The Breed Chapter 25
The Breed
By Dream Janus
Disclaimer: All rights are protected and the story cannot be reproduced without permission.
This story is a work of fiction and contains scenes of gay sex between consenting individuals. If you find this offensive, are under the age of 18, it is illegal wherever you are to read this, stop reading now. Leave this site. If you are offended by harsh language, please exit this page immediately. You have been warned. This work of fiction is property of myself and may not be copied or used in any way without my express consent.
Much thanks and appreciation goes to Rubilacxe, my editor and second set of eyes__.
Note from Dream Janus: I now have a presence in Yahoo groups.
On Yahoo it is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dream_janus_stories/
If you want, I can be emailed at dreamjanus@yahoo.com.
2nd Note from Dream Janus: There are scenes in this chapter that did happen to my family, some names have been changed others have not.
Chapter 25 "Assassin's Edge"
Toban sat in his Conclave Complex office. The room was large with a large hardwood mahogany desk in the center of the room and a mahogany table behind the desk up against the wall behind the desk. On the wall were six revealed flat screen monitors. The top three monitors and the outer two monitors each had a different news program about what happened at the school.
The top three monitors showed the three news shows at the local level. The lower left monitor showed CNN's take on what happened. The lower right monitor showed MSNBC's take on it. The center bottom monitor was filled with the Conclave computer screen icons and computer programs.
"Authorities are keeping tight lipped on what THE BRIDGE meant by `We are Breed, we are the brothers of man have no fear'," the local newscaster reported with a disbelieving look on his face, from the center monitor.
The left hand monitor showed that the news had crafted some sort of table discussion about what happened and was said that afternoon. On one side of the table was the reporter Shelly Temple-Chase, directly to her left was a couple of less than reputable appearing people, supposedly speaking on behalf of the newly named "Friends of the BRIDGE." To the left of them were members of the local law enforcement branches, including the chief of police and the top detectives in the area. To their left were the "skeptics".
For the few moments that Toban actually focused on the discussion he was both amused and bothered. The amusement came from the fact that every person at the discussion with the exception of the reporter was either breed or sympatric humans. The supposed "Friends of the BRIDGE" were there to feed the public misinformation and misdirect, by using urban legends mixed lightly with facts. The "skeptics" were there also to misdirect and cloud the situation, by giving apparently factual information that the BRIDGE and his friends were nothing more than super powered individuals and did not show any real proof that they were part of a larger culture. Finally the law enforcement officers were there also to misdirect and attempt to use that information to actually hunt and hurt the Breed. All of it was a big production lie and that was what bothered him as well.
Toban's attention was then directed to the right hand monitor that showed a news item about what was decided by the school board. The female reporter announced, "the 9th and 10th grade students would be transferred to Clinton Middle school to continue their classes in unused classrooms and portable classrooms that would placed on the schools property. The 11th and 12th grades will be bused to Berryhill high school and continue classes in portable classrooms as well."
The reporter continued, "The portable modular classroom buildings each hold two classrooms. The school authorities also stated that the majority of sporting events with the exception of Varsity level will be canceled until further notice. Parents are encouraged to contact their specific sports coach to verify activity."
The male reporter then took over and said, "Funeral listings for the students, teachers and staff will be posted on our website and at the beginning and end of each newscast." He then continued the newscast with another story.
The brief footage that showed Toban's new appearance bothered him to see. Toban could see how the humans would fear his appearance. It was at that moment Toban realized that he was no longer even partly human. The tears flowed freely as he began to realize how drastically his life had really changed. Toban then felt the loss of Rex the greatest. He began to slide into himself until he felt something very familiar and comfortable in the darkness, and it allowed him to return to himself. The pain remained, but Toban was able to control himself. As quickly as the feelings of loss hit him, Toban felt an understanding come over him, things were not lost and the new life had its potentials.
Kar spent the evening out. That night was to be his first assignment as a guild assassin. He had chosen a soul whip and shadow daggers as his weapons of choice. He knew that he could generate even more weapons if the need arose. The expected target was a Regia'an drug manufacturer, the job was specifically to kill the supervising Regia'an and any others that got in his way of completing his mission. Kar was to call in a clean up crew to destroy the facility and get rid of any evidence.
