The question was how to establish a code between parties without first discussing it. Clara and Evelyn had history in common, similar tastes, and ability to think on their feet. The code only needs to be strong enough to give the intended recipient the advantage.

Given enough time and resources and code could be broken. However, Evelyn would not have sent an overly complex message, requiring large amounts of coordination. Such messages would need to be communicated ahead of time, like a one time password.

“She wants me to read this,” Clara whispered.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

To be extra cautious Clara bypassed the three nearest settlements, while scanning the radio for any news. The airwaves were curiously silent on the events of today, and given the importance of the landmark the explosion damaged, she expected it to dominate the news.

“Curiouser and curiouser,” Clara said.

She suspected that social media like Bealzabook and Twitcher would have more to go on, assuming the stories were not being buried.  People were easily silenced when an excuse like the algorithm was easily accepted as the norm.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“The last thing I want is sharp glass on the driver’s side,” Clara said.

Or that had been the idea. After unlocking both doors, she found debris on both seats. She sighed, brushed it off as best she could and sat down. Now came the hard part.

Hot wiring a modern car was not covered in Hunter 101 back at The Tower. She knew the basics, but never had to do it. As a precaution she checked the glove compartment and sun visors for keys, but came up empty.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

Clara was by no means an expert on the modern world, but she knew damn well that a fried phone posed a problem. The thing had most likely burned up on re-entry like the rest of the contents of her backpack. I’m going to have to address my lack of a working phone sooner rather than later.

In many ways she was thankful for having maintained her plain jane form. The trip she took to reach the barn might have torn her wings off entirely, and it was questionable that even ambrosia would have been able to do much after that to recover them.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

Such places were ordered and consistent. The requirements for such spaces were specific during construction and setup. It was said they varied by no more than a couple of centimetres. The reason for which was simple, hunters would always know where to get what they needed when rushed.

“What happened here?” Clara asked herself.

She remembered watching a movie with Elizabeth shortly after falling to Earth. It was noteworthy because it showcased a madman’s mind. A room filled with scraps of paper, a wall connected by string pictures and push pins. Whoever had been holed up in here had settled on the same theme.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

The difference was that Clara’s crises of faith stemmed from what she learned. Heaven was not as advertised, and the existence of creatures The Tower specifically disavowed, was done out of a sense of self-preservation. Deny ghosts and old gods exist because someone does want us hunting them.

“Ghouls however,” Clara said.

Lesser monsters were open season even if their effects on humanity were less tangible. What harm did Ghouls do to humanity? In many ways, carrion eaters would have prevented the spread of diseases. For all she knew the Black Death was brought on by a drop in the global ghoul population.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

From her point of view, she was not on the best of terms with God. Being banished from Heaven was the first clue there was a disconnect, and helping an angry spirit to avenge their death by the hands of a murderous priest probably did not help relations.

In life the church had been a great source of comfort, it gave her direction and a purpose. The more she learned about how her order worked and what they did to hunters, the more her faith faded. I feel as though I’ve been cast adrift on a sea of uncertainty…

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

Before leaving the scene, she zapped the burner phone with a bolt of energy that fused the electronic components. She figured that a melted SIM card would offer little to the authorities if found. Nevertheless, she tossed the phone into a dumpster halfway onto her next location. Last night someone else was controlling the narrative, but if she played this right the fugitive Valkyrie would end up being in two places at once.

“Unless they try to bury this story to avoid their diet laundry from being aired…” Clara said grimly while her eyes flashed blue.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.