Lethal Injection
Page 26
Wren rubbed something cool and wet on her wrist, and then without a moment’s notice, shoved a needle into her skin. She sucked in a breath.
“All right, Nikolina. Soon you’ll be drifting off to sleep. It won’t take long, and we’ll be right here when you open your eyes. Bye for now.”
Nikolina glanced at David’s big smile. She didn’t see him smile that often. The room began to spin, and suddenly, she didn’t care about anything. David’s beaming face morphed into Evan’s, then Ian’s, and back to David’s until the room grew dimmer and dimmer and everything went black.
****
Malaki cracked his eyes open to a blurred room. “Where am I?”
“Malaki?” Jonathan’s face hovered above him, lines of concern etched in his forehead. “Thank God, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
“Like I can’t move my right arm.” He reached to touch his throbbing right shoulder, feeling the gauze and tape.
“You took a bullet there. Price brought you here instead of the hospital. Don’t ask me why. He told me to patch you up and keep you here. He said you’re not allowed to leave. Malaki, what the hell is going on?” Jonathan stared at him, lifting one eyebrow. “I thought you were at meetings on business, and why would Price say you can’t leave? Again?”
Malaki expelled a grunt. “It’s like last time. Remember? It’s the same deal. He doesn’t want me doing any more business for The Circle, apparently. Not with Ian gone.” Even though Jonathan would probably be on Malaki’s side, he still didn’t trust him enough to tell him the truth. “What’s the damage on my shoulder?”
“The bullet nicked you good. Could’ve been worse. I was able to patch you up OK. You should be feeling better in a few days. I don’t know why Price brought you here though. That was kind of a stupid thing to do.” Jonathan touched the base of his neck, uncertainty in his tone.
“Price can be very stupid at times.” Malaki coughed. “Can you help me get up? I’ve gotta get out of here.”
“Wait. What?” A blank look spread across Jonathan’s face. “I told you. I’m-I’m not supposed to let you leave, or God only knows what Price’ll do to me.”
“Maybe you should leave then, too. I’m telling you, it wouldn’t be a bad idea.” Malaki sat up, despite the pain shooting down his arm. He hissed and braced his arm. “Jonathan, I’m leaving this room. I don’t know why Price thinks he can tell you to not let me leave and expect me to abide by his rules, but I’m leaving.” His bloodstained shirt draped a chair. He stood, his head swimming before he caught his balance. He swiped his shirt and attempted to put it on.
“Here, let me help you.”
After Jonathan assisted him, he helped to get a sling on his arm. “But what do you mean you’re gonna leave? I don’t think you can. Price locked you in.”
Malaki’s stomach dropped. “Figures. Damnit.” He clenched his teeth and grabbed his arm. “You’ve got to help me, Jonathan. You don’t understand how important it is for me to get out of here.”
Price would know where Malaki would be hiding, but Malaki would get the security gate up and running the way it should. Price would never get past that gate again. Letting him break in in the first place was a monstrous mistake.
“But what will Price do to me?” Jonathan’s eyebrows drew together. “When I saw the look on his face as he brought you here… He was wild. I’m thinking he might kill me. He said I’d have something horrendous coming my way if I let you out of the lab. Like shoot me. As he did you… I’m assuming?”
Malaki sighed. “Yeah, Price shot me.” He couldn’t deny Jonathan the truth any longer. “He’s dangerous, and I need to get out of here and away from him. I don’t care about the memroth anymore. I’m done. And you should be, too.”
Jonathan’s throat bobbed with a hard swallow. “He shot you? He actually shot you?”
“Yes. He did. Now let’s figure out a way to get out of here.” Malaki leaned back and grimaced. “We’ve got to hurry, too.”
“But he’ll just find me and then that’s the end of that. He’ll kill me, Malaki.” Jonathan shook his head.
“We’ll figure it out after we get out of here.”
“How are we supposed to do that?” Jonathan tipped his head to one side.
“C’mon, he must’ve made it so you can leave. He did last time. I know you can get the door open.” He stared at him. “I’m being honest with you, so please, be honest with me. And give a guy a hand. If you help me, I’ll return the favor once we get out of here.”
