Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2021 07:08:57 -0500
From: Richard McQueen <mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com>
Subject: Blueblood, Chapter 33 Gizmo

Story: Blueblood

Chapter 33 Gizmo

Author: Eric McQueen (mcqueen.richarderic@gmail.com)

Adult Readers, Sexual Situations, Sex

Freedom of expression is precious. To do that Nifty needs help. Your
donation is greatly desired. Give to http://donate.nifty.org/ or this story
ends and all the others! That would be a crime!

Devon makes a new friend.

Gizmo

I remember coming to a little and then another feeling as a needle was
inserted, this time in my arm and I was out again. I did occasionally come
out of...whatever I was in. Did I hear the sound of engines? I was on a
plane? The floor was moving, sort of floating and there was also the
occasional turbulence that would shake me. At first, I thought, damn, we're
going somewhere again? I did remember Colin going to take a shower. Colin!
I tried to wake up, but it was too hard. I had no concept of time and no
recollection how I got...to where ever I was.

I did wake up a little. This time there was no sting anywhere. I was
worried about Colin; I was worried about all the others. I had no idea what
was happening with them. Were they taken? Where was I taken? Really, the
first thing I was aware of; I was freezing. I tried to open my eyes and
found it wouldn't have mattered if I could. I was blindfolded.

"Ah, you woke up." A man's voice said to me.

"Yes, until you give me more of whatever that was they kept injecting me
with," I said.

"Yes, well, we had to use a tranquilizer on you." The man said
pleasantly. "The first one was that dart we used. Then to keep you unaware
of how much time was passing, you wouldn't be aware of approximate travel
time and how long it took to get here." He had an accent. He was European,
but he wasn't Russian or Ukrainian. German?

I nodded. "I see." I tried to move but found my hands and feet were
tied. "Well, no, I can't see. Completing the whole thing, I'm not allowed
to?"

"Oh, yes." He said and I heard him move, the material of...pants or
something made a sound as he got up. "Sorry about that."

I felt someone removing the knot or fasteners. What was covering my eyes
wasn't just a cloth blindfold, but a pair of swimming goggles with the eye
parts having cloth stuffed in to make it impossible to see. It wasn't that
bright where I was, but having been without any light, I blinked until my
eyes adjusted. I was lying on a mattress in a bed in a small room. No
windows here. It had cinder brick walls and the only other furniture was
the chair this man sat in.

"Better?"

"Not really," I said. "I'm still tied up."

The man was an older man in his late forties or early fifties. His hair was
dark with white or grey going through his hair now. He was a man that had
been active in the past, maybe sports in high school, but not fat. If
anything, he looked like he could have been a father to a neighbor of some
school chum I knew from middle school. Dressed in casual pants and shirt,
there was nothing with scars or any markings to tell he was a bad guy. He
looked like a father watching a son playing little league or something, but
he was a bad guy, that I knew. I was being held somewhere and he wasn't
letting me go, so yes, he was a bad guy. "I will let you out of the
bindings, but I need you to understand that you won't try anything, like
try to leave or attack me." He said pleasantly again.

I frowned. "Why would I do that? Where would that get me? I don't know
where I am, so if I escaped from right here. Where would I go? If I attack
you, that would be stupid as you aren't the only one here, I'm sure."

The man nodded with a smile. "That's right, but I had to be sure you knew
that first." He said and undid my bindings.

I looked at this man oddly. "Okay. You're taken me hostage. Now, you're
nice to me?" I asked.

The man shrugged. "Why should I be nasty?"

"Because I was kidnapped and am being held," I said. "That's nasty and I
expect you are nasty."

The man chuckled. "I can be nasty, when necessary. I can be nasty with you
if you like." He sighed and sat up in the chair he was sitting in. "I find
being nasty makes people I deal with resistant. Being nice often gets
results in a more pleasant way." He crossed his legs. "What I am, is a
businessman."

I know my eyes were opening wider because I couldn't believe what I
heard. "You're kidding."

He laughed. "I'm serious." He shrugged. "I find out what people want and I
get it for them and make a profit."

I nodded a little hesitantly. "Please, if I'm wrong, tell me, but doesn't
your group profit on death?"

He gave a shrug and a nod. "Well, not directly." He smiled. "Many of
our...clients...deal in death. War and things like that. We just...give
them opportunities to do it better and more efficiently."

"So, kidnapping me...and whomever else you brought here...is just a means
to an end." I nodded.

He nodded. "That's it." He stuck his hand out to me. "Fredrick Hoffman."

I looked at the hand. "Do you expect me to feel welcomed?" Asking him if
that seemed okay with him.

Fredrick smiled again. "I expect you to help us get what we want." He said
lowering his hand. "And you will. Be it willingly or unwillingly. Either
way, we will get the answers. Cooperate and things will be more pleasant
for you. If you don't...well..." he shrugged. "So, why not answer some
questions?"

"If you answer mine."

"Fair enough," Fredrick said nodding. "I go first. You're Devon McGee. You
are now Devon Wentworth, am I right?"

"Yes," I answered. "Is Colin alright?"

He nodded. "Fine, as far as I know." He looked at me. "Is Colin Wentworth a
vampire?"

"Yes." I nodded. "But not like some others." I frowned. "Was anyone hurt
when you took me?"

Fredrick gave a grimace. "Well, kind of...but no one with you or the people
you spent that evening with. We did sort of harm, but not critically, a few
employees at the hotel. How old is Colin Wentworth?"

