Blood Harvest

by Michael Weinberger

  “Dead as a doornail…whatever that means.” The doctor replied.

  “I thought so. All right, get going, but meet me in Daniels’ office when you are done.”

  Once the doctor left the room Kunnert walked through the double doors to Daniels’ private office. The enormous suite was shrouded in darkness save for the flashlights being used by the techs overlooking Daniels’ server. The entire system was down and a faint smell of burning was in the air.

  For his part, Daniels was nervously pacing around his office, looking on the verge of losing control.

  Ignoring Daniels for the moment, Kunnert turned to the three techs, “One of you go with the group heading to the lobby and see if you can get something working from the first floor. Your priority is the reactivation of the security cameras.”

  “What about the security locks in place on the tenth floor?”

  “No, those are supported by redundant systems separate from the main. Even if everything else shorted out I guarantee they are still functioning at full capacity. Get the cameras up and running. We need to be able to see our enemy.”

  One of the men grabbed his tool kit and sprinted from the room to catch some of the security personnel before they reached the elevators.

  “We’re under attack! We are actually under attack,” Daniels moaned miserably. “This is not how business is done! We move through the courts and legal systems. We can fix those things. What the hell is going on?” Daniels was rambling.

  Kunnert walked over to him, “Relax Mr. Daniels. Everything is under control. We will have the computers and security systems functioning again soon and anyone found in the building who isn’t part of the team will be dealt with most severely.”

  “Kunnert! Don’t you get it? We are under attack!!! My God! They aren’t here to arrest us; they are here to kill us! We have to call the police!”

  Kunnert slapped him so hard he thought he could hear the man’s neck pop. Alex Daniels went sprawling to the floor. He made no attempt to get up, only looked up at Kunnert with disbelieving eyes.

  “You want to call the police?!? Are you insane? We have over three thousand donors and volunteers being held in this building, some of whom are the police.”

  Alex Daniels looked away from Kunnert and at the floor.

  Kunnert turned his back to him to walk away then stopped, turned back around and said, “What did you think the ones we didn’t take were going to do? Just sit around and try to explain to the authorities who they were and why all of those people were kidnapped and killed?”

  Alex whined out, “But, but they couldn’t go to the authorities without exposing themselves so...”

  “So what? You thought they’d just lie down and die?” Kunnert asked rhetorically, watching Daniels’ face and realizing that’s exactly what the man had thought would happen.

  “Oh you are kidding me?” Kunnert sighed.

  “What could they do? They had no one to turn to and no where to go. They should never have been a threat to us.”

  “Damn you are naive.” Then Kunnert softened, “All right Daniels, just stay up here in your office where it’s safe. I’ll call you when it’s over. You do understand that when communications come back online you CANNOT call the police?”

  Alex Daniels rose to his feet, dropped his head and mumbled “Yes.”

  Kunnert added, “Good, keep your eyes on the prize Mr. Daniels. This night is the only obstacle left.”

  “Sir?” one of the techs spoke up.

  “What is it?”

  “We have restored partial function to the security database.”

  “Partial?”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Which part exactly?”

  “Enough to run a diagnostic on the system.”

  “And you found?”

  “The security systems are all down with the exception of the tenth floor, as you predicted. The video feeds are also active but I am unable to get a picture on any of the floors appearing to be operational.”

  “And why would that be do you think?”

  “The only thing I can think of is that someone is piggybacking the signal and has accessed the currently active video cameras.”

  Kunnert felt the rage inside him begin to boil. “They are using our own equipment against us?”

  “It would seem so sir.”

  “Can you stop this?”

  “If I send a double loop feed…hmm.” The tech seemed to consider an option then said, “No, I can’t completely shut them out, but I can work with their signal and share the same information they are seeing. I could also shut down the feed for everyone.”

  “How interesting…” Kunnert’s mind raced as he considered how he could use this to his advantage. “Will they be able to tell we have gained access to the cameras?”

  “Electronically no, but our responses will ultimately make it obvious.”

  “And by that time it will be too late for them. Make it happen.”

  Chapter 46

  Upon reaching the tenth floor Steve and Alpha were greeted by an ominous looking security wall. It was similar in appearance to the outside wall of a bank vault and had the same impenetrable feel.

  Steve spoke into his radio, “Chris we found some pretty heavy security here, any luck in over riding its system?”

  “Hold on.”

  Steve could hear the rapid clicks of the keys on the keyboard as Chris worked furiously on the other end of the radio.

  “Chris? I don’t mean to rush you, but time is a factor here.”

  “Have you tried saying ‘Open Sesame’ yet?”

  Steve sighed, “No not yet.”

  “Well try it a couple of times, if that doesn’t work wait five minutes and try again. If you still get no response then wait five more and try saying it with a different accent, I recommend Irish.”

  “Chris…”

  “Okay, I’ll try a different tactic with you. It will be open as fast as possible so…SHUT UP AND LET ME WORK!”

  With that Chris cut off the conversation and his radio.

  Steve chuckled under his breath while Alpha’s countenance looked stern as always.

