Now the only thing a gambler needs
Is a suitcase and trunk
And the only time he's satisfied
Is when he's on a drunk
-Lyrics to 'The House of the Rising Sun' performed by Jerry Lawson & Talk of the Town [1]
Crimson Bonds Part 62
Loathe as Broderick was to separate Duo and Anna, he had no choice in the matter. And at no shock to him, they complied without argument when it came time for the Hybrid to return to his cell. What little bit they had been able to spend together had made the positive impact the living had hoped for his friends.
Already, Maxwell carried himself with a glimpse of the creature he had been at the time of their capture since he'd had had the chance to feel his growing little ones. It had lit the spark in him that had been all but extinguished. He was motivated again, filled with the drive to put a plan into motion for his family's escape.
The striking change in the braided Hybrid's demeanor gave him pause when he first stepped into the holding area. With a smirk when he regained his composure, the Hunter commented, "Well, you look even better than I'd expected." Making his way to Anna's cell, he sighed to his friends inside, "Thanks for not trying anything rash that could have gotten us all in trouble."
Duo snickered and exchanged a quick peck of a kiss with his sister before he climbed up to his feet from her bed where they had been curled up together. "No problem," he grinned.
A quick assessment revealing that there was no sign of the cameras being on his face, or that anyone entering to join them at that moment, he took advantage of the moment to tell the living, "We need Emma before we can make a move anyway. She's a Companion."
His chest tightening over that startling revelation, Broderick's mouth fell open and his eyes grew as far as they could. After weeks... months of wracking his brain for some break that would give them the chance to make a getaway, they'd had the possible answer to their plight right under their noses for some time now.
One bite from Solo to bestow a power for Emma to wield and-
The doors whooshed open, bringing an abrupt end to that train of thought.
Spinning towards the same pair of armed guards who had transferred Maxwell earlier, Dawson bowed his head in acknowledgement to them and stepped aside so that they could open a gap in the main wall of Anna's cell just wide enough for Duo to step through. Paying no mind to the Hunters returning him to his own prison, the half-breed went along quietly and without challenging them.
When the entrance to Maxwell's block was sealed away once more, the young man and woman blinked in shock to one another then turned their attention onto their higher ranking Hunter.
Smirking, Broderick shrugged as he said, "I told you that there wouldn't be any trouble. Thank you for your assistance and for seeing to it that Septum was notified of my whereabouts so quickly."
Kind as his voice was, there was no missing the touch of a warning behind his knowing how fast the two were to snitch on him. Clearing his throat, the female narrowed her eyes and led her counterpart out of the holding area without even a glimpse back at Dawson or the captives.
The doors closed tight behind the guards and the living faced Maxwell as he informed, "You're all going to be visited by Senator Dobson of the World Council today. He's the one behind the passing of the new Vampire registration laws. Once the business around the base has settled after he's gone, we'll formulate a plan of how we can use Emma to get out of here."
Satisfied with that, Duo grinned and nodded firmly, "Thanks, Broderick... for everything."
It was a rare moment between them, an extension of gratitude from the Hybrid to the Hunter. And the meaning behind it was not missed by Dawson in the slightest. He had officially earned the trust of the understandably skeptical half-breed. He smiled and gave a firm nod.
"We're going to have to move fast with Emma," Solo announced out of the blue, drawing everyone's attention onto him. Frowning as he gestured to his sister, he said, "There are only six more weeks until those babies are due. And I have a bad feeling that Septum might want to move things along if he ever gets an all clear that they'd survive on their own."
Shuddering, Anna bit her lip as she stared down at her swelling abdomen. Her hands falling at either side of the squirming little ones inside, she fought to hold back the dark promises of what Millers had planned for them.
Already well aware of how cruel the man was, she was inclined to agree with her brother... the researcher would kill her and take the babies at the first opportunity rather than chance anything getting in his way. "I'm not exactly thrilled that Emma has to be involved like this," the Vampire heard herself mutter, "but we don't have much of a choice."
