Oblivion 3 Chapter Ten Less than a week after Catherine and Mouse returned to America, Father, Mary and Timmy came home. It was a grand re-union, tinged with a little sorrow at having to leave Devin and Mich’ael in Austria. “There was nothing more we could do, and they are in good hands. As soon as either of them can be moved they will be flown back here.” Father told everybody who had crowded into his chamber within minutes of his arriving home. “I must say it is good to be back with you all, and Devin and Mich’ael send their love, and especially to Gerry and Marie.” Gerry and Timmy were overjoyed to see one another again, and very soon those who remained in Father’s chamber was Vincent and Catherine as all made their way back to their own assignments. Even Mary had gone to unpack and tidy herself up. “Well Catherine,” Father spoke to her as she passed him a cup of herb tea, “I expect you were pleased to be home.” “Yes.” Father looked at her sharply. “Have I missed something?” Looking up at him, Catherine found her eyes filled up with tears, and quickly brushed them away. “Whatever’s wrong?” he asked her. Catherine glanced across at Vincent, and unable to say another word, hurried from the chamber. “Vincent?” Father enquired. “What is wrong with Catherine. In fact with the two of you, am I mistaken or is their a strained atmosphere between you both?” “No Father you do not imagine it. I am afraid that Catherine and I do not see eye to eye on a matter, and it is causing a battle of wills.” “Care to tell me about it Vincent?” Father asked kindly, “Of course if you prefer not to.” Vincent lowered his weary frame into an armchair, sighing deeply, “I would like to speak to you about it, because I am unable to resolve it with Catherine.” Slowly he told Father about Catherine’s wish to return to Austria to help Devin and Mich’ael find some more people like himself. “I had no idea, Devin did not say anything about it.” Father told him surprised. “Now that you know, what do you think about this?” “Obviously Vincent you will miss one another, but once a woman gets something into her head, and is denied it, trouble will loom. Women have to be allowed to make their own mistakes I’m afraid, especially a woman like Catherine, who is used to taking risks and solving cases. I’m afraid that in preventing her to do what she is best at, will be clipping her wings unnecessarily, and she is going to be rebellious. Feel trapped even. I understand your reasoning Vincent, but they are purely selfish ones, and that you blackmailed her into submission can only go against you. I think if you have any chance of recovery you have to let her go with your blessing, or you may drive her away, if not physically, then certainly mentally. No woman wants to feel so owed by a man, that she feels oppressed and has no room to move. And no doubt the terrible incident with Scott only heightens the fact to her that you do don’t trust her judgement. Not all men are going to want to run off with her. And Vincent you have to remember what a life Catherine has given up to be here with you, that she has done so willingly at all deserves praise, but to force her into being here, now that is another thing entirely. I’m sorry Vincent, but obviously the ultimatum you gave her is going to bring irreparable damage to your relationship unless you give in to her needs.” “But Father, how can I let her go, to be without her, to know she is taking untold risks?” Vincent spread his large hands outwards in a gesture of despair. “You must Vincent. Catherine is not a pet dog that you can train to suit your own standards, she has a life. Had a better life once than the one she has chosen to live now, don’t make her regret having chosen this path Vincent. Believe me, if you do not try to hold her down, your relationship will be all the better for it. Remember she is your light. She carries your dream. But you have always known that your life has to be hidden away from society, and Catherine needs that society from time to time. As much as she loves you, she needs to be a part of what she willingly left behind occasionally, nonetheless.” Vincent sat thoughtfully, he hadn’t seen things this way, only how much he missed Catherine when she was away, he did not realise how important her work was to her, helping others, she needed to be needed, and Father was right she had given up much to be with him, to give him a life more than he had ever dreamed, a family he would never have even imagined. Father scrutinised him over the rim of his spectacles, watching the thoughts chase around his head, by the many expressions that crossed his leonine face. Finally he nodded, “Thank you for your council Father, I have been wrong. I can see now how important Catherine’s other life is to her, to us both, but I will miss and worry about her so much while she is away.” “That is only natural Vincent. Does not Marie and Gerry miss Devin and Mich’ael? And they may have many more months yet to wait, before they are all re-united. At least you have been spared that, and in the time that Catherine is here with you I