by D McEntire
He had been working as the lead scientist for a large corporation based out of Chicago. Since his car had been at the mechanic’s, his wife had offered to pick him up. She had parked the car and headed toward the building, but had never made it. The cause of death had been reported as an animal attack, but Dr. Pearson knew what had killed her—vampires. It was then he had vowed to wipe out as many of the blood-sucking creatures he could find.
Dr. Pearson drew in a ragged breath. Memories of his wife had always left a deep ache in his heart. They had been married almost five years. He had waited until he was out of school before asking the woman he had been dating for nearly three years to be his wife. She had waited patiently for him, which had made him love her even more.
There had not been any children, though they had planned to have at least one child after they had settled with good jobs and a beautiful home. Now, he would never feel that joy, and it angered him to his core.
After checking into his room, Dr. Pearson laid his briefcase on the table and removed his laptop and notes. The meeting he had planned for this evening could form an alliance with others to strengthen his cause—wiping vampires from the face of the earth.
To succeed in the elimination of vampires, the numbers of those willing to get involved and risk their lives for this mission needed to increase greatly. Dr. Pearson did not have a group of followers. He worked alone. Eight months ago, the four technicians who had worked for him at the lab in Louisville had been killed by vampires. Even though their bodies had not been located in the destroyed lab, the blood he had found had told the story loud and clear.
The thought of the lab brought a smile to his face. The vampires had thought they’d accomplished something by destroying his lab, but they were wrong. Something better sat below the old building as did his lab rat.
Dr. Pearson returned his focus to the meeting. He had no idea how many individuals were associated with the two men joining him for dinner this evening. He hoped to discover and contact other groups who shared his goal. Although he had been conversing with the men through emails for the past two months, he wasn’t going to lay all his cards on the table at once. Through their discussions the men appeared to be quite interested in his research and had claimed to have conducted research of their own.
This meeting could very well be a turning point, Dr. Pearson told himself. If the men were who and what they claimed to be, he would have much needed help to further his research and put his plans into action. Soon he would have the means to kill the vampires. Their elimination was first and foremost on his mind.
Dr. Pearson entered the lodge’s dining room. He had called ahead and reserved a table for three. When the hostess led him to his table, he noticed the two men had not yet arrived, but he wasn’t concerned. He was a few minutes early anyway.
Once he was seated, he gazed about the brightly lit and lavishly decorated room. An ornate chandelier hung from the ceiling, while mirrors flanked both sides of the room, reflecting the myriad of crystal prisms. Waiters and waitresses dressed in black and white pantsuits lined the wall, waiting to provide service to the guests.
After a few moments passed a perky young waitress strode over, handed him a menu and politely asked if she could serve him a drink. He ordered a Scotch, his favorite libation. In a soft voice, the waitress announced she would return shortly to take his order. Dr. Pearson informed her he was waiting on two gentlemen who were accompanying him for dinner. She nodded and headed toward the bar for his Scotch.
Leisurely sipping his Scotch, Dr. Pearson glanced up to see two men being escorted to his table by the hostess. He stood for the introduction and common pleasantries.
“It’s good to finally meet you, Dr. Pearson. I’m Hal Roster,” said the shorter of the two. He was well dressed in casual attire and looked to be in his early sixties.
“Ah yes, nice to meet you, Mr. Roster,” Dr. Pearson said, then turned and extended his hand to the other gentleman. “You must be Mr. Frasier.”
The three men sat and discussed recent scientific breakthroughs in the news and other small talk until each had given their order to the waitress and held a drink in hand.
“So, gentlemen, after months of planning, it’s good to finally get together to discuss an issue we all feel very strongly about.”
Dr. Pearson glanced at both men before speaking again. “As I indicated through our email correspondence, I’ve been able to do some rather in-depth research on our subject.” He was not going to blurt out vampire in a dining room full of people.
Both men nodded, then Mr. Roster leaned forward. “We’re very interested in the research you’ve acquired, Dr. Pearson, and would be happy to study it. These creatures are extraordinary.”
Dr. Pearson couldn’t hold the scowl that formed on his face. He didn’t think of the creatures as extraordinary. They were killers, a disease that needed to be eliminated.
Noticing his reaction had brought a look of confusion on Mr. Roster’s face, he quickly reined in his emotions.
After clearing his voice, Mr. Roster continued. “What I mean is, while studying the creatures, we have been given insight into their capabilities, but we have not been able to ascertain their weaknesses.”
Mr. Frazier spoke up. “It has not been easy to follow their movements and study their behavior without being discovered. They have a keen sense of hearing and smell. Many times our people were detected and had to retreat quickly. We did, however, discover something quite fascinating.”
Dr. Pearson held himself still, not wanting to seem overly anxious at their findings. He gestured for Mr. Frazier to continue.
“There seems to be some sort of separation or class, if you will, among them. We all know the creatures depend on blood for their survival, but we’ve discovered not all of the creatures react to that need in the same manner. We observed dangerous killers who seek out prey even after they had recently fed. They roam in packs. When one was seen, another would be lurking close-by in the shadows. They have been known to band in groups and share in the kill.”
