{"id":267,"date":"2016-11-28T18:36:39","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T18:36:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/?p=267"},"modified":"2016-11-28T18:36:39","modified_gmt":"2016-11-28T18:36:39","slug":"fangs-of-the-ss-chapter-24-the-enemy-of-my-enemy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/fangs-of-the-ss\/fangs-of-the-ss-chapter-24-the-enemy-of-my-enemy\/","title":{"rendered":"(Fangs of the SS) CHAPTER 24: The Enemy Of My Enemy…"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sort of like this, but with fewer humans and more golems.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It hurts to breathe. <\/span><\/p>\n

Bleick watches in dazed confusion as blood drops to the dirty flagstones underneath his boots. He\u2019s afraid. Scared down to his bones. That he can feel. He\u2019s a veteran, he knows the normal initial rush of fear that accompanies combat. This is different. Something like a pile driver or a piston, strength that can\u2019t be denied, pushes him between his shoulder blades and he stumbles ahead. More fear. The monsters frighten him like he was a child, scared that Shock Headed Peter was going to leap out of the closet and cut off his thumbs. He\u2019s afraid he might start to cry. He hugs himself as he stumbles towards the dungeon cell.<\/span><\/p>\n

It hurts to breathe.<\/span><\/p>\n

He hugs himself tighter and welcomes the pain. The pain drives away the fear, drives away the urge to cry. The pain reminds him that he\u2019s a soldier of the Reich, a decorated veteran of the Wehrmacht. The Captain and the Sergeant are still free, they\u2019ll figure a way out of this. He\u2019s a soldier, he has to be ready when they call upon him. He straightens against the pain, wipes his bloody nose with the sleeve of his uniform, and starts to pay attention to his surroundings. <\/span><\/p>\n

With the rest of survivors from the troop, Bleick is herded into a large dungeon cell. The front of the cell, looking out onto passageway, is made up of large iron bars, with the door cut out from the middle of the bars. Light is provided by a single flickering lightbulb strung from the ceiling. It smells of piss and shit and fear. There\u2019s a narrow drain in the corner. There are no windows. One of the monsters in its black leather greatcoat, gasmask now slung around its neck, slams the door shut and locks it. The monster grins and licks its lips and leaves.<\/span><\/p>\n

All the Germans stand back from the door, huddled together. Bleick, looking out over the shoulders of some of the other soldiers, sees that there\u2019s the same sort of cage right across the passageway from them. To his surprise, he sees that it’s filled with men. Mainly look like Arabs, probably Tunisians but scattered among them are men in tattered Italian, British, and American uniforms. \u00a0They don\u2019t react to the Germans, just stand there listlessly. Bleick fights down another surge of fear when he sees the scars, fresh, on the necks and arms of the men. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of them, an Italian by his uniform, stumbles to the bars at the front of his cell. His German is rough and stumbling, his voice fearful but hopeful. \u201cRescue? Here to save us? German army finally moving against the monsters?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Germans just stare at him, unable to come up with any response, too scared to laugh, too defeated for lies.<\/span><\/p>\n

The door to the dungeon bangs open and the Italian shrinks back into the group of prisoners as three vampires stride into the area between the cells. One of them gestures to the other two. \u201cGo on, get them out. Get them to the lab.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The prisoners moan and press back against the far wall of the cell, as far away from the door as they can get. One of the Nazi vampires throws open the door of the cell and follows in behind the other one. The prisoners don\u2019t put up any kind of resistance, just moan and cry, sluggishly try to avoid the grasping hands. One of the prisoners, an American airman by his tattered and dirty uniform, breaks down completely and huddles in the corner of the cell, crying and hiding his face against the wall. Bleick can see the front of his uniform darken as he pisses himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

