Sylvie

Resolved to jump through the vent, Sylvie had crouched when the agents started talking and responding to the radio. “Negative, Director Powell.  No movement here.  It's as quiet as a mouse.”

Deputy Director Powell’s voice calmly came over the intercom. “My source tells us that the item is being tracked and to be ready.  We moved it from the University to spring this trap.”  She paused, “Gentlemen, tell me that the skull is secure.”

“Ma’am, we have it here in the office under lock and key.  We have drones circling the listed crate, along with twenty armed guards.”  He snickered, “Even if these so-called ghosts appear, we should be able to contain them.”  The man absentmindedly patted the inside of his jacket. “Plus we have compound-VaX, right?”

“I don’t share the same sentiment, Agent Brooks.”  Powell paused, “Plus you and the other agents have all of the prototype for that compound.  I would rather you not use it if possible.”

Speaking up with a worried tone in her voice, the lady agent addressed the Deputy Director. “Um..Agent Young here.  Ma’am you said prototype.  Does this thing even work?  Assuming that the…I can’t believe I am saying this…vampires exist?”

“I am reassured that the serum will do its duty for a few minutes.  Agent Young, your companion seems to think that the dose is an answer.  It is useful only if the target is weakened in the first place.”

Another agent spoke up, “How the hell do you weaken a…”  He snickered, “...vampire.  Personally I think you are going nuts, Deputy Director.”

“Careful with the tone you take, Agent.  I am confident in my source, backed up by evidence of ongoing gang violence in Richmond.”  She paused, “You just do as you are told and get that skull to me first thing.”

“Why did we even bring it here, Deputy Director Powell?  Wouldn’t it have been easier to just drive it to your office?”

“Easier, yes.  However, it is early night and you’d been in an armored truck that could easily be overtaken on the road here.  Right now, you are in a base location and have at least one tool that -might- help you.  It is almost certain that these creatures would have collected the skull already.”

Seconds later the conversation stopped and Sylvie sat down, and began to think aloud. “They have that stuff.  They also have the skull.  A change in the air to the scent of radiant blood and almost sunshine permeated Sylvie’s nose.  She looked up and grinned as Casey jumped and landed beside her without a sound.

“I got it.”  Casey beamed and kissed her girlfriend, “It’s a huge stash of this goop.”  She saw the concerned look on Sylvie’s face. “What is it, love-button?”  She booped Sylvie on the nose.

Smiling and lifting her spirit, Sylvie quietly giggled when Casey lightly touched her nose. “Unfortunately my candy-apple, they have more.”

“They who?”  Casey asked.

Pointing down below them, Sylvie answered. “The four of them in the room below.”  Her voice shifted to more of a melancholy tone. “They are aware of vampires, darling.  It sounds like the four don’t believe their leader, but it's saying something that the leader knows and is taking it seriously.”  She sighed, “It appears that we have a traitor in the midst.  Someone has broken the veil in ways that I don’t think we can repair.”

“Then why bother with the fucking skull, Sylvie?  If these people can stop us then we need not go in there and risk it.”  Casey ran her clawed hand through her coppery hair, “We need to tell the others we have a stool pigeon.”

Recalling the vision from earlier in the night, Sylvie answered her progeny. “Towards the end of the dream, I kept thinking about Franco’s skull.  There has to be a reason why.”  She pointed down once more, “Whatever it is, we can’t let humans keep evidence that a vampire exists.  Right now it sounds like supposition and whatever that stuff is you have..is new.”  Sylvie went on to explain what she’d heard before Casey arrived. “That’s the extent of what I know.”

“I know that my adaptation of blood-poison works.  Well.”  Casey lifted her eyebrows questioningly. “I am happy to go in there and poison them.  You come in and we get that skull.”

“I will go in with you.” Sylvie pointed to the vent. “I can use my form longer than you can.” She hesitated, “I can feed once I am reformed and you’ve poisoned some of them.”  She grabbed Casey’s hand and kissed it gently. “I hated that you left.  We should stay together.”

Seeing the absolute love emanating from Sylvie’s full moon eyes, Casey smiled and nodded. “Together.  That will be the last time, Sylvie.  We are stronger together.”  Casey pulled Sylvie into a tight hug. “Let’s go save the others.”  Casey then shifted into her small black widow and quickly went down the wall.

Watching Casey make it to the door, Sylvie gave a thumbs up and willed herself into a blue mist, roughly the shape of a bluejay and floated down the vent, through the small set of ducts and poured out behind the lady, Agent Young. Forming quickly to conserve the remaining blood she had, Sylvie grabbed the unsuspecting agent and clamped her mouth closed, then bit into her neck and drew out the agent's blood in frantic gulps.

Right about the same time, two other agents screamed out in pain and seconds later dropped to the floor.  Sylvie finished off the lady agent and blew her sanguine breath over the last man’s nose. “Agent Brooks, right?”

The FBI agent nodded compliantly.

“How very nice to meet you, dear.”  Sylvie smiled at Casey as the little spider took her human form. “Nothing like the kiss of a spider.”

Kneeling to drain the two men she poisoned, Casey guzzled their blood within a minute and wiped her lips clean. “Damn that’s good stuff.”  She pointed to the last remaining agent. “Why did you enthrall him, my rose-petal?”  She blew Sylvie a kiss, and started searching the room.

“In case there are others that need to report in.”  She quickly answered and turned to Agent Brooks, “Now I heard you talking about vampires.  You know they are not real, don’t you?”

The agent silently nodded.

“Good.  Now then, how many more FBI agents are in this warehouse…”  She paused and yanked the door from the heavy metal lock box. “...and is there any more of that stuff stored somewhere?”  Sylvie pointed at the white goopy serum bottle.

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Agent Brooks pulled out a mid-sized syringe and handed it to Sylvie. “Two agents upstairs and six drones surveying the area, Ma’am.”  He pointed to the liquid, “No more than what the two agents in the other secure room have.”

Moments later, Sylvie heard another crash and witnessed a much larger safe door hit the floor. “Be a little louder, Casey.  I am not sure that the base heard you.”

“Ha, ha.”  Casey stuck her tongue out at Sylvie, “I will have you know that I found the skull.”  She presented Franco’s bleached bone to Sylvie. “I suggest we get the hell out of here.”

Sylvie nodded quietly and bent over to drain Agent Brooks completely.  Once his dust spread through the room, she patted her stomach. “I am glad you didn’t use ghost-form.  I barely had enough blood to do it.” 

The two left the room and slid between the crates in the shadows. “I have an idea.”  Sylvie commented with a grin. “I am going to burn the place to the ground.”