It seemed everything was wonderful, Claudia almost believed it was as it seemed. They were in Regensburg, in lovely presidential hotel suite, with those that had travelled in with them all on the floor. Reporters came to them. There were interviews. Alaric sent a story to his daily with pictures and wished they had been taken by Merideth. There were nice dinners. Chocolates appeared and spring water.

      But it was not wonderful everywhere. Even as Clauida was thinking it was somehow even more pleasant than usual to make love in the large hotel bed or to wake and trace John's tattoo with her fingers with fresh flowers scenting the room, she had friends in trouble. It was Miko that realized it first, found her amid her plans to have an actual bubble bath.

      "Merideth," he gasped, "they can't get here now, had to detour. She asks us to come back."

      Claudia threw off the robe and pulled her clothes back on in front of the boy as she asked what he knew. All he knew was that Merideth and all those with her had detoured off the road on their way there because they had encountered a mixed Russian Protestant Underground army of considerable size. But detouring had only led them into viewing distance of other armies.

      Once Claudia shook Miko out of the blank stare her nakedness had caused, they ran to get the others. It took no real time in convincing any of them. John was dressing and shouting orders to the police officers assigned to him, giving them messages to take to Wald and others they now knew in the city. They had no time to wait, those in the city needed to understand, other Goth were in danger. If any desired to follow it would be dangerous but they knew it would be west to the area between Neuberg and Dillingen.

      Claudia found Alaric and asked him to ride with them. Claudia did not have to explain that Merideth needed help, Miko had already informed Alaric. "I am thankful they did not call to say there was fighting in Ingolstadt," Alaric said as they walked down the stairs to their cars. "Several pipelines go through there, better the VC hold it they seek only to uphold existing law and won't be motivated to disrupt flow to other cities, but if they were attacked while in the city, the fighting could spark explosion. Ingolstadt is so heavily surrounded by the old walls there would have to be missiles and eplosives used to take it."

      Claudia nodded as they came to the hovercar. John was nearby, anxiously checking that everyone had a vehicle to ride with. "Better the VC hold Ingolstadt and we Regensburg then. But, I have to worry about the other cities. Neuberg is VC controlled now, and Dillingen up the river EL controlled and there are bridges in both cities as well as between."

      Alaric shook his head, as he climbed into the front passenger seat. Claudia hopped as ladylike as she could into the back, not wanting to bother with moving both door and seat of the convertible. "You seem to understand military strategy better than I do, Alaric. Do you think this will be bad?"

      "It has become the front line! At least eight different armies, divided into two opposing sides, plus the satellite groups. They are coming from all directions now, to this place. Our train has been caught between the shrinking circle of their approaching forces. We must be a distraction from outside, or negotiate with an army, something to help help them move through the advance without being mistaken for a military target."

      John sat down behind the driving stick frowned slightly. "Sascha says civilians have begun evacuating the towns west of Neuberg. We should find no traffic going west from here."

      "I'll try to think of something," Claudia said, tried to be reassuring. She thought John felt the same thing she did, guilt at leaving the others behind.

      "Well, I better see how fast this car really goes," John said. He threw the stick forward as he hit the jets and they were gliding over the old streets toward the highway.

                      †               †               †

      Gliding along the highway, it seemed to take no time to reach Neuberg, but once they did everything slowed; time itself seemed to slow. On the walls, and all around the city, were the redjacks, the soldiers of Vampire City, in their full battle dress uniform the color of fresh blood. Claudia had seen the uniform before, most recently in their meeting with Joshua, but the battle ready unifrom had always couted on both intimidation as well as preservation of the body. Their collars were up, revealing the metal mesh lining the tall pointed collar already made to be flame retardant and bulletproof. Each of them had a silvery mesh covering upper left quarter of the torso and shoulder. They had their skullcaps of this same flexible red armor on so that hair that remained the legth it had been at turning flew out from beneath in the wind.

      Claudia thought the wind unusually strong, even for the riverfront. Her own hair whipped her face as they drove. No one stopped them to ask questions, all but the furthest generation removed from the Nephillim would fail in reading minds. They only stared momentarily then ignored them.

      "They are really creepy dressed like that and all together," Alaric whispered. They still could have heard him if they cared to.

