hoisted the empty tub to his shoulder, carried it back into the barn, and stowed it against the left wall between his office and the stalls. Then they both retired to their bedroom for a long overdue rest.[End Chapter 2 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 3 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
In Nick's loft in Toronto LaCroix had gathered the experts to plan his strategy against Yves. As Natalie and Nick worked to organize an animal hospital, he outlined his plan for the assault on Yves' organization and discussed Jules' documentation with Feliks Twist, Larry Merlin, Stan
Forsyth, and Thomas Greaves. He had provided duplicate copies of the file on Yves to each of them prior to the meeting.
"I certainly hope you only wish me to organize the funding for this operation," Feliks was saying. "I've never been fond of intrigue or danger. I'll willingly help Nick reinvest part of his fortune to fund anything he'd care to do. Yves sounds like a thoroughly unpleasant entity."
"Thank you, Feliks, that's precisely what we need you to do," LaCroix said. "We're going to need very substantial resources. If you don't mind staying to hear the details, I think knowing what we're planning may help you decide how large a portion of Nicholas' money we may need to divert to this effort."
"I don't mind staying. That information will be helpful. How long do I have to pull this together? How long will you be needing the resources? And should I set up one large fund or a series of smaller ones?"
"I think you'll find some of the answers in our discussion," LaCroix told him. "I think our first priority is to decide how we can penetrate Yves' security."
"I've taken the liberty of testing his computer system, LaCroix," Larry Merlin put in. "He's had a real professional set up a very effective firewall. It's going to be a long process to try and penetrate it, unless we can get someone inside to cooperate with us. I can apply my usual methods, but someone is going to notice the tampering, so we're going to need some kind of diversionary tactic to distract their attention from what I'm doing."
"The same is true of the building," Stan Forsyth said. "Yves employed an excellent designer, and the way the structure is situated on the site, it's going to be difficult to access, even from the air. It's most vulnerable point is the underground utility tunnel. I've gone over these blueprints, I'll compare them with what's on file downtown and see what he's added that he didn't want the building inspectors to know about. That will give us some clues. Although I'd expect any current blueprint would have further modifications. He won't have left things as they were, he'll have kept making changes to accommodate any new advances in construction that could improve his comfort or security."
"The security system he's built into both the building and the computer systems that operate it is formidable," Thomas Greaves contributed, "but nothing is invulnerable. The blueprints will help in locating the electrical panels and utility access points. But, as Stan says, I'm not sure how far we can trust them. Can we get someone to infiltrate his organization? We're going to need really current information before I risk any other personnel on this. I know Jules has done his best to get this
much, but it's still just a teaser. We need a lot more detail for the kind of operation you have in mind."
"I have some people in mind. They've recently relocated to Australia. Yves has a sister organization there, and this couple is a very tempting target for him. They have a recent, prior acquaintance with Nicholas. They're both vampires, so Yves will expect them to sympathize
with his point of view. I think we can get him to recruit them in a way that will seem to be his own idea," LaCroix told them.
"You're talking about Nick's ex-partner and that Vachon person. She's an excellent choice for this kind of thing. But is he really reliable?" Greaves asked.
"He'll do very well," LaCroix asserted. "He and his local friends make an excellent team. They helped me when Yves attempted his first assault on this loft."
"I'm glad to hear it. Will they be part of the final assault operation?" Greaves wondered.
"Yes, they want very much to be involved. I'm not entirely sure of why, but the Inca and his friends seem to have a personal vendetta against Yves," LaCroix told the group.
"Does anyone have an estimate on the kind of capital we're going to need to pull off a full scale assault?" Feliks asked.
"We're going to need a helicopter, weaponry , communications and surveillance equipment, a bank of computers, stipends for everyone involved..." LaCroix paused.
"Several million to start with," Feliks put in. "Oh, well, it's not as if Nick can't afford it. I'll set something up tomorrow as soon as he can FAX me his signature on some papers. He has a small Swiss account I think will be sufficient. I'll invest it in a new fund I've just discovered. It's a very diverse and stable instrument. It's been yielding extremely good returns. The interest should fund most of the operation."
Feliks paused for a moment and then continued, "I don't want to dip into Nick's foundation assets if I can help it. He wouldn't be at all pleased if I had to cut off some of his charitable donations. Send me a list of what each of you think you need, and I'll be your acquisition agent.
It will also help me set up a proper budget."
"On your supply lists, please provide any specific suppliers you think would be most discreet. LaCroix cautioned. "And use every possible security precaution." LaCroix raised his hand to indicate that he noted their uniform resentment at the implication that any of them did not
understand proper security. "We don't want any of this getting back to Yves. He has as many allies in the Community as we do." Each of the other vampires settled down at his acknowledgment and conceded LaCroix's point.
"I think we need a little scouting expedition to test the waters," Greaves said. "Yves would be disappointed if I didn't keep him on his toes. He and I have fenced frequently over the years that I've been working for Jules. But Jules never let me really go after him. I'm eager to test his limits."
LaCroix smiled, "I applaud your eagerness. May I be a part of your scouting expedition? I'd love to see an expert in action. It's been a long time since I've hunted really big game."
"I'd love to have you along, LaCroix. You have an excellent reputation. I love working with experts myself," Greaves agreed.
"Thomas, you've mentioned working with Jules. How are you organized?" LaCroix asked.
"In triads, one person in each group knows one in another triad," Greaves told him.
"I see Marcus' fine hand in this. It's an excellent way of communicating rapidly and keeping losses to a minimum. Let's continue that strategy. Thomas, will you pass the word down the line?"
"I'd be happy to, Lucien."
The group fell to discussing the objectives and tactics of their initial explorations. After a hour they had developed a campaign of feints and intrusions which would give them a good idea of Yves' strengths and weaknesses. And they had drawn up lists of necessary supplies and equipment. At the end of that time, Feliks excused himself to begin the arrangements to fund and supply their endeavors, armed with the supply lists of each of the participants. The others remained to finish hammering out the details of each segment of their strategy. Hours later, LaCroix pronounced himself satisfied with their plans. Each man had earned the respect of the others during their collaboration.
"Your reputation as a formidable adversary is well-deserved, LaCroix," Stan Forsyth told him. Merlin and Greaves nodded their agreement.
"I'm glad you're the general officer for this project. I don't think I've met a man who could do it better," Thomas Greaves asserted. "If anyone can penetrate Yves' fortress, you can. It's the first time in many years that I've ever felt that we might have a chance against him. Up until now it's been a battle just to maintain the existence of Jules' organization. I've felt like a French Resistance fighter for far too long."
"Thank you. I will endeavor to live up to your expectations," LaCroix said.
"Our continued existence depends upon it. You won't disappoint us, Lucien," Greaves told him.
"Thank you again, Thomas. We'll meet again in one week." Each vampire took his leave, and LaCroix immediately e-mailed Nick an encrypted overview of their plans.
The next evening on Kearstay, Nick walked out to the barn to share the gist of the first report from LaCroix concerning the strategy his team had developed. "Dammit, Jules, it just doesn't make any sense. All I ever get from this foul thing is just uniform poison. There's no way to tell what any of it is without referring to Angus' report. It isn't going to do me any good at all!" Natalie exploded as Nick walked in the door.
"Hi Nick," Jules said as he saw Nick enter. "The necklace isn't cooperating with Natalie. It seems that her new vision works only on organic, living organisms, including vampires. I'd guess from my and Natalie's tests that our undead status is highly overstated."
"Vampires are not dead, Jules. I've been trying to drum that into Nick's head for years!" Natalie spluttered.
"Considering Nat's current status I'd have to agree. I, at least, am very much alive." Nick declared as he slid an arm around his wife and patted her abdomen gently with his other hand.
Natalie looked up at him and grinned. "You look well, what's up?"
"I just got our first report from LaCroix. He and the experts we discussed have designed a strategy for penetrating Yves' defenses. It's very thorough. He's involving the organization you already have in place, Jules. He's also continuing to recruit good people. It sounds like they
have things well in hand," Nick told them.
"Good, the sooner they can find a way to get at Yves, the better," Jules said.
"Are you finished with this necklace, Nat? If you think you don't need it, I'd like to send it to LaCroix. I really think he'd like it as a keepsake," Nick said.
"You can do anything with it you like. I've found, and Jules confirms it, my vision only works as a caution when the deadly agent is not a living organism. Although we did find that the glowing lines and blotches I can see are organic substances, there is nothing that allows me to identify specific chemical agents," Natalie sighed.
"You can still see far more than you ever could as an ordinary human," Nick comforted her.
"That's true. I guess I'll just have to use this vision when I actually get a patient and see what it tells me. I can sure tell when you begin to feel the effects of ultraviolet." Natalie picked up the necklace with her gloved hands and placed it back in its box. "Here, go ahead and send it to LaCroix with my compliments."
Nick took the proffered box and put it in his pocket. Then he cocked his head as if he were listening. "I think you're about to have an opportunity to test yourself," Nick said quietly.
The next moment Janette appeared at the door to the barn followed by a bedraggled young man with a lamb slung over his shoulders. "I've come for the doctor," the young man declared.
"An eagle got it. It's mother's dead,"Janette said indicating the lamb. "We managed to stop the bleeding, but it's going to need stitches to close the wounds the eagle made."
"Bring it over here," Nick said as he led the way to the veterinary side of the barn. "Are you Hugh Morrison?" The shepherd nodded. "Seamus Macdonald told us you lived on the island. I'm Nick Boyd, this is my wife, Natalie, and that's Jules DeVille." Natalie followed them to the veterinary
side of the barn, changing her gloves and offering fresh ones to Nick, Janette, and Jules.
"Janette told me about you," Hugh said as he placed the lamb on the examination table.
While Natalie used her vision to peruse the lamb's bloody shoulder, Nick unwound the grubby, makeshift pressure bandage covering it. Natalie reached into the wound to stanch the sudden pulse of blood that appeared as soon as the pressure was released. The lamb bleated pitifully. Janette
moved to its head. Placing her hands behind its ears, and rubbing gently, she began to soothe it. The lamb relaxed and stopped its cries.
"It's an awfully deep tear," Natalie said. But if we get it sewn up properly it should heal well. We're going to need a local anesthetic and a wide spectrum antibiotic. Would you get those for me, Nick? Jules, would you please set up a surgical tray? I really need a pair of clamps." Nick prepared the syringes she had requested. Jules handed Natalie clamps to stop the bleeding in the lamb's shoulder, then busied himself setting up a full surgical tray. Nick administered the shots. Then he went to set up a stall to receive their patient after the surgery. Janette continued to soothe their patient. Natalie could feel Janette reaching out to the lamb with more than physical comfort through their link.
As soon as the anesthetic took effect, Natalie began to repair the bleeding vessel. Then she began to sew up the rest of the damage to the lamb's shoulder. Jules stood by handing Natalie instruments as they were needed. When they had completed the surgery, Natalie looked up at the young shepherd and said, "I didn't find any broken bones, but there were some tears in the tendons. It should recover, but it will take a while to heal. Would you like to leave it here until it's ready to get back on its feet?"
"I'll leave it. I'll bring you an old ewe for milk. Dolly doesn't mind nursing others' young ones," Hugh Morrison said. Then he left as quietly as he had come.
"So that's our neighbor!" Natalie exclaimed.
"Your sight really seemed to help, Nat!" Jules told her.
"Yes," she paused as she thought over what she had observed. "It made it much easier to find the torn places. And it's the first time I've felt confident after doing surgery, that I didn't leave any damage unrepaired. I could see that the lamb was in no danger of dying. It's basically healthy. But if Janette hadn't been able to calm it, it might have injured itself further, and I'd have had a lot more surgery to perform. Thank you, Janette."
"I really did nothing," Janette demurred. "I hope it won't be long before Hugh comes back with that ewe. When this lamb wakes up, he's going to be very hungry," Janette said. "May I continue to nurse it?"
"Of course you may!" Natalie exclaimed. Janette lifted the lamb from the examination table and carried it to the stall Nick had prepared.
"Where did you find Hugh?" Jules asked Janette as he followed her to the stall.
"I was on my way over here to lure you back home, Jules, when I heard a rifle shot and then a terrific row. I found Hugh trying to stanch the blood from the lamb's wound and pry it out from the rocks it had wedged itself between. Two other sheep were obviously dead, and the dead eagle, which had attacked them, lay nearby. It surprised me that with the scent of blood all around, I didn't feel the need to attack the man. I simply wanted
to help that lamb. It was fighting him. I calmed it. He got the bandage tightened, and I told him he should bring it to you, Natalie. I knew you could help it," Janette finished her story.
"You've changed, too, Janette," Nick told her.
"Have you ruined me completely, mon frere? Or do I still have my proper hunting instincts?" Janette asked Nick plaintively.
"You have them. They're simply more controllable now," Nick told her as he reached through their link and assessed her feelings.
"I certainly hope contact with you doesn't infect me any further, Nicolas!" Janette declared with a smile. "I don't believe I could tolerate becoming as altruistic as you are!" Natalie laughed out loud.
About twenty minutes later Hugh Morrison reappeared with another sheep in tow. She was a very wide and very old ewe. She waddled purposefully over to the lamb which had begun to bleat the minute the ewe
appeared. He began to nurse eagerly. "Her lamb and this lamb's mother were both killed by the eagle before I could get to them," Hugh said, "The eagle won't bother another sheep."
"You shot it?" Nick asked.
"Yes," Hugh replied, then he turned and left the barn.[End Chapter 3 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 4 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
LaCroix entered the service tunnel under Yves' building in Toronto, stealthily following Thomas Greaves and Stan Forsyth. It had been two weeks since their original planning meeting. Stan had surreptitiously acquired
the most recent blueprints on file in the original architect's office. Not surprisingly no record of Yves' building could be discovered in the public records. Stan had checked the archives and found that file was missing. He'd had to resort to burglary. He had discovered some major differences between the architect's blueprint and the one Jules' operatives had been able to acquire. He was amazed that Jules' copy had turned out to be the most recent, and, according to a personal check of the building from outside and the public areas inside, it was extremely accurate.
Now the three of them were attempting to prowl the lower reaches of the building to investigate any access points via the utility service tunnels. They hoped both to find an invasion route, and to plant some surveillance equipment. Each man carried miniaturized cameras and other recording devices in a small backpack together with a small blood supply for nourishment. They, fortunately, had no need for the cumbersome climbing equipment or burglar's tools a similar human expedition would require. However, it was still slow and dirty going, and it took them nearly three hours to finally penetrate the lowest basement of the building, using the blueprint as a guide.
Most of this level of the building contained the environmental controls, the maintenance shafts, and the open ductwork and piping that began its journey here in the basement and carried water, power, and clean air throughout the structure. It was the easiest, if not the quickest route into the heart of Yves' domain. So far during their incursion they had not encountered anyone, then they suddenly detected a strange sound. They moved quietly through the air toward the noise, hovering well above floor level, to minimize the possibility of running into others and to allow them the best view of the layout of the facility. As they approached the sound, it seemed to resolve itself into chanting. It was emanating from one of the smaller rooms on the basement level. Stan Forsyth found the overhead access to the heating duct for that range of rooms, and they entered it. They followed the noise, with LaCroix in the lead this time, to its source.
Looking down through the slatted opening above the room, LaCroix could see a tall young man with wavy brown hair facing a mummy whose open sarcophagus leaned vertically against one wall. The young vampire, for that essence came clearly through to LaCroix, was intently reciting a formula using a language LaCroix had not heard in nearly 2000 years. As the recitation continued, LaCroix realized that this must be Yves, himself. He
was attempting the reanimation of the mummy. Realizing that any information they might be able to glean from this encounter might be valuable later, LaCroix reached into one of his front pockets and removed two of the surveillance devices they had planned to leave behind. He set them up quickly, activated them, and signaled to the others to move onward. They needed to find out if there were other rooms in this range that would also yield valuable information. Once the devices were activated their signals would be conveyed to a battery of relay devices LaCroix had ordered planted atop a nearby building. From there the signals would be beamed to the equipment he still maintained at Nick's warehouse.
As LaCroix and his team proceeded down the air duct, they could hear the unmistakable sounds of frustration flowing from the room behind them. They managed to plant spy devices throughout that range of rooms. Forsyth installed a variety of remote electronic switches and sensors he and Greaves had convinced LaCroix would be essential in controlling the building during their planned invasion. Then they ascended the elevator shaft at the center of the main tower and negotiated the heating ducts to plant further devices
on each floor.
They finally ran out of equipment over an area they had identified as Yves' office complex midway up the central tower of the building. With this much accomplished, they decided that this particular visit had exceeded
their fondest expectations and retreated to the loft to check whether their equipment was functioning properly. Dawn was just an hour away as they entered the loft.
"You know that they probably sweep that building regularly for surveillance equipment," Thomas Greaves said to LaCroix when they returned to the loft.
"Yes, I'm quite sure they do, but they're bound to miss a few. Over time we should be able to gather quite a lot of information. Tonight's exercise will be the first of many, but we need good intelligence. This is the only way we're going to get it, until Merlin manages to tap into the computer system. Even then I prefer to do my own scouting and actually see and hear what is going on. Computer communication too often reveals only what the target wishes to reveal," LaCroix replied.
"We'll need a great many more expeditions like tonight's before we finally attack this fortress Yves maintains. And as soon as he finds our devices, he will become a far more cautious enemy. We'll probably find booby traps the next time we attempt this little exercise," Greaves predicted. "While we still have our connection, let's see what we can learn."
LaCroix acknowledged Greaves' observations, settled himself in an easy chair, and turned on the large television monitor. First they monitored the range of basement rooms they had bugged. Each empty cell-like
enclosure revealed only a silent void, until they activated the equipment over the room they had first encountered.
"We have to get that scapular necklace!" the tall curly haired young vampire LaCroix had seen earlier was exclaiming to another man.
"But, boss, you never told us about a necklace. We just grabbed the mummy like you told us to," the seemingly older man exclaimed.
"Quite insufficient, Soames. Get a team together and get that necklace. It's essential to our plans. We must have it." The one called Soames hurried out of the room. The young man he had addressed as "Boss" followed him out in a leisurely fashion.
"That one called "Boss" is Yves, I'm quite sure," LaCroix opined. "I wonder if it is Divia's necklace he needs so badly?" Greaves eyebrows went up in a question.
"Last week I received a scapular necklace from Nicholas. It was found in Ka-Ha's tomb in a sarcophagus next to his. My daughter, Divia, I'm sure you've heard of her, wore one like it. She had been inside that
sarcophagus. You know that Nicholas and Natalie destroyed Ka-Ha's mummy?"
"We heard. And we heard about her," Greaves said.
"Indeed," said Forsyth.
"The necklace was originally planned to be part of the expanded Egyptian exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum. Did Jules brief you about the necklace?" both men nodded. "Enough said. Divia's sarcophagus was the one they put the replacement mummy in when Yves stole the other from the British Museum, thinking it was Ka-Ha," LaCroix stated. "Yves may believe this mummy he was attempting to revive is a priest of Ka-Ha. From the looks of that sarcophagus, he's managed to steal Divia's coffin and its present contents. Let's back up the tape and see what we've got."
LaCroix stepped the videotape backwards. They watched in silence as Yves attempted several incantations and rituals to reanimate the mummy. Finally it appeared that he had had some satisfaction. LaCroix pressed the
play button and let the tape run. Low moans could be heard emanating from the direction of the mummy, then mumbles as Yves chanted in the language LaCroix had recognized earlier when they had prowled the basement.
"He's using an old spell to contact the dead. The Egyptian priests used it for divination. We Romans preferred to gut a bird or other beast and study the entrails. I never believed in the efficacy of either process," LaCroix commented dryly.
"He is getting some kind of result," Greaves noted.
"But it isn't what he expected!" LaCroix said as he suddenly recognized the voice they could all now hear clearly emanating from the mummy.
"Sorcerer! Hear me! You will find my lost necklace. Only then will I aid you in your aim to destroy those who have deceived and confounded you. I shall be your help meet. In the name of Ka-Ha, my master, we will
conquer those who oppose us."
"Who are you, oh spirit?" Yves asked.
"I am she who would have been your master, if I had lived. You have called me in the name of Ka-Ha, my master. He promised me power. He did not fail me. He and his remains have been destroyed, as was I, by
ungrateful children. But he taught me well. You and I can compass his revenge. We shall destroy those who oppose his will. But we must have the necklace, the scapular necklace. Only then can we avenge him. Only then
can we carry out his will." Nothing further was heard from the mummy. Yves suddenly turned toward where the camera was hidden, and they saw his face for the first time. It would have been handsome, if it were not so twisted with frustration and hatred. His eyes blazed red, his fangs were extended, and he snarled as he turned from the mummy and swore to find those who had destroyed Ka-Ha.
LaCroix turned to the others, his face paler than usual as he announced, "It was Divia's voice." He hesitated then resumed, "at least it sounded like hers. Her spirit still survives, it seems. Never would I have imagined that this was possible. Nicholas told me once of a spirit he swore had survived, Francesca," LaCroix breathed in awe.
"How can that be true?" Greaves asked.
"I do not know. But I know that we now have the key to what Yves wants. Do we let him have the necklace and find out what Divia wants with him? Or do we destroy it?" LaCroix asked them.
