“So, that brings us to now, sir. Orders?” Crenshaw said, finishing his report on the videocall. General Kimball stroked his mustache carefully.

“Hmm. This’s even bigger than we thought, but the stakes’re more’re less the same. I can’t say I like everything that we got, but it does seem to be the best way to go about it for now.” There was a pause as he mulled something over. “Agent, I’d like you to answer something honestly.”

“Sir.”

“What do you think of Special Agent Havenbrook? You said he’s a skelly now. Is he…on the level?” he asked gently. Agent Crenshaw took a moment before answering.

“Special Agent Havenbrook is disrespectful, arrogant, and emotional. Then again, that’s how he was when he was alive. I believe there have been no major psychological changes or issues since he became post-mortem, although it’s only been roughly eleven hours currently, so long-term effects are possible.” he answered in a clipped tone. The general nodded.

“That’s good, then. I was worried we’d be fighting a war on two fronts. And I understand that he did actually bring an army with him. Can you show me?” he asked. Crenshaw picked up the laptop and held it over the side of the roof, where he’d chosen to make the report away from the others. On the streets below, the mass of zombies had divided themselves up into squadrons, spreading out to rescue survivors and work with the Army to take on the strange creatures that had popped up. Crenshaw watched a company of soldiers open fire on weird shadowy humanoids, held in place by the undead. After they’d dropped, a zombie examined the new holes in his body, laughing and joking with the soldiers.

“They seem to be cooperating rather well, sir.” Crenshaw said.

“Not much of a surprise, if a monster wants to help I’m not going to say no.” Kimball said, stroking his mustache. “And you say your necromancer can repair the undead?”

“Yessir.”

“Useful, very useful. The times, they are a-changin’, and we must change with them. It’s good to see we might not face as much resistance as I’d feared.” he said, gears in his head turning. Crenshaw frowned.

“Sir, you’re not thinking what I believe you’re thinking, are you? You-you know what creatures of this ilk, and magicians like Special Agent Havenbrook have done.” he said, very concerned.

“I understand your reservations, son. But forgive an old man in his senility. I was just idly wondering.” Kimball said.

“Sir. The day I believe you’re not cooking something up is the day water ceases to be wet.” Crenshaw said, somehow in a flatter tone than normal. The general chuckled.

“All I’m saying is that it appears the days of secrecy are over. Can’t cover this up. I’m just thinking we might as well take the good with the bad. In any case, we’re busy here, so I have to go. Did you need anything else? More equipment or anything? I can’t spare much, but…” Suddenly, Crenshaw perked up, the closest thing to a grin on his face.

“Actually sir, there is one thing.”

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Leo sat on the bed in his cabin. His phone was in his hand. He knew he should call his family. He did want to call his family, see how they were doing, let them know he was alright. He’d seen the missed calls and texts since the apocalypse began. And he would call them. But, above all else, there was someone he wanted to call the most. Sighing hopelessly, he dialed her number.

“Leo! Thank Ziggy-Math or whatever god he is!” Evangeline said, sounding relieved. He chuckled.

“It’s Zet-Mathaig. And good to hear you’re okay. I was worried about you, ever since this all start-” There was a scream on the other end of the line, and he stood up. “What was that? Eva!?”

“Relax big guy, relax. See, I was at the gym when all this crazy crap went down, and we got attacked by these weird hopping mouth things. Most of the guys screamed and ran like the pussies they are, but I rounded up a coupl’a guys worth a damn and we went to town. We got a couple strung up in the back, some nerds form the university wanted to study ‘em. I say just torch ‘em, but what do I know aboot anything, huh?” she sighed, and Leo relaxed, slowly lowering himself to the bed.

“Okay. I was worried about you.”

“Aw, ain’t that sweet!” she laughed. “Y’know, most guys wouldn’t give a crap if I was at the mercy of vicious monsters, they know I’d handle it. I mean, they’re right, but it’s nice to see you care.”

“Always and forever, sweetie.” he said with a warm smile, meaning every single letter. God, he was going to marry that girl. She giggled, embarrassed.

“Stop, you! Anyway, I figure you’re at the center of this trouble again, aren’t’cha?” she asked knowingly.

“Yup.”

“With that Scott kid?”

