The Testimony of Jacob Hollow

by Joe Joiner

Chapter 6

Bad Medicine

The crashing and sounds of destruction finally stopped after about three hours, though we could still hear movement as the creatures searched for us. I'm pretty sure I wasn't the only one praying that the things below remained stupidly unaware of the attic. Whether you call it divine intervention or dumb luck, they failed to find us. We had a brief period of apprehension when we could hear a number of them clustering around the dead end of the hallway below, but they never tried to pull the door down, so we assumed they never saw it. Ripley's journal had stated that they didn't have the best eyesight, which was definitely to our advantage. In fact, all senses of a ghoul are dulled. The only thing they feel intensely is hunger, which is never sated, even when they feed.

It was rather a relief to be able to sit with the lanterns lit, to have light when the rest of the town lay in darkness, and to converse in hushed tones. The thick floorboards and layers of insulation muffled any sounds we made. Even so, Troy still insisted on as little noise as possible. Nobody argued.

He and Jenny spent the next few hours on the bed, sitting or lying down, whispering softly to each other, getting to know each other better. It made me wonder if it was a waste of their time. After all, the odds of any of us surviving were slim unless we never left the attic. That would have suited me fine. As long as Nikki stayed with me the rest of them could go to hell. Yet I knew that Nikki would go where the group went, even if it meant heading into danger. She wanted out of Castle Bay as much as anybody, and there was safety in numbers. If the group decided to leave the attic come morning, she would go without question, even if I elected to stay behind.

An hour after our migration to the upper region of the house, Timmy finally went to sleep, his hand still gripping the handle of his bat. Nikki was breathing the long slow breaths of someone deeply asleep. I watched her as long as long as I could, but finally I succumbed to my own need for sleep.

When I woke, I saw Winston near a small kerosene lamp, using its limited light to delve deep into the Mortis Arcanum, his lips moving as he read the inscribed words. Occasionally he would sit back and tap his chin as he pondered a particular section, then dive back in. I hoped he found something we could use, and quick. Josh was still sulking in a far corner, glaring at everybody in turn and nibbling on dry crackers. A pile of crumbs littered the floor around him. He worried me. I was sure it would not take much to send him over the edge and turn him into a raving lunatic. Troy wouldn't hesitate to shoot him if he put the group in danger. Heck, he'd probably take him apart with his bare hands just for the pleasure of it. Hank was slumped against a wall not far from Josh, his head pillowed against a bookcase and snoring. Fortunately he wasn't too loud. His flask was clamped between his thighs, so he'd probably had some help falling sleep.

Despite my uncomfortable position I didn't feel like moving. I was still a bit tired. I probably didn't get enough sleep. My mind was whirling with the events of the last few hours. Less than twenty-four hours earlier I'd been driving on the highway, blissfully unaware that things like magic and ghouls really existed. A small part of me was thrilled to be involved, even if I was frightened out of my gourd. Every man craves adventure, I think. I was used to finding mine on the open sea, but now I was stuck in a puzzle that begged to be solved, and whereas before I was never really in any danger, now my life and others were on the line. I was going to have to suck it up and be a man.

Easier said than done.

Cowardice had been easy with Jenny since I barely knew her. As far as I knew then, once in Castle Bay we would've parted company and never laid eyes on each other again, so I didn't worry about looking like a wimp. Now things were different. I still didn't care what Jenny thought, but Nikki's opinion of me was starting to matter. In my mind little fantasies were playing out where we got out of town and she decided to come with me, leaving the horror, bloodshed and Timmy far behind us. If I told Coastal Pride that I had gotten married, they might allow her on board; maybe even give her a job of some kind. She was strong and willing, so who knew? My assigned cabin was small, but larger than the crew quarters, so we would be a little cramped but still comfortable. It made for some pleasant thoughts.

I had just about decided to get up and get some blood moving back into my nether regions when Troy wandered over. I swear that man could move without making a sound. If I hadn't seen him moving I would never have heard him. He'd taken off the long overcoat and under his shirt his muscles bunched and rippled. If I hadn't been intimidated before I certainly was then. The guy was built like a Greek god. No wonder Jenny had the hots for him. He stopped and spoke to Winston for a few minutes, saw that Hank was sleeping, then looked around for me.

I was hoping he would see I was enjoying myself too much to interrupt, but no such luck. He drifted over and bent down. "Can we talk?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said with a longing glance at Nikki. "Help me up, will'ya? My legs went to sleep." He nodded and grabbed me under one arm. Once I made sure Nikki wasn't going to fall over and hit her head, he lifted me like I was a kitten, with zero effort. He kept hold of me until my legs stopped wobbling and the pins and needles in my muscles had faded so walking wasn't painful. We moved away from the rest and sat at what had been Ripley's dining area, judging from the scattered paper plates and empty soda cans. The old mortician must have been a little loony, who drinks orange soda? The folding chairs and card table were old but sturdy, and we were careful not to let them scrape over the boards. The house may have gone quiet, but we weren't going to take any chances.

"What's on your mind?" I asked him.

He looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, and then rolled up the right sleeve of his shirt.

