2.2 - Infiltration

When graduation had finished, Danisha needed to get to work leaving Erika on her own.  She still had some time before she could head to Collin's apartment since he was currently still in school, but that was fine with her.  She actually had somewhere she wanted to go first anyway.  She pulled out her phone and gave her brother a quick call.  "I just wanted to let you know that I'm stopping by," she informed him before catching a taxi to the apartment complex that Nielson and Belisama had moved into.

When Belisama came to the door to greet her, Erika started feeling a bit self-conscious.  Her current plan wasn't entirely in her control, and Erika didn't like that.  It would rely on the cooperation of her sister-in-law, and while she admired the older woman, she didn't know her very well to say for sure if she would go along with what she wanted to do.

"Are you hear to see Nielson?  He's currently pinned down at the moment, but I'll see if I can rescue him so you can talk to him," Belisama offered with a slight smile as she regarded Erika.

"Actually... I came here to talk to you," Erika admitted, looking back up at Belisama.  The woman raised an eyebrow in response without saying anything.  She was obviously surprised, but waited for Erika to elaborate.

"Erika, is that you?" a voice suddenly spoke up.  Erika recognized her brother's voice and glanced around to see where he was.  It took her a moment to spot him lying on the couch.  There was also a small body on top of him.  Even if she hadn't heard the news from their mother that Nielson and Belisama had had a baby she could have guessed the little guy was his.  They had the same mop of dirty blond hair.  And if she'd been able to see his eyes she would have seen the same turquoise color there as well.  This must be Travis Gaul.

"Yeah, it's me," Erika confirmed, watching as her brother slowly got up, carefully keeping the little guy from falling off.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about?" he asked, once he was standing.

"Yes, but it's actually Belisama I want to talk to..." Erika explained, trailing off and trying to decide if telling Nielson to leave would make her sister-in-law less likely to cooperate with her.

Fortunately, Belisama seemed to sense what Erika wanted to say and intervened for her.  "Would you mind leaving us girls alone?  It's girl talk," she explained.  "Besides, you seem exhausted anyway.  Why don't you lie down on the bed for a nap rather than the couch?" she suggested.

"All right," Nielson agreed with a shrug.  "Come on little guy, the girls are kicking us out," Nielson informed his son.

"Let's have a seat," Belisama suggested once Nielson and Travis were gone and the door was closed behind them.  Erika nodded and followed her over to the counter.  "So, what did you want to ask me about that you couldn't ask in front of Nielson?" she prompted.

"I'm looking for employment right now, and I think you can help me," Erika replied, not bothering to beat around the book.

"You think I can help you?  And how exactly would I be helping you?" Belisama responded, raising another eyebrow as she regarded Erika.

"You'll be helping me get into your family's business," Erika explained.  "That's how."

Belisama's facial expression immediately changed and it was clear she knew exactly what Erika was talking about.  She didn't bother trying to deny it, although she didn't look too thrilled either.

"Why would you want to get involved  in my family's business?  Have you forgotten what happened to you the last time you did?" Belisama asked, pointedly not looking at Erika's face.

"No, I haven't forgotten.  It's precisely because I haven't forgotten that I want in," Erika insisted.  "I know you've gotten involved with them.  Even after everything that happened I kept up my research on them.  You can't just join the organization, but if you gave me a recommendation I could get in," she explained.

"You're playing with fire, Erika.  You've already been burned once.  The next time you won't get off so easy.  If this is some stupid plan for revenge then..." Belisama started to say, only to be interrupted by a bump on the floor next to them.  Instantly, both women's gaze turned downward, only to see young Travis banging a container of play-dough against his play table.  He must have gotten bored taking a nap with daddy and had popped the door to come back out here where his toys were.

"Listen to me, Erika.  If you get involved with those people it won't just be you who's in danger.  Any future family you might have will be too," Belisama murmured softly, her gaze riveted to her young son.  Obviously, she was thinking of the danger he was in because of her own involvement with them, and probably imagining what would happen to him if she betrayed the group.

