Alma - Introduction *Updated*

9th June 2381

It was raining heavily from a rumbling sky when he made a run for it from his police hover-car to the entrance of the Kiev Forensics Building. He grimaced as he felt the icy rain water seep inside his suit collar, which also made him run faster. The angry sky flashed once more before a deafening clap of thunder chased him inside of the building.

He shook himself off, just inside the front door. The water droplets easily fell off his new suit, with the water fortunately not soaking into the fibers. The artificially created clothing was light weight and easily retained his body heat which dispensed of the use of heavy jackets anymore and was water resistant. However his dark hair was a different story as it was soaked.

“A lovely summers’ day outside?” A co-worker joked upon passing.

“Da,” he said sarcastically, “with tropical sun showers.”

The female uniformed Police Officer laughed, before putting up her clear plastic umbrella and then venturing outside.

Once ‘dusting’ himself off from the water droplets, the man then continued on down the busy hallway. The Kiev Police Forensics building was always abuzz with activity and this particularly wet day was no different.

With the spree of murders recently including the one which had brought him here, there was public pressure for the Police to catch the killer or killers. The public couldn’t understand how the use of 24th Century scanning equipment had not identified the murderer/s as yet. But as he told several different World Wide Media Reporters, “identifying the DNA left at the scene of the crimes is easy. Finding Cinderella by the left-behind glass slipper is the hard part.”

He left behind the bright, busy main corridor and entered a smaller, darker biology lab.

Then he saw her, as she was leaning over her touch-screen computer going over some kind of results from her latest scans. Her blonde hair complimented nicely her white, one-piece lab clothes. Even though the lab smelled sterile, the light, fruity fragrance of her shampoo still tickled his nose. The very sight and smell of her, gave him pause.

“Griggori.” She greeted him by name, whilst not looking away from the results.

“Babushka.” He returned teasingly.

“Julia.” She turned to throw him a quick glare. “In the office, you call me by my proper name.”

“As you wish.”

As he came over to sit in the available lab chair beside hers, he noted that they were alone in the lab since the other lab technicians had already left for the day. Julia returned to her work and he sat quietly to allow her to concentrate. Besides, this way he could admire her beautiful profile that was lit up by the light coming from the computer screen.

“Look, there it is again!”

Her soft voice was unusually hard, accentuated by her Ukrainian accent. The female Police Forensic hit the computer touch-screen bad temperedly. The screen blinked in protest, before re-displaying the same information as before.

“Woah there, Babushka.” The Detective from Moscow, gently restrained her.

Not only were they co-workers in the European Union Police Force, but they were partners outside the job as well. They were well-used to each other’s eccentricities and in fact, they were in love with them. They were quite happy to visit the other’s apartments as they negotiated their free time between their busy careers.

Whilst holding his lover in his arms, his face was considerably closer to the screen than before. That was when he saw it.

“OO Negative?” He uttered in disbelief.

“It doesn’t exist. There is no such blood type in the natural world as OO Negative. It was a new category made up to classify an unclassifiable blood sample.” She pouted.

“But this classification was brought in 300 years ago and is the same blood type as my corpse which is five days old.” He argued.

“It was 236 years ago that the Forensics Department then, invented this classification.” Julia sighed, sitting back in her chair.

Griggori used this chance to move closer to her computer and press into the touch-screen to bring up records of this phenomenon. Julia thought she should narrate exactly it was he was seeing, since he wasn’t educated in biology. His training on blood types occurred as it often did with other police officers; by seeing the read outs on police scanning equipment.

“The OO Negative sample is neither human nor animal, but it has characteristics of both. It is parasitic in nature and completely void of red and white cells. It appears to feed off other sources of blood from either human or animal, to replenish its missing cells, proteins and sugar levels.” She brought her lover up to speed.

“Then what’s this?” He noticed a link to another file in the bottom corner of the touch-screen. “OO Positive?”

Julia briefly leaned forward to use her index finger to press on the link for him as she continued;

“OO Positive is the exact opposite of OO Negative, as it’s rich in red and white cells, natural antibodies, adrenaline, blood sugars and proteins. If you introduced either human or animal blood, it instead assimilates it. It turned the other sample into OO Positive.” She informed.

“But looking at the OO Negative sample, so did it when other blood cultures were also introduced into the specimen. It looks like both OO Negative and OO Positive are communicable by infection.” Griggori went back to the previous screen to make his point.

“Correct.” Julia smiled impressed at his quick uptake. “But look at the results, at what happened to the samples that were added to the OO Negative. The samples were first drained of all their nutrients and life providing cellular functions, before it too turned OO Negative. However with the samples added to the OO Positive, they were not drained first. Instead they were immediately converted, with the OO Positives adding to the blood cultures. Look at the red and white cell counts… instead of being depleted, they multiplied over and over again, increasing their numbers.”

“So OO Negative takes away and OO Positive adds to the blood it comes into contact with?” Griggori summed up.

“Da.” Julia clarified.

“And the sample on the corpse I first brought in, is OO Negative? It takes away…?” Griggori queried.

“Da.”

“Then how was OO Positive discovered?”

“On three other corpses which were autopsied 236 years ago.” Julia hit a new command into the touch-screen.

Three deceased’s faces, one of whose heads was barely attached to all that was left of a ravaged neck; appeared on the screen, with links to case files underneath each picture.

“Who are these people?” Griggori asked with his curiosity growing.

“Jane Doe and two John Does. They appeared to be in their twenties, thirties and forties. But one of the autopsy procedures which dated the subjects, showed very different results.” Julia smirked, hitting a new command.

Griggori’s eyes widened as his intake of breath was short and sharp.

“This is impossible…” he started to shake his head. “…the man in his forties was actually 197 years old? The woman in her thirties was really 88 years old? The man in his twenties was dated to be 46 years old? There must be some kind of mistake…”

“That’s what the coroner ruled at the time, too.” Julia quipped. “Their deaths were written off as a wild animal attack from the nature of the bite marks on the youngest male and the female. Although the older man’s death was by the impaling of a long, silver object such as a sword; they decided to ignore this small but important fact, because of the claw marks on the rest of his body. The claw marks and then the bite marks, were found from DNA analysis to be taken from animals in the canidae family. But see here? The DNA retrieved from the bite marks?”

