Chapter 6

The room full of people looked at the empty vault all the valuables that they had been searching for didn't seem to be there. They had almost gone through hell literally with the monsters that they had fought off to find an empty metal box. Someone un-surprised by this turn of events stood at the entrance to the room. David lent against the door for a second as he was about to speak. Mike noticed the revolver wedged in Davids waist belt, he had his shot gun leveled at David in a split second, he gestured “Let my associate get that gun then you can tell me who you are and what is going on.” Anita spoke her own gun pointed in Davids general direction, “His name is David he is the manager of the health farm and the great grandson of the founder of this place.” David looked at Mike while the revolver was taken away from him, he turned back to look at Anita a slightly hurt tone to his voice “you work for this guy?” Anita responded “Its just business David I was paid to be some one to find something you of all people would know all about hiding secrets.” David looked back coldly “I was trying to keep people safe, you were just after a payday your not any different from Clarissa.” Anita got quite angry at the comparison “I am not a stupid amateur like Clarissa and I don't hurt people unlike her.” 

Mike was not patient with all this going on “you David you obviously knew it was hear and you don't seem to be surprised this is empty, so where is the loot really hid and how do we get to it?” David looked at the shot guns “How can I put this I do not believe there has been anything to loot to claim for quite some time.” Mike was angry “keep going explain yourself,” he held up the book “look at this ledger form Nicky soap he had a last minute crisis of faith and donated every penny he had to charity.” Anita and mike started turning through the pages. Bill turned to him “how did you know about this?” David shrugged “My father was his doctor he confided in him towards the end and he helped him to settle some of his affairs.” Emma interjected “what about the dead mobster Joe something or other.” David shrugged “Hanna and my father were working with Nicky helping him turn over a new leaf.  Joe came hear because he thought something was going on Nicky found him skulking around and put a bullet in him before Joe got him first, at least that's the best I can figure.”

Mike looked livid he grabbed David by the collar “there has to be something left something that makes up for all the time and effort I have put into this.” Mike turned as Anita and Emma advanced on him they both said together “when are we getting paid?” Mike looked at David, David turned and shrugged “if I knew of anything left I would have dug it up and spent it on rebuilding this place.” Mike looked at the room “there has to be something that can save this something hear?” Emma chirped up “The patients hear look at how long they live that has to be worth something?” Mike shrugged “I suppose but who would want to live forever as a mindless zombie.” Emma shook her head “that was the first type of the formula it took Higgs a long time to get the kinks out of it but the stuff works look at Bill.”

Mike thought about it “I suppose that would be quite valuable this thing this serum that the mad doctor invented.” Bill shrugged “This stuff can still be a bit hit and miss I might be OK but look at whats left of that Joe guy.” Anita shrugged “that's possibly a side effect of being stuck in the safe so so long if he wasn't starved of oxygen he might have remained normal there are two many variables to say, but this stuff is eighty years old and look at the results. Just imagine what they could do with it now.” Mikes associate chipped in “we agree that the serum might be more valuable than Nicky’s fortune right,” Anita was starting to imagine the possible pay day and the regrettable possibility of this happening again on a larger scale.

David Higgs shook his head “its nothing but trouble, my family have spent three generations trying to clean up this mess.” Bill looked thoughtful “I would point out that one or two people like me and Hanna are still functional we are the same today as we were eighty years ago, and some people like Nicolas and Courtney maybe at the extreme could still be more or less functional.” Emma shivered “it seems that if some one is a monster on the inside it affects them, also being dead really doesn't help but Hanna proves that it can work fine.” Anita shrugged “We still have to do quite a bit more clean up to stop all the monsters wandering around and get out alive to get a pay day.”

Anita looked at them all “Give David the gun back we need every bit of help we can get to clean up the last of the current mess, when theses things are dormant or dead we can look at what we have and make a few deals.” Mike gave David the gun back “you know your way around this place, we will help you clean up we discuss this serum afterwards we come to some arrangement we all get rich got it.” David looked at Mike his associate Anita Emma and Bill they had already put a lot of the failed experiments down. He was reluctant hesitating he shook Mikes hand “I suppose We can do a deal. I have spent all my life thinking about containment but elimination is probably a better option, help me put the last of the really bad monsters in there grave and I will share what I know about the serum with you.” Mike nodded “OK David this is your home turf you show us who needs to be dealt with before we can get our little business of the ground.” 

David gestured for them to follow him he spoke as he lead them down through the asylum “I believe what you want is in a laboratory in the basement of the asylum it was sealed by My great grandfathers three most loyal followers, he argued with them they turned on him and sealed him in there, I believe that you have recovered two of the three keys to the mechanism that opened the door.” Anita nodded “I suppose the last key is with the last of his cronies and probably the toughest am I right?” David nodded in agreement. It started Anita thinking she asked “where are the people we rescued Lilly and the others” David became a little quiet then responded “they are wrapped up safely away where they cant cause any trouble.” Anita had a vision of all four women in tight fitting restraints locked in Davids private museum but she would leave that for now that place was probably quite safe compared to the rest of the asylum.  David had a record of where the last of Hadrian Higgs cronies hid he lead them there.