should make sure, if I were you, that you spend the time together wisely. So that you build some special memories to help you both through the lonely times. For it will be both of you that suffer the separation. And Catherine has to be admired, for she suffers the same, knowing full well that she feels compelled to help perfect strangers, who at this moment in time, do not even know that she exists, but whose very lives likely depend upon her help. I am proud of her Vincent, of her and Devin and Mich’ael to even think of pursuing it. So make sure that when she goes it is with your blessing, and then she will be strengthened by your love.” “Yes Father, though she does not intend to go for some weeks yet.” “There is no time like the present Vincent. I saw her pain here today, the healing of that pain is in your hands. Would you have her suffer anymore than she needs to do?” “No. I will go to her now, and see you at supper.” Planting a kiss on the old man’s brow, Vincent left the chamber and went in search of Catherine. *** *** *** Devin and Mich’ael made rapid progress, heightened by their desire to return home, but also by the excitement of a letter Mich’ael had received from Fabian Francis, showing that he lived in Germany and explaining that he desperately needed to speak with him. “Should we go before returning to America do you think Devin, it would after all make more sense.” “Yes, but what about Cathy. She wanted to be included in this.” “That’s no problem she could meet us in Munich, and the three of us can plot together before we go to see Fabian. Should we tell him that Ignatz is also dead do you think?” “I was wondering about that. If he does have any people like Vincent, Marie and Gerry there, it may be better for us to have him release them if he knew of the danger that exists. I mean, if he were to know that both Ignatz and Hans were killed by one, we could use it to free the others. Tell him we have a place in America where they could go.” “Perhaps, and what do you think about that, do you think it would be right to take them there?” “No, I don’t actually. Not unless these people are as well educated as Vincent, Gerry and Marie. I fear that they won’t be, if Strasser was anything to go b, this guy Francis might be the same. And there is little room for beasts Below.” “Then what are we to do with them?” “I can only think of one solution, Mich’ael.” “And that is?” “We have to take them to the institute in the Appalachian mountains, and just hope that you are able to purchase it before then.” “And how am I supposed to do that from here?” “The same way as the present owners there would in acquiring an institute over here, by letter of course. You have already heard from the agents saying that the asking price was not reached, and that it is still up for sale, so go through the agent, and no matter what it takes make sure that you buy it. Its the only place I know of that these people can go to, and if possible they could be set free in the mountains.” Mich’ael nodded, “All right I’ll get on to it straight away, and as soon as the hospital say we can leave, we’ll go to see Fabian Francis. I’ll write to him in the meantime, tell him to expect the three of us. I expect you will be Deryl Weston again.” “But of course, who else?” *** *** *** Catherine nodded her head wearily. Sleep evaded her, and she could still hardly take it in, that she was making the trip overseas, yet again. Already after only eight hours apart she missed Vincent dreadfully, but at least she had left with his blessing which had been far more than she had expected when she had first told him of her intentions to go back a few weeks before. Whatever Father had said to him, she did not know, but she was grateful that the old man had altered Vincent’s thinking about things, and they had been able to recapture all their old charm. Since she had received Devon’s letter to meet him and Mich’ael in Munich, she had been in two minds whether or not to go. The children she knew needed her, especially young Jacob, and it was with tremendous effort that she tore herself away. It seemed a lifetime ago, that she had willingly left him and Vincent that first time. At least she consoled herself that Vincent had much to do. With the organisation of Father and Mary’s forthcoming marriage, that waited only for the return of Devin and Mich’ael, and now herself, she hoped that once this latest quest was completed, they could all settle down to a normal happy life. Whatever that was. The plane came into land, and Catherine collected her hand luggage, making her way up the aisle to the arrivals lounge. Going through she was met by a long and loud wolf whistle, and turning to the sound saw Devin grinning all over his face, pushing through the crowds towards her. Dropping her bags at her sides, she hugged him tightly, “Oh Devin,” she told him, “I have missed you so much.” Then catching sight of Mich’ael she embraced them both together, “And you Mich’ael, how well you both look. What I would give for three months rest with someone waiting on me all the time, I could do with a