CHAPTER TEN -- YOU KNOW WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN NEXT

  1

  Back in Skulton’s office, Ross and Dodd listened to Graves’s story with growing apprehension.

  Ross asked, “You talked him out of his suicide?”

  “It took little effort to change his mind,” Graves replied. “Serving me would give him purpose.”

  “You changed his destiny,” Dodd said in awed disbelief. “He was supposed to die there.”

  “I found a living man that could somehow hear a reaper speaking to him,” Graves gloated. “It was like winning the lottery. There was no way would I let that sick freak hang himself.”

  Ross asked, “Did you tell him to start killing people to drum up some business?”

  “Having him kill some random people wouldn't be enough. I needed him to cause a higher level of death for us to stay open. Like serious numbers. Mass casualties. And it would be ideal if the increased mortality rate continued for years,” she said. “I considered bombs, but knew it wasn’t practical. I doubted he'd kill many before getting caught. Or accidentally blowing himself up.”

  “Yeah, that would've been too bad,” Ross said with mock remorse.

  “There had to be many deaths, but something he could do with minimal guidance from me. I didn't want the main office to notice anything unusual and investigate,” Graves explained as she peered at Skulton’s security monitor. “The inspectors have probably realized the elevators are offline and are taking the stairs. We don't have much time.”

  “Finish the story,” Ross demanded.

  Graves spoke quickly. “I had to find a way to use my pawn to maximum effect. But nothing came to me. Finally, I got some help from an unexpected source.”

  She studied Skulton’s slack face. “One day Skulton needed an old accounting report. And since our intern was at lunch, he sent me. After I found the spreadsheets he wanted, I noticed the blinking cursor on the Probability Engine’s screen. I was about to turn it off, but I hesitated.”

  Graves maintained a firm grip on her scythe as she recounted her tale, “I don't know why I tried it, but I entered the case number of a death I had to assign that day. Just curious, I guess. After wiping away the dust from the screen, I read the resulting text. The response had no relevance, but I sensed that this long-forgotten device could still provide me with the solution I sought.”

  Graves continued, “I went to that stinking little room every day for several weeks and ran every case through the Probability Engine to see the nonexistent future of each soon-to-be-deceased person. I didn't know what I was looking for, but I knew I’d recognize it when I came across it.”

  Dodd asked, “What did you find?”

  “As fate would have it, I stumbled onto a person, who if allowed to live, could cause the level of death we needed to stay open,” Graves replied in triumph.

  “How could one person do all that?” Ross wondered incredulously.

  “If she lived a few days longer than she was fated to, her research would lead to the discovery of a new, deadlier, highly-contagious strain of influenza,” Graves answered. “Soon afterwards, there would be a containment breach at her facility. This failure would cause the virus to be introduced into the local population. Even a mild outbreak would mean brisk business for us.”

  “Are you telling us that you decided to play God and keep some mad scientist alive until she could find you a killer virus?” Ross asked in disgusted disbelief.

  “Yes, though I would hardly call Theda a mad scientist,” Graves stated dryly.

  Ross was stunned. “Theda? You're talking about Theda? But she wasn't about to die.”

  Pained, Dodd sighed with regret as he faced Ross and explained, “Theda has a heart defect that was fated to kill her that day at the park. Toth was there to take her.”

  “The heart attack that killed me was meant for Theda?” Ross asked, horrified. “I thought the old jogger was the one whose time was up.”

  “You made that assumption,” Dodd said, “and we allowed you to think it. We feared if we hadn’t, you may not want to return to your life. I'm sorry for the deception.”

  “She was really supposed to die?” Ross inquired, overcome with confused sadness.

  Dodd nodded solemnly. “It was her destiny.”

  Ross shook his head defiantly, “But she'd never let a virus escape containment.”

  “Not on purpose, it will be accidental,” Graves answered. “She's ambitious, like myself. Working nights, pushing herself, she would make a tragic mistake and cause an outbreak.”

  “Is this virus really that bad?” Ross asked.

  “Very much so,” Graves replied. “It has the potential to make both Covid and the influenza pandemic of nineteen-eighteen look like summer colds.”

  This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

  2

  Morton led Kritt, Toomis, Vaught, Moss and Sarn into the Sotanaht Systems lab. Finding the facility empty, Kritt's team moved cautiously with weapons drawn.

  Vaught set his large canvas bag on a table and rummaged through his demolitions gear. “I'll have that containment room door blown apart in a minute.”

  Toomis held up a hand, “Wait, there's someone in there.” Through the large windows, they spotted Theda working late in the containment room adjacent to the lab.

