Holes in the Ground

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Holes in the Ground Page 34

by J. A. Konrath


  “We’re not your prisoners,” Andy spat.

  “Mr Dennison, everything and everybody stuck down this hole is a prisoner, whether they realise it or not. And nobody leaves unless I say they can.”

  Kane spun on his heel and walked away, just as two security guards approached carrying mops and buckets and an extra-large body bag fit for a werewolf.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Andy headed through the conference room and back into the infirmary. When he got there, there were a couple nurses milling about, and he asked them if his wife had woken while he’d been gone. He’d only been gone ten minutes but it felt like longer.

  “We haven’t checked in on her,” said the nurse. “We thought you were still with her.”

  Andy wasn’t happy to hear that, but he had left without informing anyone, so didn’t feel he had the ammunition to complain.

  “Was that a couple of gunshots I heard?” asked the nurse.

  Andy sighed. “Yes, but everything is under control.”

  “Thank God for that.” The nurse smiled and went back to her duties.

  Before Andy made it to Sun’s room, he bumped into Dr Chandelling.

  “Ah, Mr Dennison. I was hoping to bump into you.”

  “You were? Why?”

  “I learned something about our Irish guest.”

  “Lucas?”

  Dr Chandelling nodded enthusiastically. “All of the previous tests I conducted were fruitless. Then I had the idea of running his face through the NSA and CIA databases. I figured if we can’t find out anything about his insides, we could see if there’s anything we can find about his outside—his identity. You see, I found that by cross-checking-”

  Andy waved a hand. “Okay, okay. What is it you found?”

  “Of course. I’ll get to the point.” Dr Chandelling mumbled something else before producing a small tablet from the large side pocket of his lab coat. “Here, take a look.”

  Andy squinted at the shiny screen and saw a black and white photograph of a white man standing next to what seemed to be an African warlord.

  “This is Lucas in Sierra Leone during operation Khukri in 2000. The man with him is Abdullah Gborie; one of the key members of the rebel RUF forces.” Chandelling swiped his finger on the tablet and changed the picture. “Here Lucas is again in 2007 with Atiyah Abd al-Rahman, second in command of Al-Qaeda. Here he is a third time during the Columbine shootings. You see, there, in the background.”

  Lucas was indeed present in the background of the picture, nestled between a group of onlookers.

  Andy shook his head. “I don’t understand. How could he have been present during so many awful situations? How could he know they were going to happen? Coincidence maybe?”

  “I thought you might play Devil’s advocate, so…” Dr Chandelling typed something into his table before turning it back around so that Andy could see. “I thought I would show you this picture last.”

  Andy’s eyes almost popped out of his skull. “Is that…is that Adolf Hitler?”

  “Yes? And that’s Lucas standing right behind him. The CIA have never been able to identify the man in the picture before. He has remained a mystery.”

  “And now we have him locked up down the hall.”

  Chandelling nodded slowly. “There are two things to be gleaned from this. Number one is that Lucas has been present at several truly awful human events—genocides and mass murders. Number two; I will allow you to come to a conclusion on your own.”

  Andy stared at the tablet for a few moments; looked at the spitting image of Lucas standing behind the Fuehrer. Then it came to him. “He hasn’t aged. He looks exactly the same in this photograph of World War Two as he does now.”

  “Bingo! Absolutely fascinating, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Andy rubbed at his eyes with his palms. He felt exhausted. “I need to speak with my wife,” he said. “I need to think this through.”

  “Of course,” said Chandelling. “I hear young Nessie is in the library. I will join her there.”

  Andy waved his hand. “I’ll see you there later, once I’ve spoken with Sun.”

  But when Andy reached his wife’s room, Sun wasn’t there.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Lucas clung to the steel-mesh fence and watched as the batling unfurled its wings on the other side. It still had not yet fully recovered from its injuries, but had little ways to go until it was once again restored to full health.

  And then the fun and games will no doubt begin.

  Lucas sighed. His presence here had been of his choosing, but as time passed by he was growing apprehensive.

  Just stuck here waiting for the trailers to end.

