Help me if you can
It’s just that this, this is not the way I’m wired
So could you please, help me understand why
You’ve given in to all of these reckless dark desires
Disconnect and self destruct one bullet at a time
What’s your rush now, everyone will have his day to die
~ ‘The Outsider’ by A Perfect Circle
Chapter 14
Robyn was barely keeping it together. Each hallway they went through, each door that was unlocked, and they were never closer to an exit. Even when there were exit signs, it just pointed down another hallway, another locked door, and a door to the outside was just as elusive. Every corner they turned that led to another silent, still hallway always held the possibility of something more, so with every corner turned, Robyn felt her heart jump in fear that something would be on the other side. Rationally, she knew Regan was being more careful about trying to sense it first so they wouldn’t run into trouble like that again, but Robyn still felt her heart leap to her throat in anticipation when they went down a new route.
Robyn’s heart was racing, the blood pounding in her ears. Her only hope was that they could get out doors and get out of here, and even that felt like a terrible plan. Where would they run? What if Kortez was outside? What if they never made it out of here?
“Robyn,” Regan whispered. They slowed to a stop and the two turned and looked at each other. Regan’s head was tilted, and she looked slightly worried. It scared Robyn that Regan looked scared; her pupils were dilated as Robyn imagined hers were, irises huge and pale green, a startling contrast to the hue of her skin and dark hair.
“Does this priest have any weaknesses?” Regan asked.
Robyn didn’t have to think about that one. “Not that I know of. He’s lived so long … I don’t know if he can be killed. And the powers the others have, those are all new. I don’t know how invulnerable they are.”
Regan pursed her lips. She was trying hard not to fall into that well of helplessness again, and it seemed Robyn was on her way to that. They couldn’t think like that if they wanted to get out of there alive. The only thing Regan could think up was a desperate image of hurling everything inside of her at those beasts, pounding them into the ground and grinding them into dust so they would just leave Robyn alone. She wanted this situation to go away, but it wasn’t going to unless they did something about it. But what? What can you do? Look at what this priest did to everyone in the hospital. There’s no way you’re a match for him. And what if you can’t get Robyn out of here? What then?
At that moment, something cold touched the portion of Regan’s mind that she left open to feel around for other presences, and she jerked her head to the left. A split second later, distant laughter echoed down the halls. Robyn seized her arm, and whispered an urgent, “Run!” As silently as they could, the two girls hurried down the hallway, and Regan led them as far away from the presence as she could manage. They rushed down the silent tiled halls, feet padding quietly as they ran on the balls of their feet and tried to keep their harsh breathing quiet.
It was becoming apparent that they couldn’t keep up this pace, and the girls slowed their momentum to turn a corner. They slowed to a stop.
“We can’t keep this up forever,” Robyn admitted, lungs burning.
Regan agreed. An idea was formulating in her mind, and she needed a little more time to think on it. “Can you run for a little longer?” Robyn nodded, and they started to run again, at a less fast pace this time. Soon Regan had a definite area of the hospital in mind.
“Where are we going?” Robyn gasped, breath hitching as she spoke and ran at the same time.
“I have an idea,” Regan said. They ran swiftly down deserted, brightly lit hallways; the silence absolute and eerie. Every so often, the body of an orderly or night nurse lay prone in a hallway, and the girls side stepped them, never breaking pace.
Robyn’s lungs were burning painfully when Regan finally stopped. They stood facing the entrance to what looked like darkened labs beyond the unlit windows of the doors. Robyn leaned over, clutching her knees and trying to catch her breath. Regan was able to catch her breath rather quickly, and in a deep corner of her mind, that worried her. She had time to think of that later, however. To be on the safe side, Regan cast out, feeling for any presence nearby that would cause them trouble. There was nothing near them for the time being. That would have to be enough.
