The Reveal

Viv was on her back, struggling with the assailant on top of her as Charlie was busy handling two other and holding his own.

"Viv?" he said through gritted teeth.

"I got this," she said, pushing up on the man's jaw, when he twisted away from her hand and reared his hand back to punch her in the face. Viv grabbed his fist during its downward motion and moved her face, redirecting his punch and top half of his body toward the slimy tunnel's ground, breaking his hands and connecting his nose with her elbow. Bucking her hips, she rolled the now howling man over and kneed him so hard in the groin that his screams cut off into a gagging, noiseless show of pain. Scurrying over to her dropped gun, she grabbed it and came back at the man, pummeling him with the steel of it until he no longer moved.

Looking over at Charlie, he finished the second of the two men with a sickening crack of the assailant's head into the ground. Immediately he turned to her and reached out a hand. "Jesus, that's six. You ok?"

Standing without the benefit of Charlie's hand, she straightened her hair and huffed. "Yeah I'm good. Do you know who these guys are?"

Charlie shrugged and made a face. "I have a guess." Viv raised her eyebrows questioningly. "I think their Ringo's Nakubili. This isn't like Vyusher R'asa to attack like this."

Viv considered Charlie's suggestion. What she had read of Ringo through the Piper mission files was that he was rogue Vyusher R'asa, neither following or encouraging those in his smaller pack to obey the truce. He was pure mercenary, deadly, and batshit crazy.

"The Left Hand of God, right?"

Charlie rolled his eyes.

"This isn't VR sanctioned. I don't think there's ever been such a break in the truce as something like this. There's no reason to attack the Alpha's Pipers. Think it's personal?"

They whispered closed together in the tunnel, both listening for any other movement, their eyes moving back and forth. Charlie wiped the blood and sweat away from his face and shrugged again. "There is the LT and his parents."

Viv reached up and caught a bead of blood from running into Charlie's eyes, using the palm of her hand to smear it away. "That would be a helluva grudge. Maybe...."

They both moved at the same time, taking cover at the archway that segmented the tunnels, using the extended concrete that formed a pseudo doorway. Viv looked over at Charlie and nodded toward his Mateba. He held up his fingers - he was almost still full, opting to use hand-to-hand to conserve his ammo until he really needed the specialized ammo.

Viv popped her clip quietly and counted. 'Fuck', she mumbled. She held up her fingers - five rounds.

Charlie held his hand up and pointed to himself, then three fingers, then Viv. She's follow him on three and she nodded, understanding. 'Ready?' he mouthed. Viv nodded again and he rushed back into the tunnel.

Three.

Two.

She never made it to one.

A gunshot blast rang out and just as she was about to stand out, Charlie's body flew back onto the ground at her feet. His Mateba had fallen away out of reach, but it didn't matter. He was clutching at his chest, grunting with pain as he began to frantically try and tear at his skin. The smell of silver rose up, hitting Viv's senses like a freight train and stunned her into silence, enough for her to not notice the light mist drift into the tunnel hear her until it was too late.

Materializing in front of her was the red head from her adventure with Simon and she glowed brightly in Viv's jungle sense.

"Well well, what do we have here? Simon's new play thing?" The red head smiled, showing her fangs and inwardly, Viv questioned why she even woke up that morning.


~~

A thin layer of fog filtered through the beam from the Jag's headlights and drifted around the car until it was surrounded. They couldn't see within ten feet of the car. Simon did not seem surprised to see fingers curl through the opened driver's side window.

"Well if it isn't the leader of Tacharan," a voice purred as the mist solidified a foot away from him. A beautiful red head laid her arms on the car door and bent over, resting her chin on them. Her eyes were bright green and her skin a creamy peach.

"I need to speak to," Simon started as the red head reached in and pulled on the door handle, opening it slowly. Simon half rolled his eyes as the female vampire dipped low, exposing her cleavage through her 15th century period dress and looked into the car.

"New play thing, Simon?"

Vivienne's heart beat was strong but controlled. She may not have been afraid, but she had every reason to be. She knew it would only take one from the Anantya clan half a heartbeat to kill Vivienne before she even knew what happened.



~~



Viv held onto her gun, knowing it was useless, but braced herself. "Right, you again. How's tricks?" Suddenly Viv was thrown halfway down the tunnel, sliding over the rocky tunnel surface, landing on her back. With a grunt she mumbled, "Was it something I said?"

The red head was over in a flash, pinning Viv to the ground with her foot across her neck. "You ruined my dress that night."

Viv struggled to breath, but still smiled.



~~



The car suddenly lurched forward as something rammed it from behind. Their heads snapped back with the impact, but as the rear end lifted into the air, Vivienne almost choked herself on her seat belt as she fell forward. It landed with a crash, the rear window cracking, but not shattering. Simon stepped on the gas before the rear tires even touched the pavement. The tires screeched as they made contact with the road and Simon gunned the engine, sending the Jaguar down the winding road at a break neck speed.

