Blueblood 4: Dracula - 13. Discovery of the Antibody and Antivenin

I was concerned about Dragon. I told Gaius that as long as he had remorse and regret about what he’d done, he had something to come back to. Meaning, he was still human and just needed closure. Dragon, or so it seemed, had no problem with what he’d done in past. Well, that just seemed right to me since he refused to be called by his own name because of what he’d done. He did have a very dark personality…kind of. I sensed a lot of brooding in him. Yet, he seemed to be capable of making friends and being friendly. He liked, appreciated and seemed to genuinely love Repetate and Iustina. They loved him as their whole demeanor changed when they saw him approach. They didn’t even have to see him. As he approached, they gathered near the bars of their cell in anticipation of his arrival because they could smell him and sense his coming. My observation of Repetate and Iustina revealed they both had definite and separate personalities. Iustina was the shorter of the two, but more assertive and a little stubborn. Repetate liked to clown around and pulled pranks, like hiding when I came to them and I have to admit, he was damned good at it. He could contort his body in ways I didn’t think possible and hide in the most improbable places as he was very nimble and limber; hiding behind an uneven stack of crates I never would have looked to find him. The cell was to keep them in place, for the safety of other people and themselves, so it was not barren of furniture or places to sit, but I didn’t see they sat much on anything preferring to sit on the floor when they had to sit. The light in the underground was done by either torch or lamp light fueled by oils. I could see they were very pale, almost white to gray in color. I was constantly reminded of those…gray aliens we’ve all seen pictures of. Only these two had eyes like a human and ears. Their musculature was not like regular humans as they had very little definition for the muscles in their chests and arms but were very strong, able to lift a hundred pounds or more easily. While they could not speak, I saw them interacting with each other and seemed to understand gestures and grunts from each other. I longed to see their physiology. I knew they were human, but there were differences. The lack of genitals was the first difference and no way of eliminating solid waste, but a diet of nothing but blood, they wouldn’t need to get rid of solids that way. I noticed they didn’t have a radio or anything, so I brought out my laptop and pulled up some music I thought they’d like. Well, that opened a whole new world for them. They were fascinated by the computer and what they heard on those little speakers, which weren’t bad, but not really good stereo speakers, but having never heard music it was new to them. I was smiling when I saw them both frown when I got a country song going, so I changed it. I wasn’t going to expose them to more…harsher sounds at first, preferring lighter and music that didn’t have words. Then I showed some Tom and Jerry cartoons! They were amazed at the moving pictures, but with the sounds, like when Jerry hit Tom in the shin with a lead pipe and Tom yelped and jumped around! They laughed. The old cartoons that had almost no dialogue, but antics of that cat chasing that mouse and the sounds made by them caused them to smile and even…laugh? I was stunned, too! They laughed! It was an odd laugh as they didn’t “ha, ha,” but made a noise that clearly said they thought it was funny!

Feeding of these two was simply blood. They consumed about two pints of blood at first light of the day and one as the evening began. They did sleep during the day like Gizmo had preferred a fetal position on the floor. I was then questioned by George about what I’d found and I agreed to write down my findings about them. It was easier than a daily report. However, Colin and I both questioned George about what he found when we returned to the lab he’d set up at the former Soviet base those couple of weeks. He had forgone the long white lab coat that most doctors and scientists wore, but he was fully a scientist here.

“Okay,” George said finally sitting on a stool after he’d run test after test on the samples he had of blood, both with the serum and without the serum…all tested with this antibody and antivenin that Nicolae had. He took a deep breath. “The only way to describe what I’ve found…is it has to be a kind of mutation.” He shrugged. “His birth itself is a mutation, he shouldn’t be here.”

“But he is.” Colin pointed out the obvious.

George nodded with a sigh. “Thank you for pointing out the obvious.” He grinned. “Gaius was the one that had this…mutation. It is in his DNA which he passed to Nicolae. Nicolae furthered this mutation allowing him to make the antibody and antivenin.”

