Disclaimer: This story, though maybe not in this chapter but in subsequent chapters, will have celebrities in it. I have no knowledge of their sexuality and this is not intended to imply their sexuality. This is all from my own mind.
Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox.
Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics and Warner Bros.
X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox.
The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice.
Star Wars and all related concepts created by or based on the universe created by George Lucas. Copyright 20th Century Fox, LucasFilms Ltd. and Lucas Books/Ballantine Books.
I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered.
I have received many emails from people who have enjoyed it and some from those who do not. I would enjoy hearing from you. Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks.
authorjames2002@yahoo.com
I also have several online messenger services. If you want to chat with me in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you my screen name.
Other stories in this universe written by other authors: "Tales of a Superhero Band" "Tales of the New Phoenix" "Tales of a Young Mutant"
Chapter 31 Just A Little Accident
General Rekoj and his aides headed into the conference room with his briefcase of notes on the chemical weapon he made. Most of the military were nervous around him. He had been known as a ruthless killer in war and his chemical inventions were very destructive.
Since his arrival two days ago, he has shown no emotions. Neither have his aides. They would appear stone-faced to all. And they never separated either. Where one was, the other would not be far off. And both kept their eyes on the general and those in his presence.
The trio entered the room and went to their reserved spots at the table and sat. His assistants looked around the room taking mental note of the armed soldiers and their locations. The two women calculated several plans of attack should anything "go wrong" with the meeting.
"General Rekoj," the chief scientist said from the middle of the table. "On behalf of the United States military, we thank you for coming. It is our hopes that we can cure many soldiers who have fallen ill to your weapon. It was brilliant in its conception; however, we do not approve of biochemical warfare."
"Please, save me your grandstanding," the Russian general stated. "I don't want to hear your pitiful words of compliment. Nor do I wish to hear of your moral superiority."
"General Rekoj, that was uncalled for."
"Was it?" General Rekoj said as he stood to his feet.
The soldiers immediately went for their weapons but the scientist waved his hand telling them to keep their weapons holstered.
"From the moment I arrived, I have had nothing but superficial politeness. Everyone acts as if they welcome me into their arms. Truth be told, none of you care to admit what you truly feel toward me."
"And what is it that you think we feel toward you?" the scientist asked.
"Disgust, anger, hatred. You loathe me and the power I wield with my intellect. I am a master at chemistry. Only I could have created the type of weapon that does what it does. You are your team are ashamed that you cannot unlock its secrets. None of you could imagine the death that I daydream about in my creations. What you fear, I embrace. What terrifies you thrills me."
"You are a madman," the scientist stated.
"What may seem like madness to one person is merely art to another. Take 'Alice in Wonderland' for example. Who would have thought that a little girl who fell down a rabbit hole and meeting walking, talking and singing animals would have become a classic? No, sir, what is madness to you is classic art to another."
The general completed his walk around the table to stand behind the scientist. He slowly placed his hands on the scientist's shoulders and began a light massage.
"You're so tense. You need to relax. Luckily for you, I have just the thing."
General Rekoj pulled out a small bottle and tossed it onto the table. His assistants pulled out gas masks and placed them over their mouths. One pulled out a gun and shot the soldiers while the other tossed the general a gas mask. He started to laugh as he covered his mouth and the scientist tried grabbing it from him. General Rekoj laughed harder and punched the scientist knocking him to the floor.
Lacey, the assistant that tossed Rekoj the mask pulled out a gun and tossed it to him and pulled out another for herself. The three ran to the door and Rekoj slowly opened it checking for soldiers. TO his surprise, there were none.
"As they say, the coast is clear. Is everything in place?"
"Da," Larissa answered.
The three headed out of the room and down the corridor.
I went out on patrol deciding some normal vampire slaying would do some good after dealing with an insane human being. I hoped that Mike would get treatment and be okay. I also hoped that any damage caused by Reverend could be repaired. I know most ministers mean well when they counsel people. And for the most part they are helpful. But sometimes they can be so old-fashioned in their thinking or supernatural in their thinking that it does more harm than good. I can see how that statement just sounded weird. "Supernatural in their thinking" while I'm wearing a bat-suit patrolling for vampires.
I chuckled at my thoughts and continued on my way. I didn't want to stay out too late. I had classes to start back with tomorrow. With me being gone so long, I had a ton of work to catch up on; hopefully the professors hadn't kicked me out of their classes.
A scream rang out not too far from me. I headed in the direction and realized it was near a military base.
'Oh, great,' I thought. 'Just who I need to get involved with now.'
I arrived to find a woman lying on the ground. She had been bitten on the neck by a vampire but luckily was still alive. When I approached her, she became very concerned.
"I won't hurt you," I said.
"Please...don't...I don't want to..."
"I'm safe. I promise. Tell me what happened."
"You...or...someone that looks...like you...bit me. He was dressed...like a...bat...or cat. Something with...ears."
I nodded.
"Hold it right there," someone said behind me. A light shown about us and the same voice muttered, "What the hell is that?"
I started to stand and the soldier ordered me to put my hands up. I reached into my belt and pulled out a pellet. As I turned, I threw it down near them and the smoke encircled them.
"Don't fire," another soldier replied. "There's someone there with him."
I turned to the young woman. "They will take care of you. You're safe. Did you see which way the other guy went?"
"Over...the fence," she answered.
"Thank you. I'll stop him."
