Blood and Silence: PII, #1

By Matt Lee

The members of the North American branch of an ancient guild of monster slayers struggle to co-exist with one another as they hunt the monsters lurking in the shadows of the modern world.

Blood: Thomas Chen, sociopathic psychic brings along rookie Grey Richards to investigate conjoined twins gone missing. They meet up with Robin Blythe, the one-woman army, as they are forced to confront the dark intellect whose schemes stretch far beyond the scope of their encounter.

Silence: The entire team is forced to New York as a self proclaimed “super-hero” launches a violent crusade against the mob but instead sets off an avalanche of supernatural disasters. As magically empowered criminals wage war against highly trained vigilantes, Death itself follows and she demands a grim silence across the stars.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matt Lee
• Release date: Feb 15, 2016
• ISBN: 9781524277017

Book preview

Part 1

Blood

Chapter 1

The Gibson Boys

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I believe everything anyone tells me, he said, perhaps avoiding the question. The SUV’s rapid transit whipped the fallen leaves that littered the road into the air, while the sinking sun turned them ever redder.

That sounds like an easy way to get conned, the driver replied accelerating even more. For every minute that slipped by, hope winded further downwards.

You said make it simple so I gave you simple, was the curt reply. While the driver sighed, his desire to accelerate did not waver. As the SUV drove through the secluded road in the Appalachian Mountains, every stretch was met with steep acceleration and ended with precision cornering. And a simple mantra does not make one easily deceived, Mr. Richards. Everything has some shred of truth in it. Even a total lie. All you have to do is find it.

It’s just that six words is a very abrupt answer to ‘What do you believe in?’ They were close to the estate now, only a minute or so away. This was his first outing since joining the company and he was eager to learn what his partner was all about.

My original answer still stands Mr. Richards. The answer is complicated. But those six words would still serve you well in our profession. Do not discount anything. Do not go in with preconceptions or draw conclusions too soon. In your previous profession you glimpsed what lurks behind our world. Hiding behind veils that are now all too thin. The darkness grows bold now in these times of ours and they will come at us Mr. Richards. They will come at us in myriad form and in unexpected manner, the man in the passenger seat said ominously, a strange wisdom in his voice.

The gates of the estate were in view now, the sole destination of this road. The lights of several police cars and short bursts of siren noise pierced through the mountain air. The passenger continued, We must keep more than just our eyes and ears open. Our minds must be open as well, to not just the improbable and the impossible but to the barbaric and cruel as well.

The two black suited men walked into the main manor of the estate, escorted by a policewoman and a member of the security team. An elderly couple sat on the couch of a lavishly furnished living room. A detective sat opposite talking but they seemed to pay no heed, their eyes only fixed on the family’s cellphones and landline.

Ah, these men are from the company I recommended, the detective said turning to face them. The elderly man stood up and shook hands firmly with the two new arrivals before sitting back down to console his wife.

Mister and Doctor Gibson, I am Thomas Chen and this is Grey Richards. We’re from Perseus Investigations and Information and we’re here to find your boy, the tall man said in his deep voice, gesturing to his associate.

Our boys you mean, the woman, Dr. Gibson corrected. Grey had already taken out his phone and was recording the conversation.

Thomas winced when he realized his blunder was already recorded for the case file. The pursuit of the missing boys was singular and had derailed his train of thought. Of course. I do apologize for any offense. This as you can imagine is an... odd situation, even for us.

Our boys are not odd! We were promised that you would be able to help find our sons. The old man was emotional and pointed in his comment.

Yes of course. So, tell us about them.

Why? He was kidnapped! You just need to know about when and where he was taken! Or are you another one of those vultures trying to create a freak story to get some hits on their blog?! The father again took offense and attempted to seize control of the questioning. Thomas raised an eyebrow before answering.

Why? The truth is harsh and simple, Thomas said walking around the living room before grabbing a picture off of a small table. Your sons are conjoined twins. The nature of their conjoinment might enthuse unethical scientists, morbid collectors and other depraved folk in a manner that most people could not even fathom. You have been waiting almost thirty hours for a ransom call that may never come.

