They were on a stone landing high above a large, underground chamber lit by torches set into sconces in the walls. In front of them was a steep flight of stone steps, leading down to the dungeon floor. There was no wall or railing, nothing to stop them from falling to the stone floor thirty feet below should they lose their footing and slip.
"May the saints preserve us!" Stoker said. "We have descended into hell!"
Below them in the dungeon, behind thick iron bars set into the stone, were scores of creatures bearing only a passing resemblance to men and women. Their clothes were torn and filthy, stained with blood. Some were completely covered with hair, looking like rabid, snarling beasts. They hurled themselves against the iron bars and howled like wolves. Some attacked each other, jaws snapping, claws slashing, and a few had fallen and were being greedily devoured by others in their cells. Still others looked almost normal, except for their emaciated appearance, their hollow, staring eyes devoid of any sanity, and their abnormally long and pointed canine teeth, visible as they opened their mouths to emit throat-rending screams and thrust their hands out through the bars.
There were manacles set into the Wall and, in the center of the chamber, there was a smaller room partitioned off by steel-framed glass, inside of which they could see a bizarre array of laboratory equipment, among which were a number of large standing lamps, metal cabinets with trays holding surgical implements and a long operating table with strong restraining straps.
"Here is the solution to your case, gentlemen!" Dracula shouted over the uproar. "The dawn of a new race! The new breed brought forth by my creator!"
Both men stood frozen on the steps as Dracula descended to the floor of the chamber. He looked up at them, eyes blazing. "Here is true insanity for you!" he shouted over the din.
You wanted to learn the truth? Well, gaze upon it! Allow me to introduce you to my family! My brothers and my sisters! My creator's legacy!"
He hurled the candelabrum at the iron bars with all his might. sending sonic of the creatures scampering back.
"Shut up!" he screamed. "Shut up. damn you all. SHUT UP!"
As Conan Doyle and Stoker stood motionless, staring in stunned disbelief, the vampire slumped down, brought his hands up to his face and wept.
"For God's sake, Arthur!" Stoker said, grabbing Doyle's arm and spinning hint around. "This is madness! Hurry, we must get out of here before-"
He saw the expression on Doyle's face as Doyle looked past him and quickly turned around, expecting some new horror. Standing on the landing behind them was a beautiful young woman dressed all in white, with long black hair hanging loose down around her shoulders.
"My God!" said Stoker, "Violet!"
"Mr. Stoker!" she said, coming down towards them and holding out her arms. "Help me! Please! Take me away from this dreadful place!"
Stoker started towards her, but Doyle suddenly grabbed him and pulled him back. "Look out. Stoker!"
She snarled as Stoker was yanked out of her reach, revealing sharp, elongated canine teeth. She lunged at Doyle, but he twisted away from her and she screamed as her momentum carried her over the side of the long stairway. The scream was cut off abruptly as she struck the stone floor below, breaking her neck.
Dracula stood over the creature that had once been Violet Anderson, staring down at her broken body. "Forgive me, Violet," he said softly. "I could not help myself."
Slowly, he raised his head to look up at the two men above him on the stairway, his eyes glittering. Then he turned and walked over to the wall, taking a ring of keys down from a hook.
"Run, Stoker!" Doyle shouted.
As they sprinted back the way they came, the vampire threw open the first of the cell doors.
…
The lock on the warehouse door yielded to the laser easily. Steiger slowly pushed the door open while the others covered him.
"I think it would be best if you were to remain out here. Mr. Wells," said Forrester.
"Absolutely not," said Wells. "I will ask you to remember our agreement. General."
"I do remember it." said Forester, “and I appreciate your cooperation more than I can say, but my concern is for your safety."
"So long as Jane remains safe with your people at the Charing Cross Hotel, that is all that matters," Wells said.
"Mr. Neilson and Miss Craven will take good care of her." said Forrester, "and with Dr. Darkness there as well, she will he more than adequately protected. I'd feel much better if you were with them. If anything should happen to you-"
"You need have no fears on my account." said Wells. "I have no intention of indulging in any foolhardy heroics. But you will need me to deal with Lin Tao and Moreau. They trust me, whereas, I am sorry to say, they do not trust you people at all."
"I guess that makes us even," Steiger said. "I don't trust Moreau. And I don't know anything about this Lin Tao character."
"What is it you wish to know, Colonel Steiger?" said a voice from directly behind them.
They turned quickly to see the old Chinaman come walking towards them slowly out of the mist. He stopped a short distance away front them.
"It's him," said Andre.
The old man bowed. "I am Lin Tao."
"Stay right where you are," said Steiger, covering the old man with his disruptor, but Wells immediately stepped in front of him.
"Put that away!" he said. "Is that any way to treat a man who's trying to help you?"
"Stand aside, Wells," Steiger said, reaching out to shove Wells to one side, but Wells batted his arm away.
"General," he said, "I insist that you honor the terms of our agreement!"
"Steiger… Forrester said.
"Sir, I really don't think — "
"Put it away." said Forrester.
Reluctantly, Steiger holstered his disruptor.
"A wise decision, Colonel," Lin Tao said.
"Never mind that," Steiger said. "Where's Moreau?" "Regrettably, I have just now learned that he has fallen into the hands of Nikolai Drakov." Lin Tao said.
"How convenient. More likely they've been in this together from the start," Steiger said.
"It's a trap,” said Delaney.
"No!" said Wells. He turned to Forrester. "General, you must believe me-"
"Take it easy, Mr. Wells," said Forrester.
"If I had truly led you all into a trap," Lin Tao said, "then it would already have been sprung. Observe."
He clapped his hands once, sharply, and dark figures seemed to materialize out of the fog all around them. They moved noiselessly, carrying clubs and hatchets and various other weapons. They were all Chinese, wearing loose black pajamas and green headbands. There were at least fifty of them.
"Damn!" said Steiger, quickly unholstering his sidearm. Andre and Finn already had theirs out.
“Wait!" said Wells.
"Steady, people." Forrester said. "There's too many of them. We could never get them all. Besides, they could have nailed us as we clocked in."
"Quite so,” Lin Tao said, nodding slightly.
"Why?" said Steiger. "What's your interest in this?"
"Phillipe Moreau is my friend." Lin Tao said, "and Nikolai Drakov poses a danger to us all. And now there is a still more personal reason. Drakov has abducted my granddaughter, Ming Li. I am anxious for her safety. And I am concerned that we are wasting time." He spoke quickly in Chinese and the men who had appeared in answer to his summons moved quickly past them through the warehouse doors.
"This is crazy," Steiger said. "These people aren't trained troops. And we've got no idea what we're going into."
"There's only one way we're going to find out." said Andre.
"Hell, don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Delaney said, clapping Steiger on the shoulder. "We wanted reinforcements, now we've got 'em."
It was almost pitch black inside the warehouse. They moved slowly, waiting for their eyes to become accustomed to the darkness. The men of the Green Dragon tong had fanned out once they entered and now they moved like wraiths among the stacks of dusty wooden crates. Suddenly someone screamed.