Viv's passenger side window suddenly cracked, making her lean toward Simon who fought to keep the car straight. "Wait, are these bullet-proof glass windows?" she yelled.

The car lurched forward again, fish tailing it hard to the left. "Yes, they are," he said in a strange calm voice.

"Who puts bullet proof glass on their car?! Does this shit happen to you all the time or something?"

Simon rolled his eyes as his window cracked, shoving the Jag to the right. "More than you realize." He pushed the car to beyond eighty miles an hour, peeling rubber off the tires as they took the sharp corners.

"No, let it drift!"

"I know how to drive, Vivienne." Fog began circling the car. "It's the red head."

"Oh that's just fucking fantas...," Viv's window broke as a hand materialized through the tempered glass and grabbed part of her hair. "That's my fucking hair, you bitch!"

"Hang on, hang on," Simon said again, his voice still maintaining an almost indifferent tone as they drove threw a sharp turn and plowed through the bushes, heading straight through the woods.

The car's engine whined pitifully as it hit the uneven ground, tree branches scraped up against the sides, undoubtedly scratching the hell out of the paint.

"I swear I cannot hang onto a good car for more than two years," Simon moaned unhappily as they hit the stretch of road again, the tire treads griping the asphalt and propelled the car forward, but a heavy force pushed against them, forcing the engine to whine loudly again when the red head appeared on top of the hood.

Viv undid the buckle of her seat belt. "What are you doing?" Simon asked not taking his eyes off the female vampire. Viv felt the adrenaline in her body begin to bubble over, the wolf in her begging to rip through her human vessel and tear the vampire female's face off. Simon must've heard her heart pounding in her chest because he looked away from the red head and at Vivienne.

"No, not now. Don't do it, Vivienne. We just need to get off their property! Wait!"

The red head reared back on her knees, her arms pulled back and her large fangs poked through her ugly smile. She pounded once on the front windshield, cracking it, playing with them. Viv kicked off her Keds and Simon cursed under his breath, putting the gas pedal to the ground and twisting the car to the left, sending the vampire across the hood, her nails scratching deep gouges in the metal. Viv pulled herself out of the window, almost flying out as the car did a one eighty and sped off backwards down the hill.

Viv could see the red head now running after the Jag, her liquid speed making her look like she was floating above the asphalt. Viv let her transformation take over, destroying her clothes, as her claws dug into the roof of the car to steady herself. She pushed the change so hard and fast that by the time the red head made it to the front of the car, Viv was running toward her in wolf form, knocking the red head back. The vampire pushed her up against the windshield, caving it in. With her sharp jaws, she bit at the vampire's face, tearing off skin only to see it regenerate back.

"Vivienne! VIVIENNE GET IN!" Simon finally yelled his voice now void of any calm. The vampire clawed at her, but Viv twisted, avoiding as much of the vampire's touch as she tried to force the female vampire off the car.

Simon yelled out, "WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF ROAD!"

Both Viv and the red head looked up and over the roof of the car as it reached the end of the steep hill and the car careened into traffic, sending them both off the hood and onto the pavement.

Viv recovered quickly, but she felt the top layer of skin was torn from the pads of her feet. Hovering low on the ground, she snarled at the red head as it righted herself and turned toward Viv. Viv heard the unmistakable rev of Simon's supercharged Jaguar as it came up behind the red head and plowed into her. Viv jumped off the street and ran up on the side of a building wall, avoiding the cars that Simon slammed into as well as the female. Her instinct was to just run - to get back to the property, but Simon stopped his car on top of the female vampire and he threw it into reverse, running back over her. The red head was disoriented but still in one piece as she slowly stood, right in the path of Simon's car again, running her over. Viv watched from the sidewalk with shocked brown eyes as the female vampire kept getting up. Finally Simon just stopped on top of her and the passenger side door opened. He whistled at her, calling her like a pet and smiled.

"Come on girl, get in."

With a snarl, she ran toward the Jag and jumped into the front seat, her tail purposely smacking Simon in the face as he revved the Jag's tires over the red head again and sped off toward the main strip.



~~



The red head stepped off her and knelt down. Viv gasped for air but made no move to run. There's be no point. Viv looked at the shotgun the red head was holding and could smell the silver mixed in with the smoke.

"Silver pellets, huh?"

The red head smiled, "More bang for the buck, so to speak," as she set the shotgun down on its butt.

"You're not working for the VR, are you?" Viv said with certainty.

The red head sneered. "Work for you dogs? You should all be put down for the filth that you are. That's insulting."

