London Calling: Part 2

The secret laboratory facility, built by David Collins for the Diogenes Club, is currently being maintained by Doctor Septimus Praetorius. A mysterious man recently arrived from London, who claims to have known Victor and Henry Frankenstein, and is an Extraordinary Member of the enigmatic Diogenes Club. A membership that has only just been extended to Nicole Collins. In seeking the Doctor and his lab, Nichole, Esther, and Rhyaad have arrived at the secret facility only to learn that Nicole is expected in London. The woman who had threatened to end her life via an abortion requests her presence. Praetorius reveals that in the laboratory there is a portal that connects the lab to London. The members of Collins Investigations now seek answers from a woman Rhyaad fears Nikki will murder before they are given the chance.

Through sight and sound and faceless terror . . . a strange voice . . . whose voice . . . one she does not recognize . . . one door leads . . . No Nicole that is not the way . . . the voice is handsome, he is tall with blue eyes, longish sideburns . . . a smile that makes most women sigh . . . there is an odd sensation of being without body . . . picture yourself . . . weightless . . . effortless . . . free of all gravity – with kaleidoscope eyes. Yellow and green . . . waiting to take you . . . she hears the refrains of old Beatles song—is it guiding her home? Light at the end of a tunnel – then a door opens and she is standing in a vast, two-two library. Tall bookcases. Gleaming polished floors – no shadow or reflection she steps into the room.

She hears Esther behind her, “I see no doorway back! We’ve been had!”

She turns to see Rhyaad stepping thought the portal with no more concern that if he was exiting an elevator, and emerging in London. “Ah, what a place! I miss such splendor.”

He exclaims upon seeing the room.

“Well that was magically delicious . . . “Samantha picks myself up after falling into the room as if she had raced into the portal and jumped. Rising, she stands rubbing her nose.

She hurries past the desk and over to the thin gossamer drapes of the windows and pulls them back to look out the window in the familiar night, “It’s London!”

“Don’t be worried, Esther.’ Rhyaad tries to reassure as he looks around at the opulence of the Victoria room. “I’m sure there is a return portal. And if not, we can handle it.”

Samantha says sarcastically, “Tea sucker should be happy then –“

As she steps forward, Esther’s hand remains on her pistol as she scans the room, looking for anything suspicious.

“Of course, you expected Bangor?” he smiles at Nikki, and then turns to Esther. “And I’m sorry Esther. I took Sam to a disreputable clinic. The imbeciles passed her on her psych exam.”

“Oh course it is, my dear.” The woman is tall, long-legged, walking gracefully, as if she had years of practice in making sudden appearances through the well concealed sliding door built into the bookcase. She was dressed in a cream pantsuit with slightly tanned pin-stripes, a matching vest and a white blouse. Her eyes, as she approached bespoke of those years she had walked through that door, although she seemed to be in her thirties. Nikki turning from the window, letting the drapes fall back in place, knew she was far older than she appeared. She also knew this was the woman she had come to see. A woman she read to be full of secrets – secrets she was capable of keeping from her as Nikki found her mind closed tightly. This woman who had once had hr life in her hands – this woman who said she would put her in a jar.

Catronia Kaye walks over to the desk and sits down.

“Nikki . . . remember, no throat ripping”, Rhyaad repeats, seeing Nikki’s eyes go hard, cold and darkening blue.

Her fangs now visible, Nikki saunters over very slowly to the woman at the desk – “You!”

Esther, having given up her inspection of the room, had turned to watch the woman enter – had seen Nik’s reaction, and her hand instantly went to rest on her holster once more.

“And please no biting either. Though if you deck her, I won’t complain.” Rhyaad says, his own eyes narrowed.

The woman’s voice is light, full of easy self-assurance, and yet, there was a tone that indicted she was well aware of Nikki’s emotion at seeing her, “Yes, love, it is I, the terrible bitch who threatened to have you done away with.”

“It would be so easy, you know—” Nikki says as she approaches the desk, so very, very slowly

“To reach out and snap my neck. To ravenously rip out my throat?” Catriona Kaye completes Nikki’s thought as she settles comfortably in her chair behind the desk. “Dear, your mother has threatened me with that at least twice in his very room.”

Nikki moves so quickly – no one in the room has time to react. She is at the side of the chair – her hands gripping the back of it – as she leans in very close to face Catriona Kaye, “My Mother! You cold, unfeeling, bitch – you say it so easily as if you never told her you were going to but me in a jar beside her.”

“And you care?” Catriona Kaye says not at all flinching at the sight of Nikki’s dark eyes or distended fangs. “About what . . . how she felt – or that I threatened to have you done away with?”

Nikki’s eyes narrow – she looks down at the throat so tempting—so inviting. So deserving of being bitten into and ripped open, her hot, red blood erupting in a gush . . . .

“Or . . . that you were the product of some diabolically mad experiment?” Catriona Kaye says staring into the cruel vampiric eyes. “Well, dear, if it is the later—than I had nothing to do with it.”

Rhyaad is so close now, having moved over toward them – even as he feels the same contempt for the woman in the chair – “Nikki – no, I asked you not . . . .to – no matter what she deserves—“

“And if it is the former – as I recall, I recruited the single most dangerous woman alive – at the time. And as such, I have nothing to apologize for – as I would do it again.” She looks straight into Nikki’s enraged eyes, “You see, my dear she has as been very, very effective.”

‘You do so want me to rip your throat out,” Nikki says, her eyes gone black, “Or, you would do well to measure what you say.”

“I would hardly call holding a child hostage a recruitment.” Esther angrily says from her distance away from the desk watching both Nikki – who she suspects is about to kill this woman, and Rhyaad who seems to be preparing to stop her.

“And now, thirty-one years later I have her daughter at my throat.” Catriona Kaye far too calm and confident, Esther thinks.

Nikki’s fingers tighten on the back of the chair – her mouth beginning to open.

“Love, if you are going to kill be please do so, or have a seat, we have much to discuss, you and I.” Catroina Kaye tells Nikki, “I can only be threatened with being killed only so many times before it loses it’s effect you see – and your mother only two days ago stood precisely as you are . . .

“She is here?” Nikki asked, “In London?”

“Two days? Elisabeth was here two days ago?” Rhyaad asks.

“Yes – and we do not have a lot of time.” The blonde, sitting in the chair as Nikki continues to stand with hands on the back of the chair, still ready to pounce, “And so, yes, I am a horrible, reprehensible, unfeeling bitch – guilty on all accounts . . . but love I have to fight the worse nightmares imaginable and so I will use any weapon at my disposal . . . and now—we know each other. So, perhaps you might take a seat.”

Nikki pushes back from the chair. She lifts her head and adjusts her shoulders as if trying to but the demon she was about to unleash back inside herself . . . .

“So, Elisabeth came here?” Rhyaad asks.

“Yes, she came to rip my throat outfor telling Nicole the truth about her birth.”

“Where is she now.” Nikki asks coldly.

Catronia Kaye looks at her, “At the moment she is on an errand.”

“For you?”

“No.”

Rhyaad takes a relaxing breath to see Nikki step back from Catriona Kaye, “So that’s why we have not heard from Elisabeth? We were beginning to be worried.”

“So, what keeps her in line now that you can no longer threaten her daughter? Hmm?” Esther asks as she steps now closer to the desk. “

“Yes, Esther, that is an excellent question.” He adds.

Catronia Kaye turns to look at Esther; “She no longer has to be kept in line – Elizabeth is well aware of we have to fight, and she fights because she knows what the stakes are if we fail.”

“You no longer run this organization, do you?” Esther tells her. “Why should anyone listen to what you have to say?”

“Why indeed?” Catronia motions to the chair beside her desk, “Now – Nikki, my dear, it is very imperative that you get your hatred of me out of the way. There is a threat to you and to Collinsport.”

Rhyaad shakes his head, “I don’t see what there is to prevent Elisabeth from killing you. And what threat to Collinsport?”

Esther wants to hear her say it, “I asked you—you no longer run this organization, do you?”

A strange expression comes across the woman’s face – the first real show of any emotion during their confrontation: “You are correct, I am no longer the Chairman of the Ruling Cabal –I am one of the three members.”

“So, this thing you are fighting?” Rhyaad stands at the side of the desk as Nikki moves now to take the seat offered by Kaye – aware in some measure that the woman has not only survived the confrontation with Nikki, but that she may have controlled it from the beginning, “Surely the fight could go on without one old woman.” He gave Kaye a wicked look . . . as if to say she may not be as much in control as she would like to think. “So, Elisabeth could still dispatch you at anything of her choosing.”

Catriona Kaye looks up at him, “Yes—well, if I am dispatchable—that could be yet another story.”

“What is this threat?” Esther asks, her hand still on her holster.

She Looks up at Rhyaad with a smile, “And as for old, Mr. de’Annr. I will have you know, I was born February 13, 1900. I think you sir – you are quite a bit older.”

Rhyaad raises an brow, “1900 . . . are all the humans here unnaturally old? Yes, I am supposed to get older. For your kind, it’s unusual, don’t you think?”

Esther looks at these three at the desk and can not help thinking to herself, These F***ers live forever. It ain’t right . . . who gets to chose?

“She didn’t.” Nikki says, her eyes growing a bit lighter as she sits with an elbow propped on the desk, her hand turned back under her cheek that she leans against.

“Pardon?” Catriona Kaye asks.

“Living – it wasn’t your choice.”

“Yes—your mother’s talents. And yes, you are correct—being here is not my choice.” She looks at Nikki, “You see – others made decisions for me.”

“Someone forced you against your will to extend your life . . . I see.” Rhyaad says rather sarcastically. As if a human would put up much resistance to life extension.

Catriona Kaye did not look at him, instead she directs her attention to Nikki: “Now— I need to tell you some things. First of all, your family, the Collins –and to allay any concerns you may have in that regard, your father IS Barnabas Collins. And so, I am sure, I don’t need to tell you that they have been under a curse for quite sometime – since long before they left England for America centuries ago. But – you may not be aware that they have also been involved with, directly or indirectly, with a group of very dangerous men since the 1690’s. To be more precise, Judah Zachery, Joseph Curwin, Simon Orne, and Edward Hutchinson.”

Esther sighs heavily, “Every time we talk to one of you F***ers you have a story to tell. Just tell us what the danger to Collinsport is FIRST.”

“Yes, please explain the next huge threat that looms like doomsday over Collinsport.” Rhyaad agreed.

Kaye looked up at them and then to Nikki, “There is a fifth, but we to this day do not know whom this wizard is. This group of men—necromancers all—have conspired to provide themselves immortality and arcane power for centuries. They have used Collnsport, Boston, Arkham, Kingsport, Innsmouth, Dunwich, Ipswich, Scarlet Creek, all of New England as their playground – as well as expanding their reach to Prague and Transylvania at one time . . . “

“D***it! Threat first. Story later!” Esther snaps, “It’s like you are Miss Exposition, and it’s your job to tell stories.”

Catriona Kaye looks at Esther, “I like you. You’re very to the point!”

Esther looks at her.

“They have brought Vera Endecott back from the dead because she was Pickman’s Model. It seems, Pickman, who was never particularly fond of the human race, had a certain fondness for her – “

“He liked having sex with her.” Nikki said.

Cartriona Kaye turned to her with a smile, “Yes – and I hear she was rather good at it. And so, these necromancers have contacted him. They have arraigned a deal, in exchange for Vera, or Lillian Snow, then Pickman has agreed to steal them something from the Temple on the Plateau of Leng.”

“The Plateau of Leng.” Nikki asks – lifting her cheek from the fingers of her curled hand upon which they had been resting.

“Yes, we know that they have been able to call Yog-Sothoth to the spheres for sometime – but we are not certain if they are not trying to contact the messenger, this time, for some other reason.’

“Nyarlathotep?” Nikki says incredulous. “For what reason?”

Catronia Kaye shakes her head, “We don’t know, love. It was assumed that they had been killed – Orne, posing as Josef Nadek in Prague, and Hutchinson, as Count Ferenczy, in Transylvanian – back in the late 20’s . But, we were aware that Hutchinson had survived and was going by the name of one of his aliases Count Petofi. It would seem Orne did also. He is known now as Nicholas Blair.

“Blair?’ Rhyaad says, “The mage that used the projector.”

“And Curwin?” Nikki asks.

“Presumed dead also, but we need to re-evaluate that . . . in light of what we know about Orne and Hutchinson . . . if he is alive, we have no idea what assumed name or body he is using now.”

“Body?” Esther says more to herself then the others.

‘They have had the power to transfer their essential essence into another for sometime.”

“What are they planning?” Nikki inquires, “You said it’s a threat to Collinsport.”

“We don’t know for certain, only that they are converging on Collinsport. We assume, they are awaiting the return of either Judah Zachery, the coven leader in Collinsport – who was tried and convicted of witchcraft in 1692, and beheaded – he was Hutchinson’s mentor. Or this enigmatic G. B. – someone no one has ever been able to identify – another powerful necromancer – who recruited Curwin and Orne. Either way, they are all gathering – for some reason. And we can more than assume it will not be for anyone’s good other than their own.”

“Judah Zachery’s head was destroyed in 1897.” Nikki interrupted, “I have read my father’s journals.”

Catriona Kaye nodded, “So it would appear, but one of our contacts in Occult Antiquities indicates someone is looking for it rather seriously. Never underestimate a wizard with ties to the Haunter of the Dark. ”

Nikki looks incredulous, “How – how do you know about this?”

“We have been aware for sometime that various members of this group have been planning something . . . and, we understand that the stars are getting ready to be in some proper alignment . . . as you see we have gotten some intelligence from someone working for Blair . . . and then of course, there is the more recent development, in that Lillian Snow contacted Praetorius.”

“Lillian Snow?”

“Yes, would you want to be turned into a ghoul to be cuddled by Pickman?”

“She did more than cuddle with some hound-like thing.” Rhyaad says, “In a film entitled The Hounds Daughter.”

Catriona Kaye looked at Nikki, “I can tell you the woman is horrified at what they plan for her. You need to find a way to contact her.”

“I’m afraid all this is still rather confusing to me. I know some of the names – Pickman, an artist, who apparently painted some truly horrific stuff . . . this thing you mentioned out beyond the spheres, this Yog, whose name Dr. Artemis says we are supposed to say (and you seem to have no problem in saying it at all) – but not the stories or the meaning behind them.” Rhyaad admits, “So – by ‘they‘ do you mean these Old Ones themselves, or are you talking about the five ex-mortals.”

“He is an Outer God,” Nikki said looking back to Rhyaad. “Yog-Sothoth is an Outer God – not one of the Great Old Ones.”

“So how much of Al Azif have you read.”

Nikki turned a languid look upon Catronia, “I found it in my father’s library when I was twelve. As well as the Reflections”

“You’ve read Ib?”

Nikki nodded.

An expression passes across the composed countenance of the blonde woman behind the desk—the thought of a twelve-year-old girl reading those horrid tomes . . . what have they created?

“If he is an Outer, then who the f*** are the Great Old Ones.”

“They are a race of creatures who came to this earth long before man – and they believe this world is theirs.” Nikki explained to Esther. “And they want it back.”

“Along with others.” Catronia adds. “Races attracted to earth for various reasons, some brought here as servitors to the Old Ones.”

‘So, I gather this YogSothoth is the thing that guards the gate – sort of a hellmouth guardian like the one in Scarlet Creek, except much worse.” Rhyaad muses.

“And the Outer Ones are what, their Gods?”

“We are not certain of their relationship,” Kaye tells Esther, “Some theorized that is the case. In any regards they all have their own nefarious and evil agendas.”

“We call it evil – to them . . . we are inconsequential, we really don’t matter.” Nikki interjected.

“No—it’s evil! “ Catronia disagrees.

“And these crazy b******s are trying to make deals with them?” Esther shakes her head, the whole of the conversation beyond anything remotely sane.

“Power Miss Friedman—powerful magic and immortality – they are as addicted to it as if to a drug. Perhaps for them it is a drug.” Catronia Kaye explains. She turns now to look at the young woman far too groomed and fated to be the instrument at her hand, “So – Nicole – you have a choice. The same choice your mother had after I told her who you were and where you were when you were nineteen. You can leave, give me that card—and never come back. Or you can become an Extraordinary Member of this organization. The choice is yours.

Rhyaad is well aware that Nikki did not miss the reference to the fact Elizabeth had known who she was since she was nineteen, and was a bit shocked that she allowed it to pass as she asks: “I get Praetorius?”

Catriona Kaye nods, “Yes.”

“And why can’t we stop this without being in the club? Hmm?” Esther offers not wanting Nikki to allow herself further entanglement with this woman.

Nikki looks at Esther. “Are you with me?”

Esther –throws her arms up! “You’re the boss.”

Nikki looks at Rhyaad. “And you, are you in for this?”

“I’m sorry, I have no idea what they do on Leng. I’ve crossed it, but nothing there is any of my affair. This is all incomprehensible to me. They have killed Natasha to bring back Vera in order to give her to Pickman so that Pickman will go to some Temple to get them what they want…?” He imitates Esther’s gesture. “You’re the boss, Nikki. The only part I understand is that calling this Yoggy is a very bad idea – at least for everyone else. So, I’ll do what I can to help—but don’t expect me to understand any of this.”

“I’m sorry Nicole . . . but here is how it is—I’m asking a Vampire to save the human race.”

Rhyaad raised an eyebrow at that affront—for he was so tired of this prejudice, everywhere, he and Nikki had none nothing but try and combat forces that most humans had little or no facility to deal with and yet, the word Vampire was constantly thrown into their faces, “She’s only been a vampire a year. If that long— She was a human a lot longer! And—why should we not wish to save the human race?”

Nikki still leaning her cheek against her fingers, her elbow propped on the immaculate desk, “I came here to strangle you.”

“Oh, I know.”

“You are a monster, you know that.”

“Quite, never said I wasn’t love. But there are monsters greater that I.’ Catronia Kaye said and for a moment there a odd expression of introspection appeared in her eyes, “Yes, well, right – I would suggest trying to get to Lillian Snow — she may know more — but you will have to be careful. Nicholas Blair is watching her. Curwin is around Collinsport somewhere. Hutchinson as far as we have been able to ascertain has not yet arrived. We need to know precisely what it is they are apprenting to get from Pickman in exchange for Lillian – and what they plan to do with it.”

“And you say that Blair is . . ” Nikki asks.

“Simon Orne, he took possession of him.”

“If you need a way to interview Snow without any possibility of her being observed, at least during the interview, I can arrange that.” Rhyaad begins and then stops and stares at Kaye. “Took possession? What do you mean by that?”

“The three of them possession the magical skills to transmigrate their souls into another.”

Rhyaad began to understand, “That is how they live for so long? They take over fresh bodies when theirs grow old?”

“Curwin was almost caught doing so long ago with a young man named Charles Dexter Ward. A very well orchestrated plan was put into effect to terminated his existence – but it would seem these gentlemen are like icons in some old Hammer Films, they keep finding their rather sinister ways to return from the dead.” Kaye explains, “For a while they were able to keep their own bodies renewed but as that aroused too many suspicions, too many bothersome questions, owing to the fact they did not age . . . so, they began working on finding ways to transfer into others. It seems that all three of them were laboring to this effect with the young Ward – they have since perfected it.”

“So they are body-snatchers, basically. What happens to their victims – the original owners of the bodies?” Rhyaad asks.

“The process, as far was we have seen, kills the original, we are unaware of anyone who has survived the transfer.”

“And this is what has happened to Natasha also—so, she is dead?”

Catriona Kaye nods in response to Rhyaad’s question, “Sorry, but yes.”

“I thought so.”

“These men have been killing and torturing people for hundreds of years. They are wizards who believe themselves to be above all else, and in the end they are only concerned with one thing – their own immortality.”

“Sounds oddly familiar.” Rhyaad commented, staring into space.

“So – Nicole, your answer? Have you decided? Extraordinary Member or no?”

Nikki sighs, “Yes, of course I will do what I can.”

“But after that . . . “ Esther tells the woman behind the desk.

“Excellent! For now, you are quite as updated as I. Of course, I will forward you as the case may arise any and all information that we may received. In the meantime, Dr. P is reassigned to you dear. He is a bit of a madman you know, but he is brilliant. Just make sure you have lots of gin on hand.”

“I have one question,” Nikki asks.

“Just one, my dear? Ah, well—let me guess. Would I have put you in that jar?”

“Yes.”

“In a heartbeat my dear. In a heartbeat.”

Eyes narrowed, Nikki rises, “So—how does one go about getting out of here, as I have to consider the time difference.”

“Keeping the card?” Catronia asks.

“For the time being.”

“Ah, yes—well, on the second floor. You will find the portal back to the lab.”

Nikki turns her back to go – she may work with them but she didn’t bloody well have to like this Kaye.

“Be seeing you, Miss Collins.” Catrnoia says as Nikki walked away.

Rhyaad bows his head slightly to Catronia Kaye sensing that their time here is over, he turns to follow Nikki, leaving behind a multitude of unanswered questions, hoping that at least Nikki knew what all of this is supposed to mean—or what they were supposed to do.

To Esther he says softly, “See, Esther. I told you they’d have a return portal.”

“Right – cold hearted b**** could have lied to her.” She whispers.

He shook his head, “No, she knew Nikki would know.” He touched his temple and cut his eyes to Esther.

They pass Sam standing at a bookcase, who is holding a very ancient volume, she says: “You’d never believe the books they have here.

Act 3, Scene 1, The Diogenes Secret Lab Facility
“Everyone make it back?” Nikki asks as she steps back into the Diogenes Lab, where DR, Praetorius seems to be standing in the same post as when she stepped through.”

Rhyaad steps into the lab finishing his statement to Esther, “She’s not as bad as these five necromancers. They remind me of days of old.” He turns to Nikki and smiles, “Make it? Of course. Portal travel is perfectly safe.”

“Still—do we really need to be in this club to fight em off?” Esther says anad looks around to find herself back in the lab where she started.

“I think the answer to that is a yes, Esther. Do you understand all this cultist stuff? I don’t. We need them for their knowledge.”

Nikki looked at the Doctor, “I was only saying the other day how I would like to see London again.”

“Bah!” Esther rejects Rhyaad’s claim that the club is needed for knowledge – they have Nik.

Rhyaad patted Nikki’s shoulder, “Well, you did . . . very briefly . . . see London again, Nikki.”

“So I see you are not covered in blood, I assume you did not rip out her throat — although, it would have been nice to see.” Dr. Praetorius slips his hands into his black dinner jacket.

Rhyaad turned to Esther and sighed, “Why is it always cultists and ancient evil? Why can’t we just have to face an ordinary, everyday, boring vampire, or something?”

Nikki slowly strode toward the doctor, “I gather you and Miss Kaye, don’t get along.”

“And why would you say that my dear?”

“She put you here, didn’t she.”

He smiles, “Very observant.”

“Well, Kaye ‘gave him’ to us. That makes it sound as if she thinks she owns him.” Rhyaad muses.

“You will find that Miss Kaye thinks she owns everyone.” Dr. Praetorius says with a hint of animosity in his voice. He notes Rhyaad stepping across the room to a small meeting area and a similar set of portal doors.

“I have not calibrated that one yet.” Dr. Praetorius informs him, and then turns once more to Nikki, “So—I assume she has given you the gloom and doom story.”

Nikki nodded, “What do you make of all, Doctor.”

