Escape from Happytown (April Almighty Book 3)

by Tim Miller

  “Good. We got new orders on this one. They want her brought in.”

  “Brought in? Why? You see what she can do? How dangerous she is?”

  “We’re well aware. This one is unlike any other neuro we’ve seen. They want to study her. Is this some new evolution or a fluke?”

  “Jesus. This is a really bad idea,” Grant said.

  “If you can’t handle it, I can send someone who can.”

  “No. I got it. I just think it’s a real bad idea.”

  “That’s why we don’t pay you to think. Make it happen,” Chandler said and hung up.

  “Shit,” Grant said.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Just slight change of plans.”

  Grant jumped out of the pickup and walked to the back. He lowered the tailgate and climbed into the bed. He opened the cargo chest and took out a small bag and a sonic devastator. It was something he’d built himself and modified over the years.

  It looked like a science fiction ray gun, but with a large opening at the end. He put on ear plugs and over the ear protection as he set it up.

  “What is that thing?” Coy asked.

  “Just plug your ears,” Grant said as he walked toward the cabin. He stopped about twenty feet behind the women shooting at the cabin, held up the sonic devastator and cranked the knob on the side. He could hardly hear it, but felt the vibration as he slowly turned the knob away from him. The women around the cabin all grabbed their ears and fell to the ground. Some were looking at him, one was even trying to point her gun at him, but he cranked the knob as far as it would go and she dropped it.

  Holding the devastator out in front of him, he walked toward the cabin and pushed the door open. There just inside the door were both women lying on the ground. He kept the sound cranked up as he approached April and sat down his bag and opened it up. He removed a small vial and a syringe, extracting a large dose of the drug. It was a barbiturate used to euthanize animals. In humans the right dose would put someone out for hours.

  April was still conscious, but covering her ears and her mouth was open as if she were screaming. She probably was screaming, but he just couldn’t hear her. As he approached, she tried kicking at him. It was something he’d learned over the years; neuros couldn’t function around high pitched sounds. He wasn’t sure why; he was sure there was some scientific explanation. Whatever it was, all they could do was writhe and scream. That he could deal with.

  He sat on April’s legs as she tried to kick and put a knee on her stomach. Forcing her onto her side, he slid her shorts up slightly, stuck the needle into her butt cheek and pushed in the plunger. In a few seconds she was out. Grant put away the drugs and heaved April up over his shoulder. The other girl was lying not far away curled up into a fetal position. He stepped over her as he walked out carrying April.

  He reached his truck and turned the sonic devastator off. He handcuffed April’s hands behind her back and placed a black hood over her head, cinching it shut around the neck but not too tight. Once she was secure, he wrapped a sheet around her before covering her in a canvas tarp and fastened it to the truck bed.

  “Wow, she’s not going nowhere,” Coy said.

  “Nope. She probably won’t wake up for a while, but in case she does, she’s safe and secure.”

  “Whatcha gonna do with her? She made me fuck a dog!”

  Grant looked at him and let out a short laugh.

  “You musta pissed her off good. I can believe it though. Neuros are ruthless.”

  “Neuro?”

  “Neuropath. It’s what people like her are. Dangerous as hell. It’s my job to find them and clean ‘em up. She’s a weird one though, so taking her in.”

  “In where?”

  “Long story. Thanks for your help Coy. You won’t have to worry about this one again. That I can promise,” Grant said as he climbed into the pickup and started the engine. This job had gone easier than he’d suspected though. That worried him.

  Chapter 9

  Isis woke up to find herself strapped to a table. It was a kitchen table in a kitchen that smelled like fungus and rotten fish. She’d been stripped of her own clothes. She began struggling against her restraints. Whoever tied her down, had done a good job of using belts and bungee cords. Her hands were almost numb, and she couldn’t move at all against the straps around her forehead and neck.

  As she struggled, a young blonde haired woman came walking in. This one had a huge piece of gauze over her nose.

  “Well, someone is finally awake,” the girl said.

