We can be the kings and queens of anything if we believe
It's written in the stars that shine above,
A world where you and I belong, where faith and love will keep us strong,
Exactly who we are is just enough
Yes there's a place for us... there's a place for us
-Lyrics to 'There's a Place for Us' performed by Carrie Underwood
Crimson Bonds Part 46
October 5, 1941
I was laying on my stomach away from the other kids, writing another poem late last night when I heard my name called softly, "Halina?"
The Red-Haired One noticed that I was still awake and working under the full moonlight during her rounds over our camp. Frowning, she tilted her head and approached without making a sound, even though the ground was hardening at the first real chill of the late fall setting in.
Coming to sit down beside me, the Vampire smiled sadly and whispered in my tongue, "You really should be sleeping, sweetheart." Gently running a hand over my head as I continued to lay on my stomach beneath the sleeping bag that her family provided, she said, "We have a long way to walk again tomorrow, so you need your rest."
Anytime the Red-Haired One tries to speak in German, her accent never allows her to say the words perfectly. But I don't mind. I like how she talks. It makes me smile. But her words brought little comfort after nearly a week of endless moving.
"We always have a long way to go," I hear myself sigh with a pout. Resting my head on my folded arms, I shook my head, "My feet are sore and I am hungry."
Even hearing the whining coming from me, I was mad at myself. I was alive when so many had already died in Auschwitz. And many more would continue to die. But the whole world had gone mad and it was crushing my will.
That sad smile reappeared on my company's face as she murmured, "I know. My brother will be back with more supplies by the time you wake up, including shoes and food before we have to go... Once we are away from Poland, we will be able to use carts and other means of transporting, crossing many miles in mere hours. You have my word that we will be at our destination soon."
It was all just too much, the flood of emotions and they filled my eyes as I peered up at the Red-Haired One, whimpering, "But where will we go that will be safe for us?"
Leaning closer against me, the Infected informed, "We have friends... livings who know we are returning home who want to help. They have connections, ways of getting passports for you, your family... everyone here. You could go anywhere in the world, even stay in Switzerland if you want, until this war is over and no Nazi can hurt you again."
A world without the terror that had stolen everything from me and so many others is almost impossible to imagine... but I cannot help hoping that maybe it will come some day. At the very least, I can look forward to an escape from it all for the time being.
"Vampires were not permitted to get involved in this," I frowned up at the Red-Haired One. "Why are you and your family going against that to help strangers like us?"
She smirks, "Because it is the right thing to do. And besides that, we know what it feels like to be treated terribly for simply being... different when it cannot be helped."
Right away, I am reminded of the stories of hangings, burnings and persecutions of the Infected before there were laws and their own Congress to protect them. They were hunted and killed just as my people are now.
And suddenly, I cannot help but feel like I have more in common with the immortals than I do my own race this day.
Swallowing past the lump that had formed in my throat, I push myself up higher as I question, "What will you and the others do once we are safe?"
The Red-Haired One shrugged, grinning, "We'll head back out again... looking into other locations that have been rumored as having camps like Auschwitz to save as many as we can. We'll just keep doing that until they no longer exist, because I refuse to believe that anything this terrible can last forever."
But there are so many others... too many to count that need to be rescued. And there will only be countless more before either the world is run by Nazis or they are stopped. Still, her response does not surprise me at all. Somehow, I do not believe that this family of good creatures could ever rest where they could be of help to others like me.
There are so few in the world as selfless and caring as this lot.
"I saw you making more rounds than usual," I pointed out. "Are you worried about your husband since he is still away?"
Though the Scaly One never announced what he was doing whenever he went off once camp was set for the night, we all knew what he was doing. We all had our survival to thank for the deed he carried out when he disappeared.
My guardian was kind enough to not treat me like a child by covering up the act her partner was carrying out. Instead, her smile saddened again as she replied, "I am not so worried about his physical condition as what this does to him emotionally. Just because we can kill humans easily, we take no pleasure in doing so."
Not able to hold back my hatred for the enemy, I snorted, "However many Nazis he kills, it would never be enough as far as I'm concerned. They will have no sympathy from me."
"You shouldn't say such things, Halina," Red breathes, gold-and-blue eyes wide with surprise. "Don't allow what had happened to harden you so. I am not saying that you shouldn't be angry or hurt... but wishing death on another... that separates everyone else from the monsters."
I am not able to argue against that logic. After all, so many were ready to write off Vampires as monsters when there are livings who are capable of... unspeakably terrible things I have witnessed from my stay in Auschwitz.
Whatever it takes, I will never stoop to their level. No. I will be better than that and pray for them to find enlightenment and for the evil they bring to find a peaceful end.
A thought came over me on account of how well this particular Vampire took to me and the rest of the little ones that she took responsibility in looking after. "It is a shame that your kind cannot have children," I commented sincerely, "you would make a great mother."
Red blinked widely and for a moment, I almost regret what I said because it seemed to have caused her pain. But she quickly replaced it with that friendly smile of hers.
