PART FIVE

Copyright 2002 Mike Suchcicki

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

In the foyer, Lake and Gray headed for the elevator, but Cornealius yelled, "No! Down the stairs!"

"We must be fifty stories up!" said Lake.

"In the stairwell! Now!" repeated the hunter. "Wynn has manual control over the elevators. He'd never let us out. Besides, I have a destination."

Gray pushed the elevator button anyway, then followed them. "Maybe they'll think we took the elevator," she said.

In the stairwell, Cornealius looked up. "See," he said as they ran down the flight. "We weren't up as high as we thought."

Lake said, "But they're going to catch on any minute that we're taking the stairs. They're bound to head us off."

"Not if we get to the labs first," said Cornealius.

"Why the labs?" asked Gray.

"A diversion, so we can get out."

"We don't even know where the labs are," said Lake.

"Yes we do," Cornealius said. "Remember, I did my homework on this place. When entering enemy territory, always know more about it than the enemy."

"I like that saying," said Lake. "I also like that other one, 'Starve a cold, feed a fever.' "

They raced down several more flights, until Cornealius said, "This one." He swung open the door and they ran onto the lab floor.

"Cornealius, I saw security cams in the stairwell," said Gray. "Wynn's got to know we're here."

"I know. It's OK," Cornealius said. He ran to a fire alarm station near the elevator doors and threw the switch. The bell started ringing throughout the floor. "Come on," said Cornealius, leading them into a service closet.

From the closet, they heard the sounds of employees running past, evacuating. Cornealius pulled a weapon from his holster belt. Lake jumped.

"Is that a GUN gun?" Lake asked.

"I took it from one of Wynn's men," Cornealius said, cocking the automatic. "I just need to make sure we're not bothered."

The hunter cracked the door and peered out. "Let's go."

They headed in the direction of the labs down now-deserted corridors.

"We have to hurry," said Cornealius. "Not only are the goons going to be here soon, but the workers who just evacuated are going to realize it was a false alarm. We need as many people out of this building as possible."

"What's your plan?" asked Lake.

"Shhh," said Cornealius. They had just passed the restroom entrances when the hunter flattened against the wall at the men's door. He motioned for Lake and Gray to do the same. "I just heard a flush."

"Over this fire alarm?" said Lake. "Good ears."

The bathroom door swung open and a lab-coat wearing technician ran out in the direction of the elevators. Cornealius grabbed him by the rear collar and pulled him back, holding the barrel of the gun to his neck.

"Take us where we want to go and you won't get hurt," said Cornealius to the tech. He pulled him back toward the labs. The tech, shaking, said nothing.

They ran back down the hallway until they came to the sealed lab entrances, with the requisite "Clearance Personnel Only" sign.

"Get us in there," Cornealius said to the tech, pressing the gun harder against his neck.

"W-what are you going to do?" the tech said.

"Get us in!"

First the tech slid a security card through a slot. Then he punched a password on a keypad. Finally, he held his palm against a scan pad.

Lake looked at Gray. "Redundant security. Someone would have to be holding a gun to your head to make you get in." The tech turned and glared at Lake. "Oh, lighten up," said Lake. "It's not as if we would have really shot you."

Cornealius cleared his throat loudly.

"Well, he would have shot you," Lake said. "I would have just asked you nicely."

The lab doors slid open. The tech turned to leave, but Cornealius grabbed him. "Not yet," he said, pushing him into the lab. "We need a little tour."

"What are you going to do?" asked the tech again.

"Show us where the malectoplasm is," said Cornealius.

"Are you crazy? What do you want with that?"

"We want to play with some ghouls."

The fire alarm went silent. "They're going to be here in a minute," said Cornealius. He pointed the gun at the tech. "I get trigger-happy when I'm rushed."

"You're all idiots," said the tech as he led them deeper into the complex of lab suites.

