Dead On New Years Chapter 15

A/N - sorry - it's all Eric this chapter. Life has been hectic. I'm a pregnant working mom, so sometimes I get too busy to write...I just keep making lists of ideas! Don't worry - E/S will be together in the next chapter. I promise some ESN. :)
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It was just after dark in New Orleans. Eric and Chan sat at a table in the Cat’s Meow sipping lukewarm TrueBloods and waiting for Simon and Trey to arrive. It was an inconspicuous meeting place as vampires rarely visited the inside of this trashy human bar. They found prey outside in the street; drunk and either flashing their breasts, trying to get someone to flash their breasts, or vomiting in the street. Bill was in the hotel using his computer and Eric was glad to have a break from listening to his incessant rambling. Chan kept him entertained and reminisced about previous trips to New Orleans in what he called, “the good old days.”

“Do you remember how many women I had that night? It was like a buffet!”

Eric pursed his lips a little, “You remind me of your sexual prowess quite frequently, and if I didn’t know better I would think you were overcompensating. But yes, I remember that night. I remember that all of the women were diseased and disgusting.”

“Pah – human diseases mean nothing to me.”

“Yes, well…to each his own.” He shuddered a little bit, grateful that hygienic standards had gone up greatly over the years.

“I am thinking about opening my own store again.”

Eric rolled his eyes, “Chan, are you not saving money and able to send it to your descendents?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then please, let us not go through this again.” Chan looked a little incredulous, “Every 20 years of so you have some descendent that needs money or to work their way through college. You reopen your own dry cleaners and then what?” he paused. “Your damn relative robs you blind. That’s what happens.”

“It only happened twice.”

“Yes, and I remember the consequences of the last time quite well.” The Asian actually grinned thinking about it, but Eric continued, his face grim, “You showed up months later half starved and then disappeared in Canada. The next thing I heard, you were almost staked – by the King of Vancouver.”

“How was I to know he would be that upset?”

“You got in bed with him and his wife!”

“She said he could learn from me!”

They both laughed and then as if a switch had flipped, Eric became serious and glanced towards the door. A second later Trey and Simon entered the bar and joined them. Eric made the introductions, although he thought perhaps that Chan already knew Simon. They had both spent a fair amount of time in the western US over the years and since the vamp population out there was so small, it was likely they had run into each other.

Trey had been around New Orleans for some time and had worked his way up the ladder of vamps. Before Sophie Anne died he was little more than a gopher. When Victor took over he was given more responsibilities and had proven an effective investigator. He was the kind of man who would prefer to work for a boss he liked and respected, but had been vampire long enough to know how to work for whoever won the fight and be glad to not meet the sun.

Simon had come from the west after Katrina. The vampire numbers had dwindled and they needed some capable investigators to help clean up the riff raff of vamps that began preying on the helpless humans stranded in New Orleans, or the sad people trying to come back and make a home out of the destruction. Simon worked for Victor, but had ambitions of his own. He knew he could make sheriff someday, he just needed the experience and figured New Orleans would look great on a “resume.”

A new waitress stopped by the table and took their drink orders. Eric began asking the local investigators what they knew and what they thought needed to be done. Simon immediately took charge and told Eric that he was concerned about a group of vampires that had taken over the 9th Ward. He had phone records from King De Castro’s staff linking them to Victor and felt that they needed to be “dealt” with right out of the gate. Trey agreed and did not add much else to the conversation. Eric nodded and thought that Bill might actually be right; Simon was the one with the head for the sheriff’s job.

“Who leads this group? Would I know him?”

Simon shook his head and pursed his lips a little, “No sir, I don’t think you would. The leader is called Booker. He is a young vampire, maybe 200 years old?” He looked at Trey and he nodded in agreement. “I believe he came from California originally, he was a sailor, but mostly worked merchant ships. It seems that he continues to live a hardscrabble hand to mouth existence, but he has become a captain of sorts with a group of followers.”

Eric couldn’t believe what a bastard this Booker was. Actually, he could. Booker reminded him a lot of himself before he had understood that survival meant playing the game, at least enough to make it look like you respected the hierarchy. Eric nodded, “How do you propose we deal with them? I have heard that they are boldly discussing their involvement in Victor’s plot as though there are no consequences.”

Trey continued to stay quiet and Simon spoke, looking from Eric to Chan, “We can scare the hell out of them and keep Booker for trial or we can publicly kill him to show them that there is still law here and they will have to obey it or face the final death.” Eric was really liking the way this one thought. However, he knew that killing the vamp was not an option. They would have to take Booker into custody and wait for the King to deal out his punishment.

Eric told them that killing the man would not solve their problems and that he knew that the King would never condone it. Felipe believed that it was his duty to exterminate what was left of Victor’s followers. They discussed the suites that remained in Victor’s compound that could be used to imprison Booker and some other zealots in his crew. Eric agreed that they best form of imprisonment involved silver to ensure that no one escaped. Simon knew what needed to be done and agreed to set up the meeting with Booker.

He left a message for the “captain” inquiring about letting Eric meet his crew and helping them establish their place in the city. Booker called back shortly and although quite cocky, seemed awestruck that the great Northman would come to meet his crew. Was it going to be that easy? To show up at this meeting and take the fool? They agreed to meet that evening at an abandoned church in the 9th Ward.

They drove to the church in Simon’s Hummer while Trey drove a van ready for prisoners. Eric was thinking to himself that this would actually be much like Victor’s own demise. Booker was just too dumb to keep his mouth shut. Sure enough, the meeting began and introductions were finished and not a second later Booker began talking about the plot to overthrow King De Castro. “We stand here tonight being recognized by one of the strongest Sheriff’s in our state because we know that Louisiana can not be ruled by some fool in Las Vegas. We will not be micro-managed from another part of the country. We will find our own way and our own leader.” It went on and on, with some cheers from a few in the audience, but mostly the vamps in attendance were looking at Booker like he was nuts.

Eric knew that the others were taking notice of the vamps that were in support of Booker’s thoughts. He knew that they would have to be taken as well and knew that between Chan, Bill, Trey and Simon they would be grabbed. As Booker wound down his chest thumping, Eric nodded and began to speak, “You are correct, Louisiana should not be lead from a far.” Booker grinned and took Eric’s hand as he reached out to shake it. In a flash he pulled the man towards him so that he had an arm around his neck and a stake to his heart. A few people jumped up, but the crowd was stunned, “That is why the King made me his second in command you fool.” Bill stepped up with leather gloves on and placed silver handcuffs over Bookers long sleeves. Eric’s men grabbed 3 or 4 other vamps that had started towards the pulpit. Eric looked around, and spoke to the rest of the crowd, “Do not underestimate me, or the rules of our kind. Simon is the new Sheriff here and Trey is his second. They will not tolerate your insubordination. DO NOT make me come back to New Orleans to deal with your group again. You will not be punished for believing a zealot – but do not think your involvement in this little group will be forgotten. The King will be here to hold a trial to determine what to do with these traitors. I hope you will all witness the outcome and know that you could very well be on trial as well.” A few people in the crowd actually clapped and on his way to the car a couple tried to shake his hand. Simon was walking out at his side with a blank look on his face and Trey seemed a little pissed.

When they got in the car Eric spoke before anyone else could have the chance, “Simon, I believe you are ready for this job. I will support you in whatever you need.” He looked at Trey in the backseat with Bill and Chan, “Trey, Simon will need your help. He will not be able to straighten up this town without you.” He sat back and checked his watch, “Now, get me back to my car so I can drive home. I do not wish to wake up in a strange place tomorrow evening. I will see you for the trial if not sooner.”