"I think you should let him have it and find out what she wants," Forsyth said. "Besides, what can a dead vampire possibly do?"
"I agree," Greaves said. "I've never believed in ghosts. What can she possibly do as a spirit, no matter how malevolent?"
"Divia, herself, cannot do anything. But belief in her and what she wishes could make Yves attempt almost anything. She could be quite an inspiration to his cause." LaCroix paused as another thought struck him, "Has anyone heard from Cyril lately? Yves could have come by this information in quite another fashion. He may be providing this little show for our benefit."
"There's no way he knew we were there today!" Greaves exclaimed.
"Are you absolutely sure of that?" LaCroix asked.
"Yes," both the other vampires answered.
"Nevertheless, let me place a call." Within a short while LaCroix had placed an overseas call. All three vampires waited in an agony of suspense for someone to answer.
"Cyril?! Yes, it's me. Listen, has there been anyone snooping about the place since you sent the display over here?.....I see. I'd suggest you move on. I'm afraid Yves is onto us......No I have nothing but a hunch. In this case I believe that is sufficient......Yes. We shall. Goodbye, and good luck." LaCroix turned to Greaves and Forsyth and said, "He hasn't seen anyone, but he's felt intrusions. He'd already made plans to move on. He's on his way now. I'm sure Yves suspects us. He's banking on giving us a real show to shake us up. Should we play along with his little game?"
"Absolutely," Forsyth exclaimed as Greaves nodded vigorously.
"Very well, then. I shall place the necklace in the display at the Royal Ontario Museum immediately. Whatever happens then, I think Yves may find Divia, if she truly has survived in some fashion, more than even he
bargained for," LaCroix said. He walked over to a cupboard in Natalie's lab area and removed the box containing the necklace. "Please wait for me here. I do not think we all need to go." The other two vampires nodded their
assent.
"We'll keep monitoring Yves' movements. Perhaps we shall learn even more," Greaves said.
LaCroix ascended the stairs to the roof of Nick's loft and headed for the museum. There he entered the structure through the roof access he had utilized several years before when he had killed the museum guard and
stolen the Mayan cup in order to foil one of Nick's many attempts at reversion to mortality. LaCroix marveled quietly to himself at the massive changes his relationship with his son had survived. He placed the necklace
in the display in the Egyptian gallery and left as quickly and quietly as he had come. He made it back to the loft just as the sun rose.
It was a few days later when LaCroix and Greaves witnessed Yves second attempt to contact the entity they referred to as Divia. Greaves had been rechecking the reception from the equipment they had planted in Yves'
building to discover whether an electronic bug sweep had cleared any of it. So far none of their equipment had been removed. LaCroix was reviewing the tapes they had recorded over the previous days when he spotted Yves' image. He stopped the tape, rewound, and pushed play. Regular perusal of the surveillance tapes from the mummy's basement room showed that it had not been moved from its position. Only Yves had entered or left the room since the morning they had watched him contact the supposed spirit of Divia. During one of those sessions the mummy had, in fact, identified itself to Yves using Divia's name. LaCroix was beginning to suspect that someone inside Yves' organization, who was privy to the information gathered by his detectives was manipulating the mummy very cleverly for their own purposes.
Now both Greaves and LaCroix watched, fascinated, as Yves placed the scapular necklace LaCroix had planted in the Royal Ontario Museum around the neck of the mummy. Then Yves took up a position facing the mummy with his back to the camera and began to recite the ritual incantation he had performed each time the mummy had apparently addressed him. The same groans and whispers they had heard at the beginning of each manifestation greeted his earliest attempts. Then, as he repeated the incantation, the noises resolved themselves into an uncanny semblance of Divia's voice, as LaCroix remembered it. LaCroix consciously suppressed any outward emotional reaction and listened carefully to the message the mummy was conveying.
"The destroyers of Ka-Ha must be obliterated from the face of the earth!" Divia's voice proclaimed. "They who have betrayed the prophecy must not survive. The time of the 'Hunter' is near. He shall be ruthless. He
shall be brutal. He shall be strong. I can help you to find the promised one, but you must bring me a living host. This dead shell cannot serve our purposes. Deliver to me our enemies. I shall convert the parents of the
'Hunter' to our uses. Then, together, we shall train him. We shall wreak vengeance upon the betrayers!"
"Who are the betrayers? Where can we find the 'Hunter?' We have searched, but he has eluded our grasp. I brought you what you desired, the necklace. Now you demand a living host! How much more will you demand? How much longer must I wait!?" Yves raged at the mummy.
"You must destroy deVilliers and deBrabant. Only when they are dead will it become clear where they have hidden the 'Hunter,'" the mummy replied in Divia's voice. But Yves turned away from the camera at this last
proclamation. It was clear to see that he was torn, unsure of his course of action. He turned back towards the mummy.
"You tell me nothing I do not already know! Where can I find them?"
"They have allies among those who pretend to follow our cause. Search out the spies. Use them to hunt their own. Be clever. Be cautious. Trust no one. Search out the spies. Use the humans to hunt them down, then
feed them to the one who will come. He will become strong on the blood of his enemies, and so will you. Stay true to the prophecy of Ka-Ha." The mummy's words lapsed into silence.
Yves swore vehemently and stalked from the room when it became evident from the prolonged silence that he was to receive no further enlightenment that day.
"Someone is trying to poison the well and get rid of Nicholas and Jules at the same time," LaCroix observed to Greaves. "Knowing Yves' past history, that mummy just signed the death warrants of nearly everyone in his
organization. Someone on the inside has to be animating that mummy. And unfortunately for us, they know a very great deal about us."
"He's so paranoid, he'll be killing people who look at him wrong," Greaves agreed.
"I am certainly glad whoever it is doesn't know, any more than Yves does, where Nicholas and Jules are," LaCroix stated.
"Let's do another prowl and see if we can spot the equipment that's being used to provide the voice for that mummy. I wonder if they'll get more elaborate if Yves does provide a living host?" Greaves wondered out loud.
"An excellent idea. How soon do you want to attempt it?" LaCroix asked.
"As soon as possible. I don't want to wait too long, but we need some more equipment. I'll contact Feliks and see if he can get it for us by tomorrow. I'll meet you under KH Medical Supply tomorrow at dusk. Even if
we don't have all the equipment, we can reconnoiter the area."
"I'll see you then, Thomas," LaCroix said as he ushered Greaves into the lift and turned to review the rest of the tapes from the previous day, just in case there was anything further to learn.[End Chapter 4 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 5 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
On Kearstay Island late one night nearly two weeks later, Natalie suddenly raced into the den where Nick was just finishing a report that was due at the university. Nick had undertaken the marine research that he had
set up as their cover, and appeared to be genuinely enjoying cataloging the wildlife he observed. "Nick, Janette needs us! Get out the Land Rover, and pick me up in front of the barn. I'm getting my gear. It's raining again.
You'll need your rain gear!"
Nick looked up from his report, but Natalie had already disappeared. He reached out to Janette along their link and discovered that Janette's need was indeed urgent. He was somewhat amazed that Natalie had sensed
Janette first, but then, he thought to himself, the two women had become extremely close since settling on the island. And Janette's need seemed to require Natalie more than himself. He had reached the garage and brought
out the Land Rover as he finished his thoughts and saw Natalie appear at the door to the barn with medical bag in hand. Her advancing pregnancy showed in the roundness of her figure, but she was as agile as ever as she leaped
into the seat next to him as he pulled up in front of her. A heavy storm was blowing up, and the mizzle of rain they were currently experiencing was only the mild precursor of their next round of rough weather. He was concerned about Natalie being out in the weather.
"I'm glad to see you dressed for the weather," he told her. "Which way do you want me to go?"
"Just follow Janette's link. You'll find her," Natalie told him. He did, and soon they had arrived at a shallow cove on the west side of the island. Janette was kneeling on the beach beside two large, humped figures. Jules' Land Rover was approaching from their right. Both vehicles' headlights illuminated the scene through the steadily worsening rain, and Nick and Natalie could finally make out that Janette was soothing two seals that were lying on the beach. Natalie jumped out of the car as soon as it came to a stop and began examining the larger seal. It was a female and it had been badly injured. Deep cuts ran down one flank and across the abdomen of the cow. It appeared that a boat's propeller had caught the seal as it swam. She had apparently beached herself in an attempt to get somewhere that she could heal. But, Natalie observed, this creature would never heal without some immediate medical attention. The other animal was much smaller, and had suffered at least one deep cut itself. It must be her calf, Natalie surmised. The female was lactating.
"Nick, would you and Jules please help by restraining the female. I'm going to try to sew up these cuts." Janette shook her head.
"They will not need to restrain her. She knows we are here to help," Janette told Natalie. Natalie looked closely at Janette, then she settled beside the mother and signaled Jules to see to the calf. Natalie paused and surveyed the seals with what she had come to think of as her 'health sight.'
"Jules, the calf just needs that one cut sewn up. Then he'll need to feed. Nick, do we have a formula for seal's milk? I don't think this mother will be able to nurse for some time. She's got a lot of damage to the muscles in that area."
"I can check online with the university's database and see if they've had to create one. I'm fairly sure there is one. Part of my investigation is to discover why these seals are succumbing to that infection that's become rampant again lately. I remember a mention in some of the early records of a program to care for orphaned pups. Do you need me here, or shall I go back to the house and look for the formula?"
"Go find the formula, Nick. Jules and I can take care of the sewing, so long as Janette can control the seals." Nick flew off toward the house as fast as he could, leaving the Land Rover to light Natalie's and Jules' work. Natalie and Jules bent to the task of anesthetizing the seals and sewing up their wounds. Jules finished quickly with the calf and came to help Natalie with the mother seal.
"Is she going to pull through, Natalie?" Jules asked, knowing that Natalie's sight would reveal the seal's condition unerringly.
"I'm not entirely sure, Jules. She's lost a lot of blood. I wish we had a source for a whole blood transfusion, but plasma will have to do for now. I have some antibiotics that I think will help also. How are you doing, Janette?"
"Just fine. She is going to be all right, Natalie." Janette spoke surely from her position at one end of the seal where she sat on the ground cradling the huge creature's head in her lap. She was gently stroking the seal's forehead and crooning softly to it. "When you two finish sewing her up, I'd like to take her up to Nick's hospital. She needs more warmth than this beach can give her just now."
Natalie nodded in agreement. They and the seals were suffering the effects of the intensifying storm on the exposed beach. "I'm sure glad you people are as strong as you are. We'd probably need a lot more than three
of you to get her up there otherwise. She must weigh at least four hundred pounds. And the calf must weigh at least one hundred and fifty. Nick's on his way back."
Just as the two doctors finished their work, Nick reappeared. "I found a formula, and we have the ingredients. I mixed up a batch and it's waiting up at the barn. We'll need a lot more than we have on hand just
now. I'll have to go into Stornoway to pick up supplies tomorrow. I'm glad it's not Sunday, or we wouldn't be able to get enough supplies to feed the pup properly." The three vampires managed to heft the mother seal into the
back of Nick's Land Rover after they put down the back seat. She rested quietly, seemingly content. Janette resumed her place at the seal's head and Natalie drove them back to the barn. Nick and Jules followed with the
pup in the second vehicle.
Both animals were settled into a large box stall in the barn on a pile of fresh hay. They covered the mother seal with a large horse blanket. Nick created a makeshift baby seal bottle from a pail and some rubber tubing. When the baby seal awoke from his sedation, he cried pitifully. Janette soothed and fed him. He ate greedily then snuggled up to his mother for a nap. Nick had also brought some mackerel he had caught earlier in the day to feed to a pelican with a broken leg they had been nursing. He chopped it up into a mash and while Janette soothed the female seal, he fed her as much fish as she seemed able to eat.
After both animals had been fed, Natalie surveyed them once again and pronounced them both on the mend. "Neither of them have been infected with that disease you've been tracking, Nick. I think they'll both pull through!" Natalie was pleased with their night's work. "You are simply wonderful, Janette. No one I've ever known has had such a sure, calming touch with animals. And these creatures are so large that they could have
done a lot of damage to us if you hadn't been able to control them. Thank you!"
Janette glowed as she accepted Natalie's praise. "I just did what I could. You and Jules did the hard work."
"No, Janette, mon coeur, you are the gifted one," Jules assured her as he pulled her close to his side. She reached around his waist and returned his embrace as they both headed for their own car and home. Janette stopped and turned away from Jules for a moment, "I'll be back later to check on them both," she said.
"Good, they need you," Natalie told Janette as she and Jules left. Natalie began putting away the equipment she had used on the seals on the beach, when she suddenly paused and placed her hand on her abdomen with a
gasp. Nick was at her side in a second.
"Nat, what's wrong? Are you OK?" he exclaimed.
"I...I'm fine," Natalie replied. "The baby just kicked me!" she said with a huge smile.
"He did!?" Nick picked Natalie up in his arms and hugged her closely. Then he set her down and reached toward her stomach. "May I?" he asked shyly.
"Of course you silly man. It's your baby too!" Natalie told him as he gently cupped her stomach with his hand and waited. A few seconds later he jumped and looked up at Natalie with a tremendous smile, "It is," he
breathed, "it's our son. He's moving." They stood together in the barn for several minutes simply enjoying the now even more evident fact of their child's existence. Then they took one last look at the seals to be sure they were comfortable and returned to the house.
Within a week the two seals had healed enough for Natalie to remove their stitches. The baby seal was nursing from its mother within two more weeks. And Janette returned their charges to the sea at the end of the
third week.
Nick and Natalie had become a well-known sight around Lewis over the past few months. Since Nick could not manage an entire day on the boat alone, without either pulling into a cove and anchoring or setting a sea anchor and drifting during the hours surrounding noon while he sought refuge in his cabin below decks, Natalie had insisted that he take her with him on his day trips. They had become as fine a team in marine animal research as
they had been in criminal investigation.
Natalie had managed to replicate the enzyme Divia had produced in the laboratory. This development offered Janette the opportunity to experience the changes Nick had undergone. But Janette had balked at trying
the 'concoction' as she dubbed it. "I have had quite enough of a change, thank you!" she asserted forcefully. "Nicolas has already contaminated me with his compassion. I do not think I could tolerate any more fiddling
about with my internal workings." Then she had smiled and returned to soothing and feeding the baby seal she had rescued from the surf the previous evening. This one's mother had not survived, and Janette had become its surrogate parent. She was feeding the pup the seal milk formula Nick had learned to prepare. He had improved upon it since the first time they had used it, adding more nutrients than had originally been prescribed. They had all become quite expert at wild animal rescue.
Nick and Natalie planned a thorough census of the seals in their area. Nick devised a course he thought would take in all of the local seal colonies. He figured they would be gone for at least two weeks on their
initial outing. Then they would resupply at Stornoway or at Tarbert and set back out to sea for yet another two weeks. A series of these short voyages would eventually make a complete circuit of Lewis, and they would have
completed the major portion of the research the university had contracted them to do. Nick had stocked the boat with an abundance and variety of provisions. If the weather held, they should be able to finish the census
with a minimum of problems.
Nick knew that Janette and Jules would enjoy having the island to themselves for a while. Natalie was a month into her second trimester of pregnancy and had suddenly become a sensual temptress, continually needing
his amorous attentions. Nick was blessing his lucky stars that he had not, after all, become human. He wasn't sure how human males managed to perform during this period of their mates' expectancy. He hoped this voyage would
see them through the end of this particular time. At least they would have a bit more privacy on the boat, and the distance would insure that he would not have to work so hard to keep their passions from invading the link to
Jules and Janette.
Nick cast off the boat early on a Monday morning during the second week of May. Fair weather was forecast for the following week. Nick had already taught Natalie the basics of navigation, and they had carefully
studied the nautical charts of the passages surrounding Lewis and Harris. Natalie began the voyage as navigator, while Nick did duty as pilot. They planned to alternate duties throughout their trip. They headed west out of
Loch Roag then turned north into the Atlantic, paralleling the coast. Lewis and Harris combined might be only 95 miles long and range from 18 to 28 miles across, but there were many coves, bays, and small islands off the
coast that would hold the wildlife they were studying. Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, Nick had explained to Natalie, had been formed in a series of volcanic eruptions. Then the advance and retreat of the glaciers of the
ice ages over the centuries had eroded the original formations, carving deeply into the original lava flows. Much of the landscape had been tamed into green bog or pasture on northern Lewis, but empty stretches of twisted rock occupied lengthy expanses of the southern part of the island which was known as Harris. The two parts of the island were divided by a mountain range rising to nearly 2,000 feet at its highest elevations. Nick and Natalie enjoyed an impressive view of the western cliffs of Lewis as they set out on their journey.
During the ensuing weeks they passed barren rocks populated only by sea birds and small islands dotted with sheep, birds, and gray seals. Each time they found a seal colony, they first surveyed the area with high powered binoculars. Then they attempted landfall when they could and counted the numbers of males and estimated the size of each one's territory and harem. When they had anchored near a colony for some time, and the local residents had become used to their presence, they would choose a seal family to examine more closely. Natalie's health sight allowed them to discern which animals might be most in need of medical help. They doctored
numerous cuts and abrasions as well as diseases during their circuit of Lewis. The seal plague seemed to be at a low ebb during this particular tour of duty. They inoculated pups and their mothers when they could and
tagged seals for later researchers to follow.
Nick thoroughly enjoyed his research. Natalie became more comfortable each day with the exercise of her ability to perceive health, illness, and injury with her new vision. And each day was punctuated with a two hour recess around noon enforced by Nick's inability to endure the sun. Natalie took unabashed advantage of his imprisonment and shamelessly seduced him at every opportunity. Nick was grateful that Natalie frequently
required a nap after each amorous encounter, otherwise, he reflected, he would have gotten no sleep at all.
One night after they had been on their voyage for nearly three months Nick came out on deck after supper to find a glorious full moon lighting a clear, cloudless sky. The stars above were flung out across the ocean of the air as thickly and shone as brightly as white sand on a coral beach in bright sun. Natalie gasped as she followed him out of the gangway into the moonlight.
"Nick, it's simply gorgeous tonight!" she exclaimed.
"Nights this clear and bright, with no fog or cloud, are very unusual in this part of the world. Let's get a blanket and spread it on deck and watch the stars for awhile," Nick suggested.
"That's a lovely idea. You taught me the constellations for navigation, but we haven't had much time just to enjoy looking at them lately." Nick went below and fetched blankets and pillows from their stateroom. When he returned topside, he created a comfortable nest aft of the wheel house. They had dropped anchor in a small cove earlier in the evening near a rock with a large seal colony they intended to explore in the morning. They could hear the distinctive barking of the seals in the distance as they settled onto the pillows and blankets.
This was one of the last landfalls they would need to make before they would finish their survey and be able to return home to Kearstay. They were very close to home. They were inside the western arm of Loch Roag ,
the loch which also contained Kearstay. Their island was located in the eastern arm of the loch on the other side of Great Bernera, the island which dominated the center of the roughly 'H' shaped waterway. Nick pulled
Natalie close and wrapped his arms around her, cuddling her gently. She leaned into him and kissed his neck, then nuzzled his collar open and tasted the hollow of his throat. Nick leaned back and looked down his nose at
Natalie, "Are you ready for me again?" he asked in a teasingly exasperated tone.
"Mmmm," was Natalie's only reply as she renewed her attentions to his neck. She knew it was one erogenous zone he could not ignore.
"You are absolutely insatiable, Natalie! What am I going to do with you?" Nick asked her rhetorically as he began stroking her and sliding his hands into her clothing, loosening and removing the impediments to his
attentions. Natalie just purred and pulled his t-shirt off over his head and began working at his belt buckle. They made beautifully passionate love on the open deck of the boat under the brilliant stars. When their passion was spent, they lay together caressing each other fondly and gently. After some time, Nick placed his ear against Natalie's belly and lay quite still, listening for several minutes.
"He's very restless tonight," Nick said quietly.
"Tell me about it!" Natalie exclaimed. "I think he's learning the high dive in there," she told Nick affectionately.
"It won't be long until he's born," Nick observed.
"I know , but two more months! I'm going to be as big as two houses. I've gotten absolutely huge during this cruise!" Natalie said.
"You've gotten absolutely beautiful," Nick told her as he kissed a trail up her body to end with a deeply passionate kiss on her mouth. He continued stroking her abdomen as he showered her face with tiny kisses. She stopped him by pulling his head down for another long, deep kiss. Then she turned onto her side, and he pulled her back against him so he could continue to caress her and feel the movements of their son. They lay quietly under the stars simply enjoying their closeness, their child, and their privacy.
Dawn awoke Nick and Natalie on the deck of their boat. They had drifted off to sleep in each other's arms. "Good morning, love," Nick greeted her.
"It's a glorious morning!" Natalie exclaimed.
"It was a glorious night. A lovely way to end our voyage, don't you think?" Nick replied.
"I'll be sorry when we are finished. I've thoroughly enjoyed this time with you, love," Natalie said.
"As have I. Are you hungry? Should I start breakfast?" Nick asked her.
"Not yet," she told him as she pulled him down for a kiss and slid her hand between his thighs and stroked him.
"Natalie, you're going to wear out all of my equipment if you keep this up much longer!"
"You've had a full night's sleep. I've just discovered you're very ready for me, and you're, very luckily for you, not human, so what's the worry?"
"You minx!"
"You love it. Admit it!"