I thought if I should answer, but figured they already suspected. "Well, he
turned two hundred in 2015. Did you bring anyone else with us?"

When I told him Colin was over two hundred, he smiled even more. "He's that
old!? Really?"

My eyes narrowed. "You didn't answer my question."

Fredrick looked surprised but nodded. "Oh, yes. Sorry. No, you were the
only one we could get. Are you a vampire?"

"Yes."

"Really?" Fredrick marveled. "But you don't show any..."

That's when the door opened and another man came storming in. "Enough of
this, Hoffman." He wore a regular suit, but even in that, it looked like a
uniform. He was military.

The new man was older than Fredrick by about ten years and I could see a
little of Tad Morsi in him. He was Egyptian.

"Now, I see Rafa Morsi's here." I smiled.

Rafa looked angrily at me. "I'm not one to play games, Mr. Wentworth. You
say you're a vampire. I'll test that to see if it's true." He reached for
me, took my arm roughly and hauled me up and began dragging me through the
door.

Fredrick sighed and came with us. "I was doing fine, Rafa."

"And wasting time," Rafa said. "If you are a vampire, there's a way to find
out. If not, you will be."

He brought me through a corridor with other doors. It looked almost like a
prison. It was a prison if no one could get out. Then he brought me into a
larger chamber. This chamber had cages. All along the corridor and in this
chamber there were no windows. Nothing to tell me what time of day it
was. The chamber was set up like a kind of lab, there were tables with the
test tubes, chemicals used and equipment. It was dark even with the
overhead lights on. We had to be underground. Unlike George's labs, this
was not...that sophisticated. What was in the cages...I was not prepared
for. There were several cages with about four vampires and I mean, wild
vampires. They all turned, saw us, and hissed as Wayne had done at
first. They were not clean and were naked. All well-toned males and even in
their wild state, I could see military tattoos and the build of a man that
once had served in militarizes. What nationalities or countries, I couldn't
really tell. Rafa brought me to another cage with the fifth vampire and
there it was...

"An Old One," I said nodding. Before me was another naked vampire. He was
bald with a smooth round head. Like Wayne told me, you notice when what's
supposed to be there, isn't. He had a penis but had no scrotum. When he saw
me, he hissed like the others...no other teeth but the fangs, but he turned
away. That's when I noticed he didn't have an asshole. You don't seriously
want to know if I know an ass, I'm gay, of course, I know about asses! We
have that crack in the back for a couple of things; one of which a lot of
people think we shouldn't. I was instantly seeing that movie (sorry, but I
did) in the movie Coneheads when Beldar was going in the shower at the club
where he played golf and we all saw he had no ass crack. He didn't have an
asshole! I didn't need to look closer to confirm he didn't have one. This
thing had no ass! He had something to sit on as in padding to sit on, but
no crack and no opening for solid waste. That surprised me. Yes, I noticed
what wasn't there. He didn't poop! He just pissed ammonia. He was a grayish
white all over and no hair. Not anywhere. Beldar was an alien, but this
vampire looked alien.

Rafa barked a command and the Old One backed away from the door pressing on
the bars of the cage to get away. Rafa opened the lock of the cage, opened
the door and shoved me in the cage. "He's been trained to know if he does
attack me or one of the technicians, he'll be hurt," Rafa said. "Now, we'll
see. He hasn't eaten today. He'll be hungry." He said to me.

I looked at Rafa. "So, if I'm telling the truth, I'll be alive and if not,"
I waved at the four others that we wild vampires. "I'll be like them."

Rafa nodded. "That's right."

I shrugged. "Well, here goes." I turned to the Old One. "Here I am." I held
my arms out. "Din, din."

The Old One looked at me and sniffed, then turned away and hissed.

"There." I turned back to Rafa and Fredrick. "Happy now?"

Rafa looked at me crossing his arms. "You knew what he is. You've seen
others?"

"No," I answered. "I know of them. I have a friend that was attacked by
one." I looked back at the Old One. "Where did you find him?"

"I'll ask the questions," Rafa said angrily.

"Rafa." Fredrick sighed a patient sigh and walked over to the door of the
cage. "There's a saying: it's easier to attract flies with honey rather
than vinegar. Devon was answering the questions I asked." He opened the
door and waved me out. That's when the Old One looked and his eyes
narrowed. "No!" He said to the Old One. "You stay put." He pulled me out of
the cage and shut and locked the door again.

"We need answers, Hoffman," Rafa repeated gruffly. "He'll give them."

Fredrick smiled at Rafa. "And I'll ask them. Not you." He said firmly. "We
found him near where you were in Egypt. We lost a few men getting him
here." He waved at the four wild vampires. "These are the ones left. That
was ten years ago and they haven't aged a day."

"Do you torture them?" I asked waving at the other four. "They have
needs. One of those needs is blood." I looked at the Old One. "Even he
needs blood."

"What do you know about this...Old One?" Fredrick asked.

"I know he was born this way," I said. "He and others like him were created
about seven to ten thousand years ago. There was a king...sorry, a pharaoh
that used them to send out and reduce resistance. This is according to some
old records we have now. There was a problem with making it so they
wouldn't attack the pharaoh's people and just attack the people whose land
they wanted to invade."

"Records?" Fredrick asked. "There are records of this creature? He's almost
ten thousand years old!?"

I nodded. "From what I understand, yes."

"And you can't see the potential for profit here?" Fredrick asked. "My GOD!
You say that Colin is over two hundred. You don't see why we want what you
have?" He waved at me. "Forget profiting from death. We could profit from
LIFE! What you have in you, people would pay...everything to have what you
do right now."

