Blood Type
Page 59
Beckham and Reyna glanced at each other. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking behind his dark eyes, but she knew that hastily drawn legislation couldn’t have been well thought out. Nor did she assume that meant it would truly benefit everyone.
“Your legislators have just passed a sweeping anti-crime bill that I have signed into law in response to the rapid increase in deaths within our city limits. As a result, we are immediately initiating these measures:
“First, our city has decided to commence the Census starting tomorrow morning at locations all over the city, including city hall.”
“What?” Reyna said in surprise. “I thought that wasn’t supposed to happen for a few months.”
“Looks like they’re in a hurry to get it started,” Beckham responded stiffly.
“Our city is thrilled to be the first in the country to herald in this new program. Each of you will be assigned a location to register in the city, and everyone must be tested for their blood type within a month. We want this to happen as quickly and seamlessly as possible, so we can report back all test results to the federal government and complete the national crisis database. Anyone who fails to complete the test will be heavily fined.”
The crowd rumbled with speculation. Some were outraged that they were being forced to participate in this. Others were frustrated that a blood type database was even necessary. Many of them mirrored Reyna’s own sentiment about the existence of a Blood Census. It could mean only one thing: Visage was in the government.
“Additionally, all Census sites will be equipped with these.” The mayor held up a small band in his hand. “They are bracelets issued by the city, programmed with your identification information. All officers will be issued band scanners to verify your identity.”
The rumble turned into a roar. It was enough that everyone had an ID card, but it definitely wasn’t mandatory. And now they were taking it a step forward with these mandatory ID bands. What else would the government force on them?
“These must be worn at all times as proof that you are registered with the State and have passed your blood test. Anyone caught after the deadline for the Census without an ID band will be arrested and fined. We hope these new identifiers will help check crime in the city. After all, our mission is to make your city and the city where your family and friends live a safer place.”
Reyna realized she was shaking. How dare they do this? Who the hell did they think they were that they could pass sweeping legislation like this without hearing what the citizens thought? She wasn’t a prisoner to the system. She believed in change, but she didn’t believe that they were going about it the right way at all.
The mayor continued despite the growing unease. “Finally, we are enforcing a mandatory curfew within the city limits.”
“What?” she cried along with everyone else. “Curfew.”
“Reyna,” Beckham growled, pulling her closer. “We need to get out of here. This doesn’t look good.”
“We can’t leave! We have to voice our opinion. We have to tell them that this is wrong! They can’t do this.”
“They can and they are. We don’t need to get caught in the middle of it.”
“Maybe if more people were willing to get caught in the middle, something would have been done long before these stupid rules.”
“I agree,” he said. “But right now my thought is for getting you out of here before everyone gets crushed under a stampede.”
“Fine.” She knew she couldn’t change his mind, and even less so the government’s mind. But she wanted to. She desperately wanted to.
The mayor droned on as Beckham clutched her hand and tried to veer through the crowd pressing in on all sides.
“Only night workers will be able to go out after curfew, and they must have a permit that allows it. I hate the thought of shutting down our city after midnight, but we feel at this time it’s necessary for peace.”
“Freedom. Freedom. Freedom!”
The chant started up in the crowd. The people heaved forward toward the podium and Reyna’s hand was wrenched from Beckham’s.
“Beckham!” she screamed over the crowd.
Chapter 32
Reyna searched for Beckham in the crowd, but she was carried away by the mob. He was gone. He was lost. She couldn’t believe this. She should have listened to him. They should have gotten out earlier.
“This is further proof that these measures are necessary!” the mayor called.
Gunshots rang out in the crowd, and everything seemed to happen at once. People were yelling and running and crushing together. Some were trying to storm the stage, but the police were holding everyone back. All were quickly ushered offstage at the sound of the gunshots.
In the middle of the madness, the only thing she could think about was Beckham. She searched frantically for him. He was so tall that he should have been visible. But she couldn’t find him. She looked over her shoulder as she was pushed in the opposite direction.