      Claudia supposed there was something ominous about the VC troops, but they wanted to be seen that way. The color of their uniform, the cut of tight pants, jacket with padded shoulders and the large matching boots with well shone metal plates along the shin were all carefully designed for this combined effect of armor and intimidation.

      Claudia called Merideth's mobile. There was a moment as the machine dialed and connected and then Jayne answered instead of Merideth. "Where are you?" Claudia asked immediately.

      "Just north of a river bridge. We have to cross to the south, but we're not sure how close the Swiss are on that side."

      "Just a moment, stay online," Claudia said. She pulled up her map. Jayne must be at the junction where the stretch of scenic riverside highway shifted from the north to the south bank where the road could take an easier corse as topography changed.

      "Jayne, cross, but take the riverside route east, don't go directly south after crossing. Your only chance is to take your chances in Neuberg as we have and hope the smaller force of VC don't bother with us. All the other major highways are one-by-one being closed off by the various armies."

      "We know, we would have been unable to join you if we hadn't turned south when we did."

      "Jayne, take care. It doesn't look like more than 30 kilometers, even at the speed the horses can run..."

      "We've been traveling constantly," Jayne sighed.

      "We'll try to get out there and help you. Maybe they will wait for dawn tommorow to attack each other."

      "The VC can easier attack at night after the others have marched all day," Jayne pointed out.

      Claudia felt her brow wrinkling. "If we drive we can be there within 30 minutes, less, change up the trailers again and be on our way."

      "Hurry then, the sooner the better," Jayne called. "I have to go. Hurry and help us!"

      Claudia closed down her mobile. She leaned forward to John.  "As soon as we're beyond the Neuberg exits speed us up again. We can reach them in twenty minutes. Their best hope is for us to switch up the trailers, and that takes time."

      John glanced to his mirror, the string of vehicles behind. "I'm not worried about finding them," John said, "I worry about how and where we will go after that."

      Claudia drew her cloak about her more tightly, feeling the cool air painfully as the car sped along highway with its top down. "All the roads will be closed?" she asked.

      "Probable," Alaric said.

      "What about returning to Neuberg?" Claudia asked.

      "Do you really want to take all the tribe into a city held by VC and likely a Russian target?"

      "There are civilians there as well."

      "Not outside," Alaric said. He was right. There had not been many civilians outside, just the few.

      "Is there any high ground?" John asked.

      Claudia knew his thoughts. She opened her mobile to access her maps. If there was any highground they might wait out the passing of armies, but the highground could also be targeted by the armies wanting its view. "There is forested highground just north of the river. Lightly Residential with a park at the summit. Park's around an old fort or tower of some kind."

      "Then we go there," John said, "Call Merideth, tell her to stop and wait, to even head for the park if she thinks it best."

      Claudia made the call. This time Merideth did answer herself. "You are on your way?" she asked.

      "Of course," Claudia started, "Meri, there is a small mountain, a hill really just north of the river, that is why the road moves to the south shore. We think if we get to the park there we can hold out until the armies move enough that we can travel."

      "We've just crossed the bridge!"

      "I know, but Neuberg isn't really safe either. I am sorry, we are trying. We'll catch up in just minutes. Wait and rest if you like."

      "We'll stop and unhitch the extra trailers and all the horses. You should be here then surely?"

      "Yes, very soon, a few miles," Claudia promised as she saw the road sign.

      "We'll get to work," Merideth sighed heavily.

      "They'll start arranging the trailers," Claudia said as she closed the mobile.

      John only nodded, barely, he was intent on driving. Claudia closed her eyes, just to rest. When the car stopped she opened her eyes.

      The tribe of a thousand plus was whole again, a large mess of vehicles people and animals covering the otherwise deserted highway bridge. John was already outside, hugging tribe members and making apologies and promises. Alaric had hopped out to find Merideth and Louisa.

       Claudia slipped over the seat and took the stick. She manuvered the hovercar through the crowd of vehicles till it was in the clear and facing north. Claudia parked the car and walked back to the crowded bridge section. Every Elder was shouting orders for drivers to stay with vehicles and everyone else to assist in directing vehicles toward their trailers or other loads.

      She found the tech trailer, Jayne and Erik now greeting those who had gone along with Claudia. Hand me a pair of field glasses and help me up on the roof," Claudia asked. Robbie hopped inside and in a moment returned with the glasses. Marcus put his hands down in the form of a stirrup and boosted Claudia as she stepped up into his hands. From the roof, Claudia called down.  "You've got the van already, so drive to the south of the crowd, I want a clear view."

