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It took every scrap of patience Agatha possessed to wait in Zoe's office. She had rummaged through Zoe's coat and the handbag she had left under her desk, retrieving the keys and Zoe's personal mobile. She took one of the credit cards as well, stuffing everything she could into her trouser pockets. Then she sat with the computer on in front of her, its annoying blue background bothered Agatha, but she didn't dare do anything, other than keep prodding the…mouse…such a strange word for the little box that controlled the magic wand.
Ignoring Zoe's work, Agatha hadn't absorbed anything like the needed knowledge, to understand what any of those numbers meant. Instead she found the little symbol that she knew meant the internet, methodically searching for the information she needed, it wasn't hard to find the professional contact details for Frank Renfield. Nor did it take long to find the instructions, of how to add those details into Zoe's mobile.
Given a few more weeks of study, Agatha might almost have been proficient at using some of this technology, enough to pass for a native of this century. As it was she was…what was the phrase…yes winging it…such a deliciously descriptive vocabulary she now had her fingertips, even if the execution was somewhat hesitant.
In the remaining time, she researched the Harker Foundation, memorised the names and faces of the people whose bios were listed on their website. Some she was already familiar with, Zoe obviously and Dr Bloxham, who was listed as Zoe's deputy. She studied the maps of the surrounding area, the town it was set on the outskirts of. The world in the pictures before her, was so different from the one Agatha remembered, but if she substituted carts for those cars, then wasn't completely alien.
Finally, the little blonde scientist was back, and Agatha followed her down to the labs. Nodding as the blonde…Samantha…Dr Jones…her memory supplied, began to fire statistics at her, ingestion rates and responses to stimuli, including but not limited to controlled electronic shocks. Filing that little titbit away for later, Agatha wondered, just how attached to their life was the scientist, who had decided to electro shock therapy a vampire?
Finally, they made it to the right place. Agatha could have told that without the half a dozen armed guards outside of the room, Dracula was behind that door, she could smell it. They were let inside without hesitation, and Agatha swallowed when she caught sight of Dr Bloxham lurking about. The memories from Zoe were blurred, but Agatha didn't need to be an expert to know, that her niece's feelings about this colleague were mixed. Zoe didn't trust her, Agatha certainly had no reason to.
"Dr Helsing I thought you would have gone home?"
"Why would I, night shift is my shift, if anyone is here out of hours..." Agatha countered, it wasn't hard to manufacture some dislike for the other doctor, in fact it was more difficult to maintain that professional façade Zoe was rather good at.
"Yes, but in the circumstances…"
"What circumstances?" Agatha played dumb, happily accepting a clipboard when it was thrust under her nose, as an excuse to ignore the digs of the other woman.
"You are determined to make this difficult I see."
"I am determined to do my job until circumstances prevent me. Now if you don't mind Dr Bloxham, I am here to be brought up to speed on my patient."
"You know I will take this higher Zoe, don't ruin your legacy over such a pointless stand." Veronica hissed as she leant in, quailing slightly at the dead eyed stare Agatha returned.
Interesting…there was desperation there…and a hint of truth…all things that someone skilled in the nuance of the human psyche, as Agatha was, could use. Veronica didn't want to appear the bad guy here, the foundation was Zoe's turf, had been for a lot longer. Agatha guessed that Zoe had handpicked many of the staff, they were loyal to her, and thusly to Agatha in this guise.
"You must do what you must do of course Dr Bloxham. I however thought to end my tenure on a little dignity, doing my job the way I have always done. I would have thought a friend and colleague would understand and support that, not undermine it." The blade of truth was thin and expertly wielded, there were even tears of hurt in Dr Bloxham's eyes as she withdrew, outwardly to deliver on her threat, but Agatha would be surprised if she didn't take a minute or two to collect herself first.
Finally, with Dr Bloxham out of the room, Agatha turned her attention to the secure glass box at the end…what was it with this foundation and glass boxes?
"Right Sam, where are we?"
