The Black Tide (Outcast 3)

“It was one of Central's satellite cities,” he replied. “And had been purely residential.”

Meaning there'd been no military installations near it, I suspected. That he hadn't said it suggested there were people with him who hadn’t been fully informed about the situation.

“Have you spotted Penny?” he continued. “Or located the building in which she's being kept?”

“Not exactly.” I hesitated. “There's a large nest of vampires here though.”

He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Even without the link between us being active, I knew him well enough to know he'd be angry—at himself as much as at the situation. He'd sworn long ago to protect his niece and, like me, he kept on failing.

“I found a couple of places the vampires could be using to access the underground system,” I continued, “but Penny wouldn't be able to use any of them.”

Because unlike either the vampires or even possibly Dream, she couldn't take on a shadow form. But even as that thought crossed my mind, doubt stirred. In truth, we couldn’t be so sure of that now. Not after everything that had been done to her.

“Right,” he said. “Find that access point, but don't go in until we get there.”

“Jonas, they're going to feel the pulse of your blood the minute you enter the system—”

“Yes, but we need to be outside, armed and ready, in case you either find Penny or get caught.”

“Does that mean you have UV lights with you?”

“Indeed we have.” His reply was grim. “I wasn't about to take any chances given it was vampires who snatched her.”

They hadn't snatched her—she'd answered their call and followed them into the park, where she was transferred into an ATV that had subsequently disappeared into one of Carleen's false rifts.

Cat and Bear appeared and spun around, at once excited to be somewhere new and more than a little uneasy about the vampires being so close.

“I'll let you know if we find anything.”

“Are Cat and Bear there?”

“They just arrived.”

“Good.”

The line went dead. I swung around and studied the trees. There had to be another entrance here somewhere—one that I'd missed on the way up—and it would be logical to have it somewhere close to the rift.

Except the track I'd followed up here was little more than a footpath, and if Dream was using the rift to move supplies and even test subjects back and forth, then she needed something wide enough to cater for vehicle use. Even the smallest ATV wouldn’t be able to traverse this one.

I glanced down at the city again and studied the roads, looking for one that might have once swept up this hill. After a moment, I found a likely candidate and moved off the path to follow the edge of the cliff around. Cat and Bear roamed ahead, checking every nook and cranny, even though it was unlikely the entrance into the main nest would be in any way hidden.

The farther along the cliff we got, the worse the stench got, and that at least meant we were heading in the right direction.

There are bones up ahead, Cat said. They are piled up strangely.

Do they resemble a humanoid figure? I asked, remembering the macabre homage to humanity I'd found in the other nest.

One does, Bear said. But others resemble animals.

Probably the ones they fed on—though if there were many animals left in this place after almost a hundred years of vampires hunting them, I'd be very surprised.

The edge of the cliff swept to the left and the remains of a bitumen road appeared. I followed it into the trees and soon came to an intersection of four roads. The road I was on continued ahead, the one to the left disappeared back into the trees and was—if the indentations on the road's surface was anything to go by—the one used by the ATVs. I swung right.

Found the nest entrance, Bear said. It lies near the base of the hill and to the right of the road you're on.

Is it a large sewer entrance?

Big enough to allow ATV entry. Cat paused. There’s one inside but it’s empty. Do you want us to investigate further?