Operation (16 page)

ACTION TAKEN: Scholar believes fresh blood may bring woman out of hibernation. He cautions she will resist all means of captivity and should be killed immediately. Precautionary measure taken: inserted explosive device inside body for remote detonation.

End Message.

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TOP SECRET

FLASH MESSAGE: AGENCY EYES ONLY

Date: 18 October 1944   

From: Agent 035

To:  Agent 001

1. Developments of investigation.

ENCRYPTED TEXT

VALIDATED INFORMATION:

As  per scholars recommendations, religious protections instituted. Fresh blood awoke vampire. Not prepared for the swiftness of the creature. she flew from the crypt and took down two men immediately. Bullets ineffective against it. Creature has hypnotic gaze broken by holy water. Transcript enclosed.

 (Begin Transcript)

Agent 035: “Stop! We will kill you.”

Creature: “Will you?”

Agent 035: “We have placed an explosive device inside you. I have the key to it. If you want to live, then you will cooperate with me.”

Creature: “Why?”

Agent 035: “You are dangerous—”

Creature: “You awoke me with the smell of blood! If you knew that much, you should have known it was dangerous. What you want?”

Agent 035: “I wish to know more about you: what kind of creature you are and why you are here.”

Creature: “I think you know what I am. Otherwise, why have you taken the steps you have? This device inside of me, the religious items, the use of blood to awaken me. Shall we not be open with each other and save us both much time?”

Agent 035: “Who are you?”

Creature: “My name is Christina Bukolovich. I am a vampire.”

Civilian: “In the name of the Father and Son—”

Christina: “Spare me your religious fanaticism! You hypocrite! You turn a blind eye to life—why am I different than you? Did I ask for this? No. But now that I am what I am—I accept it.”

Agent 035: “But you are a myth.”

Christina: (laughs) “A myth? I am what I am.”

Agent 035: “Why are you here, alone and asleep for so long?”

Christina: “I was tired.”

Agent 035: “I don’t understand.”

Christina: “I am over one hundred and fifty years old. I have seen many things. Time itself has robbed me of my feelings. I don’t feel anymore—”

Civilian: “Blasphemy! You kill the innocent. You have no feelings! You are not one of God’s—”

Christina: “What do you know? You have not lived as I have. You do not know what I know. You have not experienced what I have. Unlike the rest of the human race, I learn from my mistakes—they do not. That is why I am here. I was so tired of seeing the stupidity, the avarice and greed of those over the expense of others. It made me forget the feelings that I had a long time ago. (pause) I thought perhaps if I slept for a while, I could start anew in my search to find what I have lost. Perhaps mankind would have learned something worthwhile for a change. Maybe they would regain what they too had lost—humanity and the feeling of life and the good it contains. Rekindle their creativity, the wonders of art, literature and music.”

Agent 035: “You have great expectations.”

Christina: “Then nothing has changed?”

Agent 035: “Some things have changed for the better, yet others for the worse.”

Christina: “Tell me.”

Agent 035: “If we can reach some form of agreement in terms of behavior…”

Christina: “I won’t try to kill you and you don’t try to kill me—is that what you seek?”

 Agent 035: “That’s a start. We can discuss what you want and what I want and perhaps reach a mutual understanding.”

Civilian: “You seek to make deals with her? This evil thing that kills our own kind? She steals our children and drinks their blood. I will have no part of this. I only came along to see for myself if it could be true. Now that we have proven what she is—she must die!”

 (The civilian moved toward her with his cross in one hand and a large wooden stake in the other.)

Agent 035: “Stop. Your services have been extremely helpful and you shall be well compensated. Do not do anything foolish. The consequences will be quite severe.”

Civilian: “These creatures have killed thousands. They do not care about our lives. We are nothing but food to them. Do not stop me from doing God’s will…”

Agent 035: “Stop. Do not go any further. I will not allow you to harm her. She is valuable to me. If you do not stop, I will be forced to kill you.”

(The civilian ignored continued advancing. I turned toward one of my men.)

Agent 035: “Shoot him.”

(Three shots)

Civilian: “Why?” 

Agent 035: “For the greater good there must be sacrifices. I tried to get you to stop but you wouldn’t listen. I’m sorry.”

Christina: “I see nothing has changed. It is now my turn to ask: Who are you?”

Agent 035: “A patriot. Now, can we agree to talk?”

(end transcript)

ASSESSMENT: Possible uses of creature exist. In wrong hands, very detrimental. Recommend containment. Do I have your concurrence?

End message.

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TOP SECRET

FLASH MESSAGE: AGENCY EYES ONLY

Date: 19 October 1944    

From: Agent 001

To:  Agent 035

 Concur with your assessment. Proceed with all vigilance. If your plan fails, sterilize environment. 

End message.

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TOP SECRET

FLASH MESSAGE: AGENCY EYES ONLY

Date: 20 October 1944    

From: Agent 035

To:  Agent 001

1. Developments of investigation.

ENCRYPTED TEXT

VALIDATED INFORMATION: Creature extremely intelligent and captivating; potential for her to infiltrate based on her physical and mental qualities alone would be highly formidable. Possesses remarkable memory of the past of the period from the late 1800’s to the 1920’s. Reluctant to answer questions on her personal history. Transcript enclosed..

