by Grant Pies
Remembering what John said about each lab being guarded, Carter asked Sheppard, “What should I expect in there?”
“Fuck you,” he said, still pressing his hand hard against his side.
“Be ready.” Carter looked at Sam, and swiped Blair’s card at the door.
The lock chimed. Carter stepped inside. A single guard stood in the corner. Blair stood in front of a cold storage unit, the door opened, like he was standing in front of a refrigerator thinking of what to eat.
“Don’t!” Carter said, pointing his gun at the guard, who reached down for his own weapon. Sam stood behind Sheppard, holding the letter opener against his throat. “Put your weapon on the ground.” Carter stepped further into the lab. He pointed his weapon at Blair. “On the ground.”
Blair looked at the guard and nodded. The man set his gun on the floor.
“Kick it over here.”
The guard shoved the gun with his foot. Carter picked it up and handed it to Sam. He reached in his backpack and tossed the roll of tape to the guard.
“Tie him up.” Carter nodded at Blair. “Hands and feet.”
The guard hesitated. Carter flexed the hand holding the gun. The guard snapped into action and began wrapping the tape around Blair. Blair didn’t struggle. He didn’t even look at the guard as he tied him up. He offered his hands, wrists pressed together, then sat on the floor so the guard could tape his ankles together.
“Is this it?” Carter asked and circled around until he was facing Blair. He pointed at the refrigerator. “This what you took from her?”
“What are you planning?” The man was just about done securing Blair’s hands and feet. He locked his eyes on Carter. “You think you’re going to save her?”
“Whatever you did to her, it can be undone.”
“You know that for sure? Your doctor friend tell you that?”
“Leave her out of this!” Carter took a large step towards Blair.
“Is this all worth risking your life for? One girl?”
“It’s not just one girl. It’s all of them. The ones you’ve already used up, and the ones out there right now that you’ve fathered.”
“You think Rose is safe? Or the doctor?”
“Keep your gun on them,” Carter told Sam.
“My pleasure.” Sam grinned to show his bloodied teeth. He pushed Sheppard across the room towards the other guard.
Carter opened the refrigerator. Cold air rushed across his face. He scanned the rows of vials, reading the labels. All of them were the same. ‘MIDAS Serum: Corrective.’
“There’s thousands of them,” Carter said, shaking his head. “How many people is this? How many did you kidnap to stockpile this much?” Carter looked at Blair, the gun still trained on him.
“I already told you, too many.”
Carter reached into the cold storage compartment and grabbed handfuls of vials, stuffing them in his backpack. The vials clinked together and rattled.
“Is that enough?” Blair asked sarcastically, raising his eyebrows, seemingly unbothered by his taped-up hands.
“Better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. Am I right?” Carter returned Blair’s sly grin. He zipped the bag up, heavy with what he guessed was around two hundred vials of serum.
“What if it’s not?” Blair asked. “You won’t be coming back here. Too risky. So, if there’s anything you need or anything you need to do, now’s your chance. You won’t get another.” Blair was taunting him, daring him to shoot and alert the other guards.
“Push it over.” Carter pointed his gun at Sheppard and the other guard. They looked at each other, then at Blair. “Push. It. Over,” Carter said again, nodding at the refrigerator, holding what was left of the corrective MIDAS serum.
“What?” Blair said. “Wait a second.”
“I’m not going to shoot you and alert your goon squad. I’m not even going to kill you, at least not now. Not here. Not with something as painless as a gun. Push it over!” Carter gripped the gun tighter. “I want you to experience exactly what all the girls you kidnapped experienced. What Rose is experiencing right now.” Carter turned back to the two guards, who stood still. “I swear to God, if you don’t push this fucking thing over, I’m going to take that letter opener and take your eyes out!”
Sheppard and the other guard reluctantly complied, each taking one side of the storage compartment.
“Wait,” Blair said. “Wait! What do you want? I’ll let you leave here, unharmed.”
“Unharmed,” Sam scoffed.
“This is what I want,” Carter said. He motioned at the guards. “Go.”
They pushed, and the refrigerator rocked back and forth.
