The city in front of them was gleaming with a magnificent light, sparkling like a dessert jewel, in the moonlight.  Agent Flaurence drove the SUV into the city.  A massive group of towers and parks stood up all around them.  The busy streets were bustling with cars, buses, taxis, and limousines.  With all the people crowded about it would be impossible for any vampires, or any other creatures, to track their location.  The black SUV was as hidden as it would ever be.

The group was headed to the restaurant called The Fall GriGri, none of the passengers had ever been there, but they expected some much needed rest from the recent unexpected fight at the warehouse. 

They were all quiet. Sam looked around the crowds of people on the sidewalks as they drove by.  Red passed out once they started driving, and the girl had fallen asleep shortly after.  The mysterious girl had fallen asleep on Sam’s shoulder at first, but she soon moved her into Red’s lap and let her lie there for the rest of the drive.  Sam sat forward and whispered to the front passengers, “So can we talk about what happened with the mutants? I mean the girl shot pure light out of her hand. Was it magic or psychic powers?” 

Andrelle looked back at her for a second, “All I can say is that in my many years of life, I’ve never seen any psychics or magicians with that power.” 

Sam took in the info.  Andrelle must be quite old. “What about the vamps, or the werewolves, even the mutants?  Why did they all want her?” 

Andrelle turned to her again, “I had no clue the other vampires in my clan were going to attack until I saw that they were headed for the same warehouse I was.  I don’t even know why they want her.  I just picked off a straggler and took his place.  As for the wolves and the muties, I have no idea.”  

Sam tried to make some sort of connection in her mind.  She was missing too many pieces of the puzzle to make a complete picture.  She glanced at the mysterious girl.  The girl must be of some importance. Sam just had to figure out what.

The car fell silent again, everyone pondering on the moments that just happened.  Sam thought she should take this moment to get to know the rest of the passengers.  It didn’t hurt to make friends in this line of work.  She tapped Andrelle on the shoulder.  The lady vamp looked back at her.  “So how does a vampire come to work with the Institute?” 

Andrelle grinned at the comment, “The Institute has many enemies. It’s your job to hunt down things like me causing problems for humans, isn’t it?” 

Sam considered it for a moment then nodded. 

“The Institute thought it would be good to have spies on the inside, just like in any war.  I gave them an offer.”  Andrelle turned back to the road, “Immunity for information and cooperation.  That’s why I’m on this mission right now.” 

The interior of the car was consumed by an uncomfortable silence again.  All of them had just met, and none of them seemed to feel like talking.

Sam decided to ask another question to the lady vamp, “What if we don’t make it to the Fall GriGri by sunrise?  Do you burn up?” 

The lady vamp gave a slight sigh.  She was always annoyed with questions from humans who didn’t know anything about vampires, “Yes, it would be bad for me to get caught in sunlight.  This is why I’m in a hurry to get to this restaurant.”  The irritation was apparent in her voice.  “Not sure why we’re going to a restaurant anyway.” 

Sam figured she should leave the vampire alone for now.  She turned and tapped Agent Flaurence on the shoulder, “What about you Flaurence?  Am I gonna call you Agent all night or do you have a first name?  Wait.  Don’t tell me it’s Agent.” 

Agent Flaurence looked in his rearview mirror.  He shook his head, “My name’s Joseph.  You can call me Joe, since we’re going to most likely die together.” 

Sam leaned forward in her seat, “Don’t be so negative Joe.  We just survived vampires, werewolves, and even mutants.  We’re unstoppable, man.” 

Joe chuckled, “True, very true.” 

The mood seemed to be lightened now.

Andrelle shifted in her seat, she looked out of the window and furrowed her brow.

“So, Joe, did you just wander into the Institute and become an Agent? Or did you start out like us?”  Agent Flaurence was quiet for a few minutes.  Sam thought he was ignoring her personal question. 

Then he spoke up, “First I was like you guys, taking a few contracts here and there.  I was trying to become an Agent.  I had a fiancée and a son once.  We were going to get married, but the Institute started to send me on more and more jobs.”  Agent Flaurence checked all his mirrors and shifted lanes, “We started falling apart, and then she left.  I didn’t know anything else but the Institute so I stayed and became an Agent, been here for twelve years.  I should’ve stayed a Free Agent like you.  You guys have all the fun.” 

Sam felt guilty for making the man tell her such personal details, “Sorry Joe, I bet...”

Andrelle cut Sam off, “We got company, Flaurence.  The black SUVs back there have been following us for miles.” 

Agent Flaurence checked his mirrors again, “Damn, we’ve been found.”

Four big black SUVs started speeding up through the crowded streets, cutting in and out of traffic.  Joseph started speeding up himself.  The first black SUV came up on the left side of Agent Flaurence.  He looked into the window and saw a man with short hair and a black suit.

Sam turned around and started riffling through the back seat. 

Andrelle pulled up her submachine gun and loaded it, “Who are these guys?” 

Agent Flaurence pulled his pistol from his jacket, “Not sure, maybe the FBI, they seem a little too organized to me.  Could be some sort of secret government lackeys.”  The man in the SUV pointed to the side of the road.  “He wants us to pull over.”  Agent Flaurence laughed under his breath and rolled down the window, “At least they still have manners.”

