Project Armageddon

by Michael Stephens

  “You can agree to the terms by slowly,” he emphasized, “removing the magazines from your weapons and dropping them on the ground. Also, any round that may be in the chamber as well. And gentlemen,” he added, “my large friends with the guns are quite trigger happy—so do exercise caution if you agree to these terms.”

  It took very little time for the men to make their decision as each of them carefully removed their weapon, ejected the magazine onto the floor, and emptied the chamber.

  The gray-coated man tossed a bundle of cash to each man as they completely disarmed themselves.

  “Excellent decision, gentlemen. You can now exit back the way you came. I assure you no harm. However, if you return, my associates will be forced to separate the right and left hemispheres of your brain with a bullet. Do we understand each other?”

  The men nodded. They backed out of the lab and disappeared within a few seconds.

  “That’s that. Gentlemen,” said the coated man to his colleagues, “you can holster your weapons. I’m sorry if we frightened you. I’m sure it's not every day you experience a man getting shot.”

  “Don’t be silly. After the last two days—it’s quite the norm.” Abbie joked sarcastically.

  The man let out a small chuckle. “Are you okay, Ms. Talbot?”

  The man’s voice triggered a memory in Abbie. I know that voice. She looked up. I know his face. From where? Abbie’s brain went into overdrive—scanning and searching recent memories.

  “Forgive my manners. I’m—”

  Abbie interrupted the man as she remembered. “Mr. Vogel,” she said. “Darius Vogel?”

  The man smiled. “Correct. We met briefly at—”

  “My father’s funeral,” she interrupted him again.

  “What a gifted memory you have.” Vogel complimented. “Are you okay?”

  “Yes,” Abbie answered. “He’s the one that was beaten.” She gestured toward Josh.

  “Gentlemen, please help Mr. Richards to his feet.”

  Vogel’s two huge associates approached Josh and Abbie. One man gently helped Abbie to her feet. Afterward, he joined his partner in assisting Josh to his feet.

  Josh groaned heavily as the two men lifted him upright to his feet. He winced in pain as he stood up straight.

  “Are you going to be okay, Mr. Richards?” asked Vogel.

  Josh nodded. “It only hurts when I laugh, so no knock-knock jokes.”

  Vogel laughed. “Glad to see you still have your sense of humor, sir.”

  “It’s the only thing keeping me sane at the moment,” answered Josh.

  Abbie lifted Josh’s shirt, revealing multiple large purplish bruises around his ribs and abdomen. She lowered his shirt. “Can you walk?”

  Josh nodded.

  Abbie turned to Vogel, “He needs an X-ray,” She said adamantly.

  “Certainly. Good thing we’re in the hospital.” Vogel joked. “We can take the elevator up to the emergency room. I’ve taken care of hospital security and the false accusations proposed by the Colonel.”

  “Thank you.”

  “However,” Vogel added, “before we go upstairs, we need to come to an understanding of what happened here.”

  “I didn’t see a thing,” said Josh.

  Abbie caught on quick as well. “We were never here. Were we Mr. Vogel?”

  Vogel smiled. “I’m glad we’re all on the same page. Let’s get Mr. Richards patched up, and then we can go to Dr. Hoffman’s apartment and retrieve Armageddon.”

  Shit. Not again. Some secret you had, Dad.

  Vogel waved the two large men to exit. They complied as they helped Josh walk. Vogel and Abbie followed as they all headed down the hallway toward the elevators.

  Chapter 65

  “What do you know about Armageddon?” Abbie asked.

  Vogel smiled as he stuck out his finger and pushed the elevator call button. He laughed. “I know a lot. Probably too much.”

  Josh responded as he leaned against the wall to regain his strength. “Like what?”

  Vogel breathed in a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. “I know your father lied to a great many people to fund his research.”

  “Who?” said Abbie.

  “Russians? Terrorist? Nearly anyone who was looking to purchase biological weapons. He promised them anything they wanted. In return, he sucked millions from them.”

