18. Stupid Strategies

A s Foxx explained to Tony what he thought was going on, Tony responded just as Harlow assumed he would—with sympathy, while keeping grounded with reality.

"I understand what you are saying, Foxx, and I agree that this shouldn't be the only way…but…there is no way to contain them," Tony said, sounding tired.

"We could try, couldn't we?!" Foxx snapped.

"More videos from before came in… One of the afflicted was in the presence of an older vampire who, on being attacked, attempted to contain them with scripture-covered chains… They broke through…"

Now that…was not something Harlow could have predicted. What the hell had been given to these people?

"Not even scriptured chains?!" Foxx gasped.

"Yes. So with no way to contain them, and no way of knowing if the effects of the drugs, or whatever it is, will wear off, the only option is to kill them. We just can't risk doing anything else at this point, Foxx. Not with the death toll rising even as we speak. And they aren't just killing humans, they are tearing apart whoever they come across. We will look into it afterwards, I promise you that we will, but there is no saving any of these people."

The vampire remained quiet and grim for a moment, before finally saying, "I understand. We'll do our best."

Harlow took that as his cue to hang up, so he tapped the ‘end call' button. Setting the phone down, he reached over and lightly gripped Foxx's right hand where it was on the steering wheel. "I'm sorry you can't save them."

"I have…to try…"

"Fucking hell, Foxx, how?"

"I don't know… I'll try to talk to them or something… Just stand by…and be prepared to kill them if things get out of hand."

Harlow sighed. "That sounds like a stupid strategy."

Foxx stared out at the rows and rows of spotlights on the ground, as he listened to Iggy explain his…not so brilliant idea. To be honest, it was so blindingly bright on the other side of the line of lights, he couldn't see a damn thing past them.

Foxx had to say, when he heard ‘gate of lights', he had assumed they'd put up an actual gate and covered it with lights, not that they created an actual gate out of lights.

Whatever was going on with the vampires aside, Foxx would honestly go in the opposite direction too if he'd come across this shit. As it was, it had killed his eyesight twice already, as they had to drive past the ones in the city before this—coming and going.

"That is a stupid fucking strategy," Harlow growled, the man staring daggers at Iggy.

Foxx grimaced. "I…have to agree."

"No! It's perfect!" Iggy cried. "If each of us bleed a little, it will be enough to draw them all in!"

"Why in the hell would we want to draw eighty-five out of control vampires to one fucking place?!" Harlow snarled.

Iggy glared, not that the human looked that intimating…

The man looked much the same as the last time Foxx had seen him, with his blue hair, piercings, and slim build… Though oddly…the human did look shorter. He eyed him from his pink band shirt, studded leather jacket, plaid trousers, chains, rings, and… Ah—it was the man's boots. Iggy wasn't wearing platforms. They must normally add a few inches. Not that the human really needed the extra few inches, in Foxx's opinion… Iggy was still a couple inches past six foot, by his guess, even without them…

Slowly backing up to stand beside Oceana as the two men continued to argue, he sent the woman a small smile. She did not smile back. In fact, the taller, black-haired vampire looked rather grim.

"I hope you know what you are doing," Oceana said as she stared at him, her grim expression not changing. The look in her light blue eyes was…too questioning…too knowing.

Foxx ignored the look and played dumb. "I mean…I'm not going with his plan, that's for sure."

"That's not what I'm talking about, and you know it."

While he continued to rant at Iggy, Harlow glanced their way, his eyes narrowing.

Foxx gave the man a hesitant smile, while softly saying to the other vampire, "Please…don't…"

Oceana took a deep breath in and let it out. "Fear not…I won't say anything. I've never been one to agree that any species deserves outright extermination."

He let out a puff of air, his shoulders relaxing. "Thank you."

"It's no trouble feigning ignorance on my end. Besides, I doubt I'd live long if I told someone." Oceana smirked.

Foxx smiled, a giggle slipping out despite the situation. "What makes you think that?"

She raised a brow in a clear sarcastic question. "I caught a glimpse of what that man could do while still… human . I have no interest in experiencing it now that he is stronger than me."

His smile widened as he drawled, "It wouldn't be him you'd have to worry about."

Oceana chuckled, a genuine smile on her face now. "I'd be fucked either way."

"That you would," Foxx chimed happily.

"Don't worry. I'll keep it from Iggy too." She sighed, her smile dying as her mouth twisted in disgust. "That man can't keep a secret to save his life. I don't know how he managed to not blab about us in the years before the world found out."

"Thank you."

