The Geneticist.
Chapter 1.
New York City, Museum of Art and Antiquities, night.
A white van pulls up to the loading dock. Two men jump out and start to unload the latest exhibit.
The next morning…
"Hey Peter, how was your weekend?"
"Great, the Yankees won 10-5. Did you ever get that window fixed, Jones?"
"Ya, took two hours. Hey where's Neil?"
"Right here."
Peter and Jones turned to see a smiling dark-haired, tall skinny man in a suit and tie with Italian shoes holding a newspaper article all about the news exhibit.
"Peter, did you read the paper? There's an exhibit that has the personal crowned jewels and artwork of Vlad the Impailer and stuffed mammals of the early 19th century," said Neil.
"Wow, I didn't know you liked him," said Jones with a half smile.
"I like his jeweled crown and daggers with precious stone set in the handles, and also I appreciate the level of artistic expression in his paintings, even if he had them done by other people," said Neil.
"He was also a homicidal madman who liked to stake people and drink their blood," said a tall young skinny woman with dark skin. She walked up to Peter and the others.
"Good morning Diana, you're looking well today," said Neil.
"Thank you, Neil," she said. "By the way, Mr. Thomson wants you and Peter to go to the New York Public Library—the one with those two stone lions—and check out the exhibit on DNA that they have. He says it could be useful."
"O.K., let's go," said Peter.
"Hey, on the way back let's check out the Vlad exhibit," said Neil, as he and Peter walked out the door.
"We'll see," said Peter with a grimace on his face.
That night at the museum, as the guard made his rounds, a man lowered himself from the roof directly above the case that held Vlad's crown. He disabled the alarm, then removed the glass barrier, and took the crown, then deliberately dropped the glass. The guard ran to see what was the matter, came into the room and saw the glass and the missing crown, and then was suddenly fighting off a chloroform rag. He felt the sting of a needle, then he blacked out.
The next morning as Peter was just leaving for work, he received a phone call from his boss and friend, Eric Thomson, about the guard and the crown.
"Excuse me? Did you just say he had a DNA sample taken as well as the crown?"
"Yes. Now get Neil and take a look. I want this nut-job behind bars!"
"Yes Mr. Thomson," said Peter.
Just as Neil was about to turn the corner to get to FBI headquarters, he heard a voice say, "J. Edgar Hoover likes to wear a dress."
He turned to see a short, bald man with glasses and a trench coat pretending to read a newspaper.
"Mozzie! What brings you so close to the FBI?" Neil said with a smile.
"Did you see today's paper?" said Mozzie grimly.
"No I didn't, why?" asked Neil.
His short friend looked at him, then turned the paper around to reveal a big headline: Vlad's Crown Stolen, Guard Stuck with Needle.
Neil looked at the story and shook his head, "It can't be. I saw his lab blow up, his skeleton was burnt so badly he could not be identified."
"He always said white collar crime was just a way to finance his genetic research," said Mozzie.
"Yeah, alright. See what the grapevine has to say, I've got to get going. Peter…well ya know Peter," said Neil.
"Ya, I know. Well be careful," said Mozzie.
"You too Mozz, you too."
Chapter 2.
"Neil, there you are. We need to talk," said Peter with a mixed look of irritation and worry on his face.
"About what?" asked Neil, innocently, as he walked into Peter's office.
"About this." Peter threw a letter on the desk.
Neil picked it up and read the front:
"To Neil, my favorite test subject…"
He opened it and read aloud:
"It's good to be alive, it's good to be free, let's have a shot, just my favorite test subject and me," signed Dr. G.
"Who is that?" asked Peter, with the same look of mild irritation and worry on his face.
"I have no idea," said Neil, the innocent look remaining on his face, that did not reach his eyes.
Peter looked at Neil and said, "He's threatening you, and he knows where I work. If he comes after you, he might come through me, or more importantly, Elizabeth."
Neil looked down and sighed, "I did not know he was here, but I met him ten years ago."
"Tell me," said Peter.
"Ten years ago I had a job with this guy who knew just as much about art as he did DNA, and he wanted to steal a genuine Egyptian headdress. We did, and then he said he needed a test subject."
"A test subject, for what?" asked Peter suspiciously.
"Well, stealing the headdress was just a distraction. While I was busy, he went into the storage room and stole samples of fur from bat and wolf displays. He already kidnapped a girl, and was going to use her. I tried to stop him, we fought, I punched him out cold, or so I thought. I was almost done untying her when she yelled 'look out!', I turned and blocked an incoming needle—sort of," said Neil.
