Last Time . . .

"So much for friendship!"

"What?! What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know . . . I understand you're goin through some extremely rough shit right now . . . But a real friend would let me help instead of lying to me!"

"What?! How can you even say that?!"

"Whatever man, I gotta go!"

"Fine! You wanna know the truth? I'll tell you!"

Sighing, Giz turned to him, crossed his arms and stared at Beryl.

"My family was killed by vampires! They were a team of super-powered slayers who were picked via a bloodline, and now that they're dead, I have all their powers and have been chosen to take their place!"

"Like I said," he said chuckling. "I gotta go!"

This Time . . .

Putting his hand on the doorknob, he pulled the door open and was startled when it was slammed shut and he was lifted in the air and floated to his bed.

"What the hell are you doing?! I thought your ESP wasn't that strong!"

"Things change! You don't believe me, so I'm showing you the truth!"

"Dude, you're scaring me!" he said trying to get up, but was thrown back down.

"You wanted to know, now stay!"

Reaching his hand back, he levitated his bag to him and lifted his stake out of his bag with his mind.

"You made that when we went camping, so what!"

Concentrating on his free hand, he stuck it out in front of him and made a ball of fire appear in his palm.

"WHOA! What the fuck?!"

Levitating the ball from his hand, Beryl dropped his bag and brought his other hand forward with an ice ball forming in it. He levitated the ice ball aside the fireball, brought his two hands together and morphed them into a bowl. Moving the two energy forms together, he placed his bowl below the now forming water. Watching in awe, Giz saw his friend disappear into thin air, then saw a small amount of water being poured into his plant hanging next to his window. As he watched Beryl reappear in front of the window, he saw him quickly disappear again only to reappear sitting next to him on the side of his bed.

"Now do you believe me?" Beryl asked his speechless friend.

"H . . . H . . . How d . . . did you d . . . do that?!"

"I already told you."

"Ok . . . I've either really lost it, or I'm dreaming! Yeah . . . that's it! I'm dreaming!"

"He's not ready." A voice said in Beryl's head. "You know what to do."

"I'm just gonna lay back down and wake up now!"

"But what about the Midol?" Beryl said to confuse him as he lay back down.

"I'll get it next Wednesday!"

As Giz closed his eyes, Beryl placed his hands beside Giz's temples and concentrated. Focusing on the events that just unfolded Beryl fogged Giz's mind to further convince him it was all a dream.

"What happened?" Giz said rubbing his head and slowly sitting up.

"You okay there bro?" Beryl said still sitting beside his friend. "That was quite a fall you took there!"

"Fall? I fell?"

"Yup! You might wanna keep your dirty boxers in the closet instead of the middle of the floor."

"You sound like my mother!"

"Where is she by the way?"

"Compra."

"Oh . . ."

"Dude . . . I had the weirdest dream!"

"About?"

"I don't even remember, I just know it was weird and something about vampires and Midol!"

"Okay . . ."

"So what were we talkin about before?"

"I don't remember!"

"Whatever . . . You hungry?"

"Oh yeah!"

"Mom made pancakes and sausage."

"Awesome!"

As they sat at the table eating their breakfast, there was an awkward silence amongst the clattering of forks and plates.

“Giz . . .”

”B . . .” They said at the same time.

“You go first . . .” Beryl said as they chuckled.

“I’d thought this was part of my dream, but I know it wasn’t now . . .”

”What?” Beryl said a little uneasy.

“Well . . . I woke up last night, and you weren’t in your bed . . .”

“Yeah, I kinda snuck out cause I wanted to get some air. I stayed in my room for a little while, but I just had to get out for a bit, so I took my brother’s motorcycle out for a small ride around the neighborhood.”

”B . . .”

“Yeah . . . I know, I shouldn’t be roaming around with these people after me, but I just had to clear my mind.”

”Well just be careful! Are you okay though? I mean, you’ve been pretty quiet about everything . . .”

”The things I’m feeling are just the kind of emotions that can’t be put into words . . . if I could, I would definitely talk to you about it.”

“I know . . . I’m just worried!”

”And for that, I thank you!” Beryl said getting up from his seat and hugging his friend.

“Ok, ok, ok . . . get off me you homo!”

“Fuck you!” He said smacking Giz in the head as they both laughed and put the dishes in the sink.

“I’m just kidding!”

“We’ll see how kidding you are when I attack you in your sleep, and NOT in a good way!”

”Bring it on shorty!”

”Ahem . . . that’s MY line!”

“Shut up!”

”Anyways . . . you got this? I gotta go get ready!”

”For what? Hot date?”

”Something like that! Nah, I gotta go meet with that CIA guy . . . he wanted to talk to me some

more.”

”You want me to come with?”

”Nah, I got it . . . Thanks though.”

”No problem . . .” Giz said disappointedly turning around.

“Giz . . .”

”Yeah?”

”Really . . . thank you!”

”You’re welcome!” He said smiling a little.

