The Adjusters

by Taylor, Andrew

  Not wasting her chance, Fox ran for the defibrillator. He reached out and grabbed her leg as she passed. Fox went down hard on the floor and then Trooper Dan was on top of her. The side of his face where the acid had hit was red raw and giving off a chemical smoke as the liquid ate through his skin. He took Fox by the shoulders and slammed her against the tiled floor. She gasped as the blow knocked the air from her lungs, and pain exploded up her spine. Then the cop lifted her like she weighed nothing and threw her down on the top of a gurney near the brains’ vat.

  “Don’t you move,” Trooper Dan spat. His voice was slurred now, as if some of the acid had eaten into his mouth and tongue. Fox lay helpless on the gurney, too stunned at that moment to do anything. She looked round at her attacker and recoiled in shock and disgust – it was like the right side of his face was made of wax that had been melted with a blowtorch.

  “Please,” she said. “You need a doctor.”

  Trooper Dan actually smiled, revealing his molars through a hole in his cheek. “Yuh thunk am gunna need sum plustic surgry, huh?” He looked around, eyes falling upon a tray of surgical equipment. He grabbed it and threw it down on the trolley beside Fox. She tried to sit up, but he forced her down with his claw hand, the metal talons digging into her flesh so that she cried out.

  “Stuy stull,” he ordered, running his good hand over the scalpels in the tray. “Thus ain’t gunna hurt a bit…”

  “Don’t do this,” Fox begged, trying to squirm away. “We know what Mallory did to you. He adjusted you like all the others. Made you crazy…”

  Trooper Dan smiled as he picked up a cranial saw from the tray. “Crazy,” he repeated as he flicked the button on the side. The metal blade began to spin. He moved it towards her skull…

  “No!” Fox cried, grabbing his wrist and pushing him back with all her might.

  “Iz okay,” Trooper Dan said, pressing down. “Juz wunna see whut yuh brain luks like…”

  Fox tried to push him away, but he was just too strong. The spinning blade came closer and closer to her skull…

  Desperately, she reached down with her free hand and found the metal claw they’d placed on his wounded arm. She closed her fingers around the metal and wrenched it free with all her might. Trooper Dan howled as the prosthesis was ripped away from his hand. He staggered back. The cranial saw dropped, still spinning, from his fingers and started grinding against the tiles. As he reached for her again, Fox slashed at him with the metal claw. It made contact with his neck, and stuck there. The cop fell back, clutching at his throat.

  Rolling off the trolley, Fox staggered towards the defibrillator, aware that the big man was rising behind her. Nothing kept him down for long. Snatching up a paddle in each hand, she spun round in time to see him flying at her…arms flailing…the claw still sticking out from his bloody neck…

  Fox threw out her hands instinctively. As Trooper Dan’s chest connected with the paddles she pressed the trigger on each. There was a whine as the electricity was released…

  The cop flew back as if he’d been hit with a wrecking ball… He hit the floor of the lab and lay there on his back…gave a final violent twitch…. And then lay still.

  For a second Fox stood motionless as the defibrillator recharge hummed. She dropped the paddles and fell to her knees, every part of her body shaking. She gazed in horror and relief at Trooper Dan’s body, and noticed that smoke was rising from it.

  With great effort, she moved to stand in front of the fallen cop. Somehow, lying out on the floor, he looked even bigger than when he was standing up. His previously blue eyes were wide open, but they’d been fried white by the electricity that had coursed through his brain and blasted his implant.

  There was a strangely peaceful look on his face.

  She reached down and retrieved the lab keys from his pocket, then headed out to find the others.

  Henry drove the Hummer up the medical centre driveway at full speed, not stopping for a buggy that had jackknifed in the entrance. He simply ran over it, obliterating it completely.