“No!” Blair struggled to get his hands free, his ankles tight together with the tape.
The guards pushed their bodies against the refrigerator. Sheppard winced with each movement, one hand still wrapped over his stab wound, driving his shoulder into the refrigerator.
“Stop it!” Blair shouted.
“I want you to experience what you were meant to experience when you were born.”
“You son of a bitch!”
“In the short time you have left, once whatever serum is in your body gets out of your system, if you need help, need a doctor, then go to the hospital. And if you need an organ, get in fucking line.”
The guards gave the refrigerator one last push. It tipped and was still, leaning at a diagonal, giving Blair one brief moment of hope that this wouldn’t be the push that did him in.
Carter watched Blair watch the compartment filled with vials. The look in Blair’s eyes told Carter all he needed to know; this was the last of the serum, and Blair had no time to make any more.
The refrigerator dropped against the floor with a solid thud. The shelves inside rattled and spilled out. Most of the vials shattered on impact. Others spilled out onto the floor, breaking when they crashed into each other. Blair sat on the floor, eyes wide, jaw clenched, limbs tied as the serum spread over the floor and soaked into his clothes.
Carter turned to the guard. “Now tie him up.” He nodded at Sheppard.
The guard complied, using even more tape on Sheppard than he had on Blair.
“Toss me the tape.” Carter held his hand out, still holding his gun on the guard. “You got him?” he asked Sam.
“I got him.”
Carter stuffed his gun in his waistband and approached the last guard. He looked the man in the eyes as he wrapped him in tape. The man surely was wondering if he could wrestle the gun out of Carter’s waistband, but by now it was too late to make a move.
“You’re just gonna leave them here?” Sam asked.
“Fuck ‘em. Most of them don’t even know what they’re really into. Just looking to help a family member. You want to shoot him,” Carter pointed at Sheppard, “you better be ready to shoot the rest of them that come after you when they hear a gunshot.”
Sam gripped his gun and trained it on Sheppard. Sheppard looked up at Sam, narrowing his gaze and puffing his chest out. Sam breathed deep, his jaw muscles flexing underneath his beaten face. He hovered his finger over the trigger, surely wondering if shooting this one man would be worth the squad of others it would bring. Finally, he dropped the gun to his side. Sheppard exhaled and slumped his body forward.
“I see you again and I may not be as kind,” he said.
“I’ll kill you,” Blair said. “You don’t know what you’re doing.”
“I’ve heard that before,” Carter said.
“Not from me.”
“The way I figure, you’ve got a couple days before your body starts to go to shit. You’re going to be too busy to come after me. But remember, I’ve got your sperm donor records. I know every person who had one of ‘James Miller’s’ babies, every one that is a perfect match to you. If a single one of them goes missing, I’m coming right back here for you. It’s over. One way or another, it’s over. Once you’re gone, and your empty promises to these men are
gone, you think they’ll keep coming for me? For us? You think your connections at the police department will last once you’re gone? It’s over.”
As the two men left, Blair spoke, louder and louder as they made their way down the hall. “She’s not safe. You can’t save her. He’s there now! He’ll never let her wake up!”
The Yawning Conscience of Detective Shaker
Outside Wave Therapeutics, Carter hotwired one of the vans and sped towards Midtown Hospital. On the way, he tried to fill Sam in as best he could. How he was shot, the organ farm at Accenture, his attack at the motel, rescuing Olivia, finding Rose. It was a lot to take in, and Carter was sure he skipped over many of the details. Some things he couldn’t even explain himself, like the gene editing done to Rose.
Once at the hospital, he smashed his foot down on the brake, skidding to a stop.
“This way.” Carter ran around the side of the hospital and opened a side door to the ER. “I left this unlocked when I left.” He stopped just inside the door and looked at Sam. “I have to tell you something.”
“What?”
“Your buddy, your old co-worker, Detective Shaker, he’s working for Blair. He’s been working to cover Blair’s tracks from the very beginning.”