"Well," she whispered, a funny shine in her eyes as she leaned closer to me with an arm resting along my shoulders, "if I were so fortunate, I would be honored if I could have a brave, beautiful little girl just like you." That said, she pressed a kiss against the top of my head.
My eyes teared up again, only out of happiness this time.
For months upon endless months, my kind had been treated like little more than waste to be thrown away. To have someone tell me that I was anything but that... that I was of value enough that they would want me as one of their own, there are no words to describe how that had changed me.
Winking, the Infected requested softly, "Now, before my cousin makes her pass through here and sees that I let you stay up like this, could you at least humor me and act like you have been sleeping?"
I giggled, knowing how the Motherly One was when it came to our resting and eating right for the journey. Nodding, I shifted onto my side as my companion tucked me in under the sleeping bag. Gently running her hand over my head, she murmured a 'Good night' as I closed my eyes for a moment.
At about the time I felt myself drifting off shortly after that, I heard Red gasp and I blinked back into the night. Across from glow of the fire pit, I watched as the Scaly One made his way back into our camp.
His feet were dragging, heavy... and his head was lowered as he wore a deep frown when his wife wrapped her arms tight around him. Burying his face in her shoulder, the handsome Vampire clung onto her with the same desperation.
The beautiful scene of two creatures who so plainly loved each other beyond measure also reminded me of my earlier discussion on telling the monsters from everyone else.
Splattered on the Scaly One's tattered clothes were patches of fresh blood left behind to confirm that he had happened upon soldiers that were closing in on us. But there was no joy in the act that he had to perform... only the opposite.
Because of my friends who have saved me I know, I can heed the warning from Red.
I won't let anything... not the war, nor the Nazis... to harden me. I will not turn into something cold or vengeful. I will take the gift of my life to grow old with lessons learned beyond my years to teach others so that the world may never know another nightmare like the one that had currently claimed the world.
How can I do any differently when five strangers, all of whom had been through worse than myself, can see enough good in the light of this darkness to risk their existences to protect it?
-Good Night, Friend. Until I can write again.
Halina.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Broderick's widened eyes turned away from the monitor of his laptop and he closed it with a rough swallow. His hands reaching up, he roughly wiped at his face. Already more than half-way through the diary that he had spent the last hours reading, he was finding himself emotionally wrought.
Never once was there a mention of feeding from the poor souls that had been pulled from the grasp of what would have been certain death from them.
Yes, Dawson knew that he still had much more to go into the book that he had saved onto his hard drive... but he highly doubted that he would find anything other than a family of Vampires simply looking out for those who could not defend themselves...
...especially after that last excerpt.
Maybe that was why the young Hunter seemed drawn to Anna Yuy-Chang all along- that natural sense of caring that she carried. Perhaps that was why her being a creature that he hated so much while being nothing but kind and strong even in his presence to the point that he found himself admiring her.
All the more, it made sense how a conditioned solider like Wufei Chang could be taken by such a being.
Growling in his frustration over his conflicting feelings, Broderick pushed himself away from the table of his living room and began to pace around it. "I need to hear it from her," he reasoned aloud, clenching and unclenching his fists at his sides, "I need to know why. It can't just be as simple as their wanting to step in for the sake of helping others."
Vampires were not capable of such things. The poor, naive girl that had believed in them must have been fooled along with all of the other survivors.
But having it come from Anna herself Dawson was convinced he would be able to see through any lies she might try to spin on him.
The matter was settled, then. During his watch, he was determined to settle the matter once and for all...
Frowning to himself, the Broderick froze in his steps. "And maybe I should look into what happened to the girl Barnette ran into for the journal," he concluded.
* * * * * *
Catherine laced her fingers together and pushed back on her hands to crack her knuckles when she sat down beside her husband and across from their friends. "I'm still narrowing down the finer details of the blade to have a better idea to who created it, but I do know that it's wasn't made state-side."
Blinking widely, Charles and John exchanged their surprised expressions before focusing back on the redhead. The eldest of the brothers replied, "You could already tell that much from a just a broken off razor?"
"Oh, you'd be amazed what you can find out just by the curve, metal and the tiniest of details," Bloom went on in an excited rush. "Everything is like a little etch of the creator's signature."
All the more confused, the younglings turned towards Zayeed. "Don't look at me," the Arabic Vampire snickered with a shrug. "I just sit back and let her do her thing." Smirking to his soul mate, he added, "But then, this is where my dear Catherine proves she is the best of the best for a reason."
Biting her lip, the weapons expert nudged him and muttered, "Thanks, love. Of course, I learned from the true best in my grandfather."
John smiled sadly, "I still wish that we could have had the chance to meet Howard. Mom and Dad still tell us all about their times working with him. He seemed like a pretty cool guy."
Mentally drifting off to her own memories of the old man, Catherine sighed heavily, "Yea, he was. And he would have loved you kids. My grandfather thought the world of your whole family."
