Darren:

"So, Darren. Welcome to my office." Says the director. His voice carries an air of casualness, of relaxed comfort. I look around the room again, trying to make sense of it all, the situation.

"I know you have some questions. A number of questions, no doubt. But we'll get to those."

I force myself to look into his eyes. I hold myself firm, keeping my confusion hidden, keeping the fear that's working its way through my body masked. Despite my efforts I can't hide the drops of cold sweat that form on my forehead.

"No need to be alarmed." He continued. "You are in no danger. Mike and his men do a fine job of keeping me safe."

The mention of the name causes me to forget my fear for the moment. I look at Mike. I look into his face, trying to find something that gives him away, that reveals something about him. I see nothing new.

"Who are you?" I ask, my voice raised, challenging. I stand up, pushing the chair back. It stays upright despite my knock.

Mike smiles but doesn't speak. That damn smile again. Forgetting myself I step forward towards him. But I feel a strong hand on my arm. Jack.

"And who the hell are you?" I ask him, bringing my face close to his. I'm no physical match for him, but the look on Mike's face has switched my fear to anger. Adrenalin is coursing through my veins, giving me a reckless courage.

"Sit your damn self down!" Jack says. I feel myself pulled down into the seat. But it wasn't Jack's hand that did it. Something unseen, a force, pushed me down. Something felt but not seen. But it can't be. It must have been Jack.

Jack sits back down. The director is gazing at me, thoughtful, penseive.

"Darren." he says. "Mike is the head of my personal guard. He brought your here on my instructions. He's just been following orders."

What? Head of the director's guard. No wonder no one stopped us from coming in here. None of the guards paid us any attention. He's their boss. My fear's back now, in full force. I slump a little where I sit. I'm in the director's office and the door is guarded. There's nowhere to go.

"What about Jack?" I say to the director. "What's his place in all this?"

The director turns his gaze on Jack, who stares back, a hint of defiance in his eyes. Then he looks at me.

"I had no damn choice." he says.

"Why?" I ask.

"They've got my sister." He says, looking down at his feet.

"Now, now Jack." The director says, in a mock-soothing voice. "Your sister is perfectly safe, perfectly comfortable."

"You know we haven't harmed a single hair on her head."

Jack says nothing. He continues to look at his feet. There's a sadness etched in his features. A weight on his shoulders. I suppose it's always been there. But it's obvious now.

"Tell me what's going on." I say to the director.

"Gladly." He says. He looks amused, but there's an intensity to his eyes, a hardness, a power. I need to be careful.

I'm calmer now. I let my training take over. I take some deep breaths and push all the feelings to one side.

"You've been feeling doubtful about your duty I believe." He says.

"No, sir. I remain loyal to the cause. I stand ready to protect mankind, to bring an end to the suffering of the monsters. That's why I signed up." I say. I'm prepared now. The model soldier. I think it's the only way out of this.

"Cut the act, Darren. I know." He says. He emphasises the last word.

Images flash into my mind. That hunt. With the family I let escape. I keep my face impassive and try to push them from my mind. The yellow eyes, the black flowing hair, the pale skin. Why did I let them go?

The director cuts into my thoughts. "Yes, Darren. I know about them. The family." He lets his words hang. Jack looks up at me.

"What damn family?" He says, looking between me and the director. Eyes flicking, suspicious.

Silence. A silence so thick I can feel it. It presses in on me, testing my resolve, looking for a crack to break through.

The director says nothing. I glance around, looking for something, anything. He knows. How can he know? It's treason. Is that why I'm here? In this place? My facade is crumbling now. Fear is returning in waves. But it's mixed with my anger, my doubt, my suspicion.

The director looks at Jack.

"Darren here took it upon himself to let some vampires escape while on a hunt."

He looks over at me again. Eyes staring with electrical intensity. "Isn't that right, Darren?"

He doesn't wait for an answer. "Not only that, he actually encouraged them to escape. He helped them."

My fear is fighting the anger, the doubt. The battle inside my head is loud and aggressive. I feel it raging like gladiators in combat. I'm not sure what to say. Treason is death. I took the oath. I signed up for life.

I can feel my emotions merging now. They are coming together, forming a determinism. If I'm going to die, I'm going to find out some answers first. I'm going to stand up like I always thought I should. If I'm going to die, I'm going to die proud, not cowering.

