Mistaken Entity

Synopsis: Henry has a secret, and Lucas knows what it is.

Henry has a secret, and Lucas knows what it is. The medical examiner thinks he has them all fooled, that he has tricked a building full of cops into believing he is ordinary and mundane but Lucas is too sharp to miss all the clues. It is so unbelievably obvious – all the answers to those strange questions about the doctor are sitting on his desk, hidden between the pages of the newest issue of Dark Shadows.

How could Henry not be one of them? He's almost ashamed that he's never seen it before. The traits all add up: near-perfect memory, unnatural suave charm and a talent for death, in more ways than one.

Even his clothes hint at it. No ordinary mortal has the money or the dress-sense for clothes like that. His dress is far too antiqued and far too dapper for the modern man, even an eccentric. Lucas flicks through the pages of his graphic novel, stopping on one of the early pages and studying the character in the centre. Captain Cazimir of the Shadows team is bulky and grim but he has the same knowing smirk as Henry, that smile that says he knows something no one else does.

But how could he prove it? The man is basically a genius, and if he has put the clues together correctly then Henry is something much older, much more powerful than a mere man. The medical examiner must have covered his tracks, he must have silenced people who knew the truth. A blend of excitement and fear rushes through Lucas's system. Who knows what Henry could have done to uphold the masquerade?

The door to Henry's office opens abruptly and he squeaks. The man hurries out adjusting his scarf. He shoots Lucas a particularly searching look at the involuntary sound before heading across the lab to the stairs. "Jo and I are going to investigate a suspect. I should be back after lunch."

When Lucas doesn't say anything Henry frowns. "Lucas – is everything alright?"

He realises he's staring. "Yeah! Yeah-" He blurts too slow, and his brain is screaming he knows- he knows- he knows! Lucas is going to be the next casualty in upholding the masquerade and- and

"Lucas?"

His eyes are wide and he feels like a deer caught in the headlights under Henry's gaze. A second elapses before Lucas starts spouting again. "It's Carly! Carly's sick and she's not eating her food and I'm going to take her to the vet but I'm worried that I gave her the wrong food and she's going to die and all she's doing is sleeping and she's not eating her food and she's- she's- she's very sick." He finishes with a deep breath. Henry is still looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Carly being the rat you procured on the Raul Lopez case and performed bowl surgery on?"

Lucas nods shakily.

Henry smiles encouragingly and pats him on the shoulder. "Rats are an excellent generalist species, I'm sure she'll recover from whatever ailment she has under your care." He pulls out his pocket watch and checks the time. "Sorry, but if you'll excuse me I am going to have to leave you now, otherwise I'll keep Detective Martinez waiting."

Another stiff nod from Lucas and Henry is hurrying out of the lab. He can still feel where the medical examiner touched his shoulder as the doors to the morgue swing closed.

He looks down to where Captain Cazimir is still smirking at him and flicks through Dark Shadows some more. Like Henry, Cazimir works with the police, using his uncanny senses and unusual talents to solve crimes but in the graphic novel the Shadows team know all about his unnatural origins and the issues that come with his condition.

But Henry hasn't told anyone about his bizarre circumstances. Lucas knows that because Henry hasn't told him. If anyone is to find out about the medical examiners strange quirk it will be Lucas; he's known the doctor longest! Perhaps he thinks he can control on it on his own. It would explain the man's incredibly regimented existence and need for order.

Abe probably knows. Yes, Abe definitely knows. Lucas grins as all the pieces fall into place. Abe must have known Henry before he became one of them! Abe must help him manage it.

But he needs proof.

As Lucas bends over to inspect the newest arrival, the garlic wreath about his neck rustles nosily, earning a strange look from Henry. The assistant ME gives no explanation; he thinks a little public humiliation is fair trade-off for discovering the impossible.

The fellow on the slab appears fairly unharmed but Lucas gleefully that often the most exciting deaths have few to zero outward signs and when they slice the man open... "Whoa..." Lucas breaths. "The guy's spleen basically exploded."

He leans passed Henry to observe what's left of their patient's internal organs and Henry rears away, face shrivelled in disgust. He doesn't vocalise anything but Lucas knows that the garlic is bothering his immortal boss.

About mid-way through the autopsy Henry breaks. "Lucas." He sighs. "Would you please remove that foul herb from the lab? I have an extremely sensitive nose and your new pungent accessory is making it very hard to concentrate."

Lucas has to agree with the doctor as isn't enjoying the overwhelming stench of garlic either but he knows that Henry's discomfort and his sensitive nose aren't as human as the assistant's issues. "Sorry Doc." He says, not sounding very sorry at all.