After getting dressed and ready to go, Beryl packed his bag with his stake and cell phone. Realizing he still had the keys to his brother’s bike, and he had put the helmet on the handlebars, he didn’t have to sneak in through the back just to get what he needed. As he stepped downstairs, Giz was talking to his mother who had just returned from food shopping.

“And just where are you going young man?” Elizabeth said as Beryl placed his bag by the door.

“I have to go meet with that CIA guy.” Beryl said giving her a kiss on the cheek.

“Thank you . . . and no you’re not!”

“Um . . . okay?”

”They don’t need to be adding any more stress onto you as it is!”

“Liz . . . I’m fine really, it’s something that I need to do.”

”Are you sure? Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, I’ll be ok . . . really!”

”Ok, but just give us a call if you need anything.”

”I will.”

”How are you getting there?”

”I’m taking my brother’s bike.”

”The motorcycle?! Oh no you’re not! You can get killed on that thing!”

“Liz . . . I know how to ride it, I do have my license for it.”

”I don’t care, I’ll give you a ride!”

”Mom . . .” Giz interrupted. “He said he’ll be fine! Let him go!”

“You stay out of this!”

“Liz . . . really . . . I need to do this on my own! I appreciate the protective wing, but I’m fine! I’ve dealt with everything, now it’s time for me to start moving on.”

”Well fine . . . just as long as you’re home for dinner!”

”I’ll try, but I’m not promising anything.”

”Fine . . . just keep in touch!”

“I will! Now I gotta get going. I have to stop by my room to get a couple of things before I go.”

”But . . .”

”Liz . . .”

“Fine! I’ll keep quiet!”

”Thank you!” He said giving her a hug and another kiss on the cheek.

”Later bro!” Giz said as he walked him to the door.

“I’ll call you later.”

“K . . .”

”Peace!”

“Bye!”

Grabbing his bag, he went out the door and hopped over the fence connecting the two houses. Once on his porch, he opened the front door and stepped inside his house, the first time he’d been there during the day, since it happened. As he stepped through the parlor, he couldn’t help but look into his living room. To his surprise, everything was clean; the walls had been washed of blood, the rugs too, the outlining of the bodies had been removed, and the furniture had been put back. He then turned to the staircase, where there was a note on the steps.

“Glad we could help, meet me at this location at 4 o’clock:

Westchester Creek, under the Bruckner Interchange

Your questions will be answered then,

Agent Morgan”

Looking at his watch, he noticed it was a little over 2:30, he had time to change his clothes, and prepare some magickal weaponry in case he needed some. Curious about his newfound powers, he tested the teleportation by teleporting to his room from the downstairs. He closed his eyes and focused on where he was and where he wanted to go until the two met in his mind. Feeling a strange aura engulf his body, he tingled as he disappeared into the cross zone and felt he was in the nothingness that surrounded him. Still concentrating on his room, the aura that was still surrounding him grew brighter until the dark nothing turned into his destination. When he opened his eyes, he was standing in the middle of his room.

“Too cool!” He said smiling and getting goose bumps.

Dropping his bag on his bed, he went into his closet and flipped through his clothes. He pulled out a black short sleeve button down shirt and a pair of black UFO pants. He tossed them on his bed and went to his dresser, as he searched through his drawers, he pulled out a black tank top and tossed it with the rest of his clothes. Sighing at the silence filled house, he slowly removed his clothes and got dressed again. Impressed with his attire, Beryl removed his book of spells from his bag and started flipping through it. The brown leather bound book his mother had given him for his sixteenth birthday smelled of magick and his mother's perfume. Reading the first entry, he smiled,

"An it harm none, love and do what thou wilt!"

He flashed back to the day he received the book. New Year's was always extra special because it was his birthday. His parents were going to a party with his uncle and godfather, his brother had went out with his friends, and it was just him, Anastacia and Giz celebrating the ball drop. He was sad that he wasn't going to be able to spend the holiday with his family, but to make it up to him, his mother had given him his birthday present early. Her words remained in his mind,

"Every witch needs a book to keep their spells and rituals in, I saw this one and knew you would love it!"

As he felt over the cover and opened it, he saw an inscription etched into it.

"No magick could be greater than the love a mother has for her son. May your skills grow with you into manhood, as you continue to make me proud."

Tears filled his eyes as he was reminded of his mother.

"I won't let you down!" he said as his tear splashed against the inscription.

He closed his eyes and was startled when his book began to vibrate. He opened his eyes and saw his book glowing a vibrant blue color. Taken aback, the pages of the book started to rapidly turn by themselves. He placed the book on his alter and stood back while the magick worked itself. Turning more pages than he thought were contained in the book, the movement stopped when the back cover closed. Stepping slightly forward, he jumped back and fell to the floor, as the book shot open to a page and let out a blue beam that went straight to the ceiling.

"Whoa!" he said standing up just as the book started to levitate from the table.

