Episode 1.07 Pale Riders

[vampyre]

“Jennifer is on patrol at North Beach.” Gabriel said. “Can we monitor the police in the area?”
Ryan nodded. “Sure thing.” He gives Gabriel a frequency scanner. “Program 22 has the police frequencies and it will skip between them until there is some traffic. Look just how does she know where to be…where the action is? I mean there she was last night walking down a street starting an evening patrol and attacked by well…a vampire for gods sake…just like that. Heck going by that, there must be a loafing vampire in every street in the city!!!!”
Gabriel smiled. “That is a scary thought. But from what the professor told me, she either finds the action or the action finds her knowingly or not.”
“A magnet for the weird and creepy.” Jacob said joining them. “Sends shivers down my spine just thinking about it.”
“What…that she is a magnet or the weird and creepy bit.” Ryan asked sipping his coffee.
“Both…what else?” Jacob sighed. “You wait till you are out there at night…all alone…keeping an eye out for some creep or something like that.”
Gabriel looked at Ryan and grinned. “What a great idea…have to get you out to experience the night outside 4 walls.”
“NOT fucking likely!!!!” Ryan exclaimed, realizing and grinning that his friend was just having him on...he hoped.

[vampyre]

Chapter 1.07: Pale Riders: Act 1

Night…rain and howling winds ripped through North Side. Such is the life Jennifer thought. It had been a few days since the encounter with the gran and the kids….unforgettable…sometimes she awoke with that song haunting her dreams. Throughout the week she had done three patrols and took out two bad ass vampires…young teens in this area, a gang, the back of their jean jackets with a skull and crossbones and the name Pale Riders beneath. Pale Riders…was it not the name of a western movie…Clint Eastwood, she remembered. A film about a person returning to the town and taking his revenge on those who were involved or watched on as he was beaten to…death…the film made one think so. With the possibility of a gang in the area, the one way to get rid of them is to put oneself out there…nice and visible.

Approaching an old church yard, she opened the wooden gate and passed into the grounds, grey headstones marking graves that surrounded the church…many of the headstones old with carved stone angels. The church itself was small, built in the 18th century for the settler community. The pathway led to steps and the solid door which was open…and sensing trouble, she approached and stepped wearily in. The interior was lit by lamps and the altar had many lit candles. Pews flanked the aisle leading to the altar and there was the aroma of incense. In one of the pews were three people, seated their backs to her but the jean jackets were familiar…Pale Riders. They were murmuring in unison, there heads rocking back and forwards. Then one raised an arm and in its grip was a blood soaked heart and squeezing it, the man leaned his head back and caught the blood that squirted into his mouth, the others laughing as he did so.
“One down…a priest.” One says. “Now two to go…a prostitute and politician.”

I

[vampyre]

Chapter 1.07: Pale Riders: Act 2

With a flourish Jennifer unsheathes the Witchblades and she announces loudly. “You know you should not be doing that here in this church. Now I am going to have to stop you.”
The vampire minions turns and seeing Jennifer look at each other as they rise one still feasting on an bloodied arm. “P….pretty girl.” One of them hisses. “We can play this fucking stupid game how we want.”
His companions nodded. “Right on…he will be watching, said he would.” Another said, betraying a hint of fear. “Hey…this girl ain’t afraid of us…look at her, she should be running scared right now.”
“You should be afraid of me.” Jennifer declares. “I am your worst nightmare…I am the SLAYER!!!!”
“The what!!!” one of them says surprised at her defiance.
“You heard…now it is time for you to die…all, like run if you want too.” Jennifer says noting all three look to be in their teens.

One drops the arm and all three begin leaping across the tops of the pews towards her…they are very quick, moving with animal like grace and litheness. Jennifer holds her ground…

I

[vampyre]

Chapter 1.07: Pale Riders: Act 3

With the 2 minions vaporized Jennifer leaves through the private side entrance to the church and hears the sounds of a roaring engine approaching above the howling wind and rain. Jennifer moves through the graveyard swiftly and can see 3 bright glaring lights of a motorbike approaching along the road. It screeches to a halt before the church and killing the lights a figure steps off, a nearby street light briefly illuminating a figure attired in black leathers and wearing a black helmet, face covered by a visor. The figure is joined by the 3rd minion who speaks with him quickly yet subservient to him. The figure strikes the minion and sends him reeling against the wall of the stone fencing beside the opened gates that Jennifer had earlier entered through. He strikes through the gates and approaches the main doors. Behind the figure Jennifer can hears more sounds and 2 more motorbikes approach and stop beside the first...the lights glaring towards the church and brightly illuminating the figure climbing the steps and out of sight to Jennifer. She is concealed behind a large gravestone of the Archangel Gabriel.