With that the mother burst into loud sobs and tears while Grey shot him a glance that conveyed some measure of what the hell are you doing. Thomas ignored it and then continued, Or it could be that the heirs to the Gibson fortune simply decided they were tired of being poster boys for your strong and accepting family values campaign and simply ran away.

Now see here mister! I’m not going to sit here and take lip from a nobody like you when my boy is out the-

Again.

When my boy is out there in god knows whe-, Mr. Gibson almost screamed in anger rising from his seat.

You said it again, Thomas grinned. His mental probes had gained some very important information. Now he wanted to expose and move past their lies.

What?!

You said boy, Harold, Dr. Gibson said. Her tears still flowed freely but her sobbing and congestion had lessened enough for her to control her speech. Her tissue was saturated and there were none nearby so Grey took out a small handkerchief from his shirt and handed it to her. The father sank back into the sofa with a defeated look on his face.

I’m sorry for your loss, Thomas said finally sitting down, now tell me. How did one of your sons die?

Dr. Gibson stared at the family photo on the table. Her small boys, despite their anomaly, were still quite adorable at only ten years old. Their short black hair and strong jaw line drew the attention slightly away from their shared spinal column. The boys were conjoined back to back with the smaller twin having only a chest, shoulders and an identical face and head to the other.

The two men in suits had taken their seats and were awaiting her response since Harold Gibson had gone silent. The talkative gentleman, Thomas Chen, was fairly tall and lean, with a face of stubble and chin length, jet black hair. The other, Grey Richards, was a tad shorter, pale and muscular, clean shaven with short, ruddy blond hair.

Finn and Sawyer shared everything besides their heads and their hearts. Their conjoinment is rachipagus and... parasitic. But they’re cherry and they play and have fun just like any other child, she said wiping away some tears.

Your sons are ten going on eleven yea? asked Grey.

Yes.

Your sons have been quite fortunate to have survived so long. Presumably due to the lavish medical care and comfort they are given. However again I must ask. How did one of them die? questioned Thomas again. Thomas’ eyes fixed on the woman and Grey could feel as if something was happening, though he could not identify it.

Two days ago, I went to check on them in the morning and found Sawyer had a gash in his neck. A severed carotid artery. The detective on site seemed a bit exasperated that only now this information was coming to his attention.

Hmm. Two days ago. Self inflicted? The mother flinched at the question but she said nothing. Thomas kept staring at her intently and Grey could feel as if all of his teeth were vibrating.

No, she replied at last, Sawyer was the smaller boy. He didn’t have control of the arms.

Chapter 2

Espials

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After fruitlessly questioning the parents about the actual disappearance for many minutes, the two men now found themselves being escorted to the boys’ bedroom on the upper floors of the manor. All along the hallway there were family portraits showing a smiling happy family.

Grey posed a question to their escort, the Gibson’s head of security, one Mr. Walsh. Rumour has it, Mr. Gibson was preparing for a run at congress. Can you confirm or deny that? But the burly man said nothing. What did the Gibson’s intend to do with the body? Did they have any discussions or spats about it? Did they argue about reporting it? But Mr. Walsh kept any information to himself. Grey turned to Thomas and said, He must get paid by the word.

What did the other young man think about it? Did the parents ask about what happened in the night? asked Thomas as Walsh stopped at a doorway.

This is the boys’ room. Do your job and be discreet about it, ordered the big man.

A child’s life is in danger. A child who is supposed to be within your care sir. I must insist that you do your job and help us perform ours, to save your charge, insisted Thomas. Walsh had enough and grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him against the wall. But Thomas grabbed onto the other man’s tie and with a slight exertion of his mind, Walsh collapsed like a sack of potatoes to the floor. Mentally forcing the bigger man to assist him, Thomas yanked him back to his feet and slammed him into the opposite wall.

Give us the answers to our queries. Now, said Thomas slowly and threateningly.

Yes. Surgery then remove. Spats. No. No. No. Walsh spoke in a monotone with his eyes distantly focussed while his head swayed gently from side to side.

What happened after the good doctor found her son?

Called me. We sedated the boy throughout the entire day. Bosses didn’t know what to do. Secret surgery planned to remove Sawyer. Lady was angry that the boss wasn’t too bothered and had surgeons already lined up. Boys disappeared early in the night. The English language was sometimes a casualty in these forced questionings.