“It’s the same OO Positive blood type.” Griggori squinted in disbelief at the words on the screen.

“These three people and the ‘wild animal’ that supposedly attacked them? They all had OO Positive blood.” Julia sighed. “But look at the date that the victims died… around 80 years after World War Three. The coroner decided to ignore the dating of the flesh, putting it down to some kind of interference from radioactive isotopes which were present in the mutated cells. That or they were mutants who were born within a hundred years of the nuclear holocaust, as was common with birth defects then.”

She rubbed her tired eyes, which were sore from looking at touch-screen computers, in her lab all day. She envied Griggori since he was a Detective, he could leave the building when investigating his cases. All her work was done by scanning samples in test tubes or Petri dishes then analyzing the results.

“When was World War Three again?” Griggori thought out loud.

“6th June 2062.” Julia answered precisely.

“And how long did it go for again?”

“Officially it was three months. But after the nuclear missiles were finished with, there were several more land attacks by opposing forces. However many countries had to contend with domestic violence with countrymen killing each other for unpolluted natural resources.” When she caught Griggori smiling softly at his brilliant but sometimes ‘bookish’ girlfriend, she snapped, “I didn’t JUST study biology and chemistry at school. I also enjoyed World History.”

“Of course.” He straightened to meet her look of annoyance with a grin, “my beautiful, intelligent Babushka.”

“Shut up!” She playfully kicked him as she returned to the business at hand. “The reason why I’m showing you samples from hundreds of years ago from the same century as World War Three Griggori, is because your latest ‘vic’? It has the same OO Negative type as several other samples taken in this time period.”

Julia hit a new command on the touch-screen and now pictures of twelve more bodies filled the display. Nine of these bodies were decapitated and three victims were missing half of their skulls along with their faces. Even Griggori had to flinch at the gore, looking at eaten-through faces done by a large animal. In fact, he was looking at bloodied, crushed open skulls and with little brain matter left.

He caught the date of this case file as his eyes were skipping away; 21st August 2145, which was exactly 236 years ago.

“Most of the victims you are looking at Griggori, the decapitated ones? They were beheaded by a sharp, metallic object which was thought to be a silver-coated sword. We found minute traces of silver in the wounds. The swords were most likely in the style of the Japanese Katana, as they are light-weight but strong and extremely sharp. Do you see the cuts?”

“They’re clean.” Griggori gave a nod.

“But look here, at how the flesh is singed slightly? The scientist then first thought the swords had been heated to burn the flesh so. But when we ran further tests, it showed that the flesh was not singed by heat, but the burns were chemical burns caused by an acute type of anaphylactic shock -”

“Anaphylactic shock? But that means allergies, does it not?” Griggori interrupted in surprise.

“Correct, now don’t interrupt me.” Julia playfully whacked him on the arm. “Or I will pack up my test tubes and Petri dishes and go home.”

“No, don’t do that, Babushka.” He pretended to be alarmed to pander to her.

“The victims were allergic to silver.” She suddenly announced.

“The nine decapitated bodies were beheaded by silver swords, which all of the nine victims were allergic to?” Griggori’s eyebrows rose.

“All nine of the decapitated, OO Negative bodies were allergic to the silver weapons used on them, no doubt which is why they were used.” Julia said confidently. “And look at the bite marks on the three OO Negative victims, whose faces were chewed through and are missing half of their heads and brain tissue…”

Griggori forced himself to look at the disgusting pictures on the screen, “the bite marks look like they were made by the same animal that attacked two of the OO Positive victims.”

“Correct.” Julia smiled on proudly. “Complete with traces of OO Positive DNA in the OO Negative victims wounds. The police 236 years ago tried to autopsy the twelve OO Negative victims, as was procedure then as it is today. However they were only able to do so on half of the victims in the first seven days they were brought in. Because…”

He watched her hit several new commands and the picture changed again. However what he saw next, made him do a double take.

“But – but – but Julia, I don’t understand. I thought you wanted to show me pictures of the autopsy?” Griggori pondered.

“Look at what happened to the OO Negative bodies after seven days in the coroner’s morgue.” Julia urged.

“But I can’t see any bodies…? All I see is that strange, multi-coloured dirt.”

“That dirt is the bodies, Griggori.” Julia spoke softly, to let her words sink in. “The rapid decomposition is astounding, da?”

Griggori blinked and then he blinked again, “but if that’s what happened to the flesh then what happened to the skeletons?”

“The biological ash you are looking at, is the residue left from the flesh and bones of the OO Negative victims. It is from both of the decapitated and the eaten victims.” Julia said simply. “And look at the three OO Positive victims whose time of death and same manner matches the OO Negative victims.”

After Julia hit another command, Griggori was looking at three normal bodies again, or so he thought.

“They look completely normal.” Griggori shrugged.

“Da, they LOOK normal, but if you analyzed their cellular construction and their DNA make up?” She changed the picture to show confusing graphs and medical results which left Griggori lost. “Their DNA primarily scans as human, but see here, every second or third sequence? It is still unidentified by any scientific standards, but we know it is directly linked to their OO Positive genes.”

He blinked again and then again, at the data on the screen as she continued.

“And if you see here, look at the bone as well as the muscle density. It’s at least five times more compressed than normal bone density and muscular tissue. These three OO Positive subjects would have been physically very strong with immune systems that could even repel cancer; especially the kinds of cancers as were prevalent straight after the War from the nuclear fallout. Their cellular mutation has hardened their muscles and even their skin.”

“Then are you saying they were bullet proof?” Griggori tried to joke.

“To normal bullets, then da.” Julia answered seriously, which wiped away his smile. “Normal bullets could injure but not destroy them. But if they were shot with silver bullets? Nyet. OO Positive and OO Negative subjects share a common allergy which is silver. It was a silver sword used to decapitate the OO Negative victims. It was a silver sword used to impale through the heart, the older male OO Positive subject.”