  Abbie crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. Everything about her communicated disagreement and disbelief. “I don’t believe you.”

  Vogel let out another small laugh. “It’s true. And when those wells went dry, he approached me. I gave him millions of my own money. When I ran out of that, I embezzled hundreds of millions from my own company after he showed me his research. His breakthrough.”

  The pain Josh felt in his upper body finally dulled to an annoying ache. “Why take such a big risk? That’s serious jail time if you get caught.”

  “That’s an easy answer, Mr. Richards.” Vogel paused and took in another deep breath. His expression was as if he tasted the most exquisite bite of food ever imaginable. Like that breath of air he sucked in was the last one on earth. “There was little risk. I get caught—I die in prison. But if I get away with it… and it works. I live another day.”

  Josh wrinkled his face. “Huh?”

  Abbie studied Vogel carefully, she had a hunch. “You’re patient zero?”

  Vogel nodded and smile. “Very clever… and correct. The first human testing of Armageddon.” He took in another breath of air. “Cancer-free for six months. No Chemo or anything. My own doctors are still scratching their heads.”

  “You’re legit, right? It cured your cancer?” Josh asked.

  “One hundred percent.”

  “That’s crazy,” followed Josh.

  “Yes, it is,” said Vogel, “I would never believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes, which I have.”

  “So why do you want Armageddon,” interrupted Abbie. “You’re cured, and if it works the way my father says, you’re inoculated—so to speak—from it.”

  Vogel laughed loudly as a loud ding echoed through the concrete walls of the basement, signaling the arrival of the elevator.

  “Now that I’m alive, I need to get back my money. Being saved from cancer to live out the rest of my days in prison is not part of the plan. Time for your father to pay me back. With your father’s passing—I am truly sorry—I no longer feel obligated to keep his secret.”

  The elevator doors opened.

  Vogel continued. “I’ll corner the market on the cure for cancer. I can name my price per treatment. I can make back my money in a matter of months, easy,” he said as gestured for Abbie and Josh to enter the elevator.

  The two of them entered the elevator and immediately moved to each side of the elevator. Vogel’s men filed in behind them. Vogel followed but not before pressing the button for level five, which had the word “Parking” in white letters next to it.

  Abbie and Josh exchanged concerned looks as the elevator doors closed.

  Chapter 66

  Abbie watched the elevator doors close and felt the car zoom upward.

  This is insane. I can’t believe he did it…he made a cure for cancer. After everything, all the people that have died for this, including my dad.

  Abbie looked at Josh, his bruised face, and his bloody shirt.

  This pharma dickhead is going to ransom people’s lives so he can get rich, and there’s nothing I can do about it.

  Abbie glanced down at her purse that carried the three magical purple vials of Armageddon and the hard drive that contained the research and blueprint to make it.

  No, she thought, I should. I could destroy it. Vogel wouldn’t get shit. She pondered the thought. All those people…millions of people that could have their lives back.

  Abbie closed her eyes and contemplated the difficult decision that weighed down her morals and ethics.

  The elevator slowed to a stop and made a loud ding.
/>   Abbie read the inside display for the floor number. It read three.

  The elevator doors spread open.

  Josh saw two orderlies with empty wheelchairs waiting for the elevator.

  “Got room?” said one of the orderlies, politely.

  Vogel responded, “We’re kinda full. Can you take the next one?”

  “No problem,” answered the orderly.

  Josh thought quickly. “Oh, that’s okay, fellas,” he said. “We can make room. Come on in.”

  “You sure?”

  Josh nodded. “Oh, yea. We can make room in the middle here, can’t we Abbie.”

  Abbie was lost for words. “Um… sure… yeah.”

  Abbie moved to one side of the elevator, close to the door. Josh moved to the other, by the control panel.

  The orderlies pushed the wheelchairs into the middle of the elevator and stood in front of them, their backs to the elevator doors. An orderly noticed the blood on Josh’s shirt. “You okay? That looks pretty fresh.”

