by Lin Larson
“Where you’ll never find them. You have to be kinder than this.” Sam yanked at his ropes. “And by the way, what is your problem with colors? I really prefer blue or heroic white in room décor.”
“This ruby red is my favorite color,” the voice said with an ugly glee. “Does it remind you of your fear of death, Samuel.”
“Just get out of here and leave me alone. You’ve got a lot of guts. You can’t even face me, so go away.” Sam said vehemently and meant it.
“Oh my, the rat protests. You do have a point, however. We’ll leave you alone shortly. Perhaps we should meet.” The voice laughed. It was an icy laugh, yet familiar. A shadow walked towards him, and the lights got brighter. Sam blinked as his eyes watered.
“Sean, you’re here. It’s you? But you died. Are you real?” Sam sputtered and sank
back. “I saw you die. How could you be here?” Sam stared at him, and recognition of this person as his brother suddenly frightened him. This wasn’t the brother he loved. This man seemed soulless. Sam groped for another more terrifying word. Evil, that’s the aura he gave off. But this was also his brother. He couldn’t change like that. He couldn’t become a totally opposite person, could he?
“Sean, what happened to you? Sam leaned back in his chair and felt sick.
“Sean half formed a smile with his lips but there was no warmth for Sam. “It’s exciting, isn’t it? I’ve changed. I am a new me, and none of my weaknesses remain. I have only strength and intellect. I stumbled on a fragmented organization, when I was trying to cure my illness. Together I, and my associates, have built a spider web that can lead the world. I understand my amazing changes now. You saw me last in my cocoon level. I can’t help but laugh at your reaction to our wonderful colorful environment. You see colors signify and encourage our level of development. They spark a chemical reaction in our brains. We work better under our lovely colors. Orange is our best, then violet, and red. Each color assists us in aspects of our brain development.”
“Mekka is not going to fully cross over and neither are the wrinkled old subjects you
encountered on Level C. We experimented many times with them. They have become the failures- waste material and a nuisance. They will soon be exterminated. But we think we now know how to balance dosages correctly, and the new subjects will soon never experience old age, and will have eternally brilliant minds. The danger, right now, is that the serum mutates. I’ll fix that. I’m very smart, perhaps the smartest person in the world.”
“Sean, these are human beings you are treating like insects. They don’t understand fully. They have their own lives, hopes, and dreams. You’ve become an obscene killer,” Sam said softly. “They don’t truly understand. Stop what you’re doing.”
“No,” Sean snapped. “They like being a part of my great adventure to the unknown. My subjects have flashes of brilliance, during which we allow them to record their knowledge before they experience their periodic regression. Their dedication will help me and my people to lead mankind into a new future. Our intelligence will rule the world, and they will like it. It’s too bad that Hitler never lived to see my success. He’d be proud of me.
“Hitler, Sean, you can’t be serious. He went down in history as a mass murderer. Is that what you want?”
“People sometimes must die for good causes. Mine is a great cause. I find my success to be extraordinary and fascinating, don’t you?... My Samuel, I think you are finally without a wise-crack or sentiment!... And I’m afraid that I don’t really need you now. The past is gone. My notes were an important key, but I am managing exceedingly well without them now. However, you amuse me, so I’ll keep you around for a while. Store you, so to speak.”
Sean turned his back and began to stroll away.
Sam shouted. “I don’t understand. Keep me around? Store me?”
Sean turned and spread his hands palms up. “No, I don’t expect you do. You are eons behind me in intellect, big brother. You are nothing but amusement now.”
Sam was speechless. “My God. How can you like what you’ve become? “
Sean turned. “I love me.” He laughed with obscene joy as he walked away.
Two guards came slowly to Sam. Sam felt he wasn’t going to like what came next and he didn’t. One man poured a liquid from a bottle onto a cloth, the other grabbed Sam’s head and held it back in a vise-like grip.
“Come on, guys,” Sam choked out. “I believe you, you’re strong. Don’t do this.” And then it came; the wet cloth and its solution covered his nose and mouth. Sam fought, but he had to breathe, and he had to inhale the fumes. But he also knew that he wasn’t going to die, not yet.