Broderick reassured, "Don't worry. I'll talk to her so that she knows what's coming. The next time she's brought in here, she'll be ready and we'll be able to move ahead." To the blonde Hybrid, he suggested, "Start brainstorming a good power to give her that will give us the edge we need to get out of this hole in the ground."
The corner of his lip curling up, Solo left no room for doubt that he would, indeed, have a well-thought-out gift.
Content with now having this ace up their sleeves, Dawson grunted a salutation and took his leave to oversee how the Senator's tour was coming along. When the doors slid closed behind him, Duo murmured, "That's one life I'll spare when my work here is done." He spoke in such a low growl that it did not even seem to have come from him...
...and it made the fine hairs on Anna's neck stand on end as she snapped her head to settle her wide eyes on him. "What was that?" she breathed.
Seeming to wake from a dream, Maxwell took her in with surprise in his silver-and-violet eyes. "Huh?" he managed in sincere confusion.
Not about to be fooled by her brother's other half, the Vampire glared heatedly at him. "While you're taking down names of whom you seem fit to keep live, you best include Doctor Gloria, Shinigami. And while you're at it, how about not killing everyone in your path so that they can be handled justly?"
From the narrowing of the braided Hybrid's eyes and the shift of his face, he was no longer Duo by any stretch of the imagination. The dramatic physical change took Solo and Celeste by surprise as they both unconsciously fell back a couple of steps, their jaws falling open while Anna remained unaffected in her defiance.
"I appreciate you looking after Duo the way you have," the Irish Infected admitted before regaining her frustration. "But you need to get your emotions in check. If you lash out in your rage when it comes time to escape, there could be innocents hurt in the process... including yourself."
Beside himself at the startling realization of how the tides had switched on himself and his brother, Solo swallowed roughly. "She's right, Shinigami," he sighed, resigning himself to the fact that he was actually in the presence of an other entity.
To the mirrored eyes that snapped onto him, the blonde Hybrid shook his head, "I have to exist with the lives that Celeste's power had taken when I escaped Instructor H and the base that I had spent most of my life in. At the time I didn't care about any one of the people residing there, but didn't take long for me to have my regrets."
Across from him, his lover's vision filled with tears and she sniffled softly. It was a rare thing for Solo to talk about those days... and even more rare to hear of any remorse on his part. He had come a long way from the hardened being that he had been turned into. Wiping away a stray drop that rolled down her cheek, Celeste looked on him with a proud smile.
Duo shook his braided head as he returned to his body. Blinking from one face that was watching him to the next, he frowned. "What the hell just happened?" he asked.
Swallowing roughly, Anna whispered to herself, "Oh... this is going to be trouble."
Just then, the doors to the holding room swished open to Septum, Lucie and their honored guest- Senator Dobson.
* * * * * *
John was pacing the floors of the cabin he and the searching team had continued to reside in for the last few days. Anxiously awaiting for any clue from the past was growing wearisome thanks to just how much data there was to sort out and repair.
Meanwhile, there were other measures being taken to shift the balance in their favor with the help of the youngling's Uncle Trowa and Aunt Midi. The Khushrenadas were already at work to make their arguments to the Senate for their first day back in session in early January.
It just seemed like everyone around John was making a difference in the hunt for his mother and Uncle Duo. But he felt like he was sitting on his hands by going through Instructor H's old archives. Nothing of any real good was coming out of that chore.
The plan that was being hatched was a good one. He wasn't about to deny that. What could be more of a game changer than having it discovered that a Vampire could conceive? Certainly it would come across with enough of a shock to call a revote to the registration laws... but would there be enough to turn the tide over?
And yet, there was one other angle that no one else was considering.
Something just as drastic and startling for those currently unaware, who also happened to be major players in the drama that was unfolding. It would mean taking on the biggest gamble in the game. Were it to pay off, there would be no question that the troubles would start sorting themselves out...
...If it failed... there would be no undoing the hammer of repercussions to come down that could very well make existence for all Vampires incredibly difficult.
All of the chips for the move were in John's lap. There were just as many pros as there were cons in either using or sitting on them. Everything was measured carefully, including how the time to act was slipping away.
Then, fate had delivered a message as to what he should do. When it was announced that Wufei and Heero would be heading out for a much-needed wildlife hunt that evening, the youngling officially made up his mind.