He kissed her and pleasured her, but he never admitted, at least out loud, just how much he truly enjoyed loving her. He didn't need to, she knew it.
Later that morning they set out in the dory for the seal colony. As they approached the rocky beach of the seal-filled island, Nick noticed a commotion off to their left. "Nat, I think it's a bull fight. You stay back. I'll do the onshore investigation," Nick said. "I don't want to risk the baby, and I can get out of their way faster than you could even if you weren't pregnant."
"Fine, I'll observe with the binoculars from here," Natalie answered as she threw the anchor over the side of the dory. They had observed many fights between seal bulls over females and territory during the previous few
months. The battles were ferocious and over quickly, often leaving many wounded and, occasionally, some dead in their wake. Natalie knew that the current battleground was no place for her. Only Nick's nature made it even
moderately safe for him to approach the fighting seals.
Nick lifted from the boat and floated over the intervening water heading toward the two huge male seals that were fighting on the beach. Female seals and their calves were fleeing in all directions, but one mother and calf seemed to be having a difficult time moving out of the range of the fight. Natalie raised the glasses to her eyes and focused in for a closer view of the female seal. She gasped as what she was really seeing registered on her consciousness. "Nick!" she shouted, "It's a child!" And indeed, through the binoculars, Natalie could clearly see that the calf the mother seal was protecting was not a seal at all. It was a human child, a girl.
Nick had heard her shout and was arrowing into the area intent on rescuing the child. Natalie watched with bated breath as the struggling males moved ever closer to the female seal guarding the child. Nick had reached the pair of noncombatants. He dropped to the ground next to the child and reached for her. She shied away from him towards the cow.
"Come here, sweetheart. This is no place for you just now. Let me get you away from here," Nick said quietly and soothingly, extending his power to calm the girl. She began to relax, and Nick took advantage of her
stillness to scoop her up into his arms and fly up and away just as the bulls overran the cow. Out in the boat Natalie breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Nick soar above the fight with the child in his arms. Then he was
beside her in the boat, and she was carefully examining the girl for injuries.
"She looks all right, Nick. No broken bones, a few scrapes and cuts, but she's generally healthy. How are you sweetheart? How did you ever get out here?" Natalie asked their new charge.
The child simply stared at Natalie, then looked carefully at Nick, her brown eyes wide and solemn. She was dusty, naked, and clutched a small packet, of what appeared to be seal fur, tightly to her chest. She appeared
to be between seven and eight years old. Her long, straight, brown hair straggled down her back. She did not appear to be frightened, simply curious. She reached toward Nick's hand and stroked the back of it, then up
his arm, stopping at the elbow. Then she looked up at him and said, "You're not entirely human either, are you?" Nick's mouth dropped open, and he stared at her intently.
"What do you mean, sweetie?" Natalie asked.
"He flies. His skin is cool. He feels different. You're different, too. I can feel it," the child answered as she turned to Natalie and stroked her hand and forearm as she had Nick's.
"What's your name, child?" Nick asked.
"I'm Morag. Thank you for getting me out of the way. He was very angry. He would have killed me."
"Who would have killed you, Morag?" Nick asked.
"Grandfather. He doesn't approve of me. Mother tried to protect me, but I think it's time I went home to Father. Can you take me? It's just the other side of the loch."
"Take you where, Morag?" Nick asked.
"Home, to Father, on Kearstay!" Morag insisted.
"We live on Kearstay. Are you Hugh Morrison's daughter? We thought you and your mother had gone to Glasgow," Natalie gasped.
"Father knew where we were. I don't think he expected me to return. Do you think he'll be glad to see me?" Morag asked.
"Yes, he'll be very glad to see you. He's missed you very much," Nick told her.
"Where's your mother?" Natalie asked.
"There, on the rocks. She wants to stay with Grandfather. I'm ready to go home now." Morag settled herself on one of the benches in the dory and simply waited for whatever would happen next.
Nick and Natalie looked back toward the beach where the fight had occurred. The males had separated. The female seal who had protected Morag was looking out to sea in their direction. The other seals had resumed
their places on the beach as if nothing had happened. Natalie looked at the child, then at Nick. He shrugged and began rowing toward their boat. When they reached the boat, Nick tied up the dory and Natalie dug around in their cabin to find a t-shirt for Morag to wear. Then Nick set sail for their side of Loch Roag and home.
"We'll have to survey that seal colony some other time. Or, possibly, we should let it alone," Nick said to Natalie as they sailed homeward. Morag had settled in the bow of the boat, still clutching her packet of seal skin, but now wearing the over-sized t-shirt Natalie had loaned her. She sat quietly , looking ahead past the horizon.
"I don't really understand what happened out there!" Natalie exclaimed. "Where is Morag's mother? Why didn't we stay to look for her?"
"That was she on the beach. Morag and her mother are selkies," Nick said to Natalie. Then he added quietly, "I never thought I'd ever see one. It's uncanny."
"Selkies?" Natalie asked.
"The seal people, shape-changers," Nick replied. "I always thought it was just an old highland superstition." Natalie turned her head and gazed thoughtfully at Morag sitting in the bow. Then she looked back at Nick and shook her head.
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised at anything anymore, but this completely flabbergasts me," Natalie said.
They sailed quietly homeward. Nick was not surprised to find Hugh Morrison waiting on the dock for them when they arrived on Kearstay. Natalie just stared as Morag jumped off the bow onto the dock and ran to her
father. He picked her up and hugged her tightly. Then he let her down, and they turned and walked quickly away. Nick and Natalie just looked at each other and went about the work of docking the boat in the boat barn. It was nearing eleven, and they decided to head for home and come back later to unload the boat.[End Chapter 5 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 6 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
During the months Nick and Natalie sailed the perimeter of the island. Jules had pushed his research into Nick's and Natalie's mutated condition farther than ever. They had left him plenty of samples to work on
while they were on their seal survey expedition. He had found evidence that their mutation had run its course. He was anxious to reexamine Natalie and, when they returned to the island, Jules conducted an amniocentesis. He
found that their child had been affected by their mutation. The baby carried the same RNA bundle Natalie did. He would be mostly human, but would share his mother's and father's extremely efficient healing ability, and, most likely, their mental and emotional link. It was just another way their mutation would insure their child's survival, according to Jules. He called it a form of protective coloration. It would remain to be seen if the child would also inherit his mother's 'health sight,' or any of his father's powers.
It was now mid-August, and it was hot. Nick had left for Glasgow earlier that morning to pick up supplies and to meet Angus and Mairi. They were coming for a visit. Natalie rose clumsily from the garden where she
had been kneeling and pulling weeds. She had decided to make a cucumber salad for dinner, and had been distracted by the number of little invaders she had found next to the vine she had intended to divest of enough fruit to build the cool treat she envisioned. She pitched the weeds into the compost pile next to the small kitchen garden, retrieved the cucumbers and the dill weed she had picked, and returned to the house. She quickly mixed up the salad dressing, cut the cucumbers into the bowl, covered them with the dill and the dressing, and set the covered dish in the refrigerator next to the other dishes she had prepared. She was ready. Everything would be served cold. She had cooked in the cool of the evening yesterday, so the house would be comfortable.
Natalie was looking forward to sharing her home with their friends. Now she had time to clean up and take a nap until everyone arrived. It was getting harder to get around these days. She felt as big as a house, although Jules told her she was doing a good job of keeping her weight gain within the limits he had set at the beginning of her pregnancy. She still had nearly a month to go before her delivery date. It seemed lately that she was always tired. It had taken her the entire afternoon just to prepare the salad! Putting together a dinner party for Angus and Mairi had been a far bigger chore than she had imagined. Jules and Janette would be coming for drinks after dinner. Natalie was looking forward to the evening, but she was tired. She yawned as she settled gratefully into her bed for her afternoon nap.
In Glasgow, as his taxi neared the airport, Nick mused on their current situation. He was very pleased at the way Kearstay Island had become a real home. He'd been concerned that Natalie would be bored without her usual job, but she had thoroughly enjoyed their work with the seals. They both were pleased at the way the baby was developing, and that Natalie had remained so healthy. Natalie's advanced pregnancy hadn't slowed her
down very much, although her frequent and lengthy naps now enabled Nick to get a bit more rest than he had during her second trimester. He smiled to himself at the memory of her wildly passionate nature during those few
months. He was continually grateful for his vampire physiology and their privacy on the boat during that period.
Thinking of their time on the boat, Nick mused that the island had also seemed more cheerful since they had rescued Morag. She and Hugh had become frequent visitors to the barn. Hugh was far more sociable, with only
an occasional lapse into solemn introspection. And Nick had been surprised at the way Janette had taken to the girl. Janette's talent for caring for injured animals was nothing short of amazing. She had adopted Morag as her
protege. The young selkie and the vampire were an awe inspiring wildlife rescue team. Their talents dovetailed beautifully.
Janette and Jules were extremely happy together. Jules had been as busy with his research and monitoring Natalie's pregnancy as Janette and Morag had been rescuing animals. Their little island had become a productive and joyous refuge. Every time Nick went out to the barn there seemed to be a new animal being cared for, or Jules and Natalie were discussing some new aspect of the baby's health, or trying a new test on the vampire or human genetic code. They had even gone so far as to ask Morag for samples to compare her genetic structure to humans and vampires. Nick had at one time fixated on becoming human, but with the new information Jules and Natalie were developing, he was beginning to feel pleased that his earlier efforts had not succeeded.
LaCroix kept them informed of the changes in the outside world. Lately they had heard that Yves had resorted to consulting Divia's spirit for information! At first LaCroix had assumed that someone in Yves
organization was feeding false information to Yves through some kind of technological mock up of Divia's face and voice. But they had never found any equipment to indicate this. Yves kept using an old Egyptian incantation to contact Divia. And, according to LaCroix, Yves followed the advice she gave him! If Yves were becoming that unstable, Nick mused, they might not have to wait long before he toppled his own organization.
Nick received a report from LaCroix each week. LaCroix and his experts were busy ferreting out any weaknesses in Yves' fortress. Apparently, they had managed to penetrate the physical defenses on several
occasions, they weren't as formidable as they had originally feared. But, LaCroix reported, Yves was suspicious of his own people. He appeared to trust no one and was actively spying on his own personnel. This was
promising news, but paranoia aside, Yves still maintained control of a huge organization. LaCroix warned, it would take a long time to bring it down. Yves' paranoia was also causing problems for LaCroix's team with
surveillance equipment. When LaCroix had first begun to monitor Yves on a regular basis, they had been able to run the same equipment for nearly six months. Now that Yves was becoming more suspicious, he was running bug
sweeps far more frequently. But some of their equipment had never been found, and it continued to bring in excellent intelligence.
Nick was expecting the weekly report on Monday. LaCroix was again searching for doubles for Jules and Janette as well as Nick and Natalie, this time with help from Aristotle. They had no idea when Yves' operatives
might discover their location. LaCroix wanted to be able to confuse Yves and his operatives in the event they had to relocate suddenly. Meanwhile, Nick, Natalie, Jules, and Janette had seen nothing of Yves' minions since
arriving on the island. Apparently Aristotle had managed to help them vanish as thoroughly as Nick had hoped they could. But they still needed regular supplies that could not be found in Stornoway. That meant that
someone had to go into Glasgow at least once a month. And that also meant that one of Yves' watchers would eventually spot one of them.
Nick had assumed the monthly shopping duties when Natalie's pregnancy had advanced far enough that it was difficult for her to continue them. He was immensely grateful that his mutation allowed him the few extra
hours of sun tolerance he needed to accomplish this chore. He had packed everything into the trunk he had brought from the island. When he reached the airport, he checked it, registered for his flight at the check-in
counter, and headed for the gate to meet Angus and Mairi. They were all booked on the regular daily British Air service to Stornoway that afternoon. Nick was looking forward to seeing them both again. As he waited in the
departure lounge, he saw Angus and Mairi approaching. He rose and held out his hand to Angus.
"Nick, it's great to see you again. It looks like island living agrees with you!" Angus exclaimed as he grasped Nick's hand and shook it vigorously.
"Good to see you too, Angus. How have you been, Mairi. Have you sold any new sculptures?" Nick asked.
"As a matter of fact, I have, thanks for asking, Nick," Mairi answered.
"How's Natalie?" Angus asked.
"Very well, getting tired of being pregnant, but busy as a bee. Jules has been conducting genetic research. Nat and I have been cataloging marine life, mostly seals. And since we found Morag, the islanders have taken to using Nat and Jules as their local second opinion clinic."
"We heard about your rescue of the shepherd's little girl. Quite a change from detective work, isn't it?" Angus asked.
"It's certainly more cheerful work. I'm really enjoying it," Nick replied. "Nat's thriving. She's looking forward to giving you the grand tour."
They visited for a few more minutes before their flight was announced. None of them noticed the quiet observer, who had been following Angus and Mairi, leave the gate area. The observer hurried to a pay phone
and made one quick call. Then he returned to the departure lounge to discover whether all three people had boarded the plane. After the plane departed, the observer returned to the airline offices and requested a
passenger manifest.
In a small office in downtown Edinburgh, Schanke debriefed Ted Jenkins. He'd had a tail on Dr. Angus Beaton for several months. It was only one of the teams he was running in an attempt to pick up Nick Knight's
trail. Schanke was still appalled by what his ex-partner had done. He'd actually caused the death of his last partner, one Tracy Vetter, the Commissioner's daughter, of all people! I.A. in Toronto had lost his trail and had resorted to private detectives to hunt him down. Yves had recruited Schanke from Brussels. The Canadian Witness Protection Program had relocated Schanke there after he'd witnessed a mob hit just before he'd
boarded that plane with Dobbins and Cohen.
He'd heard the plane had been blown up by a serial bomber called Vudu. It was lucky for him he hadn't gotten on it, but he was still sorry he'd had to leave Myra behind. The relocation program had kept her advised,
though. He got regular letters from her and Jenny. He really missed not being there for his little girl. He hoped the trial for the mob hit man would be scheduled soon, and he could go home again. It had been nearly two years, and only a preliminary hearing had been held.
At any rate this job would soon be wrapped up. They'd finally spotted Knight at the airport with the Beatons. They had boarded the flight for Stornoway. That meant that all Schanke had to do was to get someone
over to Lewis and nose around until they found Knight. He should be easy to spot with his weird hours and crazy diet. Then again, this flight he'd boarded with the Beatons was in the late afternoon, and there were a lot of hours of daylight left at this time of year. The sun wouldn't be completely down until midnight. Natalie must have been working on his allergy again, Schanke reasoned. He sure hoped it wouldn't take another six months to find them.
Yves was getting impatient. He liked his people to produce results. Schanke had never actually met his boss. He was curious about what kind of person he was. Those around him who had met Yves were oddly tight-lipped about sharing their observations. Ted Jenkins, in particular, had seemed reluctant to share his experiences. Schanke knew Ted and his wife were separated in much the same way that he and Myra were, but Ted's wife was pregnant and near her delivery date. Ted had been expressing far more worries lately than Schanke could ever remember having over Jenny's imminent arrival. Schanke couldn't help but be concerned that Ted's wife might be suffering complications. Ted wasn't sharing. God, it was hard being separated from the ones you loved! Schanke, as the senior partner in the detective agency, had wired Yves his concerns about Jenkins' family and asked if he could give Ted some well-deserved time off. It had been bluntly and coldly refused. The job they were doing was too important, he'd been advised. Schanke wondered sometimes if he'd really been as lucky as it seemed getting this job.
As Schanke pondered his own situation, across the ocean, Tracy and Vachon were discussing the latest corporate tempest. They had been recruited by Yves group in Australia just as LaCroix had told them they
might be. Tracy, in particular, had been skillfully pumped by her superiors for any information about Nick and his personal affairs. She had supplied the information LaCroix had given her and honestly told them she knew no
more. Nick had been an excellent police partner, but he had perfected the art of camouflage long ago. Tracy hadn't known, until he'd revealed himself at the moment she had been shot, what Nick was. Tracy and Vachon had both been absorbed into Yves creche operation in Darwin seamlessly. No one questioned their loyalty, and for that they were extremely grateful.
Tracy was currently employed as one of the detectives who monitored the creche workers. Vachon had opted for the position of night custodian. It was a deceptively unimpressive occupation, but it allowed him nearly
unlimited access to every piece of environmental equipment in the building and the opportunity to get into any office at least once during his shift. He was the source for much of the information Greaves needed on how Yves
protected his facilities. It was an ideal observation platform, and lately it was definitely unhealthy to have a job with any responsibility.
The Darwin based creche facility was precisely that. Here Yves maintained his breeding program. The medical researchers, an odd hodgepodge of vampire and human workers, attempted the in vitro cross-fertilization
between human and vampire. It was extremely delicate and exacting work, and lately they had had a spectacular string of failures. Tracy and Vachon had heard through the corporate grapevine that Yves had lost it over the last
monthly report. Heads had rolled, quite literally.
A young woman Tracy had been monitoring, Sally Jenkins, had died after childbirth last week. Apparently she had been one of the few surrogate mothers who had managed to bring a child to term. But both mother
and child had been lost soon after the delivery. The loss of the child was particularly distressing to Yves. It had evidently had vampire tendencies. Sally had died trying to nurse it. It had drained her of blood. But then the infant had sickened and died soon after killing its mother. No one so far had been able to determine why. Rumor was that Yves was just about ready to close the entire operation. But opinion was divided. Tracy had learned that Yves had nearly closed the operation once before after it had been decimated by the tremendously destructive typhoon that had nearly wiped Darwin off the face of the map several years ago.
Tracy had also been investigating the connections that might exist between the Darwin creche, the string of killings in Toronto ten years before, and the children involved in the last case Nick had worked on before he and Natalie had left for their honeymoon. What she had found was startling.
The murders of the medical students had been the fallout from the recruitment operation Yves had run ten years before which had resulted in the current staff at Darwin. What no one but Tracy, and most likely Yves,
knew was that not all the medical students had died. Some of them had been brought across and were now working for Yves in the Darwin facility. Tracy was almost sure she knew the identities of all of the students who were now Yves' star researchers. One of them was responsible for the other development she had not suspected.
Toronto had become the outlet for the human children created by this creche in Darwin. But, Tracy had just discovered, they were being moved out without Yves knowledge. From records she had been able to access at the plant, she had learned that Yves had ordered any human offspring generated by the creche destroyed. Someone had been relocating them instead. Some of these had been the children who were the unfortunate victims of the demonologist Nick had brought to justice. Tracy had also discovered that someone in the Darwin organization, besides themselves, was leaking information to Jules. She was beginning to suspect that it was the same person who was responsible for getting the children to Toronto. She also suspected that it was one of the medical students who had been brought across during the Toronto recruitment operation. She was just compiling
this latest information to send it to LaCroix. Then she and Vachon would be free to plan their own escape from this madhouse. She hoped Dr. Craig Stanford would be able to elude Yves' vengeance. Whatever he had been
forced to do under Yves' domination, he had managed to save the lives of a lot of people. Tracy admired him immensely.
After landing in Stornoway, Nick led Dr. and Mrs. Beaton to baggage claim, then to the car he had left in the airport parking lot. He loaded their luggage and the supplies he had purchased into the Land Rover. The Beatons were learning that while travel to Kearstay wasn't difficult, it did require several vehicles to be maintained on a regular basis. "We're not far from home now, only about a half hour." Nick told his passengers as he climbed into the driver's seat, "First we head for Callanish, then the last bit is by boat."
Soon they were climbing out of the boat and heading up the path to the Land Rover Nick had left in front of Jules' house. He loaded their luggage and the trunk full of supplies into the back and took off for home.
Natalie was waiting for them in front of the house when they drove up.
"I saw you coming from the guest room window! It's great to see you!" Natalie hugged Angus and Mairi and carried one of the suitcases into the house. "Come on upstairs and drop your stuff off, then we can sit down
and get comfortable. I have some iced tea already made." The luggage and the guests were delivered to their bedroom. Then Natalie led them downstairs, while Nick parked the Land Rover and unloaded the supplies.
They spent the rest of the evening visiting over dinner, taking the grand tour of the house and grounds, then relaxing over dessert and after dinner drinks with Jules and Janette who came by late in the evening. Janette introduced them to the gull, an orphaned lamb, and a seal who were her current patients. The gull had a broken wing, which was still splinted. But it ate anything eagerly when Janette offered. She and Natalie were taking turns feeding the lamb with a bottle, and the seal required a gallon of fish several times a day. The seal still had a huge bandage covering one shoulder. It had run afoul of a boat's propeller just last week. Morag was helping Janette with the seal, and she was feeding it when they entered the barn. Angus and Mairi were impressed with the young girl's quietly competent manner.
"I'm amazed at the way you've all settled into pastoral life. It's almost as if you were raised on a farm," Angus commented to Nick later when they had all settled before the fire for a chat.
"Actually, we all were, except Natalie," Nick mused. "It's been a long time since we've lived in a rural area. I'm really enjoying it. I was surprised at how busy Jules and Natalie have been. I would have thought the big city would be the ideal place for research. But Nat says they stay in touch with the current discoveries and the other researchers over the Internet."
"A convention once a year should fill in the blanks," Nat agreed. "It's much more relaxing living here, although the winter weather was fierce."