CHAPTER 13
Sam’s pilot landed his copter in the clearing beside the village. They waited for the patrol. Suddenly the sunlight seemed to explode. He squinted across the seat into the blinding light. He needed to check his pilot. He was dead. Sam saw shapes of color swirling in the distance. Screams filled the stillness. Sam fought to change positions with the dead pilot. He gasped as rotting carcasses seemed to crash through the ceiling and fell upon him. They extending their mutilated arms and hands and clawed at his face and legs. He fought for balance and tried to start his copter. He gasped in terror as the bodies dragged him from his seat, tugged him out of the plane, and covered him....
#
“NO!” Sam jerked desperately in the bed. The vision in his dreams were choking him and he fought for air. Suddenly he gasped and was awake. He could breathe again. He shivered and tried to pull up the blanket, but restraints tugged at his wrists. He turned and realized where he was. No copter, no battlefield, no bodies. He was in a hospital? There was an intravenous solution hanging at the side of his bed. But fear gripped him.
“What are you giving me?” he whispered. “I gave you no permission for this.” He cleared his throat, tried to shout in protest, and jerked at his bindings. But no one answered. No one was there. The room was empty.
Sam quieted and felt his world swirling around him. He tried closing his eyes to keep down his whirling vision but it didn’t help. Another nightmare took over.
#
Caroline was standing on a windy desert battlefield a few feet away. She held a stack of his books. Looking at him, she was desperately trying to say something, but there were no sounds. Sam didn’t understand. Suddenly a faceless body rose up from the sand and grabbed onto Caroline’s feet. She dropped the books and struggled in terror. Sam heard the cries of soldiers on a nearby hill as they motioned frantically for him to come to them. The faceless form in the sand extended one of his hands to Sam’s foot and began yanking him under. Sam looked at the men on the hill and back at Caroline. He felt paralyzed and couldn’t move. Was he dying? The now violent wind seemed to call out affirmation. Sam whispered into the wind, “I can’t die, not yet. They mustn’t win.” The words repeated louder and louder in his mind. “I can fight and win. I can save them. I have to. I have to.”
#
Sam tossed violently, and felt men holding him down. He jerked awake, but felt an oxygen mask covering his face. He reached up to pull it off.
“Not yet,” Sam heard the words and felt for the hand, following it slowly up to a face.
“Sean?” Sam inhaled repeatedly and calmed.
Suddenly the mask was removed, and Sam opened his eyes.
“Sam,” Sean stared without warmth. “You are having a tough time. Too bad. We just have a few more data tests to do on you. I hope you can handle it, big brother,” he laughed psychotically. “You don’t want to stand in the way of our research.”
Sam felt resignation and exhaustion as the drugs dragged him back into sleep.
#
Sam’s eyes slowly opened again. How long had it been? He had no idea. He blinked
repeatedly and tried to clear his mind. He remembered everything. He did not tell them where Sean’s notes were. He was sure of that. A new plan, he needed a good one. Got it. Get out, get back to the car, retrieve the notes,
and hightail it to a government security agency. He smiled. He wasn’t sure how good this plan really was, but it could work if he could achieve it. And if the government believed him. And he was all on his own. No one else will get hurt anyway. Does anyone here care? Probably not. First, how to get out of his bed and off the I.V. If he could just stay awake until someone checks on him…
#
It was a short wait. A large shadow entered the room. Sam squinted up at a huge scarred face. Poor guy. I wonder how he got so scarred. I better not think about it. He probably beat someone in a fight but got cut up in the process, and scarred, or then maybe he lost and got cut up as punishment. Ouch! Either way, he is big. He mused. But I’m tough. Yeah right, not so much now, but I have to be. The bigger they come, the harder they fall. I like that old motto. Cliché but might be appropriate, and I’m not feeling very creative right now. Simple and to the point, he couldn’t help laughing out loud.
“What’s so funny?” Scar Man snorted.
