Synthetic: Dark Beginning (7 page)

Kora opened the stained folder and drew out a packet of loose pages.  A drawing of a young man sat on top.  He had large eyes, high cheekbones, and a tumble of dark, wavy hair.

“Are you okay?” asked Gus.

She choked out some words to reassure him that she was fine, but her throat had swollen closed. This was the beautiful face she saw sometimes, floating before her as she lay half awake in bed. Usually the vision filled her with a sense of peace and longing but right now, she was brimming with panic.  

Gus fished for something on a nearby shelf.  He returned with a glass of water that Kora drank in one long gulp.  “Is it the picture?”
he asked.

“He just looks familiar. That’s all.”  Kora flipped the drawing over in hopes of alleviating some of her shock, but what she saw next just doubled her alarm. She stared at a page crammed with a slanted scrawl that was occasionally interrupted by a diagram of a bat’s digestive system or the jaws of a domestic cat.  She covered her mouth with her hand.  “Oh god!”

“What is it?  You're freaking me out.”

Kora looked up at Gus. “This is my handwriting.  I'm the one who made the vampire, not Ruby.”

Chapter 7

Vaughn roared up the Pacific Coast Highway with the windows rolled down. He passed a stretch of dilapidated beach restaurants that had caved into the surf. One had a crumbled sign that read,
Reopening for Summer 2025
above a pile of burnt tables in the parking lot. He was about to speed up when he saw a truck ahead surrounded by a group of women on horseback. Smoke poured from under the hood and the simmering smell of corn oil filled the air. Vaughn stopped the car in the middle of the road and Iris swung down off her horse and ran over to hug him through the open window.

“Have you come to fix my truck?” Berta wiped her greasy hands on her shirt.

Vaughn slid out of his seat and wandered over to peer under the hood. He pulled out the oil stick and then shoved it back in again. “You need to let this thing die. How many times have you rebuilt that engine?”

Berta leaned against him, her long hair brushing his arm. “Nine or ten. I’ll rebuild it again. I have to make the damn thing live forever. Don’t have a garage full of classics like you do.”

“But you have a horse you never ride,” said Iris. She climbed back into her saddle and sat with her back straight and chin in the air. Vaughn grinned at her and made a funny face until she giggled.

“I hate horses,” said Berta. “I wish everyone would leave me alone about the horses.”

The two other women groaned and jerked their reins. “We’re headed home,” said Maria. Her blond hair and cheeks were streaked with blue and orange stripes, the same theme continued down the flanks of her horse. “If you don’t want to ride with us, you can just walk.” Her irritated face melted into a smile as her eyes fell on Vaughn. “Will we see you tonight or are you leaving us forever?”

“I’ll be back in time for dinner.” Vaughn watched Maria gallop down the highway, her long hair streaming behind her like a flag.

“Vulture,” said Berta.

“Can I give you two a ride back to the house?” asked Vaughn. “This might be your only chance.”

“Maybe I should drive. I can’t believe Ivan let you have another car after crashing the last one. What was that thing? A Ferrari?”

“Just a Porsche. Not even a good one,” said Vaughn.

Berta looked at her sister over her shoulder. “Iris, can you ride your horse home by yourself?”

Iris pouted. “But I want to ride with Vaughn too.”

Everyone fell silent when the scream of motorcycles filled the air. Three dirt bikes peeled up the road and spooked Iris’s pony. The riders jumped off and a skinny blond man dressed in a dirty sarong and flip-flops strutted toward Vaughn with a crooked smile on his sunburned face.

“What the hell are you doing out here? Won’t you catch fire?” The man pointed up at the sky as if Vaughn had somehow missed that he was out in daylight.

“That joke’s getting old, Joshua,” said Vaughn. “It’s time you moved on to stakes or garlic.”

Iris giggled and Joshua swung around to pin her with a menacing look, his eyes lingering on Berta. “So are you out here in mommy’s car to pick up a snack?”

“You know I only eat during the rituals,” said Vaughn.

Joshua ran a dirty finger over the polished hood. “Does mama know what you’re up to out here?” Vaughn didn’t answer. “She doesn’t? Well, well.”

“Leave him alone, Joshua,” said Iris. “Or you’re going to get your ass kicked again.”

