"Let her go," Darius said.

I turned my head to look at him. My voice was filled with fury. "Why did you stop me? She's one of them them."

He shook his head. "I couldn't. You have to understand. I couldn't let you do it. No matter what she is."

But I didn't understand. I didn't understand at all.

The sirens wailed closer. We had to run. I stared at Darius. I felt angry and confused.

"Later," he said, and took off running.

I tried to put what had just happened out of my mind. I needed to get my a.s.s out of this place. I pushed forward to release the kickstand of my bike, hit the starter, and raced toward the winding road that would lead me to Fifth Avenue on the west side of the park.

Within a minute I had the park exit at Seventy-second Street in sight. I slowed down, fearing there would be traffic on the busy avenue even this late at night. That caution probably saved my life.

As I entered the intersection a white Chevy cut me off. I hit the brakes, skidded, lost control, and toppled, the bike sliding out from under me. I rolled across the asphalt, pulling my arms in close to my body, grateful for my leathers. I came to a halt when my face collided with a pair of black, permanent-shine, regulation police department shoes.

It hurt like h.e.l.l. I lifted my head and looked up. The bright light of a flashlight struck me in the face. I winced.

A familiar voice, p.i.s.sed off more than usual, said, "Miss Urban. I should have known."

"Evening, Lieutenant," I said. "You mind if I stand?"

I got to one knee, my legs wobbling, my body swaying. The lieutenant put his hand under my arm. He helped me get on my feet. I felt light-headed. I pulled off my helmet and gritted my teeth. I tried to steady the spinning world.

"Miss Urban," the world-weary police detective said in a world-weary voice. "I hear we have maybe fifteen dead bodies in the middle of Central Park. May I ask you something?"

"Uh-huh," I answered, all the while thinking, Only fifteen? There have to be at least a hundred hunters down. So that's what the ambulances were for. My mother planned all along to remove the dead before the cops arrived Only fifteen? There have to be at least a hundred hunters down. So that's what the ambulances were for. My mother planned all along to remove the dead before the cops arrived.

"Do you think you could tell me"-Lieutenant Johnson said sweetly. I winced. I could see it coming-"WHAT THE f.u.c.k IS GOING ON?"

"It's sort of a long story," I said.

"Why don't you get in the back of my car and tell me." It was an order, not a request.

"But my bike..." I protested, looking at my beautiful red Harley Electra lying against a tree, its front wheel mangled.

"I'll get a uniform to pick it up. But don't expect to get it back. It's evidence."

"Ah, s.h.i.t, Lieutenant," I began to say, intending to argue with him, when my cell phone vibrated in my pocket.

"I'd better get this," I said, holding up a finger.

It was Benny on the phone, her voice high and excited. "The Intrepid Intrepid is on the move. It's been spotted sailing toward New York Harbor, a couple of miles before the Verrazano. And, sugar? J says those stupid diplomats think the terrorists are jist a-bringing it back. The air force ain't going to bomb it." is on the move. It's been spotted sailing toward New York Harbor, a couple of miles before the Verrazano. And, sugar? J says those stupid diplomats think the terrorists are jist a-bringing it back. The air force ain't going to bomb it."

"Ah, s.h.i.t," I said again.

"Get downtown to the ferry terminal, will you, girlfriend? We have a ship to stop."

I turned to Lieutenant Johnson and gave him an insouciant grin. "Hey, Looie, guess what? I need a ride."

Chapter 21.

"And I will come again, my luve,Tho' it were ten thousand mile."-Robert Burns, "A Red, Red Rose"

Say what you want about Johnson. He's got no personality, but the man knows his s.h.i.t.

I told him about the Intrepid Intrepid. He was a little peeved I hadn't told him the whole story to begin with. I figured that out when he crushed another c.o.ke can with his hand while I was talking. But he totally agreed with me when I laid out my reasons for believing the ship was not just being returned-it was rigged to explode once it was inside New York Harbor.

I also told him what I thought might stop it.

He reached over to the floor by the pa.s.senger seat and grabbed the unmarked car's red police light, leaned out the driver's window, and stuck it on the roof. He flipped on the siren, put the accelerator to the floor, and headed for Whitehall Street.