      Robbie was going to take his turn driving and the rest scattered to help others. Claudia sat low on the roof as the van and trailer were in motion. She knew it wasn't entirely safe a stunt. Robbie brought them to a clear area just south of the crowd and stopped.

      Claudia stood up, focused the field glasses to the south. There had been clouds overhead but she could see it was sunny yet to the south and the wind was coming from that direction. It was clear enough that she could see a good distance down the highway. She could just make out a blob of red on the horizon.

      Robbie hopped from the roof of the van onto the trailer. "See anything?"

      "VC to the south so far," Claudia said. She panned toward the east. There were buildings, trees, grass, the Lech river running into the Danube but no army she could see. She panned past the red blob again and to the west. No army, but the stretch of highway they had just been on was traveled by a group of vehicles. These were just close enough that she could make out their shapes in the glasses.

      There were perhaps twenty vehicles, all seemed to be commercial vans or light cargo trucks. "I believe we have reinforcements," Claudia said.

      "Where?"

      Claudia handed the glasses to Robbie. With her naked eyes she could still see vehicles but they were smaller and indistinct. "From Regensburg," Claudia said.

      "Ja," Robbie agreed.

      Claudia turned to look over the group below. They were making progress in attaching vehicles to trailers and mainly as they had been originally. The flock of sheep were being driven into the wide wagon they rode in, the dogs and other animals being called into cars. The horses Claudia could see looked exhausted and foaming. Many of the tribe looked exhausted. Wariness of the armies in the area had kept them from stopping for real sleep.

      Claudia slipped down the side of the trailer. It was not as hard to get down, her boots were study enough. Robbie jumped down after her. "I couldn't see much to the north either."

      "They are there," Claudia said, "We just can't see them." Claudia looked up, it was getting very dark and cloudy to the north. "would you think this unseasonal?"

      "I haven't lived here?"

      "Summer storm then, that's all.'

      "What did you think it was?" Robbie asked.

      "I thought perhaps the Vampyres were causing the storm, some of them can do it. Velvet did it, I saw her." Claudia looked over the crowd again. It was lessening, ready vehicles moving into lines and passengers boarding. She could see John amid the largest standing group.

      Robbie walked with her as Claudia went to them. Claudia waited and John looked to her when he was done answering the last person. "I spotted some vehicles approaching, but I am sure they are only followers from Regensburg. They should be here soon."

      "Sure?"

      "I suppose you need to ask, but yes, I am sure."

      John nodded. "We're almost ready," he said then.

                      †               †               †

      They were just ready to move on when the much smaller train of vehicles from Regensburg found them. They halted in their line, behind the lines of the larger train on the bridge. John went to them, saw the first car was the sort of truck police moved prisoners in. The driver, stepping out was a uniformed officer, female and fairly young. "Out of your jurisdiction?" John asked.

      She smiled. "We were sent to find you. We volunteered to join the tribe members that travel but we were sent with these things when we were given leave. Here, I have donations from the police armory, all defensive, riot shields, gas masks, batons, armor. The trucks behind have other supplies. It is all donated, to help those of our tribe who travel."

      "I don't have time for ceremonial thanks," John said and loud enough so that the drivers behind could also hear where they stepped from their vehicles. "There are armies approaching. I would like to thank you properly but we must all move quickly. We have chosen a spot to the north of the river, there is a park and some old ruins. We may have a chance to hold out there until it is safe to travel the area."

      John saw them nod understanding. The driver behind the first, a man, called up, "We'll follow, some of us know of the place you mentioned."

      John nodded back. He turned and jogged to the head of the nearest line. On the bridge, they were in several parallel lines rather than one long train and would travel as many across as they could until stopping. As he passed his own trailer, Merideth called from the open door, having been instructed to rest for the ride with all those who had been driving earlier. "We may still run into a few refugees. We saw a few still when we turned south. The road continues east on the north bank but is narrow and more winding." Again John answered only with nod and jogged on.

      John came to the lead car and Elzbieta was in the driver's seat, Claudia beside her, chatting as if there was nothing wrong.  Grudgingly, he got into the back seat and stretched out best he could. Elzbieta started up the car and then behind John heard the start of many engines, and several voices calling encouragement.