I nodded. "I was afraid of that when Colin told me."

"There are so many applications with this." He waved at the wild
vampires. "An army of these would be valuable." He waved at the Old
One. "He can make more!" He looked at me. "And you won't die! Ever!"

"But we can die." I shook my head. "And by means of gunshots, car accidents
and other things."

Fredrick nodded. "So, we found out. In stopping the other that one made..."
he pointed to the Old One. "...Rafa killed a number of them."

"How did you do it?" Rafa asked me.

I smiled. "Now, we're getting to what you really want." I nodded. "What
they are..." I waved at the wild vampires. "What I am...what I have is a
physical condition. We use medication to counter some of the effects."

"What's the medication?" Rafa asked, but still a little angry sounding, but
I was answering his questions so he toned the anger down.

"I know it's a serum created by Dr. George Holms," I said. "He's in
Manhattan. I really don't know what's in it."

Rafa nodded. "But it's in your blood. How often do you take it? Do you have
more?"

Now, I was in trouble. "No. I don't have more."

"But you need to take it again," Rafa confirmed.

"I need further doses and will be on it the rest of my life." I
nodded. "I'm due in two weeks for the next dose." I looked at Fredrick. "If
I don't, I'll be a vampire again in a matter of days."

Fredrick shook his head. "Don't you see it? It's a tradeoff. You won't die!
Yes, you can die, but that's not certain. So, you have to take
this...serum...but it works. People will pay good money and will take
whatever medication to do that..." he thought. "Doctors that can keep
practicing medicine and keep working on a disease or illness until he finds
a cure." He laughed suddenly. "Do you get sick?"

I shook my head. "No."

He suddenly beamed. "I guess we wouldn't need doctors for illness
then. They can be scientists to discover other things! Artists can keep
working..." He was laughing. "What else are things you need a long time
for?" He looked up suddenly. "Space travel! The nearest star is four light
years away! A crew that won't die and can make it there and back even if it
takes a thousand years. They won't die! As long as they're fed they can go
on forever!"

I nodded. "Or have families. Once you're a vampire, you can't have
children."

"So?" Fredrick shook his head. "People won't need to. They'll be around a
lot longer. No children needed!"

"What are the chemicals in this serum?" Rafa asked.

"George created it," I answered with a shrug. "He said the chemicals were
common, but the combination or creation of the serum takes a pretty
sophisticated lab to make. He's got the necessary knowledge in Chemistry,
Bio-Chemistry and all that's needed to create it."

Fredrick stood in front of me to stop Rafa's constant scowling of me so I
wouldn't be intimidated by his expression. "We know that there is a
substance in you that makes you what you are. We did some blood tests on
you."

I nodded. "Okay. You tell me after the fact, because...?"

"We saw something that wasn't normally in human blood. Is that the serum?"

"It's a combination of the serum and vampire venom," I answered. "The serum
attaches itself to the venom and renders it dormant...sort of."

"Venom?" Rafa repeated in disbelief. "There's a venom?"

"That's how more vampires are made. It's not just a bite." I
nodded. "Didn't you find that out when you did tests on them?"

Rafa shook his head. "They are hard to control."

"The venom alone doesn't last long outside of the body. The venom changes a
person into a vampire. It rewrites a person's very DNA so we can make the
venom." I explained.

Fredrick looked at Rafa. "And you thought he'd be uncooperative."

"We need that venom and the serum," Rafa said back coming closer to
me. "You have the venom. We want it."

I shook my head. "The serum controls my making of the venom. I don't have
any real venom to give. I can't."

Rafa smiled, but it was a nasty smile. "But you will have the venom if you
become a vampire again. You said you needed a dose again in two weeks. We
can wait."

I turned to the wild vampires and the Old One. I knew I was in trouble when
I saw the man in that closet. I was now in lot more. My telling them about
all that wasn't the problem. I didn't dare tell them about the disc and
removing it would speed things up. Finding out what they knew was
important. They didn't know about the venom. Whoever was doing the science
here may not know and didn't tell these guys. I looked at the Old One. He
was created to kill. That was his job. Looking at his face, never did I
imagine I'd feel sorry for the damned thing, but I did. I saw he was
clearly scared. Did I feel compassion? He probably killed hundreds,
thousands or even more! I looked at the other vampires. They were scared,
as well. I saw in them what Wayne had been. "Are you going to feed them?"

"When we get blood," Fredrick said. "It's on the way."

"They're animals," Rafa said simply. "Why do you care?"

I pointed at the wild vampires. "They were...according to you...your
men. They weren't animals in the beginning, but men." I looked at the Old
One. "He is what he was created to be. A killing machine. I know that, but
he's suffering now." I couldn't look at either Rafa or Fredrick. "It's cold
in here and they are hungry. Even lab rats get fed. Feed them and warm this
place up, or kill them now and be done with it."

Rafa growled. "They serve a purpose." He looked at Fredrick. "When the
others come down in the morning, we need his blood and test it. Maybe they
can get the answers out of his blood." He said pointing at me. "We'll get
the answers." He said and walked out. "Be sure he's locked away." His voice
said as the distance grew.

Fredrick shrugged and rolled his eyes. "I wish I could say he's really a
nice guy." He smiled speaking quietly. "But he's really not a nice
man. We've done well having him in our group. The money-making potential is
very good."

I nodded. "And you think this all going to turn out okay?" I waved at the
other vampires. "There is a lot wrong here. A lot of mistakes can be
made. It will cost lives. Most likely yours."