Was the boy sedated when he disappeared?

Yes.

Did the doctor have no intention of separating the boys while the father had it planned in advance? This produce a groan within Walsh as his mind was too mushy to fabricate an answer. Answer it sectionally and in reverse order. Thomas channelled his mind with these words as he said them.

Since the boys born, boss planned to remove Sawyer and claim Finn survivor. He says this often. Lady didn’t like. Said to wait until company develops way for both to survive. Separation always planned. Blood was starting to flow from Walsh’s nose and Grey shot a concerned look at Thomas.

What did the young men think about this? Were they in favour? Surely not Sawyer but what of Finn’s wishes?

Nobody asked. Nobody cared. Walsh then closed his eyes and went limp in Thomas’s grip. Thomas guided him to a sitting position on the floor propped by the wall. He then casually slapped Walsh’s cheek several times before standing back up.

He’ll be fine, was all Thomas said before turning sharply and entering the boys’ room. Grey stood motionless for a few moments looking at the collapsed man. Once he was sure the man was still breathing, he spent a few seconds wondering what his life had now become before he too entered the room.

The room was fairly run of the mill, if a tad narrow. Typical enough for a wealthy heir at least. Dozens of high end toys and premier electronics and gaming systems littered the room. Much of the room contained visual stimulating gizmos and holographic posters, presumably for the less interactive of the twins.

Check the boys’ computer for anything interesting, ordered Thomas and Grey complied. While he sat at the keyboard, he looked around to see a television and a monitor directly opposite, mounted high across the room.

Looks like Finn would use the computer and he could share screens with Sawyer on that monitor, he reported before delving into internet histories and recently closed windows. Thomas stood next to the bed with a scowl on his face.

The good doctor and her husband have changed the sheets. There is obviously no blood here. Perhaps this was done for the police’s benefit. To hide any possible foul play, Thomas said.

You think the other boy, Finn, did it? asked Grey, browsing video folders and image galleries.

Not entirely but it is unfortunately, a deduction that flows naturally given the circumstances. Thomas looked around the room for several more minutes for anything out of place. There were locked and darkened windows with thick curtains as well. Presumably to protect the boys from the cruel eyes of the public.

I’ve been looking at these photos and videos man and I don’t know. I don’t think Finn coulda generate y’know, that range of motion to cut the throat the way his mother described. Thomas looked over towards the high monitor at the opposite side of the room. Grey managed to figure out how to share the video output and showed an example of the videos he was perusing. In it, the twins were eating ice cream and their mother was feeding Sawyer until her supply was depleted and she went for more. Finn then tried to feed his brother but could not get his arms far enough back for the job. This video’s only a year old.

The brothers appeared to get on quite famously. Very amicable, much as everyone has described. A contrast really to the forces that surrounded them. An idea seemed to pop into Thomas’ head and he waved the former journalist over. This mattress has been flipped judging by the inverted indentation. Help me flip the mattress.

The two men wrestled the mattress free and flipped it to the other side. Again there was no overt evidence of blood. This is a customized mattress designed for heavy support, clearly with the special needs of the children in mind. You don’t suppose they have an in-house surplus of this same mattress do you? asked Thomas.

I don’t think it matters, Grey said, stooping down to pick up a pillow that had fallen to the ground.

A customized pillow as well. Good support for two heads that are most adjacent. Grey removed the pillowcase and tossed the bare pillow onto the flipped mattress. Two small pin-sized telltale drops of blood stained the fabric.

Saw it through the case. Grey paused for a moment while Thomas picked up the pillow, brought it near to his nose and sniffed it. I might be a bit new to all this but I guess that means vampire.

Less than two minutes later, Thomas and Grey stood at the back of the SUV gearing up. Dress shoes were replaced by boots and jackets were replaced by a tan long coat for Grey and a black duster for Thomas.

While reaching for the weapon case in the back of the SUV, Grey asked, We’re going to absolutely ruin these pants aren’t we?