“We can’t risk leaving the building with them still here,” Regan finally explained. Robyn looked up at her from her half crouched position, bright red hair brushing the floor, luminous under the harsh fluorescent lights. It turned her skin a sickly pale, and her green eyes were vibrant against the lack of color in her face. “If we run outside, we’re plain targets. I don’t know if I can face them all at once.”
“You’re not,” Robyn said sharply. She stood up straight. “They’ll hurt you -”
“And what do you think they’ll do if they get to you?” Regan demanded. She closed the distance between them until their bodies almost touched. “If they go through with this ritual and this Nago demon gets out, it all goes to hell anyway. I’m not going to stand back and watch them do that to you.”
Regan had a point. “What are you thinking of?”
The brunette was silent for a moment. “There shouldn’t be a lot of people in this section of building. I can’t be worried about hurting anyone else. “
Robyn thought about this for a moment, and then understanding dawned. “You can’t possibly - are you going to lure them here?”
“Facing them individually is better than all at once.”
“Can you- I…” Robyn didn’t want to doubt Regan; she was her only hope at getting out of this place alive. But she’d seen what Kortez and the others could do. She didn’t know if Regan could handle that, even after watching her friend throw that giant animal clear through a wall.
“I don’t know if I can kill them. Probably not,” Regan admitted. “But I can slow them down. And if that means burying them under three stories of building, then so be it.”
Robyn’s eyes widened. “Can you do that?”
Regan tilted her head at Robyn, body going still. At first Robyn had no idea what she was doing, but then Robyn felt it. Standing in front of Regan, Robyn could feel something invisible radiating off of the girl. It pulsed in the air, on Regan’s skin. Robyn was close enough to Regan that she could feel the warmth of Regan’s skin, and the energy coming from her. It grew and filled the air, causing the hair on the back of Robyn’s neck to stand on end. It beat at Robyn’s mind until she was nearly aching with it. She took a step back from Regan as the feeling grew more intense, and Robyn watched, shaken, as Regan’s pale eyes took on a strange phosphorescent quality, as if her eyes reflected back an inner light that started in her iris. The power coming from Regan crawled over Robyn’s skin, terrifying and mesmerizing her. She could feel it down to her bones, pulsing, and Robyn knew without a doubt that Regan had the power to kill her if she wanted. All she had to do was bear down that power on Robyn’s mind, and Robyn wouldn’t be able to take it.
Abruptly, Regan pulled it back, and Robyn felt it leave her. It left her gasping. “Shit, Regan!” She looked at the silent brunette, eyes widened, as if she had never seen Regan before. And perhaps she hadn’t. It made Regan vaguely sad, the way Robyn was looking at her, but the ability was as much a part of her as her personality was. It was time to use it.
“I think I can do it,” Regan said. “I have to try.”
Robyn calmed her breathing down, and nodded. She knew what Regan was capable of; now was not the time to get really freaked out about it. She needed Regan, and that power that she demonstrated was their only ticket out of here. “We need to find the bodies first, right?”
Regan nodded. As quick as they could, they entered the darkened labs, and Robyn turned on the lights. The lab they were in was empty and silent except for the faint hum of the fluorescent lights. The first thing Regan did was locate a sink. She turned the water on warm, and without waiting for it to turn hot, stuck her hands under the stream. She hissed at the pain of the water hitting the cuts on her palms, well aware that glass was still embedded in them. Pink tinged water spiraled down the drain, and she turned her attention to her palms. She focused on the cuts, and clenched her jaw as the glass in her skin was pulled out, falling to the bottom of the sink with faint metallic clinks.
The cuts in her palms were bleeding freely now, and there was nothing she could do about that for now. She turned the water off and tore off paper towels to press against her hands. The bleeding had slowed, but was still welling red and stinging by the time she dried them. She threw the towels away and walked towards Robyn.
“This room’s empty,” Robyn said, who had been looking through the lab, taking note of exits and doorways.