“He is a trouble magnet. Or gets pulled into it, I’m not sure which is worse. In any case, I’m needed here. The world and more will end if nothing’s done, and-”

“-you can’t just sit back, not while you can help.” she finished. “That’s okay, big guy. Go ahead and be the big hero. As long as you come back and let your princess show you her gratitude for being rescued.” Leo just took a moment, drinking her words in. With all the intel gathering and fighting, he was drained and stressed. Just hearing her, knowing how she felt, melted all of that away.

“I will, Evangeline.” he said, the smile in his voice.

They talked for hours, until Leo fell asleep.

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Of course, things had only attained a transient peace around Scott and company, thanks to their efforts. The rest of the world, especially where it was difficult for the military to mobilize, was a different story.

In Colorado, there were multiple earthquakes, cutting off power to the sleepy town of Pineway. All through the night there had been ominous rumbling and strange noises coming from the mountain. The citizens had slept fitfully, awaking to strange eyes out their windows, clattering from trash cans, and in several cases hard, frantic knocking on doors in the middle of the night. When those brave enough went to check, there was no one there.

The morning had hell break fully loose, the strange happenings in New York spreading out like a wave. Gibbering monstrosities roamed the woods, a general store had half collapsed, as if a giant had sat on it. Bat-winged eyeballs flew low in an orange sky, circling those too small to defend themselves from being carried away. And the mountain kept rumbling, all through the chaos.

An emergency evacuation had been ordered, the rumbling getting louder and more frequent by the hour. Everyone was on-edge, the air different form yesterday. You could taste the trouble coming.

“C’mon baby, we have to go now.” the Finch widow urged her daughter, packing her car tight. She glanced nervously around; there were no monsters, which was actually unnerving. What would they be hiding from?

“But what about Mr. Finn, mom?” the young girl asked. “He’s in an aquarium, he can’t get away!”

“Mr. Finn’ll be just fine, honey.” she lied smoothly. A goldfish was not high on her priorities right now. They had to leave. Never mind where to, they just had to go. “Now get in the car.” she said, holding the door open. Her daughter was about to get in, hesitating thanks to the concern over the fish, when the world suddenly went still. They both knew instantly that something was wrong right now-

They both screamed as the world titled, heaving through the air. The car flipped down the road as the street buckled and rose, flinging everything away. The mountain rumbled as part of it broke away, a large mound of rock sliding forward across the ground. It went along contentedly, unconcerned that it was headed along the main street of a human town. The Finch widow took one look at the mountain coming straight for her, saw the car on its’ side, and snatched up her bawling daughter to run, ignoring the dizziness.

Birds and eyes flew before the moving mountain, leaving a massive swath of devastation in its’ wake. Its’ progress was slow, but inevitable.

Edward Haas was among the panicked townsfolk, but he wasn’t fleeing. He had lived in this town for nearly fifty years, and he wasn’t going to run. If he was going out, it’d be in defense of the only home he’d ever known. He’d brought his hunting rifle, wading through the crowd. It might not have been much, but Ed was the best shot in the county. If it had any vulnerable spot, he would find it, and he would kill it. He marched firmly on, watching the Finch widow come down the road carrying her daughter into town. They lived up where that thing was coming from, didn’t they-ahh. He squinted, barely making out the remains of their road and house.

“Come on you bastard!” he shouted, levelling the rifle as it approached. He felt the futility of trying to shoot it. It was so big, it was covered in rock, there was no way. There wasn’t…wait. He tilted his head as the behemoth got closer.

It appeared it was alive after all. Though irregular and misshapen, the triangular outcropping did cover a fleshy head. It seemingly turned this way and that, its motion caused by thousands of relatively tiny, rock-tipped claws. It was literally crawling forward. But as it went, lines and cracks appeared, shaking off dirt and rock, exposing yellowish flesh and rows upon rows of blank, purple eyes.

“Gotcha.” he whispered. He breathed slow, steady. The rifle was pointed straight at one of the eyes. Suddenly, the thing noticed him and focused all its’ eyes on him.

“Too late.” Ed grinned, shaking off a wave of dizziness. Looking too close up to this thing gave you one hell of a case of vertigo. Pushing all other thoughts out of his head, he fired.

“Oh my God!”

“Noooo!”

