We Are Shadows

Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Abe's POV

I was nervous about what I was going to find out today. My contact from the laboratory had been in touch to say he had the results. He apologised for it taking longer but the lab had undergone the annual audit by the moroi scientific advisors. Bureaucratic red tape is everywhere it would seem. He assured me that all was safe regarding our business and that I would find the information enlightening. Would it show what I was think it will or have I totally over thought the situation? It's possible it's a wild flight of fancy but the resemblance is there, so much so that my heart ached when I saw her for the first time. She looks just like my mother even down to her facial expressions. It was unnerving at times. Then there is the name; Hathaway can't be just a coincidence. Of course there have been other women over the years but Rose's age firmly puts her conception just before Janine left me, so if Rose is my daughter, as I suspect, then the Hathaway name isn't a coincidence and neither is her first name. My mother's middle name was Gül meaning rose and Janine knew that.

"Sorry I'm late Abe" I heard from the side of me. "There was a last minute item that came in."

"It's alright Ahmet. I understand" and indicated the chair in front of me. Ahmet took the proffered seat and placed a folder on the table.

"I would have got these to you sooner if it hadn't been for the blasted moroi scientists crawling everywhere" Ahmet said.

"Ah, Ahmet these things have to be done to keep the authorities happy" I said shaking my head.

"Yeah I suppose. Anyway it's this you are wanting to hear about not my audit" he said pointing to the folder.

"Yes I've been intrigued since your phone call. What do you have to tell me?"

"I know I never ask any questions about this but where did you find these people?" Ahmet said with a kind of awed tone to his voice. I raised an eyebrow at him because I really didn't want to tell him anything. "I'm asking because I have never seen anything like it. Even the other samples I've tested for you over the years have nothing on these."

"How so?" I asked sitting a little more upright. From what he is inferring, Rose and Dimitri are different to the others that I have found. That is interesting in itself.

"First of all, they seem to have more genetic markers for the traits that I've looked for in the past. Meaning that they are even stronger, faster and have even higher metabolisms than the others. However, the most interesting feature about them is that the samples are connected in some way" he broke off as the waiter delivered our drinks.

"Connected how?" I encouraged as the waiter left us. He paused trying to formulate his answer.

"I'm not sure I can describe it properly or even give a reason for it but it's like they are attracted to each other, not unlike magnets. I placed the samples side by side and the blood cells gravitated to the edge of the slide closest to the other sample" Ahmet said shaking his head.

"Is there anything in nature that does this?" I asked. "Is it a common thing anywhere else?"

"I've never seen anything like it" he said emphatically. "This is unique on my scale of things."

"Did you find anything else?" I asked.

"Well after I accidentally found this little trait out, obviously I couldn't leave it there. I ran a few more tests" Ahmet replied.

"Like what?" I said. This was more interesting than I ever thought possible.

"Well again, I discovered something purely by accident" he replied. "I accidentally knocked over some enzyme I use for lysing cells." I looked at him confused. "Breaking down cell membranes" he added apologetically. I nodded for him to continue. "The result was startling. The blood cells closest to the other sample started to regenerate. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't have seen it with my own eyes."