Viv looked at her closely this time. Her hair was done up in soft, red curls that framed her face perfectly, her makeup flawless, and her outfit was styled after a refined lady's hunting suit, right down to the royal hunting breeches, bright red fox hunting jacket, and riding boots. All she was missing was the damn crop.

"You're working for someone, toots. Looks like you got picked as the messenger. Lucky you," Viv said, finding her courage and syrupy sarcasm.

"Such confidence."

"I try."

"You really shouldn't," the red head said as she stood, lifting her shotgun and pointing it at Vivienne's head.

Suddenly Viv was angry, so angry that she felt such an oppressive blanket of rage blind her. It was almost alien to her, the abruptness of it and intensity. She felt the sneer wrinkle her nose as she prepared herself.

Vivienne's raging emotions were palatable as he neared her. It was raw with emotion - fear, shock, rage - and then he saw her. She was laying on the ground looking up at that red head from their trip to Anantya for answers, shotgun pointed at her face, the red head's finger pulling back on the trigger. Time slowed as he pushed himself as fast as he had ever moved and slammed into the vampire, twisting her body like a rag doll and crushing her up against the tunnel wall with a sickening crunch.

Viv had the foresight to move away, stunned by his sudden appearance though she must have been. Twisting again, he put the red head's face into the other side of the tunnel and he spoke quietly to her.

"Why are you here?"

The red head's green eye turned toward Simon and she disappeared into a mist, making Simon fall against the tunnel wall. She reappeared behind him, but moved before he could swing his elbow into her face.

"The question is, Simon," the disembodied voice sang, "why are you here?"

"Vivienne, run."

Viv had moved toward the doorway and was leaning over something. "I've got to take Charlie."

Simon felt a barrage of hits to his back and a distinct slice of metal across his chest as the red head materialized for half a second to attack him, but she twisted around him in a swirl of smoke, laughing at him. Simon reached out as best he could with his perception and listened to Charlie's heartbeat which was slow and erratic.

"Viv he's gone, just go."

"Fuck you, we are NOT leaving him here."

"Go, Viv..." Simon heard her Charlie say in a gurgled weak voice. "You promised."

"You first," she said with a sad smile.

Simon reeled in his perception and concentrated all his abilities on the flighty ethereal vampire and reached out, grabbing her as she materialized, twisting her neck and almost separating her head. The red head looked at him with startled green eyes and slumped slowly to the ground.

He backed up, looking down at her. "No. That was too easy." Running back to Viv, she stood there, looking at Simon with wide, scared eyes.

"Simon," she said with a quivering voice.

"There's a run off tank just back at the T, 30 feet easy. There's an open manhole about 100 yards north, the rest of your team is there."

"No, Simon," she said again quietly and looked down at her feet.

"I will bring him, Viv. I promise. Just go."

"But I can't."

"Why not?" he yelled at her, trying to push her.

Viv grabbed his hands and put them on her stomach. "I can't because I'm...pregnant."

LT opened up his SUV and looked down the main strip. Traffic had started getting back, now it had come to a standstill.

"What's going on?" Marko asked, stepping out of the SUV with him.

Climbing up on the hood of the vehicle, he looked down the street and saw it. "I don't see any lights down there," he said slowly. "Is the power out?"

LT looked down at Marko and they stared at each other for a moment and then jumped back into the SUV. LT put the SUV in gear and pulled out of traffic, squeezing in between the lanes, causing people to scream and honk their horns.

"There, there," Marko pointed to the sidewalk. "Theretherethere...whoawaitwaitwaitwait!"

LT gunned the SUV up onto the sidewalk, forcing people to jump out of the way, sidewalk tables from eateries, hot dog and news stands flying, they made their way down toward the strip and within a few minutes (and about fifty thousand dollars worth of damage) they made it to within a mile of the field Pipers last location and the Strip was completely dead.

"Shit," LT drawled as he pushed the SUV through the intersection, avoiding people but crushing cars out of his way. The whine of the engine was terrifying against the backdrop of complete silence of one of the busiest streets in the city.

"We're close, we're close." Just as Marko spoke those words, a massive wolf came crashing down two cars away, digging its nails into the metal of the car, sending people screaming. It was making a bee line for the SUV.

"Open the doors."

Marko crawled into the back of the SUV and threw open the doors, whistling loudly until the wolf came slamming into the SUV, then LT roared the engines again and kept pushing downtown.

"Was it another EMP?" LT yelled back as the wolf began to change, howling and shuddering hard enough to shake the vehicle until the Beta was back in human form wearing his blue Therian-weave.

Shaking his head, he took a bottled water from Marko and nodded. "Think so," the Beta gasped, catching his breath. "You were outside the range?"

"Had to be been. We got stuck in traffic about 2 miles back," Marko said.

"How close are we?"

LT turned down an alleyway and floored the vehicle until he came to a screeching halt. "Here, this is where they were."

"Where's the Commander?" Hammer asked as they opened the back doors.

