[sam_lakes]

Chapter 12

I sat on the couch with Peter after Dad left. Vague memories of my father began to surface.

My dad and I were standing on the roof of my building in Old Cambridge.

"You're dying aren't you?" I said to him more than asked.

"Yes," he said weakly.

"I want to die too Dad! I don't want to be without you!"

"No, Jonnie. It's me - it's the way we were made. I bonded with your Mom - when she died, I should have died too. I didn't. Your love kept me alive to do the things I needed to do. You have to live. It is your destiny. The world must change!"

"Jonathan?" Peter said bring me back to the present.

"Sorry," I answered and then told him of my memory.

Mom called us for lunch around one. As we approached the dinning room, I heard Simon and Mike's voices. I felt a flare of anger because I knew that Doc was there too.

Peter sensed my anger, "He's you're uncle and your friend. I am sure Dad has spoken to him. So, just relax. Okay?"

"I'll try," I said.

"Jonathan, we need to talk."

"Go ahead, talk."

He motioned for me to exit the room to talk in private. I didn't move. I fumed.

"Could we talk in private?" he asked.

"No." Peter's elbow hit my arm. "You want to say something to me you say it in front of my brothers." I saw Simon roll his eyes and smile at Michael.

"And I thought your dad was stubborn," he muttered, "Oh well, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking right. Will you ever forgive me?"

"Can I have my job back?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Thanks."

"Are we cool?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Sweet! Now let's have lunch! I am starved!" said Michael.

My memories of my life with my father continued to unfold.

After lunch, my brothers, Peter and I went up our room Simon and Michael were as excited to hear about our father. Peter and I told them about Peter's special abilities.

"So then you are actually our cousin," said Simon.

"Yeah, second cousin," said Peter.

We were goofing off. Mike pounced on me because I called him 'Cat breath' and we started wrestling around and tickling each other. Before I knew it, all four of us were wrestling and tickling each other.

Dad appeared at the door, "Boys! Keep it down a bit. I'm trying to work." He wasn't angry - I think he was happy.

We quieted down a bit, but when Peter mentioned my other brothers, we all got extremely excited about finding them. Simon and Michael agreed that Andrew must be our younger brother, and we were all about to head out to get him when Dad was at the door again.

He looked very serious.

"The SPs are going after Andrew and his family. Their basic reason is to get you Jonathan - it's an ambush. They don't seem to mention anything about your brothers."

I could see Peter in deep thought, and then he spoke, "Dad how did you help Jack?"

Dad smiled, "Follow me."

He took us to his office and then locked the door, pressed a button and an opening appeared in the wall exposing our view to another room.

When we walked into the room, the wall opening closed and the room lighted up. It was like another world. There was a huge wall monitor and numerous smaller ones in front of a control center.

"Jack and I installed cameras all over New Boston, and we are tied into the MC security network. There are many improvements we need to install, but for now, we need to rescue Andrew. Jonathan get these on," he said tossing me a black long-sleeve t-shirt and a pair of pants.

"These are bullet-proof. I know you can't be killed by a bullet, but it can put you out of commission until your body has healed it's self." He threw a similar set of clothing to my two brothers.

Once dressed, he gave us communication gear.

"Peter and I will be your extra eyes and ears, as much as we can. As this is to be an ambush, there will be snipers. We have the advantage in that they will not be expecting three of you. Stay in communication and alert!"

We left - three blocks from the area, we spotted a couple SP vehicles parked in the ally.

"Peter, we are three blocks from our destination. There are two SP vehicles parked in an ally between Ardale and Laston."

"Got it!," said Peter, "There they are - Whoa! Seven of them are posted on the roof of the building 127837 Greer St. Hold on a sec. Neat! The computer just calculated the angle of the rifles. Three are pointed at the building opposite of the door to the building. The other two are pointed to a window of apartment 932B - It's a living room. Two are getting into position. Oh! No!"

"What?" the three of us said.

"They have Andrew and his grandparents."

"Can you tell how many are in the room?" asked Michael.

"I can see three or four SP's, but there may be more - one sec. Dad says that he thinks that's all, because there were only two vehicles and we haven't heard of any others coming into the area."

"Okay, we'll take out the snipers first. Mike, right side of the building, Simon, left side - I'll take the back. Peter, keep a close watch on Andrew. Let's go!"