Her feet couldn’t keep up with her, and she tripped, landing heavy on her hands and knees. Several people stepped on her as they rushed forward to fill her vacated spot. Someone kicked her face and she saw stars. She cried out and tried to stand, but kept being shoved back down to the ground. Finally, she just lay there in a ball, trying to stay as small as possible as chaos erupted all around her.
Tears leaked out of her eyes as she lay on the dirty ground, her head throbbing. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She had no means of contacting Beckham without her cellphone, and she didn’t even know if she would ever get out of this crowd. It was an endless barrage of people running into her. She couldn’t seem to escape.
An arm reached down out of the abyss and hauled her up by her shoulder. Reyna grunted as her shoulder popped with strain. She stared up into the eyes of a female vampire.
“You smell amazing,” she growled. She reached out with her finger and touched it to Reyna’s forehead. Reyna cringed away from the pain as she realized she was bleeding.
“Let go of me,” Reyna cried, trying to pull free.
The woman ignored her plea and placed her finger in her mouth. She sucked on it and her eyes grew ravenous. The female vampire flashed her fangs at Reyna.
“This won’t hurt a bit.”
“You’re out of your mind.” Reyna clawed at her, but she might as well have been trying to move a mountain, for all the good it did.
“Stay still,” she snapped.
“Get away from her,” Reyna heard behind her. She sighed with relief. Beckham. “She’s mine.”
The woman glanced over Reyna’s shoulder and then released her. It was clear that even in the midst of all the madness going on around them, fighting with a senior official of Visage would draw attention. Not to mention, there was no way she would win.
“Fine. She’s yours. But she does taste amazing.”
Beckham glared at her. “You tasted her?”
“Just a drop,” she said with a wink.
“Get out of here before I remove your head from your shoulders.”
Her eyes widened at the threat, and then she scampered off into the crowd.
“Reyna, I’m so glad you’re all right,” Beckham said. He grabbed her and pulled her close to him. Her heart was beating fiercely, and in that moment, she was just happy that he was there and had stopped the woman before anything terrible had happened.
“Your legislators have just passed a sweeping anti-crime bill that I have signed into law in response to the rapid increase in deaths within our city limits. As a result, we are immediately initiating these measures:
“First, our city has decided to commence the Census starting tomorrow morning at locations all over the city, including city hall.”
“What?” Reyna said in surprise. “I thought that wasn’t supposed to happen for a few months.”
“Looks like they’re in a hurry to get it started,” Beckham responded stiffly.
“Our city is thrilled to be the first in the country to herald in this new program. Each of you will be assigned a location to register in the city, and everyone must be tested for their blood type within a month. We want this to happen as quickly and seamlessly as possible, so we can report back all test results to the federal government and complete the national crisis database. Anyone who fails to complete the test will be heavily fined.”
The crowd rumbled with speculation. Some were outraged that they were being forced to participate in this. Others were frustrated that a blood type database was even necessary. Many of them mirrored Reyna’s own sentiment about the existence of a Blood Census. It could mean only one thing: Visage was in the government.
“Additionally, all Census sites will be equipped with these.” The mayor held up a small band in his hand. “They are bracelets issued by the city, programmed with your identification information. All officers will be issued band scanners to verify your identity.”
The rumble turned into a roar. It was enough that everyone had an ID card, but it definitely wasn’t mandatory. And now they were taking it a step forward with these mandatory ID bands. What else would the government force on them?
“These must be worn at all times as proof that you are registered with the State and have passed your blood test. Anyone caught after the deadline for the Census without an ID band will be arrested and fined. We hope these new identifiers will help check crime in the city. After all, our mission is to make your city and the city where your family and friends live a safer place.”
Reyna realized she was shaking. How dare they do this? Who the hell did they think they were that they could pass sweeping legislation like this without hearing what the citizens thought? She wasn’t a prisoner to the system. She believed in change, but she didn’t believe that they were going about it the right way at all.
