“What did you find?” Simon asked.

  “The kid is just that, a kid, twenty-four years old; he’s been reported being seen around bars, seems the poor young vampire can’t hold his liquor the way he used to. He’s been kicked out of a few places for his projectile vomiting… sexy. I guess House Dukart doesn’t teach their new born about having trouble imbibing any sort of human food, to include alcohol, at least for the first couple months, this kid has a weaker tolerance than normal it seems. But he also loves showing off for the ladies. Initial calculations say he’s an eighty seven percent positive percentile to be turned against his new House, if you want to risk it.”

  “That’s the best lead we’ve had,” Simon muttered to himself. Eventually they were going to need someone on the inside. There was never going to be a zero-risk action, and taking out a city block of electricity, though satisfying, wasn’t going to get them anywhere in the long run. “Do it,” He said calmly, “Just have her be careful, don’t press too hard. American guys can be very…entitled.”

  There was a laugh from the other end, “Oh, I don’t think that’ll be a problem, besides Silvia is going crazy being cooped up in here. She almost destroyed one of my computer monitors with a sword thrust earlier. She likes a challenge.”

  Simon smiled and clicked off his ear bud. He couldn’t blame Sofia for her impatience, nor the rest of his team. They had been gathering data, studying patterns, people, and building dossiers for months. It was time to do a little pushing of their own. Simon looked up and jumped skyward landing on top of the nearby three-story building. He sat down and watched the House Dukart warehouse, taking note of license plate numbers and times, the trucks entered and exited. He would avenge his friend, of that he had no doubt, even if the preparation phase was a little tedious.

  *   *   *   *   *

  “Do you ever get the feeling your being watched?”

  Brian didn’t look up from his magazine; he had always been fascinated with guns and computers. Computers had never really agreed with him, or rather he didn’t seem to have a head for them. But guns, now there was something that he could really get into. The magazine had everything from the latest high caliber semi-automatic rifles, and they had a full article about the fully automatic shotgun, the AA-12. Oh man, what he wouldn’t give to get his hands on that! Suddenly the magazine flew out of his hands,

  “I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?” Kenneth asked harshly standing over him gazing down at him with hard eyes.

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  Brian just leaned back smiling up at his House head, “Maybe, what were you saying again?”

  Kenneth turned around and stalked back to his desk, “I’m still not convinced that that black out we had a few weeks ago was natural.”

  “Yeah, of course it’s not natural, its California man, these things happen, like all the time.” Brian waved his hand idly, “You came from Italy, but I was born here. Have you ever heard of Emron?” Brian asked with a bored expression on his face.

  “I think you mean Enron, and yes I have,” Kenneth retorted.

  Brian just shrugged, “whatever it’s called. Look man, you are worrying way too much about this sort of thing. I mean come on. Hammerstein is on the ropes, he can’t replace the numbers he lost to the dogs, and we are just gobbling up territory left and right. We have the entire industrial district to ourselves. The only thing you need to worry about are those Japanese assholes. Fumiko Nakahara is your only real competition.” Brian became animated as he sat up straight in the chair leaning forward. “Let me go in and break a few of her guys. I’m telling you; I can do it. We could bring down her entire house.”

  Kenneth grew very still and his face darkened. “Do you honestly think that I haven’t thought about that?” His hands rested perfectly still on the desk. “Or have you forgotten about the Counsel of Houses? Do you want to be killed before you hit even a hundred years old?” Kenneth kicked himself away from his desk in exasperation. “I can’t make open war against another house, and our numbers have grown yes, but if I push any more then we will be noticed and none of us would survive the attention that would garner.”

  Brian just scoffed, “whatever.”

  “Brian,” Kenneth said smoothly, “You enjoy the power I’ve given you, don’t you?”

  Brian looked over at Kenneth with a questioning glace, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  “You enjoy being immortal, don’t you? And the added benefit of our House abilities to mesmerize and mentally enslave almost anyone of your choosing?”

  Brian was getting a bit nervous as he watched his Head of House stand up and walk slowly towards him, “Well yeah, I don’t want to seem ungrateful or anything,” Brian replied sheepishly.

  “It was I that first introduced you to Rachel, didn’t I? And you two have been happy together, right?”

  Brian slowly stood up, “You keep her out of this. What’s the deal Kenneth? Are you threatening me?”

  Kenneth slowly placed both of his hands on his lieutenants’ shoulders and squeezed hard. Brian didn’t flinch at the pain but his look hardened as he glared at Kenneth. “I am going to say this very slowly and very clearly, Brian. If you do anything to further jeopardize this House or me, in any way, and that includes any more recruiting, I will personally end you. But not before I make you watch me end Rachel in the most painful way I can imagine. Do you understand?”

  Brain’s features were frozen in anger as he took in every word from his Head of House. For a fraction of a second, he thought about maybe defying the man who now gripped his shoulders so painfully. Unfortunately, Kenneth was capable of doing exactly what he had promised, and Brian knew it. Without a word he jerked his head down in a nod.

  Kenneth released his lieutenants’ shoulders and walked back to his desk. “Why do I have three trucks that are still broken down after three weeks of maintenance?”