The Return of Dr Schull

8/14/2019 The Return of Dr Schull

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Anthony A. Castro about 11,244 words1D Oak Crest CourtNovato, CA 94947(415)897-0305

[email protected]

The Return of Dr. Schull

By A. A. Castro

1874.

The United States Marshalls stood at the railing, staring down at the twisted and bloated

wreck of a man who snarled So we play out the final scene here. You dont believe you can

arrest me, do you? Yes, I have lostbut youve lost too! I can still bring death to all of us

here!

Dr. Zachariah Schull, scientist, inventor, sculptor, engineer, ventriloquist, puppeteer and

murderer was the quarry they had chased for the better part of two years, a chase which had led

them from the waterfronts of San Francisco, to the plains of Texas, to an underground maze

under New Orleans, and finally to Dr. Schulls underwater lair in New Yorks East River.


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Castro / Schull / 2

The slightly older one said If what he says is true, those boilerswhen the water hits

them

Exactly! cried the doctor, It will be a marvelous explosionmy own personal

Armageddon, gentlemen, but youre invited

NOW! cried the younger Marshall, as he threw a small black device at Dr. Schull. The

two lawmen threw themselves to the floor as the device exploded, shredding the steam pipes and

wrenching an agonized scream of pain, anger and frustration from their quarry.

Both men ran down the stairs, trying to reach the door to the hidden elevator before the

lair collapsed and the river reclaimed its own. Stumbling thru the darkness and wreckage,

coughing and almost retching from the smoke and debris falling around them, they found it and

activated it. They made it to the surface and ran out of the abandoned old warehouse building

just as it collapsed into the river. Suddenly, the water shot up in a mighty tower and the ground

shook with multiple explosions. The few people around on a Sunday morning in the

neighborhood screamed and fled in panic!

After a few minutes, the two lawmen looked at each other. The older one said I think

we can finally stamp closed on Dr. Schulls file, Jim. The younger lawman looked

thoughtfully at the river for a few seconds and replied YeahI suppose youre right, Artie. No

man could have survived that.

2004.


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Castro / Schull / 3

Angelina Schuyler was the President and CEO of Schuyler Enterprises, founded as a

small-arms manufacturer in the 1890s and now grown to a multi-billion-dollar multinational

corporation that was involved in everything from genetic engineering and alternative power

research to developing sophisticated satellite laser-guidance systems. She was tall, handsome

and athletically built, with blonde hair and the piercing green eyes which ran in the Schuyler

family. She lived in a mansion in North Lake Tahoe, but she travelled constantly because her

advice and counsel were sought by companies and governments alike. She had been featured on

the cover of magazines ranging from Time to Le Monde to Caretas. But Angelina Schuyler was

not a happy woman.

For all the success shed achieved, her fiercest desire was still unmet. She knew

Schuyler was not her family name. It was changed in 1875 from Schull, to try and wash

away the shame brought upon it by one man, her great-great-grandfather, Zachariah Schull. He

had been a genius, a mathematical and engineering prodigy who was also a talented sculptor and

who had dabbled in puppeteering! He disappeared in 1874 when his laboratory under New

Yorks East River was destroyed after a pitched battle with two U.S. Marshalls who had pursued

him and thwarted his plans.

Dr. Schull had been accused and convicted of a murder he didnt commit. The evidence

that would have set him free had been destroyed. His appointment with the hangman had been

quickly set, but he escaped from prison in San Francisco. Because he couldnt clear his name, he

embarked on a plan for revenge against the Supreme Court that had denied him justice.

The doctors plan almost succeeded. He killed two Supreme Court Justices while using a

childrens puppet show as his cover. President Ulysses Grant himself ordered his top two United


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Castro / Schull / 4

States Marshalls to track down and bring Schull to justice. It was a manhunt avidly reported by

newspapers to millions of anxious readers around the world.

But Angelina Schuyler knew the truth. Her great-great-grandfather was a genius who had

been betrayed by his own government, his name falsely accused and his scientific achievements

stolen or ignored. However, it was a truth she couldnt prove and would probably never be able

to, even with his journal, a book which was delivered to her the day before by an investigator she

had hired.

The journal included something special: a detailed plan of her grandfathers secret East

River lab! It included a set of schematic diagrams for a suspended-animation hyperbaric

container he intended to use as a last-resort escape device. It was revolutionary, still years ahead

of anything modern medicine had produced, a treasure trove of patents that could open new areas

of medical research. The land had passed from the Schull family to the Schuyler family and

from there to the corporation, untouched and undeveloped since the initial desultory efforts to

find Dr. Schulls remains. If hed actually built it and if it had survived, she could mount a

search operation and cover it up as a minor riverside development project for a property that had

lain fallow for many years. Angelina might not be able to clear her great-great-grandfathers

name, but perhaps she could discover something that would overshadow his false guilt

1874.

The explosion ripped apart the steam pipes that he used to animate and control his

puppets. The steam scalded his hands and face, but he couldnt let the pain stop him! Gasping

and coughing, he activated the elevator platform. It quickly lowered him, hidden from view thru


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the central column, down to his last resort even as the rivers water rushed into his laboratory and

destroyed his lifes work.

Why had God denied him his Justice? Yes, he was a murderer but what of it? Hadnt he

been murdered once already by a corrupt government and faithless friends? How much longer

would he have to struggle and fight before his name would finally be cleared?

He could hear the two government agents as they ran down the stairs. They thought he

was deadgood, let them continue thinking that. The smoke and flames conspired with the

escaping steam to hide him from their eyes. Once he entered his special chamber, his last resort,

he would be safe from the collapsing structure around him and would sleep undisturbed by the

world until a better tomorrow finally arrived.

Suddenly, he felt and heard the lift cables snap above him! With a sickening lurch, the

platform dropped precipitously while Schull screamed No, not like this! Not like this!

Unexpectedly, the platform hit the bottom the cable had broken less than ten feet from the

bottom of the shaft! Laughing, crying, coughing from the smoke, Schull dragged himself from

the platform, unlocked the large metal door in front of him and entered his special chamber.

Quickly, he closed the door. He checked the levels of various gases and liquids fed by

rubber tubes into an opaque, sarcophagus-shaped container in the middle of the room. With a

satisfied smile, he lifted the lid and climbed into the container. He lay down, pressed a sequence

of buttons by his left hand, and sighed in contentment. The lid automatically closed. He

breathed deeply of the gases filling the container and slept


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Castro / Schull / 6

2004.

It took Schuyler Engineering about six months before they found it. Overnight, it was

transported by special air freight charter to the CEOs private compound in Lake Tahoe. Once it

arrived, a special team that Angelina Schuyler had hand-picked began the work of deciphering

what it was theyd found at the bottom of the East River.

