I've got a job for you part VII
In which a series of unrelated unfortunate events come together in a most unexpected way and is resolved by an unlikely savior.
The group of Marcus, Nigel, Martin, and Wheels were glad to be in the relative safety of the hospital, though it was a lot more crowded then their last stay only a few days prior. They realized that the best possible source on information on the Wolves would probably come from Paddy, and that they all could use a good nights rest after the episode on the ship...poor Nigel was still unconscious. As they trudged their way up several flights of stairs they heard raised voices coming from up ahead, one of whom they identified as Brigid. They sprang up the last few steps to catch sight of two men arguing with her. Just as they were approaching they caught sight of Flynn moving in behind Brigid with his long coat open just enough to reveal his sawed off shotgun.
Brigid face transformed to a sickly sweet smile, “I will not have anyone interrupting the rest of the patient under my care. Why don’t you little boys go and run off now before I lose my temper?”
The pair wasted no time in fleeing down the stairs and nearly collided with the group as they were coming up. The two apologized as they dove to the side of the stairs and continued to flee. The group soon caught sight of a laughing Brigid, “Ah did you see the scare I put into them Flynn? Those little bastards should be grateful they have a roof over their heads, I gave birth to a baby in a burning building and you don’t see me complaining about small things like the toilets not flushing!” She ceased her laughter as she caught sight of the group and her voice lost its jovial tune, “Oh well what the hell are you doing back up here and where is my granddaughter and great-grandson?”
Martin acted quickly to placate Brigid and explained that Watson had requested that she rest up for a day or so before being moved and that they would be brining her back to the hospital in the next day or so. “So you see Brigid everyone is safe and we’re on our way to talk to your husband for a few minutes if he’s able to have visitors of course. If he is not then we’ll come back later.”
“Oh don’t worry my no-good-poor-excuse-for-a-husband is awake and complaining so feel free to visit him. By the way you boys look like hell and you’re pal there over there looks more dead then alive.” Brigid said pointing at Nigel.
“We ran into some riffraff that just wouldn’t listen to reason, but now that you mention it we really could use some rooms for the night.” Martin replied.
“Well I suppose you want some nice ones then? Come on then you bunch of bastards follow me and I’ll have you squared away.” That said she walked up the stairs to the recovery ward motioning for them to follow her, Flynn however stayed behind in the stairway and began to stuff a pipe with tobacco. Brigid lead them to a large room with 4 ample beds, the dumped Nigel on one of them and making sure that he was comfortable set off with Martin in the lead they set off for Paddy’s room while Brigid continued on her rounds. They soon arrived at his room and found the normally jovial and feisty Irishman rather subdued
“Boys, thank god you’re here. Tell me now; one of you knows something about mechanics right?” Paddy was frantically pointing at some odd blending of a heart monitor and a very large alarm clock. “That banshee of wife had some guys build this contraption that the moment my ticker starts acting up that damned things starts blaring enough to wake up a Scotsman after a 3 day bender. I can’t live like this always being calm and polite. Its like, oh bloody hell Sean you tell him what it’s like.”
“Its like a fate worse then death Paddy.” Sean replied calmly.
Paddy took several deep breaths and quietly responded, “Damn it Sean say it with some fire in your belly!”
“It’s like he devil himself is cutting me open with nothing but an Englishman’s butter knife!” He roared.
“There that’s better Sean.”
“Thank you Paddy, I try.”
Marcus meanwhile was investigating the device that so vexed Paddy. He poked and prodded carious components and after a few moments study proclaimed, “I’m pretty sure that I can disable this if you want Paddy.”
The relief was evident on Paddy’s face as he frantically began nodding, “Well get on with it then, time is a wasting.”
Marcus had laid out a variety of tools and put on what looked like a fusion of a surgical helmet and miners hat began to work. Everyone watched with rapt attention as he removed the outer casing revealing a poor jumble of wires and gears. He paused for a moment and cursed out,”Martin and Wheel get over her I need a few more sets of hands.” The trio now clustered around the machine and waited for Marcus’s instructions.
As Martin held a screwdriver at particular junction he watched intently as Marcus worked intently and became curious, “So how exactly did you go from being almost a doctor to picking up mechanics?”
Wheels echoed his statement, “You were a doctor? You don’t strike me as the doctor kind.”
He remained focused on his task as prepared to slice several wires, “There was an incident and to answer your question Martin it’s not all that different from operating on a person.”
“Well except for the screaming right eh?” Martin added jovially.
Marcus paused and had a far away look in his eyes if only for moment but it was long enough for Martin to see it. He forced out a laugh, “Yeah no screaming at all.’
Wheels was likewise holding a panel open and quipped, “Not to criticize your methods Marcus but why don’t we just pull the chord out of the wall?”
“Well, Antonio there is the small issue of it having a built in battery.” Marcus replied.
“So how about we pull out that to, I mean it has to be easier then what we’re doing.”
Marcus continued to slice a wire and replied as if explaining to a child, “The goal of this operation my dear friend Antonio is to disable the device and have it appear as though it is still working and in order to do so without bringing the wrath of Brigid down upon us and I believe cutting this wire should do so….or set off the alarm. Well then let us find out shall we.” There was a resounding snip and then silence.
“Well I declare this operation a success. Paddy, you may know feel free to let out yell…though not so loud just to be on the safe side. “
“Good advice, the wife might be near.” Paddy replied, now then boys what can I do for you and when are you bringing back me granddaughter and great-grandson?”
Martin stepped in and immediately began explaining what was going on…without mentioning the Giovanni’s of course. “We’ve been contracted to find out about a group of thugs calling themselves, ‘The Wolves’ and we were hoping that you knew something about them.”
Paddy paused for a moment, “I’m sorry I don’t know much about the independents. Sean you know anything about any new up and comers?”
“Do you have anything of there’s that has any identification on them?”
Wheels tossed him bullet ridden and blood smeared jacket that he had taken with him from the freighter.
Shane deftly caught it and examined it looking for any other identification and noticing the hastily stitched on logo be carefully pealed it off revealing another logo underneath. This one read, ‘Jackson Irregulars’ and they were a group that Sean was quite familiar with. “This group ran a few drug houses out by the old East District, the city started condemning and buying up their property for a redevelopment. If you’re looking for any of this group that’s where you’ll find them, be careful though damn pill heads are more likely to shoot you then talk to you.”