According to the information in the file the George had given Kar, the manufacturer was located in an industrial area of town near the river. Kar was given the last known address of the facility as well as its exact location. The facility appeared to be an abandoned power plant. There were no known security measures beyond the guards and only five of them.
Kar slipped through a hole in the fence that surrounded the power plant. Within a couple of minutes he had spotted two of the guards and became aware that a third made a circuit around the outside of the building. Apparently the remaining two guards were in positions inside the building itself.
Kar silently flicked the soul whip and it looped itself around the traveling guard's neck and throat. The whip connected with Kar's shadow power and began to drain the struggling guard of his life force. The guard was dead before he could scream and his body began to decay before it even touched the ground. The life energy taken by the whip was shared between the whip and Kar equally. The more energy the whip absorbed the more deadly it could become.
Kar faded into the shadows as he approached the first of the stationary outside guards. The shadows made him almost invulnerable to physical attack. Kar energized two of the shadow daggers and threw them with perfect accuracy at the guard. The first dagger struck the guard in the neck, destroying his windpipe and voice box instantly. The second dagger struck the guard in the base of the spine, permanently parallelizing him. Kar walked by him withdrawing the daggers from their fleshy homes and at the same time relieving the guard of ten years of his life.
The second guard apparently felt something was amiss and had his AK-47 parallel with the ground ready to attack anything that moved. Kar realized that this guard was going to be more difficult than the others, so he faded further into the shadow realm. He snuck up behind the guard and was prepared to surprise him when a guard from inside stepped out with his Glock .45 ready to fire as well.
"The queen just issued orders that we accelerate the maturity of another batch as soon as possible," the guard from inside said softly. "The fuck-up at that school lost us over two dozen." He then looked around as if he were expecting to be attacked. "Marcus, James and his wife Jean warn that we should expect an attack of some sort."
Kar realized that Marcus had to be the former head of the Conclave Counsel, but had no idea who James and Jean were. If he had known this at that time, Toban could have been warned that his uncle and aunt were also traitors. Kar realized though that it would be best if he took out the two guards as quickly as possible.
Kar reached from the shadows and pulled the outside guard totally into the shadow realm. In the brief moment it took for the second guard to realize they were under attack it was too late to raise an alarm. Kar wrapped the soul whip around the man's neck and broke his neck while it drained the life essence from the guard. He then returned to the Shadow Realm, located the guard and broke his neck with quick twist from his hands.
Kar then walked through the entrance of the old power plant while in the Shadow Realm. The door itself could not stop or slow his approach as it had not substance in that murky reversed realm. Once inside the building, Kar realized that their information was VERY WRONG. This was not a drug manufacturing plant but a cloning facility instead. The hallways and room were all filled with glass enclosed canisters that each held a body, some them were in early development while others appeared to be nearly complete. Some of the chambers held forms that were just barely visible while others held infants, children and teens.
Kar was sickened by what he saw and was even more resolved to complete his task and get out of there. With a simple thought he faded into the shadows and began to make his way deeper into the building, to find and take out his target. The soft sound of his walking soon faded in to silence as he traveled. Determination flowed in his veins with each step.
Kar arrived at a junction in the hallway. His choices were left, right or to continue on, almost immediately the choice was made for him as he overhead voices talking in hushed whispers coming from his left. Kar quickly headed in the direction of the voices and was surprised to see the hall dead end with a railing.
Down below the railing Kar observed a sight that chilled him to the core. One level below him stood two operating tables each with a person on them. The closest table had a human male approximately 15 or 16 years old and the further table held the remains of a Regia'an male of similar age. Both of them were opened up and their internal organs exposed, tubes were coming out of their bodies from every possible point.
It was obvious that they were being slowly drained of blood and semen. As well as that their organs were slowly being extracted. The Regia'an had already died from the shock and pain, the human was still alive but it was obvious that his mind was shattered beyond repair. Kar decided that the humane thing to do was to put the poor teen out of his misery as quickly as possible.
Kar made a small shadow energy pellet, no bigger than pea. He aimed carefully and tossed the pellet out and away from the railing. Kar's aim was nearly perfect, as he aimed for the teens head and instead hit him in the face. The effect was immediate as the tiny pellet drained the remaining life force from the teen. The energy was so weak that Kar did not feel any energy return to him.