Griggori leaned forward against the bench top that Julia’s computer was sitting on, as he thoughtfully stared at the touch-screen computer. Julia recognized his expression, he was piecing together the dots. She smiled to herself, almost seeing the clogs in his brain turn.

“Were the twelve OO Negative victims from 236 years ago, also dated in an autopsy?” Griggori next asked.

“Da and nyet.” Julia said elusively. “From the tissue and DNA samples taken from the twelve OO Negative victims before rapid decomposition, aging was inconclusive.”

“Why?” Griggori straightened as he gave her quizzical look.

“Those OO Negative victims and your latest OO Negative corpse you found five days ago? The tissue samples taken from skin, muscles and several major organs…” Julia faltered.

“Da?”

“Their bodies appeared to be in a form of biological stasis.”

“What?” Griggori turned to face her directly.

“The skin, muscles and heart tissue was of a twenty-something year old woman.” Julia implied Griggori’s latest case. “But from the cells that were taken from the other organs such as the liver? Those cells were necrotized.”

“What was that?” Griggori frowned. “You mean my victim had liver disease?”

“Nyet.” Her voice dropped and she looked uncomfortable even saying this.
“Her liver was dead and from the preserved state it was in; I would say it as well as several other organs hadn’t worked in quite some time, perhaps even years.”

“But this – this - this is impossible!” Griggori’s voice rose in disbelief. “When I ran a background check on her, her medical records showed no visits to any hospitals, nor doctors. If this woman was dying from organ failure, she would have been in a hospital! Not in a nightclub, where she died outside of, by a large animal attack in the middle of a city! A mysterious animal attack which managed to evade eye witnesses and create electrical interference so the digital security cameras recorded only static…”

As he prattled on, his voice lowered as if he heard how ridiculous all of this sounded. Next, Julia watched him rub his forehead with his right hand, showing his stress. She put a sympathetic hand on his arm.

“You can see why the first case 236 years ago was ‘swept under the rug’, da?” She said ruefully. “Who can accurately investigate a case such as this? Abnormal seems to apply.”

“Or paranormal.” He muttered, looking away.

“Hmm?” She didn’t catch that.

“Julia.” He turned back to his amore. “Can you do something for me?”

“Of course Griggori, name it.”

“Are the police records from 236 years ago accurate enough that you can use the original sample taken from our OO Positive friend and compare it to the OO Positive sample you found on our latest OO Negative victim?”

“I could try… DNA sequencing was just starting to be used by Police Forensics then.” She frowned. “Why? What are you thinking, Griggori?”

“I’m betting that aside from our victim from five days ago; doing a search on one specific DNA sample such as on our OO Positive comrade, we’ll find many more cases that have been ‘swept under the rug’.”

Julia’s blanched, “do you want me to comb through Forensics reports for the last 236 years?”

“Please Julia?” He even took hold of her hand for effect. “I’ll help! I will look through the World Wide Police Database for large animal attacks or murders where the instrument of death was by silver sword. Then could you go through the Forensics reports of these cases, primarily the DNA samples?”

Julia faltered, as it was nearing her shift and she was looking forward to getting out of the lab, not more work inside of it.

“I’ll have dinner delivered and consider this a date.” Grigorri wheeled over his lab chair to sit on again. “We’ll even play your favourite music to listen to, while we work.” To demonstrate this, he hit another command on her touch-screen computer and next the late 20th Century musician Brian Eno filled the lab.

“Grigorri…” she smilingly shook her head as she gave in, “…you owe me whatever hours I put in the lab tonight, later in the bedroom.”

“Fair is fair.” He chuckled in agreement.

“Candles, Griggori! Scented candles and massages! This includes foot massages!” She waved her finger in his face.