 The man in the other SUV shouted, “Pull over!”   

Andrelle unbuckled her seatbelt, “They have manners? Well, so do I.”  She lifted her gun in front of Joseph and fired out the window. 

The sound deafened the passengers.  Red and the girl jumped awake covering their ears.  Agent Flaurence pushed himself back as far as he could in his seat, struggling to keep the vehicle from crashing.  Andrelle tilted her head and let out a crazed laugh as the bullets from her gun shot into the front of the SUV next to them.  Blood splattered over the windshield before it swerved off to the left, crashing into traffic.

The other three SUVs behind them sped up.  The SUVs’ windows rolled down and several men popped out holding various sizes of guns.  Bullets rang out all across Agent Flaurence’s car. 

Agent Flaurence started speeding up and cutting in and out of traffic, “These guys sure are persistent,” he checked his gun and passed it back to Red, “Do some shooting will you.” 

Red sat with the gun in his hands, “I’ve never used one before, what do I do?” 

Agent Flaurence shook his head, “Seriously boy?” 

Sam laughed while still digging in the back seat, “You aim and pull the trigger Red.  It’s as easy as that.” 

Red rolled down his window. 

Andrelle put another clip into her gun, “Me first.”  She pulled herself out of the window and sat on the ledge, “Be right back, Flaurence.”  Andrelle let herself fly out of the vehicle, riding the wind caused from the speed of the SUV.  Sam lifted her head from the back seat and saw the lady vamp land on the hood of the SUV behind them.  The man in the passenger seat raised his gun out of the window to fire.  Andrelle shot his hand a few times before emptying the gun into the windshield.  She punched out the cracked glass and grabbed the driver by his collar, dragging him out of the window and tossing him off to the side.  She turned and jumped off the black SUV.  The passenger grabbed the wheel with his good hand, steering it away from other cars. 

The front wheel then burst apart.  The SUV veered out of control, turning on its side and flipping over several times.

Sam looked to her left. She saw Red hanging halfway out the window with his gun pointed at the SUV.  He pulled himself inside, “Wow, it is that easy.”  He went to hand the gun to Joseph.

Agent Flaurence let out a sigh of relief, “Keep it Red. I have plenty more.” 

Red looked at Sam, who was still rifling around the back seat. “What is so important back there?” 

Sam pulled herself back into her seat holding a large grenade launcher, “This is, Red.  This is.”  She rolled down her window and pulled the grenade launcher up.  Bullets shattered the window behind her.  She ducked down, looking at the small girl, who was already lying on the floor of their vehicle.  Sam smiled at her, “Don’t worry, these guys are amateurs.”  She lifted herself back to the window. 

One of the black SUVs was coming up on their left side.  The back window rolled down and a man brought a large machine gun to bear.

Sam smiled deviously, “Mine’s bigger,” she yelled.  She pulled the trigger and a large bang filled the air, followed by an explosion that erupted from the car next to them. 

A loud thump sounded from the top of their SUV.  The lady vamp pulled herself back through the window and into her seat.  Blood drops fell from her mouth. 

Agent Flaurence glanced to his right, “Good jo…” He stopped mid-sentence, glancing back at the road and then back at her several times. 

Andrelle laughed, “What? Is something on my face?”  Agent Flaurence just shrugged and focused in on the road. 

Red put his head back out of the window; he raised his gun when bullets from the last SUV shattered the window next to his head.  He yelped and dropped his gun out of the window.  He fell back inside, crumpling down next to the girl. He looked into her eyes.  They seemed to have a faint sparkle of light behind them, “It’s nice and safe down here. I think I’ll stay.”  The girl nodded and grabbed his hand.

“I’m loaded!” Sam shouted up to Joe, “Keep her steady.”  Sam tried to aim at the last black SUV, but it kept swerving out of her line of sight.  More bullets rang out across the SUV, shattering the back window. “Bingo.”  Sam climbed into the back seat.  She aimed the grenade launcher out the window. 

She steadied her aim.

The driver was swerving left and right through the traffic, keeping himself from her fire.  “Come on, come on.” Sam whispered to herself.  Several bullets from the black SUV’s passengers hit in the seat next to her, and then the SUV went to cut behind a car.  Sam knew this was her chance. 

As the black SUV emerged from behind the car, Sam pulled the trigger. 

Sam caught a glimpse of surprise on the driver’s face before the vehicle was engulfed in flames.  The fiery wreckage spun out of control and rolled about the street, hitting several cars on its way. 

Sam leaned back against the seat and set the grenade launcher to her side.  She looked over the seat to see Red sitting on the ground with the girl holding hands. “Awe so cute, Red.” 

Red looked down and saw the girl holding his hand.  His face turned bright red as he shook her hand off. 

Andrelle wiped the rest of the blood from her face and turned to the passengers, “If the government is after this girl now, she must be quite important.  We have no where we can hide.  We need to keep the rest of this mission low key, got it.”  Everyone nodded. 

Sam spoke up from the back seat, “What do we call her anyway?”  Sam looked down to the girl.

The mysterious girl gave a slight smile. “I like the name Starr,” she whispered just loudly enough for everyone to hear. 

“Starr it is.” Sam smiled and slumped back into the seat.