A vein pulsed on Joshua’s forehead. He slammed his fist onto the hood, stomped over to Iris, and dragged her down off the pony. He threw the screaming girl over his shoulder and ran toward the beach.

Vaughn sailed through the air and landed in front of them. “Put her down.”

Joshua dropped Iris onto the sand and circled his hands around his mouth, belting out a loud whoop. Screeching tires filled the air and Vaughn’s car plowed toward them. It slid up next to Joshua who dove through an open door before it swerved back onto the highway and screamed away.

“You okay?” Vaughn asked Iris, who clung to her sister.

“I’m fine, but Joshua’s an asshole. I knew he wasn’t really going to hurt me. He just wanted your car.”

“Oh shit,” said Berta. “Here comes Max.”

A horse galloped up the highway and circled them. The rider's blue eyes scanned their faces before following the dust trail left by the car. “Maria told me Vaughn was driving one of Ruby’s cars,” he said in a rough voice. “Where the hell is it?”

They heard a distant buzzing sound get louder. The car hurdled toward them at over a hundred miles per hour and everyone jumped back as it whizzed by and went into a spin, coming to a screeching halt only a few yards away. Vaughn closed his eyes after taking in all the damage. Ivan was going to skin him alive.

Max’s lean face twisted with fury. “Joshua—get the hell over here.”

The car doors flung open. Joshua and his friends tumbled out onto the pavement laughing. “This is a piece of junk.” Joshua swaggered forward as blood dripped from his nose. “You can have it back now, Vampire.”

“What the hell are you doing?” hollered Max. “That car belongs to Ruby. You’re going to get us all killed.”

“I was just having a little fun with the monster, dad.” Joshua’s lopsided grin disappeared when Max climb down off his horse. Max was bone thin, but at least a foot taller than his son. Joshua didn't flinch as Max drove a fist into his jaw. He fell backward onto the pavement and when he tried to sit up, Max kicked him in the stomach and he curled into a tight ball. Joshua locked eyes with Vaughn as he coughed up blood. “Get her out of here.”

Vaughn helped Berta and Iris onto the pony while Joshua’s gang remounted their dirt bikes parked along the road. Within minutes, only Vaughn stood watching as Max beat his son until he lay motionless in a pool of blood across the highway’s faded centerline.

“That’s enough, Max,” said Vaughn.

The old man whipped around, unaware that Vaughn was still there. He was breathing heavily and rage burned in his hollow eyes. “This no longer concerns you, monster. Get in that car and go wherever the hell it is you’re going.”

“If you don’t stop, you’ll kill him.”

“He’ll never die.” Max swung his arm down with such force that Joshua’s body buckled up in the air and blood spouted from his many wounds. “No matter how much I beat him, he never dies.”

Vaughn’s arm shot out and he lifted Max off the ground by his neck where he held him choking. “I said, that was enough.”

Max’s eyes bulged but he nodded his head. Vaughn set him back on his feet and they both watched as Joshua dragged himself up with a dazed grin on his butchered face. The kid was an idiot but he was incredibly tough. Vaughn had a hard time getting the crushed door open and once he did, the stench of sweat and urine rose up from the back seats. He accelerated past Joshua and Max, who were already going their separate ways, glad to finally have that scene behind him.

Half an hour later, Vaughn pressed a button on a device Ivan had given him to disrupt the force field.  He careened through the border that marked the northern end of Ruby’s property and came to a stop in dense traffic. After inching his way along for nearly an hour, he finally reached Santa Barbara and wound his way up through the hills until he reached a pristine housing development with ten-foot walls topped by razor wire. He pulled up to the gatehouse where the guard took in all the damage to his car. “May I help you?”

Vaughn should have anticipated that there'd be a guard. He smiled until he noticed the guard's eyes focus on his fangs.
“
I'm here to see someone, but she doesn't know I'm coming.
”

“
Sure you are.
”
The guard leaned back in his chair.
“
Turn around and go before I beat the shit of you.
”

“
Excuse me?
”
Vaughn hadn't expected such a hostile reaction from the human, especially when he'd made an effort to be polite.

