The same night, in the Scottish Highlands, inside the walled camp, Dr. Patel stepped out of her working quarters. The cold wind brushed against her coat as she walked alone through the darkness, heading toward Ayanna's house to speak with Leyla, her nurse. The camp was unusually quiet, torches flickering faintly along the stone walls. Unseen eyes followed her every step. Someone was watching from the shadows.
It was Ivory, the loyal friend of Marcus, ordered to keep an eye on Dr. Patel.
The moment Dr. Patel disappeared down the path, Ivory slowly slipped inside the quarters, careful not to make a sound. She was alone as she switched on all the lights, the room glowing with white lamps and scattered papers. The air smelled of chemicals and dried blood.
She began going through Dr. Patel's formulas, carefully reading her books and notes. Dr. Patel had recorded every tested subject, documenting their condition before and after each experiment. Every formula was written precisely in her journal, page after page filled with numbers and symbols.
"Wow… she's a genius," Ivory whispered to herself.
As she spoke, her eyes shifted to the side. Something caught her attention.
A beaker on the table was moving. The blood inside was reacting.
Ivory froze, her breath caught in her throat. The beaker was labeled "Sample X." Slowly, she moved closer. The blood inside was pure red, unnaturally alive, pulsing as if it had its own heartbeat. Her hands trembled as she reached for a sample bottle and an injection needle. Carefully, she drew some of the blood from the beaker and sealed it inside the small glass container.
Soon after, she wiped the table clean, returned everything exactly as it was, and quietly left the quarters.
She walked quickly toward Marcus's quarters and knocked on the door. After a moment, Marcus opened it, his eyes still heavy with sleep.
"Ivory, what are you doing here at this hour?" Marcus asked.
"You have to see this," Ivory said as she stepped inside and held out the blood sample bottle.
Marcus's expression changed instantly. He stared at the bottle, watching the blood move and react inside.
"Where did you find this?" Marcus asked.
"I think the Doc hasn't told you everything yet. This is blood sample X. I don't really know who this person X is, but I'm sure this blood has something. I took some of it from her quarters," Ivory said, handing it to him.
Marcus didn't hesitate. He grabbed his coat and stepped outside with Ivory. He didn't want to wait until the next day. Together, they walked toward the back of the camp, where the captured vampire subjects were kept for testing.
Ivory stopped in her tracks. It was her first time seeing them.
The cages were reinforced with iron chains and dim lights. Growls echoed through the corridor.
Marcus approached one of the cells and forced a vampire onto a metal bed, restraining him with thick chains. He handed the blood sample to Ivory.
"Here, take this and test it on him," Marcus said.
The vampire growled violently, his sharp teeth exposed, his eyes locked onto Ivory's neck. Ivory was shaking from fear, her hands barely steady.
"Do it now!" Marcus shouted.
Ivory swallowed hard, prepared the injection, and injected the blood sample into the vampire's arm. Almost immediately, the vampire's movements slowed. His growling faded into heavy breathing. Marcus loosened his grip and secured the chains tightly.
"Now we wait," Marcus said as he started a timer. Ivory stepped back, still shaking.
Inside Ayanna's house, Zara and Ben were asleep in their rooms. The lamps in the sitting room were dim as Ayanna sat with Leyla, speaking quietly.
"How's the Med Bay going?" Ayanna asked.
"A lot of work. Lots of wounded. Believe me, it's a total disaster in there," Leyla replied.
"Do you really think that all this vampire stuff and this curse will be over one day?" Ayanna asked.
"What are you trying to say?" Leyla asked.
"The world is gone, Leyla. You have to open your eyes too. How long do you think these walls will keep the vampires out? How many bullets do you think Marcus uses every day to keep them from coming in? From what I'm seeing, he's sacrificing people—many of them, shift by shift—to stop vampires from crossing the perimeter. How many people do you think he's willing to sacrifice?" Ayanna spoke in riddles, her voice low.
"Get to the point, Ayanna," Leyla said.
Before Ayanna could answer, they heard a knock on the door. Leyla stood up and opened it. Dr. Patel stood outside.
Leyla stepped aside and let her in. Dr. Patel walked into the sitting room.
"What a nice time to join the chat," Ayanna said.
"How are you, Leyla?" Dr. Patel asked her nurse.
"How am I? Well, as you can see, they put me in the Med Bay while they gave you a nice, warm place to do your research," Leyla said.
"Believe me, you don't know how it feels to be in there," Dr. Patel replied.
"Really? Then tell us—what are you really working on?" Ayanna asked.
Dr. Patel looked at Leyla before speaking.
"I've been trying to find a solution to vampirism."
Ayanna was shocked. She looked at Leyla and saw her standing still.
"You knew about this?" Ayanna asked.
"Yes. Since we were in the hospital."
"And you kept it a secret from me. Wow. So you think there's a way to stop this shit? Like forever?" Ayanna pressed.
"Yes, but that depends. Every formula I've tested so far either goes wrong. I got the blood sample I needed from Subject X, but without the right formula, it's nothing," Doc said.
"You're saying that within these walls, someone's blood is the cure to vampirism? Like if they get bitten, they won't turn into vampires?" Leyla asked.
"That's right," Dr. Patel said.
"Then who is this person?" Ayanna and Leyla asked at the same time.
"Leave that to me. I don't want to jeopardize anyone's life. Until the right time comes, I'll keep it to myself," Dr. Patel replied.
Back with Marcus and Ivory, they were still waiting.
"How long does it take?" Ivory asked.
"I don't know. Maybe about twenty minutes," Marcus said.
"Well, we've been here for almost thirty minutes. Maybe it's just—" Ivory stopped mid-sentence.
The vampire suddenly opened his eyes, gasped sharply, and vomited blood—so much blood. He coughed violently, like a human struggling to breathe.
"Oh my God… it worked," Marcus said.
"What is going on? Why am I chained to a bed?" the man asked, his voice trembling.
Ivory stepped forward, reaching for the chains, but Marcus stopped her. He walked closer, studying the man carefully.
"So Dr. Patel has already found the cure… yet she kept it from me. Okay then, let's play this game her way," Marcus said coldly.
Without hesitation, he placed his hands around the patient's neck and strangled him until his body went limp. Ivory screamed softly, frozen in horror. Marcus turned to face her.
"Let's keep the fact that I know the cure has been found a secret for now. I want to see how loyal Dr. Patel really is. You speak about this to anyone—you're next," Marcus said.
Ivory nodded, tears forming in her eyes.
Two armed guards entered the room.
"Throw the body away far from the walls and clean this place," Marcus ordered. He turned to Ivory one last time.
"Winter is almost here. Take care of yourself, and be careful," Marcus said before walking away. Ivory was left standing alone, trembling, tears dripping down her face as the echoes of the camp closed in around her.