"So… where are we going? You said reconnaissance, right?" Hodge jogged to keep pace with him. Geoffrey sighed and slowed his walking a little bit, he was keen to get out of the cold but he could see that Wes was puffing a bit to keep up with him. Part of him wished that he could've gotten out on his own, it certainly would have made this whole thing easier, and faster and perhaps he could have gotten on with more of his night. But it had been easier to get out quickly under the guise of showing Hodge some of the ropes, and the captain certainly wasn't going to let Geoffrey escape his sight so easily after the night they'd had yesterday.

"I… may have bent the truth just a little bit." Geoffrey said lowly, keeping his eyes straight ahead on the empty streets. "I need to go talk to Dr. Reid."

He'd come to that realization early this morning when he'd awoken from his death-like sleep. There had been the dreams, for one, and some of what he and Hodge had noticed yesterday for two, he realized that he was, somehow for someone who'd spent his life entrenched in the supernatural, in over his head. Despite how heavy his breath was, Hodge managed to fix him with a look of pure skepticism, Geoffrey remembered how quick the captain had been to jump to blaming the doctor last night in the heat of the moment. Not that McCullum himself was the pinnacle of rational reasoning while his blood was running hot but he should probably give a little more explanation.

"I ran into him a couple nights back, he was just as startled as I was at… all of this." McCullum still didn't like putting it into words, made it feel too real somehow.

"And you think that he'll… what, just help you out?"

Geoffrey shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Worth asking, I thought you were saying that he was why you were willing to give me a moment to speak last night." he deflected

"There's a vast sea between proving that things aren't as clear cut as we thought and going to the leech for advice." Hodge grumbled, he didn't stop following though, just frowned heavily.

"You don't have to follow me." The Ekon said, rounding the corner so that Reid's home was in view. He remembered that Reid had never actually told him where he lived, and that it had only been the digging in the man's past that had turned up the location. Well, nothing to do about it now, Geoffrey thought, and strode forward to knock on the door. Hodge hung back, grumbling under his breath but still audible for the commander

"Yes I do."

Nothing happened at first when McCullum knocked on the door, and the Guardsman looked at his pocket watch to see if maybe it was later than he thought, perhaps the leech wasn't home… Then the door opened an inch, an old man looking out at him with some amount of distaste and a large amount of frustration.

"Yes?" the man asked, he turned his nose up a touch and straightened his already rigid posture. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, is Doctor Reid home?" Geoffrey asked, he couldn't very well just demand to see the other man, nor could he really push his way past the older gentleman, the invitation thing was going to be one of the largest inconveniences wasn't it? He thought briefly.

"May I ask who's calling?" the older gentleman said, McCullum thought for a moment that he could hear the tension rising in him, who knows, maybe he could… Wasn't that a thought, he focused for a second, the old man's heart a singing, blazing inferno in front of him, but beyond that… he looked up, there was another bright light and a dimmer, more… soothing pulse deeper in the house.

"Just tell him that Mr. McCullum needs to speak with him." Geoffrey said after what was likely too long of a pause. The man gave him another appraising look before closing the door and disappearing.

"I don't think he's coming back." Hodge warned from where he was trying to be casual and just looked intimidating instead. McCullum rolled his eyes.

"We're a shady looking couple of men and by his standards, it's late, can't fault him for being a bit suspicious. But even if he doesn't pass on the message, Reid would have heard us."

"You really think so?" Wes looked skeptically up at the house. Geoffrey leveled him with a flat stare.

"I know so."

"Well, that's a downright eerie thought…" the captain muttered just as the door opened again to reveal Reid. He wasn't wearing a waistcoat and his sleeves had been rolled up to his elbows, it was startlingly casual for the doctor and Geoffrey found his eyes scanning over the long line of his forearm before he pointedly forced his gaze back to the other man's face.

"McCullum," Reid smiles slightly, "what an unexpected surprise. I don't believe I know your associate…" he says, looking beyond Geoffrey to the captain behind him.

"This is…" the commander pauses when he spies that the older man is still in the entryway, "a friend of mine, Hodge, we work together."

"I'm certain I've seen you out on the streets, Doctor Reid." Hodge says formally, giving the Ekon the firmest glare he can muster. Hodge may have indicated that he felt Reid was different from other leeches, but that was a far cry from trust, Geoffrey noted.

"You probably have, I haven't been able to make many rounds since I've returned, but it's on my to do now that I'm back. Regardless it's nice to meet you, would you two like to come in? Or is it passing business?" The doctor was all polite smiles but McCullum had a sneaking suspicion that the other man was a little put out that they just showed up at his family home. The commander, despite how childish it may have been, couldn't help but feel a little smug about it. It was just so easy to rile the doctor up now that he thought back on their previous interactions.

