FTF XIII - Hunt for the Vampire

[Mark]

Everybody in the room looked at each other in a moment of uncomfortable silence.

"Um, how will we do it?" Abby asked.

Nick drew a pearl handled Colt .45 revolver from a hidden pocket of his dinner jacket. "Mr. Kincaid has a collection of exquisite firearms. I acquired this one from a hidden compartment in his desk. I believe the man may have had SOME idea of the danger of what he was proposing. It seems to be loaded with silver bullets."

"You people are completely insane." Staplic insisted. "I'm not a vampire."

Dr. Preston pushed his glasses back up onto his nose, and crossed his arms nervously. "Are you sure we're doing the right thing here?"

Dr. Glitch replied "Well, as much as I don't like it, we've got to do something. Or else the bastards are gonna keep picking us off, one after another."

Lady Foxx raised her chin in a haughty manner, "And which one of you will carry out our wishes?"

Staplic sneered at her, "I guess your not volunteering."

"A lady is above such things." She replied.

Lazar stepped up to Nick "I'm guessin' none of youse guys ever got your hands dirty before." Grabbing the revolver he said, "I'll take care of it."

"Like hell you will." Staplic said, pulling his own pistol.

"CJ" Nick said, in an apologetic voice "That won't .." and was cut off by Staplic squeezing the trigger of his pistol twice, the hammer clicking loudly on the empty chamber.

"What the hell?" Staplic asked as he manually worked the slide.

Reaching into his jacket pocket, Nick drew eight rounds and dropped them on the floor.

Nodding, Staplic dropped the pistol and suddenly looked at the others with a feral glint in his eyes. His face twisted into a beastly snarl as he leaped across the room, tackling Lazar and knocking the revolver from his hand. Staplic quickly regained his feet dragging Lazar up with him by his tie, and flung him into the far corner of the room.

"I'll kill you all" came a beast like growl from Staplic as he changed before stunned eyes. His exposed skin quickly sprouted animal-like fur and his nails lengthened into claws. His teeth grew into fangs and his eyes took a yellowish cast to them. With a wolf's howl, he leapt this time at Nick, who was scrambling for the fallen revolver. He grabbed him by the throat and hoisted him in the air. His powerful jaws were about to close on the cat burglar's throat when a thick wooden cane came crashing down on the man-beast's head. Staplic backhanded Dr. Glitch, knocking him over a chair, sending the surgeon tumbling to the ground dazed.

Abby stood there like a statue completely frozen, and Lady Foxx began to shriek in terror as again the wolfman that had been Staplic went for Nick's throat. Suddenly, a single sharp crack echoed through the room, freezing everybody. Time suddenly seemed to move slowly. Staplic stumbled and dropped Nick to the ground, who began backpedaling quickly. Heads turned to see Dr. Preston holding the weapon in shaking hands, eyes wide in shock. Suddenly, the sound of the werewolf falling to the ground drew everyone's attention back. A scarlet stain spread across the side of his chest, and the man-imal drew one last breath which he released in a death rattle. Suddenly, the beast began to change again. On the floor before them lay Lieutenant CJ Staplic, quite dead, and completely at peace.

[Nickswitz]

Well, now we no longer have to deal with that hairy beast. Now, onto the real villains of this predicament, does anyone have any clues as to who the vampires are?

::Nick looks around the room, skeptically looking at everyone::

[Angharrad]

**White-faced Lady Foxx fans herself with her handkerchief**

I feel rather faint, I need some air.

As for suspicions, I am now a little concerned about Dr. Preston. He got that revolver rather fast.

**Leaves room**

[Tsukiyumi]

Daniel dropped the handgun as if it were a live snake and vigorously wiped his hands on his coat. The look on his face was one of complete dismay and disgust, like he'd just reached into a sewer and grabbed a handful of waste.

"Okay, that was the strangest thing I've ever seen... I mean, talking about wolf-men and vampires is one thing; seeing second-hand evidence doesn't make it quite, um... real, you know? Not like this does, anyways..."

He paused, quickly swiping his glasses off his face with one hand as he doubled over and dry heaved in the corner for a moment.

[Sonic Glitch]

[pours himself a glass of bourbon, then notices Dr. Preston. Walks over and offers the class to him}

Here, you look like you need this more than I do. Now what do we do? We've eliminated a werewolf, but supposedly there's still at least one vampire.

[Abby]

*standing... shuddering*

We killed him... he was one... a...

I don't think I can take much more of this.

*sighs*
Alright what do we do now? I mean I know we follow the same pattern, but how do we determine who among us is a bloodsucking mosquito?

