text:
Dr. Lauren Romano
"Try to relax. This will only hurt a little."
0 · 275 views · located in New York
a character in "The Purge Has Begun", originally authored by AugustArria, as played by RolePlayGateway
Name: Lauren Romano
Physical Age: 28
Actual Age: 28
While at work, which is how much of her time is spent, Lauren is dedicated and driven. Her desire to cure both vampirism and lycanthropy is born out of fear, mainly; she finds both of the non-human species to be wholly unnatural, particularly the lycans. This fear drives her to do things that most would consider to be, perhaps ironically, inhuman. When working towards a cure, Lauren will not hesitate to use live subjects in dangerous tests and experiments that may result in serious injury or death for the patient. If they're not human, they're not her problem if they die. This view of hers might have been different if someone close to her had been bitten by one of the species, but it hasn't happened. Despite all the study she's done, Lauren's actual experience with vampires and lycans is minimal. To her horror, she can't help but feel a sort of irresistible curiosity towards them...
If anyone manages to take her mind off her work, which would be difficult to do, Lauren is actually quite sociable and friendly. While she's never been extremely outgoing, she used to enjoy dancing when she had more time, and has a rather large weakness for music, specifically acoustic guitars. This other side of her hopelessly battles against the dutiful Lauren while she is at work. Subconsciously, she knows she needs to connect with someone in order to have the necessary drive to see her task through.
Lauren Romano has led a life most would call...spoiled. Any only child, born into wealth and education, her parents ensured that their daughter would be meant for greatness by paying their way past everyone. She was given only the best schooling as a child, and was pampered and spoiled all throughout her early years. In spite of this, Lauren never developed any kind of sense of entitlement. Like her father, she worked for just as much as she was given. This was a powerful and dangerous combination in an individual.
Through high school, Lauren became one of the more popular people around, through her intelligence, looks, and wit, though her constant working mentality drove some people away, specifically any guys who attempted to enter a relationship with her. She made a few close friends, many lesser friends, and no enemies. It was fully expected when she was accepted into one of the finest medical schools on the east coast. Here she excelled as well, surpassing many of the professors in knowledge by the time she was through. By graduate school time, she was working personally with many of the professors on major research projects involving some of the most difficult diseases around.
She was a natural choice for the government when the vampire and lycan problem became public, and as she had been her entire life, the government spoiled Lauren. She was given whatever she needed, whatever she asked for, in order to find a cure for both of the non-human species. Assistants, laboratories, chemicals and substances, guards, everything she could want. Progress towards a cure, however, is something she hasn't produced yet. Lauren believes this is due to her lack of live subjects so far. She's tested on a number of slain vampires and lycans, but live test subjects have eluded her.
Lauren has also become well aware that her ruthless work towards a cure has made her more than a minor target for the vampires and lycans who wish to remain as they are...
OOC
Have you seen the Underworld movies?: Not the newest one, but I've seen the other three.
How often do you get online?: Every day.
How often can we expect you to be able to post?: As often as I'm needed. I'm usually the one waiting for posts.
Password: Vampire Zebras.
Dr. Lauren Romano's Story
Seen 17 Times • Page 1 of 1
# 2012-05-27 18:50:27 , as written by AugustArria
In all his years leading his coven, his family, Silas Logan had never seen things become so grim.
Never in his lifetime had the lycans come forth with the kind of fury that the humans presented now. They were extremely well armed, very well organized, and their intentions were clear: wipe out the vampires and the lycans, by any means necessary. Silas didn't want any part of it. His coven consisted of...what? Perhaps two dozen, though that had been before things had gotten this bad. There were some whose whereabouts where entirely unknown, but Silas was forced to assume they had been killed. The streets were no longer safe for them at night. The possibility that they were no longer the superior race loomed over him.
Though he knew some of his coven members would disagree with him, Silas had his strategy in hand: do not bring violence upon the coven that is unwanted. They were on the outskirts of the city, well out of the worst fighting if they kept cool and didn't draw unnecessary attention to themselves. Perhaps the numbers of the vampire species as a whole would dwindle. Let it. So long as this coven was safe, so long as those he had come to love did not come to harm, Silas was pleased.
After all, the majority of the vampires being murdered in the streets were the youngest ones, recently turned, confused with their newly found powers, or overcome with blood lust and a desire to feed on the humans. Silas didn't need either in his coven. They were no true vampires, merely children who'd grown larger teeth and had a desire to use them. They were as bad as the lycans, worse even. A stain upon their name. Silas would not help them, not unless he saw some reason to believe that they would be worth the trouble. He was confident that the coven would respect his decision, even if they did not entirely agree with it. Their loyalty and love needed to be shown to each other, not to outsiders. Silas had led this coven for nearly a century; he did not plan on leading it astray now that things had grown dire.
He stood in his study, the room lit by only a few sparse candles. Silas had lived in a time before electricity had become widespread, and he'd never gotten used to rooms lit by it. It wasn't like the darkness was a hindrance to him, after all. He stood looking through a shelf of old tomes from past coven leaders, searching for anything regarding the humans, reading the titles along the spines with little light available to him. He sighed, turning away without success, and sinking into a black leather chair before his desk.
The lycans had been hit hardest by the humans. Their packs were on the run, or even trying to fight back, despite the losses and the odds against them. Perhaps the lycans and humans would tear each other apart until neither was a threat. It was something to hope for, at least. In the meantime, Silas had sent one of his men to bring Viktoria Wilkes, one of his newest coven members, before him. Silas considered a leader nothing if he did not care about his people, and having regular, private discussions with each and every coven member was his preferred way of getting them to express their thoughts.
Dr. Lauren Romano stifled a yawn, rubbing her eyes, desperately fighting the desire to sleep. One of her guards had suggested that she get some rest, that she would be better able to work when rested. Lauren waved him off. She'd done this before in college, gone practically entire weeks without sleep. This was little different. The guard had then questioned her on how well she'd done on whatever had been happening that week, hoping to catch her argument in a fatal flaw. Lauren merely sighed. She had aced every single one of those tests. Otherwise, someone else would have been here, in her shoes, trying to find a cure for vampirism and lycanthropy.
They often said there was no cure, and Lauren was starting to believe them. At first she naturally assumed there was something that everyone had overlooked, some key element, a piece of the puzzle that had fallen off the edge of the table. Countless blood tests, experiments, and sleepless nights later, and Lauren was being converted.
Perhaps her assigned guards were right. Maybe this search for a cure was killing her. But if she didn't find anything, perhaps the lycans or the vampires would kill her. Her name had become somewhat well known recently as someone who was at the forefront of the search for a cure, along with one of her old teachers, Quentin Furness. She hoped he was doing well, wherever he was. He didn't have access to the kinds of supplies that she did, being employed by the government. Vampires and lycans had come after scientists before. Hence the guards that surrounded Lauren's underground laboratory.
A thought came to her, one that had visited many times before: Lauren needed live subjects to test on. Perhaps that was the missing piece of the puzzle. The vampires and lycans were frustratingly difficult to bring in alive, as the only weapons that proved effective against them also proved quite fatal. If she could just find some way, or someone, willing to bring her a live vampire or lycan...
Perhaps she just needed more sleep.
Silas watched Colby move around the room humming, practically gliding, a smile returning to his lips. He truly did appreciate her company. Too many of his kin were so absorbed in bloodlust and aggression. He found it utterly refreshing to be in her presence. She much needed reprieve from a hundred years of gloom. Which made what he wanted to ask of her all the more difficult. Silas stood, moving slowly back over towards his desk.
"I have a task for you, Colby, if you're willing. If you don't want to go, I can send another, but I think you're the best choice for this."
He paused, looking down at the map spread across his desk. It was quite a ways to travel. On foot it would take some time, but she could likely better avoid attention. If she were to take a vehicle, there were numerous roadblocks set up by the humans, checkpoints, other obstacles that she'd have to bypass. It was the same underground, through the subway, but at least down there she wouldn't need to worry about time constraints, and getting caught in the sun.
"I mean to speak with the lycans before I make any decisions about the coven's future. I need to know where they stand, and more importantly, if there's any possibility of cooperation between us. It's high time we set aside differences to deal with the greater threat."
Silas sighed tiredly. He should have done this sooner, before things had gotten as out of hand as they had.
"If you willing, I want you to make contact with one of the packs. Their leader, Calvin Hyde, and I have...well, crossed paths on a few occasions. He knows I've been no enemy to the lycans in recent years. If you tell him I sent you, and that I want to discuss in peace, he should listen."
