I catch a glimpse of a monitor that one of them inspects, to study the sample. And what’s on the screen looks like a cell, from plasma.
“Is that … blood?”
“Yes,” the General says, with a self-satisfied grin. “We’re attempting to replicate the poison that runs through the vampires’ veins.”
“But … why?”
“So we can win the war,” he says, proudly. “Come on, let me show you something else. It’s just over here.”
And Evelyn tries to help me back into the chair, but I stop her.
“I think I can walk,” I say. And she relents.
We go to another window a short distance away, and I’m happy that my legs seem to be working, though I have to lean against the wall for support.
What I see here is confusing at first. This room isn’t like the others, it’s empty inside, except for a chair that sits in the middle of the space. After a moment, a door opens, and I’m surprised to see two scientists leading a chimpanzee into the room. It’s an adorable creature, and they sit it down on the chair. It’s almost sweet, the way the small ape obeys their commands, and gently allows the flunkies in the white lab coats to strap down its arms and legs. And the scientists feed it little treats that seem to make the beast happy.
But looking at the poor creature, I have a sinking feeling that something horrible is about to happen.
The scientists leave the room, as the chimp patiently waits, and within moments, the scene becomes even more bizarre; the men in white coats lead a cow into the room. They leave it in the corner, and one of the men sets down a bucket with some food to placate the animal. And the cow begins to chew. They leave once again, and return with a hypodermic gun that they use to make an injection into the chimpanzee’s shoulder. And for the first time it seems upset, surprised by the sudden shot it receives. And the chimp begins flinching back and forth in the chair.
The scientists quickly leave the room, taking a few rapid steps that approach a run. And the adorable ape begins to convulse.
The cow’s head jerks up from the feed bucket, and it begins backing into the corner in a panic, but its actions are useless. The chimp’s face contorts in pain, and its mouth becomes a gaping hole that forms the shape of a scream, which is all the more ghoulish, because nothing can be heard from behind the thick glass.
And fangs pop out of the chimp’s mouth.
It effortlessly breaks its binds, and in a second, it’s on the poor cow, dragging it to the ground. The ape clamps its mouth onto the animal’s neck and begins draining it, furiously. Within moments, the cow stops struggling, and falls over in a heap. And the chimp smiles a twisted grin, seeming proud of itself.
Its belly is full from the rich bounty it’s just drank.
I gasp in horror. And the beast hears me.
I assume it’s one-way glass with a mirror on the other side, but the chimp looks my way with bloodshot eyes, seeming to stare right at me. It lunges at the window, throwing itself at me as though it’s gone insane. And its fists finally make a noise I can hear, as they beat against the glass with dull thuds. I back away, terrified it might break, but somehow the pane holds up to the forceful blows.
The chimp seems to calm for a few moments, perhaps realizing it can’t get through, and the General taps his finger in front of its face. What had been an adorable visage moments ago has become something horrible, and it hisses angrily, baring its sharpened fangs. It scratches at the glass.
I didn’t think it could get any worse, but the skin on the chimp’s face begins to ripple, and I realize that it hasn’t stopped pounding its fists out of frustration. It's weakening. Something has gone terribly wrong with the experiment the Luminos have made.
They haven’t perfected it. They haven’t gotten it right. The Luminos haven’t properly synthesized the vampire blood.
The chimp’s face bloats, and looks like it’s going to explode. But finally, the poor creature collapses and seemingly dies.
I want to run and hide, but within this hostile place, I don’t know where to go. I can’t believe that the General would show me such a disgusting sight without warning. And as bad as it is, it’s like watching a car crash, and I can’t stop myself from looking through the glass once more.
The failed vampire ape lays prone on the floor, its flesh desiccated and shriveling, as a black sludge flows from its mouth. Before I can stare at it for too long, figures enter the room wearing orange containment suits with tanks on their backs. They spray a greenish foam on the carcasses, and I finally turn away, when I realize the bodies inside are beginning to dissolve before my eyes. The room is being sterilized.
Colonel Anderson stares at me, trying to gauge my reaction.
“As you can see, the process isn’t quite perfected.”
“Why are you doing this?” I ask, horrified.
“Because we need a sample of their blood,” he says. “In all the time we’ve fought them, we’ve never been able to capture one of them. We’ve never been able to obtain more than a few drops of vampire blood. They’re very strong, very fast and powerful. Our only weapon against them has been our perseverance. But if we could replicate their blood, we could finally turn the tide of this battle, and win the war forever. We could potentially come up with a vaccine that could cure them.”
“Or kill them.”
“Yes. That would work, too.”
“So how are you synthesizing this blood? Is it a molecule you’re creating?
“No. We’ve recently come upon the technology to clone blood cells. But our problem is that we cannot get a clean sample. We managed to take down a younger vampire once. And before he could … destroy himself, we were able to remove a few drops. But that was a long time ago.”
“And after he died, you couldn’t get more off of the body?”
