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  "Ain't say you made up nothing. You might've seen some stuff happen. But you're interpreting things wrong, buddy. Ain't no such thing as vampires." The chief quickly looked away from them. His fingers drummed the armrests.

  "You're scared," Nia said. She looked from the chief to the teenager to the deputy. "All of you are scared out of your damn minds. You know something is going on in this town, and you're afraid to do anything about it. Cowards"

  The chief glared at her. "Don't forget your place, Miss James"

  But Nia kept going. "If you don't get off your butts and start taking action, my place is going to be at the local cemetery and so will yours"

  Chief Jackson pushed away from his desk and rose. "All right, now. Think it's time for you folks to leave."

  Nia started to continue the argument, but David put his hand on her arm.

  "Forget it, Nia. Let's drop it. Looks like Franklin was wrong about the chief. He said he would rise to the occasion, but I guess not. He's not the man that Franklin hoped he was"

  "Will you at least go check out the guy at the Mason place?" Nia said. "Can you please do that much?"

  "Got no reason to hassle innocent folk." Jackson nodded in the direction of the doorway. "Door's over there. See ya around"

  The teenager and the deputy appeared to be anguished, but David saw no way to get through to them if they allowed Jackson to cow them into silence. Shaking his head, David took Nia's hand, and they left the station.

  "Shit, he pissed me off!" Nia said. "He knows something is happening and he's too scared to do anything about it."

  "He's going to have to face up to it, soon. Like you said, things are only going to get worse"

  They got inside the Pathfinder. Nia folded her arms across her chest.

  "I admit, we gave him a lot to swallow," David said. "If I were him and some people came in and said vampires were the cause of the trouble in town, I'd be doubtful, too. But he could at least check out our story."

  "The deputy believed us," Nia said. "I think the chief's son did, too. Maybe they'll be able to talk some sense into the chief."

  David checked the dashboard clock. It read 9:21. "I think we should visit Franklin. I want to see if he has any ideas about what we should do, and I'm worried about him, too. It's been almost sixteen hours since he was bitten."

  "Good idea," Nia said. "Let's hurry up and get to the hospital."

  "Kids done gone crazy," Van Jackson said. He stood at the window, peeping through the blinds as the Hunter boy and the James girl drove away. He turned to face Jahlil and Deputy Dudu. "Vampires! You ever heard some mess like that?" He laughed, a trifle uneasily. He felt a trembling in his knees and hastily sat in his chair.

  "They told us about the wild dogs, and Shenice," Jahlil said solemnly, "they took away T-Bone last night, like I told you"

  "The same kind of rabid dog initially attacked Shenice Stevens, too," Dudu said. "I've written a report of what happened to that poor girl. After her spree of violence at the hospital, she disappeared-until Jahlil saw her last night."

  A bead of cold sweat trickled down Jackson's temple. He wasn't supposed to be feeling like this. He'd taken a vacation yesterday so that he could relax, gain perspective, and wrestle his fear into submission. He thought he had conquered his anxiety, but when he drove back home early this morning, the dread returned, as though it permeated the air in the town like some kind of psychic smog. It maddened him because he could not put his finger on the cause of his fear. It lay heavy in his stomach like an acidic, undigested meal.

  His son's eyes pleaded for a solution. A yearning for a bravely delivered command filled the deputy's eyes, too.

  "Can't accept vampires," Jackson said. He shook his head firmly. "Can't do it. Too crazy to consider."

  "You've got to do something, Dad," Jahlil said.

  "I got to think on it a little while," Jackson said. "Got to be a sensible explanation."

  "Whatever, man," Jahlil said. He got up. "I'm going by Poke's crib. Later."

  Jahlil started out the door. Jackson almost called to his son, to tell him, Son, I want to help, but I'm afraid and I don't know what to do. But he said nothing. His kid hopped on his bicycle and pedaled down the street.

  Deputy Dudu stood, put on his hat.

  "You leaving, too?" Jackson said, not liking the touch of anxiety in his voice. He sounded like a child afraid of being left alone in the dark.

