Chapter 10: Lab Smash
"Uh, Laura hey," Chuck greeted the other security guard in a nervous tone while he reached up under his cap to scratch his head. "What is going on?"
"What is going on?" Laura blinked. Her tone of voice carried the shock and annoyance of how someone could ask such a stupid question. "You are not at your post and you are not where you are supposed to be." She placed her hands on her hips.
"I did a sweep of the west sector," Chuck explained as he tried to step away, hopefully bringing both transformed humans, himself and Laura away from the area. "Everything was in the clear and I also checked the top floor of the west sector and part of the south." He pointed over to the nearest escalator. "Maybe we can talk over there."
"Stewart is pissed," Laura said. She had removed her hands from her hips and folded them across her chest. "You were supposed to check in ten minutes ago, oh and I heard you were shopping? You know you only shop on your own time."
"Grabbing a snack is allowed," Chuck explained as he lifted up the empty bag from Cinnabon. "I was taking care of these guys." He gestured at Billy and Gerald before lowering his voice. "I will explain everything over there." He pointed at the escalator again.
"Were these kids having a medical issue?" She raised her eyebrow and while her voice hadn't completely softened it wasn't as angry as before. "Or were they caught doing something and again if they were you should have still called it in."
"He was trying to explain before," Gerald told her while waving a hand. "But you wouldn't listen or believe him."
Laura's jaw dropped as she took a better look at both Gerald and Billy. "Oh my gosh. I am so sorry." Her voice switched from annoyed to embarrassed within a second. "I shouldn't have assumed you were children. You get that stereotype at all the time and we just had a sensitivity training a month ago." She placed her hand on her head and let out a breath.
Did she think that Billy and Gerald had dwarfism? Billy looked over at Gerald who had the same confused expression as Billy.
"Ma'am we are not…uh dwarves or little people or I am not sure what the right term is." Billy felt his mouth flounder. "Let's just go where Chuck said and we can explain everything and fast."
"I want to give Dingus here just five minutes before I grab him by the ear and haul his ass to our chief," Laura said as they made their way by the escalator. "I'm giving you two ten minutes to explain."
"My name is William Peltzer," Billy had started. "I came here to get some shoes and some cough drops and then I will admit I was poking around where I shouldn't. I found Gerald Hopkins here in an underground lab where he was mutated by Doctor James Friedrich and assisted by a man that I only know as Tim and a security guard named Hector. They drugged me and mutated me also."
"They are the missing people," Chuck said in a calm tone. "Look, look at their faces." He watched as Laura studied the faces of both of the mutants. "Well?"
"Aside from the odd warts, They do look like their pictures," Laura said slowly. "But this is not possible."
"Oh but it is," Gerald said as he removed his sunglasses and smiled, revealing his sharp incisors. "Under this make up we are green."
Billy lifted up his hat and raised his ears before lowering them and replaced the cap.
"No," she shook her head. "This isn't possible. You can't turn people into other things, not with magic or mad science." She looked over at Chuck. "There is no way you are right. That is fiction. It can't be real."
"I wish it wasn't real," Billy said as he grabbed her hand. "But it is." He guided her fingers till the touched the tops of his claws before he let her touch the red fringe on his elbows and pointed at his feet.
Her eyes doubled in size as she lowered herself and stared at their large four toed gremlin feet. She even reached out to feel their toes before she slowly stood back up and used the side of the escalator to brace herself.
"I didn't know they were using gremlin DNA on them," Chuck said while he waited for Laura to compose herself. "But I promised I was going to help them. We have to inform the police to bring those psycho's to justice and close the mall."
"What?" Laura blinked twice. "I can understand the first two, but why do we need to close the mall? She stopped slouching and stood tall. "Do you think they will kidnap more people?"
"The creatures they used to mutate these guys with are dangerous," Chuck explained.
