Gehenna

Disclaimer: The very first Condemned fanfiction I have ever written! This one was inspired by replaying the first game and it carries on through the second. I hope you guys enjoy reading it. Please read and review if you so wish.

"Murder is not the crime of criminals, but that of law-abiding citizens."

-Emmanuel Teney

I wish that I could write you a melody so plain that would save your dear lady from going insane.

-Bob Dylan

By: VampireQueenAkasha

Part Nine

Metro City

"But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil."

-Proverbs 1:33

Rosa moved quickly through the hallways of the SCU building and hid herself inside her office. She carefully peeked out through the glass window of the door, watching several of Dorland's men talking down the hallways. Rosa slowly slid into her desk and was quiet for a few moments. The sound of her headset beeping startled her for a moment before she pressed it.

"Nancy? Nancy, where in the heck are you?" she whispered, fiercely.

Out in the streets, Nancy poked her head out from a garbage can and looked around warily for signs of enemies. The lid was balanced perfectly on her head. She pressed her headset.

"Rosa, I am in so much deep shit right now it's not even funny." she whispered, terror tightening her voice. "Things are really fucked up."

"You're not the only one," Rosa told her, "The commissioner just arrived and said that they found SKX at the old Trenton Bowling Alley. They're holding him there until they can figure out what to do with him next. I don't understand why you need to figure out what to do with a madman … "

Nancy sighed heavily. "Yeah, I know." She gave a gasp and ducked back down into the garbage can as someone raced by. When she was sure that they were gone, she continued speaking again from inside the can this time. "Rosa, I have to tell you something, but you have to swear that you won't say a word to Ethan until I get to him."

"Okay. I swear."

"It's about my boyfriend," Nancy continued, "The one that I thought was dead."

"What about him?"

"Well … he's … "

Suddenly, the garbage can opened and Nancy gave a cry, looking up into Ethan and LeRue's stunned faces. She swayed several times, losing her balance until she fell to the ground with the trash can. The loud sound practically bounced off of the city walls.

"Please do not tell me that's where you've been this whole fucking time!" Ethan spat, forcing her to stand. "Half the agency's been looking for you!"

Nancy sighed and held out two hands and kicked an old, crinkled newspaper from her ankle. She looked at them with a painful expression. "I have something really important that I have to tell you guys. You're not going to like it, though..."

"We ain't got time for this," LeRue told her, with a gentle shake of his head, "They're holding SKX in a bus at the bowling alley. We gotta get there right now before they take him to SCU."

Nancy glared at him fiercely. "You need to make time!"

Ethan and LeRue stared at her with surprise. They weren't expecting an outburst like that. They glanced at each other briefly before looking back at her.

"Okay, Nancy, spill your guts," LeRue said, evenly.

Nancy took a deep breath. "I've never told you guys any of this because I knew that it would only complicate matters during the SKX murders. But … " She looked at Ethan weakly. "The man that you shot in that trunk that day … He was my boyfriend."

Ethan frowned, not catching on immediately. "The man that I … " He slowly trailed off and his eyes widened in realization. "Wait … Not Leland Vanhorn."

Nancy nodded. "Mm - hm … "

"No. Not SKX. He's … HE'S YOUR FUCKING BOYFRIEND?"

Nancy nodded again and rolled her eyes at the loud tone of voice. "And this is exactly why I didn't want to say anything … "

They began yelling at once now.

- "You were fucking a serial killer?"

- "He wasn't always like that!"

- "Not just any serial killer; you were getting it with the biggest asshole there was!"

- "Fuck you!"

- "He already got to you first!"

- "Piss the fuck off, Ethan!"

LeRue was too stunned to even offer an input.

"Look! He wasn't always like this!" Nancy shouted, over Ethan's angry voice, "He was a good man once, just like any of those drug sniffing retards we have to resort to gunning down every fucking day! He's just got his head mixed in with some seriously messed up shit. I don't know how, when or why it's happened to him, but we can't just assume the worse! We just need to try and help him … "

Ethan laughed angrily and threw his hands in the air. "Dammit, Nancy, I heard that same twisted, fucked up shit from his uncle!" he shouted back at her, "And look at what happened to him!" He gestured to his own head. "You're fucked up! Malcolm said the same shit and hoped that he would change. Well I got news for you; he's wrong, moron! You can't fix this!"