Immediately an alarm went off as the teen finally died. Three men and a woman rushed into the room to check what had happened. The tallest of the men Kar recognized as Marcus, he was surprised to see a family resemblance between the shorter man and Toban's grandfather Gene. It was obvious to Kar that this man was the James the guard had talked about and the woman must have been his wife. His focus fell on the third man and all other thoughts left him, the third man was his target.
Kar knew that to attack his target now would bring unwanted attention to his present location, but fury over the treatment of the teens clouded his judgment. Without thinking he threw a shadow lance at his target. The lance struck Kar's target in the back, as the lance faded so did the man's life. In the instant that this happened, Marcus, James and Jean turned and looked directly at Kar's location.
Kar became scared as Marcus began to transform into a demonic visage, Jean transformed into a large she wolf and James began to reform into a hybrid Bear, Wolf and human. He focused on his shadow energy and with a blink of an eye exploded with Shadow energy. The energy poured down on them like a black rain storm, each drop that touched them had one singular intent: to bury itself and slowly drain its victim. The pain of coming in contact with this `rain' was unbearable for all three of them.
Kar's eyes began to glow with increasing shadow energy as the life essence of each of them began to drain. Marcus' vampiric energy supercharged Kar, while Jean's and James increased it to an almost drug high level. Kar knew that the slow energy drain would not kill any of them in the short term, and would not kill Marcus at all, but it would eventually kill Jean and James.
Kar veiled himself in the shadow realm and ran before they could recover and follow him. He paused briefly when he reached the factory power station. A quick shadow dagger into the circuits fried the wiring and darkened the whole plant. Every maturation chamber was now in the process of failing. Kar ran out a side door and into the street feeling that Marcus was on his trail. He did not turn around until he was well over a mile away and he found nothing, except for a mild trace of shadow energy. He had either lost Marcus or Marcus had turned back.
The next morning Rosann was sitting in the human courthouse in the department that granted emergency protective orders. She had been threatened by Moe the night before and was now scared for her children. Moe had a gun and bullets in the house. Rosann knew that in most cases she could take on Moe and win the battle, but she was worried about Valen and Toby as they were more human than breed, and only slightly stronger than their friends.
Rosann did not know that Moe had also found out that she had an allergy to gold and silver, making it so he had a greater chance of hurting her. She waited quietly as the cases in front of her were called and were dealt with quickly. When her name was called Rosann stood up and smoothed her dress and walk quickly into the courtroom.
"Why should I give you an emergency protective order?" snapped the female judge whose name plaque read "Hon. A. Benson"
"My live in boyfriend has threatened to hurt me and my kids," Rosann responded.
"How has he threatened you and your children?" The judge said sitting her chair leaning sideways, apparently bored with her job.
"He has a gun in the house," Rosann responded.
"I have a gun too," The judge said sarcastically as she pulled out a .44 magnum pistol and placed on top of the bench for Rosann to see. "Big deal."
Rosann was flabbergasted and did not know what to say.
The judge looked at her with disgust and then said, "Emergency protective order denied."
Rosann walked out of the courtroom dejected and did not know that even though the emergency protection had been denied the judge ordered both parties to be served with papers as to a regular order of protection. Rosann knew that if she invited Toban over to the house to spend time with them, he might be able to deal with Moe, but she was concerned about drawing any of the Breed or Conclave into her personal business. They could and would take the children if they thought it was best.
Rosann worried that she would have to take care of Moe herself and actually reveal herself to Valen and Toby, something that she had refused to do in the past. Suddenly an idea came to her; she could always invite Ray over and hope that Moe showed out in front of Ray. Rosann knew that her eldest would not allow harm to come to her or his brother and sister. She also knew that he would do it in a way that would not reveal him to the children.
That day at the temporary school for 11th and 12th grades, Toban and Kar both had several people come up to them and thank them for what they did, though they each tried to make sure to do it secretively as to retain Toban and Kar's `secret identities. They all realized that there were news crews walking around and did not want the new school heroes revealed.