The bite was an ugly one, and made by human teeth. Red and puffy, the edges were ragged where the skin had been broken, and by the way the skin around the wound was inflamed, infection was setting in. "Ouch," I whispered.

"Yeah, no kidding," he said. "Hurts like a son-of-a-bitch. Got it two days ago when we lost Doc Horner. Winston's the only other person that knows, and I'd appreciate you not telling anybody."

"Then why show me?"

He sighed. "They've agreed that we need to go to Biocyte, but I want to make a stop at the hospital. It's not far from here. We might find other survivors there, and if not, maybe I can grab some antibiotics. The more people I have supporting that idea, the better off I'll be." He glanced down at his arm and for the first time, appeared worried. Then he looked me dead in the eye. "I'd consider it a big personal favor, Jake," he said.

I couldn't help but tease him a little. "You know, in the movies, all it takes is one bite to kill you and turn you into one of those things." His eyes widened and the sharp intake of breath evidenced that I'd touched on something he'd already thought about, and I had to grin.

It took him a minute to realize I was putting him on. Instead of getting mad at me, he smiled. "Touché," he said. "Seriously though, I'm worried, and I don't want to scare the others. What do you think?"

I crossed my arms and leaned toward him. "I think you're trying to scare me into voting your cause, instead of just asking for my help. Believe me when I tell you that it's not necessary. Personally, I think it's a good idea. If nothing else, we could use a good first-aid kit, or have you not noticed the lack of Band-Aids around here?"

"I noticed," he said, and his relief was unmistakable.

"Good. I think you'll be okay, Troy. Every movie I saw had anybody bitten dead and stumbling around long before now. We'll convince them to go to the hospital one way or another and get you fixed up."

He sagged in the chair, his entire body going limp. "Thanks," he said. Then he stood up. "I better see how Jenny is doing, she's upset about the house and her uncle's things." He put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a comradely squeeze. "I misjudged you earlier, and I'm sorry."

Such an admission from him caught me by surprise, and I found myself respecting him more. Were we starting a friendship? If so, I wondered if Jenny would try and nix it. "No sweat," I said with a shrug. "Troy?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell Jenny. Don't hold it back from her. She appreciates honesty, and probably wouldn't like it if I was privy to something she wasn't."

He nodded thoughtfully, then moved off.

My gaze moved back to Nikki. She was awake and watching me with her dark eyes. She slowly untangled herself from Timmy and stood up. Gracefully she seemed to float across the floor, her steps making no sound other than to rustle the fabric of her skirt. She lifted the hem up past her knees and curtsied like a lady, then spun silently and settled onto my lap as gently as a feather touching down. I was impressed and my heart was pounding. "Not bad," I told her.

"Four years of modern dance before I hit my teens," she explained. "You never forget how to do it, but I'm not as young as I used to be. Some moves are way beyond me now."

"Too bad," I grinned. She could dance for me anytime. "So what did you do here in town, teach dance?"

She bit her lower lip in what I've come to recognize as a nervous habit in most of the women I've known in my life. "I was an intern at Biocyte," she whispered, and her hand shot up and covered my mouth when my jaw dropped. "Don't tell anyone," she continued. "I was only a visiting science student. I came up a couple of times a month to assist in different areas of the facility. I didn't work there and I still don't know a lot of what went on there."

"Why?"

She got up and then sat down in the chair Troy had recently vacated and crossed her legs. Unlacing the simple sneakers she wore, she eased her feet out and wiggled her toes. With an impish grin she deposited one foot in my lap. Happy to oblige, I started massaging it. She let out a contented sigh. "Very nice," she breathed. She leaned back in the chair and looked around to see if anyone would overhear us talking. She stared for several seconds at Winston before turning back to me. "I worked in the genetic engineering section at Biocyte, mostly assisting the doctors here and there to earn extra college credit. They were nice, but since I wasn't part of their inner circle they had a tendency to shut up whenever I was in the room." She smiled slyly. "That didn't keep me from hearing things I wasn't supposed to. One thing all scientists have in common is that they love to brag about their work, the latest 'breakthrough' they just made, or anything that might raise their status among their peers. All I had to do was sit in a corner of the cafeteria and pretend to be engrossed in a book, and they'd forget I was even there."

"Do you know what happened there?"

She shook her head. "No. I did hear a few conversations on something they called..." she looked cautiously over at Winston, then leaned closer to me and whispered, "quantum dislocation. I tried looking it up, but my access into the computers was pretty limited. I was only able to discover that it involved some kind of trans-dimensional teleportation."

I must have blinked. She smiled at me. "I don't know what it is either," she admitted, "but what I do know is that the last day there was a lot of excitement. Word got around pretty fast that the main generators were powering up. Then..." her voice broke and she looked away, biting her lower lip.

"What?" I asked, reaching over and taking her hand. "Tell me."

"I was at my station, working a simple inventory program when the lights flickered. Then the floor shook and my computer went dark. The whole building felt like it was humming. The windows all cracked, some of them shattered. My hair stood on end, and then the lights went out. I sat there waiting for them to come back on, and then the screams started." Her eyes were distant. She had gone back into her memories, and the fear she had felt then was evident on her face. I wanted to hold her, to drive away the terror she was feeling, but how do you combat a memory? So I did the only thing I could and went back to rubbing her foot and listening.