“C’mon!” Sam said. “I know that guy. He’s a jerk, but not—”
“I heard him!” Carter snapped. They stood in a hall, just inside the back entrance. Around the corner was the main hub of the ER. “I heard him on the phone talking to Blair.”
“How do you know it was Blair?”
“He was talking about us. Talking about Dr. Abbott!”
“I’ve known that guy for years. He’s not dirty.”
“The memory card from Orcheck’s, you remember? Shaker found it! Think about it, that planted evidence gave everyone, yourself included, a reason to never look for her ever again!” Carter stood close to Sam, who backed away and pressed himself against the wall.
“Okay, okay.” Sam held his hands up like he was at gun point. “Then what do you propose we do about it?”
“For now, we protect Rose. Get her this serum. Stay here until we figure something out.”
They walked into the ER. Immediately, Carter saw Shaker talking to Dr. Sheffield. His gun was in his backpack along with the vials of serum.
Olivia was walking towards Rose’s trauma room. Shaker darted his eyes in her direction, and ended his discussion with Dr. Sheffield abruptly, walking after Olivia with purpose. As soon as he was close enough, he gripped her arm and whispered something in her ear. Carter watched her demeanor change.
“Shit.” Carter set his bag on the floor, and zipped it open. He knelt down and carefully dug through the many vials of MIDAS serum.
“What? What is it?”
“Shaker’s making a move for Olivia. Must’ve gotten an order from Blair. Son of a bitch really wants us dead.”
Shaker directed Olivia towards Rose’s trauma room. He held her close, and Carter made out a revolver in his hand. Carter pulled out the gun from the bottom of his backpack, and shoved a clip into the handle.
“Woah, what the fuck?” Sam backed away. “This is a hospital!”
Carter pulled out a second gun, loaded it, and held it out to Sam. “They don’t care, so why should we?” He shook the gun, and raised his eyebrows. “Take it.”
Sam clenched his jaw and swallowed. He scanned the ER, his eyes darting around, maybe contemplating everything that could go wrong if they opened fire. “Fuck,” he said quietly as he sighed and gripped the gun.
Carter held his gun down at his side as he marched towards Rose’s room. By now, Shaker and Olivia had disappeared inside, and the blinds were shut, blocking any view in or out. Carter reached the door, looked back at Sam, and gave him a slight nod. Sam nodded back, but the look on his face was unsure.
Carter pushed the door open, gripping his gun in his right hand, holding it out in front of him. He scanned the room. Olivia stood facing Rose, and Shaker stood behind Olivia.
“Freeze!” Carter shouted, not worrying about who could hear him outside of the room. Sam moved in behind him and closed the door, holding his gun at his side, likely still not convinced of the story Carter had told him. The two men circled Rose’s hospital bed. Carter saw Olivia holding a syringe over the IV snaked into Rose’s arm. Her hand shook. He knew Shaker’s revolver was jammed into Olivia’s back.
“It’s over,” Carter said.
“Will,” Olivia said. For the first time since he met her, her voice was weak.
Shaker pivoted to hide more of his body behind Olivia. “We’re just giving her medicine. Isn’t that right, doc?” Shaker pushed against her, and Olivia flinched. She didn’t say anything, but she shook her head slightly. No.
“Let her go.”
“Or what? You open fire here in a hospital? Shoot a cop?”
“A dirty cop.” Carter narrowed his gaze, and tried to find the best spot to shoot Shaker without hitting Olivia.
Shaker reached his hand around Olivia’s waist. His previously hidden gun came around her body, the barrel pressing against her stomach. “I don’t think you want to open fire here.” He jammed the barrel hard into Olivia. She stiffened. “Sam, can you tell your partner to put his gun away?” Sam held his gun at his side, pointed at the floor.
“I can’t do that.” Sam raised his gun and pointed it at Detective Shaker, no longer able to deny his old coworker wasn’t dirty.
“For God’s sake!” Shaker snapped. He returned his attention to Olivia. “Push the medicine.” Using his free hand, he moved Olivia’s, and together they jabbed the needle into the IV. His thumb hovered over the plunger of the syringe. “We’ve all got our orders. If it makes you feel any better, she was never meant to make it. She’s served her purpose,” Shaker said.
