Bitten (Book 1 - Book 4) novel Chapter 86

The jog back to Viperia felt fast to Natalia, but she was feeling the pace and getting exhausted. It was very late. The streets were now deserted.

Uri pulled out his phone when they approached the gates of Viperia, which were closed.

‘Uri plus five at the west gates,’ he said into his phone.

Five minutes passed before one gate opened enough to admit them. Char stood just inside. She closed and secured the gate as soon as they were all in.

‘No word on Gussy?’ Char said.

‘Nothing,’ Uri said. ‘Where is everyone holed up?’

‘Sherri’s old house. This way.’

Natalia found herself smile. She knew the way to Sherri’s quite well. They didn’t need to be led there, but they both fell in behind Char. Uri took her hand and threw her a smile. She thought he seemed proud of her.

Char led them around to the back of the house. The house was dark. It didn’t look like anyone was there. However, the moment the door opened, Victoria’s cries streamed out.

‘So glad you’re here,’ Mag said, hastily handing over Victoria. ‘She refused the milk you left. We even called in a wet nurse, and she refused her as well.’

‘What is my fussy girl doing?’ Natalia said.

Victoria immediately hushed.

‘There’s room out in the living room,’ Mag said, leading the way.

Every Council member was there, except for Tia. The kitchen was very crowded. Mirren was there with Sophie. However, Natalia noted that Moralis, Grazie, and Mina weren’t there.

She edged her way out of the kitchen.

‘Where is everyone?’ she said, settling on a sofa to nurse Victoria.

Uri had stayed in the kitchen where there seemed to be a meeting going on.

Zena came over with tea and cookies for her.

‘Thanks. I’m starved,’ Natalia said.

‘I think Tia will be here soon. I don’t know where everyone else is,’ Mag said.

Natalia ate two cookies and chugged half her tea.

Uri came out to turn on the TV.

‘Moralis is on the news. Early morning broadcast.’

“A community has come together, and they are putting their foot down,” a woman commentator said.

Cameras now showed Moralis standing on the stairs of City Hall. Behind him were a mass of people. Natalia could see they were all Viperian.

“It’s a sad day that a community has to take action to protect their children,” Moralis said. “We’ve had to come together to put down the gang activity that has spilled into our neighborhoods and threatened our lives and homes.”

The scene changed, showing a car and truck pile up, including a dead body. Natalia recognized their own neighborhood.

“We’ve had enough,” someone yelled from behind Moralis.

“The city of A’ppollo can no longer turn a blind eye. They need to step up. They need to add to their police force. They need to stop these check points that are merely to harass those not in favor and focus more on keeping our streets safe.”

There was another scene change. It showed the house burning where they had gotten the gang leaders. Then it changed back to Moralis.

“Yes, we need change.”

People behind him were jumping up and down cheering and voicing their agreement.

“In six months, we have an election. We need to oust out the fat and lazy from the city officials. We need a new mayor that isn’t afraid to act. That isn’t afraid of big business. That isn’t afraid of the government officials who want to sit on their laurels and collect a fat paycheck. We need someone from the neighborhood who understands about family and what a family needs to be protected.”

“Oh, my word,” Natalia said, catching on.

“Shhhh,” Uri said.

“In six months, I hope to be your new Mayor. I hope to clean up these streets with a stronger police force. I hope to encourage neighborhood watches, because we know we have to be active in our community in order to protect ourselves and our children.”

There was cheering behind him.

The commentator came back. The TV now showed rioters and vandals being controlled by a crowd as well as people tied to poles, which the commentator talked about and explained.

‘He has good footage of people helping clean up after the vandals,’ Uri said. ‘He’ll get that aired tomorrow.’

‘When did he decide to run?’

‘Tonight. A’ppollo has gotten a little out of control,’ Uri said.

‘We have control of the Main Bank,’ Kareen said.

Natalia realized everyone was squeezed into the living room to watch the broadcast.

‘Might as well get some feet in the door of government,’ Kareen continued. ‘Besides, he already has experience running Viperia.’

‘I have to admit, he would be a good one,’ Natalia said.

‘Francie’s gonna hate it, but oh, well,’ Uri said.

‘He has that family now to give him some credentials on family,’ Mirren said.

‘That’s going to take some ramping up. A campaign,’ Natalia said.

She remembered what it took just in high school for a friend of hers who ran for school president.

‘He’s well funded,’ Mirren said.

‘We’ll have posters, signs, and ads out by Monday,’ Kareen said.

