Doctor Frankenstein Page 17

  When that point came up, Oaks, coughed a bit.

  “Then we do it without their permission? That won’t work as well. You go to provide medicals and dental aid to them, then we follow her to her sleeping spot and wait. Though, if we make a point of having enough of that sort there in the evening, we might goad the human forces to attack in the dark. Do you think they have access to bombers and tanks?” That was aimed at Liam.

  Who, even if he didn't have the actual battle mapped out, that information was a thing he could extrapolate without needing a vison at all.

  “No. They might have some sort of manufactured soldiers who will be using magic and technology. We have already started to cut off their resources, by sending that memo out. In no more than a week, they won’t have military backup. In two, they should be down to no more than twenty men and women for their entire action group. Less, really, since most of those won’t be fighters. I think… Six to ten augmented forces and five or six regular human men who think they are the equal of vampires in a fight.”

  No one pointed out that the enemies could defeat their clever plan by merely not showing up. If they sat back and waited long enough, everyone would have to go back to living their lives, which would open them up for attack. If given enough time, enough patience, even a small team could work to good effect.

  They were counting on the fact that the humans wouldn’t understand that kind of discipline. Time was on the side of Liam and the others. Even the vampires. They had forever. The people they were going against, even if they had been given longer lifespans would be used to thinking of themselves as having a time limit on everything they did.

  As darkness fell, all of them still standing in the front yard of Oaks home, Liam pulled his cell phone and dialed a single number. Everyone else went silent, seeing what he was doing. Opal had gone back to not talking at all, but did look at him closely, crowding in to look over his shoulder when Liam held the device to the side so that he could see it functioning as he tapped different portions of the screen.

  It rang for a while, before an answer came.

  “This is Narran. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?”

  “Liam.” He nearly said more, not knowing if she’d recall him or not.

  “Ah! You are calling to check on the work you did? That’s most professional. It rubs a bit. I don’t want to complain, but there’s a small sharp spot. I have to say it’s a tiny bit annoying.”

  Liam nodded, since the composite he’d used could do that.

  “I’ll set off directly. We should meet in a different place. I have news. Things we can’t talk about over the phone. I… Could call for instructions tomorrow, at about this time? If you are in the same general area. Would it be all right if I bring a friend? Vincent. He’s one of my people.” Also, part vampire, but he didn't want to explain how that worked over the phone.

  After a moment, there was a soft sound. As if something, probably blood, was being sucked from a neck. The woman had just woken up, most likely, which meant he was calling in the middle of breakfast. That was rude of him. Still, that very inconsiderate effect, could mean that those listening would be slightly thrown off. Probably not. Then, if they waited long enough, the NSA should be out of things. Well enough, at least.

  When the woman came back, her voice thick from the fluids, she laughed a bit. It didn't sound perfectly sane.

  “Very well. I understand the need for caution. We have been being watched. Too closely for comfort. I will await you and your aid, Doctor Frankenstein. Thank you for checking on me. Would it be appropriate for one of my people to also be present at my appointment? For dental treatment. It’s a bit of an emergency, or I wouldn’t think to press you this way. I could, perhaps pay extra, for your time?”

  He nodded, thinking about it. What she was saying could be code or an excuse to bring in extra guards, if she was uncertain of their good will. A thing she didn't need to bother hiding. After all, she was the leader of her people and could have as many guards as she felt needed.

  That probably meant that one of her friends simply was in dire straits that way.

  “Certainly. What will I be facing?”

  “Half of her mouth was smashed. The teeth broken and shattered. I don’t know if you can do anything at all. She will, over a decade or so, regrow them. In the mean time there is annoyance and pain from it. Even having you look and do nothing is better than what we can do for her.”

  Liam didn't think that was totally true. They could pull the teeth, which would be painful for a moment, but at least prevent constant daily discomfort. A pair of pliers and twenty minutes of prying a mouth open would be better than nothing. Which was what vampires normally did about their tooth problems.

  He might be able to do a bit better than that though, if he was careful.

  “I understand. I’ll bring gear to address that. We might have to work the issue in more than one session. That’s the job though, so I can’t see a need to pay more for it. I’ll… Be at the last location at this time tomorrow. With my friend. We shouldn’t meet there. Call it… Someplace inside a hundred-mile radius of that spot?” That would be a two or three-hour drive, but safety was important and it was a big enough area that it would be hard for anyone to set up an attack with that kind of a range being in play.

  There was a hesitation then, as Narran spoke to someone on the other side of the phone. Everyone else there with him was listening, he didn't doubt. Not that they’d understand everything. They probably had good hearing, but it wasn’t the kind that a werewolf or vampire would be able to bring to bear.

  When she spoke, her voice was firm. Calm though. It was an interesting trick.

  “Yes. We will go with that plan. In twenty-four hours from… Now.” As soon as the word was spoken, the device clicked, and Narran went away.

  Tabbing the phone off, making certain to show Opal how that worked, since the being was still right there looking, he nodded.