She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself. "I left the room and went into the hallway. People were running around, a lot of them were covered in blood. I saw things... creatures I can't describe, horrors I had never imagined. They were eating..." she shuddered and covered her face with her hands. "There was blood splattered on the walls and floors. I don't remember how I got out. I made it through the main gate before the security system went into lockdown. Next thing I knew Troy was saving me from a group of ghouls. They had been people I knew at Biocyte, but they had become... evil." A tear slid down her cheek.

I could only imagine her terror. I'd seen those things up close and personal, and it had marked my soul. I sought any words that could comfort her. "We're going to make it," I said softly, "you'll see." She rewarded me with a thin smile and a slight nod. I don't think she really believed it, but she was willing to accept my words. God, I've never regretted being so optimistic as I was then. I reluctantly set her foot down and leaned toward her. "Have you told the others about what you know about Biocyte?"

She shook her head. "I think Winston may have seen me there once or twice, but I don't think he's made the connection yet."

That caught my attention. "You saw Winston there?"

Another nod, and her voice lowered to a whisper. "Several times, and always from a distance, but it was him."

El Professor had said that he was familiar with Biocyte from having taken the tour they offered. This was a new development I hadn't expected, and it cast a shadow on Winston's reasons for wanting to return to Biocyte. That made me nervous, and it's not a feeling I enjoy. My eyes found Holcroft still seemingly engrossed in the book, but we weren't that far away. How sharp was his hearing? Could he know that we were discussing him and act like he wasn't aware of it? I looked back at Nikki, and I could see that she was thinking whether or not it had been a good idea to tell me what she knew. I patted her knee. "You won't say anything to him, will you?"

"No, but keep this to yourself for now," I said. "I don't know if it means anything, but I'll let Troy decide. He can deal with him if it comes down to that."

She sagged with relief, which I took for a sign that she agreed. I glanced around at my companions. Troy and Jenny were asleep on the bed. Winston continued reading, stopping every now and again to wipe his glasses with his handkerchief while he pondered a section. Joshua continued to mope in the corner. Hank appeared to be sleeping, but I saw his eyes open occasionally and scan the attic. Timmy had curled up in a ball on the floor. When Nikki had got up she had covered him with the afghan that had been on the sofa, and all that was visible of the boy was the top of his head and the one hand that still clutched the bat. The little psycho was even paranoid in his sleep.

When I turned back to Nikki she was staring at me with a bemused smile, like she knew what I had been thinking. "So did Troy decide what our next step should be?"

I nodded. "We're going to the hospital."

The only indication of her surprise was a blink. "Any reason why?"

"I thought you'd look great in a nurses uniform," I said, doing my best Groucho Marx impression. She chuckled and took my hand in both of hers. "Where thou goest..."

Sunrise at last.

In the semi-gloom of the attic we waited out the night. Most of them had slept a little, but none very deeply. No one wanted to risk snoring and alerting the monsters below to where we were, so we all catnapped. Looking back, I suppose I could have made things happen with Nikki, but it just wasn't the time or the place for a romantic interlude. Heck, Jenny and Troy were showing remarkable restraint, and besides, there just wasn't a lot of privacy, you know?

Light coming in from around the windows told us the sun had risen. Using a nail, Troy scratched away a small section of the black paint and used one eye to peer out. Apparently satisfied by what he saw, he unlatched the window and lifted it up. Air and warm sunlight poured in. I was standing just behind him, and I took a deep breath of what I thought would be fresh oxygen, and ended up coughing. "Christ!" I choked. Troy sniffed and wrinkled his nose. "Wow, that's awful," he murmured.

There's no real way to describe what we smelled out there. It was a mix of stale and foul, as if the air itself was dead and decaying. Troy leaned out. "Street's empty," he said. "I think we can make a break for it."

After some discussion, we had finally agreed that a stop at the hospital on our way to Biocyte was probably a good idea. I had used the first aid excuse to win them over, and since no one could dispute the fact that we had absolutely nothing to treat injuries with, it was pretty clear where we were headed. Troy and I both expected some argument from maybe Winston or Joshua, but both kept their mouths shut. I think Holcroft didn't want to seem too eager to return to his stomping grounds, and Joshua was bright enough to realize he was on everyone's shit list.

After a quick breakfast of granola bars and lukewarm water, the locks were undone and the steps lowered into the hallway. The house had been quiet for hours, so Troy was reasonably sure that it had been abandoned before dawn. So with weapons drawn, we made our way down. Turns out he was right, and we all breathed a sigh of relief to be down out of the attic. Winston clutched his pistol in one hand, and cradled the Mortis Arcanum with the other. Not wanting to leave our hideaway exposed, the stairs were folded back up into the ceiling.

The house was thrashed, and by the set of Jenny's face I would have been willing to bet she was now looking forward to meeting up with some of the creatures and getting some payback. She checked on her uncle's body, and while the sheet covering him had been removed, the corpse had not been disturbed. I guess they liked their dinner warm and kicking, but I didn't say so.