  "I'm going to grab some doughnuts," Dudu said. His face was downcast. "I'll be back"

  The empty office was the loneliest place on earth. The room was silent and lifeless.

  But it was safe.

  Jackson admitted to himself that he did not want to step outdoors. There were things happening out there that he'd rather not consider. He would stay inside, man the phones, and dispatch the deputy and perhaps another officer to handle any work that arose.

  But first, he would open the blinds, to chase away all the shadows in the office.

  Deputy Ray Dudu resolved that it was time for him to take matters into his own hands. The chief was normally a brave, dependable officer. But he wasn't the right man to handle this.

  Vampires were not in Mason's Corner. Extraterrestrials were in Mason's Corner.

  And Dudu was the only one in town with the insight and courage to lead the human resistance against the invasion. A die-hard skeptic like the chief couldn't do it.

  However, it would be good to have a little help. Even the most valiant heroes had sidekicks.

  To that end, Dudu cruised the street, searching for the Robin to his Batman. He caught up to Jahlil as the kid was about to cross the intersection of Main and Lumley.

  Dudu rolled down his cruiser's passenger window. "Hey, Jahlil! Come here, will you?"

  "Yeah?" Jahlil rolled closer to the car, one hand raised to block the glare of the sunlight.

  "You and I have something in common, my friend," Dudu said.

  "What's that?"

  "We're inclined to believe the story that David Hunter and Nia James told us"

  A change came over the boy's face that let Dudu know that his instinct was right-on. Caution framed Jahlil's features.

  "I don't know. Maybe I believe them, sort of." Jahlil shrugged. "I just want my dad to do something. He's the chief, you know?"

  "He's afraid," Dudu said. "I respect your father, but fear is clouding his judgment"

  "My dad ain't scared of nothing."

  "Normally, I would agree with you. Chief Jackson is a brave man. But today, he's afraid."

  Jahlil hung his head slightly.

  "Now, I'm not afraid," Dudu said. "This isn't a time to sit idly, paralyzed with fright, needlessly debating whether to call an orange an apple or to admit that it's truly an orange. We have to act! The fate of human civilization is at risk."

  "Huh?"

  Dudu waved his hand. "Never mind. Jahlil, I am going to investigate the Mason residence, and I want you to come with me"

  "Man, you're crazy. I ain't going up there."

  "Let's move to the curbside," Dudu said. "We don't want to impede the flow of traffic"

  Jahlil rolled his bike onto the sidewalk. Dudu parked in front of a hardware store, then reached across the seat and opened the passenger door.

  "Climb in for a moment, my friend."

  Jahlil got inside the car. Suspicion tinted his gaze.

  Dudu picked his words carefully. "This is a time for the men in this town to be courageous. We have to act in spite of fear. That is what heroes do, act bravely in spite of fear. Do you want to be a hero?"

  "I'm not a cop"

  "You're the chief's son. Your grandfather was the chief before your father assumed the job. Police duty runs in your blood, and that's good enough for me. You've got the right stuff."

  Jahlil watched him closely. Weighing his words.

  "Your friend was snatched last night," Dudu said. "You want to know what's happened to him. You want to believe that he's okay and will turn up soon. I want tho
se answers, too. You were there when Hunter and Nia were talking. It's clear that our adversaries are residing in the Mason house"

  "But if they're really vampires, man .. ." Jahlil said.

  "They will be asleep during daylight hours," Dudu said, punctuating his statement with a snap of his long fingers.

  "Oh, yeah, I forgot about that"

  Dudu smiled. The boy was finally coming around. Good.

  "I'm only going to check around the residence and see what evidence I can uncover," Dudu said. "I want you to accompany me as backup. You will not need to exit the vehicle if you don't wish to do so"

  "That's all?" Jahlil said. "Just sit in the car and chill?"

  "Yes, sir. It doesn't sound like much, but only you can help me with this. No one else believes and has the courage."

  Jahlil was silent for several seconds, chewing his lip.

  "All right," Jahlil said. "But if anything goes wrong, I'm calling my dad"

  "Fair enough, future chief."

  Jahlil smiled briefly. "Let me lock up my bike, over there by the store. I'll be right back."