She went back to business, clearing her throat and informing the brothers, "Anyway, I have about a dozen possible designers narrowed down. Once I break down more of what's left to the blade for a chemical make up analysis, I should have it down to no more than three names within the next couple of days."
Clicking her tongue, the Companion frowned, "Beyond that, there may need to be a bit of strong arming involved to find out who is cohering with whoever is behind the kidnapping. Getting the list down to one will be challenging, since there are always a handful of elements most engineers keep in common between them."
At that, John grinned, "That won't be a problem. I'm sure that Dad and Uncle Heero will be more than happy to take it from there." Chuckling deeply, Charles nodded.
"I'm sure that they would be," Zayeed replied, a dark smile wishing only the worst for the people that had hurt his friends pulling at his lips. That slightly sinister appearance faded into one of concern as he suggested, "The two of you look exhausted from your search over these last few days. You should take up the guest rooms available to get some rest."
Charles responded, "If it wouldn't be too much trouble..."
Without hesitating, Catherine beamed, "Not at all. Our home is your home. Feel free to stay as long as you need."
* * * * * *
Relena gave her warmest of smiles to Senator Cassy Krutza when the tall, middle-aged woman approached the tucked away table that had been reserved for their lunch get together that afternoon. She was going to have to put on am impressive act that nothing between them had changed... even if the thought of the possible betrayal that had transpired made her cold skin crawl.
Gracefully rising to her feet, the Infected exchanged a quick embrace with her one-time ally as she greeted, "I'm so glad we finally have an opportunity to catch up. It feels like forever since we had a chance to just talk without politics being somehow involved."
There was no sign of any tension from the living as they took their seats while she grinned, "It has been a long time. How has your family been these last few months?"
Over the course of Krutza ordering her meal and waiting for the server to bring her course out, the two conversed on lighthearted matters. Again, nothing seeming out of character in the mortal from what Relena was able to pick up. If there was any awkwardness on the Senator's part, she was doing a brilliant job of masking it.
...Enough so that the Vampire was questioning the information that Rose Clarkson had provided Treize...
* * * * * *
Senator Becky Gavin was as blank in mind as she was in her body language and facial expressions as she shared a private booth with Noin in another restaurant across town.
A red flag as far as the Vampire was concerned. Most people who were training their thoughts to cease short of reacting tended to be hiding something that they did not want the most remote slip in their appearance to let on.
For that to be the situation from the moment her friend joined her for their recess, Lucrezia kept the pulse on her ability to intercept every little internalized conversation... making her tense and wanting to get to the bottom of things sooner rather than later.
Waiting for the living to finish swallowing the next bite of her salad, the Councilwoman tilted her head and asked bluntly, "So, any word on who may have been a part of the vote in favor towards the new registration laws?"
Oh, there was a physical reaction as she expected. Blue eyes grew as they blinked rapidly, back straightened rigidly, jaw fell open... but not an immediate thought to read... thought that was only on account of her shock in the beginning.
'She doesn't know. She can't know,' came the whispered voice through the stillness that finally confirmed what Noin had feared.
Careful to not allow her own face to reveal what was going through her own mind, the Infected shrugged nonchalantly, "I was just curious, since I thought that there was no possible way you would ever vote against us."
Folding her hands together on the table between them, she threw in for good measure, "Not after all the times we supported each other over the years since you came into office."
'God, I didn't want to... but I had no choice! I would have lost everything!' Becky's mind whimpered even as she somehow kept cool and calm on the outside. Swallowing roughly, she shook her head, "I'm sorry, Noin. I have no idea who jumped ship. Everyone of us who supported you thought that the outcome would be exactly the opposite of what happened."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Suddenly on the defensive after Relena had taken the same direct approach that her sister-in-law had, Cassy shook her head vehemently, "I have no idea who switched sides... but whoever did must have had a good reason for doing so."
That was the opening that the Infected had been looking for- something that was a little more information than what Krutza had meant to say. The fact that she had overstepped her response was written all over the nervous mortal's face.
Peacecraft's eyes slightly narrowed as she repeated, "Good reason? What purpose would have worked to their benefit by forcing the entire Vampire Council into doubt of the trust that we had established with so many of you?"
"I never meant to betray that!" Cassy blurted out in a loud cry, her green eyes welling up with tears of desperation over the corner that she had been pinned into. Gasping sharply, she reached up to slap a hand over her mouth.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Seeing how Becky's skin was turning as red as her short hair, Noin raised her hands to defuse the growing unease that had taken hold. "I am not looking to cause any trouble for whoever truly thought that the registration needed to be changed," she reassured quietly. "It's just that with all of the strides made between our species, this was a major step back that we hope to someday redeem."
'They would never let it happen,' Gavin's mind all but breathed. 'They're too powerful... know too much. I can't be the only one they're influencing.'
And it was in that instant that the Vampire realized that 'they' was the person or persons acting as the mole. 'They' had a lot more control in this situation than she and her family had initially feared...
...'They' were commanding the entire World Council.
TBC...
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