"The Foundation is convinced that this might be a good place to set up a permanent laboratory. Nat and Jules have been asked to be part of the staff. Construction will begin early next spring."
"Then you think you might settle here permanently?" Mairi asked.
"I'd like to," Natalie answered. "I don't really want to go back to our old jobs in Toronto. We're so much happier out here."
"Well, you both look absolutely wonderful. Nick, you've lost your pallor," Angus told him.
"It's being outside working," Nick said. "Nat formulated a wonderful sunscreen which seems to be helping with the sun allergy. Of course living with Nat is the best medicine." Natalie smiled widely as Nick threw one arm around her and drew her closer to him. Their conversation roamed through a variety of topics for a bit longer. Then Jules and Janette excused themselves and returned home. Until Nick took Angus and Mairi back to the airport early on Monday morning, they had an extremely enjoyable visit.
Nick returned from Stornoway with a thoughtful expression on his face. "What's up, Nick?" Natalie asked. She had a feeling he'd heard some bad news.
"I'm sure I was followed when I dropped our guests off at the airport this morning. Whoever it was didn't manage to shadow me to the boat barn. I lost him in Stornoway, but we'd better be careful for the next little while. Yves may have been having Angus shadowed. It wouldn't take a good detective long to trace us."
"Damn," Natalie swore, "I thought we'd been just a little too happy. But we knew it was always a possibility. Did you tell Jules and Janette?"
"Would you do that, please?" Nick requested. "I'm going to send a quick query to LaCroix to see if they've noticed Yves planning anything."
While Natalie called Janette, LaCroix was reading over the latest reports from Tracy and Vachon. He was chuckling. Finally, something was going their way! Yves' creche operation in Australia was in serious trouble. Tracy had found an ally amongst the researchers. LaCroix was beginning to suspect that he might be the source of the information the mummy was feeding Yves. LaCroix had quickly instructed Tracy to try to cover the doctor and get him and themselves out of Darwin as soon as possible.
Larry Merlin had also sent LaCroix an encouraging report. The security puzzle Yves' building posed was ready to be cracked. LaCroix had had his experts go over every blueprint, sketch, drawing, and photograph he
had been able to obtain, through legal or illegal means, of the building which was his target. The only loophole in Yves' defenses appeared to be his dependence upon computers. But the security system that protected his files had been impregnable, until Merlin had managed to break one key coded sequence. Now the very machinery which ran the building was accessible to LaCroix's manipulations.
LaCroix hoped the code would not be changed until he had a chance to make some very strategic alterations. He hoped to create his own set of tools for handling the building's critical functions while he introduced his own team of operatives into the structure. And he hoped Merlin could create the crucial commands and make them invisible to Yves' security system. A judicious introduction of key personnel into Yves' stronghold at precisely the right time would insure the success of his plans. He just needed a bit more time to double check and foolproof his plan. Any mistake could mean the death of one of the principal players. LaCroix refused to consider that as a viable alternative.
While LaCroix was formulating his invasion plans, Schanke was receiving a call from Jenkins. He had sent the operative to Lewis to see if he could backtrack the Beatons. He had discovered that they would be
returning from Stornoway on Monday morning. Jenkins had spotted someone who looked like Knight, but had lost him in the downtown streets. He'd flashed Knight's picture all over town, using the old story of an inheritance. He'd hit pay dirt. One of the citizens he had spoken to had identified the picture as Dr. Nicholas Boyd.
Reportedly, he was a marine life researcher living with his pregnant wife, whose description matched that of Dr. Natalie Lambert. Two other university colleagues reportedly shared the island with the Boyds. People
Jenkins had talked to respected both couples tremendously, though no one knew them well. They'd only been on the island for six months, but they had impressive reputations as rescuers of a local girl who had been missing for
several months.
The descriptions given of the two university colleagues were interesting. The man's appeared to match that of a Dr. Devereaux, whom Yves was interested in locating for another case, something about a missing mummy. The woman sounded like the Janette duCharme Schanke had known in Toronto. <Interesting that Knight would take both his women with him into hiding!> Schanke thought. <What kind of a person was Knight, really?>
Schanke wondered. The rescue of the young girl sounded more like the Knight he had known than did Yves' information about Knight as a murderer. Schanke was uneasy as he put the latest information into a cable to Yves and awaited his next orders.
It was late in the evening when Yves received Schanke's cable, he was overjoyed at having at last located his quarry. It certainly looked as though his search for the Hunter was going to pay off at last. So far all his attempts to produce the Hunter artificially had come to naught. It was time to shut down the Darwin experiment. It was siphoning off much needed assets that he could put to better use in pursuing deBrabant and his offspring. Nicolas' wife was reportedly very pregnant. What a shame that such an important personage should have been fathered by an inept fool like deBrabant.
<Now only my superior training will be able to salvage the great being I have been anticipating for centuries.> Yves thought to himself. It was very close to the millennium, but there was still time to bring the child to proper maturity before the new century had advanced too far. And, if Ka-Ha's prophecies were true, and Yves could provide the child with the proper initiation and training, there would come upon the human race a terrible vengeance for having denied vampires their rightful place as rulers of the world. Schanke had done well to locate Knight where so many others had failed. Yves would reward him appropriately. He would become the first
offering to the Hunter when Yves brought the child across! Nicolas' child would be the Hunter, he was sure.
Yves picked up his phone and sent for Soames. He'd have to act fast and plan thoroughly to pick up deBrabant and his wife and get them here before they discovered he was onto their hideout. Now would also be a good time to order a sweep of the building for bugging devices. It would be just like Jules to have sent in his spies just as Yves finally had a chance to secure this child. Since Jules was with Nicolas on that island, there was
no reason not to eliminate his old foe as well. Jules richly deserved destruction. Yves was sure it had been he who had arranged for the substitution of that lowly priest's mummy for that of Ka-Ha! How ironic that the very action intended to destroy his connection with Ka-Ha should enable Divia to contact him with such valuable information. He would execute a two-pronged assault, on the island and on Jules lab, and clean up all of his opposition at once. LaCroix should thank him for what he was about to do. His recalcitrant son was about to be brought to heel.[End Chapter 6 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 7 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
"Nat, look at this!" Nick called out to his wife as she returned from helping Janette and Morag feed the gull, lamb, and seal the next morning. "LaCroix says Merlin has broken Yves' code. He thinks, with this information, they'll be able to stage a raid on Yves' headquarters. He just needs time to finish the plans. He's still being very cautious. I think he's afraid Yves might discover their inroads and change his codes again."
"That's great, Nick! It would be nice to be able to live without all this intrigue hanging over us. I want the baby to come into this life in a safe place."
"Amen to that!"
"Janette said they'd keep an eye out for any new faces. And Morag has put the seals on watch. One of us should feel it if anyone tries to gain access to the island who doesn't belong. I hope LaCroix can get his plan together before Yves finds us."
"Nat, maybe we should take a little trip somewhere for a while. I have a feeling we might be just a little vulnerable out here. Especially after what I felt yesterday morning."
"Do you really want to, Nick? It seems to me we're about as safe here as anywhere. At least here we have some security. It's pretty hard to get out here unseen." At that moment the phone rang, Natalie went to answer
it. She returned, white-faced, a few moments later.
"That was Angus. He says, "Be careful." He's noticed people following him again, and he has a bad feeling." The phone rang again. This time Nick answered with Natalie following nervously behind.
"Hello,....LaCroix?!............I see. Yes. We will." Nick hung up and turned to Natalie. "Merlin intercepted an alert from Yves to some of his people. They're raiding the island tonight! Call Janette. Tell them to pack. I'm going to load the boat. Send an e-mail to Aristotle. Tell him it's number three. He'll know what to do. Pack anything you think you might need for yourself and the baby. We might be gone for a long time. Maybe permanently!" Natalie just nodded and picked up the phone to call Janette.
Within an hour Nick and Natalie had packed the Land Rover and were headed for the boat landing. They unloaded everything into the boat, then picked up a heavily bundled up Jules and Janette from directly in front of
their home and delivered them to the boat house. Nick loaded the Land Rover once again with the supplies Jules and Janette had packed and ferried them to the boat. By early evening the boat was fully loaded and fueled and,
with Jules and Janette safely below decks, Nick guided them out of East Loch Roag past Little Bernera and headed toward Gallan Head.
Nick planned to coast southward along the western shore, pulling into available coves as often as they could. He and Natalie had sailed the coasts off Lewis and Harris often over the past several months as they cataloged the seal colonies. Their craft was a familiar enough sight to be easily overlooked by the local populace, who instinctively distrusted outsiders. And they had the papers for a perfectly valid alternate name and registration for the boat. Nick would paint over the current identification on the boat at their first landfall. Since occasional smuggling was a favorite pastime in the area, he doubted anyone would look twice at their very well-used, sturdy vessel, no matter what the name. It was a good time of year for this particular emergency. This August had had better weather than usual, and the really large storms were still nearly a month away.
Once they left Harris, Nick intended to lose them amongst the hundreds of islands, promontories, and bays that made up North and South Uist. Bonnie Prince Charlie had hidden amongst the Hebrides from the authorities of the British Crown, for more than a year after the disaster at Culloden, before he finally made it back to France in 1747. The sheer profusion of uninhabited coves was yet another reason Nick had chosen this area in which to hide. They should be able to wait out the rest of Natalie's pregnancy and deliver the baby safely before they had to move on. As they sailed, they discovered the boat was extremely well equipped and comfortable, even with four of them aboard.
They had a new cover identity, as archaeologists on South Uist. They were surveying the ancient burial grounds of the Clan Ranald chieftains, and an adjacent medieval ecclesiastical center north of Howbeg, for a possible future dig. Aristotle would provide the proper background and papers. And he would insure that their property on Kearstay was stored properly. Before they left Kearstay, they had returned the lamb to Hugh, the shepherd, who would care for it. Hugh and Morag would tell any outsiders that they were taking a last fishing trip before Natalie's delivery. Morag had taken over the care of the seal. She had recently become Janette's understudy in the care of the animals they rescued. The seal was only a week away from being returned to the wild, and Morag knew, even better than Janette, how to help it reaccustom itself to a life in the sea. The gull was resting in its cage on the foredeck. Janette said it would be ready for release at the end of the week. She had removed its splint that afternoon, just before boarding the boat, and the bird was exercising its wings at every opportunity.
As the long evening drew on towards night, Jules and Janette appeared on deck with drinks for everyone. "Sorry we had to leave in such a hurry," Nick greeted them.
"I'm just glad you have such good sources," Jules told him. "I don't relish being the object of one of Yves' raids. He has nothing but ominous plans for all of us, I'm sure."
"LaCroix has always maintained an excellent information network," Janette observed. "He takes care of his own."
"I've never been more glad of that," Natalie said. "What now, Nick?"
"We are now archaeologists surveying a burial ground and a medieval ecclesiastical center for a future dig. We work for St. Andrews University. Aristotle will leave our papers for us at the Lochboisdale Hotel on South
Uist. We can pick them up in a week. Meanwhile we've just gone fishing."
For the next week they drifted in a leisurely fashion along the length of the west coasts of North and South Harris, North Uist, Benbecula, and South Uist. They were extremely lucky; the weather was fair. They found uninhabited bays with rocky beaches where they anchored during the days. On one of the long evenings Nick and Jules repainted the name and registration number of the boat to match its secondary papers. They fished and relaxed. At the end of the week they rounded the south coast of South Uist, passed through the Sound of Eriskay and paralleled the ferry route into Lochboisdale. Nick rented a slip for the boat, and they went ashore for two nights at the hotel. The Lochboisdale Hotel was the quintessential fisherman's hangout. Their fishing expedition was the perfect cover for their surroundings. They spent two extremely comfortable nights, and picked up the papers sent from Aristotle without incident. Aristotle had secured them a long term berth for the boat, a car, and a house at Howmore just thirteen miles northwest of Lochboisdale. The house was nearly identical in architecture and features to the ones they had left on Kearstay. They were set for the next two months.
Yves' troops crept onto the shores of Kearstay Island at midnight on Tuesday, just hours after Nick and his party had left. They found the houses empty and the boat missing. They assumed their quarry had merely left for a night on the town, as everything appeared as if they would return at any moment. And one of the Land Rovers was standing at the dock. They withdrew and camped nearby, gambling that their targets would return by the
next evening. By that time someone had thought to check the boat barn in Callanish and had found that the boat was not there either, but the car was. They contacted Schanke who sent Jenkins to inquire into where they could
have gone. Jenkins interviewed Hugh, the shepherd, who told them that Dr. Boyd and his wife had gone on a fishing trip. Since he had no idea which direction they had gone, and it was a common enough occurrence for Dr. Boyd to take off on lengthy trips, Hugh was of the opinion that they'd be back within a week or so.
Hugh's very reasonable recommendation was that they wait for their return. Yves was disturbed when he heard the news from Jenkins. He ordered an immediate full scale search. But there was just too much area to cover, and there were too many little bays and islands where a small craft could hide. The boat's name and registration were circulated, and when the Boyds failed to return, it was widely believed that they were just one more group of fishermen lost at sea. Everyone in Callanish was greatly saddened. Hugh and Morag went about their business and waited for news. A little note arrived in the mail nearly two months later reassuring them of the health and safety of their friends. Morag kept the seals on alert, just in case.
Yves refused to accept that explanation. He was sure someone in his organization had passed information to deBrabant. LaCroix picked up on this suspicion and had Larry Merlin create some extra financial records for some of Yves' staff who were not major players, but would have been privy to the operation on Lewis. Three of Yves' operatives disappeared within a week, and several more went missing over the following month. And the Darwin operation was closed, completely expunged from the files. Yves was cleaning house. LaCroix was extremely pleased, and decided to hold off on his assault and intensify the psychological warfare against Yves. It was a war of attrition. LaCroix hoped that each man he could remove from Yves' organization would be replaced by a less valuable lackey.
But one report disturbed LaCroix deeply and forced him to advise Jules and Janette to move on. He had been looking forward to being reunited with at least one of his children, but the latest news convinced him her
safety and Jules' could be guaranteed only if they did not return to Toronto. Yves had finally managed to breach the security at Jules' lab. Yves now knew for a fact that Nick and Natalie had mutated and their son would surely be the heir Yves had so long desired.
Before a massive sweep of Yves' building had cut off the latest electronic spy device's report, LaCroix had heard Yves vow the swift and terrible deaths of both Jules and Janette for their part in keeping him from what he considered his due. And he had watched later, in horror, as Yves had donned the poisonous collar he had bestowed upon the mummy, and swore he would become the living link to Divia's spirit. A terrible change had come over his features as he had turned directly toward the camera LaCroix had planted. Divia's voice had emanated from Yves' mouth and snarled, "I shall foil all your plans to save your dearly beloved son, Father!" Then Yves had reached through the grate that had covered the camera and LaCroix had seen no more.
The days wore on at the little house on South Uist. Jules and Nick applied themselves to the Clan Ranald burial ground survey. Janette fussed over Natalie, and Natalie let her fuss. She was too tired and too huge, she
felt, to do much of anything else. On a mild Sunday afternoon in mid-September Natalie suddenly began to feel the unmistakable pangs of beginning labor. Nick and Jules had hesitated to go out to finish the last measurements for their survey that evening. But Natalie had reassured them that they would not be gone long enough for them to miss the birth. She knew she would have several hours of labor ahead of her. She encouraged them to finish their work for St. Andrews, since they'd planned to move on after the baby was born.
Jules had advised her to go outside and walk until the pains were closer together and more intense. Natalie had been walking circles around the house in her nightgown, robe, and slippers with her coat bundled over all. Her pains had stopped at one point and had not started again for nearly four hours. She had almost begun to believe she had been in false labor. Then the pains had resumed in earnest. It was getting on toward midnight when Janette suddenly appeared beside Natalie when she doubled over and grunted loudly. Then her water broke.
"It's getting close, Natalie. You must let me get you inside. Jules and Nick are on their way," Janette reassured her as she lifted her and quickly flew her into the house. Janette helped Natalie out of her coat, robe, and slippers and into the bed she had prepared for the birth. Jules and Nick entered the bedroom at that moment from the kitchen where they had just washed up.
"We just finished," Nick said to Natalie as he took her hand. "How are you doing?"
"All...Unh...right, I guess," Natalie gasped as another contraction hit.
"Are you ready for me to give you some relief?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, long overdue!" Natalie exclaimed. Nick captured her eyes with his and held both her hands gently. He focused on her heartbeat, opened their link as widely as he could, and encouraged her to relax. At first she tensed as she felt him take hold of her mind.
"Just let go of your worries, love. Let me help you. Relax, think of something soft and comfortable," Nick murmured as he reached toward her. Natalie let down the last barrier, with which she had surrounded her
identity, and allowed Nick to take hold of her pain, and shunt it aside. He surrounded her with his love and his joy in herself and their son. She responded with her wholehearted trust. As they reached for each other, they found another presence, their son. Natalie gasped with joy, and her eyes lit with their greenish glow, as she turned her 'health sight' toward her own abdomen.
"I can see him! He's ready to come! He's excited!"
Nick smiled joyfully at her, "I can feel him too!" He moved to support her back as she labored over the next half hour. He coached her as Jules had taught them. When the baby crowned, Jules positioned himself to catch him. Soon the shoulders emerged, and, with a final push, Natalie gave birth to their son. Jules caught the child, cleared its mouth, and, when the baby bellowed loudly, placed him upon his mother's belly. Jules pronounced both mother and child healthy.
"What's his name?" Janette asked as Natalie rested for a moment. Natalie reached out and gently stroked her baby's still wet hair.
"We decided we both liked Eric," she smiled up at Nick who was grinning fatuously at their child as he massaged her back.
"Well, Eric, let's wrap you up warmly so your maman and papa can both hold you," Janette said as she deftly wrapped the child in a receiving blanket and placed him in Natalie's arms. Eric yawned widely and closed his
eyes as Natalie cuddled him.
"He's tired too," Nick commented.
Natalie raised Eric slightly and said, "Would you like to hold him for a while?" Nick reached for his son, and held him as Natalie relaxed back into her pillows. He felt along their link and found his wife and son were equally exhausted. He wrapped them both in his love. Eric opened his eyes, and Nick could have sworn he smiled before he drifted into sleep.
Janette was in heaven nursing both Natalie and the baby over the next two weeks. Too soon, in Janette's opinion, Natalie was back on her feet. But, Natalie began to discover that the end to her pregnancy had
revealed an unsettling side effect of her mutation. She was beginning to experience an increased sensitivity to sunlight. Neither she nor Nick were capable of enduring direct exposure to the sun during the midday hours.
Apparently the hormonal changes during her pregnancy had masked this reaction during the previous months. Natalie's exposure to Nick's retrovirus had taken its toll. While he was no longer confined to the
graveyard shift, she would have to begin to curtail her movements during part of the daylight hours. When they moved on, they would need to remain aware of their mutual vulnerability. Natalie felt this was a small price to
pay for her increased life span and their ability to be together. Nick anguished over it for a time, until Natalie snapped exasperatedly at him, "Nick, you can't have everything you want. Get over it!"
At the end of October the four adults and the baby boarded a flight to Glasgow at the Benbecula Airport. On the same day seven other couples, all matching Nick and Natalie's description and carrying an infant,
boarded flights at seven different airports in Scotland for seven different destinations. And five couples matching Jules and Janette's description traveled with some of them. Aristotle and LaCroix had managed to locate
twelve very convincing pairs of decoys for Yves' surveillance teams to follow. When they arrived at Glasgow, Nick and Natalie changed planes for Inverness. Jules and Janette reluctantly continued on to Paris where they
would settle into a new life. They had grown extremely fond of the baby. Nick and Natalie were to stay in Inverness until LaCroix told them it was safe to come home.
The reports flooded Yves' Toronto office. DeBrabant and deVilliers were on the move again. But the reports were confusing! Twelve different operatives reported sighting at least one of the couples. They must be
using decoys again. Would this silly cat and mouse game never end? Yves was losing patience, especially with Soames and the other vampires. The only solid information had been consistently provided by that idiot human,
Schanke. The bumbling, garlic-ridden, ex-partner of Nicholas Knight, detective, seemed the only one of Yves' minions who could produce reliable results.
Well, Schanke would remain in Scotland for the time being. Yves had a sense that deBrabant and his wife had not gone far. Who could be helping them? LaCroix had actually stooped to aiding his prodigal son, but surely
this widespread deception was beyond even the old general. One of the local surveillance reports was especially interesting. Jules was back in Toronto! The only reason for him to have left town precipitately, and then reappeared just as deBrabant went into hiding again, was that he had delivered the child. Perhaps he knew where it was. Yves would redouble his efforts to break Jules' very efficient security. There must be a way to gain access to the information Yves needed so desperately. There had to be someone who could provide the necessary expertise.
The house on the outskirts of Inverness, on the way to Culloden Village, was very like their first home off Lewis. Nick took a job as docent and curator at Inverness Museum. Natalie joined a small family practice group as a pediatrician. Her 'health sight' made her a tremendous asset to the clinic, and earned her the reputation of an excellent diagnostician. Although she was on call only three afternoons and evenings a week, she was often called in for extra hours when anyone else on staff was ill. Eric stayed at the clinic's day care center when she was on duty, if Nick wasn't home.