By recent years Silas meant upwards of two to three decades. He'd avoided contact with the lycans as much as possible, mostly out of distrust that both his own kind and the lycans could cooperate and keep a working relationship for long. Those doubts still troubled him, but the situation had grown grim enough that he was willing to test the waters.
"Hyde's older than even I, and he's never been a friend to the vampires, but his pack has been hit hard, just as the others have. I believe if I send you, and not a squad of Death Dealers such as I have been, he'll be more willing to cooperate. I hate the thought of throwing you to the wolves like this, but I don't trust anyone else in the coven to keep the peace. Can you do this for me?"
Lauren couldn't get the idea out of her head. She knew she wasn't going anywhere just testing on dead vampire cells, lycan remains riddled with silver, the charred remains of vampires caught in the sun. No, she was convinced that she needed a live subject now. Once ideas like this formed, Lauren knew they wouldn't go away until she had tested and confirmed them, to be true or false. But there remained the problem of how to get one...
She had guards assigned to her from the government, loyal men who were certainly willing to protect her from the beasts, but she wasn't willing to ask them to go hunting vampires in the night, to wander down random alleys until a lycan pounced on them. No, she needed outside help.
There was also the moral issue of performing experiments on live subjects, but...didn't that only apply to humans? Of course it did. The government, no, the people of the country would understand that the suffering of a few vampires and lycans were well worth the cure that brought peace and order back to the country.
"Hey Ethan?" she called to the guard outside her door. Ethan Cole had been voluntarily keeping an eye on outside events, and informing her of them as they happened. It helped to keep things in perspective. The stories reminded her why she slaved away in the lab for hours on end.
"Did you say there had been more attacks on the lycans by militia groups last night?"
"That's correct, ma'am."
Lauren pondered for a moment. "No doubt those didn't go as well as they planned. They must have had wounded end up at the hospital."
"No doubt."
"Get your keys, then. We're going to pay them a visit."
"Ma'am?"
Lauren was already throwing on her coat. "I'll bet those militia men wouldn't mind access to some better equipment. And I wouldn't mind myself access to a live test subject. Come on, we're going recruiting."
# 2012-05-31 12:50:33 , as written by shmband
Jemima slowed her movements when it appeared at first that the vampires were not showing any interest in her, but she turned out to be mistaken and with supernatural speed the older looking of the two was upon her and had her in a vice-like grip, pulling her further into the darkness and out of view of the streets. Jemima shrieked, but knew that the chances of anyone being nearby to hear her were remote. Even if a patrol went past, they would be all strapped up in an armour personel carrier scanning the streets with electronic equipment, not their ears.
Her head swam from the adrenaline and her hands shook uncontrollably. How confidently she had just strolled away from work and made her way home as if there was nothing to worry about. It seemed like she was about to pay the price for her presumption. Tears pricked at her eyes as she struggled to come to terms with the fact that she was probably facing the moment of her death...it didn't appear that these vampires were out to 'infect' people for turning. She didn't respond at all to the vampire's threat for her to stay silent. What did it matter? Could she really make it any worse for herself...?
Wes floored the pedal and saw the alleyway coming up on the left. He started to relax a little. This was the easy bit. Just park out of view and wait for whoever got out to apprehend the girl and bring her to...what the hell? His jaw dropped at the scene which was suddenyl illuminated by the van's headlights. Two freshly drained corpses, two vampires and the doctor's daughter being held by one of them. Immediately Wes started banging on the back panel of the drivers compartment.
"Vampires!!" he yelled, "Shitting sodding vampires!"
Immediately the back door opened and three male lycans ran around to the front of the van and stood in a pensive position, sizing up the threat. When the vampire threatened to kill the girl all of them stopped, clearly betraying the fact that the human was their target.
Wes opened the driver door and stood half hanging out of the van, staring at the older vampire, cursing his bad luck that although they weren't launching into combat, there was now a delicate negotiation to be coordinated.
"We're not here to fight." Wes called out to them, "And every second we're out here we're risking our necks, you and us. Obviously you've already fed, so let the girl go. She's involved in something that's gonna be bad news for both our species if it goes ahead, but we need her alive. Don't be stupid about this. We're not asking for your help, or offering ours, but this is about something bigger than you know."
"Fine, I'll take a few days off. Happy?"
Quentin smirked a little and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not unhappy. If that's the best you can give me. In that case follow me and we'll get your belongings back and have you on your way."
He led Landon back towards the front of the hospital and ushered him into a room where there were a couple of forms that needed to be signed. Whilst that was happening, a male nurse stepped and and leaned in towards Quentin, whispering something in his ear.
"Dr, a vehicle just pulled up outside. We think it's Dr Romano."
Quentins face fell. "Oh god no, this I could do without. Try to stall them if you can."
He felt a rising frustration in his chest. What did Lauren want at the hospital at this time of night? Did she not have everything she needed in that wonderful little government compound the city had so kindly funded for her? Was she not so busy trying to eradicate two whole species that she needed to come and interfere with the work of doctors who were actually trying to help people?
Silas remained in his study, more or less lost in his thoughts. He was confident that Colby would be able to reach the lycans, but not so sure as to how they would react to her presence. The ideal outcome would be if their leader agreed to meet with Silas personally, either on neutral ground or at the coven, though he was certain many of his brothers and sisters would be downright offended to have a lycans in their halls. It was pitiful sometimes. Silas had slaughtered more lycans than anyone in his coven, and it was he of all people who was most willing to lay down his arms and speak of cooperation. Perhaps it was no coincidence. Perhaps the amount of war Silas had experienced throughout his years served as an encouragement towards peace.
A worst case scenario would be if they attacked Colby on sight, deciding to take her prisoner or worse. But Silas had faith in Colby. She was both faster and fiercer than she looked, and the lycans weren't likely to try taking vampire prisoners.
Silas suddenly rose from his chair, gliding across the floor on light footfalls towards the door. Viktoria should have come to see him by now. Silas took a step outside the study into the hall, spying the man he'd sent to summon her.
"Travis," he called, stalking towards the man. He appeared a young blonde, no more than twenty-five, but Silas had known him to be that way for the past thirty years. "You sent for Viktoria, as I asked?"
He nodded. "Of course, Silas. I was leading her to the study, but she broke away from me, saying she knew the way. I didn't wish to be forceful with her, I assumed it was just a regular talk you meant to have with her."
"It was. She hasn't come to see me, though. Check her room."
Silas sighed as Travis moved away to do as he asked. This was hardly the time to go running off from the coven, alone. The streets were deadly at night...and fatal in the day. As he remembered, Viktoria had fed only recently, in fact she had accompanied Silas on a hunt. Travis returned to him, shaking his head. Silas grimaced. Where else would she be, if not trying to find someone to kill? The girl was in love with her abilities, newly transformed as she was. Silas had been much the same when he'd been younger...drunk on his newly found powers. But the world wasn't the same now.
"You want us to go after her, Silas?" Travis asked. Silas shook his head.
"No. She could be anywhere by now, and chasing her down will only make the problem worse. She'll return on her own. And if she doesn't...well, everyone must choose their own path."
He returned to his study.
Ethan opened the door for Lauren, and she slid out of the seat to behold the hospital, in all its chaotic glory. This place had always been quite busy she remembered, but now it looked like an absolute nightmare. People were flowing in from all over, seeking treatment from vampire and lycan attacks, half of them likely infected already. Of course, the quarantine rooms were nearby, as was necessary. And by quarantine, they of course meant execution. Watch the creatures transform their first time to learn all that they could, and then put them down, with silver or sunlight. A brutal necessity, in Lauren's opinion. She was here to find an easier way for everyone.
"I still don't think this is a good idea," Ethan muttered. Lauren shrugged.
"They're paying me to think, Mr. Cole. They're paying you to watch and to shoot."
He sighed. "Yes, ma'am."
A man rushed up to them, and from the look on his face, he didn't want them around. Lauren couldn't say she blamed him, but she had business here, and she wouldn't be kept from it.
"Excuse me?" he began. "If you're not wounded or in need of medical assistance, we're going to need you to clear out."
Lauren flashed him the badge that she'd been given. It was basically a 'go anywhere she wanted' badge, and Lauren had to admit, it was fun to use.
"Sorry, but this is important. We're going in. Though, I guess we could move the car. Ethan, if you would."
He left her to move the vehicle as she passed through the main entrance, alongside a pair of poor souls on stretchers, moaning and groaning from their wounds. Lauren briefly wondered what someone was supposed to do if they got some other disease, you know, like cancer or something. She almost laughed to herself. They'd probably go try and find a vampire to bite them, and not suck them dry. Immortality in place of a tumor seemed like a good deal to her.
