Part Six
 

It was difficult to leave Natalie without a definite answer, but there were
still too many unanswered questions.  Questions that may never be answered.
He had accumulated much wisdom over the years from some of the greatest
sages of the times, but he was sure that not even they could command a
solution to his dilemma.  This was the third time he had driven past the
Raven while trying to decide on whether or not to go in.  A parked car
pulled out in front of him, leaving an available parking spot, and he
automatically pulled in.  He had no idea why he felt such a strong desire to
be here.  Something deep inside him made him feel drawn to be with his own
kind, and it was this power that pulled him home.  This was his home.  All
that he had of a family was here.  Janette was here.  If anyone would
understand what he was going through, it would be Janette.  It had been too
long since he had seen or spoken with her.  Getting out of the Caddy, he
looked over at a few of the club's patrons that had not yet decided if they
were going in.  They seemed to be having a good enough time standing outside
talking and laughing with one another.  Two of the young girls smiled at him
as he passed them by on his way towards the doors.  He gave them a quick
friendly smile then stared straight ahead as he pushed open one of the black
doors that led into the Raven.

He scanned the crowd from the top of the stairs.  The club was full tonight,
and very active.  Doing a quick appraisal of the noisy group, he estimated
that there were at least as many vampires tonight as mortals.  By appearance
alone it was impossible to detect one from another.  The mortals appeared to
be as equally bazaar as their vampire counterparts.  Their hair and clothes
appeared to be a cross between the punk look and the fans from the Rocky
Horror Picture Show.

The music's beat was steady and strong, and the dancers moved their bodies
trying to become part of it's rhythm.  Streams of yellow and green lights
changed to long rays of red and white as they flashed onto the bodies of the
moving dancers.

He searched the crowd, and was grateful to find that Janette was alone.  As
he moved into the crowd, his eyes were only on Janette.  She was as
beautiful in the dim artificial light as she was in the moonlight.  Her long
dark hair was pulled back revealing her dangling black beaded earrings
against her slender pale neck.  One stray tress of hair trickled down
loosely towards her black dress that glittered with black sequence.

Nicholas walked up to Janette, picked up her hand, and brought it to his
mouth to kiss.  Janette closed her eyes in ecstasy at his gesture.

"Bon soir Nichola.  It has been so long since you have been by.  You do not
look well.  What is it that troubles you?"

He looked around for a place that would allow them some privacy.

"I need to talk with you.  Could we sit down somewhere?"

Janette motioned for Miklos, and waited for him to come near.

"Miklos, we will be at that table.  Would you bring something for us?"

Miklos nodded, and Nicholas followed Janette as she moved to a secluded
booth away from the dancers.  He nervously glanced around them as they sat
at their private booth.

"What is it Nichola?  I have been feeling strange vibrations for the last
week, and LaCroix has not been as cranky lately.  In fact, I think I saw him
smile once.  Am I to assume that all this is coming from you?"

"Janette, do you remember Daniel?"

Janette gave Nicholas an annoyed and pained look.

"You know that I do.  It has been so long Nichola.  Why do you ask?"

"I have a case now that is reminding me of him, and the children he killed.
There is a man who is raping and killing young girls.  They do not have a
chance.  He is drugging them, and using them until they die or are ruined
for life."

Janette closed her eyes in pain remembering her own mortal life filled with
abuse from men.

"You know how I feel about men who will use us for their own pleasure or
gain. It is the whole reason why I became what I am.  Do you know who this
man is?"

"Yes, he is a doctor, actually a dentist.  They are his patients.  We think
that he picks out certain ones to become his victims.  Two girls have
already died here, and there are at least three more that were also his
patients before he moved from Quebec.  Lately, I have been feeling the
beast's needs to resurge, and do away with this murderer."

Janette looked into his eyes with the understanding that he knew she would
have.

"And that is why you come to me?  To help you sort through these feelings
that you have been having?  And *this* is why LaCroix smiles.  You are
returning to us.  This man is causing you to burn with the passion of the
vampire.  What do you expect me to tell you?  You already know what you must
do."

