I watched Dr. Chesso as he examined some strange green substance under the lense of a microscope.
He was a comical looking man, he had huge screwy grin, a abnormally long neck, a massive brow that served as a weird visor over his tragic bedroom eyes.
His nose dipped down sadly and from the side view it appeared to quite exstensive, it was long and curved like the blade of a harpoon and his ears were absolutely gargantuan.
His hair reminded me of flustered composer who had misplaced his wig.
It was gray and whirled and twisted all over place yet surprisingly there wasn't a single tangle to be found in that
Overall he was the strangest human I'd ever ever seen in my life.
He didn't seem to be a dangerous man but then again first impressions are never that accurate.
I decided to watch him a little longer, before I made my next move.
There was a rapid knock on the other side of the metal door.
"Come right in.
If you have paperwork just slid it in the slot right above the doorknob."
Chesso spoke rather non challantly, obviously far too engrossed by his work to take notice that the person he buzzed in was not even a part of his hospital staff.
"Oh how odd. I don't seem to have any paperwork on me.
I know, how about after our little chat, I leave this horrible place and I return with some paperwork?
I'll start with a suponea, I'd really like to be the one to deliver it to you, myself."
I nearly allowed my invisibility to slip when I saw the stranger that had walked into his office was none other than Sidney Salazar.
"Who the hells bells are you?
You're not a part of the staff.
Although you look familiar.
You've been here before haven't you?"
"Oh how nice of you to remember me.
I'm touched.
Tell me what else do you remember Doctor Chesso?"
"Ehm lets see... you served as a orderly some 30 years back.
You kept to yourself most days, you rarely spoke, you were the quiet one.
Wait, I remember now, you weren't a orderly, you were the janitor.
Nobody notices the janitor but I noticed you.
Those hungry eyes, that twitching mouth whenever there was blood present, the missing blood samples, yes I know what you are.
I knew what you were then just as I do now.
You know it's really quite a privilege to be in the presence of someone like you.
No, it's a real honor to have real live vampire right in my office.
I'm tickled pink about it in fact yet I shall refrain myself.
Now What's this lawsuit business about?"
"Oh I have several good reasons to take you to court right now.
Better yet I could just take you straight to jail, that way you'll have a proper place to wait for your trial.
Yet first things first, Tell me what do you know of Splendor?"
"Who?"
"Don't act so dim, Doctor.
There aren't that many Splendors out there.
There can only be one and there is only one that you're interested in.
I'm just wondering what makes her so fascinating to you.
Why does she intrigue you so much?"
"Oh that Splendor, yes a lovely girl, Daughter of Dirkon Wastrum I believe.
Oh you didn't know that she was his daughter I take it.
Few do and I'm one of the few he confides in.
The whole uncle thing is just a guise.
They are actually very closely related".
"YOU LIE! They aren't even the same blood type.
I've checked myself, first hand, believe me I should know, I'm a vampire".
He smiled wickedly, through frustrated fangs.
"Pray tell, how do you know Wastrums blood type?"
Chesso were so wide that the hazel had faded to a dark brown.
"Oh it's kind of a funny story.
You see a long time ago, about 27 years ago actually, I met this absolutely exquisite young lady, exceptionally beautiful but she wasn't just a pretty face, no she had brains, she stayed out of trouble, morally and mentally sound.
She was quite a bit younger than I was of course but we had a great rapport and just as you guessed it we became so comfortable with each other's company that we began to fancy one another.
She was going through College at the time when I met her, she was practically the school's poster child, the golden girl on campus, everybody loved her, heck everybody wanted to be her, she was the envy of all the girls and the ultimate dream girl for every man.
Then one day she had a rather nasty encounter with Wastrum, she dragged her broken body to the only place she could go.
I suggested to her to report it and she followed my advice.
This is the funny part, she had a lot of marks on her, even a few traces of blood and as it turned out it wasn't all hers.
The funniest bit about this is she had his DNA all over her, all that rock solid evidence would have proven him guilty if he had ever bothered to show up to court yet oh well.
Anyhow I worked with the case quite closely so naturally I found out a lot about Wastrum; his past, his fingerprints, birth marks and of course his blood type.
However Splendor is another story.
She's sweet, she's generous and she has no problem with me being a vampire, so it wasn't hard figuring out her blood type".