Fredrick nodded. "There can be mistakes. That's why we make sure there
aren't any." He looked at me. "It's been a while since you've eaten. You
need to keep your strength up. You can't give blood if there's nothing in
you to make blood." He walked with me back down the corridor. "We'll get
you something. I know you eat." Fredrick said. He waved at the
ceiling. "And we're being watched, so no funny stuff."

"Of course not." I said as I rubbed my chest. They hadn't known about the
venom; I hope they didn't know about the locator. It was untouched. That
means my Personal Data Transmitter was still in there. I hoped it was being
picked up on satellite. They might be smart here. They couldn't know
everything.

"So, who were those other two that joined you?"

I looked surprised, but I nodded. "You were watching, right." I
shrugged. "Just friends we made in Egypt."

"Are they vampires, too?"

I smiled. "One is, the other is not."

"How many vampires are there?" Fredrick asked. "We know because of all the
messages that were sent around the world there are a few."

I shrugged. "Thousands? Possibly millions."

"Millions." Fredrick nodded. "So many."

"Why me?" I asked.

Fredrick looked confused and then nodded. "We didn't intend it to be just
you. We wanted Colin and any others. You were the only one we got in the
van and got away with."

I nodded. "I'm glad you didn't get him."

"Why's that?"

"Colin is not like me and always nice." I smiled remembering. "He can
be...difficult to deal with when he's mad."

Fredrick nodded. "Well, having you will force him to be."

My thoughts were about Colin and I hoped Stan could find out where I was. I
knew, if anyone could find me, he could. Colin was coming. I just knew
it. "He doesn't like be forced to do anything."

Fredrick smiled. "But he loves you. He will do as instructed."

Hurry Colin!

The man I saw in Fredrick just didn't...make sense. He brought me into a
dining area. There he made me a sandwich and he made one for himself. He
brought himself a beer and offered one to me. When I shook my head, he
shrugged.

"We have sodas." He offered.

"Coke, Pepsi or..." I smiled. "A Dr. Pepper?"

Fredrick smiled and nodded. "We have a Pepper here that works with us." He
went to the refrigerator and brought the familiar can to me. He sat and
relaxed. "Care to answer some more questions?"

I shrugged as I opened the can. "Sure." I looked up again. "Can I do the
same with you?"

Fredrick shrugged. "Certainly. If you ask a question I don't want to
answer, I'll let you know." He leaned forward on the table. "The writings
you said you had about this...Old One. Where was it?"

"In an underground city," I answered. "We had to blow it up as we escaped."

Fredrick nodded. "So, that's what the explosion was about." He said
understanding. "We weren't sure about the reason. We knew someone was down
there. We were pretty sure it was you, but we didn't know why." He
grinned. "Is that where you discovered the other vampire in your group?"

"Yes." I looked at Fredrick. "I can't figure you out."

Fredrick chuckled. "You can't?"

I waved at him. "See!? In other circumstances, I would probably like you!"
I waved at the surrounding building. "So, help me understand. Why do this
whole thing?"

Fredrick nodded as he chuckled. "Because I'm good at it." He looked at
me. "And I am going to make a whole lot of money." He shook his head. "And
with this venom and the serum...I can do it a long, long time."

"You don't think this is dangerous?"

"Sure, it's dangerous, but the reward is far greater." Fredrick
smiled. "Didn't you think it was dangerous when you became a vampire?"

He had me there. "I became a vampire to spare Colin a decision. I knew full
well he could kill me and probably would when the hunger became too great,
so I made the decision. I did it out of love for him."

Fredrick shrugged. "That's fine, but I know what I want and this will get
it for me."

"It doesn't bother you that you broke laws?"

He shrugged. "I don't think about it. Nothing will get in my way." Then I
saw something in his eyes. "And no one." You had to be a little crazy to do
what he did and think it was just "business."

"And nothing stands in your way for getting what you want?"

Fredrick smiled. "I don't let it."

I nodded. "Okay." In many ways, now I felt I was in more trouble with
Fredrick than Rafa. Rafa I knew was a sadistic maniac. Fredrick was amoral
and I wasn't sure about his grasp on sanity.


It turned out that they did have technicians that came in and did tests on
the vampires. They took blood from the wild vampires, which was interesting
to watch. It appears that science never was a thing this group concentrated
on. Weapons and munitions had been the focus and they were branching
out. They had gotten information about the Old One from observation and
tests. The other vampires had been made by the Old One. Finding out about
Colin, the others and I were almost an accident. It was one of Rafa's
children that remarked about a find on the Internet about vampires...this
was before the VUN had begun even. Looking at the various posts, they
realized these people posting were serious. They had the Old One in custody
and he made other Wild Vampires, Rafa was intrigued. He didn't believe in
vampires, but he couldn't ignore what he had. I found that out while
waiting, restrained, and they took my blood. The technicians were freer
with information than Rafa or Fredrick. They all spoke English but were
German, Russian and something else.

