The Dark Rift: Redemption (14 page)

"That was some nasty stuff," Nick said, sneezing again.

"Can you boost me up higher?" Isaiah asked. Nick lifted him, shoving him right into the vent. He slid his arms inside and hoisted himself up. The vent was illuminated somewhat by light streaming in from the rooms beneath. About three feet in diameter, it extended for as far as he could see. Turning to look in the other direction, Isaiah stopped, thinking he saw something move. His eyes adjusting, he kept looking until he saw it again. Something was moving. Slowly. Crawling toward him. He strained to see what it was in the dim light. As it moved closer, he realized it wasn't human. He could hear it scraping what appeared to be claws along the metal vent, pulling itself forward. He reached for the gun that had been strapped to his side every day for so many years, before remembering that it was gone.

"I'm coming down," he whispered to Nick. As he slid through the hole, Nick grabbed his legs and lowered him slowly, stopping to let him close the vent cover. When he hit the floor, he made a signal for Nick to stay quiet. "There's something up there. I don't know what it is, but it's coming this way and I don't think we want to meet it. Let's move away from this vent."

Nick gave him a confused look and moved over in the corner by Christy and Noah. Suddenly, Hunter sat up, his ears pricked, listening to the scraping in the vent.

"Keep him quiet," Isaiah said, pointing to Hunter, who appeared ready to pounce. Isaiah backed up slowly and stood near Nick.

Nick bent over and quieted the dog, muzzling him with a hand.

"What's --" Noah started before Nick made a signal for him to be quiet.

Nick pushed Hunter back a few steps, and crouched with Isaiah.

The thing in the vent continued clawing and scratching its way toward them, growing louder by the moment. It stopped for a few seconds and Isaiah held his breath, almost losing his balance when the thing let out a scream that echoed down the vents, rattling the metal with its sheer force. A few seconds later, another call rang out from somewhere else in the building. The things called back and forth to each other, a terrific howl spewing from the creature above, shaking the vent, pounding at Isaiah's eardrums until he had to cover his ears with his hands.

As suddenly as it started, the screaming stopped and the thing started to crawl again. Isaiah held his breath as it clattered over the vent covering he'd just been through. It continued to claw its way forward, away from them.

"What the hell was that?" Nick whispered.

Isaiah shook his head. "I don't know," he answered, turning toward Nick and speaking very quietly. "I don't think we want to find out, either. We have to get out of here."

Then, a different noise got his attention. Evan stirred in the bed and sat up. Before Isaiah could raise his hands or take one step across the room to tell him about the thing in the ceiling, Evan yawned loudly.

"What in the world are you all doing over there in the corner?" Evan yelled, his hearing not yet restored.

Isaiah frantically signaled to Evan to be quiet. He listened for the thing, no longer hearing the scratching. He waited thirty seconds, not moving, watching. He was about to let out the breath he'd held when a scream so ferocious, so piercing, so intense blasted through the vent that he felt as if it would puncture his eardrums. About the same time, the vent cover was punched out as the thing jumped down into the middle of the room, hitting the floor and sending up a spray of ceramic tile and dust. Isaiah reached for the scissors in his back pocket and watched, horrified as the thing turned in his direction.

Jodie pulled the guard's cap down low to cover her face as much as possible. "You okay, Eric?" she asked.

He nodded, but Jodie could tell he was nervous. What she'd had to explain to him over the past day would have been disconcerting for anyone to hear and she was taking him into the heart of the beast, so to speak. She hoped Eric would be around when everything was over to tell people what Gypsum really was.

Jodie turned to look at RJ. Much to her surprise, he was awake and sitting up. His face revealed the pain he must be in. Sweat rolled off of his forehead and his jaws were clenched in agony. She rifled through the first aid supplies they had left and came up with a handful of medication. "RJ, what's your pleasure? Aspirin, Tylenol or Immodium?"

RJ laughed. "How about the aspirin and Tylenol? The Immodium can come later."

Jodie handed him the pills, almost remorseful for a moment that she'd shot him. She wondered what she was becoming, so eager to shoot, so willing to kill. Mostly, she wondered if staying alive was worth it if this is what humanity was reduced to. "RJ, I'm sorry I had to shoot you," she said.

RJ looked at her for a moment, his features softening. "Well, I gotta say, Agent Watts, I'm sorry you had to shoot me, too." He shifted his body so that he could bend his knee slightly. "Ahh. That's better." RJ breathed deeply for a moment and relaxed a bit. "You know, I woulda killed you, so it's probably for the best that you did what you did. I guess I just didn't care about anything anymore. Just survival. Somehow, I thought we'd be saved if we bagged you and brought you in."

Well, at least he's honest, Jodie thought. "Maybe we can make it up to each other by stopping Gypsum," she said.

"Sounds good to me, Agent Watts," RJ said, shifting his position again.

"We're getting close now, so cover up, okay, RJ? You need to look like a sack of laundry if anyone looks in the van." Jodie seriously doubted they'd get through inspection of the van that easy. One thing at a time, though, she told herself. In the dim light of dusk she could see that just up ahead, the turnoff RJ had told them about snaked into the desert toward a ranch house on a hill. Nothing lay between the road they were on and the gate opening for the fenced yard of the house. No protection, nowhere to hide. "You ready, Eric?" Jodie asked.