Regan wasn’t entirely convinced. She stopped in the middle of the lab, standing between two white lab tables that held microscopes and small empty Petri dishes. Robyn stood stiffly nearby, still watching the room. Every small noise made her jump and automatically turn towards the door. It was hard to rely solely on Regan’s word that no one was nearby; she had no idea how Regan was so calm about this. She watched Regan’s face, blank as the girl stared at some point on the floor and ‘felt’ for any other living bodies in the floors above and around them.
Watching Regan’s almost tranquil expression helped soothe Robyn’s nerves, and she felt herself slowly relaxing. If Regan wasn’t particularly worried right now, than Robyn could relax for a few minutes. This was a large hospital, and Robyn knew for a fact that Kortez couldn’t sense her. They had to find her the old fashioned way.
“There are three bodies upstairs, and one on the top floor,” Regan said, startling Robyn.
“Are you sure that’s it?” Robyn asked.
Regan nodded slowly. “I didn’t feel anyone else. We have to do this fast.” Robyn wholeheartedly agreed. The two girls quickly found a sign for stairs, and climbed swiftly to the second floor. Regan made a beeline for the first body, lying in a nearby hallway. It was a young nurse, clipboard lying on the floor near an outstretched hand. Robyn didn’t have to ask how they would move her; as soon as they were close enough, Regan raised a hand slightly. Robyn felt that thrum of power again, an invisible shimmer in the air, and she swallowed a gasp as she watched the unconscious nurse lift off of the ground. Her body hovered six or seven inches off of the floor. Regan walked alongside the levitating nurse, one hand hovering over the nurse’s body. Robyn followed as Regan moved the body down the hall to what seemed like a safe distance from their particular extension of the building.
“I think I’ve seen everything now,” Robyn commented, pleased with herself at how calm her voice sounded, considering she was watching her friend levitate a woman’s body down the hall and to safety.
Regan’s response was a small smile, although she didn’t look very amused. When they were far enough, she gently brought the woman back down to the floor. They repeated the process with the other unconscious bodies in the extension of the building, until it was completely clear of all other life. One of the bodies had been a guard, and before they left him, Regan pulled out the gun strapped to his side. Robyn had no idea why she would need that, too, but didn’t say anything as Regan checked it for ammunition and tucked it into the waistband of her pants. Regan had held the gun like she knew how to use one. Robyn couldn’t help but stare at her friend’s back, marveling at how much she really didn’t know about her. Ten minutes later, the two girls were back on the main floor, in the brightly lit empty lab.
“Now what?” Robyn asked.
Regan took in a deep breath. “I want you to stay here.”
Robyn blinked, and then turned to look at Regan. “Where are you going?”
“This isn’t going to work if we both stay here, and I don’t want them to see you yet.”
The thought of being left alone made Robyn’s heart and stomach clench in fear. “Shouldn’t we stay together?”
Regan shook her head no, and then bit her lip. “They’re after you, Robyn, not me. If you have to…” She took in a deep breath that sounded shaky, and for a brief moment, Robyn realized that Regan was probably just as scared as she was. She was just better at hiding it. That wasn’t very comforting. “If it turns out that I can’t beat them, I want you to find an exit and get out of here. I can at least hold them off in here.”
“I’m not leaving you in here with them,” Robyn said flatly. “So no, I’m not finding an exit unless you’re with me.” Regan looked ready to argue, but Robyn shook her head. “No, Regan. I’ll stay here - I won’t like it, but I can’t see any other way, either - but I’m not leaving here without you.”
Regan stared at Robyn’s determined face, knowing that she meant every word of it. It helped strengthen Regan’s own resolve to see this through, no matter how scared she was, no matter how fast her heart was beating in her chest, as if it was ready to burst out of her chest. She swallowed a lump in her throat. “All right.” Regan reached behind her and pulled the gun out of the waistband of her pants. To Robyn’s utter disbelief, Regan handed the gun to Robyn.
To keep from dropping it, Robyn’s hands closed around the weapon, and she stared at it with growing horror. “I have never held a gun before.”
“I can tell. I really doubt it will work on them, but we’ll both feel better if you’re armed.”
