Nefarious Heroes: Malevolent Prisoners Book Two

by Eddie Jakes

  "Monsieur! What the hell happened to you?"

  "I …" said Maddix, still catching his breath. "I ran into William."

  "He was here?" Tara, who was struggling to sit upright in bed, interrupted.

  "Yeah. I tried to follow him, but he caught me. I killed him."

  Javier knelt before Maddix. "Roberts? Did he say anything about him?"

  Maddix shook his head.

  "Here," said Shepard, tossing a shirt to Maddix, "it's about your size. Can't have you walking around looking like a slaughterhouse. I don't have any type of laundry service here."

  Maddix unbuttoned his blood-soaked shirt and tossed it to Shepard, who caught it and immediately threw it on the fire. The smoke filled the room and smelled like copper, cotton, and pine before dissipating up the flume. Watching the shirt burn was a depressing reminder that Maddix didn't have much left to call his own. Not even the clothes on his back.

  "Where's my coat? Did you get blood on that, too?" asked Shepard.

  "I'm sorry. I lost it."

  "Damn. I hate going into town for things. People nowadays give me chills."

  Everyone looked at Shepard confused.

  "What? Werewolves and vampires I can deal with. They're honest about themselves. People are paranoid, selfish, and unpredictable. You'll see."

  "Enough of this," Javier snapped. "What did you find out in the library?"

  Maddix told them the whole story; the book, the video, and where they wanted them to go first. It was all a lot to digest, and they listened to every word intensely. Maddix stopped short when a scratch on the door alerted them. Shepard unlatched the front door, and Tanya in wolf form looked up at him.

  "No pets allowed."

  "Just let me in, you miserable old man," growled Tanya.

  She stepped into the center of the room sniffing at the air and toward the fire. After convulsing slightly, she morphed back into her human self and stood up onto her two legs.

  "Don't you have any shame?" scowled Shepard, trying not to look at Tanya's nakedness.

  Tanya turned to the man and placed her hands on her hips while puffing her bare chest out. "Do I have something to be ashamed about?"

  For the first time since leaving Malevolent, everyone laughed.

  Javier quickly handed Tanya her clothing, which she immediately put on to appease Shepard who was still quite uncomfortable. She gave him a devilish smile before addressing Maddix.

  "I smelled something while I was scouting outside. Did you encounter one of my own?"

  Maddix told her the whole story.

  "So William is dead? Did you see Eric with him?"

  "No, he was alone."

  Sitting next to Tara, Tanya began to feel her head. Tara looked a lot better but still had her bad moments. Maddix noticed the two had formed a pretty significant bond.

  That’s a good sign, he thought to himself.

  "We'll wait until Tara is a hundred percent before making a move," Maddix stated. "You two remember anything yet?"

  They both nodded their affirmation.

  "I'm going to guess it wasn't what you expected?"

  "No," answered Tara. "I'm beginning to think that I had a complicated past."

  "And I," said Javier.

  "We don't have to talk about this. Let's just focus on the present. We still have a job to do, right? We're still responsible. Tanya, you've been a big help to us, but I need to know that you are with us."

  "I am here, Overseer."

  "No. I need to know that you are with us."

  "I see …" Tanya smiled. "You are concerned that I might betray you. Perhaps murder you in your sleep?"

  They locked eyes for a few seconds before Maddix answered her. "Yes."

  Maddix noticed Tanya's eyes move in Javier's direction.

  "I am with you," said Tanya. "Have no fear, Overseer."

  "Then I trust you … but for fuck's sake, call me Maddix."

  "Have no fear, Maddix."

  "Are you really going to trust this dog?" asked Shepard.

  "Tanya was betrayed by her own pack. She's been with us through all of this."

  "Are you willing to bet your life?"

  Tanya sprung from the bed and got in Shepard's face. "If you hate me so much then strike me down. I will not fight you."

  "That's noble of you."

  "Monsieur!" shouted Javier.

  Frustrated, Maddix stepped in between Tanya and Shepard. He placed his hand on Shepard's chest and pushed him back slowly. Turning to Tanya, he nodded for her to sit back down, and she complied with some displeasure.

  "We appreciate everything you've done for us," Maddix stated. "However, Tanya is with us as a deputized overseer of Malevolent under my authority."

  The room was quiet for ten seconds before Shepard began to laugh out loud. Everyone looked at him with a perplexed expression.

  "I don't recall that being part of the pact," chuckled Shepard.

  "What?" asked Maddix.

  "Just follow me, I have something downstairs that you might like."

  "Downstairs?" asked Javier.

  CHAPTER TEN

  The bubbling and whirring noise of laboratory equipment mixed with the soft, intermittent moaning of his chained test subjects was like music to Ephrain's ears. He got off on the suffering of his victims and the prospects of new compounds and formulas. He was a sick bastard, but he was also a brilliant chemist with the same passion as any other man of science. Why should he be held in any less regard simply because his calling in life was in human suffering instead of medicine?

  To hell with humanity. From his point of view, he might as well be doing a public service by removing the world's discarded and forgotten people. If society didn't want them, then he'd give them a new purpose in life. By his rationale, they were blessed to have someone like Ephrain Ketter select them to be his next test subject. Indeed, he felt that they should show respect and gratitude for this esteemed honor.

