This was mind-boggling. Her team had picked up a cold body reading, but had hit the lights before the clerics were safely inside梬ere they nuts? And that they even hit the lights made no sense. Her team was slipping, big time, and they were worried about her? Part of her wanted to laugh, another part of her wanted to shriek from the craziness of it. Steadying herself, Damali began again more slowly.
"It is good to see you all again, and we appreciate your stopping by, but somebody wanna tell me why you all registered a fifth body, a cold one, when you came through our door - that no one but me seems to be concerned about, and would somebody explain to me what the he - I mean, heck, is going on? JL, get the lights up in this freakin' place, would ya? You're bugging me out."
Marlene glanced around the group then shot a nervous glance at Father Patrick. "I told you she wasn't ready. Her senses registered nothing. She's using the technology, not sensory awareness."
Damali wanted to scream. Why were they talking about her like she wasn't standing right there? Damali's gaze tore around the team, noticing how their shoulders sagged, and their expressions held a level of empathy. Tears were now clearly visible in Marlene's eyes, and she didn't bother to blink them away.
Big Mike seemed like he'd just lost his best friend. "Our baby girl is a sitting duck. She's blind, y'all. She can't even sense it."
"It was the final test before we stood down," Rider said, sitting hard on a stool. "Damn!"
Shabazz walked away and slapped JL and Jose on the shoulders. "Happens to the best of 'em. We did all we can do."
"I didn't think it was that bad, though," Dan murmured. "I just didn't understand."
"What the hell are you all talking about?" Damali yelled. She hadn't meant to swear in front of the clerics, or to totally lose it, but her team was tripping, and people were all talking in code about her, in front of her. It was too rude, and it was pissing her off royally.
"They're right, baby," a deep, familiar male voice said as a figure stepped out from behind Father Patrick, as if materializing from thin air. "You never picked me up, never saw me coming, and if I was any other master, you'd be dinner by now."
Reflex had brought Damali's hand to her blade, Madame Isis was drawn, but her mind was having difficulty accepting the image. Her breath caught in her throat. She stared at this predator that had on a black soft-structured linen suit, black T-shirt, dressed to the nines... Dear God it was Carlos. A thousand emotions ran through her at once. Then as she stared at this being, rage began to fill her, heating her insides, causing her blood to pump hard and fast. Carlos was dead, and something had inhabited his form. Stolen him. Polluted his body. Her arm trembled as she gripped the Isis tighter, and she knew within her heart that split second of hesitation would have cost her a jugular. The arrogant creature before her had been right.
Damali stood speechless, her eyes never leaving this entity claiming to be Carlos as he rounded the clerics and walked toward Dan. She poised herself to take a clear swing, but had to wait to get into position so she wouldn't hurt her teammate. Her mind screamed at the others to take aim, to get into the correct stance. Even Marlene seemed deaf to her silent battle stations' commands. What was wrong with them?
Slack-jawed, she watched in horror as the two men exchanged a careful hug. She kept panic at bay, however, knowing that this entity had come for her - so be it. She'd lay in the cut, wouldn't make a false move to make it snap the neck of one of her brothers... oh, but when she got in range - it would be on.
Rider nervously backed up a little to give the Carlos look-alike room. Had her entire team been seduced? It couldn't be Carlos... could it? And that was just the problem. She wasn't sure. But one thing she did know for sure, master vamps moved like lightning, could kill a man with his bare hands within seconds and this thing was messing with her, staying out of range. She shuddered with rage. It smiled. Oh no, motherfucker, not in my house.
"Yo, dog, how's it hanging?" Carlos grinned, and pounded Dan's fist.
"I'm... uh, I'm cool," Dan stammered.
"You lived through Hell, guess you all right."
Dan nodded. "Thanks, man. I owe you."
Carlos laughed. "Never tell a master vamp you owe him. Not even me." Carlos shook his head and looked at Shabazz with a half-smile. "You need to school the newbie, hombre. Don't want him ass-out when it counts."
"I feel you," Shabazz said with a slow, sly grin. "We got his back. He don't go out alone yet."
"Good. It's all good," Carlos said, pounding Shabazz's fist. "You cool, Big Mike?"
"Yeah. I'm cool. Sounds crazy, but part of me's glad to see you, brotherman."
Again, Carlos nodded, understanding. "Thanks for chillin' with the lights till I got in, JL." He looked at Jose and smiled. "Ese... whassup? Know it took a lot of self-discipline not to freak at the last minute."
JL and Jose just nodded as Carlos scanned the room. Rider was still jumpy, though. He gripped the pump shotgun Carlos knew was loaded with hallowed earth shells. He could smell it. "Yo, dude. You all right?"
"No fist pounds, definitely no close hugs, Rivera. I appreciate what you did for us down in the tunnels, and even kinda like your style... However, you will excuse me if I give in to a nervous twitch." Rider lowered his weapon, but didn't break the barrel back.
"Sho' you right," Big Mike said. "We being real in here. You cool and all, but we just being real."
"No problem," Carlos replied, letting his breath out slowly. He'd tried to keep Damali only in his peripheral vision. Looking at her directly would mess him up for sure. Her pulse was already making his ears ring.
Marlene studied him for the slightest incorrect movement, and he could feel every sensor in the room locked on him. "Marlene, thanks for allowing this ten minutes. The point was made, and you all know what you've gotta do. Keep her safe. I'm out."
Marlene nodded. "Thank you."
"We cool, Mar. You're good people. Always were."