Chapter Eleven
It was a mess. Even though the body was covered in a tarp to hide it from public view the bloodstains were easily visable, especially the numer of places where it could leak out of. The tarp stirred slightly in the afternoon breeze.
"I can't believe it, it took five bullets just to stop her, and only because I put the fifth in her brain." A pale-faced cop leant against the main gate of the RPD staring at the shrouded corpse. Officer Spencer crouched next to the body and lifeted the tarp.
"Yep, just like the one before." He got up again.
"That makes three so far." Ray announced.
"Yeah, and I don't like it, three of them in the past four hours, it can't be a coincidence can it?"
"I doubt it." Egon said in a stern voice.
"I didn't think so either. Have you been able to apply a map of the city onto that meter's memory?"
"Yes, however the meter will need to be modified again so that both the map and the indentification beacons are visable." Ray glanced down at the corpse, then up at the sky. The clocktower and roof of the RPD seemed unnatual against the yellow-blue sky. A paramedic who had been leaning against his ambulance taking a coffee break walked over and addressed Officer Spencer.
"What should I do with her? take her back to Raccoon General?"
"You might as well, but be careful when handeling the body. You'd better wear gloves just in case." The paramedic gave Officer Spencer a suspicious glance.
"Just in case of what?"
"Just in case." Officer Spencer was beginning to lose his temper.
"Whatever you say sir." A few minutes later the paramedics loaded the body into the ambulance and drove off with the siren lights flashing.
"You'd better take him inside, get him a cup of coffee while you're at it." Another policeman nodded and helped the pale looking cop back into the Police Department.
"This is getting serious, two attacks today already within feet of our offices. If I didn't know any better I'd say that they were homing in on this place."
"It might be advised if security around the area was increased. The last thing we want happening is a serious outbreak and the Police Department being taken out. The citizens would have nowhere to go." Egon pushed his glasses back up his nose.
"I'll see what I can do Dr. Spengler, you'd better not stay out here unaccompanied in case another one of those things comes wandering along." Officer Spencer walked back into the Police Department.
"Egon I'm worried, what if this is only the begining of something bigger. This town could be in real danger. Waiting could cost valuable time."
"Ray, as a scientist I have to follow at least some rules. I don't want to cause a panic when all our evidence is from a few random cases of infection...and one case which could have resulted from faulty hospital equipment. I'll radio Winston in an hour if he has any information on that Officer he brought in and if there's any information he can get on the man who bit the Officer."
"I sure hope this is just a few random cases, because if it isn't then we might not be walking away from this case." Even though it wasn't evident in his expression, Ray could see real worry in Egon's eyes.
"If it turns out there is an infection going around then it could already be too late." Ray and Egon then walked back into the Police Department.
***
Winston was once again in the waiting room of Raccoon General Hospital. It was a little quieter than when he'd come in with the now deceased Officer Phillips.
"Excuse me miss, could you direct me to the Coroner's Office?" The nurse smiled curtely.
"Yes sir, just take the stairs down to the basement, and follow the corridor until you find a pair of double doors."
"Thankyou miss." Winston walked into the back of the waiting room that housed the stairs. It took him a few minutes to decend the flight or steps and find the Coroner's Office. Winston knocked on the door.
"Hello?" He was greeted by a man in his mid-fifties, balding and wearing wire frame glasses.
"Can I help you sir?" The Coroner was busy drying his hands on a towel.
"Excuse me doctor....Dr. Stern, would it be possible to have a look at Officer Phillips' autopsy report?"
"Well I haven't started on him yet, I'ts against hospital policy but would you like to witness the autopsy? It would make classifying anything unusual easier."
"If you don't mind."
"No, It's fine with me. I'm always glad to meet someone intrested in the field. I just have one question, have you seen a dead person before?"
It was a mess. Even though the body was covered in a tarp to hide it from public view the bloodstains were easily visable, especially the numer of places where it could leak out of. The tarp stirred slightly in the afternoon breeze.
"I can't believe it, it took five bullets just to stop her, and only because I put the fifth in her brain." A pale-faced cop leant against the main gate of the RPD staring at the shrouded corpse. Officer Spencer crouched next to the body and lifeted the tarp.
"Yep, just like the one before." He got up again.
"That makes three so far." Ray announced.
"Yeah, and I don't like it, three of them in the past four hours, it can't be a coincidence can it?"
"I doubt it." Egon said in a stern voice.
"I didn't think so either. Have you been able to apply a map of the city onto that meter's memory?"
"Yes, however the meter will need to be modified again so that both the map and the indentification beacons are visable." Ray glanced down at the corpse, then up at the sky. The clocktower and roof of the RPD seemed unnatual against the yellow-blue sky. A paramedic who had been leaning against his ambulance taking a coffee break walked over and addressed Officer Spencer.
"What should I do with her? take her back to Raccoon General?"
"You might as well, but be careful when handeling the body. You'd better wear gloves just in case." The paramedic gave Officer Spencer a suspicious glance.
"Just in case of what?"
"Just in case." Officer Spencer was beginning to lose his temper.
"Whatever you say sir." A few minutes later the paramedics loaded the body into the ambulance and drove off with the siren lights flashing.
"You'd better take him inside, get him a cup of coffee while you're at it." Another policeman nodded and helped the pale looking cop back into the Police Department.
"This is getting serious, two attacks today already within feet of our offices. If I didn't know any better I'd say that they were homing in on this place."
"It might be advised if security around the area was increased. The last thing we want happening is a serious outbreak and the Police Department being taken out. The citizens would have nowhere to go." Egon pushed his glasses back up his nose.
"I'll see what I can do Dr. Spengler, you'd better not stay out here unaccompanied in case another one of those things comes wandering along." Officer Spencer walked back into the Police Department.
"Egon I'm worried, what if this is only the begining of something bigger. This town could be in real danger. Waiting could cost valuable time."
"Ray, as a scientist I have to follow at least some rules. I don't want to cause a panic when all our evidence is from a few random cases of infection...and one case which could have resulted from faulty hospital equipment. I'll radio Winston in an hour if he has any information on that Officer he brought in and if there's any information he can get on the man who bit the Officer."
"I sure hope this is just a few random cases, because if it isn't then we might not be walking away from this case." Even though it wasn't evident in his expression, Ray could see real worry in Egon's eyes.
"If it turns out there is an infection going around then it could already be too late." Ray and Egon then walked back into the Police Department.
***
Winston was once again in the waiting room of Raccoon General Hospital. It was a little quieter than when he'd come in with the now deceased Officer Phillips.
"Excuse me miss, could you direct me to the Coroner's Office?" The nurse smiled curtely.
"Yes sir, just take the stairs down to the basement, and follow the corridor until you find a pair of double doors."
"Thankyou miss." Winston walked into the back of the waiting room that housed the stairs. It took him a few minutes to decend the flight or steps and find the Coroner's Office. Winston knocked on the door.
"Hello?" He was greeted by a man in his mid-fifties, balding and wearing wire frame glasses.
"Can I help you sir?" The Coroner was busy drying his hands on a towel.
"Excuse me doctor....Dr. Stern, would it be possible to have a look at Officer Phillips' autopsy report?"
"Well I haven't started on him yet, I'ts against hospital policy but would you like to witness the autopsy? It would make classifying anything unusual easier."
"If you don't mind."
"No, It's fine with me. I'm always glad to meet someone intrested in the field. I just have one question, have you seen a dead person before?"