Author's Note: Two more chapters to follow, for the epic conclusion. I'm kidding I don't think maybe it's as epic as I would like to be. The final confrontation is at hand, and hopefully it's maybe going to be a bit of a twist. Anyway for now, enjoy the next installment.
Deadman Walking
Chapter 21- You're not Heero…
"Julia!" Liam hollered, camera bouncing and jostling as he ran. Some how he'd gotten separated from her, and from Josh. Blindly he rounded a corner stopping as a stitch in his side made him wince. The silence was deafening, he turned slowly suddenly very aware he was alone in this god forsaken place. He heard her scream then, somewhere nearby. "Julia!" he roared chasing the sound. Seeming to ricochet everywhere, the sound bounced around muddling and confusing.
Sudden ringing silence, the echo fading from that final horror filled scream. Horse and panting he finally smelled, it. "Oh god please…" that sharp metallic stink, before rounding that final corner. He peered around the door trembling violently, his eyes skimming over the crimson liquid dripping slowly from the pale finger tips. It was the only recognizable part of her left. The bile rose in his throat turning he hunched over heaving out everything he had eat in what felt like a week. "Oh god…" he moaned, "Liam!" he heard the patter of hurried footsteps and Josh heaving and gasping stood before him, "You find Julia? I thought I heard her scream…" Liam couldn't speak, ashen he pointed in the room, seconds later Josh was upchucking beside him.
They stood shaking together in the oppressive hospital. "What are the odds that Max and Susan…" Liam began; Josh shook his head, "Not good…" Standing the stocky man hefted the camera into his shoulder, "We need to leave now," he said softly consciously not turning back to the terrible scene behind him. "Yeah, fuck Mary Moon," Josh mutters as the pair made their way hastily towards what they hoped was the exit.
-#-#-#-
"Heero? Duo?" Trowa and Quatre called as the backtracked looking for the pair, worried something awful had happened. "What should we do?" he asked Trowa, clutching the detectives hand tightly, "I-" he trialed off as a familiar figure strode by looking intent. "Heero!" he yelled, the man never turned, never answered. The pair glanced at each other with more then a little trepidation, "Was he wearing a straight jacket?". They chased after him calling out, "Hey Heero! It's us-" Quatre reached out without thinking, trying to stop him, as soon as he touched a flood of images ripped through his mind.
Happiness. Love. Laughter, kissing someone, holding them close. Smells and warmth. Now fear, anger, powerlessness. People dying. Locked up. A needle. Trying to scream but his mouth wouldn't open. Watching as they stripped his lover nude, forcing him to dress as a women, laughing taunting, drugging him before that bitch with needle and thread silenced him forever. Leaving them for dead he crawled across the floor, pulling him close, weeping silently, as breath became softer, more strained. That beautiful face, torn blood soaked and horrifying.
Holding on long after he was dead. His own body wanting to lie down and join him. Love driving him on. Stumbling and running out of that hell filled place, into a terrible rainstorm, fevered drug induced thoughts as he got away trying to get help to tell his story.
Quatre staggered away overwhelmed by the emotions rolling off the man, "You're not Heero…" he gasped as the other turned, the blonde backing into his boyfriend the pair ready to defend themselves. "You are right…" the voice was soft, masculine, but not Heero's. "Who are you?" Trowa asked, coiled, his hand slowly reaching towards where his service revolver was tucked in the back of his jeans.
"My name in Corporal Cecil Johnson, but everyone calls me CC," He smiled wanly then, "Or at leas they called me CC." Quatre's mouth dropped open, "What…I mean how…why…" he was having a hard time collecting his thoughts. "We have no time, follow I'll explain quickly." He turned and the other two kept pace as they moved deeper into the hospital.
-#-#-#-
"It won't budge…" he panted, Josh was near his breaking point, their way out was barred from them. "Oh god we're going to die." Liam said nothing heaving against the door one last time before yelling in frustration. "Goddamn!" he slid to the floor slowly, almost numb with fear. Josh grabbed his arm then directing his gaze across the hall, a figure stood there motionless looking at them curiously. Liam noticed the long braid, that beautiful face, "Duo? Do you know a way out?" Liam yelled standing slowly, suddenly worried how he looked. The figure stared at him keenly for a moment, before nodding slowly he turned moving away. "Wait for us!" he called as they scrambled to follow the rapidly retreating figure.
-#-#-#-
"So you're borrowing Heero, to stop whatever it is the crazy bitch is about to do?" Quatre summarized as they rounded the corner, "How can you borrow Heero? Is it like a possession?" Chuckling the figure moved with stiffness, "I asked, we cannot take someone over just like that…at least I don't think so." Quatre whistled through his teeth, "Things are-" CC shushed them pausing outside a door, they could hear chanting now faintly. Growing in crescendo, and gaining strength CC began to run.