He just hoped that his family would forgive him when they came around to realize what he had done.
* * * * * *
Several hours later, half-way across the world...
Another glass of wine was opened and used to fill the glasses of the three visitors to one of Australia's finest restaurants.
Laughing and exchanging stories, the well-dressed lot were certainly in a celebratory mood that was contagious to the wait staff that had been seeing to their needs in the private room that had been sealed off for them.
"Oh, you are a clever one, Senator," Lucie smiled wickedly when the server stepped out to give them their privacy. Sitting close to Septum at the round, candle-lit table, her gold jewelry shimmered along with the skin-tight, low plunging dress of rose satin that complimented her healthy skin.
Brushing back a loose hair that had been curled to perfection, she giggled, "To have been such a trusted friend of the Vampire Council for so long and then to betray them the way you did, that was quite the feat."
Eric shrugged, "Well, what can I say? I look out for my best interests, as any warm-blooded living would." Raising his glass to the researcher across from him, he smirked, "And Septum's offer for a few votes along with the means of securing them was just too good to pass up. Now that I have had the honor of seeing not one, but two Hybrids, I have no regrets."
At that, Millers lowered his own glass from his lips as he smiled, "While I appreciate the sentiment, we both know full well that it's not like you have much choice but to stay on this side of the fence. I needed to make sure the offer was good enough for you to cross that line. Once you took that step, there was no turning back."
Casually leaning back with his arms folded behind his head, the dark-haired man continued, "Like you, I am a gambler looking out for my best interest and needed to guarantee that you couldn't turn on me as easily as you had the Vampires you stood behind for the whole of your term before we met."
Frowning, Dobson cleared his throat at the uncomfortable air that had settled on account of that not so subtle warning.
Of course he was already well aware that there was no going back on his actions. Even if he was to have a change of heart and offered full disclosure of everything that had transpired as well as the location of Septum's base, there would be serious punishments handed down for his part.
Subtly kicking her lover in the shin with the sharp end of her designer heel, Aisley gave him a flash of a glare for making their accomplice uncomfortable.
However, she was more than aware of the game that was being played on both ends. She was simply making it known that she wasn't about to be counted out by putting on a face of support for the Senator. "Not that there was any need for concern," she commented, a reassuring grin curling her reddened lips as she nodded to their guest.
"Yes, thank you, Lucie," Eric snickered in appreciation. "But no harm, no foul against anyone simply wanting to secure where they stand." Focusing back on Millers, he commented, "I would have done no differently if our places were switched."
With a respectful bow of his head, Septum grinned, "I am glad that you can see where I am coming from. Remember, we have more than just the selling of the Hybrids to secure. There is still the bonus of Vampire triplets due into the world soon. Even though their mother's existence means nothing to us once she delivers, those babies will guarantee that we'll all be wealthier than our wildest dreams could fathom."
Lucie shivered in anticipation of such a conquest. Oh, she was a dreamer where she always dreamt of the biggest and the best for herself. To even consider surpassing what she had been envisioning... there were was no limit to the possibilities now.
Raising her glass again, she beamed, "Then let's focus on that, being the gambling thieves that we are. We're on the cusps of enjoying the spoils of our plunders, so I think we should take advantage of eating, drinking and being merry now."
"Here, here," Dobson laughed as he and Septum brought all of their glasses together in a bright chime. Propping his head up on his free hand, the Senator centered on the Hunter as he insisted, "Now, you must tell me how you were able to best not only a Hybrid, but a Vampire as well to capture them."
Back onto her favorite topic, herself, Aisley giggled, "Oh, if you must know, I'll be happy to share every little detail."
* * * * * *
Sitting on the floor of her cell with her back propped against the main wall behind her, Anna held her hands folded on her round belly as she peered up to notice Duo sleeping in his bed across from her. Celeste was resting on her own cot as well, leaving the Vampire and a certain blonde Hybrid the only prisoners awake in the holding area.
From the corner of her eye, the redhead noticed the slightest movement from where her brother was sitting on the edge of his bed and called softly, "Solo?"
