Chapter 1

Alan Thomas made himself comfortable on the well-worn sofa in doctor Flame’s office. Since the doctor was sleeping on it quite regularly, it looked older than it really was. Flame used to nag Thomas to replace it, but he no longer dared to raise any complaints. Not after Thomas wept on his shoulder for almost an hour, grieving over the loss of the last pounds in this year’s budget, used to settle the bill for rebuilding that hotel Max had ravaged.

‘Ahem... ‘ Thomas cleared his throat, trying to forget about their financial problems. ‘What do you thing about him?’

Doctor Flame pondered the question for a moment.

‘I’ve never seen anyone like him before.’

‘Neither have we, but you must have some ideas.’

Flame approached the wall on which hanged several x-ray images.

‘Although it’s been only few days, the fractures in his bones are fully healed. But the really good news is that he still doesn’t remember anything prior to the... incident. I think it won’t be a problem. However, this does not mean that he isn’t a threat anymore.’

‘I’m aware of that.’ Thomas restlessly crossed his legs. ‘And yet, I’m ready to take a chance. Just imagine, it could be a milestone in our work!’

‘Don’t get so excited. You’d better start thinking how to deal with him. We can’t keep him in there forever. Carol’ll kill me if I tell her to attend to him for even one more day.’

‘I already know what to do with our new friend.’ Declared Thomas, a trace of smile crossed his lips.

Flame, slurping coffee, sat at his desk. This whole situation was making him feel uneasy.

‘I hope it works, otherwise all of us will have a problem. A huge problem.’

Thomas got up from the sofa, wincing with disgust at the brownish stain on which he apparently was sitting the whole time.

‘Discharge John tomorrow. Tell him I will collect him at 9 A.M.’

***

‘This doesn’t look like a factory for me’ John remarked, hands in pockets of some Henry’s jeans. He felt strange enough, but having to squeeze into another guy’s clothes added insult to injury. They were slightly too small.

‘Because it isn’t.’ Answered Thomas in solemn tone. ‘I’ve told you!’

‘Yeah, you’ve told me, that it IS some spring factory.’

‘Nail, not spring.’

‘Whatever. So, what is this place?’ John looked pointedly at the wallpapered walls’.

‘We are in the basement. The business we run in here is quite different than the one upstairs.

Finally they reached the only door at the end of the corridor. Thomas ushered John inside, encouraging smile forming on his lips.

‘Just look at my baby!’ Exclaimed Thomas proudly, clapping his hands with excitement. Even after all those years he was stunned by his and his brother’s achievement.

John reluctantly stepped inside.

He found himself standing in some big room, or rather office. Several people sat at their desks, typing. They seemed to be completely absorbed in their work.

‘That’s a surprise.’ He said after a minute. ‘Who are those people?’

Thomas stroked the smooth surface of the nearby unoccupied desk, almost lovingly.

‘They are working under me. I mean, learning what is going on in the word.’

John seemed to be even more puzzled that an hour before.

‘Great, so you’re the boss of some kind of underground CNN. But why bother with those nails?’ he said eyeing the room, heavy irony in his voice.

Thomas shook his head rigorously, ignoring John’s cheekiness.

‘We are concerned with more... sensitive information.’

‘Like what?’

‘Like...’ Thomas hesitated. There was no going back now, he had to tell him everything. Almost everything. ‘Like places in which we detect some vampiric activity.’

John exploded with loud laughter. He stopped only when he noticed that Thomas wasn’t equally amused. Instead, he was looking at him critically.

‘Did I say something funny? Don’t make light of vampires, I’m deadly serious. Follow me.’

John decided, that the guy was either insane, or having a time of his life teasing John. Or both.

He sceptically looked around, but nonetheless followed close behind Thomas.

They stopped in front of the desk nearest to the big door.  When the fair haired young woman hiding behind the big monitor glimpsed her boss approaching, she immediately rose to her feet.

‘Hello, John’ she said, sweet smile lighting up her face. ‘I’m Victoria’.

Thomas froze, his pride badly hurt. HE was the boss! She should’ve greeted him, not this brat!

She leaned closer, her low neckline almost attacking John.

‘Hi, you must be the vampire hunter.’ replied John ironically.

‘Oh, no, no! Victoria blushed. ‘I’m afraid I’m only a secretary.’

