R. Edinger - Night Kill

“Is there more?” Andrew pressed.

“Yeah,” Nick answered. “There’s more to it. You see, one night after work we came to Riley’s for some drinks. It had been a really rough day for us and we needed to unwind.” Nick paused and took a drink. He cleared his throat and continued, “Anyway we got really wasted and that’s when Talia told me her secret.”

“What secret?” Andrew curiously inquired.

“She told me that at one time she was a, s- I can’t even say it now,” Nick cursed. “She told me that she had been a slayer in her past. She told me she was a vampire slayer and member of this secret society. Talia confessed the horrible things they had done. Well, let me tell you I was f- blown away.” Nick swallowed down the last of his drink. He lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply before continuing. “I told her that partners don’t hold s- like that back. I mean we depend on each other and when you find out something like this, well it f- blows you away. Know what I mean?”

“I know,” Andrew swallowed hard this time.

“Talia even told me that she still had all the stuff,” Nick continued. “You know, the outfit, body armor, weapons and s- like that.”

“I see,” Andrew said, in shock. He realized that it was Talia that attacked him while at the Higgins home that night, and not the others.

“So what do we do now?” Nick asked, as he extinguished his cigarette.

“I want you to take me to the house on Lake Avenue,” Andrew finally answered.

“It’s been a year since.” Nick was visibly shaking.

“Take me there.” Andrew insisted.

The two men finished their drinks and they left.

The abandoned two-story mansion with white columns had been boarded up poorly on the first floor. There were uncovered broken windows on the second floor. The black iron fence was standing tall, but was spattered with patches of rust.

Nick parked the car. They both got out. Andrew glanced up and down the street. It appeared that they were alone, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching them.

Nick led the way up the steps and to the front door. He stopped to look at Andrew, whom nodded that they proceed. Nick opened the screen door and gave the main door a shove with his shoulder. The simple lock on the door easily gave way. The two men stepped inside.

It appeared that some squatters had been living in the house for quite some time. Andrew surmised that they left in a hurry as they left blankets and personal items behind. Andrew surveyed the room with his eyes. Paint was peeling off the walls and cracks spread out across the ceiling.

“What did you find then?” Andrew looked at Nick.

“Things seemed pretty normal on the outside when we got here,” Nick began. He nervously scanned the room. Andrew thought it was as if some ghost from the past was still haunting Nick.

“What did Talia do?”

“She freaked out, man and took off on me,” Nick answered. “We immediately called for back-up and got out the house.”

“What was it?” Andrew pressed further.

“There were dead bodies everywhere.” Nick pointed at the floor. He looked at Andrew with tear-filled eyes. “There were more in the basement.”

“Take me there,” Andrew asked.

“No way man,” Nick stood frozen.

“Then I’ll go,” Andrew left as Nick stayed behind.

Andrew walked down a short hallway before finally coming to the door that led to the basement. He flipped on the flashlight, grabbed the handle and pulled the door open. A wall of foul air hit Andrew making him gag for a few minutes. Andrew took out a handkerchief from his pants pocket and covered his nose and mouth. He immediately started to descend into the abyss.

Nick dried his eyes.

“Get a grip man,” he scolded himself. “You’re a f- cop for God sake.”

Nick took his flashlight and shone it around the room. He was about to turn when he felt a blow to the back of the head.

Andrew cautiously made his way across the dark basement area. He shone his light down on the floor. There were still blood stains on the concrete. Andrew scanned the wall with the light and suddenly froze. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up and an icy chill washed over him. In the light he saw the words ‘Tod zu den unheiligen’ Death to the unholy, scrawled in blood on the wall. Everyone in the house had been victims of the Knights of VanHelsing. Andrew hurried back up stairs.

When he got to the living room, Nick was lying on the floor unconscious. Andrew whirled around just in time to block the blow meant for his head. He followed with a fore fist punch to the hooded figure’s chest, but it had no affect. Instead they struck Andrew squarely on the jaw which sent him reeling backwards, crashing into the wall.

“You’re not Night Blade,” Andrew stood wiping the blood from his mouth. His punch had no affect because the body armor they wore. “Who are you?”

“I’m Trinity Blade,” he said. “And I’m a Knight of VanHelsing.”

“How many are there of you here?” Andrew asked.

“You mean in Chicago,” Trinity Blade answered.

“Yeah,” Andrew spat out blood.

“There are only three of us, no more,” Trinity Blade explained. “No less.”

“So where are the others?” Andrew asked.

“Even if I tell you, it won’t do you any good,” he voiced a smirk.

“Just tell me.” Andrew shrugged his shoulders.

“They’re out hunting.” Trinity Blade was proud.

“Where?” Andrew continued.

“Jackson Park,” Trinity Blade replied.

“Thanks,” Andrew smirked this time.

“Why are you smiling?” Trinity Blade started to say. Nick smashed him across the back of the head and Trinity Blade slumped to the floor.

“Take that you a-,” Nick cursed.

“You call in the troops,” Andrew bolted towards the door, “I’m going hunting.”

“Wait!” Nick called out, but it was too late. Andrew was already gone.

Nick knelt down and placed a pair of handcuffs on Trinity Blade. “We finally got you mother-,” Nick said as he leaned closer to the unconscious man’s masked head.

The cab pulled into the parking lot of Jackson Park, just off of East Hayes Drive. The lone occupant paid the cabbie and thanked him. As soon as the cab took off, Andrew headed towards Wooded Island.

A small crowd was gathered in a picnic area a few yards from the west lagoon. A few were standing and talking; others were seated on the picnic tables. Shortly, three young girls joined the crowd. One by one, each girl extended their uncovered arms, which bore scars from before. One of the crowd, a tall, and lanky youth drew a knife and made a fresh cut. One by one the others gathered for the feast and drank of the warm blood. The blood dolls arched their heads back almost as if in ecstasy.

Suddenly, a scream from the group raised the alarm. Everyone else turned to see two hooded figures rushing towards them. “Run!” the lanky youth bellowed out his warning. The three girls took off screaming, as the rest bolted to get away. The boy turned to face the hooded figures, and brandished his knife. One of the hooded figures drew a sword and jumped in the air with a somersault, landing behind the youth. With one swift thrust of the blade, the boy crumbled to the snowy ground in a puddle of his own blood.

“After them!” Alpha Blade shouted, before heading after three teenagers running towards the west lagoon.

“I am,” Omega Blade shot back, and took off after the rest heading east.

Three girls were huddled together beneath a large evergreen tree. The branches were low to the ground and offered protection, or so they thought. One of them turned around to see Alpha Blade sprinting towards them. The girls left the safety of the tree and made a dash towards the path. For some unexplained reason, they suddenly stopped and turned around. Alpha Blade was sprawled face down on the ground. A dark haired stranger they had never seen before was standing over Alpha Blade. He had tossed the swords a safe distance away. The girls walked up to the man. He smiled at them.