“I thought our DNA that was rewritten by the venom,” Colin said.

George nodded. “Yes, but Gaius’ DNA should be making his body make the venom…” he said holding a finger up, “and he is…to a degree…”

“Let’s try to be less cryptic, just tell us what’s happening.” Colin groused.

George frowned. “Fine.” He turned back to Colin and me. “He’s making less venom than he’s supposed to. His original DNA is coming back!”

My eyes widened. “I thought that was impossible.”

George nodded. “So did I, but he is. That’s part of the aberration.” He said. “It may be the reason he was able to father a child.” He pointed at the Petri dish where there was blood. “Nicolae was created using Gaius’ DNA, which had the instructions in that DNA to create venom, but he’s not. Instead, he had created this…antibody which is working with the antivenin that Nicolae himself came up with.”

“Keeping him from becoming a vampire?” Colin asked. “So, he should be a vampire?” The last part we worded as a question telling his uncertainty.

“No!” George said happily. “He shouldn’t be at all!!

Colin gave a grunt. “But he is!”

George nodded. “And that’s the mutation!”

“So…” I was seeing if I was understanding George when I asked, “what is Nicolae? Half vampire, half human?”

George nodded excitedly. “Yes! That’s why I’m saying he shouldn’t exist, but he does! The natural antibody and antivenin are keeping the venom that is being made from his father’s DNA from working…I mean it’s there, but this antivenin is keeping the venom from doing its job! The only thing Nicolae has is the intolerance for direct sunlight, everything else is just…ignored!” George was excited as he spoke of his findings.

“So what does that mean for us?” I asked.

“I have a way to go, but…” he held that finger up again as we could both see he was still working things in his mind. “If I can test this antibody and antivenin on the blood of others…like the vampires here not taking the serum and build up the strength of the antibody and antivenin…I hope I can give it to us and we’ll be completely serum-free!!”

I nodded as I grinned at George’s excitement. “We won’t have to take the serum anymore!”

George nodded again. “Right! We’ll make it ourselves.” He looked at Colin. “Do you understand?”

“But it’s not a cure.” Colin wanted to be sure he understood again.

George shrugged. “I don’t know, I still have some tests, but I can give every vampire this ability to make the antibody and antivenin and they will be almost normal.” He got up and waved at his many samples. “I hope to make a good amount of the antibodies and antivenin. I plan to create a very, very strong version of these antibodies and antivenin to test on the venom from Repetate and Iustina. That’s the purest venom, I’m sure!” He looked back. “If I can do that…we may carry the venom, but it will no longer work at all. It will be like measles or any other disease; we have a defense against it. We can be exposed, but never become a vampire…ever!! It would be natural!”

Colin nodded. “I think I understand.” He got up. “Not a word about this to other vampires.” He said standing and looking directly at George. “No one. Now, we really need to find this Lucian and Iilya. This treatment is not what they want.”

George shook his head. “Not a word, but it will be in the computer, my findings and conclusions…just in case.”

I smiled and put a hand on George’s arm. “Is there anyone else you’d trust with the formula or findings?” I asked. “I mean, I don’t want to lose you at all, but if…” I waved, “God forbid we all die in a plane crash, is there anyone you can think of to take where you left off?”

He thought a few seconds. “I’d have to get them up to speed.” He shrugged feeling the heavy gravity he felt with this. “We need a Geneticist, a Biochemist, Biochemical Engineer, a Botanist and person who’s just knowledgeable at being a doctor.”

Colin grinned. “You’ve sort of raised the bar very high with all those degrees.”

“What about Karen?” I asked.

“Wayne’s granddaughter?” George asked. “She’s smart, I’ll give you that…”

“I mean…” I began. “There is no such person without the life span you have to be able to keep up and understand what you’re doing. We will need a team, and we can start by asking her and maybe she will know who.”

“What about your colleagues from school?” Colin asked.

“Which school?” George asked.

