Angel of Fire - Requiem of Lost Souls - Book Two

Trapped Like A Rat

Chapter 13

I woke up, mind hovering on the edge of awareness. The feeling reminded me of being consumed by a thick fog. I attempted to lift first one arm, and then the other without success. Irritated, I tried kicking only to find both legs pinned down.

Ignoring the the burning sensation of panic roiling in my stomach, I lifted my head and swallowed back a terrified sob. My extremities were anchored to some type of uncomfortable metal table. In fact, the entire room appeared to be fashioned out of stainless steel. A round silver surgical lamp protruding from a flexible bar attached to the farthest wall provided glaring bright light.

I glanced up at the shiny metallic ceiling only to find my reflection staring back at me. Pain radiated from both arms with what appeared to be innumerable IV needles and tubes sticking grotesquely out of me. I followed the tubes snaking along the highly polished steel floor to a giant machine humming continuoulsy in one corner of the room.

I tugged relentlessly against the metal clamps holding me down, but the restraints wouldn't budge. The sound of a key turning in a lock grabbed my attention next. I lay frozen with fear as a form dressed all in white approached. Eyes blurry with frustrated unshed tears, Doctor Drool filled my line of vision looking tall and formidable in a zipped up white lab jacket. I could tell by his aggressive stance that he expected a fight.

He shouldn't have. Right then I felt like I couldn't hurt a fly even if I wanted to.

Grinning down at me humorlessly, he said, “I wondered when you would wake up. I'll have to remember not to sedate you so much. But after that little stunt you pulled, I wasn't taking any chances.”

The fog lifted a bit as I remembered what I'd done to Gonzer and the two officers. “Why, are they dead?” I replied sarcastically and cringed. My throat felt dry and scratchy like I'd swallowed sand.

He seemed to think about that for a moment. “Thankfully, no. I stopped you just in time. What happened back there, Chaos. How did you almost manage to take out the school's principal, along with two highly trained police officers?”

I gave a shrug. “I don't know. I guess I'm just an equal opportunity deviant.”

He leaned closer, peering into my eyes as if he could find the answer hiding there. “Oh, I think you do know, and I intend to find out. I also think that your blood will unlock a lot of mysteries.”

I sucked in my breath. Realization hit me like a Mac truck. Doctor Drool hadn't brought me here because he wanted to study me like I'd first thought. He'd brought me here because I had something he wanted.

As if reading my mind, he whispered viciously in my ear. “Imagine my surprise when I received the results of your tests back. Your blood possesses miraculous curative powers that are worth a fortune.” Leaning away, his voice dripped with greed. I swear I even saw tiny dollar signs in his pupils. “Do you know what this means?” Without waiting for a response, he continued. “Chaos, you and you alone hold the key to curing cancer, along with every disease known to man.” He closed his eyes in obvious delight, already counting the money in his head. “The possibilities are endless!”

I frowned. “I'm sure you plan on making this cure of yours available to everyone, right?”

He looked at me horrified. “You only have so much blood, my dear. Unless I can figure out a way to simply unlock the answer to your bodies natural healing capabilities, I'm afraid the price for my cure will be extremely high.”

Clenching my teeth together, I shouted, “You can't keep me here forever!”

“Why not?” he asked, tossing me a wry smile. “What's stopping me?”

I thought about the words Gonzer had said. “I hope this little getaway you've got planned is permanent.”

The meaning finally dawned on me. Doctor Drool never intended on letting me leave. I tried to imagine what it would be like. To spend the rest of my life locked up like this forever. Getting poked and prodded, while Drool sold my blood to the highest bidder.

I yanked my arms and legs against the restraints in an attempt to break free, but it was no use. I felt weak. Craning my neck, I followed one needle sticking out of my right arm with a thin plastic tube attached, until I found a stand next to me with an IV bag on it. Somehow I instinctively knew that the contents were responsible for the continuous fuzzy feeling in my head. I tried, but I couldn't raise the power. Otherwise, I would've used the lamp to wipe that sickening smile off Drool's disgustingly handsome face.

Even as I uttered the words, I already knew the answer. “You can't do this. People will be looking for me.”

“Oh, don't worry your pretty little head about that. In return for never having to deal with you again, Mr. Gonzer agreed to say that you ran away. But not before you destroyed his office, including an assault on two police officers who attempted to interview you about what happened at the track.” He snapped his fingers together as if recalling a sudden thought. “By the way, what did happen at the track?”

“As if I would tell you,” I snorted.

“Then tell me this,” he replied with a satisfied grin. “How does it feel to be a criminal?”

I wrinkled my brow in frustration. “Excuse me?”

His grin widened. “Besides issuing a warrant for malicious destruction of school property, the Barry County Sheriff’s Department also issued a warrant for attempted murder. So it's either go to prison for the rest of your life, or stay here with me and serve a higher purpose...”

“As your personal lab rat,” I finished for him. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

He sniffed as if proud of himself. “Doesn't look to me like you have much of a choice.” Turning away, he moved around the raised platform table, tightening the metal clamps and making them bite into my flesh. Satisfied I couldn't escape, he walked over to the machine in the corner and flicked a switch. I watched as the mechanisms of what appeared to be a high-tech pump came to a stop.

“There, that's better. Your body needs time to rest before I can harvest more of your blood.”

“You mean steal,” I growled.

“Now, now,” he chuckled. “Let's not argue semantics. Aren't you just the least bit proud that you possess the ability to save countless lives?”

A long, shuddering sigh rippled through my body as I thought about the poison that had already infested my small town, knowing it was only a matter of time before it spread around the entire world like Sebastian had warned. By the time Doctor Drool had taken enough of my blood to begin saving the lives of the rich who were inflicted with disease, it would be nothing compared to when Serenity finally unleashed the savagery of her zombies, and all mankind succumbed to the vengeance of the Dark Ones.

I made a futile attempt to convince him that he was seriously just wasting his time. “Everyone's going to die anyway if you don't let me go. Including you.”

Drool walked to the shiny metal door and slid it open. The noise it made as the bottom brushed against the steel floor reminded me of two sharp swords being drawn together in rapid succession. Pausing momentarily with his hand resting on the handle, the room went deathly still while he slowly turned back around to face me. 

“You might want to retract that last statement, Chaos.” It was hard to miss the underlying threat in his voice as his lips moved, only to end up in a satisfied smirk. “Otherwise, it might be you who meets an early demise once I'm finished with you. And I promise, it won't be pleasant.”

Thinking I'd allowed him to have the last word, Doctor Drool exited the room – locking the door behind him. I would've argued, but I was too stunned to speak.

Panic stabbed at my chest. Engulfed in unnatural silence, I closed my eyes against the bright light as savage tears blazed angry paths down my cheeks.