      The bridge was crossed. The trains merged into a smaller number and continued east along the river. The hill was already visible, perhaps a small mountain, worn smooth and taller than the surrounding landscape, covered with greenery. Ahead, they saw a few of the refugees Merideth had mentioned, those fleeing the cities and towns in the area rather than hold out.

      Traveling on roadway and with lighter loads the mountain park was reached in short time, the sun just threatening to set behind them. They might have a few hours of good light left to make a secure camp. The train merged as necessary and drove as far up the mountain as the road allowed, about half its height. There was a flat area here, unpaved, but obviously left for parking vehicles.

      There were signs. Claudia read them. "There are further trails, they lead to designated camping and hiking paths, bike trails as well." She pointed out a few signs. "Trailers are permitted on these outermost paths, the rest lead also sites for camping but take various trails getting there. Looks like the trail marked in yellow is the shortest, but for the advanced hiker's trail, which would probaably be too steep."

      "Clearly those trailers we need to sleep in can drive up such as they are allowed and the rest of us can walk supplies up the trail," John said. He asked Elzbieta to park the hovercar which would not be needed and hopped out as she began to move it. He saw Aaron happened to be in the next vehicle, a van that pulled a wagon. "Only trailers necessary to sleep in should be pulled up these two paths, everyone else should park, unload and carry gear up the yellow path."

      John saw Quentin shout the order back down the line. They didn't need the wagon to sleep so he drove the van to a parking place. John's own gear was with the trailer so he went to the line of parked cars and offered to help. Elzbieta and Claudia were already heading up the trail. John took a few tents from Aaron and followed.

      It was not an entirely easy trail, but John put the pain in his legs out of his mind. Soon enough he came to the level camping area in view of the summit. Claudia and Elzbieta were speaking to some others who had already built a fire. The group of young campers looked to him as he came up but then looked again to Claudia and spoke. John put the tents down and went back to help carry gear.

      It took some time to get everyone atop the small mountain with all the gear needed for sleeping shelters, hunting, cooking and other necessities of camping. Those from the trailers came up separate paths from the lower sites to meet them. "Pitch tents while we have the light, gather wood and whatever you may need for building shelters, the tarps are up here somewhere along with the rope and twine. We'll do what we can about eating afterward. Spread into the woods if you need to."

      John looked about for the policewoman, he did not think he could recognize any of the other newlings yet. She was standing near a stack of gear about to lift something. John went to her. She stood when she saw him, hands empty. "I wanted to see if you could tell me who the others were that came with you...I do not even know your name."

      "Anna," she said, "they are all around. Victor, he drove the truck with the donated food wanted to find someone who might know if he should bring up all the food?"

      "Do you see him now, Anna?"

      She looked about. "Yes, I think he has found the Lady. She will help him?"

      John smiled to himself, "she is really much better with practical matters than I, I have to admit. I want to thank you, it is always good to have newlings and you and the others joined in a difficult time, plus you brought so much with you."

      "Gift from the city, Leader," Anna said, "I carried the armory's donations. Victor drove the food, not fresh, but dry goods from a packing company, pretzels, nuts, crisps, cereals, things like that. This stack here came from a camping store, tents, stoves, sleep bags, everything from their store. There was also a van with clothing, it is second hand, but clean and in good shape, I think Gloria drove that van. There was a van that had donations from some of the churches, an assortment of inspirational media and reference collected from stores also. Also I remember a truck filled with games and toys and sports equipment. A few trucks had personal items, toiletries and soaps. And we had additional passengers of course besides those of us who drove the fully loaded trucks."

      "Can you find the others, those who know what is in each truck and where it was parked?"

      "Yes, I can look for them."

      John nodded. "I want you to try and meet together when the tents have been pitched. I'll ask for you when we get settled so that the others can hear. Then we can send down those who have need to get these things from the trucks."

      "Good idea. I'll find them and pass the word."

      "Do you need help now with these tents?"

      "Well, they are all donated, I don't know how many you need."

      John held a finger in gesture for Anna to wait a moment. He turned and took a breath so he might yell. "If anyone does not have any space in a tent or trailer we do have a limited supply of new tents donated from Regensburg, please come to get one and pitch it."