She spied a familiar face inside, Quentin Furness. She had studied under him back in her school days, seemingly ages ago, though it could not have been more than eight years. He had been one of the brightest minds she'd had the privilege of working with. But, finding him here, amidst the chaos, made her reconsider that. What good could a man as smart as he do here, saving one here and another there, when the entire world was bleeding from the war?
"I hadn't thought to find you here," she said, arms crossed, a smile that was not unfriendly across her face. She had no doubt that he would remember her. Her name was quite well-known among medical circles these days, and not entirely positively, as some resented the gifts the government had granted her in their efforts to see the lycan and vampire problems solved.
"Gosh, it's been...what? Eight years, now? Do you mind if I take a look at some of the patients here? I promise I won't get in anyone's way."
She would have loved to stay and chat with her old teacher, but unfortunately, she had work to do. The vampires and lycans weren't just going to get rid of themselves, now, were they?
# 2012-06-02 09:15:02 , as written by ilikepurplezebras
Thankfully, the human girl stayed quiet as she heard the rather hairy driver shout "Vampires!! Shitting sodding vampires!" She had to smirk a little at that. At least he sounded frightened of them. Not to mention when the three men hesitated as she threatened to kill the human. They had just betrayed their intentions, and her hunch had been correct. "We're not here to fight. And every second we're out here we're risking our necks, you and us. Obviously you've already fed, so let the girl go. She's involved in something that's gonna be bad news for both our species if it goes ahead, but we need her alive. Don't be stupid about this. We're not asking for your help, or offering ours, but this is about something bigger than you know." So this human was supposedly important, which she found hard to believe. All humans were annoying, and only served as food. How one could be important for their species' causes was beyond her. The human would be imperative in both her and the second vampire getting out alive.
They were outnumbered four to two, and those were the only lycans visible. More could be lurking about close, ready to appear at a moment's notice. She didn't sense any particularly close, thankfully. "Do you have any idea of what they're talking about?" her companion asked, so quiet only her ears picked it up. Without glancing sideways, she replied equally quietly. "No. If I did, I'd know how to get us out of this situation..." She listened to her companion ask a question, and she was grateful. Keeping them talking and not attacking was imperative. As everything came into perspective, their situation didn't seem as dire anymore. At least until two more lycans appeared on the scene.
A girl came around the corner first, looking confused about what was going on. A boy followed shortly after. "Shit," she whispered, eyes darting back and forth between their six enemies. Her chances of escaping unscathed had just plummeted. They still had the advantage with the human in their possession, though the odds were slowly starting to build against them. The human was the key to her and the second vampire getting away safely.
A plan began to form in her mind, though things had to happen the way she wanted them, or it wouldn't work. If the lycans decided to attack, everything was ruined. There was no way they could hope to defeat six. Everything relied on the importance of the human, and them wanting her alive and unharmed. If she wasn't as important as they said, and they were lying, she couldn't think of a way out.
"I have a plan," she whispered to her companion. "Follow my lead, and stay close."
However, first she wanted to hear the lycan's answer to their question. If they got away, this would be quite an interesting story to deliver to Silas. The more information she collected, the better. It might even make up for her running away. That and she was bringing back another perspective coven member, who seemed to be useful and intelligent. She was growing fond of her already. She turned her thoughts back to the lycans. "Answer my friend's question," she yelled at them, tightening her hold on the human slightly. "Why is she so important?"
"I'm not unhappy. If that's the best you can give me. In that case follow me and we'll get your belongings back and have you on your way."
It took Landon a few minutes to successfully get out of bed without hurting himself, but he managed it. He followed the doctor through the hospital towards the lobby, slightly hunched over to not stretch the wound more than it could handle. He ushered him into a room, handing him a few discharge forms that had to be completed. As he was writing, he noticed another figure step into the room to whisper something into the doctor's ear. The annoyance on the doctor's face was plain to see, and Landon smirked at that.
He focused on the papers once more, filling out the required information, reading about the medications they were sending him home with. Something to prevent infections, and something for pain. He relaxed slightly, happy to read that. The discomfort was bothering him more than he'd like to admit. He looked over the directions for taking care of the wound, and all the other useless information they provided him with.
Once he was sure everything had been filled out, he slowly stood, realizing the doctor had stepped just outside of the room. He walked to the doorway, papers in hand, and stopped to see a woman standing in front of the doctor. She looked familiar, he was sure he'd seen her face somewhere before, but he couldn't place it. There seemed to be some serious tension going on between the two of them. Maybe she was an ex-girlfriend who had dumped him and broke the doctor's heart. The thought brought a smile to Landon's face.
Stepping right between their little face off, Landon handed the doctor the pile of papers in his hand. "Everything's done. Anything else I need to know, or can I get the hell out of here?"
''I-I am sorry for disturbing you.'' She shrank down, whether from fear or the readiness to pounce, he couldn't say. He growled again, louder this time.
''I h-heard a howl and I-I thought that someone needed help, I-I won't hurt you... I promise.'' He snorted at her words. Like she could even hope to hurt him. Though confusion filled his brain. A vampire knowingly entering his pack's ground, pledging peace? It was never heard of, not even in the almost three hundred years he'd been alive.
"M-my name is Felope.." He snarled, not really caring what the vampire's name was. Although the fact that she hadn't attacked was a good sign. He refused to trust her words, however. he learned that lesson long ago. He was only a few feet from her, the stench becoming unbearable. The smell was heightened in his lycan form, and he was practically gagging, which sounded more like coughs coming from the wolf. After staring at her for minutes, he backed off a few steps, sensing no threat from her. That was before the second vampire came into view.
He jumped back, and let loose a roar down the tunnel towards his home, alerting his pack members to stand ready. He had almost bought the filthy vampire's sob story. Thankfully he hadn't let his guard down too much. Then the second vampire mentioned Silas' name, and he stopped in his tracks. Of course he knew that vampire's name. The old vampire, though not nearly as hold as himself, led a small coven on the edge of town. They'd never really had any problems with each other, not that he know of anyway, each keeping their distance from the other. The fact that he was sending a lone vampire to his lair was a sign of peace.
Growling, he slammed his fist into the wall of the tunnel, cracking it and causing dust to fall. He didn't want to trust this vampire, but he very well couldn't just kill the messenger. It could cause an all out war between his pack and Silas' coven, which would be stupid with the humans hunting their species. As much as he didn't like it, he had to hear this messenger out. He retreated, giving them a stare, holding a lycan hand out showing them not to follow. He ran back to their common room, finding Rae up next to the fire. He gave her a low growl, angry to see her off the couch. He entered his room, shifting back into human form, and putting on some clothes, aggravated he ripped his previous clothes in the rush.
Once dressed, he sprinted back to the vampires, thankfully finding them in the same place. "You will walk slowly in front of me so I can watch you. You try to use your powers or run away from me, I attack." They slowly made their way down the tunnel, the light of the fire growing larger with every step. When they reached the furniture, he sprinted ahead of them and held his hands up. He pointed to the two chairs farthest away from the rest. "You will sit there. No funny business." He remained standing, between the vampires and the injured Rae, not wanting her to get more injured than she already was. The other two lycans emerged from their rooms, in human form, to watch the two 'guests' carefully.
"Tell me what Silas wants... and be quick about it."
Wes took a long time to answer the vampire. He hadn't been prepared for this, and had no idea what he needed to say. Yes he knew the truthful answer; the girl's father was trying to create some sort of a serum that would eradicate the conditions which created someone a lycan or vampire. But if he was to just come out and say that, then the vampires might well take the girl for themselves and use her as ransom just like Calvin had planned to!
He was chewing his lip trying to figure out how to respond, when he became vaguely aware of more Lycans at the end of the alley. Were they the ones who'd got out of the van earlier? No, that made no sense, they'd be approaching from the opposite end of the alley. Which would have been ideal because then the vampires would have been surrounded. Either way, it meant that the vampires were now heavily outnumbered. Except that they still held one very important bargaining chip.
"The streets are crawling with military, and between you and us we make a pretty juicy target for them right about now. You think I have time to explain?? Her dad's involved in something that we don't want to succeed." Wes bluffed, before trying to adopt a more bold tone of voice and continuing, "Look at the situation. We could attack and kill you, but you know we can't afford any losses so how about you let us take the girl, and you do what you do best and disappear into the darkness?"
Quentin stood by as his patient filled in the necessary forms, but a commotion from out in reception alerted him to the fact that his attempted diversion had not held Dr Romano up for very long. He mumbled and excuse and stepped outside, and immediately spied his erstwhile colleague making her way into the complex. She could not have come alone, and she certainly seemed to be asserted her newly acquired authority.