I was left alone a lot, but not allowed to wander around and restricted in
that little room, or with the company of Fredrick. I found myself looking
forward to spending time with the technicians. It was during those times I
looked at the other wild vampires and the Old One. The wild vampires didn't
respond much to the technicians or me. When the technicians wanted to try
something, they had to go in the cage in fours. I watched as one would
enter with what I guessed was like a cattle prod. My guess had no basis as
I had never seen one, but this one had an electric charge on the end that
when the touched one of them with the prod, it caused a great deal of
pain. I knew these were men, now wild vampires, that worked for this
group. I knew they had been hired and probably did some awful things, but
they were in a state now where their thinking was skewed and now they were
restricted and basically tortured. I saw them take my blood and give it to
one of those wild vampires. This was different than how George started any
serum. There was serum in my blood, but it didn't change them or even begin
to change the wild vampires, but it did hurt them. It wasn't as bad as
getting the full dose of serum, but it hurt. I would cringe when they gave
it to them and they did it to every one of them, except for the Old
One. Him, they pretty much left alone. He was more dangerous. I would love
to have delved into his anatomy. His system was so...different, and I would
watch him. His actions were different. Hell, all of him was different. I
found myself watching him wondering how he came about. You know there was
no genitalia, you knew he didn't have an anus. How could that happen?

"He's a mystery, that one," Fredrick said coming in and sitting in a chair
beside me.

"I was just wondering about him," I said. "He looks...alien."

Fredrick laughed. "I've never believed in aliens." Then he gave a shrugging
nod. "I never believed in vampires either until I saw one."

"Have you examined him? Tested his blood?"

He nodded. "We tried. We lost a technician that tried to take the
blood. Tranquilizers don't work well on him." He waved at the Old
One. "He's not cooperative at all. We had a doctor, but he's not here."

"You've had him for ten years, you say. Don't you know anything about him?
What about a tissue sample?"

"We've studied him," Fredrick said. "We don't have access to a lot of
equipment and we can't send any samples to a lab, they might ask
questions."

I frowned. "It seems if you want to profit with this, you may want to
invest in equipment to do that and people to do it."

Fredrick nodded. "I agree, but I'm not the one that didn't want to spend
the money. The others didn't see that as necessary." He chuckled. "There
are short-sighted people I work with. And there may be a doctor willing,
but we haven't found him."

"Yes." I nodded. "I agree about the short-sighted part."

Fredrick looked at me. "Yes, but he won't attack you."

"I'm not a doctor," I said.

"But you'd be safe with him."

"He can still attack. He doesn't have to bite to kill." I said angrily.

Fredrick shrugged. "Don't threaten him." He said simply.

He really wasn't giving me any choice. "You want me to get a sample? Blood,
tissue...what?"

"I'd just like to see you interact with him," Fredrick said simply. "I'll
be here if he does attack." He said and went and got one of those prods.

I got up and headed for the cage. Fredrick walked with me and unlocked the
cage door. The Old One was watching and instantly walked back to the other
side of the cage. I also noticed the Old One's response was a look...of
terror? I shook my head to clear this feeling I was getting. First, he
hadn't attacked me. I knew what he was. He was a creature that had lived a
long, long time and he killed. The problem was, I never saw him do
that. He'd reacted when we came in, but I'd react too if any and every one
that came in here hurt me. I shook my head. He'd caused terror, I told
myself. His victims were countless. Yet, the creature that looked at me now
had a pitiful stance. His eyes were filled with fear, because of me? He was
what he was created to be. He was a killer. He also knew the pain and was
reacting to that. Why was I feeling sorry for him? Then I became angry, but
not at the Old One. This creature should never have been created. Whatever
he was, was by design. The...genius...that created him, I hoped was burning
in Hell right now! And if it was true how long ago this creature had been
created, the man that created him had been burning a long, long
time. Suddenly, I realized the Old One had brown eyes. He lacked moisture,
but they were brown.

"I don't know if you understand what I'm saying," I said to the Old One. "I
mean you no harm. I'm trapped, just like you."

The Old One tilted his head surprised that I was speaking to him.

"I know what you are," I said softly. "I know from the scrolls...and the
one that seemed to understand them, you were created for one purpose." I
smiled at him and that made him turn his head again in curiosity. "I don't
suppose anyone has been nice to you." I sighed. "Why should they be?
Things...creatures that scare us, we don't often be nice to." I was
startled. The Old One was trying to smile back!

Fredrick was startled, as well. "I didn't know he could do that."

"Why would he try to smile?" I asked sadly. "He had nothing to smile
about."

Fredrick shook his head. "But he's not attacking you."

I shook my head. "He can't feed off me. He knows that. I'm just...like
him." I said.

"But he's not human."

I frowned. "Part of him is."

"He has the venom?" Fredrick asked.

"Certainly."

"Can you get it from him?"

I looked at Fredrick. "He would have to trust me," I said logically. "To
get a sample of his venom, he would have to give it in a special container
and it doesn't last long outside the body."

Fredrick shrugged. "So, get him to trust you."

"His venom only makes wild vampires," I argued. I waved at the other four.

Fredrick frowned and then raised the prod and touched my arm with it. The
pain was...like nothing I'd ever felt. Even the serum hurt, but this pain
was sharp and instantaneous. My whole arm was radiating pain and was so
intense, my opened my mouth to scream, but the scream didn't come out it
was so bad. What happened next, I wasn't prepared for. The Old One looked
at Fredrick and hissed and started to move toward him quickly making
Fredrick back up. He was away far enough the Old One couldn't reach him. He
smiled. "It seems you've made a friend." He waved the prod at the Old One,
whose response was to simply hiss again and back away so the prod couldn't
reach him either. He chuckled. "You have a protector."

