by L. S. O'Dea
They made it back to Conguise’s office without encountering anyone else.
Once inside with the door closed, Tim said, “Okay. How do we get out?” He looked around the room. “I don’t see another door.”
“It’s hidden.” Hugh put the flashlight in his mouth and began digging through the filing cabinets. He scanned the documents and either put them back or stacked them to the side.
“How does reading those files open the door?” asked Tim.
He continued reading.
“What are you doing?” Tim grabbed the flashlight out of Hugh’s mouth.
He reached for the light but Tim backed away.
“I have to get evidence of what Conguise is up to out here. From what I saw”—he shook a file in Tim’s face—“well, it isn’t pretty.”
“No shit, it isn’t pretty. Just look at me. We have to get out of here.”
“We will. In a minute.” He reached for the flashlight again.
“No. Now.” Tim pushed away Hugh’s arm.
He shoved Tim’s shoulder. “I need to look through these files.”
Tim glared at him and shook his head.
“I need the damn flashlight or we’re never getting out of here.” He voice was a low growl.
Suddenly, there was a beep and the power turned back on. The room was still dark, since the lights had been off when the power was cut, but a monitor on the desk lit up. On the screen was the surgery.
Benedictine’s son lay on his stomach on a gurney. He was naked and unconscious. A sheet covered him from the lower waist to the top of his thighs. A female Almighty was in the room assisting Conguise who held a large needle and slowly sank it into the boy’s spine.
“We need to go, now,” repeated Tim softly.
He held up his hand. What was Conguise injecting into the boy? Spinal surgery involved cutting and repairing bone and tissue.
The office door opened and the Guard who they had seen earlier stood in the doorway. He was even bigger and meaner looking up close.
CHAPTER 38
“SO, THIS IS WHERE YOU’RE hiding,” said the Guard.
“I told you we should’ve left,” muttered Tim.
Hugh shot him a glare. “Really? I told you so?” Tim could be such a child.
Tim shrugged.
The Guard stepped into the room, turned on the light and shut the door.
Hugh’s mind raced, searching for a plausible explanation. Cabinet drawers were open and folders lay on the desk. He was caught red-handed. That was it! “I was retrieving some files for the professor.” Now, that he could see him better, the Guard looked familiar. “You’re Laddie, aren’t you?”
“You remember me.” Laddie grinned, showing large, yellow teeth.
“You’re looking good. Still fit as ever, I see.” He walked around to the front of the desk.
“I try,” said Laddie, puffing out his chest.
“Are you serious,” mumbled Tim.
“I see you’ve stolen the professor’s prize prisoner.” Laddie’s lips quirked up in amusement.
“No. Not at all.” He paused for a second. “I’m taking him to the professor.”
“I know I’m not real bright, but even I won’t fall for a tale like that.” Laddie’s grin widened.
“It’s the truth.” He glanced at Tim.
Laddie let out a loud guffaw. “Come on, now. The professor left that one to drown. He’s done with him. Stupid Servant didn’t talk from what I heard. Made the professor very angry.”
“I’d rather die than tell the professor anything,” said Tim.
The humor fled Laddie’s face. “That was the plan.”
“No. The professor changed his mind. He wants to see Tim, later at his house.” He’d have to get the gun. This story sounded weak even to him.
Laddie cocked an eyebrow and shook his head, not buying a bit of the lie.
“Look, I have the list of experiments that Conguise wanted me to run right here.” He turned his back to Laddie, placing the backpack on the desk and unzipping it.
“Listen, Hugh,” said Laddie. “I don’t care why you came for this one.”
His fingers brushed against the gun. He wrapped his hand around it. All he had to do was pull it out and shoot. Could he do it? Kill Laddie? He’d never shot anyone.
“I want to come with you,” said Laddie. “I can help you make it out of here without being caught.”
He looked over his shoulder at the Guard, his hand still grasping the gun.
“You want to come with us?” asked Tim.