 

‘That’s a shame. I was hoping I’d meet someone of that species in this top-secret vampire hunters’ underground lair.’ Said John, his voice climbed in volume.

‘Don’t worry’ Victoria Brown replied genially. ‘You’ll meet someone like you in no time. Max is...’

‘What?!’ Yelled John in a voice that combined shock with resignation. Everybody was mocking him.

‘Shh...’ Thomas ordered Victoria to be silent by waving the hand in front of her face, and turned to John. ‘Come with me to my office. I owe you some explanations.’

‘You surely do.’ Murmured John, not giving Victoria even a glance.

He and Thomas entered the room hidden behind the big wooden door. John halted abruptly. Never in his life had he seen such a mess.

The office was a jumble of books, paper, files, even more books and some oil paint tubes which appeared to be completely out of place.

‘Look at this.’ Thomas materialised few centimetres behind him and pointed a finger in the direction of a wall. At first John didn’t know what exactly he was supposed to look at, there was too much of almost everything. At last he realised that Thomas meant ‘no smoking’ signs fixed to the walls. Altogether there were three of them.

‘I do not allow smoking coffin nails in here.’ Announced Thomas, sitting himself behind the cluttered desk. You’ll have to remember that. SOME tend to forget.’

‘Rest assured, I won’t be visiting you anymore. So better tell me, why are you having me on? I’m tired of this shit, as soon as we finish I’m going home.’

‘I doubt it.’

‘Are you threatening me?’

‘I’m not, just predicting your future.’

‘Great!’ Exclaimed John, bending forward to pick up a random book lying on the floor. ‘Now you’re a fortune teller.’

He examined its hard cover. The book looked quite unoriginal. He didn’t know what he’d expected.

Thomas ignored this accusation of a new profession, indulging in sitting on his throne. Now the Boss was where he should be. He will allow no one to think that they were successful in mocking him, the great Alan Thomas. Then Thomas saw the book in John’s hands. ‘Hey, put that down!’ He yelled.

This time it was John who ignored him.

‘It’s high time you started talking.’ He said, book still clenched tightly in his hands, unopened. ‘Firstly, where am I? I mean, like town, city, whatever.’

‘Our facility is located in Park Royal in London.’ Mumbled Thomas, his eyes fixed on the book.

‘How the fuck did I get here?’ Roared John, brandishing the book as if he wanted to use it to hit Thomas.

‘My subordinate was in Toronto where he found you and brought you here on my specific order.’

‘Why? Why would you drag some random guy across the ocean?’ He was totally bemused.

‘I’m really sorry, but you are not random at all, John.’

‘Then what am I?!’

Thomas sighted heavily, again. Recently he was doing that a lot.

‘You’ve heard what Victoria said.’

John wanted to laugh, but couldn’t anymore.

‘You are telling me, that I am to be some creepy Buffy the vampire slayer?’

‘It’s not something that one becomes.’ Corrected him Thomas. ‘You either are born one, or not.’

‘Sorry to disappoint you, but never in my life have I seen any vampires , let alone killing them.’

‘Oh, you surely did see a lot of them, we all did. They are living among us, looking like any other person.’

‘Sunlight doesn’t affect them, I guess?’ John’s voice sounded shaky but filled with irony.

‘No, it doesn’t. They are immune to garlic too, if you would like to know.’

‘Actually, I don’t. I don’t believe you.’

‘I suppose it’s hard to believe, yes. But you have to help us, not many people have such... abilities.’

‘If I have any superpowers, they surely have been avoiding me.’

‘It’s not uncommon. Only recently you, um... have... awakened.’

John snorted derisively.

‘Are any cameras hidden in there?’ He ostentatiously looked around. ‘Your jokes aren’t funny anymore.’

‘That’s because I’m not joking! Are you even listening to me?’

‘You expect me to take this whole crap for granted?’ John again started to be interested in the book, stroking borders of its cover with his fingers.

‘Give that damn book back to me!’ Shrieked Thomas, extending his arm.

John finally handed him the book, realising that he was completely uninterested in its content.

Thomas was visibly relieved. If anyone saw his sketches of redheaded Eva Brown from the Research Department, he would have to hand in his resignation.

Suddenly the second door in the room opened. Both Thomas and John looked in its direction in unison, stern expression creeping on Thomas’ face.