good long lie down.” “What! Don’t tell me that Cathy, with Vincent around, I should think you are hardly ever off your back.” Mich’ael burst into laughter, and Catherine too laughed out loud, “Devin anybody but you would not have got away with that.” she smacked him playfully. “I know aren’t I cheeky.” His little boy lost look dissolved any embarrassment she had from his remark, and she hugged him again, “Come on dope, fill me in then, what dreadful deed have you in store for me this time?” The three of them laughed together, making their way out of the busy airport and into the waiting taxi. *** *** *** Fabian Francis met them at the door of his laboratory, his face wreathed in smiles. “I am so pleased you could come to see me.” he told them, as he showed them in. “Please come inside, I’ll fetch you some coffee, or would you prefer tea?” “Coffee would be lovely.” Mich’ael told him, and watched as Fabian hurried across to switch on the kettle, pour milk into four mugs and put the mugs into the microwave. Once the milk was hot, he added the hot water, and coffee, frothed it up with a fork, and handed them each a steaming mug, and the sugar bowl. He did not speak throughout, but kept glancing and smiling in their direction, as they sat each alongside a desk supporting a sink and Bunsen burners, almost like being back at school again. Sipping his own coffee, he put down the mug, and began speaking to them all, “I cannot believe that you are here at last. Though I do not know you Mr. Reidel, Ignatz spoke highly of you, also the last time I heard from him, he also spoke highly of you too Mr. Weston.” “He did?” Devin replied, that came as a bit of a shock, not just that Strasser felt that way about him, but that Fabian had heard from him so recent. Fabian went on speaking quickly, “I could not believe it when James Burton a friend of Ignatz’s in America told me that Ignatz had moved away leaving no forwarding address, that is so unlike him. Ignatz and I have been keeping in touch for years. Save for the fact that neither of us spoke about the experiment, I think each of us suspected that the other was working on it. Still he did not know how far I had gone with it. And neither did I know anything from him. Other than knowing the one he named Marie, had been born. But then I was present at that birth so he could hardly have denied her existence. Though I’m sure had he thought he could have got away with it, he would still have tried. Are you quite sure he left no forwarding address?” Mich’ael shifted uncomfortably, and looked at Devin, his questioning eyes asking the forbidden question. Devin nodded, they would have to tell the truth. “What is it?” Fabian asked, seeing their discomfort. “I’m afraid to tell you Fabian, that Ignatz didn’t actually move away. He was killed by one of the creatures he created.” Fabian gasped, dropping hot coffee over his lap, not seeming to notice as the hot liquid burned through his trousers to his skin. “Ignatz dead! But that is terrible, how did it happen?” “We don’t exactly know. He was found decapitated, and mauled. Not only that but the creature had escaped. However, Devin and Catherine here managed to subdue, and dispose of her .” “I should think so too. What made her turn like that, or was she always wild?” “She was wild. Ignatz had made plans to terminate his creations, as he realised that after a lifetime of work he was no nearer his dream.” “So what of Han’s Kogler, how did he die.” “Same way, he too was killed by one as well.” Fabian sucked in a breath, “So they really are deadly. I wondered about that. How many did Ignatz produce?” “Just the two, three with the one that was lost in America. There were others but they were stillborn or died within days of birth, I’m afraid this idea is a lost cause Fabian, and a waste of many good years.” “I have to disagree. I would have thought so a year ago, but now, well come with me, I have something to show you, you may be amazed.” Unlocking a door at the other end of the room, that Catherine had assumed to be a large cupboard, Fabian led them into a long corridor, and switched on some lights. Through glass panelling they found themselves looking into a cell, in which a naked creature a little like Geraldine and a lot like Vincent, looked back at them, her body swollen by pregnancy. “This is number Three. I am very hopeful this time. Come let me show you the photographs from the scans I have performed on her.” He extracted them from a drawer, “You see the unmistakable image of the lion. This one is carrying a cub.” “When is she due, she looks quite large?” “That was the urgency, I had hoped Ignatz would be here to share the birth with me, but now if you can stay that honour will belong to you.” “You call her number three”, Catherine spoke for the first time, “Are the others still here.” “Yes, but they are unimportant. I need to get shot of them really, they have had their day. That was another reason I wanted to see you, I had hoped there would be a place for them on Sonn Alp, but now...?” “Can we see them?” Devin asked, knowing it was what Catherine wanted