“What’s he doing!? Stop!”

Ed blinked. He wasn’t looking at the beast. He was holding his rifle straight, the smoking barrel pointed at…

The Finch widow was on her knees, mouth moving without sound. In her arms, in a pool of red was her little girl, a gunshot wound on her head. He stared in horror as she wailed.

“N-No…I didn’t, I didn’t mean…” he mumbled helplessly.

“What’s wrong with you! Why!” a man said, in his face. Ed gaped at him, barely listening. There were screaming people running from the destruction, from the monster, from him…

He saw the mother cradle her child, stained crimson. He saw only one thing to do. He awkwardly put the barrel of the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger.

BLAM!

He blinked; more people were screaming and scattering, ducking now to avoid gunfire. The man who’d been shouting at him lay at his feet, bleeding out. The rifle was nowhere near pointed at him. He stared into the mocking gaze of the behemoth. The gun fell to the ground, he fell to his knees, and howled.

Throughout all this, the creature trudged serenely on, unperturbed.

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“I say, what have we here, hmm?” Captain Blackwell asked, watching the children struggle to bring a crate into their cabin. He reached out and poltergeisted it into the room.

“Thanks, Captain. It’s some, uh, materials from the boss. He said it would help protect us, and there’s instructions.” Connor said, squinting at a piece of paper. Blackwell leaned over to see. It was covered in strange runes and sigils that just looked like squiggly chickenscratch to him, and it seemed to Connor as well. “He said this spell is based on one he created himself, but this makes no sense.”

“Lemme see.” Riley examined it. It had a ritual to raise the dead obviously, but these modifications…they almost seemed like…

“It’s almost like these animal pieces’ll be assebumbled into a human shape.”

“Assembled.” Connor corrected tiredly.

“No, I mean assebumbled. Look, it’s gonna be all bumbled and jumbled up into something weird and new.” she said. Connor raised an eyebrow.

“You said that on purpose?” She stuck her tongue out at him. “Anyway, if you put it like that I can see how ‘phu’ leads into ‘ka-athet.’ If that’s what we’re working with, I think it’ll-huh?” His eyes fell on the note at the bottom of the page. Scott had written: Now everything should work. But this’s the most important part of the incantation. When all other rituals are finished, you have to give a courageous shout from the bottom of your heart full of justice. You have to-

Connor groaned and rubbed his forehead.

“C’mon, Connor!” Riley said enthusiastically, prying open the crate. “Eyyyaaaaaaahhhh!” She sprang away from it.

“Oh my word.” Captain Blackwell said, examining the contents. It seems the lad had raided more than human remains; there was a veritable pet cemetery contained in the box, overflowing with cats, dogs, lizards, birds, and even a decaying python.

“Eww. Why-why did the boss do this?” Connor asked.

“I don’t know!” Riley wailed. The captain inspected the paper again, especially the diagrams.

“Hmm. While ‘tis truly revolting, it seems young master Scott has deemed this adequate protection for his charges. I do recall a tale of his dealing with something of this nature before, what what. While it is an unholy affront to God and decency, ‘praps you should listen to your master and SALLY FORTH!” he boomed. Connor glanced at the crate full of corpses doubtfully.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

“I guess…”

“Do we have to? Those poor kitties…” Riley said.

“C’mon. You wanted to be a necromancer, now you’re gonna do it!” Connor barked, getting out his chalk.

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It had taken three hours, but they had done it. As the dark foresty green and brilliant electric blue flashes faded away in the circles, they stared at the pile of bones in each, panting.

“That…was hard.” Connor said, exhausted.

“You’re telling me. But-but it was worth it.” Riley cracked a smile. It was gross at first, but once she suppressed her gag reflex and gotten down to business, it was fun. They had to figure out which animal had been assigned to each diagram, sort the pile and decipher the arrangements. But now, at long last, the spell was complete. The zombies were ready. Now the only thing left was…

“C’mon c’mon, let’s try ‘em out!” Riley said, bouncing on her feet. They worked so hard, now was the chance to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

“Really? Right now?” Connor said. He was working back to normal, but the final piece of the puzzle was so…humiliating.

“Yes right now!” We gotta know if they work!”