Marko pulled out his phone and looked at it. "LT, your phone?"

LT dug out his phone and checked out. "Are you kidding me? I don't have a signal here."

"They can do that? A localized EMP, like Glenveagh, and interrupting phone service?" Marko turned and picked up the radio they had in the back of the vehicle, along with other electronics that appeared to still be working. He clicked the transmit button and then dropped the receiver. "Whoever is doing this knows their shit."

"It's us then. The VOXs work?" Hammer asked as Marko pulled out a pair and gave one to the Hammer. They tested it but Marko shrugged.

"Looks like person to person, might be limited range. Sit Room is black to us."

Meaning they had not heard from Dougie or anyone at the Property, not that they could get a call out. The outage seemed to be a 2 mile radius meaning the other Pipers were near, but getting to them might be complicated. LT jumped out of the SUV and ran to the nearest manhole and stuck his fingers into the holes when he saw it.

"These are welded."

Hammer stepped out of the vehicle, adjusting his VOX. "I caught as much before we lost everything. Split up and find the others, circle the perimeter, check the manholes. There has to be an opening somewhere."

"Maybe it's leading them to a specific point?"

LT stepped up, "Then let's find that point."

Hammer returned to the vehicle and opened up the secured weapon cache. "Take every VOX coms...and these." They were mixed clips of Charlie's silver FMJs and the experimental incendiary. He looked up and pointed to the fire escapes and rooftops. "Stay hidden and use the rooftops."

"Aye, sir," both LT and Marko replied.

"VOXs on," LT said, "and stay frosty."

Viv looked down at Charlie, his mouth and nose dripping with blood and his Therian-weave shredded revealing his blown out chest. How he was still alive was a mystery to her, but the gunshot had to have been almost point blank to penetrate the suit. Charlie was dying, but he still managed to give her a sweet smile behind the blood and stinking smell of silver.

"You promised." The gurgle of his voice broke her. 'Go' he said silently and held up his Mateba still in his hand. He hadn't dropped it anyway. Simon was yelling for her to go and as she turned, she reached down deep for her wolf and forced her transformation and then...there was nothing.

There was no inevitable flash of raw emotion, animal fury, or bones painfully reconstructing. Viv stood there, human, and just a little bit terrified. There were only two reasons why she couldn't transform. One being silver touching her, forcing an almost instant change back to human form or it halted the process. The other was, well, she was at least three months pregnant.

"Simon," she said looking up at him. Her body trembled with confusion and adrenaline.

He was speaking to her, telling her how to get out but she didn't hear him.

"No, Simon. I can't."

Now he was yelling at her, telling her to change and run. She reached out and grabbed his hands, putting them on where her unborn child, where her and Brig's unborn child, sat just underneath the Therian-weave and her brown skin.

"I can't because I'm...pregnant."

Simon looked down at his hands and then back up in her face. "Wait, I don't understand."

"I can't transform once I hit a certain point. The baby is getting too big. I'm definitely in my second trimester."

"Your heart flutter," Simon said slowly. "It was your baby."

A gunshot rang out, ricocheting off the wall. It was Charlie shooting his Mateba back down the hallway. They both turned and looked, watching the female slowly rise and twist her head back from its unnatural position that Simon had put it in just moments before. He grabbed her and began moving away.

"Simon, wait! Don't leave him, please!" Viv tore at Simon's arm, but they were like vice grips around her body. "Charlie, NO!"

Charlie's weak voice trailed behind them, "Keep going, Huntington, get her out of here," and he shot again at the vampire.

Viv pulled at Simon's face, forcing him to look at her as he moved quickly through the tunnel. "Please don't do this, Simon. Not for me." Simon looked at her now, his face first solid with determination now cracked with confusion.

Viv began to cry, pleading with him. "Don't leave him there, I'm begging you."

Simon closed his eyes as they neared the tank. "Don't let his sacrifice be in vain and let yourself get killed, too. Not now."

She wrapped her arms around Simon's neck and cried into his neck just as the explosion that rocked three blocks of the downtown Strip ripped through the tunnels and pushed its way up into the fading afternoon of Nachton.

The three of them stayed in human form as they launched themselves from rooftop to rooftop, scanning the area for anything suspicious. They had gotten no sign of any of the other Pipers, much less whoever was perpetrating one of the most complex and impressive silent attacks Hammer had ever seen. From the Elder's reports of Glenveagh, this was as smooth and controlled as the attack that destroyed their compound in Ireland.

Hammer's abilities had been dictated by his lineage, but one thing that was unique was his ability to leap long distances, and he used this ability, quietly leaping from either the rooftops or fire escapes when he saw Marko push forward from Hammer's six and fly from one building to another with the same degree of strength and finesse you would not think a six foot seven man could posses.

