Chapter Fifteen
"Man can embody truth but he cannot know it."
-W.D. Yeats (1865-1939)
1221 Marksdale Drive
Everett, Seattle
July 14, 2059
7:30 am
Alona woke suddenly. She sat up, immediately trying to place where she was. There was a big whole in her memory. She vaguely remembered her mother's lackey, Barnabas, picking her up after school. Beyond that there was a thick fog clouding her thoughts.
The telecom suddenly rang. It took a moment for the insistent beeping to dig its way through the cloud that lingered over Alona's mind.
"Hello?"
Linna's face appeared on the screen. Her bright-eyed, cheerful expression was a sharp contrast to Alona's. It's seven thirty in the morning. Does the girl ever sleep?
"Morning Alona!" Linna's momentary cheerful tone switched to a more serious one almost instantly. "Where have you been? I've been trying to get in touch with you. Why weren't you at school yesterday?"
"I don't know. I-" The words suddenly registered with Alona. Yesterday? A quick glance at the clock showed that today was Saturday the fourteenth. What happened to Friday? "Today's Saturday?"
"Of course it is." Linna confirmed. "Did you sleep through an entire day? You were suppose to come over to my house so we could dye your hair. Remember?"
The fog over her mind lifted slightly. She remembered walking home with Linna Thursday. They were going to dye their hair that night, but had to put it off because her mother needed to see her. Imira had sent Barnabas to fetch her. But Friday was still a blur. Alona had no memory of getting up or going to school. Had the two days been blurred together?
"Linna, what day did you walk home with me?"
"Thursday. That guy, I think you told me his name was Barnabas, picked you up. Where have you been?"
"I must have been sick."
"Are you okay?" Linna sounded concerned.
"I'm fine I think."
Linna looked skeptical. "So? Do you still want me to dye your hair?"
Alona grinned. "Okay."
"Great. I'll be right over."
"Give me about an hour, Linna, to eat and shower."
"Okay. See you then."
The telecom cut off.
Alona slumped onto her bed. Why couldn't she remember Friday? What had happened? She tried to remember. Barnabas had picked her up. He took her to her mother's church. Her mother was there waiting for her. She had held her hand. Then everything seemed to fade away.
Alona suddenly sat up. "Mom?"
She threw off the covers and left her room. The rest of the house was empty. Imira's bed was made. Everything was spotless like it always was. The trideo in the living room was off even though Alona always left it on when she left for school in the mornings. On the kitchen table she found a note from Imira. It said she had an emergency and would be at the church for the rest of the day, but not to worry. Alona frowned. Her mother was the last person she remembered being with. Maybe she knew something that Alona couldn't recall.
A series of beeps came from the keypad by the door. Alona looked up with a hint of hope running through her eyes.
"Mom?" She called expectantly.
The door open. Three people stood on the other side. All of them dressed in a mix-match of synthleathers and chains. One held a sinister looking knife in his bony fingers. His head was covered in day-glow spikes. Another male had a bandage over his eye and looked slightly overweight. The only female with the group looked like a joygirl. A clear plastic skirt showed red lace and garter belts while a vest ringed with chains rested on her torso. There was something about her manner that suggested she was anything, but a prostitute.
"Mother?" The girl grinned evilly. "No. Not quite."
1221 Marksdale Drive
Everett, Seattle
8:15 am
The house is quiet. The street is quiet for that matter. Not a single person is out. Unusual for such a suburban cul-de-sac. Seeing a few people jogging or walking their dogs would make it a picture perfect neighborhood.
Nightsky glances at the Browning Ultra-Power as he attaches a silencer. He pulls a Viper Silvergun from underneath the seat and removes one bullet from the clip. That bullet goes into the Browning's chamber.
Then again, maybe its better that there are no people around.
The Nissan Jackrabbit pulls to a stop in the driveway of the townhouse bearing the numbers 1221. Sneaking into the house is harder than it should be for such a quiet neighborhood. There's no out of the way place to park around here. The closet one is too far away to walk without drawing suspicion. A fact that Nightsky doesn't not enjoy. He is constantly aware that neighbors could be watching him from windows right now. In this case it is better to play the visitor than the thief.
Nightsky steps out into the crisp morning air. It has been a long time since he has been awake at this time of day. Most of the time he is a night person, going to sleep in the early morning hours and waking in the early evening. Seeing the sun so bright in the sky is a big change.
He walks to the door like he knows what he is going. His stride doesn't falter as he approaches the door. Without batting an eye he pulls a sequencer from his pocket and slaps it against the keypad. Thirty seconds later the lock clicks open. Nightsky enters, but as soon as the door closes he's on the offensive.