"What do you mean sort of?" asked Peter, curiously.
"Well, I turned around and raised my arm to defend myself but he hit my arm and pushed a button which injected a genetic cocktail into my upper arm. We fought again, I pushed him into a corner, he fell into a pile of bottles, then boom."
"What do you mean boom?" asked Peter.
"We—the girl and I—barely got out, and never saw him again."
"Who was the girl?" asked Peter with mild sternness.
Neil paused a minute, tried to make his face look blank. He succeeded in everything but his eyes and then said, "It was Kate."
Peter closed his eyes and shook his head. Of all people it had to be her. The one person Neil goes completely nuts about. The love of his life, who's killer he has not yet found.
"What was in that needle?" asked Peter skeptically.
"Vampire, bat, and wolf DNA," said Neil seriously.
Peter looked at him like he had just grown a second head. "Vampire, bat, and wolf DNA? You expect me to believe that?" exclaimed Peter.
Neil looked at Peter evenly and said, "Well, let's look at the facts: I can run for hours without getting tired," looking behind him and then back at Peter while letting out a long sigh, "and thanks to the vampire-bat DNA I have an enhanced sense of direction and other things."
Peter just looked at him skeptically, like an FBI agent looking at a con-artist…
"Plus, look at this!" Neil rolled up his sleeve on his right arm, revealing to Peter a large ragged looking needle mark. "You know I don't use drugs, Peter."
Peter looking at Neil thought to himself, it can't be true. Then he said aloud, "Yes I know, but I need real proof, to show what you say is true."
"Proof!" Neil said a bit sharply. "Fine!"
Neil took out a jar from his pocket with a red liquid in it. "Go on, taste it," he said bitterly.
So Peter dipped his finger in it, and licked it.
"Yuck! It's pig's blood!" yelled Peter as he fell back in his chair.
"Peter, there's something else I have to tell you," said Neil grimly.
That's when the phone rang.
"Hello? Yes. Really? When? O.K. thanks." Peter hung up the phone. "Tonight, it turns out the public library is hosting a gala to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the telegraph, and the more recent anniversary of putting human DNA into a mouse and growing an ear that works."
"He'll be there," said Neil grimly, with a slight shutter.
"And so will we," said Peter seriously.
Chapter 3.
Two nights later Neil, Peter, and Diana were all at the gala, (in disguise, of course).
"See him yet?" asked Diana, walking with a glass of champagne.
"No, but be careful, he likes to steal more than popular gala items," said Peter.
"Peter—I see him!" whispered Neil, excitedly.
"Are you sure?" Peter asked, in a firm, but hushed whisper.
"Yes, I'm sure. I'm going to stopped him," said Neil.
"No!" harshly whispered Peter. "Neil! Jones, Diana, go after him. This whole thing is just a front. He wants Neil."
"What?" said both the FBI agents in unison.
"Unfinished business," said Peter seriously.
Neil ran down the hall into the children's section. He looked around, then a voice said, "Hello Neil, it's been awhile, hasn't it?"
Neil whirled around to see a tall brown-haired man in a tuxedo.
"I say, let's pick up where we left off, shall we?" said Dr. G. with a smile.
Then he shot a tranquilizer dart into Neil. "Peter!" shouted Neil into his mini collar microphone, as the drug started to take effect, "He's here! He's in the children's section."
"Everyone, he's got Neil, go now!" shouted Peter.
But by the time they got there, Neil and Dr. G. were gone.
"Now what?" asked Jones, a little concerned.
"We get Neil back before things get worse," said Diana.
Chapter 4.
Neil woke up, blurry eyed. He tried to move but found himself strapped down to a gurney.
"Well, look who's awake. Irony fits you as well as your Italian leather shoes."
Neil looked over and saw him, "Well, I see you still have your same old trick. Of course, this was your only trick.
"It's an oldie but goody, and this time there will be no one to interfere."
Peter drove to Neil's place and banged on the door. He knew Mozzie would be able to tell him what was going on. Of course it would take an emergency to break his confidence. I only hope this qualifies, thought Peter to himself.
Mozzie opened the door and said, "Suit, what are you doing here, and at this time of night?" asked Mozzie a little surprised.
"Tell me everything you know about a Dr. G. Neil had a job with 10 years ago" said Peter, a bit hastily.