“She has a point, you know.” Blackwell said, walking through the wall. He’d been in and out to attend to his duties, but wasn’t about to miss this. “Always best to test the new cannons, see if they’re ship-shape, what what!” He stroked the tip of his mustache, chuckling at the joke. Connor turned back to the bone pile, blushing.

“It’s, well, just…ugh, fine.”

“Yay! C’mon Connor, let’s do it!” Riley said, eyes sparkling and fist pumping, all tiredness forgotten.

“Alright…” he said unenthusiastically. Riley picked up the paper, making sure the passphrase was right.

“Riley! Battle Change! Ma-how-”

“Mahou” Connor corrected.

“-Mahou Shojo Zombie Neko Shine, nya!”

“Connor. Battle Change. Wolf Lightning Zombie Power. Activate.” he said dully, a hollow look in his eyes.

“You gotta get more fired up!” she chastised, grinning.

“Raaaah.” he said flatly.

But Scott’s installed passcodes worked. The animal bones rattled and shifted, rolling across the floor onto the children, climbing up their bodies. Undead muscle coating the insides of the bones stretched sinews out to encase their limbs and torsos. The multi-fused skull of a cat chomped down on Riley’s head, providing a helmet. Plumage bloomed form her elbows and shoulders, while a wild mane of fur sprouted from the skull. A shaped dog skull formed to protect Connor’s humiliated face, blue eyelights flaring in the sockets. His armor had two heavy bracers attached to the gauntlets, and the back of his greaves. He looked into the dark foresty green of Riley’s cat eyelights.

“Happy now?” he said.

“Oh yeah!” she cawed, checking out her new armor. “These battle suits are awesome! Check this out!” She reached down and hefted her bed up above her head. “So cool! It’s so light!”

“It should be, you’ve got undead muscle doing the work for you.” Connor deadpanned.

“CAPITOL miss, just CAPITOL!” Blackwell roared, applauding. “I see he’s given you some serious protection, what what! But lad, what’s that on your arm?” Connor examined the-was device the right word? There seemed to be a slight whooshing sound, as if someone was taking a breath. He frowned.

“I don’t know. I-huh?” There was a feeling of fullness, pressure on his arm. He could feel the armor’s muscles straining. If he flexed here, and untensed there-

BOOM!

“Whoa!” There was a hole in the side of the cabin. Connor stared at it, then at his arm. Leo gave them a fearful glance through the new window.

“Whoa-ho! Neat!” Riley said.

“The hell!?” Connor cried.

“Hmm. Did you read the back of the note, young master Connor” Blackwell asked, telekinetically holding it up. “Seems like full schematics on the back. It appears the lungs of the beasts you’ve condensed appear to be layered on those cylinders, making an ‘air-cannon’, says here. By Jove, never would have thought of that.”

“I have a cannon?” Connor asked incredulously.

“Ooh, let me see!” Riley read, and her eyes got wide. “No way! You got air jet boosters on your legs too, for bursts of super speed!”

“Oh, goody.” Connor said absently. When he’d agreed to learn necromancy, he’d never imagined this.

“Yeah! And I got claws, and-wow!” She flexed her arm, and the snake shot out, biting the air. “Says I can grip far away stuff with this! And check it out, I got air boosters too. Huh? But why’re they on the back of…” She trailed off as her eyes got even wider, and flexed her shoulders. The room was too small for them to fully unfurl, but wings unfolded from her back. “I can fly!”

“Says here you can glide.” Connor said reading, but she retracted her wings and dashed to the deck. “No!” Connor raced after her, but she had too much of a lead. “Wait, duh!” With a burst of air that nearly sent him careening out of control, he was at her side screaming in no time, peering over the railing. “I don’t think that’s a good idea!”

“Aww.” she said.

“Indeed, miss.” Blackwell said, floating through the deck. “I should think it the height of impropriety if young master Scott had to resurrect you before there was any real trouble. He gave you these to protect you, so you should use ‘em responsibly.”

“Mmm. Guess you’re right. What does ‘impro-’, ‘impra-’”

“It means we’re taking these off and eating dinner.” Connor said, dragging the girl necromancer below deck.

“I’ll send someone to repair the wall!” Blackwell called cheerfully after them.

