The Black Swan

Chapter 4-1

Chapter 4

“Gabriel.”

Gabe pushed back the lid of the box he spent his days in. “What is it, Remember?” He sat up and stretched.

“The president has sent for us.”

Until he left office, President Washington was the only man in New York City, the nation’s capital—other than Remember—who knew what Gabe was.

“What is it about?”

“Our future, I imagine.” Remember nicked his wrist and held it out for Gabe to drink. “Break your fast—there’s no time to lose.”

“I can’t keep drinking from you.”

“Not that same discussion. We’ll talk about it after we see what the president wants.”

Gabe restricted himself to just a few swallows. Remember was starting to look pale. If only his blood wasn’t so tasty. Of late, Gabe had been giving considerable thought as to what he could do for his friend to repay him. There had to be something…

“Let’s go. It won’t do to keep the president waiting.” Gabe wrapped himself in his cloak and placed a c****d hat on his head. “Whither away?”

“He sent word he wishes to see us at Federal Hall.”

Gabe followed him up the stairs from the cellar of the house they shared. In the general course of things, the cellar would be damp, but Remember had worked to make it snug and dry, a fitting abode for him…for them.

He never understood why a vampyre would want to sleep in a box lined with soil from the vampyre’s grave, but then there was so much Gabe didn’t understand. Remember had gotten a box for him simply so he wasn’t in danger of being exposed to sunlight.

Gabe had heard tales of vampyres who terrorized towns and villages, but he’d never been interested in doing that. Was it because the proper transference had never taken place? Or could it have been because of Remember? He had told Gabe the way of it, and Gabe had believed and followed him.

Not that it mattered. Gabe didn’t want to sleep on dirt—he’d done that plenty of times in the Army. And he certainly didn’t want to frighten innocent people.

“Gabriel?” Remember touched his arm, rousing him from his reverie. “Do you need more blood?”

“No, I’m fine.” Gabe licked the wound, sealing it.

“Then we’d better hurry.”

“Yes.”

A carriage waited on the street for them. Gabe climbed in, while Remember told the driver to take them to Wall Street.

* * * *

Gabe and Remember stood before the man they’d followed into battle, the man they trusted with their lives. Well, Remember’s life; Gabe’s unlife.

“You sent for us, sir?”

The president looked tired. “I’ll be leaving office shortly. I’ve served two terms, and that should be enough for any man. However, I’d like you to continue working for our country, Master Granger, and you also, Master Littlebury.”

“Of course, sir,” Gabe said.

The president raised his hand. “Let me finish, please. I’ve been discussing this with Secretary McHenry, and we’ve decided it would be for the best if only future Secretaries of War are made aware of your unique contribution to the welfare of our country.”

“As you wish, sir.” Gabe didn’t question the president’s decision, because he never had before and couldn’t see any reason to start now.

Remember said nothing, but afterward, he told Gabe, “President Washington makes a good point—he’s a decent, honorable man, but we both know there are others who leave much to be desired. They would make you a tool to do their bidding.”

Gabe nodded. “You’re right. I didn’t want to think of our president ever handing over the reins of government, but yes, he’ll return to Mount Vernon eventually. And as for us…”

“We’ll keep doing what we’re doing, and all will be well.”

And Gabe trusted Remember to be telling him true.

* * * *

Remember had been right, Gabe mused. There were wars without number, conflicts aplenty, and a need for a man like Remember and a being like him.

Occasionally they would travel to England or France to see if they could discover what those governments planned for the fledgling country. And when Gabe had some spare time while there, he searched for the Englishman and the Frenchwoman who’d had a hand in making a vampyre of him.

Remember managed to learn the French vampyre hadn’t survived the French Revolution, and that gave him a mean sense of satisfaction. As for the Englishman, Gabe had had no luck finding him as yet.

But as his friend reminded him, they had all the time in the world, and they would return.

Sure enough, another assignment took them back to England once again. American sailors were being impressed into the British Navy, and Gabe and Remember had been tasked with the duty of learning how the British planned to react to the accusations.

“It’s not good, Gabriel,” Remember said. “Many still don’t see us as a free nation.”

“No, but we’ve done what we can.” As usual, in their spare moments they’d tried to discover the whereabouts of the damned English vampyre who’d had a hand in Gabe’s turning, but again to no avail. “It’s too late to return home just now.”

“Shall we see a play until it’s time for us to go?” While working under President Washington in New York City, they’d come to appreciate the theater.

“Let’s. I understand there’s a very fine production of Henry VI, Part 2 at the Lyceum.”

They purchased their tickets and found a box from which to enjoy the machinations of British nobility—something they assured each other would never occur in their beloved country.