The Empty World | The Empty World Sequence [complete | rewriting]

Fourteen

Julien carried Faye close to his chest, as he called out for Min.

Morpheus could see the other of Star's now-Vampyric daughters with Joy, as they drew stakes of wood or metal from a pair of pink-eyed Vampyres.

The mirrors focused on Shade and Angel synced, as he found her. If there were telepathic conversation, Morpheus had no ability to capture it, though he suspected there was from their expressions. There was pause or hesitation enough, before Shade put his fangs to Angel's neck and took her blood.

The other prisoners had time to group before the stone, before Shade rejoined them, carrying Angel in his arms. Morpheus caught the audio with his fingers, "Christ I'm not by a long shot," Shade told them, shaking his head.

Julien passed Faye to Min, so that he could take Angel from Shade. The elder Vampyre gestured to Joy and the others. Joy handed over some stakes, and they began to wedge the stone up from the floor. They made makeshift levers, wedges and blocks from their cages, and raised the stone with combination of mechanical advantage, preternatural strength and focused will.

Joy shouted for the others to all run through. Redjack reinforcements came from floors above, but now the escapees were in numbers, they rused the agents and escaped through the front doors and onto the street. At first, Morpheus saw some panic or split-up, but Joy said Shade needed to guide them.

"We have more help on the way," he called, "Stay together. Follow me."

They went to the Necropolis, where Steven still waited. Morpheus had wondered if anyone would need to be told not to harm Steven, but it was not necessary. In fact, many seemed to recognize him, from his work during earlier waves of hunting. He was their only Human ally who had ever been within the menagerie and escaped. His wife had once given her life so that a few could escape. He had been one of the Abdals.

"Is anyone injured?" Steven asked, "There is some food and drinking water here. I can get more." As he offered help, Shade took Angel from Julien and carried Angel into the vault.

Julien followed Shade. Angel was placed into a coffin kept there. Shade closed her inside. Julien locked it. Shade went to his knees.

During the following day, Mazaret had found them, and the Necropolis was densely packed. "Can we go?" Morpheus asked.

"You need to answer your own question, again, Murph."

They'd been given a specific task by his father, with a specific if-statement. "Not this time." He would make Laudanum tell him everything he had missed. He was there, standing next to Julien, smiling, probably making Julien think their whole family weird!

By the time Athen arrived, there had been just enough time for others to administer first aid, get a little rest and food, and start to argue what they should do. Some wanted to see Angel killed. Some wanted to go back and kill the Redjacks. Some wanted nothing but to run away. Athen suggested they worry about Angel, later. They'd freed the prisoners, but the Redjacks were still operating. He said they should go to their headquarters, again, to destroy all the records and evidence they might have.

Mazaret spoke up, "If we go, it can't be killing and looting."

Athen didn't see why not.

"We survived in Nede by killing as little as possible," Joy said.

"I realize it's our nature - for some of us - to prey on Humans, but the flesh eating and blood drinking only provides them rationale for pre-emptive strikes against us," Mazaret said, "It has to stop."

"I'm not making a rule," Athen said.

Shade, standing with Absinthe beside him, interrupted, "We're going there to destroy evidence, let's not give them anything more to use against us. Defend yourselves, take back what they took from us, get out."

A second attack was made on the building. They climbed its walls and came in from the roof this time, and in an enormous number. Amateur video began streaming. Helicopters and vans arrived with their camera crews and satellite dishes to beamed video across the world. There was no mistaking that these creatures were not Human.

There was really no mistaking their intent, when several militant Halfangels pressed through the Human crowd to state that for years they had existed alongside Humans, only to go through this last century persecuted by institutions that claimed they granted equal rights to all citizens. They denounced the Humans' racism, genocide, and the governments of several countries for their participation.

"You bet this is a terrorist act!" Spider shouted, "You don't pay attention to anything but mass violence! If the discrimination and persecution continues you can bet they'll be more acts of terrorism!"

Someone pulled forward a young child with strangely slanted eyes and brows. They lifted her sleeve, to show half-healed hollows, and many needle marks. "Look what they did to her!"

Inside, Athen trashed their computer system. The large storerooms of artifacts and neatly catalogued evidence were all emptied, boxes and bags passed hand-to-hand down to the ground. Whole floors of the building were torched. Athen tore the heart from one doctor who had been conducting the experiments and fed it to another.

Several of their top agents - Abbot, Bishop, Churchill - were captured and forced out onto the street. Jonathan Zion, their leader, had not been in the building.

And then, as quickly as they had descended on the building they pulled out, taking all evidence with them.

The rest Morpheus learned from Absinthe and Laudanum; Athen already had a house prepared in Los Angeles, and offered many the opportunity for safe haven there. Mazaret volunteered to remain in New York, where she had been living years ago, when the hunts began in earnest. Though some left for other regions, particularly those who had been captured in foreign nations, a large number of Halfangels and Wolfbreed were split between those staying near the east coast, and those traveling west.

It was just as Metro had predicted.

They transported Angel with them to Los Angeles locked in a coffin.

And, though Steven Jewel moved to LA with his Vampyre friends, they were leaving others, like Amadeo Jewel, behind.