“What favor could possibly be worth risking my life for?” Jonathan held his hands out to the sides. “I know how things work in The Circle. I’ve heard of members suddenly disappearing. You think I don’t know he’ll get rid of me somehow?”
“You’re right. You’re right.” Malaki rubbed his forehead. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll let you stay with me. You’ll be safe where I am, and Price will have no idea you’re with me. Price is not to be trifled with. He’s destroying our entire Circle, and that memroth he’s making us use to create energy is not what you think it is. Listen, you’re going to want to think about leaving this place forever. Right now, I’m in the process of revealing the truth of it to everyone. It could destroy Price forever. That’s why I’ve got to get out of here, back to what I was doing. And you can stay with me. Price’ll know that I’m there, but there will be no way he can get in again. It’ll be physically impossible. I’ll see to that.”
Jonathan stared at nothing for many seconds. “I never realized… are you sure it’s all right to stay with you? And safe?”
Malaki nodded. “Yes, yes. I’m positive.”
“All right, all right, fine then. I’ll get the door open, but you go into your office while I do so. I at least have to follow some of Price’s rules, and one of them is for you to never see how I’m able to open the door without the scanner.”
“Fine. Fine.” Malaki took slow steps away from Jonathan and went into his office, closing the door behind him. Gripping his arm, he swiped the backpack on his floor and grabbed his handheld radio, the recorder and frequency detector and threw them in the bag, zipping it closed, then threw it around his good shoulder.
Jonathan opened the door. “Come on. It’s open. Let’s get out of here.”
Malaki laid a hand on Jonathan’s shoulder. “Thank you. I owe you one. Let’s be fast. Get me to your car.”
Once again, Malaki found himself creeping along the familiar corridors, but this time, he felt deep in his gut this might be the last time. They reached the end of the hallway. Jonathan scanned his retinas, and the door slid open. Malaki took one last look behind him.
Good riddance.
They strode along the carpeted floor of the office corridor, Malaki silently wincing, clutching his arm. He had to be swift now, not dawdle no matter how much his shoulder pained him. The fingers of his right arm were going numb. He and Jonathan went past his assistant’s office, and Malaki glanced at the closed door. Goodbye, Leah. Hope you have a good life. Jonathan moved fast, but Malaki kept up as best he could. “What time is it?”
Jonathan took a quick look at his watch. “Eight thirty-six p.m. And it’s Sunday. Nobody here now, thankfully.”
“Yes.” Malaki agreed. “But there’s still security guards, and they’ll be on the lookout for me, so we have to be careful. And fast.”
“That’s true.”
“Let’s take the back staircase. Are you parked in the parking ramp?” Malaki attempted to move his unfeeling fingers, which barely twitched. “My arm is killing me. Damn Price.”
Jonathan pushed the door to the staircase open and held it for Malaki who was a few steps behind him.
“Yeah. I’d like to hear more about that once we get to wherever it is we’re going. I can’t believe Price would do that, and I’d like to know why.”
“I’ll fill you in when we get there. Since you’re saving me, I believe we’re in this together.” Malaki nodded towards him.
“L
et’s go.” Jonathan trotted down the steps. “I’m going to run ahead of you to get my car. I’ll pull up to the doorway, and you can jump in.”
“Yes, good idea. Go!” Malaki motioned for Jonathan to hurry.
Jonathan needed no further urging. He sped up and disappeared around a corner.
“I hope he doesn’t turn me in.” Malaki thought he could trust Jonathan, but he wasn’t sure. He’d only been working with him for a few years, and the two of them never connected like he and Ian had. That was probably because Malaki knew Ian would be back. It wasn’t Malaki’s first choice to jump in with both feet and let Jonathan in on everything, but now, there was no other option.
Malaki finally reached the doorway to the ramp and opened the door and stood outside. He thought he spotted a car moving up ahead and a sense of relief washed over him. He stepped out to the car.