Garlic wafts over them again as Lucas removes his wreath and Henry wrinkles his nose. The ME's nose doesn't unwrinkle until the herb is tucked away in his locker outside of the morgue. "So what's your problem with garlic?" He asks as he weighs the man's brain.

"I find it a little strong for my delicate palette."

Relievingly he doesn't ask Lucas why he was wearing the garlic in the first place.

The rest of the autopsy sneaks by without incident but Lucas knows he's scored a win. Aversion to garlic is a primary sign of an individual afflicted with vampirism.

When Jo and Henry have hurried off to solve a crime Lucas heads back to his locker and retrieves and his neck piece. He thinks Henry has his affliction under control but since he's likely to piss the man off Lucas wants to protect himself as best he can.

Out of his locker he also retrieves a cross with several mirrors and sets about placing them about the morgue. While he's waiting for the pair to return he reads an issue of Dark Shadows.

Captain Cazimir is confronted by his girlfriend, Trixie, when she discovers his condition. The scene strikes a chord within Lucas. Questions form. How will Lucas cope when Henry demands that he protect the masquerade? How will Lucas be able to live with his creature-of-the-night boss when he returns to the office with blood on his lips and a murderous spring in his step?

That's a conundrum: has Henry killed anyone? Lucas doesn't think so; none of the bodies in the morgue have displayed vampire-related deaths and Henry has never behaved particularly out of the ordinary – well, no stranger than normal. In fact the ME has never looked or acted different from the day he hired Lucas as his assistant. Lack of physical change – another indicator of vampirism.

Eventually the assistant ME begins to sink into a daydream, his graphic novel left forgotten on desk in the way of reality – the reality of Henry being an immortal, a vampire, blood-drinker. He sees himself accusing Henry, a stake trembling behind his back as the ME snarls, flashing brilliant white fangs. There's a frantic pounding in his chest, one that he knows Henry can hear. The vampire is getting closer, pushing him against the wall, leaning into his neck and…

"Lucas! What's going on in here?" Lucas bolts upright. Henry is stood by the door, his hands raised to cover his face, squinting at the mortal in his morgue.

"Oh Doc – um- I was uh-" He suddenly realises Henry is flinching away from something. He follows Henry's grimace to the cross on the wall. "Say…? What's uh bothering you Doc?"

The vampire steps out of the doorway and fully into the morgue. "There's a glare on the door." He explains.

More like a cross on the wall, bloodsucker. Lucas thinks triumphantly. Henry glances around.

"Why are there mirrors everywhere? They're directing the sun at the door."

Photosensitivity. Another sign of vampirism.

Lucas nods thoughtfully, while he mentally punches the air. Henry's trying to cover up his reaction to the cross and by doing so he is exposing his reaction to the sun. This assistant isn't falling for it!

There's a small cough. Henry is still looking at him and Lucas hasn't answered. "Decoration! I-I figured the morgue needed brightening up a bit. It's all cold and miserable and -uh dead."

"Lucas. The morgue is cold and dead because we autopsy up dead bodies in this room." The doctor shoots a particularly unsavoury look around the lab; the assistant ME knows he's looking at cross. "If you are looking for a more cheerful work environment I would suggest a career with living patients." Then he frowns. "You've been acting very bizarrely the day or so. Are you quite all-right?"

Lucas hopes that Henry doesn't notice his rising heartbeat. "I'm fine Doc." He says, hand slowly reaching for the stake in his desk draw. "It's just ah I had a date with a girl- and I think I said something wrong- do you think you could tell me what I said wrong?"

Immediately Henry backs off. He fumbles an excuse and disappears into his office. Lucas breaths a sigh of relief and drops the stake back into his draw.

Five minutes later Henry emerges from his office and looks at the assistant ME curiously. Lucas wonders if he found the other crosses. "I'm going to talk to Detective Martinez." He announces as he heads towards the doors.

Lucas nods vaguely, fully absorbed in his graphic novel.

Two minutes later he shoots off his chair. Jo! He flicks forward a page of the issue and drops it in horror, snatching the stake and holy water from his draw, sprinting out of the morgue.

The comic is splayed open, a double spread showing Captain Cazimir, face white-bloodless with guilt and abject terror, blood smeared across his mouth. His hands are wrapped around Trixie's broken body, and his crimson chin hovers above the deep punctures in her neck.

Don't do it Henry! He prays as he skids towards the lift and mashes the button. The ME won't be able to live with himself if he kills Jo, her death will haunt him for the rest of his life. Henry will lose control and Lucas will have to take up the stake and become a slayer and end him.

His knuckles are clench white around his stake when the lift opens and he has uncorked his holy water in preparation.

Inside the lift are two figures. Henry and Jo.

The Detective is pressed up against the wall and her eyes are closed. Henry's face is buried in her neck and her back arches in pain as she lets out a gasp.