Robyn looked at Regan incredulously. “Regan, I’ve never used a gun before. I have no idea what to do with this!”
Regan moved forward to show her. Robyn was shaking her head, gun still laying in her now open palms. It was heavier than she’d imagined it would be.
“Don’t be afraid of it,” Regan tried to soothe. “It’s not difficult.” She showed Robyn how to hold it, and the redhead’s hands shook slightly as Regan positioned her arms, showed her how to take aim, and showed her how to turn the safety on and off.
“How do you know how to do this?” Robyn finally asked.
Regan gave her a genuine small smile. It lit up her face momentarily, chasing away the utterly solemn look in her eyes. “My father was a marine. I haven’t used a gun in years, but I remember enough. This is a 9 mm Browning. It has thirteen bullets. Be prepared for the recoil if you have to shoot, and try to keep your hand steady. And Robyn.” She made sure Robyn was looking at her, slightly dazed and all, before she continued. “When you have to shoot a gun, you don’t shoot to injure. Shoot to kill. Aim for the chest. It probably won’t kill them, but I’m hoping it slows them down if one of them gets to you before I can. Okay?” She waited for Robyn’s nod. “If one of them gets to you, can you use that gun?”
Robyn thought about it. She thought about shooting Jason, or Sheila in the chest. For a moment, she wasn’t sure she could do it; this was all so unreal, and holding this gun and standing in front of a psychokinetic was just mind-blowing. Putting a bullet in someone was something Robyn never dreamed of doing, even for her own safety, but then Robyn thought of the alternative. If she didn’t, they would take her. Robyn shuddered.
“Yeah, I think I can.”
Regan nodded. She could feel Robyn’s hesitation, her uncertainty, but underneath that Robyn had a core of strength that would help Robyn when the time came. Regan was well aware of it even if Robyn herself wasn’t. A part of her knew this wasn’t a great idea, but she honestly couldn’t think of anything else.
Robyn looked at Regan, pale and frightened, and Regan did one last thing before she left. She closed the distance between them and wrapped her arms around Robyn in a hug. Robyn hugged her tightly back. When Regan pulled away, she gave a half hearted smile and squeezed Robyn’s hand. Normally, Regan wasn’t ever this touchy with people; touching heightened her empathic ability, and made the other person’s emotions much more clear and potent. Regan could practically taste Robyn’s fear and anxiety, and the thin sliver of hope she held that this would succeed, but she didn’t mind touching Robyn.
“Hide,” Regan repeated, and Robyn nodded. The brunette turned on her heel, heart in her throat, and walked out of the lab. She turned her head once more to see Robyn, and spotted the bright red head lowering behind two tables, presumably to sit on the floor.
As Regan left Robyn alone and stepped back out into the hallway, Regan began to pray for the first time in almost a year. God, I know I haven’t spoken to you in a long time. I probably deserve not having you answer me. But please, please…keep Robyn safe. Let me be strong enough to fight these things. Don’t let them win. I will give anything to get us out of here alive. Regan was sweating, and dimly aware that the cuts on her hands were bleeding again. She had no way of knowing how bad her back was bleeding; just that it burned and throbbed. But she could worry about that later. She walked down the deserted hallway, slowly, and felt around for their energy. She knew Robyn wanted to ask how she was doing this, and one day she’d tell her; the best way she could describe it was letting down the walls in her mind and leaving herself open to the air around her. Her power extended away from her, fingerlike as her awareness traveled beyond doors, walls, and floors to feel for other life. All life gave off energy, emotion, and casting out like that, she could feel it. She knew Robyn was still in the lab, trying to stay calm; and in a few more seconds, she felt something touch her mind nearby.
Regan fought back the fear that brought, and forced herself to follow where it came from. It led her to the door of a nearby lab, now two hallways away from where Robyn was. She hesitated upon opening the door; it was in there, near the other end, but they had proven to be fast. She didn’t know if it was one of the monsters or a person.
