by Brian Myrick
“Senator O’Hara, I understand you have a sick son?” Azreal asks. “Steven, right? We would like to help him.”
“Thanks, I appreciate that, but we already have the best doctors in the county that specialize in childhood cancers taking care of him,” Senator O’Hara says, then takes a slight gulp.
“We aren’t doctors, and we don’t specialize in cancer,” Azreal says, “but what if I told you we had something that could completely cure your son and allow him to have a full and healthy life?”
***
In Steven O’Hara’s bedroom, the late teen sits in his bed half-awake looking weak and pale. Standing at the head of his bed next to him is Senator O’Hara, and next to him is Samuel. Azreal, Gabriel, Senator Myrick, and Senator Thatch is standing some distance away from the bed.
“Hello Steven, my name is Samuel,” Samuel says.
“Hello, Samuel,” Steven takes his time to speak.
Samuel sits down on the bed next to Steven and says in a calm voice “Steven, I know you’re sick, and I have something that I think will make you feel much better, would you like that? To feel better?”
“I’m going to be a scientist when I grow up, and I will find out what is causing me to be sick,” Steven says as he tries to sit himself up.
“A scientist, huh?” Samuel says with a smile on his face. “Well, maybe when you’re older we will work together. I think I would like that.”
Steven smiles back at Samuel and Samuel rubs Steven’s head. Then looks back at Senator O’Hara, who smiles as well. Samuel reaches into his vest pocket and pulls out a small, glass vile of blood that he hands to Steven.
“I need you to drink this and I promise tomorrow will be a whole new day for you, feeling much better,” Samuel says.
Steven looks over at his father, Senator O’Hara who nods in approval. Steven gently takes the veil from Samuel and drinks the blood from it. Within a few seconds, the young man responds to the liquid as color begins to return to his face and he appears to hold his neck with a little more strength. The healing continues at a quick rate till Steven is unrecognizable from the sick child that he was moments ago.
The group of men leave Stevens room and make their way to the entrance of the house just inside the front door. Senator Myrick and Senator Thatch stop and turn to face Azreal, Samuel, and Gabriel. Their faces are awestruck.
“That was simply remarkable I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes,” Senator Myrick exclaims.
“Good, so, you understand the need for our work to continue and to stay private,” Azreal says.
“Yes, of course,” Senator Myrick says. “I completely understand that now. If what you gentleman really are got out to the public, you probably wouldn’t be safe anywhere.”
“We take our privacy very seriously,” Samuel says. “We have a lot at stake, and we need to keep things as confidential as possible.”
“I understand what you want from me, and now, I understand why both of my colleagues are eager to help you, gentlemen,” Senator Myrick looks at Senator Thatch. “But I’m not sick, and I don’t know anyone that is sick, so what’s in this for me? You three are about to become three of the richest people on the planet.”
“Goddammit, Myrick!” Senator Thatch yells. “Are you seriously just thinking about yourself right now? Faster than light, Azreal reaches out and puts his hand on Senator Myrick’s shoulder. He gently squeezes it more and more until Senator Myrick shows signs of pain.
Azreal says in a stern voice “What you say is true, but the reason we are doing this has nothing to do with money or worldly positions. The real reason is we all feel some level of guilt for the horrible things we have done to humans just like yourself for hundreds of years now.”
“Let go of me!” Senator Myrick says as he tries to brush Azreal’s hand off his shoulder, but Azreal’s tight grip just forces him to lean over further in pain as he continues to squeeze the Senator’s shoulder harder.
Azreal continues, “You are still human, though, and someday in the future, you will get sick, or someone you know and love will get sick and when that day comes, we will still be here to help you, I’m sure even you can understand the benefit in being our friend.”
Azreal releases his grip on Senator Myrick’s shoulder, allowing him to stand straight up again and speak unhindered. The Senator now angry and hurt rubs his shoulder and says “Yes, I completely understand the benefit of being your friend when that day comes, and rest assured I’m going to hold you to that!”
“I’m sure you will,” Azreal replies.
“In the meantime, since you don’t care about worldly positions, I think twenty-five per cent to us sounds fair,” Senator Myrick demands.
Samuel opens the front door of the house. At the same time, Azreal nods to Senator Myrick in agreement and exits the house with Samuel. Gabriel turns back to face the Senators and quickly grabs Senator Myrick’s other shoulder even harder than Azreal’s grip almost breaking the Senator’s shoulder then with a hard jerk brings the Senator close to Gabriel’s mouth, so he can whisper in his ear. “Also, if you decide to tell anyone about us, I will kill you and everyone you love,” then flashes his fangs with a smile for the other Senators to see.
“Come along, Gabriel, it’s time to go,” Azreal calls out to Gabriel from outside the house. Gabriel releases Senator Myrick and is out the front door of the house in a flash and walking with Azreal and Samuel down the street and away from the house into the darkness of night.
***
Chapter Twelve
The Year Is 2018
A
zreal is sitting at his desk inside Old World, looking through some papers and occasionally glances up to look out the window in his office at the full moon in the night sky. Steven walks in and sits in a chair.
