Chapter Two

After reinforcing the barriers on the possible entrances, fortifying the last point of access for any straggling hunters and their families. The urgency in the air was palpable, accentuated by the muffled sounds of the remaining hunters ushering in their families through the reinforced entrance. Notable hunters like the J triplets and Harkath, seasoned hunters known for their precision with long-range weaponry, were among the first to respond and get settled in the shelters. Others like Old Shakey Jake, a resourceful technician responsible for maintaining the specialized weapons, rushed in through the doorway ushering in as many of their loved ones as they could.

Meanwhile, Marcus, Victor, several of the best hunters, and the Atwater California Branch Manager converged in the office—a temporary sanctuary amidst the chaos.

The Manager, his face etched with a mix of fear and righteous fury, confronted Marcus. "For twenty-six years I've been managing for the Consortium, but I've never seen Nocturnales work together like that. You better start explaining, Marcus, before I lose my mind."

Marcus paced the room, the weight of recent events heavy on his shoulders. "It all started with a routine job. I encountered an old Nocturnale last night, disguised as a child. It had an intelligence that put me on edge, but I took care of it. Thought it was just a weird day but something still didn’t feel right."

The manager's impatience grew. "Get to the point, Marcus. What does this have to do with the coordinated attack in broad daylight?"

Taking a deep breath, Marcus continued, "A little over an hour ago I received a text tipping me off to the ambush. If one was smart enough then who’s to say the Nocturnales haven’t evolved, become organized? If there's an organization then there must be a leader, someone with enough intelligence to use a phone."

Impatience transformed into resignation as the Harkath called out speaking for the crowd. "Shit, what's the plan Marcus?"

"We gather intel, locate their leader, and take it down. We're dealing with something entirely new, and we need to adapt quickly before-," Marcus declared, The command center buzzed with a sense of urgency as the hunters considered facing an unprecedented threat before Marcus was interrupted by the only new face.

The Manager, the quiet surety amidst the storm, finally spoke. "We’ll follow protocol.”

“What protocol?” Harkath denied him before continuing on to point at Viktor and say. “The only protocol is to sound the alarm and then you showed up. Where did you come from? Who are you?”

Marcus, knowing Victor's capabilities, stepped in to defend him. "He's Victor. He's one of the best hunters out there. I would’ve died if it weren’t for him taking down the Nocturnales single-handedly. Trust me, we want him on our side."

Victor remained unfazed by Harkath’s questions. "I'm the main branch. I'm the protocol and we need to act now."

“The Main branch is a myth.” Old Shakey Jake said almost as if he didn’t believe himself.

The Manager quickly took control of the situation by explaining. “A leader is orchestrating their movements. When they gain enough intelligence they’re typically known as vampires and when they reach six hundred and sixty-six years old they gain the ability to control lesser Nocturnales. Telling them to wear mud or dirt or sunscreen, just some form of cover-up to stop them from burning away in the sunlight. We need to find and eliminate that leader so the other Nocturnales will return to normal. The clever one you faced Marcus was likely a relative of the leader, which is why you are being targeted."

Victor spoke with the surety of someone who has seen this thousands of times before going on to ask, “ You have someone out there that you still care about, right Marcus?”

Marcus’s eyes widened with shock as he said “My Ex-wife but she’s supposed to be out of town showing a house.”

“She’s likely been taken by whatever newly ascended ‘Ancient’ vampire you pissed off. Give it time the vampire will send a message with proof of your wife, it’s best you make your peace when they do before she’s either killed or turned” replied the Manager almost as if he was talking about the weather rather than a loved one in a terrible situation.

Marcus exploded with anger at the Manager hurling accusations, “Who are you to say something like that? How come you have all these answers and miraculously swoop in at just the right time-

‘Ring’

Marcus’s phone sounded off in his pocket once more.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

The abrupt ring of Marcus's phone shattered the tension in the air, prompting him to hastily retrieve it from his pocket. The caller ID displayed an unknown number, but the sinking feeling in his gut hinted at the impending revelation.

Hesitating for a moment, Marcus reluctantly answered the call. A cold, unfamiliar voice echoed through the line, sending shivers down his spine. "Mr. Marcus, I presume? I believe you're missing someone dear to you."

The blood drained from Marcus's face as he clenched the phone, his anger turning into a cold determination. "Where is she? What do you want?"