That lagging gait, gained strength and cadence as they hurried towards the source of the voice. The three had reached the threshold when a sudden blast of unearthly force had them skidding away, disoriented they tried to gain their feet, confused Quatre looked to CC/Heero, he was standing looking ready for a fight, before him blocking the door was the blonde nurse. Her face contorted those teeth a grinning mask, "Doctor Heart is not see anyone at the moment," she hissed eyes narrowed at CC, "What are you doing in there," she spat, moving side to side, agitated. "What I should have done years ago you crazy bitch, and what I should have done to the doctor." He spoke calm and cool; he stood straight, and tall the carriage of a man who was ready to face hell.
The sound of running footsteps and three new figures appeared, "Duo!" Quatre gasped, as he hurried towards them, Duo didn't acknowledge them hurrying to CC's side, standing close looking at the nurse his face drawn and serious. "Ash…" CC mumbled, "Shit just got real." Quatre muttered eyes darting between the two.
"What the hell is going on?" Liam wheezed coming to a halt near Trowa and Quatre, "Cole's notes version; your boss is trying to raise the mad doctor, and two ghosts have possessed our friends in a effort to thwart her." He glanced back, "Oh and Tits Mcgee here is blocking our way in."
CC stepped forward. "Move," he said, and the nurse seemed to flicker, but held firm. Duo, or in this case Ashley stepped forward grabbing his hand. They seemed to freeze then, as if something was taking place out of their sight. A battle of wills, "Move!" there was sudden rush of something cold around them, an outward blast of energy. Not a chilling, terrifying power surge but something different.
"Trowa…I think it was them," he mumbled awed, they watched as the nurse flickered out with a scream of rage. The way now clear, the two men stepped in; hand in hand. The other men hurried to follow; two cameras rolling in almost stunned disbelief. When they finally got to Mary Moon, they all stopped in utter shock. She was surrounded by candles sitting before a handheld camera. "STOP!" CC bellowed, startling the women looking up from the papers she was reciting off of. She stared at them all for several heartbeats before she smiled, a smug self satisfied smile. "I'm finished any-" as she spoke there was an unearthly wail and figures began to appear around the room.
Ghost in varying states of death, and dismemberment. A bevy of nurses their skin a quilted patchwork as if living ragdolls. Mismatched body parts on once beautiful girls. Orderlies drawn and pale, one holding his head at his side. "Oh god we're too late…" Josh muttered as the four men back to back moved as a single unit, looking everywhere at once. "You're too late! I am the one that talks to the dead, I am the one who has raised…" she stalled out as the wind picked up, the ghosts rustling, whaling, gnashing teeth reaching for them. When a new figure stepped forward. Quatre gasped, "It's him…"
"Who?" Liam's voice was barely audile, his throat as dry as dust, his hands struggling to hold the camera straight. "Doctor Bloody Heart," he replied as that familiar mad laugh grew louder. He seemed to step out thin air, a tall imposing figure. Disheveled, his once white lab coat almost completely red now, saturated with the blood of victims to numerous to think of. He turned to grin at them, a once handsome man distorted with a hot madness, and what had probably been dugs, and something more, unfathomable.
He turned to Mary grinning, her triumphant smile fading now. Replaced by a primal fear, with a small whimper she turned to escape screaming in horror she decided now would be a good time to run. She never made it to the door, the ghosts converged, screaming, babbling, and laughing manically. She was dragged away screaming herself horse.
Despite the utter chaos in the room, two figure stood immobile, a calm eye in the storm. The dead around them seeming to calm, fall silent, staring expectant. The doctor walked towards them, jerkily, grinning. "Stop," CC spoke through Heero's mouth, standing his ground unmoving. "No!" the voice was gravely, with a slight edge, issuing from the doctors twisted lips. "She called me, called us…" he hissed, the ghosts around him twittering wild laughter. The blonde nurse reappeared, "You are ours, they are ours." She spoke licking pointed teeth.
A blast of energy, strong, terrify ripped though those living in the room. Gasping Quatre felt the horrifying emotions coming from the dammed circling the room, running the gamut from indifference, to blind, all consuming rage. It was overwhelming. Gasping Quatre fell to his knees; head pounding he screamed in agony. "Quatre!" Trowa was beside him, holding him. The atmosphere thickened, weighing down on all of them, they felt queasy, and ill, suddenly sapped of strength. Josh was on the ground openly weeping, Liam grunting was down too gasping each breath. Quatre began bleeding from his nose, and ears.