more than anything. “Of course. Step this way.” Just a few yards further on, Fabian flicked on more lights, and they found themselves looking into another two cells, inside one sat a huge naked male crouched menacingly inside a corner and in the other an older, also naked female, in much the same position. Catherine and Devin stared at the large male. His face was so human, like Marie’s, but his eyes were wild, and his face shielded by a huge mane of tawny hair. He was well over six feet, and very heavily built, but not fat. They noticed his furry hands, and his upper lips raised in a part growl as he saw them watching him. “Can he talk?” Mich’ael asked. Fabian laughed, “Talk, no, of course not. Could Ignatz’s?” “Well yes, as good as you or I.” “Really, well number one does mimic words, but hold a conversation, no, just guttural sounds more than anything. And the other female the same.” Devin looked at her, she resembled Vincent, except she being female was lighter set, without the mane, and she eyed him disdainfully. “Would you like to see them eating?” “Pardon me?” Mich’ael replied. Fabian looked at his watch. “Its almost feeding time. Stay there, and watch this.” He crossed the room and went out through a side door, they could see him as he walked the length of the room along which one wall had the fitted cells. Going across to a large refrigerator, he extracted three sides of beef, and put each upon a pronged fork. “I don’t believe I am seeing this.” Devin spoke softly, “Its no different to feeding the lions at the zoo. Its barbaric.” “Inhuman”. Catherine added. Fabian, oblivious to their feelings, opened a small door, and pushed the meat inside each cell in turn. Then walked quickly back to the exit. Opening the door, he told Devin, Mich’ael and Catherine, “Listen to this. They won’t touch it, until I say.” Hesitating, he watched them, as their bodies half rose in expectation, then the moment his mouth uttered the word “Eat”, they raced across to the meat tearing it into shreds and stuffing it into their mouths, as if they were ravenous. “When did you last feed them?” Mich’ael wanted to know. “A couple of days ago, no maybe three or four. I’ve been busy, and there is no-one else who knows of them but me.” “That’s terrible.” Catherine cried, unable to help herself, “And what about going to the toilet?” Fabian grimaced. “Hence the reason for standing behind this glass panel. They stink. I can’t do everything.” “But these are people, and you wouldn’t treat a dog this way.” Devin told him. Fabian spluttered, “Pardon me! People you say? Hey take a long hard look, you ever seen people look like that? These are animals, wild ferocious animals, nothing more and nothing less.” “So what makes you sure the new-born will be anything more?” “I don’t expect anything more in temperament. Lions are ferocious, it will only be what’s expected, with the difference it could speak like a man.” “Yet if number one only makes guttural sounds, and looks more human, what chance has one that looks like a lion.” Catherine asked him, her eyes averted from the scene of the bloodied faces of the creatures before her, as they licked the last of the carcass from off their fingers, and chewed on the bones. “Only a very slim chance, but that’s science, what are we if we don’t at least try.” “What I don’t understand, is why its all so damn important. Man can talk, man kills animals, makes them extinct, pollutes the earth, and then expects to find out what animals think about all of it. I would think, if sensible intellectual people can see the answer to that, then what animals would feel would be only too obvious, seeing how they are more on the receiving end so to speak.” Devin told Fabian, the tone of his voice sounding as if he were speaking to person who didn’t understand. Fabian caught the insinuation, “I know what I am doing Mr. Weston, why this could be the breakthrough we have needed, its going to be so exciting.” “Yet you will not be able to share it. If you did then people would have to know about these three, and those of Professor Strasser’s, so what then will you do?” “That’s the reason I needed help. I have to get rid of these three. I had hoped they could live on Sonn Alp, I thought that Ignatz could use them. Now that won’t be so, and I doubt you would take them to America, eh? So then there is only one option?” “And that is?” Mich’ael asked him. “I’ll need your help?” “And that is?” Mich’ael questioned him again. To destroy them.” “All three?” “Yes, but not until number three has given birth. I will need your help to dispose of the bodies.” Mich’ael looked at Devin and Catherine, “What do you two think?” Catherine and Devin stared at the beasts. They could have no life anywhere. The oblivion of death would be welcomed by all three of that they were certain, still to actually make that decision was not an easy one. Finally, both Catherine and Devin knew the answer by thinking of Vincent and Gerry and what they had suffered and others besides them at the hands of Hades and The’ri-on. They had no choice, and reluctantly they nodded, simultaneously, Devin