Blueblood 5: Exposed The Secrets about V5H Revealed - 12. Communitation Begins

The Texan was smiling, but he was looking puzzled now. “How is this going to work?” He asked. “We are willing to help but…funding? Texas Medical has grants and other contributors putting money in for our projects.”

Colin nodded. “The money will be there from us. What we need are your minds. George has done all this on his own. We need your help as in your minds and expertise to help George.”

The Texan nodded. “I’ll be happy to help.” He said looking at the others as they were nodding.

“The lab here is impressive.” A doctor said with a slight accent that said Europe, Swiss was my guess, but…she said it to George. “If we help, we would have to work here?”

“No.” George shook his head. “The reason you were invited from so many places in the world is that you have vampires where you are. They are hiding, but there. I am not guessing, they are there and I know they are in Europe. We need a medical extension where you are.”

“We have people we answer to.” The Texan said. “They will want an explanation.”

George nodded. “I have given you one. I showed you the evidence I have. The reason for calling it V5H and serum was to be able to give a more plausible explanation. Any doctor or scientist can see and understand the problem just by looking at this. There will be some that we will need to tell more about this. That was why Colin and Devon revealed themselves. If needed they volunteered to be the two to show them.”

The Texan pointed at the observation window. “Show them those three.”

George hesitated. “They would become experiments.”

“They are now.” An Asian man said.

George frowned. “Yes, by someone who knows more about them than some of these all for the business types. How many discoveries have you found, developed and the first thing is how to make money from that discovery? I took an oath. To do no harm. My first desire when I became a doctor was to help people, not make money.”

“You’re making billions!” The Texan said not understanding.

“Which is used primarily to further other research, it takes money to find a cure,” Colin said logically. “I have profited and so has George. What he’s done deserves compensation. If they are released to the other countries…we lose any advantage we have. The venom won’t last long out of their bodies. Everyone will want them.”

“They are the key to ending this,” George added. “The serum will transport…or you can make your own. I’ll show and tell you how. You already have vampires there.” George was now again in lecture mode as he paced a little. “There are some vampires that have abilities…we all do, that make us better hunters. There are some that are better than others in certain areas. Tracking is one area. We can sense when someone is a vampire or not. The ability to smell and see is enhanced.”

“It does change you.” The Texan said.

“No,” George said shaking his head. “It does make our natural abilities better. The olfactory and visual areas of the brain are…more focused. The ability was always there. There are two I know of…vampires here that had keen senses of smell before they became vampires. After they were bitten, it just got better. They can get a scent I doubt a dog or cat could pick up.”

“Really?” The Asian man asked.

Colin nodded. “The venom makes us able to hunt better.” He shrugged. “To feed the venom, we must be able to do it well.”

All of this was…not my thing. “I’m spending time with Ralph,” I told Colin quietly.

He looked at me suddenly with renewed concern. “Not alone!”

“Colin,” I said quietly touching his arm gently. “I know what he is. I know what he can do. I was alone with Gizmo, Repetate, and Iustina. I’ll be fine.” He was being almost too protective. “You know I can relate with people…and them. Are you sensing something else? You can tell who to trust or not. Is there something you need to tell me?”

Colin gave a frustrated shrug. “I can’t sense anything from them.”

I nodded, pulling him close putting my head next to his. “They are an unknown.” I turned my head kissing him tenderly. “We have to make headway with them. You know I’ll be okay.”

“I don’t want you hurt.”

I smiled kissing him again. “I know,” I said rubbing my forehead against his. “I’ll be careful.” I hugged him. “I don’t want any of us hurt, especially not you.”

Going in the room with the three Old Ones, I was greeted by two happy Old Ones and Ralph was…not there yet, but not retracting from me now. It seemed they all enjoyed the cartoons. The animated pictures and sounds appealed to them. Ralph was still dealing with what he sensed from me and what he could possibly do. I looked as Ralph looked at Repetate and Iustina with a questioning expression. Their answer to him was a smile from both of them as the greeted me as they did, coming up to me, rubbing on me making those slight noises of pleasure they always did. I am telling you, they looked at Ralph with a “see?” expression. I chuckled and gave them both a kiss on each bald head.

“You can communicate.” I nodded. “I’m going to begin teaching you three sign language,” I said and laughed. “As soon as I learn some myself. We can teach each other! They teach primates to use it, you are certainly primates.” I did, however, and my senses were good. Not like Gabriella or Alex, but it was clear Ralph had never bathed. “Okay, Ralph…you need to trust me.”

