Rise of the Phoenix (The Phoenix Trilogy Book 1) (17 page)

“What?” Cloud said clutching her shirt.

“It’s in the blood!”

“What’s in it?”

“I have no idea.”

“You’re scaring the shit out of me.”

Phoenix dashed from the room and instantly she found the person she was looking for; Hell Raiser. He was leaning against the wall, scanning the hallway.

“I have a theory,” she said as she approached him.

His forehead wrinkled and he put his index finger to his lips cautioning her to stay quiet.

“Laundry room,” she said walking in that direction. She could hear Cloud’s tiny feet running after her.

“You need to tell me what’s going on,” Cloud demanded as the door shut behind them.

Phoenix turned to her just as Hell Raiser walked in the room. “I need you to find a computer to use and find out everything on Decklin Lachance’s past projects.”

“What exactly am I looking for?” Cloud raised her hands in confusion.

“Everyone in this place, including the two of you, do whatever you’re told. There isn’t fighting, and the guards hardly seem necessary. They’re only there for a prop or when new vamps are brought in.” Phoenix began to pace. “You never had a guard outside your door until I became your roommate, right?”

“No, not since I first came.”

“And what are your daily duties?” She asked Hell Raiser.

“Keep things quiet and orderly.”

Both Hell Raiser and Cloud stared at Phoenix as if she had monkeys flying around her head.

“Look I’m totally guessing, but I think there is something in the blood that makes people compliant. Nan said it herself the night I was brought in. I killed a guard and fought a handful of others. The woman practically lost it because all order was broken. To be sure, I would need to get my hands on some more blood.”

“You think it’s some kind of chemical or drug?” Cloud asked.

“Yes. It’s a form of mind control. I have another meeting with Lachance today and I’m going to test this theory.”

“Hell Raiser I need you to find out what’s happening to Adam. No matter what you need to do.”

“I can’t promise anything.”

“I know you’ll do your best.”

He nodded and left the room. Phoenix stood there in silence for a moment.

“What is it? What are you thinking?” Clouds little voice said.

“There just isn’t any way that the handful of humans that run this place could control this many vamps. We’re stronger, and faster. Why hasn’t there been a revolt? And they’re obviously changing any humans they find into vamps by radiating them.”

“I don’t follow.”

“We’re all puppets, soldiers for an invasion we have no knowledge of yet.”

Cloud blinked a couple of times. “You’re being serious right now, aren’t you?”

“I’m dead serious,” Phoenix replied looking straight into her eyes.

“Well we can’t turn the blood down. We’ll die.” Strain filled her roommates face.

“Drink as little as possible right now. I will figure this out.”

Two hours later Phoenix walked the spiral staircase to Lachance’s office. He sat perfectly postured behind his desk. He finished what he was writing when she walked in.

“Miss Williams; so glad to see you. Please have a seat on one of the couches.” He gestured toward the burning fireplace and Phoenix sat on the middle cushion.

He hiked his slacks up before taking a seat in a chair across from her. “Nan said she gave you some blood today and that you were quite ill. I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Only enough to stop the room from spinning and giving me enough strength to stand again.”

“Well as I have said before good behavior is rewarded. You need to jump on board with the program here and you will have blood every day.”

“What’s the program exactly?” She cocked her head waiting for his reply.

“Everyone in this facility will be part of the rebuilding of America. It’s already started and I can tell you we finally have a peaceful country taking shape.”

“You can’t mean that. There are gangs and groups of people trying to survive. There is lawlessness everywhere.”

A look of distain filled Lachance’s face. “They will be eradicated. I didn’t work this hard to have interference.” He said the words with such venom that spit spewed from between his teeth.

“So you’re running the country just like you run this place, right? How do you do it? How do you keep everyone calm?”

Decklin quickly regained his composure. “You say that as if calm is a bad thing to have.”

“Compliance is always a bad thing.”

“Ms. Williams it will only benefit you to comply. America is a better place. What good would it do to have revolt here?”

“People would be thinking for themselves.”

“I don’t control their thoughts.”

“No, but you control their moods. Am I right?”

“You had your first dose of blood. How do you feel? I assume calm and serine.”

Phoenix knew she wasn’t feeling as aggressive as she normally would talking to this dick head.

“Once we learned of the mutation, action was required. We had to insure people didn’t become monsters. The survivors were not something we expected.”

“Where’s Adam and what are you doing with him?”

“He shouldn’t be of any concern to you.”

“You can’t mean that. I need to see him.”

An evil grin spread across Decklin’s face. “Not sure that’s a good idea. I do need to keep your safety in mind.”

“Adam wouldn’t hurt me.”

His eyes bored into hers for several minutes of silence. “I’ve ordered some more blood for you. I suggest you keep yourself healthy.” He stood and buttoned his suite jacket. “We will meet again soon Ms. Williams.”

He motioned for her to exit. Her anger should have been at its peak, but it was stifled. She walked quietly down the steps and saw Cloud speaking with one of the secretaries.

“I just admire Dr. Lachance’s work so much. I would love to read more about him.” She was sitting across from one of the older women.

“I will have the internet programed in the library for you. Here is your pass for the day. You will only be able to search Dr. Lachance.”

“Thank you so much,” Cloud squealed in fake delight.”

Phoenix smiled as she walked passed her roommate and into the hall. She kept her pace slow waiting for Cloud to catch up.

“Did you see that?” Cloud quipped beside her. “Putty in my hands.”

“You’re brilliant, you know that?”

“I’ll catch up with you later.”

When they intersected another hall Cloud toward the library and Phoenix went in the opposite direction knowing she would soon have her answers.