Chesso was absolutely terrified by this as he knew that she had to have sampled a bit of her blood in order to come to that conclusion.
"So, You're Sidney Salazar.
I had a feeling I'd be running into you eventually.
I didn't expect it to be quite so soon though."
"Stop stalling Chesso.
OUT WITH IT DOCTOR!
Tell me what you know or I'll have to drain the information right from your very veins!
So let's be cooperative Chesso, I'd hate this to become too messy or too painful."
"Very well, Splendor is a real one of a kind, she's quite unique, a rare breed so to speak, a diamond in the rough yet as you know she's not at all what she seems to be, she never has been, she's always full of surprises, that girl but above all she's a experiment of mine, she's not even supposed out there in the real world amongst all you lovely individuals at Frolock Studios.
Sadly she's not a stable experiment, she tends to just snap, out of nowhere at times, she can be highly erratic, unmanageable even, why I'll have you know she's inflicted several serious injuries to nearly every member on my staff.
Her moods alone are about as predictable as a natural disaster, it never turns out the way you'd expect and she'll explode before you can even warn anybody about it. So I'm warning you, she may be liability to that company, the studio may be at risk, why she could even be a danger to you as well as the entire studio staff.
Hand her over to me and she will be safe, you and that beloved studio of yours will be safe as well.
You can trust me".
"I'm sure.
Yes she's just another unstable test tube baby that you accidentally let loose into the world.
Look I know you might think you are the smartest man in the room, the wise old doctor cleverly rolling up his sleeves while hiding all your secrets in your shoes and socks but I've been around alot longer than you have, so I know bullshit when I hear it and you sir seem to speak it quite fluently.
Thankfully so do I.
You took her on as a experiment, you used and abused her and you justified your cruelty by claiming it was all in the name of science.
Oh you think I don't know about all those disappearances.
I simply followed the unmistakable trail of blood and intoxicating tears and it lead me right here, to Morningside Mental Health Hospital.
You see detective work is a hobby of mine.
Why else do you think someone of my caliber would take up the lowly work of a simple and common Janitor?"
"Dear me, you-you-you were a spy!
You were the mole, the mole we could never find.
How could I be so stupid!
It's always the quiet ones, that compromise you in the end.
So am I allowed to know who you're working for now?"
"You're a funny man Chesso.
I find it absolutely hilarious that you thought I was working with someone.
When it comes to my detective I work alone, I fly solo, I'm what you call an independent.
However I do cooperate with outside sources.
I work for hire and there's nothing on this planet that humans love more than a good secret.
People will pay top dollar for certain classified information.
I know it sounds disreputable but those were dark times, I had to survive, you understand, I had to grovel around just for a simple meal and well you were my meal ticket of the day Doctor Chesso.
All I had to do was stand there with a mop in one hand and watch and listen to every word that was spoken and take note of every single event that took place at Morningside Clinic.
If I stayed any longer I could have written a book, The Rise and Fall of Morningside: The Story Of Casparus Chesso and How He Nearly Fooled Us All.
That's a great title, I think I might keep it for my next writing project."
"Oh so you work alone eh and here I thought there was something to worry about".
"Oh you should still be worried Chesso.
I don't work alone any longer, I rather work well with others as it turns out."
"Well look who's talking the bullshit now.
Pffffft... you're not working with anyone, you came here alone.
You may have made it past security but I doubt of any of your so called friends could do the same unless of course they happen to be a vampire like yourself.
Let's face it Sidney, you are a loner, you aren't affiliated with any secret organizations, you definitely don't have as many connections as you claim and I bet you don't even have backup.
The truth is there are no friends in high places, not for you, you are very foolish to come here, unattended and unarmed."
"I'd like to say the same to you sir."
I slid out of the shadows, announcing my presence, hoping that my form appeared tangibly solid and somewhat alive.
I made sure that I wasn't slouching in any way, so I would be as intimidating and as terrifying as possible.
"Dear me another one.
I take it you two know each other?"
Chesso challenged Sidney who was desperately trying to erase his unmistakable expression of bewilderment.
Sidney strode up to me as casually as he could so he could process what he was seeing.
He fixed his eyes into a squint and then flashed me a confident glare and a all knowing smile.
"Yes Of course, I know him all too well.
Raphael Frolock son of Swervana Frolock, if I'm not mistaken.
So kind of you to join me.
I really thought you'd never come.
