Robert Doherty - Area 51 - Nosferatu

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Robert Doherty

AREA 51

NOSFERATU

PROLOGUE

THE PRESENT

The Skeleton Coast, West Africa

The room was dimly lit by a single low-wattage bulb set beneath the tattered

shade of an old lamp sitting in the center of the large, oaken table that

dominated the room. The table was oval, stretching ten feet in length and five

in width, and its top was marked and scarred by centuries of use. Four large

wing armchairs were spaced evenly around the table. They were cushioned and

covered in well-worn black leather. The curved outer wall was smoothly cut

sandstone, breached only by a single door made of thick planks of weathered

wood, bound with iron spikes to a diagonal crossbeam.

Three figures occupied chairs, leaving one empty. There were no papers in

front of them, no laptops, hand-helds, or any other electronic device in the

room other than the single light and a large flat-screen display set in front of

the empty chair, facing the other three. The faces of the three were hidden in

the shadows of their high-backed chairs and the only way for each to determine

who was speaking was from accent and direction.

"Gentlemen, I welcome you to the Haven." The voice was low yet powerful,

easily carrying from the chair opposite the door across the polished oak

tabletop from the

others. The accent was indeterminate, an amalgamation of numerous languages

warped over the ages into speaking English.

The voice continued. "We have waited a long time, a very long time, for this

day. The Airlia have been defeated by the humans. Both sides. The two alien

leaders, Aspasia and Artad, are dead. Quite remarkable and more fortuitous than

I had ever hoped. They who made us and hate us are gone. It is our time now."

The man leaned forward, revealing a narrow face, white hair, and dark eyes

with the slightest hint of red in them. When the dim light struck them a certain

way the pupils appeared to be slightly elongated. Despite the white hair, his

skin was smooth and alabaster, as if it had never seen the light of day or the

grim hand of time. He wore a flowing robe of soft gray cloth.

His voice deepened as he spoke. "I was made Nosferatu in the First Age of

Egypt, before the dawn of history as recorded by the humans, the child of Horus

the Airlia and a human High Consort. I have lived for over ten millennia waiting

for the time when those who made us would be defeated and we would not have to

live in fear of them." He looked around the table. "This is the first time the

three of us have been together in the same place at the same time. I thank you

for answering my summons. With the Airlia gone we are the eldest and most

powerful species on the planet."

Nosferatu paused, the words sinking into the sandstone, replaced by utter

silence. Nosferatu indicated that the man to the screen's right should speak

next.

The voice spoke English like a song, the Chinese background unmistakable. "I

am Tian Dao Lin." He leaned forward, revealing Oriental features and a bald,

liver-spotted scalp. He wore a black silk robe with a single red dragon

embroidered on each loose sleeve. "I was made underneath the great mountain tomb

Qian-Ling by Artad himself in consort with a sacrificial girl well before even

the dynasty of ShiHuangdi, the first true Emperor of the Middle Kingdom." He

turned toward Nosferatu. "We met many, many years ago, a most fascinating story

that I will tell you if you wish"—he glanced at the third occupant of the room—

"but at another time and place as we are here for business." Tian Dao Lin leaned

back in his seat.

The third person in the room waited a few seconds before speaking. Then he

stood, a formidable figure, over six and a half feet in height and as erect as a

soldier on parade. His skin was pale, his face perfectly smooth and unlined

except for a single scar down the left side from the edge of the eye to the edge

of his mouth. He had a prominent nose, giving him the appearance of a hunting

hawk. His eyes were slanted, though not as much as Tian Dao Lin's, and his long

red hair flowed over his shoulders. He was dressed in black pants and shirt made

of some soft material that absorbed what little light there was in the room.

"I too was made by Artad in consort with a human girl, but long after you,

Tian Dao Lin. The name I choose others to know me as now is Adrik. I have—as

have both of you—been called by many other names over the years. I am here to

find out this business that the Eldest, Nosferatu, proposes."

Adrik retook his seat.

Nosferatu placed his fingers lightly on the edge of the table as if keeping

himself balanced. "As you both know, we have a stronger genetic link with the

humans than with the Airlia. We look like them and can even pass as human. It is

our blood—the Airlia blood that runs through our veins—that makes us different

from humans and has kept us alive through the ages."

