by Kadin, Karri
“Sam?” She tapped him on the shoulder then did it again a little harder. No response. She felt for a pulse; it was nice and strong. She then went and opened the door, waving to her friends to come inside.
“Great cocktail, Gabby,” Cassi said.
Gabby smiled. “It won’t last long. I’ll go keep watch outside while you guys get her.”
Gabby struggled with the keys in the lock. When she popped open the door she found Morgan sitting up staring at her with wide eyes. Trevor slipped in the room past Gabby and searched through a ring of keys similar to the one sheriffs carry in all those Wild West movies. Behind him was Lyon looking out the window with a large rifle in his arms. By the door to the room where Morgan’s cell was housed was Matt with a holstered gun on his hip, gesturing to someone outside the door.
“What’s going on?” Morgan asked. Her wide eyes stared at Trevor, her blonde hair wild around her head as if she had just woken up.
“We need to talk to you,” Trevor said.
“Why?” Morgan gave Matt a confused look. Gabby glanced down at her watch. They were running out of time.
“Because we need your help. If you want to do the right thing you’ll take us to Dr. Neff so we can save Allison,” Matt replied. Morgan’s face tensed and she crossed her arms.
“If you try to save Allison, Dr. Neff will kill you. Her life isn’t worth sacrificing yours.”
“You don’t have the right to decide the value of Allison’s life,” Trevor said through gritted teeth. Morgan rolled her eyes. Matt reached through the bars and grabbed his sister by the shoulders, pulling her as close as he could to himself.
“You’re wrong. She is my friend. She is your friend. She is a good person and doesn’t deserve what Dr. Neff is doing to her. Are you going to help us save her or not?” Matt held his sister tightly, his knuckles turning white on her shoulders.
“Will that make you happy? Will you stop being mad at me if I do?” Morgan asked.
“Yes. It’s a start,” Matt answered.
“I can draw you a map. It’s just an hour or so down the highway,” Morgan said. Trevor finally found the correct key and unlocked the cell door.
Gabby pulled the metal bar door open. “You can show us. We are taking you with us. Can’t leave you here and worry you will tell people where we have gone.”
“And can’t trust that you are telling us the whole truth now,” Trevor added.
“Of course she is!” Matt glared at Trevor.
“I’m just saying we need to cover all our bases. Her most recent actions don’t elicit trust.”
Lyon leaned into the room. “Untwist your panties later. Move now. Take the girl.”
Matt took his sister’s hand and the group slipped out of the little jail and headed for the cabin.
Allison
Allison awoke when the lights in her room flicked on and armored Collectors barreled into her room. Two of them grabbed her under her arms and yanked her out of bed.
Allison’s head was still fuzzy from sleep and it took her a minute to realize where she was. The emotional dampening and mind cloudiness from earlier were gone. She felt the familiar heat building in her abdomen, spreading around her body. Her pulse beat in her head, drowning out all noise around her. She bit down on her tongue till it bled, trying to focus. Irony warm blood filled her mouth, seeping down her throat.
She got her legs underneath her and threw both of her arms in the air, sending both Collectors crashing into the wall behind her. A Collector in the doorway dove for her, tackling her at the waist, bringing her to the ground. She punched him in his mouth, dislocating his jaw and ejecting some of his teeth across the room. He howled in pain and cupped his jaw in his hands. Allison took the opportunity to shove him off of her, sending him sliding across the room as she scrambled to her feet.
A Collector wrapped his arms around her from behind, forcing her arms to her sides as he lifted her off the ground. Another Collector struck her in the face with a billy club over and over again until blood gushed out of her nose and her mouth, running down her front, forming a puddle on the floor.
“Enough!” yelled Dr. Neff as he stood in the doorway. The beating stopped and all the Collectors turned to face him. “Release her now.” Allison’s body slumped to the floor, landing in the puddle of her own blood. “I said not to harm her and I meant it.”
