Chapter 94
Seeing that Ward wasn’t there, Jamie assumed Aaron would take the lead, so he wasn’t surprised when the Guardian said, “Jack, you have my word. Drop your weapons and slowly walk this direction.” Jamie watched his blue eyes flicker to Frank and then back to Jack, and he assumed Aaron was just as nervous as he was that Frank was about to make a huge mistake.
Jack looked slightly amused. “My weapons? You mean like this?” He produced a long surgical knife from his coat pocket. The blade glistened in the moonlight, and even though Jamie was aware that he couldn’t be harmed by the monster, he still shivered at the sight. This knife had been used to kill many a woman in a gruesome way, and it could destroy Vicky or Frank if either of them got too close.
Frank seemed agitated more than scared. “Drop it!” he demanded, advancing a few more steps so that he was only about five feet away from the Vampire, a quick hand’s breadth if Jack was desperate.
Undeterred by the command, Jack stared up into the sky. “You don’t understand! None of you see the importance in what I have given you. The science. The art. The restitution! How can you possibly see?”
While Jamie wasn’t sure what he meant by the bit about “restitution” the rest of it made perfect sense, even if it was uttered by a lunatic. Jack wanted validation, and Jamie began to think about what his purpose might be, trying to discover a way to reason with the unreasonable.
Aaron seemed to get that, too. Without advancing further, he said, “I know you want to be heard, and we will hear you. But you must drop the knife first.”
Still obviously agitated, Jack swung the knife in an arch in the Guardian’s direction, though Aaron didn’t waver. “Have you any idea the skill it takes to remove a kidney? To remove a uterus?”
Hoping his voice didn’t give away his nerves, Jamie said, “I do. You’re a talented surgeon. Of that, there’s no doubt.”
Jack the Ripper turned his gaze so that he was peering into Jamie’s face, and he felt his knees buckle slightly. He had looked into many a pair of eyes these past years that were all but dead to the world. These were certainly the most obsidian of orbs he’d ever felt linger on his face. It was uncomfortable at best, paralyzing at worst. “Are you a physician?” he asked.
Swallowing hard, hoping to hide his rising fear, Jamie managed to say, “I am. Not as capable as you, but a surgeon nonetheless.” Placating him was one thing, but in this case, he was being honest.
It seemed to work to a degree. A small grin pulled at the upper lip, just below the wide, dark moustache. Jack’s shoulders slid down slightly, as if Jamie’s comment had put him at ease, and though he continued to hold the knife out before him, his back pressed to the side of the bridge, for a moment, it looked as if he might be capable of reason.
Despite having never worked with this particular crew on the ground, Jamie had a distinct feeling he knew exactly what Aaron was going to do. Jamie’s eyes never left Jack’s face, but he could see the other Guardian out of the corner of his eye. Reading himself to make a move the second he saw Aaron advance, Jamie took a deep breath and bent his knees.
And then the unexpected happened. The attack didn’t come from Aaron, to Jamie’s left. It came from Frank. The Hunter lurched forward with the stake, ready to send it into Jack’s heart, but the Vampire was too fast and too strong for that. He used his forearm to knock the stake free of Frank’s grasp and then spun the man around so that his back was pressed up against Jack’s chest, the knife now pressed against Frank’s throat.
“Take me in without harming me?” Jack screeched. “I knew that was not true!” Clearly, the Vampire was irate that he had just begun to trust them and something like this had happened.
Behind Aaron, Jamie could see Ward slowly making his way to their position. Jamie wasn’t sure if he should be relieved that the true leader of the team was there or if this might complicate matters even more. Even though Frank had acted impulsively, Aaron’s plan likely would’ve worked. Now, they would never know. Nevertheless, Aaron still seemed fully capable of commanding the field, and Jamie looked from the Irishman to the Brit, wondering what he should do next.
Aaron must not have realized Ward was there yet, as he was back to trying to calm the beast. “Calm down, Jack,” he said, his voice even more tranquil than the body of water they were suspended above. “We can still work this out. There’s no reason for anyone to get hurt.”
Jack said nothing at first, and Aaron finally heard the footsteps behind him. He turned and made a small gesture to Ward, but he waved him off, and Jamie was slightly relieved that Aaron would continue to call the hunt. Even though his initial impression had been that Aaron was arrogant, there was something about his presence on the battlefield that made Jamie think perhaps the Irishman was right to have so much assurance in his own ability. He knew for certain, if Aaron figured out a way to get them all out of this without anyone getting hurt, the Healer would certainly be proven wrong.
Presently, Jack the Ripper seemed to be the one calling the shots. He took a step up, onto the bottom of the railing, dragging Frank with him. “I thought she might be my last victim. I thought I’d spilt the blood of the guilty for the last time. Now, I have at least one last opportunity to show the world that the unjust will always get what’s coming to them!” Frank struggled against the Vampire’s grip, but with the knife pressed so squarely against his throat, there was little he could do to breathe, let alone break free.
Vicky had repositioned herself so that she was somewhat closer to Jack than she had been before Frank made his move, and Jamie could see an exchange of glances between her and Aaron, who had worked as a pair for many years. There was a brief conversation of whispers to his left, but he couldn’t make out what either Ward or Aaron was saying. Once again, Jamie braced himself, ready to move as soon as he could decipher the plan, but something told him Aaron had it worked out with Vicky now that the doctor would most likely be needed to put Frank back together again.