  Kritt hissed at Morton, “You said no one would be here. Who is she?”

  “Don’t worry about her. She works late because her boyfriend left her. She went home earlier; I guess she came back.” Morton pointed to the open metal door that led into the containment area. “But at least she left the door open for us.” Disappointed, Vaught closed his bag of explosives.

  Kritt eyed the containment room, “Are you sure we don't need a protective suit in there?”

  Morton gestured at Theda, who wore only street clothes and a lab coat. “Look at her. She's not wearing any special gear. That means she's not working on anything dangerous in there.”

  “We can handle it all safely. Just don't drop anything. Seriously.” Vaught reassured them.

  Morton strode into the Sotanaht Systems containment chamber to find Theda analyzing a sample reading on a computer. Startled by his appearance, she smiled, unsure.

  “Morton, you can't be in here. I’m sorry, but you'll have to leave right now,” Theda said.

  “Yeah, I don't think so,” Morton replied as Kritt and the others poured into the room with weapons drawn. Toomis pounced on Theda in an instant, pointing a pistol at her. Moss and Sarn searched the lab's biological safety cabinets and removed the containers located therein. Vaught examined each vial as he packed them in suitcases with padded interiors.

  “What are you doing? There isn't anything of value here,” Theda said, confused and frightened.

  Morton grabbed a vial containing a sample and leaned against the door. “I respectfully disagree. We know that somewhere in here is a mutated strain of this year's flu virus.” He held the glass container up to the light for a moment before slipping it into the pocket of his janitor's uniform. “I predict there's going to be an interesting spike in mortality rates of the local population.”

  “Do you really think you'll be able to kill people with any of this?” Theda asked.

  Morton answered, “Oh, I know we will be able to. Maybe we’ll even name it after you.”

  3

  Inside Skulton’s office, Ross and Dodd listened to Graves as she continued her confession while changing the security monitor's view to that of the hallway’s angle on the double doors.

  Graves explained, “There was no way to keep Skulton from reassigning Theda's case, but I knew which reaper it was given to. And when they’d be carrying it out.”

  “You had Morton kill Toth, Ronoba and Hallson just because they were each assigned Theda's case?” Dodd asked with icy incredulity. “And not to mention trying to get Angelina too.”

  Graves nodded, unapologetic. “And since I knew their schedule, it was easy for Morton to ambush them. The poor bastard thought he was on a holy mission to slay demons.”

  Dodd inquired, “How was Morton able to see the reapers?”

  “A long time ago, Skulton wanted his wife to see him one last time after he died. He secretly commissioned for a pair of glasses to be made that allowed the living to see the dead. He foolishly told me about them and where they were hidden,” Graves replied with a shrug.

  “Skulton wasn't involved at all?” Dodd asked.

  “No, the old fool really thought Toth and Ronoba's deaths were accidents,” Graves answered.

  Ross asked with a dawning fear, “What happens to Theda now?”

  “Her work has yielded the desired result. I don't even have to wait for the accidental outbreak,” Graves said, looking at Ross with an approximation of genuine regret. “I don't need her anymore, so she'll finally be having her long-overdue meeting with one of our representatives.”

  In a panic, Ross frantically pulled on the locked double doors, “Open the doors! Let me out!”

  “You can't save her, but you can go home to be with her when she dies,” Graves said. “But first, let's get our story straight. We'll say Sappert murdered Skulton and then we killed him.”

  “You're not getting away with any of this,” Ross exclaimed.

  “I already have. Morton and some very bad people have broken into the lab from the rooftop,” she replied. “Once they get the virus, they'll produce more and release it into the city.”

  “I can't believe you want to kill people just to further your career,” Dodd said with disgust.

  “Those people are going to die eventually,” Graves answered. “I'm just speeding up the process a bit.” Her icy countenance softened as she drew close to Dodd and took his hand. “After this is over, I’ll be in charge. We could be together again. Do you want it to be just like before?”

  Dodd squeezed Graves’s hand tenderly while wearing a hint of a smile. “Very much so.” With aching remorse, he released her hand and backed away from her. “But not like this. I'm sorry.”

  “If you're not with me,” Graves warned, “then you know what has to happen next.”

  Dodd studied her with sadness for a long moment. “Let's settle this matter like reapers.”

  Graves nodded with sincere regret and opened the display case containing Skulton's weapon collection. She withdrew two large scythes and tossed them to Ross and Dodd.

  She removed her suit jacket and rolled up her sleeves. “Please take a minute to reconsider.”

  The two men moved out of earshot as Dodd took off his coat and tie.

