Chemical Attraction (33 page)

“All right, here it goes.” Eva flipped the switch and the lights immediately brightened. “Did we just give ourselves away?”

“Let’s check the house,” Madeline replied.

About fifty feet from the massive barn, the rundown house had gray aluminum siding and a dumpy overgrown lawn with weeds between the cement cracks of the short sidewalk. They crept to the kitchen door. Eva pushed it open.

“Is this some type of trap? Why aren’t the doors locked?” Madeline whispered, holding her gun. “I don’t like this.”

Eva opened a few cupboards to find them bare. A dresser sat in the middle of one bedroom with only a desk in the living room. Madeline checked the second bedroom to find an old stained mattress on the metal frame. A closet door had a couple hangers while another door had a deadbolt and padlock.

“What’s going on here?” Eva whispered.

They heard the kitchen door open and shut. “Closet,” she mouthed.

They shut the door as someone walked into the room. Madeline held her gun ready. They heard shuffling and rattling, then the slamming of the door. Eva aimed Tim’s gun through the crack.

“Who do you think that was?” Eva asked.

“Do we check it out or wait?”

Eva tested the doorknob of the now unlocked door. It opened and she peered down the steps to a basement. “Let’s see who it is, then we’ll wait for the guys.”

Madeline nodded and they carefully tiptoed down the dozen steps. A door slammed at the end of a narrow corridor. Dim naked bulbs cast a yellow glow against the gray cement walls while four pipes ran the length of the room just below the ceiling. They approached the heavy metal door. Eva gently pushed the handle down and slowly opened it.

“Why didn’t he lock these doors?” Eva asked.

She shook her head and peeked through. Whomever they were following had shut a similar door at the end of the next room. Those same four pipes ran the length of the long room. Individual cages towered against both walls at least thirty feet high. Hundreds of red glowing eyes stared. Three narrow metal tables end to end took up the center space. Microscopes, nanoscopes, slides, and various chemicals lined the tables in an unorganized fashion.

“Let me peek through that door, but I think we’re in over our heads. I vote we turn back,” Madeline said.

“Hurry, I hate rats,” Eva replied.

Madeline walked between the tables and cages. She pulled on the door. It wouldn’t budge. “It’s locked. Let’s go.”

Eva pushed on the door to retreat. It wouldn’t open either. “They were just unlocked,” she said, ramming it harder.

Madeline rushed to help. “Who would do this?”

“I don’t know, but we’re trapped,” Eva whispered, continuing to yank and push on the door. “What are we going to do?” Her breathing became shallow and her hands started to shake.

“Evie, the guys will be here shortly. They’ll find us,” she replied, trying to sound calm.

Taking a deep breath, Eva let go of the door handle. The lights went out. The darkness froze them in their place. The cages started to tremble. Eva reached out for her as they heard the rats scratching and banging loudly.

“What’s going on?” Eva whispered as she found her arm. “Maddy, I’m scared.”

“They’re in their cages. We’ll be all right.”

A loud bang made the women jump. Eva screamed. “Something just ran over my foot! They’re loose!” Her nails dug into Madeline’s arm.

“Damn, one just bit me.” She grabbed Eva and yanked her away from the door. “Climb onto the table.”

They pushed equipment onto the floor. Hearing squeals, they realized the floor must be covered. Standing on the table, they hugged each other. The horrific shrieking of the rats shook them as another group of cages crashed down. The top of a cage hit Madeline in the leg.

Eva cried out. “They’re biting me.”

“Try to kick them off.” She reached above her head and tugged on the pipes to test their strength. “Evie, can you reach the pipes?”

“No.” Her voice trembled.

“I’m going to boost you up. I think there’s a gap between the ceiling and the pipes.” Dropping her purse, she grabbed her friend and shoved her upward. She felt Eva’s body lighten in her arms as rats bit at her feet. She kicked at them in the darkness and lost her sandals.