Ralph looked at me quizzically.

“You need…” I leaned in toward him, “a bath.”

Ralph was now looking very doubtful communicating he did not understand.

“We all take one. Every single day.” I explained with a smile. “Sometimes more if we get dirty and you…are dirty.” I walked a little closer to him and was pleased he didn’t back away. Then I thought of something. “Give me a few minutes,” I said and went back out in the hall. I rushed back to where I knew Stan was. “Stan!”

He looked up from his friend Buddy. “Devon!” He said with equal enthusiasm and a smile.

“Buddy can do many things,” I said to him. “Can he search footage of cartoons?”

Stan looked a little startled. “I suppose. If I tell him to. Sure.”

“Tell him to give a collection of cartoon scenes depicting the characters taking a bath…preferably, taking a shower.”

Now Stan was really confused. “A shower.” He repeated.

I rolled my eyes. “Ralph needs a shower. I need to show him what that is so he understands.”

“Ralph,” Stan repeated again thinking and then nodded. “The new Old One! Got it. I’ll have it ready in a few minutes.”

“Can it be fed to the room the three are in?”

Stan looked at me…the Old Ones were not the only ones that communicated with expressions. He said “how could I doubt him?” with his look. “Please.” He began typing quickly on the black glass.

I smiled hugging the man. “Great! Thanks. Send it as soon as it’s done to their monitor.” I said and hurried back to the room. Stan was right. I knew he could do it. The cartoon they were watching ended. The screen didn’t even flicker as new images came up. Tom, of Tom and Jerry, was in the shower scrubbing with soap, making lots of bubbles. “See, Ralph?” I pointed to the screen. “He’s bathing!” There were many more scenes of other characters showering. “Bathing,” I said again and looked at Ralph. “You need to do that.” I pointed at the screen and then to him.

He got it! He wasn’t sure about it as…what should have been eyebrows rose a little warier, but he got it. I had the corridor cleared of any people even with the disflavor. It was time for Repetate’s and Iustina’s bath, as well. I had help escorting them all to the nearby bathroom. Ralph had never seen a bathroom. Yet, he understood about the toilet in their room…I suppose Repetate and Iustina had shown him because there was no ammonia on the floor and vampires did piss. I knew they were intelligent and communicated. Repetate and Iustina knew what to do and got in the showers with no prompting, giving Ralph the look that it would be fine. Ralph stepped in a vacant shower. I gave him the soap and turned the hot water on. It startled him, but he had seen enough in those cartoons to know what he was to do. It took a while, but he did it an even seemed to like it. After he had done it, I held up a towel and showed him he was to dry off. Repetate and Iustina came to me after theirs receiving a kiss from me. I looked at Ralph. “Please trust me, Ralph. I want to be your friend.” He walked over closer to me. Taking his head, I did to him what I did with the other two. When he backed away afterward I kissed his head, he smiled!! It was new to him, but he smiled! “My friend,” I said to him and took them back. I really needed to teach them sign language.

What the other scientists promised and what was to happen…we would wait to see. The week-long medical…whatever was drawing to a close. I had Colin come in with me as I began my lessons with the three in sign language. Colin agreed to learn it, too. Colin was still cautious but seemed to come to the realization Ralph was not a real threat any more than Iustina or Repetate.

In our bedroom, Colin was waiting for me as I finished my nightly rituals and come to bed. He didn’t need to, but he patted my side of the bed next to himself invitingly as he propped on his elbow. It’s nice to be wanted. I crawled in next to him where he put his arms around me, kissing me gently. “I take it all back.”

Okay. This was odd. “You take all what back?”

“Maybe there is something magical about us,” Colin said as his lips came to my forehead and came down my face. “There is about you. What you’ve done with those three…has got to be magic.”

I smiled and shook my head. “It’s just affection, Colin.”

Colin shrugged a nod. “Is it?” He looked at me. “You’re winning Ralph over pretty quickly. He tolerates me. He trusts and even is loving with you. He smiles at you whenever he sees you.”

“I want him to be comfortable with me,” I said simply.

“That’s the magic.” He said kissing me. “You’ve done it too many times with others to argue with me.” He smiled. “You…” he kissed me, “have some magic.” He kissed me again. “I love you, Devon.”

I pulled him closer. “I know. I love you, Colin.”

“I know.” He said moving his nose and lips over my face. “Make love to me.”

I did!