They moved across the asylum proper and out the main entrance into the grounds, David started to lead them around the back up against the cliffs. He started to speak in a low voice briefing them on what was to come, “the Worst of Hadrian's lieutenants was Fredric Ash the head orderly and technically the head of security at the institution. He was also known as the fire man because of his use of an axe a fire mans axe. He would dispose of failed experiments hack them into pieces with an axe and burn them, considering whats wondering about you have to wonder what constitutes a failed experiment.” The group stopped for a second and let that sink in David lead them on, “He started off as a patient for some violent thing or another. He was soon cosying up to My ancestor. Ash was quickly made a trustee deemed saine then an orderly and finally chief Orderly and when the experiments started he was made head of security.” David paused leading them through the grounds. “Ash was a murdering bastard the Right hand man of Dr Higgs but like a loyal dog he only killed when he was ordered to he has been quiet over the years but a reckoning is now coming.” 

They started to approach an old crude looking building with a chimney. David continued the commentary, “Ash is Located in the Old incinerator room we are approaching the entrance. It was known as his 'fire pit' as he called it a remote place to do dirty deeds.” They moved closer towards the building everyone had there guns ready. “I was told that ash volunteered for the experiments not tricked not forced. At one point he had complete faith in my ancestor. He was exposed to a variant 3 serum, that didn't stop the five ways killer from getting him but thanks to the serum he didn't stay dead.” The fire pit was behind an abandoned oil tank an absolutely massive item behind it was a very solid building. Anita looked there was something like a old boiler an industrial one. The doors to the incinerator were very heavy steel two or three inches designed to stop a really large explosion or a fire Anita guessed.

David pulled out an old thin key a few turns of the key in the lock and the doors creaked. Mike pulled one door back Bill pulled the other. The room was dry dusty with piles of boxes everywhere. They shone there torches around the room there was a creak slowly five of the piles of rubbish moved there were five Dormant orderlies they stood up but didn't move like puppets half standing to attention. There was a large metal box in the center of the room, the lid shifted they had woken him up. Slowly he got to his feet Anita was willing to talk see if they could get something out of him before it inevitably slipped into a fight. He was both massive and grotesque he carried a wicked looking axe in one hand.

He stood there about seven feet tall he had a wound on his chest that looked like it had healed where he had been run through with something a life time ago. His face was twisted and distorted he grinned he raised the axe to his own face and slashed across his mouth he used two fingers to pull his lips apart tearing his own flesh. He coughed a mixture of ash bile and part of a tooth came out. He tried to speak a little mumbling, he reached into his own mouth griped something, he grunted with effort and pulled throwing away what like two teeth that had grown together fusing one from the upper jaw one from the lower jaw. He worked his jaw muscles and grinned “serum keeps you together  but you grow in strange ways, I guess you came for the key we did a number on the old bastard.” Ash grinned “he thought to leave us like this so we sealed him up inside his lab, the devil only knows what he’s become. Worse than us I bet, that five ways guy got close to killing him even with the serum in him.” The six people stood there looking at him looking for a way to make it easier to take him down.

Bill looked at him “Time has not been good to you Fred, I hated having to take orders from a blood thirsty monster like you.” He laughed “see you bill decided to come and collect for all those old times, Gomez or one of the chambers giving you orders?” Bill shook his head “I got my goal.” Fredric looked at them “some thing happen I could almost see it like a dream a crook I could feel him he came he went, I could feel him suffer locked up tight idiot didn’t know what he signed up for with the serum.” They moved around the room Bill getting close to Fred his sledgehammer at the ready Mike and his associate lined up there shotguns on two of the orderlies, David and Anita had there revolvers ready Emma had a pistol form Anita reloaded, she pointed the gun at the nearest orderly. Anita looked at him “guess what happens.” 

Fredric ash looked more thoughtful, “you been busy, I can feel Cranwell gone no lose there he was always preachy and self righteous even when he was doing worse than me, the old sharks gone two she was looking a little odd last time I remember good riddance that just leaves me.” He watched them as they moved around looking “maybe you think you can do a deal no” David Higgs looked at him anger in his face “no deals we killed the others just you and this place might be clean.” Ash laughed “think you can kill the fire man think again.”