“Of course, Babushka.”

~~~~~~~~~~

From 4 PM to 2 AM the pair worked solidly away in a comfortable silence, with music playing softly in the background.

As Grigorri searched the World Wide Police Database for ‘wild animal attacks’ which primarily involved OO Positive and OO Negative DNA, he was surprised by the many results emerged in the last 236 years. What also astounded him, was the fact that these reports came from all over the globe, from multiple countries. What linked these cases aside from the unusual DNA, was how the perpetrator was never found.

He saw cases where either OO Positive and OO Negative victims had killed the other. He read numerous instances where OO Positive or OO Negative perpetrators killed normal people. He read over hundreds of ‘missing persons’ files, where OO Positive or OO Negative DNA was found at the scene of the crime. Unfortunately in these instances, the kidnapped were never recovered and the kidnapper was never caught.

Griggorri rubbed his forehead as he stared, disheartened at the touch-screen computer. What was becoming apparent to him, was of a world wide global phenomenon or even a conspiracy occurring. These OO Positive and OO Negative perpetrators were getting away with murder, literally. He didn’t mind reading of cases where these two instigators attacked and/ or destroyed each other, but with the disappearances or the deaths of innocent bystanders? It put his teeth on edge.

At 7 PM they paused from their research for a fifteen minute dinner break of Chinese Take Away which Griggori had delivered. He knew Julia’s favourites were the Spring Rolls, Chicken and Cashew as well as the Steamed Rice. He was sure to order all of her favourites to thank her, as well as a couple extra ones for himself. He considerately left the last Spring Roll for her. As they surrounded themselves with a murderous world wide conspiracy; he wanted to at least provide for his loved one in some small way.

What they ordered with their Chinese Delivery, were caffeinated sodas to help them on their late night quest. Around 11 PM Julia tossed her third empty can into the bin. Griggori congratulated her on her excellent throw from her seat, as the bin was on the far side of the wall.

At 1.59 AM she rubbed her stinging eyes, before she yawned loudly. He thought he would rest his weary eyes, by watching her pick up the half empty chicken container and her used chopsticks. She lazily sat back in her seat and finished off the cold leftovers.

“Griggori.” She began.

“Da Babushka?” he answered.

“Don’t call me that, not at work.” She flashed him a warning look which was negated by her smile after it.

Griggori pretended to look around the empty lab – empty of people anyways – as he looked back innocently.

“I don’t think we are going to get in trouble about lack of professionalism, not tonight. There is also nobody here to mind my calling you a pet name.” He gave her a goofy grin.

“Griggori.” She returned to her original train of thought.

“Da Babushka?”

She playfully kicked his leg as she continued, “I have noticed something about the DNA samples of the OO Negative and the OO Positive subjects in the different cases you found.”

“Da?”

“Most of the samples differ.”

“Do you mean by different perpetrators?”

“Da and Nyet.” She sighed thoughtfully. “I mean, sometimes it’s the same perpetrator or perpetrators. But I have found differences as well as similarities.”

“Tell me Babushka.” He affectionately pulled her seat closer to him, so she could put her feet up in his lap, which she was quick to do.

“I believe there are several different species of - whatever it is - OO Negative we are dealing with. The different species appear to have differing physical characteristics, which were found by the different bite marks and even the different saliva taken. Some of the OO Negative saliva samples contained a biological excretion delivered via fangs, which either incapacitated or killed the victims, just like a snake bite.” Julia frowned.

This made Griggori sit up straighter as if she had just thrown cold water on him.

She continued to eat her cold food with her chopsticks, “the OO Negative species require feeding on fresh blood to replenish their near-necrotized bodies. This theory can be supported by the differing puncture wounds primarily on a victim’s major arteries such as the jugular. The OO Negative species appear to need to paralyze or incapacitate their victims, to drink from them.”

“Or keep them still and unable to fight back, with their fangs stuck in their major arteries.” Griggori said bitterly.

Julia went on, unperturbed and still eating, “from the different bite marks made by OO Positives, it also appears there are different kinds. The OO Positives do not have venom, but they appear stronger than the OO Negatives. The OO Positives do not appear to incapacitate their victims. They use strong jaws which can easily break bone, let alone muscle tissue. The OO Positives does not feed off blood, but their infection is transmittable by blood. There appear to be less OO Positives victims because with their greater strength, they’re harder to injure.”

“As you confirmed with your analysis on the stronger and more compact OO Positive skin, muscle and bone density.” Griggori gave a nod.

“And although the OO Positives are physically stronger than the OO Negative species, you would think that the majority of the murder cases we have looked through, would be made by OO Positives. Nyet. The majority of the murders were performed by OO Negative species and it’s escalating.”

“Escalating?” Griggori echoed in horror.

“From analyzing the cases, the majority of the murders or kidnappings were performed by OO Negative species and the numbers are increasing. The OO Positives kill intermittently and most of their victims have been OO Negative species. I am willing to postulate that the OO Negative species is not only feeding on human blood, but also on OO Positive blood. It would make sense. If I were a species that had necrotized organs so I could no longer produce my own red and white cells, I would feed on a species who had an abundance of these.” Julia shrugged.

“So do you think the OO Positives are fighting back in self defense?” Grigorri thought out loud.

“That is a reason. However there have also been attacks made by OO Positives on normal humans, although primarily they attack OO Negative.” Julia pointed out. “Which brings us to your first question.”

“It does?”

Both Julia and Griggori moved in their seats to view her touch-screen computer better, as she reluctantly relinquished her cold leftovers.

“I have been able to isolate several saliva samples in the victims’ bites to allocate them to specific members of the OO Negative and the OO Positive species.” Julia announced. “And I believe I have even found the perpetrator of your latest crime.”

“You have?” He almost jumped up from his seat in excitement.

“But Griggori, I must warn you. I do not think you will be able to take this information to your Lieutenant.”

“But why?”

“Your OO Positive murderer of your latest OO Negative victim, is the one and the same. It’s the same OO Positive whom killed his own kind as well as the OO Negative victims found 236 years ago.”

“But that is impossible!” Griggori argued. “You’re a scientist Julia! How can you say such a thing?”

“Let us review the facts.” She spoke crisply, as she operated her computer to show different forensics reports as she spoke. “I will call this particular member of the OO Positives, Mr. X.”

“Very well.” He waved it off. “How can you link Mr. X to the murders nearly 250 years ago?”

