Brett Battles - Sick

The chambers were not meant to serve as tombs, but the doctor knew the Directors would approve of his improvisation.

In the hall outside the patients’ room, he heard two gurneys being rolled in his direction. He moved to the side just as Ramos brought the first one in. Learner followed right behind him with the second.

The doctor watched to make sure the children didn’t wake up while they were being transferred, then said, “I’ll meet you in the lab.”

He had to stop by the medical supply room first to pick up something that would let the children slip away before the first flame licked their skin.

Such a waste.

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Ash said, “Take us all the way down.”

“No problem,” the man said.

He touched his card to the pad, then pressed the button for the bottom floor.

Ash shoved the man against the wall. “Where are the children?”

“Your kids are in one of the rooms in back. I can take you there.”

It took Ash a second to realize the man had not said “the kids,” but “your kids.”

“You know who I am?” he said, pressing his gun against the man’s stomach.

“You’re Daniel Ash, right?” The man shot a quick look at Chloe. “You got my note.”

Note? Ash took a step back.

“Yes,” Chloe said. “Thank you.”

Ash stared at the man. “You’re the guy who-”

“Why do you think I picked him?” Chloe said.

Ash dropped his gun to his side. “Sorry. I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay. I get it,” the man said.

“What’s your name?”

The man hesitated for a moment, then said, “Winger.”

“Thank you, Winger.”

Matt’s inside man nodded uncomfortably, then glanced over at Chloe. “They did a good job on you. But I still recognized you. It’s your eyes. They can’t change that.”

Chloe said nothing.

“Are my kids all right?” Ash asked.

“Last I saw them, yes. But Dr. Karp headed down here when the alarm went off. I don’t know what he’s planning on doing.”

Ash’s anxiety rose as he considered the possibility that he might still be too late.

But before anyone could say anything else, the elevator began to slow.

On sub-basement four, the arrival of the elevator was always preceded by the soft whoosh of air moving around the car as it reached its lowest point. Unlike when Dr. Karp arrived, there was only one of the security men standing in the elevator lobby, a guy by the name of Montrose. Wyle, his partner, hadn’t returned yet from checking the surveillance footage.

As soon as Montrose heard the whoosh , he drew his gun and tensed. From down the hall he thought he heard footsteps, but his attention was focused on the door, so he paid them little attention.

The elevator settled in place, then paused for half a second before the doors slid open.

Montrose let out a breath and relaxed a little. It was just one of Dr. Karp’s orderlies. He’d probably been called down to give the doctor a hand.

“They’re back with the subjects,” the guard started to say, but the only thing he got out of his mouth was, “They’re back-”

It seemed unnecessary to go on, given the two guns that appeared from either side of the open door, aimed directly at his chest.

“Gun on the ground,” Ash said softly.

The security guard dropped his pistol by his foot.

“Kick it over here.”

The man seemed reluctant, so Ash wagged the SIG’s barrel to remind the guy who was in charge. The gun skidded across the floor a moment later.

“Now on your knees.”

Again, there was a hesitation, but before Ash could repeat the command, the man complied.

Carefully, both Ash and Chloe came out from the protection of the elevator. Ash motioned for her to bind the man’s hands and legs while he stood back a few feet. Once she was done, he put a foot on the man’s chest and pushed him all the way to the ground.

“Where’s Dr. Karp?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” the man replied.

Ash put his foot on the man’s neck and pointed his gun at the guy’s head.

“I will kill you.”

“He…he said he was going in back. To the holding rooms.”

Ash glanced at Winger. The orderly nodded once, confirming that’s where his children were.

“You here alone?” Ash asked the guard.

“Yes,” the man said quickly.

Ash immediately knew he was lying. He leaned down and put the SIG’s muzzle against the man’s forehead. “Those kids your Dr. Karp has back there? They are my kids.”

The man’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Don’t think for a second I won’t pull this trigger,” Ash continued. “How many other guards are there?”

“One.”

Ash pressed the gun into the man’s skin.

“I swear! Only one.”

“Where is he?”

“He…went with the doctor.”

Ash stood, then looked at Winger. “Which way?”

Montrose’s partner Wyle heard most of the conversation from just around the corner. Though only one person other than Montrose had done the talking, Wyle could tell there was another person with him.

“Where is he?” the voice said from the elevator lobby.

“He…went with the doctor,” Montrose said.

Wyle couldn’t help but smile. Montrose had held it together, and given him a chance to deal with the situation.

As quietly as possible, Wyle took several steps backward.

“Which way?” the voice said.

“Around and to the left.” This was a new voice, confirming that there was definitely more than one unfriendly.

Wyle raised his Beretta, his finger poised on the trigger.

Ash walked to the edge of the lobby. Just beyond was a corridor that went left and right. He listened, but the only thing he could hear was a steady hum of the ventilation system.

“How far down?” he asked Winger.

“About thirty feet. Then we take the hall on the right. That’ll get us all the way back.”

“Okay. Stay close behind me.” He glanced at Chloe. “Ready?”

She nodded.

Leading with his gun, Ash ran into the hallway.

He saw the other guard a split second before he heard the double tap of the man’s gun. Just as Ash pulled the trigger of his SIG, searing pain flashed up his arm as a bullet pierced his skin. The hit caused him to twist to the side, sending the shot from his gun well to the left of its intended target.

Not missing a beat, though, Ash pulled his trigger again, moving his arm in an arc and sending five quick shots in the direction of the guard. Chloe, kneeling around the corner from the lobby, fired several rounds at the same time.

The guard was only able to get a single wild shot off before he was caught in the barrage and tumbled back onto the floor.

Ash rushed forward, his gun ready if the man even twitched. But it was unnecessary. The man wasn’t going to move, not now, and not ever again.

Ash allowed himself to look at the wound on his left arm. The bullet had grooved his skin a couple inches below his shoulder. It was painful, but not debilitating. He turned back to the others.

Chloe was helping Winger off the floor. There was blood on the man’s shirt, concentrated mainly on the right side of his abdomen. A gut shot.

“I’m okay,” the man said once he was on his feet. But he clearly wasn’t. His breathing was labored, and he was doing a lousy job of keeping the pain off his face. “Let’s keep moving.”

“Maybe you should stay here,” Chloe suggested.

He shook his head, then locked eyes with Ash. “We need to get to your children. Now.”

Ash moved up next to him, draped Winger’s arm over his shoulder, then put his own carefully around the guy’s waist.