By Jeff Boles, ©2000.
I’ve been in this game too long.
We went into the op three agents strong. We were well armed, and completely prepared. Agent Benson was young and fit, these kind of things his speciality. Agent Ophelia was sharp and clear. I, perhaps a bit tired of it all, was ready as well.
Benson is dead. He shot himself through the bottom of the jaw an hour ago. Ophelia is all but crippled, after being tortured. And I was so drained of blood I nearly died.
I’m sorry this is so unclear. My mind isn’t exactly ordered right now. I know this report should be concise and to the point. I’ve written more than a few of these in the past thirteen years, so it should be second hat.
But I can’t get the look in Benson’s eyes as he pulled the trigger out of my head.
As you may recall, B-Cell had only two members since it was formed six months ago. Ophelia was assigned to assist us on our current case as she was already in the San Francisco area for the Thanksgiving holidays.
The case we were researching was the investigation into a series of murders taking place in the Brakensville neighborhood of SF. Seven 20-30 year old women had been killed by means of slit throats and surgical blood draining. Our best forensic intelligence pegged a hypodermic device to be the means by which the blood was removed, post-mortem.
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Owen Travers
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With Ophelia’s help we were able to determine the killer to be a nonhuman being, who when he was declared Missing and presumed dead in 1986, had been named Owen Travers. See attached jpegs for images.
Owen was clearly not human as he was cadaverous in many aspects. He possessed no heart beat, and his temperature was sub-standard. He claimed that he had been experimented on by someone, and they had changed him via some kind of chemical and/ or genetic means into his subhuman state. Despite the obvious signs, he did not possess the central vampiric trait: pronounced teeth. It was for this reason he utilized the hypodermic device.
While pursuing and capturing Owen Travers, we were assaulted by several creatures who I can only described as vampire-like beasts. These things were terribly destructive. They moved like gods. The speed and ferocity they displayed was matched only by their inhuman resistance to our firearms. We managed to slow one down by blowing off the majority of its upper cranial region, but others pursued.
Owen Travers gave this explanation for his status [I have filled in the details with what we have determined from our investigation]: An international medical research firm called JERICHO TECHNOLOGIES {hereafter referred to as JT} based out of Frankfurt, Germany, had kidnapped him some time before. A scientist he called Dr. Von Neusum, who he claimed was German and a vampire, had used him as a test subject. Under a project entitled Aponanov [Immortal? Benson thought it was Russian], Owen claimed this Von Neusum was attempting to alter vampires to allow them to be immune to sunlight.
It was later discovered that Dr. Von Neusum had attempted to kidnap normal human beings and convert them to solar resistant vampires, but they died in the process, or were non-viable [witnessing some of the rejects is what I believe helped unhinge Agent Benson]. For this reason Owen was kidnapped for use. Owen Travers had been a vampire for nearly a decade, and thus it was believed, we think, that he would have a greater chance of surviving.
Let me be clear. Owen Travers was able to function in clear unfiltered sunlight. But the process was not perfected; Owen suffered constantly from pains and chemical imbalances in his brain, and his eyesight was beginning to grow impaired. His strength was greatly reduced, according to his testimony, and he underwent frequent seizures and other attacks.
I don’t think I need to emphasize what the success of this research could have meant for the human race. These things, they tore through us like we were nothing. They toyed with us, playing with us as a cat does with an insect. If these creatures were unleashed on the unsuspecting world with the ability to move in broad daylight, the effects would be catastrophic.
For these reasons we, including a vengeful and perhaps dying Owen, agreed to strike at the project. What we walked into was a nightmare. Dr. Von Neusum was one of the creatures. He was quick, powerful, and cunning. According to the data we found on him, we was supposedly born in 1930 in Switzerland. I believe that was a false identity. He looks 65, but his true age could of been anything.
Owen saved Ophelia’s life, helping her to stop one of the creatures in its tracks. Your information was very useful, Alphonse. After penetrating the heart, the creatures become sluggish and almost paralyzed. With the quick usage of a fire axe they can be destroyed. The problem is their speed and strength. While one drained me, Ophelia did her best to stop it. For her efforts her wrist was shattered. These things simply walked all over us.
When only Dr. Von Neusum was left, we ran into a serious problem. The Doctor had someone with him, who was NOT a vampire. A fortyish blonde-blue-eyed Aryan poster-boy was with him. Somehow this man wracked and tore Owen’s body all out of proportions without even breaking a sweat. I did not witness the act. Benson, who will soon be interred, did see it. Before he killed himself, he described hearing words from the German stranger’s mouth which burnt inside his ears, and then a presence was in the room with them. He said he saw something like snow, gray and white, and then the virgin Mary. She beckoned to him, he said. And then Owen was ripped apart and torn stretched all out of any kind of sense.
We were able to stop and kill the Doctor, and I personally eliminated Owen. Ophelia and Benson managed to stop the German, who I can only conclude was some kind of bizarre magician. While in pursuit he made Ophelia think her coat was on fire, and nearly shot her as she desperately attempted to put out the flames.
We did not attempt to help the test subjects. They were in a horrific state of inhuman suffering, and therefore we simply planted the charges and evacuated.
I will never forgive myself, but I did not realize at the time how gone Benson was. I had lost nearly enough blood to pass out, and the adrenalin that was keeping me going was about gone as well. Benson drove back to our meeting place on his own, due to my inability to drive. Perhaps those last minutes of silence sealed his fate. I will never know.
Benson helped Ophelia and I, gave us medical attention, and saw to our immediate needs. Ophelia was horribly beaten and hurt, the bones in her wrist literally crushed. I couldn’t move, on the edge of unconsciousness.
Then agent Benson began to talk oddly. He spoke of what he saw. He acted desperate to tell us what he had seen. I grew concerned, and ordered Ophelia to disarm him, but he drew his weapon and kept it on both of us. God help me, I was so tired and weak. I wasn’t there for him. There is no forgiveness.
He explained how it was all in order now. He had seen the holy mother. He was ready to go to her. Ophelia, in intense pain and distraught, did everything she could to stop him and calm him. He just put the gun under his chin and fired.
I know I’ve done a lot of good. I have fought for things I believe in. I still believe in. No doubts.
But I don’t think I can fight anymore.
I can’t write anymore. I am sorry.
Bell
