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| Carrier Syndrome | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Part Eight: the doctor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Julie and her makeshift band of travelers stopped at the market that surrounded the towering structure that was the old refinery. Many of the old world buildings had survived when hell on earth opened up - but few remained as in tact as this place had. After the fall out from the disasters - both technology caused and natural - the survivors began to build around the refinery almost as if it was a castle. Julie and the others slowly got out of the car and looked around at the crowds that were going about their everyday business. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "They have no idea how much danger they are in," Julie muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Be that as it may - they - change nothing. We are here for a reason - remember?" one of the rats pointed out. She groaned and shook her head. Even if her memory did fade and cause her to forget - she would never be able to do so with those three pests nagging at her every twenty minutes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "When this is done - I am going to drag your sorry asses from the bumper of whatever car I can find - ah," she began - she staggered but was caught by Mark. He placed his hand on her cheek and looked her in the eye. He could see that they were drifting in and out of focus. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You still with us boss?" he asked quietly. She weakly nodded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Tough words from a woman barely able to stand on her own..." a rat began. In the blink of an eye - a rage welled within her. She drew her pistol and had the barrel almost shoved up his nose. The rat could see the madness that was glaring at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Fuck with me you son of a bitch and I promise you will find god - fast! I don't need all of you - just one," she pointed out pushing the gun higher. Just as her friends and the other rats thought she was going to pull the trigger she jerked the gun away and patted him on the cheek. "Do remember that dear - I hate repeating myself," she said softly. The rat looked over at Mark and Greg. They shrugged their shoulders. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I wonder which one we'll be taking back," Greg remarked as he walked over to where Julie was. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm betting on the scrawny one - she always had a soft spot for the weak ones," Mark added - following the others. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She - was bluffing right? The king rat is still holding her friends," the rat justified - wiping the trickle of blood from his nose. The other rats wanted to agree - but there was something about the madness that had embraced her that made them wonder. They decided not to debate the issue further and quickly followed the others through the crowd. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Julie and her band did their best to keep their contact with others to a minimum - but the odd merchant beggar or would be tough guy blundered into them. Julie shook her head and tried not to think about them or what would happen to them. She had enough on her plate as it was. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where is this person you spoke of?' a rat asked looking at the dense mob of people around them. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He'll show. He just hasn't seen me yet," she reassured. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I resent that," a young voice rebutted. She looked over her shoulder and saw a young teen perched atop a dumpster. "Lovely company you are keeping these days. Your famous high standards must be slipping," he remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Very f-funny," she began. A wave of nausea almost overpowered her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You look like shit," the teen began as he hopped from the dumpster and stepped towards her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Stay back!" she blurted out. He instantly froze as if she had pulled a gun on him. "I need help - serious help," she added calmly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can tell. What the hell is going on Julie?" he asked hesitantly - not taking his eyes off the rats that were glaring at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - I - ah," she tried to speak but just breathing started becoming more of a chore. Mark stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder. She sighed and lowered her eyes. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We stepped into something very yucky. We came here because we need help - the kind of help only the Doctor can provide. If he can't help us - in less than a week - all of us are going to die," he explained calmly. The teen looked over at Julie and could see that Mark wasn't joking. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You sure the Doc will be able to help?" the teen hesitantly asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Like I said - he's our only hope," Mark answered. The teen sighed and looked over at the rats. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He won't like the rats," the teen pointed out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where she goes - we go," a rat interrupted. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He's kind of lippy for someone so far from the Fallen City," the teen remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "His friends are holding Tom, James and Mat. An insurance policy to ensure that we return," Greg remarked scowling at the rats. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You want me to run the message? I can't make any guarantees," he pointed out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just - try," Julie strained. The teen nodded and hurried away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If he does not come back?" a rat asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He will," Julie muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If he chooses not to be helpful?" another asked. She scowled and glared at the rats. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then we are fucked and we will die - end of fucking story. Try any fucked up bullshit with him - and I'll kill all three of you here and now," she warned seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your friends," a rat began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "A lot of shit can happen from the Fallen City to here and back. We got attacked by the Angels - maybe ambushed by some of Lora's cronies - we never promised to keep your asses alive. All that your boss cares about - is that cure coming home - and it will. If you will be traveling with it is another story," she pointed out. All color drained from their faces. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Say the word boss - we'll make it happen," Mark stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Not - not yet," she strained - slowly sitting down by the dumpster. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I hope you don't feel as bad as you look," Greg remarked - sitting down beside her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have I - ever told you how much I hate being sick?" she quietly asked. Her eyes shut as her head lolled onto his shoulder. Mark and the rats were mildly nervous at first - but Greg motioned for them to remain calm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Just sleeping," he whispered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short while later - a pebble hit her forehead. Her eyes fluttered open. She looked up at the fire escape and saw the teen waving. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If it was anyone else - his exact words. Follow me," he stated. Greg helped Julie up. She weakly shoved him aside and began to make her way up the stairs. The kid stayed close to her - as did her friends. The rats suspiciously followed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After making their way through the labyrinth of corridors and passages of the refinery - the group found themselves in a large empty room. The rats looked around nervously and were about to speak when they heard people approaching. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Julie, Julie, Julie - what have you stepped in this time?" a familiar voice asked. She looked over to the side and saw her supplier and his bodyguards walking towards them. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Something messy," she replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How contagious?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know," she replied. The man looked over at the boy and the rats. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The boy is the carrier? Is he sick or immune?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes - and - I don't know," she weakly answered. The man sighed and looked over at his guards. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then it stands to reason that we are infected too. Go to my lab and get everything ready. I will have to run some tests," he stated as he walked over and looked Julie in the eye. "You look seriously fucked up," he stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I love you too honey," she sarcastically muttered. He smirked and patted her on the cheek. He smiled as he knelt down before the boy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What's your name?" he asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Stephan," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Cute name - you want to help me out. Our friend Julie here is sick. And without your help - she isn't going to make it," he asked in a friendly manner. The kid smiled and nodded. "I want you people to wait here," he said to Mark as he helped Julie stand. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "For how long?" a rat demanded. The Doctor blinked in modest disbelief as he slowly looked over at the rat that was talking too much. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Louis? Come here for a moment," he called out. "I am doing this - as a favor to Julie. She has helped me out more times than I can count asking for precious little in return. Now - I am going to my lab - to try to find a cure for whatever disease is killing her and probably the rest of you - and that will take time," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "We don't have time - in less than a week we will all be dead," the rat interrupted. Again the Doctor blinked in disbelief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Interesting. You must not have a clue as to how things in the real world work. Point one - this is - my home. You are here - because I allowed you to be here. Point two - I am helping you because - I am doing so as a favor to her - a close friend of mine," he continued as a rather large looking man entered the room. "Point three - failure to grasp these points - leads to severe - reprisal. That one Louis - make him understand - why what he did was wrong," he stated. The other rats tried to keep the large man from taking their friend away - but he effortlessly beat them all down and slumped the unconscious rat over his shoulder. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Is he seeing the light?" Louis asked coldly. The Doctor looked over at the battered rats and then at Mark and Greg. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Haven't decided yet. I'll get back to you on that," he replied. The remaining battered rats watched as the Doctor took Julie and Stephan away - and watched helplessly as their fellow rat was taken away like a sack of garbage. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And then there were two," Mark stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Life is learning as they say. Maybe they will learn from the other's mistakes," Greg commented. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The king rat will learn how you stood by and let this happen," one rat indignantly cursed. Greg sighed and squatted down before the rat that seemed to be muttering a veiled threat. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And what would you have had us do? Fight him? Your boy opened his mouth. Your boy - pissed him off by talking to him like the hired help. Just because we have been putting up with that shit didn't mean he was going to. Just consider yourselves lucky he didn't get pissed and kick us out and keep the kid," he pointed out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You could have said something," the other rat muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Like what? We came here for help. We have nothing to offer for this help - and yet - your boy - the mouthpiece - thought he was imported royalty. And the good Doctor doesn't put up with that shit from no one," Mark stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The important thing here - is that we learn from this. So tell me rat - what have you learned?" Greg asked seriously. The rat shook his head and looked over at the hallway that Julie and Stephan had been taken down. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What exactly does this - Doctor do?" he hesitantly asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - a great deal of things. He's a dabbler of sorts," Mark commented. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Mainly?" the other rat asked - a little less attitude in his voice. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He makes drugs - he's a chemist - one of the best," Greg answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Will he be able to help us?" the rat asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't know - but if he can't - no one can," Mark answered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||