At the same time Tammy and Steve were receiving similar treatment from the 9th and 10th grades. Even Sam the ghoul was getting adoration from his fellow students. Mr. Salvar was now working with them as most of his classes were 9th and 10th grade level anyway. The principal traveled the fifteen miles between each school so that he was available part of each day in each temporary school.
Three days after the events at the school, Toban was in the Conclave complex office sector walking from his office toward George's office. As he traveled he greeted and was greeted by several individuals, some called him by Lord, Prince or his name. Toban responded to each and every one of them with the same grace.
Once Toban reached George's office he knocked on the dark hardwood door. Frustrated that he did not hear a response, Toban opened the door with the intention of leaving a note. The office was decorated similar to his, but the desk was larger and made of a dark oak. Even the chair fit George's stature more so than an average chair. Toban reached the desk and began looking for a post-it or loose piece of paper so he could leave a quick note.
On the corner of the desk Toban found a post-it pad. As he began to write the note Toban saw a folder marked `Required Assassinations'. His curiosity got the better of him and he began to read the contents of the folder. It was a complete list of all the Conclave sanctioned assassins and the missions that they had been assigned over the last month. Each listing had the assassin's name, a mission code and a mark that showed the mission was complete.
Toban's eyes grew wide when he came across Kar's name and that the mission had been completed. The cold fury of betrayal began to grow in his stomach, He had to know more. Toban sat down in front of George's computer and entered the mission code that Kar had completed. The computer quickly displayed the mission briefing and results, as well it displayed the name of the person that ordered the assassination.
Toban re-read the computer display three times as his anger and betrayal grew. He was beyond pissed when he read that George was the one who assigned the assassination, and that it was marked as a final test in training.
[GEORGE, KAR GET YOUR ASSES TO GEORGE'S OFFICE, NOW!!] Toban transmitted angrily with a cold fury backing it up.
Within five minutes both George and Kar arrived at the office. George was the first to arrive and immediately knew what had happened, but remained silent until Kar arrived. Kar arrived and was confused as to why Toban would send such an angry demand. That was until George transmitted, [He knows]. Kar's blood ran cold in fear.
"Why the fuck did you both keep this from me?" Toban growled throwing the file at George.
"Why did you lie to me?" Toban growled, his voice increasing in volume.
"It is my doing," George began. "It was my idea to keep it from you, and we did not lie, just kept certain facts from you."
"WHAT ARE THOSE CERTAIN FACTS?!" Toban snarled.
"What I am about to tell you is everything that I have kept from you and everything that I encouraged Kar to keep as well," George said softly but with enough force that he would be heard and allowed to continue.
"First, I was ordered to keep certain facts from you by Antino," George began.
"I am actually much older than I look—I am 250 years old," George revealed. "Antino's blood keeps me from aging that much." He then paused. "I am nearly immortal."
Toban's face darkened further but he remained silent.
"Rex didn't know this but he was my youngest son," George continued to explain. "My oldest living children and I hid it from him, they raised him."
Immediately Toban felt used. He let the thought "George isn't really gay," repeat through his mind.
"His biological mother was a true born vampire, who agreed to be the mother of a child for me," George continued. "Much like the three daughters of the Regent of the Bears has done for you."
"I have been the Master of the Assassin Guild for over one hundred years," George said softly.
"I knew that Kar was feeling bad about not having a place in our society other than as our Zomé, so I asked Antino what we should do," George explained.
"So let me get this straight," Toban growled. "Not only have I been lied to by both of you!" Toban snapped, "but you are not even really gay!" He raged poking George's massive chest hard.
"NO!" George roared back. "I only took advantage of the need to procreate we all have. I am totally gay. Rex's birth was done artificially!"
"I love you and would have died when I heard you had died," George cried.
Kar was now terrified that his family was falling apart.
Toban glanced at Kar and then focused back on George. "Who the fuck agreed to me becoming part vampire!"
"That was the Ancient," George responded. He moved slight toward Toban with the intention of trying to hug him.
"Double damn it. I am getting lied to left, right and center. I love you both but I have to think," Toban said with a deep sigh. "I will visit my mother for a few days; I have to sort this out."
Without another word Toban walked out of the office and headed for the main elevator. His emotions were in turmoil and he needed to be nurtured by people that he could trust. Toban knew what to expect from Rosann and even though they did not see eye to eye, he knew where they were in each other lives.