The fight didn't take long it was a speedy affair David got the first shots off putting three rounds in one of the orderlies dropping them dead the rest moved forwards. Anita fired two careful shots into one orderly head and heart they got one or two steps then dropped dead. Mikes associate blasted a hole in one of the orderlies with his shot gun then turned it on Ash , ash responded by throwing his axe hitting the man in the center of his chest the man went down. Mike had blasted one orderly twice with his shot gun to put them on the floor he pulled a Molotov cocktail form inside his jacket lit it and dispatched the orderly with the flame. Bill and Fredric exchanged blows after ash threw his axe it seemed to be going more in bills favor. Emma emptied her gun into one orderly incapacitating them she then finished them off stabbing them over and over again with the silver knife she carried. Anita pulled out a silver knife and dispatched the orderly that was left wounded on the floor from a shotgun blast, they had almost put themselves back together due to the serum.

Ash was quite a bit tougher than his minions, Mike emptied his shotgun into the monster slowing him down. David carefully lined up a shot and fired Ash went down as his knee collapsed. Bill struck him again and again with the sledge hammer with powerful over head swings. Emma picked up the dropped shotgun and fired more buckshot into Ash. Anita lined up her shot she didn't want to waste bullets two more silver bullets in his head and the monster that was once Frederic Ash was gone. Mike looked around to see the extent of his friends injuries it was quite clear that the man was dead an axe where his heart should be. Anita knew the result but she checked for a pulse anyway “I am sorry he is dead.” Her employer had lost his associate, Mike was down on his knees he seemed to tear up and mumble something. Then he started to choke his feelings down pull them in, he would grieve latter for now he was thinking. 

Mike went over to the fire man's corpse he began to search it until he found a key. It looked like the other two keys that Anita had found on the other two of Hadrian's cronies. Mike began to search around the room he found a locker with what must have been Fred's personal effects, in it he found a syringe of variant three serum he smiled in relief. Running over and injecting it into his dead friend. He waited there for a minute nothing happened. David put his hand on the mans shoulder he explained, “look I am sorry for your loss the serum would only work if it was already in his blood stream and tissue when he died it cant bring some one back in this way.” Anita’s employer didn't take the news very well grief overwhelmed him. His grief quickly turned to anger he started to mutter about every second or third word was understandable. Anita half expected him to turn on them or completely lose it he turned to David, “I am getting revenge on this place breaking it I was to greedy and now.” 

Anita looked at him she was curious something didn't add up, “whats going on, what aren't you telling us?” Mike shrugged “After what you have gone through I suppose you should know.” he paused he looked smaller standing there hunched over “I acted like a made man a mafioso all my life its an act, I'm a Hollywood gangster, that is I'm the son of a gangster not an actual member of a gang I just like to talk big to play at being a big shot. but I do have a few contacts all the same. Dad was caught lost all the money lived poor died poor. After that I made a living showing tourists the sites from my father and grandfathers days, I even got a gig as an extra on a csi show. I am not a real crook not a real tough guy.” He picked up and reloaded the shotgun dropped by his associate, Emma had put it back down. He looked at his associate “You were there for me I wasn't there for you,” he turned to the rest of them “I thought he had a chance well I guess not, will see where it goes.” Mike handed his associates shot gun to ticket stub Bill, he picked up a cloth and draped it over his friend, Bill left his sledge hammer behind.

They started to make there way back to the main asylum Bill gritted his teeth. “Eighty years and I can finally pay the bastard back for what he did to me.” David nodded “A life time spent trying to undo what he did and the same for my father and his father, maybe my family can find some piece maybe I could live the rest of my life the way I want.” Something moved in front of them as they moved around a bend in the path it was all Anita could do to shout “Stop don't shoot.” The security guard from the health farm looked at the five people pointing guns at him he was terrified and looked like he had been running for his life. David looked at the exhausted man “I thought I told you to get a taxi and leave.” Jamaal lowered the base ball bat the other people pointed there guns away. He started to catch his breath Jamaal Cole was holding the bat clinging to it for dear life, he looking very nervous his shirt was a massive sweat stain.

When he had sucked in enough air he started to explain his presence. “Those things that crawled out of the old asylum they used to be patients that Mr Higgs great grandfather experimented on. I heard the cleaners talking rumors but I didn’t believe it.” He held up the bat “I was going to leave but one of them went for me I had a gun put six rounds in it nothing, it didn’t even flinch. So I picked up the bat and I started swinging good old hickory.” He kissed the bat “I stopped it but that thing didn’t want to go down it seemed to be healing putting itself back together even after I put it on the floor so I got out of there.” 

Anita put her hand on his shoulder reassuringly, well she tried to reassure him “we have silver we can kill these things your safe with us.” He shook his head “I have seen this in a hundred movies the monsters rip apart the biggest guy first just to prove how tough they are and that’s me. I don’t want to die they do not pay me enough to be ripped apart by insane zombie things.” David patted him on the shoulder “if you survive till tomorrow I will most certainly review your remuneration package.” Jamaal looked at them “you people are crazy your hunting those things aren't you?” Mike shrugged “we got to clean up there is a debts to settle.” David gestured for them to follow him. “I have a few more bits at the health farm that might help us” they nodded moving that way instead of towards the old asylum. Reluctantly Jamaal followed he still had the sensation that he was only getting himself into trouble and one of the guys did look a little bit funny now he had a second to think about it.