  “Where am I?” Isis asked.

  “Same place you always been bitch. You’re in Happytown, though it’s about to get real unhappy for you.”

  “Why are you people out to hurt me? All I did was drive through your shitty little town.”

  “Yeah and murdered a little girl you stupid cunt!” the girl screamed.

  “I didn’t mean to! She was going to give me away and you crazy bitches were already chasing me.”

  “It don’t fuckin’ matter. We do what we do here and don’t need no Goddamn reason. You should know, I’m Candi Jean. Remember that name when your ass is rotting in hell,” Candi Jean said as she walked to the oven where there was a kettle of boiling water. She grabbed the kettle and walked back to the table. “If I pour this up your pussy, will you lay me a hardboiled egg?”

  She began pouring the water along Isis’ naked crotch. The boiling water sizzled against her skin as pain shot through her legs and her whole body. It felt as if someone was ripping her flesh from her bones. Crying out, she struggled against her bindings.

  “I will fucking kill you, you little blonde bitch,” Isis said through gritted teeth.

  “I doubt that cunt. I might just leave you all fucked up instead of killing you just to hear you whimper,” Candi Jean said as she poured more boiling water on her legs, and running it all along her stomach and chest. Isis closed her eyes and tried to imagine she was somewhere else. When she was in her teens, her mom’s boyfriend used to abuse and torture her regularly.

  His name was Ariel; she’ll never forget that asshole. His creepy, toothless smile as he’d hold her down by the throat, choking her while sticking his dick in her pussy and tearing her open. It hurt like hell, but it was the humiliation that made it even worse. She could handle the pain. Though there were times she barely handled it. The scars on her legs were from the beatings he gave her with his belt. There were burns on her back from Ariel branding her with a hot fireplace poker. Yes, she knew pain all too well.

  Apparently her self-hypnosis was working as Candi Jean stopped with the hot water.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you bitch? You’re not even screaming,” Candi Jean said.

  “Maybe you’re the one who is too much of a little bitch to hurt me.”

  Candi Jean grabbed a meat tenderizer from the counter and smashed Isis’ fingers on her left hand, repeatedly. Her bones crunched as they poked and jutted out of her fingers in all different directions. Isis bit her lip, holding in as much of her scream as possible. No way was she about to let this bitch get the satisfaction of her pain.

  Candi Jean stood glaring at Isis. She could tell the redneck girl was getting pissed. Good. They’d never seen the likes of her around here that was for sure. They were probably used to suckering in families and college kids to fuck with. She was light years from any of those people. April had been pretty tough, but that old cowboy guy took her somewhere.

  “You want to play tough bitch? Fine. I got no problem skinnin’ you alive.”

  “Go for it. I don’t think you can do it.”

  Candi Jean laughed at the challenge.

  “Wow, you are gonna get it. Holy fuck. You have no idea. You will be begging me to kill you in a few minutes. You hear me? BEGGING!”

  Isis began laughing hysterically as Candi Jean looked on, her face turning various shades of red.

  “What the hell are you laughin’ at bitch?” Candi Jean asked. />
  “You! Your face! Oh my god. You’re trying so hard to act tough, but you fucking suck at it!” Isis said as she continued laughing to the point she was coughing.

  “Shut up!” Candi Jean screamed, but Isis kept on laughing. “I said shut the fuck up!” She swung the tenderizer, striking Isis in the forehead. The blow stunned her, long enough to make her stop laughing. However as stars danced about before her eyes, she began to wiggle her broken hand against the restraint. Her broken fingers were now hanging loosely from her hand, allowing it to slowly work through the straps.

  Candi Jean could see none of this however as she gloated over her newly asserted authority.

  “I knew that would shut you the fuck up. Next time, I’ll knock your fuckin’ teeth in.”

  Isis resumed laughing, however only angering Candi Jean further as she raised up the meat tenderizer again.

  “I’m warning you! Shut the fuck up!”

