Chapter XVI

Chapter 16 of the novel Reapers

November's eyes opened slowly to the sound of heart monitors beeping. She found herself on a cot in what looked like some sort of medical wing, illuminated by blinding fluorescent lights. Rising from her slumber, she touched the side of her face gently to find it incredibly sore. She had been changed from her filthy, burned clothes into a set of pristine scrubs.

Had someone involunarily changed her while she was out? Wasn't this some sort of violation of personal rights?

Aurora spoke up as she read November's face.

“Don't worry, the boys didn't touch you,” She grumbled.

“Where..where am I?” She moaned, stumbling into a room where Michael was cutting through iron rebar in Cavanaugh with what looked like large bolt cutters.

“Headquarters, kid!” Ezekiel chimed, hopping up from the hospital bed he'd been sitting on. His arm was in a sling and most of his torso was wrapped in blood stained bandages. Aurora sat off to herself, with only one bandage adorning her near the collar bone. Her face stayed glued to the floor as she seemed to be extremely displeased with herself. Ryker was there as well, standing behind Michael observing as he extracted bits of broken rebar from Cavanaugh while he tore at the bed in pain.

“I guess we've got some explaining to do, heh,” Ezekiel teased, shrugging. “We um, to put it bluntly, we fucked up.”

“This should've never happened. It's an embarassment,” Ryker said flatly. “Come with me, November.”

“Where is Nathaniel? What is this place?” She questioned. She had about a billion other questions, but those were the only two that currently came to mind.

“This is our operation. The wolf's den. HQ,” He explained, extending his hand out in direction as the two automatic doors before them slid open.

A small gasp escaped November's lips as she crossed the threshold into what looked like some sort of secret lab. Monitors of varying sizes lined the walls, different locations and times displayed in texts along the bottom of the screens. A circular metal desk was directly in the center of the large, open room with two seats inside of it. One seemed to be empty while a bright eyed, energetic girl sat in the other. The girl seemed enthusiastic but engrossed in her work as she intensely watching the monitors around her.

“That's Harlee, she's the other half of the brains of this operation, with Mike, of course. Don't bother talking to her, she won't respond. She lives and breathes this command center,” Ryker advised as they made their way along.

November glanced to the girl realizing that Ryker was correct. She didn't so much as even flinch when they walked by as if they were both invisible. Ryker was leading her down a narrow, fluorescent drenched hallway to what looked like interview rooms. They were all bleach white, with only a single metal table and two painfully uncomfortable looking chairs inside. They had stopped at the last room in the hallway, a stern looking gentleman in a suit sitting in one of the seats.

“Perry wants to have a little talk with you. Play nice. And I promise you, he will answer any questions you have,” Ryker assured her. As November moved forward to nervously enter the room, he grabbed her upper arm softly and leaned into her. “I swear to you, we will find Nathaniel.” And with that, he rushed off in the direction they'd come.

November nodded and entered the room slowly, sliding reluctantly into the chair across from Perry. He sat slumped over in his chair, papers and folders scattered around him on the table. His tie was loose, his face covered in stubble, and he looked like he suffered from a perpetual long day at work.

“Ms. Brooks, is it?” He asked, clearing his throat and shuffling through some papers on the desk. “I know this must be a lot for you, Hell, it'd be a lot for anyone,” Perry continued. “My name is Perry Asher and we're about to get to know each other very well. But first, I need you to tell me exactly what happened, starting with the first time you were visited by Ms. Devereaux and VAMP Corp. Associates. After that, I'll tell you everything you need to know.” He finished, pulling a pen from his coat to begin taking notes.

“Um..okay,” November stuttered. “They came to see us, Devereaux and three of her people. No, four. Four of her people. There were two body guards, a tall blonde German guy. He had greasy hair that was slicked back. He never said much, neither of them did. The other one was a shorter, stocky guy. There was a red head, her assistant, and then another girl. She had curly blondish hair. I think she was another assistant. Devereaux offered to take Nathaniel to her lab and basically cure him. He has cancer.” She continued as Perry nodded, scribbling furiously onto the paper in front of him. “My mom refused, it seemed so...odd. We just didn't feel comfortable. She basically said she was going to take him away and we'd never get to see him. It just didn't sit right with us. Well then, later on they broke into our house and that's when things got just...bizarre. I remember the blonde guy barging through the door with the stocky guy and the red head behind him. They were asking for Nate, demanding to know where he was.They, they attacked my mom-” November stopped.

It all began to flood in. Her mother was gone. She died protecting them. She never even stopped to take it in. November was never going to see her mother again. She'd been murdered. The tears began to sting the back of her eyes as her composure slipped away. The emotions were unstoppable. She cupped her hand over her face as she began to sob.

“Oh God, Mom, she's gone...” She cried, leaning into the table as she began to weep.

“I...think that's enough for today, Ms. Brooks. I just wanted to make sure your story corroborated with our people's, and I think I have my answer.” Perry concluded. “I'm so sorry for your loss, but we will find these monsters and bring justice to them. I can promise you that. Now, I think we owe you an explanation.”