The team surrounded Helen as she sat in front of a number of computers in the library overlooking the data Henry had analyzed earlier.

"We thought these reports of sudden, unexplained violent behavior among abnormals were isolated incidents. But Henry's data analysis clearly tells us otherwise," she told us.

"It's getting hairy; those yellow clusters, 63 incidents in the last five days, almost all of them against humans. There's 20 dead so far," Henry told us and I sighed.

"These aren't exactly high population centers; the Yukon-Alaskan border?" Will asked looking at the map confused.

"What's particularly troubling is the pattern of distribution. Starting here in the north at Mount Logan and then following the upper airstream," Helen said.

"How could this Abnormal on Normal violence be following the wind?" Ashley asked her mom.

"It's probably something in the air," I said watching the arrows on the screen show how the air currents moved.

"My worry is what happens when it reaches population centers," Helen asked us. "Abnormals surfacing in significant numbers will undoubtedly trigger reprisals."

"You think it could be insect-borne?" Ashley asked.

"Given the cold climate, it seems unlikely. But certainly, a pathogen could be involved," Helen commented.

"Well viruses have been known to cause mass psychosis," Will added.

"What we need to find out is whether this was a naturally occurring phenomenon or something that was intentionally released," Helen stated.

"And none of the humans were affected?" I asked her.

"Not yet, no," she confirmed.

"Then we better send a human and keep the abnormals as far away from the area for as long as we can," I suggested. "We need to keep this as contained as we can for as long as possible."


I sat looking over something in the main lab when Helen walked in with John behind her.

"What's he doing here?" I asked her.

"He says he brought us news," she told me and I turned to the pair. "Forgive my skepticism John but your history of altruism is just behind a scorpions."

"Had I not dispatched Tesla, your reign over The Sanctuary may very well have ended," John pointed out. Helen and I shared a look before looking back at him as Ashley, Will, and Henry met us at the table in the center of the lab.

"Why is he here?" Ashley asked.

"Please. I am your father," John reminded her.

"Didn't seem to matter when you first met her," I said and he threw a dark look at me.

"You really want to pull that card you should start acting like a dad, and that does not mean kidnapping me when you want to spend some quality time," Ashley snapped at him.

"That is part of why I'm here," John told her.

"I'm guessing it's not about visitation rights," Will commented.

"You have frostbite," Helen noted.

"It's certainly not a reflection on your hospitality," John assured her. "Perhaps you can guess where I've been."

"The Yukon."

"I saw the carnage first hand, traced the epidemic...to its origins," he told us.

"Mount Logan." John pulled out a glass container from the bag he was carrying. I gave him a look at the broken machinery inside of it. Those of us who were abnormals immediately backed away slightly.

"Not to worry, it's all been sealed to proper BS3 protocols etcetera, etcetera."

"I wasn't aware that epidemiology was one of your specialties," Helen remarked.

"I wasn't aware you had one other than killing now." He gave me a look before turning back to Helen.

"Well, that's why I've come to you. I found these fragments at ground zero and I believe you, M.r Foss, will find these of particular interest." Henry looked closely inside the glass container.

"These look like fragments from a dispersal mechanism," Henry told us.

"Henry, prepare a Level 3 residential cell for introduction of a possible biohazard," Helen ordered.

"It's better than some things I've been called," John commented.

"What's the point? He's just going to teleport out of there anyway," Henry pointed out.

"I give you my assurances I will not," John reminded him.

"And we'll guarantee it," I said.

"We'll back up those assurances with an EM shield. You teleport, you die," Helen reminded him.

"Are we supposed to believe that you came here to fight the outbreak?" Ashley asked him skeptically.

"The war has begun, Humans versus Abnormals, and I will not stand idly by while the cabal imposes its chaos." Helen and I shared another look at his dark tone.


As Ashley, Will, Henry and I looked over the data gathered, Helen was looking over John's results before joining us back in the library.

"Well, John was right about one thing. His body shows no presence of any viral or bacterial anomaly. Fortunately, neither do any of ours," Helen told us.

"Are you going to take him out of isolation?" Will asked her.

"I think we should wait on that," I told her.