The vampire giving the orders stays outside the cell and oversees. \u201cDon\u2019t kill them! Don\u2019t draw any blood at all! Remember what the Sturmfuhrer did to Leiden when he didn\u2019t follow orders.\u201d The two vampires in the cell pull their claws and just push and kick the prisoners out of the cell. The leader steps aside with a disgusted look on his face. A look that flashes into hunger and back to disgust at random intervals. \u201cGo on! Get them to the lab! Herr Doktor is waiting. He says that the project is at a critical stage.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the vampires says to the other, in a complaining undertone, just audible to the Bleick in the other cell. \u201cWhen isn\u2019t the project at a critical stage? And what is the project? Just a waste of good blood.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Audible to the leader as well, apparently. In a movement fast as an eye blink, he\u2019s got the complainer by the throat and throws him against the bars in front of the Germans\u2019 cell. The Wehrmacht soldiers all jump back, startled. \u201cNever question, you fool, you piece of garbage! You question the project, you question HER!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Bleick can hear the capital letters in the vampire\u2019s voice. Capital letters in some heavy Fraktur font, he thinks irrelevantly to himself, distracting himself from the fear. As scared as he is of the enraged vampire just on the other side of the bars, he\u2019s also made uneasy by the passivity of the prisoners from the other cell. There\u2019s maybe 15 of them, only 3 vampires, and two of them are fighting each other, completely distracted. But none of them make a move for the remaining guard, don\u2019t even try to rush out the door of the dungeon. Bleick wonders how long he\u2019s like that, what will be done to him and his comrades to to make them like that.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cNever question HER!\u201d The vampire shakes the other one like a dog with a rat, banging his head against the bars. \u201cNever!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The other one manages to choke out an acquiescence and a plea for forgiveness. The vampire in charge drops him and he falls into a cowering heap. The standing vampire kicks him. \u201cGet to your feet! Now! Take the prisoners to the lab! Never let me hear you question any orders again!\u201d He leans in close and drops his voice to a hiss but Bleick can still hear him just fine. \u201cOr I\u2019ll tear your heart out.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The beaten one scurries away and sets to work without another word, herding the prisoners out of the dungeon. The other guard keeps a blank face does his job as well. The vampire in charge shakes his head in disgust and anger, hissing to himself. He follows the prisoners and guards.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bleick lets out a shaky breath. Stossel edges his way through the group of soldiers standing in the middle of the cell and goes close to the door and the iron bars at the front of the cell. He runs an appraising eye over the bars and bends to look at the lock in the door.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bleick comes up next to him. \u201cCould be worse, I guess. At least they didn\u2019t kill us right away.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Stossel spares him a glance, a glance with a volume\u2019s worth of disbelief at Bleick\u2019s optimism. \u201cThey\u2019re saving us for something. You heard those monsters, talking about the lab. We\u2019re going to be bled out at their convenience, just like those poor bastards.\u201d He looks back at the lock, reaches through the bars at the side of door, explores with his fingers the front of the lock. \u201cWe were stupid out there, overconfident. It should have been harder to take us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re fast! You saw how fast they were!\u201d Bleick shuts his mouth on further excuses, hating his whining tone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stossel pulls his hands back, straightens, and starts to rummage through the pouches at his belt. \u201cThat\u2019s no excuse. They\u2019re fast, but they\u2019re animals. They have no tactics, they just rush in. We should have been better prepared.\u201d He pulls the small screwdriver he uses for adjusting the sights on his rifle out of belt pouch and bends back to the lock.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bleick shrugs, even though he knows the other man can\u2019t see. \u201cAt least the Captain and the Sergeant are still free. You see, they\u2019ll rescue us and then we\u2019ll deal with the monsters. We won\u2019t make the same mistakes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll probably make new ones.\u201d Then Stossel cocks his head. He quickly straightens just as the door of the dungeon is thrown open. <\/span><\/p>\n