A sinister chuckle resonated on the other end. "Ah, straight to the point. I like that. Your wife is in our custody, unharmed for now. But her fate depends on your cooperation."

Victor, standing nearby, listened intently, his stoic expression unyielding. Marcus gritted his teeth, his voice seething with rage. "What do you want from me?"

“Your head on a pike in front of my throne for what you’ve done. Come to the coordinates I’ve sent if you ever want to see you dear Sandra again.”

“Put her on the phone! Prove she’s there!” Marcus shouted into his phone demanding proof from the unknown being who just laughed before a clattering of the phone hitting stone sounded as if the phone had been tossed.

As Sandra's voice crackled through the phone, filled with emotion and desperation, Marcus felt his heart wrench with anguish. "Sandra, I love you.I know I messed up you should never have been wrapped up in this. I promise, I'll save you. I'll do whatever it takes to get you back."

Sandra’s voice sounded through the phone full of emotion. “I love you too Marcus. Don’t worry about me just take care of Maurice. Protect her Marcus.”

There was a brief moment of silence, the weight of their unspoken fears hanging heavily in the air. Then, with a determined resolve, Marcus continued, "I'll be there for Maurice. I'll be around more often, I'll be the father she deserves. We can be together again. I’ll take out the trash, I’ll try to cook more often, and I’ll take you on those trips I always promised. We'll make up for lost time, I swear."

You could hear the smile through the phone as Sandra shakily spoke. “ You could only ever make cereal.”

“I’ll make the best cereal you’ve ever tasted I promise.” Marcus quickly replied

Sandra's voice trembled with emotion as she responded, "Promise me, Marcus. Promise me you'll keep her safe, no matter what happens to me."

"I promise," Marcus vowed, his voice unwavering with determination. "I'll protect her with everything I have. We'll get through this together, Sandra. Just hold on, please."

Their conversation was cut short as the line went silent, leaving Marcus with a heavy heart and a fierce determination to save the woman he loved. With tears in his eyes, he shows to victor a message with GPS coordinates saying come alone.

Marcus turned to Victor, his eyes burning with a fierce determination. "I need your help. I can't face this alone."

Victor nodded, his face unmoving as if made of stone.

The greasy manager chimed in, "Victor, Marcus, I want this mess cleaned up. Find a way to stop those creatures from working together, and do whatever it takes to get your wife back. We can't afford any more incidents like this."

Marcus and Victor hurried through the dimly lit corridors of The Consortium, their footsteps echoing against the concrete walls as they made their way to the armory. Time was of the essence, and they needed to arm themselves with whatever weapons they could before confronting the vampire holding Sandra captive.

As they entered the armory, rows of gleaming firearms and specialized weaponry greeted them. Marcus scanned the shelves, his eyes lingering on the more formidable pieces of equipment, but Victor's stern expression reminded him of the urgency of their mission.

"We need to move quickly," Victor said, his voice low and commanding. "We can't afford to waste time."

Marcus nodded in agreement, his mind racing as he considered their options. "Right. Let's focus on what we can take."

As they began to gather their weapons, Victor explained the four conditions necessary to kill an ancient vampire. "Similar to a Nocturnale an ancient vampire can only be stopped by cedar through the heart, decapitation with silver, exposure to sunlight, or immersion in running water but it will take three of those methods at once to put an ancient vampire down for good."

Marcus nodded, his jaw set with determination. "Got it. We'll need to be strategic about how we approach this."

As they surveyed the arsenal before them, Marcus noticed several large pieces of weaponry that they couldn't take due to illegality. He frowned, realizing that their options were limited.

"If only we could commit war crimes in public. We'll have to make do with what we have," Marcus said, his tone grim. "Let's grab what we can carry and get moving."

With a sense of urgency, Marcus and Victor selected their weapons, choosing those that would give them the best chance against the ancient vampire. As they left the Consortium, marcus caught sight of his little girl sitting with the desk workers and thought of his promise.

Marcus quickly kneels down beside his precious little girl and says to her “Your mom and I will be back soon so stay here and be safe.”

“Alright, take good care of my little girl. We’ll be back soon.” Marcus calls out to the Manager as he heads out to his truck with Victor following closely behind.

“We’re not a daycare!” The manager calls out in exasperation before turning to Maurice, “Your parents should be back soon so, keep your chin up, kid.”

Maurice just stares at the man with wide eyes and says “Of course they will. My dad would never lie to me.”