  The last of the doctors were making a run for it. Henry ignored them as he brought the beast of a vehicle to a screeching halt on the gravel and jumped from the cab – they’d be rounded up eventually, he hoped. He was only interested in his friends and his mom. Having seen most of them on the monitor in the substation, he guessed they were probably still inside. Christian was surely being held in the complex somewhere too, most likely well away from the effects of Henry’s message, adjusted and completely at Malcorp’s mercy. Henry had to shut down his SPIDIR, just like he had with Gabrielle and Blake.

  “Henry!” a familiar voice called from the side of the building.

  He looked round to see Coach Tyler and Mary Layton hiding in the shadows. He ran over to join them.

  “The whole place has gone nuts!” the coach said. “Mallory’s got a bunch of killers dressed as security guards taking out all the doctors. We decided to hide it out.”

  “Where’s my mom?” Henry asked.

  “Mallory took her hostage,” Mary answered. “And my daughter is still in the building. That cop is after her.”

  Henry weighed up his options and came to a difficult decision. “Get her to the Hummer,” he ordered the coach, who looked like he was barely able to walk himself. “I’m going after Fox.”

  “Be careful, kid,” the coach said as he started manoeuvring the wheelchair to the vehicle.

  Henry ran to the main doors and into the familiar foyer…except now the place was filled with the stench of burning. And the floor was littered with the dead bodies of doctors. He took in the shocking scene and ran for the security door. As he got there it opened and he tensed, ready to face one of Mallory’s killers…

  It was Fox. She looked as if she could barely stand, staggering towards him… Henry caught her in his arms.

  “It’s okay,” he said as she clung to him, a sob racking her body. “I’ve got you.”

  She mumbled, “Trooper Dan…”

  Henry looked past her towards the security door. “Is he…?”

  “I think I’ve killed him,” she said flatly, pulling away and looking him in the eyes.

  Henry placed his hands on her shoulders. She was clearly in shock. “You did what you had to do,” he said. “Now we have to get out of here. Okay?”

  Fox looked at him blankly for a second, but then her eyes focused. “My mom…”

  “Is waiting for us,” Henry said, taking her hand and leading her across the foyer.

  They hurried out of the building and Henry put Fox in the passenger side of the Hummer, before running round to take the driver’s seat. “I’ll come back for Christian once I’m certain you’re all safe. And what about my mom – where did Mallory take her?” Henry asked as he fired up the engine.

  “We overheard his men saying something about a helicopter,” Mary said from the back.

  “There’s a helipad on the east side of the complex.” The coach pointed to the left through the window. “That way.”

  “Strap yourselves in,” Henry said as he put the car in drive. “This could get bumpy.”

  The Hummer tore away with a screech of gravel, just as a guard with a machine gun exploded from the foyer of the medical centre.

  “Everyone down!” Henry cried as bullets strafed the windshield. Rather than trying to avoid their attacker, he swerved the Hummer towards the man, clipping him with the boxy front of the vehicle. The guard flew back and smashed against the wall of the centre. Henry drove on.

  It seemed every building in the Malcorp complex was on fire. Henry had ordered the adjusted kids to destroy everything. And they had certainly done that. Now the kids and their families were standing around in the open spaces between the buildings, looking dazed or huddling together for protection. They were like refugees from some war. So much for Mallory’s vision, Henry thought grimly as he steered the Hummer around them, the heel of his palm on the horn.

  “Over there,” the coach said,
pointing towards a raised area set away from the buildings up ahead. The early-morning mist had cleared now, and the helicopter sat on the helipad for all to see, its rotor blades turning slowly as if gearing up for flight. Henry put his foot on the gas, heading straight for it. He wondered what would happen if he drove the Hummer right into the tail of the machine…

  “Take it easy, kid,” the coach warned. “Mallory’s got your mom, remember.”

  Henry eased off as they came close, hitting the brake to bring the giant vehicle to a skidding halt at the edge of the helipad.

  “I don’t see any guards,” Henry said, peering through the windshield, hoping to glimpse his mom.

  “It’s Christian!” Fox exclaimed, pointing to the front of the chopper. Sure enough, Henry saw his friend sitting in the cockpit, one hand on the joystick, staring ahead blankly. Fox reached for the door handle, but Henry stopped her.