The main floor was just as bad. The front doors were broken open and both chapels utterly desecrated. The entire house was an insurance adjusters worst nightmare. If Castle Bay ever recovered, just this one location would need at least a million in repairs. Holes were torn in every wall as the creatures had searched for us, furniture was overturned and smashed, and every window shattered, including the stained glass transom window above the doors. A chair was lodged in the frame, obviously the source of the destruction. I frowned at that. The ghouls weren't supposed to be smart enough to figure things like that out. I glanced at Troy and saw that he had made the same connection. He shook his head indicating that I shouldn't say anything. No problem.

Stepping outside into the warm sunlight was akin to being reborn. I felt renewed. The night's horrors seemed far away and foolish in the daytime. Jenny pointed to the roof of a large building a couple of blocks to the east. We could just see it beyond a stand of trees. "That's the hospital," she said, "Castle Community General. It's not big, but we should be able to find everything we need there." She stole a worried glance at Troy. So he had told her. She pointed next to the west. "Biocyte is about two miles in that direction, near the Olbaid manor."

"Olbaid manor? What's that?" Hank was surprisingly chipper for a man who'd spent the night cozying up to a flask.

"An old area family. The last of them died years ago, and the house at Grave's End had been empty for a long time. When I was young we used to think it was haunted and dared each other to go inside. My uncle's last letter said the place was occupied again, but he didn't know the man who was living there."

Hank was only half listening. "Olbaid," he muttered. "Why is that familiar to me?" Nobody else heard him, and with Troy and Jenny in the lead, we walked down the porch steps and left the House of Rest behind. Troy had mentioned getting back before dark, but something told me we would never set foot inside it again.

"Graves End? That's a strange name," Hank muttered. "Why'd they call it that?"

"I suppose because it's right by the cemetery," she answered. "Balthazar Olbaid built the house before the turn of the century. He was known to be something of an eccentric."

"Sounds like he was a grade-A nutball," Joshua muttered.

As before, the sunlight had pushed back the fogbank that surrounded the town, but we could still see the vaporous mass swirling in the distance. You have to hand it to small rural towns, the cleanliness of the air allows for greater visual clarity. "Don't get relaxed, people," Troy warned. "There are still things here that don't mind the daylight at all. Be on your guard." We started walking. I wanted to hold Nikki's hand, but Timmy had again stolen her from me. Little bastard, right then I wanted something to jump out and eat him.

At that moment a dog barked somewhere, and they all froze. I walked right into Hank when he stopped short. "What the hell, it's just a dog barking," I said, rubbing my nose.

"Every dog we've seen lately has been either dead or... changed," he explained. "That sounds like a real living animal."

"Hope he makes it," Nikki said softly.

"Shouldn't we go find it then?" I asked, but she shook her head. "We don't have the time. Much as I'd love to help the poor thing, we can't spare the time. We have to get to the hospital and Biocyte, and then back to the house before sunset. That only gives us about nine hours. Even if we found the dog, it would probably be too skittish of humans now to even let us near it."

I saw the logic in that, even as the dog-lover in me wanted to protest. So I kept my mouth clamped firmly shut as we started walking away from the barks. Crossing the lawn I saw the tracks of many feet in the dew on the grass. There had been a crowd out here during the night, all of them most likely searching for us. Right then I wanted nothing more than to be back up in the attic where I knew it was safe. Damn the rest of them, just give me a chance to ditch Timmy, grab Nikki, and run like hell back up the stairs. We'd sit out the madness until we were rescued. There was enough food and water in the house to last for weeks. Somehow, together, we'd survive.

But that wasn't going to happen, no matter how much I tried to kid myself. Nikki would never abandon Timmy or the others, and I wasn't brave enough to even approach her with the idea. The fact that Troy would probably kill me was another factor to consider. So I stewed in my thoughts as I walked just ahead of the girl I was quickly thinking of as mine, my eyes looking in every direction as I scanned for danger. I could feel her watching me, and I wondered again; and not for the last time, if she was really interested in me. It's not the first time in my life that I was plagued with self-doubt, I doubt it will be the last.

As we had expected, the streets were deserted. Cars sat unused in the driveways of empty houses. Many of those houses had open doors and windows, or were vandalized in some way. In one window I thought I saw a pale white hand holding back the curtain, but the shadows beyond could have been playing tricks on my eyes. So either I was seeing things, or we weren't the only ones left alive in Castle Bay. If Troy had noticed he gave no indication, but all of us saw the words painted on the side of one house that read, "THE END HAS COME," in large, ragged letters. By the color I suspected the paint was really dried blood. "We're not the only ones left alive," Troy said.

"Why don't they come out" Jenny asked him.

He shrugged. "Too skittish and scared," he told her, "and I don't blame them."

