Dark Waters

A Long Day's Work

"I mean really, aren't Vampires only supposed to drink about 3 pints a week?" My frustrated question caused my boss Joseph Downer to laugh and he clapped me on the back, almost shoving me over with his strength. "You know how those bloodsuckers are, Tess. The young ones can't help themselves, they're like damn crack addicts." He laughed again, shaking his head as they walked through the empty parking lot. I knew that although words seemed harsh, my boss was quite fond of Vampires. Which, he should be, he was married to one. That reminded me, "How are Emily and the baby?" I looked up at him in worry, the last I heard they had to go to the hospital for an emergency ultrasound, but that was last night and I hadn't heard anything else. I had intended to ask Joe when he came in, but as soon as I walked through the doors of the DUJ I had been whisked out the door with the profile of Josh Heckler. It seemed that he wasn't happy with his weekly blood allowance and had gone on a killing spree, and it also seemed it was my job to catch him. We had caught up to him just in time, he had a 7 year old girl held hostage, who thankfully had escaped safely. I only wished we had been there sooner. Joe's deep voice pulled me back to the present. "Everything's fine, but you know Emily... She is worried sick about the poor kid. And he hasn't even been born yet!" My boss threw his arms up in exasperation and I had to laugh at that, I definitely knew how my sister could be. "You knew what you were in for!" I said in a sing song voice, and watched Joe's gruff smile. "Yeah, yeah I did." I reached up to brush my long hair out of my face as we reached the old factory. "You know Joe, I'm a size 12. I should be a size 4 with how far this parking lot is from the building." Joe laughed again, thankfully not slapping me on the back this time, and punched the 8-digit code onto the keypad in front of them. "Sorry Darlin, security measures." I rolled my eyes, sweeping my red hair over my shoulder and muttering about where people can shove their security measures. Joe opened the door for me, scratching his salt and pepper beard and allowing me to lead the way. "Ladies first!"
We walked past the numerous pieces of random factory equipment, all off but all still in working order, and made our way to the very back of the building. I led the way down a short hallway to the office waiting at the end, stepping aside to let Joe unlock the door. This lock wasn't electronic like the first one, but was a simple key lock. Anyone with a bobby pin and the least bit of skill could pick it, but that didn't mean they knew what to do after they got inside. Humming a Beatles song, Joe swung the door open and we took in the familiar sight of Office 36, untidy and unorganized. Papers were scattered across a giant oak desk, and books were piled everywhere. In the middle of the mess sat a shiny new computer with a blinking screen, requesting a fourteen digit passcode. We ignored it, instead turning to the second of the three huge bookshelves standing against the wall. Finding the one I was looking for, I carefully removed a worn green book from the top shelf. I ran my fingers over the space where the book had sat and pressed the button it was hiding. "You boys and your decoys." I muttered playfully, knowing Joe would hear her over the tune he was butchering. He responded with a deep laugh and finished locking the door back as the bookcase in front of us began to shake. "What's wrong Tessa? Don't like feeling like you're in a Bond movie?" He laughed again, the sound almost lost over the grating of the walls shifting. "Well," I mused "I guess it's better than being in a John Green novel." The bookcase stopped moving, revealing a spiral staircase descending into darkness. Knowingly, I turned to see Joe with a look of pure irritation. "God I hate that guy, who the hell does that? Ripping your heart out with a story about kids with cancer! I thought Emily was going to drown she cried so much!" I couldn't help but snicker, remembering that particular fiasco. "That's what happens when you let a pregnant woman watch the saddest movie of the year!" I reached in my back pocket and took out a crappy flashlight, mandatory to all agents of the DUJ, and began to slowly descend the stairs. I heard Joe grumble behind me as he pressed the button on the wall and quickly followed my lead. The last thing I heard before we were swallowed by total darkness? "But really, fuck that John guy!"