Harmony’s presence tickled him again a few minutes later. She was now euphoric. If he could see her aura, it would be pulsing with emerald light.
You feel happy. Like you ate the early-bird special for lunch. I can almost see the feathers in your teeth, Alex answered this time.
Ugh. What an image. But you’re correct about one thing. Things are going well on this end. And with you?
So far, so good. He made certain that she didn’t feel any of the revulsion that filled him. There would be time for these horrors later. Harmony would have to know, because they would need her people to keep an eye on the other clinics. They might shut down the computer systems and destroy the bodies of stored research, but the evil men who had done these surgeries would still be alive.
Alex slammed another file back into its slot and pulled out the next. Finally he decided that he could endure no more details. He simply began reading names, committing them to his prodigious memory, promising himself that he would find some way to make this list known, at least to the families whose loved ones had disappeared.
He felt another flutter, and this time Harmony wasn’t happy.
Harmony? What’s wrong?
Nothing. Almost done, she thought back. Do you remember the small gray building near the gate? That’s a warehouse where they keep backup computer files. Can you guys get inside and do your magnetic battery-draining thing? It will erase all the backup tapes. Alex got a clear likeness of the building. Her abilities to speak to him mentally were progressing quickly. Now that she had completely embraced being psychic, she was growing into her full potential.
I know it. If we can’t get in ourselves, then we’ll toss in a grenade, Alex promised.
Where are you now? Her question was tense but not panicked.
In the records room. I have a list of all early experiments that might not be in the computer.
He thought she was pleased with this, but didn’t get a clear reply. Something on the computer screen had distracted her again.
Alex tried to find Ninon and failed. He went to the door and stuck his head into the corridor where there was less shielding. He reached out for Ninon again and finally located her in one of the labs.
Alex? Ninon asked. I’ve found him—Dippel. They do have the hand.
Can you get it?
Yes. Her reply was positive but faint. So was the image she tried to send him. The labs must also be shielded. He saw little beyond bright light and one man working at some large machine.
Do it, then.
Alex closed the door and went back to the desk. His first impulse was to rip up all the records of Saint Germain’s cruelty, but someone might wander in and report the vandalism. This wasn’t the time to give in to rage. He reached for Harmony along with another file.
Ninon and I are in the basement lab. We think we’ve found where they are cloning Dippel. Certainly they are cloning something. Several somethings.
Better you than me. He felt her mental shudder. Go with God. I’ll see you in about fifteen minutes.
From your thoughts to God’s ear.
Alex reached for another folder but then got a very clear image of Ninon. Alarm pierced him and he immediately cut himself off from Harmony.
The technician Ninon had hit was on the floor when the door behind her slammed against the wall. She shoved the rotting hand into her coat pocket and turned to face the creature that filled up the only path of escape from the room. Ninon’s aura flared red as she prepared to fight.
The creature had the sort of chest development that could only be found on freaks who took steroids and lived at the gym. Or on one of Saint Germain’s specialized ghouls. This, unfortunately, was one of the latter. He wouldn’t go down quietly.
The ghoul grinned at her and stepped into the room. His long, lupine jaws pointed at her like a gun, and he obviously hadn’t taken advantage of the company cosmetic dental plan. His yellowed teeth were saber-sharp, though, and showed over his thin, snarling lips.
Ninon didn’t wait for him to take a second step into the room. She feinted right, hopping over the body of the unconscious technician. As soon as the ghoul was off balance in his turn, she jumped left, clearing the table of equipment with room to spare. In her hand was a weapon. It took Alex a moment to recognize it. The long barb was used in hand-to-hand combat during World War I. It was called a trench spike. It could pierce the helmets of enemy soldiers with one firm blow. It had the benefit of being a silent weapon, but using it would require getting within arm’s reach of the ghoul.
