AN: Yay! Kate and Henry get remember by me at last!
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CHAPTER 6
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"Tesla. Did SCIU do any research into vampires or similar areas while you were there?" I ask.
He thinks for a moment. "No. I don't recall anything. But then if they were really serious about messing around with things they shouldn't like the Cabal, they'd probably go out of their way to keep me out of the loop."
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Gerard reads my face. "Yes. I believe someone up top has been forcing the game in their direction. Information being distorted, cases claimed to have been investigated that have in fact not. No, I don't think it's the organisation so much as the people in charge of it."
"I'll set my people to investigate the possibility. Perhaps you should do the same." He suggests.
"Maybe." I say, meaning it.
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I'm hovering over a keyboard. If I'm to contact either of them I need to know their current details. I just can't bring myself to do it.
"Magnus?" Will asks from behind me. I didn't notice him enter, I must be losing my touch.
"Henry and Kate," I tell him. He doesn't need any more to understand the problem.
"They'd understand. I did. Okay there might be a slight anger issue at first but they'll get over it."
"It's not what they'd think, Will. It's, when this is over, I'll still have to do it again to them and I'm not sure I could. I feel cruel as it is. Don't get me wrong, it was necessary..."
Will rests a hand on my shoulder, it's not much but it's comforting.
"Thanks." I say.
I type in Henry's name first.
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We're in Gerard's control room, the large screen on the wall split into two.
"Magnus. It's so good to see you. I knew you weren't dead. Not the great Helen Magnus."
I smile more genuinely than I have in days. It's good to see Henry too.
"What's up doc?" Kate says from the other side of the screen.
"I'm sorry that I had to contact you under these circumstances but I need your help."
"Sure whatever doc." Henry and Kate say in almost perfect synch. They both go wide-eyed for a second then focus back on me.
"It's Afina." I say simply.
It takes a while before it sinks in. "No way!" "I thought she was dead?"
"So did I."
Will walks forward. "We think someone up top in SCIU is pulling strings and causing trouble."
"How do you know?" Kate asks. "Isn't it more likely it's another rogue group?"
"No. We've had contact with SCIU, both official and unofficial, and it doesn't seem like one hand knows what the other's doing." I answer.
"You want us to check it out?" Henry.
"We have a team here doing just that but yes, I'd like you to work with them on this. We're heading to a war we can't afford to start if this goes too far."
"Right. I'm on it."
"No problem, doc."
The screens go blank and I promise myself I'll contact them again before this ends.
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Most of the day passes before either group gets back to us.
I'm sat in my suite when Mal calls me to the control room again.
"Magnus."
"Doc."
"Kate, Henry."
"Doc, I've found a few leads but you're not going to like it."
"Go on Henry."
"Right, I was checking all the message traffic via a rem-"
"Henry." Will rolls two fingers.
"Right. I think it's literally the top brass. The person writing the pay-checks, so to speak. Highman. Uh, K. L. Highman." He looks at me with sad eyes. "Sorry, doc, I couldn't find his full name, he's keeping himself offline. I think Highman might be an alias... His job's overseeing the whole thing, rules and stuff, and links to the UN."
"Kate?"
"Pretty much the same as Hank but from a different direction. We've checked with the other team and they've got the same fish too." She glances sideways as if looking at Henry. "From what I've seen this Highman guy seems bad news. I don't think he got up there the normal way."
"Thank you. You've been a great help."
"Don't mention it. Hey Magnus?"
"Yes Kate."
"You're not going to go off grid on us again are you?"
"I promise. We'll talk properly when this is over."
Both Kate and Henry nod and bid goodbye before their screens go blank.
"Guess we know where to hunt." Will says breathing out.
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Gerard's people were checking background on K. L. Highman. Henry was right. He didn't seem to actually exist.
"Penny for your thoughts?" I glance around to see the man himself standing a few steps away.
"I was just thinking about Highman." I tell him.
Gerard steps up beside me, holds my gaze for a while.
"I have to go check on my cargo." He says. "Would you care to join me?"
I follow him below deck.
We enter the part of the ship set aside for storage.
We approach a closed crate and he opens it with a flourish. "Project Aardvark." He announces fondly. "Sucking up all those little ants."
I look at what's in the crate and laugh.
"Gerard, I never knew." I say playfully.
He lifts the machine from its wooden cradle.
"I've studied your work for a long time." He tells me. "Had a bit of a gift for making things since I was little. Do you think it will be any use?"
I study the machine carefully. "Does it do what I think?" I ask.
"Yes. At least it's supposed to. I've had a few snags in the details but so far it can slow a normal human such as myself down to almost half their speed."
I marvel at the craftsmanship.
"It's amazing what persistence and a childlike imagination can accomplish." Gerard says. "Helen, do you think you would do me the honour of completing my life's work."
"Life's work?"
"Yes, I've been designing this beauty since I was a teen. I only began actually making it after my company began turning millions but it's always been there. In my mind. Like I said, persistence and a childlike imagination."
He grins at me and I can't help but find it infectious.
"I've taken it as far as I think I can, further than I ever truly expected. I give it to you on two fronts. First, because I admire you and everything you do and I truly believe it is right for me to finally pass the flame to you. And second, to be frank, because if we get it to work the way I used to dream it would, it will be one hell of a weapon against Afina's vampires who wish us harm."
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AN: Have I got them wrong? I think I've got them wrong. I'm going to have to have a bit of a Sanctuary DVD binge I think.