  “It looks like he’s still under Mallory’s control,” he said. Two figures appeared round the back of the helicopter: Mallory and Jennifer Ward. The man turned and Henry saw the gun he had pressed into his mom’s back. Mallory made a beckoning gesture with his free hand.

  “What’s he want?” Fox asked.

  Henry took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. “He wants me to go out there.”

  Fox shook her head. “Don’t be crazy. He’ll kill you!”

  “Maybe,” Henry said, half opening his door. “But this has to end somehow.”

  As he started to get out, Fox reached over and grabbed his arm. “Be careful, Ward!”

  He gave her what he hoped looked like a confident grin. “Get behind the wheel. If he starts shooting, get out of here.”

  Fox nodded and slid into the driver’s seat as Henry stepped out of the Hummer.

  It was a cold, still morning now. The part of the compound in which the helipad was situated was quiet apart from the thrum of the chopper blades speeding up. On leaden legs, Henry walked towards the helicopter. As he approached, Mallory grabbed Jennifer and moved from under the blades.

  “I could have left five minutes ago,” Mallory shouted above the noise. Jennifer struggled against him, but he jabbed her in the side with the automatic.

  “Why didn’t you?” Henry asked, knowing this was what Mallory wanted. He met his mom’s eyes for a moment, and she managed a twitch of a smile to show she was okay.

  “I wanted to see you one more time, Henry,” Mallory said, “to have words with the kid who wouldn’t play ball.”

  “It’s over, Mr. Mallory,” he said. “The complex is destroyed. The authorities are on their way. Everyone’s going to know what you’ve been doing here.”

  Mallory let out a roaring laugh. “You think this is the end? You haven’t destroyed anything, just put me back a little. In a month I’ll have a new face and a new set-up twice as good as this place! There are plenty of countries begging me to give them my technology.”

  “Plenty of dictatorships, you mean,” Jennifer said, trying to pull away from him.

  Mallory shook his head and held her tighter. “Don’t be so naïve. There isn’t a country in the western world that wouldn’t kill for the control I can offer. Adjustment is going to work and it’s going to make the world a much happier, simpler place.”

  “Just as long as you’re one of the people pulling the strings,” Henry said.

  Mallory sneered at him. “There are two types of people in this world, kid: the controllers and the controlled. Look at you. You’ve caused all this destruction and what have you really achieved? But me? I’ve got your mom. With a little adjustment, I think she’s going to be very happy as the new Mrs. Mallory…”

  Jennifer jerked her head round at him. “In your dreams.”

  Mallory laughed. “Oh, you will learn to love me.” He looked back at Henry. “And I’ve got my new son, Christian. A son who’ll never let me down. Not like the others.”

  Henry slowly began to move towards Mallory, hoping he was too caught up in his monologue to notice. If he could just get the gun…

  Mallory continued, “We’re going to be one big happy family, Henry. But I’m afraid there’s no place for you at the table. You just don’t fit in…” He whipped the gun round so it was pointing at Henry’s head. “That’s close enough!”

  Henry froze and raised his hands to chest height.

  “You can’t beat me, son,” Mallory said viciously.

  “I can see that,” Henry said, choosing his words carefully. “What about Christian? Why hasn’t he been affected by the theta signal?”

  Mallory glanced quickly back at the helicopter and Christian. “We had him tucked away in the medical centre for more upgrades. So luckily he didn’t get to hear your set of instructions…” His voice trailed away and a look of understanding passed over his face. “Very clever. Trying to keep me talking? Hoping the FBI is going to come running in to save the day?” He shook his head with mock sadness. “It doesn’t work like that. This is the bit where I take everything you care about and carry on business as usual. And you get to be a hero.” He sighted down the gun at Henry’s head. “Just like your dad.”

  Henry tensed, waiting for Mallory to pull the trigger…

  “Stop!” Jennifer Ward’s voice rang out above the helicopter roar.

  Mallory shifted his grip on the gun. “What? You want some last words with your son?”