At the end of the first week, Angelina Schuyler fired her entire team with the exception

of Professor Anton Zhukov. They all grumbled and complained, but she kept them satisfied with

a generous bonus package and transportation to any place in the world they wanted. She didnt

need them anymore, anyway.

It was Zhukov who first came to her after the second night of work. Hed figured it out,

but he just couldnt believe it. What the engineering teams had found was a suspended-

animation chamber with an engraving on the side indicating it had been built in 1873. It was the

work of a genius, still ahead of its timeand it was occupied.

Ms. Schuyler, you dont seem very surprised by what Ive just told you, said Zhukov.

The old Russian had a strong conviction Angelina knew exactly what the device had been all

along and who was in it. The situation he was in was odd, to say the least, but he was willing to

go along, if only for the sake of his own insatiable curiosity.

It was late in the evening, and Angelina was sitting and sipping a glass of chardonnay in

her back deck. She put the glass of wine down and stood up. Her green eyes locked into the

eyes of the old Russian and studied him intently for a few seconds. He was old, tall, and thin

with a full head of snow-white hair and a nasty set of scars on his arms. She knew hed defected

from the old Soviet Union in the late 1970s and had worked for the CIA and the Department of


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Castro / Schull / 7

Defense for a number of years before she was able to lure him out of retirement with the promise

of virtually unlimited resources for whatever scientific project at Schuyler Enterprises he wanted

to tackle. Hed agreed immediately to Angelinas offer. For the last five years hed been

conducting genetic and cryogenic experiments for Schuyler Enterprises that, while not

technically illegal, would be deemed unethical by most people.

Picking her glass up, Angelina turned and walked inside. She went straight to her private

desk and, with her back to Zhukov, opened a hidden drawer and pulled out Dr. Schulls journal.

She opened it to the pages containing the schematic drawings of the container, turned to Zhukov

and said Youre rightIm not surprised. Here is what that container is. She held out the

journal to him, open to the drawings. Zhukov took the book and looked with growing

fascination at the schematics there.

Ms Schuyler, this is amazing he said after a few minutes, whoever did this was a

genius, a true visionary. Where did you find this book? Who built this thing? I must know!

Angelina knew she had to be very careful with her information. She looked at Zhukov

with a half-smile and said I can tell you where I found it, Professor, but Im afraid I cant tell

you who built it, at least not yet. First, I need you to decipher how to work the locking

mechanism of the lid and open the container. If Im correct, if I find what Im expecting, Ill

explain it all to you then. Whatever we find, I insist on strict secrecy regarding this entire matter.

Thats why I dismissed the rest of the team. You and I can complete the work together, alone, in

my private lab. Nobody can know what were working on until its ready to be shown to the

world. Those are my conditions, Professor. Accept them and stay, reject them and Ill send you

back home with a very large bonus. But if you break your word, Professor, you will find that the


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world is suddenly a very small and hostile place, with nowhere to hide. I need your decision

now, please.

Zhukov removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Ms. Schuyler, I do not

like threats. In science, they are of no value or use. Keep your secrets if you must; I am only

interested in the work.

Professor, said Angelina, excuse me for being so blunt. My intention was not to

threaten but only to clearly state the security issues regarding this project. Leaning forward, she

said Frankly, I need you, ProfessorI need help that only Anton Zhukov can give.

The old Russian found her personal plea touching and more than flattering to his ego. He

agreed to her conditions, and the work began. For three weeks, they struggled to decipher the

code the original builder used in his equations whoever he was, thought Zhukov, he must have

been an exceedingly paranoid person. Finally, the day came when they cracked the code and

were able to make sense, at last, of that part of the journal.

Angelina and Anton attached the heavy electrical cables to the electrode points at the top

and bottom of the container. The lock consisted of a dozen interlocking cylinders held fast by

some kind of magnetic field. By applying an incrementally modulated electrical current, the

magnetic field holding each of the cylinders would be released. Then, they would have access to

a keypad where they would punch in the final code theyd deciphered from the journal. This was

the theory. The reality was neither Angelina nor Anton knew if this would actually work.

With the cables attached, they both moved to their respective control panels. On the

count of three, they both hit their master switches. A hum started to fill the room as the electrical

current coursed thru the container, making it start to shimmer and glow. The electrical current


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Castro / Schull / 9

made the surface of the container ripple and flow, almost as if it were liquid mercury. Angelina

said Electrical contact established, increasing current by one point.

Check. Electrical contact established, increasing current by one point.

Magnetic field strength for cylinder one decreasing, down to 60%. Increasing current

by one point.

Check. Magnetic field decreasing, increasing current by one point.

Magnetic field strength for cylinder one continuing to decrease

40%...15%...2%...magnetic field for cylinder one disengaged!

It was an astounding sight. Cylinder one had actually detached itself and seemed to be

floating in the blue-white aura that crackled around the container. The mercurial glow of the

container was now pulsing and steadily growing stronger, bathing both scientists in an eerie

silvery light, making them look like materializing spirits.

The electrical hum was getting louder and Angelina had to shout, Modulate electrical

current by one order of magnitude and hold it steady at five points!

Check! Modulating current by one order of magnitude and holding steady at five

points! the Russian shouted back.

Magnetic field strength for cylinder two decreasing, down to 85%...its working, Anton!

Increase current by two points!

Check! Field strength for cylinder two decreasing, increasing current by two points

yes, isnt it magnificent?


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Cylinder twos field was disengaged. The container now glowed with a strong and

steady silver light that turned Angelinas laboratory into a black-and-white setting. Once

cylinder three was disengaged, they donned their protective rubberized suits. The hum was now

so loud that they could only communicate thru their radio helmets, but they continued thru the

night.

Most of the night was gone by the time they hit the tenth cylinder. Angelinas protective

suit made her sweat and itch, her lips were dry and they were both using the protective visors in

their radio helmets to shield their eyes from the light that glowed like the heart of a star from the

container. She could hear Antons labored breathing and wondered how the old man was doing.

The glow was so intense she couldnt see his face anymore. He was just a silver phantom she

could barely glimpse as he adjusted dials and switches on his control panel.

The tenth cylinders field disengaged, adding one more to the row of strangely floating

cylinders now slowly moving in a circular pattern, orbiting the container.

She could see the old mans movements getting slower. Anton, are you all right?

Repeat, are you all right? Anton, answer me!

I..am..all right, the old Russian answered, let us finish this, Angelina!

Very well, modulate current by one order of magnitude and hold it steady at 25 points!

Checkmodulate current byone order of magnitudehold steady25 points,

Zhukov repeated.

When the field for the eleventh cylinder disengaged it joined the rest of them in their

strange dancing orbit around the container. The cylinders started to pick up speed, orbiting faster


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and faster until they became a band of fierce golden light that hummed and crackled around the

container.

Last cylinder, Anton! Modulate current by one order of magnitude and hold it steady at

50 points!