Nosferatu continued. "The Airlia are gone. The Ones Who Wait—who were in a way

brethren to us but under the thrall of Artad and manufactured, not bred—are also

gone as far as can be determined. Aspasia's Shadow, who meddled many times with

us, is dead and his guides ineffective since the humans took over and destroyed

the Master Guardian, effectively shutting down all the subordinate Guardian

computers upon which the Guides relied.

"It is a new age."

Nosferatu paused and looked around the table, waiting. He knew there were

different agendas here and he wanted to know what they were before he got to

his.

Tian Dao Lin was the first to speak. "A new age, but the humans believe it is

their age now. I do not think they will treat us any better than the Airlia or

their minions did. We may look like them but we are most definitely not the

same. And what we have had to do over the many years to remain alive—while there

are small cults that worship the vampire legend, the majority of humans fear and

despise even our myth. I think their reaction to the reality if it is revealed

will be much more severe and unforgiving."

"That is why I changed my manner of feeding many years ago," Nosferatu noted.

"I do not kill anymore to get my sustenance."

Adrik dissented. "We are superior to humans. It is the natural order that we

feed from them. Your distinction means nothing."

It meant something to the victim, Nosferatu thought, but he didn't give voice

to the words.

"We have all done well over the years," Tian Dao Lin continued, ignoring the

Russian. "Each of us controls vast wealth and power from the shadows. Why should

we do anything differently?"

"Because the world is a different place now," Nosferatu said. "Even the two of

you acknowledge that by coming to this meeting, something we have never done

before. There are new opportunities now. And new dangers."

"Why did Vampyr not come here then?" Adrik demanded. "Did you not invite

him?"

"I invited him," Nosferatu replied.

"Then why is he not here?" Adrik asked once more.

"You seem quite concerned about Vampyr," Nosferatu said. "Do you fear him?"

Adrik leapt to his feet. "I fear no one."

"Please sit." Nosferatu glanced at the Chinese, who was watching Adrik

closely. "I meant you no disrespect. I am the Eldest and I fear Vampyr. He is

powerful and dangerous."

"You said new opportunities," Tian Dao Lin said. "Do you mean the Grail and

immortality?"

"It would be most fortuitous to get the Grail," Nosferatu said. "However, my

sources tell me it was destroyed when the mothership was crashed into the array

on Mars by Dr. Duncan. Whom I met many years ago under a different name."

"Donnchadh." Adrik spit the name out like a curse. "Lisa Duncan, most

recently. Among the many aliases she used in her reincarnations over the years.

A troublesome human if ever there was one."

"She freed me from the Airlia long ago," Nosferatu noted.

"For her own reasons, I am sure," Adrik said.

"But are you certain the Grail was destroyed?" Tian Dao Lin pressed, cutting

off Adrik. "My sources believe the same thing, but I have heard that those from

Area 51 brought some artifacts back from Mars on board Donnchadh's spaceship."

"It is slightly possible," Nosferatu granted, "that they brought the Grail

back, but I very much doubt it."

Tian Dao Lin lapsed into silence, waiting.

Adrik spoke up. "I agree with Nosferatu, the Eldest, on one key point. I do

not think we will ever be accepted by the humans. Therefore, I propose we do not

ask to be accepted by the humans." He crossed his arms across his chest. "I

propose we rule them."

There were several moments of silence following Adrik's proposal. Finally,

Nosferatu voiced the objection he knew Tian Dao Lin was thinking. "Ruling would

force us into the open. Even with the great power and influence we have amassed

over the years, we would still be vulnerable. We have all seen great and

powerful rulers over the ages who were destroyed. We have just witnessed the

humans defeat the Airlia, something I would not have thought possible. We should

not underestimate them. And there have been attempts by Undead, particularly

Vampyr, and you"—he stared at Adrik—"to rule before and all have failed."

"It depends on what you mean by failure," Adrik argued. "I had magnificent

successes in many places. Names I have used are in the human history books as

great leaders."

"But you could never maintain your kingdoms; nor could Vampyr," Nosferatu

noted.