"For a bit. There might be a latency factor that we should allow for," Helen said.

"I'm prepping the machine parts for a full workup. There's only so much I can tell from the fragments. It's way sophisticated. This is stuff they used to test at Fort Dietrich when they were researching biological weapons for..."Defensive" purposes," Henry told us and my mind listed the few who could have created such a weapon.

"Your bio-safe room is scrubbed and ready," Helen told him smiling.

"Thanks. I'll let you know what I get," Henry promised her going for the door.

"Thank you."

"This sounds like something The Cabal could have built," Ashley spoke my thoughts aloud.

"Well, we know their access to technology is unrivaled," Helen reminded her.

"Yeah, and I just got schooled on their willingness to experiment on Humans as well as Abnormals," Will said.

"We all were," I corrected.

"Telegram." We looked to see the Big Guy walk in with a letter in his hands.

"Telegram, what is this, 1890?" Will asked confused.

"Our Dr. Watson tends only to trust the more established forms of communication," Helen told him opening the telegram.

"Dr. Watson? Not as in James Watson, who's a member of the six?" Will asked looking at us shocked.

"Yeah, and head of the U.K. Sanctuary," Ashley told him.

"Among other things." Helen gave me a small look while I grinned at her.

""Helen, a matter of the utmost urgency; will be arriving at The Sanctuary tomorrow, will be bringing everything we need to get to the bottom of this new menace. Your trusted colleague, JW"."


We were setting things up in the main lab for James when he and Helen arrived.

"Dr. James Watson, Ashley, Elizabeth, and Henry you know, of course," Helen said pointing to each of us. Ashley moved to him for a large hug.

"Hey!"

"Lovely to see you again, my dear, and Henry the new servos are working perfectly," James said shaking Henry's hand.

"Oh, thanks, Doc. I try."

"Elizabeth, haven't seen you since Helen moved her operation to America." I moved to him and hugged him tightly.

"Too many bad memories," I whispered before we parted. He offered a kind yet sad smile.

"And my new colleague, Dr. Will Zimmerman," Helen introduced.

"Hello." Will stepped forward to shake James' hand as James studied him.

"The protégé, yes, I've heard quite a bit about you," James told him.

"All good; I hope," Will told him.

"Some." Will looked James over and I smiled. "Profiler, right?"

"Yes, yes. Dr. Magnus told you?" Will asked him.

"No, actually, I was watching you looking at me," James told him.

"Really?" Will asked him.

"A profiler looks, listens, gauges, senses, calculates, compares: Am I really a doctor? Am I really who I say I am? The tells, the giveaways, the twitch of an eye, the odd un…natural pause," James listed, watching the man in front of him.

"You have dirt under a single fingernail,"Will pointed out. "Did you scratch at something?" James looked at his nail before looking back at Will.

"Did I?"

"I think so; something green, verdigris." Will smiled. "Oxidized bronze."

"Hmm...the door knocker," James admitted.

"To test its age."

"Reproductions are rampant. I would have been so disappointed," James told Helen who just nodded with a look on her face before smiling at him.

"And from that, you got "profiler"?" Will asked him.

"More your instantaneous threat assessment. Is that a bomb strapped to his chest? Is the accent authentic? Is he casing the room? That said "profiler."," James told him.

"Wow... I'm impressed," Will said crossing his arms.

"Oh yes, of course, you are."

"And he's not humble at all," I mumbled to Ashley who held back her laughter.

"And people tell me I sound like Sherlock Holmes," Will commented.

"Actually, Will, that's exactly who he is," Helen told him. Will looked back at James with a shocked expression.


I watched from outside the of the medical room as Helen started the autopsy with James in the room with her, both wearing hazmat suits.

"Body is that of a male abnormal, Odobenus Rosmarus Sapien, a genetic melange of human and walrus," Helen said for the recording she did of every autopsy.

"Koo-Koo-Ka-Choo," James said and I smiled as they began to remove the plastic from the body.

"Cause of death, multiple gunshot wounds suffered during a reported firefight after the subject allegedly slaughtered three out of four family members," Helen said.