The trio talked amongst themselves for a moment and agreed they would have to set out there tomorrow and spend the rest of the day in preparation and recovery. They thanked Paddy and Sean and set off back for their room but Wheels realized that he still had the keys to the van and promptly went back inside Paddy’s room and left them on the counter, apologizing for his forgetfulness and hurried to catch up with the rest of the group. Nigel was still out snoring away peacefully. Martin was more then content to stay put and get some rest, the other two had different things on their mind. Marcus was dead set on adding some more medical tools to his medical supplies and Wheels wanted to procure some specific organic remedies. They both agreed to return in a few short hours and would be ready to go by morning and that they would not cause any problems…something that Martin was not so sure about.
Marcus set for the surgical ward to procure several scalpels and a bone saw, his bloodstained white lab coat easily blended in with the rest of the medical staff and he easily procured the tools. He was just about to leave when he caught sight of a doctor shepherding a group of new residents into a large room marked orientation, with nothing better going on and his needs procured he followed them in. There was video projector aimed at the wall but with the lights on no image could be made out. Marcus was just about to leave when the same doctor that had lead them into the room began to speak.
“These are trying times and you need to be prepared for what you will see in surgery. We don’t have the time to go about this in a timely and controlled manner so we’re showing you a tape of one of the worst incident that has ever happened here at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center. What you are about to see is no way staged or a reenaction of any sort. You as doctors will be in situations like this and you need to mentally prepare yourselves.”
Marcus was genuinely intrigued by what they would be showing. He mused that it was too bad that they had not had something like this when he was here it might have extended his professional medical career.
“All right everyone take a seat and if you can’t find a seat then just stand there and shut up. If you are going to run screaming out of the room don’t run out into the grounds unless you want to start a panic and if so help me go if anyone laughs at one happens I swear to god that I will make your days here a living hell. What happens in this film could happen to anyone and I will not brook any mockery!” The doctor barked out authoritarianly.
Marcus found a spot in the back just as the lights were being tuned off, as the film began there was something about it that just seemed familiar but he could not place it. It was rather vexing but he was sure that it would come back to him…Marcus could not have been more right. He easily recognized the surgery as being an open heart surgery and winced along with almost everyone else as the ribs were spread open with a sickening crack. The team was preparing to perform the surgery when suddenly the patients arm began to twitch and spasm, the surgeon began yelling out orders and suddenly the man sat up and was almost nose to nose with one of the team. The patients arms shot up in an almost Frankenstein esque pose. There were several screams from the audience and suddenly it hit Marcus where he had seen this before…this was his last surgery.
He was horror struck as he watched himself and he knew that the worst was yet to come. The patient’s organs began to slowly flow out of his open chest cavity, his younger self frantically plunged his hands into the open torso and soon the audio was a mix of frantic screams. Marcus watched as the patients arms grasped onto his younger self and squeezed. He still remembered the feeling of his arms being crushed and suddenly in his mind he was back there in the surgical room and almost in queue with his past self he began screaming. His hands were frantically trying to hold the intestines in as the rest of the team were trying to pull the patient back onto the table….but they could not pry his arms off us Marcus. He remembered the feeling of the organs between his fingers and the crushing pressure on arms and all that mattered was getting away. The video skipped ahead to a now free Marcus running out of the room and down the hall. Present day Marcus was reenacting his past complete with screaming and running…except he was doing so with a bone saw clutched in one hand and several scalpels in the other.
A pair of orderlies caught sight of him running for the stairs and wisely stepped to the side. The larger of the two commented to his partner, “On any other day that might seem odd.”
To which his partner dryly replied, “Yeap it certainly is amazing what passes as normal during a zombie attack.”
Wheel meanwhile was out walking through the various refugees looking for a certain type of individual and after nearly an hour of searching found him by the communal bathroom bush. He walked up behind him and promptly pulled out his rifle and aimed it point blank at his targets head.
“If you think that this will intimidate me you haven’t really been paying keeping up on your current events lad. Now you can either shoot me or talk business if not then back the hell off so I can finish doing my business!” He answered defiantly.
“I just wanted to make sure that I had the right person, I need a few bags of herbs and you seem like the man that could get me some.” Wheels replied.
“Yeah I could do something like that, but as you can see my hands are busy and I really can’t help you while there’s a gun at my head so we’re at an impasse until you holster that.”
“Well of course that can be done.” A moment later Wheels had holstered his rifle and realized that five men had been moving up on him and they did not look very happy.
The dealer pulled up his pants and commented business like, “Now then are you looking for a hybrid or perhaps one of the new hydro breeds?’ A few moments later Wheels had several plastic bags and was whistling a merry tune while being watched by several vengeful pairs of eyes.
Wheels arrived back at the room to find Nigel still asleep, martin was reading a book, and Marcus was laying on bed as if he were a corpse, What truly unsettled him was the fact he was clutching a large saw in one hand and several scalpels in the other.
“He’s been like that since he came in, I wouldn’t try taking them away either unless you want to lose a finger.” Martin commented from behind his book
Wheels was irate, “So were just going to sleep in the same room with someone clutching a wide variety of blades?”
Martin set down his book and added dryly, “I doubt you’ll find a better bed then these, well I hope you have a good night.”
Wheels shut off the lights and grumbled in the darkness, “Well this is just simply wonderful. I should have stayed with the Giovannis and begged Luigi for forgiveness.”
“And keep it down some of us need out sleep.” Martin yelled from across the room
Morning came and the four men were feeling much better after their rest, especially Nigel who had been sleeping for the better part of 24 hours asleep. Marcus was mystifies as to why he was clutching a bone saw and scalpels and suddenly remembered and looked quite embarrassed. They each grabbed their equipment and made their way back to the van and for their trip to the East District, and that is when they realized that they had no keys. They set off back for Paddy’s room grumbling along the way, and on their way they met Brigid doing her morning rounds. She was in the midst of yelling at a patient as they chose to walk past and not interrupt and continued on their way to Paddy’s room. As they made their way down the hallway they could the faint sound of singing growing louder the nearer they got to Paddy’s room and as they opened the door an empty bottle of Guinness rolled out. Looking inside they found a quite jovial Paddy and a nearly empty case of alcohol.