She grunted, eyeing the two still arguing men. "I think…the vampires we are dealing with were drugged."

Foxx stiffened. "I think so too… We could… We could try to save them?"

She frowned. "We haven't ventured into the city yet…but one got close before fleeing from the lights. I don't think…" She sighed again. "I caught a glimpse of the man's threads. It was brief, but whatever is going on, I think it's too late to save them."

Part of Foxx wanted to ask how she even managed to see the man through the lights. Maybe his eyes would start to adjust the longer he stayed there?

"I…have to see that with my own eyes, I think…" Foxx said softly. "Have you seen anything like this before?"

"No… But I get why you need to see it for yourself," Oceana mused, before snorting and saying, "We should probably break them up before Harlow kills him."

At the comment, his head snapped in the direction of the two men, only to find that the dhampir had picked Iggy up by his shirt, the human struggling and kicking at the man. "Harlow, put Iggy down! Now!" he hissed.

Hands on his hips, he stormed over, Oceana following behind.

"Put me down!" Iggy snapped, still struggling.

Glaring up at the dhampir, as he pointed at the ground, he demanded, "Put him down!"

Harlow met his glare with one of his own, and while his eyes never left his, he slowly lowered Iggy to the pavement.

When his feet were planted on the ground, Iggy yanked away and hid behind Oceana. "You really had to get your ass changed into a vampire?! As if you weren't strong enough!?"

Oceana rolled her eyes and released a put-out sigh. "Let's just make the plans ourselves, since these two are idiots."

Foxx tsked. "Seems like the only way we are going to actually get anything done."

"Well, the Police Chief has stood back and waited patiently, with a clear offer of assistance. We might as well take him up on it. He has set up a makeshift desk where all the cameras in the city can be reviewed, which will come in handy as we try to track these vampires down."

Glaring at both Iggy and Harlow, Foxx looped his arm with Oceana's, and with a toss of his head, he said, "Let's go talk to the chief then."

She snickered and let him pull her towards the man standing under a tent, who was watching them with his arms folded behind his back.

Harlow stared at Foxx and Oceana as they talked to an officer a short distance away. His gaze flicked back to Iggy, who was standing there pouting. He hissed at the man before walking the fuck away.

Harlow slipped through the crowd of police officers to get to Foxx's side, who was standing in front of them all, next to Oceana. Refusing to acknowledge Iggy at all, as he came to stand beside him, Harlow swept his gaze over the tables and the human talking.

Under the tent, they had formed a U-shape with three folding tables, their surfaces covered in tablets. Each screen showed what he assumed were four different live feeds from the city street cameras. The human standing at the center of it all was in full uniform, and the stars he was wearing told Harlow that he was likely the Chief of Police here in Lowville. Standing about his height, the man had short, tightly curled hair, deep brown skin, and looked to be maybe his age.

"We can coordinate your movements from here." One by one, from the bag he was holding, the human pulled out four earpieces, each connected to their own police radio, which he set up in the empty spot on the table to his right. The next thing he pulled out looked to be trackers.

"Harlow, Iggy, this is Lowville's Chief of police, Jerome Somner," Foxx stated.

He nodded, while Iggy said hello and shook the man's hand.

Chief Somner nodded to him. "As I was telling your partners, while the camera coverage isn't perfect, it will give us a general idea of where they are, or aren't. And once we catch sight of someone, it will help us send you in the right direction.

"I'd suggest bringing up a map of our city, or if you prefer, we do have paper maps. Either way, we will track your location, so we can direct the correct team using the radios, while also preventing you from overlapping. In some cases, we may direct both teams to the same location, or…even away from a location.

"I'm not sure what information you have received already, but the number of vampires running around out there is extensive. They are relentless in their attacks, and it can only be assumed that all of them are on the older side, as they are not easy to take down. If you can, I'd advise you to avoid approaching a group of these vampires alone."

"Are they running in groups?" Oceana asked as she grabbed a radio and earpiece and put it on, clipping the radio to her pants.

Chief Somner grimaced. "The most we have noted so far is three. But who knows if that will change. While they seem to attack anyone they come across, they have yet to attack each other, and have in fact paired off when coming in contact with another…drugged out vampire." The man said the last part hesitatingly.

Foxx sighed. "Well, we will make sure to be cautious of the numbers. As for the rest, it sounds like the best plan we have at the moment."

"I guess it's a good plan," Iggy said reluctantly as he grabbed a radio as well. "Maybe not the best," the man muttered under his breath.

"Then let's get going," Harlow grunted. "We've wasted enough time already."