The Scavenger Series | Book 2 | The Scavenger Hunt

by Lowry, C. L.

  Jin nodded his head and stayed at the door with Sierra. Brody kept his gun up and grabbed a long metal pipe that was leaning up against the wall. With the pipe in hand, he slowly advanced with Mikey. Sierra and Jin watched intently, as there was still no movement from the beast. Brody jabbed the pole into the side of the beast. There was no reaction. He dug the pipe in once more.

  “Nothing,” he turned and told Jin.

  “Was that supposed to happen?” Mikey asked. “Was the gas supposed to kill it?”

  Sierra looked over at Jin. She knew the answer because she worked closely with the determined doctor. Additionally, Brody noticed the disappointed expression on her face.

  “Unfortunately, the complete opposite was supposed to occur. The mutation was supposed to reverse, and our friend here was supposed to become human again,” Jin replied.

  The doctor approached the beast to examine its features. “Sierra, can you log this for me?”

  “Yes, sir,” she stated, pulling out a small notepad and pen from the pocket of her lab coat.

  “The time is 16:35, and there has been no change in Subject 28. Mutated characteristics remain unaltered, and the subject appears to be unresponsive. Vial X was used on both the last four subjects, and we will be moving on to the trials for Vial Y.”

  Sierra quickly jotted down the notes but paused at Jin’s last statement. She knew that there were only two vials left and wondered what they would do if the next two had the same effect. Mikey walked over to the beast and kneeled beside it. He grabbed the beast’s hand and held it up, examining the claws. He released the hand, and it fell. “These things sure are ugly,” he muttered, looking at the beast’s features. Mikey used the tip of his gun to separate its lips. “Look at these teeth. They are sharp as shit.”

  “Come on, Mikey. Let’s get out of here,” Brody said.

  “What’s the hurry?” Mikey turned and asked. “I always wanted to see one of these things up close.”

  Just as he made the statement, the beast popped up and sunk its teeth into his hand. Mikey screamed and dropped his gun. He threw a flurry of punches, hoping the beast would release its bite from his other hand. Brody raised his gun and aimed at the beast.

  “No!” Jin shouted as he jumped in front of the Brody’s gun. “Don’t shoot it.”

  “What the hell do you mean? That thing is going to kill him.”

  “That specimen over there will help us save the world. We have to let this happen.”

  Brody lowered his gun and watched as Mikey battled with the beast. “Help me,” the bloody man yelled as he threw another flurry of punches. The beast bit harder into his hand, snapping it at the wrist. Mikey screamed. The beast clawed into his arm and pinned him to the ground. Mikey fought for his life, but he could not overpower the beast. Pain shot through his entire body until the beast bit into the side of his neck and put him out of his misery. Sierra turned her head, avoiding having to watch the blood bath. However, Brody and Jin looked on. Brody did not care too much for Mikey, but he did not believe the foolish man deserved to die in such a gruesome way. Jin, on the other hand, was intrigued. He wanted to see what kind of effects Vial X would have on the beast. Bite after bite, the beast gnawed away at Mikey’s lifeless body. Suddenly, the creature collapsed.

  CHAPTER 12

  The sound of barking dogs filled the subway tunnels, followed up by a roar of cheers.

  “We have hidden in the shadows for far too long. It is time for us to rise up and start a new life. A better life,” a man preached, standing on the platform of the tunnel.

  The smell of stale urine, trash, and body odor filled the air below. With no power supply, the subway was completely dark. It was even difficult for someone to see their own hand in front of them unless they had a way to illuminate the eerie darkness. Rats crawled around, hoping to find a meal along the subway tracks. Insects crawled through certain sections of the tunnel, seeing what was left over from the rats.

  Hundreds of onlookers cheered the man on. The harsh odor did not faze him at all. He was not only used to it, but he preferred it over some of the areas he has been through. What once served as a popular hub for underground transportation was now used as a base for a small militia. Using the subway system to shield themselves from the rampage that was happening on the surface, they were protected from the beasts and other groups of people who feared what was hiding within the darkness. Besides the few creatures that mutated while in the subway stations, the only interactions the militia had were when they sent small groups out to scavenge for food, water, and supplies.

  “I have seen what lies on the surface. I have gone toe to toe with those abominations. I will lead you all to the promise land. A place where we can rebuild. A place where we can rule.”

  Cheers roared again. The subway station was packed with people of all races and ages. Most of them were dressed in black, but those who weren’t were still in some type of dark clothing. All eyes were focused on a man standing on the platform of the subway station. He stepped carefully over debris that had fallen from a damaged roof that caved in, ruining the platform.

  He stood tall over the crowded platform, ensuring that everyone was able to see and hear him. He ran his fingers through the thick, brown beard that covered his face. The man had an average build, but his presence was enormous. Most of the people who lurked in the world below the surface were those who were not comfortable dealing with the new reality. While others did their best to keep a bit of normalcy in their lives and protect themselves and their property, there were people who just wanted to stay alive. They did not want to deal with the mutations.