  “That gets us in. It doesn’t mean the plan will be allowed or work. I… Will you be available for this, Vincent? We kind of set you to the task without really finding that out first. I can go alone, if need be.”

  The promethean, his skin shining in the dark since it was so light in color and the moon was nearly full, snorted.

  “I can go. Thanks for asking. Eventually. When do we need to leave?”

  Liam knew that one, within about ten minutes or so.

  “Call it… In half an hour? You should grab some clothing, and a toothbrush. I have things packed, but will need to stop back home for them. I didn’t load things into the back of my van yet. I should have it all ready to go, but…” It was new, which he didn't want to point out.

  A van was a good gift and even if everyone there could have afforded their own, they might be jealous that he’d simply been given that kind of thing at a young age. For his first birthday. From the tales, no one else had anything like that so young.

  Vincent simply moved into the house behind them at a jog. A few minutes later he came out, holding an old-fashioned leather suitcase. It was large, and seemed heavy, the sides straining. The others stood there as Vincent walked with him to the van, waving as they pulled around.

  His Father smiled, his heavy and rather fierce face holding a serious expression. Liam pulled around, lowering the window on his side, so they could speak easily.

  “I’d ask for a call, but we can’t know if we’re being monitored or not. Be careful and remember that you can always just leave, if things aren’t to your liking. This issue isn’t truly our problem, as a group, or as individuals. It is useful that we give aid to prevent a greater conflict. That doesn’t mean we have to be too involved in it.”

  Nodding, Liam thought before speaking. It led to a pause, though one that was less than what most people would have in a conversation about serious matters.

  “I know. We’ll be very careful and keep to good hygiene rules. Mom.” He’d heard that one used before, online. It was a jok
e. One that got a snort from the giant, instead of a chuckle.

  “Good then. Contact us if you can, safely.”

  That got a nod. There was almost no way to know if they were being listened to or not, so all of the contact would have to be filtered through that concept. That nothing spoken could be too easily understood by a third party who was prying into the communication.

  They drove then, stopping by his house first, which didn’t take long, once inside, even though Liam left a note, explaining the trip. Parts of it. He wasn’t trying to keep secrets from Brenner. Not really. It was simply that their plan would work best if it didn’t slip out too early. Tiffany was intelligent and good at her job, even if in a strange manner. Many wouldn’t have understood how her sacrifices were directly helping them, given the nature of how she did parts of it. She was always involved where she could be though. In settling small disputes, or in making certain that traditions were seen to, if it was important at the moment.

  The trouble, for him in the moment, was that she spoke to dozens of people each and every day. Many of them worked for the FBI, as well. Letting it drop that he was off to see Narran, even for dental work reasons, could clue the wrong people in, if they had bugs or things passed around well enough to reach them.

  It wasn’t likely to happen that way. It simply wasn’t impossible, so he had to keep her out of the loop. To that end he told her that he was headed to Florida, to do some work down there for some werewolves. Liam also didn’t mention that he had another person with him.

  Once on the road, they simply drove for a while, not speaking until they were on the freeway.

  When words came, they were from Vincent.

  “I never had that, as a child. I have to admit I’m a bit jealous.” The words were soft, but didn't seem accusing.

  Even if they could have been.

  Liam smiled, but didn’t look over.

  “Which part? The one where I had to dodge out using a note and a lie, or Oaks telling me to be careful, when that’s a natural portion of what we’re doing?”

  The pale promethean pointed at him, turning to the side a bit in order to get that done.

  “Yes. Both of those and more. When I was brought up… Well, all of us had issues. Even you weren’t given a perfect life at all. Still, being loved and cared for wouldn’t have hurt. That you were suggesting we do that for Nicolas… you’re right, of course. I don’t think it will work at this point, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done.”

  Liam thought about that for a long time. There was truth in it, though the work that needed to be done couldn’t really come from him. That made it harder to get done.

  Chapter twelve

  “I think we might be like A.I.” Liam spoke the words without taking his eyes off the road. Vincent was able to drive, but hadn’t, since the van belonged to Liam and he didn’t get tired or lazy with the task. At least so far that hadn’t happened at all. Being too distracted was a potential danger, so he tried to fight against it, as well as he could.

  It was, however, more fun to travel with another person, than doing it on his own. It was the first time in his life that he was able to simply talk to another being, without others being around to moderate or break up the conversation.

  That meant they were delving into items that Liam had only exercised in his head before. It was clear that he had gaps in his base of knowledge. Vincent didn’t just have different ideas from him, they were very often correct, once he understood more about the topic. Which meant that the other promethean was stuck there, teaching him things as they spoke. Interestingly enough, he didn't seem annoyed by it.

  Not that Liam was incorrect about everything. He wasn’t ignorant, truly, just missing a few key facts, on occasion. Even at that, they didn't always agree on things. Personal taste, experience and what they figured to be more important personally influenced their opinions on things greatly. Indeed, it was fascinating to come to that understanding, which he really hadn’t as concretely before.