      John waited as the word was called to those farther away. Soon a number of people approached. John knew some people slept in cars. The vans were not bad, but some of the cars had four or five people trying to sleep in the morning. John lifted a tent. "Share best you can," he told the first boy as he passed them the tent.

      "Danke," the boy said with nod to Anna.

      John looked around and saw that Claudia waved to him. He excused himself then went to her. She was near the fire of the campers who had arrived before them. "This is Bert, Gerd, Austin and Joyce," Claudia said with gesture to the young campers. "They also want to be Goth. They left Dillingen just as the Swiss were taking it and have been camping up here some days."

      "Good to meet you," John said.

      They spoke at once in greetings.

      "And Victor, from Regensburg. He says about one hundred followers and at least seven truckloads of various supplies came with them. Most of it is down in the lot."

      "Thank you, Victor," John said, "I met Anna. I told her that I would like to ask your group to stand when we have settled down so we can thank you. The tents and camping gear are already being distributed and is already useful. I thought I would ask those in need to go to the various trucks later. It is often apparent that some of the tribe are more in need than others, and they usually don't complain. Everyone chooses to follow."

      "I will be sure to stand if you ask," Victor said. "I drove a truck of snackfoods. It's good for making a trail mix, I think that's what it is called. Good mix of energy and carbohydrates. Pieter knows, he actually managed the camping store."

      "Pieter," John said, attempting to remember all the names. There were so many.

      "Also some of the followers are reporters," Victor offered.

      "We already have a reporter and photojournalist," John said, "but more are welcome as long as they don't sell to competeing Berlin dailies I suppose."

      "No, video news out of Regensburg. If you need live coverage they have the equipment."

      "They can cover the battle," John frowned.

                      †               †               †

      The rain started to fall a few hours past sunset. Tents and more makeshift shelters crowded the hilltop and the surrounding woods and the rain pattering agains the nylon, canvas and vinyl made a decent lullaby for the Goth. The sounds of wind and rain in the trees and on rocks might have soothed them, if they could not also hear the first sounds of battle.

      Camp was secure as they could make it, being on high ground and having crude traps and alarms rigged about its perimeter. There was a watch, a team of tribal volunteers that stayed awake and on lookout. Others had the chance to sleep, if they could.

      Dinner had been finished and cleared and now all there was to do, when sleep refused to come, was to play quiet games with cards, or boards and tokens, or throw dice. The rain was just starting and not a hazard, so some left their trailers for shelters consisting of tarps hung overtop beds of criss-crossed pine boughs.

      The Elders were all within a trailer lot on the east side of the small mountain an easy walk from the summit camp. They had decided staying in one location would make them easier to find. Several now sat awake, in mismatched chairs, beneath a plastic tarp suspended from tree branches. Where they sat there was a clear view east and tree cover was thin enough to offer decent views southeast and north.

      Claudia watched John from her seat. He was crouched atop a protruding rock formation that pushed even farther east from the trees, watching the valley below with night vision goggles and field glasses in turns. Merideth, Alaric, and Louisa were sitting with her. Sascha and Melitta were still awake, but had gone into their RV. Robbie and Miko were a few meters away, roasting apples over dying coals. Claudia saw Elzbieta go to John, stand behind him and whisper.

      Again there were the whistles of launched incendiary devices flying north. John had said he thought it was the VC trying to hit the Russian lines. It was not surprising that some form of night attack would come from the VC, only Claudia expected more stealth. "Perhaps it's all a diversion to allow the Americans room to pass?" Claudia said aloud.

      "Who's listening?" Alaric asked.

      "I think Leonore is still working inside," Claudia said. The girl never slept. Claudia had suspected drugs, but decided it was only that Leonore sublimated her teen lusts and angst into her work. It was not as if Claudia was unfamiliar with the process.

      John and Elzbieta both walked back to them and the dry space. Elzbieta pulled up a chair as John smoothed a patch of dirt with his bare hands. He took up a fallen twig to draw with. Quickly he drew a series of sinuous lines intersecting each other and drilled shallow holes in the dirt along some lines with the end of the stick. "The river," he said of the longest line, "Dillingen, Neuberg." He said of the two drilled holes long the river. He continued explaining where he had drawn the major highways that crossed the area and the bridges. "The railroad usually follows tracks along this highway," John said, "But we know Stuttgart and Regensburg have stopped access for the time being."