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“Hey.” Genevieve said, crawling to the top of the pile of rubble where Will was sitting. They were out on patrol, doing some overtime volunteer work, as Nightfang put it. He couldn’t sleep, knowing there were still people who needed help out there, so he was going to go out and find survivors, but his team had caught him. Unwilling to let him go alone, they had to “volunteer” too.

“Hey. Will replied, running a hand through his short hair to shake the dust out of it.

“What’s up? How’re you doing?” she asked, settling in beside him. He gave her a wry look.

“Kevin’s off picking up some survivors. He trusts me not to run off, I’d appreciate it if the rest of this little ‘team’ could do the same.” he said bitterly.

“That’s not-” she said, deflating, but he dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

“Spare me. I know you’re here to keep an eye on me, even if you can’t admit it. It’s not like I haven’t given reason not to, I guess.” he said, and let out a sigh.

“That’s not true!” she said angrily. She really was just here to see how Will was doing. She was from America too, but she had over thirty years of distancing herself from her past, and most of that time was in another country. She hated seeing her home nation wrecked, she didn’t think someone so fresh from mortal concerns would fare well. “This is a big thing! You looked so despondent, I wanted to see if I could cheer you up!”

“Really.” he said flatly.

“I mean it!” Genevieve snapped.

“Humph. Well, you’d be the first one in a long time if that were true.”

“Oh, please. Kevin tries to include you in clan stuff all the time. He does everything he can to make you part of the team! Remember that blood cake he made for your birthday?” she said.

“I wish I could forget.” he said, making a face. That culinary experiment had been a disaster. Lord Harvaste had forbidden him form the kitchens afterward. “But I get it. He does a lot for me, and everyone else. You’d have to be blind not to see it. But you ever see the way everyone else looks at me?”

Genevieve fell silent. Unfortunately, she had. Kevin did his best, but Will voluntarily joined the people who had turned the clan into mutant vampires. She knew they stared and whispered. She knew he wasn’t exactly Mr. Popular with, well, anyone in the castle.

“There has been bad blood in the past…but I’m sure you’ll fit in, if you give them a chance to get to know you!” she said encouragingly. Will snorted.

“Right. Tell me, how am I supposed to do that, if they don’t give me one?”

“Huh?” Genevieve blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“You know why I’m never at meals? Why I’m always in the turret or my room?” he asked. Now she understood. When they first arrived, they’d gone to the training hall, while some newbies were leaving. She supposed it wasn’t because they were finished.

“…I thought you liked to be alone.” she said weakly, mentally kicking herself. She was one of the ones in charge! Why didn’t she see this sooner?

“I do, but not all the time.” He noticed the look on her face. “Hey, don’t worry. I don’t blame you, or anybody else. Overseeing two hundred freshly-turned vampires? And nearly all of them mutants, with differing physiologies? I don’t envy you, that’s for sure. Sometimes, things slip through the cracks.” he shrugged.

“But people shouldn’t be one of them. Why didn’t you tell me? Or Kevin? We’re supposed to stop this sort of thing.” she said.

“Yeah, run to teacher and tattle, that’s a great way to be included.” Will said sardonically. “Get real. How they see fit to treat me’s their choice, and it’s hard to change somebody’s mind like that. ‘Sides, I kinda deserve it.” He looked up into the orange sky. Though it was mid-morning, the sun wasn’t itching on his skin like it usually did. Vampires didn’t burn in the sun, but neither did they go out into it voluntarily. The night was better, wrapping around them and filling them with energy. But since last night, that fizz had been gone. That extra spark disappeared when the sky turned red. Will had taken comfort in the power it had filled him with. Now, it didn’t feel like anything.

Genevieve frowned, both at his words, and at herself. She was the main vampire in charge of the new ones’ condition, she should have noticed this. Whenever she’d seen him, he was either brooding in a corner or with Kevin. But he always went into training enthusiastically, and fighting back boredom determinedly when the tutors had them in class. She knew he threw himself into being the best vampire he could be, as a way of repenting. Did no one else see that?

“Will…” she said slowly.

“Ah. We’ve got bigger problems right now. Join me for dinner?” he asked, unhooking the blood ration form his belt. She stared, then sighed. This wouldn’t be resolved overnight.