  Ephrain was sitting at his lab waiting for the centrifuge to finish its cycle. Dr. Himmelreich had been gracious to share some of his unique compound he used in some of his earlier experiments with the dead. He had suggested that separating some of the densest components could put him in the direction of creating a perfect formula that could effect living cells and alter them. The German scientist trusted and respected him enough to share his secrets, and he was excited about the opportunity. The trick would be finding the right blend of chemistry to ensure the subject did not expire. Keeping patients alive wasn't Ephrain's strong suit, but he was willing to give it a try.

  Tied up in the apartment was a dirty vagrant in his thirties. No doubt a drug addict, by Ephrain's assumption. Definitely not someone that anyone would miss if he disappeared. The perfect candidate for a little scientific experimentation. His eyes started to open and dart around the room in confusion. He jerked in his chair violently once he had realized that he was tied up with thick rope.

  "What the fuck is this? Where the fuck am I?"

  Ephrain looked at the man but said nothing. He wasn't interested in a friendly chat session. This was delicate work, and timing was everything.

  "Lemme outta here! You can't do this to me! I got rights!"

  The word "rights" sparked something in Ephrain. He smiled fondly at the man. The people of the modern day loved to proclaim their rights when faced with the tiniest bit of opposition. He'd seen it many times out in the city. What they would shout is at authority, shout it at each other, and scream about it on the television. It was ironic to him that everyone living in the free world would find it necessary to remind each other of their rights.

  "You are correct, sir!" proclaimed Ephrain.

  "So you'll let me go? I won't call the cops if you cut me loose."

  "No, I'm afraid I can't do that."

  The centrifuge chimed, and Ephrain returned his attention to his work. He extracted a test-tube from the centrifuge and held it in front of his face, inspecting it carefully. There was a green-tinted
fluid with a collection of black sludge at the bottom. Grabbing a long syringe, he extracted the sludge—which was the component he needed—from the test tube and discarded the rest.

  "What's that?"

  "This is the key to your new life, my friend. Or death."

  "Huh?" whimpered the man.

  Holding the syringe in his right hand, Ephrain rose from his seat and approached the frightened vagrant. He was shaking at the sight of the elongated needle pointed at the ceiling.

  "What are you gonna so with that?"

  "I think that much is obvious."

  "Wait, what is it?"

  "It's a little too complicated for you to understand. Let's just say I've already given you a series of injections while you were unconscious. Those were just a catalyst for this particular ingredient from a good friend of mine. A brilliant man, I might add."

  "What's it do?"

  "By itself, it animates dead cellular structure. With my little contribution, it should virtually destroy your cell structure and rebuild it."

  "No, keep that shit away from me!"

  "I didn't think I asked for your permission. It's like this … your rights, as you put it, keep the government from doing what I am about to do to you. However, your rights don't mean jack shit to me."

  Ephrain straddled the man and tried to stick the syringe in the man's neck, but he shook and jerked his head in all directions, attempting to avoid the needle at all costs. Tired of playing games, Ephrain head butted the man in the face and jammed the tip into his neck. He quickly squeezed the plunger, and the black sludge oozed into his vein.

  "Fuck! It burns! You fucker!"

  Ephrain took a few steps back and watched for any change.

  "God dammit! What the fuck is that shit? I can feel it moving!"

  "Relax your muscles. It's just a little denser than your body is used to pushing through the bloodstream. It'll thin out soon."

  "Fuck you!"

  "I need you to focus. Do you feel any changes?

  "What the fuck are you talking about?"

  At that moment, the man's skin began to discolor and harden; it was separating from his body slowly like scales. Ephrain imagined the experience must have been painful. Suddenly, the man started screaming at the top of his lungs until his voice began to drown out due to his tongue expanding.

  "Help mee—" he cried out.

  "I didn't expect this outcome."

  The man continued to convulse as his entire body chemistry was erased and rewritten by the powerful formula coursing through his blood. His skin had become a thick exoskeleton of sorts, and his face began to alter in fantastic shapes. Black fluid leaked from the sides of his mouth, nose, and down the legs of his pants. He could no longer scream, or breathe, and Ephrain knew the experiment was a failure. He would soon die.

  "Fuck,” growled Ephrain, as he punched his own fist.

  After the last of the man's death throes, his eyes exploded out from their sockets, and black fluid squirted through the air.

  Ephrain went to return to his lab, but the door to the apartment opened and Krazek stepped inside. His nose scrunched in disgust at the heaping pile of mutated crud tied to a chair.

  "What in the devil is that?"

  "I was experimenting with some of Himmelreich's research."

  After taking a good look at the mangled mess that remained of the homeless man, he touched the shell-like armor, which was once flesh.

  "I would say you are on the right track. What are you using it for?"

  "Trying to see if I can create a little muscle. It's dangerous out there."

  Krazek gazed at Ephrain in disbelief.

  "Last time the doc and I talked, we discussed making a new and improved foot soldier. Kind of like he did with the walking corpses back in the day. Only I'm trying to do it with the living. So far I've got nothing."