He grabbed the handheld radio, muttering to himself all the while, "I bet those sons of b.i.t.c.hes are going after the Statue of Liberty. Sons of b.i.t.c.hes!" After that the lieutenant talked a mile a minute into the radio as he drove all the way downtown like a man being chased by the devil.

"I know everybody's up at Central Park," I heard him bellowing into the handheld. h.e.l.l, half of New York could have heard him. "Unless you want another G.o.dd.a.m.n nine-eleven, get every first responder out of there and down to the Staten Island Ferry. And move both the ferries to the terminal."

Whomever he was screaming at put him through to the chief. In a calmer voice Johnson told his boss what had to happen. In a minute he and the chief were patched through to the mayor and the head of the Port Authority. Next I heard the governor's voice on the line.

Everybody asked a lot of questions. Johnson gave them answers they didn't want to hear but had to know. Finally the mayor and governor gave the okay. Both men knew Washington had already nixed force and wouldn't go along with this. They were taking full responsibility for a tricky maneuver that could literally blow up in their faces.

Johnson left out the part about us Darkwings. That was okay. If everything went according to plan, n.o.body would ever see us-besides the terrorists, that is. That was a very big if if, but I didn't let on that I had any doubts we could pull this off.

A wall of blue uniforms and firemen in full gear blocked Whitehall Street. Johnson stuck his head out the window and yelled his way down the street to get us to the ferry terminal.

Rogue, Cormac, Benny, Sam, and, to my surprise, Audrey and Khan stood in front of the terminal building waiting for me to get there. The Alice Austen Alice Austen sat in the ferry slip. Her sister ship, the sat in the ferry slip. Her sister ship, the John A. n.o.ble John A. n.o.ble, wallowed close by in the harbor. I jumped out of Johnson's car and raced over.

As soon as I got close I could hear a furious argument raging. Audrey was begging Khan to stay behind. He was having none of it.

I went directly over to Rogue. I added my two cents to the controversy, telling him that Khan's going was crazy. And if he went, the man was going to get the shock of his life when we transformed into giant bats.

Rogue shrugged. "Khan agrees it's a double cross. Audrey said he got a call from somebody spilling the beans. He feels his honor has been lost. Let the man do what he's got to do," Rogue said to me, then yelled, "Time to move!" He grabbed Audrey's arm and said, "Let it go, Audrey. He's coming along."

Audrey turned toward him for the briefest of moments, her beautiful face full of grief. Then we all ran through the terminal and up the ramp to the waiting ferry.

Except for the captain and his first mate, we were the only pa.s.sengers. The mate pulled the ramp up behind us, and even before he shut the gates the ferry was moving away from the dock, its horns blaring.

As soon as we cleared the slip, the John A. n.o.ble John A. n.o.ble pulled into our s.p.a.ce fast, hitting the dock hard. Looking back over the rail, I saw the first responders start up the gangplank. pulled into our s.p.a.ce fast, hitting the dock hard. Looking back over the rail, I saw the first responders start up the gangplank.

The Alice Austen Alice Austen turned toward the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to intercept the turned toward the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to intercept the Intrepid Intrepid, With the engine opened as wide as it could go, our ferry sailed forth. We couldn't wait for her sister ship. It would take a good ten minutes to get the n.o.ble n.o.ble boarded, and we didn't have that much time. boarded, and we didn't have that much time.

Even traveling at maximum speed, maybe twenty knots, the ferry seemed to lumber along like a great swimming bear. It took twenty long minutes to get to the Verrazano. I paced the rails, my anxiety mounting. I knew we had to stop the Intrepid Intrepid while she was still out in the channel, just in case she blew. while she was still out in the channel, just in case she blew.

Finally the high, graceful span of the Verrazano appeared in front of us. There, huge and impressive, the great old warship, completely visible, was steaming directly under it. All the Darkwings came up to the leading edge of the Alice Austen Alice Austen, not exactly the bow, since the bow and stern depended on which direction the ship was traveling. Ferries never turned around.