During the next few years life was quiet, happy, uneventful, except for the obligations of jobs, family, and friends. Nick's birthday was celebrated several times each year, as Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year, was
a very big event in Inverness, and Nick and Natalie attended a joyful round of parties at both their places of work and a private gathering with just the three of them. For their first anniversary, Nick surprised Natalie with a romantic cruise down Loch Ness. They spent a week at the beach on the Moray Riviera each year for Natalie's birthday. They took in every local event they could, and often donated their time and talents to help with local worthy causes. They were becoming a valued part of the community.
Their greatest joy was their son. He had Natalie's coloring, but as he grew, his resemblance to Nick was becoming pronounced. Eric grew quickly. He became a favorite with the staff at Nat's clinic. He was especially loved by the day care workers because he had an even temper, a sunny disposition, and he was very seldom ill. He had inherited his parents' aggressive immune system. But Eric still managed to contract the usual childhood illnesses. They just never lasted more than a few hours to a day. The family's very special bond had grown as Eric had, and now they were very nearly inseparable.
Eric had begun walking and talking early, and was into everything with an unquenchable curiosity as soon as he could crawl. And, to Natalie's and Nick's chagrin, they discovered, during one of Eric's more adventurous
excursions, that he was as good at blanking out his presence, when he wanted to, as Nick was. He had simply disappeared one afternoon at the day care center. Everything had stopped as the entire staff had turned out to search for him. Only Natalie had been able to find him, and that was only after Nina, one of the day care workers, had gotten up enough nerve to tell her he was missing. Natalie had reached for him through their link. She found
that he was unhurt, and he was terribly amused at the antics of the people who were trying to find him. She and Nick had had a very serious talk with Eric about worrying people later that evening, and had reinforced their
discussion with their own feelings through their link. Eric had promised he would not scare his Mama and Daddy again in that way.
"If these are the 'terrible twos,' I dread the 'terrific threes,' Nick," Natalie said to him one day not long after Eric's disappearing act as she pulled him out of yet one more cupboard. They had carefully child proofed the locks on all the cupboard doors, but Eric was a master lock pick. Natalie had arranged everything dangerous up high in their cupboards and prayed Eric didn't learn his father's talent for flight. "How could he possibly get into more trouble than he's into now!?"
"Eric like music," the child declared as he banged the metal cup he had commandeered against the tile floor in the kitchen.
"I don't know, Nat," Nick shouted over the noise. Then he deftly removed the cup from Eric's fingers, replacing it with a rubber mallet and xylophone, and said. "Maybe he'll be an explorer someday. He doesn't
exactly have an ear for music." He observed as Eric began banging on the musical toy.
"Not yet, maybe. He might still, he's only going to be three. Nick, have you heard anything from LaCroix lately?"
"Not since last week. We should get our usual report tomorrow. He's made progress, but it's slow. You know how long it took them to re-break the code when Yves changed it again last October."
"I know, but I just keep hoping we'll hear that they're ready to take on Yves. I worry about Schanke and all the other people Yves has tied into his web of deceit."
"I worry too, Nat. But all we can do is wait and keep Eric safe."
"Eric keep Mama and Daddy safe!" the child chimed in.
"You certainly do, sweetheart," Natalie told him. "Would you like to go with Mama to work this afternoon?"
"Yes! Eric go get ready," he dropped his mallet and toddled off to get his teddy bear. It was losing its fur and beginning to look very battered, but Eric never went anywhere without Mr. Baird.
"You're working today?" Nick asked her.
"Yeah, Lena's daughter came down with a cold, and I'm taking her shift. It should be quiet. The only cases we've had lately are sunburn and a few broken bones. It's the end of the tourist season. No flu yet. Lena
probably has at least one regular checkup scheduled."
"I could keep Eric. I have the evening off."
"I know, but Sherry would miss him. She's been on vacation, and she was very excited to find out that we'd be in today. He's charmed everybody at the clinic. He's just like his father," she declared as she reached up
and pulled Nick's chin down so she could kiss him.
"Let me drive you over." Nick said.
"OK. I should be finished by 6:00. The traffic shouldn't be as bad on Saturday."
"I'll pick you up, then. I'm going shopping downtown today. It's almost someone's birthday," Nick whispered as he saw Eric approaching from down the hall, Mr. Baird in tow.
"Eric ready now! C'mon, Mama, c'mon, Daddy." Nick scooped up both child and bear in one arm, placed the other about Natalie and hustled them out the door. They paused in the front room only long enough for Natalie to pick up her doctor's bag before they hurried off to the clinic. Nick dropped his family off and turned the car toward Inverness to shop.
Even on Saturday at the end of August the traffic was predatory. Inverness was the bustling crossroads for the Highlands. Every tourist who visited the northern part of the country passed through it. And today, it seemed, they had all hit town at the same time. Nevertheless, Nick found a parking space in the large garage near the railroad station and walked the few blocks to the downtown shopping area. The museum where he worked lay at
the center of town. There were some educational toys in the museum store he'd had his eye on for Eric. He also intended to pick up the small gift he had ordered for Natalie. While it was Eric's birthday, without Natalie there wouldn't be an Eric. He wanted her to know how very much he still appreciated the gift of her love. Within an hour Nick had found what he wanted. He returned to the car and was heading home, when he was suddenly
overwhelmed by feelings of panic and fear, quickly resolving into a dreadful and focused anger.
He could tell by the tenor of the link that Natalie was in trouble. Then, suddenly, he felt terror. It was Eric, something was wrong with his Mama! Without a second's thought Nick stepped on the gas and sent the car
toward the clinic. It only took ten minutes, but it seemed as if hours had passed as the car raced across town. He would have flown, but it was broad daylight, there was no way he could camouflage an action of that sort. Nick
pulled the car into the lot next to the clinic and made himself stop and survey the area before he approached. Everything appeared calm.
He could feel both Natalie's and Eric's reactions. They were together. Nat was still enraged. Eric had calmed down, but he was tenaciously hanging onto something he did not want to release. Nick wasn't sure what was going on. He quietly, and stealthily, approached the clinic's back door, using every tree and bush to cover his advance. When he reached the door, he peeped into the window beside it. He saw Natalie and Eric crouched behind the reception counter. Eric was holding tightly to both Mr. Baird and Natalie's medical bag. Natalie was on her knees bandaging a prostrate form which appeared to be Sherry, the clinic's receptionist.
As he eased the door open, Natalie turned toward him and said, "I'm glad you're here. Would you please tie that guy up and then call the police?" She waved in the general direction of the front door, then tossed him a roll each of gauze and adhesive tape. Although Natalie's appearance was disheveled, she appeared to be unhurt. And Nick was receiving a powerful feeling of grim satisfaction through their link. Eric seemed fine. He grinned up at his Dad, then continued a quiet conversation with Mr. Baird which Nick couldn't follow.
"What happened, Nat?" Nick asked as he peered over the counter and discovered an unconscious man with an immense bruise forming around one eye lying on the floor in front of the reception desk. A broken baseball bat
lay next to him. The waiting room was in disarray, as if there had been a ferocious struggle. Nick rounded the counter, knelt next to the man, and used the gauze and tape to secure his hands together behind his back. Then
he placed the man in one of the heavy chairs in the waiting room and taped his elbows and ankles securely to the chair, so he could not fall nor run away when he regained consciousness.
"That creep tried to steal drugs from the clinic." Natalie explained while Nick secured the thief. "He came in here waving a baseball bat. He hit Sherry with the bat when she wouldn't open the drug cabinet. Then he smashed open the cabinet with the bat, which broke, and snatched my bag. Eric grabbed it back. He went after Eric, and that's when I lost it. I managed to hit him with my bag, but I didn't do much damage. He'll recover. I'm not so sure about Sherry. He hit her more than once." Nick came back to the counter, picked up the phone, and dialed 999. He asked for the police and an ambulance. He told them there had been a robbery attempt, and gave the address of the clinic.
"And Eric still has your bag?" Nick asked when he hung up.
"It's what the guy grabbed to carry away the drugs. Eric told him it was his Mama's bag. He wouldn't let him have it. He grabbed onto it and wouldn't let go. He said he was helping Mama." A small sob escaped Natalie
before she managed to control herself. Then she took a huge breath and exclaimed, "Oh, God, Nick, I've never been so scared or so mad in my life as when I saw that creep grab Eric!"
"How is Sherry, Nat?"
"I have her neck immobilized, but I need to get her into the other room and X-ray her skull. She has a concussion. I just hope there isn't a fracture. Can you help me carry her?" Nick went into an adjoining room and
rolled in a gurney with a back board sitting on top. They carefully maneuvered Sherry onto the board, strapped her down, then lifted her onto the gurney. Natalie pushed her into the X-ray examination room. Nick left
her to Natalie's care and returned to the office to check on Eric.
"Eric, come here, son," Nick called. Eric came quickly to Nick's side still carrying Mr. Baird and Nat's bag. He allowed his father to pick him up.
"Eric, are you all right?" Nick hugged him closely. He could sense that Eric was feeling indignant, but he was no longer frightened.
"I fine, I get Mama's bag."
"What happened? Why did you grab Mama's bag?"
"Mean man hit Sherry. I scared! He take Mama's bag. Eric help."
"But Eric, that man could have hurt you. You really scared your Mama."
"He not hurt Eric. I help." Just then the police arrived, and Nick filled them in quickly. He had Eric hand over the bag to the police, explaining to Eric that they needed the bag to finish helping Mama. The policemen were entranced with the toddler and immediately nominated him hero of the hour. The would-be robber regained consciousness, was informed of his rights and placed in custody. The ambulance pulled up, and the constable in charge sent two policemen with the robber to the hospital for a checkup before taking him to the local jail. All the way to the ambulance, the robber kept raving about the dangers of getting between mothers and their kids.
Natalie returned from the examination room, and told the police constables that Sherry had a concussion, but no skull fracture. She had also received a number of contusions, and a broken forearm, which Natalie had set. She had awakened, and was eager to tell her version of the incident. One of them went in to take her statement. No one else was on duty at the clinic that afternoon, and no patients had been in the waiting room when the robber had broken in.
One family appeared as Natalie was being interviewed. They decided to postpone their child's regular checkup to the next week. It took the rest of Natalie's shift for the police to finish their initial investigation. Natalie cast Sherry's arm, and asked her if she wanted to spend the night in the hospital for observation. Sherry opted to stay home and let her family care for her. The clinic was normally closed after 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays, so Nick helped Natalie lock up. Natalie drove Sherry home in her car, followed by Nick in theirs. Once Sherry and her car had been safely delivered, Nick gratefully drove Eric and Natalie home.
They spent the evening playing with Eric, trying to be sure that he wouldn't be too frightened to sleep. But Eric was just as cheerful as ever. He was proud. He had helped his Mama. Apparently nothing had frightened
him, except the emergence of Natalie's anger. They put him down for the night when he nodded off in the midst of a story.
"You know, Nat. Watching your eyes flash and your face change when you're angry is the only thing that scares me, anymore," Nick teased as he pulled her down the hall to their room.
"You are insufferable! You, you, vampire!" she spluttered back at him.
"Now Natalie, you know I have that under control now."
"We'll just see how much control you have. Come here, you!"
She dragged him down onto the bed and proved to him just how thoroughly she could ravage him and his control. He enjoyed every moment. Hours later Natalie awoke still wrapped in Nick's arms. His body was
pressed snugly against hers, and she would have been comfortable, except that her nose was being tickled by his chest hair. She wriggled around until her back was towards him. Then she ran her hands down his arms and
cupped her hands over his where they rested over her belly. She felt his lips caress her shoulder. He pulled her hips into his, and she could feel a distinct hardness growing behind her.
Their lovemaking had become a joyous and gentle sharing over the years of their marriage, Natalie mused. But last night he had been positively fierce, more fierce than any other time together. He had been deeply frightened by the attack on the clinic. He had completely possessed her in a way she had at one time feared. Now the memory of his intense passion thrilled and excited her. If it had not been for her mutation, she would have died or been brought across last night, she reflected. Now she knew beyond a doubt, he could never harm her. And the depth of his need for her was unfathomable, as was hers for him. She snuggled back against him
as he stroked her breasts. Then she turned and kissed him deeply, inviting him to taste every corner of her mouth as she explored him. He was so delicious, delectable, completely satisfying. She breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of his maleness. Her hands explored his body, exciting him further. She felt his fingers slip inside her. She spread her legs and pulled him into her, trapping his waist between her thighs. They moved together in their own familiar rhythm, pleasuring each other again, promising each other forever in whispers against throats, breasts, mouths. When they finally lay spent, stroking, caressing, fondling, Nick murmured against the healing wounds in Natalie's breast, "Last night was marvelous!"
"Ummm, yes!" she agreed fervently.
"If you hadn't changed, that would have killed you," he breathed.
"Most probably. I wouldn't have missed it for the world. I love you. I need you. You are the most exciting man I could have ever desired."
"And you, my dearest, sweetest, love, are the most ravishing, intoxicating, passionate woman I have ever adored." He pulled her close and covered her face with kisses. When he reached her mouth, she caressed his
jaw line, feeling the light stubble of his beard, then slid her fingers into his hair and left them there. He pulled back to look at her and said, "You know Eric is awake and wondering when he's going to get his breakfast." She
smoothed his tousled hair away from his eyes.
"I know. I'm enjoying you, just now."
"And I you. But he needs us, too."
"All right, Daddy. Go get your son, and let me get a shower. Then I'll fix breakfast."
"Unh uh, we shower together, and we'll both fix breakfast." They arose together, bathed, dried, and dressed each other. Then they collected Eric and went downstairs for breakfast.[End Chapter 7 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 8 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
"Tyke Foils Robber!" shouted the headline. It was the best local color the papers had had in ages. Eric's picture and the story of his tenacious hold on his mother's bag was spread all over the Sunday morning paper. Eric was in danger of becoming a celebrity, and only his parents' personal appeal to the local editors kept him off the international news wires over the next week. But the story made it into the Internet version of the regional paper, and that was where Schanke spotted it a week later.
He and his teams had been checking out every couple and family of three, who resembled 'Dr. Boyd' and his wife, mentioned in any local paper ever since the couple had disappeared three years ago. They had followed
dozens of people, poured over birth and death announcements, and local society columns. Schanke requested hard copies of the back issues of the local Inverness papers, and that was where he found the photograph. One
papparazzi had managed to capture the 'Chisholm' family's picture at a gathering they had attended. The faces weren't terribly clear, but Schanke was sure it was Knight. He headed for Inverness. He wasn't going to let
anyone screw this one up. He'd make sure it was really Knight, then he'd call in the troops and arrest him. Maybe he'd get that bonus yet. It'd be great to go home to Myra with that much cash in a fund for Jenny's college
education. But deep inside he had misgivings.
When Schanke had first heard that Toronto P.D.'s Internal Affairs Division wanted Nick Knight for his involvement in the death of his partner, he'd wanted to nail Knight, and thoroughly. But Knight and his wife had completely disappeared, vanished, just like Jeannie, into thin air. Then, suddenly, his office was inundated with sightings of the couple. They'd continued to spot them at intervals through the years. Sometimes they appeared on other continents. But, upon investigation, it'd turn out the people they'd spotted weren't the right Knights. Donald Schanke had never seen anything like it. Knight kept slipping through their fingers. He had help, and very professional help.
An ordinary cop on the run from an I.A. investigation didn't get that kind of help. Schanke had only experienced that kind of professionalism when they'd smuggled him underground after the mob hit that still separated him from the family he desperately missed. Just what didn't he know that had kept Yves' operatives searching high and low for Knight for over three years? And why the heavy emphasis on finding the 'entire
family'? That was what really bothered Schanke. All they should need to find for I.A. was Knight! Something else was going on.
As Schanke flashed Knight's and Lambert's pictures around Inverness, he gathered far more information than he had expected, or wanted. Their name now was Chisholm. Eric, their son, had charmed everyone he and his
parents had met. Dr. Chisholm had skillfully cared for so many people's kids, Schanke lost track of the number. Mr. Chisholm was known as a friendly, open, cheerful fellow who'd help anyone at the drop of a hat. They were local heroes since the attempted drug robbery, and everyone knew something nice about them. Schanke was beginning to feel like a rat for chasing them down.
He was beginning to wonder if these were the same people. It had to be another wild goose chase. He didn't remember Knight being especially cheerful. His moods had driven him crazy when they were partners! But,
Knight hadn't been married then. Schanke had always had the feeling there was a lot more than just friendship going on between Nick and Nat. Even when he'd first found out Knight was wanted for murder, he'd been genuinely glad to hear they'd married. They belonged together. He decided to try and catch a glimpse of them, just to be sure the identification was correct. He decided to track Dr. Chisholm down at her office first, then he could follow her home. Their phone was unlisted, and no one would give out their address. She wasn't scheduled to work for another three days, and it was getting late. Schanke decided to check into a hotel for the weekend and take in the local sights before finishing the job.
On Monday he staked out the clinic to see if he could get a good look at the doctor and the kid. He didn't expect to see Knight. After sitting in his car down the street from the clinic for a couple of hours with his binoculars, Schanke saw a car pull into her space in the clinic's lot. He watched as a tall, blond man got out on the driver's side, walked around the car, and helped a petite woman with curly auburn hair get out on the passenger side of the vehicle. She leaned back into the car. A small boy with auburn curls exploded out of the door, as soon as his mother released his seat belt. He raced up the steps to the clinic. The couple fondly watched him go, then followed him. Schanke focused the binoculars and zoomed in on the faces of the couple as they walked toward the clinic. It was Knight and Lambert! He was positive. But there was something very different about them! What was it? Well, never mind, he'd place it later. The important thing was, the identification was confirmed.
He wondered now why they were on the run. And how were they able to change identities so quickly and easily? How and where had they managed to recruit so many doubles to decoy for them? Who was helping them? Were they, like himself, merely witnesses whom the government had hidden away? Was Yves misinformed? No, no way! Yves' sources were very carefully checked. Everything he'd been told had to be the truth. Otherwise his own life was a lie. And Schanke could never believe that. He'd seen that mob hit come down just as clearly as anything he'd seen in all his years of police work. And the letters from his family, they came just as regular as clockwork......As regular as clockwork....Myra and Jenny never missed a week. And their letters were full of the little details of their daily lives.
It wasn't his job to worry about what happened to the people he followed. It was just his job to locate them. He'd done that. He would call in his back up and let them finish this case. He picked up the car
phone and called his office. He told Jenkins what he had found. Jenkins would take it from there. Schanke headed out of town on the A9 to return to his Edinburgh apartment. He'd be home in three hours. He'd have a nice dinner and relax, maybe he'd have some of that great curry they made over here! But when he got home, he found he couldn't rest. He decided to get on the Internet, where he'd found his first lead on the Chisholm family.
He'd check the Toronto P.D.'s web page. Maybe he should double check Yves' information. Maybe his company had been hired by the very people Knight was being protected from. Stranger things had happened.
When Yves got the report from Jenkins, he was ecstatic. An assault team was already in the United Kingdom. They had just an hour's flight to reach Inverness. Their target was located on the outskirts of town in its
own grounds. There were no close neighbors to get nosy. They would surround the house as soon as it was dark. This time there would be no delay, no time for anyone to warn the inhabitants. Within twenty-four
hours, the Hunter would be in his custody. Finally he would confront the very wily Nicolas deBrabant.
Yves had learned to respect his adversary over the years. DeBrabant wasn't quite the fool Yves had imagined. Numerous times he had had the family in his grasp only to discover he was being decoyed yet again! He had had his revenge on those decoys. Every one he had discovered, he had destroyed. And he had made sure to leave their remains in very public places. He wanted deBrabant and deVilliers to get a clear message. He had disposed of those decoys as well! He cared little for the warnings he had received from the Enforcers about not cleaning up after his kills.
His only aim was the acquisition of the Hunter. Only the true Hunter would survive to inherit Yves' legacy of power. The death of the Hunter's parents would serve as his initiation, and Schanke's blood would be his first proper meal. Then his plans and Divia's revenge would both be accomplished. At last, everything was ready!
LaCroix was pleased. His plans were in place. Tomorrow they would be ready to launch their all out assault on Yves' building. It had taken three long and frustrating years to finally conquer the security set up Yves had developed. LaCroix had used millions of dollars from Nicholas' fund. He and Jules had together created a consortium of experts that far surpassed any Yves could marshal. And Tracy had managed to extricate that doctor from Darwin. He had been a tremendous help in planning this latest operation. He had an uncanny insight into Yves thinking. Jules and Janette had been able to finally return home this past week. All of his children would be coming home soon.
Most of Yves' original staff had succumbed, several to bribery. Many had died at Yves own hands when the merest suspicion, generated by Merlin's and LaCroix's tampering, and fueled by Dr. Stanford's understanding of Yves' suspicious nature, had tainted them. Yves' empire was a mere shadow of what it had been. Yves was alone, with nothing but Divia's vengeful spirit for company, at the center of the web he had built for himself. The latest report on their accomplishments was being sent to Nicholas, even now. It was almost time for him to come home. LaCroix was looking forward to meeting his grandson. And it would be decidedly pleasant to see the good doctor again.