Looking away from her, he watched as the dancers twisted their bodies
through the darkness and colored lights of the club.  He let his eyes drift
back to her.

"Janette, you know of the vow that I made to stop the killing, even the ones
who seem guilty.  Killing is still killing."

"So, you find it more agreeable to allow him to continue until he kills
another child?"

Nicholas looked down at the table, and sadly whispered.

"Jenny, my partner Schanke's daughter.  He says he will kill her next."

Janette could not figure out if she should feel sorry for his pathetic
display of weakness or anger for allowing this to continue.

"Nichola, you can stop this, and yet you sit here and do nothing?  Even if
you are thinking only as a mortal, how can you stand back and permit your
friend's daughters death?  How will you live with yourself if he destroys
her?  Tell me which is more important.  That this dentist lives or any of
the Jenny's that are to be his next victims?"

Nicholas looked up again at her.

"He is being watched.  I do not believe he will act.  Sarrison would never
be so foolish.  I am sure that his threats are only a bluff to keep us
away."

Janette looked sorrowfully at Nicholas struggling with his emotions, and
sighed.

"And if you're wrong?  Oh Nichola, I can feel that you know what you must
do."

"It has been so long.  I'm afraid to let go, to lose control."

"Do not be afraid Nichola.  You are in control.  You know what is right.  Do
not fight it.  If you relax, it will all come back to you quite naturally.
It is always there.  It is a part of you, as you are a part of it.  If this
Sarrison kills again, it will be because you did not stop him.  How many
girl's lives must be destroyed before you will act?"

Reaching across the table, he held her hand tightly in his.

"Help me Janette.  I do not know what is right anymore.  I do not think that
I could live with myself if I went back on my promise, and take another
mortal life."

Janette took in a deep breath, and slowly released it.

"And do you think you could live with yourself if Jenny is killed by this
mortal?"

Janette quietly watched Nicholas's anguish for a moment.

"She is only a child.  I seem to remember a Nichola who felt that children
are not to be killed even by another child of our own kind.  Yes, I do see
why you have been thinking about Daniel.  Don't let another child die,
Nichola.  We have seen too much of that already, haven't we?"

He placed her hand down on the table.

"It's so easy for you."

"And it is easy for you too!  Remember what is important.  Yes, it is very
easy!"

She stopped suddenly, and looked intently at him.

"There is something else you are not telling me.  Why have you really come
here tonight?"

She knew him too well.  How was he going to tell her about Natalie's new
cure?

"Janette, do you remember when Daniel was out of control?  We were in your
bedroom one night, and I asked you why you had LaCroix bring him across. You
said that I would not understand.  That I was like LaCroix.  You cried about
a baby that you would never have."

"Yes Nichola.  I remember that night, and we did more than just talk, oui?"

Nicholas picked her hand back up, and smiled warmly at her.

"Yes my darling Janette, but we also spoke about being parents.  You spoke
of wanting your own child."

Janette pulled her hand away from Nicholas's grasp.

"It is impossible, Nichola.  I spoke only the words that dreams are made of.
We can not have our own children.  We are immortal only as we live.  There
is no one to carry on after us."

"What if we could have our own children?  What if we could be parents?"

"Stop it!  What do you hope to gain by these fantasies?  It is not
possible."

"But what if it were possible?  Have you ever heard of any of us who had a
child with a mortal?"

Janette stopped and looked around them cautiously.

"It will not work.  The mortal would be dead before the pregnancy could take
place."

"Yes, but what if the mortal woman received the vampire's sperm through
artificial insemination.  Then she would not be killed by him."

"Are you insane?  Do you really believe that a mortal can conceive and grow
a child of ours?"

"Why not?"

"Why not!  Why not!  Because we are not like them.  That is why not.  It
wouldn't work."

Nicholas repeated her words.

"Why wouldn't it work?"

Janette was rapidly becoming frustrated.