LT was on his opposite side, taking running leaps, scaling the fire escapes. All three of them were quiet, focused, and instinctively deadly. A swell of pride rose up in him, only to have it squashed by the sound of gunfire and yelling just head. They pushed themselves faster and landed on the same building in the center and ran to the edge to look over.

It was the beginnings of a firefight and they saw four of the six Pipers either fighting or shooting down a blocked alleyway. The chance of escape was minimal, definitely not the choke point that they were intended on ending up.

"Marko flank left, LT you got range. On three."

LT was already pulling the rifle off his back and swinging it forward, wrapping the strap around his arm and positioning himself on the ledge.

"One," Hammer stepped back and stood. Gauging the distance, he crouched down, ready to spring, "Two." Marko took a silent running leap to the building at nine o'clock and poised himself over the ledge, head first.

Hammer held up his hand, holding two fingers up to Marko, and then yelled, "THREE!"

Hammer ran and launched himself over the ledge, letting the five story free fall pull his massive weight to the ground. The concrete cracked beneath his feet as he easily landed behind a couple of attackers and pulled out a savage looking knife. Marko landed with the same deadly accuracy on the opposite side, just as the LT began shooting targets from the air.

Seven Pipers fought collectively, putting down the two dozen attackers, some Hammer recognized as Nakubili, some he did not. His blade slashed a half dozen throats as his peripheral watched Red savagely kick box two attackers, Dom duel wield two equally deadly blades, Marko use his brute strength and pummel one into the brick wall then move onto the next with lightning speed, and then Marthinus, using what appeared to be a two by four as a bat, taking three on at a time. The rest, LT took care of from above before they even knew he was there.

Hammer dropped his knife and came at the last attacker, catching his fist in his hand. Hammer crushed it till the man was on his knees. The man wailed from the intense pain of every bone in his hand breaking.

"You're Nakubili," Hammer said without question.

"Yes."

"Where is your Alpha? Where is Ringo?"

Hammer knew better. Ringo would not be at his own fight, he'd be watching somewhere nearby but far enough away that he would live to ruin someone else's day. Still, Hammer pressed or rather squeezed for more information.

"I don't know where he is!" the man screamed from the pain. Then the Nakubili's face changed; an eerie calm smoothed out his dark features and he smiled at Hammer. "Ringo is the least of your troubles, Beta Hammerthynn. This isn't even near close to over."

Hammer released the Nakubili's crushed hand and the man cradled it with the most twisted smile Hammer had seen in some time. "Do it," he said, barely above a whisper.

A shot rang out from the rooftop, piercing the Nakubili's temple and blowing out the opposite side of his head. He slumped to the street with the same sick smile on his face. LT scaled down the building, rifle in hand, and joined the men.

"Where are Charlie and Vivienne?" LT asked.

Red and Lewis looked at Marthinus, causing the others to look at him as well. "My grandfather is down there with them."

Hammer's hackles rose, getting the better of him, but he reeled in the hate and asked quietly, "And why is he down there?"

"He got us out of there," Lewis said in a small voice.

Hammer was confused. "Why would Huntington be interested in saving our kind? Because of Vivienne?"

Marthinus looked his Beta in the eye and lied. "I do not know."

LT began to pass out VOX coms. "Two teams, we go down and get our own back."

Hammer pointed to Red and Marthinus, "You two with me. The rest with the LT. This is what we're doing."

Hammer would have finished that thought, had it not been for the earth rattling explosion that knocked all seven of them to the ground. The street cracked and a fireball reached up into the sky at least fifty feet before showering them with hot rock and metal. It was an earthquake and volcanic explosion mixed into what could only be described as the introductory of the Apocalypse. The buildings surrounding them began to shake, forcing them to run back out into the main drag, just missing two buildings that toppled over, blocking the way back down to the sewers. Along the strip, manholes began to pop like corks from the pressure of the explosion, flying high up into the sky, only to come clattering down to the broken street. Three hundred pounds of steel, amongst the guts and surface of the city.

The explosion radiated out three city blocks, the epicenter not far from where they stood and they immediately transformed into their wolf bodies, using the extra agility to leap and scurry out of the way of the fire and steel.

Hammer took lead, directing them back to the vehicle they left behind, hoping the explosion hadn't destroyed their equipment.

Brig burst into the Piper's Situation Room and yelled at Dougie. "Where is everyone? What is going on?"

Dougie looked up at him with large, frantic eyes and looked like death warmed over. "I can't get a lock on any of them, sir. Com systems are down. Connection out to the street cameras is sporadic, at best. It's like the system's been hacked." Dougie's face pinched up with what looked like guilt, but Brig ignored it, too concerned with Vivienne and his Pipers.

"Last known?"

Dougie pulled up the city map on one of the larger flat screens, "Here," he pointed, "LT, Marko, and the Beta are en route to intercept."

