“S-Successful,” I spluttered. “You mean, they grew into—”
“Babies,” Dr. Finnegan finished dryly. “Vampire-Hawk babies.”
My jaw dropped to the floor just trying to imagine what the heck they would even look like. How would they function?
I could hardly even draw a picture in my head.
“Frans,” the scientist ploughed on, “being one of the IBSI’s leading scientists, heard of this success, naturally, and it got him thinking.” She paused, frowning. “Now you’d better not ask me how that man’s mind worked—he was a bloody genius. Hasn’t been a scientist like him since, and there likely never will be… But anyway, he heard of the successful specimens. He traveled to Canada and managed to gain sole access to them for a long enough period to withdraw some blood without anybody knowing. He took the blood back to his lab in Bermuda, and he began to experiment even more vigorously. At the time he had full access to the Bermuda base’s lab—he was the head scientist of Bermuda. I believe he even had some Bloodless in cages. All the time that he was supposed to be working on other things, he poured into finally discovering a cure. It was he who discovered the antidote. The first four ingredients—plant-based, as you deduced—contain chemicals to help to speed up the effect of the Hawk blood… Likewise, the plant combination can work in the other direction too, as you witnessed with your daughter—speeding up the influence of Bloodless venom.”
We stared at the doctor in stunned silence.
Then I remembered something that didn’t make a lot of sense. I recounted Orlando’s short-lived “experiment” back in Aviary to the scientist, where he’d ingested a chunk of poisonous leaf. We all could have sworn that he’d looked better afterward; his complexion brighter, less pale… although admittedly the cosmetic difference seemed to have faded from him by now. Still, the leaf alone had made some positive improvement, and there had been no Hawk blood involved there. “How do you explain that?” I concluded. “If the plant ingredients only serve to assist the Hawk blood in penetrating a Bloodless’ system, why should one of the plants have a powerful impact in its own right?”
The scientist paused, then shrugged. “I’m not sure. Perhaps the plants themselves do have some capability to ward off the virus.”
As if nature makes Aviary toxic to Elders in all aspects—from its plant life to its residents. I supposed it would be fitting. It was just a shame Aviary hadn’t come out stronger from the war. Though at least they’d managed to reduce the Elders to shadows of their former selves, no longer requiring much concern. That was an inestimable boon to all supernaturals and mankind.
“But all I know,” Dr. Finnegan went on, “is that the combination of the five ingredients I mentioned is what has been proven to work and have the Bloodless—or rather, human—survive the cure… Maybe someone with a brilliant mind like Frans’ could work out another concoction based on Aviary-derived substances. God knows.”
I sighed. “Okay. Please continue.”
She nodded, obliging. “So… according to notes that were retrieved from Frans’ lab after his death,” she said, “the idea of Hawk blood had occurred to him before he got hold of the mutated specimens’ blood. Blood is, after all, the life force of every being. But pure Hawk blood failed him. It was only the diluted half-blood specimens that eventually did it—as the blood was partly vampire, the Bloodless’ system was tricked into accepting and absorbing it. Kind of like a Trojan horse.”
“You know all this, and yet you’re still alive?” my mother couldn’t help but ask.
Dr. Finnegan nodded. “There are a few scientists like me who were let in on the secret… But as you’ve seen,” she added shakily as she looked at Ben, “my life is on a very short leash.”
“Go on,” I urged.
“So when Frans announced his find to Atticus, he thought he would receive applause. Eternal gratitude for finally solving the Bloodless epidemic that was destroying the world. Instead, he found himself, well, dead. But he managed to spread the word to other scientists before he was taken out—other scientists who also attempted to spread the knowledge and were also killed…”
“And Georgina,” I murmured. She somehow found out about the antidote, which caused her also to be targeted for assassination by her husband.
Again I found myself extremely grateful for my daughter’s inquisitive mind, which had caused her to unwittingly take up Georgina’s cause. Even if it had led Grace into her current predicament, I could never stop being proud of her for that.
“So these vampire-Hawk… things,” my father said, his forehead wrinkled with the same confusion I myself was riddled with. “What are they exactly? Can you describe them?”
“They look quite human actually,” Dr. Finnegan explained, matter-of-fact. “They don’t have beaks, or even talons. They basically have the characteristics of humans, but with wings.”
“And my wife,” I murmured. “Her eggs were stolen by the IBSI. Is it possible that one of hers was used?”
“Oh, it is quite possible,” she replied, making my gut churn. “Hers were of course not the only eggs they had collected. But there’s always a chance that one of the surviving specimens could’ve been derived from her eggs. You’d have to run a DNA test, but this leads me to the main obstacle that you will face in recovering the ingredient… We’ve lost the specimens—or rather, the IBSI lost them.”
“What? Lost them?” I stared at her, disbelieving. “How could you just go and lose them?” The IBSI were tight in their security. I couldn’t even conceive how they could have let something so valuable slip away from them… unless it had been deliberate sabotage on Atticus’ part? “Could they have been ‘lost’ on purpose?” I prodded Dr. Finnegan.
Her mouth split in a wry smile. “I see what you’re thinking, but no. They were genuinely lost.”