ADAM SAT CURLED up on the floor of the cell. Perspiration dripped from his forehead and his hands were clinched in tight fists causing his hands to bleed. It had been days since he was supplied blood. His skin had been picked down to the muscle in places and chunks of his hair lay on the floor. His body itched from the inside out and he no longer had dreams, but constant nightmares.

The light was dim, casting dementing shadows along the walls. As he sat there focusing on one it began to move toward him. His breathing became heaving gulps of fear as he pressed himself further into the corner. His hands gripped the bars just above his head as the shadow slipped into the cell.

“No. No,” he said in a panic.

He closed his eyes tight. “It’s not real. It’s not real.”

The sound of footsteps caused his eyes to fly open. The shadow was gone, replaced by a guard. Another guard stood at the entrance looking up, watching.”

“Adam?”

He didn’t answer. His nose was filled with the smell of blood; mutated blood. Adam cocked his head and watched the guard approach, waiting for the right time. Waiting for him to get close enough.

Closer. Just a little bit closer.

“Are you Adam?” the guard asked crouching down.

And Adam had him. Before the guard knew what happened he was pulled and locked up against the bars and Adam had his teeth sunk deep into his neck. He savored the taste, the flavor, but not in a placid way. He was pure animal now. The guard had walked up on a starving tiger.

The butt of a gun slammed into Adam’s skull breaking his grip. He sat back and watched the second guard help the first to his feet. Adam’s breath had turned into full-blown growls. His eyes glowed bright emerald. Just as he pounced again the guards hopped back. Adam’s body slammed into the cage with a loud echoing thud.

“We need to get the hell out of here. Are you okay to walk, man?”

“What the fuck is this?” the guard said holding his neck where Adam had bit down on him.

“Fucked up is right. Let’s go.”

Both men scurried out leaving Adam with insatiable hunger and extreme anger. His fingers dug deep into his chest and his scream filled the empty cavern.

PHOENIX’S SMILE AT Clouds triumph quickly faded as she looked down the hall. Another guard was helping hell Raiser whose face was full of anguish and his hand held his neck.

“What the hell happened to you?” she asked shocked.

“I need your bathroom,” he gurgled.

Quickly she ushered him inside.

“I’ll come back and check on you. I need to get back to my post before someone notices I’m gone,” the other guard said before stepping out.

Phoenix could see that his shirt was drenched with blood. “Let me get a towel.”

She removed his hand and pressed the warm water drenched towel against the wound. Hell Raiser flinched and hissed as she did so. After wiping the excess blood away she took a closer look. “Holy hell. Who did this?”

“Adam did this.”

“You saw Adam?”

“Yeah, but he’s not Adam anymore. The guy full on attacked me; unprovoked.”

Phoenix’s head wrinkled. “I don’t understand. This is a massive chunk out of your neck. Adam wouldn’t do this.”

“Whatever is happening to him down there isn’t good.”

She bit back her tears. “Why isn’t this healing?”

“Because my entire neck is in his mouth.”

“I can’t get the bleeding to stop either.”

As she spoke Hell Raiser’s face became more and more pale. His normally olive skin was now ash grey. He began to sway and his eyes closed.

“Oh no. No. You can’t die on me.” She bit down on her own wrist and put it to his mouth. “Drink.”

He did, but it was feeble.

Cloud walked in carrying a stack of papers she had printed. “What the hell?”

“We need to stitch him. Go to the store and get me a needle and thread.”

“You can’t just stitch someone with sewing materials.”

“Do it! Nobody can know about this.”

Cloud dropped the papers and nodded. As she dashed back out of the room Hell Raiser opened his eyes.

“Stay with me,” she prompted him. “Here drink some more.” This time his lips firmly locked onto her wrist and he swallowed deep.

Cloud skidded to a halt just inside the door and tore open the package of needles.

“I’m going to get some hot water to wash you up,” Phoenix said standing.

As she walked into the bathroom a knot formed in her throat. Adam was in trouble and she needed to get to him.

“Can you take off your uniform shirt?” she asked crouching next to Hell Raiser.

As he tossed the clothing on the floor Cloud said, “Holy, steroid much?”

He chuckled deep in his chest. “I am an ex football pro. It’s not steroids, I’m just a big boy.”

Phoenix took the needle and thread. “This is going to hurt like hell and I don’t even know if this will work.”

“Let’s do it.” He took the pillows from the bed and tightened his grip on them.

Phoenix pinched the gap in his neck together and pushed the needle through. Hell Raiser flinched, but kept quiet. She worked the needle back and forth making X’s along the gash. Making sure not to pull the thread too tight; she made sure it didn’t break. When she was done Cloud handed her a tube of super glue. “I thought we should use this too; just in case.”

“Good thinking.” Phoenix looked into Hell Raiser’s eyes. “What happened down there?”

He shook his head back and forth and sighed. “He wasn’t even human anymore. He was on me before I could see him move. Dude pinned me up against the cage and bit down. If it hadn’t been for Mustang hitting him with his gun I’d be dead.”

Phoenix’s hands went to her mouth. “Adam would never do something like that.”

“Mustang said Lachance has been giving him nothing but vamp blood. He has some sort of plan for Adam becoming the ultimate soldier.”

“Oh shit.” Phoenix hung her head.

“What does that mean?” Cloud asked.

“The night I came here I bit into a guard and the blood gave me extraordinary strength. If Adam is only drinking vamp blood it’s bad. That’s all he’s going to crave. Lachance will use him to kill us if we get out of line.”

Phoenix sat there quiet.

“What are you thinking?” Hell Raiser asked.

“I need to get him out.”

“There isn’t any way to do that, this place is a fortress.”

“On top of that I learned some things in the library,” Cloud said. “Your theory is right. Lachance developed mood inhibitors and dopamine blockers a few years ago. That has to be what he’s putting in the blood.”