IDrakula - Bekka Black [13]
Before Renfield died, he told the attendants the following:
Renfield: Tell Abe Van Helsing that he must find the last box. He must destroy it, to destroy the Count and Lucy and to set me free. Kill the master and the undead fledglings die; the living fledglings are released.
How could Renfield even know about the dirt? Unless the Count knows and told him.
And it’s that “unless” that scares me. But Abe is remarkably brave, and I’m sharing his courage. My courage comes and goes. Right now: courage = gone.
Mina
From: Jonathan Harker
To: Mina Murray
Subject: Re: I’m so sorry
Sent: June 26 5:13 PM
* * *
Mina,
I am glad that you are corresponding with me at all. It’s a lot.
I wish I could get out of this damn hospital bed to help you. But my energy level is so low that I need help to get to the bathroom. I have faith in you though. I always knew you were strong, but I didn’t realize how incredibly strong until this happened. You are doing better on your own than you ever did with me.
If anyone can do this, you can. You brought me home from Romania. Dad says you practically did it single-handedly.
Know that I’m always here for you. No matter what happens.
I love you.
J
Text message from Mina Murray to Jonathan Harker
From: Abraham Van Helsing
To: Mina Murray
Subject: Call me, please
Sent: June 27 3:03 AM
* * *
Mina,
When you wake up, please call me and I will come and fetch you. I think we should not be separated from one another. No one should die alone as Renfield did. And, on a lighter note, I also miss you.
I could not sleep, so I went to the university laboratory. I have been checking our blood samples against normal and there is something wrong with the RBCs of Jonathan, Lucy, and Renfield. Not, thank God, with yours or mine yet.
I looked into bats for you. Blood-borne illnesses can be transmitted by bat bites, and not only rabies. In fact, it is now theorized that the Ebola virus lives in species of African fruit bats. They are called a reservoir species because they can carry the virus without immediately dying. Ebola is, of course, quickly fatal to humans (and a host of other mammals as well).
I wish I had a sample of one of the bats. And I still have no idea how the caskets of dirt fit in. Perhaps the Count has pet bats and they feed on something in the soil?
Or if we are willing to throw science to the wind: Renfield is right and we are dealing with something that can’t be cured by scientific means.
Call me, please.
Returning to my microscope,
Abe
Text message from Mina Murray to Abe Van Helsing
Text message from Jonathan Harker to Mina Murray
Text message from Mina Murray to Jonathan Harker
From: Mina Murray
To: Jonathan Harker
Subject: We’re here
Sent: June 27 5:11 AM
* * *
Jonathan,
We stopped by the Count’s Manhattan apartment on the way here (now that we have a key, it’s not that hard). That place is HUGE. Last time I was so focused on getting out that box of dirt that I didn’t notice.
Abe collected up all the shipping paperwork, so I looked up the container number there.
We snuck in at the docks. There were probably security cameras everywhere, but Abe cut a hole through a fence with bolt cutters and we crawled in.
The container is locked, but Abe’s working on it with the bolt cutters. I’m being lookout.
We’ll never get the box of dirt to the water in that amount of time. We’ll have to burn it. It’s just a matter of getting it done before the Count comes back or a security guard catches us. And not incinerating ourselves in the process.
Wish me luck.
Mina
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Text message from Jonathan Harker to Mina Murray
From: Mina Murray
To: Lucy Westenra
Subject: I’m sorry: Part I
Sent: June 27 7:28 PM
* * *
Lucy,
A lot has changed for me in such a short time. I’m not even sure