Chapter 4

Dr. Richtofen awoke with a start. He couldn't remember what time he actually fell asleep, but it felt like he didn't get a single wink of shut eye. His back had a dull ache and his joints were stiff. He groaned as he looked at the analog clock that hung on the opposite wall.

"Sheiße, it's already 8:00 in zhe morning, mein patients should be avake by now."

The doctor forced himself up from his bed and went to the shower to wash away the sweat and throbbing within in his bones. He stood there beneath the warm running water, savoring how good it felt on his pale skin. Edward lathered the soap and rubbed it across his body making sure to get every nook and cranny. He then quickly rinsed off the soap, turned the nozzle off and stepped out of the shower to grab his cotton towel from the rack.

He wrapped the towel around his waist and went to the sink to brush his teeth. Doing so, he looked up at his reflection in the mirror. Edward noticed that his eyes had dark circles underneath them and his grey hair stood out amongst the black.

I'm only 30 but I look to be at least 15 years older. Not to mention main sanity ist slowly slipping from mich. Every now and zhen I can hear zhe voices telling me to conduct awful atrocities. I can't bear much more of zhis stress und pressure I need an outlet und I need one quick…

Rictofen's thoughts were interrupted by a brief knock on the door to his bathroom.

"Was ist das?" he called out.

"It's Maxis; I was just wondering when you will be ready to evaluate your patients, Dr. Rictofen."

"Soon I shall be ready. Don't vorry about mich, it vas just a long night Dr. give mich five more minutes okay?"

Edward didn't get a response back from Maxis so he assumed that he left his personal quarters to go attend to his own business. Dr. Richtofen sighed and finished doing what he needed to do in the bathroom and gathered up his uniform to dress accordingly. Afterwards, the doctor strode through the hallways back to the lab to make sure the effects of the 115 experimental injections, didn't prove to be fatal. Upon opening the door, he was greeted with a sight that instantly turned his stomach.

His patients weren't dead but far worse; they had all somehow escaped. Edward was fuming right now. He walked over to the beds and carefully inspected each one of them. In what was Tank Dempsey's bed, he saw a small blade just barely concealed from sight underneath the white pillow. Edward had no idea how Tank would get ahold of such an object if he was being carefully monitored by the other staff. He also didn't know when the patients actually escaped. The doctor initially felt mocked but also stupid for not checking on them during the night. He rarely slept anyways, so what harm could be done on his end?

Dr. Richtofen bounded from the lab and began searching the hallways for his patients. When a few minutes passed and he still came up empty handed he alerted Commander Krieger and he issued a lock down warning over the bases' loudspeaker. The doctor searched frantically and when he couldn't find any one of escapees he began to go into a crazed frenzy, yelling and swearing in his native tongue. He walked through a narrow passageway only to be tackled to the ground by the marine. Edward struggled to get out of the man's strong grip but he refused to set the doctor free. Edward was laying on his back while Dempsey was on top trying to get him to remain still. Dempsey then reached in his pocket to retrieve a razor blade that he no doubt stole from a drawer in the medical supply room. Richtofen inwardly panicked as Dempsey raised his hand up to slash at his throat, but before Dempsey could make another move, commander Krieger struck him in the back of the head with his pistol. Tank fell over and Krieger helped him to his feet

"Dumm American," Krieger spat.

Edward walked around the marine cautiously. He then gave him a small kick in the side and he still remained motionless on the cold, concrete floor. It looked as if the marine was knocked unconscious, and wouldn't be going anywhere for a while.

"Take zhis filthy rat back to zhe lab and strap him up. Zhis time don't take your eyes off him for even one second!" Dr. Richtofen bellowed.

Krieger nodded his head and began to drag the marine back to the laboratory. Edward watched him slowly make his way down the hall.

"Now to look for zhe ozher little vermin," Richtofen mumbled with animosity.

The doctor walked the reverse direction of Krieger and rummaged high and low for his test subjects. His patience of course soon ran thin and he gave up the search before an hour passed. Edward decided that it was in his best interest to return to his office and unwind before he gave himself a lethal brain aneurism.

Ooh vhen I go back to zhe lab zhere vill be hell to pay. If I can't find vhat I'm looking for soon zhen I vill have to torture that petty marine until he gives in. I will not be made a fool of any longer.

He rolled this thought around continuously in his mind for a few minutes and the multiple voices in his head not only agreed to his violent thoughts but thirsted for the taste of blood.

1. "Sheiße, = Shit

2. "Was ist das?" = What is it?

3. "Dumm American," = Dumb American