Erika also regarded the young toddler while imagining the two perfect children she would be having with Collin.  This career she wanted didn't really suit her perfect family life that she had imagined.  Even she could admit that.  But she was also perfectly confident that she could manage to find the balance and keep both sides of her life perfect and separated.

"Listen, I'm not asking you to betray the organization or put your family in danger, believe me.  I legitimately want to join the organization and not as some sort of revenge," Erika announced earnestly, looking Belisama straight in the eye so she could see her sincerity.

"Then why do you want to join?" Belisama asked, now sounding genuinely confused.

"My mother's goal for her life was to clean up this city," Erika replied, not answering the question directly.  "That's why she joined the police force.  But she hasn't been able to do that.  She couldn't even find her husband's murderer taking the straight and narrow path to justice.  That's why I'm going to do what my mother couldn't.  I'm going to clean up this city by starting in the filthiest parts of it and cleaning it up from there," she explained.  That's how she would make this city perfect.  By making the criminal element, the true power in this city, conform to her own image of perfection.  The rest of the city would simply fall in line.

"In order to do that you can't just be a member of the organization, you'll need to control it," Belisama commented, looking thoughtful.

"I can do that.  Believe in me," Erika insisted.

"You'll have to deal with Red first.  He's the one who took over the organization when my mother was arrested.  He's in charge of the organization now.  Since I didn't have the experience to take control when my mother was removed, he was the most logical choice.  He was actually there that night when you were attacked.  He simply escaped.  He's a big guy, but dangerously quiet so he's often overlooked," Belisama explained.  Erika knew who she was talking about.  The big guy with red hair who'd kidnapped her and hadn't said a word or changed expression the entire time.  She shivered.  He wouldn't be easy to deal with.  But she still believed she could manage.

"I'll find a way to deal with him.  No worries," Erika assured.  Perhaps she could even win a guy like that over.  He would be a powerful ally.

"And my mother won't be in jail forever.  Kidnapping and assault charges only go so far.  They couldn't pin any other crimes on her," Belisama pointed out.

"Oh, don't worry.  I'm looking forward to when Morrigan gets out," Erika assured, a cruel smile twisting her lips.  Belisama said nothing, but Erika could see her starting to smile too.  It seemed like she had her 'in' after all.

Erika didn't have time to stick around after that.  It was getting late and she wanted to get to Collin's place in time.  Belisama assured her that she'd talk to Red about setting up an introductory 'job' for her so they could see her skills and said that she could expect an anonymous call when that had been decided.  Until then, it was just a matter of waiting.

So Erika turned her mind to other things.  Mainly, her boyfriend's birthday and her impending engagement.

When Erika got up to Collin's floor and rang the doorbell, her boyfriend eagerly greeted her with a hug.  "I thought you might be too busy to make it, now that you're an adult," Collin confessed, clearly thrilled that Erika had actually shown up as promised.

"I said I'd come, didn't I?  When have I ever not followed through on my word?" Erika prompted, and he had to agree with her on that one.

"You know, I thought you were beautiful last night in the moonlight, but you're even more beautiful now that I can see you properly in the light," Collin commented with what he hoped was a very roguish smile.  He still couldn't believe that a girl as popular and beautiful as Erika was into him so he wanted her to know how much he appreciated that.  "By the way, congrats on making valedictorian.  They made the announcement at school today," he added.

"Thank you," Erika replied, blushing appropriately to the compliment.

But Collin didn't stay smiling for long.  He looked hesitant for a moment as the smile faded, and then nervous.  "Actually, there's something I want to tell you before my birthday.  There's something that I should have told you a while ago," he confessed.

"Something you need to confess?" Erika repeated, feeling her heart skip a beat.  What could it be?  Collin looked really upset so it had to be serious.  Could he be about to admit that he'd cheated on Erika?  No, that couldn't be...  Her Collin would never cheat on her.  Unless some petty bitch had seduced him.  Erika could feel her anger rise.  If any other woman had so much as touched Collin she'd make them regret it.  Collin would never cheat on her himself, but if he'd been tricked by a woman...  Erika could feel herself getting angrier at the thought.