“No. They tend to … disintegrate after the vampires expire. The blood immediately becomes unusable, though we have kept the remains, which we’ve studied, to give us some insight into their structure. But it’s mostly just dust.”
A terrible feeling comes over me. Whatever they’re doing here, whatever the Luminos have planned, it feels like a mistake. Bad enough that the vampires are unnatural creatures, but the fact that they’re toying with their blood seems far worse. And I’m overcome with the notion that what they are doing will lead to disaster.
“Come on, let’s talk more upstairs.”
We take the elevator back up, and the General brings me to the cafeteria again. It’s fairly empty, save for the Luminos cook. He goes to him, and the two whisper together. After a few moments, the cook comes from a back room. He hands the General a tray, and my father from a past era walks over to our table, offering several slices of cake.
“Now do you feel like dessert?”
“Definitely,” I say. And he sets a piece in front of me. I dig into it, trying to restrain myself as much as possible, and the treat is delicious. I say a silent thanks that the frosting isn’t whipped cream. I hate whipped cream frosting on cake, it seems unnatural to me. If I’m going to have cake, I want the full effect; rich, buttery frosting. And I’m grateful for this small comfort, after all the horrors I’ve recently endured.
I’m amazed, because it’s probably the best cake I’ve ever had, but I shouldn’t be surprised. Of course, the Luminos chef would create something special after lifetimes of experience.
Evelyn takes a few small bites of her dessert, but the General doesn’t touch his. Instead, he stares at me seriously from across the table.
“Meridian, I know I’ve asked you to do some difficult things in the past. And I’ve treated you poorly. But I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask of you one more thing that you might not like.”
I’m annoyed. He would have to hit me with this while I’m enjoying the best piece of cake in the world. It’s almost cruel.
“We need a sample of the vampire blood. Do you think you could help us to get it?”
“How?”
“L
ure one of them to a place where we could capture them? Or perhaps you know of a younger one we’re unaware of who’s out there in the wild, away from the protection of their tower?”
“No, I don’t know of any younger ones. They seem to keep them sequestered away when they first change them. And then they put some sort of collar around them, to explode if they get captured.”
“Yes, we’re aware of that one,” he says, slowly.
“My encounters with them only lasted for a few days, I never got to see much of their operation,” I say.
“And there isn’t one of the older ones you could draw out in the open?”
Lina would do it, I think to myself. But I would never trick her in that way. I won’t even mention seeing his former daughter, because I’m too afraid the General might try to extract revenge on her. If he wants to know if I’ve seen her, he’ll have to figure it out on his own.
“Adam. But I won’t do that to him.”
“There is another option,” he says. “But I’m not sure I can ask you to do it.”
“And what is this wonderful second option you’re going to offer me?”
“Do the vampires want to transform you?”
My heart skips a beat for a moment. It’s a question I never thought he would ask.
“Yes, they do,” I say, hesitantly. “But it’s filled with problems. It’s a big no-no for them to change one of the Luminos. The other vampires would put me to death, immediately.”
“But are they willing to do it anyway?”
“Adam might. But it will mean a lifetime on the run for us both.”
“But, tell me something. Do you want this?” the General says. “I’m aware that you have feelings for him. Do you want to join him in his eternal life?”
“I …”
I’m taken aback for a moment. I’m not sure what he’s getting at, but the thought crosses my mind once again. What if I could be with Adam forever? If the opportunity arose, would I take it?
And the General senses my confusion.
“I can offer you protection from the vampires,” he says, patiently explaining it all. “The Luminos could take you away somewhere, to an island paradise, perhaps.”
“What, so you can kill me?”
“No, so we can study the blood, until we find a cure for the condition.”
“Or a disease that could wipe them all out. After you’ve dissected us.”
“No, we would not do that. You would be too valuable for us to turn you into a lab experiment. What you would be doing would be the greatest service to the Luminos anyone has ever done.”
And he leans over the table, getting closer to me.
“Meridian, I’m not asking you to join them. I’m asking you to become a vampire, so you can help us fight this war on their level. And you’re right about one thing, we might have to kill you eventually. But that would only be when every last vampire is wiped from the face of the earth, including their elders. And we’ve been fighting for thousands of years. How long do you think it will be before that happens? Even then, we both know you can come back as a human if you so desire.”
And I’m still not quite sure what he’s asking me. To become a double agent? To go to battle by his side as a different kind of immortal? And a part of me wonders if he’s right, if obtaining a sample of their blood in this manner might be worth it. Perhaps this is the way I will put an end to the war, and destroy them all, as Marion said.
But somehow, I think she was talking about something more than just ending the vampire race. Somehow, I think Marion was referring to the destruction of all life, as chilling as that sounds.
I shake my head, overwhelmed by what he’s saying and all it entails. And I’m amazed that the General would have the audacity to ask such a thing.
“No. Forget it, I won’t do it. I won’t become a vampire ever again.”
“All right, I understand,” he says, nodding his head, relenting. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t even have suggested it.”
“And what’s so bad about being a vampire?”
