iFrankenstein (sequel to iDrakula) (iMonsters Book 2)

by Bekka Black

  Text from Alphonse Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  October 30

  5:54 PM

  Alphonse

  Victor, I don’t know what you’re up to, but please call me. I know you don’t believe it, but I care very much about you. Please, let’s talk.

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  October 30

  6:16 PM

  Victor

  In a truck 20 minutes out from Brussels airport.

  Henry

  U ok?

  Victor

  Burnt hands. Broken ankle. Ok

  Henry

  How did u get out?

  Victor

  Broke thru the wall with a chair. Jumped on the windmill’s sail and rode it to the ground

  Henry

  Like an action hero!

  Victor

  Busted my ankle when I landed. Not heroic. Painful

  Henry

  Where’s Elizabeth?

  Victor

  Book me first flight from Brussels to Bodo, Norway. She’s on the ship

  Henry

  How will I pay?

  Victor

  I have cash

  Henry

  Where’s V.V?

  Victor

  In my backpack. Laptop’s off. Battery out

  Henry

  Wireless?

  Victor

  I took out the wireless card on the last plane with a pen. Like Macgyver

  Henry

  Is he trapped?

  Victor

  Hope so

  Henry

  Can u really be sure? He’s been a step ahead of u the whole game, Victor

  Victor

  Book flight. Elizabeth sent this picture. Study picture for clues. Gotta go

  Text from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  October 30

  6:36 PM

  Henry

  SAS Flight 1874. 7:15. Arrive 11:40. Layover in Oslo

  Victor

  Nothing direct?

  Henry

  Nope. It took a lot of work to get that one on such short notice

  Victor

  Thanks, Henry

  Henry

  Can u make it?

  Victor

  Will keep u posted

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  October 30

  7:12 PM

  Victor

  On flight. Think on picture

  Henry

  U don’t know where she is?

  Victor

  Only V.V knew

  Henry

  What do we do?

  Victor

  Study the picture. The painting is called “Cemetery in Snow.” Caspar David Friedrich painted it

  Henry

  He died in 1840, painted Cemetery in Snow between 1817 and 1819

  Victor

  Thanks! Keep thinking

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Alphonse Frankenstein

  October 30

  7:13 PM

  Victor

  Dad, I’m in trouble. But I can’t call right now

  Alphonse

  What can I do?

  Victor

  Tell ship’s security that Elizabeth is on the ship somewhere, or I hope she is. She was kidnapped

  Alphonse

  Kidnapped?

  Victor

  Long story. Please just do it. Trust me. It’s serious

  Alphonse

  I want an explanation.

  Victor

  As soon as I can. Please promise me u’ll start a search now

  Alphonse

  I will.

  Victor

  Have them start with cabins 1840, 1817, 1818, 1819

  Alphonse

  Why?

  Victor

  Caspar David Friedrich died in 1840 + he painted Cemetery in Snow 1817-1819

  Alphonse

  You are worrying me, Victor.

  Victor

  Good. Don’t text her phone. The man who has it will know u’r looking for her. Would be bad

  Alphonse

  I’ll start the search now.

  7:17 PM

  Victor? Are you still there?

  Text from Alphonse Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  October 30

  7:49 PM

  Alphonse

  Security mobilized. Lydia hysterical. Please don’t be pranking me, son.

  Victor

  Thanks, Dad. I’m on a plane to Oslo, then Bodo. I’ll meet the ship there

  Alphonse

  A plane to Oslo? What the hell are you doing there?

  Victor

  Trying to save Elizabeth’s life. Have they found her?

  Alphonse

  No. She’s not in those cabins you mentioned, nor is she in hers or anyplace else we’ve looked.

  Victor

  Have to shut off phone now. Flight attendant crabby

  Text from Alphonse Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  October 30

  9:00 PM

  Alphonse

  Police will meet you at the gate and give you a charter flight to Bodo.

  Victor

  Elizabeth?

  Alphonse

  No news. But you’ll be here soon, as soon as that charter can get you here.

  Victor

  Thanks, Dad, for coming through

  Alphonse

  That’s my job, even if you don’t always see me doing it.