"I hadn't thought to find you here."
Quentined cocked his head and looked at her coldly. "A doctor in a hospital treating patients?" he said dryly, "I can understand why that might seem such an anomoly to you."
"I highly doubt that." Quentin retorted, "Anyone who breathes in this building without performing an essential medical procedure is 'in the way'. So yes I mind greatly, but I suspect your concern for my opinion is little more than a hollow pleasantry."
He could feel his indignation rising, and knew full well that it was born largely out of the fact that Lauren had shown such promise in her early days, and could potentially have been a powerful ally for him in the current political climate. He could only assume that she was willing to be the government's pawn because she wished to be on the 'winning' side. Quentin had no illusions as to the fact that there were few supporters of his own outlook.
Mr Zane emerged from the waiting room and handed him the forms. Quentin hurried to take them and put them against his chest, but the way the militia-man handed the papers across meant that there was no way Lauren wouldn't have seen something on the forms to give away the fact that this man had been the victim of a Lycan attack. It was a small mercy than Zane did not seem to be infected, otherwise Lauren would most likely have made 'use' of him. Even so, there were any number of subjects in the quarantine block that would be of great interest to the government scientist if she gained access to them.
"Thank you Mr Zane," Quentin said hurriedly and inconspicuously, "that will be all."
Lauren couldn't help but roll her eyes a little at the doctor. Such disdain! It wasn't as though she was sipping on exotic tropical drinks, lounging on the beach while the rest of the world was literally eaten alive by supernatural monsters. No, she was fighting just as hard as he was to stop the madness. She just had a different way of thinking about things. Personally, she didn't think slaving away on every little person who came in with a scratch from a wolf's claws was going to produce any results. But, to each their own.
"Dr. Furness, you always could see right through me," she said, glancing around at the chaos. Most of these fools had probably gone around looking for a fight, and as soon as they were good to go again, they'd go and get themselves maimed once more. They happened to be just the type that Lauren was looking for.
And speaking of fools going and looking for fights...it appeared as though Quentin had just been treating one. He butted his way in between them, handing some papers towards her old teacher. Lauren was nothing if not observant and quick-thinking. The word 'lycan' was really all she needed to catch in order to know what the man had been here. He was injured, clearly, though not so severely that he was bedridden, and he was also clearly not infected, as that would have landed him in the quarantine block, awaiting a dose of silver for his execution. Unless Quentin had begun treating and releasing the lycans in addition to humans. But Lauren didn't think even Dr. Furness was so fond of the beasts that he'd be willing to risk that much for them.
"Mr. Zane, is it?" Lauren said, trying to catch his attention before he bolted from the hospital, now that Quentin had released him. "Might I speak to you outside? I may have a proposition for you, if you're the kind of man I think you are."
She was hoping he was interested. It would be disappointing for her to have to trudge through all of the hospital searching for another candidate.
Travis knocked quietly before entering Silas' study. The coven leader looked up from the map he'd been studying and signaled to him that he could come in. Judging by the distance, and his knowledge of Colby's speed, which was considerable, she was likely already at Hyde's pack by now. Hopefully she would be well received. There would be no convincing Silas to join in the resistance against the humans unless the lycans could be trusted to cooperate. He wasn't going to leave his coven vulnerable to the packs by sending his best warriors away to strike at the humans unless an accord could be reached. In the meantime, he had other matters to worry about, mainly the locations of his missing coven members. A few he had already marked off, having no choice but to assume them dead, considering the locations they were last seen, connected with the times of reported human strikes. He hoped he wouldn't have to add Viktoria to that list. She had too much potential to be lost at such a young age.
"I'd like to go after Viktoria, Silas," Travis requested calmly, though Silas could tell he was rather upset with himself. He'd known him for thirty years, after all. The coven leader shook his head.
"No. You've no idea where she went. I'd just have to send someone after you."
"But--," he began, but Silas quieted him with a hand. "Don't feel guilty about, Travis. Viktoria's at a difficult point. It isn't easy to adjust to life in the coven, in a family. She'll return. Viktoria's too cunning to let a lycan or the humans get her. And I think I have some idea why she may be upset. Believe me, you aren't at fault."
"Yes, Silas. Thank you."
He took his leave, and Silas returned his attention to the map. It was possible that Viktoria had gone a similar route as the last time she had hunted, when Silas accompanied her. But it wasn't enough of a lead to go on. He pushed the thought from his mind. She would return on her own. And when she did, he would have to have a little discussion with her about the coven, and her place within it.
"The streets are crawling with military, and between you and us we make a pretty juicy target for them right about now. You think I have time to explain?? Her dad's involved in something that we don't want to succeed. Look at the situation. We could attack and kill you, but you know we can't afford any losses so how about you let us take the girl, and you do what you do best and disappear into the darkness?"
So the dog wasn't going to be honest. Sadly, he did have a point. While the streets weren't exactly crawling with military, they would show up eventually, with this many of them out in the open. Someone living nearby could have already called in about a disturbance. The longer they stayed out, the more stupid they seemed to their opponents.
"Kill us? But...we have what you need. I suggest you keep your distance, lest you see the girl drained. We will let her go...eventually. I just wish to know what you are talking about. We have plenty of time. Trust me, if the streets were crawling with military, I'm guessing we would have been caught by now. Now, would you please tell up what you are talking about? I would hate... to see her be hurt."
Viktoria had to smirk at that. This other girl had spunk, and especially a sadistic sort of humor, which she appreciated greatly. Things needed to get moving slightly faster, however. And Viktoria was going to do just that. "Come on," she whispered to the vampire, "follow me." Still keeping a tight hold on the human, she quickly jumped onto the fire escape of the building to her right, and made her way to the roof. "Don't move a muscle!" she yelled to the lycans as she watched them stir.
She extended her arm, dangling the frail human over the side of the building. "I swear if you move, I'll toss her far enough where you can't reach her in time." Her patience was running thin, and she didn't particularly know that the lycans wouldn't attack, if provoked enough. While she would love to kick some dog ass, she didn't feel like going into a battle she knew she'd lose. "You've got one more chance, dog!" she yelled, narrowing her eyes. "Tell us who she is."
Viktoria watched the human, the girl's eyes wide with fear. Though she had more of a backbone than the vampire could have ever imagined. She wasn't pleading for her life, sobbing uncontrollably, or any of the other pathetic things she'd seen humans do when they found out her true nature. She took her eyes off the human to the pack of dogs that were staring right back at her. To prove her point, she let go of the human, letting her drop a few inches, before she grabbed the girl with her other hand. "Next time, I won't catch her," she threatened, giving the human a little shake.
The lycans remained silent, giving them no answers. "Damnit," she whispered. She had wanted to give Silas some valuable information, but a little information was better than none at all. They could follow up on it, Viktoria was sure she'd be able to research and find out exactly who this girl was. Her eyes looked to her right, finding her new vampire friend. "It's obvious they're not going to talk. I think we should just split. Follow me if you want to be in a clan. Otherwise, get out of here as fast as you can, and go home." She paused, looking down to the alley to make sure the lycans hadn't moved. "Ready?" she asked, preparing to sprint away. In the flash of an eye she sprinted to the other edge of the roof, then released her hold on the human. She watched the girl fall for a split second before turning around and taking off across the roof, leaping from one building to the next.
She wondered if the lycans had managed to catch the human in time. She pondered a few questions as she ran, heading towards her coven. Every few minutes, she looked behind her to make sure she wasn't followed, and looked down in the streets to make sure no one saw them. It took awhile, but she eventually made it home. She walked back through the front door, holding it open for the girl that had followed her home.
Landon watched the doctor quickly hide the papers from the woman's view. He raised an eyebrow, wondering what that was about. Why did it matter what his papers said, it wouldn't mean anything to this woman. "Thank you Mr Zane, that will be all." He shrugged, pushing his puzzlement away. He honestly didn't care what was going on between these two... all he really wanted was to go home and lie in his own bed. "Here's to hoping that I never see you again, doc," he said with a smile on his face.
He hunched over once more, leaving the pair of them to head for the parking lot. After only a few paces, a thought struck him. "How the hell am I going to get home?" he whispered to himself, stopping in his tracks. He couldn't even remember how he'd gotten here, but the doctor had said his friends had brought him in. Unfortunately, his friends seemed to be missing. Which left him without any means of transportation, except for walking. And in his current state, that would take forever. Or he'd probably rip open his stitches or something.