  The batling opened its eyes and glanced around. When its baleful gaze fell upon Lucas; its eyes opened yet wider.

  “Youuuuu!”

  Lucas nodded. “Aye, ‘tis me.”

  “It has been…an age.”

  Lucas folded his arms, pressed his forehead up against the steel mesh and sent a spark through it. “It has indeed been some time. Yet our re-acquaintance has come about far too quickly for my liking.”

  The batling stretched out its wings, rolled its head on its shoulders with an audible crack, and then grinned wide. “I remember the first time that we met: Those glorious days in Gomorrah. You were magnificent. Your lust for agony, your thirst for human blood equal only to our own insatiable desires. You were the angel of death, while we were the bearers of destruction.” The batling’s eyes rolled back in its head and its tongue escaped its lips and tasted the air. “The despair that ran through the city at our hands was orgasmic.”

  Lucas closed his eyes, not to reminisce but to forget—to force away the images that rushed through his mind like a blood-red waterfall. “I was a different man back then, old friend. I was ignorant to many things. Many things that are clear to me know.”

  “What riddles do you speak of, light bearer?”

  “I speak of beauty and strength. I speak of humanity and its ceaseless endeavour to find hope where there is only despair. I speak of Manchester United and Reality TV. It’s not so bad down here.”

  The batling spat at the ground furiously. “You speak fallacy. You speak of weakness and disease. The human soul is a blight, and yet you speak soothingly of it?”

  “I speak truthfully of it. Your hatred has blinded you.”

  “I see all.”

  Lucas laughed. “Didn’t see that bullet to the back of your skull so well, did you now?”

  “Insolence.”

  “I do not serve you, creature, so speak not to me of insolence.”

  “You shall be among the bodies when this place turns to dust. Your remains will smoke for all eternity.”

  Lucas grinned. “I’m not much of a smoker. Bad habit, you know?”

  “Curse you.”

  “Oh, believe me, I’m already cursed, but by one far greater than you.”

  “You speak of God?” The batling snarled. “You speak of fairy tales. We are the only gods of this earth, and when we reform as one mighty being, the time of humanity will be over.”

  Lucas pulled away from the fence and turned his back on his cellmate. “You underestimate humanity, as once did I.”

  “I underestimate nothing. Humanity will fall; and you will watch like the impotent being that you are.”

  Lucas nodded his head slowly. “We will see.”

  “Yesss,” The batling hissed. “All will see as I bathe in the blood of the weak. It will begin soon. The pieces are in play.”

  Lucas’s eyes narrowed. He paid closer attention. “What pieces?”

  “Pieces that are moving even now to our glorious will—pieces with a sole, glorious intention. You will be among the first to die.”

  “Killing me isn’t going to be as easy as you think, but you’re welcome to try.”

  “I will do more than try.”

  “I expect you will.”

  “You will not have long to wait.”

&n
bsp; Lucas nodded. “As I fear.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Jerry spat yet more blood from his mouth as the fascist asshole, Rimmer, shoved him down in a chair in Kane’s office. Kane entered the room immediately after and sat opposite him, behind a large cherry wood desk.

  The old General leaned back in his chair and gave Jerry an icy stare. “What you have done could have jeopardised this entire facility. If any of these beasts get out into the world, well…things would become a lot closer to the horrors of bad fiction and comic books. You have committed a most deplorable act.”

  “It’s you who’s deplorable, dude,” said Jerry, not knowing what the word meant but knowing it fair game. “Wolfie wasn’t dangerous. You kept him in a cell next to that psychopathic sucker all because you didn’t like him. You’re just a bully taking his temper out of defenceless animals. You’re a fucking cliché, mate.”

  “Wolfie, as you so tritely put it, was a savage beast.”

  “Why? Because he gave you a nip when you first got here? I’m sorry he didn’t take a bigger piece out of your skinny arse.”

  Kane banged his fist on his desk. “Your end is within the reach of my fingertips and yet you mock me rather than plead for your worthless life.”