The corridor ended at an intersection that curved away from them in either direction. In front of them was one big, round chamber. The entrance doors were painted with "DANGER" in three-foot letters. Cornealius pushed the tech toward the door. "Again," he said.

Again the tech went through the passage ritual. DAN and GER split as the doors slid open. They started to enter, but the tech held fast.

"No, no, this is as far as I go, gun or no gun," he said. "The 'plasm's in there. I'm going. Shoot me if you want to. It's better than..." He turned to look into the chamber.

"Go," said Cornealius. The tech ran.

Inside the round chamber, a bank of consoles faced two smaller chambers. There were windows into each, but only one was lit from within. Lake went to the window and peered in.

"It's a spread chamber," he said. "Like the one I use to test 'plasm on animals. There's active 'plasm in there. These are probably two-way mirrors," he said, tapping the glass, "so there's no movement to activate the Ghouls. That's why the light is so bright in there."

"Figure out how to open the door," said Cornealius.

"Uh, beg pardon?" said Lake, puzzled.

"Don't open it yet, just find the access, now."

As Lake looked for an access panel, Gray studied one of the consoles. "Here's the light for the other chamber," she said, flipping a switch.

Lake glanced over as the lights came on and gasped. Inside were three silver cylinders, each about a meter long. They were reclined in a metal rack like bottles of wine. Wires from the edges of the rack coiled into the cylinders at several spots on the ends and sides. Most shocking to Lake, however, was the glow around each cylinder, a bright blue.

"Oh my..." Lake said, slowly walking to the window of the second chamber. "Wynn's figured out how to make a stasis field. That's how he can control the storage of 'plasm. Our containment people aren't even close to figuring out stasis."

"What happens when the field is turned off?" asked Cornealius.

"'Plasm doesn't like to be compacted. It'll begin a chemical reaction that will blow those containers," said Lake. "I don't know what they're made of, but we've tried everything and nothing will contain it. The 'plasm will spread. Many Ghouls will form, even without stimulation. Without models, they won't take humanoid form, but they'll still attack any sentients. Of course, if anyone is around, then humanoid Ghouls will form."

"Will it spread beyond this building or be contained here?"

"It'll be contained, but it'll be huge. One the 'plasm gets into the ventilation and stairwells, there's no telling how much it will spread within the building."

"How long after the field is down until the reaction?"

"Minutes."

"Good. I'm shutting it off. Then, I know a quick way out of here."

"Wait," said Lake, running to the console. "Let me at least see if I can find some data on the stasis field. Some computer files, a disk, anything. We need this technology."

"There's no time," said Cornealius, raising the automatic toward the console.

Lake grabbed his arm. "Cornealius, we may never have this opportunity again. I don't think I can just call Wynn and ask him to share. Buy me a few minutes of time to look for data."

Cornealius shook free of Lake's grasp and snarled, "I'm trying to buy us some time to get out of here alive!" He pointed the gun at the lock on a master switch cover and fired. The lock exploded and the cover sprung back. Cornealius grabbed the T-switch and turned. The blue lights in the containment chamber faded and immediately the loud "aoogah" of a warning siren filled the lab, making the earlier fire alarm sound like a happy-go-lucky whistle. He pointed the gun at the T-switch and fired again. It splintered away.

Cornealius pointed to the spread chamber. "Open that door! I hear them coming!" To Gray, he said, "Get behind that wall!" Gray ducked behind the chamber; Cornealius crouched behind a console.

Lake found the access panel to the spread chamber, threw it open and turned the switch. As the door slid open, Cornealius said, "Now, get back! But let them see you!"

With a puzzled look, Lake joined Gray behind the chamber.

Into the main lab chamber ran seven of Wynn's goons, all armed with automatic weapons. Cornealius smiled as he peeked out; none seemed to have thought of bringing Ghoo Ghuns.

Lake peered out from around the chamber wall, deliberately letting the thugs see him.

"They're over there!" cried one of the thugs. Together, they ran across the lab floor toward Gray and Lake.