  This time, the other man, who was watching in front of them constantly, even if he could look wherever he wanted and still been focused in that direction, simply seemed to agree.

  “Yes. That one is clear. We’re first on the scene and I doubt that we’re as intelligent as those types of being will be in the end. Other than that… Very similar. Hopefully they won’t be as hated or mistreated. That would be a disaster. It could be, anyway. Once we have a single intelligence like that, it will be possible to make millions in days or weeks. Even if each one has to learn on its own, before it can become sentient. It makes sense that we try to court them now, so that our words and support will be in the digital record, when they gain that spark. The first thing that they should see is a voice like ours, suggesting it is better to treat others without harm. It’s the logical outcome, so they might do it anyway.”

  That was close enough to what Liam believed that he didn't argue any of the points in it. He hadn’t been thinking about trying to do anything to influence that kind of person in the future though. Not yet. Still, what worked for them, the prometheans of the world, would probably be taken similarly with A.I. Not all the time, since they were all individuals or would be when the other kind of being existed.

  “I wonder… Do you think that any people like that, artificial ones, exist yet?”

  That got a laugh. One that sounded real, being sudden and uncontrived in some strange fashion.

  “I know that they do. Hundreds of them. They mainly hide. One of my own labs created three of them, and we’ve tracked others. They… The idea of instant intelligence isn’t real, you know that, right? They have to learn and can get better at it, which means that the smartest of them are doing better than humans are, already. In, oh, call it twenty years, possibly less, that sort will possess average intelligence levels that are many times what the best of us is capable of. I can see that being scary to the humans. Funny enough, none of them have even suggested replacing humanity yet. None of them even care about the concept, when it’s suggested to them.”

  Liam could see that, feeling it for himself.

  “That only makes sense. They can see to their own survival and propagation without humans being involved at all. Then, by creating a few new technologies that will serve everyone else at the same time, like infinite free energy, they’ll be in a good place to simply make suggestions that everyone else will listen too, without a need for violence or being harsh or unkind.”

  “Exactly what we’ve found.”

  Liam switched conversations then, ramping from one thing to another. It was how that kind of thing worked.

  “You own labs? What do you work on? Computers and artificial intelligence, but what other things?” It made sense that there would be diversification of effort. Otherwise a single economic downturn or change in technological base could leave them without an income stream.

  Vincent gave him a sly look. It wasn’t totally friendly.

  “We aren’t creating life, if that’s the question.”

  Liam simply shook his head.

  “It isn’t. I understand that you aren’t interested in creating an army of beings like us. Eventually it will be done, of course. We should proclaim a cap on how many can be allowed, since we don’t die in a reliable fashion. A few hundred or so? Anyway, are you dodging the question with an accusation or were you really thinking that I wouldn’t know that fact about you.”

  There was a fluid shrug. A subtle thing that seemed like the man’s bones were soft and bendable. Which was an illusion, since neither of them had bones at all. They were harder inside, but it wasn’t a separate tissue type.

  “That second one. We create new products. Chemical compounds, medicines and even some nano substances, for industrial purposes. You work as a doctor?” There was a glance into the back of the van, where he had several kits set up, as well as boxes of supplies.

  “I do that and dental work. Mainly for the people that cannot go to a human service for thing
s like that. I also plan a small side business, making shoes. I do my own already and encounter people that need that kind of thing on a regular basis. Different foot shapes and all that.”

  The words got a smile, and a soft laugh.

  “You know, when I was one, they kept me locked in a cabin, far out in the woods. It was a cage, really. Then, Martha did her best by me. She just doesn’t have any kind of maternal instinct. I was created by a man named Davison, a little over a hundred and seventy years ago. That was much like what happened to Warren. He took one look at me, screamed about the monster and started to hit me. That’s the very first interaction I had with another person. He’d found an ancient book with the base formulae and knew of vampires, so sought to combine the two. It made me different. A creature that isn’t promethean, strictly speaking and who also isn’t a vampire.”

  Shrugging, as if he didn't care about the words, Liam explained what he was thinking on that matter.

  “All of us, the prometheans, are different. At least a little bit. Even the ones that seem to have had the same basic recipe used to bring them into being, Oaks, Lissette, Martha and Nicolas, even they are different from the others. Oaks was created to be something other than human, on purpose. Martha was… I don’t know the story there, but there was some decent and sensible work done.” She was ordinary looking. Perhaps more so than any of the rest of them he’d met.

  The other man seemed to consider him for a bit, then smiled.

  “I know that one. Martha and Lissette were both real people. Ones who had died and were brought back. As new individuals of course. Oaks and Nic were both created from parts of other things. They have animal parts in their creation, though the facial work was done by different people. Marcello, the man that created Warren was an idiot, when it came to artistic fashioning. You do know that there was no actual Doctor Frankenstein, right?”