They sidled along the modern glass walls of the port administration building until they reached the double glass doors housed inside the recessed entryway. They were unlocked, which wasn’t unusual; the offices were in use all hours and many people also slept inside. Maybe the lax security had contributed to Wickstaff’s death. She could have locked herself away inside and posted guards around her twenty-four-seven, but that wasn’t who she had been. Amanda Wickstaff wasn’t someone who hid.
Mass held the doors open while Tox, Smithy, Addy, and Damien crept inside. The reception area was dark, bar a single dim lamp in the corner of the room. Magazines were stacked neatly on a coffee table. Comfy sofas surrounded the table.
Mass glanced at Damien and got his attention. “Do you know where we can find Wanstead?”
“No idea, mate. I never stepped foot in here before. Not a big fan of authority.”
“Okay, we’ll have to check each room as we go. We need to be on the lookout for guards, not just Colonel Wanstead. Remember, safeties on unless there’s no other choice. Every man we kill is one less to fight the demons when they get here.”
“If they get here,” said Addy. “Can we at least try to imagine an outcome where Thomas obliterates the demons forever?”
Tox grunted. “Since when have you been a woman who looks on the bright side? There’re only two outcomes to anything these days: shit and slightly less shit.”
“Hate to agree,” said Smithy, “but Tox is right. Take me, for example. After spending almost a year on my own, I finally find a place full of people, only for it to fall under threat.”
“If we keep talking,” said Mass, “we’ll screw this up. Come on.”
They moved through the open security door and entered the corridor. Wickstaff’s office lay at the end, although it was probably someone else’s now. Thomas had probably moved himself in before her body had even cooled.
Using hand gestures, Mass instructed Tox to check the door on the left. It was locked.
“Leave it,” said Mass. “If it’s locked, it’s probably empty. Either way, we can’t risk breaking in and making noise.”
They moved on to the next door, and this time when Tox tried it, it opened. He peered inside, staying low to the ground.
“See anything?” asked Smithy in a whisper.
“It’s full of boxes and files. Stuff from before the war.”
Mass nodded. “Keep moving.”
Tox moved to the next door and found another empty office. There were two more doors to try in addition to Wickstaff’s former office. A stairwell led to the building’s upper three floors.
Tox tried the two side doors. Both were locked.
“I’ll get the one at the end,” said Mass. “I want to see what they’ve done with Wickstaff’s office.”
Everyone crouched and waited while Mass walked the final length of carpet. He was two feet away from Wickstaff’s door when it unexpectedly opened. A pot-bellied man, almost bursting out of his uniform, stepped out with a polite smile. “You must be Mr Mass?”
Mass had already been on edge, but seeing someone step out of the room with a smile on their face completely disarmed him. He rose up out of his crouch, keeping his shotgun pointed downwards. “W-Who are you?”
“Colonel Wanstead. Formerly a captain in the Adjutant General’s Corps, but recently promoted. I take it you’re here to kill me? Why else would you be sneaking around in the dead of night?”
Tox and the others joined Mass, equally taken off guard. He looked at them, then back at Colonel Wanstead. “You knew we were coming?”
“Why, of course! From the very moment you entered the ruins in fact. I have men hidden out there, keeping watch for demons.” He chortled. “Instead, they found Vampires.”
“We’re not here to kill you, Colonel Wanstead. We’re here to warn you.”
“About what?”
“There are demons coming – a shitload – and they’re being led by Crimolok.”
Wanstead tittered, his large belly jiggling. “Who on earth might that be?”
“Crimolok is the monster behind all this – the cause of the entire apocalypse. He’s Lucifer and Michael’s brother. I know that sounds crazy, but it’s true.”
“The devil himself? My, we do live in biblical times, do we not?”
“Yeah,” said Mass, “and unless we get moving right now, we’re going to see Revelations part two.”
Wanstead chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment. Was he actually listening? Thank God if he was. “I understand your concern, Mr Mass, but General Thomas has taken the army to deal with the very threat of which you speak.”
“He doesn’t know what he’s up against. He thinks he’s going out to deal with a beaten enemy, but what he’s going to find is an enemy general waging war with everything he has left.”
“Why, that is marvellous news. Thomas intends to wipe the demons out once and for all. If their leader is here, the task will be all that much simpler.”
Mass ran a hand over his forehead and groaned. People like Wanstead didn’t listen to people like him. It had always been that way, but right now it was going to get people killed. “You need to prepare everyone for battle. There’s not much time. It’s probably already too late.”
“Okay, Mr Mass, I shall do as you say. I promise you the people of Portsmouth will be prepared to defend the city. I shall see to it right away.”
Mass sighed, relieved to have seemingly met a man of reason. “Thank you, Colonel Wanstead.”
“Now, Mr Mass, please disarm. You and your people are under arrest.”
Mass’s hands went automatically to his shotgun. “What are you talking about? Arrest for what?”
“General Thomas gave explicit instructions to contain any Urban Vampires found in Portsmouth until his return. The curious thing is that when I attempted to round you all up this morning, your people were nowhere to be seen. Where are Mr Cullen and the others?”
“This conversation is over,” said Mass, lifting his shotgun and pointing it in the