You won’t know if you don’t open the door. Regan gathered what courage she had left, and pushed the door open.
She watched as a girl came into view, walking casually into the empty lab. She stopped when she saw Regan, and smiled. She was lovely; dark brown hair cascading down her jacket and framing a pretty face. Behind the pretty face, however, lay something darker, and it showed in her eyes as she studied Regan like an animal would study its prey.
“Who the hell are you?” the girl asked.
“Regan.”
The girl tilted her head. “Sheila. You’re the one who threw Derek into the wall.”
Regan raised an eyebrow. So Derek was a human. Surprise, surprise. They could shapeshift. “Was that his name?”
Sheila’s face clouded with anger. “I don’t have time for this, bitch. Whatever the hell you did to him, you better pray he’s all right -”
“I’m sure he’s fine.”
“You won’t be, if you don’t tell me where Robyn is.”
“Robyn’s not here.”
Sheila smiled, baring teeth that were growing suspiciously long in the canines. “She’s still in the building. We’ll find her whether you help or not. My master’s intrigued by the power you’re using. He says he’s willing to let you go if you cooperate.”
“Your master can kiss my ass.”
Sheila’s eyes narrowed. “Cheeky little bitch. You have no idea what I’m capable of.”
“Likewise.” For a moment they stared at each other, and almost simultaneously, smiled at one another. Regan’s eyes had gone cold, and she matched Sheila with the amount of impending violence in her faint, wintry smile.
Sheila’s movement was a blur. She was a dozen feet from Regan one moment, and the next gone, moving towards Regan at a frightening speed. Instinctively, Regan thrust her power out, catching Sheila just before she crashed into Regan. With a surprised grunt, Sheila was thrown to the side and to the ground. A second later she jumped to her feet, the movement inhuman, and ran for Regan again. She was on top of her in seconds, clinging like a spider, and brought Regan to the ground before the psychokinetic could do anything about it. Sheila grabbed a handful of dark hair and slammed Regan’s head on the tile.
Regan let out a strangled yelp, the pain blinding and flaring white hot in her head where it had connected with the ground. Her eyes went blind for a few precious seconds, and Sheila lifted her head again to bring it down on the tile again.
“Say goodnight, bitch,” came Sheila’s voice.
Regan had enough presence of mind to bring her one free arm up, and without thinking, slammed the heel of her hand into Sheila’s nose. Sheila yelled and released Regan’s hair, immediately clutching her nose. Blood fell from her gaping hands, splattering onto Regan’s shirt. Regan lashed out her power at Sheila, giving a brutal shove of energy. It launched Sheila off of her and sent her crashing to the opposite wall.
For a moment, all Regan could do was lie there, head pounding furiously. Black spots danced in front of her eyes whether she closed them or opened them. She had to get up; she was completely vulnerable just lying on the ground, head injury or no.
Regan staggered to her feet and tried to ignore the streaks of pain going through her skull. She put a hand to her aching head; eyes squeezed shut momentarily, and gritted her teeth as she walked to Sheila, holding the girl there with her will.
She didn’t feel like delivering threats at this point would do any good, so Regan stayed silent as she came closer. Blood flowed out of Sheila’s nose and hands, and she glared at Regan from her pinioned position on the floor. Regan put her energy in driving Sheila unconscious. She imagined Sheila’s brain, squeezing, and watched as Sheila’s eyes widened, pain spearing through the girl’s head. Regan felt the twinge, and ruthlessly put up her shields to ignore it. Seconds later, Sheila’s eyes rolled in the back of her head, and she slumped to the ground. Regan stared down at the girl’s limp form.
“Goodnight, bitch,” she said hoarsely.
Regan closed her eyes and struggled to get her breathing under control. It was time to check on Robyn. She walked away from Sheila, Although, it was hard to feel much past the pain in her head that rivaled the pain from the claw marks in her back. She walked carefully down to the lab where Robyn was, and felt to see if she was there.