That afternoon found Toban at the house that Rosann shared with Moe. It was a simple duplex, not in the greatest area of town, but it was quite and people minded their own business. The duplex was a small three bedroom with one and a half bathrooms; the duplex on the other side of the building was presently vacant. It had a "For Rent" sign in the yard and on the door.
Toban smiled at his mother, brother and sister and transmitted to his mother, [Thank you for allowing into your home for a couple of days. I need time to think about stuff.]
Rosann nodded mutely as Valen and Toby ran to greet their brother. She felt that time with her son could heal old wounds and might just help her out of the jam she was in. Rosann hugged her eldest son close to her and lightly kissed him on the cheek.
Ray noticed the shadows change around him and looked up to see a very perturbed but silent Moe. Immediately Ray did not like the man, but he made a promise to himself that as long as the man was not hitting his sister, brother or mother, he would leave things alone. He transmitted the promise to his mother, but did not notice the look of fear that crossed her face when she looked at Moe—a promise that he would later regret making even to himself.
Moe had been informed that Ray was an emancipated minor and therefore did not have to follow any curfew or be expected to take any form of punishment. He had also been informed that if he wanted to have any dealings with Ray, to treat him as an adult. Iris even called and let everyone know that she would not tolerate Ray being mistreated.
The evening went quietly as Moe basically ignored everyone. He sat in his tan overstuffed recliner and silently watched television. When left to his own thoughts, Ray was equally silent and verged on being morose. With the help of Valen, Toby attempted to keep their brother's focus as they told him about their adventures in school, even mentioning how they thought, "The Bridge guy was so neat," though they did not realize it was their own brother.
Rosann was also trying to keep her eldest son mentally busy and would interject the events in her life as the young ones allowed. Ray noticed that one subject she and the kids avoided was discussion about her relationship with Moe. This was not usual when she was having problems in her relationships, but this time Ray did not want to delve deeper into her mess as he had one of his own to deal with.
Meanwhile back at the mansion, Davey and Shanny were both upset that Toban had not returned and both began to cry when they learned that he was going to spend at least a couple of nights away. They both refused to allow George or Kar to tuck them into bed and instead stormed up to Davey's room and slammed the door.
That night at Rosann's, Toby and Ray were in the bedroom that they were to share. Ray was doing his brotherly duties and showing Toby how to use the telephone yellow pages. After just a few examples and a couple false starts Toby understood the proper way to use the book. Ray then decided that Toby and he needed to get some rest, so he had Toby return the telephone book to where it belonged. What Ray did not know and Toby could not tell was that instead of being placed back on the floor next to Moe's chair on another phone book, it was placed beside it on top of a couple outstanding bills.
The next morning at 7:30am Ray and Toby were both violently woke up by an angry Moe, who demanded to know what they had been doing the night before. He had waited until Rosann left for work to take this action. When he received matching looks of confusion, Moe became even angrier and pushed both Ray and Toby into the living room and pointed at the errant phone book. The look of confusion remained on Ray's face, but Toby's was replaced by understanding and fear.
"Who put the phone book there?" Moe demanded.
"Toby did, but I told him to return it after we were done with it," Ray responded, his eyes gleaming with anger of their own.
"It doesn't belong there," Moe said loudly pushing Ray backward.
"Where does it belong?" Moe questioned.
"How would I know. I don't live here?" Ray said shocked that Moe would be so stupid as to touch him.
"Where does it belong?" Moe questioned again directing it at Toby.
Moe then slapped Toby's ears. The slap shocked and hurt Toby's feeling more than actually hurting him. His ears had always been a sensitive spot on his body and recently had tubes in them, making it even more sensitive to him.
The slap shocked Ray as well and he took two steps closer to Moe.
Moe immediately refocused on Ray and pushed him back until his back was against the wall. He enjoyed making this eldest son of Rosann's bend to his will. Little did he know that the only reason he was not attacked was that he did not double up his fist and hit either of them. Moe felt since he had a gun they would not defend themselves.
After Moe slapped Toby a second time and caused Toby to cry out about his eyes and the tubes, Ray had enough. "I am calling my grandmother and we are getting out of here."