Eyes furious, the half-wolf spun about and reached for her with his right hand. Borrowing from some unknown style of fighting, Ninon swung her leg in a fantail kick and connected with the point of the ghoul’s right elbow. Apparently, the so-called funny bone was the same in both ghoul and human bodies, because the ghoul’s long arm dropped, completely lamed. He didn’t cry out, though. His jaws thrust at Ninon. The ghoul was hurt but far from dead. She needed help.
Feeling dizzy and disoriented by the overlapping visual realities, Alex began to run. The representation of Ninon and the ghoul was imposed over his actual physical surroundings as he headed at a flat-out run for the service elevator, which was the fastest way down to the labs.
Alex hissed and flinched as the ghoul swung at Ninon again, using his longer left arm. But she was ready for it and quickly dropped under his clublike limb. The clawed fingers caught her wig, tearing it from her head, but she was unhurt. Again, using some foreign style of kick-boxing, she lashed viciously at the ghoul’s left buttock, trusting that its sciatic nerve was located in the same spot as in the human body. She followed up with a faster, shorter kick that dislocated his knee with a sound exactly like the breaking of a dried tree limb. It was a dirty sort of street fighting, but she showed no hesitation about abandoning fair play when battling something twice her weight that would gladly tear her to pieces. Alex had never seen anyone move so quickly. She was a cold, efficient fighter.
The combination of kicks worked. When the ghoul dropped to his uninjured knee and began to roar, Ninon jumped straight into the air, putting her whole body behind the point of the spike, driving it through the creature’s head and out the bottom of his elongated jaw. Faster than Alex could imagine, she got it back out and was driving it through the creature’s heart.
Ninon heard a noise and her head whipped toward the door. Alex’s head turned too. Reinforcements were coming. He felt her make the mental calculation of whether to flee or stay and fight. Ninon knew she was fast but not quick enough to take on two ghouls at once. And she couldn’t risk Dippel’s hand remaining in the clinic if she were captured.
Alex reached the elevator and hit the button with a hard hand. Ninon was close—only one floor below him and a few feet from the elevator. If the machine came quickly enough…
Alex watched as Ninon’s ghostly image turned and leapt for the lab door, leaving the still-thrashing ghoul behind her. She knew that there was no time to do anything about the security cameras in the hall or to help the technician she had knocked out. Not bothering with trying to hide her inhuman speed, she flat-out raced for the service elevator at the end of the corridor. Miguel’s map said it was the only way out at this end of the basement. There were stairs, but they were on the other side of the ghoul pack.
The elevator pinged and the doors opened. Alex jumped in and hit the button for the sub-basement. The doors closed and he began to descend. Reaching out as far and as fast as he could, he killed the security cameras on the floor below. It was probably too late to keep Ninon from being seen by the first one, but he did it anyway so they wouldn’t be able to track her visually as she fled.
An alarm went off. Behind Ninon, the doors from the other part of the lab crashed open and two more howling ghouls joined the electronic hue and cry. She didn’t bother looking back. She had only a small lead, but it might be enough if she didn’t trip and the descending elevator was there when she arrived.
Alex heard her s
ay “Merci!” and knew it was because she could hear the service elevator coming. He reached down inside as far as he could and willed the alarm to silence. His head was beginning to hurt and the twin visual realities were making him nauseous. He hadn’t used his power this much in years.
As the soft ding announced the car’s arrival, Ninon launched herself at the opening doors, arms drawn back to strike if it was anyone other than Alex waiting for her.
“Need some help?” Alex asked, as his two kinds of sight came together and the world righted itself. The smell of wet cereal was strong, and Alex knew that he had burned off his chemical tan. Both he and Ninon were glowing slightly. If they hadn’t been wearing contacts, their eyes would have also shone as pure black.
Alex didn’t need her warning to hit the close button and jam his finger on the ground-floor switch.
“There may be more ghouls in the lobby to meet us if I tripped an alarm in the lab.” Ninon exhaled as she leaned against the far wall, her spike at the ready. Already her skin was returning to normal. Alex willed himself to likewise calm his breathing. It was fairly easy to do as long as there was no storm in the air.