“That’s our point!” I said. “You’ve had access to many medical minds and scientists…there must be some people you can think of to talk to…people you think you can trust.”

Colin nodded. “You are the only practicing doctor that’s a vampire I know of.”

I slapped my own forehead. “But we’ve never asked!” I said shaking Colin by the arm.

“What?” Colin asked.

“There are thousands online that are watching the screen, waiting for something from us,” I said. “We just haven’t asked.”

“But that would compromise what we’re doing.” Colin objected. “We’d be telling we have something.”

I nodded. “I know that secrecy is needed, I understand why and agree, but George can’t be the only vampire out there that was a doctor.” I pointed out. “He needs help.”

George nodded as he began to pace again as he thought. “Depending on who we can find, that person has to know how to work in a lab.” He waved at his lab. “My lab. They need to know how to do things…science changes and if they’ve been a vampire for decades or a hundred years…will they know about Electron-microscopes and computer imaging?”

“We’ll have to teach them,” I said simply. “A doctor is a doctor. He or she would be smart enough to do the job with the correct teaching.”

“But we’re giving away we have something,” Colin repeated.

I shook my head. “Not necessarily.” I grinned. “They already know about the serum, we’ve told them all we have it and will treat them with it.” I shrugged. “We’ll need help when we get to them…wherever they are. A doctor will be needed to give the serum.”

George nodded. “We can then glean through the doctors that are able and try to find the ones we think will help with this new treatment.”

“If they feel they can trust us.” Colin took a deep breath and let it out as he scratched the back of his head. “We need Dragon to speak to them.” He rose from his chair as he was working it out in his mind. “If anyone can reach them, he can.” He looked at George and me. “We’ll have him ask for the help and see who answers.”

I nodded. “I still think Wayne’s granddaughter would be of help. What about your lab technicians back in Manhattan?”

“They have a working knowledge, but I need others that have greater knowledge.” George sighed. “They would have it…in about two decades!” He threw his hands out in frustration.

“So?” I said. “Let’s get started!”

“I want my lab!” George said frustrated again. “This is fine for a few things, but I need my lab!”

“What about Repetate and Iustina?” I asked. “You’ll need them.”

George nodded. “I will need them in Manhattan.”

I knew this was hard for George. “Then, we’ll take them there.”

Colin nodded. “I’ll talk to Dragon…and tell him what we need to do.” He said sadly. “We’ll set up the video-blog and have him ask for medical professionals to come forward to help.” He looked at George. “You’ll need Nicolae and Gaius, I’m sure.”

George nodded. “I need Nicolae. Gaius will want to come, too.”

I nodded. “That means his wife and kids will have to come, too.”

“It would make it easier,” George said with a shrug. “Better than me trying to set up the kind of lab I need here. I have a working lab there.”

“I’ll call Congresswoman Chance and Senator Cooke,” Colin said. “We might need them to let whoever is in charge know they are needed and allowed to stay in the United States.”

“Anyone can come to the United States,” I said. “They aren’t immigrating.”

Colin nodded. “But if word of this gets out…if they are targeted as terrorists or something, they’ll have the government’s backing.” He shrugged. “Just in case.”

As always, we all gathered to tell what we found that day…or rather it was the morning after the others had spent the night patrolling. We sat in various chairs about the living area as we talked.

“George is going home in a few days,” Colin said. “He needs his lab and he’s not getting what he needs working from here.” He looked at Gabriella and Alex. “You’ve gotten nothing about Lucian and Iilya?”

Gabriella shook her head. “As I explained, we only had Iilya to go on and he’s laying low. I’ve gotten nothing from him.”

Alex nodded as he sat on the sofa by Gabriella. “Your daughter’s ability to track is better than mine. If she hasn’t gotten it, I couldn’t hope to.”

I grinned. “Why not?” I smiled at Alex. “Or is it like the difference in the color grape over puce? I could never keep up with all those names, or tell the difference sometimes.”