"A Dr. G.! What do you know—I mean—who's that?" said Mozzie with mock innocence.
"Mozzie," Peter said tersely, "He has Neil!"
"No! What are you doing talking to me? Go get him before it's too late!" exclaimed Mozzie.
"I'm trying, but who is he, Mozzie?"
Mozzie sighed in frustration and said, "Let's go to your car and drive, I'll tell you on the way."
As they are driving…
"He is a disgraced geneticist, who likes to try mixing different strains of animal DNA together," said Mozzie. "He used people to see if his cocktails worked, most just got sick, one almost died."
"Who was it?" asked Peter.
"Neil," said Mozzie with a grim face, "but he pulled through, then he started…changing."
Because they were driving, Peter didn't look at him but said, "Changing how, Mozzie?"
"He started eating his food raw, then he started exhibiting agility, endurance, balance; all of the traits of a wolf and a vampire-bat." Mozzie paused a minute. "And then he, well, he's always had a good sense of direction, but after this it was uncanny how he could get around, especially at night."
Peter looked at Mozzie briefly, and then said, "He got a letter from this Dr. G. at the bureau earlier today."
Mozzie said horrified, "Did he say what was in the letter? Did he tell you anything about Dr. G. at all?"
"Yes he did. He told me about 10 years how he saved a girl and ended up getting hit with the needle himself."
"Did he say anything else about the DNA cocktail?"
"He started to, but then I got that phone call about tonight's gala."
"Tell me is there anything else I should know?"
Mozzie sighed warily and said, "Along with a better sense of direction, he started to have urges."
"Urges?" asked Peter, questioningly.
"He said he was able to hear things no other human was able to hear. He was able to smell a burrito a half a block away. He was even starting to drink blood," said Mozzie.
"Blood? Human blood?" asked Peter.
"No, so far, just animals. Like, pigs blood, from a butcher shop. After awhile he was able to control all those urges. He started to go back to normal, err, so I thought. One day he came to me and said that even though he has strong urges from the animal DNA he had overcome all but one: the urge to drink blood. He asked me to help him, so I did. A few meditation sessions, a little peace and quiet, and for a while everything was fine. Then you started chasing him, and Kate went missing. That's when all the urges re-surfaced, especially all the blood drinking."
"How could I not know about this?" Peter asked irritated, as he was driving down the road.
"Nobody does, except me, and that Dr. Moreau wannabe, and Neil of course. Peter, you have to hurry, if he has Neil, he'll want revenge for the interference 10 years ago."
"I'll hurry, I'm tracking his anklet."
"Be careful. If Dr. G. has perfected his cocktail, he may try to use it on Neil. If that is so, he may try to increase the vampire-bat DNA."
"How?" asked Peter.
"By using a DNA scrubber. It's supposedly just a rumor, but if it exists it removes all the non-original DNA from the host, then they get the DNA of whatever animal they want injected into the victim, and walla. They get the abilities of the animal, or animals, that was in the cocktail."
"Would Neil need to drink blood? And if so, would it be forever?"
Mozzie looked at Peter. "Yes he would need to drink blood, but I don't know if he would need to do so forever, but it would be for a very long while."
Peter sighed and said, "Would he even still be human—still be Neil?"
"That," said Mozzie gravely, "depends on how soon you get to him. The longer this goes on the more he could degenerate into madness. Be careful."
"I will," said Peter.
Chapter 5.
Meanwhile, Neil was watching Dr. G. load a blue semi-gel-like liquid into a syringe. They he walked over to Neil with a savage grin on his face.
"Neil, 10 years ago you stopped a grant experiment and made me a monster! Fortunately, for you, I was able to get skin graphs done. Now, I look as good as ever."
Neil looked at him with a grin and said, "You were always a monster, now you just look on the outside like you did on the inside."
Dr. G. punched him hard, then injected the thick blue gel-like liquid into Neil. Neil grimaced in pain and rose in silent agony. He then lay panting with exertion and gave a withering look to his captor.
"Into torture, are we?" said Neil, vehemently.
"Torture? Me?" asked Dr. G., innocently. "Now Neil, that hurts. I'm a scientist and you know we don't torture; we experiment. Now you will feel numb for an hour, after that, I will then make you my latest test subject. And in case you were wondering this is just the best parts of vampire-bat and wolf DNA," he said happily.
"What do you mean parts?" asked Neil, tiredly.