The information piqued Dr. Pearson’s interest.
“There is a group which appears to have blended in with society, their true identities going undetected. They interact with both humans and other creatures without any apparent ill intentions. Family units have been observed. The highly interesting characteristic of this group is they attain sustenance from raw meat.”
Mr. Roster nodded, then cut in. “Now, the last group of—” he looked around the room then continued, “—creatures, were very strange. They seemed to be more solitary than the others. They do not interact with anyone around them, human or otherwise. In fact, it is as if they are invisible to those around them even though their physiques are phenomenal and you wonder who could miss their presence. Their bodies look as though they spend twenty-four hours a day at the gym. They have not been observed attacking humans or even those creatures in the second group I mentioned, but they have proven to be extremely dangerous. It seems their main focus is to hunt the creatures that kill. I personally witnessed one take on three of the killers without breaking a sweat.”
Dr. Pearson was somewhat intrigued by their findings, but in his mind, they were all killers. “I can understand recognizing the first group you spoke of as being dangerous killers, but how do you know those in the second and third classifications you created are not also killers?”
Mr. Roster frowned. “They were observed around the clock or at least during the night when they are out in the open. We followed two particular males from the third group over the course of two weeks. They had never shown any violent tendencies, except when they came across creatures from the first group.”
“Hmm…interesting. So, you are saying these creatures can be classified in three different groups? Killers, social blenders and hunters?”
Dr. Person took another sip of his Scotch and settled in his chair. The two men spoke of their research on vampires as if they wanted to worship the bloodsuckin
g monsters. Disgust settled in the pit of his stomach. Who cared about classifying the monsters?
Dr. Pearson found himself feeling grateful he had not divulged all his information to these two idiots. If they had known he had one of these creatures locked up in his lab, they would be all over it. There would be no way to keep his research quiet. No, he did not trust them and wanted to sever ties as soon as possible.
“You said you actually had a blood sample. How did you get your hands on it?” Mr. Frasier asked.
Excitement was written over both of their faces. Dr. Pearson had to stop himself from leaving the table right then and there. He shifted in his seat as he thought of his answer, choosing his words carefully. He could not go back on his declaration and deny he had the sample. Not after he had already told them in an email it was in his possession.
“Yes, I do have a sample. It sort of fell into my lap, if you will. I had actually stumbled upon a fight between the killers as you called them, and one of the creatures you’ve put into the last group you mentioned—a hunter. That creature had been well built in comparison to the others, and skilled in the art of hand-to-hand combat. He eliminated the lot of them in a few minutes. However, he sustained injuries in the process. No mere man could display the strength this creature showed. When he left the area, it was too late to get anything from the ones he had killed. The bodies disintegrate rather quickly, as I’m sure you’re well aware.”
Both men nodded in agreement, their faces anxious to hear the rest of his story.
“So, you see, I had to move rather quickly to find blood splatters from the injured creature who had been the only one to walk away from the fight.”
“Dr. Pearson, have you had the opportunity to do extensive tests of the sample?”
Clearing his throat slightly, Dr. Pearson guarded his words. He had to play this and appear to be as honest and forthcoming as possible. They already believed the story he had told them of how he had obtained a sample of vampire blood. It was only a half-truth, of course. He had obtained his samples from the vampire himself, after he had captured the creature and locked him in the lab for study.
“As you are aware from our last correspondence, I had a little setback. Actually, it was a rather major setback. My lab was vandalized. I’m in the process of returning it to working order, but at a more secure location. Thus, I’m sorry to say, I am still in the beginning stages of my work. But, rest assured, gentlemen, the sample is secured. I will let you know what I find.”
Dr. Pearson did his best to paste on a congenial smile. No way in hell was he sharing anything with these two men. He should have known they could not be trusted. They were behaving like freshmen science students with their first discovery. Their wide-eyed awe of the creatures proved they were not on the same page as he. His goal was to eliminate the vampires, not classify them. It was obvious these two didn’t have the stomach for what he had planned. He didn’t need such weaklings.
Their dinner arrived, providing Dr. Pearson a slight respite from conversation. This gave him time to think how to end their meeting as soon as the meal was over, but in a way which left them believing he would continue to keep in contact and share research information on the subject.
Chapter Five
Thick flakes continued to blanket the Colorado Mountains with snow. Dr. Pearson was not pleased with the meeting he had concluded with Roster and Frazier. Through their many correspondences, he had been of the opinion he had finally found a couple of allies for his mission.
Dr. Pearson had no doubt large numbers of vampires were spread throughout the world. The monsters had to be flushed out and eliminated. But from tonight’s dinner meeting, he quickly discerned he would get no support or helpful research out of these two men.
Settling on his bed to remove his shoes and socks, Dr. Pearson let out a heavy sigh. He needed this vacation and was going to force himself to make the best of it.
