Blueblood 5: Exposed The Secrets about V5H Revealed - 13. The Military Arrives

Part 1

Monday came and Dr. Dexter Harris arrived with a man in his mid-fifties with white hair and a distinguished man in a nice suit who wore his confidence clearly. Dr. Harris was also in a suit, but this new man was a bit more polished. They came up to the floor the observation room was on and George’s labs.

Ursula, the first vampire I had met on my first trip to New York escorted them in. She waved them in the lab.

Once again, George was working on something under a microscope to which he saw the image on a monitor and…he was focused. I looked at John who was always there now, who merely shrugged and got up going over to George, put his hand on George’s back and said something quietly to George, who looked up a bit baffled and then turned around. A light bulb went off behind his eyes.

“Sorry,” George said getting up coming over. “I get sort of lost sometimes.” He explained as he extended his hand to them. “Dr. Harris, good to see you again.”

The Texan grinned nodding. “I’ve done that myself many times.” He chuckled. “Dr. George Holms, this is Dr. Kevin Curtis. He oversees new projects and is here to assess the whole V5H situation.”

“I saw the reports, Dr. Holms.” Dr. Curtis said. “I am fascinated, but I want to see what you have on V5H myself.” He looked at George puzzled. “This V5H has properties I have never seen! The samples don’t last, I’m told.”

“They don’t.” George shook his head. “But with modern technology I recorded them.”

This new doctor nodded. “You say this V5H has been here a while?”

“For thousands of years.” George nodded.

“I was told there some here that are victims of this…V5H?” Dr. Curtis said.

George looked at Dex. “You didn’t tell him?”

The Texan gave an awkward look. “I didn’t know how to explain it. It was hard enough when I was here.”

“Oh,” George said a little startled. “Okay, well…” He turned back to Dr. Curtis. “I guess that was why you came.” He waved at Colin and me. “They are victims of V5H.” He said but looked at this new doctor. “And so are we.” He said holding his hand out to John who walked over to George taking his hand.

Dr. Curtis’ eyes widened. Was it because he was told about four victims of the V5H? Or that George was in a relationship with a man? So, I took Colin’s hand to see. His eyes widened more.

“There are others that are straight with V5H if you’re concerned about that,” George growled.

Dr. Curtis looked surprised at George’s remark. He bowed and shook his head. “The relationship was unexpected, but…you all have this V5H?”

George nodded. “I guess we need to start again.” He waved to his computer. “I’ll show you.”

I just knew he would be doing every time one these…bigwigs came here. He showed the sample of the venom…calling it pure venom. He showed the bloodwork of a victim and our blood samples. Dr. Curtis was understanding what he saw as George explained. He told everything except for how the venom was spread. What took days with all of the scientists together, took two hours with Dr. Curtis.

“Do you have a source of this venom?”

George looked at me. “We’ll show him.”

“It’s not sunset.” I reminded George. “They’re not awake yet.”

George smiled at the new doctor. “The featured specimens have to…wake up. How about dinner until they do?”

Dr. Curtis looked more puzzled. “I don’t understand.”

“You will.” I smiled. “It will only be a couple of hours.”

“The source is asleep?” Dr. Curtis asked.

John nodded with a smile. “You’ll understand soon.”

We did take Dr. Harris and Dr. Curtis to Vamps. Dr. Curtis did really didn’t let go of his wanting to understand what was going on, but George didn’t reveal too much. It was at that meal Dr. Curtis observed certain aspects of our having the V5H.

“Whatever this V5H is. This serum seems to help.” Dr. Curtis observed as Colin ate his meal, again just as Colin did with every meal. He had a large quantity. “I can detect no ill effects.”

Colin chuckled. “But there are.”

“You all seem very healthy and have good appetites.” Dr. Curtis said. “You have good muscle tone, good skin tone...”

George sat back. “That’s due to the serum. It binds with the venom.”

“There were effects on all of those things,” Colin said.

At almost sunset, we headed to the observation room. Having heard the explanation so many times, I was glad to be with Repetate, Iustina, and Ralph. Depending on what this Dr. Curtis believed or thought about vampires…he would want proof and confirmation of that unbelievable truth. I really didn’t want to be in Colin’s or George’s place. The bags of blood gotten and I was let in the room with the three. It had been weeks since Ralph had come here and he was friendly to me now. He did trust me. Seeing me, they all three were greeting me. Their situation had changed and they were fine with it. For thousands of years, their lives had been a struggle. They were now warm, sheltered and no long having to hunt for blood. That and the various cartoons they enjoyed. I chuckled as they were like children…I knew what they were…they were killers, but…I loved them! They were pleasant to be with. I had to remind myself, they were dangerous. Deadly. I could not relax into thinking they were no harm to anyone.