"As I'll ever be," he said, turning down the gravel road.

They crept along at 15 mph to avoid kicking up too much dust and pulled up to the gate. Eric reached out and slid RJ's key card through the reader and waited. A few seconds passed and the mechanism started to move, sliding the gate to the side. As they drove through, Jodie could see the buildings RJ had described in back of the house.

"That looks like the one RJ told us to go to," Jodie said, pointing to what looked like a metal pole barn. 

"He better have been telling the truth," Eric muttered.

"I heard that. Christ, you people," RJ snarled from underneath the tarp he'd pulled over himself. "Do ya' think I wanna get shot again? It's the right building."

"Okay, be quiet now, RJ. We're almost there," Jodie said.

As they pulled up to the building, the overhead door retracted and Eric pulled in and parked. Two large, muscular guards stood in front of the van, dressed in combat fatigues. Each was armed with an automatic weapon.

"What do we do now?" Eric said.

"Stay in the van," Jodie said. "Watch my back, though, okay?"

Eric nodded, sliding the gun Jodie'd given him earlier onto his lap.

Jodie jumped out of the van. "Hi, guys. What's goin' on?" she said.

The two men stared at her, glancing back and forth at each other, then back at her, seemingly confused as to how to respond.

"Not the talkative types, huh?" Jodie asked. Getting no response, she quickly raised her gun. "Put your weapons on the ground, please."

The two guards looked at each other, grinning. "Yeah, right. Who the fuck are you?" one guard said.

Jodie smiled back. "I'm the person who's going to ruin your day if you don't put your guns down." From behind her, Jodie heard the van door opening.

"I'm here," Eric said.

The guard in front of her screwed his face into a frown and bent down to set his weapon on the ground. At the last minute, he jerked up and raised it, firing off a burst in Eric's direction. Jodie thought she saw the bullets go wide and ricochet off of the metal wall of the building, but didn't hesitate anyway. She emptied her clip on the two men, pulling the trigger until she was satisfied they weren't a threat anymore. She turned around, unprepared for the sight of Eric, lying face down in a pool of his own blood next to the van. Turning him over, she expected to see a gunshot wound to the face or chest, but found nothing. She pushed his body up and looked at his back again. He'd been shot in the neck from behind. She checked his pulse, realizing he was dead. Jodie swung around, looking for another Gypsum guard, realizing that no one except for RJ had been behind Eric. She heard movement from behind the van.

"Agent Watts, you okay there?" RJ called out.

Jodie knew it must have been RJ who shot Eric. "Why didn't you stay in the van?"

"I didn't want to be trapped in there," RJ said. "In case you and Eric didn't make it. I didn't want them to find me in there."

Jodie leaned down and peeked under the van, seeing RJ in a sitting position, propped up against the back bumper. She could see the gun in his hand. He must have had one in the cargo area that she’d missed. "Eric's hurt. I have to get the first aid kit," she said as she slowly crawled up into the van. Once inside, she quickly reached for the ignition and turned the key, shoving the gearshift into reverse almost at the same time. Jamming her foot down on the accelerator, all she heard was a yelp as the van bounced over RJ. Jodie pulled forward again, making sure the job was done. She put the van in park, turned the ignition off, and got out.

After grabbing one of the automatic weapons from a dead guard, Jodie walked around the back of the vehicle, finding RJ gasping for air. She'd driven over his chest. "You know, RJ, I'm not sorry anymore," she said. Jodie grabbed the rest of the weapons and ammunition and left him there, dying. Searching through the building, she finally found an overhead door and pulled it up, revealing a freight elevator. "Well, here goes," she said, pushing the elevator button.

* * *

Isaiah gripped the scissors tightly, thinking this would indeed be the last moment of his life. The thing in the middle of the room crouched, snarling at him. A long stream of bloody drool spun from its mouth. Isaiah felt close to vomiting from the smell of it. Its body looked something like a large praying mantis. Taking a clumsy step forward, it sniffed the air, snarling and snapping its enormous jaws together. Isaiah backed up slightly, before realizing he could go no further. Nick was right behind him, shielding Christy, Noah and Hunter. Isaiah looked the thing over, trying to find what might be a weak spot, but it was covered in a kind of armor. He thought it appeared to be chitin, the hard shell-like coating on some insects. From his vantage point, Isaiah thought it looked impenetrable. “Nick, I’m going to distract it while you get everybody out.”

“You can’t fight that thing by yourself,” Nick whispered. “The only chance we have is to kill it together.”

The thing circled, facing Evan on the other side of the room, then spun back toward Isaiah, not seeming as if it knew what to do next. The floor underneath its feet was wet with the slime pouring from its mouth.

Evan started sliding out of the bed. “How about I give you boys a hand?” he said, talking quieter than before.