"Mr. Zane, is it? Might I speak to you outside? I may have a proposition for you, if you're the kind of man I think you are." The female voice behind him caught him off guard, but he turned around to see who had addressed him. He frowned a little, wondering what exactly this woman could want with him. He pondered the thought a moment, before shrugging. He really had nothing to lose. "Sure, I guess," was all he replied before turning once more and heading for the automated doors at the end of the lobby. It took him a few minutes, but he made it.
Once outside, Landon went to the right of the door, and leaned against the wall to take some pressure off his side. The woman had followed, and he studied her a little closer. She was actually quite pretty, and now that he studied her, he was absolutely certain his earlier hunch of seeing her before was correct. But he still couldn't place where she was from. His memory seemed to be failing him... he hoped it wasn't permanent. "Alright, we're outside. What exactly do you want?" he asked, folding his arms and glaring at her.
The vampire with the red hair made Calvin extremely angry. Her complete lack of any manners in his home wasn't acceptable to him. She comes to his pack alone, and has the stupidity to mouth off to him. He knew vampires weren't intelligent by any means, but this one had to be downright dull. He kept his anger inside, keeping his appearance cool and collected. He wanted the girl to believe her insults meant absolutely nothing to him. And though her words angered him, ultimately what she thought of him didn't matter.
"Look buddy. Silas just sent me here to ask you if you would cooperate with us, our coven. He wanted to know where you stood in this dispute between the three races."
So Silas wanted peace, it seemed. At first, the notion seemed absolutely crazy to him. Vampires and lycans were not capable of working together. They would tear each other to pieces before anything good was accomplished. But the more the thought lingered in his mind, the less crazy it seemed. If they both teamed up against the humans, they could actually win. There would of course have to be rules established, but he just might have to go for it. Temporarily, of course.
"So, are you in or out?" Calvin considered it more. While on the surface it made sense, deep down it was much more complicated than that. He was sure his pack wouldn't like having to work with the bloodsuckers, but it just might be necessary. No doubt Silas knew how hard his pack had been hit, which made this proposition even more appealing. A guarantee that some vampires wouldn't kill any more of his pack was extremely tempting.
"Shut your muzzles puppies." Her words brought Calvin out of his thoughts. He looked to his pack mates, their anger clearly visible. He'd had enough of this girl, and wanted her out. The other one had stayed silent, he was grateful for that. But he wanted her out as well. "Tell Silas I will agree to meet him on neutral ground outside the city tomorrow night. Midnight." He gave the girl directions to his desired destination. "Now get out of here. Both of you." He waved them away, tired of smelling them. After they left, their smell would probably linger longer than he'd like. Right now the tunnel smelled like a graveyard.
He finally glanced back at Rae, who had seated herself on the couch once more. He walked over to her, and settled himself next to her. "How are you feeling?" he asked, noticing the wound still looked pretty gruesome. "I should probably set you up with a room. Follow me," he said, standing.
"I wish that were so." Quentine replied with a certain degree of remorse. Had he not once harboured such a high opinion of Lauren, he might have found her easy to ignore, but the reality was her choices caused him a certain amount of pain. Not in themselves - they were the choices made my hundreds of other scientists - but because he wished that she in particular had not taken them.
His concerns about the papers had been well founded. Lauren had her finger right on the pulse, and immediately started to show an interest in Zane. He watched the two of them walk out and narrowed his lips. Perhaps this worked in his favour? At least she was leaving the hospital building for now. And if she wanted to take Zane for a little 'collaboration' or experiment, then what skin was that off Quentin's nose?
He approached reception once again, but then noticed the time. He'd been working longer than he realised, and should have clocked off over half an hour ago. Not that the waiting area was getting any quieter. It was looking like it would be another long night.
Jemima was frozen with terror, her breaths coming out as frightened squeaks, not helped by the fact that the vampire's grip was harder than any human would have found it easy to sustain. She felt like she might as well have been in the jaws of a carnivore...indeed perhaps that wasn't so far from the truth if the vampires had their way. Or the lycans for that matter. Was this simply a case of letting others determine what kind of fangs would end her life??
But it was becoming apparent that there was some sort of stalemate between the two gangs. And they were talking about her. No, wait, her dad? What was he involved in that they would want to take her for? He was trying to preach tolerance and non-violent methods towards the two species! Unless there was something she didn't know about...?
As the other vampire prodded her cheek she closed her eyes tight and fought back tears. No wasn't the right time to lose it. Whatever tension there was between the vampires and the lycans, it was the closest thing she had to a remote possibility of living beyond tonight.
And then she felt herself being hoisted up, and in a violent motion she was suddenly suspended a couple of storeys up, held precariously yet powerfully by the vampire. The lycans below all scampered forward slightly, looking up at them through gritted teeth. The lead one who had been speaking jumped from the van and took his place at the front of the group. Also from the other end of the alley, one more humanoid being appeared (he had been following her??) and from his behaviour she assumed he was a lycan too.
She practically held her breath as the vampire made her demands, until she lurched downwards a few inches at which she let out a reactionary shriek. Her legs dangled pathetically beneath her, and her clutch bag slipped off her arm and fell down onto the hard alley surface below.
Wes could feel his heart thrumming in his ears as he watched the human being dangled like a rag doll. He cared nothing for the girl's dignity of course, but if he had to go back to Calvin and report that their target had fallen to her death in an alley it would be even worse than if he had to report that she's been taken by vampires! Yet all the while he didn't know what else to say. He couldn't give away any more than he already had; he had to make it seem like any percieved advantage to the girl being taken alive was if she was taken alive by them.
He weighed up his option, realising suddenly that he couldn't even remember the name of the doctor that was supposed to be this girl's father. He took too long, and the vampire lost patience evidently and let go of the girl. Wes jolted, the girls' screams grating through his system, trying to anticipated where she would fall, but his foot landed straight on a wet surface and his legs swept away from underneath him, sending him tumbling down onto his backside. He rolled into an upright position, and watched the human fall as if in slow motion. Now we're screwed..., he thought to himself as she almost hit the pavement. But then from nowhere another figure lept into his field of view, and landed underneath the human, cushioning her fall.
Jemima felt the biggest impact of her life as she landed, pain shuddering through her body. It took her a moment to register, however, that she hadn't hit tarmac. She had been caught, and she was being restrained in somebody's arms. She squirmed a little and look up, seeing a nonthreatening human face...or at least so it seemed. She didn't recognise him as one of the lycans who had got out the van...was he militia? Or a lone hunter? If so, why were the lycans not moving in?
Her body still practically convulsing from shock, she nodded quickly at her rescuer and looked about her frantically. The phrase 'out of the pan and into the fire' had surely never rung so true...
Wes scrabbled to his feet and gaped at the lycan in front of him holding the human girl. He looked around at the others, but all of them shook their heads; nobody knew who this lycan was. And then another - a particularly attractive female - entered the alley, addressing the male as 'Alex'. Wes cleared his throat and approached sheepishly.
"Hey," he said, "uh...nice catch. What are you doing here?"
Another knock on the door caused Silas to glance up from his desk. "Yes?" It was Travis once more. "Viktoria's returned, as you said. But she isn't alone."
Silas stood immediately, though not ungracefully. "Lycans?" He desperately hoped the lycans would hold their aggression at bay, especially with the meeting he was trying to arrange on the horizon. The coven was well protected from their kind, as well as the humans, and any attack would be met with fierce and ruthless resistance, but now was a time for cooperation, not war. Travis assuaged his fears with a shake of his head, however.
"No, no lycans. Just a girl. She looks to be one of us. She was able to keep up with Viktoria, anyway."
That was no small feat, and it meant that Viktoria was either slowing down to let the girl stick with her, or she was quite fast. Interesting, and it already helped to explain something of Viktoria's sudden departure from the mansion. Of course, Silas didn't make a habit of letting worthless strays into the coven. If the girl was a vampire, and Viktoria intended to give her shelter here, she would have to prove her worth just as the others had.
"See to it that they come to me immediately. They shouldn't need any encouragement, though."
"Of course, Silas."
"I guess I'll see you around," Lauren said to Quentin, "another sleepless night for the both of us it seems."
She followed Mr. Zane out of the main entrance of the hospital, where the man used the opportunity to lean up against a wall. His glare had little effect on her attitude towards him. She seemed rather energetic and enthusiastic, even despite the late hour.
"My name is Lauren Romano, I'm a scientist. You may have heard my name or seen me on the news recently. The government's hired me to find more efficient ways to solve the vampire and lycan problems."
