“Are they still there?”
“Yeah. They have your serum they’re trying to tweak.”
“How many of them are there?”
“Fourteen. Thirteen scientists and Clayton Cole.”
“Excellent! Now, can you do me a favor, Andree?”
“Anything to get rid of the vile bunch,” Andree said vehemently.
“No matter what, keep them there. I want to surprise them and then kill them.”
“I will do my best.”
“But you must not, under any circumstances, tell them I am coming. Are we clear?”
“Yes. How long until you get here?”
“We’re about forty minutes out.”
“Okay.”
“Remember to keep them there, Andree, and you will be rewarded.”
Andree was beside herself. “Will I get another blood droplet on my wrist?”
“Yes, I will make sure of it,” Maryl promised.
“Okay, but I have to tell you something! Someone here that knows computers went on my computer and found the folder you had sent me.”
Silence.
“Did you send it to the people I told you too?”
“Yes!”
“And the second password notification. Was the information obtained?”
“The second notification was used, and the folder and files were deleted. If someone managed to glean what was on those files, I do not know.”
“Okay. I’m glad you still have it in your email attachment. We’ll be there shortly.”
“Bye!” Andree hung up and sprinted to action. The place was a mess. She spilled coffee on her keyboard, and her roast beef fell on the floor. She looked around for a towel. The kitchen! She walked swiftly around the corner and almost ran into Clayton.
“Sorry! I spilled my coffee and dropped my roast beef sandwich. Have to be tidy!”
“No problem. Need any help?”
“No,” Andree said too quickly.
Clayton looked at her but did not move out of her way.
“Okay. Excuse me.” Andree tried to step away, but Clayton moved in her direction.
“What are you doing?”
“I am wondering about something.”
“Like what?” She tried to move away, but Clayton matched her move.
“We all heard you singing, badly, by the way. And then, poof! All of a sudden, you stopped. You were whispering.”
“Of course, I was whispering. I just dropped coffee on myself.”
“I would imagine you would yell if coffee fell on your lab coat,” Clayton said as he pointed to her white jacket splattered with coffee stains.
She shrugged. “Some people yell, some people whisper. I whisper.”
He moved away from her. “Sure. My apologies.”
Andree muttered under her breath and walked away.
Clayton sped to her desk and found what he was looking for. Andree’s phone. He could have sworn she was talking with someone. He picked it up and tried to see if anyone had called her, but he needed her four-digit pin. He tried numerous combinations. None worked. He knew she was coming back; he could hear her. Clayton decided to stay. He put the phone down.
“What are you doing?” Andree asked suspiciously.
“I told you I wanted to help you clean up the mess.”
Andree tried to push Clayton. He didn’t move. “And I told you I didn’t need any help! You are abusing my hospitality, mister!”
Clayton decided it was time to switch tactics. “I know you were on the phone, Andree. Our work here is very private. I need to know who you spoke to.”
“I told you I did not speak to anyone! Leave me alone!”
She brushed past him, but Clayton took hold of her arm. “I am not done with you.”
“Let go of me!”
“Who was on the phone? I won’t let you go until you tell me.”
“Cassidy! Cassidy! Tell your idiot friend here to let me go!”
“Cassidy is no longer here, Andree. She left.”
“You liar! Cassidy!”
“I have had enough, Andree” He grabbed Andree by the scruff of her neck and threw her across the room. He raced to her before she got up.
Andree felt the side of her head. Her hand came back bloody.
“Tell me who was on the phone, or I will continue to hurt you. I don’t want to, but trust me, I will.”
He knelt to Andree, who shrank in the corner like a scared puppy. She whimpered and started to cry. “I only wanted it to be a surprise!”
“What are you talking about?”
“The phone call! A mutual friend of ours made me swear not to tell you she was on her way.”
Clayton’s eyes creased. “Who called you? Tell me! Was it Maryl Rosser? I know you’re an O negative like her!”
“Yes! It was Maryl Rosser, and she’s coming for you!” She stood up. “You don’t know who you’re up against! She will tear you limb from limb!”
Andree went from a meek person to a tiger in seconds.
“How much time before she arrives?”
“She’s almost here!” spit came from her mouth as she yelled.
He didn’t want to hurt Andree after she helped them get situated here. However, he couldn’t let her talk to Maryl anymore. Typically he didn’t mind taking people out if they deserved it. With a heavy heart, he went behind Andree and took a firm hold of her throat. The pulsating rhythm of the blood beating energized Clayton, which made his fangs appear. He had to control himself. He could take her blood; he could take anyone’s blood if he wanted to. But he did not want to take hers.
“Scared to take my blood? Is it because of my blood type? Are you that high and mighty you deem me unfit? Perhaps my blood is unworthy?” Andree taunted.
“How long until Maryl comes?”
“You can go suck…”
Clayton’s anger rose from her refusal to give him an approximate time until Maryl got there and now her almost eager willingness to die. He released his fangs and pierced her skin.
As Clayton withdrew from sucking Andree’s blood, he felt no nourishment, no sudden energy beating through his veins. He took out his fangs from her throat, turned her around, and looked at her.
“Why am I not gaining nourishment from your blood, Andree?”
Andree smiled mischievously. “I have Saccharum sanguine.”
Clayton looked at her. “I know it’s Latin you’ve spoken. The last word means blood. What does the first word mean?”
“It means I have synthetic blood.” (7)
“Synthetic blood? Where? How? I did not think technology