The hospital loomed closer after a couple of blocks. It was small for what it was, having only four floors and a separate unit housing a free clinic. I suppose at one time it had been a bastion of comfort for the townsfolk, but the closer we came the more a feeling of dread swelled in my chest, and a foul suspicion bloomed in my mind. I moved through the group and walked beside Troy. I nudged his arm with my elbow. "Where do zombies and ghouls go in the daytime?" I asked him. He replied with a light shrug and a lifted eyebrow. I lifted my chin toward the hospital and he blinked. "What makes you think that?" he asked me, worry creasing his brow.

"I don't know," was my answer. "Sometimes I get feelings about things. When I'm at sea I can look at the sky and tell you if the weather is going to turn, or smell the air and find my way to waters teeming with schools of fish. This is different because I'm not at sea, but I have the same premonition of danger that I sense when a dark cloud hangs low on the horizon. If we're going in there, we'd best be ready for anything."

His hands tightened around his rifle until his knuckles cracked. "I'll be ready," he growled. We crossed the next intersection and entered the grounds of Castle Bay Community General.

Crossing the parking lot I never felt more exposed. Among the tree-lined neighborhoods we at least had the advantage of some cover in case of attack, but the hot asphalt was almost empty and exposed. A lone Volkswagon Bug was parked against the building, crossing the lines. It seemed the owner had exited the car in a hurry. The door was open and the keys hung from the dashboard. Had the driver been chased inside?

The main doors of the hospital beckoned. One of the double doors was shattered, with flecks of blood on some of the shards. Inside we could see the reception desk and some overturned chairs. Troy lifted his hand and we stopped. He gingerly stepped through the broken door, taking care not to cut himself. Although glass littered the area, his boots made no sound as he moved. The man was as lithe as a cat, and I think we all admired him more for it. His rifle was up and ready to fire at anything that moved. God help any doctor or nurse that startled him. They'd have a hole in them large enough to pass a basketball through.

Once he was assured the area was clear, he waved us in. It sounded to me like a herd of stampeding buffalo would have made less noise, but in all actuality we made very little noise as we went through the door. Everyone was jumpy and on edge, and it was a solid wonder no one ended up shot, but soon we were clustered in the lobby and staring around as if none of us had ever seen a hospital before.

Some of the lights were still on, but no one was home. Most of the fluorescent lights were flickering or dark. Behind the reception desk a file cabinet was tipped over and a spill of files and papers covered the work area. The lobby was wrecked, the furniture strewn about as if a tornado had suddenly appeared in the room. Two of the tables were missing one or more legs, and that caused the wheels in my mind to jump into overdrive. "Jenny," Troy said softly, "where can we get supplies?"

She looked around at the two hallways until she found the one directing patients and visitors to the emergency room, and that's the one she pointed to. "The ER. I think most hospitals keep a large supply of items there."

"You think?" Winston asked.

The look she sent him was withering. "I didn't work here," she snarled. "The clients we saw at the mortuary had already been here, and Uncle Rob always made the pickups."

I expected Holcroft to apologize, but he merely shrugged and turned away. Jenny fumed but clenched her lips together. I'd been on the receiving end of her temper, and I was glad it was not currently directed at me. Since I didn't care for Winston very much, I found the situation funny and couldn't conceal the grin that sprouted on my face. Jenny didn't notice, but Nikki prodded me in the ribs as a warning. I went into poker mode just in time. Winston was looking around and trying not to blush. Troy put his hand on Jenny's shoulder, "Let's go," he said, leading the way down the corridor. I could almost see the steam vent from her ears before she went after him.

We followed, our steps muffled by the carpeted floors, nobody talking, and all of us ready to shoot. The atmosphere of Community General was heavy and thick. Danger hung like a cloud of oppression in the air and I wasn't the only one to notice it. We all felt subdued. My hand holding the gun was sweaty, and it was an effort not to tremble. Holy crow I was scared, and I didn't know why. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that we were leaving the sunlight and trading it for the gloom of these half-lit hallways where anything could have been waiting for us.

As it turns out, something was.

It all went down so fast, I'm not sure I can remember it all clearly. One second we heard a noise from ahead of us, coming from behind one of the many closed doors. Whether they were patient rooms or offices I don't know, but I can still see Troy when he froze as the sound of something falling over echoed through the hall. The clack of Troy chambering a round made me realize I wasn't hearing things after all. He approached the door where the sound had come from, and had just put his hand on the knob when the door behind me suddenly whooshed open. Nikki let out a startled squeak as she was grabbed. Her hand was wrenched from Timmy's as she was pulled inside and the door slammed shut. The boy let out a shriek and started pounding on the door even as I shouted, "Nikki!"

All this took place in a matter of seconds. It happened so fast that it was; and still is, a blur. I grabbed the handle on the door and threw my weight against it, but it didn't budge. Then Troy was there and together we tried to force it open, but the lock had been thrown and it was a futile effort. "Goddamn it!" Troy shouted and punched the door. He backed up and looked around.

I grabbed his shoulder, "We've got to help her!"

He pushed me back. "We will, Jake. Give me a minute. Hank, we need your gun."

We stepped back as Hank trotted over and took aim. "Ya'll better back up." he warned, and pulled the trigger. The blast was deafening in the confined space. A jagged hole appeared where the handle and lock had been. Troy moved around him and kicked it open.