  Jahlil drummed his fingers against his thighs as the deputy drove up the steep road that led to the Mason place.

  Although it was a peaceful, sunny morning, Jahlil was on edge. He could not believe that he had agreed to help the deputy.

  He watched Dudu out the corner of his eye. Dudu had a firm set to his jaw, and his spiderlike hands clutched the steering wheel in a death grip. The man was afraid, but committed to his duty, and Jahlil admired that about him. He couldn't say as much for his dad. Dad had punked out.

  Because Dad was so scared, Jahlil could not help being scared, too. Anything that frightened Dad was worth fearing. But Dudu was right: someone had to act. Someone had to look into what had happened to T-Bone, and the other people who'd disappeared. It was a job for the cops, and Jahlil, whether he liked it or not, would probably become a cop one day. Dudu hit the nail on the head when he said that it was in Jahlil's blood.

  Jahlil was on the fence about whether vampires were real. No doubt, some strange shit was going on. But vampires? He wasn't ready to swallow that, yet.

  He only hoped that if vampires were in town, they could not really walk around during the day.

  They reached the crest of the hill. Jubilee came into view, swathed in shadows. It was morning, but the place still looked creepy.

  Jahlil's hands were clammy. He had never set foot inside the house or on the property, and he had no plans to do so now. He was not going to leave the car. Deputy Dudu could snoop around all he wanted.

  The deputy parked across the street from the gate, in the shade of a maple tree.

  "Here we are," Dudu said. His voice trembled on the last word.

  "Are you sure you wanna do this?" Jahlil said. He half hoped the deputy changed his mind.

  "If not us, who?" Dudu said. "If not now, when? Take heart, my friend. The fate of the human race may well be in our hands"

  More of that loony talk. Dudu sounded like an actor in an old space adventure flick.

  "All right," Jahlil said. "I'll wait in here"

  Dudu handed him a walkie-talkie. "Keep it turned on. I'll have mine with me. If I need backup, I'll request your assistance."

  "Man, be careful."

  "There's one more thing." Dudu reached forward and popped open the glove compartment. A shiny handgun was nestled inside: a Smith & Wesson nine millimeter

  "Cool," Jahlil said. "Is that one for me?"

  "If you need it," Dudu said. "I'm sure the chief has instructed you in the proper use of firearms"

  "Yeah, but I hope I don't have to use it."

  "Likewise. I'll return soon" Dudu smiled tightly. He got out of the car and walked to the gate, his small head bobbing.

  Jahlil found a good station on the car radio, switched on the walkie-talkie, and waited.

  The gate was unlocked. Dudu pressed the opening mechanism, a small lever, and the entrance creaked open. He warily stepped inside.

  The gate clanged shut behind him. Instinctively, he rested his hand on his Glock.

  He looked around the rambling yard, paying special attention to the ground. He had to stay alert for alien pods. He had seen photos of such phenomena in the tabloids. They resembled giant eggs and were a surefire indicator of extraterrestrial activity.

  He did not spot any pods, yet, but that didn't mean anything. Continuing to sweep his gaze back and forth, he tread forward across the driveway.

  Jubilee loomed in front of him, like an alien mother ship. Well, the house didn't look like a spacecraft, really, but he had read stories of extraterrestrials who concealed their ships inside large homes. This mansion was spacious enough to contain a starship. They could blow away the roof when it was time to launch. Of course, if it came to that, it would mean that they were fleeing the planet. Dudu planned to destroy them before they could make an escape.

  He could already imagine the headline in his favorite tabloid: "Brave Mississippi Cop Prevents Alien Invasion!" Think of the fame and respect that he'd gain! Instead of working in this sleepy town, he'd earn an appointment to a top secret "X-Files agent" position in the FBI, probably out in Nevada. Books would be written about his exploits. TV shows would be produced. Fan Web sites would sprout like weeds.

  He would become a legend: Ray Dudu, Earth's Defender.

  His fingers tingled on the gun.

  Under the tree boughs, he saw small brown mounds spaced in random patterns. He put the edge of his boot in one of the deposits. It was soft and mushy. Like excrement.

