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\pard\plain\pard\qc{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 Strange Rescue\par }
\pard\qc{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 Mara Lynn Barbee\par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Robert LeBlanc was a businessman, and as such he knew that stopping at the last gas station would indeed have been the smart thing to do.  As it was, he held no delusions as to his chances of finding it again in the city in which he was currently lost.  H}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 e had traveled to many cities and been in similar predicaments before, so when his car refused to continue, he got out and made his way on foot through the starlit night.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Though none of the surrounding buildings were tenanted at this late hour, he knew he'd find a phone somewhere.  A couple of cars passed by, but other than that Rob seemed the sole occupant of the area.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab This impression changed when he passed one of the multiple alleys and heard footsteps behind him.  More than belonged to just one person.  Rob looked back in what he hoped was a discreet manner.  His heart sank.  Following him were five or six street toug}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 hs, and there wasn't another person or lighted building in sight.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Rob cast about for anywhere he'd be able to lose them.  No luck; all the buildings were either daytime stores or condemned.  None looked likely to admit him.  The footsteps behind him sped up, and Rob grew desperate.  There was an alley up ahead; maybe he}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1  could hide there.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab The punks started jeering.  Rob reached the alley and darted inside, running all out.  He could hear his pursuers race to catch up.  This was a regular maze of alleyways, and the businessman hoped fervently that he wouldn't turn a corner and run right int}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 o the gang.  As it happened, something just as unfortunate occurred.  He hit a dead end.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Rob stopped, hearing the punks closing the gap, and cast about for a place to hide.  No luck.  The single garbage can wasn't tall enough to use to climb onto a roof, and there weren't any fire escapes.  Just when he was considering trying to lift the manh}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 ole cover and hide in the sewer, the gang rounded the corner.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab "Well, what's this?" said the leading punk with typical bravado, "Where ya runnin' to, little man?"\par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Rob backed up against the wall and tried to decide what to do.  If he fought back, they'd just hit harder.  But if he agreed with everything, they'd probably think up some other twisted activity to do with their captive.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab The leader grabbed him by the shirt and pressed him against the wall.  "I said, where ya goin?"  The rest of the gang crowded closer, sneering threats and insults.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab A quiet hiss came from somewhere nearby, but the punks ignored it.  Other hissing sounds joined the first, and a couple of the younger punks looked around.  "It's just rats," snapped the leader, "Probably fighting in the sewer."  He looked back at Rob.  "}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 Wanna find out?"\par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab A snarl like a cougar joined the hissing, making the punks jump.  "That ain't no rat!" said one a trifle worriedly.  Another snarl sounded, like a feline battle cry.  The hissing increased, and a howl split the night, sounding eerily like a hunting wolf. }
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab The gang all but forgot about Rob, looking around anxiously.  "It's just some joker with a recording," the leader tried to shrug it off.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab "Look up there!" a punk pointed at the rooftops.  Surrounding the alley was a group of dark shapes, looking down and uttering animal hunting calls.  All that could be made out were crouching humanoid silhouettes.  The one at the head of the alley, right a}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 bove Rob, threw back its head and howled, long and loud.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab The gang edged away from the walls, standing back-to-back.  Rob stayed pressed against the wall, eyes wide.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab The creature that was howling finished and glared down into the alley.  Then it suddenly leapt from the roof and landed on the pavement with all the grace of a hunting cat.  Rob looked up at the two-story jump and backed into a corner as the other silhoue}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 ttes followed the first one's lead.  The gang was now completely surrounded, and looked terrified.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Now that they weren't silhouetted by the stars, the strange beings' features could be made out.  They looked human, at least at first.  Dressed in black that blended in with the shadows, their ears were long and pointed, and their cat-pupiled eyes sent ba}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 ck the occasional reflection, seeming to glow.  But what was most frightening was the pointed canine teeth they bared in obvious threat.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab "C'mon, we can take 'em," said the lead punk.  He didn't sound very convincing, but the gang pulled out knives and anything else they had that could be called weapons.  The leader held both a chain and a knife; he swung the heavy chain at the head of the }
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 creature nearest, obviously planning to stab it when it ducked.  But the creature easily caught the chain in one hand and the punk's knife wrist in the other, its inhumanly strong grip making him drop it.  The punk struggled, but he could have been trying }
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 to pull down a wall for all the good it did him.  Quick as a striking snake, the creature bared its fangs and sank them into his neck.  He collapsed without a sound.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Terror-stricken, the rest of the gang struck out in a vain attempt to avenge their leader and escape.  It was futile.  Each vampire seemed to know more about self-defense than the entire gang put together; each punk went down with a bite to the neck.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab When the whole gang was down and the vampires were otherwise occupied, one walked over to Rob, who was cowering in the corner with the trash can lid over his head.  The vampire chuckled good-naturedly.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab "Calm down.  If we wanted to eat you we could have already."  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Rob lowered his shield and looked at the vampire, whose sharp teeth showed in a friendly grin, and his fire-colored catseyes twinkled.  He brushed his mid-length red hair behind his pointed ears and sat down in front of Rob so as not to loom over him.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab "We only go after those who deserve it, or those who would have died soon anyway," he explained, "Survival of the fittest, my friend.  Humans are overpopulated because technology protects them from most diseases, predators, and natural disasters.  We're t}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 he only ones who can keep the population from crashing.  If the population crashed, humans would use up all the planet's resources before they starved.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab "Besides, we usually go after the kind of people most humans would like to see in jail.  If the police knew about us, they'd thank us."  He grinned.  "Maybe."\par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab "Oh," Rob managed.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab "Sorry to preach to you, but I couldn't let you leave with the wrong impression."  The redheaded vampire got up and gestured for Rob to do the same.  He did, though he was a bit shaky on his feet.  The vampire escorted him to the entrance of the alley.  "}
{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 Just keep us in mind as a good reason not to go to jail.  Happy hunting grounds," he explained amiably.  With a wave, he went back into the alley.  \par }
\pard\ql{\plain\f21\fs24\cf1 \tab Rob watched him leave, imagining himself telling the story to his grandchildren some day.  He noticed a pay phone in the distance.  Shaken but grateful, he headed for it.  }
}