Presumably so Mr. Richards. This is a client of extreme wealth and we were instructed to dress accordingly if not practically. Regrettably the situation has taken a bit of a change and we must now venture out into the wilderness, he said as he stuck his head around the side of the SUV and looked to the west, as the sun is beginning to go down. Thomas reached for his black revolver while Grey checked his semiautomatic pistol magazines.

You think six shots are going to do it Chen? jested Grey.

Revolvers still have their uses Mr. Richards, in their own way. And this is a very special revolver, custom designed for my own use. But hopefully none of this comes down to violence. Thomas then started to grab various gear requisite for night time tracking. Grey stopped packing entirely and turned to face him.

And what is this exactly huh? What are we going to find out there? Why would a vampire turn a conjoined twin?

This, Mr. Richards, is no longer an investigation. It is now a hunt. A hunt for the vampire that turned the young Sawyer. For I have as many questions as you do. I honestly do not know why a vampire would attack the young boy. I also have absolutely no idea how it would affect Finn if Sawyer was turned and I do believe he was. My current theory is that he turned the night after his mother found him with the gash in his neck. Vampires are not stupid. They know that they are a popular topic of the modern era. After feeding, a simple nail across the mark would obscure the telltale sign and divert attention. The new vampiric power within him perhaps allowed him some control over their shared corpus and he fled into the night. Which is why he must pursue him or his sire immediately, before another night puts them beyond our conceivable search radius.

I have so many questions. Firstly why are you wearing a fanny pack? Grey’s grin was barely contained, a failed attempt to conceal his pleasure.

This, Thomas started pointing to the small pouch on his waist, is a waterproof ammo box if you must know Mr. Richards. My revolver ammo is highly specialized for any occurrence that we may encounter in the field. Rock salt, Greek fire, tracer rounds, explosive, rubber, taser, holy water, hollowpoint, cold iron and many more variations. With a revolver and colour coordinated bullets you have many options to call upon. If you think sixteen lead bullets will suppress a vampire better than a single explosive one you would be mistaken. A shotgun would be very adequate but apparently it is not within this vehicle’s inventory. An oversight that I will discuss at length with our employer.

Alright. Second question. Where is our wooden stake? They had finished preparing and closed the SUV’s hatch. Thomas had begun walking briskly down the long driveway lined with police cars, heading back towards the manor.

Bram Stoker was not entirely wrong but while his ritualistic slayings may work, they do not require the actual ritualization. At the heart of the matter is, what is a vampire? The answer is... an entrapped soul within a corpse animated by blood magic. The more fresh blood within the vampire, the stronger its magic and subsequent power is. Without blood to power its magic, it would simply return to being an unanimated corpse. Therefore the method of slaying a vampire is quite simply, to make it bleed. Thomas’ voice took a dark tone and in the late evening sun, Grey could see a savage countenance upon his associate’s face. Once a vampire is bled dry, it will be weak and helpless. From there, the body can be destroyed and the soul set free from its fleshy prison. So while Bram Stoker’s methodology of impalement and beheading would indeed work, so too would a tank shell or a bazooka, with hardly the fuss.

Wow. Way to ruin it for everyone.

Well such is the nature of progress. Vampires were the lords and ladies of fear during much of mankind’s history up until well past the Renaissance. But weaponry has come a long way since pitchforks and cutlasses. For even a demon would consider an atomic weapon, as something from the domain of the divine. They stopped now at the closed door of the house and Thomas waited a moment, as if preparing himself. Grey took the opportunity to question again.

So how did it get in? Don’t they have to be invited in. Could it be someone the family knew? Or one of the servants?

In many houses yes. By tradition, houses and dwellings are blessed by the owner’s respective religion. In more secular areas such as the one we are currently within, this blessing of course does not exist and a vampire could easily enter. So while weaponry has evolved enough to aid mankind against the forces behind the world, the enemy has resorted to their more subtle abilities. Those of ignorance, obfuscation and secrecy. That is not to discount your theories of course but we simply do not know the sire as yet nor can we afford the luxury of questioning the parents again. Their emotions run high and swimming against that tide in their mind would be strenuous on them. So I must resort to a more, extreme approach. Follow me.

And with that, he swept his hand across the door and it flung open and he strode inside purposefully.