In Inverness, Nick and Natalie were cheerfully waiting for their son to arise from his afternoon nap. It was his birthday, and they had planned a party for him with his friends from the day care center and their own friends from work. Natalie had even invited some of the new friends the clinic's staff had made when they'd all joined a self-defense class after the break-in. The house was decorated and the cake was waiting in the pantry. At three the other children would begin to arrive. Nick decided to check their e-mail. He found LaCroix's report and hurried into the living room to tell Natalie.
"They're set for tomorrow night, Nat! It's almost over. We'll be able to go home to Toronto, or anywhere else you'd like. Think it over, love. Where would you most like to be?"
"God, Nick. I don't know. Things are so different now. What a lot of changes we've had in such a short time!"
"Ah, I think I hear the birthday boy! I'll go up and make sure he washes his face and combs his hair before his friends get here," Nick said.
"You do that, Daddy. I'll make sure everything is ready. Just keep him out of the kitchen." The doorbell rang and Natalie went to answer it. Sherry, still wearing her cast, had arrived with Nina and Lena. Within the next few minutes several of the other people from the clinic and the museum and their children arrived at the house. Nick and Eric met and greeted everyone at the door. Natalie and Nina passed out drinks and treats. The party was in full swing.
Eric played the perfect little host. He thanked everyone very nicely for each of his many presents. He was having the time of his life. Nick and Natalie, watching him, realized that he had genuinely become his own person. He was unfailingly polite, but also assertive and self confident. It was he who led the games the children played. But he did not bully or dominate the others. He made sure everyone got a turn in whatever they were doing. And he cheered every effort whether it was successful or not. He played hard and cheerfully. They were very proud of him and told him so when the party was over and everyone had left.
"Eric was a good boy!" he crowed at them. "I got lots presents!"
"You certainly did, young man," Natalie said. "Now you need to find a place to put all this away. Do you think you can do that? Or would you like me and Daddy to help."
"I can put toys away," Eric told her. He attempted to carry five different toys of varying sizes all at one time.
"Hold on there, son," Nick said. "Just take a few at a time. Don't try to carry too much at once."
"OK, Daddy." He dropped three toys and settled on carrying the two he had left in his hands. Then he headed down the hall to his toy box in the family room. It took several trips to get his new things put away.
"Didn't you want to keep something out to play with?" Natalie asked him when he returned from his last trip.
"Not now, Mama. Mr. Baird wants talk." Eric ran upstairs.
"I wonder what that's about?" Natalie asked.
"I'd guess, too many new things and not enough of the familiar," Nick observed.
"You're right! I never thought of that."
"This is the first big party we've given him. I think we wore him out. By the way, I have something for you."
"For me? Whatever for, it's Eric's birthday!" Natalie exclaimed.
"Yes, but it's also the birthday of our family. Without you, Natalie, I'd never have had a family of my own. Your love, your faith, have made all of this possible." Nick handed her a small box, elegantly wrapped.
Natalie eagerly accepted it and quickly opened the package. Inside she discovered a ring box. When she opened it, she found a simple gold band holding three different stones. "It's a family ring," Nick told her. Those
are our birthstones, garnet for January, sapphire for April, and chrysolite for September. I had the jeweler use the ancient, rather than the modern stones," he smiled wryly. "Some of us in the family are rather ancient, you know. And while I doubt we'll ever have any children other than Eric, I had the jeweler leave room, just in case we need to add another stone." Natalie slipped the ring onto the ring finger on her right hand.
"It's simply beautiful, Nick! Thank you." She kissed him gratefully, and he held her tightly. Eric came down the stairs with Mr. Baird in hand and stood in the doorway smiling.
"Me and Daddy love Mama!" Nick and Natalie looked over at him and reached out to include him in a family hug.
"We both love you, Eric. Happy Birthday!" they both told him.
Abruptly, Nick's head turned to the front of the house as Natalie looked toward the back.
"Oh, God, Nick! We're surrounded!"
"Stay calm, Nat. We'll just have to cooperate with them. Do anything they say. Eric, stay calm." In the next seconds, the front and back doors flew open, and the small family were completely surrounded by men in camouflage fatigues carrying assault rifles. Three unarmed men came forward. Two handcuffed Nick and Natalie, and a third picked up Eric. They were bundled quickly out the back door into a delivery van, pushed into the back, covered with a blanket, and locked in.[End Chapter 8 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 9 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
The van lurched off and sped towards the Inverness airport. Before long the three of them had been transferred to a metal cage bolted into the decking at the center of the cargo area of a military transport plane. Nick and Natalie's handcuffs were secured to the cage. During the flight they were brought food and water. But no one would speak to them. Their guards stayed as far from them as they could get, sitting silently in the crew
seats that lined either side of the fuselage.
Eric was amazingly calm and quiet throughout their abduction. He slept when he could. He acted as if he were conserving his strength, a rather mature idea for a three year old. Nick and Natalie held hands and worried. As the flight wore on, Nick worked at forging a stronger, broader mental link between himself and his family. If they became separated, he wanted to be able to locate either of them as quickly as possible.
And he kept testing his links to LaCroix, Jules, and Janette. He thought if he could reach one or all of them, they might be able to help. Nick knew they were being taken to Yves' stronghold, which he estimated would take at least ten hours. No one but Yves would invest this much money and effort into kidnapping his family. He reached out to their guardians, he suddenly realized why they'd had so little warning during their capture. None of these men had any ill will against him or his family. They were simply doing a job, for which they were being very well paid. That was certainly in his family's favor. They might just be able to survive, if LaCroix's people were ready before Yves got to them.
Several hours into the flight, Nick could feel a shift in direction. And there was a change in the plane's altitude. He thought they must be on the final leg of the trip. He still hadn't been able to break through to
LaCroix. He wasn't sure just how far their link might reach. He turned his head to the right where Natalie lay against him. He thought about what might be in store for them. What could they do to prepare themselves? He could see a pattern forming. The pattern he had always feared would signal his final payment for his past. Yves would follow that pattern. That was all Yves had now, a prophecy and a pattern. The parents would be sacrificed for the child. But the child would be broken, too. It was why he had fought so hard against his love for Natalie, during the first six years of their friendship. Inevitably, it would mean her destruction. He pulled her
tightly against him with his free hand and breathed in her scent. Her very essence was so necessary to his existence. How could he bear to see her harmed? How could he bear to see Eric touched by the evil that existed in Yves? Could he bring himself to destroy them rather than see them tortured, twisted, demolished?
The solidity of Natalie's body pressed against his reminded him that this was the old, bad habit of despair niggling at him. He had learnt better from his loved ones in the past few years, he mused. There had been very little of despair and a very great deal of love and hope in his life since Natalie had entered it. And their best times together had not been the times of the chase and thrilling escape, although they'd had their share of those. No, their best times had been the quiet hours of sharing common chores, watching the baby, shopping for supplies, visiting friends. Why should they go quietly into the dark? What could they do?
It would be very difficult to kill either of them. That was what worried Nick. They were the best of all possible subjects for Yves' twisted little experiments. If LaCroix's reports were accurate, they were in for one of the most horrific times of their lives.
He knew Eric's chances of survival were far better than his and Natalie's. Nick worried about what kind of mental and emotional torment might be in store for his son. If Yves allowed him to survive, Eric would become a very different person from who he was now. All of his humanity would be stripped from him. Yves would attempt to create the ultimate predator, a killing machine for the end of the human world. Nick despised the thought of his three-year-old son suffering what he himself had suffered as an adult. And he feared that his own transformation was impossible for Eric, given the mutation he and his mother shared. What would Yves do when he found he could neither bring Eric across, nor kill him by ordinary means?
"Nat," Nick called her name tentatively, she had fallen asleep on his shoulder, and something about their forthcoming ordeal had just crystallized in his mind. He needed to talk to her, without Eric hearing. Eric was asleep, wrapped into a ball around his bear by his mother's side. "Nat," he whispered in her ear. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.
"Nick? What?" Her blue eyes were still unfocused and full of sleepy bemusement.
"Nat, I was thinking," he hesitated, "we know Yves doesn't want either of us. He wants Eric. We need to think of a plan, a way to distract Yves, to keep him from Eric long enough for LaCroix to get to us."
"What did you have in mind?"
"We're going to have to resist Yves for a time, let him know what he's really up against. We could manage quite a show. It might even work, if he doesn't have too many other vampires with him. We can only handle so
many at a time."
"It's going to be very dangerous, Nick."
"I know. And Nat, if we can't resist him or get away, it's going to be painful," he warned. "Torture is what he has in mind. He intends to do to us what Marburg did to that family. And, we won't have the promise of
death to soothe us. I'm afraid immortality does have its drawbacks at times like this."
Natalie shivered as she recalled what he had told her of Marburg's techniques. She knew Nick would attempt to bear the brunt of any assault Yves might bring against them. She was horribly frightened. <I've never
been tested with physical torture. Can I bear it? Will I fail Nick? Will I fail Eric?> Natalie agonized over the possibilities, then she shook herself and said, "Nick, I'm just glad I took that self-defense class so recently."
"You may not get the chance to use any of that talent, Nat. He may place us in a situation where force won't work to our advantage."
"I know. But if we can buy some time by action, I'm ready."
"And stronger than you've ever been. It's a good thing I played the exercise dummy during that class. You'd have really hurt an ordinary man!" Nick chuckled. Then he sobered and continued, "If we can't escape, our only
chance to retain our sanity may be to mentally withdraw."
"Mentally withdraw?"
"I don't think Yves can kill me unless he decapitates me or stakes me. Sunlight isn't an option in the time frame he's chosen. I know he'll go for the maximum pain he can inflict. I can stand a lot, but if it gets too bad, I know I can simply pull inside and turn off the pain. I think you can too. Just be careful, if you try it, Nat, to leave yourself an escape route. It's easy to get lost inside your own head."
"You mean we could become catatonic," Natalie stated.
"Precisely."
"Nick, I'm not sure I can stand to see what he might do to you." Then Natalie confided her deepest fear to her husband. "I know I couldn't stand to watch him hurt Eric."
"I'm going to tell LaCroix to rescue Eric first. We're the decoys to keep Eric away from Yves. Somehow we have to keep him busy enough to let Eric hide. You know how good he is at that. The only reason we can find him is because of our link to him. Others overlook him easily." Natalie nodded in agreement, but she still worried.
Nick sat thinking about what he could hide from Yves and his henchmen. He assessed the strength and the flexibility of his bond with Eric and the others. There just might be a way to pull this off after all! Then a stray thought crossed his mind. <Just how had Yves managed to find them?>
Schanke was appalled. He had gotten directly into Toronto P.D. through his office's link. He found that not only was Knight not wanted by them, he had been decorated by the department for his work on a case following his partner's death! Tracy Vetter's death had occurred in the line of duty. Knight had been cleared of any responsibility, but he had been reprimanded for excessive force. He'd killed the perp who'd killed his partner. That sure sounded like the Nick Knight Schanke had known. How could he have ever believed that cock and bull story he'd been fed!
The account of Vetter's death reminded Schanke of what had happened to Natalie's brother. Nick had tried to defuse the situation, but it had blown up in his face. Schanke cross-checked the files on Dr. Natalie Lambert and found she had resigned nearly a month before Knight had. Next he checked the back issues of the Toronto papers. He found the official announcement of the Knights' wedding. Then he found the big story on how the morgue had misplaced Vetter's body and the coverage of her funeral. Nothing else. No further record of Knight seemed to exist in Toronto.
Suddenly, Schanke got a queer feeling, he rechecked the police and newspaper files for coverage of the mob hit he had witnessed. Nothing. Nada. Never happened. He checked the stories on the bombing of the plane
he had missed and found himself listed as one of the casualties. He found a story covering his memorial service. That made him shiver, until he realized that that could be part of a legitimate cover up. He decided to make some phone calls. By the end of the next hour, Schanke knew he had to do something, but what? Just then there was a knock at his door. It was Jenkins. He ushered Schanke to a waiting car.
"Don, the trial for the mob hit man is scheduled for tomorrow in Toronto. They're sending you back to Canada to testify. You'll be able to see your family again." Jenkins seemed genuinely happy for him. No wonder,
his story was nearly the same as Don's. He'd been relocated from Los Angeles. But Jenkins wouldn't be able to be reunited with his family. His wife had died in childbirth almost three years ago. Schanke had had to break the news to him. Suddenly Schanke shivered. Yves hadn't had anything to do with Ted's wife's death, had he? No, no that was paranoia raising its ugly head.
Schanke turned to Jenkins and said, "Thanks, Ted. I just wish you could get great news like this." He knew the information about the trial was probably a lie, but he had to play along. Maybe there was still a chance he might run into Knight and find out what was really going on! And he might actually see Myra again. How would she take it? Were the letters he got each month really from her, or did she think he was dead? What if she had met someone? What would he do then? Deeply worried, Schanke followed orders. The car took him to the airport where he boarded a charter flight to Toronto. Whatever was going on, he was treated to a fine meal
aboard the plane, and offered anything he wished to drink, as if he were a VIP. He kept thinking to himself <The condemned man had a hearty meal.> He idly wondered if Knight had ever gotten over his allergy to garlic. He
certainly wasn't suffering from the sunlight!
That was it! Schanke thought to himself. That guy that looked so much like Knight. It couldn't have been Knight. It was broad daylight when he'd seen them together, and the man was tanned. Knight had been one of the palest individuals Schanke had ever seen! But then, Natalie had been working on that allergy medicine. Nick had sure acted weird when he took that stuff! Could she have actually cured him? Schanke mused on strangeness, fate, and the passage of time. He'd tried Knight's old number at the loft. That weird guy Nick used to listen to on the radio had answered. The Nightcrawler. He never had known that guy's name. He'd tried the Raven, but Janette wasn't there anymore. Some guy named Jean-Claude owned it now. He'd even called Myra. He hadn't wanted to tell her on the phone, but she'd answered, "Schanke residence." He'd chickened out and hung up. He figured it was good enough to know she hadn't changed her name. Maybe she'd still forgive him for being a fool. Lord knows she'd forgiven him for a lot worse.
What was it he'd gotten himself into? Had he really done only what his boss had asked him to do? Did his boss know the real facts? Or was he the victim of a truly nasty little conspiracy aimed directly at Knight? The
more he thought about it, the less sure Schanke was of his own security. What would happen to him if Yves was the bad guy, and he knew what Schanke had just found out in the past few hours? Schanke decided to keep his mouth shut, his eyes open, and play the big, dumb fool. He'd had plenty of practice.
The phone rang in Jules' home in Toronto, "Hello?......Lucien, how are the plans proceeding?"
"Well, but we need to speed things up a bit," LaCroix's voice over the phone sounded oddly strained.
"What's happened?"
"They've kidnapped Nicholas' family. I just got a call from our friends in Inverness. Yves is flying them into Toronto as we speak. Merlin has tapped into Yves' network and is ready for us. As soon as it's dark, we move into position."
"We'll be ready." Jules turned to Janette as he hung up the phone. "Tonight. They've taken them." Janette gasped, then her face hardened into a mask of terrible purpose.
"He's taken on the wrong people this time," she said. Suddenly her head whipped toward Jules, "Do you feel that?! It's Nicolas!" Janette could feel their link begin to vibrate. He was a long way away, but the connection was clear and growing stronger by the minute.
Yves' very efficient team rushed the little family off the transport plane, when it landed, and into the back of yet another van. Within a very short time, they were delivered to the rear entrance of an enormous building in Toronto's main business district and hustled into a freight elevator which whisked them down into the bowels of the edifice. When the elevator arrived at the lowest level, they were led down a well lighted corridor, past the environmental equipment which maintained the building, to one of many doors on one side of a narrow hall. They were ushered into what could only be termed a cell. It was furnished with bunk beds, suspended from one wall by heavy chains, a single metal chair and table, a toilet, and a small sink.
"You will be called for," was the only sentence uttered by one of the guards as the door closed.
"I wonder how long he'll make us wait?" Natalie wondered aloud.
"Maybe I should see if I can locate him through a link and ask him," Nick mused. Natalie shivered.
"Don't tempt fate," she said.
"Bad man," Eric piped up.
"What?!" Natalie stared at Eric.
"Bad man," Eric repeated.
"Who is, sweetheart?" Natalie asked Eric quietly.
"Man make Mama and Daddy mad. He not nice," the child asserted.
"You're absolutely right, son," Nick told him. "And we won't be staying here long."
"Nick you can't know that!" Natalie exclaimed.
"Not for sure, but I don't intend to hang around any longer than we must. I suppose we're on Yves' timetable now. He's making us wait," Nick pointed up into the corner of the cell, where a video camera, with its red light activated, was staring blankly down upon them.
"We may as well get as comfortable as we can. We may need the rest." Nick reached out his hand to Natalie.
"What?"
"I'll help you up into the top bunk. You and Eric can share. I'll take the bottom."
"Nick!" Quietly Nick reached into their link and reassured her and Eric. Then he linked them to LaCroix, Jules, Janette, and the others. Natalie blinked and then accepted Nick's help. He lifted Eric up into her waiting arms, as soon as she was settled. He covered them with the blanket that lay at the foot of their bunk. He kissed each of them gently, then rolled into the lower bunk. Nick had noticed that although Eric had acknowledged his links to the other vampires in LaCroix's group, he seemed only to respond to his parents.
Nick touched Eric through their link, "Eric, do you remember when Mama and I told you not to play that game anymore?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"If men come and take Mama and me, I want you to play that game again. You're very good at it, Eric. And I want you to play it very well."
"OK, Daddy," Eric giggled.
Then Nick broadened and strengthened the link between Eric and Janette. "Eric, reach for Aunt Janette. She's very good at the game, too. You'll have fun playing with her until Mama and Daddy can find you."
Nick waited until he could feel Eric reach for Janette. Janette responded with the very great love she had for the child. Nick could hear Eric laugh as he responded to her overtures.
"Eric, find Aunt Janette if the bad man takes Mama and Daddy away," Nick told the child. He waited until he could feel Eric's assent. Then he settled himself to rest.
"Good night!" Nick rolled over to face the wall. He had been communicating with LaCroix for the last three hours of their flight. He knew precisely what LaCroix intended. Together they had forged a unique network of mental and emotional links to everyone involved in LaCroix's assault force, melding Nick's talents and LaCroix's immense experience. Nick assumed that he would be unconscious at some point in the next few hours. Therefore, he had declined coordinating the assault himself, but, he found, LaCroix had learned to manipulate any link Nick could forge. And LaCroix knew a few tricks he had never taught Nick. Nick had gladly relinquished the responsibility for their lives to LaCroix. He hadn't slept on the plane and was hoping for at least one hour of
uninterrupted sleep before Yves came for them. He very nearly got it.[End Chapter 9 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 10 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
They came for Nick first. He was dragged from the bunk, half awake, sometime during the next hour. He did not struggle, but he flared his link to Natalie and Eric, then reached for LaCroix. He was led out of the cell
and farther down the hall in which their cell was located. A few doors farther down, on the opposite side of the hall, Nick and his bodyguard of six vampires were admitted to a huge chamber with a superficial resemblance
to the dungeon in which he had lost his faith. It was a set right out of 'La Femme Nikita,' Nick thought derisively. The reek of industrial disinfectant permeated the tile and stainless steel chamber in which two sinister looking dentist's chairs faced each other across a wide expanse of floor containing a recessed drain. But the disinfectant couldn't completely cover the smell--the smell Nick would forever associate with Divia--the scent of fear, hopelessness, and despair. He was led to one of the chairs and strapped in.
Within a few moments, Natalie was escorted into the room by a similar set of guards and strapped into the chair opposite Nick. All but four of the guards left the room. The remaining four were stationed immediately behind Nick and Natalie and on either side of the door, which was the only entrance or exit from the room. Then they waited. Nick could feel Eric begin to panic when he was separated from his mother. Nick reached out through their link to comfort the child and remind him to hide and to find his Aunt Janette. Natalie and the others all did the same. Eric calmed down, and they could feel him searching for a good hiding spot. Nick reached out and cut Eric's presence from their link, leaving himself and Natalie connected only to Janette and LaCroix.
They waited again for what seemed like ages. But it was really only about thirty minutes. It was long enough for Nick and Natalie to notice some of the cruel and efficient gadgets which had been built into the chairs, and to peruse the labels affixed to the drawers and cabinets installed on the walls. The labels were not reassuring. If Yves was attempting to induce feelings of helplessness, fear, and despair, Nick thought to himself, he was doing a very good job. Except for one thing, Nick and Natalie both knew Eric was safe, and LaCroix's team was already in the building. The invasion was underway. The assault had started an hour earlier. They were hung up midway down the building. Nick and Natalie would have to stall.
Yves appeared at last, accompanied by two more vampire guards. Yves was attired immaculately in a stylish brown business suit, light green shirt, and elegant, color-coordinated tie. His wavy light brown hair was styled and combed neatly. His handsome features and delicate complexion augmented the friendly expression he carried on his face. His outward pleasantness, however, was belied by the icebound, storm gray eyes. He surveyed the two bound in the chairs. A cold, venomous malignity emanated from his deceptively mild and comely countenance.