“I don’t think so,” Alex answered, watching the doors close and the numbers begin to flick by. “There’ll be those two guards, but even if they’ve been alerted, I doubt they’ll want a public scene.”
“And if they do?” She flexed her foot and frowned. The leather of her pump had torn and her toes poked through.
“Then they’ll be very sorry.” Alex looked over at her. His voice was calm but his eyes were not. He and Ninon could handle themselves. Harmony was upstairs. Alone. Unarmed. “How many were there?”
“Three ghouls. That I know of. All downstairs.”
Alex nodded. He didn’t tell her that he had seen her fight.
“I only got one,” she said. “Running away seemed wisest when two and three turned up.”
“I agree.” His voice was bleak and he started reaching out for Harmony, but from inside the elevator, he couldn’t find her. He was being drowned out by electronic white noise. Perhaps he could push past it, but didn’t dare try in case he caused the mechanism to fail.
“Okay, here’s the plan,” he said. “You try walking out nice and calm and humanlike. If anything looks the least bit doubtful, or anyone draws a gun, flatten whoever is in your way and run for the exit like a pack of ghouls are after you. If they lock the doors, go through them. The glass will hurt like hell, but you’ll heal. Find Miguel and Byron and tell them what happened. If we’re not there in ten minutes, blow up the gray warehouse and get out of the country.”
“Blow up the warehouse—check.” She patted his arm. “I really hope there aren’t more ghouls in the lobby. It will be a bloodbath if there are. We won’t be able to protect the innocent if they rampage.”
The elevator slowed. “I know.” The thought of so many casualties made him ill, so he pushed it away. “Ready?”
Ninon smoothed her hair and tossed aside her useless badge. She dropped her trench spike into the pocket with Dippel’s hand. She was utterly calm.
“Yes.”
The doors opened and Ninon stepped out. Alex’s nerves were blaring alarm, muscles were tensed and ready for battle, but nothing happened. The same small crowd of well-dressed visitors were milling around the lobby, still wearing their passive gray-blue auras. The same guards were still staring into the distance. Apparently, the alarm worked only in the sub-basement, or else Alex had pushed their minds too hard when he willed their attention away and they were now among the permanently brain-damaged.
“Okay, it looks like we’re clear.” Alex held the elevator door open. Across the lobby, the other bank of elevators lit up like a Christmas tree. Ninon followed his gaze.
“It looks like you spoke too soon.”
“It could be the workers leaving.” Alex looked at the clock mounted on the wall behind the admitting desk. It was six minutes before five.
“You think we’re that lucky?” Ninon asked. She patted the pocket where Dippel’s hand was twitching. “I can stay if you need me…”
“No. We can’t chance it. You’re leaving now. Go slow until you get outside and then run for the shrubs along the drive until you reach the jeep. I don’t want to give them an easy target if they actually have guns. When you get there, be sure to tell Byron and Miguel to blow up the gray warehouse near the gate. It’s important. It’s a storehouse for their backup computer records. If Harmony pulls the rest off, we don’t want her work to be in vain.”
“Got it. Really. Everything will be destroyed.” Ninon forced her lips into a smile that was surprisingly convincing. “Find Harmony, mon cher, and get out fast. Our little family must live to fight another day.”
“I will.” Or he would die trying. This was not going to be a repeat of what had happened with Thomasina. There would be no living without Harmony.
Alex hit the button for the second floor, watching Ninon as she strolled toward the clinic’s main entrance.
The elevator doors closed softly and the car began to climb. Its progress was slow and asthmatic yet steady, but just before it reached the second floor, the power did what he’d half expected it to do; it went out. The car stopped with a jerk that nearly knocked Alex over. No emergency light turned on. This was not a normal power outage.
“Merde.” Fortunately, the darkness in the shaft was not absolute, nor was the silence. Though it caused white spikes of pain to pierce his brain, Alex reached out past the metal box to look for Harmony.