Ethan approached from across the street, but Lauren waved him off to indicate that she was busy, and so he simply maneuvered behind her. She didn't exactly approve of the rather threatening aura he was giving off. Or was it protectiveness? Lauren doubted it. She hadn't really been as nice to the guy as he deserved. There was no time for being nice anymore.
"Up to this point, Mr. Zane, I've been researching new kinds of weapons and ammunition, testing potential biological weapons that could be deployed in cities, but I've had little success. The current method of shooting silver and ultraviolet ammo has proved to be the most efficient. So I'm trying something new."
She inched a little closer to the man, and lowered her voice slightly.
"I'm aware of your affiliation with anti-supernatural militias, Mr. Zane, and it just so happens I could use individuals with your kind of initiative. But before I go any further, I need to know if you're in, and if you can keep this discreet. Between us. So, Mr. Zane, are you interested in seeing the vampires and lycans eradicated, or should I head back inside and speak to someone else?"
In truth, she had no proof that he was with a militia group, but he looked like a violent man to her, and he didn't appear too upset about having received a wound from a lycan. Which likely meant he had gone looking for them. It was all the evidence she needed.
"Thanks...I'm Jessenia. You?"
"Viktoria," she answered with a glance around the room. Things didn't seem to have changed since she'd left. "Welcome to your new home," she told the girl, gesturing to the house around her. She didn't even get a chance to sit down before she spied Travis descending the stairs. She felt slightly bad that she'd run off on him earlier, but she pushed the thought from her mind. "Hey Trav!" she said enthusiastically, grinning at him.
Travis didn't look amused, and he gestured up the stairs. "Silas wants to see you... again," he said, watching her. "And this time I'll watch you."
She smirked, and gestured to have Jessenia follow her. No doubt Silas would want to meet her. He'd have to decide if she was permanently allowed to be part of the coven, but if Viktoria had any say in it, the girl would stay. She followed Travis up the stairs, heading for Silas' office once more. This time, Travis stayed in the doorway when they arrived, not leaving. She smiled at him again before entering the room, Jessinia behind her.
She stopped in her tracks when she found Colby in the room. She rolled her eyes, not attempting to hide her frown. Didn't the girl EVER leave Silas alone? It was completely ridiculous. She stepped up to his desk, and motioned to the girl behind her. "This is Jessenia. I met her while I was... out." She turned to Jess, and motioned to Silas. "This is Silas, our coven leader." She pulled up a chair and sat down.
"I know you probably want to talk about Jessenia, but there's something more important to discuss. I ran into a pack of lycans."
"My name is Lauren Romano, I'm a scientist. You may have heard my name or seen me on the news recently. The government's hired me to find more efficient ways to solve the vampire and lycan problems. "Up to this point, Mr. Zane, I've been researching new kinds of weapons and ammunition, testing potential biological weapons that could be deployed in cities, but I've had little success. The current method of shooting silver and ultraviolet ammo has proved to be the most efficient. So I'm trying something new."
As soon as the woman said her name, it instantly clicked inside Landon's mind where he'd seen her before. She'd been all over the news recently, her more extreme methods of finding the cure being both praised and criticized. He happened to appreciate her work, knowing that finding the answer would require some dirty work. And she had the guts to do it. He watched a man approach her, but she waved him off. She even had her own guard, which spoke volumes about her status.
His eyebrows raised when she mentioned his militia affiliation, but he smirked at her afterward. Just because he'd been attacked by a lycan didn't mean anything. Many people got attacked by lycans who were just walking down the street minding their own business. She was either bluffing, or had way more resources than he could have imagined. He thought about her words for a minute, though the thought greatly excited him. If he helped her find a cure for both vampires and lycans, his name could become as famous as hers. He would be a legend. More importantly, he would make the world a safer place for his daughter. She'd be able to grow up without being afraid.
"I'm in," he told her, grinning. "Although as you can see, I'm a little hung up at the moment." He gestured to his wound so he could be sure she knew what he meant. "I can't exactly go fighting another lycan soon."
"Thank you again, and I'm really sorry that I lead them down here… I should have known they would be around with how much I was bleeding."
"Actually," Calvin replied, "only one was your fault. The other would have come anyway." He led her through a side tunnel, where all the lycans had set up their own rooms. They were only little alcoves covered with sheets or cardboard pieces, but it was better than nothing. He stopped in front of a purple sheet cover. "You an have this one. It used to belong to a member, but she's gone now. It's already furnished." He pulled back the sheet to reveal a lone mattress on the floor, and a small set of drawers for any personal belongings she might have.
"Do you ever share what's on your mind? Ever admit when you've got just a little bit of fear? "It may not be my place to ask, but I do owe you everything."
He sighed, surprised that she would ask such a forward question. He stayed silent for a while, contemplating. Finally, he gave in and answered the girl. "No," he answered honestly, "it's not my place to share everything that goes through my mind. I'm here to protect the pack. If I'm afraid, they're afraid." He let the curtain fall back into place, and watched it sway back and forth before calming. His mind drifted to think of Hattie. He'd never been so honest with anyone, and now she was gone. He still couldn't believe it.
Sometimes he woke up expecting to still find her waiting for him. He was always disappointed when he left his room and found her not there. He pushed his sadness away, finding the feeling to be useless. He cleared his throat, his mind returning to the present. "I need to make a call," he said to Rae. "Feel free to do whatever you want."
Calvin left her next to the room, returning to the common area. He'd only just realized that he hadn't heard from Wes for an extended amount of time. So much had happened with Rae and the bloodsuckers that it had totally slipped his mind. Until now. He pulled his phone out and called Wes, waiting for him to pick up on the other line.
Silas examined the location Colby relayed to him on the map before him. It was a neutral location, but well concealed from prying eyes and the patrolling military. Calvin wasn't a fool. He'd chosen a good location for a meeting. But also perhaps a good location for an ambush. Silas had no intention of going alone, and he was quite certain Calvin would do the same. Before he could respond to Colby's request to come along, however, Viktoria swooped into the room, smiling.
Her momentum was quite halted upon seeing Colby before him, and Silas watched as she rolled her eyes, clearly disdainful of the girl. Silas leaned back in his black leather desk chair, crossing his arms. He'd have to deal with the tension between them at some point, although he wasn't quite sure what the source of it was. In the meantime, however, Viktoria informed him that they had more important things to discuss, namely a run-in with the lycans, and the new girl that followed behind her, Jessenia.
Silas rubbed his temples as he listened to Viktoria's report. So she had come across lycans. Perhaps she'd rescued the girl she brought along from them. There hadn't been any missing weapons from the armory, and all silver ammunition had been accounted for, so it didn't seem likely that she killed any of them, which was a relief, especially with this truce with the lycans he was working on.
"So did Colby," Silas said calmly, "only her run-in with the lycans was under my orders. We're establishing a truce with them, outside the city, tomorrow at midnight. And yes, Colby, you can come," he said, smiling slightly in spite of himself, hoping she'd stop with the puppy-dog eyes. It was awfully distracting.
"And welcome, Jessenia," Silas continued, giving the girl a nod, "I'm assuming Viktoria saw some potential in you. Should you wish to join us, you'll stay with us for a few days, and should you prove that you can pull your own weight, and contribute to the good of the coven, you'll be allowed to stay."
He wondered just how old she was. He'd seen vampires hundreds of years old stuck in the bodies of children before, but they had all belonged to covens already, or decided to never join one. That she was searching for a coven pointed to her being a younger vampire.
"Viktoria, we'll discuss your actions tonight later, and in private. For now, what happened with these lycans? You look unhurt. Do you know who they belonged to, or what they were after?"
Lauren had a feeling he'd say yes. He seemed like a driven man. But he had a point about the wounds. He wasn't exactly in top shape.
"I wouldn't worry too much about that. You can take the time you need. We also have some...well, medications, back at my lab. Stuff you won't find at your average hospital. I'm sure they'd help you get back out there quicker than lying around at home."
Her guard looked eager to be off. It was near constant chaos around the hospital as people were rushed inside with the hopes of receiving treatment, and prayers that they hadn't been infected by their attackers. Lauren wrapped her jacket tighter about herself as a slight wind picked up.
"Now, on to the job. The government's told me countless times that there isn't a cure, that I should focus my efforts on ways to exterminate the vermin and such, but I'd still like to think I can find a better way. To do that, though, I'm going to need a live test subject or two. The government just executes anyone they capture, fearing their powers, and preferring genocide to experimentation. They certainly wouldn't approve of me doing this. I'd use the guards they assigned me, but I'd rather not leave myself vulnerable to attacks, and they're just getting paid to protect me, not hunt monsters for me."