The guard came out of the booth holding a heavy police baton.
“
Get out of your car. A synthetic should know better than to give me attitude. I'm going to teach you proper behavior
”

It took Vaughn a minute to get his crushed door open. When he stood up, he was a foot taller than the guard but the man seemed unintimidated. Vaughn was curious. He didn't get out into the wide world very often and aside from Ruby, Gus, and the Food, he didn't know many humans.
“
So is there a certain greeting I'm supposed to say?
”

The guard scrunched up his face in disbelief.
“
Yes, there is. Let me show it to you.
”

He swung the baton at Vaughn's head, but Vaughn grabbed it before it touched him. He easily pried the weapon from the man's hand and tossed it away.
“
I don't like your way of saying hello.
”

“
What the fuck,
”
said the man, his eyes full of terror as he backed away from Vaughn.
“
How the hell did you do that?
”

Vaughn glanced at the clock in the booth. It was almost noon. He'd wasted too much time already.
“
I think you should be nicer when synthetics drive up to your gate.
”

“
Okay. Sure,
”
said the guard, raising his arms in the air.

Vaughn needed to knock the guard out for an hour or two and though he was breaking the rules, he was hungry and no one would find out. He pressed a hand over the guard's mouth and sank his teeth into his neck. He drank deeply until the struggling body slumped in his arms, and then yanked his teeth out. He dragged the unconscious guard behind the gatehouse and got back inside of his car.
Vaughn leaned forward in his seat, checking the address numbers on the Tuscan houses until he found the place tucked back off the street surrounded by newly planted olive trees. He pulled the car up beside a modern contraption and lurched back into a tiny parking spot, hitting the bumper behind him. He checked his face in the rearview mirror to make sure there was no blood around his mouth.

He hadn’t bothered to call Dr. Kimura in advance. Ruby hated phones and frowned on all forms of external communication so this was his only shot.  If Dr. Kimura wasn’t home, he couldn’t risk taking the trip again. To his relief, a brightly dressed woman in her early sixties opened the door.  At first she smiled at him in confusion, but then her eyes opened wide and she dropped a pair of pruning shears. Vaughn bent down, picked the shears up, and handed them back to her. “My name is Vaughn Lazar.”

“I know. Please come in.” Dr. Kimura closed the door behind him but continued to stare. “This is a great honor.” She waved him into her living room with the pruning shears. “I’m sorry for my odd reaction, but I can’t believe you’re here.”

“How do you know who I am?” Vaughn gazed around at the odd furnishings. He was accustomed to dark rooms crawling with antiques, but Dr. Kimura’s house was modern and white. She directed him to a rectangular couch and gestured for him to sit.  He noticed it faced a window with a broad view of a colorful garden.

“You are a legendary figure in the world of synthetics. May I get you something to drink, Mr. Lazar?”

“No, and please call me Vaughn.”

“Vaughn, what brings you to my home?”

“I found your name a while back and I thought you might be able to help me.”

“What seems to be the problem?”

“I haven’t felt well for a long time. My two brothers are actually much worse off than I am, but they couldn’t come. One is aging at an accelerated rate while the other is getting younger. At least his mind is. We’re worried that soon he’ll be like an infant.”

“I see, and you? What’s happening with you?”

“I just feel very tired.” Vaughn drew in a deep breath and gazed down at the plush carpet.

“Would you mind if I examined you?”

Vaughn shrugged and Dr. Kimura guided him to a small room that was dark and cluttered compared with the rest of the house. Machines filled the shelves and an old computer hummed away on a desk facing an office chair stacked with papers and folders. “I don’t allow the maid into this room.” She pointed to a low file cabinet and Vaughn removed a stack of books before he sat down. Dr. Kimura pulled down a yellow box and removed a device that was neatly packed in protective foam.

“May I take a DNA sample?  I'm afraid I do it the old fashioned way.”

Vaughn nodded and she ran a swab over the inside of his cheek. After cursing and banging on her machine a few times, an elated grin spread over her face making her look like a young girl. “You’re in exquisite condition—a fine specimen. Your tiredness might be caused by anything from a lack of nourishment to general depression. Are you getting enough to eat?”

“Probably not. Eating with me is…complicated.”

Dr. Kimura’s eyebrows went up. “I see.”

“Do you have any suggestions for my brothers?  Should I bring them here as well?”

Dr. Kimura’s face snapped shut. “I don’t need to see them to know what’s going on. I’m surprised you don’t know that you and your brothers were created by two different people.”

Vaughn felt as if he was suddenly adrift at sea. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that Ruby made your brothers, but not you.”

“That’s not possible.”