Prologue

He was lying still. The same as yesterday and the day before and few more days back in the past. The woman, sitting on a chair next to the hospital bed, was getting tired of this annoying assignment. It wasn't the kind of work she was used to. And she never will, she thought, massaging her throbbing temples. Bright lighting, irritating beeping sound, nothing to lay your eyes on, except for this strange guy, and longing for her habitual errands, were driving her nuts. Carol shifted in her chair, gazing absently at the motionless man. Although Thomas didn’t say much about the blonde lad, she disliked him already. Her being here was after all his fault .

The man's fair hair was spread on the pillow, the dark circles under his eyes were becoming increasingly prominent with each day. The eyes... For obvious reasons Carol couldn't see them right now, but just the thought of his irides was more than enough to make her feel uneasy. She could only imagine why Thomas ordered that the guy was brought here. Moreover, she found herself to be utterly unable to comprehend why it must be her who has to watch over this creep. He looks like some angelic yank, she reflected, how someone like that could have...

The sudden movement, slight as it was, made her start. The guy slowly lifted his eylids and grimaced slightly at the pain in his chest when he heaved himself to the half sitting position.

For a short time nobody uttered a word. Carol stared at him, completely fascinated , rapt expression at her face. She did expect such a sight, but still, not every day you can see a man with red eyes.

At the same time, John seemed thoroughly confused. He looked around, but nothing of the surroundings stroke him as familiar. His eyes stopped on Carol's figure. He wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat. He mouthed a few, but there was no sound coming out of his mouth. But Carol understood him at once.

'Don't say anything’ she muttered and made for the door, without even glancing at the disorientated man 'I'll call the doctor'.

'And the boss' she added, leaving John alone with his numerous thoughts and questions.

***

'Can someone finally explain to me what is going on?!' demanded John, dodging doctor’s hands aiming for his bruised arm. He glimpsd first at the doctor Flame, then at a mysterious woman who still haven’t revealed her name. Finally the man decided to show some mercy.

‘As I said, you don’t have to worry, it’s a hospital, we’ll take good care of you’.

The answer was too laconic to please John. But the doctor have said enough for John to realise that both of them, the woman and grey haired man, spoke with a distinct British accent. John got even more confused. And angry.

‘Hospital?’ he sighted ‘Fine, but where? What am I doing here? And why the heck am I here in the first place?’

‘You don’t remember anything?’ enquired Flame, slightly surprised, but visibly relieved.

‘Anything of what?’

‘Well, we would like to know it as well’ lied Flame ‘But you should rather be worrying about your future, not past, son’.

‘What do you mean? Worry about my future? Am I dying or what? You’ve kidnapped me?’ asked John ironically.

‘You’re not going to die, at least not today’ assured him Flame. He hesitated for a moment. ‘As for your other questions, I’m not the right man to give answers’.

John wanted to protest, but the door to the ward interrupted him. To the room entered a man in his late thirties, dressed in the ill-fitting brown suit.  He had a neatly trimmed goatee beard and a moustache, rectangular glasses in thick, black frame perched on the bridge of his nose.

He nodded a greeting at the doctor and gazed steadily into John’s face.

‘Hi’ said the suited man, his mellifluous voice pierced the awkward silence ‘Nice to meet you, John, I’m Alan Thomas’.

‘You know my name’ John stated flatly ‘What is this place? Why are you all so secretive? I have my rights!’

Compared to Thomas’ posh accent, John felt that his own sounded almost barbaric.

‘Rest assured, you’ll receive the best of care. In few days you will be fresh as a daisy!’

Everybody skilfully skirted around the subject. It annoyed John intensely.

‘For fuck’s sake, where am I?!’

‘Well, you’ll have to know eventually’ Thomas sighted heavily. ‘We are in the nail factory’.

John was taken aback.

‘What?’

‘The nail factory’ repeated Thomas casually. ‘You know, those little metal things that you try to hammer to a wall and end up striking a finger home instead’.

‘Don’t make fun of me’ said John indignantly.

‘I am not. It really is a nail factory. At least, this is what we want people to think’.

‘You could try being more open with me, you know?’

‘There is time for everything’ declared Thomas ‘Now rest, we will speak again, and then I’ll explain, I promise’.

John looked at Thomas suspiciously. He didn’t believe in single word of the man’s little speech. He couldn’t know, but he should have, because every bit of what Thomas said was true.