Chapter X

Chapter 10 of the novel Reapers

Rosalind offered a wide smile to the family as she reached into the leather portfolio she clung to her side. A folded piece of glossy paper was revealed with a glimmering V.A.M.P. Corp Research headline at the top. She sat it down in front of Lillith and closed the portfolio promptly as Rosalind reverted her attention back to the speaker.

"I'm sure you're wondering how I know about Nathaniel's condition. As you know, we have numerous contracts with hospitals around the world to supply them with treatments, antibiotics, equipment, and other things along with our nation's military and various other government agencies. We have deep, deep connections with medical facilities who volunteer us information, mostly anonymous, to let us know how to better our research and allow us to see what we should be focusing on. When I reached out and let the hospitals know what we were looking for, they brought us to you. While I'm sure that may confuse you, in our contracts we are legally considered "part of the hospital" per se, and entitled to view medical records only if they are significantly intrustmental in our research's progress, which we believe your son is. I want to help Nathaniel. We have made a vast breakthrough in our Leukemia research. Our final step would be to begin human testing. While I understand that may sound frightening, based on our findings, it will be completely safe, I can assure you. Without a volunteer test subject, we won't know the full spectrum of what we could be missing from our research. We've successfully treated various other subjects, without a single problem and with no side effects. However, those were simply animals and with every disease, the variables can change depending on the species. I am sure you're asking yourself why your son, well I have that answer as well," She assured Lisa, sliding the pamphlet on their work across the coffee table to her.

"So, you just want him to be a lab rat?" November chimed in, her protective instincts escaping her before she realized what she'd said.

"November!" Lisa reprimanded, horrified that her daughter would choose a time like this to be a smart alec.

"No, no! Not at all!" Lillith defended. "Absolutely not. We want to help your brother. If our tests are successful, your brother would be completely healthy. Not another day of chemo, pills, medications - nothing. All within a few months. I would never come here and ask to jeapordize anyone's safety. That would be completely unethical and my conscious would never allow it. Nathaniel, you could be strong, healthy, and never have to take suffer through another medication in your life. Wouldn't that be outstanding?" She coaxed, turning her attention to Nathaniel, who sat completely bewildered. "And Lisa, we've selected Nathaniel because we need someone young, an adolescent who is in the prime of their life. But also someone, unfortunately, whose disease is fairly progressed. But the participant must be a fighter, someone strong who can work with our protoype treatment and fight the disease," She explained. "A lot of people, at this stage, who've had it for this long are just ready to give up. This is completely up to you. We would need your son to stay at our complex in New York, under 24 hour supervision, for a total of 90 days. This, of course, will also be completely free. We would not charge you a cent. I know, from my experience in this field, these treatments are not cheap, especially for a single mother, and there is only so much an insurance company will do. We want to make your family whole again," Lillith pleaded.

"This is really a lot to take in, but I have to ask, you say it will be safe based on your findings, what exactly does that mean?" Lisa asked hesitantly.

"Well, it means that theoretically, based on all the tests we've done so far, it should be a completely safe treatment. However, since they were done on a different species, I cannot guarantee that Nathaniel will not suffer any side effects. As I said, in theory he should be fine. But I can promise you we will not allow anything to happen to him. This would all be monintored by our top scientists very closely." Lillith explained.

"And what types of treatments are we talking, here? And I know you said he'd be required to stay at your facility for 90 days, but would we be able to visit him?" Lisa asked.

"It would be a series of controlled injections followed by radiation therapy," Lillith said confidently. "Unfortunately, since these tests are still in the early stages of development, we would require it to be totally isolated. However, we would be more than happy to send you numerous reports on his progress, if that is any comfort to you. I know this isn't ideal, and I truly wish there was another way, but unfortunately with these tests, any sort of interaction with germs or airborn pathogens could do him great harm. And no one here wants that," Lillith said softly.

"Could you excuse me for a moment? I think my family and I need to have a little meeting to discuss your offer, I'm sorry," Lisa announced, motioning for her children to join us in the kitchen. "Excuse us."

The Brooks family shuffled to the kitchen as Lillith offered them a polite smile and remained comfortably seated in their living room.

"This is insane, what am I supposed to say? I mean, this could cure you," Lisa moaned, throwing her head into her hands.

"Or it could kill him," November warned, narrowing her eyes at the people in the other room. "I don't trust a word she says, they're all so...robotic and artificial. Like talking mannequins. They make me uncomfortable. I mean really? They just want to come in here, pack up Nate and head off with him for three months and just hope we get a report saying hey, he's not dead!" November rambled. "Not to mention, I have seen that black BMW out there at least twice in the past few weeks driving around town in the middle of the night. It was in front of our house one of the times. And lurking around Scottie's the other."

"Oh November, don't be silly. You think this is some kind of conspiracy for them to come kidnap Nate?" Lisa asked, turning to Nathaniel. "They have done a lot of good for the medical world. Think of all the things they've cured, I'm sure they had to have someone to test it on. And they're alive and probably doing pretty well, but this is not my decision. It's Nate's."