Natalia knew he would get all the Viperian votes.

Most everyone filtered back into the kitchen where she realized people were coming and going with updates. She covered herself now that Victoria was done nursing and sleeping soundly.

Natalia yawned.

‘There’s a bed upstairs,’ Mag said. ‘You might as well have a nap. Dawn is coming soon, and I have the feeling it’s going to be a busy day. Hand over Victoria. I’ll check diaper.’

Natalia nodded in agreement. She went upstairs. Mag followed shortly and settled Victoria into a makeshift crib, placing her right by the bed.

‘She’s within arms reach should she wake.’

‘Thanks, Mag.’

Natalia put her head on the pillow. It felt like a few moments later before someone slid in next to her. Then someone placed Victoria by her to nurse. When she opened her eyes, it was full daylight out. Victoria wasn’t in the crib. She was alone, but she didn’t panic when she swung her legs out of bed. Downstairs, she could hear people talking. There was the smell of bacon in the air.

She used the bathroom, spending a little extra time to finger comb her hair, before she trotted down the stairs. Uri was stretched out on the sofa with Victoria sprawled on his chest. He was watching something on his phone. Mag, Zena, Bonnie, and Char were playing cards.

‘Food in the kitchen,’ he said without even looking away from his phone.

The bacon was calling to her, and she followed her nose.

‘Morning,’ Pania said.

She used to be Sherri’s maid, but now worked for Grazie and Tia.

‘Morning, Pania.’

‘How do you want your eggs?’

‘Over easy is fine.’

Pania was quick to fry up two eggs and pile on some bacon that was already cooked. She poured juice in a glass and handed it over.

‘Thanks. It smells heavenly.’

Pania smiled, looking pleased.

Natalia took her plate out to sit by Uri.

‘What’s going on?’

‘City is cleaning up,’ he said.

‘No Gussy?”

‘Nope.’

‘He’s not back in Hell is he?’

‘Nope. Mina is monitoring. Based on what happened last night, Hell was probably the safest place for anyone to be.’

‘What are you watching?’

‘News. Moralis is making sure there is lots of news coverage on this. We have people bombarding news agencies with the horror of what went on last night.’

‘I can imagine,’ she said.

She focused on her meal, finding herself ravenous.

Victoria fidgeted, then put her hand in her mouth.

‘She’s sleeping hard,’ Uri said.

‘She should be with all her hollering last night,’ Mag said.

Zena chuckled.

‘Are we going home any time soon?’ Natalia said.

He shook his head.

‘Not until things are cleaned up.’

‘You mean the mess in front of the house?’

‘No, the city and Gussy.’

‘So we’re leaving our house unattended and ripe for a disaster in the making?’

‘No, our cameras are watching. No one has been around the house. There are extra patrols around Viperian households.’

‘Aren’t we then stretching the police?’

‘The patrols aren’t police,’ he said.

Mirren trotted down the stairs.

‘TV,’ he said.

Uri raised the remote and turned it on without displacing Victoria.

A mid-morning show was interrupted by a news report.

“Mayhem at the lake,” the commentator said.

There was a view of the lake. Natalia knew in an instant this was the area where the dock bridge had been built, but all that was left of the bridge were randomly floating dock sections.

A few seconds into the broadcast, Uri sat up abruptly, just barely holding onto Victoria.

‘Moralis told me this was going to be on. Did you see?’ Mirren said.

Natalia hadn’t noticed.

‘Yeah, I saw,’ Uri said.

‘What?’ she said.

‘Figure diving into the water,’ Uri said.

‘What does that mean?’

‘Gussy’s in the sewers.’

‘Moralis said he’s on his way over,’ Mirren said. ‘He said it might take him awhile because he has a news crew following him and has to lose them.’

Uri nodded.

‘You and Moralis know those sewers inside and out.’

Uri again nodded.

‘I’ve already notified the city of Viperia and sent people to lock down the storm drain.’

‘If the docks were removed, wouldn’t that sink the drain back to the bottom of the lake?’ she said.

‘Yeah, but with a really good breath, he could reach it and swim up into it,’ Uri said. ‘The lake catfish do it all the time. We catch a lot of them that way.’

‘The catfish go up the pipe?’

‘They think it’s a great place to hide and spawn.’

‘Been awhile since you got catfish roe,’ Mirren said. ‘That stuff is great with eggs and salsa.’

Uri grinned and nodded.

‘Now you know why we still have that pipe there.’

Natalia made a face.