speaking for them both, “Yes, they have to be destroyed, it would be the kindest thing.” nonetheless, his eyes filled with tears. During dinner that evening, at the hotel, the conversation was light and strained, and the meal only partly tackled. “Are we doing the right thing?” Mich’ael wanted to know. Catherine toyed with her fork sliding a potato around some vegetables, as if manoeuvring it for an obstacle race, almost as if it were the most important thing in the world, so deep was her concentration. Mich’ael didn’t think she had heard him, until she put down the fork, and looked at him, tears welling in her eyes. “To think, that was Vincent’s half brother and sisters in there, what he would give for a real brother, no offence Devin, and here we are contemplating his death. It doesn’t seem right to take it.” “I know what you mean Cath, but you saw them, what life have they had, what could they have, do you seriously believe they could be any less animal if given their freedom?” Devin told her, taking her hand in his. “And there is something else.” Raising her pain filled eyes to his, they asked him what? “For Vincent, Gerry or Marie, but especially Vincent to see these creatures, would only heighten his fear for the animal makeup of himself. To know how he could have turned out but for the love of people, could do irreparable damage to him, and I wouldn’t want to do that not to Vincent, and know it could have been avoided.” Catherine nodded slowly. “Yet all this could be in vain. We can’t keep coming back and forth wiping out what others create, can we, whose to say the whole thing won’t start up again. And this unborn cub, what’s to say that a human won’t be thrown in the future to a litter of lions, its terrible to even contemplate.” “That’s what I am most afraid of.” Mich’ael told her. “You know as loath as I am to say it, even to do it, somehow we must destroy everything that is there, and I mean everything.” “You mean all three of them, even the unborn?” “I mean, all three, the unborn, the files, the records and even the man.” Devin and Catherine gasped, “You can’t be serious, not him too.” “We have to do. It is imperative that every last vestige is destroyed, only then can we rest assured that it will never be repeated.” “But what about James Burton?” “Him too, if need be, I will check him out myself when we get back to New York. Though his letter is very explicate, he only has minimal interest in all of this, and we could write and tell him that it was futile, a waste of time. But he is the least of our worries right now. Would you both be willing to help me do what has to be done here in Germany?” “I’ll help with the creatures.” Devin told him, “But the man is yours.” “That goes for me too.” Catherine told him and shuddered, hardly believing she was saying the words, as she helped seal the fate of those that looked like Vincent. The following day, the three of them, arrived back at the laboratory with heavy hearts. Fabian was waiting for them. “I was almost afraid you wouldn’t return.” he told them honestly. “I thought you may have changed your mind.” “No, we haven’t but we have had other ideas.” Mich’ael told him. “When we got rid of Marie and Geraldine on Sonn Alp, we also realised the need to destroy all files on them, and we feel that you should undertake this also.” “Destroy the files, but why?” “Because having spent years doing this, and destroying the evidence, you don’t want someone coming along and stealing the idea, and saying they thought of it first do you?” Fabian nodded, “Okay then, but I will just keep some information on disks and lock them in the vault. Perhaps you two men would help me to chose which to keep and come down to the vault with me. You can wait here for us Catherine if you like, and then we will terminate the creatures. I intend to give them a morphine overdose. I have already dug their graves. Actually I have had this done for some time, I’ve been doing a bit a day for weeks, just in case it came to this.” Left to her own devices for few minutes Catherine made her way straight to the cells. She didn’t like the thought of these creatures having to die, not before she’d had a chance to speak with them. Shutting down hard on the Bond, lest Vincent saw through her eyes, and felt her distress, she opened the door. Putting out a hand to flick on the lights, then pulling it back again equally as fast, as the stench hit her, she used her hand to cover her nose. Stepping inside she pulled her jersey up over her mouth and nose, and made her way slowly towards the first cell. Careful to stay well back. The big male looked hard at her, his eyes glinting. Timidly, she lowered her jersey enough to ask him in German, “Hello, can you speak?” Inclining his head, to listen to the soft voice, Catherine’s heart somersaulted, the action so like Vincent. “My name is Catherine” she told him, “And I want to help you.” Shuffling forward through the faeces on the floor, making Catherine’s stomach churn, the big male came right up to the bars. “You do understand me, don’t you?” He nodded. Catherine