"What she means is, the Abbie went psycho and then got shot to bloody hell," James said for the recording.

"You always did have the gift for brevity," Helen noted.

"It's not the ballistics we're interested in. We'll need samples of every organ," James reminded her.

"The scalpel is yours, doctor." Helen offered James the scalpel and he took it from her hand.

"Thank you."

"You know, James, you really are a walking medical miracle," Helen reminded him as she but off the abnormal's clothes and James started cutting the abnormal's chest.

"I think "walking" is a bit of an exaggeration. Without these exoskeletal powered braces, I fear I would be confined to a wheelchair," James told her.

"Nothing to be ashamed of at 160," Helen reminded him.

"Anyway, if I am a miracle, what does that make you and Liz?" James asked.

"I've been alive longer than both of you combined," I reminded him. "I'm not a miracle, because I was never human."

"My gift was longevity. Yours was far more profound," Helen said.

"Care to switch?" James asked her. The pair looked up at each other.

"You were each given your own gifts for a reason," I told him making the pair look at me. "Don't ever doubt that James."


James was in another part of the medical room looking into a microscope when Helen and I entered the room.

"How's the serum transaminase going?" Helen asked him.

"Hmm, inconclusive levels. The fact that behavioral changes are the first clinical presentation make this diagnosis very prickly," James told us as Helen sat beside him.

"Well, John was unaffected despite being exposed at ground zero…" Helen said and James hmm in agreement. "…Which suggests that the special qualities of the six might well provide an immunity factor. Until the tests come back, I'll be looking at my own blood as a way to combat the disease."

"That doesn't mean anything for the rest of us," I reminded her.

"You've had the source blood inside you your entire life. I'm sure you'll be just as immune," James pointed out.

"Except, if you remember, my blood was only half of the source blood. Which means I'm not as immune as I'd like to be," I reminded him.

"Don't worry," Helen told me. "We'll find a way around it."

"I'll tell you what the tests will show. Or would you rather be surprised?" James asked us.

"A man-made pathogen," Helen said, not even needing to look at the sample.

"A psychosis-inducing agent that affects only Abnormals has to be by design," James told us.

"John believes The Cabal is behind it," Helen said.

"He's not the only one," I reminded them.

"Well, John draws his insights from an affinity with evil and Elizabeth draws her insights from time. I have great faith in their analysis," James said and Helen was silent for a moment.

"I've released him from isolation," she told us.

"Now if you could only release yourself," James told her.

"I'm sorry?" Helen asked him smiling.

"Our contacts are too seldom, and too brief, considering I'm the leader of your largest satellite operation," James told her.

"It's out of respect for your autonomy as much as anything else," Helen said, and James looked at the both of us.

"Most people go back to their oldest contacts for solace, Helen," James told her. "The two of you defy that convention, but then, you always have."

"Well, we're together now, aren't we?" Helen asked before getting up.

"Hmm...if only the circumstances were more agreeable," James told her.


Henry was in the same area where Helen and James had done the autopsy, wearing a hazmat suit, while looking through the material John brought in.

"It's really hard to know how this sucker worked; so much chop and so little suey," Henry told us.

"But you think cryo was involved?" Helen asked him.

"Well, it looks like the bioagent was cooled way down before being vaporized," Henry said.

"The latest data suggests that the rate of infection is slowing," James told us.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Henry asked turning to us.

"All it shows was that what happened in the Yukon was a dry run," I told him. "The Cabal is planning a larger attack."

"A dispersal device of sufficient size could well blanket the globe," James said.

"We need to find out what their capabilities are," Helen told us.

"Our intelligence has The Cabal's weapons laboratories in several far-flung places," James told her.

"Including one very close to home," she added.

"Yeah, like just outside of New City, if I remember right," Henry added before he seemed to notice something. "Oh, hang on a second... I think I got something here." We watched him pick up what looked like an unbroken capsule.

"What is it?" Helen asked him.

"Looks like one of the microcapsules survived detonation," Henry told her.

"It's a pure sample of the agent."

"Put it in a bio-safe container, Henry. Just be very, very careful," Helen told him and he turned to look at us.