“Wait a minute,” a voice sounded from the right. Malaki turned and a security guard stepped out of the shadows, striding towards him with a flashlight. “Not so fast this time, Mr. Pederson.”
****
Ian pulled the vials out of his boot when he returned to his cell and put them in the hiding place he’d carved out of the wood on the underside of his bed. A while back, he’d felt a hole underneath his bed. With a pencil, he lay on the floor and carved the hole out until a small chunk dropped out which had a sharp edge to it, and he’d used that to carve out a big enough hiding spot for the vials. They had to be safe and secure until he could leave this place. He tucked them in their protected place and lay on his bed.
What was going to happen now that Nikolina would be a keeper? Would she change? He wondered how long it would take for the infusion to be done. He was sure that’s where David was taking her, which meant the next time Ian saw her, dynamics could be drastically different between them.
How did Malaki and I create Tetracaphoxin? Did we do it in such a way that it would be different for keepers than for regular prisoners like Nikolina and myself? Ian squeezed his eyes shut trying to remember. I don’t remember making a different chemical for keepers. That doesn’t sound familiar to me at all. How do they change it up? What do they do? And is it really that potent? More so than what we’d already created? That alone is potent enough.
He spent the next several minutes pondering Tetracaphoxin. It had already been created by chemists before Ian and Malaki, but they had perfected it through the years. They were the ones who discovered it leached to true guilt and was nearly ineffective on the innocent.
Deeply evil acts caused a change in a person’s entire being, even in their soul. It was the only way Tetracaphoxin worked. He wished there were someone he could discuss it with to find out what the big deal was about the chemical injected into a keeper. Maybe he’d be able to talk to Nikolina. Hopefully, she’d still be herself no matter how strong of a dose they injected into her body.
But if things didn’t go right, everything could blow up in his face just when he was about to complete his job here. He sat upright and jumped off his bed. He couldn’t let that happen. He had to keep one step ahead. He had to find out if Waitforit had arrived.
He didn’t think she had, but he needed to know. He closed his eyes and scoured a mental picture of the map of Reathran, specifically the secret pathway that would lead him to where the spacecraft were. He stepped outside his cell, and noticing no one around, at least no one paying any attention to him, he left the building and headed toward the mountains where they mined. With no one mining, it was dark and desolate, it being nearly impossible to spot a memroth gem without sunlight, and they couldn’t risk smashing the gems themselves.
Mountains rose on each side of him now, and he glanced behind him. Nobody there. Up ahead to the right, his eyes caught the compact opening next to a small mound of rock. He’d seen it hundreds of times—rear access to the spacecrafts. Without looking behind him, Ian slipped into that opening. It was so narrow, he crept with his back to the rocky wall and shimmied his way along the pathway. Soon enough, it widened, allowing him to walk normally. Not far down, the hidden pathway opened out at the landing, or just above it.
A few more steps and, down below, the landing strip came into view. He’d have to forge his way down the rocky hill to reach it, but not now. Tonight, he dedicated to reconnaissance, to spotting Waitforit. The dark had no chance against the monstrous lights lining the landing strip and illuminating two spacecraft parked on the strip. Neither had the flag painted on the side, the one he’d painted on Waitforit all those years ago.
Ian dropped his chin to his chest, letting out a long, slow sigh. Was Malaki OK? Had he gotten Ian’s message? Was he even alive? Ian looked out at the landing strip again, hope seeping out of him. What if something had happened to Malaki? What if Ian was stuck here? What if there was no way out? The other crafts were useless to him.
He couldn’t give into despair. Not now.
He had figured she wouldn’t be here yet, but she had to be on her way. She had to be. Malaki said he would take care of it; he would do everything he could to get Ian home. He’d promised. So many years had gone by since then. He knew he was taking a risk when he came here; he always knew there was a chance he would never return, that he’d be stuck here forever.
He took slow steps back through the hidden pathway, a painful lump in his throat he couldn’t swallow away. He had to face the reality this could be the end for him. Despite everything he’d worked for.
He grabbed a quick look before stepping out of the pathway and then headed back to his cell, the pebbles and stones crunching beneath his boots. When no mining was going on, the quiet was intense, the landscape vacant and dark.