I looked at the Old One. He didn't make sense. One act of kindness and he
put himself in harm's way to protect me? Then I thought, he never
experienced an act of kindness. I smiled again at the Old One. "I'll be
fine," I said to him and then I smiled for another reason. As long as I was
in here, Fredrick would have to work to get me out. I reached out and the
Old One backed away. He didn't trust me. "I won't hurt you," I assured and
sat down again. The Old One's cage had no furniture. The floor of the cage
was a mesh, below was a drainage area where any ammonia he pissed could be
washed away. This thing was not acting just on instinct. I wondered about
his birth. His development was off, but did he nurse? Did he even know his
mother? He couldn't remember her, as she died thousands of years
before. His life was one thing. Blood. I remembered my hunger for
blood. His would be the same, maybe worse. He killed to stay alive. He may
not see us as people, just as food. I looked at the other four. He hadn't
killed them. Why? I looked at him again. "I wish you could speak."

My speaking to him seemed to fascinate him. Again, he tilted his head
listening. Now, he smiled again and he got it right.

"I'll tell you what," I said to the Old One. "I'm safer with you than out
there." I folded my arms and thought, crossing my legs as I relaxed. "If
I'm to be your roommate, I should name you." I smiled at him more. "It's a
thing about me. I have a habit of naming people and things."

The Old One was smiling more, too. I didn't know if it was my tone, or did
he really understand me? He sat down across from me and just watched me.

"I could call you Nob," I said see that he had no hair. The Old One
frowned. "You don't like that?" I shrugged. "You think of something." I
laughed at that. "Even if you did, could you tell me?"

The Old One's smile changed to a face that was fascinated as he reached out
to me.

"You want to touch me?" I grinned. "That's fine, but nowhere below the
belt, okay?"

He moved closer but stopped still not ready to trust me yet.

"How about Gizmo?" I asked.

The Old One another face of curiosity.

"Gizmo was a character in a movie in the 1980s. Gremlins was the name of
it. Gizmo was a Mogwai who if you fed after midnight or got wet...well,
you're not a gremlin per se." I chuckled again.

Now he was coming again toward me.

I smiled realizing I was doing something he had never seen or heard. "It
was a laugh," I explained. "It's what people do when happy or having a good
time." I looked around the laboratory. "This isn't a good time, but
laughter makes it not so bad. Can I call you Gizmo?"

He looked puzzled but didn't frown.

"I'll take it you don't object, so Gizmo it is." I leaned forward. "I'm
Devon." I put my hand on my chest. "You are Gizmo." I pointed to him and
put my hand on my chest again. "Devon." Then pointed to him. "Gizmo."

"Okay, playtime is over," Fredrick said sharply. "You can come out now."

I didn't even turn around. "That's okay. I'll stay with Gizmo a while." I
saw Fredrick raise his prod again, I didn't have to look to know. Gizmo
hissed. "You wanted me to earn his trust, didn't you? I'm doing that. I'm
safe. You can bring my pillow from the room if you want."

Fredrick grunted. "You've proven your point." He said tightly as he was a
little angry now.

I turned. "The only thing I'm doing is staying alive by doing what you
want. Let me do it."

Fredrick made a sound of grunting frustration.

"I'm not going anywhere if that's what you're worried about."

Fredrick sat down and put the prod down.

"If I'm going to get venom," I said over my shoulder. "I'll need a specimen
jar."

"Never mind," Fredrick growled. "There's no one here to test it yet."

I laughed again. "So, this was to put me in a threatened position to which
you would rescue me, making me grateful to you?" I shook my head. "That
won't happen." I yawned. "I'm fine here." I stretched out on the floor.

My concept of time was messed up. Having no sunlight...I only knew it was
morning that one day because Rafa had said when the technicians came in the
morning to start tests on my blood.

A vampire could feel where the sun was. I didn't tell Fredrick. I knew the
number of days as they occurred. When they came, I knew it was morning. I
stayed in the middle of the cage. The prod would have a hard time reaching
me. They could storm in and force me out, but that would mean letting
themselves in and in danger. The only other sign of the passing of time,
was my hunger, for food. It had been a few days now. Assuming we had
traveled a while as I had been drugged. That could have been a day or
two. Then one day approximately and another and now another as the
technicians came back. It had been a week? The technicians were also not
telling, because they were made up of several nationalities. I heard
German, I heard Russian or Ukrainian. There were a few that I saw that
could have been Middle Eastern? They all spoke accented English to me.

I was awakened as voices were speaking with each other. Then I picked up a
smell. Looking around I found Gizmo right next to me. He was the source of
the smell. I looked over to the voices, three of the technicians that were
talking to each other. Technicians that were speaking to each other while
looking at me. "Yes, Fredrick thought I'd be more comfortable with Gizmo. I
was!" I looked at them. "Do you ever allow him to bathe or clean him up?"

The technician I knew as Hans, German, shook his head. "We hose him down."

"How did you survive?" Dirk, the Russian technician asked. "He never allows
anyone to get that close and live." He marveled.

I shrugged. "I'm neither a threat nor do I have something he needs."

Dirk shook his head. "He ripped one guy's arm off."

I looked at Gizmo and then back at the three. "And what was he doing to
Gizmo?" When they didn't answer, I nodded. "Then I'd say it was in
defense."

"We just needed a tissue sample." Hans clarified.

"Did he get it?" I asked. Again, they didn't answer. "So, he didn't get
that either." I frowned. "You boys are the science of this place?" I asked
and I had the tone that said I didn't believe it.

"I was soldier," Hans said. "I have background in science."


"So, do I." The other said.

"If you're doing medical experiments and want to market this." I waved at
the other four vampires. "They need to hire a real scientist."

"They did," Hans said. "He was killed." He waved at Gizmo. "By him."

Gizmo started to move. He woke and sat up. It was only a second later when
he looked at the technicians and hissed.

