Free Renegade (Ministry of Paranormal Research & Defence) by Andrew Chapman Page A

the program on.”
    “ Okay.”
    “ Bring up the program and hit 'execute'.”
    “ Okay.”
    “ After whatever time you specify the computer will start broadcasting whatever you wanted put out there. It will also upload it to about three hundred file-sharing sites and post it on over a hundred blogs, and to each of the email addresses you specified. Whatever you're sending will loop until someone shuts down that computer.”
    “ Good.”
    “ Wait, I'm not done. This is the new program Hacker and I were working on. The first stop is to fifty buried terminals around the country, which will copy the broadcast and pass it on. Even if someone gets to that computer, wherever you are, they won't be able to stop it completely. Besides, it'll be out by then and you know what the Internet's like.”
    “ I'm counting on it.”
    “ Okay. I'm assuming I didn't talk to you tonight?”
    “ It's best that way.”
    “ Did something happen, Jack?”
    “ Yes. You'll know all about it in a few hours.”
    “ Can we help?”
    “ You already have, more than I feel comfortable asking.”
    “ Not a problem, boss. One for all and fuck the rest, huh?”
    I fought with my emotions, trying to find the right thing to say.
    “Goodbye, John,” I finally managed.
    I disconnected the call and put the phone in my pocket. I may not have committed an actual crime—vamps have no legal standing in the UK—but what I was about to do would burn many bridges with the Ministry.
    I set the countdown to one hour and clicked 'execute'.
     
    Back at our house in Carterton, I was showered, shaved, and dressed for war. I was also falling apart. I was slumped, sitting on the—our—bed, my hands shaking, tears rolling down my face. What were they doing to her? Was she okay?
    My emotions boiled and rolled inside me, threatening to spill over and consume me. I surged to my feet and started pacing around the room.
    I am become Death.
    I stood, shoulders shaking, teeth clenched, eyes screwed shut.
    I am become Death.
    I breathed deeply, channeling my emotions into one, needle pointed, white hot flame, born not of panic, not of despair, but of rage.
    I am become Death.
    I began to regain control of myself. I knew what I had to do.
    I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.
    The phone rang. With glacial calm I picked it up.
    “Yes?”
    “ Jack? What in the name of holy blue fucking blazes were you thinking?”
    It was Dillon Tilehurst, Minister for Paranormal Research and Defence. My boss. For now.
    “They took her, boss. They fucking took her.”
    There was silence on the other end of the line.
    “They fucking took her,” I repeated.
    “ Jack. You just tortured a vampire to death and posted the fucking video on the Internet. I doubt there's a human on the planet who doesn't know about it by now.”
    “ What the fuck would you expect me to do? Give the cunt an ASBO?”
    “ This is not the time for your sense of humor Jack.”
    “ I was laughing?”
    “ The pro-vampire groups are probably wanking themselves into a stupor over this. Already some windbag from the US Embassy has been on the phone making threats of legal action.”
    “ Fuck'em.”
    “ I also just got off the phone with the Home Secretary. He was roused from his nice bed and shown a British soldier torturing one of the enemy! He's demanding answers.”
    “ Fuck him as well.”
    “ Jack,” he began angrily. “Just... just... fucking hell, Jack.”
    “ I'm done,” I said, still calm and still.
    “ What?”
    “ I'm done. I'm done with the Ministry. I'm done with the military. I'm done with it all. This is personal and I'm going after her.”
    Tilehurst was silent for a few minutes.
    “And if they've killed her?”
    “ If they have you needn't worry about liberating the North. I'll kill every bloodsucker up there.”
    “ Bring her back,” he said, suddenly sounding calmer. “That's my last official order to you. Bring her back. If you do that I might be able to solve this mess.