“Boys thanks for undoing that doohickey, I can drink and sing in peace and there’s nothing that witch of a wife can do to me. “ He paused out an enormous belch. “Won’t you join me for a drink?” It was at that moment each of them truly felt afraid of what Brigid would do to them.
Martin and Marcus sprang out of the room to stall Brigid leaving their comrades to somehow deal with Paddy. Nigel tried to grab the bottle that Paddy still had in his grip and after several failed attempts all he accomplished was falling flat on his face and aggravating Paddy.
“You’ll nay take me Guinness ye black tied sloth.” Paddy roared out brandishing his bottle as a club. Wheels retreated till he was well out of Paddy’s reach, the last time that he had been hit in the hit by a beer bottle it had hurt for day and he was in no hurry to relive the experience.
Wheels dragged Nigel by his out of Paddy’s range, “I think we’re going to need a plan here Nigel, barring that a miracle otherwise Brigid will kill us”
Nigel suddenly had a realization as Wheels helped him to his feet and he had a far away look in his eyes, “Wheel you are a genius. God has all the answers!”
Wheels was completely confused by his comrades reply and could only stare blankly as Nigel rushed for the only dresser in the room and began pulling open drawers frantically searching for something. A moment later he triumphantly pulled out a well worn almost ancient looking bible.
“Nigel now is not the time to find religion, now is the time to find a way to keep Brigid from killing us.”
“Oh this book holds all the answers my friend.” That said Nigel opened the cover and triumphantly withdrew a bottle containing an unknown liquid and held it out pleasingly towards Paddy. Wheels wasn’t sure but it looked like it had the consistency of something between motor oil and honey. “Open up wide Paddy here is your medicine.” Paddy grasped the bottle out of his hand and eagerly drank half of the bottle in few swings and followed it with a gulp from the Guinness bottle. In short order he let loose a massive belch and with the two watching his eyes rolled over in his head and he collapsed onto his bed snoring. Nigel quickly grabbed the bottles before they could spill and returned the Guinness to the case and the unknown liquid to the bible.
“Well it wasn’t easy but that should keep him quiet so he won’t bother Brigid.” Nigel offered.
“I know I was worried we would have to hit him over the head, but he looks a lot more peaceful this way. I still can’t help but think we forgot something.”
“We cleaned up the room, hid the booze, all that is left is to head over to the East District and we’ll be on her way to a productive day.”
“All right then let get the other guys and get out of here.” Just Wheels was reaching for the door he remembered what he had forgotten, “Damn it Nigel we forgot the keys. We have to find them!” They both turned to stare at the one person that knew where the keys were and he answered by snoring away peacefully. They did what anyone would do in that situation…they began to panic and tear the room apart in a mad attempt to find the keys.
Martin and Marcus meanwhile were trying to keep Brigid’s attention away from Paddy’s room as the two alternated bluffing and misdirecting her attention. Marcus would ask for help interpreting charts while Martin praised her with flowery compliments…however Brigid wasn’t buying it. She knew that something was going on she just wasn’t sure what it was and she was nearing ever so closer to Paddy’s room. Thankfully though she did not enter and there was no sound of singing, drinking, or carousal of any sort coming from it. The both let out a sigh of relief as Brigid passed it by and then nearly jumped out of their skin to reveal a panicked Wheels frantically motioning for someone to come close.
“We can’t find the keys!” Wheels frantically whispered.
“Keep looking we’ll stall for as long as we can.” Martin answered in a hushed tone and then he caught sight of Paddy’s state and his face just took on a look of complete and utter shock, “What the hell did you do to him!”
“It was the only way to stop him from hitting us with Guinness bottles! And be quiet she might here us!” He frantically whispered back.
“Fine keep looking!” That said Martin rushed off to catch up with Marcus and Brigid before his absence was noticed. As the three of them made the way down the hallway with Marcus asking bizarre question about even more exotic diseases Martin suddenly had a brain storm. The keys if there weren’t in the room had to be with someone and the only other person in the room had been Sean he had to have them that was the only solution that made any sense. He stealthily made his way back down the hallway towards the stairs and there was Sean sitting on a chair and lecturing the same two ruffians from before about the benefits of organization.
“So there you see it. Once you are organized you can spread out and protect what you worked so hard for.”
“It all makes sense now.” Ruffian number one replied.
“I’ve been doing everything wrong for my entire life.” Ruffian number two stated.
“I hate to interrupt your intense discussion but I was hoping Sean that you still have the keys for the van we need to borrow it to run an errand.” Martin was in negotiator mood right now and his face revealed none of the anxiety he felt or the fear of what Brigid might very well do to him if he was not gone in the next few minutes.
“Sure here you are.” Sean idly tossed the keys to him.
“Thanks Sean…oh you might want to leave the floor for awhile. Brigid is going to be seriously cross and upset with Paddy and those who associate with him.” He added emphasizing associates.
Sean’s face had gone white and he frantically asked, “What happened? Is the old goat all right?”
“Oh he’s all right Sean. Paddy’s just dead drunk.”
Sean sprang to his feet and raced down the stairs yelling, “Sweet Jesus she’s going to kill us all. Run for your lives lads and we’ll resume out lessons at a later date and time.” The other two thugs looked perplexed for a moment and then followed in pursuit of their new leader. Martin looked at the keys in his hand and moved as quickly as he cold without drawing attention to himself back to Paddy’s room.
Wheels and Martin had destroyed their room in an attempt to find the keys and were now sitting down resigned to their fates at Brigid’s hands. When the door opened they were grateful it was Martin who tossed the keys and quickly explained. “Get to the van, have the motor running, and be ready for us. And for all out sakes don’t make a scene leaving the floor” Wheels grasped the key as if it were going to disappear and nodded reverently. Martin left the pair behind as he set about rescuing Marcus from Brigid. Something that turned out to be much easier then he would have thought possible.
Brigid had just entered a room on the far end of the hallway and before Marcus followed her he caught sight of Martin frantically waving at him with a triumphant look on his face. He quickly said his apologized, “I’m sorry Brigid it looks like my friends are leaving so we’ll catch up later. You have fun lancing those boils.”
