Acta non Verba
Amidst all the devastation, I stumble upon something that might be of interest. A woman named Petrov seems familiar to me. I remember that when I dismantled the cult's main stronghold, there was a man named Petrov among the scientists. It could be a mere coincidence, but perhaps I should investigate if there is any connection between her and that scientist. Either way, if she is involved in these dark dealings and financing, I can at least give this woman a "punishment." The Cult of the Blood Moon had been experimenting on individuals in search of a special type of blood, irresistible to vampires. Some vampires, like Anastasia, referred to people with this type of blood as "singers," as they were specific to each vampire, like a kind of personal mark. Unfortunately, I was Anastasia's personal mark, which condemned my family and me to the events that led us to this day: the murder of my wife Marie, my little Lucero, and my friend Ralph, as well as my own conversion into a vampire at her hands.
Anastasia had been observing me for months, perhaps years, as she decided whether to kill me or divert me from my family. She had become obsessed with me simply because of that fact, desiring me for herself and herself alone. In her twisted mind, she concluded that it was best to separate me from my own family and manipulate me to be with her. But she didn't count on the hidden gift I possessed, a special ability that some humans acquire when turned into vampires.
Every aspect of a human is amplified tenfold upon becoming a vampire, so to speak. In my case, having been a cripple and having suffered health problems, my physical attributes as a vampire turned out to be somewhat inferior to those of an average vampire. However, I gained something in return. Since childhood, I was what could colloquially be called a "child prodigy" —how I despise that word!—, which allowed the state to finance my studies and medical treatment. My intelligence increased immensely after the transformation. But the best part was my special ability. I always had an almost symbiotic relationship with technology and computers. I loved building things; they were an extension of my fragile and vulnerable body and provided an escape from my physical limitations, as my bones were more fragile than those of an ordinary human. My great skill and obsession with computers triggered in me the ability to "speak and control machines." So far, I only know that this ability is limited to digital devices. All of this has allowed me to uncover the truth about my family's murder.
Controlling my ability hasn't been easy, nor adapting to the way my mind now functions. My mind tends to work in a multitasking manner, like whispers from multiple brains thinking in unison. My ability always seeks to connect with everything it encounters, which can be overwhelming, especially in large cities. The noise that permeates my being is so intense that I must concentrate to filter what I need from the rest. That's why sometimes I prefer to seek refuge in remote places away from civilization rather than staying in a big city. Nevertheless, I have been training and exposing myself in various cities to adapt, improve, and explore the limits of my abilities.
Using my skills, I dedicated myself to exposing criminals and organizations from a distance. By connecting to their networks, I managed to reveal sensitive documents and send information to the police, calling them in for robberies or crimes. At times, I immobilized and dismantled them before the police arrived, so they could pay for their crimes once I was gone.
However, the plan didn't always work out. How would the police corroborate the information? How could they interrogate an anonymous informant? The legal procedure could be complicated, I knew that well because, as a human, I had worked in the forensic computing department in Himmelsburg. Many times, criminals and serial killers went unpunished due to lack of evidence. The police knew they were guilty, many knew it, but due to legal technicalities, they managed to evade justice, and it wasn't until they claimed more victims that they finally ended up behind bars.
Furthermore, each country has its own laws and enforcement norms, and when a criminal commits a crime and flees the country, the processes of capture can be extremely difficult, not to mention corruption. I swear I've tried, Marie, I've tried, my beloved wife. I have done everything in my power to act within the bounds of the law, utilizing my abilities, but it seems that on many occasions, too much is sacrificed within the legal framework before action can be taken.
I venture into the city of Moscow and during the night, I search for information about the woman in the shadows. According to my data, her name is Nina Petrov, a woman of great power and a member of the Russian aristocracy. She lives on a luxurious street in a penthouse equipped with multiple smart devices. Her residence is on the top floor of the building, protected by numerous cameras and security guards. There is a doorman at the entrance, and I see no other way to access it. It will take me a long time to get in and control the cameras, and I have no idea what alias to use or how to distract the guards. Clearly, I can't just barge in and destroy everything, as I am in the city, and there are many people living in the building. There is only one possible entrance, and it's through the roof.
According to my data, connecting to the cameras, the rooftop is my best opportunity to enter. However, I must quickly climb each floor, avoiding the windows. I get to work and start climbing. I try to be fast and evade all the windows on the lower floors. As I ascend, the breeze intensifies. I estimate there are about 20 floors in total. I make sure to avoid any light that could give away my presence.
"I'm Spiderman!" I whispered to myself, trying to release some tension. I finally reached the rooftop and saw the door. Behind it, there were only two cameras pointing towards her house. Focusing even more, I detected alarms at the entrance. "Hmmmm... I'll have to deactivate them," I pondered. One of the cameras showed a guard patrolling. "This woman must be really important..." I thought to myself. I noticed that the guard took turns with another to watch the entrance. I sighed and said to myself, "I won't be able to enter through the door without attracting attention." I peeked back on the rooftop and decided to descend again, but this time just to explore the top floor of the building.
I noticed that the window where she was sleeping was open. I turned around and remotely deactivated the alarm at the entrance to her penthouse. Before entering, I tried to perceive if there were any other devices that I might have missed. I only detected some automatic lights and her mobile devices. The woman had two mobile devices, and it caught my attention that one of them was using an encrypted line and was associated with only one phone number. I took control of the lights and devices. I could hear only two heartbeats, and through the window, I could smell both her dog and herself. "Oh, crap! Just what I needed, an animal!" I exclaimed softly. Animals are very sensitive to vampires; they can detect us and become highly agitated in our presence. If I managed to enter, her dog would not stop barking until I left, and I didn't want to harm a dog. The last time I encountered a dog was when I had to infiltrate Mr. Fisher's house to gather more information about his wife. It was there that I obtained a crucial lead to find those responsible for the death of my wife and daughter back then. That dog kept barking at me relentlessly and even peed on itself a couple of times. At that time, the dog was outside the house, but I had to tape its mouth shut. Nevertheless, I was discovered. Here, this dog is in a penthouse.
If the dog barks, the guards will hear it, come after me, and it will be a disaster. My plan is to enter quickly, take the dog to the rooftop, and tape its mouth shut before re-entering. I went back to the rooftop to see what I could use and found a wire. As I slid my fingers along the building, part of the cement broke off, and a considerable piece fell. My hand, which was gripping that piece, slipped, and I ended up holding on with just one hand. Probably, the strength of my fingers had cracked and broken the cement.
Before the piece of cement started to fall and give me away, I managed to balance it with my foot and slowly moved it towards my left hand, the one that had broken the piece of cement. Now I had to return to the rooftop. "Ah, what a nuisance!" I said to myself. With the wire in my mouth and the piece of cement in my right hand, I managed to climb up again, for the umpteenth time, and left the rock on the rooftop. I carefully cleaned the wire, avoiding any saliva that could harm the poor animal. Animals can't tolerate vampire venom. I quickly entered and searched for the dog, which sensed me and I firmly but gently grabbed it. I put the wire on its mouth and quickly went up before its whining grew louder. I closed the door and carefully ascended to the rooftop, holding the Chihuahua in my hands. The dog wasn't cooperating; it wriggled like a worm in my presence. I managed to climb up and released it without letting go of the wire. "Hahah... sorry, little one, but it's just for a moment," I whispered to the canine. I was worried it might jump off the edge, so I tied it with a rope I found to a nearby iron. "Now please, don't do anything stupid..." I pleaded with the little dog. I descended again and managed to open the door. And there she was, the woman who might have a clue that, although I had no idea if it was related to Anastasia, could help me locate the scientist and gather more information.