Harper's Adventure

The Shooter

Hale met with Charlie and Brutus, the security guard, they were asking the shooter a few questions. Hale was in charge of finding out if this was a fluke or if humans knew about vampires. He hoped they were just guessing and got lucky.

They had to play this off. He was worried because he knew they would try again. He had to get the name of the leader and deal with him or her. He didn't want to be sexist. Women could be crazy psycho killers too.

Hale walked into the room where the human was handcuffed to the table. The room was empty except for the table and two chairs. One for the shooter and one for Hale.

Hale looked at the file and then at the criminal. "You know your rights, Mr. Forbes and you know why you're here?"

The man looked up and nodded. "Yes." He looked at the table.

"You are under arrest for attempted murder." Hale read it aloud anyway.

Mr. Forbes' head snapped up. "Attempted murder?" He looked disappointed. "You mean he didn't die?"

Hale took a breath and looked concerned. "Yes. Lucky for you, Mr. Morton will make a full recovery. They had to cancel the remaining concerts and he is home resting. He will be just fine."

"He does have a mild allergy to garlic that was a concern but nothing an Epi pen couldn't fix. I'm guessing you knew about the allergy or the wooden bullet wouldn't have contained garlic. Care to explain that?" Hale was curious what the human would say, if anything.

Mr. Forbes looked at Hale, shocked. "I didn't know he had an allergy to garlic!"

Hale smiled. "Yes, well, he does but they got the bullet out and it was just a flesh wound."

"But he's fine. He's alive?" Forbes asked.

Hale smiled. "Yes. He is very much alive and has some questions for you. I wrote them down. He was actually more worried about you, as it turns out."

"What?" Forbes was shocked. "He is worried about me? I shot him?" He didn't understand that. He thought for sure that their intel was accurate and Anders was a vampire. How were they wrong? Anders Morton was alive. He wanted proof. "Can I meet him in person?"

"Oh, I don't think that is possible at the moment." Hale shook his head. They weren't letting Anders near this creep. "He wanted to know what he did to piss you off enough to shoot him?" Hale held up a list of Anders' questions.

"Uh. Nothing. I thought he was a vampire. I don't understand. That was supposed to be fatal to a vampire?" Forbes said out loud. He was worried now. They were wrong. They either were wrong about Anders or wrong about how to kill vampires.

"Vampires? Did you say vampires?" Hale looked concerned for his well being. "Are you trying for an insanity plea? It won't work. That bullet was handmade and this was clearly planned. Insanity won't work."

"No. I don't want an insanity plea. I shot him. I don't even need a lawyer. I am guilty but I don't understand how we got it so wrong?" He was sure that would work.

"What? Who are the rest of them? Is this a hate group?" Hale was curious.

Forbes laughed. "No. We are vampire hunters. We have been looking for vampires for years. Trying to find a way to kill them. We thought that wood and garlic would do it. Are you sure that Anders is okay?"

Hale sighed. "Yes. Charlie." He motioned for Charlie to enter. The door buzzed and opened.

Another man walked in and Forbes knew him. He was from the band. Charlie held up a tablet and Anders was on the video. Anders was in bed with a bandage around his shoulder and his arm was in a sling. He looked pale but sitting up talking. He looked at the camera.

"Can you tell me why?" Anders was holding a bottle of water. He took a sip.

Forbes just stared. "Sorry. I am. I thought you were..." He felt foolish now. Clearly, this guy was fine.

"Are there more out there trying to take me out? I don't think I can take more bullets. That one sucked." Anders said. He glared at the screen. "What in the hell is wrong with you? If there are more of you, you had better contact them and tell them hate isn't the way to go. People get hurt." Anders took a breath.

"Look, our music is just music. We write what we know and most of us had rough childhoods and we use the pain. I am sorry for offending you but you don't have to listen to our music. Find some band you actually like. Leave us alone. Leave me alone."

"I don't know you and have never done anything to you. I would never hurt you on purpose, not like you hurt me." Anders was done yelling at the prisoner. He wanted to sink his teeth into his skin. Kill him but what purpose would that serve? It would make them right. Vampires would be monsters.

"I thought you were a monster?" Forbes said that like a question. He was sweating. "We thought that you were a vampire and we were trying to put an end to them. Kill all of them." He was in tears.

"Man! There is no such thing as vampires. They're not real. They are in stories and movies. Fiction not fact." Anders took a breath. He was about to turn and had to slow down.

"This is all just a show. The teeth are fake and the eyes are contacts. It's just for the fans, they're not real. You understand that right?" Anders was worried about this man. He could pose a problem.

They had to convince him that vampires weren't real. "We are just regular people trying to make a living by doing what we love. That's all. I have never killed anyone and I don't hurt people. My favorite meals are lasagna and biscuits and gravy. We drink gallons of coffee and sleep just like regular people. Hell, I just went to a greasy spoon yesterday and had a wonderful, greasy cheeseburger with my boyfriend."

"What?" Forbes was pale. They had made a huge mistake. "You ate a cheeseburger?"

"Sure. I love them. I don't know what group you are in but they need to be stopped. Man, we are just regular people. Really. I am actually seeing an accountant. I am thinking about asking him to marry me." Anders smiled. Charlie smiled too. Anders took another drink of water. He was actually thirsty and he was tired.

"What? You are dating an accountant?" Forbes was screwed. Could vampires drink water? Anders was drinking water. "I need a phone call. Mr. Morton, I am so sorry about all of this. I thought they knew what they were talking about. I was convinced that you were a godless monster!"

"Godless? No. I believe in God, Mr. Forbes. My grandmother would roll in her grave if I didn't believe in God. When I'm home, I try to make it to mass." He smiled. "I would hate to disappoint my granny!"

Anders smiled a sad smile. That was a true story. He missed his grandma. He would drag him and Rick to mass with her. She thought young boys should have God in their life.

"He drags us to mass with him when we're not touring!" Charlie explained and smiled at the idiot at the table. He wanted to kill him for Anders but he had to hold back. He didn't want to let them win. They couldn't be right. Vampires weren't godless monsters. Not all of them. Charlie didn't want to be a monster.

"I'm going to need to interview your group. Is there a leader?" Hale asked Forbes.

"Yes." He looked shaken. They had made a terrible mistake.

"I'm going to need the name and number of that person. Any information you have will be fine." Hale instructed. They were putting a stop to this right now. Forbes nodded and wrote everything down. He even gave them a list of all of the members. Hale had some work to do.

"I have names but I'm not sure who the leader is. He is kept in the shadows. I have heard names though, in the meeting I was in. I included those also." Mr. Forbes was upset. He chose a crazy group to be a part of and now he was going to prison. They ruined his life and he was furious and didn't even ask for leniency.

Charlie had to get back to his friend. He wanted to check on Harper and make sure he was okay. They still had to find Eve. They still had nothing but they got the cult of vampire haters. It wasn't a total loss. "Are we good here?"

Hale nodded. "I think so. Thanks for your cooperation, Mr. Forbes." He watched the man for a moment and left the room. He was hunting for these people to the ends of the earth. The enforcers were ready to do their job but they weren't killing them. Arrest and prosecute under the law. No killing. Hale was disappointed.