The mayor continued despite the growing unease. “Finally, we are enforcing a mandatory curfew within the city limits.”
“What?” she cried along with everyone else. “Curfew.”
“Reyna,” Beckham growled, pulling her closer. “We need to get out of here. This doesn’t look good.”
“We can’t leave! We have to voice our opinion. We have to tell them that this is wrong! They can’t do this.”
“They can and they are. We don’t need to get caught in the middle of it.”
“Maybe if more people were willing to get caught in the middle, something would have been done long before these stupid rules.”
“I agree,” he said. “But right now my thought is for getting you out of here before everyone gets crushed under a stampede.”
“Fine.” She knew she couldn’t change his mind, and even less so the government’s mind. But she wanted to. She desperately wanted to.
The mayor droned on as Beckham clutched her hand and tried to veer through the crowd pressing in on all sides.
“Only night workers will be able to go out after curfew, and they must have a permit that allows it. I hate the thought of shutting down our city after midnight, but we feel at this time it’s necessary for peace.”
“Freedom. Freedom. Freedom!”
The chant started up in the crowd. The people heaved forward toward the podium and Reyna’s hand was wrenched from Beckham’s.
“Beckham!” she screamed over the crowd.
Chapter 32
Reyna searched for Beckham in the crowd, but she was carried away by the mob. He was gone. He was lost. She couldn’t believe this. She should have listened to him. They should have gotten out earlier.
“This is further proof that these measures are necessary!” the mayor called.
Gunshots rang out in the crowd, and everything seemed to happen at once. People were yelling and running and crushing together. Some were trying to storm the stage, but the police were holding everyone back. All were quickly ushered offstage at the sound of the gunshots.
In the middle of the madness, the only thing she could think about was Beckham. She searched frantically for him. He was so tall that he should have been visible. But she couldn’t find him. She looked over her shoulder as she was pushed in the opposite direction.
Her feet couldn’t keep up with her, and she tripped, landing heavy on her hands and knees. Several people stepped on her as they rushed forward to fill her vacated spot. Someone kicked her face and she saw stars. She cried out and tried to stand, but kept being shoved back down to the ground. Finally, she just lay there in a ball, trying to stay as small as possible as chaos erupted all around her.
Tears leaked out of her eyes as she lay on the dirty ground, her head throbbing. She couldn’t believe this was happening. She had no means of contacting Beckham without her cellphone, and she didn’t even know if she would ever get out of this crowd. It was an endless barrage of people running into her. She couldn’t seem to escape.
An arm reached down out of the abyss and hauled her up by her shoulder. Reyna grunted as her shoulder popped with strain. She stared up into the eyes of a female vampire.
“You smell amazing,” she growled. She reached out with her finger and touched it to Reyna’s forehead. Reyna cringed away from the pain as she realized she was bleeding.
“Let go of me,” Reyna cried, trying to pull free.
The woman ignored her plea and placed her finger in her mouth. She sucked on it and her eyes grew ravenous. The female vampire flashed her fangs at Reyna.
“This won’t hurt a bit.”
“You’re out of your mind.” Reyna clawed at her, but she might as well have been trying to move a mountain, for all the good it did.
“Stay still,” she snapped.
“Get away from her,” Reyna heard behind her. She sighed with relief. Beckham. “She’s mine.”
The woman glanced over Reyna’s shoulder and then released her. It was clear that even in the midst of all the madness going on around them, fighting with a senior official of Visage would draw attention. Not to mention, there was no way she would win.
“Fine. She’s yours. But she does taste amazing.”
Beckham glared at her. “You tasted her?”
“Just a drop,” she said with a wink.
“Get out of here before I remove your head from your shoulders.”
Her eyes widened at the threat, and then she scampered off into the crowd.
“Reyna, I’m so glad you’re all right,” Beckham said. He grabbed her and pulled her close to him. Her heart was beating fiercely, and in that moment, she was just happy that he was there and had stopped the woman before anything terrible had happened.
