Enslaved (ON HOLD INDEFINITELY)

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

“What do they want with me?” I asked, putting the Range Rover into autopilot before turning to the back. Dustin was lying flat on his back, taking up the entire length of the backseat. His wounds were still healing, leaving behind light scars.

He sighed but said nothing. His face looked like he aged a few years, worn out by the battle and weakened by the pain. He turned a bit but groaned when he moved his left arm.

I huffed and turned back to Liyana who was staring out the window, which slightly reflected her vacant expression.

Three of us were silent as the Rover navigated itself across the plain terrain, the GPS with a woman’s voice, announcing the slow arrival of the airbase. I toyed with my jacket, twirling the zipper, rubbing the metal together. It’s just something I did to ease the awkwardness.

“Can you stop that? It’s annoying.” Liyana stated indifferently still looking out the window.

“Then, what am I suppose to do because waiting for the vampire at the back to produce an answer is making me old.” I retorted, actually sounding like a whining five year old.

This time Dustin was the one to cut in. “You don’t age, idiot,” he said voice muffled, arms over his eyes.

“I meant it…metaphorically.” I said. “And you didn’t answer my question.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “Can’t it wait?” he groaned.

I shook my head in disbelief. “Dustin, there’s three Mick Jaggers trying to kill us, and dozens of other humans and vampires out there and you decide that now is the greatest time to take a snooze and not answer my question. Get your priority straight, old man.”

“I am 21, dude”

“Oh Sorry, I thought you’re old badass with centuries of brooding and immortal life to live through.” I spat with as much sarcasm I could muster.

“And you’re the vampire newbie who is going to be mince meat, if the demons really want something to do with you.” Dustin exclaimed getting into a sitting position. He was still clutching his left arm, wincing at the pain from the expression on his face.

“Well it would really help if you just tell me what they want from me.” I said frustrated.

His head drooped and he started fidgeting with his arm as he spoke. “They say, they wanted a memory chip you stole from them.”

At first I was confused then I felt the gold plated piece of metal in my pocket getting heavier. I huffed and slowly deposited the chip out of my jacket’s pocket and handed it over to Dustin, who looked at it with a frustrated glee.

“How did you even get your hands on this?” Dustin exclaimed examining the shiny metal object, that’s no bigger than a poker card.

I just shrugged, “It was plugged into this computer mainframe thing when I turned vamp. It was gold so I thought…I could get my money’s worth. For revenge.”

Dustin shook his head in disbelief, analyzing the thing in the dim moonlight with his good hand. Suddenly, he face twisted into a frown, his eyes seem to widen when he looked at the inscriptions on the card.

“Liyana, you better look at this,” he said handing the card over to her.

When she saw the inscriptions on it, she almost dropped it, from her trembling arms. “Impossible.” She breathed, making sure. “These memory chips are classified issues. They aren’t supposed to even exist.”

“Then, how do you suppose our demon friends got their hands on one of these?” Dustin asked. I could see them now, caught up in their own bubble. I didn’t know what they were raving about but I could feel the sudden shift of atmosphere as the Rover rumbled on to the airbase.

Liyana seem to contemplate her answer as she shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “There’s only two people in this world that has this memory chip. The head of CIA and the President.”

Dustin’s seem to age even further as he combed through his hair, letting out a frustrated tone.

“Em…anyone mind explaining what’s so significant about a piece of silicone?”

Both of them stared daggers at me like I just asked the world’s most redundant question. Dustin slowly raised the memory chip in his hands. “This.” He said, “is a access key card to the US most valuable database.”

“So?”

“So.” Liyana continued. “The US data bank is linked through the CyberWeb to all the databases around the world including, China, Russia, Germany, Japan, Korea and all the big players. If you have this memory chip-“

“You have control over every single computer mainframe that is ever connected to the Internet. In other words, global domination.” Dustin ended the explanation.

The following silence was beyond eerie.

“Okay. Answer me this, they’re demons right? Why would they attempt something so…human? I mean can’t they use their voodoo, devil’s magic or something?”

“There’s only three of them Michael. The other viable option is for them to resurrect their dead brothers from the electronic chambers we kept them in, which got destroyed during the war.” Dustin answered. “They’re changing tactics, targeting human’s weakest fault. By shutting off global communication, they gain control of all the weapon systems. The three of them could start a nuclear war between Russia and the States against our will. The only survivors will be vampires and that’s exactly what they want since they can easily manipulate our kind, meaning-“

“Humans get thrown off the food chain and will be forced to live like sewage rats.” Liyana cut in, massaging her temples now.

“Then, what do we do?” I asked.

Liyana looked up at both of us. “Well I know what am I suppose to do. Go back to the CIA headquarters and check for security breeches.”

“Us?”

This time Dustin spoke. “We’ll need to find help to stop this. The president should be warned to keep his head low. No one in the white House is to be trusted, not even the secret service”

Liyana nodded in understanding.

“Well then its settled.” Dustin stated. “Well, Michael I hope you’re up for a little plane ride.”

“To where.” I asked, feeling like a sitting duck under his command.

He gave me that signature fanged smile of his. “Rome.”

While he said that I heard Liyana punching in some numbers on her communication device. Someone on the other end answered before she spoke. “Lance, fire up the Transporter. We’re on our way.”

“Oh and Lance, tell the President, we’re engaging Code Phantom.”