The thing turned in Evan’s direction. Ever so slowly, it crouched, lowering itself, about to spring. Dipping its head, it inhaled deeply, drawing so much air into its lungs that Isaiah could see its body expanding to twice its size. Then, it screamed. An ear-splitting, terrifying sound bellowed from its mouth, blasting toward Evan, the force of its breath so powerful that Evan was flattened against the wall. The fetid stink of decay and feces filled the room. The thing dug its talons deep into the floor tile and sprang as Evan dropped to the floor and pulled the gurney in front of him.

Isaiah leapt toward the thing, jumping on its back as it clawed at the gurney. Nick came up behind him and grabbed the thing by the neck, snapping its head back, and Isaiah saw his opportunity. Its thin, exposed spine was right in front of his face. Gripping it around the neck as tightly as he could with his left hand, he drove the scissors into its backbone with his right, releasing a stream of puss and blood.

The thing twisted, flinging him off to the other side of the room as Nick lost his balance and landed on the floor. It spun in circles, spraying a putrid mix of fluids as it frantically tried to reach the scissors. Finally, it fell to the floor, apparently dying.

Isaiah wiped the muck from his face and gagged. The smell was overwhelming and the fluid left his skin red and raw. He felt his body shaking wildly. Knowing he needed to wash himself off, he tried to stand, but felt his vision starting to close in and thought better of it. “Nick, are you okay?” he managed to gasp out.

Nick pushed himself off the floor. “Yeah. Yeah, I think.”

“Evan?” Isaiah asked.

The gurney landed on the floor with a crash as Evan pushed himself up. “Ever so grateful, my friends,” he said, trying to catch his breath.

Stepping around the puddles of gore, Evan walked over to Isaiah. “Let me help you up, Isaiah. You look a little shaky.”

That’s an understatement, Isaiah thought, thinking he suddenly didn’t feel well at all. He reached out and grabbed Evan’s hand, finding it difficult to stand. “That took a lot out of me, I guess,” he said, wobbling to his feet. "I need to wash this off." Isaiah held out his reddening hands. "It feels like it's burning my skin."

Nick stepped over to his side and steadied him. Together, Evan and Nick helped Isaiah to the sink.

“That thing was crazy," Christy said. "Noah, don't let Hunter get anywhere near that ... whatever that is on the floor."

"Looks like it scared the hell out of Hunter, too," Nick said, pointing to the puddle of urine snaking its way toward the floor drain. "What the hell is that thing?" He gestured toward the dead creature on the floor. "It looks like a cross between a bug and Godzilla. Good shot with the scissors, by the way, Isaiah.”

Isaiah scrubbed at his face and hands, trying to get rid of every last trace of the creature's blood. He hoped washing himself would be enough. The stinging feeling on his skin was gone for now, at least, and he was relieved. Drying himself with paper towels, he said, "Thanks. I'm just glad it worked."

"That stench in here is unbelievable," Evan said.

"We have to get out of this room," Christy said. "That odor is burning my eyes."

Isaiah could feel the irritation in his own eyes. Whatever chemical the thing had excreted, it was harsh, becoming stronger by the minute. He looked past Nick to see how Noah was faring and the boy had his eyes and mouth covered with his t-shirt. Hunter, on the other hand, seemed intently focused on the hole in the ceiling, his ears pricked again. Suddenly, he began to back up into whatever little space was left between him and the wall.

"We should try the door --" Nick stopped mid-sentence as Isaiah gestured to him to be quiet.

Seconds later, he heard it. The scratching and clawing in the vent. Another thing was coming for them.

* * *

"Well, Billy, your ten minutes are just about up," Chuck said, following the pantsless young man down the hallway. He reached out and grabbed Billy by the arm, spinning him around. "Do you have any last requests?"

Billy looked up at him, his lower lip quivering. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "We're almost there. Really."

"Well, I don't believe you," Chuck said. "In fact, I think you're probably leading me right into a trap, aren't you?" Chuck grabbed Billy by his collar.

"No, man," Billy said, grabbing onto Chuck's arm as he was lifted off of the floor a few inches. "It's just around the corner."

Chuck set Billy down. "Show me. Now."

"Yeah. Yeah, sure," Billy said, scurrying ahead, covering his bared crotch as he trotted along. "You'll see. It's--"

A screech so incredible rang out that the sound wave it generated shook windows and doors as it bounced down the hallway. Billy turned and ran a few steps backward, edging along the wall. “Oh, man. Oh, man. What the fuck was that?” Billy spat out, his voice shaking. "Sounds like one of your friends."

Chuck felt his metal frame vibrating. He hadn't heard anything remotely like that noise since leaving the creatures back in the tunnel. “Keep moving, Billy. Show me where Christy is. Right now,” Chuck bellowed. He knew she would be in trouble if whatever was making that noise was anywhere near her.

Billy turned and moved forward, sliding along the wall, ducking when he came upon doors with windows, until he stopped abruptly. “It’s this one. Right here,” he said, pointing to the next door.

Chuck could see the light was on in the room. It was what he could hear that troubled him. A low growling, almost a rumbling, then something that sounded like scraping along the floor. “You stay right here,” Chuck said, pushing past Billy.