gasped, then steadying her voice she asked him, “If you had one wish,” she asked him, “what would it be?” Looking along the corridor, she noticed that the two females had also come up to the bars to listen. “To die.” His velvety voice, so softly spoken, so like Vincent’s broke her heart. “Then today your wish will come true. Because we cannot bear to see the three of you this way, and we want to terminate your existence.” “Thank you.” The youngest female told her. “You are not afraid of us?” the big male asked. “No. I am married to one such as you, and we have children.” Something close to a smile crossed his lips. “And these men with you?” “They are both married to women such as these." Catherine nodded toward to the two women with him, "We live in a secret place, far from society, in America it is safe there. Would you like to live there too? You could you know, if you wanted we could take you there with us?” She asked hopefully. The three of them looked one to the other, and shook their heads, “No. Once perhaps but not now, the human side of us fights against the animal side you see, and always the animal side wins. It is the animal side that would wish for this freedom, but as for the human side, the side which speaks with you now, this side says no, only the oblivion of death that brings its own freedom is what we wish for.” Catherine nodded, “Yes, I can understand this. My husband would agree wholeheartedly with that.” “What is his name?” “It is Vincent. He has had to fight his animal side for years. Though it has left him now. It dies away you see, being that the life-span of the cat is shorter than the human.” “But still the cat’s features stay with him?” “Yes, and he can never be accepted as human. Always these rights are denied him, he has to live in the secret place, away from prying eyes. But you could have this opportunity too, if you wished for it. We could take you away from here.” Again they shook their heads. “This would be only partial freedom, not much more than we have now, though no doubt we would have dignity. To be forced to live this way, in this filth, is less than human, less than animal. Because we are neither we are less than both. To be free, really free that is all we desire, and this kind of freedom comes only from the oblivion of death.” “Do you have names?” “No. We were not even granted this much respect, just one, two and three, and now four is on the way.” “If you wish it, number four could have the same freedom you wish for.” “You can do this for us?” “Yes.” “Then so be it.” “I wish there was some other way.” Catherine told him, “You have missed so much. You could have so much more than this.” Shaking their heads, they reached out to her, through the bars, and Catherine a little afraid stepped backwards. “Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you.” The big male told her.” She smiled, “That was what your half brother told me the first time he spoke to me.” He smiled, showing broken and yellowed fangs, while Catherine stepped towards him holding out her hand. Their hands met, and he clasped hers in his, “Thank you,” he told her sincerely, “Please don’t fret so, that our lives will be taken, only know that you have made our dreams come true this day, know that without you, this is all we had to look forward to.” “No, it doesn’t have to be this way. You could live in the mountains, walk in the sunshine, swim in the rivers, you could be free.” Catherine begged him, holding out her other hand to the older female in the connecting cell. Who took it tenderly, sniffing at her hand, and told Catherine, “No please, if you have the means to take our lives then please, don’t let us live another day like this. We are human beings trapped within bodies that deny us that right, always we will be in prison, even while we had freedom. Please, I beg of you, don’t deny us this chance no matter how much better off you feel we would be living in the sunshine.” She told Catherine, her eyes be-dimming with tears. Catherine slid her hands out of theirs, and went along to the younger female, whose eyes were also filled with tears. “To think.” she told Catherine pitifully, “That here beneath my heart an animal grows, maybe with the mind of a human, maybe the ability to speak as a human, imagine that kind of prison. Please if you have the chance to put an end to all this, then please, please take it.” Catherine grasped her hand, “I love you.” Catherine told them choking back the tears, “I love you all. And I will never ever forget you, or your courage.” “If there is a God,” the big male told her, grabbing her hand again, as she made to leave, “then may he bless you for helping us this way. Have courage, Catherine, for our life begins this day.” Catherine raised the big clawed hand to her lips and kissed it tenderly, “I shall miss you always. And I should like to give you each a name. It would give you all a little dignity at least” The three creatures looked at her, the big male telling her, “the man leaves the radio on for us, and we have heard names upon it, this is how we learned language, for the man does