“How do you know that for certain?” I pressed.
“Because they went missing even before Frans came out with his antidote discovery. They were being kept in Canada; much blood had been taken from the specimens, the construction of their blood and DNA studied and analyzed. And then, one night, they just disappeared. Neither Atticus nor anybody else would have had any reason to make them vanish. They genuinely just disappeared.”
“Things don’t just disappear!” I said through gritted teeth. They weren’t magical beings. There wasn’t an ounce of magic in them. I stood up and gazed down at her. “What do you think happened to them? You must have some speculations of your own?”
She shrugged, shaking her head wearily. “I honestly don’t know. It baffled everyone involved on the case. There was an investigation into their disappearance, but nobody solved the mystery.”
A more chilling thought distracted me. “You’re saying there were only five specimens who survived in the first place, and they vanished, what, decades ago? It’s a wonder you still have any samples of their blood left to create additional doses of the cure.”
“Well, as I said,” she replied dryly, “a lot of blood was drawn from them while they were in the IBSI’s lab. And only a very small extract is required per formula. I don’t know how much is left of the original stock, admittedly. But I’m sure it’s stored somewhere impossible to find within the IBSI. I’m also sure it’s not in Canada. And it won’t be in Chicago either. I don’t know where it is. I don’t think Atticus would have destroyed it because his own organization occasionally requires a person to utilize it—usually only if the person is of particular value to Atticus, and someone he believes can keep a secret. Though, after recent events, and you coming to the knowledge of the cure’s existence, it’s very possible he’ll simply go ahead and destroy whatever is left of the blood. Cut off his nose to spite his face, sort of thing.”
I was utterly sick of trying to locate things within the IBSI. As crazy as it sounded, I was actually more enthusiastic about uncovering a decade-old mystery than traipsing back into their twisted web of lies and deceit, even if there had been a chance Atticus had not yet de
stroyed the stock of blood. I had failed to discover things too many times while in their facilities. And I didn’t want anything more to do with the bastards… except Atticus… He’s one person I wouldn’t mind bumping into sometime soon.
My father’s next request of the doctor refocused my mind. “So tell us everything you know about the disappearance of these ‘specimens’. Every single detail you remember.”
“Hm…” She furrowed her brows and leaned back in her chair, repositioning her grip around her son, who had dozed off against her chest.
“Did their disappearance suggest a kidnapping?” I asked. “And how old were they when they vanished?” What are the chances they’d even still be alive after all this time?
The scientist rubbed her temples. “They were, I think, just over a year old.” Well, that ruled out escape. What one-year-olds could figure out how to escape the IBSI? They’d still be figuring out how to use their wings. It also meant they’d be in their teenage years now… That was assuming they aged. Hawks aged. But half-bloods didn’t. They remained frozen in time like vampires. Ugh, this was all so confusing. “As for your first question,” the scientist continued, “definitely a kidnapping. But let me tell you what I remember, and then you can draw your own conclusions.” Dr. Finnegan looked tired. It’d been a long, stressful night for her. Only a few hours ago she had been kneeling before death.
“It was one night in December,” she began. “A particularly cold night with heavy snow closing in around the mountain base. There was an electrical outage that night, too. Though the IBSI had their own backup generator to keep the most crucial functions running—like the lighting in the hallways and security mechanisms keeping the more dangerous specimens in their cells—other functions were stopped temporarily until the main power came back on. This included CCTV cameras… Anyhow, the scientist charged with caring for the specimens put them to bed at the normal time—into cots within a special lab reserved just for them. And when their caregiver returned in the morning to feed them breakfast, they were gone. Just gone. Without a single feather fluttered to the floor. Of course, nobody could say what happened due to the lack of footage.
“An investigation was then launched. Atticus put a witch he had dealings with in charge. Her name was Loira Sulvece. A witch of The Sanctuary, she assisted the IBSI on and off over the earlier years of its establishment… she hasn’t been around recently, to my knowledge.”
“Loira Sulvece,” Ibrahim muttered.
All eyes shot to the warlock.
“I know of that witch,” he said. “She was allowed to live in The Sanctuary because of her noble heritage, but she has always been a loose cannon, helping out other species in exchange for various items to stock her spell room with.”
“That sounds like her,” Dr. Finnegan replied. “She was assisting the Canadian base on a fairly regular basis at the time. Anyway, Atticus put her in charge of the investigation but it soon stopped short. It was pretty pathetic. None of them had the first clue where to look. And Atticus, in truth, wasn’t all that bothered about their disappearance. They already had blood samples and I suppose Atticus thought that if they ever needed that halfblood-Hawk combination in the future, they could always breed some more. And then of course, shortly after the specimens’ disappearance, Frans came out with a cure. Heh. After that, I suspect Atticus was glad they were taken after all.”
“So what you’re saying is we need to speak to Loira Sulvece,” I said, my mind still fixed on the witch.
“I’m not saying anything,” Dr. Finnegan said. “In fact, The Sanctuary is impenetrable. I don’t know how you’d gain access to her even if you tried… Assuming she is still living there and hasn’t finally been kicked out for unorthodox habits.”