The Browning comes to his hand. The first round in the chamber is flechette, ensuring maximum damage against a undead vampire. He sweeps the room efficiently. The kitchen, breakfast room, and living room are clear. A closet next to the door and a bathroom down the hall are also empty. Without slowing his pace he proceeds up the stairs, searching both bedrooms in record time.
Nothing.
The townhouse is empty. Where the hell did everyone go?
Being empty could be a good thing, Nightsky reminded himself. Now he had plenty of time to search the place. He spent the better part of twenty minutes rifling through drawers in what looked like Imira's bedroom. Another ten in Alona's. All of his efforts did not raise a single clue.
As Nightsky wondered by the kitchen table he noticed the note placed there. It was so conspicuous he wondered how he had missed it before.
"Church?" Nightsky said to himself as he fingered the letter. Tart's search on the Matrix hadn't turned up any information about a church. The only thing in Seattle with Imira's name on it was the lease to the townhouse.
A knock on the front door drew Nightsky's attention. He rushed to the window and peaked out a gap in the curtain. A young woman stood at the door. Around Nightsky's own height. Probably around Alona's age from her appearance. She has long hair. Something that Nightsky pays special attention to. Long hair can have its disadvantages and not just in upkeep.
"Alona? Are you home?" She said into the intercom next to the door.
Nightsky chewed his lip before unlocking the door. As it opened he slipped behind it holding his pistol steady.
"Alona? Hello? Is anyone home."
Nightsky takes the safety off.
Click!
What was that? Linna asked herself as she turned.
A hand suddenly grabbed her hair as something cold pressed against the back of her skull.
"You turn I pull the trigger. You move your arms I pull the trigger. You move your legs I pull the trigger. You do something I don't like I pull the trigger." A harsh voice snapped at her. "You do pretty much anything I don't like I pull the trigger. Got me?"
"Just who the fuck do you think you are? What are you doing in Alona's home?" Linna started to turn when the hand jerked her hair. Linna screeched at the sharp pain, but the jerk wasn't meant to cause pain. It focused her attention on something else while her assailant pressed against the inside of her knee, making her drop to them.
"This isn't a game."
Linna caught a glimpse of a gun barrel pointed at her head. A sudden surge of fear filled her. "Okay, this isn't my house, okay? Just take whatever you want and leave. I won't tell anyone if you let me go."
"Quiet." The voice was surprisingly calm and focused. "I don't take chances. For all I know you're one of them."
"Look, I don't know what-"
"I said quiet."
"But-"
"Quiet!"
Linna frowned. "Look, I don't really think you want to kill me."
"Want to bet?" The muzzle pressed harder against her scalp. "Now, I'm going to ask you some questions. You are going to answer them. Play nice and we'll both walk away happy."
Linna was steaming, but she nodded grudgingly.
"The first question will be an easy one. What's your name?"
"Linna."
"Linna, how do you know Alona?"
"Why do you care about her?"
"I ask the questions, you answer. Remember?"
Linna sighed. "She's my friend. I go to school with her."
He seemed to consider her words. "How long have you two been in the same school?"
"Why's that important?"
"Just answer the question."
"Okay. She moved here about a year ago."
"Where was she before that?"
"I don't know."
There was silence for a moment. Linna thought he was thinking things over, but she felt his eyes on her. Wether or not he would pull the trigger was up to debate. Though Linna didn't feel like pushing that argument.
"Next question. Where's the Imira?"
"Imira Folkstaff? Alona's mom?"
"The same."
"I don't know."
"What do you know about her."
"She does some kind of art work. I think she restores old buildings and stuff."
"That it?"
"She's a bad cook too if that's what you want to know."
He huffed. "Where's the church?"
"What church?"
He dropped a note at her feet. "Imira's church. Where is it?"
"Why do you want to go there? You're after Alona, aren't you?"
"No." The muzzle suddenly pressed sharply against her head. "I'm after Imira. Alona is my only link to her. Now where's the church."
"Why are you after Imira?"
"Answers. Questions." Nightsky shrugged. "Maybe a little of both." He strengthened his resolve. "Tell me where the church is and I'll let you go."
"Is Alona in trouble?"
"Why should you care?"
"Because I'm her friend! You do know what a friend is, don't you? Someone who stands by you no matter what you've done. Someone to help you when you need it. Come on, you must know what a friend is."
Nightsky scoffed. The word friendship was one that he felt distanced to. Over the years it had become hard for him to define a word. The shadowrunners he ran with, Lenny, Riggs, Shard, and all of them, were his friends. The people he grew up with on the streets, the Blackhearts, they were his friends. Weren't they?