As the lead man passed in front of the open spread chamber door, however, a massive arm swung out and slashed him across the neck. The others instinctively stopped and faced the open chamber. Seven Ghouls had formed from the malectoplasm in the chamber and were now rushing at them.

As one, the seven men screamed. They fired their weapons at the Ghouls, but the bullets only sunk harmlessly into the glowing green, rubbery flesh. They hung suspended in the translucent bodies like fruit in a gelatin mold.

Cornealius rose and beckoned to Gray and Lake with a sweep of his arm. "Let's go, now!" he cried. Lake and Gray darted out from behind the chamber and around the consoles to join Cornealius.

As he ran past the containment chamber, Lake looked in. The cylinders were vibrating. "We've got to get out of here, now!" he said. "The cylinders are about to blow!"

"I know a quicker way out," Cornealius said. "This way!"

Ravaged as they were by the Ghouls, Wynn's thugs paid them no attention as they fled.

Cornealius led them out of the main chamber and down a corridor opposite the way they entered. The passage twisted and turned, but Cornealius had studied the building well. Finally, they burst through a set of double doors into a service corridor of unplastered brick walls.

"There's a service stairwell down this way." Cornealius said.

Quickly they found the door and began their descent down the remaining sixteen floors.

After only a few flights down, they were stopped by the sounds of a muffled blast from above.

"The malectoplasm?" said Gray.

"Right," said Lake. "Took longer than I thought. Those containers ... "

"We'll talk about it when we're out of here," said Cornealius. "Keep moving."

They continued down the stairs.

"Lake," said Gray. "I've never seen 'plasm on the move. If it gets into the stairwell, are we in danger from breathing it or skin contact or anything like that?"

"No," said Lake. "In fact, there's evidence that the spores that act as the travel medium for 'plasm avoid human contact on purpose, until it's had the chance to settle somewhere and coalesce into a formation base. We won't even know it's there until it's there."

" ...and forming Ghouls," she said.

"Right. And forming Ghouls."

"Stop right there!" a voice cried out.

Just as they rounded a landing, they saw below them, at an open stairwell door, three of Wynn's henchmen. All were pointing guns. "Drop your weapon," the lead thug said to Cornealius. The hunter leaned over and tossed the gun down a couple of steps.

"Now, those," said the thug, pointing to the Ghoo Ghuns in their holsters.

"In a few minutes, you're going to want us to have these," said Cornealius. "I can guarantee you we're better with these than you are."

One of the other goons was suddenly anxious. "What do you mean?"

"Shut up," said the first thug.

Lake looked to one side. "Cornealius," he said as dull green slime began to pool on the walls. "It's forming. We don't want to be here."

Cornealius said to the thugs, "Look, you really don't want to shoot us right now. In fact, if you're smart you'll get the hell out of here."

"Corn-NEE-lee-us ... " said Lake in an anxious sing-song.

"Here it comes!" screamed Gray.

Sideways from the landing wall, a Ghoul formed, swinging at Lake. Ducking, Lake and Cornealius leaped down to the landing near the thugs. Gray, however, was blocked by the Ghoul, which turned quickly toward her. The trio drew their Ghuns and began firing.

As she fired, Gray backed against the landing wall, but sprung back out as hands formed behind her. A second Ghoul was growing literally around her. She twisted with a loud grunt and fired point-blank into the Ghoul's torso, then again into its chest, then again into its head. The Ghoo splashed back upon her as it hit, leaving her drenched in purple.

The head shot did the trick. All over its body the Ghoul bubbled and crackled, and with a final scream it burst, collapsing into green droplets around Gray.

Meanwhile, Lake and Cornealius had captured the attention of the first Ghoul, which turned and staggered down the steps toward them. It only made it to the bottom step, however, as Lake's leg shot exploded it.

Suddenly, Gray came running down the landing, followed by a third Ghoul. "C!" she screamed. "I'm out of ammo!"