[Nickswitz]

I have a bad feeling about our doctor here, I don't have any evidence to support it, but it's a gut feeling about him. And since our only course of resonable action here is to kill someone who we believe is one of them. And I believe that doctor Preston is one of them. If you wish to support me, then so be it, if not, let us hope they are merciful and let us run into the storm to die rather than by their hands.

[Angharrad]

**re-enters room**

I can't find anyone that knows how to make a martini. Even a bad martini would be acceptable.


I agree with Mr. Nick, I have been suspicious of Dr. Preston from the start, I did not want to say anything because I too had no reason. But I truly think he is one of them. Not human to put it delicately.

[Abby]

Well, your guess is all we have to go on... and we don't have much time. I will agree with Nick.

[Sonic Glitch]

Well, Nick has proved himself to be a decent judge of human action ... I find myself once again siding with Nick. I'm sorry Doctor.

[Mark]

"Are you insane?" Dr. Preston screamed. "You don't have a single shred of proof to back up your claim."

Abby replied "Maybe we shouldn't then" as she absently held the large silver cross that the priest, Commander Crush had in his room.

Stumping forward with his cane, Dr. Glitch swallowed the rest of his drink "You think of a better idea? Desperate times call for desperate measures!"

"Are we agreed then?" Nick asked

Nods came from around the room.

"It was my idea," Nick said drawing the revolver and aiming at the archeologist's heart "I'll do it."

Dr. Preston looked pleadingly around the room before looking back at Nick. He locked gazes with the thief for a moment, and then Nick's hand started to shake. An evil smile crossed his face as Nick's face went blank, stepped forward, and handed the weapon over.

"What the hell are you doing?" Lady Foxx screamed.

"He's doing my bidding madam." Preston said, pushing his glasses higher up his nose "I've survived for several hundred years and I have no intention of letting a group of cattle such as you end my existence." He then opened the cylinder and ejected the rounds onto the carpet.

"I'd planned on playing for a while longer, but it seems the game must come to an end now." He said, and with that, sprung upon Abby. As he bore her to the ground, everyone heard a gasp and saw a silver glimmer pop through Preston's body. His body went limp and Abby pushed him off. He lay there, with the base end of the silver cross buried to the crosspiece in the Vampire's heart.

"My childe!" he gasped "Avenge me!"

And with that, began to crumble to dust.


Daybreak

[Mark]

Abby climbed to her feet shaking as everybody watched the form that had been Dr. Daniel Preston, archeologist and apparently vampire as well, crumble to ash.

"There's still at least one more out there." Nick observed.

Punching his palm threateningly, Lazar said "We'll ash that one too."

"We won't do anything if we're all asleep on our feet!" Glitch said.

"Indeed," Foxx agreed. "Perhaps we should get some rest.

Nodding in agreement, all the exhausted survivors made there way to their rooms.

________________________

Terrified eyes popped open as a hand was pressed to their chest, pinning them to the bed with supernatural strength. A second hand shot over their mouth before they could cry out.

"Shhh" the Vampire whispered. "There's nothing to worry about. I'm about to give you the gift of immortality."

With that, the Vampire locked gazed with their victim, silencing them. Then, with a huge smile, they bared their fangs, and sank them into flesh of their soon to be childe.

[Nickswitz]

:: waking up shocked and terrified :: Holy Crap, who died today, :: walked into the main lobby looking for a body, well, for once I wish someone had died, now we still have 2 vampires out and about, damn those fanged freaks.

:: holding onto the gun he had on him since the first night, hoping it would help him somehow ::

Everyone, I have an announcement to make, before I make that announcement I want to see who you all believe the vampire that did not die last night was.

[Abby]

* wakes up, slowly, holding her head *
You mean we got one?

Ugh, remind me never to drink before bed again... ow.

* grabs a cold cup of coffee that happened to be sitting on a nearby table *
Yuck!

Ok, my other suspect would have been either Glitch, Lazar, or Foxx. The only reason I remove you from the group is because you were the first to suggest Preston.
But right now, I have a hangover and am in no shape to heartily discuss this. So I will sit here and try not to lose what's left of my mind.

* sits in a lounge chair *
Wait... there isn't a body, which means there are still two of them to deal with... oh my head.

[Sonic Glitch]

[wakes up with a sense of mild curiosity about the events of the night and what is to come today -- enters main lobby]

Well someone sure seems to be taking a cheerful view of things [/sarcasm] We are sure there are more than one yes? [notices Abby nursing a hangover] Ah my dear Abby, you have a lot to learn about drinking. If we ever get off this Island, I'll be glad to um.. 'teach you'... [smiles appropriately]