Jamaal still looked jumpy as hell Anita turned to him ,“these things are just hungry they haven’t had a proper meal in 80 years whoever the slowest is that’s the person in trouble.” He looked at her and scowled “that’s not funny, you sure these things can die?” She patted him on the shoulder “so far silver and fire have worked on every one we have found” she paused thinking “we have been systematically destroying everything with a brain the rest are not to hard to deal with.” Jamaal gestured to Bill and Mike “who are these guys.” Anita grinned “Bill worked hear when the place was built and Mike was looking for soapy's vault.” Jamaal looked at her as if she belonged in a straight jacket, “Bill cant be from there that would make him over eighty and the vault don't exist.” Mike shook his head “oh it exists just empty.” Anita and Emma nodded Jamaal eyebrows raised “OK if everything is true then Bill hear is looking mighty good for his age, so whats your secret?” Bill looked a little sad “I had some help from doctor Higgs, his original formulas only preserved the body then the next batch they preserved the body and the brain but not the personality, I was in the third round of trials still got a working body, a working brain and my personality.” Jamaal looked a little queasy “OK to much info but I get it.” now Jamaal was spending as much time nervously looking at Bill as the road in-front of him. 

There was something on the path that had not been there before when they had headed out to confront Frederic ash. It meant that there were still some of the former patients of the original Dr Higgs running about the place, they should still be cautious. As they came closer they realized it was what was left of some one, not an experiment having a nap. Anita moved closer to the corpse, it was a mere formality but she checked his pulse definitely a dead man. He had not gone quickly, half his face had been eaten away, despite the injuries he looked familiar. 

Hanna remembered him as the worker in the cafeteria that served her lunch blond hair matted with his own blood, she looked around for what had done it no sign of anything. She saw he had been bleeding, Anita surmised from the trail of blood something wounded him around the health farm. Maybe the trail was not perfect and he had ran from it straight into something else that had chewed his face off. Just for the sake of being thorough Anita cheeked the body, there was a letter hastily written in shaky handwriting on the body, it looks like he was the one who was working for Sikes. There was something about the promise of life an injection, he must have been after the serum bargaining his services for the promise of it. Now he would not be able to collect on whatever there agreement had been.

Anita walked besides David Higgs she considered her options “Let me just get something straight hear, Higgs and his cronies were originally killed by the five ways killer what happened to him?” David thought for a second “that is correct he started as a patient before he came hear he killed a lot of people thought he was cleaning up the town. When he got hear he found out about the experiments my great grandfather was carrying out to perfect the early versions of his serum, the experiments killed a lot of people and brought a large number of those back as monsters. The five ways killer put a stop to them and saved a lot of people he left after that. Hanna followed him for a few years got a job running a charity that helped homeless people, he became old and died.” Anita was curious “how did one ordinary guy with an axe go through those things eighty years ago?” David shrugged “I believe that they got tougher over time to begin with they were fairly easy to put down and it took a long time before they got back up containment was easier.” 

They got a little closer to the health farm Anita inquired “what have you got there to help.” David reassured her “some blasting caps some flairs nothing that can make two big a bang but we can do something with them, a few more silver bullets I dug out and a few other bits of silver some stuff that might help.” They went past the pool with the patient still at the bottom futilely trying to get out. Anita pointed it out to Jamaal. He looked at it and twitched “I guess no one is going swimming for a while.” Anita pulled out the revolver and shot the patient in the middle of there forehead putting them out of there misery. She put the gun away “see Jamaal silver works they wont come back.” He watched the patient crumple he didn't see any sign of them coming back shrugged looking a bit less nervous. Maybe Anita had been a bit to quick to act to reassure Jamaal, everyone looked around in-case the gun shot had brought the attention of more creatures thankfully this time it had not. 

As soon as they got back to the health farm they went about preparing to deal with Hadrian Higgs. He had used the most refined version of the formula on himself and he had spent as much time growing stronger as any of his experiments. He was likely to be the toughest and hardest to kill they had to prepare accordingly. They split into groups Bill and Mike, David and Anita Emma and Jamaal. They geared up David grabbed a doctors bag and filled it with medical supplies he turned to Anita “I might not be a doctor but my father showed me some things I might be able to help.” He also grabbed some more ammo for the revolver silver bullets. Jamaal raided the silverware cupboard he got a few silver knives then went to the maintenance office and got a drill. He put some holes through the bat adding the sturdier bits of cutlery as spikes banging them home with a hammer. Emma went through the same silverware getting a carving knife the size of short sword, she also grabbed several flash lights and some batteries for them from the maintenance office. 