  The dogs had done this. Or rather, the aliens masquerading as dogs.

  Gosh, it smelled like dog crap, too. Curling his lips, he rubbed his sole against a clean spot in the grass.

  He neared the mansion. He did not walk across the veranda and knock on the door-only an amateur would do that. He lurked to a window at the edge of the porch. He peeped through the glass, cupping his hands beside his eyes to reduce the sun's glare.

  The window provided a view of the big living room. It had old pieces of furniture, a vast, crumbling fireplace, and half-melted white candles sitting on several surfaces.

  The extraterrestrials evidently had a distaste for artificial light. But he did not see anything else of interest. He would continue to circle the property.

  He moved slowly, alert for a trap that might snare his foot. At the corner of the house, he turned to slink along the side of the mansion.

  Towering maple trees stood guard on this side. They cast cool shadows.

  Ahead, there was another window. This one should give him a look at another room.

  He peered inside.

  A man stood there watching him.

  Shouting in surprise, Dudu backed up and tore his Glock out of the holster. Hands shaking, he aimed the gun at the window.

  But the man had vanished. Like a wisp of smoke.

  Dudu clicked on his radio. He sucked a couple deep breaths, to steady his voice.

  "This is Deputy Dudu. I spotted a suspect inside the house. He is tall, dark-skinned, dressed in black-"

  A chorus of deep growls captured Dudu's attention. He turned.

  Three large dogs stepped out of the shadows: a pit bull, a mixed breed collie, and a Doberman. Redness burned in their eyes, and saliva dripped from their jaws in heavy strands.

  Aliens masquerading as murderous canines. Like Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

  A chill pressed against Dudu's spine, like another layer of clothing.

  "Three canines are blocking my path to the front," Dudu said into the walkie-talkie. "I'll try to scare them away, but I need backup, and I need it now!"

  No response from Jahlil. Had the kid wet his pants?

  Dudu shoved the radio into the case on his hip. He trained the Glock on the hounds.

  "Back off, mutts!" he said.

  The dogs stared directly into his eyes, challenging him.

  He swallowed.

  They were far too intelligent
and fearless to be ordinary animals.

  Another rumbling growl on his right. Two more alien mutts.

  Dudu raised the gun skyward, and fired. The bang echoed across the land.

  A normal canine would have scrambled at the sound of gunfire. These hounds only grumbled, unfazed. They moved closer.

  There were too many for him to take down with the Glock before one of them tackled him and ripped out his throat. It would be suicide.

  He did the only thing he could think of: ran.

  Jahlil was enjoying a song on the stereo when the walkietalkie crackled into life and the deputy's terrified voice came over the airwaves.

  "This is Deputy Dudu. I spotted a suspect inside the house. He is tall, dark-skinned, dressed in black-"

  An Arctic chill wrapped around Jahlil's body. Could it be a vampire, the one he had seen a few nights ago putting a body in a truck?

  Dudu's voice crackled from the speaker again: "Three canines are blocking my path to the front. I'll try to scare them away, but I need backup, and I need it now!"

  Those vicious vampire dogs. Shit.

  The radio sputtered into silence, following soon after by an unmistakable sound: a boom of gunfire that came from somewhere near the house.

  Jahlil gnawed his lip.

  He could radio for Dad, but it would take several minutes for him to get there, if he came at all. His father was acting so strangely Jahlil was not sure what he would do. The deputy needed backup right now

  Jahlil opened the glove compartment. His sweaty hand closed over the gun.

  He would notify Dad, quickly, then move out to help Dudu.

  He switched on the police CB radio on the dashboard, plucked the handset off the hook.

  "Dad, it's Jahlil. Are you there?"

  His heart pounded a half dozen times before Dad answered. "What are you doing on the radio?"

  "I'm at Jubilee with the deputy-"

  "What the hell are you doing up there?"

  "Dad, there's no time for that! Some dogs are after Dudu and he needs help. We need you here now. I'm going out there to help him."

  "Dammit, boy, you stay in that car, you hear me!"

  "Gotta go" Trembling, Jahlil replaced the handset.