Captain Wetzel and Sergeant Krober are pushed through the doorway, pushed so hard that they end up sprawled on the floor in front of the cell. Bleick stares in disbelief. He could cry at the unfairness of it all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Stossel whispers in Bleick\u2019s ear. \u201cLook, we\u2019re rescued.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When a vampire unlocks the cell door, Bleick shrinks back with the other Wehrmacht soldiers. The two men are thrown into the cell by laughing vampires. The cell door is slammed shut and locked. Two vampires remain in the dungeon, the rest leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wetzel and Kroeber stagger, keep to their feet. It doesn\u2019t look like either of them are injured, just beaten up. They stand there, in the cell, looking at the other soldiers. No one says anything. A vampire giggles on the other side of the bars. The fear comes back to Bleick.<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in the old Crusader hall, everyone, all the SS vampires remaining there are hard at work, putting the tables back in order, repairing the communications station, sweeping up vampire remains. Bathory stands on the dais, von Regensberg hovers in attendance behind her. He keeps his eyes on her face, waiting for any sign of what she might be thinking. His uniform brushes against the hieroglyphs carved in his chest and he has to fight down a rush of sexual pleasure at the pain. He blinks away the memories of her, the Goddess of Blood, above him. As much as he wants to revisit those memories, it\u2019s much too dangerous to be distracted now. Those Wehrmacht bastards came uncomfortably close success. He has to be ready for whatever she decides to do, whatever orders she gives.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her face is blank. She\u2019s thinking very fast, very hard. She\u2019s shocked by how easily her vampires were slain by the two men. The superior speed of the vampires were the only thing that saved this attack from complete disaster. Without any sign appearing on her face, she fights back a surge of rage. She can\u2019t let herself succumb to that now. She has to think, she has to plan. The hated technology. Try as she might, she cannot understand it, she cannot treat it as normal. Everything is changing so fast. Winds of time eroding everything that she once thought was permanent. She fights back the fear just as she fought back the rage. The Eternal Nile is still there. She still feels it. And soon, she will return. Resolve replaces both fear and anger. She knows what to do. Her victory is assured. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Illana and Camilla are over on the other side of the room, supervising the other vampires, putting the maps back in order. She gestures to them to attend her. They cease what they\u2019re doing immediately and come over to the dias. Their obedience and their beauty make her feel much better, warm like a sip of blood. When they get to the dias and stand next to von Regensberg, she addresses the man first. \u201cYou were right, Sturmbannfuhrer. The Wehrmacht poses a larger threat than I anticipated.\u201d He straightens and her handmaidens reveal their displeasure only through a slight narrowing of the eyes. An extra dart of pleasure. \u201cI\u2019m \u00a0moving the ritual up. It will occur as soon as I am ready. Go tell Herr Doktor Schefflen that he must begin the final preparations now. The ceremony will start when the sun goes down. All prisoners must be sacrificed. I want the machinery -\u201d Her mouth twists on the word. No matter in what language she says it, that word will always be foreign to her. \u201c- to be ready when the ceremony starts. Tell him that he is on the threshold of his greatest triumph. And tell him that there will be no excuses.\u201d Von Regensberg opens his mouth to acknowledge his orders and she forestalls him with a raised hand. \u201cAfter you have given Herr Doktor those orders, I want you and your men to feed, take some of the sacrifices, and then rest. Make no mistake, this night will be dangerous. I want you to be at your best. Now, go and I know that you will not fail me.\u201d She sees him straighten even more and the light of devotion come into his eyes, just like a dog that has been patted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt shall be as you order, Gruppenfuhrer!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The title triggers something in her. Lately, she has been thinking more and more often in the language of her childhood and the harsh noise of German has been coming with more difficulty for her. Soon, soon, she tells herself. \u201cVon Regensberg, one last thing. We are no longer part of the army of that strutting Austrian mediocrity. You are all part of my army now. So it would be best to dispense will all these obsolete ranks and titles\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He pauses and then kneels. \u201cIt shall be as you command\u2026 <\/span>Hemet Set<\/span><\/i>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

His accent is atrocious but she smiles at his efforts nonetheless. \u201cNow go and do my work, <\/span>Menfet Set<\/span><\/i>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Von Regensberg scrambles to his feet and walks quickly across the room, ordering soldiers to follow him. Bathory turns to Camilla and Illana. \u201cSuch a useful weapon in my hand. I will miss him when he is gone.\u201d Then with a cruel smile that brings forth echoing expressions on the beautiful handmaidens. \u201cNot really. Weapons like him are easily forged. Not like the beauty that I see before me now.\u201d Their smiles turns to looks of adoration. Which as it should be. For she is the High Priestess of Set, the <\/span>Hemet Set<\/span><\/i>, and they are just slaves. \u201cNow let us go to my quarters. We must start to prepare for the ritual. Camilla, bring along two of the prisoners. We must feed as well.\u201d She makes her expression serious, leans in towards them, making them the honored confidants. She has done this so many times in the past. \u201cI will not lie to you. Tonight will be dangerous. I will be calling on the God in a way I have not done for \u2026\u201d She trails off, honestly unable to remember. \u201cFor a very very long time. The Romans ruled the Middle Sea. And I will be using the tools of that creature Schefflen to increase my power. That I have never done. Ever.\u201d She pauses to allow them to realize what that means. She looks closely at the two of them. Neither of them show any fear, just strong resolve and love. Again, as it should be. \u201cSo we must feed and rest before beginning the preparations. We must, you especially, my darling daughters, be at our greatest strength.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe are yours.\u201d Illana\u2019s erect nipples are visible underneath her cavalryman\u2019s tunic.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe live to serve you.\u201d Camilla, that delicious slattern, licks her lips.<\/span><\/p>\n