I jumped over the fence and ran toward the military base. To my surprise, there were no soldiers. Something was definitely wrong. When I got to the first building, I opened the door and peeked in. Several guards ran down the corridor with their guns at the ready.
'Whoever this guy is, he isn't very stealthy.'
After the guards passed, I entered the building and headed down the hall. I stopped at a door that I saw the lights on and listened. The soldiers were mumbling something about a General Rekoj killing several guards. He wasn't my concern, though. My concern was this cat person who attacked the girl.
'Cat person? Could it be Serena was turned into a vampire? Can Vampire Slayer's be turned into vampires? They are human just like everyone else, so it is possible.'
The cat wasn't responsible for this commotion, which would make my job much more difficult. I couldn't depend on where the soldiers were heading to find him.
I saw a grating above my head and used my mutant powers to open it. Then I leapt inside and put the grating on just as several more soldiers ran down the corridor. Something major was going down for them to be this worked up. Maybe I can kill two birds with one stone.
I weaved my way through the grating passing over several rooms and crossing several corridors. From what I was able to pick up from conversations, this General Rekoj was a madman from Communist Russia.
I heard a noise up ahead in the venting and stopped. Someone was up here with me. Could it be the cat man I was looking for? Or was it the general the soldiers were looking for?
The sound got closer and closer and then, on all fours in front of me, was someone dressed like a big cat.
"Ah, I've been looking for you," I said.
The Catman growled at me and leapt on me. I pulled out a cross and held it close to him. It didn't burn him, though.
"What the..."
"This suit keeps my skin from contact with that stuff."
"How does it do with fire?" I asked as I caused the cross to catch fire.
Catman jumped off me and scurried down the ventilation shaft with me following close behind. He was definitely a vampire and there was no way I would be able to catch up with him, especially in such close quarters. I would have to find a way to stop him.
Rekoj, Larissa and Lacey entered the laboratory where he found several vials set in place by Larissa and Lacey.
"All is ready," Lacey said to him.
Rekoj smiled and the two ladies went to work. Larissa pulled out several chemical vials while Lacey went to the chemical storage locker. She pulled out several vials as well and the two brought them to the table. General Rekoj went to work measuring and mixing chemicals for some strange formula he had hoped to create.
Catman turned the corner and an idea came to me. I rounded the corner and lifted my hand toward the ventilation shaft. My plan was to weaken the strength of the metal and cause us to fall to the floor. Granted it was taking a chance on landing amongst some soldiers, but the chaos that would ensue would give me some time to get to the vampire and stake him.
I heard the structures weaken as I made minor changes to the elemental structure. However, something happened that I could not control. My power went whacky and the entire tunnel we were in changed alloy. The bottom fell out and we plunged downward into a laboratory.
"No!" a Russian male voice called out as Catman and I landed on a table of chemicals.
The chemicals spilled over on top of the man and two women as the table tumbled backwards. I heard the screams of the man and women. The suits Catman and I wore protected out skin from the chemicals, with the exception of my eyeholes, but none of the chemicals came near my eyes.
I rolled to my feet as did Catman. He lifted his hands in front of him, claws extending from his fingers, and he lunged at me. I swung my arms up and pushed his arms away. Bringing my knee up, I kneed him in the chin. He knocked me backwards with his impact. I noticed at his mouth was a tiny zipper, which he probably unzipped to feed. Over his eyes were green cat's eye lenses. A whip wrapped around his waist and a tail protruded from his backside. He genuinely made his suit look like a cat.
Catman rolled away from me and stood, pulling his whip from his waist. I noticed out of the corner of my eyes the lady nearest me. Her skin smoked from the chemical burns. The man also had the same thing happening to him as did the lady on the other side.
"Wait," I said. "They need help."
"Like I care," Catman said snapping his whip at me.
He swung it around and took a swipe at my head. I ducked as it hit the wall taking some of the concrete with it. He tried again and I dove, rolling behind the table. I pulled out a bat and prepared to throw it. When I stood up, however, he was gone. I placed the bat back in my belt and turned to the victims of the accident, the accident I caused.
I heard footsteps approaching the doors. 'Soldiers,' I thought and jumped back into the ventilation shaft.
Within moments, I was out of the base and heading toward the city and the cycle. I couldn't believe how tonight changed from a simple rescue to three people being injured by my carelessness. But was it my carelessness? I couldn't control what happened to the ventilation shaft. I should have been able to, but something happened. I couldn't control it at all. What was going on with that?
I hopped on the cycle and headed back home to the mini-cave underneath our house. I sprayed the suit off making sure all the chemicals were washed off before I stripped down and went upstairs.
Lance was in bed already reading as I entered the bedroom.
"Hi," he said as I entered. "I thought I heard you. How did it go?"
"It started out routine, but got worse. I'm getting a shower."
I went into the bathroom and stripped. Lance came in and hugged me from behind.
"Want to talk about it?"
I climbed in the shower and relayed the events of the evening to him. As I dried off, he was trying to convince me that it wasn't my fault.
"You didn't have any control over your power. You weren't responsible."
"But I should have had control. What did that stuff do to those three military officers?"
"We'll keep an eye on the news to see what happens."
Lance and I went into the bedroom and crawled underneath the covers. I had a difficult time going to sleep. The imagines of the soldiers kept playing over and over in my mind. I had caused the accident. I was responsible for what happened. It was my fault.
To Be Continued...
What do you think of this chapter? Any ideas as to what will happen with the general and his two assistants? I'd love to hear your thoughts and reactions. More to come!