I don't own anything of the Rosario + Vampire franchise. I used some elements of the Delta Green pen & paper RPG which I don't own either.
15 Years Ago
It was only half an hour before dawn over the city of Montreal, Canada. Traffic was light as commuters headed home after the graveyard shift to be replaced by others wishing to avoid the peak hour rush. Like everyone else, the employees at Saulnier Cryonics were preparing to punch out for morning. Unlike everyone else, they weren't just saving their work and taking it back with them. Only a scant few employees knew that inside there was a child's playing and education centre the missing 5th floor, a nursery, kitchen and restroom on the 6th and a laboratory and electricity and utilities facilities on the 7th.
All the infants were about 12 months old. All born on the same day and from a variety of backgrounds around the globe. All were orphans or were voluntarily surrendered from desperate families with the promise of money, a better future or a cure for a terminal illness. Only the first could be fulfilled for certain. Each infant group of equal number was assigned a carer, carefully selected and screened personally by head of the project himself, the enigmatic and controversial Dr Patrice Chandonne.
Each Group of infants was assigned a sleeping area, walled off by Perspex from the outside. Once a Group had expired, the carer was dismissed from the company and given a hefty separation payment for their silence. There were only three of them left after almost 11 months, caring for the children. One of them was just finishing up, a young red haired man tended to the lone survivor of Group 2. His face mask didn't disguise his kind brown eyes which continued to delight the children under his care while they were still alive. The man watched the ECG monitor of the infant in its crib. There was already a light covering of brown hair on his head. Smiling, the man filled out a form on his clipboard. Unlike the other carers, he knew the names of his wards. It made it all the more heartbreaking, especially the ones which had family.
"Tsukune Aono. You're a lucky boy. Soon you'll be home," he whispered to the child, leaning over the crib.
Behind his back and the soundproofed Perspex wall to the nursery there was a clamour as a dozen armed Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers from the Emergency Response Team stormed in. Shouting in French and English, they instructed the staff to get on their knees before they were pushed over and handcuffed roughly. The man in the nursery heard none of this as he turned and went into the corridor, heading for his office.
"Descendre sur vos genoux! Maintenant! Down on your knees! Now!" At least five different voices in two languages shouted at him.
Obediently the man did as instructed. As soon as he did this he was shoved over and handcuffed none too gently. Since he face was crushed into the ground by the barrel of a shotgun which was pressed so deep into his cheek he could feel it grind into his teeth, he was in no position to protest. Immediately he was dragged to his feet and slammed up against the nursery wall. He legs were kicked apart as one of the RCMP patted him down, removing his wallet and pen. Strangely enough he felt the latter being replaced in his trousers before a pair of plasticuffs bounded his wrists together. As he was led away, he looked left back into the nursery. The baby, Tsukune was standing up in his crib, watching wide eyed as his carer was escorted away by two helmeted, masked RCMP officers. That was the last they saw of each other before the man was taken into the lift.
A few minutes later, the children in the nursery began to cry. Two of the RCMP who were family men went into the nursery to calm them down while the rest secured the premises. The lift opened again and out stepped two men in suits and sunglasses, one middle aged and the other was almost an octogenarian. Despite his age, the latter was comfortable walking at a brisk pace with his colleague until they stopped at the edge of the nursery. The lights in the corridor outside darkened. The two officers inside looked up, spotted the two men and hastily left. As they passed in the corridor no one looked at each other. Once they were alone, the middle aged man led the way over to the door and held it open for the elder to pass. He grunted his thanks to the younger colleague who shut and locked the door behind them. The lights on the security cameras and voice sensors in the room all switched off at once. All was secure in the darkened nursery, no one to lip read or eavesdrop on their conversation.
"So this is the batch that Dr Chandonne was cultivating," said the elder, walking over to a group of cribs, all filled with sleeping infants.
"They all survived the process according to the report, Dr Camp." said his colleague, consulting a folder in his hand.
Camp crossed his arms in contemplation, staring at the children before him. "To think that this was all occurring just over the border. I shudder to think what would have happened had our Secret Service friend not been assigned to this facility, Devereaux."
The other man shrugged. "This office was under suspicion of being a link in a money laundering network from Africa and Europe."
Camp laughed softly. "How fortunate of us."
He picked up an empty bag and a glass vial from two different bins which only held those respective items. The bag was labelled Species-V#65 and the vial was labelled N-22.
"To imbue others with the ancient power of the Immortal Ones they use the technology of the future to control the blood and circumvent the insanities of ghouldom," whispered the doctor, tossing the vial and bag back into their respective bins.