Moe looked at Ray as if he were crazy and said, "You can go ahead and try, but he isn't going anywhere." Moe then turned to Toby and said, "I want this living room cleanup, now."
Toby then began to clean up the living room. Moe waited until he felt that he had the boy under his control and then he left the room. Toby was doing what he was told, hoping to allow his brother time to get them out of the house.
Moments after Moe shut his bedroom door Ray was on the phone to Iris, "Come and get us now!"
"What happened?" Iris asked.
"Moe slapped Toby and pushed me because of damned phone book," Ray responded.
"Come get us now before I loose control and do something stupid!" Ray demanded.
"I will be there in fifteen minutes," Iris said and then hung up the phone.
In just over ten minutes Iris' car pulled into the driveway. Ray had just gotten Valen up and had each of them dress when Iris arrived. As Iris walked up the path, Ray was ushering his brother and sister out the door and Moe decided to see what was going on.
"What are you doing here?" Moe asked with agitation.
"I am here to pick up my grandchildren," Iris said with cold fury.
"They are supposed to stay here and do housework," Moe responded with growing anger.
"They are going to my house and remain there until their mother gets off work," Iris said coldly, holding the car door open for Valen and Toby. She then looked at Ray and said, "Get in the car."
On the drive to her house Iris had Ray and Toby relay what had happened and her anger grew with each mile. Toby was held lovingly by Ray as they traveled and Valen sucked on her thumb, a nervous habit that she had not grown out of yet.
Within minutes of arriving at Iris' house the telephone rang and Rosann was on the other end of the line. Iris spoke to her for a few minutes and then the phone was transferred to Ray. The conversation was on Ray's side of the story and Rosann showed that she was disappointed with Ray, something that Ray was not going to allow to sway him this time. It was agreed on that they would talk about it when she got off of work.
Ray was ready when Rosann walked in the door at Iris'. He did not allow his voice to rise but noticed that Rosann's did with each word. Finally Rosann was yelling, something that was not allowed in Iris' house.
Iris stepped in between Ray and Rosann and quietly said, "If you are going to do that, do it outside."
Rosann immediately grew quite and said to Ray, "Let's talk about this outside."
Ray immediately knew that if he left the house, Rosann would most like continue to yell and potentially slap him herself. He was not going to allow her to revert into her old ways of dealing with her. Ray instead was quiet and said, "If I go outside with you I will forget one that you are my mother and two that you are a lady."
"What did you say?" Rosann asked. Her blood was so enraged she had not heard him properly.
"If I go outside with you I will forget one that you are my mother and two that you are a lady." Ray said again but slightly louder. The statement meant that if she was going to strike him, he would strike back as he would have lost all the remaining respect for her.
Rosann blanched at the remark and understood that she would not win this argument and would likely loose any physical altercations because of it. She nodded and left with Toby and Valen instead. Her heart was divided over her choices in life, but she felt there was nothing else she could do.
Iris looked in on Ray a few minutes later and found him crying. Ray's tears were over the incident that had happened that day as well as the realization that he indeed loved George and Kar and even though they deceived him it was not out of malice but as a way to protect him from his own emotions and worry.
By dinner time Ray had made a couple of decisions. 1st he would go back to the mansion and deal with his Zoméa openly and 2nd he would petition the Conclave counsel for removal of Toby and Valen from his mother's care. The first decision left him feeling hopeful and the second left him feeling cold and fearful.
That night Toban returned to the mansion. He immediately was hugged and kissed by both Davey and Shanny. Toban looked at both children and smiled. "I want to talk to pop and poppa privately. Please go to your rooms for a little bit."
Both children quickly climbed down from Toban and headed for their bedrooms. Both of the children ran up the stairs two at a time. They were happy to have daddy Toban back and were not the least bit worried.
Toban looked deeply into each of his Zoméa's eyes. He sighed and then spoke, "I cannot say that I am not hurt by the lies and deceptions."
Both George and Kar looked as little children getting in trouble as Toban spoke, the words cut each of them deeply.
"I can say that I understand though," Toban continued. "I can get over it if you both swear to me that it never happens again, even by telling Antino no to lies."
Both George and Kar nodded in agreement, but remained silent.
"It would be nice to hear the truth about some things," came a voice from the patio door.
Across town, two shots rang out...