"I appreciate it, I…" McCullum took a pause, he didn't like admitting it but it was the truth, "I need some advice."

Reid at least seemed to appreciate that was out of his typical character, responding with only a raised brow and standing aside so they could enter the building. He looked back at the old man who was still lurking in the doorway.

"It's okay Avery, I can put tea on for our guests, go ahead and retire for the evening."

"I will get the kettle started." the old man, Avery, said with the slightest scoff in his voice that told Geoffrey that he had no intentions of leaving Reid alone with two strange men. Not that he needed to have worried, Reid was, or was close to, the most powerful vampire in the city. The commander spared a thought to the idea that things may go very differently if he and the doctor fought again. Reid watched the old man disappear around a corner with a mixed expression before turning back to the hunters in his home.

"How can I help?" he asked, he held a hand out and it took McCullum a moment to realize that he was asking for his coat. After a moments' consideration he handed it over, Hodge watched him and followed suit. The captain's gaze was wandering the inside of the home, judging either the posh decor or wondering what a leech's lair looked like from the inside, Geoffrey wasn't sure which.

They followed the doctor into a sitting room where a fire had burned low, embers glowing warmly in the hearth. Reid gestured to the chair and went about adding more logs to the fire. Geoffrey sat as close as seemed acceptable, holding his hands out and sighing as the warmth leaked into joints, this constant feeling of cold was a side effect that he didn't appreciate. Hodge perched on the edge of a cushion and Reid joined a moment later, looking at the pair of them expectantly. McCullum took a deep breath and ran one hand through his hair before answering.

"This… is strange to admit, but I'm in a bit over my head. You had had a theory how… this had happened and… you offered your assistance before. I… is that still an open offer?" he asked slowly. He didn't like admitting that he needed help like this, but he didn't have any better plans and if any leech seemed to have the hunger under a better control, it was Reid. If he wasn't going to fall on his own sword, this was probably the next best option. Reid for his part, looked a bit surprised, leaning back and glancing briefly at Hodge before speaking.

"I'm assuming that your captain here already knows the state of things?" It was a diplomatic way of putting things to say the least.

"Aye, Hodge knows what's going on." Geoffrey said. Reid looked even more surprised by this if it was possible, but it didn't stop him from continuing his line of questions.

"So we have a strong suspicion of how, but no knowledge beyond that." the doctor said, looking into the fire but gaze unfocused. "No idea about…" his face screwed up into something, the scent coiling in the air making McCullum suspect it was disgust, or maybe frustration. "... the bloodline that you come from."

"We know that it comes from Arthur, couldn't you just do some of your… tests? On it." Geoffrey says, he doesn't know how exactly Reid learns all the things that he does with the various bits of equipment, but he knew from the research that they did that the other Ekon was a blood specialist, something that he and his captains got no end of amusement from when they'd found out. He wonders what drove the man so far to seek out the change in the first place, especially when he tried so hard to resist his nature. If anything the doctor would be a prime example of one that they would expect to fall headlong into a trail of bodies and working deeply with the Ascalon Club. He's drawn back into the moment when Reid sighs, looking down at his long fingers, a frown pulling down the edges of his lips.

"If there had been more to work with maybe, I had barely enough to sustain the concoction I used against the Disaster, especially after the first didn't bond properly."

"So… there's none left?" Geoffrey felt a trickle of anger erupt in his chest, he'd been meaning to ask for that back, but with what happened to himself… maybe it was best that it was lost to history. There was no use getting upset about it now…

Reid's head snapped up, looking past Hodge to the wall and Geoffrey followed, realizing a moment later what he'd noticed when he heard the old man coming down the hall, the clatter of dishes with him. They were all nearly silent as the tea tray was set down on a table, the smell making the commander wish that he could still partake.

"Thank you Aubrey, we'll likely be some time, I can take care of the dishes." It was a very, very long pause before Aubrey sighed and slowly left the room. The doctor and McCullum both watched as the red light actually ascended the stairs before turning back to the conversation at hand. Hodge was watching them both with skepticism.

"That's really creepy." he said simply before leaning forward to pour himself a cup of tea, liberally adding cream before holding it between his hands and taking a deep sip.

"So we can't analyze the relic, but you said that it was the same bloodline as yourself, what do you know about your bloodline?" McCullum asked, breaking back into the subject at hand. Reid sighed and ran a hand through his hair, messing slightly the neat style that he kept it in.