"I don't know!  Why would you do this?  If you must have a child, go and
adopt one.  Why would you take this chance?"

"Because the baby may also be the key to a cure for the vampire in me.  The
baby would be half vampire and half mortal.  The baby would be a bridge
between our two worlds."

"No, you are wrong Nichola.  This union would never work.  You will only
cause pain for everyone.  Do what you must do to help those girls, but don't
make problems that we will all regret."

Nicholas reached out to tenderly caressed her face.

"Janette, don't you remember your own words about having a child of your
own?  I understand.  I understood then, and I understand now.  I want this
chance!  Don't I deserve this chance?"

"Oh Nichola, you always want something that you can not have."

Sliding close to him, she put her head on his shoulder.

"Do what you must do.  No matter what happens remember that I will be here
for you, but you already know that or you would not be here."

He reached under the table for her hand. and held it tightly.

"Yes, I already know that.  I have always known that."

They both watched the dancers who danced on unaware of their conversation,
their understanding of each other, and their love.

* * * * * * * *

Nicholas watched as Schanke picked up the telephone to call home for the
twenty fifth time in the past two hours.  The whole precinct was aware that
Myra was about to have their phone disconnected to stop her husband's
harassment.  Until they had this maniac behind bars, Schanke was going to
make sure that Jenny's whereabouts were constantly monitored.  Jenny's life
had gone through some drastic changes since her father had received that
threatening call.  It probably was only a bluff to distract them, but there
was no reason to not take a murderer's threats for anything less than
serious. Nicholas thought that he'd give Myra a break, and try to distract
her anxious husband.

"Hey Schanke, I hear you're taking off early tonight.  Is something special
happening?"

Schanke looked down at his watch there was still one and a half hours before
he had to speak to an auditorium full of Teachers, Administrators, and half
of the parents of Jenny's school.  As if he didn't already have enough on
his mind.  He should have just called up, and called the whole thing off.
How much pressure could one man take?  But Jenny insisted that he go through
with this presentation.  She promised she would not complain about being
locked in the house if he would not back out at the last moment.  She was so
excited about knowing that it was going to be her father that everyone was
coming to see.  He could see the pride in her eyes when she spoke to her
friends on the telephone about what a great police detective he is, and how
important it was that they all attend his lecture.  As worried as he would
be normally about this speech, knowing that Sarrison was out there somewhere
making plans to kill his daughter was making him feel like he was going to
burst.

"Come on Knight, give me a break.  I know what you're trying to do, and
believe me there is nothing that will get my mind off Jenny's safety."

"I know.  I just don't know how to help you right now.  I also do not want
Myra to kill you, and end up investigating your death."

Nicholas tried to get a smile from him, but Schanke hardly heard him.  He
began to reach for the telephone again.

"Ah, Schank.  Did you ever get me a printout on all of Sarrison's dealings
while he was in Quebec?"

Schanke put down the receiver, and reached across his desk with a small
stack of papers and handed them to Nicholas.

"This is everything.  I was up all night going over them, but nothing stands
out.  Maybe you can find something."

Nicholas gently pulled the papers from Schanke's grasp, and looked back at
an exhausted partner.

"Thanks Schank.  So tell me how everything is going to be arraigned for
tonight.  Are you going straight from here to the school?  If Myra and Jenny
need a ride, I'd be glad to get them."

"No, no they don't need a ride.  Gilson is watching the house tonight, and
he's supposed to make sure they get to the school tonight and then stay
there until the school event is over.  I'll stick around here as long as I
can.  No use in me just hanging around the school making Myra and Jenny
crazy.  Besides I have got to get back to as normal a routine as possible.
There's no telling how long this will be, but hey, thanks for the offer."

Nicholas looked at Schanke and smiled.

"Listen, you're going to be great tonight!  I wish I could be there, but one
of us has to do some work around here."

Finally, Schanke laughed.

"Like I need you there, no thanks.  I can see it now, you being there taking
pictures to display at the next office party.  You could title it Schanke's
most embarrassing moments."