“Sure.” she said, smiling. He could tell it was fake, but he found it reassuring anyway. She took out her canteen. “Cheers.” They clinked containers, then imbibed.

“Ahh. Needed that.” Will said contentedly. He could feel the blood working its’ way through his system, repairing the damage and easing the strain on his muscles and joints. Sometimes, it was good to be a vampire.

While they were having their chat, Gregor had been busy. He had been leading a group of survivors away from some tentacle-cyclops things. The group had been desperate and scared, one step away from an angry mob, armed and ready to try and fight the things. However, he’d also seen the monsters rip apart a car with ease and chow down on it, so that would go poorly. He’d called out and managed to get them to follow him, but the grumbles of the New Yorkers were clearly audible, even without his superior vampire hearing.

However, he’d forgotten something else about vampiric abilities: they naturally moved silently. The fact slipping his mind, and the other two engrossed in thinking and their meal, he crawled up the rubble lighter than a whisper.

“Hello!” Gregor said, popping up behind them. Genevieve had been drinking her ration, was so startled she spewed it out.

“Ack! Don’t do that!” she snapped, trying to wipe her chin.

“Oh, sorry.”

“Just be careful, we-” She noticed the small crowd, maybe thirty people, all staring at her blood-smeared face, red splashes in front of her.

“Oh, you got some on your-” Will turned, mouth half-outstretched to lap up the blood on the ground by reflex, and stared at the crowd. They were muttering nervously.

“Oh, no.” Gregor whimpered.

“They’re monsters too! They just lured us here to eat us themselves!” someone cried, and the muttering turned ugly. They began to fan out, clutching their weapons.

“Please, I can assure you that though we have to subsist on blood-” Genevieve started, rising and trying to wipe her face. She was cut off by a brick sailing at her head. She caught it effortlessly, but that did nothing to calm the crowd down.

“She admits it!”

“Just one isn’t enough!”

“Throw everything you got at ‘em!”

“Surround ‘em!” The vampires stood back to back as the crowd circled the rubble. Genevieve glanced side to side nervously. Somehow, she doubted they’d believe they were only here to help. The mob was armed with two-by-fours, kitchen knives, bottles, mops, whatever was handy. They couldn’t really kill the vamps unless they just stood there and let them, which Genevieve had no intention of doing. But the real question was how to get away without hurting anyone. They were throwing bricks and rubble, forcing the vampires to duck and catch the missiles, pinning them down even further.

“Crap.” Will muttered. He caught her eye. “I don’t like it, but it looks like we got no choice.”

“I am forced to agree, Genevieve.” Gregor said, dodging a steel rebar piece.

“No! We can’t do that!” she said as the crowd got closer. No! They were here to help, not massacre innocent people! But with the rage the mob was feeling, they needed an outlet. Why was this happening! She desperately tried to think of a way out, but it was looking more and more like there would be carnage.

“ENOUGH!” Everyone looked up as a shadow blocked out the strange sunlight. A black mass billowed and folded into Nightfang’s cape as he landed, glaring at the crowd with burning red eyes. “There will be NO senseless violence here today!” He glanced back at his team. “Everyone alright?”

“It’s another one! Get him!” The mob surged forward. Nightfang took it all in. Too many, all at once. Nothing to climb or bounce off of, buildings too far away to jump too. Frustrated, scared people lashing out, who didn’t deserve death. There was only one thing to do.

He reached to his belt, unhooking and dropping two flasks of red liquid. They shattered, the sigil on the flasks briefly glowing.

“Ak’entath mevigos avun!” he shouted. The blood reacted to the magic and his will, springing forward along the ground, spiderwebbing into hundreds of cords, wrapping around the ankles of the crowd with a grip as strong as iron. The advance of the mob was halted, unable to walk. The vampires stared at Nightfang.

“You…know hemomnacy?” Gregor said in awe.

“Harvaste started teaching me. Said it was only for emergencies, I can see why.” the hero grunted, a dull, painful ache spreading through his body. The strain was more than usual, he’d never had to shape this much blood before. “I’m not very good at it yet. Since we don’t usually have a lot of time to work, I asked to learn how to make restraints first. It’s tough.” He gave them a lopsided smile as the crowd freaked, unable to move. Nightfang stood up straight.