"You know those little mechanical arms that pick up stuffed toys at arcades? Four-time state champion!"


"We're looking at one of the most dangerous pathogens the Abnormal world has ever seen," Helen told her in her office after analyzing the sample. "It functions very much like a prion on steroids."

"The rogue protein found in mad cow disease," Will said.

"It replicates inside the Abnormal's brain, causing deeply pathological aggression," James told us.

"…And eventually a very painful death," I finished.

"According to the tests, we can say with certainty that the mode of transmission is not person to person. It's not communicable. That's the good news," James told us.

"But the susceptibility to antivirals is nil," Will added.

"Which is the bad news," I said as John got up and walked over by the fireplace.

"The fact is, Prion disease is largely incurable. I still think our best hope is to find something in our own blood, possibly an antigen that could inhibit the disease," Helen said.

"That would explain why we are apparently immune," James said.

"Because you all injected the source blood; that's pretty powerful stuff," Will said.

"What if you can't find something in your blood to combat the antigen?" I asked her and she rose from her spot on the desk.

"Even if we can't find something in our individual blood that could stop the disease, it may well be that the source blood could, in the form of a synthesized antitoxin," Helen said.

"Helen..." I warned her with my voice.

"Except that ancient blood was used up over 120 years ago," Will said.

"I'm not that ancient, thank you very much," I told him. I didn't see his look, because my eyes were all for Helen.

"Not all of it," John said.

"What?" Will asked confused before looking questioningly between the four of us.

"My father wanted to destroy what was left," Helen told him.

"But, after a long argument, he agreed with me to be placed in the safest place I could think of," I added.

"They both ordered for it to only tapped in the most dire of emergencies," Helen said. "And he made sure that only the six of us acting in concert could retrieve it."

"Which is a bit of a problem if, in fact, I have killed Tesla," John said.

"Even if Nikola managed to survive, the last of The Five, Nigel Griffin, could not possibly be enlisted," James reminded us before I could say anything.

"Because?" Will asked.

"Because Griffin died half a century ago," James told him.

"The situation may not be as hopeless as you think, James," Helen told him and he looked up at her amazed.

"You have the power to revive the dead? Now, that would impress me."

"Before he died in the early '60s, Griffin wrote me a letter declaring that his legacy had been passed on as a daughter, Anna," Helen told him. "Now, with any luck, we could track her down and convince her to take on her father's role in our mission."

"Hold on a second," Will said, stopping her. "You said that only the six acting together could retrieve the blood."

"The Powers of The Six to be more accurate," she told him.

"So, what's Griffin's power?" Will asked.

"Nigel Griffin? He was the Invisible Man," James told him.


Will, James, Helen, Ashley and I were walking to Helen's office as Ashley told us what she'd gotten from her contacts on the street.

"I've checked with every source I have, every major contact in the abnormal community; they're all saying the same thing. The Yukon test was a dry run. A popgun compared to what happens three days from now; a big bang that'll blanket the entire planet," Ashley told us.

"Three days? Why three days? Why not launch the bio-war right now?" Will asked as we walked into Helen's office.

"Changing weather patterns, wind shear, patterns of the trade winds," Helen listed off.

"I'm telling you, there's something wrong. It doesn't fit. It doesn't make sense," James told us.

"Yeah, well, genocide rarely does," Will told him.

"Helen, you told me the lengths the Cabal went through to build the perfect soldier for the ethnic cleansing," James reminded her.

"My father became an unwitting accomplice to those ends."

"Right, now, why engineer an army of Abnormals if your real front line is an invisible pathogen?" James asked.

"Perhaps to fend off any re-emergence of Abnormals once the decimation was complete," Helen suggested.

"The only problem with that is if the pathogen blankets the planet then how do they plan on saving their army?" I asked jumping on James' thought train.

"Well, you've got to believe that they've built an immunity into their design," Will said.

"Gregory never mentioned that," I told him.

"No...They knew it would be possible to immunize after the fact," James told us.

"The source blood is the key," Helen insisted.

"Look, even if we do find this Anna Griffin, we still don't have Tesla. I mean, what's the point if you don't have the last member of The Six?" Will asked.