Sam’s mind whirled fast, “Um, oh…I just need to use the John. I feel silly asking… But, I don’t think you really want to clean up after me.”
“Who said I was going to clean up.” Scar Man grunted and then looked around. “All
right, but don’t try anything sneaky.”
“Who me, I can barely stand up,” Sam said feigning weakness, which he kind of felt.
Scar Man unfastened Sam’s wrists and helped him up. Sam felt a little dizzy and used it. Bending over, he grabbed a heavy basin and crowned his aide.
“Sorry, man, but we’re talking survival here.”
Disoriented, Scar Man struggled to get up.
“Stay down.” His adversary tried to rise again. “Oh fellow, this is gonna hurt, again.”
Sam brought down the basin one more time, but harder. Scar man slipped to the floor. Sam felt his pulse. “You’ll live, fella. And thanks for helping me up.”
Sam eased the needle out of his arm and threw it on the floor. He looked at his unconscious guard, “This all is too easy now. I might start feeling lucky. Thanks.”
Sam then knelt. Ah, oh! His bullet wounds still hurt, but he was alive and that was good. He pulled Scar Man’s keys from his belt. He got up too fast, however. Suddenly dizzy, he sat down on the bed. He groaned as he shook his head to clear it. He then got up slowly and peeked through the door.
Only one guard at the end, and he looked asleep. Sam padded softly down the hall towards the guard. He grinned at the empty beer bottle in the man’s hand and quietly eased the bottle down to the floor, slipped off the drinking man’s white coat, and hauled him onto the bed.
“Night night. Sleep tight, Bad Guy,” he said as he tucked him in tightly.”
Sam turned and was suddenly assaulted by dizziness again. He forced himself to see and stand straight.
Again, he peeked out the door. Sam then staggered into an adjacent room. It was empty, no window or door outlet. He tried again and plunged into the next one. This one held a patient. He gazed at the bed quickly and started to creep out the door. Suddenly he was drawn to look back and was shocked. This wasn’t what he expected at all.
“Caroline! Oh no…” He was speechless. Sam moved closer and sat on the edge of the bed. He stared at her quietly and his heart ached. Her long blond hair was damp and lay limply on her pillow. Her face no longer was radiant with life. She looked pale and gaunt.
“Oh, honey,” he said, as tears welled up in his eyes. He moved and sat and cradled her head.
“Caroline suddenly inhaled deeply and opened her blue eyes. Sam eased her back onto the pillow and kissed her softly. She stared in awe at him and tried to speak.
“You don’t have to talk. I’m here,” he said softly. “I’ll get you out. I had no idea that they had you too. Don’t try to talk.”
Caroline smiled and whispered, “Sam.” She brought her hand up and touched his cheek.
Sam kissed her fingers tenderly. “Dear Caroline. Let me help you up.” He started to assist her, but she leaned on him completely.
“I can’t,” she stammered as tears glistened in her eyes.
Sam gently helped her to sit back upon the bed. He rested her head on his shoulder. “Never mind,” he said. “We have lots of time. Just rest. Let me help you to lie back down.” He was overwhelmed by her frailty as he gently lowered her down.
“It’s all my fault,” she said softly.
“Shh, it’s their fault,” He said furiously. “They’ve moved on from the willing to the innocent.”
“I found out that my father is here, but he’s changed.” Her eyes opened wide. “Oh, Sean’s not dead. He’s here.”
“I know. I saw him.”
“He’s the boss now, Sam, but he’s crazy.” Caroline looked deeply into his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Me too. Why don’t these people fight him?” He said angrily. He calmed down. “How
do you feel, any better?”
“I’m only in the beginning stage. I feel weak and nauseous, but my father is euphoric. He thinks that I’ll be fine. I’m not so sure. He also believes that he can cure the world. I think we all are fighting bad odds. I don’t think any of us will live.”
“If they weren’t so sadistic and ruthless, maybe it could have led to some kind of success,” said Sam. But the side effects…They are too dangerous. We’ve sure got another super-race ideal here. One that might kill a lot of people.” Sam stood up. “Caroline, can you walk with my help?”