"That true?" Jack asks me. His tone is accusative, disbelieving, unsure.

I nod at him.

"Damn it, Darren! Why?"

"So." The director says, "You wouldn't have done that, if you weren't having doubts. Breaking your oath, disobeying orders, letting them go."

"They're not the monsters we were taught." I say. I keep my voice calm, measured. I continue to force myself to return his golden stare.

"Is that so?" Says the director. He looks untroubled, at ease, like he's enjoying himself. "And how exactly would you know that?"

"I...I just.. I saw it in their eyes." I say. It sounds foolish, even to me. What did I see? Why did I know it?

"You saw it in their eyes?" The hint of a smirk plays upon his lips. Jack is looking at the ground again, shaking his head, muttering something I can't hear.

"What did you see, exactly?" he says. I hear what sounds like a chuckle from Mike. I ignore him and continue to stare at the director.

I'm trying to work out how to put it into words. How to express it. I'm starting to doubt what I think I saw in those eyes. On those faces. I think he can read my emotions well.

"You saw Vampires who had no chance. What did you expect to see? You saw vampires trapped, outnumbered, out-gunned." he says. His eyes never leave mine, his gaze never falters.

"And tell me this. Even then, did you never see them try to attack? Did you never see the animal unleashed?"

He's waiting for me to answer. New images are floating through my mind. Images of pouncing vampires, attacking, fighting each other.

"Well, yes. But it was defense." I say. It doesn't sound convincing. Not even to me. Am I wrong about this?

"Defense? Even fighting each other?" he says. "Imagine for a moment you were the one leaning against a tree, the vampires surrounding you. What do you think would happen then?"

Mike's voice pipes in from behind. "Remember Johnny's mummy out there?" he points his thumb out the door. "She thought it was safe. That the nice little vampires would be friendly..."

What have I done? Am I wrong? Of course they were trapped. He's planted the seeds of doubt now. Surely a whole organization, created to protect the human race can't have been set up on a lie. But I remember those eyes. Trickery? Fear?

"Damn it Darren!" Jack says again. "Why didn't you say anything? What the hell were you thinking?" He sounds upset. I think I have a friend, or at least an ally. Even if he was involved in getting me here.

I say nothing. I look at the floor now. I was ready to take a stand,and he's cut me down so easily. I don't know what's going to happen.

"You know, of course, that it's treason what you've done?" The director says.

I know that sure enough. I don't trust myself to speak. I think of home, of my mother up in the city, of my sisters, of my father. They were proud I was joining. And now all they'll hear about is my execution for treason. No meetings. No goodbyes. That's what I signed up for. When you're in, you're in for life.

I nod my head.

"And you know the penalty for treason I'm sure?" he asks.

His eyes are glinting. He knows that I know. I say a silent prayer to the Creators for guidance. For help. For something to do. I've never been much for religious belief, but I'm trying now.

"I'm willing to... overlook... this, shall we say, error." The director says. He pauses. I hold my breath, waiting for the condition, the but, the requirement. I know it's coming.

"I do require a service from you. A job. One that proves your loyalty to the corps. To the human race."

I'm worried, waiting. My imagination rolls with possibilities, far-fetched ideas, dangerous tasks. What will it be?

"What is it?" I ask. I'm trying my damndest to keep my voice steady. It's hard. I feel like I've been hit by a hurricane since coming in here.

"It's a simple hunt. Nothing unusual." he says.

"You'll lead it though, and it'll be smaller than usual."

A hunt I can do. Whether I want to is something I haven't figured out yet. But now's not the time. Now I've got no choice.

"Just a hunt. I can do that." I say.

He nods. But he's going to say something else. I'm sure of it. There's something else in his eyes. There must be something else.

"Mike will come along, with a few of the boys, just to make sure it's all going smoothly." He says. He pauses again, looking at me and then Jack in turn. "And Jack, of course."

"If it all goes well, you'll have your own hunting group. No more John to worry about."

"Yes, sir." I say. "I will carry out the hunt successfully as you have instructed."

"Good. Then bring me the girl and all will be well." He says. The slight smirk is playing on his lips again.

"The girl?" I ask, not fully understanding what he's saying.

"Why, yes. The one you let run."

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