No, Angelina! The circuits cannot hold at that strength! The explosion will destroy

everything!

Theyll hold! Do as I say! Angelina commanded.

Checkmodulating current by one order of magnitude, holding steady at 50

poi..aaahhh! The professors voice ended in a scream of pain and feedback!

Angelina turned her head just in time to see a bolt of silver light surge from the container

and strike the Russian scientist square in the chest. The old man stood for a second, then

collapsed, like a puppet whose strings have been cut. She bolted to his side as she screamed his

name, dodging a second bolt of silver light that struck the bank of equipment behind her and

made it explode in a welter of flame and electrical sparks.

She kneeled by him. Tenderly, she lifted his head as more and more bolts shot from the

cylinder, reducing her laboratory to a smoking ruin. Anton, speak to me, she said, surprised at

the tears that came to her eyes. Anton, please speak to me! she repeated over and over.

Suddenly, she heard him take a weak, ragged breath thru her radio helmet. His voice

rasped dryly Angelinano tearsonly the work matters, your triumphlooklook His

body suddenly relaxed and sagged into her arms.


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Then, the twelfth cylinder disengaged and joined the other eleven in orbit around the

container. Without dropping speed, all twelve cylinders suddenly shot up into the air, striking

the ceiling and causing a shower of acoustic panels, metal, plaster and other debris to fall around

them. The primary generator had burned itself out, leaving her in darkness until the emergency

lights kicked in.

After a few seconds she found herself in a room that looked more like a battlefield bathed

in a blood-red light than a laboratory. Some sparks still shot out from isolated corners. The lab

was filled with an acrid smoke that stung her lungs. Coughing, she stumbled to the venting

control panel and turned on the ventilating fans. The smoke was quickly sucked out and sent

floating thru the Tahoe night.

She couldnt believe it. She had failed and Anton Zhukov was dead. All that work, all

that effort, her top scientist a corpse at her feet, her laboratory effectively totaled and what did

she have to show for it? She started to think Nothing, when she realized that there was a keypad

that had appeared on the side of the containershe hadnt failed!

Slowly she stood up and walked to the container. Licking her lips, she began to punch in

the 128-character secret code from the journal. When she finished, there was a short electronic

chirp from the keypad as it lifted up and split into two parts. A golden latch in the form of the

letters ZS was revealed.

What are you doing, she thought, what are you doing? Hadnt she destroyed enough in

one night, was one life lost not enough? But if she didnt turn the latch and open the container

then her work and Antons death were both for nothingshe saw a hand grab the Z and the


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other grab the S and she thought how strange my hands look in this light as she pulled the

letters apart.

There was a loud whooshing sound as the lid detached itself, with small wisps of smoke

curling up from inside the container. Trembling, Angelina grabbed the lid and lifted it. The

container was lined in velvet and there was a man wearing a silver mask in it. Her hands reached

out to touch the mask but she suddenly froze. The mans eyes opened and stared at her. The

almost glowing green eyes drifted up towards her from the container and she felt cold fingers

wrapping around her wrist

2004.

Headline from the Sacramento Bee, dated August 7th, 2004.

NOBEL PRIZE WINNER MISSING

Professor Anton Zhukov, winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics and for Medicine, was

reported missing today when his personal airplane failed to arrive yesterday in Sacramento and

could not be contacted by radio. Dr. Angelina Schuyler, CEO of Schuyler Enterprises and the

person who is credited with convincing Professor Zhukov to defect from the Soviet Union,

issued a statement saying her thoughts and prayers are with Professor Zhukovs family and

reiterated her hopes that the aging scientist will be found alive

2008.


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Angelinas heels crackled like rifle shots as she walked down the marble hallway on the

77th floor of the Schuyler Tower that led from her corner office to the Board of Directors

conference room. It was the end of the third fiscal quarter, and she had to present her quarterly

earnings report to the Board. They had nothing to complain about. Even if her attention had

been somewhat distracted of late, the new patents developed by the Cryogenics Department over

the last three years were delivering splendid results, medical and financial.

But her mind was really someplace else. It had been four years since the night when

Anton Zhukov died and her strange visitor had arrived. When she had stood at the side of that

container, and felt the power in those eyes, she could not have known the strangely satisfying

new direction her life would take.

She stood there that night, staring at the old man with the scarred and twisted face who

was holding her wrist and staring right back at her. She could almost feel the energy and

intelligence pouring out of those hypnotic green eyes as he slowly sat upits you, isnt it? Its

you she kept murmuring.

The old man opened his mouth slowly and whispered in a dry voice, Whoareyou?

She leaned down and said My name is Angelina SchuySchull. I am your great-great

granddaughter

Howlong?

Over a centuryits now 2004.

Ahh! The old man looked away for a few seconds. Alldeadthen. Enemies

familygone. He looked back at Angelina and whispered Helpmeplease


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She helped him. She started the Schuyler Center for Genetic Research and Rehabilitation

as a cover operation. Angelina poured millions of her personal fortune into it, all for the sole

purpose of rebuilding the shattered physical husk that was Dr. Zachariah Schull. The hyperbaric

technology in his crypt, as he called it, had helped his body to heal his more immediate injuries,

but it took the full battery of 21st Century genetic knowledge to repair, rebuild, and bring back

his full mobility.

But he didnt let them touch his face. When Angelina asked him why, he replied

Because that man, the handsome and dashing Zachariah Schull, is dead! Hes been dead for

more than a century. This is the face that their justice gave meit may be the face of a

monster, but it is my badge of honor.

And as his body improved, he worked on his knowledge. He had more than a centurys

worth of scientific information to catch up on. He read voraciously on topics ranging from

robotics to cryogenics, gene therapy to nuclear fission. He applied what hed learned to his own

theories, advancing and improving on his inventions. He started to sculpt again, trying to regain

the mastery and control of his hands that had served him so well before. So time passed, until

one fateful evening.

Angelina had been dreading this moment. She held the DVD in her hands as she entered

her great-great grandfathers living quarters. He was relaxing in a lounge chair, leafing thru a

volume of modern sculpture.

Without looking up, he said I like the work this Bufano fellow didperhaps we can take

a small drive to San Francisco and see some of them.

Actually, great-great gra


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Grandfather will do just fine, child he said.

All rightgrandfather. Theres something you should see

Ahh, another of those motion pictures! A Garbo movie, perhaps? he asked.

No-o-oits actually a television show from the early 1980s. And before you say

anything, I know what you think of television. Its just thatI think you should see this.

She walked up to his DVD player and inserted the disk. After a few seconds, a jaunty

theme song started playing as an animated menu appeared on the screen. There were four titles

listed on the main screen. Angelina selected the second one.

The doctor sat back in his lounge chair, wondering why Angelina was showing him this.