"I have perfected my cocktails to the point where I only have to extract the genetic portions of the animals that I want, inject them into a liquid, then I only get the desired traits."
Neil looked at him like he was a Looney Tune and said curiously, "Like what?"
Dr. G. smiled and thought to himself, even when he's in trouble, Neil's always gotta be curious. I got him good this time.
"Well, in your case, greater agility and a greater sense of smell…and of course since this has a touch of revenge to it, I slightly increased the percentage of vampire-bat DNA. It is now 35% vampire-bat DNA, 15% wolf DNA."
Neil looked at him horrified, and thought to himself, No! That would increase urge for blood-drinking…I would be a monster!
Neil grunted as he tried to free himself and said, "You psycho! You'll never get away with this!"
"HaHaHa," laughed Dr. G. ominously. "With all that information flooding through your brain, it'll be a miracle if you don't attack the first thing that moves. After I'm gone, of course."
Neil glared at him and said, "You will be stopped. My friends are coming, and they are going to send you to a padded cell!"
"They will not catch me." And with that, he injected Neil with the improved cocktail and his last thought was, Peter hurry, get here soon.
Chapter 6.
As Peter and Mozzie were driving, Diana had called to say they were also following Neils anklet, and had tracked it to an old warehouse in a bad section on the west side of Central Park.
"O.K." said Peter, "Use caution. We're 20 minutes away, we'll be right there."
"We?" Jones and Diana asked together in confusion.
"Yes, and Mozzie's going to help us," and Peter filled them both in on Neil's condition.
Neil groaned and moved his arm to his eyes. He gasped in shock and pain at the soreness in his arm. "Ow, that's gonna smart." He was on the floor, along with a note. He picked it up and began to read:
To Neil:
Your friends are outside. Follow your new instincts, and feed your desires.
Dr. G.
Neil let out a wolf-like snarl, then froze. No, I'm still mostly human, and I gotta get outta here now!
Mozzie and Peter got out of the car and Peter cocked his gun.
Mozzie looked at him in shock and said in a harsh tone, "Peter no! This is still Neil, we have to try to save him, not kill him!"
Peter looked at him and said, "I know, but if we can't and Dr. G. is still in there we may have to stop Neil from stopping Dr. G. You stay here, if we find Neil first, we may need your help to control any 'instincts' he may have."
"Right," said Mozzie glumly. "Wait, you'll need this." Mozzie tossed a bottle of red liquid to Peter.
"What's that?" asked Jones as he and Diana came out the front door.
"That is pig's blood," said Mozzie, "and if Neil was injected with vampire-bat and wolf DNA like he was the last time he may need this to live."
"No!" cried the two agents in unison.
"That's horrible!" said Diana.
"Hurry, he may be in danger and he might go insane if he can't control himself," said Mozzie.
Peter said, "All of you listen up. Mozzie I know you have things to relax him. You mix up a batch for Neil. I want him to get out of here without fuss when we get him."
"Peter," said Mozzie irritated, "that blood has a knock-out compound that will keep Neil out-cold for 12 hours."
Peter, a bit taken aback said, "Oh good." Then he turned to Jones and Diana and said, "I want the two of you to circle around to the back and be careful."
"Right boss," they both said.
Chapter 7.
1
Inside, Neil was trying to hold onto his sanity, but with overwhelming urges from the vampire-bat DNA to feed, and the wolf's highly developed sense of smell it was all he could do to hold onto his humanity.
"Neil? Neil! It's me Peter. I know you're here. It's going to be O.K. Tell me where you're at." Peter walked passed Neil's hiding spot, then stopped, and turned around, because there standing in front of him was Dr. G. with an FBI-issued gun pointed straight at him.
"Well, so this is the famous Peter Burke. You're not as much of a challenge as I was told you were."
"Sorry to disappoint you. Drop your weapon and tell me what you did with Neil now!"
"Ahh Neil. He's stronger than was expected. He has not gone after you or your team, or that short bald weasel. But no matter, when he sees real human blood his human side will no longer be able to hold him back—hahah!"
"So?" said Peter with a smirk, "he still has human teeth. He can't bite hard enough to get the blood; you failed."
"I did not fail! I also gave him a little touch-up in the eye/tooth department, thanks to the increase in the vampire-bat DNA. Now enough talk, it's time for you to pay for your interference."
Then Dr. G. shot Peter in the arm. Peter discharged his weapon and shot Dr. G. in the leg. Blood was pouring out of both wounds.