They kept the sound off from the observation room, thank God. I began dealing with the three as they consumed the blood. It was after that Iustina was signing for cartoons.

I chuckled. “Yes, yes…” I said and signed. “Is there any day that’s gone by you haven’t seen cartoons?” My signing to them was also teaching sentence structure. The screen flickered, not because I did it, but it was programmed to come on. “See?” I pointed to my eyes and then to the screen. I also took note of the social interaction of the three. Ralph was still acting separately. He would express emotion to the other two, but he…wasn’t feeling like he belonged? Repetate and Iustina were used to each other. Almost like twins as even expressing the emotion of their faces was shorter. A quick glance to the other…a facial emotional shorthand? Their behavior was fascinating. I wondered when there were more if they interacted. They had almost no childhood and went out in the world to do what they were created to do, but they didn’t act like a threat! They were human.

It was a few hours before the door opened again and Colin stepped in with a tired sigh and was greeted by the three Old Ones.

“How did he take it?” I asked as they returned their attention to the screen.

Colin nodded. “He’s going to help. Just the usual reaction; disbelief, the sudden utterance to kill them and the slow acceptance of what he can’t deny.” He shrugged and then chuckled. “He’s having a strong drink right now, maybe two.”

I nodded chuckling. “I understand why he would.” I shrugged. “But he didn’t leave, did he?”

Colin shook his head kissing me. “No.”

“I’m glad. It seems there are phases to go through after finding this out.”

“It’s a slow start. It will have to happen again.” He put arms around me as he rested his lips against my head. “I almost wish there was a way to have them go through these stages without us being involved.”

“Can you break from the boys?” Colin asked grinning at Iustina who was signing to Colin. “Yes, I’ve seen that cartoon, Iustina. It is very funny.” He looked as Elmer Fudd once again was giving his famous I’m hunting wabbits line. Colin looked at me. “I think our visiting doctor could use some positive words…from you.”

I gave a sigh. “Yeah, right.” I had accepted that in some way I did help talking with people. I could not fight what everyone had told me. Vlad had finally gotten through to me on that.

Going into the lounge part of Vamps…I had to bite my tongue to stop from laughing. Dr. Curtis was downing his drink quickly leaning forward resting his elbows on his knees, but was he was shaking. Dex was sitting nearby grinning as he watched Dr. Curtis’ reaction. The composed elegant man of some years was a little less confident about how things were now. He looked at me and I saw his eyes widen. I had the venom in me, which made me…he shuddered.

“You’re what those things can make people, right?” He asked a little shakily.

“If you mean a vampire? Yes.” I nodded.

“I still don’t believe it.” The doctor shook his head. “You are not like Barnabas Collins.” He chuckled. “You are no Dracula.”

I chuckled. “I’m no Barnabas Collins. Dark Shadows was a great show I enjoyed many times…a bit drawn out…it was a soap opera, and I’ve met Dracula. He’s really a nice man; misunderstood, but a really nice man.” I said smiling with a nod.

The doctor's eyes widened even more and he downed the rest of his drink quickly, not sure if I was joking with him. He gave an audible swallow.

I sat in a chair near him. “It is hard to believe,” I admitted to him.

Dex smiled bigger. “That’s why we couldn’t just…tell you.”

The man’s hand was still shaking. “No, you couldn’t get me to believe it.” He shook his head. “They just look…alien!”

“They do!” George said and pointed to Dr. Curtis’ glass. “Another?”

Dr. Curtis held his empty glass out in a shaky hand. “Please.”

“They are very odd looking,” I added. “To me, they aren’t as odd as they were. I’ve seen four of them now and now I see a lot of humanity in them. No one could do this before with them before, but I’m teaching them to accept love and even communicate.”

He nodded. “I saw that. I guess no one had the time before.”

“It was hunt and eat for them before.” I shrugged. “Now, we have time. The vampires they created lost the ability and cognitive process to speak to them. We are vampires so no longer a meal for them. We can take the time.”

He ran his hand through his hair as he was still processing what he’d seen and now understood.

“It’s been around for hundreds of …make that thousands of years, Dr. Curtis,” Colin said sitting by me.

The doctor smiled now. The sudden and rapid intake of alcohol was having an effect on him other than stopping his shaking. “Kevin. I think under these circumstances, formal address and all that is sort of foolish.”