His arms hung loose at his sides, and a heaviness situated itself in his chest. The thought of this being home to him for the rest of his life caused his head to spin. Especially today after getting so close to the waterfall. He missed water, green grass, Earth. He missed his home and his life. Shannon and Anthony. His eyes burned but he wouldn’t give in to that now.
Maybe Waitforit would still show up? It was early yet. He couldn’t lose hope; he couldn’t give up. But when he got to his cell and clunked down onto his bed, all he could think was how unrealistic it would be to expect all of his and Malaki’s scheming to fall into place exactly the way they’d planned and hoped. He rolled onto his side and faced the stale concrete wall.
And now with Nikolina being a keeper, who knew what would happen next. He’d lost Jack, and he might have lost her, too.
There really wasn’t much hope for him anymore. Hardly any chance at all he’d ever get off this planet alive.
“Sorry, Malaki,” he said in a barely audible voice. “I’m really sorry.”
****
“Leave me alone, Gerald. I’m leaving. I don’t care what you or Price say. You have no business keeping me prisoner in my own damned lab.” Malaki straightened, pain burning down his arm, but he refused to let it show.
So far, no sign of Jonathan, but any second, his headlights would swing their way.
Gerald, the security guard, stood in front of him, his jet-black greasy hair slicked back. He seemed more confident in his abilities than his physical appearance portrayed. The man pressed his lips together and shook his head slowly, his large gut bulging out from his belt. “No. No. I’m sorry but you’re wrong about that. I can’t let you leave. I’ve been given strict orders from Charles Price.” He scanned the area, running a finger across his black moustache. “Mr. Sampson let you leave, huh? Where is he? Because I’ll need to bring him in, too. C’mon. Let’s go.” Gerald grabbed Malaki’s left arm and attempted to pull him along. His strength was not impressive.
Malaki yanked free. “I’m not going with you.” Where was Jonathan? Had he abandoned him? Was this the plan all along? To lure him to the parking ramp so Gerald would recapture him?
“I’m afraid you are going with me.” Gerald put his hand on the gun hitched to his belt. He acted as if he were the king of security guards. “We can do this
the easy way or the hard way.”
Malaki tipped his head to one side. So, it was the gun that gave him such confidence. It certainly couldn’t have been his physical abilities. Malaki felt he could push him down with one mighty shove. “Are you serious? You’d risk going to prison by shooting me? Price isn’t worth it. What are you thinking?” He didn’t relish the thought of another gunshot wound.
“Yes. I am serious. Now, let’s go.” Gerald unholstered the gun and pointed it at Malaki.
Malaki closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. “Unbelievable.” Gerald nudged him with the gun, and Malaki turned and walked toward the door, trying to think of how to get out of this unfortunate chain of events.
But then a sudden yell, and the gun bounced across the pavement, stopping near Malaki who spun on his heels. Jonathan’s nearly silent car had sprung up on Gerald, knocking him on his ass while the gun flew out of his hand.
Jonathan jumped out of his car and ran around to the front.
“What the hell was that?” Gerald struggled to a standing position. “You could’ve killed me, you idiot! You probably caused some serious damage to my back, and I’m pressing charges, you little—”
“Jonathan!” Malaki, realizing his arm was useless, kicked the gun. It slid across the pavement, and Jonathan grabbed it.
“Shut up!” Jonathan pointed Gerald’s gun at him.
Gerald stood in front of Jonathan, his eyes darting from Malaki to Jonathan. He remained speechless.
“And you can press charges, I don’t care. But you’re not getting your gun back, so get the hell away from us.” Jonathan opened the passenger door for Malaki, who quickly got inside, somewhat in awe of Jonathan and feeling a great appreciation for him.
Jonathan jumped in. “Here.” He handed Malaki the gun, then stepped on the gas pedal. They sped out of the ramp, leaving Gerald standing there gaping at them, no doubt wondering what the devil had just happened. And how much trouble he’d be in once Charles Price learned he’d let Malaki escape yet again.