“I’ll catch you later then deary you have a good time with your friends.” She replied in a kind caring grandmotherly way…right before she jabbed a rather large needle into her patient.
A few moments later Marcus had caught up to Martin who was racing down the stairs, taking some almost an entire flight at a time. “Slow down Martin, we got the keys what is the problem?”
“The problem my dear friend Marcus is that the only idea our comrades could come up with of calming down Paddy was to get him dead drunk.” He yelled out between breaths.
Marcus stopped and let the realization sink in as to what had happened and then frantically screamed out, “We must move faster!!”
Just as the two were nearing the ground floor there was a slamming of a door from somewhere above them and a frantic scream echoed down the stairway, “Boys you come back here this instant!!!”
Scared for their continued existence the two sprinted at a pace that would have set several records and nearly collided with their comrades who were just opening the door to let themselves out of stairway. It was only through a chance happenstance of amazing athleticism that prevented them from crashing into each other and the smashing into the door, somehow the four of them exited the stairway at the same time erupted into the lobby in a disorientated run. They stumbled out of the hospital and made their way to the parking lot in a confused mob as they scrambled for every ounce of speed they could. The van was in sight and wheels sprinted ahead with the keys out and sprang into the van and turned the key. Fire spat from its exhaust pipe as the engine roared to life as the other three piled in, Wheels wasted no time as he shifted to drive and left a series of tire marks on the pavement as he drove for the exit and freedom. Just as they were pulling past the National Guard barricade Wheels caught sight of an irate Brigid shaking her fist at them with each filled with large needles with a look on her face that promised vengeance.
“Do yourselves a favor guys and don’t look back.” He uttered frightened, but they couldn’t resist the temptation and thus they knew what fear looked like and she brandished a very large needle. They drove in silence till they reached the sanctuary that was Watson’s storage shed, here half a zombie infested city away from the hospital they felt safe from her wrath…until the first text message from Sean arrived; hiding in the basement I think I’m safe.
“Aw hell, the poor man doesn’t have a chance. She’ll smell his fear and find him.” Wheel sighed.
The phone beeped again; I hear something moving outside…it sounds angry.
“What’s going on? Do the Giovonnis want an update?” Marcus asked from the back seat.
Wheels replied, “No it’s far worse then that.”
“What could be worse then a mob boss calling to ask us how the job we agreed to do is doing?” Martin asked perplexed.
“Sean is being hunted by Brigid and he thinks that she is getting closer.”
They let out a simultaneous, “Oh.” Any further discussion was interrupted by the buzzing of the phone; oh blessed saints it’s her I can hear her yelling like all the damned souls crying out.
“He is sure being poetic in his horror isn’t he?” Martin quipped and suddenly cringed as there was a knocking on the window directly behind him. His head snapped around at record speed to stare face to face with Lee McMurphy. He breathed a sigh of relief and nearly jumped out of his skin when the cell phone began to beep again, “Can’t you put that on silent!”
“It’s another message from Sean.” Wheel replied; bring lots of chocolate and flowers it might be enough to get us through the worst of her anger.
“Are we trying to preserve out lives or take her out for a date?” Nigel asked thoroughly confused.
Wheels hesitantly looked at display to see that it was indeed Sean calling. He unconsciously wiped his hand across his brow and answered the phone. “He Sean, how are you doing?”
“I’m dealing with some anger issues right now boys and trying to find something I can work some aggression out on!” A voice answered that was definitely not Sean’s.
Wheels nearly dropped the phone and as he scrambled to grasp it activated the speaker phone function and everyone in the van realized just who was on the other land and her state of mind. Over the course of several minutes they received the worst verbal onslaught in the history of verbal exchanged. Martin’s attempts at trying to calm Brigid failed drastically. The entire group was ready to give in to hopelessness when their savior arrived and with the voice of an angel laid down an enormous amount of BS that smelled like roses.
“Now granny you know that these good boys couldn’t have been the cause of that problem. It was probably Paddy that tricked these poor innocent boys into doing something that they did not want to.”
After a momentary pause Brigid replied, “You’re probably right Lee, you know how Paddy is. They’re just a bunch of dumb gullible fools that got taken in by him. They weren’t the first they won’t be the last.” Nigel took offense at the “dumb gullible fools” remark but wisely kept it to himself
“Beside grandma to make up for all the problems they caused they’ve volunteered to go pick up a complete baby room set for my little Cullen.”
Marcus glanced at the others and muttered, “When did we agree to that?” He then caught sight of Lee and he saw in her face that it was less an agreement then more so like a demand. Like mother like daughter he thought.
“Well you boys take care and I’ll catch you all when you bring Lee and Cullen back to the hospital.” That said Brigid ended their conversation leaving the group with another task to complete.
They explained to Lee what they were going to do and after they found the information they were seeking they would return and pick up anything that she wanted. Lee agreed and after a quick chat with Watson the group set off for the police precinct in the East District. Their trip there was uneventful but they were shocked by the transformation of the historic buildings to new office buildings. After driving past several construction sites they found an old fashioned building that was in stark contrast to the surrounding environment and as they pulled around to the back of the building they found what looked like the garage entrance.
They exited the van to approach the door and found it sealed shut. Martin began to pound on the door and yelled that they were not zombies. While everyone else was standing guard they became aware of a hissing noise and Wheels rushed off to check the van and realized someone had slashed their tires. Wheels began screaming out demanding that whoever did this come out and face him, there was no response. As he made his way back to the sealed door a small section of it slid open and a shotgun pointed out and demanded that they drop their weapons.
The voice identified itself as Detective Munch and revealed that he had a past with Wheels after he condescendingly called him ‘tricycle’ and made reference to one of Wheels first jobs that did not go well. Wheels was subsequently crestfallen and refused to speak. The group was allowed to enter but the garage ceiling was to low to allow the van access. They walked past several zombies that Marcus was able to diagnosis as ding from multiple knife wounds and that their ears had been sliced off. He explained that he would help them find the information that they needed in return for help him to hunt down a serial killer named the “Possum Slasher” otherwise they were more then welcome to look for the information themselves. The massive evidence room was a chaotic mess of boxes and files. They held a quick conference and agreed to help the Detective hunt down the madman.