She looks down at her handmaidens kneeling before her and caresses their upturned faces. \u201cIt\u2019s good that the Germans confronted us when they did. If they had come later, they would have disrupted the ceremony and that would have been\u2026\u201d She pauses to allow understatement mask the rage she feels at the mere possibility. \u201c…most unfortunate. But they moved too soon and now we will continue without any further interruptions.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maccabbee speaks to Malkuth\u2019s broad back as they move cautiously down a corridor in Bathory\u2019s castle. He keeps his voice low. \u201cWe should head up, if we get the chance. Any stairs we find, if they go up, we take them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Malkuth doesn\u2019t look back, keeps his machinegun raised as he lumbers down the corridor. \u201cWhy\u2019s that?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBecause I get the feeling that this bitch leech is kind that likes to live up high. You see the tower with the big red banner hanging from it? That\u2019s probably where she looks out and cackles.\u201d He knows he\u2019s talking too much. They\u2019re infiltrating a fucking vampire\u2019s castle! But he can\u2019t stop. Too scared. Too many ways this can go wrong. He tightens sweaty fingers and grips his gun harder.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCackles?\u201d He wishes the Rabbi would button his lip. This ain\u2019t no Sabbath stroll. But he can\u2019t fault him for being scared. So he plays along. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know.\u201d Maccabbee drops into a bad movie Hungarian accent. \u201cI vill crush you puny leetle insects.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAh. That kinda thing. Right, up the stairs it is.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When the door opens, Tipareth is completely unsurprised. The two in front of him had been flapping their jaws for so long, something like this was bound to happen. The vampire is faster but Tipareth is stronger. And made of clay.<\/span><\/p>\n

Tipareth staggers across the hallway and into the opposite wall as the vampire leaps through the door and lands on him. Predictably, the monster doesn\u2019t use a gun and tries to sinks its teeth into Tipareth\u2019s neck. The golem gets a hand on the back of the monster\u2019s neck and peels it off his body. Its claws gouge deep furrows in the clay of Tipareth\u2019s body, shredding his uniform shirt, but the golem only feels those wounds as distant sensations, nothing so elaborate as pain.<\/span><\/p>\n

The vampire opens its mouth to yell, say something, a species of rationality coming back into its eyes as it realizes what it\u2019s attacking. Tipareth doesn\u2019t allow any sound to escape. He whirls, vampire still held by the neck, and slams the monster face first into the stone wall of the corridor. He leans, presses all his considerable weight, and the vampire\u2019s skull comes apart in his hand, pieces oozing between his fingers. <\/span><\/p>\n

Once all movement has stopped, he drops the mess on the floor and turns to the other two. \u201cMaybe a little less talking would be a good idea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah moves quietly down the stair, all its guns ready, it is so happy. The energy that makes up its soul, it can feel it thrum and shiver in its chest. Anticipation. The guns are steady as the clay that makes its arms. Geburah can\u2019t stop smiling, it can\u2019t wait to start killing monsters. Everything that it looks at has a reddish tinge. It is the <\/span>Sephiroth <\/span><\/i>of war. And soon, so very soon, the party will start. Maybe behind that door down at the bottom of the stairs. <\/span><\/p>\n

The four armed golem stops and quickly looks each way down the hall. Empty. It gestures to Binah and Mirsky to follow. The door isn\u2019t fully closed and Geburah puts an eye to the crack. If its smile grow any larger, the top of its head will probably fall off. <\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah turns back to the other two. Gestures. Two in there. Silence. Geburah and Binah. Mirsky looks balky but nods. Binah nods. Moving slowly silently carefully, Geburah sets the machinegun down, holsters the other two guns. Sets itself by the door. Looks at Binah. Final nod.<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though he\u2019s gotten the shitty end of the stick again (Oberleutnant Rauscher hates him, always has) and gotten assigned to the day watch, Trooper Gehman is pretty happy. He\u2019s generally cheerful. He was happy when he got accepted into the SS, he was happy when he was turned into a vampire, he was happy killing anybody he was told to. So, while day watch is tiresome, he\u2019s down here in the dungeon, is barely aware of the sun beating down on the castle. And there\u2019s an entire cage of prisoners to play with! He won\u2019t draw blood, order were very clear on that, but he can terrify them. Maybe even make them cry or beg. That would be nice and make the long hours of duty pass faster. <\/span><\/p>\n

The door to the dungeon slams open and Gehman spins vampire fast. His body is fast, powered by the blood and evil of the vampiric infection. But his mind is a slow as it ever was. He just stares at the four armed shape rushing towards him. He can\u2019t figure out what he\u2019s seeing. <\/span><\/p>\n

But, by the time he realizes that whatever it is, it\u2019s attacking him and he should probably raise the alarm, Gehman\u2019s finished. <\/span><\/p>\n

