Attempt (Janice)

(4 days before incident)

“Hmm,” I grunted.

It had been been a whole day since Jason and I discovered the coffin several miles under the surface of the Earth. I now sit in my office pondering my next move. I look at the time.

“When was the last time I got any sleep,” I muttered to myself.

I rub my hands against my face as I try to wipe away the drowsiness out of my eyes. I slouched down in my chair and glared at the ceiling.

“Where did the time go?” I thought.

There were a number of responsibilities that I had to take care of before I tend to The Count. Things that needed to happen to. I was, indeed, the High Chancellor of this Sector after all. Well, at least I was supposed to be.

With all the other chancellors from different sectors literally trying to operate in my sector under my nose, its kinda hard to see myself as “In charge” when everything I try to accomplish for my people is quietly being suppressed and/or delayed.

“Speaking of which,” I thought. A sudden thought crept into the back of my mind.

“Fuck.... The meeting,” I rolled my eyes. I had been so thrown off by recent events that I forgot to have lunch with the chancellor of Vampa. The Vampire Republic.

“Sheestaaaa* (*shit),” I cursed under my breath. I sat up in my seat and composed myself.

I took a deep breath as I straightened my hair. I opened my drawer to my desk and pulled out a small red case. I open the case to reveal my Brain Interface Glasses or B.I.G’s. I slipped them on and straightened myself again.

I looked forward and said the command. “Lorena. Signal.”

Suddenly, an image of a dark-skinned woman appeared before me. She had strong muscular features and a cold glare. She was facing me and also sitting behind a desk.

It was, of course, Lorena and she looked gorgeous. Her long black hair was down and curled around her left shoulder.

She was dressed in a long sleeve, green formal dress that fit nicely around her frames and matched her eyes. She was wearing very little makeup (not like vampires like herself need it). Vampires are naturally extremely pale and very rarely having bad skin. That is if she isn’t drinking blood.

Her eyes shone their natural vampire vibrant green and were normal sized. When I say normal, they weren’t the usual bugged ones that usual citizens had in the galaxy now a days. Reason being was because she was vampire from a different time. Just like me and Jason.

I raised my hand and crossed my middle finger behind my ring finger.

“Zah* (*Greetings),” I greeted.

I watched as she bowed her head. She raised her head and threw her hair behind her. Then she blinked. I noticed and twitched the side of mouth. Instantly, she slouched down in her seat. We both let out sigh of relief. Nobody was around her.

“We weren’t being watched,” I thought to myself.

I could feel the literal weight lift off my shoulders as Lorena sat back up in her seat. She looked exhausted.

I couldn’t blame her either. This job was exhausting. The other chancellors didn’t like Lorena either; seeing as how me and her had good relations with one another.

“Well,” I started, “What has you so dressed up? What’s the occasion?”

It was very rare to see Lorena in a dress. It’s not that she didn’t look good in one. It’s more that she didn’t like them. Lorena was a very tomboyish woman and was raised during her childhood to be a soldier, as old fashioned as she was. Lo and behold she was, indeed, a soldier.

“No. Soldier isn’t the right word,” I thought.

It wasn’t. She was more than that. She was a warrior. Nothing short of it.

“Soldiers,” I thought, “Dogs.”

I didn’t really see soldiers as the same as a warrior. In my mind, the two don’t correlate.

“Soldiers don’t finish wars,” I thought, “they only prolong the inevitable. Warriors, however…”

Men and Women alike who stand above the rest and defy the fate given to them are warrior.. not soldiers. That’s what Lorena was.

Lorena reached to the end of her desk and grabbed a bottle. I watch as she opened it then suddenly glared at it.

Covering her nose and squinting her eyes, she poured a small drop of liquid onto the floor and watched it from a distance. Nothing happened. She then twitched her fingers, and I watched as the liquid bubbled. It turned a bright red and then slowly turned back to normal.

She grunted in approval, and began to down the bottle in its entirety. I raised an eyebrow. Lorena wasn’t much of a drinker. At least, from what I could gather when I’m around her. And when she did, she didn’t drink so much. Nor did she test her drinks for poison either… as much as she should.