"If you remember the story about Clamp Center Tower years ago then you might know these creatures," Billy explained. "They are going to find a way to get wet, multiply and over run the mall. So many lives are at stake."
"I'm just finding out that people who recently went missing have been genetically altered," Laura said as she put on a weak smile. "And now you are telling me there are little monsters that are going to attack this place?"
"Laura is that you?" A voice came through her two-way. "Have you found Charles? Tell him I want to see him."
"We have a situation that is more important," Laura answered. "I'll bring this to you." She placed the radio into her back pocket. "I am going to vouch for you for the first time, Chuck."
"Stewart won't believe me and I don't think he would even believe you," Chuck said and shook his head. "You know how he is."
"Will he believe me?" Gerald asked and pointed towards himself. "Me and Billy if he saw us?"
"I think…" She trailed off and flexed out her arms. "I'm not sure, maybe if we go report to him."
"Just one of us," Billy said as he felt Gene stirring around in the backpack. "This Stewart is head of security and his office is near where mall management is located?"
"Security is near Sears," Chuck answered and he seemed to figure out what Billy was thinking. "Mall office is near the food court on the second floor."
"We have to split up," Billy said. He didn't exactly like the idea but they had to make sure everyone knew so they could get the people out. "Two of us will go to management and the other to security."
"I'll go talk to security," Gerald volunteered.
"I'll take him," Laura said while she gave Chuck a pat on the shoulder. "You never talked to the managers here about any of your weird conspiracy theories like you have to Stewart?"
"Never talked to them at all," Chuck said.
"Stewart won't let you get one word out. He will listen to me at least." Laura turned to Gerald and held out her hand. "Let's go, Mr. Hopkins."
"How about we meet in front of the Warner Brother's store in twenty," Chuck suggested as the four of them split into two groups.
"In twenty," Laura confirmed.
"Gene?" Valerie Cordova called out as she searched every nook and cranny of the floor, every lab, every office, every closet and their kitchen. She could not find the mogwai she had grown attached to, nor could she find the others.
She had started work at nine as usual and went straight towards the cage that had Gene, Brody and Patch to greet them and give them their breakfast, but their cage was empty and the door was open. All the mogwai cages were empty and that wasn't all. The sandwich platter and cheesecake that was supposed to have been delivered on Sunday was not in the fridge. Did they get out and eat after midnight? She knew Gene wouldn't break that rule and neither would Brody.
"Give it up," Wilcox said as he shook his head. "I don't think he can hear you."
"We need to find them," Valerie said. "They could be lost and scared or hurt or they could of come across the creatures Bivens and Henderson saw."
"They did say they saw a mogwai with those creatures," Wilcox said as he pursed his lips. "But they didn't get a good look at which one before the elevator closed."
"Why didn't anyone notify security and not just our private security but also the mall security?" Valerie asked. "Don't tell me keeping them a secret is more important than keeping them safe."
"Oh trust me we are going to look for them," Wilcox said as panic edged into his voice. "I'm worried about my Chuckles and Gene and the others. I don't know what happens when you break that third rule." He shoved his hands into his pockets while they headed to the lab Wilcox shared with Henderson. "I don't want to think about what is going to happen when Friedrich finds out and he will find out."
He opened the door and was about to step inside, but froze in his tracks. Inside the lab and perched on one of the tables was a brown creature that none of them had seen before. Its scaly skin along with the spiny growths on its face made it look reptilian but its body shape was more simian, along with the large ears. It was picking up and sniffing several of the vials before dropping them on the floor where two more creatures, one light green and one that was teal were lurking around and pulling out more vials from the shelves, a fourth dark green one was climbing the tallest shelf in the lab.
"What are they?" Wilcox asked as the brown one had selected another vial. He had removed his glasses, cleaned them and put them on his face.
"I-I don't know," Valerie answered. Her first thought was of a mysterious and most likely mythical creature from her native Puerto Rico that was said to attack livestock, but they couldn't be the Chupacabras, especially when they were this far north.