"Intercept what?"

"Coms went down; it looks like another localized EMP attack. Best guess is a 1 to 2 mile radius." Suddenly the screens lit up with incoming messages from the city's warning system. Lewis had hooked up the city's system to notify the Piper's system of any major event or police movement, just to keep a head's up on the city. All the warnings were blaring - for seismic, police, fire, and natural disaster.

Dougie located the epicenter and then sat back in his chair, stunned.

The screens were showing a massive sewer and gas pipe explosion in downtown Nachton's Strip. Fires, water mains broken, the streets cracked open with smoke and debris everywhere. Brig looked at that location and the other screen for the Pipers.

The Pipers had been right on top of it.

"Oh...no," Brig moaned. He turned and rushed to the door when Dougie stopped him.

"Sir, wait!" Brig stopped and looked back, watching Dougie as he listened to his earpiece. "It's Duibine Industries calling in on our secure line." He handed Brig his ear piece.

"Say again," Brig paused and listened. His face was tight with confusion, not quite understanding what he was hearing. "You're," he started. "Everyone? To DI? On who's authority?" Brig clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. "I'm on my way."

"Notify the Alpha. I'll be at Duibne's medical facility." And with that, Brig ran back out the door toward his SUV, his jaw clenching so hard he thought his teeth would shatter.

Charlie's chest was on fire and the beating of his own heart resonated loudly in his head. The shotgun shells had been filled with part silver and lead pellets. The bitch had appeared out of nowhere and shot him, dead center of his chest, forcing the silver pellets through the Therian-weave. He wasn't wearing the new prototype that might have been able to resist a blast that close so it tore through the body armor shield and pierced his vulnerable skin, burning it away immediately. His fingers immediately dug into his chest, trying to get at the silver, but it was so far embedded into his skin that he feared it was already in his blood stream.

Death was eminent; Charlie knew this and accepted it. He had kept his promise that he would take a few of them with him and he did, so he let his head drop and looked up at the ceiling of the tunnel, his eyes trying to focus on the pipes running along the walls.

Suddenly Huntington was there, killing the red head. Then his world faded and twisted a little more as he coughed up his own blood.

"Viv he's gone, just go."

"Fuck you, we are NOT leaving him here."

"I will bring him, Viv. I promise. Just go."

"I'm...pregnant."

Charlie reached out, fingering his Mateba that was lying next to him. Viv was pregnant. The mysterious lover had gotten her pregnant. She couldn't change, which meant she had been pregnant from almost immediately reaching Nachton. Charlie realized he never had a chance, but she would.

Looking back up, he saw the pipes on the wall. Smelling the air, beyond the taint of his own blood and silver, he could smell methane gas. There were thousands of miles of water and sewage pipes underneath Nachton, but right above them was a pipe with the red words .

Charlie smiled at Viv's tenacity, but he used his last bit of strength and called out to her to run because she had promised. Lifting his gun, he shot at the pipe ahead of him. It ricocheted off the wall.

"Keep going, Huntington, get her out of here," he gurgled through the blood coming out of his mouth.

Charlie could hear Vivienne's voice plead with Simon not to leave him behind, but both men knew better. Charlie wouldn't make it out the tunnels but he could hold off the vampire and give them a running start. Her cries faded as they put distance between them.

"What are you doing, you dirty dog," the vampire sneered as her head swiveled back into its right position. "Shooting me, with your pathetic bullets."

Charlie reached with his free hand and struggled to rotate the moon clip past the silver bullets, to the money makers. Aiming as best he could, he shot again at the pipes. The vampire faded into mist and the bullet passed harmlessly through her.

"Stupid, stupid dog."

Squeezing the grip in his hand, Charlie fought against the quickly fading vision and aimed once again for the pipes, this time with the incendiary ammo.

"I'm not aiming for you, you fanged cunt."

The vampire stopped and turned to look behind her, right at the pipes marked GAS. "NO!"

Charlie chuckled as he squeezed off another round, hitting the pipeline and blowing the tunnel, incinerating the vampire as she tried to go ethereal. The ground rumbled and cracked, sending Charlie falling down into the pit as the explosion ripped through the tunnel he was just in, causing the water main to burst, flushing Charlie down the long corridor.

The fire ripped through the tunnels, lapping at their heels as Simon finally got them to the water tank and he jumped into it, taking a large breath, as Viv held onto him tightly. They splashed into the water as the fire above consumed all the oxygen and methane gas, igniting it, blasting upwards, ripping the ground apart and shaking the foundation of streets above them.

Opening his eyes, he looked at Vivienne and realized she had not taken a breath. Her panic and crying was beginning to add to her hysteria and need for air when she began to claw at him. Cupping her face, he pulled her close and kissed her.