The friendship with them seemed hollow. It was a friendship based on a mutual need. Not open honestly. The other shadowrunners stood by him because he was part of the team. The Blackhearts banded together for mutual protection. Now, that Nightsky was older, it seemed that the need for mutual protection had evolve to where he was needed for his skills and abilities.
"In a way I don't really have any friends." Nightsky mused.
"Well Alona is my friend and I don't want to see her get hurt!"
"Stop the sappiness." Nightsky scorned, but he suddenly stopped himself.
That was Gideon talking!
It was exactly what Gideon would say in a situation like this. Stuff the heart warming drek and focus on business. Get the directions to the church, ditch the bitch, put Imira and Barnabas and all the rest down. Nightsky found himself thinking just like the ork. A few months ago that wasn't the case. Now things were changing.
The gun shook in his hand. It hadn't done that in a long time. The image of the boy and the roomsweeper crept back. The look of disappointment on his face. The look of questioning. The question he wanted to ask.
Why?
Nightsky lowered the gun. He let Linna go.
The girl took a deep breath, quickly bolting around to view her capture. At first she seem surprised. Then another expression crossed her features. Almost one of recognition. It looked like she would lash out for a moment, but she didn't.
"You really have no idea what's going on, do you?" Nightsky shook his head slightly. "You don't have any idea what they are. You're in the dark." he smirked, thinking back over the events from the past few days. For the first time he remembered how catatonic Alona had been. It was like something was controlling her, calming her mind while everything was taking place. "Like Alona was."
Nightsky paced around her half lost in his own thoughts. Imira could work magic. She had years ago in his family's talismongering shop. The infection in her blood must have brought out her hidden talent. She could play with minds. It was the only was to explain Alona's actions and her seeming naivety concerning the truth. Plus it was the only way to explain the images and memories that had been dragged up from his own past. For a moment Nightsky considered it a severe lax in professionalism that he was just now putting together some of the pieces. Then again, thinking things through was more long Lenny's lines.
"What's going on?" Linna demanded.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes."
"The truth?" He smirked, continuing to walk around her while keeping the Browning in his hand. "Why not. The truth is that Imira is infected with HMHVV."
"What's that? Some freaky STD?"
"It stands for Human-MetaHuman-Vampiric-Virus. A little gift from the Awakening. It turns the infected into vampires. Well, Humans anyway. Meta's get different expressions. You do know that vampires exist, don't you?"
"I don't live me life in a box! I've seen the trids."
"This isn't the trids."
"You're telling me that Imira Folkstaff is a vampire?"
"Yes."
"How the hell do you know that?"
"Because most people can't regenerate one that's been shot three or four times."
The made her silent.
"Is Alona a vampire."
Nightsky shrugged. He didn't really know if Alona was a vampire or not. He doubted it, but anything could've happen in the past day. "I don't think so."
"Where do you fit into all of this."
"None of your business."
"Well, that was blunt."
"Glad you liked it, Linna. Now tell me where the church is."
"What are you going to do to Imira when you find her?"
"You don't want to know." In truth Nightsky wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he couldn't let that show in front of her.
"What about Alona? What's going to happen to her?"
Nightsky didn't answer.
"Well? What's going to happen to her."
"Just tell me where the damn church is."
Linna frowned. "You're going to kill her, aren't you? Both of them."
Again Nightsky didn't answer.
"I won't tell you where then church is if you're going to kill someone."
"If Alona isn't infected I won't hurt her. I need to find Imira, though. My reasons are a lot deeper than you might think."
"I'm coming with you. I want to make sure Alona is safe. I'll show you how tog et to the church."
Nightsky shook his head. "It doesn't work that way. You tell me where and I leave you here."
"I'm going."
"I can't trust you to come with me."
"Can't you trust anyone? What am I going to do? Kill you? With what? My hands? You'd take me out before I could get close to you."
Nightsky knew that much was true, but he still didn't envy her company. "You really don't have any idea what you are getting into, do you? Imira's got friends. That lacky, Barnabas for one, and a bunch of hired help that are more than willing to crack your skull. This isn't a game."
"You think I don't know what I'm getting into?"
"No."
"Look, its simple, you take me with you or you don't find Imira. Get me?"
Nightsky tightened his grip on the pistol. Linna was being difficult. The last thing he wanted was her along for the ride. If he knocked her out, perhaps take her to one of Lenny's contacts who could dive into minds, he might find out what he needed to know. Then again, that could take hours.
Reluctantly, Nightsky caved in. "Okay, deal. You do as I say or you end up horizontal. As long as you're straight with me I won't mess with you. Cross me and I'll pull this trigger."
Linna smiled. "Deal."
The smile stuck in Nightsky's head for some reason.