      Alaric moved from his seat and taking another small stick drilled several more holes. He added to the dirt map the cities to the north where the highways led, Aalen, Nordlingen and Eichstatt, the same cities they had passed through traveling from Stuttgart to Regensburg. Further north, above Nordlingen or Eichstatt he added Weissenburg, which the last drawn roadway led to.

      John added the southern city of Augsburg directly below the bridge they had most recently crossed and noted as he placed a small stone this was the position of the main body of the VC. "Schrobenhaussen is to our south east along this highway between Ingolstadt and Augsburg," he said as he drilled the point. "Heidenheim is to our northwest, along the rather curved stretch between Ulm and Aalen. Ulm. Ingolstadt." John drilled three more points.

      Claudia watched as John gathered up a number of small rocks. He placed them about the map. "Last we knew VC was just north of Augsburg. Americans are coming along the road and are past Nordlingen. The VC also hold Neuberg. Here, south of Eichstatt, we think the combined EG-DG force is camped. The Russians are to the north and coming along the road from Weissenburg, will, if both continue, meet the Americans where the roads merge at the bridge we crossed today."

      "Which would not be good for the Union knowing the number of Americans and Russians in the war thus far," Alaric noted.

      John nodded. "Swiss we think are somewhere between Dillingen and Augsburg, can continue north or wait to try and flank the VC. Of course if we know where they are, the VC does, and they may swing northwest to take on the Swiss. We know other Swiss hold Dillingen and Ulm further upriver. Spanish are in Heidenheim and the Gaul near Aalen."

      "But for the Russians the EL have a nice straight line of defense in the west to attack from or fall back on," Claudia said as she studied the map. "Union is more spread out."

      "I see a sort of horseshoe shape forming," Alaric said. They could mean to wait back and first force the Swiss and Gaul toward the river. They would then be in good position, surrounding the EL on three sides."

      "Except for the Russians," Merideth pointed out.

      "Maybe the VC are sending missiles in for some other reason, maybe just to take them all out?" Claudia asked.

      "To force them forward," Elzbieta said. "Under fire they might retreat but this would affect their allies as well. They must take cover or move in and meet the enemy close range. The Russian numbers are such that they are prepared to fight the VC."

      "They have a lot of troops holding Poland," John said.

      Elzbieta frowned.

      Claudia looked to John. She knew, thought he did too.  It would not be today or tomorrow but if the Russian army suffered loss of numbers they were determined enough to fight the Union that they would take their troops from Poland. But, not being stupid enough to lose their supply line or egress, they would have to find a way to control Poland with fewer soldiers. That meant taking more from the people of Poland to weaken them, even their lives.

      They must already be doing something of the sort in the German cities they held; they were still streaming into the country and didn't have the advantage of stealth or appearance of friendship they had when entering Poland or Hungary within the last year.

      But did any army do differently?

      Claudia swatted at the sprigs of hair that fell from her hood and looked down at the map. "Is there any sign that the Russians are moving?"

      "Leonore would have told us," John said, "I'm thinking that the Union armies would only need one talented telepath, Vampyre or otherwise, and they could relay orders that way, go completely radio silent once in range."

      Claudia nodded. "I have heard of that. I know the one called Faye is supposed to be of legendary range, perhaps more sensitive or powerful in this respect than the High Lord"

      A branch snapped somewhere behind Merideth, and they all looked up. Claudia was facing there already and saw it was Patrick. She told the others there was no worry.  Patrick had been on watch. He came more quietly, small electric torch for light. His clothes were all quite wet. "Didn't mean to startle you," he said, "Quentin took my watch on the north side. I saw Rory and Adalbert and that fellow from the camp store go out, so the others should be back soon to rest."

      "Pieter," John informed him, "See anything?"

 "Actually, I think I know what the missiles were about. The Russians carried some kind of cloak generator, hid their numbers, right. Suddenly I could see them without goggles, all over the place. The VC took out the cloak."

      "It was some use in visible light," Claudia said, mainly to herself. "But, grouped tightly, even infrared sensors would only have made their position, not their number."

      Patrick nodded. "You can see them now when the sky lights up. The last few missiles have been only flares of some kind. Thousands, all over the place, just pouring into the valley. I don't see much else from the north side."

      "Go hang your clothes and get some rest, Patrick," Claudia suggested.