  “I wouldn’t give you the satisfaction. Do what you’re going to do, but the last thing I’m going to do is respect a self-important relic like you. You’re locked inside this giant hole, telling yourself that you’re serving some great purpose, but the fact of the matter is that you’re nothing but a glorified prison warden. You’re just a caretaker.”

  Kane leapt out of his seat. “Take him away, Sergeant. Take him to the surface and make sure that I never hear of this idiot ever again.”

  “Roger that.” Rimmer grabbed jerry around the neck and pulled him to his feet. He dragged him towards the door and pushed him through into the corridor.

  “Keep your goddamn hands to yourself, fudge monkey”

  Rimmer shoved harder. “Just keep moving.”

  Then Rimmer led Jerry through the office cubicles and desks that surrounded Kane’s office and made up the Nucleus. Various employees watched with interest as he was marched through them like a common criminal through the streets of ancient Rome.

  Jerry snarled at them. “Take a good look. Keep tapping away at your keyboards and wasting your lives away. Just don’t forget that you work for an ARSEHOLE!” Jerry tried to shout loud enough that Kane would hear it.

  Rimmer smashed his forearm across Jerry’s back and sent him stumbling forward. “One more word and I’ll end you right here.”

  Rimmer shoved Jerry towards the elevator and the two of them stepped inside. Despite his outward display of bravado, Jerry’s stomach had turned leaden. The contemplation of his imminent death summoned vomit from his guts and pee from his bladder. It took everything he had to hold down his breakfast.

  The doors of the aluminium elevator closed and Rimmer spoke the words, “Surface level.”

  “So, do you kill innocent people a lot in your line of work, or is this a special treat? Most people just get their kicks on Call of Duty.”

  Rimmer kept his stare forward. His barrel chest moved in and out slowly, like a lizard on a branch watching a fly. “You are not innocent, Mr Preston. You have committed an attack against one of this nation’s secure facilities.”

  “I was playing fetch with an over-sized dog. That is my only crime.”

  “Perhaps, but it is not my place to judge you.”

  “No, you just take orders. You’re more like a dog than Wolfie was.”

  Rimmer turned, gave Jerry a warning stare.

  Jerry decided to take the warning. If he was going to die, he would rather it be quick and painless, than by the beating hands of a uniformed gorilla.

  “Just so you know,” said Rimmer. His tone had taken on a softer edge, his usual non-emotion absent for a fleeting moment. “I take no pleasure in this, but there is no other way. What you have seen has escaped the knowledge of even some past Presidents. The knowledge you hold of this place is greater than the worth of your life. Even so, I regret having to take the life of someone so…naïve.”

  “Just because I don’t let my ego and selfishness rule me, doesn’t make me naïve. I would rather die as me than as a butt muncher like you.”

  Rimmer laughed. “I like your spirit. Far bigger men have crumbled upon their approaching deaths. I’d wager your big balls will shrink when my gun is pointed in your face.”

  Jerry looked down at the floor of the elevator.

  The doors opened.

  Before them was the dimly-lit staircase leading to the surface. The light bulbs ahead flicked on.

  “After you,” said Rimmer, shoving Jerry forward.

  Jerry took the steps one at a time, slowly moving higher, towards his fate.

  His thoughts turned to his mother, and how an embrace from her would hold value above all else at that moment. He thought of Ben and regrets of decisions made. He thought about fighting back when Rimmer pulled his trigger; dying like a man.

  They reached the top of the stairs and the secret hatch opened. The sun shine sliced into the gap like a knife through a turkey’s breast. Jerry shielded his eyes as his pupils burned.

  Rimmer shoved Jerry hard from behind, sending him tumbling through the hatch and into the dirt behind. The Sergeant moved up close behind him and unlocked his cuffs.

  “Now run,” said Rimmer. “And speak of this to no one. If you do, someone will appear at the foot of your bed and kill you while you sleep.”

  • • •

  Andy rushed into Sun’s room and looked around, staring at her empty bed and checking the vacant en suite.

  “Sun,” he shouted. “Sun, where are you?”

