Content Warning – one F-Bomb dropped

As a doctor, Neil Hughes was accustomed to seeing illness, and even death, on a daily basis. It was his job to see the patient through their malady or make them as comfortable as possible when the life was beyond saving. He was good at his job and knew it. Not only was he a man of science, but Neil had an extra weapon of defense against illness and disease; he had magic at his very fingertips.

Magic wasn’t a solution to every problem, but it definitely helped when it was called for. In the case of Lenora Landgraab, Neil knew that magic would be the only thing that could save her. He just wished it was as simple as casting a spell, waving his fingers a little, and seeing Mrs. Landgraab miraculously cured. Unfortunately, that was wishful thinking.

Mrs. Landgraab’s case was one that Neil knew would haunt him for a long time to come. Not only was she a very famous person, but she was a lovely woman who was obviously very much loved and cherished. Although romance novels weren’t his reading material of choice, his mother was a different story. Greta Hughes devoured Lenora Landgraab’s books as though they were a life-sustaining meal. Both Neil and Greta greatly appreciated Mrs. Landgraab’s music; she was wonderfully talented, and Greta always remarked to Neil that Mrs. Landgraab had the voice of an angel.

As renowned as Lenora Landgraab was, Neil had no doubt that what befell her would be broadcast all over the news. As he checked his computer, he let out a groan of frustration. It was, indeed, all over the news, and every reporter named him as the doctor in charge of the case. It would be a matter of time before newshounds would be knocking on his door or accosting him in the corridor demanding an exclusive interview.

“Just…great.” Neil thumped his head on the desk and groaned again. There were privacy laws that prevented him from spilling all knowledge, not that he wanted to anyway. Mrs. Landgraab, nor anyone else, deserved to have their health report splattered all over the media for vultures to caw and flutter their tail feathers at.

“What a damned mess,” Neil sighed, rubbing his eyes. He was no closer to solving this case than he was when Mrs. Landgraab was brought in. Something wasn’t right; there were missing elements here that were beyond his reach, and Neil didn’t like it one bit. The only thing Neil knew for certain was that this woman was going to die if he didn’t figure this out.

Time was quickly running out for Lenora Landgraab. For some reason, this unnerved him. Perhaps the biggest source of his unease was the stricken werewolf who Mrs. Landgraab was married to. Yes, Neil had seen devastation before in the faces of dying patients and their relatives many times over, but what he saw in Tyrone Landgraab went way beyond that. Neil got the distinct impression that the survival of Mrs. Landgraab was vital in sustaining her husband’s very life force.

Being.versed in the healing arts, Neil knew a little about werewolves but had to admit he needed to increase this knowledge. Neil vowed that as soon as his shift ended, he would visit The Vault of Antiquity to do some research. He wanted to learn more about this Imprinting thing he’d heard about.

Neil was about to head to the lab to hurry along the latest test results for Mrs. Landgraab’s case when his assistant said there was an urgent phone call waiting for him on the line. He swore under his breath and locked his office door. Neil didn’t like being interrupted during important calls.

Expecting the call to be about a downhill change of condition in one of his patients, Neil picked up the phone and uttered a brisk “Hello?”

“Dr. Hughes.” Neil removed the receiver from his ear and frowned at it. Whoever it was on the other end wasn’t human; the voice sounded like some kind of computer synthesized output.

“Who is this?” Neil demanded.

“This call is on a need-to-know basis, and our identity is not in that category. You are to listen and do as instructed. No more, no less.”

Neil’s temper started to flare. He was used to giving the orders, not taking them. “You either identify yourself or I’m hanging up.”

“I wouldn’t do that, Doctor,” the voice said. “Your career and your mother’s life depend on your cooperation.”

 “What the hell is this about?” 

“Listen carefully and do not interrupt,” the voice instructed. “We know about the patient you killed five years ago with an overdose of narcotics. You were cleared of any wrong-doing, but we have information that will surely reopen the case. We know where you live with your mother, so if you even think of going to the police, we will see to it that she dies a most unpleasant death with you watching every step of it.”

One of Neil’s gifts was that he was able to get a sense of a person by simply being around them or even talking with them over the phone. Neil had no doubt that this computerized voice was being artificially synthesized, but there certainly was a human behind it. As Neil held the receiver, it seemed to come alive as though manifesting itself into a rattlesnake. He nearly dropped it as his senses clanged. The human behind this voice was capable of unfathomable, unspeakable evil. Neil’s heart thudded crazily in his chest. The phone slid precariously in his sweaty palms as he fought to maintain his grip. Swallowing hard, the audible click in his throat was unmistakable. He could even smell the stench of fear in the cold swat that broke out all over his body.