She shifted her weight onto the other leg, brushing a strand of brown hair from her face.
"You can involve your militia men if you want, or go it alone, I don't care, so long as you deliver a captive to me without broadcasting it to the world. We have equipment you might be interested in. An armory of weapons. Automatic rifles, body armor, grenades, you name it. I've also been working on a special kind of ammunition that needs field testing, something that could potentially bring down a vampire or lycan without killing it. I can reward you with pretty much whatever you want. Money, weapons, protection, you name it."
Lauren realized that this was probably a lot to take in, but she liked the look in Zane's eyes, and she felt like she wasn't wasting her time here. She knew he'd get results.
"So, do we have a deal?"
Viktoria sat in her chair, listening to Silas speak. So there was going to be a truce between their coven and a pack of dogs. She could see the benefits, but she wasn't happy about it. Wouldn't that be ironic if the lycans she'd run into hours before were part of that pack? The likelihood of that was minimal, so she pushed the thought from her mind.
His words made her frown. She didn't appreciate being scolded, even though he was actually her family. She chose not to respond to his threat, and instead spoke about the lycans. "I was feeding in an alleyway, Jessenia had followed me. Towards the end of our feeding, a human girl stepped into the alley, asking if we needed help. As soon as she had appeared, a van with 4 to 5 lycans pulled up after her."
She paused, gathering her thoughts. She stole a glance to Jessenia, who was staying quiet, her knees drawn up to her chest. Her eyes found Silas again, and she continued. "I quickly grabbed the girl, threatening her life. The lycans paused, which made it clear they were after her." She stood up, and began pacing back and forth, the thought of the lycans angering her once more. "Jess and I both tried to find out why they wanted her, but the dogs wouldn't talk. Eventually we decided not to chance being caught by humans, tossed the human off a building, and ran. I assume they saved her, and took her."
She stopped pacing and sat back down. Her eyes flew to Colby as she stood up, acting all sweet and innocent towards the other two, but she caught the hostile look the red head gave her. She returned the scowl back. After the girl was gone, she relaxed a little more. She always felt so uptight and uncomfortable around the red head. Something about her set Viktoria off. Besides the fact that Silas seemed to love her so much.
She had a feeling Colby wouldn't get in trouble for leaving the coven, even though she would. She waited to hear Silas' words.
Landon really liked the sound of that. Anything that would get him up and moving regularly faster, he was game for. He listened to her speech, and it was good enough. He honestly didn't care how the creatures were exterminated, as long as they were. He would almost prefer to kill them. It was more final, with no chance they could ever come back. Somehow vampires had come into this world. What was to stop it from happening again?
The challenge of bringing in a live subject thrilled him, however. It was something that wasn't easily done, and would take a lot of planning and coordination He would definitely want a small amount of his men with him. Only the ones he could trust. Plans were already forming in his mind, and he smirked at the thought. And then she spoke about weapons. That sold him. He would finally be able to have top of the line equipment, something that would hopefully prevent him from ending up in the hospital again.
And then she offered him anything he wanted. Of course, that was easy. He knew exactly what he would want from her, especially if he didn't make it through.
"We have a deal, on one condition," he said, his eyes staring into hers. "No matter the outcome of this... project, my daughter will be taken care of for life. Money, protection, whatever. If you can do that, I'm all yours."
He watched her, waiting. His eyes drifted to the man with her, her own personal guardsman. He seemed uncomfortable being outside of the hospital, and eager to leave. He smirked, and gestured towards the parking lot. "Shall we go?"
As the phone rang, Calvin's mind wandered. The new girl, Rae, came first. The way she talked to him and looked at him, it made him feel so many different ways. She calmed him, made him feel on edge, made him feel uncomfortable, and other things he couldn't place. She reminded him so much of Hattie. That was what made him wary. Hattie had been his everything, and now she was gone. Being extremely close to others made it that much harder when they were gone. He couldn't let himself become too close with her. Whether seeing her as a little sister... or something else entirely.
Finally, after a number of rings, he heard a voice answer on the other end of the line.
"Hi, hi boss. OK it didn't quite follow the script but we've got the girl, so all's well that end's well right? Oh and..." His voice lowered considerably. "...there were vampires in the area, we actually had to rescue the girl from them. And we've got two more lycans with us, say they're looking for a pack to join. Seems like they're genuinely on their own, I think they're telling the truth. What do you think?"
Calvin growled, angered by Wes' words. What was it with vampires today? He hadn't seen one in what seemed like ages, and now today his pack was running in to them everywhere. This wasn't good. The good news was that the human was their captive. Thankfully they hadn't managed to screw that up. The thought of others gave him mixed thoughts. His pack needed more members, but that they had come forward in this situation made him hesitate.
"Get back here immediately," he growled into the phone. "No stops, and you drive as fast as possible." He contemplated one moment, then spoke again. "The two others can come. But watch them closely. If they do anything out of the ordinary, don't hesitate to kick them out. We don't need anything jeopardizing this mission. I'll see you soon."
He closed the phone, placing it back in his pocket. He sat in a chair, running his hands through his hair. Sometimes he wondered why he had agreed to become the pack leader. But he always remembered that no one else could do the job as well as he could.
"Rae," he called out, his voice echoing in the empty tunnel. "We're going to have company."
Silas raised his eyebrows. "A kidnapping, then? Well, that's different. The lycans finally got enough sense to try something other than brute force. They must have been from a pack. A kidnapping implies that there's something they want, either from the girl or from someone who values the girl's life."
He hoped they hadn't been from Calvin's pack, what with the tenuous truce meeting on the horizon. A confrontation between his coven and that pack like that could make the meeting awkward. Especially since he was planning on asking Viktoria to come along. She seemed somewhat...resentful towards him, perhaps because of the difference in the way he behaved towards her and Colby. Silas doubted Viktoria understood that he valued her just as much as he did Colby. He simply had a different way of treating her, since she was a very different person than Colby. He had often entertained the idea of asking her if she was interested in receiving training from him, to become a Death Dealer. They were few in number now, with not many vampires mastering the skills of old, the deadly arts beyond their enhanced physical attributes as vampires. Viktoria reveled in being a vampire, he could see that, and she was as fast and capable as Silas had ever been. And no doubt the coven would need more who could fight with more than just their teeth in the days to come.
"You'll be accompanying me to the meeting as well," he continued to Viktoria. "Hot-headed or no, you have too much potential for me to keep you here while the coven moves ahead. I ask only that you follow my lead."
Silas then turned to the girl Viktoria had brought in, Jessenia, curled up in the chair next to her with her knees tucked to her chest. He wasn't sure what to make of her. He couldn't help but be delighted when his coven members brought him promising recruits, and at the same time he strongly disliked those who sought no more than a shelter, a place to hide from the other species, and a group to take care of them. He couldn't yet tell what type Jessenia was, but he had a suspicion she was the former.
"And what about you?" Silas asked, leaning back and propping his feet up upon his desk. "What was your take on the lycans you ran into tonight? Did you think them mindless brutes, like so many of our kind?"
It was a bit of a test. He needed to learn more about her, her opinions, her beliefs, her personality. Every detail was important, if Jessenia was to become a member of his family.
"And how old are you? If I might ask. You were clearly bitten young."
Lauren smiled happily at Mr. Zane, flashing brilliantly white teeth. "We can do that. Your daughter will have whatever she needs. For now, my laboratory is easily one of the safest places in the city. I've got a full detail of guards assigned to protect me and anyone else inside. I can send a few of them to pick up your daughter, if you wish."
Her guard led the two of them back towards the black suburban they had arrived in. Lauren was very pleased with how this trip had gone. If Mr. Zane proved valuable, which she believed he would, then the doctor truly believed she could make some meaningful progress towards a cure, and if not that, a kind of more effective weapon against the creatures. Taking care of the daughter would be simple enough, at least temporarily. For now, she still held sway with higher-ups and could simply request that such a thing be done, as a reward for a kind civilian who assisted her. However, if her work turned up no results, and she lost her power and resources, things would undoubtedly not go as well. But, Lauren was confident in her abilities. If Mr. Zane could produce a subject for her, she could produce something of value from subsequent tests.
The three of them climbed into the vehicle and set off away from the hospital, back towards the lab. As Lauren sank into the comfortable passenger seat, she remembered just how exhausted she was. Perhaps a few hours of sleep were in order, once they got back, and once she had shown Mr. Zane the goods she had promised.