  “Yeah,” Josh answered. “Bar fight. I was on my way to Emergency.”

  “Emergency is on the first floor,” responded the orderly.

  “Forgot my wallet in the car. Just heading up to get it. What floor, guys?”

  “Seven”

  “You got it,” said Josh as he lit up the button with the seven on it with a single push of his finger.

  Everyone stood in the elevator and waited for the doors to close. The two orderlies continued their conversation about baseball statistics as the doors began to close.

  Josh quickly shoved the empty wheelchairs into the legs of Vogel and his men. The sudden jerk of the wheelchairs knocked the two orderlies off balance. They fell into the wheelchairs too, temporarily blocking Vogel and his men from following.

  “Sorry, guys,” Josh yelled out. “C’mon!” Josh grabbed Abbie’s hand and yanked her out of the elevator just before the doors completely closed.

  Chapter 67

  Abbie’s shoulder caught the elevator door as Josh pulled her into the hallway, blocking one of the doors from closing. The obstruction triggered the doors to open again.

  “Shit,” yelled Josh as he reaffirmed his grip on Abbie’s hand. He turned. “Don’t look back. Keep running.” He said.

  Abbie did what he said. She pumped her legs hard to keep up with Josh’s long strides. She grasped his hand tight. She was not going to let go.

  I have no clue where he’s going, but he’s taking me with him like it or not.

  Josh ran at half-speed to ensure that he kept Abbie close. He darted down the hallway dodging equipment and people as best he could while apologizing to those he could not avoid.

  He turned right at an intersection and whirled Abbie around the corner and pulled her back to where they both hugged the wall across from a spare hospital bed.

  Josh peered around the corner with one eye. In the distance, he saw Vogel and his men finally exit the elevator. Vogel yelled something incomprehensible as his men ran toward him and Abbie.

  Josh resumed cover behind the corner. He pressed his back to the wall as he caught his breath. He scanned his surroundings quickly when he felt pain emanating from his hand. He looked. Abbie had a death grip on his hand that was starting to turn his fingers a faint purple. He glanced at Abbie and then his hand.

  Abbie shook her head. “You’re not leaving me.”

  Josh chuckled. “If that were the plan, I’d have been all ass and elbows when they shot out my window. I need my hand.”

  Abbie did not let go.

  Josh captured Abbie’s blue eyes with a deliberate gaze.

  In that brief second, where her eyes met his, he magically overwhelmed Abbie with a strong sense of reassurance.

  Josh spoke with conviction. “I’m not leaving. I need my hand.”

  Abbie released her death grip from Josh’s hand. I trust him.

  “Move over there,” said Josh. He pointed to the far side of the hall where a hospital bed was stored, away from the corner.

  Abbie darted to the location.

  Josh bent. He placed his large hands on the rails of the hospital bed and heaved it away from the wall. The bed was on wheels but heavy. Josh swirled the bed around like it weighed nothing. He blocked the hallway with it--three or four feet from the corner.

  “That should do it. Let’s go,” he said. Josh gestured for Abbie to move toward the long corridor. She took off running with Josh close behind her and gaining.

  They reached the end of the hallway.

  “Right or Left,” asked Josh.

  “Right,” said Abbie.

  They sprinted down the long corridor that was mostly vacant of obstacles.

  “There!” Abbie’s finger shot out and pointed upward.

  Josh followed the imaginary line from Abbie’s finger to the green glow of an exit sign that hung above a door about one hundred feet from them.

  “Let’s get the hell out of here,” said Josh.

  They exerted long strides to the door that would get them out of the hospital’s labyrinth-like hallways.

  They were halfway to freedom when the door opened. FBI Agent Walker and four of her men poured into the hallway.

  Agent Walker scanned both sides of the hall.

  Abbie locked her gaze with Agent Walker. “Shit!” Her brain told her legs to stop, but the sudden sight of a storm of FBI agents disrupted her coordination. Abbie tripped over her feet. She hit the floor hard.