Readjusting his hold on the receiver with his left hand, he tightened his right hand into a fist. His first concern was for his mother, whom he loved more than his own life. If there was the slightest danger to her, Neil needed to do all he could to protect her.

But then, there was the threat of a reopened investigation in a case he still had nightmares about. The image of a beautiful young woman flooded his memories as his mind went back five years. Mrs. Gail Andrews was a terminally ill cancer patient whom Neil had grown rather fond of. He’d done more for Gail Andrews than any other doctor would have. He’d held her hand when she was frightened of yet more pain. He’d held her when she cried out her fear of what her leaving would do to her family. He’d told her stories of his childhood to distract her from her pain and discomfort. He’d spent more time with her than he had his other patients. Toward the end, she’d lain in severe pain, screaming if anyone so much as adjusted the sheet that covered her emaciated frame. It had been awful to watch that woman suffer. When she screamed out in agony and begged to die, Neil had adjusted the strong IV narcotics so she would go into respiratory arrest and die peacefully. Neil knew this was wrong, according to the “rules of society,” but to him, it was even more wrong to let this woman linger on in unbearable pain. He’d finagled the chart accordingly so nobody would be none the wiser. However, in cases such as this, there was always an investigation to make sure everything was above board. Neil had never done anything like that again, but he never regretted that decision he’d made…until now.

“What do you want?” Neil whispered, sinking into his comfortable desk chair.

“I know you are an expert in cloning. What you will do is gather what you need from the Landgraab woman and make a clone of her.”

“What?” Neil blurted out. “I can’t just conjure a clone of someone on demand. It takes time, and besides, I don’t do it unless there is adequate reason.” He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a long breath. Neil was, indeed, one of the few individuals who could clone an entire complex organism. He’d engulfed himself in many years of research to learn how to clone organs for transplant patients. Because he was a person who never liked to put limits on his skills, he went the extra long mile to master the science of cloning to its fullest. It was still considered unethical to clone an entire living entity, but he hoped for ways of using this skill for the betterment of humankind one day.

“There is adequate reason now. Don’t even ask why because this is something you don’t need to know. You can shorten the time by omitting most of the brain. A rudimentary brain stem will do because this clone is to die immediately upon creation.”

Neil stared at the wall in slack-jawed mortification. This was one of the most disgusting things he had ever heard of. 

“Before the clone expires, you are to make sure it is aged to that of the Landgraab woman,” the voice went on.

“My God! What kind of sick, twisted individual are you?” Neil asked breathlessly. “I have never…” He shook his head, unable to even finish the thought.

However, the voice didn’t give him much time to brood. “Should you find a cure for the Landgraab woman’s illness, you will refrain from using it. If she survives, your mother will take her place in death. Upon the Landgraab woman’s demise and transfer to the morgue, you will replace the Landgraab woman’s body with that of the dead clone. You will then move the real Landgraab woman to Room 22 in the basement, which, as you know, is a storage closet. Do you understand?”

“What I understand is that this is beyond reprehensible,” Neil said through gritted teeth. His anger was returning, but it was still marred by fright, which he tried desperately to hide from this psychotic caller.

“Maybe, but that is not your judgment to make. We will know if this is not done to our specifications. Last but not least, when the exchange is made, you will call this number,” the voice recited a strange number with an area code Neil wasn’t familiar with, ”and simply say, ‘It is done.’ You will not wait for a response. You will say, “it is done’ and hang up immediately. Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” Neil said. The next instant, the line went dead. The hum of the dial tone in Neil’s ear sounded like his own death knoll.

“My god!” he whispered as his shaking fingers replaced the receiver on its cradle. “What am I going to do? What the fuck am I going to do?” Neil’s world…and his latest case…had just officially been turned upside down.

Author’s Note: Sorry this is a shorter chapter. As you can see, there is even more to this than our beloved characters know, and sliding this macabre little twist in here needed its own chapter, short as it may be. Who is this mystery computer voice? Will Neil fall victim to blackmail? And…what will happen to Lenora? To find out this and more, you will have to stay tuned for future updates.