“Yes.” Laddie glanced at the door. “I can’t stay here. The professor’s going to retire me soon.”
“What’s so bad about retirement?” he asked. According to Viola, Jorge had feared retirement too.
Laddie’s face paled. “You won’t—”
“You know what. I don’t care. You can come with us.” He put the gun in his waist band and zipped the backpack.
“You were going to shoot me?” Laddie started to growl.
“Probably.” He shrugged. “I couldn’t let you take us to Conguise.”
Laddie stopped growling and pursed his lips. “That I understand.”
“Can we please get out of here?” asked Tim.
“I need to find the keypad.” Hugh walked behind the desk.
“Not yet,” said Laddie.
“What?” asked Hugh and Tim at the same time.
“I have to get Scar. I’m not leaving her,” said Laddie.
“Scar’s still around?” Hugh asked.
“Conguise retired her about six months ago.”
“Where is the retirement home?” Viola had visited an apartment building in the city which was supposed to be where Conguise’s House Servants and Guards went when they retired. Had she lied about that too?
“This way.” Laddie walked out of the office.
He started to follow when Tim grabbed his shoulder.
“Hugh, let’s go. Now, while he’s not watching.”
He looked at the door. It would only take a moment and they could be in the secret hallway, but Laddie was scared. He’d never been able to turn his back on a Guard in need. He pulled away. “No. I said he could come with us.”
“Of all the stupid—”
“Here, use this and get out.” He handed Tim the map with the key code. “Wait for me with Barney. If I don’t meet you in fifteen minutes, leave.” He walked out the door.
“I wondered if you were going to abandon me,” said Laddie, relief flashing in his eyes.
“Why did you give me the chance?” He was ashamed that he’d even considered it.
Laddie shrugged and they headed down the hallway.
“I had to know. If you were going to dump me, it’s better to find out now before I left than after. Conguise will look for me and Scar. I’ll need your protection.”
Of course, you will. Lately, a lot of creatures needed his protection, but he wasn’t sure that being with him would be safe once he made his discoveries known.
Tim darted up behind them.
“I told you to leave,” he said.
“I’m not leaving you in here with only some Guard for help.”
“A lot of help you’ll be. A House Servant. Ha!” said Laddie.
“I’m faster than you and can see and hear better.” Tim purposely bumped into Laddie’s shoulder.
“Gruntshit.” Laddie shoved Tim, slamming him into the wall.
Again with the House Servants and Guards. “Stop it. Shouldn’t we be quiet?” prodded Hugh.
Laddie grumbled but the two stopped fighting. The group entered the other side of the lab. This was where Barney had said the Guards would still be stationed. It could be a trap, but Laddie had no reason to go through this ruse. The Guard could’ve forced them to go with him.
They turned a corner and stopped in front of a door with a keypad lock.
“Scar’s in here. I’m going to have to sneak in and grab her quick. Then we need to g
et out of here fast,” said Laddie.
“Why?” asked Tim.
“Guards don’t enter this room. Ever. They may think that I went in due to the power outage, to make sure everything is secured, but they’ll be curious enough to send someone to check.”
“If Guards didn’t enter the room, why is Scar in there?” asked Tim, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
“She didn’t go by choice,” said Laddie.
“Can’t you tell them you heard a noise or something?” asked Hugh.
“The power is on but not everything is back up. Some of the systems, like the radios, require maintenance after a power outage.”
“Can we wait until they’re working?” he asked.
“No,” said Laddie. “It’s one of the last systems that they fix. The cameras will be first and I don’t think you want to be here when they start working again.”
“Okay, grab Scar and then let’s hurry back to Conguise’s office.” He ran both his hands through his hair. This was not going as smoothly as planned.
“Can’t,” said Laddie.
“Of course we can’t.” Tim threw up his hands and walked a couple of paces away.
“The cameras around Conguise’s office will be the first to come back on-line. They’re probably working already.”