“Apparently you are not aware that we actually have good relations with The Sanctuary,” my father said dryly.
I thought fondly of my twin. That was all thanks to Rose saving one of the Ageless’ sisters from the black witches.
“Oh.” The scientist looked taken aback. “I had no idea.”
“Yes,” my father said bitterly. “There are a lot of things your organization has no idea about.”
“So that’s everything you have to tell us about the disappearance?” I verified.
“Yup.” She nodded.
“Okay.” I blew out a breath. We had something of a lead now, at least. We could go to speak to that witch and see if she had any more light to shed on the matter. Anything at all she had to add would be helpful at this point. It wouldn’t take us long to travel to The Sanctuary—where Ibrahim still seemed to think she’d be residing—so even if this proved to be a hopeless dead end, we wouldn’t be losing much.
We were running out of things to lose, anyway. Or at least, I was.
“Thank you,” I said to Dr. Finnegan. “We’re going to need to speak to the witch. In the meantime, as promised, you are free to stay here on the island.” I backed away and poked my head out of the door, looking left and right for someone who could escort the scientist and her child to spare accommodations. I spotted Safi at the other end of the hallway and beckoned her over.
I pointed out Dr. Finnegan to her as she arrived in the room. Dr. Finnegan’s jaw dropped as she eyed Safi. Yup, the IBSI still knew little about the jinn, just as they did fae.
Dr. Finnegan recovered from her stupor and carried her boy over to Safi. She thanked me before the jinni vanished them.
Now, the rest of us had to get down to business.
I locked eyes with my father. I didn’t need him to say anything for me to know that he was thinking exactly what I was thinking.
Looks like it’s time for another trip.
Ben
We didn’t know exactly where this route would lead us now. We could hit a complete dead end in The Sanctuary, or we could find ourselves sinking deeper into an entangling web of twists and turns… which the Novaks seemed to have a pretty good track record of doing.
So our next objective was to decide who was going to come with us to The Sanctuary.
After the scientist left with Safi, we headed up to Grace’s room, where River and many of my family members were gathered.
My gut couldn’t help but flip when I eyed my daughter spread out on the floor within her cage, even though her appearance was of no surprise to me anymore.
River was the first to approach us. Her turquoise eyes trained on me, even as she addressed us all.
“Lawrence is dead,” she said.
It took a few seconds for her words to sink in. “What?”
“Lawrence is dead,” she repeated. “T-There was a news broadcast on the TV. They showed… They showed a picture of his corpse.”
What on earth…
“They said that his death was a result of the drug procedure they’d performed on him going wrong, even though he had shown initial signs of improvement.”
Bull! Utter bull.
My eyes moved back to my daughter. I wondered if she could hear our conversation—or rather, if she could understand it. She wasn’t showing any signs of sadness or distress, though Bloodless didn’t seem to display emotions other than irritation and anger.
There was only one thing that could have happened to Lawrence. His father must’ve killed him, just as he had killed his wife. Coincidences like this didn’t happen in real life.
The young man had become another notch on Atticus’s belt.
A deep sense of sorrow swelled within me as I recalled how hard he’d tried to help us find the cure. He had put his life on the line by going against his father. He had known the risks before going into it; we had all known that. But, despite the odds, I had assured myself that he would pull through. Hearing that he was gone—the young man I’d seen less than a day ago—came as a shock.
As I absorbed the news, a determination burned within me more fiercely than ever before.
His death had become more fuel to the fire.
We had to bring down the IBSI. We had to drag them down f
rom their position and crush them. And we had to ensure that no force like them could ever rise to rule this planet again.
But the key to all that was procuring the antidote. Without being able to prove beyond all doubt that it existed, we would have no sway in persuading either the governments or the public that the IBSI was trying to suppress information.
We had to bring the IBSI down, but first we had to solve this damn mystery.
Gripping my wife’s hand, I turned to address everyone else in the room.
“We need to travel to the supernatural dimension— to The Sanctuary—and find a woman named Loira Sulvece.”
Everyone in the room volunteered to come. Although technically we might not even need an eighth of these people—initially witches were the only people vital to our trip—since we didn’t know exactly where this journey might lead us, we ended up accepting everybody who volunteered. I didn’t see a lot of harm in that anyway.
We also put out word to the rest of the members of the League. The dragons, unfortunately, were out of the equation because of their refusal to travel by magic—we couldn’t have them slowing us down.
We were reluctant to have any jinn come with us, even though Aisha and Horatio volunteered. Being accompanied by jinn when we approached The Sanctuary simply wasn’t a good idea. Although the jinn and the witches of The Shade had found a way to co-exist fairly harmoniously, the jinn and witches of the outside world were still very much biased against one another.
As for Mona and Brock, Kiev informed us that they had gone to The Woodlands with Victoria to find a solution to her and Bastien’s ongoing struggle to stay together.
Mona was one of our strongest witches now that she’d recovered her powers, but we had no idea when they’d return, so we’d have to leave without her. She wasn’t exactly a favorite among the white witches of The Sanctuary though, so it was probably all for the best.