"Not as much as I would like." he said, sounding frustrated. He'd taken one of the cups of tea but he wasn't drinking it, just holding it between his hands and Geoffrey copied, at least he could enjoy the smell and keep his fingers warmer than they usually were.

"What, your maker didn't tell you? Who are they anyway?" Hodge put voice to the question that McCullum also wanted to ask, they had to be powerful if Reid's abilities were anything to go by.

"Did you know that that's usually seen as a rude question?" the doctor said, looking into the looking fire. The commander blinked at that hesitation but didn't interrupt and Reid continued. "Not that I give a wit about what most other Ekons consider polite, the rules are often inconsistent and just as nonsensical as other high society ones," he paused, took a deep breath of the steam rising from his cup, "but I suspect neither of who knew that, or cared for that matter."

"That's not an answer Reid." McCullum ground out, starting to get frustrated with the other man dancing around the topic.

"I know, I thought the snippet of information would be better than the wild guesswork I've had to do when it comes to my maker."

"Did they not explain it when you asked?" Hodge asked.

The doctor went stiff as a board. He could have just as likely been a statue for all that he moved, it was so sudden, even his breathing ceasing, that Geoffrey was a bit concerned. He leaned forward, trying to catch Reid's eye, which were both constricted down to pinpricks.

"Reid?" he asked quietly, he didn't want to touch, didn't want to startle him. He'd seen this on occasion with some of the soldiers when they got back, heck he had his own moments of getting lost somewhere else.

"Johnathan?" Geoffrey asked instead and after a second the doctor's eyes flicked over to his own and he took a small gasp, so quiet that the commander wasn't certain that Hodge would have heard it.

"Sorry," the doctor said, he glanced briefly at Hodge, who to his credit looked concerned but not afraid. Reid cleared his throat. "I just… have…" his voice got very, very quiet, "have you been under the idea that I wanted this this whole time?"

Geoffrey blinked and suddenly there was a stone in his stomach, sinking rapidly to his feet and he had to put his teacup down before he broke it. He could feel the shadows in the room ripple slightly around him before he could reign in his anger.

"You…" McCullum paused, trying to press down his reaction more before opening his mouth again, he could feel his own fangs pressing sharp against his gums. "They just… forced it on you?"

Reid nodded, watching the fire lick the at the log, Geoffrey pretended not to notice the way that the shadows at the doctor's feet also rippled and flared unnaturally. The confirmation didn't help the rage burning in his heart, though it certainly explained much of the doctor's behavior throughout the epidemic, he'd just been a man, fuck had he even been aware of the supernatural before? The Guard had seen plenty of men changed over the years, out of spite, on accident, it never made it easier, but now… now having seen Reid and now himself start to conquer the hunger, how many men had they needlessly put to the death…? Geoffrey swallowed stiffly and tried to focus back to the problem at hand.

"Reid…" he waited until the Ekon turned to face him. "I'm sorry."

The doctor, for his part, just gave a humorless laugh and shook his head, seeming to come back to himself more than he'd been a moment ago. "I don't recall it very well, and perhaps that's for the best, I was assured that being left to awaken on my own was… unusual to say the least, but I wasn't aware just how uncommon it was to be left to sink or swim until some time into things. And to not have a choice in the matter… well most didn't even think to ask." he shrugged, trying to downplay it, Geoffrey could tell but he didn't press, there was time to be angry later. Reid's shoulders squared back up and he looked at the Guardsmen again. "I did eventually meet my maker, I think… I believe he thought he was helpling where he could, he, they… they're hard to explain." he said.

"You get a name at least?" Geoffrey asked. "We don't keep as many records as the Brotherhood but we do try to keep tabs on some of the more dangerous bloodlines."

"There were a few, but the one I was given first and most commonly was Myrrdin." Reid said. To his left Geoffrey could hear Wes choke on his tea, and the commander himself was thankful that he had already set his down so he couldn't drop it. The doctor was watching the captain with concern as the lad cleared his throat of liquid.

"I'm… I'm okay." Hodge said, patting his chest a few times. "I just… wasn't expecting that."

"So, I take it the Guard has heard of him?" Reid said it so conversationally that Geoffrey had to blink a couple of times before speaking up.

