The Van Helsing Resurgence

CAUSE AND EFFECT

Mason's glassy stare ended with a quick shake of his head. He desperately wanted to return to his normal form, have his cybernetic implants returned, and be linked once more to the hive's group consciousness. Alas, the presence of such implants were not only incompatible with their physiology, they would also raise some uncomfortable questions if discovered.

"What?" Mason asked. "Nothing. So what's going on that could bring about such a dramatic shift?"

Brett's fingers glided over the interface with ease. Every button and available option had been committed to memory long ago. The user had an intimacy with the interface that only existed between a creator and its creation.

"Look here," Brett said.

They collectively looked up at the wall connected to the desk. The surface broke up into millions of tiny colour-shifting squares that moved independently from the whole to display a three dimensional image. In this case, the moment rendered had yet to occur.

Mason looked over every detail of the scene, but did not understand how any of this would alter world events in their favour. This scene was more deserving of a soap opera than a chapter in the history books.

There were three visible, only one of whom was human. The display included a series of overlays, which included a biometrics overview for each individual, and only one registered a body temperature above ambient.

The human sported short blonde hair cut into a fashionable pixie cut. Her pale blue eyes, sharp features and feminine nose would have made her attractive, if not for that mousey demeanour, and obvious physical exhaustion. This was all part of the ritual, he supposed, since Breanna had not briefed him otherwise, nor bothered to explain why the woman's clothes hung loosely from her frame.

The young girl was a real knockout, what with those piercing green eyes, shoulder length dark hair, and a body better suited to world class runway models. She had lips that beckoned and a smile that promised so much.

The man was harder to make out. Dark hair and dark eyes enabled him to melt into the shadows. While shorter in stature, he was built like the strong men of old. Mason identified this one as an ancient specimen of their kind, one who had no trouble letting his partner take the lead.

Mason and his kind had seen this place before: the altar and the pit filled with an endless supply of blood.

"Wait. Is that the Icon of Sin?" Brett asked with a snicker.

Breanna slapped the back of Brett's head before responding, "Why do you keep bringing up that video game reference when we get footage of this site?"

"Hey!" Brett exclaimed. "I loved that game. Besides, the name fits."

In a way, it did. This hall of worship featured a pedestal and icons that celebrated the cruelest of despots, psychopaths, and murderers. This was a holy site where their kind practised some of their darkest rituals.

"Situation?" Mason asked, since it was time to get things on track.

Breanna looked away from the display and took a seat at her own workstation. At first, she appeared to be absorbing a great deal of information, but soon, she commented on the situation.

"Initiation ceremony," Breanna said. "The brunette, Evelyn, has been manipulating that blonde since early childhood."

"To what end?" Mason asked, genuinely curious since it was rare for their kind to toy with their food for so long.

"Evelyn made sure to keep this child away from anything that could spoil her innocence," Breanna replied.

"Woman looks to be in her late twenties. How could she—," Mason was about to ask.