Mike went to the kitchen and found some empty glass bottles good sized ones, he got a table cloth and cut it into strips he was making up half dozen Molotov cocktails. He got the spare can of gas from his car and another box of shot gun shells as well as the spare tire. He used a kitchen knife to cut up the spare tire for the rubber dissolving it in the petrol thickened the mixture so it burnt hotter and stuck to its target. Bill got the spare shot gun shells from Mike he opened them up carefully disposing of the lead shot. He refilled the shot gun shells cutting up silver wear forks spoons using a hammer and chisel replacing the lead with silver then repackaging them as best he could. Anita got the flares and detonator caps she assembled a bomb from the blasting caps and flares. It would burn and cook any enemy, she used a silver cocktail shaker as a body for the bomb crating a short fuse with a blasting cap she had occasionally detonated things to open stubborn locks or cause a distraction she said a silent prayer that this would not take them out as well as the old monster when it went off. Bill had other bits of silver going spare so Anita mixed them in to create shrapnel it might be enough for Higgs.

They met up in the dining hall about 30 minutes must have passed, Jamaal brought snacks and some cold meat from the kitchen, David thought about cracking open a bottle of something but he considered a bit of alcohol would not help the situation. They had a short bite to eat, they remained silent thinking contemplating what was to come. Anita thought why was she still hear part of her wanted closure this might bring closure on this incident and then she would get paid one way or another. Emma wanted the story who would believe her, she also wanted a measure of revenge getting paid didn't seem to be her primary concern. Mike seemed to be trying to make up for getting his associate killed, the man must have meant a lot to him there was also the promise of the serums pharmaceutical properties and any fortune to be made from them. Jamaal was collecting a paycheck form Mr Higgs he seemed to feel that he owed the man something. Bill was after revenge plain and simple, Higgs wanted to clear his family's past. They finished there meal in silence Higgs took up the lead they were quiet no words now just an ending to this strange situation that they found themselves in. 

They left the health farm they didn't encounter any more of the experiments former patients or anything else. There must have been a few of them about but they didn't encounter one. Anita had to wonder what were Hanna and Gomez doing were they busy cleaning up the last of the creatures themselves, or was she looking after Lilly and the other survivors? it didn't really seem to matter just now however two more sets of hands could help unless David had already worked out some contingency plan with them that he was not sharing.

The Journey through the abandoned sanatorium was a quick affair they didn't find any more signs of the creatures. They went through the entrance with its decayed grandeur. Through the patient area's its tarnished sterility, through the staff area what would have once been a place of comfort and relaxation compared to the rest of the asylum and into the basement where a very much more utilitarian service area existed. David Higgs seemed to know exactly where he was going he had probably planned this for a long time, a way to clear this place maybe even his father had planned it. Abruptly the building became far more crude in its construction just as solid but far more unrefined chucks of stone and mortar. A large heavy door opened with the combined efforts of David Mike Jamaal and Bill pulling on a handle. They were now inside the old prison, the place had been constructed about 100 years before the asylum. It was not that large a place but it had a feel to it you could almost hear the scrape and clink of shackles. 

They went down two flights of stairs deeper into the earth two more heavy doors succumb to numbers and determination. Finally they were in the basement of the prison, a long time ago a plug of stone and brick had been constructed to seal of the entrance that led to the old mining works. In his exploration and construction of the original asylum Hadrian Higgs had cut a pathway through the stonework. The crude stone made way for damp roughly hewed rock. The place was solid the plug to the tunnels had been cut though and a steel door inserted. It was unlocked with a key they moved on into the darkness, darkness that seemed to move.

It was not just paranoia something was moving in the dark and it was coming towards them. Three patients collide with them Jamaal struck at the first one with his bat a silver spike that had once been the solid handle to a silver ladle embedded partially in the first patients figure and they crumpled undone. The second two were caught in a shotgun blast from Bill. The silver pieces in the wounds had there effect and the two creatures collapsed Anita still made sure they were down for good with a cut from a sterling silver blade to the heart Bill reloaded his gun.

David shrugged “experiments I thought that we were free of them, they must have got stuck down hear from another time.” Anita questioned him shouting to be heard over the sound of the shot gun ringing in her ears “WHAT DO you mean free of them.” He pointed up “Gomez and his rifle were taking care of everything left up top.” Anita nodded “Is Hanna helping him?” David nodded “yes between looking after the survivors and keeping the cops and police away.” Anita wondered “how is she doing that?” David grinned “local sheriff is morally flexible with a large enough bribe.” They had followed a set of old rusted iron tracks, the walls of the cave became smooth weathered form natural erosion not a minors pick. They were in the underground cave system. A short way in they found themselves at a locked door like a bank vault. 