"Have we heard of legends and half believed stories of one of the Progenitors?" McCullum managed, the tightness of his throat making the words come out a little higher than he intended. "Aye, I would say that we have, I just… didn't believe that he existed…" he grumbled. It seemed a touch foolish now that he was thinking about it, but he was far from the only one, Carl had also scoffed at such stories and legends, saying that leeches didn't need to make up extra tall tales to make themselves more monstrous. Still, just because his mentor had believed, or not believed something didn't really give him an easy pass, there were plenty of things that he had changed or done away with that Carl had done or believed. He liked to believe that they were headed in a better direction, but that didn't mean that there weren't bumps in the road. Reid looked surprised at their reaction and took a moment to fold one leg over the other, something in his scent flickering, Geoffrey swore he was going to figure that bit out if it killed him, too damn useful not to understand what it all meant.

"Now I regret not asking earlier, it would have been nice to be able to get some straight answers about him." The doctor sighed. "I knew that he was ancient and powerful, but getting something resembling sense out of him was an effort in futility." he ground the words out, like he needed to spit them. As he was venting his frustrations a realization dawned on Geoffrey. If Arthur had been part of the same bloodline and it was, in all likelihood, that blood that had turned him then.

"So I'm of the same bloodline then…?" it was less a question, and more a stunned statement murmured on the edge of his breath, but the doctor heard him all the same and nodded.

"I would presume so." Reid said, it seemed as though how profound of a revelation that he'd given hadn't really set in with him, but then again, the doctor hadn't grown up with these half truths and legends.

Reid blinked once, it seemed a very deliberate motion when he did it, like a cat and he looked over at McCullum, eyes brightening.

"I believe I have a way I might be able to do some confirmations." he said

"Oh?" Geoffrey sat forward, he heard Hodge shift noisily behind him and realized that the poor man had been nearly forgotten. He shifted his body to try to include the captain in spirit if not in conversation.

"I would need a blood sample, but I could do a few comparisons with my own, see if the markers line up, I'm still learning what all differentiates different Ekon blood and if different bloodlines actually have markers within them but it would be an interesting test all the same. Ah, that is, if that's okay with you?" Reid's eyes were alight with curiosity and Geoffrey found himself looking into the pale color with a bit more intensity than was likely appropriate. He cleared his throat and glanced back at Wes, who to his credit, just looked confused, not suspicious or disgusted.

"Aye… that should be alright, worst case you get nothing." McCullum said, leaning back in the chair again before looking around the room. "How… how do you go about this?" he asked, he was tempted to roll up his sleeve then and there but who knows if the doctor even wanted to do it at this very moment.

"One moment, I'll retrieve some tools." Reid said before nearly vanishing from sight, the commander was pleased to note that he could follow the doctor's shadowy form, even as it moved faster than most could track it.

"You sure it's okay to just let him take some of your blood sir?" Hodge asked, pouring himself another cup of tea and blowing gently on it.

"Not like I have all the fancy tools he does, plus the worst he's going to do is find out if I am what we already think." Geoffrey shrugged. "Man seems to be trying his damndest, and not having had a choice, can't blame him."

They were both quiet for a moment, Geoffrey watching Reid move around upstairs and Hodge sipping not quite silently on his drink before the captain spoke up again.

"Wonder if he even knew about vampires bein' real and all before, certainly know I didn't believe in much before… well before." Wes cut off before mentioning his sister, they both knew about it, no sense in bringing it up again. "At least nothing I put real stock in."

And didn't that just take the cake? If the doctor was dumped face first into the world of vampires and things that go bump in the night? It was a wonder he hadn't lost his mind. McCullum didn't have time to consider it further because Reid appeared again, hands full of various medical tools. Geoffrey had seen him coming but Hodge nearly spilled tea on himself, hand reaching automatically for the pistol that he had strapped to his hip.

"My apologies." the doctor said, not moving again until the captain had started to relax and even then he moved carefully, setting out each tool where they could all see them. When things had settled he looked at the commander. "Do you mind rolling up your sleeve?"

Geoffrey shared one last glance with his captain and then unbuttoned the sleeve and shoved it past his elbow, not bothering to fold it nicely. The doctor flipped his wrist up toward the ceiling and quickly swabbed something over the crease of his elbow, the sharp smell of alcohol clogging the Ekon's nose and he couldn't help but wiggle it in agitation.

"Don't think I'm gonna get sick from a little poke doc." Geoffrey teased, he hadn't meant for the casual statement to slip out and clicked his mouth shut the second that he had but it was too late. Thankfully Reid's eyes flicked up to his own, amusement coloring them before going back to watch what he was doing.