With its two lower hands, Geburah grabs each of the vampire\u2019s wrists and lifts, spreading it cruciform in front of it. One upper hand grabs the opening jaw and crushes it, reducing any warning cry to a mangled gurgle. The other upper hand, fingers straight, powers through the vampire\u2019s ribcage. The golem\u2019s fist grasps, tears, and pulls out the vampire\u2019s dried and withered heart. It holds the dessicated organ into front of the vampire\u2019s face, making sure that was the last thing he would see before dying. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSuch a sense of theatre you have. You\u2019ve got quite the career in Broadway or Hollywood after the war.\u201d Binah\u2019s tone is sardonic. <\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah drops the shriveled husk of the vampire corpse and looks over at her. She\u2019s been much more forthright than the four armed golem. She just grabbed, twisted, and snapped the vampire\u2019s neck. In its last struggles, the vampire\u2019s claws had done similar damage her uniform as had happened to Geburah\u2019s. Uniforms. That was a concept that Geburah had never really figured out. Why put clothes on statues? Yeah, so some of them were statuesque, Geburah couldn\u2019t fault Chava\u2019s sculptural chops, but why clothes? And if it was such a big thing, why not just sculpt the golems with clothes? Humans. If it lived to be 500 years old, it\u2019d probably never understand humans. Mirsky\u2019s voice breaks the golem out of its thoughts. It\u2019s never heard the human speak with such venom, with such violence promised in each word. It stands back from the cell holding a bunch of German soldiers. This should be interesting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, what have we got here? Nazis in a cage? Could I really be this lucky?\u201d The small walks along the front of the cell, idly knocking the barrel of his gun against the bars. \u201cYou Afrika Korps motherfuckers ain\u2019t so tough now, are you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The golems\u2019 attack had driven the soldiers back against the far wall in fear, but now one of them stepped forward, walks to the bars to face Mirsky directly. Looked like an officer, an officer that had been knocked around a good bit. But not scared. His eyes were smart and calculating, gaze moving between Mirsky and the golems. Geburah marked him as dangerous.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAmerican?\u201d A bit of an accent.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRussian Jew, you Nazi fuck! Whatta ya think about that?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah sees how Mirsky\u2019s fingers tighten on his gun, sees how the German sees that as well. The four armed golem catches Binah\u2019s gaze and nods towards Mirsky. It leaves the room to pick up its machinegun out in the hall, before some vampire stumbles over it. It keeps an ear on the conversation. It doesn\u2019t really care if Mirsky kills the soldiers, but tactically they might be useful. More guns, more targets, more options. Binah\u2019s probably thinking the same thing, she\u2019ll keep the human leashed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMust be a big difference for you, Nazi, you in a cage, Jew with a gun. Shoe is on other leg. Go ahead, laugh!\u201d Mirsky\u2019s accent is getting more Russian and he\u2019s losing his English.<\/span><\/p>\n

The German officer doesn\u2019t show any fear. Binah\u2019s a bit impressed. \u201cI am not a Nazi. None of my men are. We are soldiers in the Wehrmacht. Just soldiers.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLook like Nazi uniforms to me! Same uniforms as those murdering Jews in Europe!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, just the uniforms of German soldiers. You want to see Nazi uniforms, just look at the uniforms that the Nosferatu wear. Those are Nazis. Not my men.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mirsky doesn\u2019t look like he\u2019s interested in a debate about the finer points of military organization in the Third Reich. She decides not to mention that the Germans are wearing the patches for the 1st Grenadiers attached to III Korps, not actually Afrika Korps. She steps forward before the Russian can give in to his impulses. She lays a gentle hand on his shoulder. He\u2019s trembling slightly.<\/span><\/p>\n

She keeps her voice low and never takes her eyes off the German officer. \u201cHe\u2019s right, Benny. He\u2019s not SS. Let\u2019s see what he was to say before you put him down, whatta ya say?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