"He's hungry," I said. "He can't feed on me, so where's his meal?"

Hans came to the edge of the cage, but not close enough to be reached for
where he couldn't back further away. He held up the container of blood. I
walked over and took the container and turned to Gizmo.

"Here you go." I handed the container to Gizmo who once again was
puzzled. Even as hungry as I knew he was, he was not used to people being
nice to him. He even smiled again at me! He took the blood and drank. I
wasn't prepared for him to drink only half and then stop and offer it to
me! I reached out and touched his shoulder, which at first, he wasn't sure
what I was doing, but when it didn't hurt and I smiled at him, he just
accepted it. "That's okay. I don't drink blood any more than I have
to. Thank you." I looked more in his eyes. "Thank you for offering." He
smiled and drank the rest. All this was making it harder for me. He was a
killer! He killed people. Another part of my mind argued, he was made to do
that. He was a monster because he was born to be. He was what he was! And
don't kid yourself. I thought of ways I could get away from the moment I
woke up that first time. I didn't even know what country I was in! I would
escaped to where? Now, I had Gizmo. If I managed to get away, would I take
him? He would kill again. I was angry because Gizmo should never have been
born! Created to be something a ruler wanted to use to invade and use as a
soldier? No one was ever nice to him or even smiled at him. He didn't
speak, but there was enough humanity in him to offer me some of his blood
because he knew I was like him...a little bit like him and was willing to
let me have some? I hated the man that made these creatures. I hated Rafa
and Fredrick Hoffman for wanting to make more with Gizmo and sell them. I
must have had a face that made Gizmo concerned as he backed away. Looking
up, I smiled again. "No, I'm not angry with you, Gizmo," I assured. I
thumbed back at the three. "I'm angry at them." I put my hands on his
shoulders. "They shouldn't treat us like they do. None of this is my
fault..." I shook my head. "...I don't think it's yours either." I didn't
believe he really understood me, but he'd been around for thousands of
years. Instinct driven and incapable of speech perhaps, but maybe he did
understand on some level. I looked at him. "There were more of you at one
time. Was there one that you were friends with?" I asked him but didn't
expect him to answer. He did stink, but I smiled. "I'm not going to bite
you," I said to be sure he heard it. I hoped he understood. I brought him
in and hugged him. At first he just stood there. He had never been hugged
before. Who would do that to him? He never gave a reason for anyone to want
to hug him. A hug is basic for humans. Was he human enough? It took a
minute and I felt arms go around me and HE HUGGED BACK! Then he seemed to
physically melt against me. I held him tighter. "It's not your fault,
Gizmo. None of this is your fault."

"What the fuck!?" I heard a bellow and turned to see Rafa. "What is he
doing in there?"

Hans even cowered a little. "We found him sleeping beside that thing."

"Ask Fredrick," I said as Gizmo hissed angrily at Rafa. "This was his
idea." Gizmo was hissing more at Rafa than he did with Fredrick or any of
the technicians. It was clear, he hated Rafa. "I see he's well acquainted
with you."

Rafa came toward the cage and was about to open it when Gizmo started to go
toward the door, making Rafa stop. "Back off!" But Gizmo just hissed again
louder.

I pulled Gizmo back. "Help is coming, Gizmo. I know it." I said to just
Gizmo. I looked at Rafa. "As long as you don't hurt me or him. He'll be
fine."

"He's a vampire!" Rafa said.

"So am I!!" I shouted back. "He was made...this..." I said. "He was born to
be a killer and hated from the very day he was born. He's never known love
or even the slightest compassion, but I gave that to him." I frowned. "As a
matter of fact, he has more humanity in him that any of you do." I was
getting mad. I mean, really mad. "How dare you do this. He's not a
commodity." I waved at the other vampires that were driven by blood that
they hadn't gotten yet, but they were listening and trying to make sense as
to what was being said. "If God exists, he has not only the man that
created Gizmo in the deepest part of Hell. Along with whatever leader
decided he could use them. I'm willing to bet he has a place for you all
there! You say he's not a human, I say he is. He knows love, having never
experienced it, he soaked it up like a dry sponge. You are all just a meal
to him, but not me. It's what he was created for!"

There was a huge explosion in a deeper part of this...complex. That caused
Rafa and the technicians to turn to where they heard the explosion. Now
there were shouts and rapid pops. Gunfire!

I smiled at the sound. I just knew it was Colin. And it sounded like he had
a few friends with him.

Rafa turned. "Get out of there!" He shouted at me.

I shook my head. "No way. I'm staying here!" I pulled Gizmo and me down. I
stretched out flat on the cage floor and him down with me.

There shouts more and the gunfire increased in volume and frequency and a
couple of explosions more. Grenades. Rafa was looking for something he
could fight with. He was unarmed and so were the technicians who were
looking for a way out. Rafa didn't dare come in the cage as he would be
torn up by Gizmo. He dashed for a hall that leads somewhere. An escape?
Then I heard more gunfire in that same direction. Whoever planned this,
wasn't letting anyone get away. Rafa suddenly remembered something and
rushed to a counter where the test tubes were and reached under the counter
and pulled a handgun out and turned to fire at me and Gizmo. That's when I
saw Willie! Dressing in what I'd seen on TV and in movies men in SWAT shows
or something...that thick black vest and helmet on. He raised his gun and
fired twice. Hitting Rafa twice, once in the chest and the other in the
head and down Rafa went. Willie smiled at me and turned his head. "He's in
here!!"

