IT WAS THE MOST HORRIFIC scene he had seen, and Jake thought he had seen the worst things possible. He had seen men tortured, dismembered, intentionally blown to bits, skinned, or burned alive. But all the horrors and cruelty of war didn’t prepare him for what awaited him.
Immediately before him was an open space brightly lit with fluorescent lights, filled with bodies neatly arranged in rows of aluminum beds. Several series of hideous rows. Each figure was held down by metal straps, the mouth covered by steel masks with small grille openings.
Most were connected to different machines alongside the beds, the multi-colored readouts sparkling as the displays danced their way through the information being received. A few of the humanoid shapes had intravenous fluids of some kind being pumped into them. Some were struggling caricatures of humans, having been stripped of most of their muscle mass. Many had been decidedly dissected, with large steel clamps keeping the torso cavities from closing. It was a scene right out of a nightmare, and Jake was too shocked to vomit in disgust.
Beyond the beds were metal cages. Some had occupants and rattled occasionally. The entire cavernous space was ruled by an antiseptic air, reminiscent of hospitals. Working cubicles with walls of glass were on either side of the room, some filled with equipment, while others looked like office spaces, complete with the requisite tables and chairs.
But nobody was there now. Except for the present caged and bound occupants of the space, it looked like whoever worked there wasn’t around. From the number of work areas, Jake could see that a sizeable number of individuals staffed the facility.
The atmosphere of the warehouse-like space was filled by the noise of chains rattling across metal bars, hoarse grunts and hisses from conscious occupants of the horrible bed spaces, and the incessant sounds of struggle against the metal bands keeping them where they lay. On the far end of the huge area were bodies horrifically strung up on heavy hooks, the human-like shapes slowly rotating in place. Each was bound by chains keeping the extremities tightly pressed against the body. For some strange reason, they appeared to be alive in some way – the way the heads, fingers, and legs moved gave that away.
***
He had infiltrated the place, thinking it was a money-laundering operation. The site came out in one of his computer search protocols and proved to be interesting enough to warrant a trip to Aberdeen in Baltimore, Maryland. A lot of movement had been recorded in the facility. Delivery trucks were frequent visitors.
The cover of the operation was a rundown warehouse above ground with a solitary guard. Everything pointed to money, especially when another computer program revealed vast amounts of funds being coursed into the facility. It wasn’t a business either. Just an ordinary warehouse. Satellite maps didn’t even show parked private vehicles around the building. The data was enough to convince him that it was a money center.
It was easy enough to enter undetected right after midnight. The real difficulty started right after entering the access room hidden behind one of the tall cabinets in the main office. The secret receiving area was spacious enough and furnished with a couch and a side table. But its CCTV monitor was quickly dealt with. It was a commercial model and readily hacked. It was simple enough to plug the image loop device into its system.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Once one got into the room, an elevator could be called, though Jake didn’t press the button. The elevator car was at the lower level, another additional security precaution. Activating the mechanism would have alerted whoever was guarding the place. He assumed that those authorized to use the elevator would have gotten prior clearance to enter.
Surprisingly, Jake didn’t see any scanning device which would have allowed those with the appropriate ID badges to use the mechanism. It meant verification and approval of those intending to enter would have to come directly from the building’s security detail. Not an efficient way to do things, but it did add another layer of protection.
Forcing the doors open, Jake saw it was a traction-type elevator, and immediately used the hoist ropes to shimmy down to the maintenance space above the main cab. A videoscope snake showed a clean cabin – no monitor was present. Carefully, Jake dropped down into it, and then pulled out a Through-the-Wall Radar device.
Pressed against the closed elevator door, the imaging system indicated four guards. The number of sentries surprised Jake. He expected more for a money-laundering operation. He already had the succubus ability to determine prey. Still, the imaging system gave him the ability to detect moving targets, human or otherwise.
It was a perfect complement to his enhanced senses. His enemies might use humans as guards, but there was always the possibility of the unnatural minions of House Amulius being around. The rogue hated surprises, and his recent experiences only reinforced that belief.
He marked their positions. Two were moving right in front of the elevator, while one was stationary with another guard nearby. He guessed the stationary one was the surveillance operator. Jake brought out his pistol, now fitted with the best suppressor money could buy, though his left hand instinctively made sure his kukri was still slung on his back.
The guards were all humans, bored ones, and were caught unaware by the rogue’s unexpected assault. Four dead bodies later, Jake was in the surveillance room examining the displays. Several teams of a pair each were in the facility. Two were on the grounds, which meant Jake was lucky he didn’t run into them. Another three teams were in various locations which were unfamiliar to him. But none of the monitors showed him the center of the facility – the place where the main activity was conducted.
Right after the elevator and surveillance room was a large door marked Restricted. The videoscope showed another empty room, though he could feel a slight difference in air pressure between the two areas. Jake entered the space and was promptly lit up by ultraviolet rays, but right in front of him was a gray biohazard sign. He wasn’t able to see it during the videoscope examination, concerned as he was with security cameras and motion sensors.
The beginnings of a What the fuck? thought rose in Jake’s mind as he stared at the symbol. He realized he was in a sanitizing area – the UV rays and the difference in air pressure were conclusive indicators. A fiberoptic examination of the next room didn’t reveal anything. It was unlit, and his gear wasn’t night vision-capable.
But his senses didn’t pick up any humans. He could sense vampires though, but with weak and faint signs. No fear or alarm rose within him. Clearly, the monsters he now hosted didn’t consider what he found as threats.
Betting on what his demons assessed, he quickly opened the door and walked into the next room. An automatic sensor lit it up, and revealed the living nightmare in front of him.
It was, beyond a doubt, a medical research facility. A horrific institution conducting scientific research on vampires. Vampires using vampires as guinea pigs. For what reason, he didn’t have a clue. And from what Jake could see, it was a sight which should belong in hell.
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