She feels Mirsky take several deep breathes but not say anything. He doesn\u2019t relax. She speaks directly to the officer. \u201cWhy are you and your men prisoners? Those your trucks out there in the courtyard?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At the sound of her voice, the man looks shocked and doesn\u2019t say anything, his eyes wide and a mix of fear and disgust in his gaze. Binah comes very close to letting Mirsky kill all of them but then feels Geburah walk up behind them. Its voice is mocking.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the matter, Fritzie? Ain\u2019t never seen a talking statue before?\u201d Its tone changes to that of someone talking to somebody stupid. Slow and clear. \u201cWhy are you prisoners?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The German officer gets his shit together, closes his face off. He speaks directly to Mirsky, doing his best to ignore the two golems. \u201cGerman command sent myself and my men to tell the Nosferatu, Bathory, that she was to start following orders and to stop going off on her own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Binah feels Mirsky relax a little, get himself back under control. His tone is lightly sarcastic, his accent back to American New York. \u201cWell, I see that worked out just dandy. She took her medicine like a good German soldier, didn\u2019t she?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo.\u201d Binah has to admit that the officer acknowledges this without embarrassment. \u201cShe and the other monsters were less than agreeable.\u201d He comes closer to the bars, still speaking directly to Mirsky. He lowers his voice and makes his tone persuasive. \u201cBut don\u2019t you see? This makes us allies, you and I. We both want the same thing. We both want the monster Bathory dead. We can make that happen together. We can fight her, destroy her, together.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Just like that, Mirsky has the barrel of his Thompson through the bars of the cage, muzzle pressed tight against the German\u2019s forehead. Each word is hissed through clenched teeth. \u201cJust how stupid do you think I am? Work with you? Let you out? I\u2019m gonna decide which is easier, shoot you or let you starve. And then I\u2019m gonna do the opposite. You\u2019re dead, you Nazi fuck. I just haven\u2019t decided how.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Binah and Geburah exchange glances. Then they pull Mirsky back from the cell, as gently as they can, but their strength doesn\u2019t allow him any choice. He swears at them in Russian for a few seconds, then subsides. The German moves back to his men in the back of the cell, never takes his eyes off them. Binah smiles sweetly at him, likes how he flinches back. The three of them stand on the other side of the dungeon. \u00a0Mirsky doesn\u2019t look at the two golems, keeps his eyes on the Germans, drums his fingers on the barrel of his Thompson.<\/span><\/p>\n