The blue beam still emitting from the pages, the book began to turn and face Beryl. The beam shot towards Beryl's third eye Chakra, just above his eyes, in the middle of his forehead. Engulfed by the beam, Beryl's head began to fill with information. The spell book his mother once used was now combined with his. A wizzardress' power combined with his of a witch made him a powerful wielder of magick, but with all of the information now contained within his mind, it made him more equipped to use his powers. Once the transfer was complete, Beryl became a little light headed. Sitting back on his bed, he looked at the clock and noticed it was 3:30, wanting to get there a little early, he decided to leave. As he stepped outside, he saw Giz just passing his gate.

"I thought you left?" He said as Beryl mounted his bike.

"Nope. Where you going?"

"Myranda's house."

"Need a lift to the train?"

"Yeah, and mess up the hair with a helmet? I think not!"

"Whatever! I was just tryin to be nice!"

"Thanks though! Besides, not only would my mother kick my ass, but so would my girlfriend! And besides, mom said I could borrow the car."

"Good point, double the thrashing."

"Stop by later if you get a chance! Kai's gonna be there!"

"I thought she was leaving!"

"She is, but that's next week."

"I'll see. I'll give you a call later, let you know what's goin on."

"Cool . . . I'll talk to you later then!"

"Peace!" Beryl said as he placed his helmet on and started the bike.

As he pulled out of the gated driveway, he couldn't help but smile at Liz's worried look once he took off. Once he was on his way, all of that faded from his mind. He started focusing on his meeting and wondered what was in store for him. He tried not to think about it too much so he could concentrate on his driving. He came to the intersection of highways that bordered above the creek. He got off the highway and drove through the streets below, all of them entrances to other highways. Stopping at a red light, he looked over the meeting place and could see why it was chosen. The coverage from the overpasses and tools from the construction being done around the area made it easy to be unnoticed by any passer by. He drove in through the construction worker's entrance and was relieved to see that there were no workers around. Slowly weaving his way through the large metal crates and multiple piles of lumber, he finally reached a clearing by the water, where he saw a black Lincoln Continental and two agents dressed in black suits standing in front of the car. He noticed tire marks on a ramp that led down closer to the water where a large sewer drain protruded out of the wall. Slowly pulling up to the two men, he removed his helmet and turned off the motor.

”You’re early, good . . .” Agent Morgan said smiling as he advanced toward Beryl.

”Well, I like to get a look at a place before I meet someone . . . just in case.” Beryl replied as he dismounted.

“It’s the best way to ensure your safety!”

”So tell me . . . what does the CIA want with me and why are they so interested in my family’s case?”

”Well . . . I assume you already know of your family’s alternate identities.”

”Yes . . .”

”We’ve been watching you kid; we knew you would be the one to continue on in their legacy.”

”That still doesn’t answer my question.”

”Persistent . . . I like that!”

”Well?”

“Your family was working with us. We funded them with equipment, housing, weapons, information, and complete immunity from lower governmental law.”

“That last part meaning . . .”

”They couldn’t be arrested unless it was under military order. Meaning if one of them went A.W.A.L.L. then we’d be the only ones authorized to handle them.”

”So anything they did had to get cleared by the military?”

”No, not at all! We just stepped in when they needed us to.”

”Oh, I see.”

”Son, we want you to see . . .”

”Don’t call me son.”

”I apologize . . . Beryl, we want you to see that we are here for you any time you need us. You are completely free to make your own decisions and do your job as you please, we’re just here in case you need us to do a clean up job, like we did on your house, or make sure that the ignorant stay ignorant.”

”Why keep them in the dark?”

”You see, this fight is a highly classified operation. If they public knew about it all, we’d have a nation full of fear and hysteria.” His continued, his mid-western accent coming through thick. “We know the level of danger associated with these monsters, and with your help, as well as the other teams, we’ll be able to keep the evil vampires at bay, and the good ones protected.”

”Good ones?”

”Yes, not all vampires are evil. You’ll soon come to find that out for yourself.”

”I guess I don’t have a choice in this either, do I?”

”Well, you do, but if you chose not to help us, we wouldn’t be able to help you, and it’d make your life and job a lot harder.”

”You said something about housing before, does that mean my house was bought by the government?”

”Yes and no . . . Your father bought that house with his own money, compensation from jobs he had done for us. But the complex downtown . . . that was bought by us and sold to them.”

”Complex? What complex?”

“Come on . . . we’ll show you. Follow us on your bike!”

“What the hell? Vampires!?” Detective Hanson said perched behind a stack of boards.

Lowering his binoculars, and removing his earpiece, he followed in pursuit through the sewer in his car.

"Put down your visor and lock it in place by pushing it forward, this will enable the night vision." Beryl heard Agent Morgan's voice say in his ear.

"What the . . . Where did you come from?" Beryl said confused.

"There's a radio link to the other vehicles that are at the complex, we just tapped into the frequency."

"Cool . . . So there are other cars and stuff?"

"Yes . . . And that's just the beginning!

TBC . . .

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