LeRue chuckled dryly and held out two hands. "As much as I love talking about boyfriends and old times, we should really move on soon," he advised, "Those drug puppies will find their way here and I really don't want to deal with them anymore than I have to, you got it?"

Ethan glowered at Nancy one last time before they turned to go.

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" Ethan snapped.

Nancy stared at him skeptically after a long pause. "Why wouldn't I tell you?"

O

Nancy, Ethan, and LeRue took cover behind a rusted vehicle frame, observing the SCU officers who surrounded the bus armed with assault rifles. LeRue looked at Ethan.

"Alright, they're holding SKX in the bus," he told him, "You need to hurry before they take him to SCU. I'll draw the two agents away while you sneak in."

Ethan started to move, but Nancy grabbed his arm. "Don't even think about it!"

Ethan glared down at her. "I'm getting what I want to know out of him one way or another."

"That's your call," LeRue said, "But whatever you do, do it quietly."

Nancy laughed angrily. "Hey, do you know the part in scary movies when some dumb ass - like Ethan - does something really fucking retarded and we all hate him for it in the end? Well, here's that moment."

Ethan and LeRue smiled at her.

"It's all about the element of surprise, Miss Morello," LeRue told her, "We got this."

Inside the bus, Leland was watching this entire scene playing out with a bored expression on his face. He chuckled dryly and leaned his head back, listening to the sounds of the SCU officers fighting Ethan Thomas and the other man outside. The front of the cell gate flew open and Ethan surged inside. He glared down at him.

"Why did you kill your uncle?" he demanded.

Leland refused to look up at him, leaning his head to one side. He was still burning with hatred over Dorland's betrayal. "He … refused to cooperate," he answered, lowly and grudgingly, "He had it coming … "

Ethan got into his face now. "What about the mayor?" he snapped, giving Leland's shoulder a slight push, "Did you kill her for the same reason?"

Leland sighed and leaned his head back, exposing his facial wounds to Ethan. He watched the man stagger back with a mixture of disgust and horror.

"Jesus!" Ethan cried.

Leland smiled at him. "How's the finger?" he sneered, in a mocking voice, "Miss it?" He watched Ethan stare down at his left hand where his pointer finger was missing. "Do you think of me when you go to scratch?" He lowered his voice menacingly and bitterly. "I think of you every time I look in the mirror."

Ethan scowled and clenched a tight fist in Leland's face. "Answer my question, you sick bastard," he warned, "Or the fingers you left me will wrap around your neck!"

Nancy watched the scene from outside of the bus with a mixture of pain and doubt when Ethan grabbed Leland's neck in a grip that looked particularly tight. She tore her eyes away and looked at LeRue. "What do you think about all of this?" she asked.

LeRue laughed and shook his head, leaning his shoulder against the bus. "I think it's getting far too outta hand for my tastes."

Suddenly, the sounds of gunfire filled the air and the two quickly ducked out of sight to avoid being shot. Bullets clipped the metal of the bus and the two looked around for signs of the rioters; they could hear their wild laughter from the buildings, but they couldn't see them. They raced onto the bus.

"Mr. Thomas, we got trouble!" LeRue shouted, "We gotta go!"

Suddenly, Leland broke free from Ethan's hold, smashing him aside with both fists. It was all a blur of fists and curses as Leland grappled with LeRue who attempted to steer the bus away. Nancy was thrown into one of the benches and knocked out cold.

O

"Ow … Dammit … "

Ethan helped Nancy to her feet as she slowly regained consciousness. She looked up at him wearily and rubbed the back of her head, checking for blood.

"Shit, what the hell happened?" she asked.

Ethan scoffed. "Your dear old boyfriend happened!" he snapped, "He crashed the whole fucking bus into the bowling alley and he went and took off."

Nancy looked around dazedly, trying to get her senses back before she stepped out of the bus. LeRue was lying in a pile of rubbish, panting quietly, though he looked to be in pain.

"Shit! LeRue!" Ethan cried.

LeRue winced sharply and looked up at them. Without touching him or doing a thorough check, Nancy couldn't really tell where he was hurt, but she had an idea that it must have been his back and neck because LeRue couldn't seem to turn his head to look at them and it looked painful when he tried.