The group of Marcus, Nigel, Martin, and Wheels were glad to be in the relative safety of the hospital, though it was a lot more crowded then their last stay only a few days prior. They realized that the best possible source on information on the Wolves would probably come from Paddy, and that they all could use a good nights rest after the episode on the ship...poor Nigel was still unconscious. As they trudged their way up several flights of stairs they heard raised voices coming from up ahead, one of whom they identified as Brigid. They sprang up the last few steps to catch sight of two men arguing with her. Just as they were approaching they caught sight of Flynn moving in behind Brigid with his long coat open just enough to reveal his sawed off shotgun.
Brigid face transformed to a sickly sweet smile, “I will not have anyone interrupting the rest of the patient under my care. Why don’t you little boys go and run off now before I lose my temper?”
The pair wasted no time in fleeing down the stairs and nearly collided with the group as they were coming up. The two apologized as they dove to the side of the stairs and continued to flee. The group soon caught sight of a laughing Brigid, “Ah did you see the scare I put into them Flynn? Those little bastards should be grateful they have a roof over their heads, I gave birth to a baby in a burning building and you don’t see me complaining about small things like the toilets not flushing!” She ceased her laughter as she caught sight of the group and her voice lost its jovial tune, “Oh well what the hell are you doing back up here and where is my granddaughter and great-grandson?”
Martin acted quickly to placate Brigid and explained that Watson had requested that she rest up for a day or so before being moved and that they would be brining her back to the hospital in the next day or so. “So you see Brigid everyone is safe and we’re on our way to talk to your husband for a few minutes if he’s able to have visitors of course. If he is not then we’ll come back later.”
“Oh don’t worry my no-good-poor-excuse-for-a-husband is awake and complaining so feel free to visit him. By the way you boys look like hell and you’re pal there over there looks more dead then alive.” Brigid said pointing at Nigel.
“We ran into some riffraff that just wouldn’t listen to reason, but now that you mention it we really could use some rooms for the night.” Martin replied.
“Well I suppose you want some nice ones then? Come on then you bunch of bastards follow me and I’ll have you squared away.” That said she walked up the stairs to the recovery ward motioning for them to follow her, Flynn however stayed behind in the stairway and began to stuff a pipe with tobacco. Brigid lead them to a large room with 4 ample beds, the dumped Nigel on one of them and making sure that he was comfortable set off with Martin in the lead they set off for Paddy’s room while Brigid continued on her rounds. They soon arrived at his room and found the normally jovial and feisty Irishman rather subdued
“Boys, thank god you’re here. Tell me now; one of you knows something about mechanics right?” Paddy was frantically pointing at some odd blending of a heart monitor and a very large alarm clock. “That banshee of wife had some guys build this contraption that the moment my ticker starts acting up that damned things starts blaring enough to wake up a Scotsman after a 3 day bender. I can’t live like this always being calm and polite. Its like, oh bloody hell Sean you tell him what it’s like.”
“Its like a fate worse then death Paddy.” Sean replied calmly.
Paddy took several deep breaths and quietly responded, “Damn it Sean say it with some fire in your belly!”
“It’s like he devil himself is cutting me open with nothing but an Englishman’s butter knife!” He roared.
“There that’s better Sean.”
“Thank you Paddy, I try.”
Marcus meanwhile was investigating the device that so vexed Paddy. He poked and prodded carious components and after a few moments study proclaimed, “I’m pretty sure that I can disable this if you want Paddy.”
The relief was evident on Paddy’s face as he frantically began nodding, “Well get on with it then, time is a wasting.”
Marcus had laid out a variety of tools and put on what looked like a fusion of a surgical helmet and miners hat began to work. Everyone watched with rapt attention as he removed the outer casing revealing a poor jumble of wires and gears. He paused for a moment and cursed out,”Martin and Wheel get over her I need a few more sets of hands.” The trio now clustered around the machine and waited for Marcus’s instructions.
As Martin held a screwdriver at particular junction he watched intently as Marcus worked intently and became curious, “So how exactly did you go from being almost a doctor to picking up mechanics?”
Wheels echoed his statement, “You were a doctor? You don’t strike me as the doctor kind.”
He remained focused on his task as prepared to slice several wires, “There was an incident and to answer your question Martin it’s not all that different from operating on a person.”
“Well except for the screaming right eh?” Martin added jovially.
Marcus paused and had a far away look in his eyes if only for moment but it was long enough for Martin to see it. He forced out a laugh, “Yeah no screaming at all.’
Wheels was likewise holding a panel open and quipped, “Not to criticize your methods Marcus but why don’t we just pull the chord out of the wall?”
“Well, Antonio there is the small issue of it having a built in battery.” Marcus replied.
“So how about we pull out that to, I mean it has to be easier then what we’re doing.”
Marcus continued to slice a wire and replied as if explaining to a child, “The goal of this operation my dear friend Antonio is to disable the device and have it appear as though it is still working and in order to do so without bringing the wrath of Brigid down upon us and I believe cutting this wire should do so….or set off the alarm. Well then let us find out shall we.” There was a resounding snip and then silence.
“Well I declare this operation a success. Paddy, you may know feel free to let out yell…though not so loud just to be on the safe side. “
“Good advice, the wife might be near.” Paddy replied, now then boys what can I do for you and when are you bringing back me granddaughter and great-grandson?”
Martin stepped in and immediately began explaining what was going on…without mentioning the Giovanni’s of course. “We’ve been contracted to find out about a group of thugs calling themselves, ‘The Wolves’ and we were hoping that you knew something about them.”
Paddy paused for a moment, “I’m sorry I don’t know much about the independents. Sean you know anything about any new up and comers?”
“Do you have anything of there’s that has any identification on them?”
Wheels tossed him bullet ridden and blood smeared jacket that he had taken with him from the freighter.
Shane deftly caught it and examined it looking for any other identification and noticing the hastily stitched on logo be carefully pealed it off revealing another logo underneath. This one read, ‘Jackson Irregulars’ and they were a group that Sean was quite familiar with. “This group ran a few drug houses out by the old East District, the city started condemning and buying up their property for a redevelopment. If you’re looking for any of this group that’s where you’ll find them, be careful though damn pill heads are more likely to shoot you then talk to you.”