“No, I’m sorry,” she said regretfully.
“Then I’ll carry you,” Sam said.
Caroline studied his face, so handsome but carved now with worry. She reached up and took his strong hands. “No, you won’t. You’ll come back for me though, before Dr. Frankenstein has too much fun.”
Sam kissed her gently. “Are you sure?”
Caroline said softly, “Yes, you’ll never make it with me. Maybe I’ll be stronger when you come back. But, I want you to live and destroy this place and this cult. If our loved ones die in the process, so be it. It’s necessary. You can do it, Sam. I’m too weak now. I may be better later, when you come back for me. I’ll be fine here. I’ll just sleep.”
“I will come back. I promise. We’ll either meet here or in the hereafter. Now rest,” he tried to look positive but felt horrible despair at the thought of leaving her. He knew she was right, however. Sam tucked the covers around Caroline’s slim body and held her hand. “Bye, darling. I’ll be back with the cavalry. I love you.” Suddenly the tears burst forth, and he began cry. “I shouldn’t have left you. I’m sorry.”
“It was my idea too. You thought I’d be safe,” she said as she reached for his hand. “Don’t cry for me. We’ll make it, and I have found the love of my life in you. I could have lived forever and never found such happiness as you bring me… Am I getting too sloppy with my sentiment? We’ve only known each other a few days.”
Sam bent over and kissed her softly. “I like it. Thank you.”
“I can’t stay awake. I’m sorry, I want to. Be careful, Sam.” She closed her eyes and slipped into sleep.” Sam kissed her again gently, and quietly crossed to the door.
He turned back for a moment, closed his eyes and fought back his emotions. He then turned and forced himself to walk out the door.
CHAPTER 14
Sam knew that leaving Caroline behind meant that he would return. He hoped they would let her just rest for now. Maybe after all this is over, there will be something other doctors could do. He would not let her die here. But he had to explore and find their way out. Then he could carry her without their being captured or maybe she’ll be up to walking when he returns. He prayed he was doing the right thing by leaving her in that bed.
He raced down the dark halls, ducking into closets filled with medical supplies, but nothing he could use. Sam was consumed now with the need to escape, for both of them. He made his way easily until he heard voices and slipped into a utility closet stuffed with boxes of bindings fo
r violent patients. If he could just connect the bindings together, he’d have a way to lower them to the ground floor. He found an unlocked window but it faced the front of the building. He would need to find another. He grabbed what he needed.
After traveling endless mazes of hallways, he found the best window. It was in the rear of the building and perfect except for the activity in the next room and posted guards. He could lower himself quietly though and be out. But with Caroline being so sleepy, she might fall. And could she run, no. Not yet. She needs to sleep first. She’s safe here for a brief time. But he would have to return soon. He hoped to bring help, a whole army, if possible. And Jensen was coming.
Suddenly Sam heard shouting in the next room and crying. He crouched behind a bed in an empty room. What was happening? Could he turn his back on suffering? But he had to hurry for Caroline’s sake. He was torn. Leaning close to the wall, he strained to hear more clearly. There was now silence. He waited. A commotion erupted in the hallway and it sounded like a gurney was swishing by. Sam pulled the door slightly ajar and peered through. A sheet covered a silent heap on the table. Was it the source of the cries? Had they just killed a subject? Were these people murdering in this area also? Were they so obsessed and heartless that…Oh, he had to stop thinking and just get out.
Sam climbed into his binding ropes, turned, and mounted the window sill nearby. “No,” he thought. “This would be too hard for Caroline. She’s too weak.” He had to go it alone for now. With barely perceptible rustling, he lowered himself slowly down. He almost fell a couple of times, as the rope bit into his hands and he started to lose his grip. His hands burned. He hadn’t climbed down a rope since his army days, but he remembered the technique. Once down, he darted into a side shed. Footsteps crunched on the gravel and passed by.
This place is an armed camp,” he muttered. He started to fall upon a large bag. Sam felt about quietly in the darkness. There were many such bundles. He was hesitant to look inside, but he couldn’t leave without knowing their contents.