Part 20 (1/2)
”Whoa.” She smiled at him. ”Whoa. Oh, my G.o.d, that's so great! So is it close to being finished? How do we protect Antonio from it? Do they want us to take him to their compound?”
”Jenn.” He took both her hands in one of his. Then he locked gazes with her, the expression in his large brown eyes steady, serious. ”They're not going to protect Antonio from it.”
When she started to jerk away, he held her fast. He put his free hand on her shoulder and held her still. ”There's no antidote.”
Her face went numb. For a moment the world went dark. She couldn't see him. Couldn't hear anything. She was spinning, falling.
Then she felt him tugging on the neck of her sweater. A hand on her neck. On the bandage.
”What the h.e.l.l is this?” Noah said in a low, angry voice.
She slapped her hand over his to stop him from pulling away the dressing. She couldn't breathe.
”What do you mean, there's no antidote? What do you mean?”
Noah pried her hand off the gauze and lifted it up, revealing the st.i.tched-up wound. To anyone who knew anything about vampires, it was obvious that it was a bite.
”Who did this? Did he do it?”
”Noah, stop!” she said, batting at him. ”Tell me about the virus!”
”It doesn't matter that there's no antidote,” he said, biting off each word. ”Because I'm going to kill Antonio right now.”
He whirled on his heel and headed for the door. Jenn gripped his arm; he shook her off. She raced around him, facing him as she flattened her back against the door.
”Noah, calm down. It was an accident,” she said, and then her voice broke.
”Move, Jenn, now,” he said.
”No.” She flattened her hands against his chest and pushed him as hard as she could. But he'd been ready for her; he wrapped his hands around her forearms as he stumbled backward, bringing her with him. Then he forced her aside, threw open the door, and stomped into the hallway.
”Don't you do anything!” she screamed, charging after him. ”Noah!”
As Jenn ran into the hall, she nearly collided with Noah, who was facing Father Juan. The priest stood in front of the door Noah would have to take to go downstairs. From the other side of the doorway, the monotonous chanting rose and fell.
”There are other doors,” Noah said in a low, menacing voice still audible above the prayers for Antonio's soul. ”Stand aside.”
”I know how you feel,” Father Juan replied, holding out his left hand as if Noah were a wild animal he had to calm. His right hand was behind his back. ”But he's necessary.”
”Necessary? After what he did to her? I know you're there, Jenn. Stay clear of me.” To Father Juan he said, ”Get out of my way.”
”I can't, Noah,” Father Juan said. ”I have cast the runes over and over, and the answer is clear. To win this war, we need Antonio.”
Noah laughed harshly. ”Father Juan, who's throwing those useless rocks? He's like a son to you.”
Father Juan continued as if Noah hadn't spoken. ”Antonio is contained. He can't get out. The monks-”
”Monks,” Noah jeered. ”Don't you get it, Father Juan? This is not some holy war. This is a real war. We have very few soldiers left on our side, and if you leave that monster alive to kill them, we may as well leap out of the tower of this monastery now, because the vampires will win. And I, for one, won't be taken.”
”You're talking about Masada,” Father Juan said. ”The Israelites chose ma.s.s suicide rather than be taken by the Romans. And what was that but a holy war?”
”Don't twist my words,” Noah said.
”Antonio has been chosen to help us,” Father Juan insisted.
”And my people were chosen, and we were practically annihilated. The Final Solution, didn't Hitler call it? To round up the Jews and send them to camps, and then to murder them. In poison showers. In ovens. Well, guess what, priest. Our side-the good guys-they've invented a Final Solution too. A virus. It'll wipe out all the vampires. Including that b.a.s.t.a.r.d downstairs.”
Father Juan turned white. Noah started walking toward him.
Father Juan brought his right hand from behind his back. In it he held a gun, and he pointed it straight at Noah's chest. Jenn covered her mouth with both hands to keep herself from screaming. She jumped backward, not because she was afraid of being shot, but to prevent Noah from taking her hostage. She couldn't believe this was happening. It was as surreal as Antonio's attack on her.
”I'll drop you,” Father Juan said.
”I know a dozen ways to disarm you,” Noah said.
”We'll drop you,” Holgar said.
Holgar was standing behind Jenn, and Gramma Esther stood beside him. Both of them were armed with submachine guns, and their weapons were pointed straight at Noah.
And behind them Father Wadim stood in front of at least a dozen monks crowding the pa.s.sageway, all similarly armed.
Noah huffed and shook his head. ”You're insane. All of you.”
”Tell me about the virus,” Father Juan ordered him. His voice rang out, almost vibrating with strength. To Jenn's ears it didn't quite sound human.
”Dr. Sherman invented it,” Jenn said, fighting back tears. Her legs had turned to rubber, but she forced herself to remain upright.
”It'll be airborne,” Noah said. He was seething. ”There's no cure.”
”Was Greg there?” Gramma Esther asked. ”Did you talk to him?”
”Yes,” Noah replied shortly, and there was something in his voice that sent chills down Jenn's spine.
”Did he mention Antonio? Is there a-what do you say-safe heaven? For him?” Holgar asked.
”Safe haven,” Gramma Esther corrected him.
”He didn't mention Antonio. He didn't want any of you to know anything about it. He tried to kill me, to keep the secret.”
”Oh, my G.o.d,” Jenn whispered.
”How did you get away?” Father Wadim asked.