“Mr. X’s saliva was found on one of the twelve OO Negative species, who were missing a face and half of a head. Mr. X’s saliva was also found on the younger male OO Positives wounded neck; and on the mauled female member of the OO Positives. It would appear that Mr. X and these two OO Positives were also of the same species. It would also appear that from other saliva samples taken from the twelve OO Negative species, the other two whose faces and heads had been eaten through; the younger male killed one of those twelve. From the blood found in the mouth of the older male OO Positive who had been impaled, he too had killed one of the twelve OO Negative victims.”

“The same species of OO Positives attacked the twelve OO Negatives together and then they turned on each other?” Griggori summed up.

“Da.”

“Can you postulate a reason why?”

Julia looked on unimpressed, “Forensics can uncover a lot, but not everything. Motive is your job, Detective!”

He chuckled at how easily she fired up, “my apologies Babushka. Please continue.”

“Mr. X’s saliva turned up in several more bodies found over the years. He or it, does not appear to be selective in his victims nor his meals, as he has fed on several other species of OO Positives, OO Negatives, human or animal.” Julia frowned, disconcerted by ‘Mr. Xs’ eating habits.

“Tell me in linear order.” Griggori requested. He hated to see his usually unflappable romantic partner, unnerved.

“In China in 2226 AD, a large group of grey wolves were found dead in a remote area of the country. Some of them had been killed by a silver sword, however most of them had been eaten by a larger animal. The saliva in these wounds belonged to Mr. X.”

“Wolves? Why would Mr. X eat grey wolves?” Griggori wondered.

“As I said before, Mr. X is not a particular eater.” Julia coolly reminded. “May I also remind you that motive is your department!”

“Yes of course Babushka. Please continue.” He smiled and then rubbed her leg affectionately.

“In Scotland in 2236, there was a reported robbery. When the Police came out to investigate, large amounts of OO Negative blood was found at the scene of the crime.” Julia began. “As well as a sample of OO Positive blood.”

“Wait, I remember this case! I read this tonight.” He brought up the case file on his own touch-screen computer. “Nothing significant was stolen, but the house was trashed. It appeared to be the scene of another crime with the large amount of blood on the walls and floors.”

“Several samples of OO Positive saliva were found mixed in with the OO Negative blood. From analyzing the composition of the saliva, it appeared that there were two different kinds of OO Positives involved. Mr. X appeared to work in conjunction with another type of OO Positive. You see the differing third and fourth sequences here in the DNA? Whomever fought with Mr. X was also OO Positive but they were a different type of species of OO Positive.” Julia pointed out several more medical charts on her own computer. “With his cohorts, from the amount of blood at the scene it would have been enough to have belonged to at least ten different OO Negative murder victims. But the OO Negative murder victims must have fought back, as there was a blood stain which belonged to the different type of OO Positive.”

“So Mr. X broke into somebody’s house to have a ‘Murder Mystery Dinner Party’?” Griggori said sarcastically. “Perhaps somebody should teach our Mr. X the art of dining out?”

“In New Orleans in 2240 there was a ‘wild animal attack’ blamed for three human deaths. But Mr. X’s saliva was taken from the mauled human victims.” Julia went on.

“I looked at this case as well.” He went along with her, typing onto his touch-screen again. “This large creature was supposed to look like a huge, hairless, albino bear but DNA analysis put it in the canidae family. Several security cameras caught footage of the anomaly. Police couldn’t fathom how this mystery animal vanished from the middle of a city, as well as leapt across rooftops over four-laned roads whilst running at 300 km/h.”

Julia stood up and came over for a look at what Griggori had, which he put on ‘replay’ again to show her. Her eyes widened as she watched the blurry image run across the New Orleans city skyline. Then he showed her another security footage that was taken, of the creature running down a European city street alongside of traffic before safely leaping over the cars.

“What’s this?” Julia queried.

“When the ‘animal’ or ‘Mr. X’ or our OO Positive or whatever you want to call him; mauled the three humans, the New Orleans Police liaised with the Police in St. Petersburg. The St Petersburg Police thought the attack in New Orleans was similar to the attacks made on the twelve OO Negatives and three OO Positives in the year 2145. They handed over security camera footage of a creature they could not classify other than a ‘mutant bear’, run down their city streets at speeds reaching 300 km/h. Coincidentally, it was the same night the fifteen victims met their demise.” Griggori now narrated for her.

The security footage was over 236 years old, blurry, poorly lit and confusing. Julia had to lean in closer for a better look, which Griggori didn’t mind about. His arm even crept around her waist as he rubbed her back.

“Wait, play it again.” She urged to which he obeyed. “You see the colouring of the skin? It’s the same light tanned colour, as well as hairless. I think this is the same creature, as it also moves the exact same way. And what is on his back?”

“St Petersburg Police thought it was the female OO Positive victim that he was carrying away to feed on.” He mused.

“It’s an unusual way to carry his dinner, on his back like that and not over his shoulder and see here? Her legs are wrapped around its waist and she’s holding onto his shoulders. Ah ha! Did you see that? When he leapt over the busy intersection, his right claw grabbed onto her legs, like he was trying to keep her from falling off and hurting herself! It was like it was caring for her, protecting her.” Julia spoke excitedly, hitting the ‘rewind’, ‘play’ and ‘pause’ controls to illustrate her point.

“So Mr. X isn’t a wild animal, but it’s an animal that’s accustomed to humans. It’s an animal that has befriended them.” Griggori frowned thoughtfully. “What else have you found, Julia?”

She walked back over to her computer to sit down and continue on with her Forensics report.

“In Peru in 2290, there was a disturbance in a roadhouse restaurant just outside of a small town. Several teenaged boys attacked a married couple. However it wasn’t the married couple who were injured in this altercation; it was the youths. The husband was exceptionally strong and wasn’t even wounded when a wooden chair was smashed over his head. Neither he nor his wife pressed charges and instead they hastily departed before the Police arrived. Since the couple were not present and the local youths had also left in a hurry, no-one was arrested. The Police did scan the restaurant however as part of procedure, so the owner of the restaurant could make an insurance claim for repairs. On the glasses, cutlery and plates that the married couple ate and drank from, were traces of OO Positive saliva.” Julia read out.

“A married couple? As in, a HUMAN married couple?” Griggori looked on with a stunned expression. “A human married couple with OO Positive saliva?”

“They may have looked human, but they were OO Positive that I am sure.” She said stubbornly. “Look, her OO Positive saliva is of the same species of the blood samples taken in Scotland years previously, along with Mr. X’s. And Griggori, look at the husband’s DNA.”

“It’s our Mr. X…” his mouth dropped open, “…he pops up two hundred years after St Petersburg and in human form?”

Just then he rolled his chair back to his computer as he hurriedly typed in several commands.