And then he saw the plot was set in 1874. It was about a mad genius who was trying to murder

the Supreme Court because they would not let him appeal his murder conviction. The black and

white images showed how this madman had designed life-size puppets to carry out his will, and

how two Secret Service agents tracked him down to his underwater lab.

Angelina could see his jaw working, the small vein throbbing in his temple, his hands

clenching and unclenchinghe was angry, no, he was furious. Suddenly, he grabbed the remote

control and sent it flying into the television set. The set shattered, glass littered the floor and

smoke poured from the hole the remote had made on the screen.

How dare they! How dare they! When was this made? Who made it? Tell me, child,

tell me now! he screamed as he grabbed and shook her, barking his questions. Angelina let out

a small scream, Grandfather, stop, stop, youre hurting me!


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Abruptly, he hugged her close to his chest and said Forgive me, my child, forgive me!

Its justis this how I am remembered? Is this all I mean now? Gently, he stroked her hair

he realized she was crying, he had truly frightened her, and he felt ashamed.

Im sorry, Grandfather, Im sorry, she sobbed, I didnt want you to see this butyou

deserved to know. Ive tried so hard to find the proof that you were innocentf-for years I

searched and I t-tried but I couldnt find anythingthey think youre some fictional character,

the government erased you completely, it wa-wasnt fair

Its all right now he said. You did the right thing, Angelina. I owe everything to you.

I would still be buried at the bottom of that river if you hadnt believed in me and tried to find

me. You are my kin, my only familyI love you, child.

And now youve given me a great giftyouve given me a purpose. Tell me, who is

responsible for thisthing youve shown me?

Angelina dabbed her eyes with a tissue as she responded, That would be the producer,

grandfather. The entire concept for the show and script approval for every episode, he would

have been responsible for that.

Very well then. Let us skip to the end credits and learn who this great creative genius is,

who thinks he can play with the reputation of a dead man!

But in another room, grandfather

Of coursehow silly of me. My temper has always been the death of me.

The producer of the program was named William Bennett. The doctor did a quick search

on the internet, a technology that still filled him with amazement, and found that William


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Bennett was now a semi-retired and very wealthy producer living in Beverly Hills with his

secretary and his three miniature dachshunds. Yes-s-s-s the doctor hissed, I think I shall

make you my hobby, Mr. Bennett

A week later a small video-IM window popped up on Angelinas laptop screen. She was

working on her retirement speech. Running the company had lost its appeal after reviving her

ancestor. She didnt need any more money, anyway. Besides, she wanted to work with her

grandfather, to assist him in whatever he was plotting. She couldnt clear his name, but she

would help him get his revenge.

On the screen, she saw him wave at her and say Hello, granddaughter! I have a new toy

Id like to show you. Can you join me?

She hated writing speechesOf course, grandfather, Ill be there in five minutes.

Angelina walked to the bookcases in her private study. She reached up and pulled the

French first edition of Francois Truffauts LHomme Qui Aimait Les Femmes halfway,

making the bookcase next to it slide silently into the wall and revealing the gleaming metal door

of an elevator. Once inside, she punched the button labeled 4 , wondering what her grandfather

had thought up as the elevator sped her down to the fourth level.

When the elevator doors opened, she stepped into the lab where she and Anton Zhukov

had revived her grandfather. Angelina had spent more millions rebuilding and modernizing it.

There were banks of scientific and medical equipment everywhere, multiple work tables covered

with drawings, models, and prototypes. In the center of it all, Dr. Schulls main desk was

equipped with massive multiple monitors connected to a super-computer he had designed and

named Socrates.


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He had a schematic of something that looked like a camera on one of the monitors, but

miniaturized to a level shed never seen anyone attempt before. He turned as soon as he heard

her heels clack on the floor and, with a wolfish grin, presented her withwhat was that thing?

This, he said in answer to her unspoken question, is my first bird.

It was black, teardrop shaped, about a foot long with two wing-like flat appendages on

the side, smooth and featureless. He pressed a button on his console and, with an almost

imperceptible hum, it lifted itself from his open hands and slowly floated in a circle around the

laboratory. She saw one of the monitors on her grandfathers desk was displaying the machines

point of view as it flew around the room.

She looked at the bird, at the monitor, and back to him. He was gratified to see the

admiration in her eyes at his accomplishment. What are you using as a propulsion system? she

asked.

A miniaturized hydrogen fusion reactor. All it needs is a quarter-cup of water to fly

twice around the world! And look, it has a transmitter that sends a video signal back to me for

recording and a miniature hyper-argon laser that can cut thru six inches of steel in less than 2

minutes, it can operate independently or I can take direct control if needed, it is totally radar-

neutral and untrackable, it has

All right, grandfather, all right! Its quite amazing but tell me, what are you going to use

it for? interrupted Angelina.

Dr. Schull stood up and strode to the window. He looked down at the cold, blue expanse

of Lake Tahoeit will be the means of my revenge he whispered.


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Angelina stood next to him and, touching his arm, asked Still thinking of Bennett?

The doctor turned his head slightly towards her and said I told you, child, that I would

turn him into my hobby. I intend to learn everything that is learnable about Mr. Bennett. He will

never see me, but I will know him better than his own mother. My little birds will be my eyes

and ears, shadowing his every move, recording his every activity, until the day comes when I

will use that knowledge against him!

Grandfather, said Angelina, her eyes suddenly widening and growing serious, just

what are you planning to do with Mr. Bennett?

Dr. Schull shot her a half smile. I wont kill him, child. Im not interested in mere

revenge. What I want is justice! He turned away from her and returned to his main desk. His

fingers played rapidly over the piano-like keyboard hed designed, and said, Socrates, please

estimate manufacturing time and expenses for the construction of twenty copies of prototype B1

A deep mechanical voice came from a small speaker, When will you require the full

estimate, sir?

I need it quickly, Socrates, today. My soul burns with the need for justice! he

exclaimed.

The mechanical voice replied, Your second statement is illogical and immaterial. It

cannot be used in this equation. I shall compute and prepare the full estimate for delivery within

one hour.


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In less than a week the doctor had all twenty devices in his hands. He programmed ten of

them to follow Bennett and maintain him under constant surveillance for two weeks, at his home

and at his office. Lets see what my friends find, thought the doctor

[BREAK]

The mechanical bird glided silently thru the darkness of the Southern California night.

Quickly and efficiently, it relayed all it saw and heard to the memory banks of Socrates where all

that information would be stored, sorted and analyzed. I shall find his weak link, the doctor

thought, and when I do find what it is I shall use it to break him.

His birds had been shadowing Bennett for three days and had revealed nothing more than

what the doctor already knew, which was precious little. William Bennett lived with his three

dachshunds and his secretary in a secluded estate on Laurel Canyon at the end of a long and

winding private road. His days were filled with making production deals in his office and his

nights were spent at home, quietly and alone. He had no romantic entanglements and no legal

issues. For a movie producer, he seemed to be an unbelievably dull man.