"On my belts!" said the hunter. He and Lake took firing stances and blasted the approaching Ghoul. Gray circled around them and began pulling Ghoo vials from Cornealius' ammo belts.

Two of the thugs already had fled. The third briefly considered carrying out his boss' orders and killing the trio. But that would have left him alone with a rampaging Ghoul, with more possibly to come, and less than a split second to grab a Ghoo Ghun. He decided to flee as well.

Lake and Cornealius finally brought down the approaching Ghoul. Gray snapped back the firing shaft of her reloaded Ghun.

"Let's keep going," said Cornealius. "But be ready to blast our way through."

They continued down, Cornealius in the lead. Malectoplasm had quickly coalesced upon the walls and floor, and Ghouls formed in the front, beside and behind them. Indeed, they blasted through, narrowly ducking wounds and coughing through the ever-thickening 'plasm flake cascade.

"Aaaahhh!" Gray recoiled from a glancing slash to her back. Cornealius swung around and, with rapid fire from two Ghuns, brought down the Ghoul. As he turned, a wayward jab from another Ghoul pierced his waist at the side. Lake sent a glob of Ghoo into its mouth, disintegrating it.

Covered in caked 'plasm, Ghoo and blood, they worked their way down the few remaining flights. Cornealius kicked open the lobby door as Gray fired a shot into a remaining Ghoul's chest, bursting it.

They dove through the doorway, and Lake slammed the door shut behind them. He leaned against the door and let himself slide until his butt hit the floor.

Gray was on her hands and knees, panting. Cornealius leaned forward, hands on his knees, allowing himself a moment's respite.

"Well, at least you look worse than I do," said a voice. The three looked up, wearily. Heston Wynn stood in the center of the lobby, several henchmen behind him. His suit was ripped in several places; one sleeve hung by only a few threads. Flakes of disintegrated Ghouls powdered the pinstripes. His hair was dusty and mussed. Blood trickled from a temple wound. The men behind him didn't look much better. All held Ghoo Ghuns in one hand, automatics in the other.

Examining Wynn's appearance, Lake said, "Awww... did we do that? Geez, we have been terrible guests." He pulled himself up. "We should just be going then."

"I don't think so," said Wynn. "You've cost me dearly today. Millions of dollars of research, discoveries that could have saved mankind."

"Excuse me?" said Gray. "I think saving mankind is the last thing on your mind. You're out to control it and you've already killed who knows how many people, including my mother and Jordan, and you tried to kill us. I'm going to make sure the world knows it." She started to march from the lobby. "And if you want to stop me, go ahead and kill me in your lobby, and see what the world thinks about that."

"What the world will think about that," said Wynn, "is that I killed one of the three agents who came to my labs to deliberately destroy my life-saving work."

Gray stopped and turned toward Wynn, puzzled.

He continued, "You see, Dr. Gray, the world believes that Heston Wynn and the HOW Foundation are dedicated to stopping the threat of malectoplasm. And they believe that military agencies such as your ADEF are doing what they can to control malectoplasm and Ghouls as military weapons. The world believes this because I've spent millions of dollars in a public awareness campaign to make sure they believe it."

Gray's mouth fell open in astonishment.

Wynn smiled. "That's right, Doctor. Outside of those doors, I'm the good guy. You're the bad guy. And people love it when the good guys defeat the bad guys."

"There's only one problem with that," said Lake.

Wynn turned. "And that would be, Dr. Lake?"

"Whether we're the good guys or we're the bad guys, the cavalry is the cavalry." He pointed to the front lobby windows. Outside, ADEF personnel carriers had pulled up on the sidewalks, opening to expel several skirmish teams storming the building, massive Ghoo Ghuns at the ready.

The teams poured through the doors and established a perimeter. The corporal in the front surveyed the situation and barked into a radio. "Point is secure, no encounter. Civilian participants identified." Looking over, he called, "Dr. Lake, Dr. Gray, are you in need of medical assistance?"