George and John were always together now. That made me so happy. John Burke could get George to respond when he was tunneling his focus and about to be lost, but it was time to eat or go home. John got George to do that. George was receiving emails and teleconferencing with the scientists that had been here. He also spent time watching as I taught the three Old Ones sign language. Those three had sharp minds! They were learning it faster than I was! Language was tough. They communicated everything with expressions which was the problem. The whole content was in that look. Individual words were hard. Knowing a noun was pretty simple, putting them with a verb, the subject was a little harder for them, I want, being one, where are you going was another, but they were learning! I was thrilled when Repetate signed to me. Tom and Jerry? I had taught them the character’s names and what the cartoon was called. He signed again. More?

“Sure.” I nodded to him. “You want more Tom and Jerry? I’ll get more.” I said and signed, typing on my laptop. It wasn’t long before the cartoons came up. They were repeats, even for Repetate and Iustina, but they liked them.

When I came out of their room I was stopped by George. “I never would have thought to teach them sign language.” He marveled smiling and shaking his head. “This is truly a great breakthrough.”

I smiled at him. “You would have eventually.”

George shook his head. “No. I wouldn’t have. They are…Old Ones.” He explained simply. “Whether they could understand…not that I wanted to know if they could understand or not, never occurred to me.”

We walked down the corridor toward the elevator. “They can understand.” I said. “It’s some of the other parts of sentences I need to get them to understand. I will teach them to read and write. With enough time, I hope they have enough to tell us what they remember. Maybe even help us find out about their origins and help find that cure.”

We rode down to the residential floor where Colin’s and my apartment was.

“Colin’s here, would you like to come in?” I invited George.

“Sure.” George nodded. “I have something to share with the two of you.”

Colin was again at his computer…doing things business-wise. He looked up and smiled at me, but grinned at George. “Hi, George! Is this social or VUN related?”

George grinned with a shrug. “Can’t it be both?” He asked sitting on our couch. “The symposium was very good. What Devon’s doing with those three is nothing short of a miracle. Repetate asked for a Tom and Jerry cartoon today! He asked for it!!”

Colin nodded and got up coming to me. “I said it. Magic.”

I kissed Colin. “If a chimp and gorilla can learn sign language…it shouldn’t surprise anyone they can.” I said simply.

George shook his head. “He’s opening a whole new facet on the research I’m doing. Questions can be asked and they can answer soon! I just have to wait for them to learn enough to do it.” He smiled and went on. “Dr. Dexter Harris…the doctor from Houston?”

“A Texan named Dex.” I nodded. “Why am I not surprised?”

George nodded with a chuckle. “You shouldn’t be. Other than Cody or Tex, Dex is the next expected name. He’s a brilliant Hematologist. Anyway, he’s bringing a supervisor here that’s in charge of research and development from Texas Medical. They’ll be here Monday. Meaning, you two will be here, right?” He said pointedly, squinting one eye and did point at both of us.

“Do we have much of a life outside the VUN now?” Colin asked.

“We’ll be here,” I answered George’s question.

“You can show the headway you’ve made with Repetate, Iustina, and Ralph.” George frowned after saying Ralph’s name. “Ralph.” He grimaced. “The fancy names you come up with, Devon…Ralph is the best name you came up with?”

Colin rolled his eyes as I patted him on the chest. “It was one of Colin’s favorite uncle that had the name Ralph. I can’t take credit for that. It was all Colin.” I grinned as Colin was turning a little pink. “Ralph is very fitting for him.”

“Can I offer you a drink?” Colin asked quickly to get beyond the subject of the name.

George stood and smiled. “Thank you, but I’m heading home. John’s waiting on me there.”

I looked at George puzzled. “You drove separately? I saw John not an hour ago.”

George smiled. “We didn’t drive at all.” He thumbed over his shoulder. “We have an apartment here now. One floor down, but it’s not a bad commute.”

“We’re neighbors!?” Colin asked happily. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

George nodded again scratching his ear absently. “Yes, it’s not a big place. We just moved, but we’re at home here.”

“You need a housewarming!” I said simply. “We need to welcome you two!”

George smiled. “We’ll make plans for that.” He headed toward the door, but came back to us and hugged his both. “Thanks for the support you’ve given. I love you, both.” He said kissing Colin on the cheek and as we were in the same hug, he just turned his head and kissed me, too.

“We love you, too, George,” Colin said touching George on the face lightly. “My dear, dear friend and family.”

George smiled and headed for the door. “See you in the neighborhood.”