"So you say we stay in the shadows still?" Adrik demanded. "Let our fortunes

and fates go with the flow of mankind? At least when the Airlia ruled through

their minions we had some degree of assurance that there would be a world left

for us to live in. Humans, on their own"—he shook his head—"they will destroy

themselves, and us with them. We are wiser, more experienced. It would be in

their interest for us to dictate their course."

"And when we feed?" Tian Dao Lin quietly asked. "If we could have partaken of

the Grail and become immortal without the need to drink blood, then I would say

perhaps we could rule. But without that, do you think the humans would be so

obliging as to give us bodies to feed on?"

Adrik shrugged. "They could give us their worst criminals—the humans kill

thousands themselves in punishment. Your own China chops off how many heads each

year? And for those who feel the kill is not necessary"—he glanced disdainfully

toward Nosferatu—"there is always a way to get blood without killing."

"We are only a handful," Tian Dao Lin said. "Even with our money and influence

. . ." He trailed off into silence.

"Why have you brought us here then?" Adrik demanded of Nosferatu. "Surely you

had a reason."

Nosferatu nodded. "I had two reasons. I called you here to discuss what we

should do first before we can accomplish anything else, including trying to rule

the humans."

Nosferatu got to his feet and walked over to an ancient armoire, opening its

wooden doors to reveal a small stainless-steel door. He slid it up and removed

three flasks also made of unmarked steel resting in specially made cradles that

kept the contents warm. He carried them back to the table, placing one in front

of each man before taking his seat with the third. He unscrewed the lid and

lifted it to his lips, tilting the flask and drinking deeply for several seconds

before putting it back on the table. There was a faint trace of red on his lips,

which he dabbed away with a silk handkerchief When he was done his face was

flushed, his eyes glittering with increased power.

He indicated the other flasks. "It's tested: clean, pure, relatively fresh,

and kept at body temperature. Imbibe, my friends. There is much I have to talk

to you about."

The other two drank and Nosferatu waited until they were done. Then he tapped

the flask. "This is our sustenance and it is our greatest weakness. We are half-

breeds. We have some Airlia blood, but not enough to sustain us without constant

nourishment of human blood for it. We drink human blood because we have to in

order to stay alive."

"You tell us what we have all known since the beginning," Adrik grumbled.

"You knew it from the beginning?" Nosferatu challenged him. "I was entombed

for much longer than you by the Airlia Gods themselves, and knew practically

nothing. I've known about the Grail and the promise of immortality from the

beginning, but I didn't know exactly how it gave eternal life. It is only

because the science of the humans has advanced so far that we have an idea of

how we have managed to live so long."

He placed one finger against the engorged vein on his wrist. "We have a virus

in our blood. An Airlia virus. It helps our cells regenerate when they should

die. However, we're half-breeds. So we don't have enough of the virus for it to

be self-sustaining. Thus, we must"—he reached forward and plinked a fingernail

against the steel flask—"drink human blood to feed and sustain the Airlia virus.

The Grail—if we had it—would purify our blood, injecting the Airlia virus,

making the virus dominant and self-sustaining just as it is—or was—in the Airlia

themselves. We would no longer need to drink human blood for sustenance."

Nosferatu waited. As he expected, Tian Dao Lin, with his obsession for the

Grail, was the first to grasp the significance of this. "If we had more of the

virus . . ."

Nosferatu nodded. "If we could somehow—without the lost Grail—cross the

threshold to where the virus is

self-sustaining, we would be, in effect, immortal. We would not need to drink

human blood anymore and we would have the benefits of the Airlia virus's ability

to replicate, which means even if killed, we would come back to life as it

quickly regenerated us."

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摘要：

RobertDohertyAREA51NOSFERATUPROLOGUETHEPRESENTTheSkeletonCoast,WestAfricaTheroomwasdimlylitbyasinglelow-wattagebulbsetbeneaththetatteredshadeofanoldlampsittinginthecenterofthelarge,oakentabletha dominatedtheroom.Thetablewasoval,stretchingtenfeetinlengthandfiveinwidth,anditstopwasmarkedandscarredb...

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Robert Doherty - Area 51 - Nosferatu

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