"SKX, go after him, hurry!" LeRue rasped, "I'll be okay…"

Nancy looked at Ethan and gestured for him to go. "Go, I'll take care of LeRue," she told him, "I feel partially responsible for this anyway…"

LeRue smiled weakly and waved that off with one weak flop of his hand. "Hey, don't sweat it, okay?"

Ethan nodded and raced into the bowling alley. Nancy slipped one of LeRue's arms around her shoulders and she struggled to get him on his feet. She helped him onto the bus and gently laid him onto one of the benches. LeRue winced and looked up at her as she attempted to start the bus.

"It ain't gonna budge," he groaned. "SKX drowned the engine."

"It's okay. I just need enough budge to get us out of this shit hole."

Nancy grabbed the keys in the ignition and struggled to turn the engine over. The lights of the bus dimmed in and out and the engine whined several times. Nancy groaned in frustration and gave the wheel a vicious kick. When she did, the engine sputtered before roaring to life. She smiled with pleasure.

"There now, ya' see?" she said.

She backed the bus up from its lodged in position and it jolted as it connected the streets once more. The gas was pouring out fast, but Nancy just needed enough to reach SCU and it wasn't very far. She tapped her headset and contacted Rosa.

"Hey, Rosa, you there?" she asked.

"Yeah! I just got word from Ethan that LeRue is in bad shape! Where are you now?"

Nancy winced as the SCU bus began to swerve a bit and she struggled to keep the giant vehicle straight. "En route for SCU, but I don't think they'll lay the welcome mat down for us. Can you meet us at the corner of Fremont and Northeast Fifty - Second?"

"I'll get there as soon as I can!"

"Copy that, make it quick," Nancy told her, "This bus won't hold out for much longer." She looked back at LeRue and smiled reassuringly. "Rosa's going to meet up with us; I'm going to get you some help."

LeRue winced sharply and tilted his head as much as he could to look at her. "Something tells me you're taking off somewhere," he said, "Where are you going?"

Nancy stared straight ahead and stopped the bus at the corners of the designated street. She paused for a moment before looking back at him. "I have something that I have to do."

Meanwhile, Ethan was trampling through the debris and garbage that plastered the floor of the bowling alley. Just as he stepped over a pile of broken trophies, a screaming man surged after him, his face bleeding and his tattered clothes covered dried blood. He swung a fist at him, but Ethan stepped to the side and avoided it. He brought a roundhouse that slammed right under the bum's ear. The bum squealed like a wounded animal and punched Ethan in the stomach. They moved clumsily through the rubbish, drooling saliva and blood, growing dizzier from every impact.

Ethan finally got his arms around his opponent's throat and twisted, snapping his neck.

The body hit the floor in a crumbled mass of legs and arms. Ethan quickly moved through the storage room and out into the second bowling alley. It was quiet here but not for long. There was a muffled voice behind him.

"I know who you lookin' for!"

The voice was cheerful and eerie. Ethan whirled and noticed one of the bums in the speaker room, broadcasting through a microphone. "I know who you lookin' for!" the bum said, giggling, "He went that way! He went that way!"

Ethan watched as the bum pointed in the direction of a bowling lane where light was shining through from the other side where the pins were usually positioned. It was big enough for a guy like SKX to fit through. Rosa piped up again.

"It's probably no coincidence SKX was captured near the bowling alley," she said, "This must be his base of operation."

Ethan nodded his head and bent down to squeeze his way through the lane. "Yeah, but why is it no one's ever noticed it before?" he asked.

"Maybe they never thought to look," Rosa pointed out, "We believed him to be dead for a while now."

Ethan frowned. "Yeah ... maybe that's it. But I don't know ... There seems to be more to it than that."

"Well, regardless ... " Rosa said, "You have to find him."

O

Ethan was surprised to find that SKX was still using the school as well for his little sick experiments. It was amazing to think that after all this time, he was using both the school and the bowling alley as his base.

"Shit!" Ethan said, taking out his camera and taking several shots of the various torture devices.

Just as he started to continue on his way, he noticed the SCU documents lying on the tables. After a moment of reading through them quickly, his eyes narrowed and fury clouded his vision once everything began to add up.