“What are you doing?” Julia watched him work.

“I’m logging into the South American Police Database to bring up the case file. What was the name of the restaurant at the roadhouse? What was the exact date? I’m going to see if I can bring up any security camera footage.”

She spouted off the details to him and then she paused. He noticed her hesitation and momentarily glanced away from his computer to see her staring at hers.

“Babushka?”

“Um, I just noticed something about the dates of when our Mr. X appears.” Julia nervously wet her lips.

“Da?”

“The incidents usually occur around August, as if it’s important to Mr. and Mrs. X. They travel the most around this time of the year. As predators they would need to move around to prevent being caught which would interfere with their feeding pattern. But what is the importance of this month?” She pondered.

This made Griggori hesitate before he suggested, “a wedding anniversary? You did say they were a married couple.”

“Mr. and Mrs. X have been married for decades or centuries even.” She blanched.

“They’ve certainly beaten the divorce statistics.” He gave her a rueful smile. Just then his attention was taken away from her when his computer beeped at him. “Got it!”

Julia rolled her chair over to his position to watch the new video. She frowned, “this isn’t a restaurant!”

“The security camera footage of the roadhouse restaurant is ‘missing’ from the South American Police Databanks, which is an interesting coincidence is it not? However, there still exists security camera footage of the power pumps outside, of when the couple recharged their hover-car before going into the restaurant.” He preened. “Am I good or am I good?”

“Play the footage!” She playfully slapped his thigh.

“Da Babushka.”

The two quieted as they watched in normal time, of a hover-car powering down beside a power pump outside of the roadhouse’s restaurant.

A tall man with blonde hair and a strong build, hopped out of the driver’s side. He plugged the power cord into the battery and as he worked, he appeared to be talking to someone inside the vehicle. Once the battery was recharged, he unplugged the power cable and went into the office of the roadhouse to pay.

“You should check the Credit Card transactions of the roadhouse that day!” Julia hissed excitedly.

“I’m right ahead of you.” Griggori nodded towards a small box in the corner of the screen which showed the list of times and names of the Credit Cards charged that day.

Julia threw him a quick smile before they returned their attention to the security camera footage.

With the hover-car charged, Mr. X parked it in one of the available car spaces of the roadhouse’s restaurant. Then he climbed out again and hesitated, as if he were waiting for someone. Next, the passenger’s side door opened and a tall woman who looked younger than Mr. X with long, black hair stepped out. Together, with an attentive arm about his wife, Mr. X escorted his younger looking wife into the restaurant and even opened the door for her. Then that was the end of the security camera footage.

“But they appeared so…” she faltered.

“…normal?” He said for her. “He may look older than his wife, if we’re counting the time between the murders correctly. But he and Mrs. X had been married for over 200 years when this footage was taken.”

“Why do you think this is the same woman he has been married to all these years?”

He replayed the St Petersburg footage for her again, this time in slow motion. The woman on the back of the creature, had similar long, black hair. Julia caught on, as she also rewound the footage and replayed the scene of Mr. X escorting his wife inside of the restaurant.

“You’re right, Mrs. X appears to be the same woman. Look at his mannerisms towards her. He’s polite and he has old fashioned manners. He treats his wife with respect and consideration.” She frowned as she leaned forward on the bench, to have a closer look.

“Here.” He changed the subject. “Around the time that the incident was reported, there were three transactions done that could be Mr. X; Juan El Salvadore, Julio Presario and Declan Sabre.”

“With his blonde hair, I doubt he’s a local.” She smirked.

“Nyet.” He chuckled in agreement. “Out of the three names, the one that sounds the less South American would be Declan Sabre.”

Now Julia watched him begin an international search on this name in the World Wide Web Police Database.

“Search for all references to that name in the past 236 years or maybe longer.” She suggested. “If he’s really as old as we think he is, he may have used a couple of different aliases to hide his age and his true identity.”

Griggori tickled her back, “remind me, who’s the Detective here?”

She giggled and playfully slapped his hands away, when they were interrupted. Within thirty seconds, his computer beeped out its answer. On display were several USA driver’s licenses for a Declan Sabre. But what surprised them, were how many driver’s licenses had been pulled up for the specified timeframe.

“Look at this…” he sucked in his breath, “…the first drivers license starts in 2101 AD and he has the appearance of a twenty something human male, with blonde hair and blue eyes. The next drivers’ license starts 2151 then another in 2201, in 2251, in 2301, in 2351 and lastly in 2364. But look at his photos in the drivers licenses. At first he appears to be in his twenties, then thirties, his forties, his fifties and then his sixties. But on his latest license, which is the current one?”

“He looks like he’s twenty years old again.” She finished for him.

“How is this possible?” He shook his head in disbelief. “How did the U.S Government or the U.S Medical Authorities not pick this up?”

“Ah ha! Look at the date of births on each of the licenses. Each new license has a new date of birth. Now let’s do a search for his birth certificates, which would have had to have been provided when applying for the licenses…” Julia pressed in some new commands on his computer, “…look Griggori! Look at the name of the hospital on each of the birth certificates; Hodge Endeavor Medical Facilities! These birth certificates were issued from the Hodge Endeavor Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska where this Declan Sabre supposedly lives.”

“How convenient for a huge, multinational corporation that is politically connected up its arse; to be on both the birth certificates and the death certificates of our Mr. X.” His eyes flashed angrily. “If the authorities saw the Hodge Endeavor name on the certificates, no one would be game to call the Hospital liars.”

“Not if they didn’t want to get on the bad side of many of the world’s governments, who probably owe billions of credits to Hodge Endeavor.” She scowled in agreement before she prompted, “let’s do a search on the wife.”

“Excellent idea.”

Next, Griggori ran a search through the USA’s Department of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

“Ah, Mrs. X is known as Bianca Sabre, but wait...” he frowned in confusion, “…like Declan Sabre, she appears on the grid in the year 2101, but there is nothing prior to this year.”

“I remember reading between the years 2062 to 2101; the world was in an information blackout since the Governments squandered technology and medical resources. There was lawlessness with people fighting their neighbors for unpolluted land and natural resources. Police Forces were no longer in operation, with the Military called in, instead. Thousands of people were dying every day, either from radiation caused sicknesses, or they were outright murdered. Poverty in former ‘First World’ countries put them in the same position of former ‘Third World’ countries, before it was ruled out by resources being shared with the signing of the ‘Apology Admission’. But during the nuclear fallout, hospitals were either shut down or were operating with only First Aid kits and inexperienced staff. Records such as birth certificates or death certificates were thrown to the wind, especially with the high rate of infant mortality.” She recanted the history books.