  "Looks like you've managed to alter the DNA. That's progress."

  "Yeah, but they keep fucking dying on me. Something about the compound causes it to reproduce at such a high rate that the subject literally dies from drowning in it. You can see it pouring out of every orifice."

  Krazek stared at the black slime oozing at the dead man's legs. "You mean …"

  "Yeah, there too."

  "Disgusting."

  With a shrug, Ephrain returned to his lab to look over his notes.

  "Don't get comfortable. I need your help with a particular task."

  "I'm really busy figuring this mess out. Plus, I need to start prepping the spinal fluid for transport. We're almost at the goal."

  Placing his hand down on Ephrain's papers, Krazek told him about William and the volatile situation with the other werewolf clans.

  "So what's your plan?"

  "Well," began Krazek, as he took a seat on the table, "if I can get a sample of William's blood, I can cast a spell to take his shape. If the wolves don't know he is dead, they won't do anything rash."

  Ephrain stared at him in disbelief. "Come on, they'll spot you once they see you can't wolf out or whatever the hell they call it."

  "Oh, but I can. Animals are natural. Specific ones are the tricky part."

  "How are you going to get around that?"

  "That I don't know. I've never taken the shape of a werewolf before. I'm hoping the spell will include William's wolf form."

  Smiling, Ephrain stood up. "I'm in. Where we going?"

  "The morgue."

  It was like being back in the prison all over again with secret doors and stairs to hidden rooms. Shepard lead the lot of them into his pantry, where he insisted everyone try and squeeze in. After asking Tanya to close the door behind them, they were all jolted by the floor shaking, followed by the sound of a motor somewhere above their heads. After one more bump the door to the pantry opened on its own, revealing a different room than the one they had entered from.

  The room lit up, showing an open space with two pieces of furniture covered with drop cloths and glass cases containing weapons of varying degree. There were swords, daggers, wooden stakes, guns, rifles, and holy items. It reminded Maddix of his old office back in Malevolent. Everything anyone could ask for to fight against all types of monsters was there. In between each glass case were small shelving units with different kinds of books. Tara ran her shaking hands over each spine, as if to take in the knowledge through her fingers. She looked ill, but still had the glimmer of intellectual curiosity in her eyes.

  Javier began pulling the drop cloths off the furniture to reveal a round table with six chairs and a simple desk. He started to smile again, the first time since leaving the prison. Maddix could tell he was beginning to feel like he was back where he belonged. The game was different, but they were the same players. Having some place to escape to and to make a plan was something they needed desperately.

  Someone else knew that as well …

  "No more bullshit," Maddix stated. "Who are you? Are you part of the group that left the message in the library?"

  "You can say that," responded Shepard.

  "Why didn't you just tell us everything from the start?" asked Tara.

  "That's not my role. I didn't know what was in that message until you told everyone. I wasn't supposed to know just in case things got dangerous."

  "This doesn't fall under that category?" scoffed Javier.

  "That's why you had to go to the library and find out. My job was to watch the gate, and if necessary, help the overseers through the transition."

  "What transition?" Maddix inquired.

  "Your memories. I've watched you all go through it. Especially you, Tara. You've got it the hardest. It's physically painful at first, then the reality of everything hits you. You'll start to remember people you left behind and things you used to do. It's enough to drive anyone mad. Some ended their lives over it, others … just kind of ran away from it all."

  Tanya directed her gaze at Shepard. "We have met before. Haven't we?"

  He took a deep breath before responding. "If you say
so."

  "So do you know about all of us? You know who we are?" asked Javier.

  "Not specifics. I do know you were all chosen for a reason. I don't know what that reason is, though. I just know that you're all different from the other overseers in the past."

  Glancing around, Maddix took in everything about the room that he could. The books seemed pretty old, as did some of the weapons. The handguns looked pretty up-to-date, however. They were definitely more current than the pistol he carried with him. For an operation as sophisticated as it seemed, he was slightly disappointed that there wasn't any heavy artillery. If this was a war, they certainly weren't armed like the military.

  "Not a lot of technology down here," Maddix remarked.

  "Completely off the grid. No one will ever know you're here. I would suggest you keep it that way."

  "A few grenades would have helped as well," joked Javier.

  "Part of hunting creatures of the night is protecting the innocent. Blowing things up doesn't help with that. Besides, none of that works on vampires or werewolves. They'll just put themselves back together and keep trying to kill you."

  "He's right. Plus, we need to keep everything we do a secret for as long as possible."

  "And William?" asked Tanya. "It won't take them too long to figure out that someone is hunting them."

  "That's right. I'm hoping it will draw someone else out of hiding."

  Tara let out a groan.

  "Let's get you back upstairs, miss," said Shepard.

  "Yes, you get some rest. The rest of you stay with me. We're gonna take inventory and make some plans."

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  They had spent the night before scoping out the layout of the morgue and the patterns of the employees before making a plan to enter. They needed some uniforms to blend in with the staff. They soon discovered that not all agents were created equal, and quite a few of them didn't have access to where they needed to go, and some only had limited access under supervision. Being discovered was not part of their plan.