David paused, “you all know whats in hear, this creature that was once a man will probably be the toughest of these creatures. Who knows what we will find but if we work together we can end this once and for all and get on with our lives.” Anita thought then spoke “let him talk if he still can, lets flank him make sure we have a good position then we hit him form every side.” Every one nodded David released the lock the three key holes were positioned one above each other. He put the keys in top to bottom turned and released them one by one. The system seemed to have a central column all three keys had to be turned in order then the weighted column dropped support bars creaked and pulled out of sockets in the floors and walls a set of hooks in the door that linked into the wall one by one came lose the door was heavy but balanced perfectly a few twists and it turned opening with a brief shower of dust. Anita shone a torch inside Bill lead the way his shotgun at the ready.

Anita hazarded a glimpse at the inside of the door, something had scraped and scratched against it but it had held firm. She looked around The place looked like something from a horror movie but it had also been a functional laboratory at one point. There were cages and cells where the unfortunate victims of Hadrian Higgs had been kept plucked form the pool of patients at the asylum. There were boxes and crates of what must have been the raw materials for the serum. There were work benches and machinery for distilling and grinding up the materials to make the formula complex machines of all sorts for processing drying the raw ingredients. On further benches were more machines scales for carefully measuring and mixing the ingredients. There were syringes in a pile to be loaded with the serum ready to administer. There was a desk with various writing materials on it careful notes piles and piles of them then the room opened up. There was a clicking sound as someone ignited a fire in the middle of the main room what was once a man stood and regarded those that had entered his sanctum.

His voice was odd it went up and down like he had trouble controlling his ability to speak which was probably true. “I expect you are hear after my formula, I was sleeping not that long ago then I felt that disloyal fool Cranwell die and I started to wake, shortly after that I could feel Sikes die I felt Courtney's jubilation as she got her revenge such a mind she had once.” The creature paused remembering its lost humanity a moment of contemplation a sliver of regret not for its victims but for itself. “A pity I can feel what she has become, Fredric I felt him die and now you have come to see me how delightful.” Anita stood there as they slowly moved around the chamber watching Dr Hadrian Higgs mumble on! “I developed serum 786 versions -1 to 4 when this is over I will put my mind to creating a version five a perfect version that will reverse what you see before you.” 

He was truly a monster having used the version 4 of serum on himself. His body had warped considerably it looked like it had been cut up and glued back together then inflated a bit. The effect was not uniform throughout his body his head was oddly bulbous with lank hair on one side much scar tissue on the other. His face was a mess one eye was  visibly a lot bigger than the other, he was physically powerful two foot taller than he should have been his clothes were torn from muscle growth, an extra arm had grown through on the left hand side, Anita looked at his face what looked like the beginning of a third eye socked was present slightly below right eye it blinked at her cold and white she was very unnerved.

Hadrian continued to babble “I am not alone observe” he clicked his fingers a noise which seemed to echo around the Hidden laboratory ringing in the sealed shaft of the old tin mine. They were almost invisible having been dormant for so long almost part of the walls, 4 experiments unearthed themselves they looked a little like the variant two experiments but they were covered in the remains of steel plate crude patches over there heads and chests rusted but still probably quite formidable. They stood behind the doctor as he ranted. He looked at Jamaal, “fat man you are so afraid of anyone calling you a coward you came hear to prove yourself a brave man, but I can feel your fear.” Jamaal made a rude gesture towards the doctor Higgs. He turned to berate David “I can see you my great grandson I would wager you lack ambition, you should be joining with me to help with my great work not standing against me child.” David just looked more angry. He turned to Anita then to Mike “I can smell your greed you seek to profit from my labor from my work how dare you it is mine!” He looked at Bill his voice took on a mocking tone “Bill my little failed experiment come back to be ended put out of your misery?” Bill snarled back “you had no right to experiment on me.” Finally Higgs turned to Emma he sniffed the air “curiosity how delightful, you know my dear curiosity killed the cat.”

finally finished talking Higgs moved over to a cloth covering a cage, he pulled the cloth aside with a dramatic gesture, to reveal four large dogs in the cage. They had a look about them similar to the patients where he had been using the variant type 1 serum. He gloated “my first experiments with my proto-formula” he grinned and released the cage door. Two of the creatures moved forward to attack, Anita killed them both with a single bullet per abomination a head shot each. One ragged looking hound just stood there its eyes gazing into the distance the fourth charged at Dr Higgs his former tormentor turning back on his master, the animal was torn apart in a second Higgs picked it up and pulled it into two pieces with a crack a wet slap and splatter of what was left of its blood. Anita fired into the nearest experiment putting it down. She put the last two bullets into Hadrian and rapidly started to reload. Emma emptied Anita's gun into one of the experiments shambling towards her the metal did little stopping a few bullets. As it collapsed on the floor she jammed a large knife through the eye socked, the silver hit the brain and the creature stopped moving. David Higgs emptied his revolver into his great grandfather threw a silver knife that barely connected then ducked behind a piece of lab equipment to reload. 