“When the U.S. Government reorganized itself in 2101, drivers’ licenses, birth certificates, death certificates and marriage certificates became mandatory again.” Griggori half speculated and the other half, read off the screen.
“The first driver’s license in 2101 was issued for Declan Sabre, with no birth certificates provided to prove his age, since none were issued during this period of unrest after World War Three. The Government simply took his word regarding his age. It is when the following licenses were issued, that false birth certificates were issued by Hodge Endeavor.”

“Then it would be the same for Bianca Sabre.” Julia nodded, urging him on.

“In 2101 a drivers’ license was also issued for a Bianca Sabre. A U.S. Government Census was run in the same year. The Government counted its citizens as it formed a new Social Security database and had Declan Sabre and Bianca Sabre married. Look at their address on their licenses and Credit Card records, it’s always the same address.”

“I see it; 5 Hill Road, Lokoti Tribal Lands, Lokoti National Park… which is situated in the Alaska Range 4.5 hours north of Anchorage.” She rolled her chair back to her computer to bring up a GPS picture of the address.

The satellite photo showed a picturesque scene of unpolluted nature; blue rivers running through green woods, in the valleys between the snowy peaks of the Alaska Range. Griggori craned his neck to see her screen and ended up staring in longing.

“A pretty picture, da?” She noticed his expression.

He cleared his throat as he returned to his own computer. “Bianca Sabre’s address stays the same for nearly 300 years, as does Declan Sabre. Whereas she doesn’t age, her name slightly changes with each new drivers’ license and so does her hairstyle. But it’s still the same person, at the same address, living with a Declan Sabre. Look at this Julia...”

She rolled her chair back over to his side to see where he was looking at on his screen.

He pointed out, “she starts off as Bianca Sabre then with each new license she receives in the same year as Declan Sabre; her date of birth changes as does her surname. She’s been Bianca Wisetail, Bianca Riverclaw, Bianca Carmichael, Bianca Worthall, Bianca Baker and now look, do you see here? She’s back to being Bianca Sabre.”

“Dr. Bianca Sabre.” She smilingly corrected him, reading the ‘Dr.’ in the title. “But what is she a doctor in?”

Griggori hit a new command to reply, “she has a PhD in Ancient History.”

“But look at this, so did all of her incarnations!” Julia pointed out, growing excited. “She never changes careers, nor does she age! Declan Sabre slowly aged with each new drivers license before his age reset back to his twenties but not her. Her surname and hairstyles are the only things that change.”

“Just as their residential address is always the same.” He shook his head in amazement.

“They’ve been married for the past two hundred years?” She asked, fascinated.

“Um…” he checked the records, “…a marriage certificate was processed for the couple each time a new drivers’ license was applied for.”

She joked, “maybe the divorce statistics back then weren’t as high as they are today.”

That made him do a double take. He looked at his beloved Babushka in surprise, as he pondered if that was a hint she was kicking him with? However he moved on as he cleared his throat.

“But look how often the name Hodge Endeavor comes up. They issued all of Mr. and Mrs. X’s birth certificates and death certificates. It’s the Hodge Endeavor International Law Department that handles their passports, visas, marriage certificates and even most of their finances.”

“How are their finances?” Julia postured.

“They have separate bank accounts.” He observed, using his police credentials to view their credit history. “They have never been in debt, with no loans issued. They have never had a bad credit rating. Let’s view their bank balances, shall we?”

He hit a new command but then he nearly fell off his chair from shock!

She moved closer to see. “What is it? What have you found?”

He silently pointed out Bianca Sabre’s bank balance, unable to say it.

But she could, albeit with a shrill voice; “twenty million credits?!” Then she asked jealously, “is this Mrs. X’s personal account?”

“Da.” He nodded. “She has two, one for savings and the other for day to day spending. She earns a comfortable income from her part time academic work, which is deposited into her day to day account. But look at where most of the money is coming in, into her savings account…” he pointed at the large sums of credits which were deposited on a quarterly basis.

“Hodge Endeavor Shares And Stock Exchange. So not only is Hodge Endeavor International Law Department helping to hide their real ages, but the company is investing their money for them too?”

“The company could have been doing this for centuries, always making the right investments for her, as it fills up her purse.” He thought aloud again. “Think about it Julia, the multinational corporation has been around longer than even Mr. and Mrs. X, for all we know.”

Julia listened, mildly surprised as Griggori showed off his knowledge of what he knew of Hodge Endeavour;

“The company began in the early 20th Century, starting out as a Pharmaceutical company which branched into medical bio-engineering. It made its money with cutting-edge technology in the field of medicine and then computer science. After World War Two, the company began a subdivision which worked on the Stock Market, known as The Hodge Endeavor Shares And Stock Exchange. Its clientele are select and when compared to other financial companies, they have never made a bad investment nor lost money. Numerous times over the centuries the company has been audited but it has always come out clean. As the company continued to grow, it formed many political alliances since its select clientele coincidentally work for several governments. It helped with the ‘Apology Admission’ that was signed by all of the world’s governments in 2101; by sponsoring financial, medical and educational aid to the former Third World countries, putting them on par with the rest of the world’s economies.”

“I remember reading about it.” She nodded. “The Board of Hodge Endeavor were nearly made Saints by the Roman Catholic Church when it footed the massive bill. But the Chairman at that time Vincent Moher, politely declined the Church’s offer.”

“Now with the company sponsoring deep space exploration missions run by I.S.F?” He looked on concerned. “This company has its finger in every pot, especially where scientific discoveries are made. It’s like the company already knows what kind of alien microbes that ISF – International Space Fleet – are going to find on other planets! Just like it’s never made a bad investment yet.”

“And this is the same global corporation that’s protecting Mr. and Mrs. X; our OO Positives who are not meant to exist, scientifically speaking.” Julia arched her left eyebrow quizzically.

“Hodge Endeavor certainly knows more than it’s letting on.” He said with annoyance as he stood up. “And now we have the proof of it!”

“What proof, Griggori?” She returned. “Similar looking photos and similar names through the centuries? You’re going to accuse Hodge Endeavor for protecting Mr. and Mrs. X?” She started to laugh bitterly. “You would be worse than demoted, you would be fired! Then Hodge Endeavor could turn around and sue you, looking like the injured party.”