Chapter 3

Impetus

Detective Harrison stood near the living room entrance and when he saw the pair approaching from the supposedly locked door, he approached them and beckoned them to stop.

Hey the parents don’t want to be disturbed right now and-, he started but Thomas kept walking and he spoke aloud in an intense voice.

Stand aside. Harrison immediately tried to obey. He attempted to sidestep and allow the men passage but his mind was groggy, slow and he tripped over his own legs. He stumbled and fell to the side and lay there passively. They swept into the living room where the parents still sat.

What was that noise? the father, Harold Gibson asked.

I require every scrap of medical information about your sons and I require it now, Thomas intoned with a commanding voice directed at the father. His face was not however as imposing. His mind was focussed while his brow began to sweat with eyes that blinked too often.

Vulture! You come here and try to swindle us into giving you a scandal to sell to the media! Rich man’s son disappears after murdering freak brother! Mr. Gibson stood up aggressively to intimidate them but Thomas did not respond, his mind attempting to focus and push his will.

Mr. Gibson’s anger and his consciousness were soon quelled and he collapsed clumsily to the floor. Thomas Chen was a man of little patience and he turned to the boys’ mother and nodded to her. Dr. Gibson raised her gaze to the two men and asked, Why do you need them?

They are vital in our efforts to find and save Finn. It is possible that Sawyer’s death might have adversely affected him. Thomas’ commanding tone disappeared and was replaced by a calm, familial and caring one. His words and power found root in her mind and she obeyed, turning and going into her office. On her desk lay a folder of all the files she had accrued in recent times, placed there for her to study before her sons had vanished. She once had the hope that she could somehow save Sawyer utilizing recent medical breakthroughs and transplanting him into another body. She stopped momentarily to gaze a picture of her sons on her desk before returning.

These are all the most recent files I have. Find my sons. Bring them home to me. Thomas flipped through the charts and diagrams. He needed to discover how their circulation system worked and how much they were connected via those blood vessels. Seconds passed and Thomas paid no heed to anything but the pages in front of him. The elderly woman stood bolt upright in front of him unmoving, unblinking with a blank expression on her face.

When Dr. Gibson’s nose started to bleed, Grey stepped in and elbowed Thomas in the side and said, Don’t worry Mrs. Gibson. We’ll find your boys and bring them back I swear.

Thomas closed his eyes to break his focus and calm his mind before letting Mrs. Gibson go. She seem confused at first but eventually walked back to her seat on the couch and sat back down staring at the phones. Thomas seemed a little sorry he held the woman so firmly and said, Yes Doctor, we will... find your children. Grey looked at him darkly. Thomas ignored him and walked out the front door without another word.

So where do we start? Grey joined his colleague outside, the sun was well down now. In most tales this was a bad time to hunt vampires, he thought. He assumed his partner had a plan.

No idea, Thomas responded bluntly still pouring over the pages under the manor’s exterior lights.

And?

And we call someone who might have an idea. With that, Thomas closed the file and pulled out his phone from his ‘ammo box.’ Grey raised an eyebrow and Thomas shook his head to assure him that it was still not a fanny pack.

Where are you? Thomas spoke into his phone.

It’s me... Thomas. Thomas Chen. Your co-worker? Psychic? Ah. But I’m not saying it. I’m not. We absolutely do not have time for this. A few seconds passed before he relented and said in a drab monotone, It’s me. Little Tommy C. From sweet T and T. No. I am not putting that as my voicemail. I refuse. Where are you? I have a lead. Well I have all the other leads. Where should we meet? I’ll tell you when we get there. What gear do you have? Go heavier. Heavier. Lighter. Just right. With that he ended the call and opened his GPS app. Grey was in shock seeing the normally talkative know-it-all held to such ransom and terseness.

I thought we were the only ones on this case? asked Grey as they both got into the SUV and he started to drive.

We are.

Then why is someone else from the company here? Thomas was the only one from the company he had ever encountered and Grey was eager to see another of these strange and perhaps powerful individuals.

I figured she would be. She has an altruistic incline especially when it comes to lost children. Follow the road for about fifteen kilometres and then we’ll park it and venture into the darkness.