"That son of a bitch!" he spat.

A low moaning sound reached Ethan's ears and he looked toward the door curiously. He walked through it and remembered that it would lead to the gym but not before passing through the cafeteria where he had to fight that chef. The kitchen was still as disgusting as he remembered it, but instead there was fresh blood sprayed all over the walls and bottles of champagne littering the floor. He couldn't believe that SKX liked that sissy crap.

"Sick ... " he groaned, covering his mouth against the horrible smell.

"Ethan ... "

He reacted at the weakly groaned name and turned toward the open refrigerator. He didn't move for the longest time because memories came flashing back to that year ago when he was attacked in there. After a moment of shaking it away, he walked into the fridge and found Farrell lying on a table strapped down with leather straps. His chest had been cut open in an X shape and he was breathing slightly. His eyes fluttered a few times, but Ethan could have sworn that he was dead.

"Rosa, I've located Farrell." Ethan said, tapping his headset.

"Really? Is he hurt? What's his condition?" Rosa asked.

"He's alive, but cut up pretty badly," Ethan told her.

Suddenly, Farrell's eyes opened and focused on Ethan with shock. "Ethan! SKX is studying me ... same as he did with the others ... " he rasped, his voice bursting out of him like a powerful wind, "Help me. Cut these straps loose so I can get out."

Ethan contemplated not doing it, but Farrell couldn't just die by that bastard. He sighed and shook his head.

"He's experimenting on the homeless ... testing ... perfecting," Farrell continued, "Hurry. They know you're here!"

Ethan rolled his eyes and grabbed one of the straps. He attempted to pull it loose, but it only seemed to tighten harder into Farrell's body. He winced sharply with pain and looked up at Ethan weakly, shaking his head.

"Find something sharp!" he gasped, "He tied them too tight!"

Ethan sighed. "You owe me big for this, Farrell." he snapped, "I haven't forgotten what you did to me back at the hotel."

Farrell weakly laughed. "I know ... "

Ethan looked around for something sharp to cut the straps with, and that's when he saw her; the lunch lady lying in a corner with a meat cleaver buried into her skull. He reacted only the slightest at the sight of her corpse, but grabbed the cleaver with a sick wet sound and walked back up to Farrell's bound form. He sliced through the leather with the cleaver a few times before they snapped. Farrell climbed into a sitting position and fell to the floor. After a few moments, he managed to stand.

"SKX is delusional and psychotic, just like his test subjects," he snapped, following Ethan out of the fridge, "Let's move cautiously."

Ethan nodded and the two slowly walked around the cafeteria and toward another door. When they did, the door flew open and a bum screamed after them. Ethan rolled his eyes and stood in a position, grabbing the bum by the arm and flipping him onto the floor. Farrell looked down at him as he punched the bum out with a single blow of his fist.

"Nicely done, Mister Thomas," he said, "Brutish, but still nicely done."

Ethan rolled his eyes. "I don't need your approval, Farrell."

As they continued down a hallway toward the gym, Ethan suddenly raised a hand in front of Farrell at the sounds of fighting up ahead. Farrell looked at him questionably and Ethan frowned. He had a feeling that it wasn't going to be as easy to escape has he had thought.

"Wait here."

Farrell didn't argue. He stayed in the hallways while Ethan walked up the broken stairway to the next floor. Being familiar with the school, he would be able to know if anyone was hiding in any areas. When he stepped into the gym, he was stunned to see that most of it had been completely altered and renovated in the form of a fighting arena. He could even see two bums in the middle of a brutal fist fight below.

"Holy shit!" he gasped, walking toward the edge, "This is fucking insane!"

Behind him, one of the bums approached and just before he could turn and retaliate, the bum shoved him hard. Ethan lost his balance and fell backwards, right over the edge, falling to the floor hard, stomach first. Pain instantly shot through his head, but he immediately recovered, just as another bum came charging right at him. Ethan braced for the impact and was knocked off of his feet; his opponent landing right on top of him. They grappled through the bloody rubbish, trying to overcome one another. Behind the fence, the other maniacs screamed at them, shaking their fists.