  Jennifer kept her eyes on Henry. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you.”

  “It’s okay, Mom,” Henry said, his voice thick as he saw the tears in her eyes.

  “And I’m sorry for giving you such a hard time these last months…” Her voice broke.

  “It’s okay,” Henry said, holding her gaze. “Sometimes you have to put your foot down. Know what I mean?” He flicked his eyes down to her feet and then up again. An understanding passed between them.

  “Yeah,” she said.

  Mallory held up the gun again. “Very touching. Now let’s get this done…”

  Jennifer Ward raised her leg and rammed the heel of her shoe hard onto Mallory’s foot with a crunch. He howled in pain. There was a roar as the gun discharged in his hand

  A bullet flew past Henry’s head…

  …but he was already running at Mallory. He hit the man, driving him down onto the tarmac of the helipad. The gun flew from his grasp as they landed in a heap with Henry on top.

  “Run, Mom!” Henry yelled, trying to disentangle himself. Jennifer started for the Hummer and soon Henry was on his feet too, about to follow…

  Mallory grabbed at his leg. “I’m gonna kill you! You little son of a bitch!”

  Henry spun round and kicked out at Mallory, catching him in the face and driving him back down. Then he turned and ran, aware of Mallory scrambling for the fallen gun as he fled. The Hummer roared into life and drove onto the tarmac, screeching round to form a protective barrier as Jennifer passed.

  “Henry, watch out!” Fox yelled through the open passenger window.

  He ran full pelt for the vehicle. A gunshot rang out. Henry jumped at the front of the Hummer, flying across the hood and landing on the other side next to his mom as bullets slammed into the side of the vehicle. Everyone inside ducked for cover as Mallory emptied the automatic at them.

  As the shooting stopped, Henry looked round the front of the vehicle in time to see Mallory toss the empty gun and run as fast as he could for the chopper, blood streaming from his nose where Henry’s foot had connected.

  Henry didn’t hesitate for a second: running out from the shelter of the Hummer and across the helipad as the chopper started rising into the air. He was vaguely aware of the voices of his mom and Fox calling after him as he ran, but he was focused on one thing…

  Saving Christian.

  Through the side windows of the chopper he could see Mallory in the back, hunched on the seat, cupping his broken nose in his hands. In the front, Christian was expertly piloting the vehicle – another of his new skills. As Henry approached, the helicopter was almost two me
tres into the air…

  Henry put on a spurt of speed…

  Leaped…

  And grabbed onto the landing strut with both hands.

  The chopper continued its inexorable rise, carrying Henry with it high into the night air.

  Great plan, Henry thought as he clung onto the helicopter landing strut for dear life. Really great.

  With every ounce of strength in his body, he managed to swing his legs up so they caught the strut. From there he was able to pull himself round so he was lying on it. Looking down for the first time, he saw that they had passed the compound and were now flying towards the endless treetops of Newton County. At least a hundred metres below, he made out the southern road winding through the forest.

  A wave of vertigo passed over him and it was tempting simply to cling on for dear life, but he knew that he had to get off the strut somehow. Who knew where Mallory was going or how far? Henry was already shivering with the cold of the higher altitude and he knew it would only be a matter of time before his muscles weakened and he fell off the side. He looked up at the doors to the front and back compartments of the chopper. At the moment, Christian and Mallory seemed unaware that he was on the side, which meant he had the advantage of surprise.

  With great effort, Henry pulled himself up so he was crouching on the strut. Then the chopper made an unexpected course adjustment and he had to grab the handle of the cockpit door to avoid being thrown off. He took a breath. Now or never.

  He flung open the door and pulled himself into the seat next to Christian. The other boy didn’t even look round, so intent was he on piloting the chopper. Mallory, in the back, was a different story, however.

  “Christian!” he screamed, still clutching his nose. “Kill him!”

  The other kid immediately sprang into action. Releasing his grip on the joystick, Christian turned in his seat and locked his hands around Henry’s throat, slamming him first against the front window and then against the side door…