  Occasionally, the mutated creatures found their way into the subway systems, but they were quickly dealt with. Killing the beasts gave the group courage to begin resurfacing and wreaking havoc on the world above them. They scavenged, bringing back food and supplies. They developed a reputation on the streets. Known for robbing people and burglarizing properties, the group supplied themselves. They were even able to arm themselves after hitting a gun store.

  Like with any good thing, nothing lasts forever. The militia’s reach was not far, seeing as they only hit areas that were close to the subway stations. It was easier for them to be able to disappear quick, rather than take their chances hiking through the city with supplies. Soon, the amount of supplies that the group was able to collect would slowly deplete.

  “We are not going to let time tick by as we sit in these tunnels to rot. We were once America’s rejects, but now we will be the rulers of this city. People will bow down to us. We will live like kings and queens.” More cheers erupted. He looked on at the cheering crowd. He had big plans for each and every one of them as long as they stayed in line. There would be zero tolerance for treachery. “I came from a group that had the resources to survive for years. The problem we ran into were not being able to separate what we need to be doing versus what we wanted to be doing. Too many people had their own way of doing things. If you are one of those people, leave now because there is no time to waste.”

  He continued watching the crowd, daring someone to make the wrong choice. In his mind, there was no way out of this scenario. He had an advantage in the war he was about to start, and it was only because he knew the inner workings of his enemy’s operation. He would not allow them to have the same opportunity against him.

  A smug smirk spread across the man’s face as he watched his plan unfold. Just think, he was written off as a dead man, and now he would lead his small militia toward a brighter future. He would lead them toward a future that involved him being the most powerful man in the world. He knew exactly what he had to get his hands on in order to make this dream a reality.

  “It is time for The Association to burn, and it is time for the Reaper to return home.”

  CHAPTER 13

  Under the dim lights, beads of sweat trickled down Jin’s flat face. Although summer was coming to an end and a cool breeze was flowing through the window, the anticipation of
the next experiment caused Jin’s body temperature to rise. He looked over at Sierra and the rest of his team, and judging by their moist faces, they felt the pressure as well. The building used as the laboratory was slowly falling apart. The structure was giving away to the elements, and the interior was attracting various types of bugs and rodents. The once unbearable stench no longer affected the occupants of the building. Their own personal body odor and filthy clothes masked any odor that attempted to travel through their nostrils. The specimens they had caged up did not offer much to them in terms of science.

  Until now, they were not able to put a beast down without sending a bullet through its head. Seeing as though Jin’s last batch of gas from Vial X seemed to do the job without mutilating the beast, he was eager to dissect the creature that was being strapped to a table. The guards used zip ties, rope, and belts to restrain the deceased creature. Brody looked on, still angry at Mikey’s senseless death. Now, Mikey’s killer was lifeless and being strapped to the table. Once the guards were finished securing the beast, one of the team members walked up to Jin with a handful of supplies. Jin reached over and grabbed a large scalpel. In the past, he would ensure the supplies had been sterilized, but in the current setting, he was just happy to have the used instruments.

  Jin ran his left hand across the chest of the beast. His fingers combed through the thick, black hair that covered the beast’s skin. The hair was course. He carefully examined the body. Jin had the guards pour water all over the beast prior to it being brought over because it was covered in Mikey’s blood. This was the closest he got to one of the beasts without it trying to devour him or their bodies being covered in blood. The arm of the beast was heavy. “The skin is tight,” Jin muttered.

  “That’s probably because it stretches during the mutation,” Abraham muttered through the mask that covered his nose and mouth. Abraham Patel was an associate of Jin and also a medical consultant at the time the government contract was received. Abraham was a surgeon, and like most people, he wanted to stay behind to help others. At the time, Abraham had faith that he could contribute to a cure in some way. Since then, his hope in humanity as a whole had wavered. With no immediate family of his own in Philadelphia, the decision was not hard to stay behind and assist Jin. All of Abraham’s family was in India. He had no way of communicating with them to ensure them that he was alive and safe. Mobile communications were still down. He figured he’d fly back to India at the first opportunity that came around once they found a cure for the mutations.

  Jin was amazed at the transformation that occurred during the mutations. The beast that was strapped to the table was formerly Corporal Brent Kostowski, who was a young soldier who was passionate about defending his country. The corporal’s average-sized body had transformed into a much larger frame. Although the height only slightly increased, the beast’s mass was much greater than the former 170-pound body. Jin lifted the hand and examined the large claws that extended past the fingertips. Some of Mikey’s flesh and blood was still underneath the nails. They were rough and sharp, explaining why they easily ripped through metal and concrete. The claws on the beast’s feet were just as sharp as the ones on its hands. This is fascinating, Jin thought as he continued examining the body. Thick knots decorated the beast’s body, displaying locations in which the bones had elongated and broken down, only to rebuild. The rebuilt body left the beast with a hunched back, broader shoulders, longer limbs, and bones that were denser than the originals.

  Jin stuck his pen in the mouth of the beast, prying the teeth apart. Thick saliva and blood covered the pen. Jagged teeth filled the beast’s mouth. There seemed to be an excessive number of teeth that filled the mouth, which Jin knew was a result of the mutation. He remembered Brent’s perfect smile that had the potential of being advertised in a Colgate commercial. Now, there were twice as many teeth on both rows.