“I’m up. Where are you?”

“Are the pipes strong enough for both of us?”

“I think so. Maddy, get up here.”

Madeline kicked the rats off the table. Knowing Joe and Matt were on their way helped her think straight. She quickly moved down the table, shaking them from climbing up her jeans. She pulled herself up. The frenzy on the floor continued with squeals and screams. The smell of rat blood and urine hung in the air.

“Maddy, where are you?” Eva whispered.

“I’m okay. Hang in there. The guys will find us soon.” They quietly clung to the pipes and waited. The scurrying and cries decreased until the room became eerily silent again.

“Should we get down?” Eva whispered.

“No, the doors are still locked and we still can’t see.”

“Do you think someone used the ultrasound to make them attack?” Eva asked.

“Yes.” She laid her cheek against the pipe.
She felt the water in the pit fill to her chin. She took a deep breath as the water rose above her head. She stretched her arms above her and prayed for the shadow’s help.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door behind them slowly opened. An outline of a man stood in the doorway. Madeline strained to see the figure through the blinding light. Instead, she saw the carnage covering the floor. Eva kept her eyes tightly shut and hugged the pipes with both arms.

“Well, well, well, this is interesting.” He pointed his gun directly at them. “Get down. You’ve gotten this far. You might as well see the rest.”

At the City Police Station, Joe watched Tim and Officer Kent leave after talking to Matt. Bobby and Ray laughed around the front desk. Joe and Matt joined them.

“All right, fill us in,” Matt said.

“He’ll talk, but he wants a doctor,” Bobby said, standing. “He’s disheveled, tired, and hungry.”

“Bobby asked him once if he heard a high pitched whine in the room. It completely put him over the edge.” Ray chuckled.

“Let’s take a look,” Joe replied before walking back to the observation room. “That does not look like the guy we brought in yesterday. Let’s see how good you guys are.” Joe followed Matt into the interrogation room. “Hello Bill, did you have a good night’s rest?” Joe asked, sitting in the chair.

“I want a doctor.”

“Are you ill?” Matt asked, leaning against the wall.

“If I have that stuff in me, I want it out.” Bill paced in front of the table. His comb-over hung down his neck and sweat stained his wrinkled dress shirt.

“What stuff?” Joe asked.

“That nano-drug,” Bill mumbled. “I’m paying for his research. Why would he put it in me?”

“Whose research?” Matt asked.

“It was supposed to be a medical project.” Bill wandered and talked to the wall.

“You wanted to help the world and make your dad proud,” Matt continued in a soothing voice.

“Yeah, he wasn’t supposed to test on people yet. Dr. Pierce started with the concept, but he intensified the testing to quicken the results. She was right. I don’t deserve to sit in my dad’s chair.” He stood in the corner and stared at the gray walls.

“Who’s John Bokan?” Matt asked carefully while Joe listened.

“John took Dr. Pierce’s project material and helped him.”

“Did the selling of the meth help fund his research?”

“Yeah, I said that already. Alan was the one who handled the problems. I didn’t think he’d kill, but he did.”

“Who did he kill?”

“He killed Pat Simko at her apartment. She worked with Alan. She knew about the vials and injected the animals. Alan killed that vet and he caused that explosion because those shipping guys were getting greedy. He also killed those boys since they could place him at the house before the explosion.”

“Did he set up the vet for those animal attacks?” Matt asked.

Bill put his forehead in the corner and sighed. “Yeah.”

Joe sat quietly while Matt pressed for the needed name. “Who sent the raw materials from Dr. Pierce’s lab to MAP Chemical?”

“Alan and I made sure the right materials were sent. We put Kenny in charge of the chemicals for distribution. When I’m done here, you’ll have a doctor check me out, right?”

“Yeah, we’ll take you to the hospital, so you can get tested,” Matt replied.