      "Wake me if fighting gets intense, will you? It should be horrible, but historic, you know?"

      Claudia pressed her lips to each other as she nodded, neither frown nor smile entirely. It would be historic, worthy of recording in photos, of writing about for the dailies. Claudia knew this was true, but hoped that such reports conveyed loss and horror more than any glory or righteousness.

      The rain was heavier now, falling fast and splattering from hard surfaces. And with the wind still blowing north rain reached her back and legs even where she sat under the tarp. Robbie and Miko abandoned their coals. As they came under the semi shelter of the tarp, Miko handded Cladia a roasted apple, still very hot. She held it in a fold of her cloak to cool.

      Now, Hansel and Aaron came from the trail above to give their reports. As they reached the tarp, Marcus came from below. "Any news?" John asked them as he had Patrick.

      "I could make out moving lights to the east," Hansel said, "Nothing in particular. Neuberg is visible as light and there are other lights further north than Neuberg, maybe camps."

      "Nearly the same situation west," Aaron said, "I'm certain I can locate Dillingen from its light, even get a heat reading in the goggles. And both north and south of it there are more smaller spots of heat and light source. Not much moving however, between."

      "I may have seen some of the same camps at the edges of my view," Marcus offered, "But I know the VC are moving. Harder to spot through goggles, lower body temperature, not very far above the ambient air temperature and the rain seems to worsen it somehow. But I can actually see them every so often. I believe they are not actually on the road itself but along both sides of it. And they seemed to be covered in something other than the red."

      "It's possible they are purposely fooling  infrared this way," Robbie suggested. I've heard of various means for fooling such sensors on the net. If you cannot raise the ambient you can try to cover your body's heat signature. Dark cloaks of any absorbent material, likely cotton or hemp, would hold water. So long as it is raining they blend with the surrounding temperatures."

      "And during the night dark colors would clearly hide them in the range of visible light," Claudia said plainly. She was sure they were doing as Robbie and Marcus suggested. It seemed like Angel, or what Claudia had been told of her. And it was known that the methods used by the VC were largely trained by Angel.

      "We all know the VC are a formidable force," John said, "We saw them, Claudia and I, before the war, in Rome, we saw Angel there briefly as well. Apart from being known Vampyres, and having the uniforms obviously designed for intimidation, I'm sure they have trained to use all their preternatural abilities for combat."

      Claudia nodded. She had seen some Vampyres fight over the years. They were both stronger and faster than humans of comparable size, some many times so. Some could fly or, using same principle, travel on walls and across ceilings. And then there were the psychic abilities coupled with advanced speed of reflex and thought. Depending on the individual's talent, they might cause objects to move over a distance by thinking it, or cause fire to start. Joy, for example, had been able to cast false vision into human minds, to have them believe they were elsewhere or that persons and things around them were altered.

      Claudia shivered at her thoughts. She had agreed some time ago to become one of them, thought about it with cold logic and agreed. She had let David and Joy drink from her body. Claudia had studied Darkling History which taught that the first Nephillim had been created by a band of rebellious Angels forcably joining with the body of selected humans. The Nephillim were fully angelic in power, but contained in bodies of human flesh kept strong and youthful by digesting blood. The Nephillim had spawned the Vampyres who, while not entirely Angelic, were nearly as powerful.

      "The VC are formidable, but they can be beaten. Most are young and generations removed from strong blood," Claudia said.

      "why would we fight them?" Merideth asked.

      "We wouldn't fight at all," Claudia pointed out, "I was thinking aloud. Really, I was just thinking that objectively, either side has a chance of winning. The strongest Vampyres do not join the VC. They go their own way and run Havens, or run financial empires, or dabble in politics. I believe Athen instigated the Arab-Chinese War and that changed borders all over South and East Asia including freeing tibet. Most VC are made just to be VC, from willing humans."

      "Still, I wouldn't want to go up against them, but then I wouldn't want to face the Russians either in their numbers," Alaric said.

      Claudia shrugged. "I'd rather be wary of Gaul. The northern parts of France have been conquered enough, Paris, Normandy, Champagne, Alsace, Lorraine. But the Southern parts that formed Gaul have always been better defended. Languedoc, Auvergne, Dauphine, are all mountainous regions. They're tough, like the neighboring Swiss."

      "I'd rather be wary of military forces in general," John said finally.