Beyond was a room that was empty except for a desk and a couple of chairs. Another door set in the opposite wall was slightly ajar, and together the two of us raced across the room and threw it open. More connected rooms and nothing but empty beds. "Nikki!" I cried, and Troy clamped his hand over my mouth from behind. "Shut up," he growled in my ear. "You won't do her any good getting hysterical."

I shook him off. "I'm going to find her," I insisted. Was that really me talking?

"We will find her," he responded, his voice suddenly low and calm. He was trying to take control of the situation, and after a moment of silent argument with our eyes locked, I gave up. My shoulders slumped and I leaned against the wall. "I should have held onto her."

"Quit beating yourself up. We'll get her back." The others had crowded in behind us, Timmy now shaking and moaning and hugging himself. Jenny touched Troy's arm. "What do we do now?" she asked.

His eyes narrowed. "We split up," he said. She was about to protest when he lifted his hand and cut her off. "I don't like the idea any more than you do, but we've got to. Jake and I will go after Nikki; you and the rest get to the ER and stock us up. If we can find her, we may have to leave in a big hurry."

Winston spoke up. "Are you certain that's the wisest course of action? She's probably already dead. We should move on."

I lost it. I was off the wall and grabbing him by the collar of his tweed jacket. "She's alive, you pompous dipshit!" I thundered in his face. "She's alive and we're going to find her."

We glared at each other for a few seconds, and then I felt cold steel under my chin from the barrel of his pistol. "Might I suggest you let go of me, Mr. Hollow? I would hate to deprive you of your head so early in the morning."

He meant it. The coldness in his eyes was absolutely devoid of compassion or reason. If I didn't do as he said he would splatter my brains all over the room. Still, I was in the midst of a righteous hot fury that overcame logic, and I tightened my grip.

I both heard and felt the pistol cock. "Last warning, Mr. Hollow," he whispered, giving the gun a jab that clacked my teeth together.

Then Troy was there. ""Knock it off, Holcroft. Put the gun down."

"The man is assaulting me, Mr. Williams. I have every right to defend myself." There was a surprised tone to his voice, as if he couldn't believe Troy wasn't taking his side.

The bounty hunter leaned in and whispered in Winston's ear. I was close enough to hear what he said. "Pull that trigger and you'll be dead before the echo fades. I'll kill you with my bare hands. You aren't fast enough to shoot me before I do it."

There was a moment's hesitation as he considered the threat, then the gun lowered and he glared at me with impatience. "I'm waiting, Mr. Hollow," he said.

I let him go and backed up. "She's alive," I said.

He uncocked the pistol. "I sincerely hope so. Otherwise you and Mr. Williams will be wasting not only your time, but your lives as well." He stepped away from me and rejoined the rest of the group. If he noticed that they moved away from him he didn't react to it. Troy took my arm. "Come on, Jake," he said, "let's go get her."

I nodded and led the way to the other door, but not before sharing a hateful glare with Holcroft. Call it intuition, but I knew he and I were going to bump heads again before this was over. Troy shared a few words with Jenny, but all I caught was that they were to grab the meds and wait for us in the lobby. "Don't let your guard down for a minute," he warned. "If something moves, don't take any chances. Shoot to kill." Jenny promised. "Be careful," she said, and then gave me a small smile. "I hope she's okay, Jake. I really do."

"Thanks." I felt better about how things were between us then, and it was a good thing. I think that maybe by that point she had forgiven me most of the earlier faults I had so prominently displayed during our arrival. The hated coward inside of me was still there, but I needed Nikki. For her I could face almost anything. Weapons readied, the bloodhounds began their pursuit.

Two sets of stairs brought us to a dead-end and a single door. A sign mounted on the wood made my blood run cold, as did the horrible stench seeping from around the door. EMERGENCY O.R., it said, and I shivered. "Ahh... nuts."

Troy checked his rifle. "You ready?"

"Are you sure this is where they went?"

"I'm sure. Those are scuffmarks from Nikki's shoes on the steps. Whoever grabbed her is dragging her, and there's just enough dust on the stairs to leave a trail." He took hold of the door handle and was about to pull it open when I stopped him. "You know Winston is probably right. Why did you agree to help me?"

He sighed and looked at the floor, then favored me with a softened expression. For those few seconds I saw the inner man on his face as the hardened shell dropped away. "I owe you," he said, "and I pay my debts." I was about to argue with him that it couldn't have been as simple as that when he added, "Besides, I like Nikki. I have to try to save her, or I couldn't consider myself a man ever again."

I nodded. "Well, however this works out, thanks."

"Let's go get the son-of-a-bitch," he grinned, and that hard look was back.

We opened the door and stepped into hell.

Bodies were everywhere, but that wasn't the worst of it.

Some of them were moving.

They weren't zombies or ghouls or anything unnatural, they were people who had been mutilated horribly. Men, women, and children. Too many to count, not that I wanted to, I was too busy trying to my breakfast down. Most were missing one or more limbs, the stumps crudely bandaged and seeping blood, others an eye or an ear. One poor twitching body was missing the entire lower jaw, the tongue hanging loose and dry across the chest. I retched and turned away when the body twitched and drew a ragged gasping breath through the exposed windpipe.