The trio talked amongst themselves for a moment and agreed they would have to set out there tomorrow and spend the rest of the day in preparation and recovery. They thanked Paddy and Sean and set off back for their room but Wheels realized that he still had the keys to the van and promptly went back inside Paddy’s room and left them on the counter, apologizing for his forgetfulness and hurried to catch up with the rest of the group. Nigel was still out snoring away peacefully. Martin was more then content to stay put and get some rest, the other two had different things on their mind. Marcus was dead set on adding some more medical tools to his medical supplies and Wheels wanted to procure some specific organic remedies. They both agreed to return in a few short hours and would be ready to go by morning and that they would not cause any problems…something that Martin was not so sure about.
Marcus set for the surgical ward to procure several scalpels and a bone saw, his bloodstained white lab coat easily blended in with the rest of the medical staff and he easily procured the tools. He was just about to leave when he caught sight of a doctor shepherding a group of new residents into a large room marked orientation, with nothing better going on and his needs procured he followed them in. There was video projector aimed at the wall but with the lights on no image could be made out. Marcus was just about to leave when the same doctor that had lead them into the room began to speak.
“These are trying times and you need to be prepared for what you will see in surgery. We don’t have the time to go about this in a timely and controlled manner so we’re showing you a tape of one of the worst incident that has ever happened here at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center. What you are about to see is no way staged or a reenaction of any sort. You as doctors will be in situations like this and you need to mentally prepare yourselves.”
Marcus was genuinely intrigued by what they would be showing. He mused that it was too bad that they had not had something like this when he was here it might have extended his professional medical career.
“All right everyone take a seat and if you can’t find a seat then just stand there and shut up. If you are going to run screaming out of the room don’t run out into the grounds unless you want to start a panic and if so help me go if anyone laughs at one happens I swear to god that I will make your days here a living hell. What happens in this film could happen to anyone and I will not brook any mockery!” The doctor barked out authoritarianly.
Marcus found a spot in the back just as the lights were being tuned off, as the film began there was something about it that just seemed familiar but he could not place it. It was rather vexing but he was sure that it would come back to him…Marcus could not have been more right. He easily recognized the surgery as being an open heart surgery and winced along with almost everyone else as the ribs were spread open with a sickening crack. The team was preparing to perform the surgery when suddenly the patients arm began to twitch and spasm, the surgeon began yelling out orders and suddenly the man sat up and was almost nose to nose with one of the team. The patients arms shot up in an almost Frankenstein esque pose. There were several screams from the audience and suddenly it hit Marcus where he had seen this before…this was his last surgery.
He was horror struck as he watched himself and he knew that the worst was yet to come. The patient’s organs began to slowly flow out of his open chest cavity, his younger self frantically plunged his hands into the open torso and soon the audio was a mix of frantic screams. Marcus watched as the patients arms grasped onto his younger self and squeezed. He still remembered the feeling of his arms being crushed and suddenly in his mind he was back there in the surgical room and almost in queue with his past self he began screaming. His hands were frantically trying to hold the intestines in as the rest of the team were trying to pull the patient back onto the table….but they could not pry his arms off us Marcus. He remembered the feeling of the organs between his fingers and the crushing pressure on arms and all that mattered was getting away. The video skipped ahead to a now free Marcus running out of the room and down the hall. Present day Marcus was reenacting his past complete with screaming and running…except he was doing so with a bone saw clutched in one hand and several scalpels in the other.
A pair of orderlies caught sight of him running for the stairs and wisely stepped to the side. The larger of the two commented to his partner, “On any other day that might seem odd.”
To which his partner dryly replied, “Yeap it certainly is amazing what passes as normal during a zombie attack.”
Wheel meanwhile was out walking through the various refugees looking for a certain type of individual and after nearly an hour of searching found him by the communal bathroom bush. He walked up behind him and promptly pulled out his rifle and aimed it point blank at his targets head.
“If you think that this will intimidate me you haven’t really been paying keeping up on your current events lad. Now you can either shoot me or talk business if not then back the hell off so I can finish doing my business!” He answered defiantly.
“I just wanted to make sure that I had the right person, I need a few bags of herbs and you seem like the man that could get me some.” Wheels replied.
“Yeah I could do something like that, but as you can see my hands are busy and I really can’t help you while there’s a gun at my head so we’re at an impasse until you holster that.”
“Well of course that can be done.” A moment later Wheels had holstered his rifle and realized that five men had been moving up on him and they did not look very happy.
The dealer pulled up his pants and commented business like, “Now then are you looking for a hybrid or perhaps one of the new hydro breeds?’ A few moments later Wheels had several plastic bags and was whistling a merry tune while being watched by several vengeful pairs of eyes.
Wheels arrived back at the room to find Nigel still asleep, martin was reading a book, and Marcus was laying on bed as if he were a corpse, What truly unsettled him was the fact he was clutching a large saw in one hand and several scalpels in the other.
“He’s been like that since he came in, I wouldn’t try taking them away either unless you want to lose a finger.” Martin commented from behind his book
Wheels was irate, “So were just going to sleep in the same room with someone clutching a wide variety of blades?”
Martin set down his book and added dryly, “I doubt you’ll find a better bed then these, well I hope you have a good night.”
Wheels shut off the lights and grumbled in the darkness, “Well this is just simply wonderful. I should have stayed with the Giovannis and begged Luigi for forgiveness.”
“And keep it down some of us need out sleep.” Martin yelled from across the room
Morning came and the four men were feeling much better after their rest, especially Nigel who had been sleeping for the better part of 24 hours asleep. Marcus was mystifies as to why he was clutching a bone saw and scalpels and suddenly remembered and looked quite embarrassed. They each grabbed their equipment and made their way back to the van and for their trip to the East District, and that is when they realized that they had no keys. They set off back for Paddy’s room grumbling along the way, and on their way they met Brigid doing her morning rounds. She was in the midst of yelling at a patient as they chose to walk past and not interrupt and continued on their way to Paddy’s room. As they made their way down the hallway they could the faint sound of singing growing louder the nearer they got to Paddy’s room and as they opened the door an empty bottle of Guinness rolled out. Looking inside they found a quite jovial Paddy and a nearly empty case of alcohol.