"Elizabeth and I know how my father thought," Helen told us. "Now, if he'd anticipated that one or more of The Five might have died, he may well have built in some sort of safety mechanism so we could still crack the code."

"Or he wouldn't have to ensure we couldn't get the blood," I told her. "The Source blood is a mixture of pure vampiric blood and mine, pure elemental blood. In the wrongs hands, it could change everything for each of us. The Cabal could give it to their army and that army would be unstoppable."

"It's no use, Elizabeth. Helen's philosophy of "I'm just going to jump off this cliff and hope that I sprout wings" is in full force today," James said.

"Where did Gregory hide the vial?" Will asked and I smiled.

"In one of the most inaccessible places on the planet. The Lost City of Bhalasaam hidden in the Indian Himalayas," I told him with a smile.

"The seat of the original culture of ancient vampires," James said.

"Last time I saw it, it was absolutely stunning."

"So, not Transylvania?" Will joked as Helen gave him a book with a picture of the ancient city and I gave him a small look.

"Its unique topography keeps everything well hidden. Trust me, Will, this makes the other wonders of the ancient world pale," Helen told him with a small smile.

"He what, hid it like a pirate's chest?" Will asked.

"There's a labyrinth beneath the city. My father placed five keys within it, each impossible to release without the unique properties acquired by the blood," Helen told him.

"And what's your power? Just showing up for the meeting after 135 years?" Will asked him.

"I'd like to see you do it," she told him and I smiled at them before Henry entered the room.

"Okay, so I did a full cavity search on the internet for this Anna Griffin. Now, she went by a different name, so that slowed me down but then I tracked her to Baton Rouge. Three years ago, she drops off the face of the Earth," Henry told us.

"Could she simply have died?" Helen asked him.

"Well, if you believe the obit, she did, but it didn't pass the sniff test. The certificate of death was an outright forgery. Somebody wanted the world to think she'd kicked, like it was, like, a witness protection or something. So I was lucky to find a few fragments that they missed. I found an address. So somebody better wake up Druitt, 'cause we ain't got time to take no fast train," Henry told us.

""We"?" Helen asked him confused.

"Well, you can't send Druitt alone. The guy's all hearts and flowers one day, the next day, he's turning a working girl into a canoe!" Henry pointed out.

"He's got a point," I reminded her.

"Yes...despite his goodwill as of late, there are definitely warring sides to his personality. Will...keep Druitt company," Helen ordered.

"What? Well, why me? I'm supposed to tell Jack the Ripper to fetch?" Will asked her.

"Just remember... his sharpest implement is his mind," James warned him.


"Every experiment where I've tried to create an antitoxin from one of us has failed. We have no choice but to go to the source itself," Helen was telling Ashley and Henry.

"You do have a choice, Mom. We find a way to stop that bioweapon from going off; you don't need the damn source," Ashley told her.

"You want me to send you into the heart of the Cabal's weapons factory and do it all on your own?" Helen asked her.

"Henry said he'll go with me." Henry moved forward to stand next to the young blonde.

"No offense, Henry, but you don't graduate from Eagle Scout to James Bond overnight," Helen told him.

"I was green as Gumby, too," Ashley reminded her mother.

"You were trained for years before going on a mission," I told her.

"I can do this," Henry insisted before turning to Ashley. "What, Gumby? I'm Gumby now?"

"Odds are the device will be triggered from their network of weapons labs," Helen told them.

"Which is exactly why we need to break in there and find a way to stop the detonation," Henry said.

"Just like that?" Helen asked them.

"I didn't say it would be easy," Henry told him.

"I didn't say you could go," Helen reminded him.

"Mom, we don't have a lot of time. We can do this." Helen looked at me.

"It would be a good back up, in case we can't get the blood or, if we do, creating a cure doesn't work," I told her.

"Get in. Get what you need, and get out. No unnecessary risks," Helen ordered.

"Let's go, Gumby," Ashley told him.

"Thank you." Henry rushed off to get ready and I smiled at his enthusiasm before my mind wandered once more.

"Thanks." Ashley turned to follow Henry.