"No!" yelled Neil as he ran into the room towards Peter.
He then stopped and turned to see Dr. G. on the ground with a smile on his face.
"You!" hissed Neil angrily, "You shot my friend! How could you?"
Dr. G. grinned even though he was in pain and said, "I did it because he interfered, just like you did 10 years ago, maybe you should stop interfering Neil."
With all the blood flowing out of both wounds, while Peter and Dr. G. trying to staunch the surge, the smell, the sight, and even the sound of blood gushing was getting to be too overwhelming.
The instincts of the vampire-bat kicked in and Neil hissed, "You wanted me to drink blood? You got it!" and dove Dr. G.
And just as he was going to bite Dr. G., Peter opened the bottle of pig's blood. The scent of pigs blood to senses already overwhelmed sent Neil over the edge. He looked at Peter with a look of betrayal into his eyes, then shook his head, and went after Peter.
Chapter 8.
Peter knew that Neil thought of this as a betrayal, but it was to save his life. So, he put the top back on and threw it to Neil, and he caught it as easily as a pro football player catches a 20-yard pass. Neil then proceeded to drink it all in one gulp. He then dropped the bottle and passed out.
"No!" exclaimed an angry Dr. G., "He was supposed to drink me dry and live with the guilt! You meddling man! I will get my vengence!"
"Not today you little creep!" said Diana, as her and Jones came in. She handcuffed him as Jones helped Peter up.
"We have to get Neil outta here," Peter said.
Peter, along with Jones, managed to drag Neil outside to Mozzie.
"Well? Did it work?" asked the little man, worried about his friend.
"Yes, like clockwork. It's a good thing too, he was just about to drink Dr. G. dry!"
"He never would have been able to live with that," said Mozzie, tiredly, "so now what?"
Peter ran a hand over his face and then said, "Now, we go to Neil's place, you drive." He tossed Mozzie his keys and said, "Dr. G. goes to a prison doctor, and I go to a regular hospital."
The next day Neil stood in Peter's office with a tired look in his eyes as he stared out the large windows.
"How do you feel? You look pale," asked Peter with a worried frown.
"Yeah, I am. But thanks to you and everyone else, at least it's not worse. You came when I needed you the most, and yes, Mozzie betrayed my trust in this matter, as did you, but I don't think anyone else is ever going to find out so I forgive you. Plus, you saved my life."
"Yes, with Mozzie's help. If it wasn't for him, I would have most likely been forced to shoot you."
"Yes, probably. When I woke up, Mozzie told me how you and he brought me back to June's and how he watched over me, and how you came to check on me before you came to work. That really means a lot to me."
Peter looked at him and said, "That's kind of you to say Neil. Diana and Jones asked about you too, as did my boss."
"What did you tell your boss?" asked Neil.
"I told him Dr. G. tried using you for an experimental pin cushion, but I didn't tell him the details. It's going to take time for you to get over this and Mozzie told me to tell you 'when you're ready'…whatever that means."
"Thank you Peter, and I'll let Mozzie know later. Oh, by the way, when you're ready, that's an old code for meditation."
"Oh," said Peter, mildly surprised.
And as they stood looking out over the city, Neil said, "I can feel all these enhanced urges, the urge to sniff for food, to listen to people, to walk my turf. I almost chased a cat today; I had to force myself to walk away. And what about Dr. G.?"
Peter looked at his friend and said, "What he did was horrid, but you can use it to help stop the bad guys. Just think of yourself as one of those rare superheroes with powers, like a real life X-Men."
Neil laughed, "Just call me the nocturnal hunter, hahah."
"Not bad," said Peter with a grin, "but I think just plain Neil will do."
"I think so too," said Neil. "But what about Dr. G.?"
Peter put down his coffee and said, "Well, that's an interesting thing. I saw that he had an FBI-issued .45 and I saw he knew how to fire a weapon that most people would get knocked to the ground with. So I did a little digging…"
"And what did you find?" asked Neil.
"I found out he was Garrett Fowler's nephew, and also he was indeed a former FBI agent as well. He was also a genetics expert."
Neil gave him a sour look at that.
"So he is now in a special prison for former government agents and will not be getting out for a long, long time," said Peter.
"Good," said Neil with a smile. "Now that all that's done, what do we do?"
"We get back to work. Look at all these cases."
Neil just grinned and thought to himself, it could be worse, and he knew that Peter and Mozzie would help him if he ever needed it.
THE END