That's when Troy shouted, "Freeze, asshole!"

At first I thought he was talking to me, trying to steady me. Then I looked up and saw that I was the last thing on his mind.

A single surgical table occupied the center of the room, and Nikki was strapped to it. She was gagged, and the relief in her eyes at seeing the two of us was clear. Next to the table was one of those stainless steel carts used to tote surgical instruments around on, and it had a load of some wicked tools I was betting were not used in normal hospitals. Spiked and sharp, they were also covered with blood and tissue. I forced down the bile that was rising in the back of my throat. Easily done now since my fear was being quickly replaced with cold fury. I was going to kill someone if they tried to use those on Nikki.

Towering over her and tightening the straps that held her down was the biggest man I had ever seen, and it was to him Troy had shouted. Actually, big doesn't begin to describe him. He was enormous. Standing near seven feet tall, he had shoulders as broad as a bull and arms bulging with thick muscle. His massive torso was scarcely covered by a red flannel shirt that hung open, revealing a huge gut and a thick pelt of coarse hair. His eyes were dark and set close together in his porcine face. Most of his face was covered by a thick black beard, which caused me a moment's wonder because the hair on his head was peroxide blonde. Without doubt he was the most brutish person I had ever laid eyes on, and for some odd reason reminded me of Popeye's old nemesis, Bluto.

When Troy yelled, he looked up and grinned, showing a mouthful of jagged and broken teeth. Then he jerked the strap he was holding and Nikki wailed behind her gag. That's when I saw that his hands were absurdly large, like two hams. "Let her go, Porky!" Troy's rifle was now aimed at the piggish features. "I mean it. Shooting you could only improve your looks."

I took aim with my own gun. "Troy?"

"Easy, Jake. Give him a chance."

That was when the smaller man stepped out from behind Bluto. He wore doctor's scrubs and one of those old-fashioned mirrored lights on his forehead. The scrubs were blood-splattered and filthy with gore. His hands were clad in thick rubber gloves and in the right he carried the nastiest looking syringe I had ever seen. Green fluid dripped from the needle's point and hissed when the drops hit the tile floor. Why he seemed so surprised to see us I'll never know. He moved around fatso and looked us over with undisguised curiosity. "I don't believe you have an appointment," he said, and made as if to inject Nikki with whatever vileness was in the syringe.

Troy lifted the rifle to his shoulder. "I wouldn't," he warned.

The Doctor looked up. "It's my job," he said, as if explaining something to a couple of idiots. "It won't hurt." As if saying so made it all right.

"Yeah? Neither will the bullet that's going to spread your sick brains all over the wall. Now, let her go." Troy meant it, and I think the Doctor realized it. He gave a single nod down at Nikki. "Release her, Billy Bob."

"Billy Bob?" I asked in amazement. "You've got to be kidding me."

Those meaty paws undid the straps with surprising speed. As soon as her limbs were free Nikki was up and off that table like she had been goosed. She pulled the gag out of her mouth and threw herself at me. "Thank God," she panted. Then she turned to Troy.

"Kill them," she said evenly.

He blinked. "What?"

"They did this. They hurt all of these people. Kill them."

The Doctor spoke then. "Please believe me," he said, "it is for the greater good."

Billy Bob reached behind him and lifted an axe from where it had been leaning against the wall. He brandished it menacingly, his smile even broader. Like everything else it was stained with blood both old and new. He hefted it and showed us that horrible smile again. Troy didn't so much as twitch. "Tell your boy to back down or he's going to eat a bullet."

"Billy knows what must be done. That is what he is here for."

"Wrong answer," Troy said, and pulled the trigger.

I winced as the shot reverberated in the room and the tray of tools exploded in a shower of sparks. The Doctor screamed and Billy Bob bellowed as they were showered with shards of jagged metal. When the echoes died Billy charged.

He moved fast for such a big man, faster than I would have believed if I hadn't seen it. Troy didn't have time to get off another shot before the axe was whistling toward his head, but he ducked it easily and brought the butt of his rifle up into Billy's stomach, driving the air from his attacker's lungs. The blow doubled the man over, and then Troy swept up the rifle butt and crunched it into the temple of his attacker. The axe dropped and Billy crumpled to the floor. "Idiot," Troy said, and kicked the big man hard in the ribs. I hoped he was wearing steel toe boots.

Stupidly, I was distracted by Troy's encounter and took my eyes off the Doctor just long enough for him to give us the slip. Neither of us had seen the other door, and he was through it and gone before I realized it. "Damn!" Luckily Nikki was between us if he got really pissed at me.

Troy looked up and saw the Doctor was gone. "What happened?"

"My fault," I admitted. "I was watching you dance with Billy boy."

"Not good," he said. "Okay, let's get out of here before he comes back with reinforcements." I nodded and we made for the door, then Nikki pulled me back. "Troy?"

He turned back as he opened the door. "Yeah?"

"What about all these people? We have to do something for them."

He came back and put his hand on her shoulder. "Nikki, I'm sorry, but we can't help them."