"Yes.  I really should have told you this the first time we met, but I didn't want to scare you off.  You see, the truth is... I'm a vampire.  I know that's hard to believe, but it's true.  Vampire's are real, and I'm one of them," he admitted, looking toward Erika for her reaction with what she could only describe as dread.

"A vampire?  Is that it?" Erika exclaimed, her surprise and relief making her blurt out the words without thinking.  Collin looked at her uncertainly.

"Uh..." he started, but Erike cut him off.

"I'm sorry.  The truth is, I figured that out a while ago," she confessed with a shrug, surprising Collin again.

"You did...?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yeah.  I admit, I didn't notice initially.  I didn't even believe in vampires at first.  But then my brother got himself in a relationship with a vampire and at his wedding I finally figured out for sure that he and his wife were vampires.  Then I realized you had a lot of similar traits with them like the glowing eyes and the faint glow to your skin so that's when I knew for sure," she explained with a shrug, leaving Collin speechless.

"And you're okay with that...?" Collin asked uncertainly, this conversation not going how he'd imagined at all.

"Of course I am.  You're still perfect, whether or not you're a vampire.  I wouldn't change you for anything," Erika assured with a smile.  Those were the perfect words, and Collin finally relaxed.

"Well... you took that better than I thought.  Thanks," Collin admitted with a sheepish smile.  He leaned in toward Erika and she leaned forward, expecting a kiss, when someone clearing their throat interrupted them.

"Collin, be a dear and put your things away in your room.  You're still a teen which means you still have chores to do before your birthday," a woman's voice commented, and Erika was surprised to see Collin's mom.  She'd only met her once, but she'd left such an impression on young Erika that she still remembered.  And she hadn't changed a bit.  Which was to be expected since she was also clearly a vampire.  Collin groaned but obediently trudged off, leaving the two women alone.  Which gave Erika a chance to get to know this woman and make a good impression on her soon-to-be mother-in-law.

"Hello, Mrs. Talon.  It's so nice to see you again," she began, only to have the older woman interrupt her.

"Oh don't be like that.  Flattering others doesn't seem like you," Jessica responded, and Erika faltered for a moment wondering if she'd taken a misstep.  But then she saw the amusement on Jessica's face and realized she was still all right.

"You know, I like you.  You remind me a lot of myself when I was your age.  Collin is such a good boy... but he can be sickeningly sweet and naive at times.  I was worried he would bring home a girl just like him.  I'm relieved to see that you're anything but," Jessica commented warmly.

"Thank you," Erika replied, excited to hear that the woman she looked up to reminded herself of her.  The very idea that she was a lot like the Jessica Talon was just beyond words.  "I do my best with him.  As long as no other girl tries to take advantage of him, I find his sweetness and innocence endearing," she admitted.

Jessica laughed a bit.  "It is that, I suppose.  And as long as you're the only one taking advantage of it it's hard to complain about, I admit," she mused.

Erika was going to continue, only to have Collin interrupt her.  "You two chatting it up like that over there is making me uncomfortable.  Especially since I'm positive it's me you're talking about.  So how about we have my birthday now, okay?" he suggested, getting the distinct impression that Erika and Jessica were conspiring together against him.  And he wasn't far off.  Not that Erika could protest.  She was more than eager to see Collin finally as an adult.  And then, once the birthday cake was eaten she'd finally be proposed to in the romantic light of the full moon, just as she'd imagined...


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I decided to cut this chapter short.  I was originally going to include Collin's birthday in it, but it was getting a little long so I'll save that for next chapter.  I was also a good girl and finally got a picture of Nielson and Belisama's son, Travis Gaul.  He's a cutie.  Right now he looks like he takes more after his mom aside from coloring, but as he grows I think he'll show that he has a good balance of his parents' features.  Unfortunately I couldn't get a picture of the other child in that household, Frank(Belisama's child from her affair), since he was at school.  But I'm putting together a family tree so you'll get to see him in that one once I get it uploaded.