Fourths
"Judah Buckner to the rescue," Sitterson said, pointing to one of the live feeds.
Hadley turned to look, and Sitterson was correct; said Buckner was indeed advancing towards the cabin, and The Fool's window was directly visible on the feed.
"The Fool's been too smart already," he shrugged. "Chem, make that two hundred cc's of thorazine, stat."
Sitterson nodded thoughtfully, even as Judah Buckner saw that one of the windows was not boarded up, and had a target behind it already.
xxx
"Bring them down."
Hadley, Sitterson, Lin, and Truman watched as specimen cube 3306 was directed towards Maintenance Station One, located at the floor just beneath theirs.
A thought struck Sitterson, causing him to bring up the station on the intercom. "Control to Maintenance One, we will be assuming remote control of your station and the handling of the cube pending in. Until further notice, your panel will be disabled."
"Copy that, Control. Over."
"Why the master override?" Lin asked, even as Hadley gave Sitterson a questioning glance.
Sitterson raised an eyebrow. "Japan failed, and you're still asking me that?"
xxx
"Bring them down."
Hadley, Sitterson, Lin, and Truman watched as specimen cube 3306 was directed towards Maintenance Station One, located the floor just beneath theirs.
"How much time left?" Lin asked nervously, causing Hadley and Sitterson to turn as one and glance at the digital clocks at their work stations.
"Enough," Hadley said grimly, activating the intercom. "Control to Internal Security, the targets have been isolated and are being brought to Maintenance Station One. You are to assist in the culling of the MALE target, a.k.a. THE FOOL. Leave the female target untouched. Remove them from the cube first if necessary."
"Copy that, Control. Over."
Hadley buzzed a different extension. "Control to Maintenance One, do not approach the cube until Internal Security arrives. When they arrive you are to assist them if they need it."
"Copy that, Control, Over."
xxx
"Hold your fire!"
Rudolph Klavier, commander of Internal Security Unit One, ordered a ceasefire as soon as the alarms sounded. But there were other sounds as well. Sounds just like those from the stables...
"Code Black retreat!" he bellowed, sending his men running back the way they'd come, he himself running towards Maintenance Station One, where the two targets had locked themselves in.
All it took was a well-placed shoulder, and he crashed into Maintenance Station One, just as all eight specimen cubes arrived at their stations.
Klavier knew his duty, and made sure that his final deeds in this world mattered. "Nothing personal."
The Virgin saw The Fool take Klavier's bullet between the eyes right before a witch-like creature killed Klavier himself.
When the creature turned to her, she smiled.
END