“Yes sir. But her sedative wore off and she fought us. We didn’t—” the Collector that had beat Allison was speaking. Dr. Neff smoothly raised a gun from a holster on his thigh and shot the Collector point-blank between the eyes. The back of the Collector’s head blew out as the bullet exited and struck the Collector who had been holding Allison. He screamed in pain as the bullet lodged in his shoulder. The dead Collector’s body fell next to Allison. Allison was now covered in dead Collector brain and blood. She scrunched her face, shutting her eyes and lips tight against the warm drops of blood that speckled her cheeks and forehead. Globs of the Collector’s brain slid down her face like hot scrambled eggs. The burn in her belly urged her to lick the blood from her lips, but she resisted.
Dr. Neff stepped over the body and scooped Allison up in his arms with almost no effort. He was stronger than he looked, abnormally so. He turned and walked out the door, shouting over his shoulder, “Clean it up!” He leaned over her crumpled body on the floor and she felt a sharp poke in her arm.
Allison’s head felt heavy and she went in and out of consciousness as Dr. Neff carried her down the halls. He took her into a room, lying her gently on an exam table before a woman in a white lab coat ran over and began strapping her down. Once Allison was securely strapped, the woman started an IV in her arm. At first the fluid running into her veins felt cool, but a burning sensation quickly took over and caused Allison to feel as if she were on fire. She screamed out in pain and struggled to free herself. The woman stood over her. Allison could read her name tag: Mary.
“It will be okay. I promise. This will make you feel better. I’m so sorry,” Mary said. Allison felt the prick of a needle in her thigh. She struggled against the restraints as she felt herself growing weaker.
“Please . . .” Allison pleaded.
“Shh . . .” Mary soothed.
The world around her faded, her eyes grew heavy, and soon she lost consciousness.
Sunlight beamed on Allison’s face as she awoke, still strapped to the exam table. Allison peered through the blinding light coming from a small window high on the wall in front of her. The sun was just rising to welcome the day. Allison wriggled her body around, expecting to feel an ache or a pain from lying strapped on a hard table for who knew how long. However, she felt great. She felt better than she had in as long as she could remember. Nothing hurt. Not an achy joint, stiff neck, or even a sore face from the beating she took a few hours prior.
“Oh, nice to see you awake. You came around quickly!” Mary appeared above Allison with a smile on her face. “Now I want to unstrap you and sit you up so you can eat. But you must behave yourself.” Mary nodded her head to the side, indicating they were not alone. Allison looked in the direction she had nodded and saw a Collector with an electric prod in his hand standing by a door. Allison shook her head in understanding, and Mary began unstrapping her.
Allison sat up on the edge of the bed and looked at the IV bag hanging next to her, running clear fluid into her arm. She caught a glimpse of her face in a small mirror across the room. She was perfect. There was not a bruise or swollen area on her entire face. Allison’s mouth fell open in awe. Her complexion was flawless, almost airbrushed. Mary saw Allison’s confused face as she stared at herself in the mirror.
“Very cool, isn’t it? The medication we gave you healed you. Too bad it only works on former Infected who have leftover abilities like yourself. But one day it will help everyone. Can you imagine? A world where we can heal anything?” Mary said excitedly.
“How is this possible?” Allison asked.
“Well it’s derived from a pro
tein that former Infected carry. It plays a part in how you were able to survive when you were infected. Now that you have been exposed to it again, there is a good chance you will heal much quicker than you are used to. No telling how long the effects last, though. For some it only lasts minutes, for others months.” Mary placed a tray on a rolling table in front of Allison. “Now eat. You have a busy day.”
Days blurred together as Allison was moved from test to torturous test. Her hip ached although it was healing. Everyone Allison encountered, except the Collectors, was very nice. Even in Dr. Neff’s absence. They seemed to genuinely care about her well-being. Allison was startled every time someone delivered a kind word or common courtesy to her. She was these people’s prisoner. Why were they so nice to her?