Jamal swept the legs out from under one of the experiments then bludgeoned it with his bat the silver spikes getting through the armor the creature soon stopped trying to get up. Bill emptied his shot gun into Hadrian the silver embedded in his chest. Mike nailed the last of the experiments with a Molotov cocktail the creature stumbled blindly against a wall slowly folded and stopped moving. Mike threw a Molotov at Hadrian Higgs then emptied his shotgun at the man. Higgs was badly wounded but the wounds were closing he could heal from silver but the more they put in him the slower he healed they might eventually over whelm him.

Bill running out of shotgun shells dropped the gun and pulled a knife he charged forward and jumped he clung to Higgs stabbing him again and again. Hadrian threw him off Bill landed next to Anita he saw the home made bomb he picked it up with a grin “get clear” he shouted as he lit the bomb and charged for Hadrian. Bill looked at peace at the end he could see a salvation at last. Everyone ducked there was an explosive Bill was peppered with silver after eighty years he was at piece killed by his own hand. Hadrian was also very badly wounded he started to hobble away such was the damage done by the home made explosive. David popped back up the revolver reloaded he started to fire again Higgs grabbed a glass decanter of some sort off a table and threw it at David the glass smashed giving him a bad wound to his chest. David Higgs slumped over he gripped the revolver with his other hand and continued to fire. Jamaal ran up to Higgs and slammed the spiked bat into his back. Higgs swung around catching Jamaal and sending him into a wall, he lay here not moving badly wounded or possibly worse Jamaal looked like he was dead the angle of his body was wrong.

Mike nailed him with another Molotov cocktail. Hadrian desperately tried to get away from the flames he desperately shakily moved to the door. “It cant end like this I will not go before these little people.” Hadrian Higgs was very badly injured his wounds showed no more signs of regeneration his formula would give out soon. He tried to run but he was hit with a stream of hot burning liquid from the door way, he stumbled back onto the floor more of the flames hit him. He writhed on the floor then slowed and stopped. Hanna chambers was standing there a backpack slung over her shoulder a nozzle pointed at Hadrian. She was grinning holding a flame thrower the engineer Gomez had cooked up. Anita checked what was left they had definitely killed Doctor Hadrian, Emma stared wide eyed. David looked relieved Anita looked relieved Mike held up the empty shot gun turning it over in his hands he seemed to be wondering what to do next.

Mike Started to look round the room he looked at the notes the vials of type 3 serum he was thinking. He turned to David, Higgs tuned away he was bleeding he clamped his hand over the wound gritted his teeth. David Higgs turned to Mike “He grinned like it was all one big joke, I said I would help you tell you everything I know, well I don't know anything Mike. But I give you the results do you really want to end up like this? do you want to start this cycle again cut your losses and help me end it.” Mike looked at what was left of Hadrian Higgs the mutated dogs the experiments. He picked up the notes strewn all over the room he added them to the pyre where Hadrian's remains were burning. Anita walked over and shot the dog left in the cage it collapsed into a pitiful pile. Anita Mike Emma and Hanna added every bit of paperwork they could find onto the pile they were certain after about half an hour that they had burnt all his notes. 

In this time David opened up the medical kit and patched himself up. Out of curiosity he checked Jamaal the man looked dead but he had a faint heart beat, it surprised Hadrian. That the man was just alive, on examination he was in quite a bad way David patched him up splinting his right leg and left arm bandaging up several wounds and made him as comfortable as possible after about twenty minutes he started to come round. Mike and Emma helped him into an old chair he sat there and slowly started to regain his full composure, he had some sort of concussion or other head trauma they would have to get him out and to an ambulance or something similar once they had finished dealing with the remains of the laboratory he might have any number of complications. Anita picked up a sturdy bit of metal and started to smash Hadrian's equipment Emma and Mike joined in, they pulled his lab apart. The last thing to go was the stockpile of serum Hanna opened the cabinet holding them hesitated then dropped the syringes one by one onto the floor she looked calm as if a great weight was gone. 

Hanna sat down and lit a cigarette she looked at Anita and David the rest stood behind her. “It is all over the last remnants of these experiments are gone, the engineer took his own life a silver bullet from his rifle when he was sure that he had cleared the grounds of those creatures. My sister seems to have found peace Courtney finished her archive collection and dropped into a coma she could not be roused I ended it” Anita was sure that she meant a mercy killing. Hanna looked alone if that was the right word she continued “if she was still capable she would have wanted it now I will go to her.” Anita frowned at her “Hanna what are you?” from her pocket Hanna pulled a silver knife she plunged it into her own chest “It only hurts for a second ...” she had killed herself with one of the sterling silver knifes lodged in her own heart.

