Solomon's Sieve (31 page)

“Well…” Wakey began.

“Before you start…” Storm glanced at Rev and then waved toward the trainees. “This is Mr. Falcon and Mr. Wakenmann. They won medals for heroism during the assassination attempt that destroyed Jefferson Unit. Or a large part of it.

“Why don’t you introduce your friend?”

Kris and Wakey both looked at Sin like they hadn’t seen him before. Kris finally spoke up. “Sinclair Harvest, sir.”

Kris looked back at Storm. “I think he already knows who all of you are.” Sin’s head nodded up and down. He looked like he was star struck.

Storm looked at Wakey. “Okay. Go on.”

“Well, we were getting a bite at the Koch Deli over on 7
^th
. I got a pastrami on toasted rye with spicy brown mustard that was this tall.” He left a space between his hands. “Falcon had just been sharing with the new guy how Sovereign Nememiah made me read love poems to all the guys and then apologize to Crisp.” When his gaze scanned the older men and stopped on Rev’s glower, Wakey decided to edit the less pertinent details.

“All of a sudden Falcon jumps up and says, ‘Vampire’, like this.” He said it with his lips pulled tight and his tongue held motionless so that the formation of vowels was almost impossible. “We got up to follow him. I noticed he grabbed one of the wooden number holders. I figured out why he did it so I grabbed one, too. You know they’re always talking about resourcefulness in tactics class.

“So Falcon went tearing out the door after the vamps who were running and we went tearing out the door after him, but we had to work hard at it because, man, the fucker is fast!” When Wakey realized he’d said the word ‘fucker’, he stiffened and went wide-eyed. “Um, sorry about the language, sir.” He directed the apology to Storm, but glanced over at the others.

Storm said, “That’s okay this time, but remember you’re training to be a knight and The Order expects you to exercise befitting decorum.”

Storm gave Ram a pointed look as he said it. Ram replied by locking his gaze and mouthing, “Fucker.” As much as he hated to do it, Storm couldn’t help a little smile. There was something charming about the way Ram remained the same. Neither marriage nor aging nor being proclaimed father of a king could make Rammel stodgy, and that indomitable spark of life and fun was oddly comforting to Storm.

“So you were saying that Falcon here is fast on his feet.” Storm made a little circular gesture with his hand, signaling that Wakenmann should pick up the story where he stopped.

“Like wind, sir. Even in those boots he wears because chicks like the look.”

Rev made a huffing sound that caused Wakey to look his way. Seeing that the guy was glaring even more, and, who would have thought that possible? Wakey redoubled his intention to continue with the relevant stuff.

“So Sin and I had to pump like devils to keep him in sight. I guess the vamps turned into this alley because when we got here Falcon was engaged with both, trying to find an in without getting bitten. And I’ve just got to say that’s a lot harder than it sounds.”

He turned toward Falcon and Harvest who acknowledged by nodding solemnly. At the same time Ram and Kay exchanged similar nods double punctuating their younger counterpart’s declaration.

Storm looked at Falcon. “Is this true, Mr. Falcon? You deliberately ran down and engaged two vampire in the field without authorization and without backup?”

When it was put that way, it sounded downright shameful. There was a time when Falcon would have stared Storm down and dared him to a challenge, but that was before a deep and abiding respect for these hunters had begun to grow in his heart. He didn’t want to disappoint Sir Storm so he found himself looking down at his feet when he said, “Yes, sir.”

Storm continued quietly, with measured words. “And did you think that was a good idea?”

Falcon didn’t answer right away. When he did, he spoke as quietly as Storm. “I guess I wasn’t really thinking about anything except vampire running. I guess I didn’t think just sitting there eating our sandwiches was an option. In the back of my mind I was thinking that those vampire could be the end of somebody’s sister or daughter or girlfriend. And that I could stop them.” His eyes flickered and he added, “Maybe.”

“That’s all very true. The thing is this. What about you? You’re somebody’s brother. You’re somebody’s son. You’re somebody’s friend.” That last word was punctuated with a nod toward the other two trainees. “You can’t start thinking of yourself as dispensable. Not only are you important to some other people, but The Order has invested a lot of time and money in you. And you could have easily squandered that investment tonight by being a loose cannon.”

Falcon didn’t say anything. The other boys looked away.

“What’s worse is that you led your friends into a situation. Once you rushed in, they had no choice but to follow you. They
had
to get your back. So it wasn’t just yourself that you risked. It was them, too.” Storm watched Falcon’s face carefully and was satisfied with the impact his words were evidently having on the kid. “Here’s something they don’t usually tell hunters until it’s time for field duty. Before you embark on a patrol you have to be one hundred percent certain that you’ve sorted out your feelings about your duty to your team members and Black Swan.

“You know how hard it was to try and fight while avoiding coming in contact with a fang? Especially when the opponent is all about
trying
to bite you? What you haven’t been told in class is that, if one of you
does
get bitten, you have to be prepared to dispatch your friend, who sometimes feels like a brother to you. With the new virus it has to be done within minutes. No time for regrets, recriminations, or even goodbyes.

“Thank the gods I’ve never had to do it, but I’ve heard stories about what happens to guys who’ve had to execute their own partner. It breaks them. For life.”

While Storm gave the boys a literal street education, Rev felt tremors going through his body like the old wives’ tales about somebody walking on your grave. And he wondered for the thousandth time since returning to life as Farthing just how much residual memory his body had retained.

“You see these two guys?” Storm pointed to Ram and Kay. “I’ve been with them since I was younger than you are and I love them more than you can begin to imagine. I’d have no trouble trading my life for either one of them. Hel. It would almost be easy. But having to
kill
one of them? Hold him in my arms and watch the light go out of his eyes? I don’t see myself coming back from that.”