Devereaux couldn't help but feel his gut churn at those words. "This Group received the full treatment. The others either variations of nanotech treatments or blood infusions." He paraphrased the report from the Secret Service agent.
"Let's see how they're doing."
Camp walked over to the other cribs, most of which were empty. He tut tutted sadly at the sight. Tsukune of Group 2 had gone back to sleep. Gently, Camp lifted the baby out of his crib and wrapped him in a cloth.
After a quick check of his folder, Devereaux said, "That's Aono, Tsukune. His parents sent him here after he was diagnosed with a terminal degenerative muscle condition."
"Shssh." The older man silenced his colleague. "You won't want to wake the baby now."
Devereaux nodded quickly before going on. "He received multistage nanomachine therapy for his skeletal and cardiac muscles. However he amazingly recovered before the nanites could get to work properly. After that they halted therapy."
Camp nodded, rocking Tsukune about in his arms. "So will he be able to lead a normal life?"
"I believe so sir. At this stage of development, the nanites will eventually biodegrade inside the body. If not, then consumed by the immune system or flushed from the body if they're in the bloodstream." Devereaux continued to read from the file.
"Interesting. There's still a long way to go with this therapy. If we hadn't intervened, I believe that Dr Chandonne will continue to experiment. With each life claimed to nanotechnology or vampire blood, he draws closer to whatever version of hell he wishes to subject us all to," said Camp, sotto voce.
Devereaux spoke up. "But if he were successful, wouldn't the vampires have considered the results to be abominations and have them destroyed?"
Camp smiled grimly and answered, "You forget that there are those who will jump at the chance to use a weapon like this to top the vampiric dominance of the monster hierarchy." He held up a finger. "Even our rivals will want in on this new Weapon of Mass Destruction which may even top the Shinso."
"There will be war."
"No question about it."
Tsukune woke up and began to cry. Camp continued to carry him as he led the way out of the nursery, into the corridor and then the lift. By then, RCMP investigators and forensic specialists were present and there was a hum of conversation, punctuated by the occasional whir and snap of a camera.
In the lift, Devereaux hesitantly asked, "And what of the children?"
"Dissect the Group which successfully received both treatments. Cryonically store a male, female and anything else of interest. Dispose of the rest completely."
"Understood. What about the other survivors?"
"If there's a chance of a normal life for them let them have it. Compensate their families and their caregivers generously."
"Of course. What about the agent who exposed this to us?"
They'd reached the roof of Saulnier Cryonics. Camp walked out to the edge and watched the sun rising over the high rise buildings in the distance.
"Special Agent Randall Scott Madison of the US Secret Service?"
"Yes him. Now that he's been exposed shouldn't we do something about it?"
Camp chuckled, looking down at baby who'd calmed down. "He was also this young fella's carer? Wasn't he?" he asked Tsukune who merely gurgled in response.
Devereaux stared but regained his composure. "Perhaps it's wise to ensure he doesn't ever speak of this to the media or anyone else."
The elder man stood, staring at the sunrise contemplatively. "I think a stint as SAIC of the Presidential protective detail will do him busy."
"W-What?" Devereaux exclaimed. "Surely you can't be serious doctor?"
"Oh yes, do your think the President will take him seriously? One of the world's most elite bodyguards spouting nonsense about vampiric cyborgs? Give me a break," retorted Camp. "Besides, what comes first to a Secret Service agent? The President or the Truth?"
His colleague shook his head in reply. "Well that isn't necessarily the case." He held up his folder. "Special Agent Madison was described to be tenacious, curious, self reliant and loyal. This is something he's unlikely to forget and once he's done with the President, what if he begins his own investigation? What if he goes off the reservation?"
Dr Camp considered it for a moment before he replied, "If he wants to dig deeper, only we can show him how."
"Do you mean inducting him into our organisation?"
Camp rolled his eyes in faint amusement. "Jesus Christ, your sense of subtlety is why you're behind a desk." He nudged his colleague's love handles with an elbow. "Nonetheless you're still an indispensable asset."
Devereaux sighed. "I'm guessing we're done?"
Dr Camp shook his head sadly in response. "Far from it my friend. Our enemies continue to adapt and so must we. If it means using the proceeds of their vile deeds to exact victory against them so be it." He smiled down at Tsukune who'd fallen asleep again. "I've been on the frontline of humanity's war of survival for most of my life. For most of that time all I can see is what we're fighting against, not what we're fighting for."
SAIC= Special Agent in Charge
Next we'll be back to present day with Tsukune and co. in Chapter 10, Volume 3 of the first manga series. R&R if you have anything to say.