Natalie could feel a part of herself retreat and begin gibbering in absolute terror at the back of her skull. She wished she could disappear. Everything about Yves was wrong , terribly, horribly wrong. Her health sight was shrieking. She had never seen a sick vampire. She had never expected to see illness in any vampire, injury or unease, certainly, but never illness. Yves was beyond being simply ill. He personified degeneration. His presence was sheer poison. And as she concentrated upon this last reaction, Natalie suddenly realized what was wrong with Yves. She could see a glow emanating from around his neck, and, at times, it seemed that Yves' features were dissolving and reassembling. He was wearing Divia's scapular necklace beneath his regular clothing! Suddenly Natalie remembered that LaCroix had told them that he thought that Divia's spirit had possessed Yves. From what she could now see, Natalie firmly believed that was true. They were now faced not by one implacable enemy, but two.
"Nicolas deBrabant, old friend, how nice to see you again," Yves greeted Nick cheerfully.
"What do you want from me, Yves?"
"Why nothing but your death and your son, Nicolas. That should be an easy task," Yves told him quietly. "The difficult part will be training him properly. I hope you have not spoiled him beyond reclamation."
"We would prefer to raise him ourselves, Yves," Nick replied.
"Ah, but that would ruin his potential," Yves noted. "I intend to introduce him to our world. He will thank me for his education eventually, I think."
"We can't allow that, Yves," Nick said.
"You have very little say in the matter, Nicolas," Yves asserted.
"I think you will find that we have a great deal of say in the matter. You will not find him. He's nowhere you can reach."
At Nick's unspoken signal, he and Natalie threw themselves out of the chairs at their captors. They both broke their bonds easily. Natalie fended off Yves. Using the self-defensive skills she had recently perfected, and the strength she had gained, she inflicted some serious damage to her vampire opponent. Fending him off with her feet and legs she managed to break one wrist, a kneecap, and had doubled him over with a well-aimed blow to his lower torso. She could feel her eyes burning as she attacked Yves and knew her own beast had been released. Natalie was glad of that, it gave her needed confidence. Across the room she could hear the whirlwind Nick had become as he darted amongst the guards snapping their necks. She had just launched her next blow at Yves' jaw when six other guards, who had been posted just outside the door, rushed into the room. Two of them overpowered her from behind and dragged her back to the chair. Nick took out two of them before the remaining two dragged him back into his chair as Yves nursed his wounds. Metal clamps automatically appeared out of the chairs' arms and backs locking them in once again, even more tightly. Nick continued to lunge against his restraints, his eyes still glowing a feral red and his fangs extended. Yves gave orders to one of the guards to
activate a device in the chair which injected Nick with curare in carefully monitored amounts to insure his immediate quiescence, but not his complete unconsciousness. Natalie also felt a prick and the pressure of an injection in her right buttock. She watched as Nick's face returned to normal, and she began to drift on a cloud of anesthesia.
"I see your delightful wife is a bit more resourceful than the average human," Yves observed. His face was horribly discolored by the bruise Natalie had inflicted with her last blow, and he spoke with some difficulty. But the bruising was fading fast, and his broken bones were also beginning to set. "Perhaps that means the child will be even more fit than I had hoped. You should have made your move a little sooner, Nicolas. Now I think you will find it a bit difficult. I believe we will all relax and enjoy a little tete a tete," Yves said. He turned to two of the
vampires and ordered, "Bring in the boy. I want him to see how easily his parents can be controlled." They left to carry out Yves' order. Then Yves turned to the two other guards and said, "Clear up this mess!" The vampire
guards quickly swept up the bundles of clothing and the grayish black detritus which stained them. That was all that was left of the vampires Nick had dispatched. They placed the remains in a barrel marked 'Medical Waste,' and posted themselves to either side of the door.
"While we await his appearance there is no reason for us not to get better acquainted." Yves walked over to the wall of cabinets. A towel covered tray rested on a hospital tray table against the wall. Yves wheeled the table across the room and placed it equidistant between the two chairs. He unveiled an assortment of surgical instruments with a grim flourish. "Now which parent should receive our benevolent chastisement first? I think the father. As a concerned father, he should have guided his wife and child in the proper path. But you have not done that, Nicolas. You have rebelled against your true nature and severely disappointed both myself and your master. I am amazed the elders of the Community have not punished you before this. You must pay for your sins. Besides, we must save the delicate constitution of your human mate for later. I think she will be most useful. Collecting her blood after her ordeal will create a most delectable commodity. One which will enrich my coffers and allow your son and I to continue to live in the style to which I have become accustomed." Yves turned toward the chair in which Nick was bound, with his chosen instrument. "Or perhaps I shall just do what you should have done long ago, and bring her across."
Yves stopped and reversed his direction. Dropping the instrument on the tray, he approached Natalie. Stopping behind her chair, he gathered her long hair up and pulled it away from her neck and shoulders. He allowed his eyes to begin to glow and his fangs to descend. Using her hair to drag her head to one side, Yves exposed the carotid artery in her neck. Slowly he allowed his head to fall closer to his target, all the while watching Nick's response. Nick struggled in his chair, not from any fear that Yves might actually be able to bring her across, but from the very real fear that taking her blood might reveal Eric's location and LaCroix's plans. Natalie reached through their link and reassured him. Then, very abruptly, she cut it. One moment she was there, the next, she was gone. She sat ramrod straight in her chair, eyes wide open, not even blinking. When Yves struck, she never felt it.
"What is this!" Yves shouted as he raised his head from Natalie's neck. When he released his hold, the muscles in her neck no longer held her head erect. Natalie slumped bonelessly in the chair. Her blood would have
fountained from the wound in her neck if not for the pressure Yves' fingers maintained on the artery.
"What have you mated with, deBrabant? This is nothing but a straw doll. She has no flavor, no life at all. No wonder you never brought her across! She is even less than mortal." Nick took grim, but silent, satisfaction from the fact that he had managed to influence Yves' perception of Natalie's blood. He strengthened his hold on Yves' mind and pushed. "And now, she is quite, quite dead." Yves intoned as he released his hold on Natalie's neck. Nick noticed that her wound had already healed. "We shall, however, salvage something from this. I shall harvest her blood. Someone will pay dearly for such an oddity. Then it will be your turn. I am quite sure you will be a far more satisfactory playmate. But where are those guards? We must have a proper audience for the next act." Yves signaled to one of the guards at the door to check for their missing colleagues, then he picked up the instrument he had intended to use earlier, and approached Nick.
LaCroix was well aware of what was happening in the 'interrogation' room in Yves' headquarters. But he was having problems of his own, and Nicholas and Natalie would just have to fend for themselves for a time. His
first priority had been to get a force of sufficient size and strength inside the building undetected. Then he had to retrieve the child. Nicholas had made him promise that they would save Eric first. It had not taken much persuasion. After all the child was the strategic object of the entire exercise.
Stan Forsyth had recommended that they take out the building a section at a time, starting from the roof. They had arrived in an assault helicopter, availing themselves of the building's heliport. They had successfully neutralized the upper stories within the first ten minutes of their operation. Yves' human staff weren't a problem, each and every one had succumbed to the threat of swift and deadly violence or hypnotic persuasion. Yves had made sure none of them were resistors. The middle of the tower, which contained Yves' offices and personal apartments, was well guarded, by vampires, and contained multiply redundant security systems. It had taken far longer than they had estimated to bring that section under their control.
His communications unit beeped. That was the signal from Greaves that the office section was at last, contained. LaCroix gave the code to begin the invasion of the lower third of the building. Then they would be
able to penetrate into the very bowels of this monstrous construction and reach the cell where the child was being held. Nicholas had forged a link between every member of their team, but LaCroix was using the electronic
tools his team had practiced with and reserved the new network only for changes in strategy to cope with the usual desperate emergencies of battle.
He had found, to his amazement, when the link had first opened that several among them were Enforcers. Yves had far overstepped his bounds. His experiments on unwilling vampire subjects had not gone unnoticed, and
his continuing failure to dispose of his victims properly had forced the Community to act against him. There were no objections when LaCroix had given the order that no quarter was to be given the vampires who had cooperated with Yves. Ten minutes later his communications unit beeped again. Good, now the final phase could begin.
LaCroix and his teams headed for the first basement. They used the stairways. They had cut all the elevators during the previous phase. A different group peeled off at each level. They were under orders to
eliminate any vampire they contacted. The resistance was growing as they descended. No advance was made by the teams assigned to lower levels until each floor above theirs had been completely secured. They had to be certain that no one from Yves' organization could escape to restart his infernally ruthless plan.
LaCroix had assigned himself and a hand-picked crew to the lowest level. He knew that this was where they would find the prisoners. They had been steadily chewing away at Yves' defenses for nearly two hours, now.
LaCroix was becoming extremely concerned at the steady weakening of Nicholas' link. Janette had been monitoring Nicholas' and Natalie's status. She had reported to LaCroix Natalie's horrified reaction to Yves' current condition. LaCroix had felt a grim satisfaction that their enemy had been so thoroughly reduced to a grotesque caricature of his former self by Divia's intervention. But his anxiety was increasing as time went on with
no advancement of their position. Nick's link had occasionally winked out when he lost consciousness. Natalie's link had abruptly ended nearly twenty minutes before.
The brutal torture Nick was suffering was taking a toll on even his ability to heal. LaCroix and Janette knew he could not take much more. The only good thing through all of this hell was that Yves had not been able to find Eric when they had gone to fetch him from the cell. The child was well and hiding nearby, LaCroix could feel him. But none of Yves' people had been able to find him. Yves was in a perfect rage and was taking cruel
pleasure in punishing the parent for the loss of the child.
LaCroix looked up as the Inca reappeared through the door of the next to last basement. LaCroix had found, when their link opened, why the Inca and his friends were so eager to attack Yves. More than one of their
friends had been used in Yves genetic experiments. The Inca signaled this level was secure. LaCroix gestured to his team. He took the point, Jules followed him, and Janette brought up the rear. Spaced at intervals between
the trio were the Inca's friends who had worked with LaCroix before. The Inca was their scout. He hovered above them checking out blind intersections, searching for and springing hidden booby traps. They fought
short, sharp skirmishes with vampires who refused to give ground. There were a great many rooms on this level, all designed for keeping people securely against their will. It was taking an unconscionably long time to secure each one. They continued checking each room, not knowing what they would find. In the last cell but one, they found the only human prisoner.
"Mr. Schanke! We did not expect to find you here," Janette exclaimed.
"Janette?! What are you doing here?"
"Looking for Nicolas, of course. And you?"
"I'm on my boss' hit list. I know too much. And I have something he wants very badly. I just hope you and Mr. Nightcrawler there can protect it better than I can." Just then Eric stuck his head out from under Schanke's suit coat which was carelessly thrown on the lower bunk in his cell.
"Daddy said find Anjanet. You Anjanet!"
"Eric? Come here, mon coeur. Yes, I am your Aunt Janette." Eric ran to her as she dropped to her knees and held out her arms. "LaCroix, hurry and find them, they need you! I'll stay with the child."
LaCroix and the others raced down the hall until LaCroix's sense of Nick led him unerringly to the torture chamber. Then his link abruptly snapped. LaCroix paused at the door just long enough for each member of his
team to choose a target. They burst through the doors. The Inca and his friends immobilized the six vampire guards inside. LaCroix captured Yves by his neck and held him, feet dangling, off the floor. Jules focused on
helping the two in the chairs. He was unprepared for what he saw.
LaCroix had interrupted Yves as he finished his initial incision, slitting Natalie from neck to navel. A row of bottles filled with blood sat on a tray table to her right. A shunt and tubing led from her right arm to the last bottle. She sat, ashen faced and seemingly bloodless, staring blankly, in the direction of the bloody horror in Nick's chair. If not for his face, it could barely be identified as either human or vampire. Yves had literally vivisected Nick, leaving only his facial features and extremities unmutilated. A tray table bearing sample containers, each neatly and specifically labeled, filled with cross-sections of every organ in Nick's body, sat beside him. As his would be rescuers stood, appalled at the magnitude of his destruction and the pitiless perversity of his torturer, his body began, very slowly, to heal.
"They need blood. A lot of blood," Jules managed to choke out. "I don't know how, but they're both still alive. They may not be sane, but they're alive."
A thunderous bellow of rage which began deep in his chest and roared out of his control shook LaCroix as he grasped the unfortunate Yves hard enough to snap his neck. Then he began to beat Yves' head against the
nearest wall repeatedly, until only a bloody pulp remained. Finally he reached for one of the scalpels on the tray, upended Yves over the center of what remained of Nick's body, sliced Yves' throat and was just about to let
the blood drain into the bloody shell, when Janette suddenly burst into the room. "No, LaCroix, don't let anything from that poisonous creature touch Nicolas!"
LaCroix turned away from Nick and completely severed the head from Yves' carcass. He threw each part at opposite sides of the room. The pieces hit, bounced and slid to the floor leaving sticky trails of blood behind. But the parts did not die, and the head began to regenerate as they watched.
"We have healthy vampires ready to give their blood," Janette asserted as she lifted one of the guards from the restraint of the Inca and performed the operation LaCroix had begun with Yves. Nick's body accelerated its healing process as the blood of the first guard poured into it.
"Excellent idea, Janette," LaCroix exclaimed as he dispatched another guard in the same fashion. "These shall be sufficient to heal Nicholas."
Janette grabbed a third guard. The remaining three began to struggle mightily , but to no avail, in the hands of the Inca's friends. Each one in turn was quickly dispatched by either LaCroix or Janette. And as each one was emptied of blood, LaCroix snapped their necks. When they were finished, and the last guard had been dealt with, LaCroix turned to the Inca.
"My friend, will you please remove these pieces of offal to separate cells for storage," LaCroix pointed at Yves' remains. "I shall complete my revenge later." The Inca and one of his friends dragged the two pieces of
Yves out and locked them up securely in two separate cells.
"Jules, is there anything you can do?"
"If we can get some kind of nourishment into them, I think they will heal. Check those cupboards and see if you can find any medical supplies. I need blood, saline, and glucose for both of them. Maybe someone found
something on one of the other floors. This is supposed to be a medical supply company! I think I can find an intact vein in his back to start the drips. Yves seems to have concentrated on the parts of his body he could
reach from the front of the chair. Have someone look for clothing and blankets, too." As rapidly as Jules gave his orders, LaCroix relayed them to the others through the communications units.
"Lucien! They were sedated. We may save them yet!" Jules cried when he found the curare apparatus. Then he discovered that the chairs were also equipped with transfusion equipment. "Yves must have been planning another round of this," Jules gasped at the enormity of the horror he felt at the thought. He lifted his eyes to the older vampire's. In the ice blue orbs he saw a feral glow begin.
"They shall be avenged," LaCroix vowed.
The Inca reappeared at the door with a cart laden with bags of blood, saline, and glucose. "Good man," Jules exclaimed, "you're just in time." He set up three drips in each patient using the apparatus in the chairs, and adjusted the controls in Natalie's chair to push the blood transfusion.
"Now that you have things under control here, I shall return to the child," Janette told Jules as she left the room.
Slowly but surely Nick's wounds continued to heal, and Natalie's incision closed, then disappeared, and her face began to regain its color. More than an hour, and uncounted bags of supplies later, both appeared to have recovered, physically. Nick had not yet regained consciousness. Natalie remained in a catatonic state. "Let's get them out of this hell hole and into someplace more comfortable," Jules urged LaCroix. "But I don't want them moved too far, just yet."
"We found a lounge for the guards down the hall," the Inca told them.
"Make up a bed for them on whatever you can find," Jules said. Shortly, Nick and Natalie were clothed in hospital gowns and robes, wrapped in clean sheets and blankets, transported down the hall to the lounge, and
deposited at opposite ends of a long couch. Eric, who had been waiting in the lounge with Janette and Schanke, approached his parents and inserted himself between their feet in the middle of the couch. He was still clutching his bear tightly in one hand. After watching both his parents for a short while, Eric wriggled himself between the back of the couch and his mother. He hugged his bear tightly and waited. Natalie seemed to relax slightly as he settled under her arm. Jules signaled to the others in the room to leave. Jules and Janette remained and continued to monitor them through their link.
The others went down the hall to help LaCroix with the clean up of the building. Schanke, for lack of anything better to do, began to follow the clean-up crew.
"I think you had better stay in the lounge with us, Mr. Schanke. I'm sure Nicolas will want to see you when he awakens," Janette told him.
"I'm not so sure about that. If it hadn't been for me, Yves would never have found them." "While your work was very helpful, Mr. Schanke, Yves would have found them eventually. Nicolas knows that. He's been hiding
from Yves for years," Janette said.
Nick suddenly took a deep, shuddering breath, "He's coming to," Jules said.
"Will he be OK, Doc?" Schanke asked. "What the hell did Yves do to them? Did he use electric shock or what? They both look really awful, wrung out, but there aren't any obvious injuries!"
Yves' stomach turned at the remembered destruction of his friends as he had first found them and said, "You don't really want to know what he did, Don."
Schanke suddenly blanched. He had heard rumors about the things that had been done to some people he knew had once been associated with Yves. If the expression on Jules' face told even half of the story of what
had happened to Nick and Natalie, Schanke thought, he really did not want to know. He decided to let it go.
"I think he will recover. I'm more worried about Natalie. She should have come around by now. Her injuries weren't nearly as severe."
"Nat?! Natalie!," Nick shouted as he bolted upright. Jules was beside him instantly, holding him on the couch.
"Calm down, Nick. She's OK. She's right here," Jules told him.
"You're sure she's all right......Eric, where's Eric?" Nick asked dazedly still not focusing on his surroundings.
"I here Daddy," Eric sat up and looked brightly at Nick. "Mama still sleepy. Daddy wake her up?" Nick's gaze finally narrowed on Eric then took in Natalie lying quietly, her eyes open but unfocused.
"Oh God, I hoped she'd be able to find a way out on her own."
"What are you talking about, Nick?" Jules asked.
"Nat and I discussed withdrawing mentally when the pain got too bad. I told her to leave a way out, that there was a danger we'd be catatonic."
"Do you think you can reach her?" Jules asked.
"I don't know. I'll try. Maybe Eric and I together can find her. Would you help me wake Mama up, Eric?"
"Eric help!" the toddler cried. Nick restored his link with his son, and together they forged a pathway to Natalie. She had closed herself tightly. Nick rose wearily from his end of the couch and went to Natalie.
He settled next to her and eased her into his lap. He held out his hand to Eric and helped him up next to them.
"Now, Eric give Mama a big hug and try that again." Nick concentrated on pushing both his and Eric's love through their link to Natalie, after a time he thought he could feel a feeble response.
"I think we almost woke her up that time. Now she needs kisses." Nick renewed his mental efforts as Eric covered his mother's face with tiny kisses. Suddenly Natalie gasped and closed her eyes. She exhaled loudly,
then took a huge breath and opened her eyes again. But this time, as she breathed out, her eyes focused on both her men who were gazing anxiously at her.
"Mama! You awake!" Eric grabbed her around the neck and nearly strangled her with his hug.
"Nick!? Are you really all right?" Natalie asked.
"I'm fine. I was worried about you. You sealed yourself up so tight I wasn't sure we could find you again." Nick told her. Natalie pried Eric's grip loose, kissed him on the cheek, then threw her arms around Nick's neck and kissed him until she had to stop for breath. She drew back finally and said, "Now I'm fine." She snuggled under Nick's chin and reached one hand out to Eric who beamed at his parents.
"Well," Jules broke in, "I think it's time you people went home. I'm prescribing complete bed rest for the next twenty-four hours for both of you."
"Just where would home be?" Nick asked. At that moment LaCroix entered the room.
"For now it would be at the loft, Nicholas. I'm staying here. I'm going to make sure that the legitimate parts of Yves' business continue to run properly. The rest of the operation will be closed, permanently. Mr. Schanke, I could use your help in locating any other unfortunates who may have been duped by Yves. Would you care to run a detective agency?"
"Why not, I'm currently unemployed. But, who am I working for, exactly?"
"My name is Lucien LaCroix. I now own the KH Medical Supply Company and all of its subsidiaries, including the Crusader Detective Agency."
"LaCroix, do you expect any complications from the Community?" Nick asked him obliquely.
"No, I have contacted the proper parties and the legalities are being worked out as we speak."
"Actually LaCroix is rather given to understatement. The Community's authorities were partially responsible for your rescue. Yves overstepped his bounds repeatedly. He was put in his place. Now then, it seems you need a ride home," Janette asserted.
"I think we could use some shoes," Natalie said wriggling her bare toes.
"I'm afraid the best we can do are hospital mules," Jules told her. "Did you leave anything at the loft you can wear, or is everything in Scotland?"
"There're some things in the storage locker in the garage, I think," Nick said. Then Nick's gaze fell on Schanke, who was hovering nervously in the background. "Schank, I'm sure glad to see you. Does Myra know what's been going on? I certainly hope she knows you're alive!" Schanke's mouth fell open, and he stared at Nick for a moment.
"She thinks I'm dead!?"
"We all thought you were after the plane blew up. Then I saw you in Scotland."
"So you knew I was alive?"
"We both knew, Schank. We spotted you at the car park outside Rosslyn Chapel three years ago," Natalie told him.
"You saw me then!? How? Where were you? What has been going on?"
"I shall explain everything, Mr. Schanke. Let's let them go home and rest," LaCroix said quietly.
"Don, thank you for taking care of Eric," Nick said sincerely. Natalie nodded. Then she rose from Nick's lap, and crossing to where Schanke stood, gave him a big hug.
"Twarn't nothin,' partner," Schanke responded in an exaggerated drawl. "You're welcome, little lady. Hey, wait a minute. How'd you know about that?"