not know we can speak. If we had any choice at all, we should like to have been known as Dominic, Daniella and Dinah.” He indicated who was who as he spoke. Catherine nodded, unable to speak lest she broke down in front of them all, and slipped out of the door into the corridor outside where she cried as if she would never stop. *** *** *** When Catherine was able to whisper to Devin and Mich’ael what had taken place, they were horrified. “Cathy you could have been killed, or maimed at the very least, what were you thinking of?” “But they are not like that.” she told them, “Come see for yourselves.” While Fabian set light to his files outside, he no longer needed them anyway, and thought it best they were destroyed, Devin and Mich’ael followed her along to the cells, the stench hitting them so badly that they retched. Going along the row of cells, Catherine spoke to each in turn, “I have brought my friends, please tell them what you told me.” In response, the three creatures growled menacingly. Catherine swayed with shock, “No,” she told them, “Don’t do this, these men are my friends, they wish only to speak with you, please it is hurting them as much as me to terminate your lives like this.” The big male lunged at the bars, snarling ferociously, making Devin grab Catherine’s hand to drag her wordlessly towards the door. “No!” Catherine cried, shaking herself free, and running back towards the cell, “I won’t let you pretend.” Still the three growled, their eyes glinting with malice. A sob caught in Catherine’s throat, “I tell you Devin, Mich’ael they are playacting, they can talk, they can.” Sobbing afresh, she reluctantly allowed herself to be led outside. She knew why they had done it of course, but it didn’t lessen the pain that she felt. *** *** *** Later in the day, when everything was ready for the termination, Fabian brought the tranquilliser darts from out of the fridge, placing one in each gun. “I propose we dart them first then put them onto trolleys and wheel them to the medical room. We can belt them down, and inject a massive dose of morphine into each one. Then bury them. We will do the caesarean before the last female receives the morphine.” Mich’ael and Devin nodded. “You won’t need me, will you.” Catherine asked, “I don’t think I can bear to watch.” “No, we can manage without you, but perhaps you would keep a watch on the young female, see that she doesn’t come around and injure herself fighting against the restraints. If she does then run to fetch me.” Fabian told her. Watching momentarily through the glass panel, Catherine stiffened, as Fabian turned on a hose through which huge jets of water covered the three beasts, in order to wash some of the fifth from their bodies. Unable to watch any more Catherine turned away and waited as one by one, Fabian, Mich’ael and Devin pushed the unconscious bodies of the creatures out of their cells and into the medical room. Devin found himself hovering with the syringe full of morphine over the body of the big male, and Mich’ael over the body of the older female. Both took pity upon the lifeless, still dirty bodies, the stench making them want to retch, “How could you let them get in this state Fabian.” Mich’ael turned to him angrily, “This is disgusting.” Fabian shrugged “They are just beasts. So what.” Mich’ael looked at him long and hard. Something irritated him about the man, and when Fabian went out to check the pulse of the young female in another room with Catherine, Mich’ael spoke as much to Devin. “There’s something not right here Devin, he seems to have changed his tune since yesterday. Let me have a look at what’s in that syringe.” Devin handed it to him, and Mich’ael squirted some out, as he did his own. He frowned, “This isn’t morphine. What on earth is the guy up to?” “I’ll tell you shall I?” Fabian’s voice coming from the doorway, challenged him, “After you have injected it.” “No”. Mich’ael cried, “Tell us, what is going on...” He stopped as Fabian brought out Catherine through the doorway, a gun held to her head. “Inject them”, he shouted, “or she gets it in the head.” “Not until you tell us what’s in it.” Devin cried, his voice frantic. “It makes them wild. After a few moments, they will tear you to shreds. Then I will dart them, return them to their cells, bury the three of you in graves meant for Ignatz, Han’s and yourself Mich’ael, and then the greatest scientific breakthrough, will be mine. All mine and no-one else will ever know." “You’re mad.” Devin told him. “Inject them.” Fabian shouted, pulling back the trigger. “I mean it. She’s going to die anyway. This way you get to watch. Before you get your own turn that is.” Devin hesitated, the syringe in his hand, what could he do, whatever he did the outcome would be the same, they were going to die. “Inject it!” He screamed, throwing Catherine forward so that she slid to the floor, and continuing to aim the gun at her told them, “Do it now, or perhaps you’d prefer a slow death for your friend here.” The thought of Catherine being shot again, the agony that brought the last time, made Devon’s hands