And it was this dullness which frustrated Dr. Schull. Having a dull life meant he could

find no leverage with Bennett, and no leverage meant he had nothing to use for his vengeance.

The doctor sat at his desk, staring intently at the real-time feed coming from B3. This bird had a

new enhancement hed just installed that afternoon, a hyper-sensitive audio pickup designed to

specifically monitor telephone conversations. He was already monitoring all computer and

internet usage, thanks to a little gray box that was attached by B5 to a small piece of cable on one

of the outside walls.


22/41


Bennett was sitting on his couch, his back to the panoramic window. He was reading a

script entitled Head Driller 4. It was some dreadful sequel to a slasher movie Schull thought

was almost reason enough to dispose of the man then and there. Suddenly the light directly over

Bennetts head turned itself off and on three times. Bennett threw the script on his coffee table

and walked down the hallway to his private office. Schulls birds were observing all of this,

using x-ray, infrared, and motion-detectors.

The doctor saw Bennett open the center drawer on his desk. But he didnt just open it, he

took the drawer out completely, and then he reached inside the empty space. He took a small

rectangular box out. He took his cell phone, opened it and took outahh, thought Dr. Schull,

hes taking out his sim card and replacing it with one from that box!

Dr. Schull adjusted the scanning circuits. He saw Bennett dial a local number and talk

using a small voice changer. Most curious, the doctor thought, most curious indeed that hes

trying to place a call that cant be traced to him and also disguising his voice for good measure.

Perhaps Bennett was finally going to reveal something

This is Orestes, said Bennett.

Schull could hear a disguised voice answer This is Triton. Delivery is set for midnight

tonight, warehouse number 3. Is payment ready?

Payment is ready for delivery tonight. The other voice hung up.

A satisfied smile began to play across Dr. Schulls deformed lips. Finally, he thought, I

have something I can use. A secret delivery at midnight, phone calls that cant be traced, voices

being disguisedgood, good, he thought.


23/41


It was still three hours until midnight. He recalled all of his birds, leaving only B-1 and

B-2 to continue their surveillance. The minutes crawled by as he waited for the birds to return to

his lab. Once they were there, he equipped them all with extra tranquilizer darts. It took his

expert fingers only seconds to do the work. Then he waited.

Waiting was no easy task for a man like Zachariah Schull. Before hed been revived by

Angelina, when bitterness and revenge drove him, hed never hesitated to take swift, direct and

personal action. It had never mattered to him that his body, in those days, had been a poor,

battered, and almost-broken thing. The strength of his will and the power of his intellect had

been enough to drive him on and on but things had changed.

In the years after Angelina found and revived him, they worked together to restore him

physically. Experimental gene therapy, neuro-surgery, DNA manipulation, laser skin and bone

grafts and other types of cutting-edge medical techniques, all followed by endless months of

relentless and painful physical therapy. Zachariah Schull drove himself mercilessly in his quest

to physically reengineer himself. After the physical therapy, he spent countless hours training

himself in the martial arts and catching up with more than a centurys worth of scientific

advancements.

He looked at his hands. The fingers were strong and dexterous, quick and sure in their

movements. His body felt lithe and powerful, stronger than hed ever been before. He stood up

and said Its time. His decision was made. It was time for Dr. Schull to enter the field of

battle once more!

[BREAK]


24/41


William Bennett was more than just a movie producer. For the last ten years hed been

the main contact and heroin distributor in the West Coast for the Tigers of Mogok, the most

feared and powerful gang in the Golden Triangle. It was all very profitable for Bennett, but he

was getting bored with it.

He didnt know who Triton was, and Triton didnt know who he was. They were all just

code names to each other, contact was minimal and only by phone. All he did was arrange

things. But thered been a problem with the last shipment. There were complaints about the

quality and Bennett was concerned enough to be there for this delivery. Christ, he thought, if I

hear another shithead agent bitching about this stuff then these Burmese bastards are gonna find

out just who the fuck theyre dealing with!

He downshifted as he took the curve. His black Lamborghini sped down Laurel Canyon

and entered a freeway. Bennett drove silently, his thoughts as black as the night around him.

Hed make it down to the old San Pedro waterfront in time, hed test the stuff in the new

shipment and he was ready to kick serious ass if he didnt like what he tasted. He had his Beretta

M9 fully loaded in his shoulder holster and five additional clips on him. He was ready.

The Lamborghini finally took an exit. Bennett drove down streets lined with old

warehouses and shipping depots that were just abandoned husks now. The whole area had been

slated for redevelopment for the last eight years, but Bennett had spread enough bribes around to

slow it all down to a crawl. The cops didnt like coming down here at night, the old buildings

stood empty and unused. Iit all suited Bennett just fine.

He pulled into a weed-choked parking lot next to a dilapidated old brick warehouse and

turned off the lights. There were two men guarding the door. Bennett approached slowly, his


25/41


hands hanging easily at his sides. There was a quick exchange between him and one of the men,

the door opened and Bennett walked into the warehouse.

[BREAK]

This was exhilarating! Dr. Schull was riding his modified Tomahawk V10 motorcycle

down Highway 5 at over 500 mph, whipping around cars, trucks, and motorcycles as if they were

just traffic cones!

His laughter ringing inside his helmet, Dr. Schull sped on thru the night towards his

enemy on his massive, four-wheeled superbike. His metallic black birds kept pace with him,

giving him an almost-demonic appearance, a hellish black apparition in a monstrous vehicle

surrounded by bat-like things.

The highway patrol tried to chase him. They tried to set roadblocks and spike strips to

stop him. It was all useless. None of their vehicles could keep up. The spike strips couldnt

damage his wheels. Afterwards, there were rumors that the man in black gunned his motorcycle

and actually flew over the three patrol cars blocking the highway.

The police radios crackled with the same message. Do not interfere with me and do not

try to stop me. I have no wish to hurt you, so stay out of my way. The doctor broadcasted that

message over and over, and eventually the highway patrol stopped trying. They tried to track

him with helicopters, but he was just too fast. Even satellite tracking systems were useless,

unable to detect his heat signature or to lock onto him with GPS tracking.

Once he was past Bakersfield, he got off the highway and entered Frazier Park. He

turned off the lights of the bike and went deeper inside. It was late at night and the park was


26/41


empty. He parked the bike. He could see small eyes staring at him from the bushes. It was just

the nocturnal denizens of the park. He pressed a series of buttons on the bike, and it started to

buckle and shakeit was changing its configuration. The wheels came in closer, new wheel

wells came out, the exposed turbine was recessed, the seat receded and went higher, even the

color changed from matte black to yellow with black stripes. He took off his helmet, went to a

water fountain and splashed some water on it. The helmet changed colors to match the bike!