Audrey came striding over, still wearing one of Khan's shirts and his jeans, just as she was the other night. She looked grim. I reached out and gave her a hug.

She said Khan was up in the pilothouse with the captain.

I couldn't imagine what was going through her mind. No matter what happened, even if Khan got out of this alive, he'd see her turn into a vampire bat. She and Khan were through.

With the Intrepid Intrepid in sight, it was now or never. The Darkwings transformed, all of us, all at once. Hopping up on the rail and balancing over the dark water, we took off into the pellucid air. Silently five great vampire bats soared upward and headed toward the huge, looming ship, invisible once we were airborne. We were black shapes against a black night. in sight, it was now or never. The Darkwings transformed, all of us, all at once. Hopping up on the rail and balancing over the dark water, we took off into the pellucid air. Silently five great vampire bats soared upward and headed toward the huge, looming ship, invisible once we were airborne. We were black shapes against a black night.

Meanwhile the Alice Austen Alice Austen set her course, head-on, right into the set her course, head-on, right into the Intrepid's Intrepid's path. It was going to take a lot of courage to put the ferry on a collision course with the great World War II, steel-plated vessel. We hoped the terrific impact of the two ships. .h.i.tting would slow or stop the path. It was going to take a lot of courage to put the ferry on a collision course with the great World War II, steel-plated vessel. We hoped the terrific impact of the two ships. .h.i.tting would slow or stop the Intrepid's Intrepid's forward movement-and distract the terrorists from seeing us land. forward movement-and distract the terrorists from seeing us land.

But the ferry was only 207 feet long, less than a third the size of the battleship. In all probability the Intrepid Intrepid would roll right over her, crushing in the ferry's sides and sending her to the bottom, sinking her fast. would roll right over her, crushing in the ferry's sides and sending her to the bottom, sinking her fast.

The ferry captain, his mate, and Khan knew that. They were told to abandon ship as soon as the deadly course was set. But jumping into the water and getting out of danger's way would be perilous in itself.

In my heart I knew none of them would make it. I also suspected they all knew that too. I bet they would stay on board until the ships collided, even though it would cost them their lives.

Meanwhile the five of us reached the aircraft carrier. With the element of surprise on our side, we had to keep the terrorists from detonating the bombs we were sure were there. And we wanted to kill them all, if we could.

We didn't know if any of the American crew was alive. We didn't know who was piloting the ship. We believed the terrorists were.

It didn't matter much. Whatever the situation, we had to do the job.

The bridge and control tower rose up pale and ghostly from the starboard side of the ship. With Rogue in the lead, he, Cormac, and Audrey flew toward it just as the Intrepid Intrepid hit the hit the Alice Austen Alice Austen.

The noise of the impact deafened me. Metal tore apart with a horrendous scream. The big ship shuddered, shook, and reared up, its bow in the air. It came down on the ferry, driving the orange ship under the water. The Intrepid Intrepid dipped down, bounced up... and stopped dead in the water, caught on the ferry's roof. dipped down, bounced up... and stopped dead in the water, caught on the ferry's roof.

I looked below me on the flight deck of the carrier. I could see four men running toward a large mound, like many crates piled high, in the middle of the wide, flat s.p.a.ce. Explosives, I thought. Nothing high-tech. Maybe dynamite. Maybe nitro. They bombed the World Trade Center in 1993 with a urea-nitrate-fertilizer bomb.

I whistled to Sam and Benny. They spotted the running men too. We folded our wings back and dove toward them.

I hit the nearest man at full speed in the neck with my clawed foot, decapitating him. His head rolled down the flight deck while his body dropped like a stone.

Benny used her shoulder to ram into another, shoving him forward until she pushed him off the edge of the ship into the Arthur Kill. Sam threw himself onto another of the terrorists, slamming his body to the deck. I saw the cowboy disembowel him with one terrible clawed swipe.

The final terrorist was no problem to any of us. Seeing what happened to his comrades, he ran to the side of the ship and threw himself into the water.

I took a quick look at the boxes. I saw the wire and a detonator. I didn't touch it. I'd leave it for the bomb squad. For now it was harmless.