Viktoria nodded at Silas' words, agreeing with him. It had been pretty obvious they needed something from the girl. Although she hadn't looked extremely special to Viktoria. Not someone who had the potential to wipe out their species, which is pretty much what was implied. 'She's involved in something that's gonna be bad news for both our species if it goes ahead...' the lead dog had said. The girl hadn't seemed like much of a threat when she'd been holding her over the side of the building.
"You'll be accompanying me to the meeting as well. Hot-headed or no, you have too much potential for me to keep you here while the coven moves ahead. I ask only that you follow my lead."
Viktoria didn't think she was exactly hot-headed, but she kept her mouth shut for once. "Very well," was all she replied to her coven leader, somewhat cool. Truthfully, inside she was joyous. She'd been expecting to be punished, something like being sent to her room. Not that she would have followed the rules, but it was better to be asked to go along than to sneak around and try to follow her coven mates to the meeting. But seriously, if Colby didn't at least get something said to her for running off, Viktoria was going to have to punch a hole in a wall, or knock down a whole wall... just something.
It was then that Silas turned his attention to Jessenia, so Viktoria just sat in silence and listened. A small smile crossed her face as her friend rambled on. Was she actually nervous? Although the fact that she was actually 23 irked Viktoria slightly. Even this little-looking vampire was actually older than her. She knew that her strength and speed were great, even better than some of her species that were older than her. But still, she was the youngest in the coven, and still would be even if Jessenia joined them. A long string of curses went through her mind, but she didn't speak any of them out loud.
She let Silas finish his conversation with Jessenia, feeling the need to squirm in her seat slightly. The longer it went, the more anxious she became. Silas wouldn't actually kick her out of the coven, would he? After all, she'd brought back useful information, a prospective member, and hadn't gotten hurt. So really all she'd done was defy his word. Of course, that wasn't exactly good either.
Once they were done talking, she stood and walked to the wall behind her, leaning against it. "Alright, so how much trouble am I in?" she asked, smirking slightly.
"We can do that. Your daughter will have whatever she needs. For now, my laboratory is easily one of the safest places in the city. I've got a full detail of guards assigned to protect me and anyone else inside. I can send a few of them to pick up your daughter, if you wish."
Landon contemplated a moment, before nodding. He rambled off the address of his mother's house, imagining how she would react when government officials came to take Evie, his two year old daughter, away. That was a conversation for another day... hopefully. He really didn't think he could deal with his mother right now. He followed Lauren's personal guard, who led him to a 'inconspicuous' black suburban. How typical. Regardless, he climbed into the back seat, enjoying the relaxing position, which was able to take some pressure off his wound. He had to admit, at the present, he was just looking forward to whatever magic drugs the government had that could make him heal faster.
The pain was starting to escalate again, so he laid his head back and closed his eyes. He supposed he should probably get some rest, but in all truth he was excited to get back out in the field and hunt the other species again. He could imagine it now. He would be part of helping eradicate these creatures that could destroy the human race. Then how would everyone else feel, knowing that they'd turned him away, saying he was too emotional to keep a clear head. If anything, the emotion drove him to do a better job, to avenge his late wife.
Thinking of Lillian just made him extremely angry, so he attempted to clear his mind by asking stupid questions. "So where exactly is this lab of yours at?"
"M- ..Our pack mates are heading back." Calvin realized that the girl didn't even know what he was up to. He wondered if she would have a problem with it. Guess he'd find out soon enough. They didn't have to wait too long for the others to show up, and the time spent waiting was in silence. He didn't know what to expect. Would the girl be terrified beyond belief, or come in kicking and screaming? If she was making a fit, that would definitely make it harder to question her.
"Cal? Yo boss, everything OK?"
The sound jolted him out of his thoughts, and made him stand up. "Down here," he called gruffly. The pack approached, in all of it's glory. A whole five lycans. He noticed the two that didn't belong right away, and he narrowed his eyes at them. They seemed to be alright... of course they hadn't even opened their mouths yet. Before any introductions could be made, he spoke bluntly. "I have one rule in this pack. You do what I say, no matter what. You break that, you're out. Otherwise, you're welcome to everything we have, and the protection of the pack." He only paused a second, before turning to Rae. "This is Rae, she's new as well." He gave Wes a look saying 'I'll explain later' before sitting down next to Rae, and gesturing for the others to do the same.
"You two," he said as he pointed to the two lycans closest to the human. "I want you take her to the room at the back of the hall. Both of you should stand outside until I come to get you. You are not to leave your station. Understood?" The two lycans nodded, and set off with the human. The room at the back was the smallest alcove, the girl would only be able to sit comfortably, and there was no way of escape. Thankfully, he had found a set of bars farther down the tunnel, and had set them up in front of the alcove. He wanted her watched every minute of the day.
After they were out of earshot, he turned to Wes. He had much explaining to do, what with the vampires actually being present during their mission. Only after his story would Calvin confide what had happened during the lycan's absence. It wasn't something he wanted the two newcomers to hear. "Alright, tell me what happened."
23. So the girl was just as old as Viktoria. That was interesting, as was her opinion on the lycans. "Well said," he said with a nod. "This coven doesn't have room for pride, for some belief that we're the superior race and that we need no others. Of course none...well, very few of us," he continued, glancing at Viktoria and remembering how she had come to the coven not so long ago, "asked to be vampires, but we are what are we are now, and all of us plan to make the most of it."
He folded his hands in his lap. "However, it's very important for you to know whatever you think of the lycans, they are not us, and they are not part of this coven. The good of this coven must always come first. Every member of the coven must be more important in your eyes than every person on the outside, be they vampire, lycan, or human. Even the ones you might not be so fond of," he said, glancing at Viktoria once again.
Silas sighed when Viktoria asked how much trouble she was in. "I never meant to punish you, only to talk to you. You only put yourself in harm's way, not the coven." He glanced back towards Jessenia with a small smile. "And so far, I'm rather pleased with the recruit you've brought me. I was just worried about you. You left without a word to anyone. I wasn't even sure you'd return at all. I know there have been some things about the coven that haven't pleased you."
The coven leader stood, moving to the window, looking out at the first signs of dawn on the horizon. He drew the blinds closed. "If it's any comfort, know that I have plans for you, Viktoria. With war looming as it has been, the coven needs...well, those who are willing to do whatever it takes to see us through. And since there's so few of the Death Dealers left, I figured it was past time I pass on my skills to someone suitable."
Landon's question jolted Lauren, who had just been about to nod off. "Hm? Oh, it's on the outskirts of the city, well away from the more dangerous parts. The lab itself is underground, beneath the home of a former mayor, who supported me a great deal in getting the government to fund me. I assure you it's the safest place in the city right now."
The sun was just beginning to come up and lighten the city. Lauren sighed. She always found sleeping so much harder when the sun was starting to rise, even if she'd been awake all night. She wondered just how many hours she'd been awake for. Too many. It was no wonder she wasn't having any success.
# 2012-06-15 22:15:11 , as written by Synicate
Colby Halloway
As Colby still wandered the city, she saw a jet black car roll by, and she seemed to get the chills for some odd reason. And it wasn't because she was just naturally colder than the average person. It was like something... evil was in there. So, she decided just to turn back and find something later, although she was starting to get edgy from lack of food. Why couldn't she hunt like normal vampires and not feel for her food? The brightly colored haired woman frowned and muttered something nasty and unintelligible beneath her breath. The younger vampire simple and swiftly made her way back to the meadow looking land where the coven house was tucked away at. Well, she did tell them she was going out, so whatever. And by her senses when she approached the home, she couldn't scent anybody but her leaving, so that meant Silas had not left to speak with the Lycans yet.
So, with that, Colby dashed back into the house and flopped on a couch. The same couch as the beginning of the day. And she looked out the window to see the early sun rise and illuminate the trees. Leg bouncing up and down irritably, she got up again after about three minutes and wandered around from room to room, then about half and hour later, she made her way back up to the study, of course they were still chatting up a storm, saying something about Viktoria coming along. Colby stifled a groan as she walked in.
"Um, just letting you know, but I'm pretty sure that Hyde said midnight..." she reminded them and peered out the window. "So, we might need to move it, suns starting to come up." she added on and leaned against the door frame lazily.


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text:
package com.izouqi.client.server.webservice.dto;

import com.izouqi.client.server.webservice.RequestParam;

//µÇ¼²ÎÊý
public class RequestLogin implements RequestParam {
	private String username;
	private String password;
	private byte source;

	public RequestLogin(String username, String password) {
		this.username = username;
		this.password = password;
		source = 0;
	}

	public String getUsername() {
		return username;
	}

	public String getPassword() {
		return password;
	}

	public byte getSource() {
		return source;
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub