Cullen - Origins [English Version - FINISHED]

Chapter Twenty-Six

- Garrett ! Garrett, where's the jacket ?! Exclaimed the doctor as he stormed into the room.

The interpellant jumped, annoyed.

- What ? He growled.

Esme rushed after her husband on their friend, who had a movement of retreat, surprised by their behavior. Seeing Carlisle's hand move towards Astrea's jacket that he was still holding against him, he showed his fangs, threatening.

- What do you want ? Garrett insisted, his eyes narrowed to two angry slits.

- Astrea's jacket, said the doctor's wife, placing a calm hand on Carlisle's still tense arm. You did not find a paper in the pockets by chance ? She added, her eyes full of hope.

The nomad blinked several times, forbidden. A paper ? He lowered his eyes towards the jacket and searched in the pockets, feeling the hope coming back in him. The right pocket contained nothing ; Garrett hurriedly turned the jacket inside out to access the left pocket. Feverishly, he opened the zipper and met resistance. With delicacy, Esme took the jacket from his hands and carefully opened the pocket. She took out a small piece of paper, torn on the edge because of the zipper in which it was stuck. The three friends looked at the writing ; the handwriting was barely understandable, showing the alarming situation in which the author of the message found herself.

Bogachiel State Park

Jacob cleared his throat, leaning against the door.

- What's up ? He asked.

Carlisle smiled.

- Bring your pack here. We need to get everyone together in the living room. Ordered the doctor.

- Do you have a plan ? Asked the werewolf.

- Yes, I do. Garrett replied.

Their eyes met, shining with a new glow. They were finally going to make their move.

♦♦♦

- Where is Astrea ?

The Holy Mother did not glance at him, focused on her mysterious mixtures contained in various vials. Her assistants did not speak, also focused on their task. Then the vampire turned her head toward him, waiting for an answer. Elder walked over to the bunk she had been tied to when she was unconscious.

- You should be more concerned about what's going to happen to you than what's going to happen to your friend. Replied he by gauging it of the glance.

The young woman tried in vain to move, but she was tied too tightly for her to escape.

- Thus preserve your energy, instead of wasting it, he advised.

The vampire gave him an angry look. Elder put his hands in his jacket pockets so the woman wouldn't see that they were shaking. Even tied up, she was making him uncomfortable and nervous. At that moment, the Holy Mother turned to them.

- We can begin, she said.

- Start what ? the vampire gasped.

The Holy Mother met Elder's gaze, still ignoring her patient.

- Are you staying ? She asked, pulling on latex gloves.

Elder snorted contemptuously.

- No thanks, I'd rather not see that. He answered in an even voice. Just let me know when it's over.

- No problem.

The man left the room, not without having thrown a last glance in corner to the vampire who fixed him with intensity.

The woman in the white coat then turned her attention to Alice.

- Good. First of all, I have some questions to ask you.

- I won't tell you anything.

- We'll see about that, miss.

She didn't have to turn around for two of her assistants to walk towards them, each with a syringe in hand.

- Let's see how far you are able to hold your tongue, vampire. Commented the woman.

She pulled up the sleeve of her patient, who did not loosen her teeth. She didn't flinch either when the two assistants gave the woman the syringes and she injected the product into her bloodstream.

A third assistant entered Alice's field of vision, holding a small box in his hand, which he gave to the woman.

- First question. She announced with a smile. What special powers do you have, Alice Cullen?

The vampire gasped as her name rang out in the room.

- How did you know that ? She sighed.

- I ask the questions here, not you. Answered the woman by pressing the button of the small box.

At first, Alice felt nothing. Then a light tingling at the level of her arm made her shiver. The tingling turned into a pain that swelled without stopping. It went down her spine and spread throughout her body. When the pain was too much, Alice could not hold back a cry of pain.

- That's why you'd better answer, Alice. The woman said as she pressed the button again.

The pain stopped in an instant, leaving Alice completely overwhelmed by what she had just endured. What had the woman injected her with to cause this ?

- I'll ask you again ; what are your powers, Alice ? The woman repeated.

Alice gritted her teeth, already anticipating the pain to come ; for there was no way she would give in.

♦♦♦

Elder was quietly sipping his coffee, his eyes fixed on his phone screen. He was trying, with little result, to take his mind off things. His thoughts kept returning to the two vampires, each tortured in turn by the Holy Mother, in the basements. What to do ? Although he would have liked to trust the Holy Mother, her behavior was beginning to make him doubt what to do. She was a woman of science and God, or at least that's how she had introduced herself to him, and worked in the name of science, and only in the name of science. She hated these supernatural creatures as much as he did, maybe even more, and had sworn to him to find a way to destroy them all. According to her, they were not God's children, hence her profound dislike of them. Except that her means made her bend over backwards. This woman was ready to do anything to achieve her ends, and if this fatality had pleased him when she had engaged him at her side, it was beginning to disturb him. Because finally, he knew nothing of her, except what she had wanted to show him. He did not even know her true identity. Elder swallowed another sip of his coffee, and put his phone on the desk. His gaze was vague, and he was undecided.

What to do ? He didn't want to leave, because he too wanted the total extermination of these creatures. They had nothing to do with them on this Earth. They were dangerous, malevolent, cruel beings. An evil grin appeared on his face; he breathed in deeply to chase away his dark thoughts. He had to remember his primary goal. It didn't matter what the Holy Mother did, or how she did it. He was not involved in her experiments; only the primary purpose interested him. The death of every vampire on the planet.

♦♦♦

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