"Ashley..."

"Yeah?" Helen gave Ashley a knowing look and Ashley nodded before leaving to get ready for the mission.


"Will you be there?" I asked Nikola on the other end of the phone.

"Well, going after the source blood is a big deal," He told me and I ignored him.

"That's not an answer to my question," I told him. "Can we depend on you?"

"I wouldn't be doing it for them," he told me and I rolled my eyes.

"No, you'd be doing it for you," I said harshly and I heard him sigh.

"At least the six are immune from this pathogen," he said and I leaned on the wall behind me.

"We don't know that," I told him softly. "We confirmed five of the six are when Helen entered the Big Guy's hospital room, but I don't have Source blood in me."

"You have half of it," he reminded me and I smiled.

"Half might not be enough," I said. "If this doesn't work I might die like the rest of them."

"You won't," he told me. "I won't allow it."

"I don't think you get to decide that," I nearly laughed.

"You'd be surprised what I get to decide." I laughed at the thought of Nikola in a grim reaper's outfit. "Good."

"What's good?" I asked him.

"You laughed. It's been a while since I last heard it." I stood in silence.

"I need to know if you're going to be there, Nikola," I told him. "Can I depend on you?"


"John will teleport us two at a time to a wooded area just below the rim of the outlook," Helen instructed giving John a picture of where he was to teleport us. "We make the modest descent to the ridge and enter the lost city via the eastern approach."

"Can't you just teleport us into this labyrinth thing?" Clara, Griffin's daughter, asked John.

"My powers are formidable, I'll allow, but as I haven't seen what's down there... rematerializing inside of a granite boulder would not be a comfortable way to die," John told her.

"No, true; absolutely, I prefer to walk," Clara said and I smiled.

"Once inside the subterranean passages, we'll each be responsible for securing our designated keys," Helen told us.

"Does no one else see the madness in all this?" James asked us.

"You don't believe I can accomplish Nikola's task." Helen didn't bother asking when she answered him.

"One, he had the powers of an ancient vampire. Two, he fell asleep in Edison's electric chair at full current. I don't see your skill sets overlapping," James reminded her.

"I forgot he'd fallen asleep in that chair," I mentioned offhand.

"My father always said no problem has a single solution. There are always alternatives," Helen reminded James.

"We won't have to worry about Nikola's key," I told him and they all turned to me. "I'll handle it."

"All right, then," James sighed. "In the unlikely event that we find all five keys..."

"We'll be led to an inner sanctum where our keys will be inserted and the vial containing The Source will be released," Helen told us.

"You know, it's not the mission, Helen. What worries me is that gleam in your eye," James told her before looking at me. "And the secret in yours, Elizabeth."

"Suck it up, Jimmy, we're going to India." Helen and I shared a smile before John teleported us to the designated wooded area.

"I always loved India this time of year."


I was the last to teleport with John to the wooded area where Helen, Clara, James, and Will were waiting. The four of them grabbed their packs before we started moving towards the city.

"This is my father's worst nightmare, that we would try and retrieve the source," Helen said.

"You going to tell him?" Will asked her.

"If I find out where he's holed up and if the time is right, no," she told him.

"The worst idea would be to tell Gregory we managed to find the source blood and use it. No matter what the reason," I told him as we walked. We hiked the rest of the way in silence before Will broke it once more.

"We're about to see the ninth wonder of the ancient world, and I didn't even bring a camera," he complained and I laughed.

"Believe me, a camera wouldn't do it justice," I told him.

"You brought your mind, didn't you?" Helen asked him.

"Damn, you know, I knew I forgot something," he joked and I smiled at it before coming to the cliff overlooking the city.

"Dear God. It's all been destroyed." Below us was nothing but ruins of the ancient vampire city. I shook my head at the mass destruction the once beautiful city suffered. "There has to be a way down there. There has to be a way into the labyrinth."

"No, it's over. No access, no Source. No Source, no vaccine. No vaccine, no way to stop The Cabal from taking over human evolution," James told her.

"The vampires would have made a way so they could those who were important to them could have a way out should this have happened," I said. "They always had a contingency plan."