Nicholas walked over to Schanke, and pat him on the back.

"I wouldn't need to take any pictures.  Myra told me she has stacks of them
for me to pick up whenever I need them."

Schanke turned back to look at Nicholas.

"You're kidding, right?"

"Yes, I'm kidding.  Try and take it easy, Schank.  I have to go and check on
something.  If I don't see you before you leave for the school, I want to
wish you luck.  I'm sure you'll have them screaming for an encore
performance by the end of the evening.  So you can start preparing for that
next speech now."

Schanke looked panicked again.

"I was kidding about the encore remark, Schank."

"Yeah, I knew that."

Schanke looked a little more relieved, as Nicholas walked away shaking his
head and smiling.

Nicholas walked out to where he had parked his Caddy in front of the
Precinct. If he couldn't watch Myra and Jenny tonight, then he was going to
keep an eye on Sarrison.  He had one stop to make at the loft for some
information about the case that he wanted to compare to the new information
Schanke had just given to him.  After that he would check up on Sarrison.
If Sarrison was in the process of doing anything incriminating then he only
prayed that the police part of himself would react before the vampire part.

* * * * * * * *

Nicholas knew that Sarrison had to be at his office.  He had been watched
around the clock, and nothing unusual had been reported.  The patrol car
that had been stationed to monitor Sarrisons whereabouts had reported that
only the regular group of staff and patients had been see coming and leaving
the premises.  For his own peace of mind, Nicholas needed to drive over to
make sure that Sarrison was far away from Jenny during her big night out.
Pulling the Caddy behind Sarrison's house, he quietly got out of the car.
He rather not explain to the patrol officer that he was checking up on him.
It was not the best thing for morale to have the detectives not trust your
abilities to watch a house.  Anyway, the truth was that it was not the
officer that he thought had any problems.  It was his own obsessiveness, and
the fact that if there was any problems, he did not need for everyone to
know that he was there.  Especially if he did something rash like lose
control and destroy Sarrison.

Standing near the wall at the back of the house, he looked around.  It was
dark back there, and he was certain that no one would see him if he decided
to rise up and look into Sarrison's office window.  He looked up at a window
that looked like it would give him a good view, and started to fly towards
it. Carefully trying not to fly directly in front of the window where he
might be seen by Sarrison.  Finding a safe position to the side, he angled
his head so he could see in.  Everything sounded quiet, but there were some
books and papers scattered on the floor.  That must be unusual.  Hadn't
Schanke said that this guy had everything done to perfection?  He listened
closely.  There was a heartbeat coming from inside the room.  It was weak.
It sounded as if someone was dying.  Breaking through the window, he rushed
to the sound of the slowing heartbeat.  It was Sarrison, he was under his
desk with a needle still stuck in his arm.  It looked like an attempted
suicide.  He had to call it in.

He hesitated for a moment, but he couldn't justify letting him die like
this. He wanted to know why he took all those innocent lives.  The heart
rate was becoming irregular, and as much as Sarrison deserved to die, he
could not just stand there and watch without doing something.  Pulling his
cell phone from his jacket, he called for Paramedics.  Then he called the
Precinct to get them to send for a team to look over the room, and gather
some evidence in case he would make it.  They would need it for the trial.

After speaking with Cohen, Nicholas asked to be the one to break the good
news to Schanke, but he had already left for the school.  After hanging up
with the Captain, he immediately dialed Schanke's cell phone number.
Schanke picked it up almost before it rang.

"Schanke here."

"Schanke, I'm at Sarrison's office, and he's in bad shape.  The Paramedics
are just arriving now, but I can't tell if he's going to make it.  It looks
like he gave himself an injection of some drug.  It may even be the GHB that
he's been using.  He probably did it because he knew it was only a matter of
time before we had him.  So let Myra and Jenny know that you can all breath
a little easier now.  You can give that speech to her school, and really
celebrate and relax afterwards with your family.  No more worries, okay?
I'm going to stick around here until forensics is done, and see what I can
come up with.  Knock em dead Schank!"