Carter locked eyes with Olivia. Tears pooled in the corner of her eyes. Carter gripped his gun and looked down, trying to signal to Olivia to duck. She furrowed her brow. Shaker, still holding his revolver against Olivia’s stomach, held her hand over the syringe stuck in the IV. Carter looked down again, this time nodding his head down slightly.
Shaker wrapped his thumb on top of Olivia’s thumb and sank the plunger down, injecting whatever was inside into Rose’s IV. Carter nodded down one last time. Olivia dropped, like all life was immediately taken from her. Her body sank to the floor, leaving Shaker exposed.
Carter fired off two quick shots, landing them both in Shaker’s chest. Blood splattered from his front and back. His eyes grew wide, and he dropped backwards against the wall, his body pulling and bending the blinds covering the trauma room windows.
Almost before Shaker’s body fell to the floor, Olivia jumped up and yanked the IV from Rose’s arm. A small stream of blood pooled in the crook of her elbow.
“Did it go in?” Carter asked, and stepped towards Rose, but kept his gun pointed at Shaker.
Olivia pressed her ear against Rose’s chest, then held her hand under Rose’s nose. “I think I got it in time.”
The door to Rose’s trauma room ripped open, and Detective Ward stood in the doorway, his gun drawn.
“Get back!” he shouted, and aimed his gun at Olivia. “All of you put your hands up!” He had the jump on them all. Carter set his gun on the ground and raised his arms.
“He was going to kill her,” Carter said.
Sam dropped his gun and raised his hands. Olivia backed away, careful not to trip over Shaker’s body, hands up.
“It’s true,” Olivia said. “He brought me in here to inject her.” She nodded at the syringe on the floor.
“Back up! Against the wall!” Ward yelled. The three of them complied. Ward circled around the room. Holding his gun in one hand, he knelt down and checked Shaker’s pulse with the other.
“Murphy, what’s going on here?” Detective Ward asked Sam.
“It’s how they say. Shaker was going to kill her. Inject her with something. He held the doc at gunpoint.”
“What? Why?”
Ward stood, keeping his gun on the other three. Dr. Sheffield stepped into the room. “Get out!” Ward shouted. “Get everyone back from here.”
“Was anyone hit?” Dr. Sheffield asked.
“There’s nothing you can do for him. Now get the fuck out of here!” Ward said. Dr. Sheffield backed out of the room. “Why?” Ward asked again.
“Shaker worked for the man who kidnapped Rose. The man who really kidnapped Rose,” Carter said. “Check his cell.” With his hands still in the air, Carter pointed at Shaker. “I’m guessing about ten minutes ago a text came through telling him to get rid of Rose. To get rid of Dr. Abbott. Me and probably even Sam.”
Keeping the gun on them, Ward reached into Shaker’s pocket. He scrolled through his phone, and his face slowly fell. “What the fuck,” he said to himself. He kept scrolling, slowly lowering his gun and settling onto the floor.
“I need to check on the patient,” Olivia said, breaking the silence.
Ward didn’t even look up from the phone.
Olivia dropped her hands and dug through a supply cabinet. She started a new IV for Rose. Carter and Sam slowly lowered their hands as well.
“Who is this?” Ward asked. “Who’s giving these orders?” Carter and Sam looked at each other, trying to gauge how much to tell him and where to start.
“How much do you want to know?” Carter asked.
“Tell me everything. Start from the beginning.”
Today Belongs to the Light
Carter sat, sunken into the center of the sofa at the Bishops’ home. Sam was in a worn-out recliner across from Carter. The local news played on the television.
“The fire started at a clinic in mid-town Chicago,” the chipper newscaster said from behind her desk. They cut to a video of firemen putting out a fire. “The clinic is owned by Accenture and overseen by research scientist and philanthropist William Blair. The origin of the fire has yet to be determined. No one was inside at the time, and there were no injuries. We have reached out to Accenture and Mr. Blair for comment, but sadly we were told Mr. Blair succumbed to an illness only three days after the clinic fire.