Lucas doesn't hesitate, waving his hand and shutting his eyes. He tenses, expecting to hear the tell-tale sizzle of burning flesh.

"Lucas!" There's no sizzling. Henry's wiping holy water off his forehead, shaking with utter fury while Jo looks puzzled.

Then her eyes fix on the stake in his hand.

A laugh explodes out of the detective, loud enough that Henry turns away from his rage and that Lucas drops the stake. She keeps laughing long enough that Lucas worries that she's insane because Henry has transformed her into a vampire. Eventually she quietens but her eyes are still fixed on Lucas. A smile tugs at the corners of her lips.

"Let me handle this." She tells Henry. "So Lucas," she says seriously. "How long have you known about Henry being a member of the undead?"

Lucas still reels from his failed attack. Either the priest who blessed the water isn't that holy of Henry is a species of vampire resistant to holy water.

He blinks at her. "You know he's a vampire?"

"A vampire!" Henry squawks in indignation. "I may well work with corpses but I do not resemble one in the slightest!"

"But the garlic..." Lucas gasps. "The holy water, the cross!" He looks at Henry in amazement but the man still appears offended by the accusation that he is dead.

"The garlic smelled disgusting. I don't need to be a malignant corpse to be bothered by an overpowering stench." He gestures at himself. "Do I look like I am an evil spirit possessing a dead body?"

Jo looks at him. "Henry. You need to get a tv. You haven't seen what pop culture has done to vampires." She grins at Lucas. "He needs to see Twilight."

"So you're not a vampire?" He doesn't mean to sound so disappointed but he was so hopeful… Henry matched the vampire-type so well.

"No." The ME states. "What you misconstrued as vampirism was simply something else. I am not a vampire – I am an immortal."

Lucas freezes. "What."

Jo and Henry look at each other. "He didn't know." The doctor says.

"No." She replies.

"I just told him."

They look back at the assistant ME. "Lucas," he says carefully. "What made you think that I was a vampire?"

There's a bubbling in his chest as he realises that he's not quite wrong – he's just not quite right either. "It was just- you! How you talk about the past like it happened to you personally and how old your tastes and your clothes!" He points at the man's vest. "Who wears a waistcoat to work?"

"Oh." Henry murmurs. "Oh."

Jo snorts. "You might as well tell him the whole lot now. You've spilled this much." The withering look Henry shoots suggests that the whole lot must be pretty interesting. Lucas' brain jumps into overdrive, imagining scenarios of immortals of every variety. As he watches Jo and Henry have a silent conversation, likely about him, the assistant ME wonders how old Henry could possibly be. The man's knowledge certainly implied at least one century under his belt but there could be two, three perhaps even a millennium.

He looks at Henry, infinities unfolding in his mind and the doctor sighs. "Fine. In my office."

To his office they go.

Henry sits himself in the chair and nods courteously for Lucas to sit. Jo perches herself on the table, still holding in giggles. "This may sound improbable," he begins, "Insane even but I urge you to trust me and to believe that this is true."

Lucas steadies himself for the truth. "To be honest you could probably tell me anything at this point and I might believe it."

"Well I'll inform you now – my story is a long one. It may sound a bit implausible. In fact, you probably won't believe it..."

At then end of it, after a tale that stretches from the beginning of the late seventeenth century into the early twenty-first, Lucas nods numbly. "Wow."

Henry sips from a cup of water and Jo watches him through soft eyes with new awareness. The assistant ME wonders if this is the first time the detective has heard Henry's story in full.

The office lapses into silence, one that Lucas would normally break but there's too much information to process and his brain can barely handle it in any case. His eyes fix on Henry, still drinking his water. The man is avoiding their eyes and Lucas suddenly realises how vulnerable Henry has made himself to them.

"Thanks Doc," He blurts. "For telling me, that is. Even if you kind of didn't have a choice."

The ME fixes his eyes on him, eyes that are infinitely older than the youthful body they were in and he gives a small smile. "Thank you for taking the truth so gracefully. I didn't expect you to be this calm about it."

Lucas looks at Jo who has a sheepish expression. "I wasn't so calm and graceful." She explains.

Henry raises an eyebrow. "Frothing rage is the term that comes to mind."

Jo frowns at him and they go quiet again. Perhaps he should leave. This is obviously a private moment. But at this moment in time Lucas is far too curious and far too amazed to consider returning to the real world.

Finally Henry speaks. "I met a man who claimed to be a vampire," He comments thoughtfully.

"Really? He couldn't actually be one could he?"

"Doubtful. But my condition has opened my eyes to impossible ideas. He did have an impressive level of knowledge regarding fourteenth century Romania."