Vampire Bund, Tokyo, Japan, 2010.
I stormed down the hall that led to the interrogation room, my mind completely focused on a new mission...ensure Yuki's safety and discover the enemy's identity. When I approached, I spotted Leeroy and Heinrich standing in front of the door.
"I need to speak to Yuki," I stated stoically.
"I'm sorry Captain Temple, but we have been advised not to let you in on account of it being a conflict of interest," Heinrich refused.
"I just need to ensure her safety," I said with a hard stare.
"We know you're worried about her, but we have been given orders to keep Yuki-san safe. You don't need to be so worried since we can ensure her safety," Leeroy assured.
I stared at them and sighed, taking off my helmet and mask so that I could run a hand through my short brown hair. I picked up the sound of footsteps approaching us and I looked back to see a male vampire with one blind eye, who was dressed in a nicely pressed suit. I also noticed the nicely dressed female vampire who was with him as I put my mask and helmet back on.
"Shit...this is the front gate. We have a problem," Leeroy spoke into his radio as the two vampires approached.
"What is this? Do the Beowulf have some...agenda we do not know about? Obstructing an investigation by the Tepes family's own investigations division is a treasonous offense," the male vampire warned with a bladed smile that put me on edge.
"Obstructing? Hardly. We are simply attempting to save you any unnecessary effort and work. Yuki-dono is her Majesty's honored school friend and her most trusted confidante, bar none. To suspect her of foul play is the height of absurdity," Heinrich defended.
"To suspect the seemingly innocent is our duty, and I am sure even you are aware that more than one monarch has been stabbed in the back by one whom they had called a friend," the vampire stated.
"Just how are you planning on interrogating her anyway? I'm sorry, but I just can't see a guy like you feeding her a bowl of katsudon and begging her "pretty please" to come clean," Leeroy remarked dryly.
"Oh, I assure you, we have no need to be so...roundabout. There are other faster more effective...methods at our disposal," the vampire implied while baring his fangs in a sadistic grin.
"You so much as touch her, I'll break you into pieces," I threatened coldly as I stepped forward to glare at him behind the lenses of my mask.
"Ah...you must be Captain David Temple of the Beowulf's elite Spectre unit. Need I remind you that it is your job to ensure her Majesty's safety? And yet you are here...why don't you head on back to her Majesty like the obedient mutt that you are. And must I point out to you that threatening me could most certainly put you in an unpleasant position?" the vampire warned cooly as we stared each other down.
"If I may interject? What her Majesty desires are companions of equal standing, not servants or retainers. To serve her Majesty so long and so closely as you have, and yet not have the understanding of her most basic desire...how deplorable," a voice scoffed, and I looked to see Remus and Romulus leaving the interrogation room.
"Are you doubting our loyalty?" the vampire questioned with slight offense.
"Kinda hard not to, seeing the little show you're putting on here, not to mention antagonizing Captain Temple is not a good way to gain allies. It's almost as if you're in a hurry to toss somebody up on the chopping block, regardless of whether they're guilty or not," Romulus accused with a raised eyebrow.
"You may be the Queen's blades, but you have overstepped your bounds, Beowulf...this is something that may very well come back to haunt you later," the vampire threatened as the air in the room became thick with tension.
"Actually, it's you who'll be having the problem later," a familiar voice stated, and we all looked to see it was Angel.
"Romulus-dono has hit the nail on the head as the Americans would say. The investigations division is under heavy pressure to find our suspect quickly," Angel said as he approached us.
"What?" the vampire wondered in confusion.
"More details surrounding the nanomachines that infected her Majesty have come to light. Have a look," Angel said as he opened his laptop and added, "This is a diagram of a nanomachine that was developed only a few years ago. It's nearly identical to the specimen used on her Majesty. It's known as the Demon Seed...a nanomachine designed to drive vampires insane. During the vampire civil wars, one of the greatest problems faced by intelligence organizations of each side was how to go about creating a reliable insider," Angel explained.
"As you all know, vampiric society is ruled by a very strict hierarchy. The one who is turned into a newborn obeys the one who drinks his blood without question. In the same fashion, the commoners obey the nobility and nobility obeys royalty. This absolute obedience is ingrained so deeply in vampire genetics, it can only be called instinct. No matter how much one wishes to deny it...once the command is given, it is physically impossible to disobey. And only by our unique reprogramming technique can a vampire be compelled to serve a different master. However, in today's world of genetic testing, deep psyche analysis, and Umbrella's dark legacy of bioterrorism, that method is something that will not remain concealed or proprietary any longer..." Remus told us.
"And that "instinct" to obey, is the cornerstone on which peace and order within vampiric society are built...and it's for precisely that reason this nanomachine is developed. It is designed to lodge itself in the host vampire's brain and emit a very precise type of signal to a very specific portion of the brain. In simple terms, it artificially activates the same reaction in a vampire's brain that usually happens when that vampire receives an order from his or her master. So then anyone, via this nanomachine, can give the infected vampire an order and that vampire will obey it as if it were a direct command. The vampire will even perceive the order as if it is one coming from their master, not even realizing that their acts are actually ones of betrayal and sabotage. What's even worse is that the infected vampires are not truly reprogrammed per se, so all of our checks to detect reprogrammed vampires will miss the nanomachines. In short, this device truly is the ultimate weapon that can destroy vampire society as we know it. The ones that infected her Majesty, however, were not precisely that version. They were a customized variant designed only to scan her subconscious," Angel informed us.