"What? You should be resting," was sighed. He meant to sound annoyed, but there was still no hiding the hint of concern in his voice. Mentally growling at himself for not coming across a little more annoyed, he turned his head so that their gazes could meet.
A small, sad smile curling her lips, Anna responded, "I have too much on my mind. But I promise to try and get some sleep if I can get you to promise me something first."
Shrugging, Solo walked towards their dividing wall as he said, "I don't know if I like the sound of that, but you have my attention. And if it means that you'll get the sleep you need and I can have the quiet that I want to badly, I'll agree to anything." Once again, there was no real bite in his tone... not as he had intended to carry.
The plain and simple fact was that the Vampire had grown on him. Yes, their blood ties made them family, whether the Hybrid was completely taken by that notion or not. But Anna in particular had managed to break down a lot of the barriers that he had put up between them through her persistence, patience and acceptance which in turn endeared him to her more than anything else.
After a brief moment to gather her thoughts, the Irish Infected took a deep breath and frowned, "I am only thinking of what may come if whatever escape plan we come up with falls through and these babies are born in this base."
Feeling his gut wrench, Solo stood stock still for a moment as her words sank in. Never before had the redhead allowed any doubt of their being freed to set in. So, he was right... he wasn't going to like what she had to say one bit. But whatever it was that she had to get off her chest, he would allow her the opportunity to put her fears to rest.
Slowly lowering himself to sit before her, he nodded firmly, "Alright. Out with it."
Anna paused for a second to force down the lump that formed in her throat before she refocused on her brother. In little more than a whisper, she insisted, "Promise me that if Duo has to make a choice between me and his babies that he lets me go without regret."
His back turning rigid, the half-breed's eyes grew as far as they could at the startling request. "Anna," he breathed, shaking his head when he found the ability to move it slowly from side-to-side. "D-don't start talking like that. Especially not now that we're so close to-"
"We have to take everything into consideration now," the Vampire commented. "Nothing is guaranteed. And we need a plan for every possibility. In case something happens and we're still here by the time these babies are born, I need to know that Duo can move on without me with a clear conscience, because I don't think I am going make it if it comes to that."
Solo remained still and silent for a long time. Then it came to him. Silver-and-violet eyes narrowing, he growled, "What the hell did Septum tell you? Ever since your last meeting with him, something's been hanging over you."
Dropping her head, the Infected muttered, "He told me enough. Whatever it takes, these little ones can't stay in his possession for long once they're taken."
In a deadened voice, she ordered, "Help Shinigami to kill who you have to kill if they get in your path. Bite Celeste to destroy every trace of this fortress. Get my niece and nephews to safety whatever the cost, but don't waste a second trying to get me out if I'll only hold you back. I know that you'll have an easier time accepting that than our brother, so you'll have to make him understand."
Having had said her piece, Anna rolled her shoulders back. "That's what I need you to promise me," she concluded without a hint of fear over her potential fate. She was resolved, even accepting of sacrificing herself for the sake of her family.
Torn as he was over the thought of losing her, what was there for Solo to do aside from respect her wishes? "Only as an absolute last resort," he declared, raising a finger up in the air to signify his condition. "If every other option has failed, you have my word to honor your request."
When the Infected smiled so sweetly at that, his eyes began to sting at the early threat of tears. She was relieved... happy knowing that the others would have a shot at escaping at the very real possibility that she would be killed in the process.
Sincerely, Anna murmured, "Thank you, little brother." Carefully climbing to her feet, she kept her own promise and crawled into her bed to fall into her first restful sleep since that fateful meeting with Septum.
And from where he kept vigil over her, a large tear slid down Solo's face as he whispered, "Thank you, sister."
* * * * * *
No sooner had Wufei and Heero set foot back into the cabin did Charles materialize before them with a frantic look on his face.
"We have a problem," the redheaded youngling announced in a rush. Gulping to gather himself, he frowned deeply, "John's gone."
TBC...
[1] If you have not heard this version of 'The House of the Rising Sun' from the Sing-Off, you should look it up! Very haunting and cool! My favorite of this classic by far: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuvSy7mwYTM
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