She wasn’t.
In a sprint that cost Regan’s head dearly, nausea rolling in her stomach from the sudden movement, she burst open the doors to the lab and to her horror, the lab was completely empty. Panic squeezed Regan’s heart as she peered down the little aisle Robyn was supposed to be hiding behind. She could feel herself pale, and unconsciously whispered aloud, “No, no, oh, no.”
In a distant hallway, gunshots were fired.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Robyn only moved from her spot on the floor to peer over the edge of the lab counters and take a look at the exit doors every so often. Her muscles were so stiff from tension that she could feel her neck protesting every time she turned her head. It was so damnably quiet in the lab, that every time she thought she heard a noise, she flinched, and her right hand convulsively clutched the Browning. She prayed that Regan was all right. But Regan could (please God) handle herself better than Robyn could.
Robyn hated not seeing the rest of the lab, and once more, she got to her knees and peered around. Her gaze swept an exit in the far corner of the room, and just as her eyes went over it, a shadow passed over the rectangular window in the door.
Robyn gasped, and then covered her mouth with one hand. Panic flooded her body, so intense it hurt, and she scrambled to her feet. Still crouched, Robyn scurried to the opposite end of the lab tables, far away from the door. For a wild moment, Robyn thought of making a mad dash for the doors, but it was too late; the door was opening.
She abruptly crouched at the end of a table, just able to see the doorway and the person who entered. He was tall; big, bulky, and broad shouldered. The black t-shirt stretched taught over the muscled chest, as black as the hair on his head.
Jason.
Robyn’s heart was in her throat, and she forced herself to breathe shallowly through her mouth. Her hand clutched the gun to her, cradled to her chest, and she prayed he would just leave. There was nothing to see here; nothing in this room, he wouldn’t really check it; he’d just leave. Please, God, let him leave. I don’t know if I could shoot him.
The built young man walked slowly past the lab tables, peering down each one, and Robyn stiffened as she heard his boots pass by the opposite end of the table she was practically sitting behind. She drew her shoulders in, trying to make her body as small as possible, and held her breath. Robyn kept her eyes wide and staring at the wall in front of her, too afraid to move or make any sound; he might hear the rustle of her clothing, or catch a glimpse of her hair.
Let him leave, let him leave; please, God, let him leave. She chanted it mentally, over and over, stiff with panic and fear, her heart beating so loud in her ears she was sure he could hear it.
“Robyn.”
Robyn jumped, and clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. Her brain was screaming at her to get up and run, but she realized, slowly, that he said it out loud, softly, just to see if anything would respond, like she almost did. She tried desperately to calm down, but her heart was racing, and she thought she’d pass out from the panic. She swallowed, throat dry, and heard his boots turn and walk back towards the door. Robyn waited, body frozen, as she heard the door open, and he stepped through it. Just to make sure Robyn turned her head, neck now completely stiff from the amazing amount of tension there, and watched out of the corner of her eye as a dark figure went out of the room and closed the door behind him. She let out the breath she had been holding, and felt tears sting her eyes. That was close. God, that had been close.
Shaking, Robyn slowly stood, her legs aching from practically sitting on them so stiffly. She tilted her head back to release some of the tension.
The door flew open behind her and Robyn whirled around with a startled gasp.
Jason grinned at her from the doorway. “Hi, Red.”
Robyn screamed and sprinted for the opposite exit doorway. She heard him running behind her and Robyn flung open the door and ran down the hall. Her bare feet slammed painfully against the tile, but Robyn completely ignored it; she could hear him behind her and she couldn’t let him catch her. She could feel the weight of the gun in her hand, but it seemed ridiculous to stop running and fire at him; nothing short of him tackling her would get her to stop running.