One day at lunch she was placed in a small room full of tables with benches all bolted to the ground instead of her normal quarters. A man in a stark white uniform delivered her grilled chicken, creamy mashed potatoes, and glazed carrots artfully arranged on a plate. As she ate, Dr. Neff entered the room carrying a tray of his own. She had not seen him all day and the sight of him caused her stomach to drop. He sat across from her with his lunch.
“How is everyone treating you, Allison?”
“Better than expected.”
“Good. I wanted to provide you some education on the next part of testing so you can be prepared. These next tests are the ones the subjects have the most difficulty with.” He took a moment to eat a few bites before continuing. “I want you to be prepared for pain. However, it is not pain without a purpose. I am a man of science, not torture. We need to illicit a response from you that will trigger your strength so we can get some readings. Your results have been astonishing so far.”
“So, you are going to cause me, and others like me, pain so you can benefit?” Allison slammed her bowl onto the tray, sending soup splashing onto the table. Dr. Neff frowned.
“I am not the only one benefiting,” he said. “The entire country will benefit from what we are doing here. Sometimes sacrifices have to be made by the few to benefit the many.” Dr. Neff patted food from his lips with a napkin. “What we have gained from your blood samples alone has been more beneficial than every person before you. You should feel honored; you are special. I knew there was something unique about you the moment I saw you at the medical camp.” Dr. Neff smiled.
“I don’t feel honored. I feel like a lab rat.” Allison dropped her fork to her plate. “Let’s cut the crap. I know you have no intention of creating a universal cure. You can’t, but you only need one anyway, right? So when are you going to drain me of all my bone marrow and kill me?” Allison threw her tray across the room, shattering the bowl and splattering the wall with food. Dr. Neff looked behind him before pulling a small tablet from his pocket. He tapped the screen a few times and the little red light on the camera in the room’s corner turned off.
“Well, aren’t you a smart girl? You are correct.” Dr. Neff’s voice dripped with disdain. “I have every intention of sacrificing your miserable existence to save my son. Who the fuck decided you deserved to be cured while he still suffers?” He slammed his fists down onto the table, slightly denting the top. Allison’s stomach burned, her rage trying to break through the fog of medication. “Your time to die will come soon enough. I have a few other things I need from you first. My work will change mankind; it is for the greater good. The others here have worn out their use.” Dr. Neff rose to his feet as Allison absorbed his words.
Allison’s heart ached in her chest as she realized there were more people here, like her, trapped in rooms and being treated as specimens. How many did he have? Where were they?
Allison watched Dr. Neff walk across the room, adjusting his tie and smoothing his hair before he opened the door. In that moment she realized there was nothing scarier than an evil person who feels their actions are morally justified. Allison had believed she was a monster, but now that she had spoken to real evil she realized she was wrong. Dr. Neff was the monster, not her.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Dr. Neff
Dr. Neff dropped the rat back into the glass cage. It slammed itself into the glass trying to take a chunk out of his flesh. He secured the lid before he slipped off his bite-proof gloves and walked through the decontamination chamber, raising his arms and turning slowly as the mist showered his decontamination suit with chemicals. Once done he removed the suit and hung it back on its spot on the wall.
He began the lengthy walk to his temporary office, grabbing a coffee with two creams, no sugar on the way. He came upon a processing tech whose name he couldn’t recall. Jimmy? Johnny? The man looked up from the folder in his hand and in the brief moment their gazes connected, fear flooded his eyes. The tech turned his head away, averting his attention back to the folder in his hands. Dr. Neff’s skin prickled with a surge of excitement. The tech pressed his shoulder against the wall as he passed. Right as they were side by side in the hall, the doctor slammed his shoulder into the other man’s, knocking everything from his hands.
“I’m so sorry, sir. Sorry,” the tech said as he scrambled to pick up his items from the floor.
“Watch yourself, you idiot!” Dr. Neff said as he stepped forward, landing on the tech’s hand. The tech stopped moving. Dr. Neff leaned forward, applying more pressure to the man’s hand.
He screamed, “Please sir, please! You’re going to break my hand!”