"The question is...who would dare to create such a device?" Remus wondered thoughtfully.
"For that answer, I must defer to these gentlemen. They would know far better than I do, correct?" Angel stated as he gestured to the only vampires in the room.
"You two know anything about this? Why don't you inform us, "Inspector"," I suggested coldly just as Alphonse entered the room.
"That'll be quite enough of that. Don't be so hard on the poor man since you know what we're looking at out there," Alphonse remarked.
"Duke Borgiani," Remus greeted stoically.
"Here, allow me to save you some time. I made those nanomachines, and their development was sponsored by our very own Tepes family," Alphonse admitted.
"So, what you're saying is that the Royal Family commissioned them? And this whole time you didn't think to inform us about this little detail?" I interrogated with a hard stare.
"Correct. They were going to be our secret weapon in the war with the three Great Lords that we all know is coming. However, before any of you jump to any conclusions, our design never reached completion. While we were testing the nanomachines, we discovered that it wreaked havoc with a subject's metabolism. The project was shut down and all the samples were sealed away, but now someone has managed to not only complete the project, but they improved our design," Alphonse stated as he closed the laptop.
"What? That wasn't you?" Remus inquired in confusion.
"No. The samples were stolen from our lab quite some time ago. Unfortunately, we only discovered that fact two weeks ago and the investigations division has been going crazy trying to track down the suspect. Beyond that, Angie would know more," Alphonse said.
"Yes. Aside from commanding Beowulf, the Earth Clan Senate also holds the duty of keeping watch over the inner workings of the Tepes family as an organization. We have been aware of the existence of this nanomachine project for some time now, and have been keeping a careful and quiet eye on it. Part of the reason the Senate dispatched me here was because of that theft...but I never thought..." Angel trailed off.
"Yes...no one ever thought that they might be used against her Majesty directly. It is something I regret immensely," Alphonse stated while looking down guiltily.
"You regret it? This has become a FUBAR situation where simple regret is not enough! Not only did you develop a dangerous weapon, but it was stolen under your damn watch and now you're trying to cover it up! The worst of all of this is not only was the Princess' life put in danger, but my future mate has been framed for the attempt and she is currently being treated like a fucking criminal! With all due respect Sir, I don't see how any of this was in her Majesty's best interests!" I shouted in outrage, Alphonse quickly glaring at me.
"The path her Majesty must walk is not a straight, shining road of honor, pup! It is dark, twisted, and full of danger! Your concepts of righteousness and justice will only guide her Majesty so far! Now shut your mouth and keep doing the only thing you dogs have any real talent for, which is destroying things in combat!" Alphonse retorted hotly.
"I know what it's like going down that road of torment and darkness...don't you ever fucking go there when you know nothing about my suffering or what Umbrella did to me," I spoke softly in fury just as Mina, Akira, and Wolfgang showed up.
"My, what a fuss. I could hear the yipping all the way down the hall...just when I have barely left my sickbed, my soldiers are already turning on each other," Mina remarked humorously.
"Ma'am!" Remus said loudly as we all stood at attention and Alphonse bowed in front of Mina.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for my unfaithfulness by not attending you at your sickbed...and let me be the first to say how relieved I am to see your Majesty recovered," Alphonse stated as Mina approached him.
"You have always been more loyal than you think, Borgiani. I am sure that if you could not race to my side, it was only because you were busy working dutifully for my sake. I leave this case to you. Understood?" Mina inquired with a soft smile.
"As you wish...please rest assured that I will find the truth of this matter with all haste," Alphonse vowed as he stood up.
"Excellent. Now, as for Yuki, it was I who asked her to open the thermos of stigma and bring me my meal that afternoon. She most definitely did not do so out of any attempt to bring me harm. I myself stand as a witness to her defense. That should clear her guilt quite nicely, I think. Now, would it be acceptable for me and Captain Temple to visit the former suspect?" Mina asked and the male vampire bowed.
"Yes. Of course, your Majesty," the vampire agreed.
Mina smiled at me and I nodded in appreciation. As we entered the interrogation room, Yuki saw us and beamed in greeting.
"Hime-sama, David!" Yuki cried in relief as Mina went to embrace her.
"I missed you..." I trailed off quietly while I took off my helmet and mask and kissed her.
"I missed you too...I knew you would prove my innocence," Yuki mumbled. Mina excused herself from the room and left us to our reunion.
I was happy that Yuki was cleared, but what concerned me was the fact that someone was out there with a dangerous weapon that could cause another incident like Raccoon City. I knew that I needed to be on the lookout for the enemy, and make them realize that they made a big mistake for coming after the Princess and putting Yuki through grief in the process.