We pulled up to a gate much like the one at the warehouse, only here there were unmanned guard towers scattered along the fenced perimeter. Gabe jumped out of the truck as we came to a stop. He jogged over to a keypad and typed in a code. The gate clanked open and we pulled through. We followed a paved road that twist and turned down a hill. We drove up to a brick building that looked like it was built in the early 70’s. We parked by the main entrance and exited the trucks.
“How did you know the code to get in here?” I asked Gabe.
“Dr. Nickel’s told me the passcode,” he replied dryly.
I nodded and followed the group to the entrance. The door was locked but Gabe pulled a card out of his pocket and swiped it through a card reader. A small light turned green and a buzzing sound filled the silence followed by the cling of the door unlocking. Gabe pulled the door open and we entered the building. A chill ran across my skin as we stood in the main entrance. I was thinking we should have brought Greg with us when a door to my left slid open and a gaunt looking man stepped into view. Mike and the other three beefy’s raised their guns to the man. The man raised his hands and spoke softly.
“It’s ok, I’m not sick but we need to get out of this part of the building now!” He said hurriedly directing us to follow him.
A loud bang sounded in the opposite direction. We turned to the sound and saw it was coming from a blocked door.
“Hurry!” The man called.
We followed the man as he led us down four flights of stairs and into a well lit laboratory. Everything was clean and white, white walls, white counters and even the floor was white tiled. One wall was made completely of glass. I approached and saw through the glass wall eight individual cells. My heart picked up a beat not because there were jail cells in the laboratory but because of what was inside the cells. Each of the eight cells contained a night screamer. The screamers weren't adults, they were children. The children varied in age. I grabbed a clipboard hanging on a hook next to cell number one. It read:
Patient One:
Female, age 10.
Turned 4 days into sickness.
Injections: C131 failed, C234 failed, C197 failed, C228 failed, C199 failed, C482 failed, C451 failed, C229 failed.
I placed the clipboard back on the hook and moved to the next cell and then the next. Each clipboard the same, except the gender and age. They were all children under the age of ten. When I reached the last cell I froze at the sight before me. This cell contained eight clear bassinets and in each one was an infant. Each infant was wrapped in a pink or blue blanket. The infants weren’t crying like normal babies would, these infants had a horrid tiny scream.There was no clipboard for this cell and I found my hand automatically reaching for a button on the wall to open the door to cell eight. The gaunt man reached my hand in time to stop me from pushing it.
“You don’t want to do that. Those infants are infected and even though they can’t bite you they have a wicked nasty cry that attracts other unwelcome visitors,” he stated with fear in his quiet tone.
“What is this place?” I asked with pure distaste in my mouth.
“Welcome to T.4.7. we are, were, a secret government organization that specializes in finding cures for diseases and viruses,” he explained pridefully.
“Why are these children here?” I demanded.
“They were test subjects brought here by the government. Don’t worry those children,” he said pointing to the cells, “were unwanted or wards of the state. No one missed them,” his quiet tone cruel and uncaring.
I felt sick to my stomach at the thought of those poor children being test subjects. It sounded like something from a horror movie and I felt rage building inside me. This cold hearted monster spoke heartlessly about the children.
Silas spoke, “Are you still running test on these kids?”
“Yes but only on the infants. The ones that walk are too fast now and I can’t chance being infected. I am very close to finding a cure to this terrible illness that has changed the human population into monsters,” he replied.
“Are you the only one here?” Mike questioned.
One of the beefy guys in our group nodded in my direction then to a camera in the corner of the room. I glanced in the direction he was looking and saw a red flashing light on the camera. I watched Gabe, Wes and Addy casually spread out around the room. Each taking a fighting stance, I sensed the tension in the room building with each passing second. The man ignored Mike’s question and continued on.
“You see, I need uninfected humans and who should show up but all of you.Your timing is perfect and your help will be greatly appreciated.”
His face twisted into a sick smirk and a door next to him opened, the room filled with a dozen or so armed men. They were dressed in full military gear and were holding assault rifles. Their faces were covered by full face masks and even their hands were hidden by black gloves. The men pointed guns at each of us. I glanced at Gabe and saw he was smiling, actually smiling. I felt terrified by our current situation yet he watched in amusement. I glanced to where Sally had been standing moments before and now she was gone. I remembered she could turn invisible. Then it hit me we were not helpless little humans anymore. These guys had no idea what they were really up against. Sally’s disappearance thankfully had gone unnoticed.
I took a step forward gathering my bearings. I had to be brave and I knew we could easily take these men.
“You are going to let us take what we need and leave,” I stated, angrily, with more confidence then I felt.
The armed men chuckled.
“Are you blind girl? We have you surrounded. The only place you are going is into a cell and don’t worry I will be as gentle as possible. See the girl in the first cell?” He walked up to the cell and stroked the glass door as if remembering a satisfying memory. “She was feisty. You remind me of her. She fought me all the time but in the end I broke her. Would you believe that little bastard thought I was going to free her. You give them a little hope and they will do anything you ask,” He laughed and then added, “but I’m not going to give you any false hope. I’m not going to sugar coat this for any of you. I need a cure and I need the cure now. That means I can’t be choosy anymore on whom I test on.”
“Have you been outside these walls since it all happened?” I asked. I wanted to keep him talking.
“My men have been exploring the city since it started. You are the first living survivors to come to us though,” he said.
“I am curious how your group managed to find this place and enter. Our power is still on and without clearance none of you should have been able to enter. So which one of you worked here?” He added glancing at each of us.