Her body relaxed into the kiss and then tensed as he forced her mouth open, his lips separating hers, and blew in a bit of air. Pulling back he looked at her with her wide shocked eyes. In the water her hair untangled and floated around her head like a fanned crown and it did not dull the bright gold rings in her eyes. He nodded at her and she touched her lips. Nodding, she blew out a little air and then pulled him forward.

Simon took Vivienne in his arms and the relief he felt that she was even alive consumed him. He crushed her to him and felt something in him change, open up...he couldn't explain it, but he knew that she meant something to him, if only as just a friend.

This time she did not resist his kiss, considering what he was offering with it, and she took a bit more of his air. Simon pulled back, but not far, as she reached up and touched her lips again. He never thought he'd get to kiss her again and definitely not under these conditions, but he took what he could get. Smiling he held a finger out and swam up to the surface and looked out. The tunnels had caved in and were destroyed. They'd have to figure out a way to climb through the debris to get further down the line, away from the epicenter of the explosion. The air was thick with smoke, but reaching out; he could hear voices from above ground.

/Simon...I need you/ he heard clearly in his mind. He swam back down to Viv.

Viv needed more air, and the air above would only suffocate her slowly, so he pulled her close again, her arms easily encircling his neck, and he kissed her, giving her a little more air. Only this time he let the kiss linger, that was until she pushed against his shoulders.

/Can you hear me?/ he sent to her as he pulled back.

Viv gave him a strange look and nodded. /Why can I hear you now?/

Simon shook his head. /We'll talk about it later, we need to leave./

They were in a large water runoff tank that had filled with more water and debris. Pulling her with him, he searched the tank, looking for an opening when he came across the impossible. Viv grabbed at his arms, pointing ahead of him.

It was her Charlie.

Simon swam toward him and grabbed the young man. His face was void of blood, but it only accented the deep gouges and burns on his face, as well as his torn chest. If he wasn't dead now, he would be in moments. He swam toward his body and grabbed him, pulling the three of them to the surface.

/Stay low, there's a lot of smoke./ They crawled up onto the broken tunnel surface, Charlie, the apparent Sergeant, quickly pulled out of the water.

/Lemme scout ahead a bit./ Viv disappeared into the smoke before he could stop her. Turning, he looked at the Sergeant and opened his eyes. There was a little dilation but not much. Pulling the suit off the young man, he discarded it since it was tattered for the most part.

"Shit," Simon mumbled as he looked at the Sergeant's wounds. Leaning down, he could not hear the man breathing, so he placed his hands over his torn chest and did CPR until the Sergeant turned his head and coughed weakly. "Good enough," Simon said and then sent out to Viv.

/What do you see?/

/A way out. It's not as damaged. Can you tell where I am?/

Simon reached out and easily detected her location. Their bond had grown significantly, surpassing the bond he had with Carol but not quite as strong as his bond with Ellis.

/Yeah, on my way./

Looking down at the Sergeant, Simon pulled Charlie's arms and wrapped one arm around his neck, easily carrying him down the tunnel.

The smoke lessened as they moved closer to Viv's location until he came upon her and an open manhole. She was standing just behind the dark overcast from the smoke.

"You'll be ok?"

"Yeah, there's overcast and shadows from the building. I'll be fine." The day was drawing to an end anyway, so he had no problem with any sun exposure.

Simon stepped up to the manhole ladder and shifted Charlie to Vivienne before taking several steps up before gunfire rang out again, sending him down the ladder onto his back.

Viv let go of Charlie gently and grabbed Simon, pulling him out of the way.

"Viv? Viv is that you?" a familiar voice called.

Viv stood up and yelled, "Jesus Christ! Shoot first and then ask questions?"

Hammer poked his head into the manhole and looked at Charlie. "Give me the Sergeant," he said quickly.

Simon stood on his own power and pulled at his shirt, no worse for the wear. Simon and Hammer glared at each other as they lifted Charlie up. Once he was up, Hammer called for Vivienne. "Let's go, Viv."

"What about Simon?"

Simon smiled at her thoughtfulness, securing his safety. He looked at Hammerthynn and winked.

"You have my word, Vivienne," Hammer said tightly.

Vivienne double timed it up the ladder with Simon behind her. The young man Lothias was standing with his rifle at the ready, looking at Simon with cold eyes.

"Sorry about that," he said coldly.

"Sure you are," Simon replied with a grin.

The area was destroyed, the buildings standing barely on their own strength, debris everywhere, and thick smoke plumes rising up into the sky. They were loading Charlie into the SUV when they reeled back at the smell.

"He's covered in silver," Red said as they piled into the vehicle.

"Assessment, Red?" Hammer asked.

"Honestly," Red said as he pulled on gloves, "I don't understand how he's not dead yet. Were you in the water? You guys are soaked."

"I gave him CPR," Simon said quietly and Hammer and the Pipers all stared at him. Even Vivienne.