“Good evening, sir, I worked through the weekend,” Steven says, “and I was able to get a small batch of XP1 ready for you.”
Steven pulls out a pill bottle and sets it on Azreal’s desk. Azreal picks it up and studies it closely, spinning it in his hands. “Good work, Steven,” Azreal says. “I know we could depend on you.”
“If there is nothing else, sir,” Steven says. “I’m going to take the night off and go home.”
“No, this will do it, thank you, Steven,” Azreal says.
Steven gets up to leaves Azreal’s office but stops at the door and turns back around. “Oh, and Jacob called me on my cell phone, I guess he couldn’t get through on my office line. Saying he won’t be back to work, I think his sister got kidnapped or something. So, I guess that problem fixed itself.”
“Kidnapped?” Azreal says and looks up from the pill bottle at Steven.
“He was upset when we talked so I’m not sure, she may be part of the missing person cases. Good night sir.” Steven says, then turns and leaves the office, leaving Azreal in silence and his thoughts.
***
Dan is in his office, looking at his computer screen and slowly rolling his fingers on his desk when the phone rings. It’s Mike Brown from the FBI.
“Hey, about that job you wanted to be done at Old World,” Mike says through the phone speaker.
“Give me some good news, buddy,” Dan says as he rolls his fingers faster on the desk and kicks his feet up to recline in his chair.
“I wish I had some,” Mike says with a sigh. “I gave it to one of my guys, and I guess he fucked it up, so we didn’t get anything for you this weekend.”
“Nothing at all?” Dan asks. “Come on!”
“If it makes you feel any better, the guy fucked it up so bad that he was fixing their phone lines all weekend, so they couldn’t get any calls at all, all weekend,” Mike says trying to cheer up Dan.
“No, that doesn’t make me feel better,” Dan says. “Fuck. Let me know when you actually have something.”
Dan slams the phone down, then looks over at the picture of him and his daughter that sits o
n the corner of his desk.
***
Chapter Thirteen
The Years Is 2018
H
aley is in her office looking out the window and watching the rats which scurry in the cracks of the pavement and under the shroud of darkness. Azreal walks in and sits in a chair in front of her desk.
“Steven, got the job done,” Azreal says. “We can call the Senator back and deliver his package to him now.”
“That’s good news,” Haley says while watching a fat one squeeze between the edge of the parking lot and a rock. “I’ll give him a call and set up the delivery.”
“Let me know the details when you have them,” Azreal sets the pill bottle on Haley’s desk and leaves the office.
Haley sits down at her desk and picks up the pill bottle to look at it, then sets it back down and picks up her phone. She punches in some numbers and the phone rings on the other end until a male answer it.” Hello”
“Hello, may I speak with Senator Myrick,” Haley says into the phone. “This is Haley, he is expecting my call.”
The phone is silent for a few seconds, then-Senator Myrick’s voice blares through the speaker. “I knew the first time I saw you bastards that none of you could be trusted!”
“Senator, I have your package, and the new drug is on schedule for production,” Haley says still eyeing the pill bottle in front of her and ignoring the harshness of Senator Myrick. “All I need from you now is where to deliver it.”
“I tried calling you guys all weekend and no answer, nothing,” Senator Myrick says angrily.
“Senator, we have an answering service that works all weekend, so it is unlikely we missed your call,” Haley explains. “You should also know that this will be the last drug we produce. So, our business arrangement will be concluded after this. You and your colleagues will all receive your final payments from us.”
“I don’t care about our deal anymore, and you can go ahead and keep whatever you made for me now,” Senator Myrick says.
“What do you mean, Senator?” Haley asks as her face contorts to a frown. “You no longer want the medicine you asked us for?”
“That isn’t what I said,” Senator Myrick barks back at her. “I no longer need the meds. My wife passed away Saturday night when I couldn’t reach you on the phone! You remember our deal, right?”
“Senator, why didn’t you contact us, and we could have given you blood to help your wife instead of the new drug and your profits from it.
“Aren’t you listening?” Senator Myrick asks. “I did try and contact you as soon as I realized she didn’t have the time we thought she would! But she is gone now, and I’m old, so your threats won’t work any longer. You should just run now. Just run as fast as you can.”
Senator Myrick slams the phone down hanging up on Haley. She sits in the silence of the room, still holding the phone and looking at the bottle of pills.
***
Dan is sitting in his desk, just staring at the old picture of him and his daughter, while leaning back in his chair. The phone rings and rings. Dan wipes his watery eyes, sits up straight in his chair, and puts the picture down to answer the phone.
“Yeah?” Dan whispers into the phone still trying to clear his throat.
“Are you the Agent in charge of the Old World case, Dan?” the voice of Senator Myrick comes through the phone.
“Yeah, I’m in charge of the Old World case,” Dan says and perks up. “Who is this?”
“I want you to listen very closely,” Senator Myrick says. “I’m going to help you with your investigation.”
“Oh, yeah, what kind of help?” Dan asks. “And who is this?”
“Just be quiet and listen. In the 1980s and ’90s, I was a U.S. Senator,” Myrick says. “The owners of Old World approached me and several other Senators with a deal to help them with their drugs.”