“No!” Bill jumped away from the wall and paced around his cot to the door and back. “He’s there. I don’t want to go. You’ll have someone brought here. Okay?”

“Sure Bill, which doctor don’t you want?” Matt asked.

“Dr. Ellis is the psychopath doing the illegal testing.”

“I don’t understand,” Eva said, slowly letting herself drop to the table.

“You and Dr. Pierce have caused me enough problems. Let’s go.” Clicking a button on a remote control that unlatched the door, he directed them toward the next room. They stepped around dead rats on the table and lowered themselves to the floor.

Madeline’s bare feet couldn’t avoid the ripped flesh, fur, and blood. “You know him?” she asked, holding Eva’s hand.

“Don’t you want to introduce me, Eva? I know all about your research, Dr. Pierce.”

Eva squeezed her hand. “Dr. Ellis is my boss at the hospital.”

She turned and glared. “You’re the one who stole my research?”

“You were taking forever to produce any results.” Dr. Ellis shoved her through the door.

Another larger square room under the barn had bright lights and counter space around the cement walls. In the middle, tables held various pieces of equipment with a double sized refrigerator on the right. At the far end of the room, she saw another partially opened door.

He motioned for them to sit on the two stools. She glanced at a computer screen with its four cameras that viewed the perimeter. She hoped to see Joe coming for them, but all she saw was the back of a man leaving through a small side gate.

“You injected those farm animals? Why would you kill those people?” Madeline asked, wanting to distract Dr. Ellis from the cameras.

“The cat woman and the pig guy were for the research. I’ve been following your work for years, but you were too conservative in your testing.”

She moved her stool back against the table. “So John came to work for you?”

“He agreed with me. I intensified the testing. When I had the chance to test on a human subject and evaluate him everyday, I took it. Simon is perfect.”

“You had him kill that man in the alley … and Alan?” she asked as Eva stared.

“My research is a success.”

“It’s not meant to be a weapon,” she replied, looking around his lab.

“Simon was your first test subject?” Eva whispered, wrapping her arms around her body.

Laughing, he pointed the gun at them. “No, last year I tested on twenty-three people.”

“How did you get away with that?” Eva asked.

“I inoculated them with my nano-drug mixed with the flu vaccine. The serum is the ideal medium. I let the town think it was a flu epidemic and I let BennTech think they used the wrong strain. The drug wasn’t ready yet; instead of violence, they just died. But it did give me a lot of data to work with for this year.”

“Oh my God, Matt’s parents and Madeline’s uncle died because of you? You’re planning on doing it again?” Eva asked.

“It’s perfect now. I’ll inoculate the whole town and have my own army. I’ll increase my command of the Sheriff’s Department and then on to the State Police Posts. Can you image how much power and money I’ll have? I could control the world if I choose to.”

“You’ll massacre thousands. I won’t let you get away with that.” Standing, Madeline blocked Eva from his gun.

“Sit down. Of course, I’ll get away with it. You’ll be the first inoculated.”

She crossed her arms. “I’d die before I’d let that happen.”

Eva stood next to her, ready for a fight. The door opened and Simon staggered in. Transformed into an old man, he hunched as he walked. His face distorted with dark swollen bags under his eyes. His dirty body smelled of death.

As Matt was about to confirm with Bill that Dr. Ellis was the one behind the testing, someone knocked on the window. Joe turned and glared.

“I’ll get you a doctor, Bill. Just sit tight,” Matt said.

“Matt, do you know this doctor?” Joe asked, following him back into the viewing room.

“He’s the county coroner, the Occupational physician, and Eva’s boss.”

“Shit, he’s behind this drug?”

Matt nodded.

“Tim just called twice,” Ray said, rubbing the back of his neck. “Division gave him the address to MAP Chemical. They went to check it out.”

“Who’s they?” Matt asked.

“Tim, Madeline, and your wife.”

“Yeah, and?” Joe said, already not liking what he expected to hear. His gut tightened.