"Could they be what the others saw?"
Valerie shook her head. "They said they were bigger and wore swim trunks and lab coats and had hair on their heads. I think this is something different."
"Could they be our mogwai?" Wilcox asked as he pointed at the creatures. "Is this what happens when they eat after midnight?"
"Mogwai?" A few of the creatures repeated before they laughed. The brown one was still sniffing the vials as if it was looking for something specific.
"Gene?" Valerie asked in a small voice? "Are one of you Gene?" She was answered with more laughter.
The brown one seemed to find one that he liked and chugged it down and of course threw the empty vial on the ground where it shattered along with the others.
"No, no we don't drink that," Wilcox said as he pulled out a few candy bars from his pocket. "I have some candy here. Who wants a Snickers?"
"Snickers?" Three of the creatures chimed in at once while the brown one was having spasms and coughing.
"Help him," Valerie said as he rushed over to the brown chupacabra and placed her hand on his back. "Shhh shhh, try and breathe." She watched as the other creatures had swiped the candy bars from Wilcox and began to devour them. "I'm going to make sure you are all right."
"Fine," the brown creature rasped out. "I am fine. I am feeling much better actually considering all that has happened to me in the past and what you have been doing in this very research facility." His voice had changed from the gravelly raspy voices of the other creatures and took on a much more soothing, deeper and posh voice. It reminded Valerie of the main character from her favorite show about a radio psychologist living in Seattle. "I greatly appreciate your concern." He smiled at her. "I just wanted to return and hoped to find something similar to the cerebral intensifying solution that was created by Doctor Catheter."
"I tried to recreate it," Wilcox said in a stunned tone. "He sounds not just smarter but sophisticated."
"Ah sophisticated," the creature said. "That is the compliment I admire the most along with civilized. You two have several quandaries you want answered. I suppose I should start with the most simple and yes your mogwai have evolved into the vary creatures that you see before you, although the ones you were caring after are not here."
A cough was heard from the dark green one as it dropped the empty vial it had started to change its form. The creature became shorter and stockier and its ears drooped. Its eyes grew smaller while its muzzle grew longer and it grew whiskers. Two of its front teeth grew longer and became flat while it's hands grew larger, grew a fourth digit and longer claws.
"Why are they changing?" Wilcox asked. "Any other animal drinks that and nothing would happen to them."
"Our biochemistry is a bit unstable," the brown one said. "Our genetic structures are easily adaptable to change."
The fat green one sniffed the air before it dropped to the ground and scratched at the tiles. Chunks of floor tore away as the creature continue to dig down.
"You had mole DNA in here?" Valerie asked.
"Not mine, that was Henderson's," Wilcox answered.
A cackle was heard as from the direction of the light green one. His ears looked like leaves and his limbs looked like they were wrapped in more leaves while carrots replaced its claws and sprouted from his chin. Tomatoes, avocados, beets, potatoes and bell peppers grew from its cheeks and the top of its head. More vegetables developed in its abdomen.
"That one was mine," Wilcox admitted. "Well it is Walter Watson's formula. We've been trading notes and he asked my help because I have had success with corn and he couldn't quite get the corn to grow."
The ears of the vegetable creature became filled with corn, two more cobs sprouted from its shoulders. The creature sneezed and several golden kernels flew off it.
"It appears your corn component is a success," the brown creature said.
The teal creature looked at the vial it was holding, shrugged and just dropped it on the ground.
A screech was heard from outside and Wilcox and Valerie rushed out to see another creature, this one was black and it large pointed ears of a bat and was flying by a pair of bat wings that had sprouted from its back. It was followed by a hopping brown creature that had the legs, feet and tail of a kangaroo.
"Fascinating day in this lab of yours," the one creature said as several more of its kind ran out.
"How many are there?" Wilcox asked.
"I unfortunately did not acquire a tally of my species before I ascended a few floors."