"It's more so that anything on your skin doesn't get in the sample than for your benefit. It's also a long standing habit." He wielded the needle smoothly and Geoffrey was a little fascinated to let his vision slip and see the vein that the doctor was going for before the needle pierced it. The smell of his own blood tickled at the air, it wasn't overly appealing to Geoffrey but he could see the way that it made Reid's nostrils flare. The doctor placed a small swab over the spot as he pulled the needle out with a practiced air, something else that was definitely more habit than something that Geoffrey needed him to do. He glanced off to the side and saw that Hodge was watching them both with a mix of disgust and amusement.

"So now what?" McCullum asked, moving the swab away to see that the wound had already completely closed. He gave it to Reid when the man offered a hand to take it and the doctor set everything in a neat pile but the hunter didn't miss the way that Reid's eyes stared an extra moment on the blood in the vial.

"Now, I'll need some time to analyze it, alone. I find it difficult to concentrate when someone is staring over my shoulder, unless you or your man have taken an interest in studying hematology?" The doctor looked amused at what must be the utterly blank looks on both of their faces and said. "I thought not. I can do that later though, is there anything else I can help you with?"

Goeffrey glanced at his man for a second and then back to the doctor, this was not something that he really wanted to discuss in front of his captain but there was nothing to be done for it now.

"Aye… I… well I was wondering if you had any…" the commander paused for a moment, he didn't like asking for help, especially when he had to admit some touch of his own weakness. "Any tricks that you use to manage the…" McCullum trailed off, he couldn't say it, didn't want to admit that he was tempted.

"The hunger?" Reid asked, Geoffrey looked up at him, but there was no judgment in his gaze, just understanding. "Nothing pleasant, that's for certain." he continued with a sigh, he rolled the vial between his hands, looking at it and the way that it caught the firelight. "There's always a surplus of vermin in London's streets, but… beyond that, I've been doing a few experiments with some injections to alleviate the worst of it." his words were quiet but by no means inaudible.

"Does it work?" Geoffrey asked, he was both curious and yet a little hesitant. Swansea's experiments were the whole reason that they were in this mess to begin with, but so far there was absolutely nothing to point back to Reid.

"A bit." the doctor said. "I could give you a couple of them if you wanted to see how they work for you. They might not, and some batches work better than others but I would be curious to see what others might say about them, I haven't… met many others who are inclined to want to control their hunger."

"Ah, can't hurt I s'pose." Geoffrey said, he'd make sure that he was alone if and when he tried it, just on the off chance that it wildly wrong.

"I'll grab a couple of them, you can return the syringes at a later date, but then I do actually have some errands that I need to run tonight." Reid said, glancing at the clock.

"Hot date?" Hodge piped up, he was clearly trying to lighten the mood but there was still a tension in his shoulders that wasn't always there.

"Hardly." Reid scoffed. "An appointment rather with a fellow practitioner." he didn't say anything more before he disappeared around the corner at a slower pace this time. He clearly waited until he was out of ordinary sight until he whisked away into the shadows. Geoffrey spared a half a glance to his movements but focused most of his attention the captain in the plush chair across from him.

"You certain we can still trust him?" Hodge said, McCullum frowned and then met Wes' eyes.

"What do you think?" putting the question back on the young man. Geoffrey had already made up his mind but his opinion was fairly compromised at this point, best to see what the captain's logic was.

"I think we would have been seeing more problems when things were at their worst, or even seen a correlation with any reports upon his return. As it is we wouldn't have known that he was back unless you'd said something. Still makes me uncomfortable to just let him poke around but right now he's doing far more good than bad, as much as I'm loath to admit it."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence." Reid said as he came back around the corner, the sarcasm heavily audible on the edge of his voice. He didn't look hurt by it though, just resigned. He handed Geoffrey the syringes as promised and gave him a brief rundown on how to use them before gently but firmly urging them back out onto the street. Once there the younger man turned on him, a frown on his face.

"You knew he could hear me." he accused.

"Sure, didn't think that would impact your opinion though, not like we can trust mine." Geoffrey said with a shrug. "I knew what I would do but I wanted to know what you would plan on. Things can't keep going the same way they have been. Who knows how long this strain of Skal will be around and the chaos from the 'flu isn't going to last forever. We'll have to go back to being more careful with our steps again." the hunter continued, turning back into the cold night and considered his next move. He could probably get away without hunting for one evening but he had no guarantee that he'd be able to have the time tomorrow.

"But I'm going to take advantage of the chaos while it's here." McCullum said, glancing back at Hodge and then back to the street. "I'm going to hunt, you don't have to come, but I won't stop you if you do. If you can keep up." he gave the other man a grin and vanished in a wisp of smoke.