Now disguised, Dr. Schull cruised thru Los Angeles down to the San Pedro waterfront.

He arrived some fifteen minutes after Bennett had arrived. The doctor rode his bike down the

street where the old warehouse was, his eyes scanning every recessed doorway, every broken

window, committing it all to his memory.

He parked the bike behind another warehouse a block away. He pressed another button

on the bike and a small blue light started to blink between the two rear tires. He jogged easily

and stealthily down the block, hugging the shadows, using the darkness to avoid curious eyes.

He stopped when he got to the warehouse across the narrow parking lot from his target.

The doctor saw two men standing by the door square jaws and hard eyes, obviously security

muscle. He punched a code into his wrist console. Within seconds, his birds landed on the

streetlights, on the floodlights, on every othe light source on the block. Suddenly, all the lights

died and the entire block was plunged into absolute blackness!

The security guards looked around apprehensively. One of them reached inside his jacket

and pulled out a cell phonehe fumbled with it for a few seconds while his companion pulled

out his cell and tried to make it work. The doctor smiledthe special EMP generators in the

birds worked perfectly. The electromagnetic pulse had fried all the electronics in that block.


27/41


Unless, of course, they were protected with a specially-modulated electromagnetic field

generator like the one Dr. Schull was using.

The doctor counted to three and emerged from the shadows, looking directly at the

security men. The men saw a tall black shadow detach itself from the general darkness, a

shadow wearing a silver mask. Before they had a chance to pull out their guns, the doctor was

on them. He was quick and efficient. He simply grabbed each man by the throat, one in each

hand, squeezed and lifted.

The security men squawked and struggled, their neck muscles bunching and straining,

their hands clawing helplessly at the implacable thing that threw their unconscious bodies clear

across the parking lot and crashing into the wall!

The doctor looked at his hands and smiled. This was good! Suddenly, he tilted his head.

He could hear voices from inside the warehouse

No, it is YOUR lust for money that is the problem!

Was that Bennetts voice? Yes, it wasthere were other voices, all raised in anger.

Criminals all, the darkness increased their fear and distrust of each other. All the doctor had to

was wait until one of them lost his head and the shooting started, using the confusion to abduct

Bennett.

A voice that was cold and cruel cut thru the din. Bennett, you are a fool. Sit down

before I lose my patience with you.

This one sounds interesting, thought the doctor. Without waiting to hear Bennetts reply,

the doctor removed the buckle from his belt and attached it to a thin cord attached to his wrist


28/41


console. He shot the cord towards the roof and tugged on it to make sure it was secure. He

quickly began to climb up the side of the warehouse to the roof. Hed planned to slip in thru the

door and make short work of the men there, but he was intrigued by the second voice and his

insatiable curiosity urged him to see the man that voice belonged to.

Once on the roof, he silently pried open a skylight and slowly lowered himself down onto

a catwalk that ran along the interior sides of the warehouse. He had a perfect view of the men

below. He could see Bennett sitting in a wooden chair, looking worried and sweaty. On the

other side of a long conference table were a group of dark-haired, sallow-skinned men

surrounding an old man with a long white beard.

Kyaw Dun, my humble apologies, said Bennett. His voice trembled slightly and Dr.

Schull realized the producer was terrified. I meant no disrespect, but my distributors and their

main clients have been compla-

Silence! roared the young man standing to the right of Kyaw Dun. Your feeble

complaints have forced our Tiger-Father, Master Kyaw Dun, to come to your cursed country!

You say you mean no disrespect, yet all you have done is insult the Tigers of Mogok!

That is enough, Ne Htoo said the old man. The quiet authority in his voice was

irresistible here is a man who was born to command, thought the doctor. Obviously, Bennett

was involved in something much larger and more sinister than the doctor had suspected. Dr.

Schull could see packages of white powder on the table, some of them cut open. Then the doctor

remembered where hed heard of the Tigers of Mogok.

Heroin! That was the powder on the table! The doctors memory brought up an article in

Time magazine from six months earlier. Yes, the Tigers were the biggest, most organized, and


29/41


dangerous gang of drug traffickers in the Golden Triangle. They controlled their territory, and

their organization, with ruthless efficiency. Even the mere mention of their leaders name was

an offense punished by a painful and bloody death.

The doctors lips spread to a wolfish grin. Here was a true opponent! Bennett was not

forgotten, but the doctor began to quietly make his way around the building, gliding silently until

he was directly over the man named Kyaw Dun.

Then he stopped. It was not fear or doubt that made Dr. Schull hesitate. He stood in the

darkness of the catwalk, looking down on the criminals below him and pondered his next move.

His mission, originally one of revenge, had changed. He saw an opportunity to do more

than simply satisfy his urge for personal justice. Below him was the leader of the most

dangerous gang of heroin traffickers in the Far East, his followers, and his main contact in this

country. If he could serve them all up to the forces of the law

There was a simple and easy way to do it. All I need to do, he thought, is bring my birds

in and have them release compound 17. This was a colorless and odorless anesthetic gas that

would make everyone in the warehouse sleep for at least 12 hours. Then all he had to do was

make an anonymous call to the police and let them take care of the situation.

But it is not my way, the doctor thought. He wanted, needed to physically confront his

prey. He tapped his wrist console, and his birds silently flew in thru the open skylight. He

quickly spaced them throughout the warehouse while the criminals below continued their

bickering.

No, Kyaw Dun, my loyalty is only to you!


30/41


It was Bennetts voice, trembling and starting to squeak from fear. The Burmese drug

dealers had bound him to the chair where he sat sweating helplessly. His Beretta was on the

conference table along with his ammo clips Ne Htoo had disarmed him as quickly and easily as

if he were a child.

Kyaw Dun, the Father Tiger of the Tigers of Mogok, stood up and came around the

conference table to face Bennett. Dr. Schull noted that, although an old man, Kyaw Dun moved

with the confident grace and fluidity of a dancer. He could see that the old man was tall and

well-muscled and was hardly the old dotard he pretended to be.

Perhaps, Mr. Bennett, perhaps the old man said, and perhaps it is you who are

responsible for the power outageto confuse the superstitious Asians, hum? He took Bennetts

chin in his hand and cruelly twisted it to face him, making the producer whimper in fear and

pain.

No, Master, no blubbered the producer. A few minutes before, hed been supremely

confident and arrogant, a true master of his universe. Now he sat tied to a chair, crying,

surrounded by hard-faced men while their leader decided his fate.

Suddenly, the warehouse was filled with clouds of smoke! The Burmese, startled, began

shouting and waving their guns. Excellent, thought the doctor, my birds have given me the

perfect cloak. He commanded another of his birds to throw a small grenade against the door,

making it explode in a satisfyingly loud blast.