“But the drivers licenses Julia…” Griggori pointed at the screen adamantly.

“With birth and death certificates provided by a Hodge Endeavor hospital. You would be seen as spiteful, as biting the hand that feeds you. Hodge Endeavor Hospitals provide free health care to the financially disadvantaged. So if you pointed at the company that the Roman Catholic Church wanted to grant a Sainthood?” She debated with him. “You would be ridiculed, not them.”

“But Mr. X is a murderer! Declan Sabre’s DNA has been found on dozens of victims for the past 236 years!” Griggori fired up.

“Then let’s build a murder case on Declan Sabre for his latest victim, the female OO Negative subject that was found five days ago.” Julia spoke calmly. “Let’s use scientific basis that places him at the scene of this crime. This evidence could incarcerate him for twenty years. In the very least, our attention could effect his future activities, knowing his crimes are under the microscope.”

He stood up from his chair to walk a little away, as he thought hard on her words. She stared at his back, wishing she could read his thoughts. But she didn’t have to wait long to find out, as after a minute or two he turned back around to smile softly on his amore.

“Well Julia, what do you think? Do you fancy a trip to Alaska?” He offered.

“You want me to come with you?” Her eyebrows rose in surprise.

“Of course. Can you imagine the reaction if we tried to share our theories with another Police Officer?” He scoffed.

“I can be packed and ready to go within an hour.” She smiled excited at the chance to accomplish two things by this. She looked forward to working outside of her lab and to spend time with the man she loved.

Griggori looked up at the digital clock on the wall, “the Kiev Trans Port have international shuttle flights departing at 6 AM. I’ll book us seats to Anchorage and then to Alma, which is located next to the Lokoti National Park. In Alma we can pick up a rental hover-car. I’ll meet you at the Trans Port at 5.30 AM!”

With that, he spun on his heel and departed via the exit, with Julia noting that he strutted like a man with a purpose. He had forgotten to give her his traditional kiss goodbye, but she didn’t mind. She was happy that she was helping her loved one save lives by stopping a killer.

“I’ll clean up, shall I?” She tiredly looked at the mess of take-away containers sitting around the computers.

Once she had cleared away the food mess, she saved all of the files she and Griggori had produced onto her smaller laptop. Then she slid it into her carry bag to take with her. With her bag now holding the incriminating evidence, she shut down carefully the computers which held records of all of the DNA samples taken from the OO Positive and OO Negative subjects, before she too departed the lab.

However she halted outside of the door to the lab and issued a command of her own; “computer, lights off and lock the lab door. Nobody but Level 3 Officers may enter.”

The main computer for Kiev Police Forensics Labs complied, beeping its response as the automatic door swished shut and she heard the locking mechanism engage.

Tiredly, with her bag slung over her shoulder; she meandered down the empty main corridor towards the large entrance of the building.

Back inside, her dark lab lay quiet. It was only disturbed by the small flashes of lightening from the storm outside which was only now, dying away. The storm looked all the more distant, through the thick security glass which made up the windows of the lab…

…

…but it was a storm nonetheless, I recognized this detailed dream as a sign.

My eyes snapped open as my heart raced. I was no longer seeing a Police Forensics Lab inside of my mind. Instead, my eyes were staring up at the ceiling in the morning light, of my bedroom inside of the Sabre household.

It took me a minute or two to regain my bearings and recognize physical sight instead of my gifted sight. I blinked and then I blinked again, as my mind fully returned to Alaska. I lay on my back, breathing deeply to slow my racing heart.

Eventually, I turned my head to look at the digital clock sitting on my bedside table; 7.49 AM.

Were the Sabre’s awake, principally Aunt B and Uncle Dec? I wanted to run into their bedrooms and deliver my warning. I knew they would believe what I had ‘seen’ in my sleep, but what would their reaction be?

Would they try to harm the European Police Officers, Griggori and Julia whose last names escaped me? I hope not, I felt the love between them as if I had been physically in the lab instead of psychically eavesdropping. They had a future together, I was sure of it. Could we think of a peaceful solution instead that prevented Uncle Declan’s arrest?

The smell of bacon and eggs cooking filled my bedroom, indicating that he was awake and preparing food for the family as usual – which now included me.

Uncle Declan wasn’t really a cold-blooded murderer as the Police thought. But how to make them see this, without exposing the Sabre family and the Lokoti Tribe’s secret? Now that would be tricky.

Oh Grandpapa in Heaven – what do I do?

Anxiously I jumped out of bed, not caring about dressing as I flung open my bedroom door. I raced down the upstairs hallway in my striped flannel pajamas, as I approached the staircase. But just as I started down the stairs, I suddenly stopped.

Below, I saw the Sabre family congregated around the table in their pajamas, with Uncle Dec carrying people’s plates out to them from the kitchen. He and Aunt B were wearing robes over their pajamas, as he slept simply in a pair of boxer shorts or she in a negligee. Susanna was wearing her ‘Scooby Doo’ pajamas, Sophia was wearing royal purple coloured, silk pajamas. Lucia sat in a white singlet top, plain white boxers and white socks. Aside from the majority of the family members exhibiting supernaturally inflated muscles? They looked just like a regular family preparing to eat their Saturday morning breakfast.

“Mali, you’re right on time.” Uncle Dec greeted, as he turned back towards the kitchen to fetch more food. “Pull up a seat.”

But I couldn’t… not with the bad news I was carrying on my shoulders.

Aunt B noticed my hesitation and she frowned. “Mali, what’s up?”

I looked into her dark blue eyes and my mouth opened to answer, but I couldn’t find my voice.

Lucia and Sophia noticed this, as they looked up from their delicious breakfasts.

“Mali, are you OK?” Lucia looked on concerned.

“Spit it out!” Sophia prompted. “Our breakfast is going cold!”

Just then Uncle Dec returned to the table carrying the last two plates of food. He put down my plate with the smaller portion at my place at the table, before he put down his which was almost overflowing from the amount of eggs, bacon, mushrooms and hash browns that were crammed onto it.

My wide eyes met Uncle Dec’s bright blue ones, as he didn’t sit down from seeing the expression on my face.

“I had another storm dream.” I proclaimed, looking at Aunt B before back at my Uncle. “They’re coming to get you…”

His eyes narrowed as he squared his shoulders confidently as if he thought that I meant more Vampires. His demeanor said it all, ‘let’s just see them try!’

“Who Mali?” Aunt B stood up in alarm. “Who are coming?”

“The European Union Police Force.”

~~~~~~~


Author notes

Thanks so much for reading 'Alma Introduction' and I hope you enjoyed. If this has enticed you to read more, click on 'View onaya3's Portfolilo' as I will be posting the first ten chapters here on Writing.Com.

The Circulate Series
Circulate © K.R. Smith, 1st ed. 2005.
ISBN: 978-0-646-53776-4
Scent © K.R. Smith, 2010.
ISBN: 978-0-646-53730-6
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