  “There,” yelled Walker. She pointed at Abbie and Josh. “Detain only,” she barked out to her agents.

  Abbie did not have time to assess the pain from hitting the floor. Her body quickly rose from the floor without using a single muscle. She felt pressure around her waist. It was Josh.

  “I gotcha.” Josh scooped Abbie off the floor as if she weighed nothing. His arm snatched her around the waist, brought her upright, and put her on her feet while in stride…in the opposite direction of the FBI Agents.

  “Maybe we should go left,” added Josh.

  Abbie was now running on her own power, doing an excellent job of keeping up with Josh. “Left sounds good,” she answered.

  Josh and Abbie ran past the intersection from which they came. This section of the hallway was more populated with people and equipment. They slowed their progress to a jog as the darted between nurses, doctors, orderlies, around equipment, and wheelchairs—some carrying people and some not. Josh had to quickly apologize to an elderly black man for bumping into him and spilling a cup of what was either apple juice or his urine specimen.

  Josh and Abbie came to an intersection—straight or left. Josh read the sign and did not give Abbie a choice. “Left.”

  They turned the corner, ran nearly fifty feet down the hall before Josh stopped at the door. The sign on the wall next to the door read—Computer Lab.

  Josh tugged at the doorknob.

  “Locked. Damn it.” He saw the card reader on the wall next to doorknob.

  Josh curved his hands around the sides of his eyes as he gazed in through the door’s window. He saw several rows of computers and windows on the opposite wall that showed a hallway. Rows of bookshelves lined the far side of the room and… another door.

  “There’s a door on the other side. Let’s go.”

  They heard a loud crash from the hallway just around the corner from where they came.

  “FBI,” said Abbie.

  “We don’t have time to get to the door.”

  Josh studied the hallway. He took note of the laundry cart sitting in the hall. He darted to the cart and pulled off a folded bath towel. He began wrapping it around his fist.

  Abbie’s eyes grew wide. “You’re not going to—”

  “Break the window with my fist?”

  Abbie nodded.

  “It’s that or we have a long chat with the FBI. Unless you have another way in?”

  Abbie shrugged.

  Josh finished wrapping his hand with the towel. He stood a few feet back as he psy
ched himself up. This is incredibly stupid, you know this, right?

  “What happens if you hit the door,” asked Abbie.

  “I’ll probably break my hand.” He said, slightly perturbed because he had not thought of that until she mentioned it.

  Abbie winced. “Don’t hit the door.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Josh took one big deep breath, reached deep for some intestinal fortitude to convince himself to punch the narrow window of glass. Dude, whatever you do, don’t hit the door.

  He exhaled. He sucked in a deep breath and took a running start toward the door. He pulled back his fist. He focused on the glass. He was about the thrust his fist hard into, hopefully, the glass when he heard…

  “Stop!”

  Chapter 68

  Josh stopped the forward progress of his fist six inches before it would have made contact. He turned to Abbie, who was searching through her purse. As Abbie continued to dig into the depths of her bag, Josh looked at his fist and the door. He would have missed the window by an inch.

  “Got it,” said Abbie. She pulled out the card key that belonged to Dr. Emma Hoffman, her friend. She quickly slid the card through the reader. The LED light on the reader turned green, and the magnetic actuator made a loud click.

  Abbie pushed down on the doorknob. She felt the door open. She pushed her shoulder into the door. “Let’s go.”

  She ducked into the room, and Josh followed her. The door closed behind them just as Agent Walker and her men enter the hallway.

  Josh took the lead. They both crouched on the floor and crawled past the computer desks and toward the bookshelves. Josh peeked above the desk and checked the rows of windows on the far wall that exposed the insides of the room to hallway visitors.

  Josh watch through the windows as Agent Walker and her men stop at the intersection. Walker pointed down the hallway that led Josh and Abbie to the door of their current hideout.

  The door to the computer lab jerked loudly as someone tried to open it from the other side.