Someone shouted in Burmese that the police were here. The doctor activated the

nightvision and infrared filters in his mask and jumped from the catwalk to the conference table

below!


31/41


Bennett and the Burmese heroin dealers suddenly saw a great black shape drop from the

catwalk above and crash onto the table! One of the Burmese aimed his gun at the demon who

had burst on them when suddenly it was gone! He screamed in pain as the black form appeared

next to him and crushed his wrist with one hand!

Terrified, the Burmese started to fire wildly inside the warehouse. The doctor crouched

to avoid the pinging bullets and saw how the fools were cutting each other down in their blind

panic.

But Kyaw Dun was no fool. As soon as he realized what was happening, he too crouched

down to escape his own scared gunmen. It was difficult to see thru the smoke but the old man

had seen the figure jump from the catwalk not a demon, but a man! Brave and resourceful, the

Burmese thought, but a fool nonetheless. Whoever he is, he thought, his interference will cost

him dearly!

The smoke was beginning to clear. There were only four of the Burmese standing

Kyaw Dun, Ne Htoo and two others. Bennetts chair had fallen over and the producer was lying

on the floor staring wildly at the Burmese and the bizarre apparition confronting them.

He saw a tall manlike form dressed in black from head to toe with a silver mask covering

the face rise slowly from the floor. Incredibly, Bennett could hear the form laughing in a low

voice! A voice, deep and sepulchral, came from the mask

Surrender or suffer!

Ne Htoo, please deal with this fool, said Kyaw Dun. Grinning, the young tiger aimed

his gun at the doctorbut as he started to pull the trigger, he saw in amazement how the form


32/41


seemed to effortlessly jump high into the air, turn, and land on his feet behind him! Before he

could react, Ne Htoo was staggered by a blow to the side of his head that dropped him to his

knees!

The gun forgotten, the young tiger snarled in rage as he stood up and faced the demon

tormenting them. The doctor dropped to a fighting stance as the two men circled each other,

each taking measure of the other.

Then Ne Htoo charged! He delivered a flying kick which would have caved in an

ordinary mans chest, but the doctor blocked him and delivered another staggering, open-handed

blow in the middle of Ne Htoos chest. The Burmese flew back some six or seven feet and

landed in a tangle of limbs that skidded directly into the wall. Coughing and wiping blood from

the sides of his mouth, Ne Htoo slowly got to his feet to face his foe again.

The doctor wasted no more time on him. Before Ne Htoo could defend himself, one of

the doctors birds shot him with a dart full of the liquid version of Compound 17. He collapsed

with a groan, asleep before his body hit the floor.

Kyaw Dun couldnt believe what he was seeing! Yelling in Burmese, he tried to order

the other two gunmen to attack, only to see them collapsed on the floor, darts sticking from their

necks!

The man in black stood over Ne Htoos body, looking at him. Slowly, he raised his left

hand and pointed at the old Burmese. Slowly, he turned his hand and made a beckoning motion

with his fingers.


33/41


The Burmese drug lord snorted mockingly and asked May I make my peace with Lord

Buddha before we face each other?

The doctor laughed once again. I doubt that the Lord Buddha would have anything to

do with one such as you!

Then tell me your name, demon, that Hell may greet you properly after I finish with

you!

My name, evil one, is Schull!

Kyaw Dun saw a black blur sailing thru the air at him! With skills developed over a

lifetime of training, he pivoted and turned, bringing his foot up and catching Dr. Schull squarely

in his stomach!

Grunting, the doctor fell and rolled back to his feet. He shook his head slightly and

turned to look at Kyaw Dun. The old Burmese was simply standing there, looking at him. The

doctor stood and took his fighting stance, waiting for Kyaw Dun to come to him. I will not

underestimate him again, he thought.

The doctor and Kyaw Dun slowly circled each other. With the speed of a striking cobra,

the two men attacked each other, their movements a whirling blur of fists and kicks that would

have demolished lesser opponents! Their breath harsh and rasping, they attacked and blocked

each others blows as they moved around and over the conference table!

For endlessly silent minutes the contest of death continued until, with an open-handed

blow to the chest and a choked cry of pain, Dr. Schull sent Kyaw Dun crashing into the wall!

But the old man was a true master of the martial arts, a much hardier opponent than Ne Htoo.


34/41


With a snarl, he stood up and smiled at the doctor as he wiped the blood from the sides of his

mouth.

Once more, the two men attacked each other with a speed and ferocity that would have

made an audience gasp in wonder! But they had an audience, an audience of one. Bennett had

been watching the fight with eyes widened by fear. He had no idea who the devil the guy in

black was and he didnt care. He saw a chance to get the hell away from there and he tried to

take it.

He was still tied to the chair, but he could at least crawl and get himself to the far side of

the warehouse where he could try to figure out how to get out of the chair. Slowly, painfully, he

used his legs to push himself along the floor towards the sheltering darkness.

Suddenly, Bennett stopped as he saw the man in black go crashing into the far wall!

Incredibly, Bennett watched as the man in black stood up laughing, wiped the dust from his

clothing, and made the same beckoning motion with his hand!

Kyaw Dun was a fierce opponent, but Dr. Schull could sense the Burmese was tiring.

Although older, the doctors attack continued unabated but Kyaw Duns blocks and

counterattacks were getting infinitesimally and progressively slower. The doctor could see the

sweat running down from the Burmeses forehead, his breath becoming more labored.

With renewed confidence, Dr. Schull attacked Kyaw Dun once more with a fusillade of

blows that forced the drug lord back and finally to his knees! The doctor stopped and stepped

back, but Kyaw Dun struck feebly one last time.


35/41


The doctor took Kyaw Duns chin and turned his head up, to look at his face. The leader

of the Tigers of Mogok looked at him thru the mass of blood and bruises covering his face and

spat a bloody mess at him. He tried to curse the doctor, but his ruined mouth could not form the

words. Laughing once more, the doctor produced a small syringe which he plunged into the old

mans neck. When he released him, Kyaw Dun sunk silently to the ground.

By this time, Bennett had managed to crawl away from the fight and was trying to hide

behind some empty boxes. He didnt see me, he didnt see me, he kept repeating in his mind.

He saw the man in black turn from the defeated Burmese and stride towards him.

Dr. Schull saw the producer on the floor, still tied to his chair and crawling like a worm

to what he thought was safety. With a deep sigh of satisfaction, the doctor walked to him,

grabbed him with both hands, and lifted him chair and all as easily as other men lift a piece of

paper!

Bennetts eyes were wide and darting with sheer naked panic, he tried to scream but

instead felt a trickling sensation as the man in black said to him And now, Mr. Bennett, I can

finally get to the real reason for tonights visit!

The producer opened his mouth but all that came out was a squeak that sounded like the

word who.