“I feel like I’m missing something here,” I thought.

She drained the bottle and tossed it nonchalantly in the trash. She began to scratch her forehead.

“Somethings wrong,” I said.

There indeed was. I could feel it in my nerves. She was stressed more than usual. I watched as she looked up and just stared at me. I looked at her, puzzled.

“What is it?” I questioned politely. She closed her eyes and performed a deep sigh. She interlocked her fingers together.

“I know she doesn’t want to tell me,” I thought.

Lorena was very strong willed. She didn’t like the idea of relying on other sectors when it came to her sector. Especially, when it comes to the topic of the Chancellors. That also included me.

I watched as she opened her eyes and glared at me.

“There was an attempt....” was all she said.

I didn’t say anything at first. I knew what she meant. I was just having trouble processing it.

“An attempted assassination?” I thought.

An attempt on the the Chancellor of Vampa of all things was nothing to scoff. That’s extremely serious. Something that can have all sectors up in arms. If successful, a war would break out. Literal hell would come.

“Are you ok?” I asked.

“I am here aren’t I?” She stated.

I glared at her.

“You know what I meant,” I retorted.

She glanced away. It was clearly bothering her.

“Yes I’m fine,” she started, “I’m just..... angry.”

There was a pause. All I did was sit and listen. It probably be best if that’s all I did. Sometimes it’s better to just listen. Especially, when it comes to Lorena.

“I’m angry,” she continued, “I’m angry that I got too careless and almost had my god damn brains nearly splattered in front of my daughters. Valck* (*fuck)!! What if they got hit! If one of them were to die… I don’t know what I would do. I mean I’m supposed to be the High Chancellor of fucking Vampa. One of, if not, the home and training grounds to the best militaries in the galaxy. And not only were we slacking off, we never caught ‘em.”

“They got away?” I questioned.

She combed through her hair.

“Yes. I just said that didn’t I? It pisses me off.”

I could see. This isn’t good.

“Do you have any idea who-” I asked. I was cut off.

“No,” shrugged, “With so much ground to cover… it could be anyone.”

Surely, no one is that fucking stupid to try and kill a Chancellor in there own sector. Especially, Vampa.

“When did it happen?” I asked. I needed to know more.

“Just a couple of hours ago. I was attending the graduation for the new recruits when I felt a blast whizz past the side of my head.”

“Was anyone hurt,” I asked.

She shook her head.

“No,” she stated, “Those new recruits show a lot of promise though.”

A big smile formed across her face. She let out a loud heart laugh.

“I mean they were ready. No questions were asked. Everyone just jumped into protocol. It kinda made me proud.”

I laughed lightly. I examined Lorena. She looked like someone’s proud mother.

“Do the other Chancellors know about this?” I asked.

The smile faded from her face, and transformed into a deep frown.

“I wouldn’t trust them with my fucking life,” she voiced with venom in her veins. Out of nowhere, a knocking could be heard from her end of the B.I.

“Permission to come in, High Chancellor Lorena?” announced a deep voice.

Lorena sighed and looked at me.

“Look. I have all the ports to Vampa closed off. Nobody is getting in or out unless I say so. However, I would like for us to meet to discuss matters more in private.... There are too many open ears around here.” I watched as Lorena backed up in her chair. “I would like schedule a meeting. Just the two of us.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I said. A sigh of relief escaped her. “That settles it. Until then. Signing off. I won’t be leaving Vampa until this is resolved. I’ll talk to you soon.”

Lorena’s image disappears from view leaving me empty in my office again. Silence soaked the room. It was mopped in it. The only thing breaking it was my breathing and my thoughts.

“An assassination attempt, huh?” I thought out loud. Something wasn’t right. I could feel a storm coming, and it was big. I stood up and stretched. My body felt limp.

“I should get some rest,” I said, “This is giving me a headache. I need sleep.”

I walked out my office and closed my door locking it. “I feel a storm approaching. Hopefully….. hopefully I’m wrong.”