  October 31 - Doorway to death?

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  October 31

  12:04 AM

  Victor

  No news. Dad got me a charter to the boat. I’m here now. Everyone’s searching

  Henry

  No luck?

  Victor

  There must be a clue in that picture

  Henry

  But what clue?

  Victor

  She also said “Because I’m close to this” What do you think it means?

  Henry

  Cemetery in snow. Shovels. Gateway to death

  Victor

  Doorway to death!!!! Doorway of death! U’re a genius!

  Henry

  I am?

  Victor

  Remember the Queen Mary? The Death Door?

  Henry

  The engine room. Door 13

  Victor

  I’m on it. Will let u know

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  October 31

  1:02 AM

  Elizabeth

  I’m ok, Henry!

  Henry

  What happened?

  Elizabeth

  I was locked up in storeroom 13 near the engine room

  Henry

  R u ok now?

  Elizabeth

  I might never be able to sleep in a dark room again. Otherwise, ok

  Henry

  Leave the lights on as long as u need to. Did he hurt u?

  Elizabeth

  He scared me half to death, but he didn’t do anything else. I think he had orders from V.V to wait

  Henry

  I’m glad u r ok. How’s Victor?

  Elizabeth

  Looks like crap. Details later. Gotta go

  Text from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  October 31

  1:12 AM

  Henry

  Is she really ok?

  Victor

  She’s really shook up, but she doesn’t seem to be hurt at all

  Henry

  So she’s ok?

  Victor

  Near as I can tell

  Henry

  How about u?

  Victor

  Am typing this with two fingers. Otherwise, ok

  Henry

  As a former quadriplegic, I can tell u it could be worse

  Victor

  Do I at least get points for fixing that problem?

  Henry

&nbs
p; U get points. U’ll see

  Victor

  Henry, u r creeping me out. U sound like V.V

  Henry

  And why do u suppose that might be?

  Victor

  R u messing with me?

  Henry

  :) Take good care of Elizabeth. Miss u both! Glad it didn’t end in tears after all

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  October 31

  10:47 AM

  Full details

  Thanks for knowing that Mary Wollstonecraft message came from me. I didn’t dare use my own phone because I knew V.V was monitoring it. Thanks to you, I had Waldmann’s Ingolstadt virus and I stuck it into E.E’s code.

  The virus pulled V.V down into the laptop the second he started reading E.E’s code. Once I knew he was in, I yanked the Ethernet cable out of the back. With no wireless, he was trapped in there. He knew it too.

  He threatened us all and set the windmill on fire. I got out, got to the first plane to Oslo.

  Dad chartered me a plane from Oslo so I didn’t have to wait for the Bodo flight. Hard to believe, huh, since he’s usually so cheap about stuff like that. I called Dad from the plane and he started crying on the phone. My dad. I’ve never heard him so busted up, not even when Mom died. He does care.

  As soon as I got on the Walton, I convinced the security guys to go to the engine room and try door 13. They thought I was nuts, but nobody had any better ideas. They slammed the door open and jumped on this scary dude inside. Felix Kirwin, the one V.V recruited. Elizabeth was sitting in the corner right in front of a web cam. I think Felix dumped her in front of the camera so V.V could keep an eye on her.

  I spent hours explaining things to the police. They don’t believe V.V was alive, of course. They think Felix Kirwin was a hacker who convinced us that V.V was alive so he could grab Elizabeth.

  Legally, that lets me off the hook, but morally I know that I did this. Just to see if I could. I didn’t expect it to go down like it did, but I didn’t think about it in advance either. I made a monster and let it go, just for fun. And it almost killed Elizabeth and me and who knows how many people. I know I got very, very lucky.

  After security let me go, I went on deck and tossed Dad’s laptop into the waves. Now no one can ever create another V.V from it. Dad saw me do it and he didn’t even freak out. He just stood there staring at me. Then he hugged me and offered to buy me a new laptop.

  He’s been really cool about this whole thing. I don’t think he believes me, but he’s backed me all the way anyway. That’s been the best thing to come out of this whole mess, except for you walking again.