Binah keeps her voice low and gentle, her gaze on the man\u2019s face. \u201cI hate to say this, Benny -\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThen don\u2019t! I know what you\u2019re gonna say anyway, I ain\u2019t stupid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI hate to say this, Benny, but that guy\u2019s got a point. We need all the guns we can get for this operation. And we stick them in front, then maybe we got a chance. Otherwise? Just the few of us? Long odds, Benny, real long odds. You know that. You know how to read the odds.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s no give in Mirsky\u2019s face. \u201cYeah, I know how to read the odds. And I know that I ain\u2019t never lettin\u2019 them out of that cage. Never. Let them out and give them a gun? You ask this of me?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I ask. I ask because of what we\u2019re fighting in this castle. Those in the cage, Benny, they\u2019re not Nazis, they\u2019re just German soldiers. But those that we\u2019re fighting? The monsters? The leeches? They are the true evil. And we have to use every weapon to destroy them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mirsky closes his fists in frustration, grips his gun so hard that his knuckles creak. It seems like nothing can get through to these statues. Brains of stone like the rest of their bodies. He stares right into Binah\u2019s eyes, so what if he\u2019s smaller than her, he\u2019s been shorter than most people all his life, he don\u2019t care. He keeps his voice even and low with an effort that makes his tongue swell. \u201cYou golems think you\u2019re so special. You got your Rabbi, your holy mission. So fuckin\u2019 special that you\u2019ve forgotten what\u2019s going on in Europe. So fuckin\u2019 special that you\u2019ve forgotten that it\u2019s monsters wear those uniforms -\u201d He gestures to the soldiers in the cell, spits on the floor in their direction. \u201c- those uniforms that are taking my people, my family, my sister -\u201d His voice breaks on that word. \u201c- into the camps.\u201d He breathes. \u201cSo, no, some weapons I won\u2019t pick up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Binah feels those words deep inside her. They resonate with the reason for her being, the duty to protect those Chosen by the All Highest, that urge which burns at her core, that urge which animates her. But deep within her, there is also the urge to destroy, the urge to bring about revelation through destruction. She wants to, she needs to throw every weapon she has against Bathory and her leeches. She wants to, she needs to, she will bring down this entire castle around the monster. And so she needs the agreement and help of the Russian killer standing in front of her, with all his passion, with all his skills. \u201cWe have forgotten nothing, Binyamin. We know what we ask. We know what they have done. And we know that they will pay. We will be the instruments of your vengeance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah picks up the thread and leans in close, clay glowing red again. \u201cDo not doubt us, Binyamin Mirsky. No one wearing a German uniform gets out of this place alive. We use them, we kill them. Our judgement on them will be final, they will pay for their crimes. And then we go rescue your sister. Don\u2019t look so surprised! To take the war to them, in Europe, of course we\u2019re coming along with you!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Not taking his eyes off the walking talking statues standing over there talking to the little Jew, Wetzel leans towards Krober and speaks in a low tone. \u201cLook at that. That\u2019s why I\u2019ve never trusted anything coming out of Section H.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Krober squeezes one nostril shut and blows a wad of blood and snot out of the other. \u201cThat and the fact that one of Section H\u2019s monsters is saving us for a midnight snack.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThose monster statues think that they\u2019re the equal of that soldier. They\u2019re arguing with him!\u201d Wetzel forces his frustration down and makes sure that his voice stays low. \u201cHe should be telling them what to do.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot to disagree with you, sir, as you say, monsters aren\u2019t people and never will be, but the human wants us dead and the statues want to keep us alive, at least for a little. We get out of this cell, we have a chance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI know. You\u2019re right, Sergeant, but I hate being at the mercy of monsters. This entire mission has completely turned to shit. With human soldiers, you know where you stand, you know how to fight them, soldier to soldier. These things? The Nosferatu upstairs? They\u2019ll all turn on us, you mark my words.\u201d Wetzel draws a breath and manages a small smile at Krober\u2019s deliberately blank expression. \u201cSorry about that, Sergeant, just ignore the old man waving his cane at you youngsters. Pass the word to the men, they let us out, wait for advantages. And yes, right now we do have a mutual enemy, but once the last Nosferatu is dead, this temporary alliance ends.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs you say, sir. I\u2019ll have them watch out for any high explosives, grenades. Anything that will turn a walking statue into a pile of rubble.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGood man.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Krober fades back into the mass of soldiers in the cell. Whispers start to propagate in the gloom. Wetzel looks out through the bars as the human loses his argument with the statues.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mirsky relaxes slightly. The emotional roller coaster he\u2019s been on in the last few minutes has been exhausting. He can\u2019t wait to get back to killing something. \u201cOk. You win. I\u2019m trusting you. I\u2019m trusting you with my sister\u2019s life. So don\u2019t fuck up.\u201d He stares directly at the two golems. \u201cNow let\u2019s get back to work. Those Krauts are gettin\u2019 antsy and we don\u2019t want them to do anything stupid now that you\u2019ve just saved their lives.\u201d The three of them walk back over towards the cell. Mirsky stops, thinking for a minute. \u201cWeapons.\u201d The two golems look at him. He speaks through clenched teeth. \u201cIf we\u2019re gonna do this right, if we\u2019re gonna -\u201d He spits. \u201c – fight\u2026 along side these bastards, they\u2019re gonna need weapons. The stuff out in the trucks, you think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Binah nods. \u201cYeah, that makes sense. Should I go out and get them now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah shakes its head. \u201cNo. One of us leaves, they might start to get stupid. I\u2019ll give them two of my guns, then we all go back to the trucks. And we ask the Captain there what he knows about the layout of this place. He might know where to find Bathory. At least, he\u2019ll have a better idea than us, he\u2019s seen more of the inside.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFine by me.\u201d Mirsky doesn\u2019t say anything else and continues to the cell. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wetzel steps forward. \u201cSo, American, you will execute us now?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mirsky doesn\u2019t want to, but he admires the brass balls on this son of a bitch. Wouldn\u2019t stop him from shooting him in the head, but still, that\u2019s a pair. \u201cNaw, cooler heads have, whatta ya call it, prevailed. You can thank these monsters for stoppin\u2019 me from empty a clip into your face.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Wetzel gives the golems a flicking glance and then looks back at Mirsky. \u201cI think that one of those – \u201c He nods to withered vampire remains of the vampires that the golems killed. \u201c- has the keys to cells.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah steps past Mirsky, right up to the cell door. It smiles at the German, bats its eyes, enjoys the involuntary step back. \u201cKeys? We don\u2019t need no stinking keys.\u201d It loves that movie. The golem grabs the bars of the cell door with just two of its arms, the other two holding the machine gun out of the way, and without the slightest display of effort, tears the door off its hinges. It sets the door aside and gestures ironically for the Germans to proceed in an orderly manner out of the cell.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mirsky moves back and never takes his eyes off the Germans. Binah steps in and pulls the Captain aside as he leaves the cell. \u201cThose trucks in the courtyard, they yours?\u201d At his nod. He still doesn\u2019t look her in the eye. She doesn\u2019t care. He\u2019s just a useful tool. And soon dead. The fury of destruction that is in her core flares at the thought. She takes pleasure in addressing him respectfully, courteously in German. \u201cWe took some of the weapons we found there, but there are many left. Why don\u2019t we all go back there, arm ourselves, and then formulate a plan of attack? How does that sound, Captain\u2026?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

