Part 9 (1/2)

”If there's a chance those three vampires were involved in the murder, then it's going to have to fall under the colonel's jurisdiction. How are you going to handle that with the police?”

”I don't know, at the moment. That's got to be something the army will have to handle. But will I be able to stay in the PD afterwards? That's another concern. The army won't keep finding me jobs, and if they stop doing that, how am I going to argue against going back to base?”

”So vampires can alter people's memories,” she said. ”Cool. That would be a real neat trick to be able to do.”

I could hear her unspoken comment-it might not be so bad being a vampire if there were benefits like that.

”I don't want to become a vampire, Tara. I don't want to end up back in that cell.”

”That's if the army could find you... When they can't even find vampires without your help.”

I frowned. That was one way to think of it.

”But the footage shows vampires lose control sometimes. Is that what's in store for me?”

”Why would you think you would lose control like that?”

I lay back and tried to evaluate that objectively, but Tara wasn't finished.

And hiding details about Valerie for her safety? Nothing to do with the fact that she's the one person you've met who can point at you and say 'vampire'?”

Sure, getting Valerie back to Nebraska and hiding her location was for her safety. But I couldn't lie to my twin. Tara was right; I'd actively moved to hide Valerie from the army, and the reasons were complicated.

I refused to follow that line of thought. I wasn't a vampire. I wasn't becoming a vampire. I just didn't want to risk Valerie confusing the issue with the army. There'd be some way for me to stay out of the Obs cell and live here in Denver.

I fell asleep telling myself that.

Chapter 11.

SAt.u.r.dAY.

Fangs, just outside of my view, poised around my throat, pressing, gradually changing into the cold, metallic embrace of the angoisse. The taste of blood in my mouth. My cell phone woke me from another nightmare.

I knew who it had to be, and that was better than icy water in my face.

”Morning, Colonel.” I tried to sound as if I'd been up for hours, as opposed to asleep for three.

”Sergeant.”

”That lead on Club Agonia was good.”

”That security video is from the club?” I could hear the tension in his voice-and maybe some subdued excitement. If I'd started to doubt myself, he had to be several steps beyond doubt. And now, suddenly, there was evidence.

”Yeah, but the vamps aren't a club thing. The club's just a s.e.x club with the accent on kinky. There weren't any real vampires there at the Blood Orchid last night. Those three guys were visitors earlier this week. They're the real thing.”

”How do you know? Did you make a positive ID? The video looks right, but it could be faked.”

Knowing that this would put wheels in motion made me hesitate, but I couldn't duck the question.

”I didn't meet the vamps. I spoke to the girl. I could still smell them on her. And that was before I saw the video.”

The colonel hesitated too. I could imagine the thoughts going through his head. How much could he trust me, or my sense of smell? What if I was wrong? Maybe he was even concerned how it would look on his record, not that he'd ever given that impression when we were both in Ops 4-10. But he was in the same position I was. He had to take it seriously. This was the whole reason for the Obs unit-find out if vampires exist in the US and then a.s.sess the threat.

”Where is the girl now?” he said.

I swallowed. ”I'm not sure, sir. She's not at the club anymore from what I understand. Worked there under a false name.” Right up to that point, I hadn't known which way I would go. I'd just stepped across a major line in my mind. The gap between my present self and the old Ops 4-10 Sergeant Farrell widened into a ravine.

How the h.e.l.l did I think I was going to get away with hiding Valerie from Obs?

”Do you know where these three are then?” He was concentrating on practical matters.

”No, sir. There may have been a sighting of them in the vicinity of a murder later on Thursday evening. That murder's also raised a flag in my mind, but I haven't had time-”

”Is the murder connected to the club?”

”I don't know, sir. The neck wounds looked right, but I didn't get any time to check. As a rookie in patrol, I can't ask questions without people wondering why I'm trying to get involved. Even the little I've asked has caused some problems. I'd need to have access to someone senior cleared by you.”

He was silent for a moment.

”I'll put together a squad,” he said finally. ”We'll be there by early afternoon Monday.”

”Colonel, we know they must normally make a lot of effort to remain hidden. That video shows one or maybe two of them losing control, big time. What if that's a problem that escalates? Three of them go rogue in downtown Denver? I know we don't have a specific location yet, but, with respect, sir, I think we need a rapid reaction force here today. And we need to figure out how to coordinate with the Denver PD.”

”I hear you, Sergeant. First off, I have to remind you, I no longer control 4-10. I've got channels to go through.”

I couldn't believe my ears. The colonel had to requisition troops?

”If we need to discuss this with the police when we arrive, we have a list of possible contacts in the PD to go to. It's got to be someone senior enough to keep it under wraps, but not so senior that they're political. One person. What we can't do is start spreading the knowledge around.”

”Uh. Okay,” I said. He hadn't asked for my input, but I was the one on the scene. ”I'd recommend Lieutenant Morales. He's tipped to make Captain of Major Crimes soon. He's good.”

”I'll take that on board,” he said. ”And Sergeant?”

”Yes sir?”

”Calling me sir is something you tend to do when you're really stressed. I need you operating clearly and efficiently.” He paused to let that sink in. ”Get a lead on those three before we show up and maybe we can keep this out of the police altogether.”

The line went dead.

s.h.i.+t.

He was right. Ops 4-10 wasn't a unit where you used 'sir' a lot. On ops, we hadn't even used ranks. But how exactly did he expect me not to be stressed? I was allowed out of the Obs cell on the basis I didn't turn, didn't leak, supported myself and did the jobs the army threw at me. If I did the job and identified vampires in the US, I made myself redundant, or the police threw me out, or I got cla.s.sified as a vampire anyway. Or all three. Every route seemed to point back to the Obs cell.