Fatal Crossover from Hell
Chapter Five: You Are Now Entering Hell
The two left the motel with little fanfare. Both of them looked questioningly at the door where the manager had fled and then to each other. They had expected at least one cop, however, the road was basically empty, one old pickup truck was parked in front of the bar, but otherwise the rain made puddles were the only things on the road.
"So how do we know where that is exactly" Reno asked. "I didn't pass anything that resembled a house on my way here, did you"
Vicious shook his head. "But there is another road I passed, how many can this town have"
"True." Reno started across the street, reaching into what seemed like never ending pockets.
Vicious followed the red head, knowing full well he intended on stealing the pickup truck. He also knew that the barkeep wouldn't be in the best of moods. Reno only took a moment to jimmy the lock open, he slid into the seat stiffly.
Walking around to the other side, Vicious found the passenger door oddly unlocked. Of course, the duct tape as a handle could have been the reason for that. "You got into an accident" Vicious asked, wondering what he trusted less, Reno's driving or the truck.
Lighting yet another cigarette, the red head sighed. "Some slack-jawed-deliverance-wannabe jumped out in front of me." He leaned over to start the car when the back window exploded.
"GETOUTTAMYTRUCK" Barkeep bellowed as he awkwardly tried to get off another shot. Vicious' bird had all but ripped his arm from the socket; he worked slowly to try to fire off another shot.
"Driving now would be good." Vicious commented lightly.
Reno threw the truck into gear, flying down the road. "Better now"
Vicious said nothing as the red head made his way out of town. The rain refused to let up; both Vicious and his bird were as wet as Reno had been by the time they found the second road.
Leaning out, Reno noticed the sign. "Yeah, this whole fucking town can suck me. I have half a mind to go home."
Vicious snorted. "Scared"
His answer was the truck picking up speed, taking a turn literally sideways. "An' you can suck me too."
"You aren't my type sorry, Art Major."
An exasperated noise rumbled in Reno's throat. "I suppose you have a thing against college students? Yeah, I forgot, Red Dragon didn't have a placement evaluation." Reno took a moment to enjoy the look that comment earned. "Fer the record? Art wasn't my major. "
Offended, Vicious glared out the window. "I did go to college."
"Playing football-fat-boy don't count as college."
Vicious' eyes narrowed again at Reno. "I wasn't on the football team."
"Betcha were a frat boy." Came the counter remark.
He had been a Tri Chi-or "XXX"- Zeta Eta member in college, but Vicious wasn't about to give his unplanned companion the satisfaction. "Accounting major, Honors society. Happy"
Again the truck swerved, now it was due to Reno's laughing. "ACCOUNTING! And you said I had a prissy major! Oh lords"
The bird let out a yell, quieting Reno slightly. He continued to snicker.
"Oh, and you were what? A major in blowing shit up" Vicious growled. "Or did we do the community college"
"Junon Academy of Arts." The reply was startlingly affronted. "You know the one that has auditions? Community college my ass." He grumbled.
"Arts? You're a fine artist! Listen, Warhol, I'm straight."
"Theatre, you jackass."
Vicious started laughing this time. "And that makes you more straight how again"
"Cretan." Reno mumbled.
They fell silent again, aside from mumbled comments of "nerd""queer""jock-in-geeks-clothing", and "woman-in-man's-clothing". About twenty minutes down the road, Vicious suddenly got back into business mode. He motioned to a driveway, half hidden in the fog.
Reno pulled into the drive slowly, the two looking around. The building that loomed in front of them wasn't any house. It was more like a converted institution. The yard was overgrown, a fountain, broken and covered in more algae then cement, overflowed into the dead flower bed. At last the drive spilled out into a small parking lot, the faded sign proclaimed "Missing House Mental Institution."
Reno pulled in next to a car. The car was in far better condition then the truck they were in, and by the license plate they could tell it was from out of town. "Well, looks like we found him." Reno hopped from the truck. "And we have a better ride out of here."
The rain at last let up, fog rose in its stead as the two walked up to the unlocked car. Reno popped the trunk, walking around to find his camera and a nicely organized set of files. "Well hells yes." He slid the camera bag on and tossed the files into the bag. Examining the camera, he laughed. "This was easy, Camera Obscura, I have found you."
"Good for you, but I still have to find the doctor." Vicious growled from the backseat. He threw out a spent air freshener.
Reno sighed. "Ok, look, I'll even set the car up to be hot wired for you. How's that? But I am out of here. Exiting, stage left and all that jazz."
Reno got into the drivers seat and got his knife out, then stopped. "Shit, it's got a safety lock. You need the actual key to" The truck had begun to sputter, then with one last quiver, it died. Both he and Vicious snapped their heads over. Walking away from the truck was a man, tall, with stringy hair.
"Son of a bitch" Reno snapped, jumping from the car. Without a second thought, he and Vicious chased the man around the building. The man in front of them was unusually fast, he was gone before they rounded the corner. All that they saw was an open door. "I am going to kill him." Reno began checking his weapon.
"You know him?" Vicious asked, reaching in for his own gun.
"It's the guy I ran over."
Vicious stopped. "If you hit him, he certainly doesn't show it."
"That" the clip snapped into place in Reno's weapon"is why I am going to ask him a few questions. Neither of us are leaving now till we find your damn doctor anyway right"
"Right." Vicious sighed. "I hate old buildings. You can't trust them not to fall in on you."
Reno shrugged. "Eh, everything in there is dead, nothing ta be scared of."