The thought of him tackling her made Robyn run faster, breath tearing from her burning lungs; sheer luck kept her from taking a tumble every time she turned a corner. She couldn’t keep up this running like Jason could, and Robyn had to pick a door to go through that wouldn’t be locked. Robyn turned another immediate corner and without thinking flung open the first door she spotted. She nearly cried with joy that it was unlocked, and the moment she was inside she slammed it shut. She searched frantically for a lock, found it, and locked it. Robyn backed away from the door immediately, and seconds afterwards, Jason slammed into the other side of the door. Robyn bit back a scream and nearly stumbled into a chair.
He banged on the door a few times, and then stopped. “Robyn,” his voice snaked past the closed door, calm, but with tension and anger threading through it. “Robyn, sweetheart, open the door.”
Robyn raised the Browning and aimed it at the doorway like Regan showed her. Her hands were shaking and her breath was coming out ragged; her lungs still burned from all the running she had been doing, and her feet were killing her. Robyn took a second to glance around the room she was in. It was a waiting room. Chairs, mauve carpet, potted plants in the corner, a darkened tv in the wall, and another doorway that led to a bathroom.
She had cornered herself in a waiting room. Robyn could have smacked herself in the face and right at that moment she couldn’t think of anything else to do but shoot the door.
“Robyn open the door, now.” Jason’s voice was muffled, and sounded like a steel trap. The command made Robyn flinch.
She didn’t speak until she was sure her voice wouldn’t shake. “No.”
There was silence on the other side but she could feel him there, pressing against the door; his presence stank of evil and darkness, and Robyn backed away from it. She aimed the gun where she thought his chest would be, fought the urge to close her eyes, and pulled the trigger.
The gun exploded in her hand, jerking her back, and a hole magically appeared in the door. She heard Jason stagger back and curse and Robyn resisted the urge to put the gun down. She kept it trained on the door.
“Go away, Jason!” Robyn yelled, and this time she couldn’t help the wobble in her voice.
“You stupid bitch!” he roared on the other side of the door, and Robyn screamed as he flung his body against the door, causing it to shudder.
“I’ll shoot you again if you don’t leave!” Robyn shouted, a thin edge of hysterics in her voice.
“You think those bullets are going to kill me?” Jason laughed harshly. “You really think this door is going to keep me from you?” The door thudded violently, causing Robyn’s body to jerk, and she raised the gun again to shoot. Robyn pulled the trigger again, the recoil jerking her arms; she shot again, putting a third hole in the door and hopefully in him, praying to God it would keep him from the breaking the door down.
Jason slammed into the door again. The wood cracked, and with another slam, finally broke. Robyn screamed and tried to run, but Jason was suddenly inside, blocking her away. He lunged for her and automatically went for the gun. His arm went around Robyn’s waist, and his hand caught Robyn’s hand. He felt for the gun and ripped it out of her grip, throwing it to the ground. The bullet wounds in his chest bled; the dark blood against the black shirt gleamed in the light, but it didn’t stop him. He bodily lifted a screaming, hysterical Robyn off of her feet. Her fists swung, catching him in the arms and chest, but he ignored it as he carried her out of the room.
When they were in the hall, Jason threw her to the ground, and Robyn fairly flew through the air before crashing into the tile. The breath left her lungs, leaving them feeling bruised, and Robyn involuntarily cried out at the white hot pain in her body as her head and side connected with the floor. Momentarily stunned, Robyn lay on the ground, throbbing with pain, as Jason stood nearby.
“This could have been so simple, Red,” Jason said conversationally. Pleasantly. He walked slowly up to Robyn and watched her as she struggled to lift herself up with her hands. Her bright red hair hid her face; one side of her head, where it had connected with the ground, was sticky with blood. Her moves were sluggish with pain and allotted Jason plenty of time to saunter up to her.
“But you had to make it difficult. We had to chase you all over New York to find you here, in a crazy house.” Jason chuckled. “I like the irony of that. Tastes good.” He stopped walking and stood next to Robyn’s prone form as she got herself to her knees, gasping for breath. Jason reached down and grabbed a handful of Robyn’s vibrant hair in his fingers. He gave a vicious pull, causing Robyn to cry out and reach up to pull his fingers away.