“Alright, listen up! Citizens of New York, please forgive the current situation, but I had no choice but to temporarily restrain you! You will be released, I promise. Now, I’m going to come clean. Yes, we are vampires! However, we are not horrible bloodsucking creatures of the night! For as you see, I am the vampiric superhero, Nightfang!” He thrust his chest out with his hands on his hips, displaying the fang on his chest like Superman. “We have strengths and abilities that are extraordinary! And I have dedicated my undeath to using these powers in the pursuit of truth and justice! Rest assured, we will allow no harm to come to you while we are around! These foul fiends shall never triumph over our combined might! I know what has happened is frightening, but we cannot give in to fear and violence! So I ask of you, stand strong, in body and mind! I assure you we only drink donated blood, we are here to help, not harm! We are allies! We shall defend you, at all costs! Nightfang, and the Fang Gang!” He finished with a fist pump into the air.

The crowd stared at him. The other vampires stared at him. A passing flying eyeball stared at him. There was no sound.

“No, no, why.” Will muttered, sinking his head into his palm.

“Your name sucks!” someone called from the group.

“Hey! I thought hard to come up with a good superhero name!” Nightfang snapped, searching for who had said that.

“The ‘Fang Gang’ is lame, too!”

“Believe me, I know! But I’m not in charge!” Genevieve called back. Nightfang turned to her.

“You think it’s lame?” Her eye twitched.

“Is this really the time for this!?” she exploded.

“Well, the mob’s been neutralized, no one’s crying for help, and there’s no monsters attacking.” Nightfang reasoned. “D-Does anyone think it’s cool?” he asked the crowd.

It is a well-known fact that angry mobs are volatile and unruly, emotion and herd mentality replacing rationality. However, being locked in place, with a vampire in a superhero costume asking if his team appellation was cool, was surreal even by the standards of the last twenty-four hours. It shocked most of the crowd back to calmness.

“I think it’s cool!” came from the back. Nightfang stamped his foot and waved in that direction.

“See! This guy knows what I’m talking about!”

“Hey! Over here, more survivors!” Everyone turned to see a softly-glowing ghost hovering above an APC, parking next to the lot. A contingent of soldiers and undead zombies came out.

“Is…everything okay over here?” the sergeant asked, not sure whether or not to raise or lower his rifle.

“Oh, yeah. Everything’s fine. There was some trouble earlier, but it’s all sorted out now.” Nightfang said, undoing the blood manacles. The sergeant raised an eyebrow. The ghost floated down and whispered something to him.

“Ah. Nightfang, right?”

“Yes sir!” he said, saluting.

“Right. We understand your presence, and thank you for your help. We’ll escort these people here to the evac zone.” the sergeant said, his men fanning out and herding the crowd toward the street.

“Is there anything we can do to help? That’s why we’re here.” Nightfang said, and he chuckled.

“No sir. We’ve actually got most of the city under lockdown, we can take it from here. We’ve been informed about your mission, you should go rest while we focus here. We’ve got jobs to do, too.” he said.

“That’s awesome.” Nightfang smiled, seeming to untense his body. “We’ve been going all night, trying to save people.”

“All night.” Will groused, but was elbowed by Gregor. The sergeant nodded.

“It’s gonna be a long one for us too. But you can do more good by resting up and getting ready. I know I would in your position.”

“Alright. I was worried about everyone, but if you’ve got things under control here I’ll take it as the cue to leave. Thank you. I promise we’ll make everything all right.” Nightfang said confidently. The unspoken threat of what would happen if they failed hung in the air.

“Good luck, soldier.” the sergeant said, extending a hand.

“You too, sir.” Nightfang said, shaking it. “C’mon Fang Gang, let’s go!” They bounded off and climbed up an apartment building, headed back to the ship.

“It’s still not a cool name, you know.” Will said.

“Yeah, yeah. How is everyone? Are you all okay? They didn’t get you guys, did they?” Nightfang said.

“Worried about us, Fearless Leader? You know they couldn’t actually hurt us.” Will said, hopping over a ledge and running along the next roof.

“I know. However, it’s a superhero’s job to save everyone, but not just from danger. I’m glad I could stop them before anyone got hurt.” he said, glad his mask covered his face. The vampires behind him shared a smirk.

“Roger, Fearless Leader.”