Blood In The Water (BOOK 2) ON HOLD

-PROLOGUE-

We'll never get free
Lamb to the slaughter
What you gon' do when there's blood in the water?
The price of your greed is your son and your daughter
What you gon' do when there's blood in the water?

Look me in my eyes
Tell me everything's not fine
Oh, the people ain't happy
And the river has run dry
You thought you could go free
But the system is done for
If you listen real closely
There's a knock at your front door

We'll never get free
Lamb to the slaughter
What you gon' do when there's blood in the water?
The price of your greed is your son and your daughter
What you gon' do when there's blood in the water?

When there's blood in the
(Uh, uh)
When there's blood in the
(Uh, uh)

Beg me for mercy
Admit you were toxic
You poisoned me just for
Another dollar in your pocket
Now I am the violence
I am the sickness
Won't accept your silence
Beg me for forgiveness

We'll never get free
Lamb to the slaughter
What you gon' do when there's blood in the water?
The price of your greed, your son and your daughter
What you gon' do when there's blood in the water?

When there's blood in the water
(Uh, uh)
When there's blood in the
(Uh, uh)

I am the people
I am the storm
I am the riot
I am the swarm
When the last tree's fallen the animal can't hide
Money won't solve it
What's your alibi?
What's your alibi?
What's your alibi?

What you gon' do when there's blood in the, blood in the water?
When there's blood in the water
(Uh, uh)
When there's blood in the
(Uh, uh)
When there's blood in the water

-Blood in the Water-grandson-2017-

-EPILOGUE: SIX MONTHS LATER-

-SALIM-

After our quarantine was lifted, CENTCOM, namely Layla, helped me get Zain ready for University. He was pretty hostile to the Americans until I explained that they had saved my life and had shown me nothing but kindness. After a while, he's grown quite close to them, especially Joey, as they discuss mythology daily.

I didn't want to lie about what had happened, not to my son. He's old enough to understand that we can not speak of it outside of our newly extended family. We had been honorably discharged from the military, and as Dar had led the invasion without permission, I was safe. But I still wanted to expand my horizons. It's good to know that I can still come home.

Oddly, CENTCOM hasn't been able to find Eric's body. He's been declared missing until one is found, or if by some miracle, he survived somehow. I couldn't imagine being in Rachel's shoes. Legally, and in the eyes of the U.S. government, she is still his wife. Even though they have separated, she wouldn't have wished this for him. It also must put a strain on Nick.

We've been provided with housing on a CENTCOM base, while Jason, AJ, and I used the money provided to us to purchase housing in London as well as to spend time with Zain. I spent my time learning languages and helping Jason with his vows. Rachel went back to the CIA, but she still works with CENTCOM. Nick, I'm happy to say, has been doing much better. Before we left, I helped him track down the woman's family from the Green Zone, and they forgave him.

Clarice stayed with Joey to work with CENTCOM as well. Merwin signed on as well, as I'd expected. For now, though. We had all gathered for the wedding. AJ fully recovered, and I saw a difference in her now that she was healthy. It was a beautiful ceremony, outdoors with an open sky and an open bar, as the bride described it.

Every so often, we got together, but when Layla called us into the Briefing Room on base, I knew that this wasn't a social call.

"You have any idea what this is about?" Jason asks as we head to the building.

"No, I don't," I reply. "Why would I?"

"Oh, I assumed that-ah; never mind," he chuckled.

"I know what AJ is hoping for," I confirm. "I enjoy Layla's company. But I'm not there yet."

"Nah, I understand that," Jason shrugged. "I'm just glad we fucking survived. Life is short, but you shouldn't rush."

We head inside, and the rest of the team is already inside. I see some digital maps on a large screen. There are grainy photos with what looks like a military unit and a blurry woman silhouette around a jungle landscape.

"What is this?" I ask Layla.

"For the past six months, we've been working on Caelus," she began. "We've been wondering how it picked up on archaeological equipment that's decades old."

"We're not sure how, but the satellite has picked up some sort of creature in South America," Clarice sighs.

"There have been reports of missing tourists and hikers," Joey picked up on the report. "All men, and when their remains are found, they were torn apart and drained of blood."

"That sounds like another vampire," AJ surmised. "

"But it looks like a woman," Nick murmured. "No wings..."

"She almost looks like that ancient vampire," Rachel comments.

"That's where the similarities end," Clarice sighs. "She can walk in daylight."

"Fuck," Jason spat.

"What do you need from us?" I asked Layla.

"...If I could send another team, I would," she sighs. "But I had to cover up the temple to keep everyone safe..."

"You need us to go down there to investigate," I realized.

"Yes," she sighs heavily. "we've been doing the best we can, but this has been different. The creature seems organized."

"Well, I'm in," Merwin spoke up.

The rest of the group decided to join in after a brief discussion. But I sensed that Layla was holding out on us.

"There's more to this than you've told us," I prod. "What's going on?"

Layla took a deep breath before she used a remote in her hands to change the screen from a map to several images of the woman we couldn't see before. As she altered them to clear up, my blood ran cold.

"Salim...who is she?" Jason asks. "You've gone as pale as I am."

"...That is my wife..."