“Boys thanks for undoing that doohickey, I can drink and sing in peace and there’s nothing that witch of a wife can do to me. “ He paused out an enormous belch. “Won’t you join me for a drink?” It was at that moment each of them truly felt afraid of what Brigid would do to them.
Martin and Marcus sprang out of the room to stall Brigid leaving their comrades to somehow deal with Paddy. Nigel tried to grab the bottle that Paddy still had in his grip and after several failed attempts all he accomplished was falling flat on his face and aggravating Paddy.
“You’ll nay take me Guinness ye black tied sloth.” Paddy roared out brandishing his bottle as a club. Wheels retreated till he was well out of Paddy’s reach, the last time that he had been hit in the hit by a beer bottle it had hurt for day and he was in no hurry to relive the experience.
Wheels dragged Nigel by his out of Paddy’s range, “I think we’re going to need a plan here Nigel, barring that a miracle otherwise Brigid will kill us”
Nigel suddenly had a realization as Wheels helped him to his feet and he had a far away look in his eyes, “Wheel you are a genius. God has all the answers!”
Wheels was completely confused by his comrades reply and could only stare blankly as Nigel rushed for the only dresser in the room and began pulling open drawers frantically searching for something. A moment later he triumphantly pulled out a well worn almost ancient looking bible.
“Nigel now is not the time to find religion, now is the time to find a way to keep Brigid from killing us.”
“Oh this book holds all the answers my friend.” That said Nigel opened the cover and triumphantly withdrew a bottle containing an unknown liquid and held it out pleasingly towards Paddy. Wheels wasn’t sure but it looked like it had the consistency of something between motor oil and honey. “Open up wide Paddy here is your medicine.” Paddy grasped the bottle out of his hand and eagerly drank half of the bottle in few swings and followed it with a gulp from the Guinness bottle. In short order he let loose a massive belch and with the two watching his eyes rolled over in his head and he collapsed onto his bed snoring. Nigel quickly grabbed the bottles before they could spill and returned the Guinness to the case and the unknown liquid to the bible.
“Well it wasn’t easy but that should keep him quiet so he won’t bother Brigid.” Nigel offered.
“I know I was worried we would have to hit him over the head, but he looks a lot more peaceful this way. I still can’t help but think we forgot something.”
“We cleaned up the room, hid the booze, all that is left is to head over to the East District and we’ll be on her way to a productive day.”
“All right then let get the other guys and get out of here.” Just Wheels was reaching for the door he remembered what he had forgotten, “Damn it Nigel we forgot the keys. We have to find them!” They both turned to stare at the one person that knew where the keys were and he answered by snoring away peacefully. They did what anyone would do in that situation…they began to panic and tear the room apart in a mad attempt to find the keys.
Martin and Marcus meanwhile were trying to keep Brigid’s attention away from Paddy’s room as the two alternated bluffing and misdirecting her attention. Marcus would ask for help interpreting charts while Martin praised her with flowery compliments…however Brigid wasn’t buying it. She knew that something was going on she just wasn’t sure what it was and she was nearing ever so closer to Paddy’s room. Thankfully though she did not enter and there was no sound of singing, drinking, or carousal of any sort coming from it. The both let out a sigh of relief as Brigid passed it by and then nearly jumped out of their skin to reveal a panicked Wheels frantically motioning for someone to come close.
“We can’t find the keys!” Wheels frantically whispered.
“Keep looking we’ll stall for as long as we can.” Martin answered in a hushed tone and then he caught sight of Paddy’s state and his face just took on a look of complete and utter shock, “What the hell did you do to him!”
“It was the only way to stop him from hitting us with Guinness bottles! And be quiet she might here us!” He frantically whispered back.
“Fine keep looking!” That said Martin rushed off to catch up with Marcus and Brigid before his absence was noticed. As the three of them made the way down the hallway with Marcus asking bizarre question about even more exotic diseases Martin suddenly had a brain storm. The keys if there weren’t in the room had to be with someone and the only other person in the room had been Sean he had to have them that was the only solution that made any sense. He stealthily made his way back down the hallway towards the stairs and there was Sean sitting on a chair and lecturing the same two ruffians from before about the benefits of organization.
“So there you see it. Once you are organized you can spread out and protect what you worked so hard for.”
“It all makes sense now.” Ruffian number one replied.
“I’ve been doing everything wrong for my entire life.” Ruffian number two stated.
“I hate to interrupt your intense discussion but I was hoping Sean that you still have the keys for the van we need to borrow it to run an errand.” Martin was in negotiator mood right now and his face revealed none of the anxiety he felt or the fear of what Brigid might very well do to him if he was not gone in the next few minutes.
“Sure here you are.” Sean idly tossed the keys to him.
“Thanks Sean…oh you might want to leave the floor for awhile. Brigid is going to be seriously cross and upset with Paddy and those who associate with him.” He added emphasizing associates.
Sean’s face had gone white and he frantically asked, “What happened? Is the old goat all right?”
“Oh he’s all right Sean. Paddy’s just dead drunk.”
Sean sprang to his feet and raced down the stairs yelling, “Sweet Jesus she’s going to kill us all. Run for your lives lads and we’ll resume out lessons at a later date and time.” The other two thugs looked perplexed for a moment and then followed in pursuit of their new leader. Martin looked at the keys in his hand and moved as quickly as he cold without drawing attention to himself back to Paddy’s room.
Wheels and Martin had destroyed their room in an attempt to find the keys and were now sitting down resigned to their fates at Brigid’s hands. When the door opened they were grateful it was Martin who tossed the keys and quickly explained. “Get to the van, have the motor running, and be ready for us. And for all out sakes don’t make a scene leaving the floor” Wheels grasped the key as if it were going to disappear and nodded reverently. Martin left the pair behind as he set about rescuing Marcus from Brigid. Something that turned out to be much easier then he would have thought possible.
Brigid had just entered a room on the far end of the hallway and before Marcus followed her he caught sight of Martin frantically waving at him with a triumphant look on his face. He quickly said his apologized, “I’m sorry Brigid it looks like my friends are leaving so we’ll catch up later. You have fun lancing those boils.”