As Samantha rattled off the facts, Agatha moved to stand by the glass, biting her own lip to hide her reaction. Dracula was laid out on a metal gurney inside, restrained at the ankle, wrist and neck. There was a drip-feeding tube tucked in between his lips, and the current blood sample was almost exhausted. There was rapid movement behind his closed eyes, and his fingers were moving slowly, sharp nails clawing slowly over the metal surface.
The suit he had been wearing had been removed, and he was dressed simply, in a pair of those loose scrub pants that most of the doctors were wearing. His chest was bare, and looked little different from the vampire, that had harassed her convent naked all those years before. The only incongruency were the little metal disks, that had been stuck to his skin…the electro shock testing.
"We expect him to regain complete consciousness in the next hour or so." Dr Jones wrapped up her little briefing, her eyes turning to Dr Helsing, and from the hopeful expression on her face, Agatha could tell there was more than a little hero worship involved here.
Personally, Agatha expected it might be a little sooner. As during the time she had been stood there, Agatha had watched the Count's head turn, his nose twitching as if scenting the air…or possibly even her.
"Excellent, very thorough work." Agatha praised her, and as expected the young blonde all but beamed in response.
"Well I suggest we get him moved back into his cell before he wakes up. Can you call in two of the guards please?" Agatha requested, waiting until Samantha was on her way to the door before she unlocked the glass box and moved to the restrained prisoner.
Those damn…electrodes…were first to get ripped off, Agatha's lip curling at the bald patches they had left on his chest. Then went the feeding tube, then the restraint for his right hand…the moment that was free his hand grabbed her wrist and held it tight. His eyes hadn't even opened and already he was causing problems.
"You are not helping husband." Agatha hissed, trying her best to extricate her hand, and yet his grip was like a vice.
"Dr Helsing?" Samantha questioned, when on her return Dr Helsing was actually in the box with Dracula.
"You can't get the gurney up into the cage…and its after sunset so we can't use the…the…" Agatha's words suddenly failed her, faced with a confused scientist and two armed guards. "You know the…the skylight…to force the other one into the corner. We need manoeuvrability and speed over anything else."
"Ok." Samantha was dubious but clearly her hero worshipping of Zoe would extend to a little faith.
Waving in the two guards, who made quick work of the rest of the restraints, at which Dracula made no more sign of waking. It was a little awkward, picking up the dead weight of the tall vampire between them, especially when said vampire refused to let go of Dr Helsing.
"We could cut it off." One of the guards suggested with a laugh, the first hint of personality any of them had shown, something that earned him a glare from his partner.
"Do you mean mine or his? Because nothing we found can penetrate a vampire's skin, and I am rather attached to my hand." Agatha deadpanned, earning her a grin from the jovial one, as the trio shuffled out of the room and gained an additional four guard escort back to the secure vault.
"I could always cut yours off." A familiar baritone muttered, the voice still sleep-stained, yet Agatha felt her unneeded breath catch, as her wrist was suddenly dropped.
There were sudden shouts, armed men pushing her and Dr Jones to the side, ostensibly for their protection as they all surged Dracula. Dracula who seemed to laugh off the situation, grabbing the jovial guard and hauling his body in front of him like a human shield. Grabbing the gun out of the man's holster, just like he had on the beach, and shooting two of the other guards at inhuman speeds; a bullet to the head dropped them both like bags of wet sand. Two guards stayed in front of her and Dr Jones, guns raised, shots fired, yet their colleague covered most of Dracula, and he quickly dodged any bullets aimed at his head.
"Oh, come on boys you're not even trying." Dracula laughed, not even flinching when one of the bullets actually struck home, and barely bruised his arm. "I had better scraps with those fucking Turks."
Realising they weren't getting anywhere with their guns, one of the guards snapped out the taser, a move copied by both others. Circling Dracula they looked for an opportunity to strike, one that came when a bored Dracula snapped the neck of the human he was using as a shield and shoved him into the arms of another guard.
One taser hit his back, low down near the kidneys, the other his chest, and the current zapped through the air.
"Oh, mother that tickles." Dracula hissed, almost bending double, yet he used that position to launch himself at one of two of the guards. Animalistic noises abounded as he ripped the throat out of one, before pulling the electrodes off his body and forcing them into the mouth of the other guard.