  Isis kept laughing as Candi Jean brought it down one more time. This time, Isis blocked it with her free wrist, which stunned Candi Jean. Isis knocked the tenderizer away as she fumbled with freeing her other hand. Candi Jean punched her in the stomach, which briefly knocked the wind out of her. Frantically she worked at the buckle to finish freeing her heathy hand. Doing so was difficult with throbbing, broken fingers, but she managed just enough to free herself.

  As Candi Jean bent down and picked up the meat tenderizer and came up with it, Isis grabbed it from her hand and blasted the side of Candi Jean’s head, knocking her to the floor. Isis reached up with her good hand and undid the straps around her head and neck as she sat up and finished freeing herself.

  She jumped off the table as Candi Jean was slowly getting to her feet. Isis ran to the sink and grabbed a frying pan, reared back as if she were Babe Ruth and smashed Candi Jean in the face. The blonde went sprawling onto her back as Isis dropped to a knee with the pan and smashed her again in the head. She then turned the pan to its side and struck Candi Jean on the top of the head with the edge. Over and over she swung as Candi Jean screamed and grunted with each blow.

  After almost a dozen strikes, her skull gave way and caved in but she continued her barrage. Blood sprayed everywhere as Candi Jean’s face imploded. Isis screamed with each blow until Candi Jean’s head was nothing more than a pulpy pile of blood and mush. Isis stood and tossed the pan to the side staring down at the body. She didn’t even feel her broken hand anymore as adrenaline coursed through her. When she caught her breath, she looked around and headed outside. It was time to leave this rat fuck town.

  Chapter 10

  April awoke in what looked like a hospital room. The bed was clean, warm, and comfortable. As she sat up and pulled the blankets back, she saw her clothes were gone once again and replaced with a thin gown. In the past year or so, she had little to no modesty when it came to clothing. Seems everywhere she went she ended up naked.

  She climbed out of the bed and walked to the sink looking in the mirror. Someone had cleaned her up, though she still had some scratches on her face and arms. There was a closet in the room, but it was empty. Walking over to the door, she pushed on it, only to find it locked. She pushed, pulled and even kicked it, but it was clear wherever she was, it wasn’t a hospital.

  The last thing she remembered was some old cowboy guy blasting some loud horn at her. She felt tired and groggy as if she’d been drugged. That’s twice she’d been roofied in that fucking town. Assholes. She jumped as the door opened up and a small man with glasses and curly hair stepped inside. He was wearing a lab coat and had a stethoscope around his neck.

  “Hello April. I see you’re awake.”

  “Who the fuck are you?” she asked.

  “I’m Doctor Cassidy. I’m in charge of your treatment.”

  “Treatment? Treatment for what? I’m not sick.”

  “Have a seat April,” he said pointing to a chair. She stood glaring at him. “Please.”

  She reluctantly walked over and sat down as he sat across from her.

  “April. I’m sure you realize this. You’re a very special girl. I’ve never seen anyone quite like you.”

  “I would hope not,” she said.

  “Do you know what you are? Who you are? I’m sure you know what you can do.”

  “Yeah, I guess so. I know what I can do. Just did it by accident that one day. It was after I fell in that weird swamp in Browneye.”

  “Yes, but the swamp had nothing to do with it. If anything it was just a trigger,” Dr. Cassidy said.

  “Trigger?”

  “Ok. People like you, or similar are called neuropaths, or neuros. You can exercise various forms of mind control. Yours is coupled with a sexual component and limited to men. Yet you have total control, it’s really quite amazing.”

  “I’m glad you’re impressed. Can I go now?”

  “I’m afraid it’s not quite that simple.”

  “Sure it is. You hand me my clothes, and I leave.”

  “We have some work to do, you as well. There is a lot we can learn from you. So unfortunately until we’ve done that, you’ll have to stay here. I promise we’ll make you as comfortable as possible.”

  “Yeah. That doesn’t work for me,” she said as she began thinking of what she could do to him. After a minute though, nothing happened.

  “Your ability won’t work. We injected you with an inhibitor, just as a precaution.”

