Suburban Vampire: A Tale of the Human Condition -- With Vampires

Chapter 26

This particular night, Jack did not use a boat to arrive at the cast parts factory building up along the slough in the far northeast of Portland, deciding that he preferred a drier mode of transportation, the ever-present rain pushing him into this decision. He liked boats, but he preferred not to get his hair wet.

He got out of the chauffeured black Chevrolet Caprice and entered through the main entrance of the old factory and headed into the spacious lobby, where he was directed down a hall and into a meeting room. Alice, Dave, and some other vampires, presumably all members of the local Improver Council, sat around the table. Alice had an angry scowl on her otherwise distinguished face, but then, Jack thought she always looked that way. Jack was not offered a seat, nor did he take one.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Alice hissed. "An attempt on the life of Father? Really, Jack? If you really wanted to bring the heat down on us, you did a very good job."

"And," Dave added, "the killing of Mr. Stevens. Do not deny that you were involved."

"Guys, guys, guys," Jack said, "just hold on a minute. Now, I cannot confirm or deny that I may or may not have had a hand in the unfortunate events of late. But you cannot deny that they got the attention of the House."

"Yeah!" Alice said. "They got the attention of the House, all right. Enforcement is out for blood. Our blood. We have you to thank for that."

"Yeah, maybe the attention is a bit negative. But you can't make a soufflé without breaking a few eggs, now, can you?"

"A bit negative? A bit? You've unleashed an entire shit storm of negative attention!"

"Alice is correct," Dave said. "And because of your reckless actions, the council is now engaged in damage control, seeking to undo the harm you've done. It will not be an easy task."

"Right," Alice said. "Your unsanctioned operations have subjected the Improvers to a level of scrutiny that we have not dealt with before. We always operated under the House's radar. We are not ready for the onslaught that will result."

"Well," Jack spat, "maybe we need to stop operating under the House's radar. Maybe we shouldn't give a shit what the House thinks. I mean, listen to yourselves: Damage control? Unsanctioned operations? My God, you sound just like Father. More bureaucratic bullshit. More keeping the vampires in line because, oh, maybe they'll misbehave, Lawd have mercy! I thought we were the rebels, and this was the revolution! Instead, you want to take half measures. Don't upset the apple cart too much, because, oh, it might piss Daddy off. None of you really wants to take action. None of you truly wants to set us free!"

"That is not true," Alice said. "We do want to be free, to be who we are meant to be. But we need to be cautious here!"

"Bitch, please. I want to fuck shit up. I want to take this battle to the House. I want to be a vampire. Not some bureaucratically controlled bag sucker. But I guess the rest of you don't mind begging for Father's crumbs. Pathetic."

"Jack," Dave said, "you espouse a course of action that will lead us to disaster without popular support. And you are fully aware of the only way we can get that support."

"Campbell. Oh, I get it! You're still pissed about Scott Campbell. Well, I'm working on a solution to that problem. Soon, our would-be messiah will be in our hands, gladly serving the cause of the Improvers. And I will be the vessel through which the prophecy is fulfilled," Jack said as he genuflected to the vampires present.

"Very well," Alice said. "If you think you can get Mr. Campbell to join us, then by all means do. If he even survives the Inquisitor, which is a very big if. Then, we can talk about taking further actions against the House. Until then, you are not to engage in any action that is not sanctioned by the council. Do you hear me?"