Alex chuckled. “I think it’s that.” He nodded. “Why not just say purple?” He asked looking at his wife.

“Because they are different colors!” Gabriella argued but shook her head.

Colin chuckled. “It’s a female thing.” He nodded.

I nodded as the guys were chuckling with us.

Chuck shook his head. “We don’t have enough estrogen for our gender to see those variations.”

“Personally, I’d feel better if you, Gabriella and Mom went back with George and Burke,” Colin said softly, hesitant.

That didn’t set well with Gabriella. “Why? We’re needed.”

Colin gave a grudging nod and said. “…because it might get dangerous, Gabby.”

Shelly sat up straighter at that. “And we’re not in danger all the time!? Because we’re women…you don’t think we can do the job?”

“Stop!” Gabriella said sternly to Shelly. “Please don’t yell at him because he wants to protect us…” she rose from beside Alex and walked over to her father. “He always was…even after he was bitten…very protective.” She knelt in front of Colin who wasn’t looking at her. “It was you, wasn’t it?” She pulled his head toward her so he looked at her. “Those years after I was alone at Wentworth, the war had started, my husband was off fighting that stupid war, but I never felt unsafe.” He pressed her forehead against her father’s forehead. “I remember that night…a bunch of deserters came to the plantation…no one could explain finding all those men dead when the sun rose. Their necks were broken and no one knew how it happened.” She smiled. “That was you, wasn’t it? I could almost feel you there.”

Colin nodded. “I couldn’t let them hurt you. Those hateful men had raped and pillaged as they came. I couldn’t let them do that to you.” He said softly. He looked at Shelly. “You are a trained professional…but this is my daughter.” He waved at our mother. “She’s Devon’s and my mother.” He looked at me. “I’d send Devon back to Manhattan or Wentworth Manor if I could.” He shook his head. “I’m not sexist, I’m just being protective.”

Shelly smiled. “Oh, I see. I apologize.”

Gabriella nodded. “I know you want to protect us, but we’re going to be okay, Daddy.”

I moved toward Colin and put my arms around him. “I’d like us all to go away from this danger,” I said. “We can’t, though. This is more important.”

“George! We forgot!” Burke said as he slapped his own head. “I forgot!” He said running toward the room that he and George shared and came back with a gun, but not a real gun as it was plastic! “This came with the CPUs!” He held the gun up. “This is a new serum gun! Its plastic so it didn’t come across on the TSA scanner, but it can fire multiple shots!”

I grinned at George. “You knew about this?”

George nodded and grinned. “I knew he was planning something…”

Burke looked offended. “I designed and built this!” He said proudly as he showed it to everyone. “It can fire twenty shots before it has to be reloaded.” He pushed a button on it and pulled a clip out. “There are several clips, reloading is easy, but be careful, it can stick. Plastic on plastic needs occasional lubrication...” He shrugged. “But it has an explosive shell that causes it to fire.”

“Doesn’t that require metal?” I asked.

“Sure, but not enough to attract security and this plastic is pretty good at higher temperatures.” Burke nodded. “The cartridges holding the serum are gel based and will dissolve even in a vampire’s body and will disperse on impact with the vampires. The serum will stop a vampire by causing pain.”

George nodded held up a single cartridge. “And its concentrated serum, it will last a while disabling a vampire.”

Mark stood up marveling at the gun. “You built this, Burke!? I didn’t know you knew about guns!”

Burke nodded. “I’m more than a pretty face, you know? I’ve studied ballistics longer than you have been alive!” He shrugged. “You guys just never needed guns before.” He looked at all our shocked faces. “We had to protect ourselves in Arkansas!” He pointed out.

Mark grinned. “Sorry, sorry…” he grinned at the gun, “…of course you are.” He reached out. “Can I?”

Burke nodded. “Sure. You’ll have one yourself. It’s pretty light.”

“I guess we’ll be needing them soon with Lucian and Iilya.” Colin said sadly.

I pulled him toward me and hugged him. “They are planning something. We’ll need those.”