  “Inhibitor?”

  “All neuros have a common protein in their blood the rest of us don’t have. We aren’t sure why or where it comes from, it’s the only common link we’ve found. So we have developed a formula that temporarily suppresses the protein, and limits your ability. That way you don’t make me ejaculate in my pants and force me to do something dangerous.”

  April was seething. She was getting sick of being drugged with shit, and now they rendered her helpless, whoever “they” were.

  “Who the fuck are you people?”

  “We’re part of a special research company. Don’t worry, who we are isn’t the most important. You are what is important, April. You are making a huge contribution to humanity. Who knows what kind of diseases we can cure or treat after working with you?”

  “I’m not a fucking guinea pig. I have rights. You can’t keep me here.”

  “I’m afraid we can. Please lower your voice. Getting upset won’t fix anything. There is no way out of here.”

  Without a word, April launched herself out of her chair and knocked the doctor onto the floor. She grabbed a pen from his coat pocket and put it to his throat.

  “All right fucker, we’re walking out of here,” she said.

  He remained extremely calm though as she pressed the pen against his throat.

  “You don’t want to do this,” he said.

  “The fuck I don’t.”

  There were footsteps coming through the door. As she looked up, two large men in black uniforms ran into the room. One held out a cattle prod and pressed it against her chest and activated it. As electricity poured through her, April’s body seized up and she collapsed to the ground. She wanted to fight, to stand up and punch these assholes, but was unable to move. The men picked her up and placed her onto the bed, but this time strapped her down using the soft restraints in each corner. Once she was strapped down, feeling began returning to her extremities but she was unable to move. Doctor Cassidy stood, put his glasses on and adjusted his coat as he looked at her.

  “See April? Fighting us is pointless. You can be quite comfortable here if you just cooperate. Or you can fight and act like a lunatic, but you can see right now where that gets you,” he explained.

  “I don’t want to cooperate. I want to go home.”

  “I already told you that isn’t possible. You’re in a situation you cannot control or manipulate. You can either keep fighting and be miserable, or make the most of it. The choice is yours.” He turned and walked out of the room. Before he closed the door, he turned off the lights leaving her in total dark
ness. As she lie there, she stopped struggling and stared up at the darkness. She’d wanted out of Happytown, but this was not what she had in mind.

  Chapter 11

  Isis ran through the dark streets looking for a way out of town. She’d been able to find some clothes in the house after she killed that crazy Candi Jean chick. The bitches in this town were all fucking insane. She also grabbed a gun from the bedroom as she headed out. It was a little 9mm semi-automatic which fit perfectly in her hand. She grabbed a few extra magazines and shoved them in her pockets as well. Now she was sneaking through the streets, using the shadows as her cover, trying to find a way out.

  There were a few cars parked in some driveways, but she was going to have to go after someone for their keys. There was no other way around it. One home had the lights on as she crept up and glanced through the window. This was a woman watching TV with two kids, a boy and a girl. The kids looked maybe eight or nine each. The mom looked to be in her thirties, maybe older. Not that any of that mattered.

  Isis snuck around the back of the house and tried the back door. It was open as she slowly opened the screen door and crept inside, entering through the kitchen. As she guided the door shut, the mom came walking into the kitchen.

  “You’re that girl!” the woman said. Though Isis figured she meant that girl they’d been chasing as the whole town was nothing but girls. Without hesitation, she pointed the gun at the woman’s face.

  “Damn right bitch. Now let’s go in the living room,” she said.

  “Look! I wasn’t one of the ones chasing you. I don’t have anything to do with that crazy stuff in this town. I just want to raise my kids. Please don’t hurt us.”

  “Well if that’s true, shut the fuck up and do exactly what I tell you. Now move.”

  They walked into the room as the kids both saw Isis and the boy jumped up on the couch.

  “Mommy!” he screamed. “That’s the bad lady! It’s her! Kill her mommy! Kill her!”

  “It’s ok, Christopher, just sit down please,” the woman said.