The doctor yanked Bennetts face to his as he said You ask who I am, Mr. Bennett? I

will tell you my name, but I have my doubts that it will mean anything to you Bennett could

hear the sheer contempt and disgust in the last word and could only moan in fear once more.


36/41


I am Dr. Zachariah Schull. I was born in 1830, I died in 1874, and was revived in 2004.

I am the man whose name you used for a villain in one of your execrable television shows, the

man whose honor and reputation you helped destroy until I became nothing more than a footnote

lost in history! I am the man whose time for revenge has finally come!

The right hand of the man in black came up as he said those words. He removed his

mask, and Bennett screamed at what he saw there. Bennett continued to scream helplessly as he

saw the doctor remove another small syringe from his belt, rip the sleeve of Bennetts shirt and

plunge its contents into his arm. Dr. Schulls laughter was the last sound Bennett heard as the

darkness overtook him!

[BREAK]

Headline from the Los Angeles Times, dated October 17th, 2009.

INTERNATIONAL DRUG DEALERS CAPTURED

Massive raid in warehouse, Hollywood producer among arrested

A spokesman for the LAPD announced this morning that an ongoing international

investigation of heroin trafficking between the Department of Justice, Interpol and the LAPD

culminated in the early hours of the morning with a raid in a warehouse in the San Pedro

waterfront area. The officers involved in the raid found heroin shipments with a street value of

over $350 million dollars and arrested the alleged head of one of the most feared drug gangs in

Southeast Asia.

The spokesman also confirmed that William Bennett, the Hollywood producer best-

known for the horror movie Head Driller and its sequels, was among the men arrested. Mr.


37/41


Bennett had been under investigation for some time, the spokesman said, as one of the possible

main contacts in the United States for the Tigers of Mogok.

Reports that Bennett had been found screaming about a demon in black who defeated the

drug gang in pitched hand-to-hand combat were dismissed by all the law enforcement agencies

involved as unfounded speculation.

[BREAK]

Dr. Schull sat at his desk, sipping a cup of coffee. It was a lovely morning on the shores

of Lake Tahoe, with the sunlight streaming in thru the large windows in his lab that overlooked

the lake.

He looked up when Angelina came in with a newspaper. She came up to him and opened

it, showing him the banner headline on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. The doctor

looked at her with a small inquiring smile, but he could see that his great-great-granddaughter

was not happy.

Well? Angelina snapped.

The doctor produced his most innocent smile and shrugged his shoulders

Really, grandfather! Dont you know how worried I was last night? You stormed out of

your lab, took the superbike, I cant believe you did that, you went tearing thru the entire state

and then, to top it all off --

The doctor put his hands up and, still smiling, said Please, child! The day is much too

young and beautiful to be so cross. Sit down and have some coffee with me.


38/41


She sighed and sat down. Why did you do it, she asked him, why did you put yourself

in so much danger? Grandfather, you could have been arrested or even killed!

He took a sip of coffee and replied Angelina, I am not a child! I brought along all

necessary precautions. Besides, I needed to do this. I was never physically strong, you knowI

had to make do with henchmen and puppets before. But last night, last night I found out what I

can do and it was exhilarating!

Oh, very well grandfather! What did you do to Bennett, anyway?

I gave him a sample of a failed attempt at a truth serum. It makes a person experience

intensely vivid nightmare hallucinations pulled from the deepest parts of the human psyche. The

hallucinations end after three hours or so, but theyll come back in his dreams. It will be

sporadic at first, then it will be more frequent until every time he falls asleep hell have those

nightmares and much worse In a month hell be a drooling lunatic, probably for the rest of his

life. Unless, of course, he kills himself.

Angelinas brow furrowed as she said Thats awful, grandfather

You asked me if I was going to kill him and I told you no. I am a man of my word,

Angelina. I did not kill him.

Still, grandfather. Why couldnt you wait until Bennett was alone, why did you place

yourself in danger?

He lowered his cup and stared at her. Why? Dont you know me well enough by now?

My chance for revenge presented itself and I took it! No, more than thatI saw a chance to do


39/41


more than avenge myself, I saw a chance to expunge evil from this world and I took it! Could I

do anything less? Would you have me do anything less?

Angelina didnt answer for a few seconds, she simply took another sip of coffee. I

understand, grandfather, and Im sorry I was so cross when I came in. Its justI worried, thats

all. You and I are family, the only family we have. I couldnt bear to see anything happen to

you.

She held up her finger to stop her grandfather from interrupting. I wont try to stop you

from doing what you believe is right. I know how useless it can be to try and stop you. But I

forbid you from doing this alone ever again! I dont care if you like it or not! The next time you

decide to go gallivanting off on some adventure I will be with you every step of the way!

Dr. Schull looked at her with undisguised pride in his eyes. She was blood of his blood,

as resolute and determined as he was. I know I can always count on you, he said.

The doctor stood up and walked to the window. He saw the sunlight reflecting off the

deep blue waters of Lake Tahoe and said There are men and organizations in this world, child,

who seem dedicated to increasing the misery and evil of this world for their own gain. They

exist and operate beyond the scope and powers of governments and police alike. The only law

they obey is violence, a law they follow with no hesitation.

I have the power to face them! Last night, I realized what my true purpose is. In my

bitterness, I thought simple revenge would satisfy me. But revenge is not justice! I shall

dedicate myself to justice, to destroy those who think power and privilege place them above the

law!


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He suddenly turned to face her and said Will you join me?

She ran to him and hugged him. Yes, she said, yes, grandfather!

Then, child, let us search this world thoroughly, so we may confront and destroy evil

together wherever we find it!

THE END

No, not quite the end yet.

In a windowless office in a drab office building somewhere in a large American city, a

young man sat looking at a series of documents on his desk. His name was Miles Spadenhaus Jr.

and he was an agent for Interpol.

He was looking at the field reports from the California Highway Patrol and the transcripts

of the frantic police chatter that night. He also had the original report from the LAPD that gave

the real story of what was found in that warehouse. He even had the internal PG&E report after

they investigated that localized power outage.

He read the initial statement from William Bennett once more. He stopped where he

talked about the man in black and what he said to Bennett. The name.

Miles had been demoted to the old archives after a critical mistake he made on the field.

Hed been stuck there for months, going thru some of the oldest Interpol archives from before

the agency even officially existed. Thats where hed seen the name.


41/41


Doctor Zachariah Schull. A mad criminal genius from the 19th Century, somehow alive

in 2009? Impossible, thought Miles, someones using it as an alias. But why? Spadenhaus got

up and got a file from the stack on the floor.

In faded blue ink, the tab on the file read Schull, Z.. Miles opened the old manila

folder and read the old documents and depositions there, read about what kind of man Schull had

been and what he was capable of.

Miles sat in his office for a long time that night. What if, he thought, what if

THE END

The Return of Dr Schull

Documents

Transcript of The Return of Dr Schull