"Eric told me," Nick said innocently.
Within the next hour Jules and Janette had delivered Nick, Natalie and Eric to the loft. LaCroix had made arrangements for Schanke to be reunited with his family. And LaCroix had settled himself into Yves' luxurious personal apartments at KH Medical Supply. There were still numerous loose ends to tie up, LaCroix reflected to himself, but his family was once again safe. That was what was important.[End Chapter 10 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions]
Chapter 11 - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions
The loft had changed very little. LaCroix had not bothered to personalize the dwelling to his own tastes. But he had prepared it for their homecoming by adding a small guest room, next to the master bedroom, furnished for a child. Janette tried to nursemaid them all into bed immediately, but Natalie insisted that they needed food first. Janette began to bustle in the kitchen, but Natalie again insisted upon doing things herself. "Please, Janette. I feel so thoroughly abused and victimized, I just need to do something on my own to prove to myself I still can!" Natalie
finally exclaimed exasperatedly.
"I understand completely. I am sorry, Natalie. Call me as soon as you feel you can?" Janette requested.
Natalie threw her arms around Janette and hugged her, "Thank you my dear friend."
"Anytime, Natalie. Goodbye Nicolas," Nick hugged Janette and kissed her cheek as she entered the elevator. As the elevator door closed, Nick and Natalie sighed hugely and turned to discover what the loft had to offer them.
Natalie found real food, and plenty of blood, in the refrigerator. Nick went upstairs, while Natalie explored the kitchen, and discovered that the beds had been made with fresh sheets, and clean towels hung in the bathrooms. The clothes, which he had intended to remove from the storage cupboard in the garage, hung in the closet, or were neatly folded in the dresser drawers. Nick descended the stairs and announced, "Nat, he was
ready for us to come home. We don't have to do anything but get comfortable."
"He's been very thoughtful. Are you hungry?" Natalie asked.
"I hungry, Mama!"
"I'll just bet you are, sweetheart. How about a sandwich and some milk? What about you, Nick?"
"Nothing for me thanks. I'd just like to get some sleep."
"No matter what you say I'm fixing us all a sandwich. I don't really feel like it either, but I think we need it," Natalie said.
"Very well, doctor, I shall follow your orders," Nick acquiesced. "Then can we please go to bed?"
"We'll do that as soon as I get some food into this little guy."
"The sun's coming up." The automatic shutters began to close. Nick used the remote to stop them. Eric looked up from his sandwich, wide-eyed.
"Uh oh, I think you're going to have to hide that thing for a while," Natalie cautioned.
"It won't hurt him to explore, Nat," Nick replied. He set the remote on the dining room table next to Eric. "You finish your sandwich, and take a nap like a good boy. When you wake up, Daddy will show you how
this works. Is that a deal?"
"Deal!" Eric told him. Eric finished his sandwich as his parents picked at theirs, then Nick and Natalie took him upstairs, showed him his room, and put him to bed. Eric fell asleep in the middle of a story, about a brave boy and bear that Nick improvised, still clutching Mr. Baird tightly. Nick and Natalie rose, exhausted, from the edge of their son's bed and trudged down the hall to their own room.
Nick went to the dresser and pulled out a pair of his pajamas. Turning to Natalie he said, "I don't know about you, but this hospital garb is driving me crazy."
"That's not the only thing that's driving me crazy," Natalie told him. "We need a shower before we can go to bed. I feel grimy; and every muscle in my body aches." Nick silently agreed. They quickly shed the clothes they were wearing. Nick started the water, and bowing formally, ushered Natalie into the shower. They washed each other until they felt clean and relaxed. LaCroix had left huge, fluffy bath sheets out for them, and they toweled themselves vigorously. Then Nick handed her the tops of his pajamas while he donned the bottoms. They crawled into bed together, expecting to fall asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows. But sleep eluded them.
"I can't sleep, Nick," Natalie complained after tossing fitfully for a time.
"I'm not surprised. I can't believe that horror is over."
"I can't believe we survived. Nick, I was sure we would both die. I just kept thinking of how Eric would get on without us. I kept thinking Janette would take good care of him. But I couldn't take care of you," suddenly her voice, which had broken a little more with each sentence, stopped. Natalie began to sob desolately. Nick pulled her tightly into his arms and soothed her.
"Shh, shh, hush Natalie, hush my love. We're all right now. It's all over," but his tears blended with hers as they tried desperately to console each other. After a long time Natalie's sobs subsided. Nick kissed her gently, and they lay quietly in each other's arms.
"I have an idea of how to pass the time," Nick murmured in her ear as he pulled her closer.
"Mmmm, that's nice," Natalie said as she felt his hands slide up her back beneath the pajama top and begin to massage her shoulders. She unbuttoned the top and pulled it off while he continued her massage. Then she attacked the bow he had tied in the drawstring on the pajama bottoms.
"Are you trying to seduce me?"
"I didn't think I had to seduce you. I thought you'd come willingly."
"I will come, willingly, but I could use a little more encouragement."
"Whatever you say, my love," she pushed the garment down around his knees. He kicked off the pajama bottoms and pulled her body against his. His mouth sought her breasts as his hands slid down her body and began to gently stroke her pleasure center. He felt her hands travel softly over his chest and down to his groin where they created thrilling sensations. He broadened their link and they reveled in their ecstatic appreciation of each
other's bodies. They mutually explored every curve, line, and hollow with lips, tongues, and hands. When he thought he could no longer bear to be separate from her, he pulled her hips into his and thrust deeply into her.
He held her unmoving for a time, simply enjoying the feel of once again being surrounded by her warmth, but she, needing to feel him more deeply within her, wrapped her legs around him and pulled him into her. Her
muscles tightened against him and attempted to prevent his escape, but he pulled back until only his tip remained within her before he thrust into her again, penetrating more deeply. He heard her gasp of pleasure as they fell
into their rhythm, accelerating toward their climax until, with his final, most powerful strokes, he shuddered against her, releasing the promise of another life within her. She did not immediately let him go, but held him tightly against her as he nursed at her neck. Her blood was still the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. They lay together, basking in the powerful feelings of love and satisfied desire they shared through their link.
"Nick, I can feel your heart beating, and you're warm."
"Mmm, that's nice. I can feel yours, too," he murmured as he caressed her breast. She kissed him and stroked his chest.
"The last time your heart beat this fast, and we made love, I got pregnant."
"Good, maybe it'll happen again," he buried his face in the space between her neck and shoulder and nuzzled her. She returned his caress, and soon they had succumbed to their passion once more. After a long, delightful interlude, they finally drifted into sleep.
Several hours later they were awakened by a series of sudden noises. The shutters opened and closed several times. The TV, radio, and stereo suddenly bleated and then were silent.
"I don't think he waited for your fatherly guidance," Natalie muttered sleepily against Nick's neck.
"I'd better get down there before he discovers the fireplace," Nick said as he pulled himself from her embrace, dragged on the pajama bottoms, and headed out of the room at a run.
"I'll be down soon," she called after him. Natalie listened to the distant rise and fall of her husband's and son's voices as she slowly stretched and rose from the bed. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was nearly six in the evening. She could not believe that Eric had slept for so long. But then, he hadn't had much sleep during their ordeal either. She rose and searched the dresser and closet for something to wear. She was pleased to find her old underwear still fit, and she found a pair of jeans, an oversized sweatshirt, and a pair of comfortable slippers. She grabbed Nick's robe from the closet, in case he wasn't in the mood to dress before she'd finished fixing them some breakfast. She suddenly realized she was starving. She straightened the bed, opened the door and headed downstairs.
"Mama, look!" Eric called as he opened the shutters again. Then he flipped on the TV and flopped on the couch to watch a cartoon.
"Well, it looks like you've figured out how to run the house, little man!" Natalie told him.
"Yep!" he answered. Then he suddenly jumped up from the couch and raced over to her and said, "Kiss, Mama!" She stooped to pick him up and found herself barraged with little kisses. Just as suddenly he wiggled to
get down. He ran back over to the couch and began to surf through the channels.
"Eric, choose one channel and stay there," Nick reminded him. Eric quickly ran the channels backward to the cartoon he had been watching earlier. Then he handed the remote to Nick. Nick placed the remote on the
table behind the couch and accepted his robe from Natalie when she handed it to him.
"I thought I'd fix us some breakfast. Is anyone else hungry?"
"Me, me!" Eric shouted cheerfully.
"Me too," Nick said.
"Good, then you can help me cook it," she told Nick who was following her into the kitchen. They had just finished an omelet, bacon, and English muffins, when the door video chimed. Eric raced for the table behind the couch and grabbed the remote.
"Eric, see who it is. If it's someone we know, you can let them in. Do you remember which button to push?" Nick asked him.
"Yes, Daddy," Eric answered and raced over to where he could easily see the small screen. It was Schanke.
"Nickieboy, old partner, old buddy, open up willya. I come bringing gifts! Pizza for everybody!"
"Let him in, Eric," Nick laughed.
"Presents, Daddy! For my birthday?" Eric chortled as he pressed the button to let Schanke into the lift.
Nick laughed, then replied, "No, Eric, I don't think Schanke knows it's your birthday, son."
"Pizza for everyone, and a present for the birthday boy!" Schanke announced as the lift door opened. He knelt before Eric and placed a large shopping bag on the floor in front of him that he had been hiding under the
pizza box.
"A present, a present!" Eric danced up and down, then he stopped and very solemnly said, "Thank you very much, Mr. Schanke." Then he grabbed the bag, dug deeply, and came up with something nearly as large as he was, wrapped in birthday paper. Eric tore into the paper and revealed a huge teddy bear.
"Schanke, you didn't have to get him a birthday gift!" Natalie exclaimed. "But thank you so much, anyway."
"This was really thoughtful of you, Schank. Janette must have told you," Nick said.
"Yeah, Janette told me. No kid should get grabbed on his birthday. That's positively criminal! I didn't know Yves was that much of a low life!"
"I take Joe to Mr. Baird, Mama," Eric told Natalie and charged across the room, but the new bear was so big, he had to slow down to negotiate the stairs.
"Joe?" Schanke asked.
"It must be the new teddy's name," Natalie told him, "Mr. Baird is the bear he had with him last night."
"Ah, makes sense. Well, Knight, did you ever get over that allergy to garlic? I notice the sun's no longer a problem. Nat, you must've gotten a good mix on the new potion, huh? No more weird side effects?"
"Oh well, he's not completely cured, Schank. Sometimes he still acts weird, but, hey, you can't have everything, right!" Natalie teased.
"Hey, you two, you can't just discuss me as if I weren't here. I'm fine, Schank. But I haven't tried garlic since we went to Scotland. They don't use it much over there, so I don't know."
"Well, then let's just find out, now, pardner!" Schanke flipped open the pizza box and waved it under Nick's nose. Nick just about passed out. He turned deathly pale and nearly retched as he staggered away from
the box.
"Oh God, it's still horrible," he groaned as he leaned against the dining table for support. Then he began to grab at furniture in order to remain erect, as he progressed unsteadily across the room. Gasping and choking dramatically, he headed for the couch. Schanke simply stood in the middle of the floor smirking, then as Nick's adverse reaction appeared to be causing him genuine distress, Schanke's face began to fall. As Schanke's face grew longer and longer, and he became more and more embarrassed, Nick started to snicker, giggle, then roar with laughter.
"Oh, Schank, if you could only see your face!" Nick squeaked, then dissolved into gales of laughter until he could no longer stand and fell onto the couch. He rolled onto his face and muffled laughter continued to pour from him, until both Natalie and Schanke joined in his mirth. Finally Nick's laughter quieted and Natalie could see him surreptitiously wiping tears from his face, checking to be sure there was no blood. His tears were clear. He raised his face and turned to Schanke saying sincerely, "Schank. Partner. I've missed you." He held out a hand for help up from the couch. Schanke pulled him to his feet and caught him in a huge bear hug.
"I've missed you, too, old buddy!" Schanke told him as he released him. Nick rolled his eyes at Natalie.
"He's so overly emotional," Nick stated. "What brings you here this evening, Schanke?" He asked as he patted his friend on the back.
"Man oh man, you almost made me forget with your garlic gag. Pizza anyone?" Schanke waved a slice in the air, set the box on the table, and began to help himself. Both Nick and Natalie declined. "We just finished eating, Schanke," Natalie told him.
"Well, the truth is, partner, I have been authorized to make you an offer of employment. How'd you like to get back in the old harness and help me make the streets of Toronto safe for the good guys again?"
"You mean work for your detective agency?"
"Yeah, that LaCroix guy is a lot better to work for than Yves ever was. He's a real straight shooter. Tells you just what he wants, no hidden agendas. How's about it, pard?" At the words 'no hidden agendas,' Nick and
Natalie once again dissolved into laughter as they exchanged significant looks. When they finally sobered, Schanke was completely bewildered.
"Don't mind us, Schank. We're still getting over the shocks of last night," Natalie gasped. Then Nick drew a big breath and looked at Natalie, "What do you say, Nat? What would you like to do?"
"Nick, I don't care where we are, so long as you and I and Eric are together and safe. Eric might miss some of his friends in Inverness, but I don't think he'll have any problems making new ones. We can get our stuff
moved back over here easily enough. I'll find something to do."
"Oh, man, Nat, I forgot to tell you. LaCroix asked if you'd like to run our forensics lab? He says the guy who used to head up that part of the operation here was incompetent, and he fired him," Schanke said.
Nick and Natalie looked at each other significantly. "Sounds like I'll need to do a lot of clean up work, doesn't it?" Natalie asked Nick.
"Sounds like," he replied.
Natalie turned to Schanke and said, "OK Schank, I'll accept. What's the equipment like? Will I be able to hire my own staff?"
"From what the boss says, you have a clear field to hire anybody you need. He'll make sure you have state of the art equipment. He said you'd ask me about that. Well, guys, looks like we're in business. You two have
the rest of the weekend off. The office is downtown in the KH Medical building, fourth floor. And you should see the offices we have! Really plush! Far better than the police bull pen. We've got a pile of work waiting for us. What kind of hours would you like?"
"Swing shift," Nick and Natalie said together.
"Three to eleven, huh? OK partners, anything you want."
"Schank, how's your family? Have you been able to see them yet?"
"Oh yeah, Myra's fine, and Jenny's just beautiful. She's all grown up, a teenager already. God, I missed a lot over the last five years. We had a great reunion. But we're all kinda getting used to each other again. I thought I'd give them a little break. I was 'doting' Myra said." Schanke heaved a satisfied sigh, then he continued.
"Geez, It's good to be home. And some insurance policy we forgot we had, kept Myra from having to work to pay the bills, so she could stay home and take care of Jenny. She didn't even have to sell the cabin! I have to
go down and get myself officially declared alive again on Monday, so I won't be into the office until I get that done, but things are looking up. Our first jobs are going to be to see how many other guys in Yves' operation we can reunite with their families. That should be a rewarding job!" Just then the phone rang.
"I'll get it," Natalie said. "Hello,...Myra! Yes, he's here. Schanke, she wants to talk to you." Schanke walked over and took the phone from Natalie.
"Hi, honey,...what? Oh, yeah, OK. Yeah I'll be sure to do that. See you soon." He hung up the phone. "She wants me to pick up a quart of ice cream on the way home. And she reminded me you all are invited for
dinner Sunday. She's dying to meet Eric. And we'll have time for a real visit before we have to get back to work."
"We'd love to join you for Sunday dinner, Schank," Nick told him. "We're looking forward to seeing Myra and Jenny again."
"See you then, partner!" Schanke scampered eagerly to the lift, and quickly let himself out of the loft.
"Well, that was enlightening!" Natalie said. "I hope LaCroix calls soon and lets us in on the rest of it." Nick nodded.
"I think I'm going to go upstairs and get dressed, myself," Nick said as he headed upstairs while Natalie went to clear up their dishes. As soon as Nick disappeared into their bedroom, Eric appeared at the top of the stairs with both his bears in tow.
"Mama, we want Muppets," Eric said as he carefully maneuvered both bears down the stairs.
"Well, let's see what we have on the video rack," Natalie told him. She crossed to the entertainment center and quickly browsed the titles.
"There, Mama, there, Muppets!" Eric pointed at a colorful videotape container.
"I'll be darned. It looks like someone knew just what you'd like, sweetheart," Natalie silently blessed LaCroix once again, put the tape into the VCR, and handed Eric the remote as he settled himself on the couch
between his bears.
"Joe not see Muppets. Mr. Baird told me!" Eric asserted.
"Well, you guys just enjoy yourselves while I finish cleaning up the kitchen," Natalie told him with a smile. As she finished loading the dishwasher, Nick came down from upstairs. He glanced at Eric's intent face and met Natalie at the couch. They settled down together and quietly watched their son enjoying his favorite Muppet adventure.
"Company's coming," Natalie quietly announced a half hour later, as she felt someone alight on the roof. In a very few moments they could hear footsteps coming down the stairs from the roof access. Then LaCroix
appeared in the doorway.
"Good evening, LaCroix," Nick said quietly from the couch. Natalie jumped up and rushed over to greet him. She stopped and held out both hands to him, "Thank you so much for making our homecoming so easy and
comfortable."
LaCroix took her hands in his and held them gently, "You are more than welcome, my dear," he said. "How are you?"
"Very much better than we were last night. I don't think we'd still be here, if it weren't for everything you've done for us. Thank you, again, LaCroix."
"Please, Natalie, call me Lucien. May I be formally introduced to your son?"
"Of course," she paused, "Lucien, this is our son, Eric."
"Eric," Nick called, "Come here for just a moment, please. I'd like you to meet someone." Eric stopped his video, left his bears, telling them to be good, and approached LaCroix slowly.
"I know you," the child said. "Mr. LaCroix." Nick and Natalie felt a small current of disquiet from their link to LaCroix.
Natalie corrected Eric gently, "I think he would like you to call him Grandpa. Wouldn't you, Lucien? He's your Daddy's adopted father, Eric." LaCroix shot a grateful glance at Natalie as he lowered himself to Eric's level and offered his hand to the boy to shake.
"I would like that very much, if it's all right with you, Eric."
"OK, Grampa!" Eric shook hands then threw his arms around LaCroix's neck and said, "Thank you. You help my Mama and Daddy." LaCroix simply beamed and returned Eric's hug enthusiastically. When he released him, Eric scampered back over to the couch, reactivated his video, then settled down between his bears once again.
"I understand you both will be working for me," said LaCroix as he rose to his feet, his eyes still resting fondly on Eric. Then he turned his head to Nick and said, "Although, actually, you own the detective business.
That was your portion of the investment that purchased Yves' holdings."
"It was!?" Nick asked.
"Yes, I've decided to run the medical supply business. I'm dissolving the 'protection programs' with the help of your operatives. And we're severing relations with some of the more unsavory allies Yves had made. Many of those ties were becoming dangerous and unproductive. The, uh, 'Community's' representatives insisted on it, and I thought it best to comply. It seems that Yves has been seriously indiscreet in some of his latest operations. He and others who were involved have been dealt with by the 'authorities.' Several very good operatives with whom Mr. Schanke worked will not be able to return to their homes. Yves sacrificed their families and sold their possessions. I think you will be able to recruit many of them into your operation. There are a great many files that Yves left. You will find them very useful. Others, unfortunately, had to be destroyed."
"How did you explain all this to Schanke?" Nick asked.
"I told him as much of the truth as I could. He knows that Yves was dealing in black market medical supplies, namely stolen organs. He had surmised that Yves was involved in just that sort of operation. He still
has not connected your peculiarities with vampirism. And the changes you have experienced since your mutation have helped him to avoid that understanding, thankfully," LaCroix observed. Nick and Natalie nodded.
"What happened to Yves?" Nick asked.
"He has been sentenced by the 'authorities' to an especially severe penalty. I was happy to be able to accommodate their need for a secure holding facility. However, it means that the Royal Toronto Museum will be
unable to reclaim some of their property which he had stolen."
"What do you mean, LaCroix?" Nick demanded.
"I must thank you for the excellent idea, Natalie. I believe you mentioned that a certain experiment to duplicate Divia's transformation would not be a humane thing to attempt. However, the 'authorities' felt in
this case, it would be most appropriate. We prepared him in the same manner that you found Ka-Ha. The head was wrapped separately and placed at the feet. An eye for an eye, so to speak. And this time there is no
possibility of parole or escape. Any disturbance of the holding area will result in an immediate and total conflagration."
Nick and Natalie gasped at the enormity of LaCroix's assertion. <However docile LaCroix or his kind might appear to be, their idea of justice would never pass human standards, however satisfying it might be.> Natalie reflected. Nick merely smiled, coldly. Then he asked, "What about Divia? You said, and we saw, that Yves had been possessed by what appeared to be her spirit."
"I assume that spirit is still trapped inside Yves' body," LaCroix replied, "there is no reason to believe otherwise. It took a vampire of Yves' caliber to make a suitable host. I doubt another is readily available. I do not think we need be concerned." And as LaCroix proclaimed his satisfaction, somewhere, deep beneath the
bowels of the KH Medical Supply building, inside a sealed steel vault and several layered sarcophagi, a vampire awakened to his eternal torment.[End Chapter 11 - The End - Legacy of Evil: Resolutions by Rebecca Chessman