I heard fast pounds as feet raced to this room and saw Colin, also in a
thick black vest and helmet on. I felt so happy and so grateful...he was my
savior! I got up, Gizmo watching these new men, but his nose told him they
are like me. I hugged Gizmo. "These are my friends, Gizmo!" I said
happily. "The help I told you about? They're my family."

Colin raced to the cage and didn't stop. Even when he saw Gizmo, he kept
coming. He pulled on the cage door, which was locked and the looked for a
key.

"Try Rafa's pocket." I pointed to Rafa. "The man with a hole in his head."
I grinned at Gizmo. "See, Gizmo? They're friends. They're the good guys."

Gizmo still wasn't sure as he looked as more men came in. Gizmo sniffed and
realized all of them were like me. The wild vampires were interested also,
even though they hadn't been fed yet.

The thing with keys is...whenever you need one in a hurry, it's almost
always the last one you try. Colin fumbled and finally got the door open
and ran in, ignoring Gizmo and hugged me so tight, it hurt, but I didn't
care. He then broke away enough to kiss me almost as hard as he hugged, but
any pain I felt didn't register, I was so happy to see him. Gizmo, however,
was interested in what we were doing as he looked and as what should have
been eyebrows on his hairless face rose.

"God, Devon," Colin said kissing me and rubbing my face and just about all
over. Tears on his face and his breathing hitched. "I was so scared."

I laughed and nodded. "So was I." I hugged him again. "I knew you were
coming. I never doubted you were." I chuckled when Gizmo was looking very
interested in Colin's and my exchange. "Oh, Gizmo," I said to Gizmo, "this
is Colin. Colin, Gizmo."

Colin was now very wary of Gizmo. "But he's a..."

"Yes, he is." I nodded cutting him off from saying it.

Gizmo was trying to understand. He pointed at me.

"Devon," I said again. "Gizmo?"

Gizmo put his hand on his chest.

"Right." I smiled. We went through it again and ended up. "Colin!"

Gizmo was what he was. He didn't talk, but he understood and I saw it in
his eyes. We did it again and he touched each one by their name.

"Very good!" I said hugging him again, which Colin did not believe he was
seeing.

"He understands!?" Colin asked incredibly.

I nodded. "He can't talk, but he surprised me, too." I hugged Colin
again. "I'll explain later. I promise."

"Strange company, Devon." Willie grinned.

I looked over at Willie. "Dad!!"

He had one eyebrow up as he was staring and shaking his head, but I went
over and hugged him, too. "Is there a vampire you can't be friends with?"
He chuckled.

I grinned and nodded. "I've met a few."

Then the others were coming in. I realized, there were people from New York
and England here! Edwin came in, followed by Matt dressed like Willie and
Colin. There were other men I knew a little from England. I saw Chuck and
Alex come in. In came Amasis and Amir. Dressed for battle as well. The room
was filling up. Wayne came in and froze.

"I know!" I said loud knowing what Wayne would say. "I know," I said softer
and I nodded. "He's like the one that bit you. I know what he is." I looked
at Gizmo. "But he kept me safe from Rafa Morsi and Fredrick Hoffman," I
said pulling Gizmo over and then I looked for him. Fredrick Hoffman. "There
was another man here. His name is Fredrick Hoffman. He's like Rafa
Morsi. He's one of the leaders. Did you see him?"

"Just a few lab technicians," Chuck said.

Gizmo was now very confused as he sniffed in Chuck's direction and frowned.

"Yes, you can't feed on Chuck," I said absently to Gizmo. I looked at the
four other wild vampires there. "I guess we need to take them, too."

Colin looked at Gizmo. "You want to take him?" He asked and was sure I was
kidding.

"I know he's odd," I admitted. "There's different physiology here. I'd love
to look at his insides and test his DNA and I know George will." I looked
at Colin. "I spent the night with him. He didn't hurt me. He's more human
than most I've met on this trip."

"Will the serum even work?" Colin asked as he looked Gizmo up and
down. "Even if it does...somethings will not just...come." He pointed down
to Gizmo's crotch. "Did he ever have balls?"

"I don't think so and pisses ammonia," I said. "No poop shoot either."

We heard this shout and almost scream as Fredrick came out of hiding,
charging down the hall and fired a rapid-firing gun. He was trying to get
rid of the evidence as he shot all four of the wild vampires and was
turning toward us. What I saw was Gizmo let out a blood-curdling scream as
he rushed at Fredrick, who was still firing and hit Gizmo in the chest and
side, but not before Gizmo had latched on to Fredrick's neck and bitten him
in a tearing bite. It wasn't a long bite, but it was a bite.

"No!!" I rushed at Gizmo who didn't know what happened. I saw him stumble
and fall back. "No! No! No!" I rushed toward Gizmo. I knelt beside him, not
sure what to do. He bled solid black ooze and looking at his wounds, I had
enough knowledge from my days as a medic, if he was human, he would
die. "Aw, Gizmo," I said and I knew it didn't make sense to anyone there,
but I was crying. "No, Gizmo," I said touching his face. "Gizmo."

He looked shocked at what had happened but looked at me. He smiled at me.

"Aw, Gizmo." I leaned in touching my forehead to his. "I am so sorry," I
said now sobbing. I held his hand. "You were created for the wrong
reason. If you understand anything. I am someone that thought of you...as
my friend." I shook my head. "It wasn't your fault," I said putting a smile
I had to force so he could see it. "You are my friend, Gizmo." I said to
him and watched him stop breathing and cried even more.


Returning to Thornwood