  Anyway, I told him I don’t want another laptop, not for a long while. I’m going to really unplug for the rest of the trip. So don’t expect any more emails from me. Or even texts. It’s all going to be real life and, dare I say it, nature. I hope I don’t get struck by lightning again or fall into a geyser in Iceland.

  I haven’t told Elizabeth about your feelings for her, but I promise not to venture out of the realm of “just friends” with her until we’re all back in California and it’s a fair fight. There’s no one I’d rather lose her to than you. Not that I think I won’t win. Because I will. :)

  See you when we get home, Henry!

  Vic

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Elizabeth Lavenza

  October 31

  1:20 PM

  Victor

  Stop texting. I’m right next to u

  Elizabeth

  I see u

  Victor

  Then meet me IRL

  Elizabeth

  Finally

  Biography

  After a childhood often spent without electricity and running water, Bekka escaped the beautiful wilderness of Talkeetna, Alaska for indoor plumbing and 24/7 electricity in Berlin, Germany. Used to the cushy lifestyle, she discovered the Internet in college and has been wasting time on it ever since (when not frittering away her time on her iPhone). Somehow, she manages to write novels, including the award-winning Hannah Vogel mystery series set, in all places, 1930s Berlin. The series has received numerous starred reviews and the first book, A Trace of Smoke, was chosen as a Writer’s Digest Notable debut.

  She lives in Berlin (again!) with her husband and son.

  Other Works

  As Bekka Black

  iDrakula

  As Rebecca Cantrell

  A Trace of Smoke

  A Night of Long Knives

  A Game of Lies

  A City of Broken Glass

  The Blood Gospel (with James Rollins)

  On writing

  Making Story: 21 Writers on how they plot

  Now Write! Mysteries: Suspense, Crime, Thriller, and Other Mystery Fiction Exercises from Today's Best Writers and Teachers

  First Thrills (anthology)

  Table of Contents

  iFrankenstein

  Table of Contents

  October 22 - The ship sets sail

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Victor Frankenstein

  Henry's Browser

  Henry's Browser

  Victor's Phone Notes

  Victor's Browser

  Elizabeth's Browser

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Text from Alphonse Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  October 23 - Victor releases the crawler

  Elizabeth's Browser

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Lydia Lavenza

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Victor Frankenstein

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Text from Alphonse Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  Email from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  October 24 - Elizabeth tours Amsterdam on her own

  Elizabeth's Browser

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Text from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  October 25 - Victor starts the AI analysis

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Lydia Lavenza

  Text from Lydia Lavenza to Elizabeth Lavenza

  Text from Alphonse Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Email from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  October 26 - Virtual Victor (V.V.) is alive!

  Elizabeth's Browser

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Alphonse Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  Robot Chat

  Text from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  Robot Chat

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Henry's Browser

  Henry's Browser

  Robot Chat

  October 27 - Victor gets hacked

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Robot Chat

  Text from Lydia Lavenza to Elizabeth Lavenza

  Email from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Henry Clerval to Elizabeth Lavenza

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Victor's Browser

  Robot Chat

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Robot Chat

  Text from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  Email from Caroline Beaufort Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  October 28 - Victor gets an email from his dead mother


  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Elizabeth's Browser

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  Robot Chat

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Text from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Robot Chat

  Text from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  Robot Chat

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Alphonse Frankenstein to Victor Frankenstein

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Robot Chat

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  October 29 - V.V. is like nothing seen before

  Elizabeth's Browser

  Text from Henry Clerval to Elizabeth Lavenza

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Victor Frankenstein

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Elizabeth Lavenza

  Elizabeth's Browser

  Email from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Email from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  Henry's Browser

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Email from Henry Clerval to Victor Frankenstein

  Text from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Henry's Browser

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Email from Elizabeth Lavenza to Henry Clerval

  Email from Henry Clerval to Elizabeth Lavenza, Victor Frankenstein

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Robot Chat

  Robot Chat

  Robot Chat

  Email from Virtual Victor to Felix Kirwin

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval

  Text from Victor Frankenstein to Henry Clerval