  “He’s...uh…working on it,” Steve said to Alpha who had obviously heard the entire conversation.

  They walked to what appeared to be the door and waited nervously for something to happen. In less than a minute Steve’s radio squawked with Chris’ voice.

  Steve picked up the small box, “That was fast, from the way you sounded I thought…”

  “Nope, still haven’t got it, but I’m close. Thought you’d like to know you have a serious number of angry looking individuals spreading out from the eighth floor working their way up to your level. Looks like they came out of the elevators below you to cut off any chance of escape.”

  “WHAT?!? I thought you disabled the elevators.”

  “I did. And what is more disturbing is that I didn’t get any kind of online warning they had come back. Regardless, the reality of your situation is that you need to find some cover and fast.”

  Steve regained his composure while Alpha, having again heard the entire conversation over the shared radio frequency, was already on the move.

  “Are you secured on your end?” Steve asked as he followed Alpha.

  “So far the only activity seems to be heading your way, but I never saw them coming to you so…” Chris let the unspoken words hang in the air.

  Concern swept through Steve as he responded to what Chris was telling him, “All right, keep working, but if you have to abort in order to protect yourself you do that.”

  “Got it,” Chris said with a little too much cavalier in his voice for Steve’s liking.

  “I’m serious, if it gets too hot get out.”

  “Yeah, got it,” Chris said, with a tad more conviction in his voice than the first time.

  Steve bolted after Alpha who had re-entered the stairway and assumed a shooter’s stance, holding his preferred weapon, a .45 automatic pistol, in
each hand.

  Steve looked to the large weapons, “Not exactly ‘old school’.”

  Alpha turned quickly to Steve then cocked his head while considering something. “Remember we have allies within these walls. Perhaps now would be a good time to call for them?”

  Before Steve could respond the sound of automatic weapons reverberated through the stairway. Steve began to shoot back but had to immediately cease fire when Alpha leapt over the railing and dropped to the stairway one floor below landing between the two gunmen who had fired. The two startled men hesitated as Alpha landed and in that moment of hesitation Alpha pistol-whipped them into unconsciousness.

  Steve made his way down to the ninth floor and moved from the stairway to the seemingly abandoned hallway. They were working their way down the hall when Chris’ voice erupted over the radio.

  “I got it!”

  Each man jumped at the sudden sound.

  “What you got Chris?”

  “The door is on a timer. I couldn’t override the security system, so basically I accelerated the timer. Instead of opening at seven tomorrow morning the system will disengage itself in approximately five minutes. Are you still on that floor?”

  “No we moved to the ninth floor.”

  “When that door opens, the heavy reinforcement of the structures in the room will give you the most protection. Not to mention that whatever is inside has to be highly valued by our adversaries. They would probably prefer it intact versus the alternative.”

  “Good call, we’ll make our way back to…”

  Steve wasn’t able to finish his sentence before Chris cried out, “Oh shit!” The sound of automatic fire proceeded Chris’ voice, followed by an eerie and unnerving silence.

  “Chris!” Steve yelled into the receiver.

  Silence was all that was coming from the other end. After a minute or so a voice came back to Steve, far more ominous then the silence. The voice did not belong to Chris and had a cold and merciless air to it.

  “It would appear as though your friend has been seriously wounded. I’ve seen abdominal wounds before and I can tell you he has some time to receive care before it is too late. If you and your associates act quickly, he has a chance. Stop where you are and surrender yourselves to the security forces headed your way. You will not be harmed and we will make every effort to save your friend’s life.”

  Steve went numb. For a moment he couldn’t even draw breath reflecting on what the man had said. Was Chris really wounded or was he already dead? Hell, for all he knew Chris might have escaped. It’s not as though he had any kind of confirmation either way.

  Alpha whispered to Steve. “Go back up to the vault. I will head to our friend Chris.”

  As Alpha turned to go, Steve managed. “Alpha…”

  Alpha held his position, “Yes?”

  “If they’ve hurt him…give the hunters the green light. Do it your way Alpha. Do you understand? Do it your way.”

  Alpha stood slightly straighter and looked at Steve, nodding ever so slightly before bolting down the stairs.

  “I have never been known for my patience!” The voice yelled over the radio, “Make a decision!”

  Steve knew he had no choice. Slowly he turned the dial on the radio until it clicked off.

  Chapter 47

  Dr. Whelan looked at the radio dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected such an abrupt and expert disconnect of communications. No negotiations were made, no requests or even threats thrown around, just the simple act of quietly killing the radio.

  The doctor turned to where Chris lay in a pool of his own blood, “Wow that was good. You guys are pros; that’s for sure, but you look as though you also understand the significance of your injuries. You know what it means to be gut shot, don’t you? Well, just in case you don’t it means your own shit is leaking out of your intestines and will slowly poison you to death. You’ll hang on for quite a while though and that excruciating pain you feel won’t dull with time.”

  The doctor knelt beside him, his face inches from Chris’, “I’ll tell you what I’ll do for you.”

  The doctor pulled his knife from its sheath. “I’ll make this quick for you, but only if you tell me how many people you brought with you.”