That makes him look at her at last. His tone is flat, his gaze appraising. \u201cWetzel. I am Captain Wetzel. And that plan sounds fine with me.\u201d He sticks with German. \u201cAnd your name is?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBinah. No rank. The American Army doesn\u2019t really work that way.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah hisses at the two of them. He keeps his voice in American. \u201cLet\u2019s get going! Less talk, more movement!\u201d He tosses a gun to Wetzel and another one to the Captain\u2019s Sergeant. They both scoop the guys out of the air smoothly, cock them. Binah can feel Mirsky balance on the knife edge. She never loses her gentle smile, the enigmatic welcome of a statue of Astarte clad in modern weapons of war.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wetzel addresses his men. \u201cQuickly! Out to the trucks. Gather all weapons. Get ready to move into the castle.\u201d He waves towards the door leading out of the dungeon. \u201cGo! Move out!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah goes first, moving fast, machine gun at the ready. The German soldiers follow it, moving fast, keeping right on its heels. Krober leads the Germans, his gun also ready. Wetzel is the last soldier out of the dungeon, acting as rearguard. <\/span><\/p>\n

Mirsky looks at Binah. The two of them watch the Germans leave the dungeon. \u201cThis had better work, us trusting them with weapons.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The golem looks affectionately at the man. \u201cWho said anything about trust? They are disposable weapons. A weapon jams, breaks, you throw it away.\u201d The statue shrugs, shadows from the flickering electrical light emphasize her otherworldly nature. \u201cThey act up, you kill them.\u201d She moves after the Germans. \u201cNow, let\u2019s get going. We\u2019ve got our mission.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Mirsky grimaces, spits, and follows her without saying anything more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Out in the courtyard, the scudding clouds still cast shadows as they pass in front of the sun, the red banner hanging from the high tower still flaps in the wind. The German\u2019s are moving fasting, quiet as possible, scooping up weapons and ammo. As each one gets armed, he takes cover behind one of the trucks, gun pointed at the windows. The windows stare emptily back. <\/span><\/p>\n

Wetzel quickly strides over to Geburah, points to the big doors leading into the castle. He keeps his voice low, just above a whisper. \u201cBehind those doors is an antechamber, then a set of smaller doors leading to their command center.\u201d He speaks without looking at the golem and keeps his tone impersonal. \u201cYou go first. Take the doors moving fast and don\u2019t stop until you get to the command center.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Geburah doesn\u2019t say anything. Looks at the doors and then down at the Wehrmacht Captain. Stares at him for just longer than is comfortable. Caught by the golem\u2019s silence, Wetzel looks at it, right in the face. Just as Wetzel opens his mouth to say something, Geburah speaks right over him, quietly and emotionless. \u201cGood intel. Good plan. Binah and I will clear the way. Then you and your men right behind us. Mirsky will take up the rear.\u201d Geburah looks back at the trucks and smiles inside as Wetzel\u2019s minute relaxing when its gaze is taken off him. \u201cYour men ready to go?\u201d It waves to get Binah\u2019s attention. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hand signals lay out the course of action. Binah nods, whispers in Mirsky\u2019s ear, then moves quickly across the courtyard to join Geburah. She passes Wetzel going the other way to pass orders to Krober and get his men in position.<\/span><\/p>\n

Everyone moves fast and with a purpose. Geburah goes right up to the big double doors and looks close at their hinges, runs its hands over the wood. Comes back down the steps, stands next to Binah and nods. The two golems set themselves. Geburah looks at Wetzel, who nods, his men gathered around him, ready for action.<\/span><\/p>\n

Without a word, Geburah and Binah explode into motion. Race up the stairs. Steps crumble beneath their hammering feet. The doors disintegrate into splinters and bent pieces of metal at the golems\u2019 impact. The two don\u2019t even slow down.<\/span><\/p>\n

After a split second of disbelief and ducking, the soldiers follow fast into Castle Blood.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It hurts to breathe. Bleick watches in dazed confusion as blood drops to the dirty flagstones underneath his boots. He\u2019s afraid. Scared down to his bones. That he can feel. He\u2019s a veteran, he knows the normal initial rush of fear that accompanies combat. This is different. Something like a pile driver or a piston, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":269,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267\/revisions\/269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.jasonbrezinski.com\/novels\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}