I

One of the pale dressed figures turns to the other. “We must decide on our next course of action Minister.”
“Indeed Minister…the vampire scum have served their usefulness, Jacob attend to this matter, we must not leave evil untarnished to wreath it’s wrath upon the world of light.”
The one in black, Jacob nods.
“And as for the library…those unholy books within must be destroyed, without causing damage to the holy sanctuary of our Lord.”
“I have counted 35 of the tomes on the banned list Minister.” The first pale figure states. “We can destroy them at our sanctuary.”
“Good…then bring our servitors here to remove them immediately.” The other pale figure orders. The three head back to their machines and the 3rd minion that is awaiting them is throwing against a tree with the wave of the hand of Jacob and held there by some invisible power he is summarily staked and vaporized. The stake remains in the tree.
Once the act is complete, Jacob then turns and looks at the graveyard…in contemplation…generally in the direction of Jennifer.
Jennifer senses that Jacob is a vampire.

Jennifer remains out of sight and waits for them to depart. She estimates that there is about 100-120 feet distant between them and her. Jacob holds his gaze for a few moments before turning as the sounds of a vehicle approaches. What Jennifer sees is a SUV that stops outside the church and from it emerges 4 men dressed in scarlet and white robes and they enter the church and begin removing the books. Once this is done, the SUV with the books and servitors departs and the two pale garbed men follow on their motorcycles…Jacob remaining behind.

[vampyre]

Chapter 1.07: Pale Riders: Act 4

The wind and rain had not eased and behind the statue of the Archangel Gabriel, Jennifer sits and watches as the wind howls and the rain lashes against her already wet clothing. She sees Jacob, attired in his black leathers looking around him quietly, as if perceiving a presence near him. Seemingly satisfied he leaves the church and guns his motorcycle engine and departs following after his brethren who left before him. Sighing Jennifer rises and considers her options. Who were these people, vampires who seemingly considered there own kind as scum…two of them regarded as Ministers, clad in white. Some sort of religious group…if so, it was the first she had encountered. Time to visit the professor.

I

The professor takes the amulet and putting on his glasses looks at the face then turns it over to a drab gray and regards her for a moment. “I have not seen one of these in many years…there is one for each of the alphabet and they are worn by guardians of what is believed to be an ancient secret concerning the Lost Illumination.” He then slides his finger across the back and it moves revealing beneath a shiny black face on which is embossed a red rose within it a 8 pointed cross. “This is Rosicrucian…many believe they actually were a secret society of like minded people who sought illumination though the ancient mysteries. Indeed the Royal Society in England was based on Rosicrucian thought, and was initially formed to research the philosophy of Francis Bacon. These included such people as Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle, Sir Isaac Newton and Sir Christopher Wren. However there was no Rosicrucian society, it was a belief that grew through the renaissance period…science against religion. What you have brought me is indeed proof as I have seen before that these guardians fostered the thought that led to the Renassiance period and the formation of such organizations as the Royal Society. Among the learned of this time and we are dealing with the 16th to 18th centuries, were able to rediscover that they believe had been learned in the times of the Pharoahs and ancient kings of Mesopotamia. Finding this hear is very unusual…how did you come by this?”

I

The professor holds up his hand. “Hold on…hold on…was the body in some sort of position or just lying on the ground.”
“Gee, he was just like dead by the altar…with his heart ripped out.”
“Yes…a number of beliefs hold similar views that eating one’s heart increases life, as eating one’s brains increases wisdom. Now where was the amulet?”
“Around his neck…”
“What it showing?”
“No it was sort of under his robes.”
“Now this book…what did you call it?”
“The Mallea Mallaficarum.”
“Mallea…Mallaficarum…Ah…could it be this.” He goes to a shelf of old books and removes a black leather bound book and shows it to Jennifer…yes it was the one indeed.
“Oh…oh…oh, yes that is it, just like it. How did you get it so quickly.”
“You kind of got it near enough.” The professor replies. “This is the Witches Hammer and became the leading weapon during the Inquisition. In itself the book is not evil…but those who used it to judge over others were decidedly so. And you say the space next to it was empty…yet exuded an evil presence that was powerful?”
“Yep, pretty strong.”
“I wonder what that was…and if it is still there? Anything else happen?”

I

“Watching or hiding.” The professor thinks aloud. “Yes…you are not a vampire so he had no concern with you. I think I know of them. I have heard of the Ministry…a actual church in Canada…that is run by vampires who believe they are chosen and blessed, to exist to slay all evil where ever it is to be found. Their followers are human and the church has such a hold over the region, the authorities and local officials are a part of protecting the church and it’s ongoing so called Gods Work. Indeed the followers or parishioners are unaware that their priests are vampires. Their work is based on Puritan ideals, therefore the area they control has very little contact with the outside world…and not the technological advantages that you and I have today. I think what you witnessed was a prohibition against the priest to remove material that they do not want the likes of him or others to have…whether they destroy the books is another question…they may be hoarding them for their own knowledge. They have come to public light recently but have been able to manipulate the popular media and investigative officials to their advantage. I will have to do some research but I believe that this is the first time they have visited here.” He looks at the rose and cross then turns the amulet over to the sigma rune. “And what was this priest guarding outside just some books?”

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