"Why not?" she asked, a quaver in her voice.

"Because they're dead or dying, and I have to concern myself with the living. There are five people upstairs waiting for us. We've got to go."

She didn't argue and buried her face in my shirt. A small sob escaped. I looked at Troy helplessly, not knowing what to do. I've never been the best comforter. When she let go, she nodded at Troy. "Okay, you're right," she said. "Let's go."

"What about Billy Bob? Is he dead?" I asked.

"I certainly hope so, but I'm not going to waste any more time making sure. I hit him hard enough to crush his skull, but I'm betting his is pretty thick. Let's get out of here just in case."

We took a step and I stumbled. Whatever it was that I'd tripped over would have been right at home in a B horror film. I picked it up and examined it. It looked like a big pair of scissors, but with six blades instead of two, and a small cartridge of some unidentifiable liquid was attached to the handles. A small trigger was used to pump the liquid over the blades. This stuff was red, so it wasn't the same fluid he'd been about to inject Nikki with. I was glad I hadn't seen it in action, because I was willing to bet it wasn't a pretty sight. "Weird," I muttered.

Troy interrupted my woolgathering. "Come on, Jake, and bring that with you. I bet Winston would love to get a look at it."

"Right." I tucked my gun into my belt and took Nikki's hand. The three of us left the room of death behind and went up the stairs. Troy led, and we followed warily. On the first landing, as we turned to go up the next flight, the sound of the door behind us crashing open reached our ears. It was followed by a high pitched whine of something mechanical starting up. "Now what?" I griped.

Troy brushed past us and raised the rifle. I knew who was going to appear even before we saw him. It was the Doctor, and by his expression, he was thoroughly pissed off. When we stole one of his tools, he came at us with something that looked like a weed-whacker crossed with a vacuum cleaner. What did it do? Are you mad? We didn't stick around to find out! "Go!" Troy shouted, and we went.

We both looked back as the Doctor swiped at Troy with whatever it was. Troy managed to evade the strike and moved in close enough to shove the rifle right up against the Doctor's chin. "Up yours!" he screamed over the sound of the device, and pulled the trigger.

The back of the Doctors head blew out, spraying the stairwell wall with blood, bone and brains. The machine immediately shut off, and the corpse swayed for a moment before falling back down the stairs. Troy turned and gave a start when he saw we were still there. "I said go!"

No argument from us. We practically flew up the rest of the stairs and into the offices we'd come through before. We stopped only long enough to lock each door and barricade them with whatever furniture we could find. It might not stop any pursuit, but it could slow it down enough for us to make our escape.

In the main corridor we looked for the rest of our group. They were nowhere in sight, but we knew where they'd gone, so we started off in that direction.

Where he came from I don't know. All I knew was that I was suddenly moving a lot faster. That was because my feet were no longer touching the floor. Billy Bob came hurtling out of an office and slammed into me like a linebacker. Nikki screamed but the sound was distant and foggy as I hit the wall and dropped to the floor. I saw stars and couldn't draw a full breath. The giant grabbed Nikki by both arms and lifted her off the floor. He roared his rage into her face and she wilted.

Then Troy was rushing past me and I heard the rifle fire. Billy dropped Nikki as a bullet parted his hair, leaving a stripe of smoking stubble across his skull. It didn't faze him. Troy's streak of good luck fighting the bastard chose that moment to run out. The brute's hand shot out and grabbed the ex-ranger by his shirt. A grunt escaped him as he sent Troy hurtling back the way we'd come. The bounty hunter crashed hard but rolled and came up on his feet, rifle ready to fire.

Apparently Billy wasn't as dumb as he looked. Troy was now far enough away to take his time and shoot him dead. Big as he was, a few well-placed shots would take him down. Counting his options and coming up short, he took off. He disappeared into the dimness of the hallway.

Next thing I remember was Nikki cradling my head in her lap, and Jenny's voice telling me, "Drink this, Jake." The liquid I swallowed was hot and very bitter, but I forced it down. The aches in my body faded to a dull throb. "Where are we?"

"Security offices. Troy says we're safe here for now. You're banged up, but I think you'll live." Her smile made me feel better, and I remember thinking that she was still a very beautiful woman. Troy was a lucky man.

Nikki's gentle voice whispered in my ear. "My hero," she said with a soft chuckle. "I knew you'd come for me."

"I'm a sucker for a damsel in distress. Any sign of Billy Bob?"

"No, but we'll be seeing him again. Troy says he's the type that will want revenge. We hurt him twice, and he'll want some payback."

"I'll bet."

"You should try and rest. He sprung a couple of your ribs when he hit you. Troy says we're going to head for Biocyte once we're rested up. He also says you did really good down there." She smiled down at me and I turned to goo. Jenny who?

There was a dark aura around everything I looked at, and I knew I was fading fast. Whatever Jenny had given me was potent stuff. The drugs were helpful, but they didn't make up for hiding out from that butcher and having to break Nikki out of the O.R. "Just give me a few minutes," I mumbled around a tongue that had suddenly grown clumsy.

"No problem," she replied.

Everything faded to black.

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