(Begin Transcript)

Agent 035: “How did you become a vampire?”

Christina: “You say it as if it disgusts you.”

Agent 035: “No. It’s just that you are different.”

Christina: “Different—yes.”

Agent 035: “I assume you weren’t born this way?”

Christina: “No. Vampires like myself are not born. We are created.”

Agent 035: “How?”

Christina: “I was cast out from my home—my family. I became a casualty of my time.”

Agent 035: “I don’t understand.”

Christina: “I was caught making love to a married man. When confronted by the townspeople—instead of protecting me, he cast me as a temptress and a woman of low stature. I was ruined—disowned by my family—by the people in the village—everyone.”

Agent 035: “What has that to do with becoming…a vampire?”

Christina: “Outcasts were ostracized from society. I was cast out from my village and banished to the countryside like a common criminal. No food, no shelter. I was destined to die because a man sought only pleasure from me until he was caught. That was how the villages dealt with the undesirables. How would you say—very convenient—very clean. However, death is not what I wanted—I wanted revenge.”

Agent 035: “A powerful motive to live.”

Christina: “Oh yes…very powerful. I was alone for days, lost in the woods, starved and going out of mind. One night, as I lay half-asleep with hunger pains, a man came to me. I remember that I wasn’t scared when he approached. An odd feeling, considering I was alone, weak, and wouldn’t have been able to fight off an attacker even if I wanted to. It was dark and I couldn’t see his face, but his voice soothed me somehow and I told him what had happened.”

Agent 035: “What happened?”

Christina: “I died and was reborn as this creature you call me.”

Agent 035: “How did he—”

Christina: “I tire of this line of thought. That is the past—it’s all gone now, except for the anger and pain associated with it.”

Agent 035: “This man—he changed you, so there is obviously more of your kind? How many? Where do they live?”

Christina: “Yes, there are more. As to the number, I don’t know. We are mainly solitary creatures. Other than that, I cannot offer you any more information. I prefer to not discuss this subject any further.”

Agent 035: “What do you want out of life?”

Christina: “The same thing you want—a purpose; the need to be a part of something.”

Agent 035: “Isn’t to live enough—to survive through the years?”

Christina: “Is it enough for you? Is that all you wish to accomplish? Are you satisfied with your day-to-day existence?”

Agent 035: “I have my work.”

Christina: “Ah yes…your work. You said you were a patriot; a patriot for your country—an ideology as a way of life.”

Agent 035: “You say it as if it was nothing, not important.”

Christina: “I have known many patriots. They have had their. This country has been one of them. Over its history, it has been torn apart by others wishing to control it and its people.”

Agent 035: “That is true. Even now as we speak, armies have and will continue to move across the lands. But isn’t that cause worthy for even the likes of someone like yourself?”

Christina: “You miss my point entirely.”

Agent 035: “And that is?”

Christina: “People.”

Agent 035: “What about them?”

Christina: “Unless people change, things will be one continuous cycle that never ends. The country can change hands a hundred times, but unless the people change, there will be no difference. There will only be short pauses in the cycle. You seek to change something—or to preserve something—but in the end, it’s all the same.”

Agent 035: “So you’re saying that people cannot change?”

Christina: “We are what we are. I have been changed into something else—I am different then you, so I am an outcast. I was an outcast a hundred years ago and I am an outcast today. People and their perceptions never change. It’s the cycle.”

Agent 035: “I would disagree. Things have and are changing.”

Christina: “In your eyes…perhaps. Yet I see you and I know you. You are no different then others I have known. You use your cause as a reason to do things—to kill in the name of something better. Things have not changed. The killing continues.”

Agent 035: “Yet you kill as well.”

Christina: “Yes. At times, I have killed. But the difference between you and I is that you kill for your cause—something you believe in. I kill for necessity. It is my role that I have been given—my place in the cycle.”

Agent 035: “Is that not purpose?”

Christina: “In the beginning, it was. But when immortality takes a grasp upon your soul, purpose becomes undefined. When you have all the time in the world, you become patient, very patient. You use this patience as an excuse to not have a purpose—and life goes on.”

Agent 035: “I can offer you a purpose.”

Christina: “Your purpose?”

Agent 035: “Yes.”

Christina: “What you seek is to create that ideology to live within. That’s not enough for me.”

Agent 035: “Perhaps not. But your choices at the moment are limited. I think we can reach a mutual arrangement that will help us both.”

Christina: “Ah…I see. And if I don’t agree with your offer, you will destroy me.”

 (End Transcript)

End message.

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TOP SECRET

FLASH MESSAGE: AGENCY EYES ONLY

Date: 21 October 1944    

From: Agent 001

To: Agent 035

1. Proceed swiftly. 

ENCRYPTED TEXT

Concur with procedural action. Force issue or sterilize. If sterilization inevitable—secure findings and samples for future study.

End message.

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TOP SECRET

FLASH MESSAGE: AGENCY EYES ONLY

Date: 22 October 1944    

From: Agent 035

To: Agent 001

Make preparations for shipment.

ENCRYPTED TEXT

VALIDATED INFORMATION: Christina has agreed.

ACTION TAKEN: Recommend transport back to the United States. Specific requirements for transport will resolve here. Suggest secure facility at destination. I will see to termination of non-necessary team members.