Then the three of us leaped skyward again and flew to the bridge. We landed in front of a room of silence. A half dozen bodies lay on the floor. Nothing living stirred.

Our three team members came around the corner of the bridge, signaling us to go. We didn't take time to search further. We heard the horn blasts of the John John A A n.o.ble n.o.ble as she came alongside. In minutes New York's real heroes would be climbing on board. as she came alongside. In minutes New York's real heroes would be climbing on board.

So far I was pretty sure n.o.body had spotted us. We didn't tarry. We took flight off the bridge on the side away from the approaching ferry. We aimed for a white sliver of crescent moon, and then set our course by the yellow glow of Liberty's torch.

Just as the first rays of dawn sent fingers of light into the sky, I landed on the ledge of a window in my apartment, the same one Darius had entered days before. I tumbled through the curtains, fell onto the floor, and let myself transform.

After the change, naked, my arms and legs trembling from exhaustion, I lay there breathing hard. Finally I pulled myself to my knees, then stood. I was whole; I was safe; I was home.

Pulling my tangled hair back from my face, I smiled and greeted my dog and white rat. I made my way with tired feet into the kitchen. Jade's water bowl was full; a few remnants of beef lay in her food bowl.

Then I saw the ring box on the granite countertop. Next to the box sat a folded piece of paper with my name printed on it.

I picked it up, my hand shaking. I opened it and read:

Sweetheart-I know you're p.i.s.sed. I hope you don't throw the ring in the trash. I hope you decide to wear it.I have to leave town for a while. It will give you a chance to think. It seems that my boss believes that your boss's boss wants to kill me. I believe he's right.I'm giving them a chance to straighten it out between the three of them and stay out of harm's way until they do.I have something to live for now-something I want with all my heart.Please forgive my stubborn loyalties and foolish choices.There is only you. Now and forever.I'll call when I can. Wait for me.Remember what Bobby B. wrote-"And fare thee weel, my only luve!And fare thee weel awhile!And I will come again, my luve,Tho' it were ten thousand mile."D.

Epilogue.

The vampire hunter war brought some irrevocable changes to New York and those I loved.

For one thing, Martin didn't make it. He was one of thirteen vampires who went to dust in Strawberry Fields. The Laundromat lost five members altogether. They decided to honor the fallen by renaming the nightly blood compet.i.tion the Strawberry Fields Memorial Regatta. I didn't think it made much sense, but they liked it.

Charlie's lost eight bikers. The Bloods Club auctioned off their Harleys and threw a beer bash in the back court with the money. It went on every night for an entire week before the cops started sitting outside in squad cars because there was so much fighting and carrying on. The membership agreed that the lost vampires went out in a blaze of glory, kicking a.s.s. What more could an outlaw biker want?

Shalid Khan, Captain Roger J. Worthington, and First Mate Gianni Amalfi all died that night. They remained with the ferry, making sure it stayed in the Intrepid's Intrepid's path. They were honored as heroes. Their bodies were retrieved from the Arthur Kill. Khan's family shipped his home to Pakistan. path. They were honored as heroes. Their bodies were retrieved from the Arthur Kill. Khan's family shipped his home to Pakistan.

The remaining crew and captain of the Intrepid Intrepid were found safe below decks. were found safe below decks.

Two weeks after the battle I came downstairs one evening to walk Jade and found Mickey in the lobby, manning the front door. His arm hung in a sling, but his back seemed a little straighter than it had been.

He told me they treated him "right royal" in the military hospital and didn't even charge him a dime. He muttered something about wishing he could have killed a dozen more of the murderin' Brits. If he saw any vampires that night, I think he would have lumped what he saw into the category of pink elephants. He certainly didn't look at me as if I were a monster.

I told him I owed him my life.

Mickey stood straight and said, "Erin go Bragh." Ireland forever.

Amen.

As for the ring... it's in my backpack, the Louis Vuitton one I carry everywhere. I haven't made up my mind what I will do about marrying Darius. I can't deny I love him. I still am not completely sure I trust him.

But I tell myself he's not just a vampire; he's a man. They're flawed creatures. I need to consider that before I make my final decision.

I am not talking to my mother.

I have not seen J.