Skiing was one of the few activities he enjoyed, so he planned to hit the slopes tomorrow. Thankfully, Roster and Frazier weren’t staying at the lodge and had left immediately after dinner to return home. He didn’t want to have to plaster on a false face and endure their company a moment longer. In his eyes, they were cowards—idiots who could not see the real danger right in front of their faces. Grumbling, Dr. Pearson finished undressing, and after a quick shower, climbed into bed and allowed sleep to overtake him.
Roster and Frazier were puzzled by Dr. Pearson’s sudden departure when their meal was finished. Taking a seat in the lobby, they discussed their thoughts on the meeting.
“I get an uneasy feeling from Dr. Pearson. He seemed aloof when divulging his research, and I felt his demeanor change after we began relaying our findings on the creatures’ classifications.”
“Yes, I noticed as well,” Roster agreed, rubbing his jaw. He had noticed an air of contempt had emanated from Dr. Pearson. “From our discussions on the topic, I would have thought him more intrigued with the subject. Instead, all I could sense was anger. Very puzzling.”
Frazier blew out a sigh. “I have a nagging feeling Dr. Pearson is not all he claims to be. There is something almost sinister about the man. I don’t trust him. I feel he wanted something more from us than mere research sharing. He’s up to something.”
Roster nodded in agreement. Both men were silent for several moments. Finally, Frazier spoke again. “So, what do you think we should do? Where do we go from here?”
Roster leaned forward in his chair and braced his elbows on his knees. “About a month ago, I receive an email from a man I met at a convention in Miami, Florida. Dr. Stephanus Olivia, the owner and CEO of Olivia Laboratories, was also interested in the topic. He even warned he had come into contact with several fanatical groups who proved to be rather dangerous. Something tells me I need to alert him of Dr. Pearson. I don’t know what this man is planning, but I have a bad feeling about it. As scientists, we are researchers and testers. I fear he may have plans to do more. Much more.”
Frazier agreed. “I think that would be a good idea. I would hate for something to happen, and we did nothing to stop it.”
The wind picked up, sending a chill, which settled in Marie’s bones. She pulled her coat closer to her neck and trudged alongside the highway. She had been walking for hours, her pace growing slower with every step. Several times she had to stop and rest, as no one had been willing to pull over and give her a ride.
“Come on, Grandma. Can’t you get someone to stop for me?”
No answer.
Ahead, Marie saw the exit sign for Elizabethtown. Another sign indicated restaurants were located off the highway. “At least I can rest awhile,” she muttered, hoping her grandmother heard the sarcasm in her voice.
The restaurant was warm, and she sighed with pleasure. A cup of hot coffee and a couple of burgers would warm her up, she thought. Marie grabbed a newspaper off an empty table and made her way to the rear of the lobby. Though she had bought something, she hoped the employees would overlook her loitering for a couple of hours.
Marie sat in the booth, reading and rereading the newspaper while quietly belching the onions from her burgers. “Oh,” she moaned, “I should have asked for no onions.”
After several cups of coffee, she grabbed her things and walked to the bathroom. Finding it occupied, she almost groaned aloud.
A short, white haired woman wearing a pair of nursing scrubs picked up her order and walked to the counter to prepare her coffee. Marie had to blink, not once, but twice. The resemblance to her grandmother was striking. She had to hold herself from running up and throwing her arms around the woman. The strange part was the woman kept glancing in her direction as Marie stood outside the restroom, waiting for it to become vacant.
Duh. Maybe it’s because of the look you’re giving her.
When Marie stepped out of the restroom the woman was still there.
“So, young lady. Something tells me you could use a ride.”
Marie was a little take
n aback by this sudden statement. She stammered, but managed a smile. “Ye─yes, ma’am. I do. How did you know?”
The woman only smiled. “I’m taking I-65 north. Do you need to go north?”
Marie could not believe her luck. Not only was the woman traveling in the right direction, she didn’t seem the least bit dangerous. As she followed the woman out of the restaurant, Marie silently thanked her grandmother, knowing she’d something to do with this turn of events.
Marie settled in the passenger seat of a bright green Volkswagen Beetle and buckled the seatbelt. When they had reached the highway, the woman started a conversation.
“I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Rhonda Osgood. Who might you be?”
“Marie DeVeux, and I want to thank you for the ride. I really appreciate it. I couldn’t muster up the energy to start walking again.”
“So, where are you headed, Marie?”
Marie didn’t know how to answer. She had been following her dead grandmother’s directions to rescue a man she knew nothing about from a place she had no idea where it was located. She had to make up something quick.
“I’m headed for Louisville. I have a friend there I’m going to see.”
The location had popped into her head without thought, and for some reason, she felt it wasn’t a lie.
“I see,” the woman drawled. “Where are you from? If you don’t mind my asking.”
“I’m from Athens, Georgia,” Marie replied. She took a sip of her coffee, which had cooled substantially.
The woman pursed her lips, and her eyebrows turned downward in an obvious frown. Marie knew the look. It was the look of disapproval. She braced herself and waited for the lecture.
“Ok, let me get this straight.”