She wasn’t close by. Not within range of his failing powers.
He swore again. Above the voices of the employees, Alex could hear ghouls below him. Their sound was faint, as if they were being drawn from the service elevator and toward the stairs. He had a bad feeling that they were after new prey.
Not bothering to play with the emergency button or the service phone, Alex grabbed hold of the rubber gasket between the metal doors and ripped it loose, making a crack wide enough to ram his fingers into. When he’d gotten the door wide enough to accommodate his body, he climbed through. The shaft was filthy with grease and he tore his shirt, but he was able to get on top of the elevator, scramble ten feet up the cable, and reach the second-floor doors. Bracing himself in the narrow opening, he again rammed his fingers into the slot between the panels and forced them open.
He was met with a scattering of startled faces. None of them was Harmony’s.
Trusting his instincts, he ran for the stairs, praying he’d get to her before the ghouls did.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Harmony felt her stomach muscles contract as she braced herself for a collision with the two ghouls racing toward her out of the dark below. She wanted to flee, but there was nowhere to run, no time to escape even if she had somewhere safe to go.
Then Alex was there, in her head. Her body moved without thinking, a puppet choreographed by Alex’s will. Having no time for fear to spread, she grabbed a bony wrist in a grip that would bruise her own hand. She used the ghoul’s momentum to pull him off balance, pivoting in place and flinging the thing into the stairwell. Something in her shoulder tore loose, but she didn’t cry out.
In the next instant, Alex was at her side. His skin was ablaze with crackling light. He grabbed the second charging ghoul by its long snout and cracked it like a whip, efficiently snapping its neck before he threw it into the stairwell after its companion. The sound of crunching bones was loud when the monsters collided, but it was soon replaced by an even more disturbing high-pitched howling. There was the sound of scrabbling and then feet rushing back up the stairs.
Unfortunately, the leprous hide of the second ghoul’s muzzle clung to Alex’s hand. He began peeling off the creature’s skin like a surgeon’s latex glove.
“Move! Up the stairs.”
It was dark, but Alex was shedding enough light to illuminate the stairs. Harmony didn’t need to be told twice. Though she was moving at full speed, Alex must have thoug
ht her still too slow, because he grabbed her by her uninjured arm and hauled her up so quickly that she felt more like an airborne kite than a woman. Her skin burned where he touched her, and her arm quickly went numb.
They reached the lobby in record time. Harmony knew Alex was braced for another assault, but the only thing that attacked them was bright afternoon sunlight streaming in the plate-glass windows.
Several startled people jabbered and pointed at them, but the two guards remained silent and passive. No one tried to stop them as they ran for the lobby doors.
Ninon and Miguel had the jeep at the curb, and Alex and Harmony scrambled into the back. Alex kissed her once and then told her to buckle up.
“I can’t. My shoulder,” she explained.
“Damn. It’s dislocated.” Giving her no time to react, Alex grabbed her and popped the joint back into place. This time she did cry out.
“Sorry, love.” Alex turned his head and said to Miguel: “Drive!”
As they pulled away, a small explosion erupted to the northwest. Harmony watched the smoke trail through tearfilled eyes.
“You’re the color of ash,” she said when she was able to speak.
“I missed lunch. I always look bad when I skip meals.”
“I think Byron likes playing with things that go boom,” Ninon said. “I didn’t have to persuade him at all.”
“He spent a lot of time in the military,” Miguel explained.
“Ah.” Ninon turned in the passenger seat and looked first at Alex and then Harmony. “All is well with you two?”
“The whole network is about to get a lobotomy,” Harmony said. Her voice was tight with pain, but she managed to speak clearly. Alex’s bloodied hand tightened on her thigh. His skin had stopped glowing, but she was still receiving mild shocks from the contact. It seemed to be helping with her throbbing shoulder—the ache was ebbing quickly. She hoped it was helping Alex as well. His face was tight with exhaustion, and she knew he was at his psychic limit. Any more and he would collapse.
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