What took you sooo long?"
There was a frustrated snarl in his voice now.
"There was a mix up at the blood bank.
I had to take care of it before I came, family business waits for no one as you know".
"Certainly understandable.
Now where were we?
Aw yes you were attempting to give me a empty threat about how I was such a loner that I couldn't possibly defend myself on my own but thankfully as you can clearly see I didn't come alone.
What about no back up now?"
"I stand corrected.
Tell me are you expecting any more?"
"Oh I don't think that's necessary now that I'm here especially since I have a little magic on my side".
I snarled at him just so he'd see the exquisite pearly points of my fangs.
We both sauntered over to him, our hands outstretched, our fangs at the ready as we approached him from either side, surrounding him in a terrifying circle of fear.
"Gentleman, Let's be reasonable.
Perhaps there is something we all can gain from this.
I could give you each of you a considerably generous sum.
I could provide you with fresh blood, women, men, children, take your pick.
I also have a lot of secret information that could be very valuable to you".
"I don't think any amount of information or blood is going to satisfy us.
What do you think Raphael?"
"I quite agree, Sidney.
No amount of bribery is going to work this time either, I'm afraid and the only thing you're going to gain in this situation is your own life.
So think carefully and choose your next words wisely."
"Wait are you two here for Splendor by any chance?"
I gave Sidney a nervous side glance so to express to him I wasn't sure if I should be at the helm of this creative process.
"How perceptive of you, Chesso.
Yes I suppose you could say we came here on her behalf.
I, myself, am quite fond of her, naturally she needs protecting and we are just the two that can provide that for her."
"Yes and that Dear Chesso is a our true purpose and and the true reason we have come here to you.
I've been watching you Chesso and that Wastrum friend of yours.
I've been listening in to all your conversations.
You two are certainly very close and recently I overheard the most fascinating conversation between the two of you the other day.
You want her back don't you?
Well that's not going to happen, not as long as I exist and not as such long formidable forces as Sidney Salazar and myself remain in her life.
You and Wastrum have put her through enough torment.
Its time, that this abuse comes to an end.
I'm sure you're wondering where she is right now and you'll never find her because if you even so as much take a single step towards her, if you utter one word to her or you ever even attempt to reach out to her in any way, you shall find yourself in retirement, permanently.
Oh, I don't know about you Sidney but I don't require any kind of sleep schedule; I never rest which means I have enough flexibility to watch her every waking moment of my existence.
I'll live forever Chesso, how long will you last?
Do you have a eternity to watch over her?
Can you give her the assurance of eternity?
You won't be around forever and eventually she'll outlive you and that might happen sooner if you should go looking for her.
Oh another thing, Splendor has a tendency to make friends wherever she goes, she makes new ones eveyday it seems and I will make every effort to cooperate with all of them.
One last thing before we leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening, I specialize in curses, it's been a lifelong hobby of mine, so watch your step, curses can hide just about any place.
A door knob, a chair, a simple hair comb maybe even common step on a stairwell.
It will be well hidden, I'll make sure of it and you won't know that you've been cursed until it's too late yet the real brilliance of my plans for you is once you've been cursed nobody will be able to do anything about it, Wastrum's strength is failing him and you have no other friends to speak of so it looks like to me that you're the real loner here.
So when you are crying out because of the sheer pain that my curse has created for you, there will be no one to save you, no one to pity your cries of despair, no one will have enough love and loyalty for you to even bother to free you from my great and terrible curse.
You'll be on your own old man.
Alone and done for in a small stuffy lab you call an office.
I could almost cry for you but my tears dried up a long time ago.
That's just the benefits of being dead inside.
You should relate, you hardly have enough life in that heart of yours to support that gigantic ego you have hiding away underneath that thick skull of yours.
So i suppose if ever end up I killing you, I won't have much remorse because we all know you died long ago.
If you were ever to disappear, the rest of your staff here would only think you went on vacation or that you took a sick leave.
If you're gone long enough they'll think you just slipped back into retirement again.
No one will miss you, Splendor won't miss you, Splendor has moved on Chesso.
She's not interested in being your pet any longer.
She wants to be free, make her own life outside you and Wastrum's jurisdiction.
If you don't free her, I will.
Have a nice night Chesso.
I hope none of your demons keep you up at night".
I smiled and allowed Sidney to take over from there.