Lissa, there is trouble, he sent. Bring Gavin and come quickly.
"Gavin, I sure hope you know where the meeting is," I said instead. "Robert just said there was trouble and to bring you quickly."
Gavin had me off the roof so fast I was nearly dizzy, and we were in the Mercedes and speeding away in less time than that. "Did he say what the problem was?" Gavin asked while I kept an eye on the speedometer. Kilometers per hour still evaded my sense of time and distance. No time to do research now.
"No, let me contact him to find out." Robert, I sent, Gavin wants to know what the problem is.
The Council met after the formal meeting. We were attacked and are being held captive by six humans and three vampires. One of the humans has explosives strapped to his body and a detonation device in his hand, Robert returned.
"Gavin, the Council is being held by six humans and three vampires, and one of the humans is strapped with a bomb." I was shivering, now.
"A bomb will kill a vampire, just as it will a human if the bomb is strong enough and the detonation takes place near enough," Gavin informed me. "If a Vampire is blown to bits, obviously he will not survive." We'd pulled up to an intersection, but there were no waiting cars so Gavin blew right through, ignoring the red light. "And both our misters are out on assignment; they are called for more often than not," Gavin went on.
"Then if you need one, I'll go," I offered.
"Lissa, I do not like risking you in this way, that is a bomb," Gavin said, as if I didn't realize it to begin with.
"I know," I said. My shivering hadn't stopped. "Why are vampires working with humans?" I asked, attempting to control my quivering.
"At times they form an alliance, each attempting to take advantage of the other race in order to achieve their goals. The humans can move about in daylight. The vampires are strong. Some vampires desire a return to the old ways and look to change or destroy that which keeps the laws. The humans may think of us as evil and wish to exterminate us. It is an unholy alliance between the two factions."
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend theory?" I asked.
"Temporarily," Gavin agreed. "Both sides realize that their alliance is never meant to last; it is just that each intends to come out the ultimate victor, and that is seldom the case." Gavin shifted angrily as we turned a corner at a high rate of speed. His statement informed me that he'd seen all this before. With sixteen centuries behind him, it wasn't that much of a surprise. It took us less than fifteen minutes, with Gavin driving more than one hundred eighty kilometers per hour at times, to get to Gravesend where the meeting was being held. I smelled the Thames nearby when we leapt from the car; it was mixed with other scents of the city around us—petrol and automobiles.
"What are they waiting on?" I asked Gavin as we ran swiftly toward a single-story brick building. "If they were going to blow the Council up, why not go ahead and do it?"
"Because the vampires are in charge and realize that something of this nature may not be accomplished by merely killing the Council. They are attempting to change the laws."
"Great," I mumbled. "I suppose the Enforcers are all inside with the Council members?"
"Yes. They would be."
"We need to get the bomber. The others can be dealt with after that," I said. I concentrated on turning to mist.
"Lissa, what will you do?" Gavin's voice held worry and that wasn't like him.
Where's that stiff upper lip? I sent to him, watching my hands and feet disappear.
"That is British, which is not my nationality," he grumbled. "Lissa, do not do anything foolish."
That's easy for you to say, I sent. My record for turning may have been broken that night, but there wasn't anyone there to time me when the change was complete. Floating as invisible mist, I made my way toward the building.
Coming in now, I sent mindspeech to Robert.
We are in the basement, he returned. Gavin positioned himself at the building's entrance. I didn't think any of the bad guys would get past him alive.
The door to the stairwell was locked with a keypad, but there was space at the bottom and I misted underneath, making my way down the stairs. The Council was in a wide chamber below, all of them seated at tables against the far wall. The three rogue vampires threatening them stood behind the human strapped with a bomb. It looked like a vest to me, something that a road repair crew might wear. It was orange in color and well-padded with explosives. The detonator was in his hand and he stood a bare fifteen feet away from Wlodek, who sat at the center of a long table.
I was terrified. Not just for myself but for some of the vampires at the table. Charles was there, along with Flavio and the others, and behind them were the Enforcers, including Robert, Russell, Will and Radomir. What frightened me the most, however, was who was standing off to the side, at the very end of the Enforcers. Merrill. This was going to take some strategy and a very big chance on my part. If I failed, then it was likely the entire building would go up and me with it.
"You are just a figurehead," one of the three rogue vampires shouted at Wlodek. "Change the laws and we will let you live."
"Do not lie to me," Wlodek said sharply. "Step forward and we will discuss your demands."
"Old man, I know what the range of your compulsion is," the vampire laughed. So, that's why they were all standing as far away as they were. Otherwise, Wlodek would just command them all to give up and they wouldn't have a choice. Slowly and cautiously, I misted between the bomber and the rogue vampire standing a few feet behind him. Hoping he'd keep his eyes straight ahead instead of looking down, I stood behind the bomber so my hands would appear only in front of him while using his body to conceal their appearance from the vampire. My feet would be revealed at the same time my hands were and things could go downhill fast if the rogue saw them while I was attempting to do the only thing I could.
In their usual way, Wlodek and the rest of the Council never blinked when my hands coalesced against the human's torso. It was my plan to take away the detonator and drag the human toward Wlodek so he'd have control of the would-be bomber, but even I wasn't expecting what happened. My misted body came in contact with the bomber's, and just as the tiaras had disappeared in my grip, so too did the human. He, the detonator and the bomb instantly turned to mist the moment I touched him.
The vampire behind us shouted and slashed out at me the moment the human disappeared, but I was invisible mist and he only managed to disturb the air around me, forcing me forward for a moment. I had no idea what status the bomb was in and took no chances, turning and flying toward the stairs and then beneath the locked door. I thought I heard fighting behind me as I fled but I didn't have time to worry about it; I had to get the bomber out of there and then decide what to do with him. Flying straight up into the night air once we cleared the building, I felt the human's emotions as I carried him with me. He'd suddenly found himself in a state he never expected to be and was sending out his fear in waves and vibrations. Turning quickly, I saw the river barely a quarter mile away, the dark water sparkling under a few nearby street lamps. Hoping there weren't any boats traveling the waters nearby, I rushed toward the Thames.