Chapter 252
Katelina stayed in the garage for some time, though Jorick's mood hardly improved. Jamie melted into the background, then reappeared to remind Jorick that they were supposed to be on patrol. Jorick made an impatient noise and glanced at Katelina. "Yes. This is no place for you."
"Why?"
Instead of answering he took her arm and led her towards the trap door.
Jamie called after them, "If you go that way, you'll have to pass the guards. Better to use the office."
Jorick raised a single eyebrow. "I know. If they run tales to Malick then so be it. Her appointed guardian is to blame."
Jamie shrugged and Jorick heaved the heavy trap door open. Like a bad case of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, Katelina stared down the length of a metal ladder.
Her progress on the ladder was slow. When she finally reached the bottom, Jorick waved her aside. He dropped through the hole and landed gracefully on the floor.
He took her hand and led her down the corridor. It ended abruptly at a large pair of wooden doors. Jorick knocked once and a peep hole opened. A single eye stared through it and then the square snapped shut. Several bolts were thrown aside and the door opened.
Inside was a pair of irritated guards. The room was essentially the same as she'd last seen it: small with three doors, two wooden and one steel. The computer, which was supposed to be in the terminal to the right, was haphazardly stacked on the small table, and heaps of colored paper were in the chairs. A bank of security monitors surrounded the empty terminal, but their screens were either black or rolling fuzz. Multicolored wires hung in tangles from them and fell around a third vampire who was seated on the floor, a screw driver in his hand.
He glanced up at Jorick. "No, they still aren't working! I don't understand it. I've checked and rechecked every component." He sighed as though he didn't expect a response and turned back to his work.
Without remark, a guard opened one of the wooden doors. Jorick moved past him as if he didn't exist, and Katelina followed.
The door shut a little too forcefully behind them.
"What's the guy on the floor doing?"
"Trying to fix the security cameras. They went out this morning. He's spent all day trying to find the right parts. Apparently they still don't work."
"That's weird."
"Almost like they're sabotaged."
She didn't like where the conversation was going. "Who would sabotage it?"
He didn't answer, which made her feel worse.
They found Verchiel splayed across the couch in the reception room, his feet on a low, polished stand. "About time."
The minute Katelina saw him, fury bubbled in her stomach. How dare he still pretend to be her friend!
Jorick's jaw twitched, but he didn't acknowledge the redhead. "Come, I'll take you back to our rooms."
Verchiel swept to his feet and stretched lazily. "Ah, I can handle that."
"I thought you were supposed to be in the office?" Jorick asked frostily.
"I was, but I got kicked out. He gets mad when you play with the dog."
Jorick muttered under his breath and steered Katelina towards the door. Verchiel was suddenly at her side, his hand on her free arm. "I'd better do it. You have your orders, and all."
"My orders are none of your business! Get your hand off her!"
The redhead made a show of jamming his hands in his pockets. "Malick would be mad if he knew you disregarded his directions."
Jorick's lips curled back from his teeth. "Is that a threat?"
"Read my mind and tell me." Jorick stepped towards Verchiel and the redhead quickly held up a hand in surrender. "No, not a threat, only a reminder."
Katelina turned her angry gaze to the redhead. "Just shut up for once!"
Offense flickered in his eyes, then faded. He bowed low. "As you wish."
They walked through the door and into the corridor. Three humans were just inside, two women and a little girl who looked about seven. The child gave them a bright smile. Katelina looked away quickly, afraid that she'd find knotted scars. Unconcerned, Verchiel patted the girl on the head as they passed.
They stopped before the elevator. Jorick jabbed the button violently and waited. A small group of vampires gathered behind them. Verchiel gave them a friendly nod and Jorick ignored them.
An earsplitting siren screamed.
Katelina covered her ears, as did the vampires behind her, their faces a mixture of curiosity and fear.
The noise stopped.
Katelina lowered her hands and blinked against the new silence. "What was that?"
"The alarm." Jorick's eyes snapped from the elevator to the vampires and humans rapidly filling the hallway from the surrounding rooms.
"Like a fire alarm?"
"More like a burglar alarm," Verchiel answered. He met Jorick's hostile gaze. "You know what it means."
Jorick made a noise that Katelina took as confirmation.
Suddenly, the sound of a muffled explosion rent the air and the building shook. The vampires cried out in alarm and fear. One of them spied Jorick in his long coat and medallion. "What's going on?"
The building shook again. The noise was louder this time. Jorick swore under his breath and the unknown vampire shouted, "What's going on? Why aren't you doing something about this? Isn't that your job?"
The loudspeaker crackled to life. Senya's disembodied voice floated over it, "There is nothing to fear. Remain calm. All Executioners are to report to Malick's chambers immediately. Repeat, all Executioners."
Neither Jorick nor Verchiel moved. A third explosion, louder than the one before, shook the fortress and Katelina turned her terrified eyes to Jorick. "It's Oren, isn't it?"
"Probably."
The elevator swished open, and a small crowd shoved its way out. The corridor was quickly filling and voices meshed together, demanding to know what was going on.
Jorick tugged Katelina from the center of confusion and stopped a few paces away. Verchiel followed, his hands still in his pockets and his expression feigned casualness. Katelina's eyes moved to the ceiling. She thought of Jamie in the garage and wondered if he was fighting.
Ark suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway. He pushed past several clamoring vampires and slid to a stop before Jorick. "Eileifr is calling for us."
"So the time to choose has come?"
Ark's shoulders sagged just a little. "The Citadel is under attack, probably by your fledgling. I can only assume from the explosions that they have C-4, or something similar. With Malick's order for us to report to the cellar, Eileifr has taken command of those loyal to The Guild. Senya, Greneth and Griselda, at least, stand with Malick."
Jorick refrained from saying I told you so. "I need to take Katelina to safety."
"Have someone else do it. You're the oldest of us. If Eileifr's visions are correct, we'll need you."
Jorick grudgingly looked to Verchiel. As if he'd been spoken to he snapped to attention. "I'm still relieved of duty, so I'll take her and deal with the rest of them." He nodded to the throng of vampires in the corridor.
Ark nodded. "Take her, and tell the guards to deal with the population. The top three floors should be evacuated, but not to the atrium. It's too open to make for any kind of defense." A loud explosion interrupted him and he hurried through the rest of his instructions in one breath, "When you're done, consider yourself reinstated. Malick may have removed you, but you'll have no such luxury from Eileifr." He threw a hasty, "Come!" at Jorick, then ran down the corridor.
Senya's disembodied voice rose over the sound of cries and exclamations. "All lesser guards are to make their way to the sixth floor. Executioners and greater guards to the sublevel. Anyone who does not follow these orders will be considered a traitor."
"Why is he calling them to the basement?" Katelina cried.
"Because if they fight Oren the battle would be over too quickly. Malick is hoping for high casualties, that's why he's sending the lesser guard as a first wave of defense."
Indecision shone in Jorick's eyes; there were three sides and now he also had to choose. If he sided with Oren then both factions of the Guild would see him as a traitor, but if he followed Ark and Eileifr he'd have to fight, and possibly kill, the closest approximation he had to friends. It would be easier for him to choose the third option, and go to Malick in the sublevel, then he wouldn't need to choose between Oren and the Executioners. And it wouldn't only be easier, but safer. Eileifr had taken temporary command, but it was doubtful that they'd actually overthrown Malick. Later, the ancient master would make those who disobeyed pay dearly for their sin.
Katelina nodded her understanding and Jorick made his decision. He pressed his lips against hers and then wrenched away. "I'll be back," he said fiercely. Then he hurried after Ark, his long black hair flying behind him like a war banner.