"You did?" she asked quietly. Simon looked at her and shrugged.

Red continued to check Charlie's wounds as Vivienne crawled in to look, leaving Hammer and Simon side by side, watching. Marthinus joined them, slipping on gloves and touched the wounds. Red shook his head, "It's only a matter of time. These pellets and the heat, it melted into him. It's in his bloodstream."

Viv felt Marthinus turn and look at Simon. She watched as they gave each other knowing looks. "What?" She demanded, "What are you two thinking?"

Marthinus turned to look at Vivienne and said, "We can get the silver out."

"The fuck you can," Red said incredulously. "How?"

"Duibne has something?" Viv asked.

"It's a prototype made for molecular extraction. Never used it for metals, but the science is the same." Marthinus looked at Hammer. "We'd need to go right now."

Hammer climbed into the Suv and looked at Charlie. "You don't know it'll work."

"It will," Simon said from outside the vehicle.

LT climbed into the driver's side and turned to look at them. "That's if he survives long enough to get him there. It's clear in the Industrial district."

"Simon get in," Viv said.

"He's not getting in," Hammer barked at her, breaking his quiet contemplation.

"Who's going to let a bunch of werewolves into Duibne, Hammer? I know Marthinus has pull, but you have the leader of the fucking clan standing right there." Viv pointed at Simon as he slipped his hands into his trousers.

/Not even going to ask please?/ he said in her mind.

"Simon, get in already."

Hammer glared at her, his face snarling.

"Be pissed off at me later, Hammer. We don't have time for this shit."

Simon climbed into the Suv and the Pipers all looked at him, their eyes hard and cold. Red continued looking over Charlie. Suddenly Charlie began to convulse and gasp for air.

"Shiiiit," Red said, "He's drowning in his own blood." He pushed Simon forward and grabbed the medical kit stowed there and pulled out instruments and tubing to intubate him through his ribcage. "I can't..." Red started as he sliced into Charlie's side as their Sergeant ceased to breathe on his own. His last breath was wet and phlegmy, no doubt his lungs filling with his own blood. "Sir he's, he just won't make it across town like this."

Viv covered her mouth and felt the tears in her eyes. The other Pipers reacted in their own way. Some silently, some with profanity, but it was clear - Charlie was dead, they just wouldn't let him die.

Simon leaned forward and looked at Marthinus. "Marthinus? Do you still carry it around with you?"

Viv looked up. "Carry what?"

Marthinus opened up his compression bag and took out a six inch cylinder. He popped the cap and pressed the top of the button and a lethal looking needle slid out slowly. The cylinder had a clear casing, showing a bright red liquid rolling around. Marthinus held it in his hand and looked at the Beta.

"This is Eternity."

"You are not fucking serious!" Hammer yelled at him. "You are not putting that in my Piper!"

Viv reached out and took the cylinder. "You carry around Eternity? From when you were human?"

Viv knew Eternity to be the vampire elixir of youth and also highly addictive. There wasn't much out there about it, not in their world or the human world for the matter. The price was what made it so illicit, but its properties were practically magic.

"It'll keep him alive long enough to make it to DI," Simon said quietly.

"How do you know that it will even work on us?" Hammer asked. They all looked at Simon and then to Marthinus who remained quiet. "You and I will discuss this at a later date," was all Hammer replied.

LT was driving at a break neck pace through debris and broken streets, occasionally going up on the sidewalk, jostling everyone inside. He yelled from his seat, "You're not seriously considering that. Charlie wouldn't want this."

Viv looked at the cylinder and its crimson red life. "How do you know, LT?"

"I just know! He wouldn't!"

Viv looked at Hammer who was red in the face but looked away, sighing heavily. She looked at the other men, their eyes drawn away from Simon and toward the cylinder. Viv held her hand over Charlie's chest and readied herself.

"He's not here to tell us. But we want this for him. I know we do."

Marko reached out and grabbed Viv's hand, she thought to stop her, but he looked at Charlie and then back at Viv. He nodded. Domingo reached out and then Lewis, Marthinus, and finally Hammer. That Hammer participated said more to Viv than anything. When he called Charlie his Piper, he meant it, through and through, balls to bones. Losing Charlie would not just be a crippling to the Alpha Pipers, it would kill the spirit of the Pipers and Viv knew this. Charlie had been the go-to man, the listener, and the keeper of secrets. He was always there for each and every Piper and still made time for the Research and Development being an integral part of all Piper equipment and upgrades.

Losing Charlie would be devastating. Period.

LT slammed the breaks and put the SUV in park. Finally he turned around and climbed into the back seat to reach them all and put his hand around the cylinder.

"For Charlie," Viv said.

"For Charlie," they all said and plunged the needle deep into Charlie's heart.


OOC Everyone out


Continues in The Reveal II