Out of immediate ideas, he removed a damaged tube and brought it under something that looked like a microscope without an ocular fitting. A screen to his size brought up a picture of the surface.

“What do we have here,” Zachary said after looking over the image for a minute. “Take a look.”

Clara did as asked. It had a similar appearance to the innards of a phone she smashed beyond repair. Little bumps and cylinders, all linked with a metallic pathway over a green surface.

“Let me guess,” Clara said. “Not something you would find in use a century ago?”

“Discounting the size,” Zachary said. “Not something you’d find until the eighties. In this form factor, I’m not sure you’d find something like this commercially today.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“You’re right,” Zachary said. “It works.”

“Right,” Clara said.

“However, it shouldn’t,” Zachary said.

“Right again,” Clara replied before smirking.

“That’s why you need me,” Zachary confirmed.

“You’re on a roll,” Clara teased.

Zachary stood up from his throne and grabbed a cane. Despite being a young man, his movements were rough, hobbled by pain. Without that cane, she doubted he would have had the balance to walk unassisted.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

She pushed open the door, causing a tiny silver bell to ring. The place appeared to be empty, there was even a buildup of dust on the counter. Her body tensed, and her senses sharpened, but there was nothing obviously threatening.

Are you Clara?

The male voice appeared to originate from every direction. Either she was faced with a god, or it was going out over loudspeakers. The latter was confirmed, when she spotted several sources throughout the room.

“I am,” Clara replied.

When not booming out questions they generated white noise that hindered her ability to detect anything beyond the walls.

Who sent you?

Speaking had an effect on the noise generated. From her perspective the message was said twice, with the first wave being faint and distant. She closed her eyes and focused until the noise became a series of distinct tones.

“Alice Liddell,” Clara said carefully to sound normal.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

“I really hate you right now,” Clara said before kissing Evelyn on the forehead. “I don’t like leaving friends to rot, even if it’s for the greater good.”

Evelyn smiled meekly, while pressing her ear against Clara’s chest.

“You’ve never sent people to their deaths?” Evelyn asked.

“I’ve failed to save some,” Clara replied.

“See, that’s not the same,” Evelyn said. “Failure drives you. You will make sure you never make the same mistake. That’s why half of you hunters were martyrs in disguise.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

Once past the Bassicilica’s neighbourhood, the styles varied. This city had seen many renewal periods over its lifetime, some more successful than others. It was not uncommon to find early twentieth-century brick structures surrounded by towers of glass and steel. While discombobulated, she enjoyed the chaos, wondering how this all came to be.

She passed a coffee shop at the corner, which brought back memories of Elizabeth introducing her to the modern variations. She slowed to a stop, making sure that no one was behind her, lingering over that sign as that memory washed over her.

“I miss her,” Clara whispered.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth.

“Maman,” a girl said. “Is this your hotel?”

That voice broke through her focus. She turned away from what promised to be a battle royal, to look at the young girl with brown curly hair holding her mother’s hand. The child was clearly a younger version of her mother, who was staring at hotel her child was pointing to.

The mother smiled, and kneeled down to be at her daughter’s eye level. She brushed away a stray curl and kissed her tenderly on the forehead.

Clara never had children, and was incapable of having them. Watching this heartfelt exchange made her momentarily question all of her life choices. I wonder if I’d feel the same seeing a child screeching and tearing apart the room.

“Non, Tessa,” her maman replied. “It was named after a famous poet. One of your ancestors.”

“Really?” Tessa asked.

“Yes, really,” maman replied.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pexels.

Under normal circumstances, she would have taken a leisurely pace along these streets. The cobbled streets, and older architecture reminded her of Europe and in many ways her youth. Alas, she was forcing herself to keep from sprouting wings and take off in the air.

She passed by a museum built atop the earliest foundations of the city. She heard a couple talking about it over lunch, and made a note to visit someday if the situation permitted. A quick glance at the tower evoked thoughts of a power connector, surely an indication of an overactive imagination.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth.

“Here you go,” the server said as he dropped off the glass.

Clara looked at his smile and then the glass. Any potential to get in the mood had been shot down. So, she grabbed the glass and drank all of it in several loud gulps. When done, she put down the empty pint, and smiled.

“That hit the spot,” Clara said. “Cheque please?”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

That worsened the mood, and the sounds that followed gave her more reason to worry. It was difficult to form a picture using a singular sense, but she guessed the phone had been tossed. While the footsteps registered clearly, an electrical arc created enough interference to nearly end the call.

However, that cleared up before the sound of something heavy falling into the grass. That formed a picture, and was left with a choice. Disconnect the line after making it seem like a mistake, or make sure whoever they were that would tear them limb from limb.

“Sorry,” Clara said. “You have the wrong number.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from The Van Helsing Impetus is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.