This was turning into a nightmare. It was supposed to be so simple. Sneak in, grab files, save Tim, sneak out. Done. Finished. What a mess.
“You know what, Hugh? Next time, don’t save me. Let me die. It’d be less painful than this rescue,” said Tim.
Now, he remembered why he couldn’t stand the House Servant. “You ingrate. I risked my life—”
“Save it. If we can’t go through Conguise’s office, how do we get out of here?” Tim glared at both of them.
“Sewer system,” he and Laddie said at the same time.
“Lovely,” muttered Tim.
“You’ll want to wait out here.” Laddie grabbed the door handle.
“No,” he said. “We stay together.”
“What’s in there?” asked Tim.
“You don’t want to know.” Laddie punched in the code and opened the door. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
They followed the Guard inside the room. Red emergency lights illuminated the interior, casting an eerie glow along the tanks and cages that cluttered the lab. In the tanks floated creatures, things not quite...right. Inside one was something with hundreds of tiny legs protruding from its long, cylindrical body. Hugh stepped around to the other side of the tank and froze. The creature had the face of a Guard. He tapped on the glass.
“The ones in the tanks are dead,” said Laddie. “They’re the lucky ones.”
He slowly wandered after Laddie, studying the inhabitants of the other tanks. One contained a creature with gills and many teeth, similar to the animal that was in the water with Tim only larger, much larger. Another held a Guard that had armor plates growing out of his back. The Guard was flat, like he’d been crushed.
“What is this place?” Tim scooted around the tanks, averting his eyes.
“Welcome to Conguise’s retirement home,” said Laddie.
Hugh staggered backward and Laddie grabbed his arm, yanking him forward. A long tentacle snaked out of the cage behind him. It swiped at where he’d just been and slithered back into the darkness of its prison.
“Shit.” Tim backed up against a tank, face pale.
“Stay by the tanks,” said Laddie. “Those are the failed experiments. The cages...well, they ain’t failed yet.”
Hugh stood near Laddie, breathing heavily. This was worse than he’d thought. Conguise was crazy. Really crazy. The professor would kill to protect this secret. These experiments couldn’t be sanctioned. If the Supreme Almighty found out about this, Conguise would be locked up, maybe, even executed.
Laddie stopped in front of a cage. He grabbed a key off the wall and used it to unlock the door. He stepped inside and a moment later came out with something in his arms. It was Scar, or it had been Scar. Now, it was something else. The once short, but solidly built Guard had dwindled down to a frail creature with a reddish hue to her skin. She was thin everywhere except her hands and forearms. They were abnormally large and misshapen, claw-like.
“Laddie, is that you?” asked Scar.
“Yes,” said Laddie softly. “And I have good news. High Hugh Truent has come to take us away, to give us his protection.”
Scar smiled a weak smile at Hugh and rested her head against Laddie’s shoulder. “I’m tired.”
“Rest now,” said Laddie. “I’ve got you.”
They made their way back through the lab. Tim peaked out the door and held it open for Laddie to exit with Scar. Hugh gave Tim a slight push and then followed the House Servant out the door, closing it tightly behind him. Nothing in that room should ever escape.
“This way.” Laddie started down the hallway.
Tim grabbed his shoulder. “What in the name of all that is holy is going on?”
“Conguise is nuts,” he said. “We have to get out of here.”
“I guess there are worse things than death,” muttered Tim as they scurried after Laddie and Scar.
CHAPTER 39
HUGH LOOKED BEHIND HIM. The lights on some of the cameras were starting to blink. “Quick. The cameras are starting to come back on.”
“This way.” Laddie darted down a side hallway. “The main corridor is faster but they turn those lights on first.”
“I don’t have a map to these hallways,” he said as he hurried to keep up.
“I know the way,” said Laddie.