It was silent when Storm stopped speaking, like an eerie impossible quiet had settled around them like a shroud. Not just in the alleyway, but in the city. There was no traffic noise, no music, nothing but the sounds of their own breathing and heartbeats.

“In short, there’s a lot more to being a Black Swan knight than you know and you’re
not
ready for it. Are you hearing me?”

Falcon looked more than reprimanded. He looked devastated, like he’d just walked himself through the image of having to dispatch one of his friends. He nodded his head at Storm solemnly. “Yes, sir.”

Storm sighed. “Okay, enough lecture for now. I want to know how you identified them as vamps to begin with.”

Falcon made a visible effort to recover himself and get his thoughts back together. “We were sitting at a table by the window. I just happened to look up when they ran by and one of them looked right at me. There’s really no mistaking those eyes.”

Ram unconsciously nodded an affirmation.

“Like I said, I wasn’t thinking about anything except making sure they didn’t get away. After three blocks or so they slowed down and looked behind them. I guess they saw that I was running toward them, but didn’t think I was coming for
them
. Or didn’t think I was much of a threat. So they stopped and turned in here.

“I didn’t stop running. I did an airborne roundhouse thinking I’d knock one off his feet and maybe have a chance to stake the other while the one down was figuring things out.”

At that Ram raised his hands and let them flop against his thighs to convey his own two cents’ worth of disgust.

Storm said, “Continue.”

“I grabbed the one still standing by the back of his collar and smashed his face into the wall. Hard. I’d hoped to stun him so I could take a good aim with my little stick. I was afraid I only had one shot because it would likely splinter and break with repeated stabs.

“It’s just that the one on the ground didn’t stay down long enough. He grabbed me from behind and I guess he was about to chow down. Then I heard Sin. I guess he was running and making this sound like a growl. He got a fistful of the vamp’s hair and pulled him back off me.

“That left me free to concentrate on the fu…, uh, biter in front of me. I didn’t look back, just had to trust that Sin and Wakey had the other one handled.

“I danced around with him for a bit, him trying to bite me, me trying to get ahold of him
and
avoid the fangs. Which are damn ugly, by the way. I wasn’t getting anywhere fast until these two…” He stopped, motioning to his friends, a tone of unmistakable pride creeping into his retelling at that point. “They got him from behind and held him still for me. So all I had to do was jam the twig into the right spot.

“That’s the story.”

For a time the three members of B Team who were present stood motionless, just looking at the rookies. Undoubtedly they were seeing themselves and replaying a hundred such encounters in their minds. They’d survived long careers as vampire hunters. Each one of them was secretly wondering how much of that had been luck.

The veterans could see that the boys were trying to be cool and casual about the informal debriefing, but they could also see that the kids were jazzed, almost vibrating visibly. They knew firsthand what sort of adrenaline rush accompanies a victorious skirmish with vampire. And they hoped these kids would never find out what the other kinds of skirmish, the non-victorious sort, felt like.

Finally Storm turned to Rev. “Got anything you want to add, Sovereign?”

Rev didn’t take his eyes away from the boys.

“Yes. First, who paid the bill at the deli?” The kids looked at each other, shook their heads and gave Rev a guilty look. “Next lesson. Somebody is always designated bill payer. That means he’s got his hand on enough to throw down and cover the debt. Now, go pay your bill. Tell the manager there was an emergency, that you never intended to run out on the check, and that you’re sorry if it caused an inconvenience. If there’s any trouble, call me.” He held his hand out until Falcon handed over his phone. Rev programmed his contact number in and returned it. “Do not tell a soul about this incident and be in my office tomorrow morning at 11:30.” Wakey started to say something then stopped. “Question, Mr. Wakenmann?”

“I was just wondering if that means we’re excused from class?”

Rev sighed. “Yes. It does. Go straight to the midtown Whister pad. Your night out is over.”

All three boys mumbled, “Yes, sir,” and began walking away.

“Hey,” Ram’s voice stopped them. “E’en with all the fuckups and the maybes and the chances, you still did good tonight. Maybe saved somebody from bein’ eaten. Maybe saved somebody else from turnin’ vamp. Does no’ mean ‘twas wise, mind you.”

The kids smiled as they turned around and kept walking.

“Rammel,” Storm said. “nobody was
ever
soft on us.”

“Tellin’ kids their instincts are good. ‘Tis no’ the same thin’ as bein’ soft.”

“I had just been thinking that fatherhood hadn’t changed you. I was wrong.” Storm looked at Rev. “So what now, Sovereign?”

“Let’s call it in to clean up.” He looked over to see the boys turning out of the end of the alley. “Seems like Elora’s been relieved of the responsibility of picking three trainees. Looks like they picked themselves.”

When Kay had finished the call for clean up, Rev said, “Let’s wait for the truck. Then maybe I’ll buy you three another drink. To celebrate my engagement.”

Storm narrowed his eyes. “Did you tell her?”

“Couldn’t do that. Against the rules. She put it together herself and warned me that, if she could do it, other people – like you – might do the same.”

Storm whistled low. “You’re a lucky son-of-a-bitch, boss.”

“Watch that language.”

“I could use a whiskey,” said Ram.

“See? Nothing changes,” said Kay.

Elora turned over and looked at the clock. The red digital display was either wrong or time was moving very, very slowly. It wasn’t long after she’d fallen into Jefferson Unit before she realized that she’d gotten herself mixed up with a rough crowd. She’d known since before she’d admitted to being Rammel Hawking’s mate that the one thing she could not do was wait at home and hope B Team survived the night.