“A deal?” Dan asks as he fumbles to pull out a piece of paper and a pen. He scribbles as he listens.
“The owners of Old World are not what they appear to be,” Myrick says.
“You don’t say,” Dan says with a slight chuckle. “I had that hunch before I even met them. Go on with your story.”
“Vampires,” Myrick says.
Dan drops the pen then leans back in his chair and laughs, “So, who at Old World is having you call me? Gabriel? I hope you’re getting a laugh out of this because I really am.”
“Their newest drug submission has some ingredients in it that you can’t identify, correct?” Myrick asks.
Dan straightens up again and says into the phone, “Yeah, that’s right. How did you know that?”
“I have sent you a package that will help you end Old World and also protect yourself,” Myrick says. “Good luck, Dan.” The phone goes dead.
Dan hangs the phone up, then quickly picks it back up and dials a number. “Hey, Buddy, this is Dan with the FDA,” Dan says as Jacob’s voice answers on the other line. “I’m sorry to hear about your sister, but I think I might have a break in the Old World case.”
“I don’t care about Old World right now,” Jacob says.
“Well, I think Old World might have something to do with your sister’s disappearance,” Dan says. “I’d like to meet you to talk about it.”
Dan hangs up the phone then leaves his office. Down the hall, he stops and opens Frank’s office door, who is sitting at his desk.
“You’re not going to believe what some old guy just told me about Old World,” Dan says as he walks in, he sees Angela sitting in front of Frank’s desk and it stops him in his tracks.
“Angela, sorry,” Dan says. “I didn’t know you were here. I can come back later.”
“Have a seat, Dan,” Angela says. “We were just talking about you. So, what did you hear about Old World now?”
Dan sits in a chair next to Angela, “It’s nothing really,” he says.
“No, Dan, I would like to know what you’re talking about?” Angela asks as she turns her chair to look at Dan more directly. “I told you that you were off the Old World case.”
“You’re going to get a kick out of this,” Dan says trying to lighten the mood. “The guy who called me just now thinks the owners are vampires.” Dan giggles. Angela just stares at him with a straight face while Frank looks at him with concerned eyes.
“I have been struggling with this decision because of your years with the Government,” Angela says, “but your making this much easier on me now.”
“What are you talking about, Angela?” Dan asks.
“The investigation that you have been running on Old World is completely outside of your scope, Dan!” Angela says as she lifts her hand with her index finger pointed straight at Dan. “Agent Brown from the FBI called me this morning to verify a wiretap that you ordered, without a warrant! And now, Frank tells me that you went back to Old World again!”
“Come on, Angela,” Dan says. “You know I’m close to figuring out what these guys are up to.”
“Enough, Dan!” Angela shouts. “You’re on administrative leave right now pending a review of your actions in this case. I want you back in my office next Monday morning for a meeting on this after I figure out all the shit you have been starting!”
“Angela...” Dan pleads.
“Put your badge and your gun on the desk, Dan,” Angela demands.
Dan pulls his gun out and slams it on the desk. Then takes his badge out and looks at it with sad eyes before setting it next to his gun.
“You’re making a mistake, Angela,” Dan yells. “You’ll see.” As he storms out of Franck’s office.
***
Azreal is sitting at his desk. Haley walks in and sits in a chair on the other side of the desk. Haley takes out the bottle of XP1 pills and sets them on Azreal’s desk for him to see.
“We have a problem with the Senator,” Haley says.
“Myrick?” Azreal asks.
“He said he tried
to call us here all weekend, but the phones were down,” Haley says.
“That can’t be, but Steven mentioned that also,” Azreal says.
“That’s what I thought too, so I checked on it, and he was right, the phones were down all weekend,” Haley says.
“Our phones have never been down,” Azreal says.
“They were this last weekend, and then just started working again on Monday,” Haley says. “Our security is checking on what happened.” Haley gets up and walks to the window to look out at the moon, but it hides behind a cloudy night sky.
“The real problem now is that we missed Myrick’s calls over the weekend and didn’t get the pills to his wife in time,” Haley says. “His wife died over the weekend.”
“Why didn’t he tell us she was that close?” Azreal asks.
“Maybe greed knowing this is our last drug?” Haley says. “Maybe pride finally needing something from us? Who knows.”
“So, what is his position with us now?” Azreal asks.
“He will most likely try and go public about us,” Haley says. “After all these years, there is no telling what he has on us. It could be believable to the public, depending on what he has.”
Azreal leans back in his chair and puts his hands together matching up the fingertips on both hands and sinking into thought. “Do you think he will listen to reason?” Azreal says.
“He is old now, and feels slighted by us,” Haley says. “I think we have past damage control with him. As much as I hate this, we need to let Gabriel handle it now.”
“Gabriel?” Azreal asks as his finger tap together. “Let me think about it.”
“Whatever we do, it needs to be sooner, rather than later,” Haley says and walks out of his office.
***
A tan car pulls up in front of Dan’s house and a man wearing dark glasses and a suit gets out of the car holding a box. He walks up to Dan’s front door and knocks. A minute later Dan opens the door.