“Yes. Old Ones. Ancient Gods. Mortal necromancers. They want to summon Yog Sothoth, you know.” Rhyaad continues to look at the portal doors not yet calibrated – wondering where he his calibrating them for.

“I would say the Club is sufficiently fearful of this group—.” Nikki says.

Rhyaad turns from the second set of portal doors: “By the way Doctor, how is it that you are so old? Is it also by necromancy?”

“—or they would not have assigned you to me.” Nikki continues waiting for Doctor Praetorius’ answer.

“What do I make of it all this . . . “ He removes a hand from his jacket pocket to wave it with a flourish, “I figure this one might be the case I don’t walk away from – so, you see my dear, I am putting my faith in you. It is what I created you for.”

The Doctor now turns to Rhyaad and smiles, “As for my – my longevity. It is based upon my own research. I am not a magician, or a mage, Mr. de.Annar, I am a scientist – of course, there are times when science and magic blend . . . ”

“Created me?” Nikki’s eyes darken as she interrupts, “You do make that sound far more conspiratorial than you have before.”

‘Oh, just a figure of speech you know.” He lies.

“Still it is most remarkable.” Rhyaad counters, “I have never heard of a technology that enables humans to live as long as you have. Magic, yes. But technology, no.”

“Well mine is a formula – what I call the Elixir of Life.” The Doctor said, “It’s a strange combination of distilled essences of human tissue.”

“The Aqua Vitae?” Nikki asks – aware of his lies, as well as Catronia’s brief questioning of whether they had to right to have . . . have what? She knows there is a mystery within this endless tale of lies and half-truths. But at the moment, she allows them retain their conspiratorial silence.

Dr. Praetorius smiled, “That is one name given to it. My research has only followed where others had led. And so, over time you see it has evolved my metabolic rates and changed the composition of my blood. Like you I regenerate, you see.” He sadly shakes his head, “Not the fountain of youth I am afraid.”

“Tissue and essences? Interesting, Doctor. You say you are a scientist, yet you sound more like an alchemist. At any rate, you must tell me more about this. What kind of tissues?” Rhyaad steps away from the non-functional portal doors.

“Oh, well someday perhaps. What interests me is how they reanimated Kaye. I saw her die.”

“What?!” Rhyaad asks, eyes widening.

“Oh, yes, she took three bullets in the chest.” The Doctor says, ” I was not able to save her.”

For a moment no one speaks.

Dr. Praetorius adjusts a shirt cuff beneath his jacket sleeve, “Now that Miss Collins is a mystery I would like you to look into for me.”

Rhyaad rubs his chin in thought: “Doctor Artemis has the capability to re-animate the dead. But that results in the re-animated ones being . . . well . . . not human anymore.”

Dr. Praetorius, with his malevolent smile, replies, “I never thought Kaye was human to begin with – but it comes with sitting in the chair she has sat in for so long.”

“And yet, you still work for her.” Nikki says running her slender fingers over an oddly Victorian electronic console.

“I meant that literally of course. I know someone who became a revenant.”

“West research lacks the knowledge of a centuries worth of experimentation – progress.”

Rhyaad looks at the Doctor: “West?”

Nikki walked around the lab looking at the oddities lying about, “Kaye indicated that Elizabeth . . .”

“Your mother?”

“Yes,” Nikki turns and it is her turn to give him her odd smile, “My mother, she said she was in London – had been for a few days . . . but I gathered it was not in connection with this matter.”

“No – as I understand it she’s looking into something else.”

“And what could that be?” She lifts an odd coloured bottle and looks at the Latin label.

Dr. Praetorius returned his hands to his pockets, “You don’t think you have enough to worry about?”

“I don’t need something blind-siding me.”

“If Kaye wanted you to know, she would have told you.”

“Then you tell me—“ Nikki turned to face him, “I am told you work for me.”

“Ah, yes – but you see, I work for her also – and if she wanted you to know, you would have been told.” The Doctor returns her gaze, “Perhaps you can ask your mother.”

Rhyaad looks around, “Where is Sam?”

Cue Music End of Episode