Ethan and the bum wrestled desperately, and Ethan flipped his attacker. He started reining punches to his face. The bum landed a couple of blows to Ethan's stomach, but it was like punching a brick wall. Pain exploded through his hand, tiny splatters of blood raining down on his face. The crowd cheered maniacally at the messy scene before them. Ethan began bashing his opponent's head into the floor over and over again.

Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot pierced through the air and everything died down into silence. Ethan looked up and noticed Dorland standing over the edge of the fence, pointing his gun directly at a terrified Farrell.

"Disgusting creatures, wouldn't you agree, Mister Thomas?" Dorland sneered.

Ethan punched the bum out before standing. "The two - faced rat himself ... "

"You still haven't grasped the situation, have you?" Dorland snapped, "Farrell's your executioner. He isn't worthy of your loyalty!"

Leland watched the scene from the shadows, intrigued with learning what could happen to Ethan now.

"Don't do this Dorland!" Farrell cried, "He belongs with us! You're a fool if you don't see that!"

Ethan scoffed in disbelief and shook his head. "When did the SCU employ murderers?"

Dorland glared down at him coldly. "I take orders from the Oro, and so should he," he snapped. He gave Farrell a cold look. "Isn't that right?"

Before he could protest, Dorland pushed him over the edge of the fence and into the arena with Ethan. Farrell landed hard with a sharp cry of pain and struggled in a crouching position, looking back at Dorland desperately.

"Get up!" Dorland commanded, "Finish the job. Kill him before he ruins everything!"

"No!" Farrell shouted.

"Do it; remember who you are!"

Farrell took a few moments to catch his breath before he stared up at Ethan with pain. "I've risked everything..." He straightened and reached his arms out at Ethan as if he was going to hug him, which was strange. "Find the Voice!"

Before Ethan knew it, his head felt like he was submerged in icy cold water, and then, a tremendous rushing sensation; like the first time he had ever had a drink of whiskey. He felt something building, crawling up through his chest like a powerful force. Whatever it was, he had to let it out. He tried to scream and when he did, he screamed at Farrell. Something happened that he didn't expect. One minute Farrell was standing there and the next, his head burst like a cherry. From his hiding spot, Leland watched the scene with shock.

Ethan stared down at Farrell in mute disbelief as his body thumped to the floor. He took a moment to try and recollect what had happened, but there was no time for that. He looked up at an SCU officer was approaching him with his rifle aimed at his chest. Ethan took a few cautious steps back and the officer advanced slowly. Just then, there was a wet smacking sound and the officer's eyes went wide. Ethan watched him with confusion and when his body hit the floor, Leland was standing behind him, holding his bloody knife.

For the moment, the two stared each other down. Finally, Leland did something that Ethan wasn't expecting.

"Come on!" Leland ordered, turning and sprinting the way he had come.

Ethan didn't have time to think about it because two other SCU officers were already opening fire on him from above. He followed Leland down a long passage filled with electrified fence before he emerged into the bowling alley once more. He ducked at the side of the door and gestured for Ethan to do the same on the other side.

"Over there." he ordered again.

Not really wanting to argue because of certain cirumstances, Ethan did as he said and frowned at him. After a few moments, the two SCU officers burst through the door and Leland moved quick; he sliced the knife across one officer's throat and plunged his knife into the head of the other before he could react. Ethan watched the scene with amazement. No sooner had he killed them all quick, he whirled on Ethan and quickly darted into his face, poising the knife at his throat.

Ethan coughed when he felt the blade near to piercing the flesh. He met Leland's empty eyes. "What's this about?" he demanded, "I thought you were on their side!"

"Shut up!" Leland spat, venomously. He tilted his head and grinned at him. "Think of this as a future investment."

Ethan stared back at him in disbelief. What the hell was he supposed to make that out of?

"Oh yes," Leland continued grinning with wicked delight, leaning forward, "I look forward to cutting you open ... " His eyes wandered over Ethan's body like a hungry predator. " ... learn your little secret." The sounds of sirens cut him off momentarily. He looked over his shoulder for the moment before looking back at Ethan. "But now's not the time."

He parted from the man and started to go for the two front doors. He noticed the gaping hole where the bus used to be and chuckled coldly, ignoring Ethan for the moment as he contacted that woman back at his headquarters.

"She is persistent ... " he mused.