Available Darkness Season 2

it?”
    “About 40 minutes. I say we get going now.”
    “ We? ” John said.
    “Hell yeah, I’m coming and don’t even try and talk me out of it because the place has security, and you need my help getting past it.”
    “Where are you going?” Abigail asked.
    John said, “I’m trying to find someone, and we found a man who might be able to help us.”
    “Is it dangerous?” she asked.
    John didn’t want to lie to her. “It might be, but not too dangerous.”
    “You just got back, I don’t want you to leave again!” Abigail whined, wrapping her arms around John’s torso. “Please, don’t go. Let Larry and Tiny go. They can find the man, and you can stay here with me!”
    John looked into Larry’s eyes, feeling bad that Abigail didn’t seem to mind if his best friend risked his life while being scared that John might. Larry shrugged, nodding to say he understood.
    “I need to go, Abigail. But I’ll be fine. I prom … er, I swear.”
    “What am I supposed to do while you guys are all away?” Abigail asked. “What if something happens?” She swallowed, suddenly looking twice as scared. “What if I do something in my sleep again?”
    Larry said, “Katya said she’ll watch you. I’ll bring you to her place, and you two can have a sleepover until we get back. Does that sound fun?”
    “What if I fall asleep and wake up killing Katya?” Abigail asked, eyes wide, terrified.
    “You’re not going to hurt her,” Larry said. “Besides, we’re not going to be gone long enough for you to get tired and go to sleep.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Yes,” he nodded. “We’ll come and get you in a few hours.”
    “Maybe you should both stay here,” John suggested.
    “No,” Larry said. “You want to get past Cromwell’s security, right? You need my help, unless you plan on storming inside. A guy like that, I’m sure he has a safe room.”
    “You sure you can get past his security?” John asked.
    “I’m like freaking Rain Man when it comes to that shit, dude.” Larry said. “Also, I’ve got just the thing to keep Abigail awake if she’s worried about sleepwalking.”
    “What is it?” she asked.
    “These special brownies,” he said smiling. “Not those kind of special brownies,” he added, winking at John. “These are energy brownies, a recipe I picked up from this Otherworlder chick a few years back. “Could keep you up for three days without a yawn. But it’s perfectly safe for Abi.”
    “OK,” John said, then turned to Abigail. “Everything will be OK.”
    She smiled. “Well, I do want to see Katya.”
    “We gonna go or what?” Tiny was standing in Abigail’s doorway. “And did someone say something about special brownies?”
    John followed Larry and Tiny into the living room to go over details, feeling like he was forgetting something he’d wanted to ask Abigail.

    * * * *

CHAPTER 6 — Jacob

    Three of the five addresses on the vessel list were within Washington State. The fourth was smack dab in the middle of Nevada. The fifth belonged to Hope, whose location was unknown. Two of Jacob’s Harbinger soldiers drove out to Nevada to retrieve the vessel and bring the crystal back. Two other agents were handling the other Washington vessels.
    He saved the closest of the three in-state addresses for himself. His targeted vessel was a man named Albert Koenig, a 45-year-old operations consultant who lived in an apartment 20 minutes from Duncan Alderman’s mansion. It was still early when Jacob arrived with Mr. Dark, a devoted Otherworlder who provided clouds and sufficient shade on demand in addition to his job as Jacob’s right-hand man and driver.
    Jacob was surprised, if not slightly startled, to find Mr. Dark still waiting to serve him after he returned. Most of Jacob’s crew, at least among those who had survived the firefight at the compound, had fled to parts unknown. Mr. Dark held things in place, waiting for the day when his boss would return.
    Mr. Dark had done well the past year, continuing to recruit and pay new Harbinger members and soldiers, while sewing a thousand seeds of dissent among Otherworlders as Omega initiated their campaign against aliens, half-breeds, and all known associates.
    It didn’t take long to rally enough soldiers to take over Alderman’s place once Jacob returned. Soon, Harbinger would be legions strong, and Jacob’s people, the vampiric Valkoer, on Otherworld would finally find the freedom they had waited centuries for.
    “Do