  “Can you clear up a spot for me?” Jin asked, turning to his research team.

  Abraham quickly responded to the request, eager to begin the operation. He took a BIC razor and began swiping away at the hairs on the beast. The rusty blade on the old razor barely did the job. Abraham continued swiping away until he was somewhat able to clear a spot on the chest.

  “This might be the best I can do. I think this is our last razor too.”

  “It’s ok. This should be fine,” Jin replied as he brushed away the shaved hairs from the center of the chest.

  He carefully placed the blade on the beast’s chest and applied just enough pressure to puncture the skin. Jin slowly slid the blade downward toward the navel. Jin shot a look at Abraham once he saw the fluid that was escaping the body. This look is very familiar. Jin gave the same look during the testing for the martial law operation, when their team was first exposed to the lethal gas. They lost five chemists during that testing, which frightened Jin.

  “Is that blood?” Sierra asked. A disgusted expression masked her face.

  “I believe so,” Abraham replied as he reached over and touched the thick, black fluid. “It looks more like dirty motor oil.”

  Abraham continued probing the body of the beast as his stomach began to turn. There was not much that could upset his stomach, but for some reason, this examination started taking a toll on him. Staring at the body of what used to be a human being set in the reality that there was no coming back from the destruction he helped cause. Finding an antidote to reverse the mutations would be damn near impossible. “Even if we find a cure, how the hell would we administer it to the entire population?”

  There was no immediate answer to his question. There was only silence as Jin made a large, deep, Y-shaped incision that was made from shoulder to shoulder, meeting at his initial incision location and extending all the way down to the pelvis. After the incision was made, the chest flaps were pulled open, exposing the rib cage. Jin worked diligently to carefully remove the rib cage from the skeleton, which appeared to be deformed from the mutation. The task was much harder than expected. Each rib seemed to be thicker, and Jin counted six extra ribs. It was as if the beast’s body added an extra layer of protection for the organs.

  No one in the group had ever seen anything this extraordinary. The mutations were hideous on the exterior, but the interior was fascinating. The thickening of the bones in the human body would be a remarkable breakthrough. The body would be able to protect itself from breaks and fractures and provide an increase in strength. Jin was heartbroken knowing he would not be able to conduct more research into duplicating these characteristics. Without the luxury of a government-funded research facility and equipment, Jin was limited in what he could do with the corpse, and he was down to his two last vials. If one of them was not the cure, they would be back to square one. If they had to go back to square one, Jin knew that Micah would want blood for all the wasted time. Their leader wanted a cure, and right now, Jin and his team could not provide one.

  “I just don’t understand any of this,” Abraham muttered. “What the hell did they put in that gas that could cause these types of mutations?”

  “I have no idea,” Jin replied as he continued working on the ribcage. “Don’t just stand there. Help me get this thing off!” he yelled at two of the gunmen who were guarding the warehouse.

  One of the men grabbed a saw and began working on the ribs. Back and forth, he worked the saw on the thick bone. The repeated motion was exhausting, but he kept trying to no avail. The insignificant cuts in the bones were not going to do the job. They needed more than hand tools to accomplish their goal.

  “Let me give it a try,” the other gunman suggested. He had a rusty ice pick in one hand and a hammer in the other. His associate moved out the way and watched as he placed the pick on one of the ribs and began hammering away. Using the tool as a chisel, he was sure he would be able to chip away at the thick bone. Strike after strike, the hammer pounded on the top of the ice pick. With each strike, more force was being applied. He continued striking with all his strength. Suddenly, that gunman ham
mered the ice pick, and the force of the strike caused the pick to slip off the bone. The rusty instrument punctured the liver, and black blood shout out of the organ and into the face of the gunman. He stumbled back and fell over one of the tables.

  A canister of the original mutating gas was on the table that was knocked over. The canister opened when it hit the ground, and orange smoke began seeping out. “Run!” Jin yelled as he, Abraham, and the other research team members headed for the door. “Lock the door,” he ordered once everyone got out of the room. Everyone was able to make it out except the gunman who had fallen over the table. He was consumed by the orange smoke as everyone was escaping.

  CHAPTER 14

  “Watch your step,” a male voice said.

  The group of four stepped over the damaged sign. What was once a florescent sign posted above the front doors that welcomed guests into the 30th Street Train Station was now a damaged pile of metal that blocked the main entrance.

  “Are you sure it’s safe in here?” Abigail asked Orlando.

  “No, I’m not sure, but we don’t really have a choice,” Orlando responded.

  “We did have a choice,” Duncan replied. “I told you that we could have checked the other apartments in our building.”

  “We went up and down the whole floor, Duncan. We got all that we could from the other apartments that were empty. What else was there to do?”

  “You know what we could have done,” Duncan barked.

  “We aren’t going to have this discussion again. I already told you that I’m not going to break into other people’s apartments and take what’s theirs. It’s not right.”

  “Orlando is right. We can’t just take from other people,” Carol chimed in.

  “We can do whatever the hell we want!” Duncan yelled. “There are no laws and no rules anymore. Now let’s go.”