"We have to inform everyone in this building," Valerie said. "And call Doctor Friedrich."
"You call him," Wilcox said. "He's going to be pissed and you never seen him when he is angry. He is scarier than all of this."
The army was created and Razor had given the basic instruction to them to go and have fun and they will meet later at sunset. Now it was time for revenge on Peltzer and as for his two furry friends? Well they will be used for more fun. Razor remembered, back when he was Stripe how Billy had destroyed his minions and after they had gotten rid of that Deagle woman for him. He had attacked the young human with saw blades and would of cut him with a chainsaw if the light's hadn't come on. He almost got his revenge on Billy, later when he was Mohawk and he had that machine gun, but he still wasn't able to kill the human.
It was just him, Chuckles, Butterball and Garrison who took the elevator to the underground lab. Patch had told them he was going to form his own crew before he went looting and plundering. Well Razor wasn't going to force him to assist in the death of Peltzer.
A dead bloodied human was on the ground waiting for them when Razor, Chuckles, Butterball and Garrison had left the elevator. He was the large man who worked for the medical research security. Razor had pegged him as a dimwit.
"He dead," Butterball stated the obvious.
"Who did it?" Garrison asked and that was a good question? Did some of their spawn make it down here before them?
"As long as they didn't get to Billy I don't care," Razor said to them. "Follow me they are kept on the left."
To his pleasant surprise the door was unlocked, not that didn't matter, Razor did have a key. They made their way across the floor of the large room to the door with the cage. Razor wasn't sure what he was going to do first, tear out Billy's throat or his guts, maybe he would torture him first such as slowly tearing off his fur.
The first thing that greeted Razor and the others was the stench of piss.
"Pee-pee," Butterball said.
The second scent and one that disappointed him was the scent of their cocoons and just as he had feared there were the remains of large green cocoons in the open cage. Damn it. Those mutants also had eaten and now they have claws and sharp teeth of their own.
"They are like us now?" Garrison asked.
"Yes and probably bigger than us as well." Razor clenched his jaw. "Billy Caca." He was growing more annoyed by the situation. First he was insulted that Doctor Friedrich had used his own blood to transform Billy and now he and his pals had also eaten after midnight?
"Where they go?" Butterball asked. Yes that was a good question where did they go and where would half human gremlins go?
"They did it," Garrison said and pointed out the door. "They kill him."
"Yes," Razor said as some of his anger faded. They have become as vicious as him. Billy did have his blood in him and they already killed, most likely out of revenge. Even though he still wanted to punish the former human he can't help but admire what he had become and knew where his blood brother had gone. Billy was looking for a water source so he can also spawn.
"Find and kill?" Garrison asked.
"Yes, find blood brother," Razor ordered. "No kill." He would wait on that.
"Yes Tim, I know it's bad but if they are gone then I can't be there," Tim's agitated voice was heard outside the door. "Oh don't worry I will come by later, just try to find them. Come by later? Hector's dead, the hybrids have escaped, they paralyzed me and two of them peed on me and most importantly Hector is dead, but oh no he is only thinking about-" He opened the door. "Oh."
"Hello," Butterball said and waved.
Razor grinned when he saw Tim. He might not be able to kill Billy but he was going to have some fun, right now.
"Uh…hi little guys. Is that you Garrison?" He pointed at the white gremlin who simply nodded. "Then that is Chuckles since he is laughing and Butterball…and Razor? How is it? Uh would you like some breakfast?"
"Fun," Razor said as he and the others closed in on the human.
"Now uh, its me, Tim."
"Don't care," Razor hissed.
"Shit!" The human turned and ran and he might have gotten far if a light green leg did not appear around the corner for him to trip on.
"Kill him," Razor ordered as he and the other's pounced on him. He tried to find who had tripped the human but only caught a glance of a naked green figure with long curly hair as it ran away. He will find out who that was later, but now it was time for some fun.