“I’ll catch you later then deary you have a good time with your friends.” She replied in a kind caring grandmotherly way…right before she jabbed a rather large needle into her patient.
A few moments later Marcus had caught up to Martin who was racing down the stairs, taking some almost an entire flight at a time. “Slow down Martin, we got the keys what is the problem?”
“The problem my dear friend Marcus is that the only idea our comrades could come up with of calming down Paddy was to get him dead drunk.” He yelled out between breaths.
Marcus stopped and let the realization sink in as to what had happened and then frantically screamed out, “We must move faster!!”
Just as the two were nearing the ground floor there was a slamming of a door from somewhere above them and a frantic scream echoed down the stairway, “Boys you come back here this instant!!!”
Scared for their continued existence the two sprinted at a pace that would have set several records and nearly collided with their comrades who were just opening the door to let themselves out of stairway. It was only through a chance happenstance of amazing athleticism that prevented them from crashing into each other and the smashing into the door, somehow the four of them exited the stairway at the same time erupted into the lobby in a disorientated run. They stumbled out of the hospital and made their way to the parking lot in a confused mob as they scrambled for every ounce of speed they could. The van was in sight and wheels sprinted ahead with the keys out and sprang into the van and turned the key. Fire spat from its exhaust pipe as the engine roared to life as the other three piled in, Wheels wasted no time as he shifted to drive and left a series of tire marks on the pavement as he drove for the exit and freedom. Just as they were pulling past the National Guard barricade Wheels caught sight of an irate Brigid shaking her fist at them with each filled with large needles with a look on her face that promised vengeance.
“Do yourselves a favor guys and don’t look back.” He uttered frightened, but they couldn’t resist the temptation and thus they knew what fear looked like and she brandished a very large needle. They drove in silence till they reached the sanctuary that was Watson’s storage shed, here half a zombie infested city away from the hospital they felt safe from her wrath…until the first text message from Sean arrived; hiding in the basement I think I’m safe.
“Aw hell, the poor man doesn’t have a chance. She’ll smell his fear and find him.” Wheel sighed.
The phone beeped again; I hear something moving outside…it sounds angry.
“What’s going on? Do the Giovonnis want an update?” Marcus asked from the back seat.
Wheels replied, “No it’s far worse then that.”
“What could be worse then a mob boss calling to ask us how the job we agreed to do is doing?” Martin asked perplexed.
“Sean is being hunted by Brigid and he thinks that she is getting closer.”
They let out a simultaneous, “Oh.” Any further discussion was interrupted by the buzzing of the phone; oh blessed saints it’s her I can hear her yelling like all the damned souls crying out.
“He is sure being poetic in his horror isn’t he?” Martin quipped and suddenly cringed as there was a knocking on the window directly behind him. His head snapped around at record speed to stare face to face with Lee McMurphy. He breathed a sigh of relief and nearly jumped out of his skin when the cell phone began to beep again, “Can’t you put that on silent!”
“It’s another message from Sean.” Wheel replied; bring lots of chocolate and flowers it might be enough to get us through the worst of her anger.
“Are we trying to preserve out lives or take her out for a date?” Nigel asked thoroughly confused.
Wheels hesitantly looked at display to see that it was indeed Sean calling. He unconsciously wiped his hand across his brow and answered the phone. “He Sean, how are you doing?”
“I’m dealing with some anger issues right now boys and trying to find something I can work some aggression out on!” A voice answered that was definitely not Sean’s.
Wheels nearly dropped the phone and as he scrambled to grasp it activated the speaker phone function and everyone in the van realized just who was on the other land and her state of mind. Over the course of several minutes they received the worst verbal onslaught in the history of verbal exchanged. Martin’s attempts at trying to calm Brigid failed drastically. The entire group was ready to give in to hopelessness when their savior arrived and with the voice of an angel laid down an enormous amount of BS that smelled like roses.
“Now granny you know that these good boys couldn’t have been the cause of that problem. It was probably Paddy that tricked these poor innocent boys into doing something that they did not want to.”
After a momentary pause Brigid replied, “You’re probably right Lee, you know how Paddy is. They’re just a bunch of dumb gullible fools that got taken in by him. They weren’t the first they won’t be the last.” Nigel took offense at the “dumb gullible fools” remark but wisely kept it to himself
“Beside grandma to make up for all the problems they caused they’ve volunteered to go pick up a complete baby room set for my little Cullen.”
Marcus glanced at the others and muttered, “When did we agree to that?” He then caught sight of Lee and he saw in her face that it was less an agreement then more so like a demand. Like mother like daughter he thought.
“Well you boys take care and I’ll catch you all when you bring Lee and Cullen back to the hospital.” That said Brigid ended their conversation leaving the group with another task to complete.
They explained to Lee what they were going to do and after they found the information they were seeking they would return and pick up anything that she wanted. Lee agreed and after a quick chat with Watson the group set off for the police precinct in the East District. Their trip there was uneventful but they were shocked by the transformation of the historic buildings to new office buildings. After driving past several construction sites they found an old fashioned building that was in stark contrast to the surrounding environment and as they pulled around to the back of the building they found what looked like the garage entrance.
They exited the van to approach the door and found it sealed shut. Martin began to pound on the door and yelled that they were not zombies. While everyone else was standing guard they became aware of a hissing noise and Wheels rushed off to check the van and realized someone had slashed their tires. Wheels began screaming out demanding that whoever did this come out and face him, there was no response. As he made his way back to the sealed door a small section of it slid open and a shotgun pointed out and demanded that they drop their weapons.
The voice identified itself as Detective Munch and revealed that he had a past with Wheels after he condescendingly called him ‘tricycle’ and made reference to one of Wheels first jobs that did not go well. Wheels was subsequently crestfallen and refused to speak. The group was allowed to enter but the garage ceiling was to low to allow the van access. They walked past several zombies that Marcus was able to diagnosis as ding from multiple knife wounds and that their ears had been sliced off. He explained that he would help them find the information that they needed in return for help him to hunt down a serial killer named the “Possum Slasher” otherwise they were more then welcome to look for the information themselves. The massive evidence room was a chaotic mess of boxes and files. They held a quick conference and agreed to help the Detective hunt down the madman.