The next couple of days went quietly for Clemens as most of their issues being the standard day to day events. The prospect of a vaccine for those who had already taken the Animatrix Serum to remove the issues that the retrovirus that powered the Serum created after transformation was good news, but it would take time to develop it. The announcement had even said that they had a theory for the new serum and vaccine. He was sure that Leon Washburn would do the best he could to perfect the vaccine. He didn't know Leon personally, the way George and Molly did, but to a certain degree, he had picked up a few things from his cousin on how to read people, and had followed a lot of the news related to the Animatrix Serum, particularly after the civil suit for the legal distribution of the serum was going on. Leon was clearly strained and frustrated by many of the issues that came out as consequences which gave Clemens the sensation that the consequences weighed heavily on him. But it would still take some time before the new version of the serum would be out.
The only other thing that remained a potential issue was the Church of Lord Jesus from West Virginia. He managed to do some research in his spare time, looking for some reasons as to why they seemed to have interest in him. Some of it proved difficult as he had found there several churches out there that had the exact same name with only the addition of specific denomination indicators in their names. This made his research online as many of the websites went to these other churches, not the one he was looking for. The only thing that Clemens really gained out of this was that the church was struggling. That only further made him wonder why they would want him and why they would go through such vague efforts to try and recruit him. But things on that front had been rather quiet since the one member took the tour of the reptile house at the zoo he worked at, and he wondered when they would turn up again.
His wondering soon came back to "bite" him as the phone rang one evening. He had just gotten out of the shower and had dried himself off when it rang.
"Clemens, are you dried off?" Jenny called from the kitchen, "I'm kinda in the middle of something in here..."
Clemens was about to answer when he thought he heard something bubble followed by Jenny's reaction to it.
"No! No! No! No!"... "Damn."
"I can get it," Clemens answered. He wasn't dressed again, but they didn't have guests at the moment, and whatever Jenny was cooking, be it their main meat dish or whatever side dishes that Jenny was cooking for herself, was giving her enough frustration that the last thing she needed was to distract herself on the phone. He made his way to the phone in their living room and picked it up. "Hello, Clemenss Patten, speaking."
"Hello, Mr. Patten, it is good to speak with you," a vaguely familiar voice spoke on the other end of the line.
"Who are you?" Clemens asked half suspiciously, privately certain this was either the man that had called him before, the man he had met on the tour, or Martin Veebook the name on the card he had been given.
"A good friend, Mr. Patten," the voice on the other end of the line answered, "a good friend..."
"Uh-huh, and your name, sssssir?" Clemens answered trying to restrain any tones that might betray his suspicions.
"My name is Martin Veebook, I am to assume an associate of mine gave you my card?" the voice replied.
That confirmed it to Clemens, but so far none of the incidents with Church of Lord Jesus members had been violent or blatantly evil. At best they were announces and at worst weak attempts at manipulation, and all were perfectly legal as far as Clemens could tell. He couldn't file harassment charges based on the few incidents that had happened, regardless of how odd they were.
"Yess, membersss of your church have contacted me," Clemens answered, "I wasss actually wondering when I'd hear from you directly."
"Ah... have you thought our offer over?" Martin Veebook responded, "It would bring you into the light of the Lord and demonstrate his grace for all..."
"With regards to joining your church," Clemens said slowly and carefully, "I am not sssure as to why the offer hass been made. Your church is in Wesssst Virginia. I would need to move to attend."
"And you would bring much to the community," Martin Veebook answered, "and I assure you, you would be in no danger. We aren't racists or anti-snake... quite the opposite in regard to the latter."
"Yess, I undersstand your position with regard to ssnakesss," Clemens answered, "but I am happy where I am. My fiancccee is here. My work iss here... and yet your are assking me to move to West Virginia to join your church. It hass left me wanting to know why. If you really want an honesst acccceptancce on my part... pleasse sspeak honesstly."
He heard a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. Eventually Martin Veebook did speak.
"Honest... huh...," Martin Veebook finally spoke, "Well, the truth is Mr. Patten... we're struggling. Our church and our beliefs once had a good base of supporters and were able to establish new churches in states other than West Virginia. But other denominations have challenged us and the biblical passages that prove us legitimate... and many states have outlawed the practice."
"Having a ssnake persson in your church isssn't going to fixx the opinions of otherss, sir," Clemens informed him, "And I am no theologian. I am a ssscccientissst and animal expert. I can give you adviccce on how to care for the ssnakess in your church'sss possssessssion, but not much more."
He heard a silence on the other end of the line. Clemens then gave a somewhat hissing sigh and soon spoke again.
"There isss alsso my sspecciess to consssider," Clemens continued, "I am a python. Your church practiccess sssnake handling with venomouss sssnakes. Pythonss are non-venomouss."
"They can still be lethal, though," Martin Veebook pointed out.
Clemens nodded to himself. Pythons could in fact be far more lethal than any venomous snake. A large python could kill a human faster than any venomous snake could. Even the most toxic of snake venom, mostly coming from snakes in Australia, takes time to kill a human. A large python coiled around a human's neck and chest could kill a person in a matter of minutes. And there multiple news reports where people owning pythons as pets being killed by their pet or having their pet kill a child. One that came from his own part of the country was the story of a pet python escaping its cage and killing a sleeping infant.
"True...but why would you want an Animal Persson for any ssssort of reason?" Clemens asked, "we aren't a mundane animal. You cannot usse our deccissionss as a sssign from God. People will recognizzze that we can make a conssscccioussss decccisssion. Wouldn't that go againssst your church'sss messsage?"
"We need your help," Martin Veebook spoke after a moment, now sounding somewhat desperate and pleading, "other churches are growing and ours is beginning to lose support. We need a symbol that give us the ability to move forward and gain some opportunity to thrive again."
Clemens again sighed. He was grateful to get what likely the most honest answers to what he wanted, but it was painting a picture of attempted manipulation. The Church of Lord Jesus might not be racist, but it was clear that by joining this church, he would be doing more for the church than gaining anything for himself. That in and of itself was enough for him to prefer to remain in Florida.
"I am afraid that I would not be of help to you in that regard," Clemens said carefully, "I am not a sssymbol. I am a person. If you want help and advicce for the ssnakess in your care, I can do that... but I cannot revitalizzzze your church and I WILL NOT play act to back up your argumentsss with other churches. The besst I can give you there iss to have you look long and hard at your own messsssage and ssee what in it is not attractive to thosse outside your congregation and correct it accordingly. Having me, or any Animal Persson there would only be a sshow with ssscaley actorss."
"And that is your final decision?" Martin Veebook answered.
"Yes," Clemens said simply.
"Very well, I'd wish you'd reconsider... but I will talk with other members of the church about your suggestions and what you would be willing to do for us and will be in touch," Martin Veebook replied, sounding frustrated and beaten.
With that the line went dead.