As we got into position, Peter said, "Hold it! Take out the sniper on the left and the right; their sights are on the grandparents. Two in the middle have their sight on Andrew; the others are on the main entrance."

"You guys ready?" I asked.

"Yes."

I grabbed the two guys with their sights on Andrew by their collars, and yanked them back as hard and fast as I could. I then ran to the other three, and threw them into the two I tossed back. I quickly looked to see if Simon and Michael were all right, and they both had their fangs deep in their targets carotids. I quickly drained the five I had of half a liter each, rapidly so that they went unconscious.

Looking around, I spotted a grappling hooks and ropes, which I surmised they were going to use if they had to come down off the roof in a hurry. I grabbed one hook and slung it over the fifty feet that separated the two buildings, and prepared to swing myself into the room Andrew was in.

My anger flared when I saw the SP that I had warned not to harm Andrew or his grandparents, strike Andrew across the face.

"Follow me!" I yelled at my brothers as I swung across. I collided feet first into the back of the SP who had hit Andrew. I heard his back break. In an instant, Simon and Michael arrived. We quickly incapacitated the other SP's.

"You guys time to get out. Reinforcements are on the way!" said Peter.

The grandmother and grandfather had been beaten unconscious, and Andrew was a little woozy.

"Michael, take Andrew. I'll take the grandfather and Simon you take the grandmother." We each picked up our assign person, carried them across our back, and left when we got to the street we ran at full speed out of the dreg area to an ally near home.

I injected my serum into the grandfather and Simon did the same for the grandmother. I walk over to Andrew.

"Are they all right?" Andrew asked.

"Yes, brother," I smiled, "Andrew, these are you're other two brothers, Simon and Michael."

"We are all brothers?"

"Yep, dude," Simon, said with a huge smile.

"You are all vampires?"

"Yes," said Mike with and equally huge smile.

"But I am not," said Andrew disappointedly.

"Well, you just haven't developed yet, "I said, "You are what thirteen or so?"

"I'm fourteen. Can't you make me one now?"

"Andrew you are a vampire - you were born a vampire, but you won't get your fangs until you are about fifteen," said Simon, "Like Mike and I. Jonathan is eighteen and the oldest. We all had the same father."

"I know," said Andrew, "I remember Jonathan."

"You remember me?"

"Yes. But you don't remember me do you?"

I shook my head sadly and he moved over to me and gave me a hug. "Don't worry Jonnie, I will help you remember. Dad told me that is what I have to do."

The grandparents were regaining consciousness.

"Andrew, are you all right?" asked the grandfather.

"Yes, Gramps," replied Andrew, "Are you and Grams all right?"

Grandfather looked at grandmother who gave a weak smile. "I think we will be all right. How about you Jonathan?"

"You know me?"

"Of course!" said the grandmother, "You have grown a lot since we last saw you, but you still have the most beautiful eyes," she said.

I actually blushed.

"Guys I hate to break up the family reunion, but you need to get back here," interrupted Peter.

"Okay, on our way."

"Let's get back home. Its two blocks away. Can you make on your own?"

Gramps rolled his eyes and let out a laugh, "We're not that old, Jonnie. I'd offer to race you, but it would be unfair."

"Unfair?"

"Yeah, cuz he'd have to tie one leg and arm behind your back to win," laughed Andrew, "Actually Gramps is pretty spry for his age, he's like sixty." I could tell there was a lot of love for his grandparents.

Mom and Dad greeted Gramps and Grams as if they were family. Funnily, Peter and I, and Michael and Simon thought of them as our grandparents.

That evening, Doc and Dora, Allan and Mavis, came to dinner, which made thirteen people for dinner. I couldn't get over how we all seemed to get along. We were one big family after even more secrets were exposed like the grandparents were actually Allan's parents and Allan didn't even know they had been looking after Andrew in the dregs. He thought they had moved to New Angeles.

Things were a bit tense for a bit until sweet Simon bawled his parents out pointing out that his grandparents had done the greater good and had kept his younger brother alive and healthy.

Simon and Michael wanted to sleep over but there was school the next day. The grandparents decided to stay at the Larson's, but Andrew wanted to stay with Peter and me. His room would be the guest room.