Fever, Redux (or, No-Star Cell Service) [Ch. 8] PG13

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NocturneInCMoll
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Fever, Redux (or, No-Star Cell Service) [Ch. 8] PG13

Post by NocturneInCMoll »

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


Fever Redux (or, No-Star Cell Service) — Chapter 8

Mick suddenly let go of Beth and stared at the road and Josef did the same.

“What is it?” Beth searched Mick’s face.

“Car. Get inside—now. Take Leni. Go. Run.”

“Ugh…you can’t keep doing this to a pregnant woman!” Leni groaned and left the car door swinging. Beth took her arm and led her, ducking low, back to the motel room.

Josh remained still in his position near the car.

“Josh!” Beth yelled at him from the door.

“Go!” Mick hissed at him.

With a grunt, Josh finally turned and made for the room, shutting and locking the door behind him. But instead of hunkering down behind the bed with Beth and Leni, he pushed open the window a bit and peeked out from a crack in the blind. Mick and Josef each were pulling back into the darkest shadows on either side of the yard.

Beth crawled across the floor and tugged at his pant leg. “Josh, get down!”

He shook his head. “I need to see this.”

A black SUV with its headlights off pulled into the drive and slowed to a stop behind Beth’s car. A man got out and carefully closed the door so it made as little sound as possible. He pulled a gun out of his waistband and started to walk toward the motel.

Mick stepped out from the shadows. “Hey. Where’s your uniform?”

The assassin raised his gun and fired three times. Mick’s body shuddered with each impact, but he remained standing, grinning. Josef came out from behind the car, and the man emptied the rest of his clip into him.

“What the hell?” said the assassin when Josef barely flinched. He reached into his pocket for another clip and reloaded the gun, pointing it at Mick, and then Josef. “Stay back.”

Josef raised an eyebrow. “You may be doing the shooting, but in case you haven’t figured it out yet, you’re not the one calling the shots, buddy.”

Shaking in anger, the assassin shot Josef through the forehead. Josef grinned, fell to his knees, and collapsed backward onto the ground.

Josh flinched. “Josef…”

“What?” Beth whispered. “What’s happening?”

“The assassin—he shot Josef through the head.”

“Oh my gosh,” Leni breathed.

Beth swallowed. “Is he still…alive?”

Josh shook his head. “I don’t know—he’s not moving. But Mick doesn’t seem too concerned.”

Mick was laughing.

The assassin trained his gun on him. “Your friend is dead,” he said.

“He sure is,” Mick grinned. “And so am I.”

“You got that right,” the assassin growled.

Behind him, Josef’s eyes snapped open, and he slowly began to pick himself up off the ground. Hearing a rustling on the ground behind him, the assassin whirled around.

“That bullet’s going to be a bitch to remove,” Josef growled as he staggered to his feet. “Thanks a lot.”

The assassin froze. “This isn’t happening.”

Josef laughed. “Isn’t it?”

The assassin blinked, and Josef and Mick were suddenly six feet away from him. He blinked again, and they were at his sides. He trembled. “What are you?”

The sound carried well at night in the desert, and Josh was able to hear every word through the open window. “Vampires,” he whispered.

“What’s your name?” Josef said.

The assassin only shook his head.

Mick turned to Josef and said, “You want to break his arms, or should I?”

Josef bared his teeth. “We could take one each—I’m in a sharing mood today.”

Mick nodded, and they each took hold of an arm.

“Kempner,” the assassin panted. “Victor Kempner.”

Mick grinned. “That’s better. I love cooperation. Don’t you, Josef?”

“I dunno,” Josef shrugged. “I’d still rather break his arms.”

“They’re kind of sweaty at the moment. Hard to get a proper grip.”

“True. Whatever shall we do with him, then?”

Josh left the window, strode over to the door and, fiddling with the lock a moment, flung it open.

“Josh!” Beth cried.

He stepped out onto the porch.

Mick held up a hand. “Josh, you should stay inside.”

“You guys look like you have him under control.” He walked straight up to Kempner and kicked him hard in the stomach. “That was for Officer Nagawa!” Kempner doubled over and fell to his knees. Josh kicked him again, harder. “And that was for Officer Colden!”

“Nice,” Josef smirked.

“Not nice enough for what he did. What do you have in mind for him next?” Josh looked at Josef, then Mick.

Josef raised an eyebrow. “I think Micky-boy needs dinner,” he said, nodding toward his friend.

Mick tilted his head in acknowledgement. “Can you make sure Beth and Leni stay inside? They shouldn’t see this.”

“Leni already has.” Mick’s eyes flashed, and Josh held up a hand. “That wasn’t a dig at you.”

“Yeah, well, this will be a lot more violent. Please…go inside,” Mick said to him, even as he met Beth’s eyes. She had trailed Josh onto the porch, and was leaning up against the doorframe. “Beth, help Leni.”

Beth pushed off the doorframe without a word and disappeared back inside.

Josef took Josh by the elbow. “Don’t worry, Mick, we’ll leave you two alone. Bye.” He waved at the assassin.

“Are you going to be okay?” Josh asked Josef as they marched back to the motel room. “There’s a bullet in your head—isn’t there?” He frowned at the unmarred skin above Josef’s eyebrows.