  Andy turned back to face the doorway. Dr Chandelling was standing there, looking baffled. “What is it, Mr Dennison?”

  “My wife, she’s gone? Where the hell is she? Get the goddamn nurse.”

  Dr Chandelling nodded and went to turn away, but he instead froze in place, a horrified look on his face.

  Andy caught sight of the man’s fear and spun around. At first he saw nothing, but when he looked upwards…

  Sun hung from the ceiling upside down, her face contorted into a snarl. Her tangled hair was dripping sweat.

  “Jesus Chr-”

  Like a leaping spider upon an ant, Sun flung her body from the ceiling and landed on her husband. The sudden weight of her on Andy’s chest knocked all the breath from his lungs.

  Dr Chandelling cried out, almost feminine in his high pitch. From atop Andy’s chest, Sun snarled like a rabid wolf.

  “Now, Mrs Dennison, please calm down. You’re having a funny turn. Your injuries…”

  “My injuries will be put upon you ten-fold, and all others like you.

  Andy reached up for his wife’s shoulders, tried to squeeze her to keep her from hurting herself. She slashed at his face, drawing blood from talons that had not earlier existed.

  Sun leapt from Andy’s chest and smashed into Dr Chandelling. He went reeling backwards, colliding with a nurse’s trolley and falling to the floor. Two nurses stood a few feet away, screaming and shouting at what they were seeing. Sun descended upon the women quickly, slashing at their throats and biting at their eyes until there was nothing left but blood-stained pulp and breathless whimpers.

  Andy rose to his feet, fighting for breath. “Sun? Christ, what are you doing?”

  Sun turned and faced him, blood coating her face like a Halloween mask. She hissed at him like a snake. “I do my master’s bidding. I am to aid in the extinguishing of life and the liberation of ancient armies.”

  “Sun, this isn’t you. Try to recognise what you are doing; try to see that what you are doing is madness.”

  “The human race is madness. It is a sucking sore on the face of what was once magnificent.”

  Dr Chandelling got up from the floor and began edging towards the door. Sun spun to face him and he froze on the spo
t.

  The frightened doctor put his hands above his head. “Now, now, Mrs Dennison, please, calm down.”

  Sun laughed mockingly. “Your fear stains you, Doctor. Is your dick not hardened unless presented with a young man to stroke it?”

  “Y-you speak nonsense.”

  “I speak of Aaron.”

  “H-how do you know?”

  “Your depravity dances on your skin. I see your lust for the boy and your heartbreak at having left him to his wretched poverty. You have not forgiven yourself, and so you should not. You will burn in hell, catamite.”

  “I-I…”

  Sun lunged, crossing the room with the speed of a cat. She grabbed Dr Chandelling by his jaw and looked into his eyes. She grinned, blood dripping from her cheeks. She kissed the man hard on the mouth then pulled away, cackling. “So that you may taste a woman before you die.”

  Dr Chandelling’s neck snapped like a twig and his body fell limply to the ground. Sun knelt down and began tearing away strips of flesh.

  “Sun! Stop!”

  Sun glared at Andy with malice in her eyes; not a mere morsel of the woman she had been only hours before.

  Andy knew right then that the batling had done something to her. What made him even more certain was the fact that Sun’s bandages had fallen away to reveal a putrid neck wound that pulsed with vile green pus.

  Andy’s heart sunk into his chest as he looked at the monster his wife had become. He longed for Sun to return, to talk to him as a lover and friend. Without her presence he suddenly felt unbearably lonely.

  He edged towards her; the only person in the room left alive to face her. The bodies of the two nurses and Dr Chandelling lay in their own individual pools of blood.

  But then they rose up off the floor and screamed at Andy.

  What the hell?

  Andy stumbled backwards and almost lost his footing. If he had fallen he would most certainly have been dead as Dr Chandelling quickly set upon him.

  Instinctively, Andy grabbed a nearby trolley and yanked it between them as a barrier. Dr Chandelling flung the trolley aside and growled. His eyes were swollen and filled with blood; looked ready to pop right out of his head.

 

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