“Your foundation on things has crumbled, Kevin,” I said softly. “You are a man of science, but even with those parameters, something like this will shake up even those things we become dependent on. You are going through some pretty expected…life-altering things. It is changing your thinking.”

Kevin laughed a little bitterly. “Oh, yes, it is.” He nodded as he looked at me. “Colin said he was born in 1815, which my mind is telling me is impossible. With what I’ve been shown, how do I know he isn’t as old as he claims? How many centuries are you?”

I chuckled. “I haven’t even gotten to the half-century point. I was about thirty when I was bitten and that was just a couple years ago.”

Kevin nodded. “Okay.” He sat back and sighed again, resolving something in his mind. “This…is huge. We will help.” He said with new determination. “Do you want my advice?” He offered to Colin.

“Please.” Colin nodded.

“You need even more help,” Kevin said.

“We have the support of one in Congress and one in the Senate,” Colin said. “That and there is a branch of the FBI here.”

Kevin nodded. “I mean, even bigger. You will need the militarizes active support. You need Presidential support.”

George’s eyes grew. “The President of the United State!?”

Dr. Curtis nodded. “He is the Commander and Chief of the military. I know someone to speak with at the Pentagon to get this rolling. He’s dealt with contagions such as viruses and other biological threats on a national scale.” Kevin said. “I’ve dealt with him before. He will be able to report to the President about this.” He chuckled. “No matter what you think of our President…” he was getting a little drunk. “I voted for the other, but he can’t argue with them.” He thumbed again toward where he knew the Old Ones were.

“You trust him?” Colin asked.

Kevin shrugged. “He’s a Major General. Of course, I don’t trust him. He’s an ass, but he has the authority to report directly to that popinjay in the White House. Once this General sees the evidence...and he can’t deny seeing those three…” he thumbed again in a direction, but I knew it was toward the Old Ones again, “he could really turn this around for you…us…whatever.” He nodded. “I can call him.” Standing up and he sat down again from the wooziness that swam through his head. “…in the morning.”

John chuckled. “We’ll get you to your room.”

Kevin reached over and pulled George’s lip up. “No fangs?”

George smiled. “Not in several years.”

John on one side of him, George on the other and they walked with him toward the elevator to take him to his room.

Dex nodded to us. “That went very well!” He said happily.

The advantage now was…we were in Manhattan. We were relatively safe. There were going to be problems to face. We knew that. We had given those with knowledge of science the first glance of what was in the world. They went back to their countries and told those in government positions the news.

Dr. Curtis did call his contact with the Pentagon and was told he was coming immediately based on what Dr. Curtis had told him.

Our own government needed to be brought up to speed. It was so…typical in every movie I had ever seen. Some movies are truer than others about human reactions. Major General Dr. Scott Edwards. He was the one that headed up the task force for biological warfare. He was in his late forties with dark hair, accompanied by a blonde woman, a Captain, both Air Force and he walked into the VUN like he was being brought in…the body language was, he was too busy for this. We were expected to explain fast.

George, John, Dex, Kevin, Colin and I met him at the elevator.

“I don’t like the cloak and dagger approach to this…contamination.” General Edwards said with an obvious edge in his voice. “Why am I here?”

Colin’s talent was in play here. His smile was…there on purpose, but he wasn’t happy about it. “You need to see it; which will become clear when you have the necessary information. Step down from your high horse and listen, General. Open your mind, for I sense from you now, it’s shut right now.”

The General looked very angrily at Colin. “Excuse me!?”

“Shut up, Scott,” Kevin said calmly to the General, apparently used to the General’s bluster. “He’s right. You have no idea about what they’re going to show you. Just come with us and we will show you.” He said and started walking toward the observation room without even looking whether the General was following or not. We headed after Kevin.

The General scowled, but followed Kevin, as well. In the observation room, the General was starting to get even angrier. “I expect an explanation! I think…”

“Here it is,” George said and activated the window. “These…are vampires.” He waved at the glass.

The General looked and his eyes went from angry…to not believing what he was seeing because it was ridiculous, to shock. “What the FUCK!!??” He gasped quietly coming to the glass he asked in stunned amazement at Repetate, Iustina and Ralph, who were watching again cartoons. They were as they always were naked, bald and had no ass or scrotum.

“If you’ll listen…” Kevin began. “George Holms here will tell you what the fuck.”

“These creatures…are thousands of years old.” George said. “They…are vampires.”