They raced down one hallway after another in a seemingly endless maze. If something happened to Laddie, they’d be lost. He didn’t know how to go forward and there was no way he could go back. Even if the power went off again, he wouldn’t be able to trace his steps back. He placed all his trust in the old Guard and followed blindly. Finally, they stopped at a utility door.
“Through there,” said Laddie, panting as he readjusted Scar in his arms.
Hugh opened the door and they slipped inside. It was barely bigger than the closet where he and Tim had hidden. However, where the closet had been full, this room was empty except for another door which opened to stairs. They climbed down and the air became damper. At the bottom of the stairs was another door. They went through it and they were in the sewer tunnels. It was dark, wet and foul.
“Holy shit!” Tim held his arm across his nose.
“You get used to it. Just another smell.” Laddie leaned against a wall. “I need a moment.”
“Put me down,” said Scar. “I can walk for a while.”
“Are you sure? I can carry you for a bit.” She’d lost so much weight that she couldn’t weigh much, although Hugh wasn’t sure that he wanted her claws anywhere near him. They looked wet and slimy.
“So nice, always were.” Scar patted his face with her deformed hand. “Thanks, but I can walk.”
He resisted the urge to wipe at the spot where she’d touched him. As they started down the dark tunnel, he took the lead since he had the flashlight. Tim was right behind him followed by Scar and then Laddie.
“Keep your eyes peeled,” said Laddie. “It’s rumored that Conguise dumps some of his experiments down here.”
“Why am I not surprised?” muttered Tim.
That did put the icing on the cake, so to speak. It was almost comical the luck they were having.
“Let me go first. I can see the best in the dark.” Tim edged in front of him.
“But I have the flashlight.” He pushed to the front. Tim had always been like this, a bossy know-it-all.
“Turn that off,” snapped Tim. “I can’t see as well with it on.”
“You’re telling me that you can see better in complete darkness?” Tim had to be messing with him.
“Yes,” said Tim. “Now, turn it off.”
“He’s right,” said Laddie. “No light or a little moonlight is better than f
alse light.”
“That’s not going to happen. If I turn it off, I can’t see at all.” He didn’t want to wander in this hole with no light. The walls were getting darker, something was growing on them, probably mold or mildew, but with Conguise’s experiments it could be anything.
“Stay away from the walls,” he warned.
“Why?” Tim stepped toward the center of the tunnel.
“Who knows what else the professor has been experimenting on?” He aimed the light at the fuzzy, dark green walls.
Laddie placed his hand under Scar’s arm and helped her move away from the side. She was tiring quickly. They’d have to carry her soon.
“Turn off that flashlight,” repeated Tim.
“No. I can’t see at all without it,” he said. “I’ll aim it down, but I refuse to be totally blind in here.”
“I’m right in front of you. All you have to do is follow me,” said Tim.
There was no way he was shutting off the light.
“And what if your battery runs out?” asked Tim smugly.
“I have plenty, thanks to Buddy.” He patted his backpack.
Tim groaned but continued walking, the others following closely behind.
“Take a right up there,” said Laddie.
That path led downward at a slight slant. They were going farther underground. Scar kept slipping, her disproportionate arms making her top heavy.
“Laddie, give me your shirt,” said Hugh, stopping.
“I really don’t need to look like the two of you.” Laddie winked at Scar and they both chuckled.
“Very funny.” He held out his hand. That’s all he needed. Two wise-cracking Guards. He already had an annoying House Servant.
Laddie grudgingly took off his shirt. Hugh cut one of the straps off the backpack, unclasping the buckle and extending it as far as possible. Next, he combined it with the shirt, creating a sort of sling. Finally, he attached it over Laddie’s back and then he and Tim lifted Scar in order to tuck her into the contraption.
“Shit, she’s heavy,” said Tim. “Hurry up.”
“Keep her steady,” he said, panting. Scar was very heavy for as skinny as she was. It wasn’t normal but neither were the claws for hands.
“I’m not going to be able to hold her much longer.” Tim’s voice was strained and Scar began to wobble on Laddie’s back.