Then he pressed down on the taser control and watched the guard convulse, the scent of burning flesh filling the air.
"And then there was one." Dracula sighed, almost like he was disappointed. "I'll be with you in a moment Dr Helsing. Just a bit of tidying up to do." He added with a bloody smile.
This guard actually squared up to him, the gun and the taser lost somewhere, and all he had left was his fists.
"Oh, how wonderful, the sport of gentleman, finally." Dracula beamed at the guard who shared his height and build, letting the silly mortal take the first shot.
On anyone else the punch would have laid them flat, but Dracula barely reacted at all. Instead grasping the other's fist, when it was barely withdrawn, and wrenching it roughly to one side, the sound of snapping bone and screams filled the air.
"Now...now no need to make such a fuss." Dracula tutted as he hauled the maimed mortal in by his ruined arm, wrenching his head to one side. "I do enjoy dinner and a show, but you are sadly lacking in vocal talent."
When he had drunk enough to sate him, Dracula picked up one of the abandoned guns, checking to ensure this one had plenty of bullets he turned to his two remaining companions.
Smiling at the crying blonde Dracula bypassed her completely, dragging Dr Helsing into his embrace and pressing a gun against her chin. "Hello again, did I miss much whilst I took my little nap?"
"You missed plenty." Agatha replied, and she flashed him a fleeting glimpse of her fangs. Relishing the way Dracula seemed to blink in surprise, his smile only growing.
"Apologies for the mess Dr Helsing." Dracula replied, barely containing his delight as he laboured over her title, and Agatha barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes, he was enjoying this way too much. "I hope you don't mind being my hostage for a little while? Only I don't think your colleagues are just going to let me walk out of the building."
"They will never let you leave, they will stop you." Agatha retorted, happily playing her part in the charade.
"Oh, Dr Helsing they can but try." Dracula chuckled, turning Agatha around so she was now pressed with her back to his chest, the hand with the gun wrapped around her torso, as he pressed it lightly into her chin.
"You there, blondie…be a good girl and get the door for us." Dracula demanded, as he made a show of forcing a seemingly reluctant Agatha towards the nearest secure door, one that led to the stairs, and from the stairs to the normal ground floor and all those potential exits.
"Dr Helsing?" Samantha looked to her boss once more for guidance.
"Save yourself Sam…Just do as he asks, and he won't harm you."
"Won't I?" Dracula muttered in her ear. "I don't recall agreeing to that dearest wife."
"Do you want me to kiss you ever again? No killing anyone that doesn't try to kill you first!" Agatha muttered, too low for a human to hear, yet Dracula's huff of annoyance proved that he had heard her.
The little blonde served her purpose, using her card on the door, and as soon as they were safely through she ran hell for leather in the other direction, undoubtedly to raise the alarm.
"Tha…" Agatha began only to have her words cut off by the mouth and tongue of a very determined vampire.
Dracula pressed her against the wall of the stairwell, his body pressed against every inch of her, as he plundered her mouth ravenously. For a moment Agatha protested, they didn't have the time for this, but it was hard to remain rational when you were being kissed like that, by someone who knew just what he was doing.
Her hands trapped against his chest, Agatha indulged herself, running her nails across his skin, feeling the rough curl of his chest hair against her fingertips, unable to stop herself from wondering how it would feel rubbing against her bare breasts…
Groaning Dracula pulled his mouth away, resting his head on her shoulder as he tried to collect himself.
"You are a very wicked woman…you cannot project thoughts like that and expect me to behave myself."
Biting her lip, Agatha wondered just how long she would make him wait after this. The truth was if he continued to kiss her like that, well she doubted it would be long at all.
"Perhaps we should finish escaping first?" She offered, a teasing smile playing about her lips, as she glanced down, confirming her suspicion that he was hard already.
"You are going to be the death of me…well again." Dracula retorted, yet his grimace gave way to an indulgent expression. "Shall we milady?" He asked, indicating the stairs, offering his hand when Agatha nodded.
This time hand in hand they raced up the stairs, the sound of sirens blaring out, covering their laughter, they were finally going to escape this hellhole, their whole world and future was opening up and they would face it together.
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