The voice comes from behind me, and I turn around to see Arie and Lenore standing there, in disembodied form.
I’m not sure how to respond to them without giving away their secret, so I say nothing at all.
“Tell them we’ll do it,” Arie says. “We’ll give them a sample of our blood in exchange for you.”
I’m shocked by what he says, so much so that I can’t even hide it. I turn around to face the General and Evelyn, and my mouth must be slightly ajar. From the way they stare at me, it’s obvious that they know something is going on. Even the cook, Antonio, seems to be looking in my direction.
And I clear my throat. It seems I have no choice but to broker their offer.
“They say that they’ll trade me. For a sample of their blood.”
The General looks to the others, dumbfounded.
“And how do you know this?”
“They’re … in communication with me. In a sense.”
“And exactly how are they in communication with you?” he asks, full of concern. He looks around the room, perhaps thinking the vampires are in camouflage suits and have already gotten in, or have developed invisibility powers. He looks like he’s ready to bolt and sound the alarm.
“It’s not mental,” the cook, Antonio says. “I sense nothing.”
“You sense nothing?” I say, annoyed. “So you’re more than just the campus chef?”
“He’s a telepath, among other things,” Evelyn says. “It’s his hidden talent.”
“It’s easier to scan them when they’re eating. The food helps them to relax,” the chef says. “Especially if it’s good.”
And he grins, mischievously.
“He shouldn’t be so proud of himself. He’s not a very good telepath if he can’t sense someone astral projecting,” Lenore says, over my shoulder.
“So if it’s not telepathic, than what’s going on?” the General asks. And the man I once knew creeps back in his voice, as he’s just a bit more brusque this time.
“It’s … sort of telepathic,” I say. But I’m not sure how much more I should reveal. “A special kind.”
“I wasn’t aware there was more than one kind,” the General says.
“Actually, it’s because of Roland,” Arie whispers into my ear. “Normally, we can astral project to someone we’ve fed off of. But we haven’t fed from you, so we’re using Roland’s connection to key in on your location, but it’s weaker this way.”
So it is Roland helping them. And I wonder if Adam is with them, too.
And the General is beginning to get frustrated with me. He looks to Antonio again, but the cook only shrugs his shoulders.
“She is totally impervious to me. I cannot read her mind.”
He looks to Evelyn.
“There’s more to it than that. It’s obvious she’s not telling us something.”
“Obvious that I’m not telling you something?” I say. “It seems like I’m not the only one.”
“I’m a psychiatrist. Reading body language is my specialty,” she says.
And I sigh, in frustration. The secrets in the Luminos lair are as thick as they are with the vampires.
“Go ahead, tell them everything. We don’t care,” Arie says. And he and Lenore casually walk around, and stand on either side of the General. Arie is wearing blue jeans and a tattered T-shirt for an indie band, and it’s nice to see him dressed more normally for once, like a real teenager. But I have to remind myself that he’s anything but.
“They have a vampire or two who can astral project onto people they’ve fed from. And they’re using another vampire, one who drank from me, to make the connection. But it’s not as powerful this way.”
“Do you mean to tell me our facility has been compromised?” the General says, looking around, warily.
“Tell him not to worry about his stupid facility. It hasn’t been compromised. We can’t stray very far from you, Meridian. Not at the
distance we’re at.”
“And it must be partially underground. We have a problem with anything below the dirt, for some reason,” Lenore says. “But we’re working on that.”
“They say that they can’t stray very far from me, because of the distance and the weakened connection thing,” I relay to the General. “And they have trouble with anything below the Earth’s surface. They can’t reach the underground levels.”
“There are underground levels?” Lenore says.
“So does he want to make the trade or not?” Arie asks.
“So what will it be?” I say to the General.
And he looks to his advisors, then looks back to me.
“Tell them we’ll do it. For six ounces of the blood. But it must be from one of the older vampires.”
Arie and Lenore look to the side, seemingly listening to someone.
“One ounce.”
“One ounce only,” I say.
“Three ounces.”
“Two, and it’s from one of the oldest vampires we have,” Arie says. “That seems like a fair trade for a girl they would have killed anyway.”
“Two, and it’s the good stuff.”
“Done. Do they already know where we are?” the General says, seeming just a bit frustrated.
“No, but we will soon enough, if he gives us time,” Lenore says.
“They don’t know, yet,” I tell him.
He takes a piece of paper from the table and begins writing down numbers I certainly don’t understand, though they look like map coordinates.
“Give them these numbers. Or can they see this?”
Again, Lenore looks over his shoulder.
“Yep, it’s Nevada. Tell him we’ll be there in four hours,” she says. “And one last thing. Tell him to put you in body armor. The Luminos kind.”
And with that, the Twins disappear.
“They’re gone now, you can relax,” I say. “They’ll be here in four hours. Oh, and they mentioned something about giving me body armor.”
The General and the others look to one another, unsure if I’m telling the truth.
“Get her a set of armor. And begin evacuating the facility, everything except the soldiers.”
The Meridian Gamble Page 45