  Chris’ face was contorted in extreme agony, but he managed to look at the doctor then back to the floor.

  “Oh come on.” The doctor mused, “It shouldn’t matter to you anymore. Do you really want the last moments you have to be filled with this kind of agony? Come on, just give me a number and I’ll help you go quick.”

  Chris looked up again, but this time he didn’t even glance at the doctor or the dozen well-armed men surrounding him. He was searching for a sound he actually felt more than he heard. Dr. Whelan and the rest of his men were oblivious to the low growl, but Chris recognized it immediately.

  The look on the doctor’s face changed from mild amusement to confusion as a smile broke across Chris’ face.

  “I wouldn’t want to miss a moment of this,” Chris grunted through clenched teeth.

  Dr. Whelan looked around in a confused state to his men, some of who chuckled at Chris’ apparent audacity.

  To the doctor, Chris said, “Guess what Bunky? You are about to have a very, very big problem.”

  Frowning, Dr. Whelan stood and said, “You’ll change your mind with a little bit of time. When you are ready to talk let me know; otherwise, just die quietly.” Then Dr. Whelan turned to the computer tech Kunnert had sent from Daniels’ office.

  “See if you can get the systems back online.”

  “On it,” the tech replied.

  “Uh…sir?” One of the security men beckoned to the doctor then to the building’s stairway.

  Standing just inside the doorway was an enormous man, clad head to toe in black leather. He remained absolutely motionless as Dr. Whelan and the rest of the security force realized he was there and brought their weapons up to bear upon the man.

  Although he was a few feet inside the doorway, Alpha’s frame filled the space making him look larger than in actuality. The face staring back at Dr. Whelan and the security force was emotionless to the point of looking lifeless as a corpse. And he never moved. Never turned his head to survey his surroundings; never looked to Chris, nor to the guards or even to the weapons they were holding.

  Surprisingly it was the doctor who came out of the momentary bedazzlement Alpha’s presence initiated.

  “Shoot him down!” Dr. Whelan yelled as he ran for cover.

  Perhaps there was a hesitation in the men because Kunnert had warned them not to engage…someone…at the cost of their own lives. This had to be that man; however, instinct and years of training, along with an ingrained response of following immediate commands, found each man mentally making the choice to fire. Unfortunately, their slight hesitation was all Alpha needed. Before the first shot could be fired, he barreled forward and was on them.

  The doctor did not enter the fray. Instead he brought his sidearm to bear and fired wildly in Alpha’s direction while running for the stairs Alpha had just exited. Alpha fired his weapons point blank into the bodies of the security guards; they crumpled to the floor broken, unconscious or lifeless.

  The onslaught continued for mere moments. When it was over only Alpha remained standing, figures strewn all around him.

  “The stairs…” Chris grunted. “He went…the stairs. Everyone else is on… tenth floor.” Chris realized the difficulty he was having drawing in the shallowest of breaths, but he forced the words out despite the white hot pain paralyzing him.

  Alpha slowly turned his head to Chris, then to the slowly expanding pool of blood. Alpha moved to Chris’ side and knelt before him.

  “You know what these injuries mean too, don’t you?” Chris asked with little surprise in his voice. “And you know you have to go help Steve right?”

  Slowly, reluctantly, Alpha nodded his head.

  “Good, good…Use the elevator; they don’t know we have access to it. S
teve’s trapped up there….get him into the vault…it’s the only safe place.”

  With those final words Chris passed out from the pain, blood loss and exertion. Alpha gently caught him as his body began to slump to one side. He propped Chris into a seated position with his back supported by the side of a desk and left him looking as if he had simply fallen asleep.

  Alpha started toward the elevator doors when he suddenly stopped and glanced back at Chris lying unconscious against the office furniture. An idea had occurred to him, which he considered for the merest of moments before returning to Chris’ side.

  Chapter 48

  The vault door was surprisingly quiet as soft clicks sounded as the latch releases disengaged. The door opened effortlessly under its own mechanics and Steve watched impatiently as it slowly swung open and was wide enough for him to slip inside.

  What he observed as he walked in froze him in his tracks.

  Hundreds…thousands of bodies lay in industrial looking makeshift cots stacked like some surreal bunk bed/filing system. The sheer mass of people piled like parcels in a warehouse was unsettling, as was the apparent indifference to the humanity of those lying there. The scene became all the more devastating as Steve realized the majority were children, ranging in apparent age from as small as two years old to early teens, each naked save for the loose fitting hospital gown printed with serial numbers across the chest. Transparent tubes held clear liquids which flowed into one arm while red, presumably blood, barely trickled out the other arm. The blood was being collected by a small cylindrical device attached to the opening of each cot. Each body was catheterized to a tube which flowed away from the body and connected to a large collection duct shared by multiple users.

  “My God...” Steve barely managed.

  Steve also realized from the look on the faces of each immobile figure that this was everything Alpha had feared and he had only suspected. Each individual lying in their space was under the same “stasis” state as those who had fallen at The Inferno.