How much is that in miles?

A little over nine. You should really learn to use metric. It’s a far more efficient system.

Whatever you say Mr. C. From sweet T and T. Within the darkness of the vehicle, Thomas delivered such an angry glare at Grey, the intensity of which could slay even the most hearty of men.

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Thomas maintained his study of the files throughout the journey. After ten minutes, they reached their destination. The bright lights from the town could be seen in the valley below. From the forest, a tall woman walked out to meet the disembarking men. She caught the gaze of Grey immediately. She was as tall as Thomas but seemingly more muscular with the toned, statuesque build of a fighter. She had long black hair with several odd streaks of red, tied into a loose ponytail. She wore a red long coat and denim jeans with tall outdoor boots. Her skin was tanned and her ethnicity, like Thomas, seemed very muddled and hard to determine.

Mrs. Blythe, always a pleasure to be working with you, said Thomas, placing several of the medical files into his coat’s pocket and wrapping a black scarf around his neck. Grey seemed flummoxed for words, the beauty before him was intoxicating with her sharp features and her eyes green with an almost predatory nature about them. It took a second for the word ‘Mrs.’ to register in his mind and it was a bitter shattering blow for him. With an inaudible sigh, he joined Thomas as the woman approached.

Hey TC and new guy, she replied briskly stepping towards them.

Ah yes. Mr. Grey Richards meet Mrs. Robin Blythe and vice versa and so on and so on. Now onto business Mrs. Blythe-, Thomas said eager to get on with the hunt.

Ah hello. I’m Grey. You know that of course. He just said that. You can call me Grey, Grey stumbled in his words. He was eager to make a good impression but fall short of flirting with a married woman. He fell further than expected.

Hey, I’m Robin. Of course you know that, unless you already forgot which might be odd. You can call me Robin, she replied, mimicking his introduction. Thomas sighed in exasperation. Robin had this effect on people and she was very good at making them feel at ease.

Yes yes very endearing but onto more important business. I’ll wrangle you a freelancer pay check for this excursion Mrs. Blythe but this is no longer about a lost pair of twins, said Thomas as he motioned them into the woods. Can you lead us to the area you believe the boys passed through.

Sure but what’s the situation? What happened to them? she asked as she took the lead and started to guide them through the trees, all three of them equipped with flashlights. The moon was bright in the sky, a welcome boon for the hunters.

I’m afraid that one of the young gentlemen were unfortunate victims of a vampiric attack. Motivation is unknown.

Aw piss. That really sucks. How would that affect the other one?

I do not as yet know.

What? But you’re the knowing guy. The guy who knows stuff.

And this Madam Blythe is quite literally the unknown. I suspect that the young boy, Sawyer will move about now in the dark and attempt to feed or escape the search radius as prescribed by his instincts. The other danger of course is that his sire, is likely still in the area.

And there are still search parties all over. Easy targets for a vamp to snack on, Robin pointed out.

Oh. Yes. Also true. Well then these woods are likely even more dangerous than we expect then. With that he took out a small flashlight from his ammo box and hooked it onto his revolver for another source of light.

Do you actually have ammo in there? asked Grey, pushing again with the joke.

I can most definitely assure you Mr. Richards that there is in fact ammo within my ammo box. Now Mrs. Blythe, have any of the search teams gone missing or reported a lost member?

I’m not sure, she replied, Not that I’ve heard of but I haven’t talked much to any of the locals. But I did like it when you called me, Madam. Is that like a correct term?

No I don’t believe it is, Mrs. Blythe. It was a simple slip of the tongue, I’m afraid. You’re going to have to live with your usual nomenclature. But time is of the essence. We can afford to split into two groups. Go off and track down a vampire as best you could. Now that you know what to look for you should be better off. We’ll head down to the stream and see what we can find. Our young victim might be struggling with the idiosyncrasy of his newly acquired curse. With that she nodded and split off from them with impressive speed, going almost at a full jogging pace through a mountainous autumn forest.

Chapter 4

The Hunters

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Is she going to be alright by herself? She’s got to be tired and now you just sent her off into the night after a vampire, remarked Grey, concerned for their co-worker.

"Your