Schanke was shaking his head and smiling as Nicholas spoke.

"Thanks for calling Nick.  I can't wait to tell Myra and Jenny.  Wow! What a
relief.  I guess I only have to face the hungry lions out there now.  You
know, somehow it doesn't sound that bad anymore.  Thanks again partner,
bye."

Schanke hung up with Nicholas, and dialed in his home phone number to tell
Myra and Jenny the good news.

* * * * * * * *

Officer Troy rubbed at his eyes, and reached for the last of his cup of cold
coffee.  He was tired of getting assigned all the boring work.  Baby sitting
a house was not his idea of the exciting life of the police.  The whole
reason he chose this profession was so he wouldn't have to be stuck behind a
desk. So now here he was stuck behind the wheel of a parked car.

He shuttered at the taste of the coffee dregs he had just consumed.  He
really should stop complaining.  He had done his job well, and now that he
had just received the report that Sarrison had done the right thing and
solved their problem, he could get on to bigger and better things.

A few more minutes until his replacement would be here, and the only thing
he could think of now was a relaxing shower and a good night's sleep.

He startled when his replacement wrapped on the window of the other side of
the car.  Reaching across the front seat, he rolled down the window to look
at his replacement.

"Where's Gilson?  I thought he was doing this last shift."

"Didn't they tell you that he called off for tonight?  Some family problem I
think.  I'm Mark Donaldson, and I'm the one who's stuck with the baby
sitting job."

Troy laughed, then stretched.

"Well don't take it too hard.  It can happen to the best of us.  Anyway I
hear they're going to be pulling us.  The case is solved.  So after your
shift, we'll be out of here."

"Yeah, I heard the same thing.  So I guess I'll get started now so I can get
this over with."

Troy smiled sympathetically, and nodded.  He yawned, and put the cap back on
his thermos.

"Okay, then I'm out of here.  My cars right in front, so she's all yours."

Donaldson came around the car, and opened the door for Troy.

"Get some rest, you never know what tomorrow will bring."

Troy stopped and looked at Donaldson for a moment.  Something about him
seemed strange, but he was so tired he wasn't sure it was safe for him to
drive himself home.  He picked up his jacket that was lying over the back of
the seat, and turned back to Donaldson.

"Yeah, thanks Donaldson."

Troy took one last look around, and walked slowly to his car.  He found his
keys and unlocked the door.  He looked back at his replacement and waved.
Then he shook his head to try and clear it for the drive home.  That was the
last time he would do a double shift.

Mason smiled as he sat in the squad car and watched Officer Troy pull away
from the curb.  He thought of Gilson's family problems.  Well, if he did
have any, he wouldn't anymore.  He had injected enough GHB into him to put
him on permanent disability.  Mason looked at Gilson's uniform on himself.
'I might just keep this.  I don't think Gilson would mind, after all I don't
think he'll be needing this where he's going.  By the time they find
Gilson's body, Jennifer S. Schanke will also be history.' He slammed his
fist against the steering wheel.  He had warned them to drop the
investigation.  When Jenny dies maybe the justice system will take him
seriously.

He stopped himself.  He could not lose his temper.  There was still too much
to do this evening.  A smile crossed his face, soon he would be escorting
Jenny and her Mother to the school this evening for her father's big speech.
In a few minutes, he would knock on the door, and tell them that he was
there waiting for them.  This was too easy.  They were all too easy.  But
that's just how it was.  Young girls could be raped or killed, and no one
cared. People could easily get away with any injustice.  Isn't that the
lesson they wanted him to learn?  Tears began to fill his eyes as he
remembered how his baby sister's rapist smiled at them as he freely left the
courtroom.  That man had so much as killed her that day, and they let him
just walk away.  He picked up his hand, and wiped away the tears.  He was
thinking too much. Thinking would make it too hard to concentrate on all he
had to do.  There would be time to think after tonight, but he had to do
this tonight.
 

End Part Six
 
 

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