He imagined the man’s bones breaking beneath his foot. Each little finger snapping in two. Each tiny bone in his hand shattering into pieces. Trapezoid, scaphoid, triquetral all in crumbled little pieces still wrapped in the skin sack of Johnny . . . no, Jimmy . . . no, Jamie. Yes, Jamie! Jamie’s hand. His face twisted into a smirk.
“Now Jamie. We work in a very dangerous environment. You can never be too careful.” He lifted his foot, releasing Jamie’s hand.
“Yes, yes, yes. I will be careful,” Jamie said as he yanked his hand back, cradling it against his body.
Dr. Neff continued down the hall as Jamie scrambled to gather his things. As he rounded the corner he heard a sigh followed by a muted sob. A surge of happiness coursed through him. His pocket vibrated, bringing him out of his fog of joy. He pulled the phone from his pocket. Natasha.
“Phone, answer.” He touched the small earbud sitting in his ear to power it on. He dropped his phone back into his pocket and sipped his coffee.
“Hello, Nick,” Natasha said, her voice firm, professional.
“Hello, Natasha. How is specimen collection going?”
“Slow. None of the leads panned out. All lies. It’s getting harder and harder to find former Infected in general let alone the type I need,” she said. “How is your special guest?”
“Lovely,” Dr. Neff said. “She has been most helpful. I just injected a rat with the cure I created using a biopsy from her bone marrow. It made barely enough for the rat.” He placed the empty coffee cup on his desk before he took a seat. “If I remove all of her bone marrow, I will be able to make just enough for one dose. One chance. Dialysis with Christopher getting her blood first is key. There will be a delicate balance between keeping her alive long enough to do both procedures. I need Christopher here to do that.”
“If it works at all,” Natasha said.
“It will work. She is a perfect match for him. It shouldn’t take long to see progress on the rat. I’ve already sent you all the data to review.” He glanced at the picture of a smiling young boy on his desk, frame decorated with dry macaroni, “World’s Best Dad” painted across the bottom. “I will save him, Nadie.”
“You better, Nicky. Because if you don’t I will gut you like a turkey at Thanksgiving dinner,” she growled. “Save our boy. It’s your fault he needs saving in the first place. I’ll give Christopher your love. But it is not safe to travel in your zone right now; you have had a surge of newly Infected. I will not risk our son’s life by taking him on that journey. You will need to bring her to us.” The line went dead.
/> Allison
The cold steel pressed against Allison’s bare chest and torso. A salty river ran down her face. Tears puddled beneath her. Her body was sprawled out in a T-shape, ready for crucifixion. Her throat constricted as she tried to hold back cries. The leather straps that held down her limbs were so tight her hands and feet tingled and burned. She squeezed her hands into fists repeatedly, trying to regain the feeling in her fingers. A frustrated cry escaped her lips. She bit her tongue, forcing the cry back to the depths of her soul where it originated. The thick leather strip across her mid-back forced her spine to unnaturally arch. She pressed back against the restraint. The metal groaned and creaked as she struggled against the leather. Pain radiated down her spine, down her legs with each movement. Fighting only made the pain worse. Her anger and fear ignited a fire at her core. The heat built, burning her insides, her adrenaline kicking into gear.
The prick of a needle in her ass caused her to jolt. Her body tightly tensed against the restraints holding her in place. A cool wave washed over her like ice water, drenching her body, sweeping away all of her inner fire. Only her anger and fear remained. What did they give me? Allison squeezed her eyes shut and tried to will the heat back, the adrenaline back, her strength back. Nothing. She again pushed against the bands tying her to the table. Nothing.
The kind tech Mary was there, just outside of Allison’s view. Her voice was the only comfort Allison had. Dr. Neff was at her side. He arranged a blue paper drape with a hole in the center across her low back and hips. The clatter of surgical instruments she couldn’t see echoed in the small, brightly lit room as the doctor sorted through the tray at his side. Chills of fear trickled along her spine with each clash of metal against metal. She pulled against the straps holding her body to the cold surgical table.