shake, as slowly he put the needle into the big males arm, and squeezed downwards watching as the drug disappeared inside his body. Fabian’s sinister laugh rang out, “Now you Mich’ael.” Continuing to aim the gun at Catherine, until Mich’ael complied. This done, Fabian stepped back, with the intention of leaving them alone with the creatures, when suddenly a clawed hand from behind flung the gun up and away from him, while another swift blow, knocked him off balance, his body sprawling forwards into the room. Catherine lunged for the gun, before rolling out of Fabian’s way, and darting across to Devin’s side. The young female, hovered over Fabian, each time he made to get up, she caught him with a blow, that sent him reeling. Blood oozed from the wounds she inflicted, and as he finally managed to get to his knees the young female lunged at him, her claws raking his throat. Fabian staggered, the blood spurting from his jugular vein, and fell to the floor, guttural sounds coming from his blood soaked mouth. “Did he inject her?” Devin shouted at Catherine, then when she made no reply, he shook her, “Cathy! when you were in the other room, did he inject her?” Catherine’s eyes wide with horror stared at the advancing female, stunned by the menacing growls coming from the young female’s throat. “Cathy!” Devin shouted, “Tell me.” “Yes, yes with a sedative.” “No it wasn’t sedative Cath, it was a drug that makes them wild, come on we have to get out of here.” “But we can’t just leave them.” She cried distraught. “We have to do, in a few minutes they are going to tear us to shreds.” Mich’ael told her as the young female, circled slowly towards them. “Here give me that gun.” Snatching the weapon from her, Mich’ael aimed it at the young female, “Now the two of you get behind me, and walk slowly towards the door.” Edging along the wall, the three walked hesitantly, while the young female, paced in front of them, her green eyes dark with malice, Catherine could not believe the transformation. The administered drug, brought out the dark one, and she knew there would be no reasoning with the beast. Just as when Vincent had set free Haides and Gerry had battled with The’ri-on, the three of them were now in terrible danger, caught as it were in the lions den. And as the big male and older female slowly came round, and broke free of their restraints, joining the younger female to circle them, they knew that without a doubt, that death was imminent. “I have to shoot them.” Mich’ael told Devin and Catherine, checking that the gun was loaded, “There is no other way.” Catherine shook her head, remembering the conversation she’d had with them earlier. Knowing only it was the drug that made them as wild animals. It wasn’t right to kill them. They had so much to live for, and she was certain that in time, having freedom they would thank her for sparing their lives. “Cathy!, we have to do this. This is no time for sentimentality there is nothing else we can do.” Mich’ael shouted at her, pulling her round from behind him, and shoving her towards the door, “Get out, now.” Tugging at Devin’s arm, and pushing him after Cathy, Mich’ael continued to aim the gun at the beasts, as he walked backwards towards the door himself. The gun shook in his hand, as he stared at the beasts, who advanced slowly, and Mich’ael pulled back the trigger. Suddenly the young female crouched down to springing position, quickly followed by the other two, and the three of them roared. Mich’ael knew full well that lion’s roared only prior to a kill, and hesitant no more, he fired at them, one, two, three carefully aimed shots towards the head. Catherine screamed, burying her face into Devon’s chest as his arms came up around her, his own tears falling through tightly closed lids onto her hair, before pulling away to look around the door at Mich’ael. The beasts staggered and fell, hitting the floor simultaneously. And as Mich’ael lowered the gun to his side, and dropped onto his knees at the side of the bodies, he saw the big male smile, and heard him speak in German, “Thank you.” He told Mich’ael slowly closing his eyes. “Now we will have freedom.” And as the last breath faded from his body, his clawed hand reached out and grasped Mich’ael’s hand and squeezed it affectionately, before the life ebbed away and the hand slid to the floor. Tears coursed down Mich’ael’s cheeks, “What have I done.” He sobbed looking at the three lifeless bodies. Devin placed a hand upon his shoulder, “No more than any of us could have done. Don’t torment yourself Mich’ael, only know that you have set them free.” “Yes.” Mich’ael told him softly, “Freedom in death at the price of life.” Turning he ushered them through the door, “ We have to bury them, then I think we should set fire to the place, no one must ever know what went on here, ever.” Finding it impossible to walk, Catherine crumpled into a heap onto the floor, and Devin, despite his recent back injury scooped her up into his arms, carrying her out of the room, as Catherine buried her face into his neck and cried softly. To be continued in Chapter Eleven.