“This is your own damn fault Red,” Jason growled. “You could have had what we have; so much power. You chose a crazy house and that crazy friend of yours instead. Pitiful. I’ll make you watch her die.”
“Jason, don’t!” Robyn was nearly sobbing, eyes squeezed shut against the pain of her hair nearly ripping from her scalp. He forced her to her feet, and then slammed her into a wall. He trapped her there with his body and waited for her to open her eyes and look at him. Her green eyes were wild with terror; tears leaked out and spilled down her face. Jason smiled at her.
“It’ll be over soon.” He ran a hand through her hair and Robyn shuddered.
“Please,” Robyn whispered, meeting the pale blue of his eyes. “Why? Why do this?”
“Please,” Jason mocked, voice high and shrill. He grinned at her, canines lengthening, and got close to her face with them. Robyn closed her eyes and made a moaning whimpered sound that excited Jason. He thrilled at her fear; he could smell it on her skin, and leaned down to put his nose to the hollow near her collar bone. She made another desperate noise at his close contact, completely unable to move because of his vice grip.
“Why?” Jason parroted Robyn’s question. He lifted his head and grinned at her terrified face. “Why not?” He gripped Robyn’s arm tightly, so tight Robyn could feel the pressure in the very bones of her arm. She cried out, and Jason chuckled. “Where’s that friend of yours, Red? Did she finally come to her senses and leave?”
“No.”
Jason jerked his head to the end of the hall, and a young, petite girl stood further down the hallway, between glass windows overlooking two labs. Jason watched her with interest, his hand still in a vice grip on Robyn’s arm, the other hand still sunk in Robyn’s bright red strands.
“You must be Jason,” Regan said conversationally. She wondered what he would do if he knew that behind the poker face, Regan was terrified for Robyn; hurting in so many places that all she really wanted to do was lay down and go to sleep. He would eat her alive. Watching him treat Robyn like that, however, Regan felt anger burn, a deep resolve to get him the hell away from Robyn. Anything to get that look of helplessness and fear off of her friend’s face.
Jason grinned. “That would be me.”
Regan looked from the bulky young man to Robyn. Her fear was ripe and sharp in Regan’s mind, and she struggled to push it out. It was always harder to do with people she cared about, but she needed her head clear for this. “Are you okay, Robyn?”
“For the most part,” Robyn said in a voice that was thin and shaky.
“Nothing stupid, girl,” Jason called out to Regan. He moved the hand on Robyn’s arm up to her neck, and wrapped large fingers around her throat. Robyn’s eyes widened, and she made involuntary choking sounds. “It won’t take much to snap her neck.”
Regan didn’t give him a chance to make good on the threat. Something invisible slammed into him, and he staggered, releasing Robyn at the sucker punch to his gut of energy. Robyn slid down to the floor, coughing violently and holding a hand to her throat. She automatically scrambled to get out of the way, scooting herself along the edge of the wall towards Regan. Jason lunged for her, and Robyn shrieked and got to her feet.
Regan’s left hand came up in a stopping motion and Jason’s form went flying back away from Robyn. His body skidded on the tile, and he came to a halt when he slammed into the wall yards further down the hall. Robyn ran over to Regan and stood close to her side.
“Are you okay?” Robyn whispered. There was a dark spot that might have been blood in Regan’s hair, and Robyn lifted a hand to lightly touch the strands.
“I’m fine,” Regan whispered back. The two girls watched Jason warily as the young man got to his feet.
“Of all the friends you could have made in a nuthouse, Red, you choose a telekinetic?” he ground out, baring teeth at the both of them. “I told you I’d make you watch her die.”
“If anyone’s dying tonight, it’s you,” Regan said forcefully. She moved in front of Robyn, one hand hovering behind her to keep Robyn back.
Jason smirked. “You think you could kill me?” He advanced forward, and as he did, the girls became aware that he was changing.