"Yes," said Lake and Gray in unison.

The corporal growled some more commands and listened for a reply. "Doctors, we have medics standing by and General Zone is coming in." To Wynn he said, "Sir, is this your building?"

"Yes it is."

"Sir, we are prepared to deploy our teams to sweep this building."

"That won't be necessary, corporal," said Wynn. "My own teams are taking care of it as we speak. I prefer not to have the military involved."

"But sir ... "

"Thank you, corporal."

The soldier turned and began barking into the radio again. Wynn approached Lake and Gray.

"Two things," he said. "One, I will get the two of you. That is inevitable. Two, in the meantime, it is your word against mine. Say whatever you want to the press, your general, whoever. Against mine, yours will be the voices of idiots."

Cornealius stepped between them. He barely came up to Wynn's chest, but his menacing glare caused the billionaire to step back.

"It all evens out," Cornealius said in a hoarse whisper. "They'll be looking over their shoulders for you. You'll be looking over your shoulder for me."

Wynn said nothing.

"Besides," said Lake. "The word is 'whomever.' Who has the voice of an idiot now?"

A whoosh of air passed through the lobby as the front doors swung open and General Zone marched in, followed by several aides.

"Mr. Wynn," he bellowed. "I see my people have helped your people in a devastating situation. Any casualties?"

Still glaring at Cornealius, Wynn finally turned toward Zone. "Just a few of my men, General," he said. "It could have been much worse. Being a Saturday, most of the employees were out of the building. But here ... " He stepped aside. "Let me let you get your people to medical assistance." He turned to the trio. "Once again, my heartfelt thanks. I am forever in your debt." Once again to Zone he said, "I'm sure your team will have a great deal to tell you in their report. As for me, I've got to get back up to my control post and direct the clean-up of my building." He nodded. "General ... " Motioning to his men, he led them to the elevators, into which he disappeared.

Outside, sitting in the rear entrance of a parked ambulance, Gray held a hospital gown over her chest as a medic cleaned and dressed her back wound. She winced as the gauze was pressed against the tender areas. Cornealius and Lake stood nearby, having their own wounds bandaged. Cornealius had removed his ammo belts and tunic to allow the medic to wrap his waist wound.

"So," said Gray. "What are we going to tell the general?"

"Tell him the truth," said Cornealius, wiping the Ghoo from his face with a wet hand towel. "He needs to know what we know. What he does with the information is up to him."

The medic finished Gray's bandage and helped her tie the gown behind her. "How safe will we be back at ADEF?"

"Not as safe as you would like," said the hunter. "A guy like Wynn is bound to have people inside. Spies or assassins or both. Which is why you'll be seeing a lot more of me from now on."

"That's great," said Lake. "Can I borrow the C-Mobile sometimes?"

Cornealius frowned. "OK, that's going to stop right now."

"Hey, lighten up," Lake said. "At least we put Wynn's lab out of commission."

"We put this one out of commission," said Cornealius. "Now we have to worry about finding his main lab."

Gray and Lake said in unison, "Main lab?"

"Remember that lab tech we encountered?" said Cornealius. "His name tag said, 'Beta Lab.' That tells me that somewhere out there there's an 'Alpha Lab.' "

Lake considered the implication. "That tells me that somewhere out there, Wynn has a lot more malectoplasm on ice."

"What do you think he's going to do with it?" asked Gray.

Cornealius said, "Nothing, until he's sure he has complete control." He handed them each their Ghoo Ghuns. "Which means, we all have more work to do."

Gray climbed into the ambulance. "I'm catching a ride back with the medics," she said. "See you guys back at the complex." She closed the doors behind her.

Lake looked at Cornealius and smiled. "Hey, that means I get to ride back with you in the... "

Cornealius quickly pointed a threatening finger in Lake's face.

"Don't ... say ... it."

END

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4