“Yeah,” the vampire smirked. “It’ll come out, but it’ll be messy. Until then, keep an eye on me. If I start baying at the moon or spouting gibberish, get me to Guillermo at the county morgue ASAP.”

“Guillermo’s a vampire?” Josh gasped.

“And a major blood supplier. Shocking, is it? I can think of few better jobs for a vamp, even if the blood isn’t fresh.”

Josh stopped short in his tracks and stared at him. His nose wrinkled involuntarily.

“Yeah, I feel the same way,” Josef said, clapping him on the shoulder. “Let’s go.”

They found Beth and Leni sitting on the bed. Leni was clutching Beth’s arm.

“All clear?” Beth asked.

Josef nodded. “Mick’s just going to have some…dinner.”

“Good. But on an unrelated note, I think I’m going to throw up,” Leni said, and stumbled toward the bathroom.

“I’ll take care of her,” Beth said, following.

Josh took up his position at the window again in time to see Mick dragging a struggling and screaming Kempner behind the car. A moment later, the screams stopped, and Josh shuddered. He turned away from the window and found Josef sitting on the bed, watching him.

“Any questions?” A little smile played upon Josef’s lips.

Josh shook his head. “I think it’s pretty clear what just happened.”

The bathroom door opened, and Beth and Leni came out.

“Is Mick all right?” Leni said shakily.

“He will be.” Josef cocked his head. “So…you’re the girl almost got Mick killed.”

“The name is Leni,” she snapped. “So…you’re Josef.”

He smirked. “Talking about me, was he?”

“A little.” She crossed her arms. “I’m surprised you’re out here, helping us. I didn’t get the impression from him that you would care much about my situation.”

“I’m here for Mick. Vampire solidarity, rah rah rah.” Josef pumped his fist in the air.

She glared at him.

“How are you, Leni?” Josh interjected quickly.

She looked at him. “As I’ve been telling everyone, I’m fine. I just want some real food, and a real bed to sleep in. Can we go home now?” As soon as she said it, she sucked in a breath. “Can I even go home?”

Josh bit his lip. “I’m sorry, but you have to stay in our custody until we know it’s safe. Fayed may have other assassins.”

“Well, I’m only staying in your custody if Mick is there,” she announced. “I don’t trust anyone else.” She shot a dirty look at Josef, to his amusement.

“Of course, if Mick agrees.”

They heard a tread on the porch and Mick opened the door.

“Everything okay?” Josh asked.

Mick nodded. “Yeah. We’re good. Kempner is dead. I called someone to take the body away. She’s on her way.”

A red splotch on Mick’s face caught Josh’s eye. “Uh, Mick, you’ve got a little something right…there,” he motioned to the area next to his mouth.

Mick mirrored the gesture and swiped at his cheek. “Did I get it?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Thanks.”

“Mick,” Leni said, moving slowly toward him. “Are you all right?”

He smiled down at her. “I’m fine. Come here.”

She walked straight into his embrace. “Can we go now, Mick?” she asked, her voice muffled by his shirt.

Mick caught Josef’s eye, then Josh’s. They both nodded. “Yeah…we can go.”

“Good,” she said, her face still buried in the crook of Mick’s shoulder.

They stood there for a moment, neither moving.

“Leni’s blood is in his veins,” Josef said to no one in particular. “They share a connection.”

Josh nodded and his eyes fell on Beth. She was watching Mick and Leni with an unreadable expression—after a moment, she turned away. He stretched out his arm to her, but she walked past him and sat down on the bed.

He sat next to her, but she did not seem to notice. Josh followed her line of sight. Immediately he knew what had caught Beth’s eye—the two puncture wounds on Leni’s forearm, which had clotted and were already beginning to heal.



To be continued...
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francis
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Re: Fever, Redux (or, No-Star Cell Service) [Ch. 8] PG13

Post by francis »

Oh, seems like Beth is a bit jealous of the connection Mick has to Leni now.
Mick let his inner vampire out to play with Victor. Vampire justice can be rather practical, no witness, fresh adrenaline-laced blood supply, making up for the bullets he shot into Mick and Josef, and of course for the dead officers.
Josef raised an eyebrow. “You may be doing the shooting, but in case you haven’t figured it out yet, you’re not the one calling the shots, buddy.”
:rolling: :rolling: :rolling: Nothing like Josef snark to save the day.
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darkstarrising
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Re: Fever, Redux (or, No-Star Cell Service) [Ch. 8] PG13

Post by darkstarrising »

Glad to see an update, Julie. :hug:

Loved the back and forth between Mick and Josef as they toyed with the assassin.
Mick turned to Josef and said, “You want to break his arms, or should I?”

Josef bared his teeth. “We could take one each—I’m in a sharing mood today.”
The poor guy never even had a chance....and it was only fitting he became 'dinner' :snicker:

But trouble's brewing I think....Beth may have brilliant blue eyes, but right now, they're a jealous shade of green, something Josh can't feel too good about.
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NocturneInCMoll
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Re: Fever, Redux (or, No-Star Cell Service) [Ch. 8] PG13

Post by NocturneInCMoll »

Francis--Glad you enjoyed the snark. :thumbs: Beth is indeed a little jealous of the connection Mick and Leni now share, and Josh isn't quite sure how to feel about it.

Karen--Thanks! :hug: Glad you enjoyed the banter. Mick and Leni now have that blood connection, and both Beth and Josh will be reacting to it.
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