  “Is she going to fight both of us?” Ross asked, fumbling with his scythe and nearly dropping it.

  Dodd took Ross's scythe from him and threw it aside. “You're not fighting.”

  “Yes, I am,” Ross argued. “I need to save Theda.”

  “You wouldn’t last two seconds against Graves. And you can't save Theda,” Dodd stated solemnly. “But you can save many other lives if you stop Morton from getting that virus.”

  “Okay, fine. Let's beat Graves together and then stop Morton and his crew,” Ross countered.

  “I doubt that I can beat her, but I'll keep her busy for as long as I can. You need to get to the lab.”

  With trembling hands, Ross wiped at the black fluid dribbling from his eyes like oily tears. “Look at me, I'm falling apart. I’m not sure if I can stop Morton alone.”

  “There's no other choice, you have to try,” Dodd said.

  “But how?” Ross asked. “The doors are locked and Graves isn't about to let me go.”

  Dodd gave his car keys to Ross. “Leave that to me. I have an idea.”

  Graves approached them. “It doesn't need to end this way. You can't win, I'm better than you.”

  “Even so, I have to try,” Dodd replied with an apologetic shrug. Graves frowned with sad regret.

  Scythes at the ready, the two reapers warily circled each other.

  Graves asked, “No weapon for Ross?”

  Dodd replied, “He's not staying.” After leading Graves to the center of the room, Dodd picked up a chair and threw it through the closed window behind him. “Go now!”

  Ross was incredulous. “That's your plan, I jump out the window? We're several stories up.”

  “Get to the lab! Stop Morton!” Dodd commanded.

  Enraged, Graves hurtled across the room at a blinding speed. Slowed by his bad ankle, Dodd tried to intercept her, but she easily circumvented him and raced to prevent Ross's exit. Seeing Graves's fury, Ross dove out the broken window as she swung her scythe, barely missing him.

  Ross sailed out of the window and plummeted to the ground. He landed on some garbage cans with a resounding thud, crushing them with the impact. Lying stunned on his back, Ross looked at the busted window several stories up and saw Graves scowling down at him. He waved at her.

  Ross painfully got up and headed for Dodd's car. “Good luck with her, buddy.”

  Inside Skulton’s office, Graves pulled her head back in from the window and turned to Dodd as he limped towards her. “A pointless move. He can't stop what I have already put into motion.”

  “Ross will wreck your psycho. It'll be even easier if your boy forgets to wear his magic glasses.”

  Graves stalked towards Dodd. “You have a point. I guess I’ll just have to take care of him after I'm done with you.” She suddenly brought her scythe down in an overhead slash. Dodd parried with the haft of his weapon; she followed through with an impressive whirling kick to his chest.

  Thrown backwards by the rib-cracking blow, Dodd struggled to fend off Graves's blistering follow-up attack routine. He managed a counterattack with his scythe, but Graves easily dodged with nimble quickness as he moved slowly, favoring his bad ankle.

  Graves attempted another wide overhead slash, but as Dodd attempted to block, she reversed the swing and went for his leg. Though she struck him with a glancing blow, the scythe easily tore into Dodd's thigh, rewarding Graves with a black spray of reaper serum.

  “Is that your injured leg, Dodd? I forgot,” Graves purred in mock sympathy.

  Dodd peered at the oily fluid flowing from this deep wound, “It is now.”

  Graves nodded and laughed. Mid-chuckle she suddenly pounced with a lightning-quick sideways sweep with her scythe. Dodd blocked her swing and followed through with a rapid slicing attack that opened her shoulder to the bone, drenching her shirt with her own dark blood.

  Graves whirled around with another blurred kick to Dodd's midsection, knocking him up against the wall. She continued her assault with a wide-arcing wicked slash that would've decapitated Dodd if he had been a second slower in ducking her attack.

  The two combatants pressed together when their weapons connected over their heads, resulting in a high-pitched metallic screech as the blades scraped against each other. Dodd managed to get a leg behind Graves and forced her back, tripping her.

  Knocked down, Graves landed on her hands and knees. Dodd quickly brought his scythe's blade down at her exposed back. In one fluid motion, Graves rolled away and came up swinging as Dodd's attack missed her by scant inches.

  Graves embedded her scythe into Dodd's side, causing a black geyser to spray forth. As she drew her blade out of the deep wound in his torso, a dark river of blood stained his shirt and pants.

  “This is a waste. You can't win. Give up,” Graves pleaded. “We can still be together.”

  “You tampered with people's fates,” Dodd replied defiantly.

  “You were always such a stickler for the rules.” Shaking her head with regret, Graves attacked.