David laid Hanna down neatly closing her eyes adjusting her body pulling the knife out and laying it beside her as if she was sleeping. He bend down and mumbled a few words that no one could hear but it sounded like a prayer of some sort, he had a little trouble standing Anita helped him up. He found a cloth and draped it over her body as a shroud. He turned to the remaining people “lets get out of hear lock the door and forget about this,” they nodded in agreement. Mike Emma and Anita help carry Jamaal out of the laboratory, they found a gurney and wheeled him out up to the surface Mike and Emma took him away in Mikes car to take him to the nearest hospital. Before mike when he handed a file to Anita it was the evidence he had against her. She disposed of it as they drove off leaving David and Anita to settle the last of the bushiness in the asylum by themselves.

Anita looked at the patched up health farm manger shirt torn and chest bandaged, “Ok David show me where the other survivors are.” He gestured towards the upper floors where his apartment was. “This way they are in a relatively good condition” Anita nodded she was going to settle a few things then get out forget her payment she would be leaving this place very soon. Behind several locked doors through the little family museum David lead her to a hidden padded room, he pulled back a door and switched on a light to reveal the three survivors that they had pulled out from the remains of the asylum and Cassandra. Anita looked around taking in the scene sh reached back behind her and got a good grip on her pistol, she looked at David “Well you have been busy we do need to talk David.”

The nearest occupant of the room was Lilly she was wearing some sort of brown hood that completely enveloped her head, it was very tight and by the shape a substantial mass was wedged in her mouth keeping her quiet. Her arms were encased in a tight leather sleeve behind her back ensuring that she had almost no movement she must have worn it for hours but seemed to have dozed off. Anita gave David a piercing glance. He reacted nervously “she was a little hysterical I had to do something with her let me just un-wrap her now OK?” David shook her awake and then released her from the tight restraints he got a slap around the face, he stammered “well I see your OK now Lilly two weeks I mean months paid vacation starting now?” she looked at him with scorn he tried again “A generous severance package and a letter of recommendation?” she nodded and left to pack.

Hillary was positioned up against the padded wall in a black hood and white straight jacket her ankles were strapped to her thighs with wide brown leather straps she was bound up quite tightly. Her nipples seemed to be hard tightly pressed against the jacket the area between her legs was a little damp the lines of the hood showed she had some sort of large ball in her mouth. Anita scowled at David he shrugged, “don't look at me this time she volunteered” Anita knew that Hillary was quite attracted to David if she shared that kink then there might be a future with the two of them together. Anita gently removed the hood then the large harness ball gag. Hillary went quite red she worked her jaw “I must admit I was intrigued by the idea and I do like David so I am fine you can just wrap me up thanks.” Anita sighed and returned Hillary to her fully gagged and hooded state as she tightened the hood Hillary moaned into her gag.

The last survivor that they had recovered from the asylums clutches was a guest, Anita had no idea what her name was. The woman had some pretty curves that were well displayed by her current confining attire. She was locked in some sort of highly constricting leather sack her head peaked out at one end but she was muzzled and blindfolded. Anita looked questioningly at David he shrugged “she was hysterical I had to do something!” Anita continued questioning him “didn't you have a drug to calm her down or something.” David looked at her incredulously “I run a health farm not a hospital even with my fathers contacts I cant acquire that sort of stuff easily, and if I screwed up the dose I could have killed her if I had a sedative.” Anita removed the blindfold and looked at her eyes they were unresponsive Anita waved her hand in front of the woman's face. Anita was not sure what to do, “she is in shock she needs to go to somewhere that's used to dealing with this kind of trauma!” David shrugged “help me un-wrap her then we can get her downstairs, you can take her to a hospital and we can part company sound good to you.” Anita nodded “Take care of the place.”

that just left Clarissa to deal with she was a sight wrapped in layer after layer of tightly applied restraints she could not see or speak move so much as twitch from an insanely tight ball tie, all that could be herd from her was the faint hiss as she drew breath in and out through two rubber tubes connected to one of the layers of hoods. Anita patted her on the bottom. She looked sternly at David “Clarissa she is going to be handed over to the authorities?” he nodded “yes of course.” Anita spoke “Best make sure Emma and her don't meet up again.” 

David thought for a second “I have a friend runs the sunny views institution our fathers knew each other, they would probably section the babbling woman without much problem.” David said “there is one last thing the stone that started it all.” The two of them went to the hidden museum in the adjacent room, reluctantly David opened up the case he touched the stone and seemed to pause as if something was tugging at him beating at the edges of his mind. Anita picked up a fire extinguisher and smash the tablet into pieces. The formula in its crudest form was gone, they part and left both relieved that it is was over. Anita moved on she would drop the catatonic woman off at a hospital then be gone back to a nice quiet life of industrial espionage.