"I think it's weird, Mom. No one just shows up and is like hey I want to cure your cancer for free with nothing in return," Nathaniel said softly. "I don't feel like it's right, why wouldn't they just set up a meeting at the hospital or with the doctor's or something? Why would they just come to our house? It makes me uncomfortable, too. I don't want to be shipped off to be experimented on. I've read things about them, weird stuff that they've covered up. Experiments gone wrong and stuff." He continued.

"Oh, what is with you two?! They've been nothing but kind since they walked through that door. Maybe she wanted the meeting to be more personal. They probably figured you were tired of being in and out of doctor's offices. I just want you to feel better. To be healthy," Lisa replied. "I just want what's best for you, honey. You know that. But I want this to be your decision. I trust both of you, I just don't get that feeling from them. I think they're being genuine."

"That woman in there gets very large paychecks to be genuine, mom. It's her job to fool you into thinking she cares. She wants Nate to be a guinea pig for some kind of weird experiments that are going to make her lots of money. I bet she doesn't care whether he lives or dies. If he does, she'll just regurgitate this same speech she gave us to some other poor family. I want to make your family whole again. Please. Our family is whole. Shipping Nate off to the other side of the country to be poked and proded with the very real possibility of failure is not going to fix anything, and it certainly isn't going to make him feel better," November explained angrily.

"I understand, I understand. Well then, I guess we know what our answer is. I trust you two's judgment. As much as I want to step in and be the mom that "know's best" right now, I won't. I will respect your decision, sweetheart." Lisa said softly, you could tell she was trying to fight back tears with all of her might. "So is this what you want? To not go with them and continue with your doctor's here?" She asked.

"Yeah. I just can't trust that they're going to take me away from you guys and magically cure me and I'll be back here in three months all smiles and rainbows. Something is shady about this, and I don't want any part of it," Nathaniel said firmly.

"Alright," Lisa agreed, offering Nathaniel a quick hug as they made their way back to the living room to face the others.

Lisa remained standing as she announced her family's decision to Lillith's once in a lifetime offer.

"Ms. Devereaux, while this is an amazing offer, I must politely decline. I understand you have the best of intentions, and we are flattered that you chose our little family but we just, as a family, can't subject ourselves to any more anguish if something weren't to work out," Lisa explained. "We hope you understand."

Lillith rose from her spot on the couch, her associates following.

"Absolutely. No worries, my dear. I completely understand. The unknown is never something you want to subject your loved ones too, and I have no hard feelings what so ever. If you change your mind in the near future, please, do not hesitate to give me a call." Lillith responded, reaching into her blazer's pocket and pulling out a business card.

She placed a hand gently on Lisa's shoulder as she put the business card in her hand. Lisa accepted it, glancing down to see its professional matte finish and the V.A.M.P. logo prominitely displayed.

"If you need anything, just let me know," Lillith offered with a smile as she turned to make her way out of the house. "It was a pleasure meeting you," She added, nodding towards Nathaniel and November.

Ekko stood silently, holding the door open for them as they exited the home, briskly walking to the black vehicles parked at the street's edge.

"That was just...too weird. And why was she so touchy?" November complained, placing her hand on Nathaniel's shoulder and looking into his eyes in a mocking manner.

"Oh, November, you're so cynical. I just hope you two made the right decision," Lisa sighed, shaking her head and returning to the kitchen to tend to her pot roast.

Outside, Rosalind and Gunner had sat themselves in the black Tesla sedan while Ekko escorted Lillith to the black BMW parked next to it.

"Isadora, take Lillith to the airport in my car," He commanded, opening the passenger door.

Lillith and Isadora slid into the dark BMW as Ekko closed the doors behind them. As Lillith got in, she rolled the window down so that she could converse with Ekko.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Lillith asked him, her voice in a tone almost unreconizable from the friendly fervor she had presented to the Brooks family.

"I believe so," Ekko responded, grinning.

"Bring me that boy and kill anyone who gets in your way," She instructed intensely. "Burn this pathetic redneck town to the ground if you have to. Don't disappoint me."

"Yes, ma'am," Ekko complied as the window rolled back up and the BMW started and faded into the distance.

Ekko made his way to the Tesla where Rosalind and Gunner could be found. Rosalind had taken the back seat and Gunner had sat in the passenger seat, leaving Ekko to drive. As he approached the vehicle, the door handles slid out to allow him to enter the vehicle. Placing his hand on the driver door, it popped open and he took a seat behind the wheel.

"So what's the plan, Stan?" Rosalind giggled with eagerness, the artifical friendliness of her voice gone as well.

"It's happening. Tomorrow night," Ekko confirmed, his eyes still fixed into an angry glare.

"It's about time, I didn't know how much longer I could keep this ridiculous act going," Rosalind cheered, tearing her hair down from the bun it was would so tightly into and tossing the horned rim glasses off of her face and across the seat.

"I second that, mate," Gunner added with his smooth Australian accent, a smirk bleeding across his scraggly face.

"I'd love to let this little family live, but I'm going to have to politely decline," Rosalind chimed, mocking Lisa and letting out a witch-like cackle as the black sedan began to move and disappeared silently into the setting sun.