Return of the Re-animator-Chapter 1
Title: Return of the Re-animator
Verse: Same
Characters: Herbert West, Daniel Cain, Megan Halsey, ensemble
Pairings:
Rating: Mature, Adult Situations, Adult Language, Violence, Gore, Sex
Status: Unbeta'd and I know it.
...
Daniel Caine sat with his head bowed and his hands over his ears. It was a vain attempt to drown out the screams of the damned. The only problem was the screaming had long since stopped and been replaced by a cacophony of voices all asking the same question, “Why?”
The events of the night had just become too much for his battered body. The images of the morgue danced in and out of Daniel’s mind with a will of their own. A surrealistic Hell on Earth that the crazed Dr. Hill had created, his re-animated army poised to kill on command. Herbert had stopped him, finally, but he paid the ultimate price.
A vision of Herbert being squeezed to death played out behind his eyes. Daniel shook away the picture only to have it replaced by another more horrifying image, that of Megan being strangled while he struggled uselessly against newly re-animated strength. “Make it stop, make it stop!” Daniel cried aloud.
Rubbing his blood shot eyes, Daniel couldn’t help but rail at the fates that had brought him to this. He wanted to blame Herbert for all that had happened, but he couldn’t. “My fault, it was my fault,” he muttered. After all, he had chosen to work with Herbert knowing that he was unstable. The prospect of immortality had just been too seductive.
Daniel couldn’t say what lay behind Herbert West’s obsession with conquering death, but he had his own motivations for allowing the experiments to continue. What it came down to was he knew the difference between right and wrong. West obviously didn’t, so who was the real monster?
Now he must take responsibility for what had come of it; the lives that were destroyed forever. My God, and to make it worse what he had done to Megan. He was no better than Herbert. But the thought of living without her had driven all semblance of restraint and sanity from him. Herbert had given him the means to save her or to damn her.
Daniel returned his head to his hands and sobbed softly. It appeared that he had done the latter and with Herbert dead there was little chance that he could carry the experiment to its conclusion with any success. He just didn’t have the knowledge necessary. But he could end Megan’s suffering, and his own. Not by defying death but by embracing it. It occurred to him that it might be the only way to save them both.
Daniel was roused from his morbid contemplations by the sight of a very determined looking policeman and a properly priggish Nurse Purdy heading his way. Daniel wondered if it would be possible to just sink through the floor and reside there in a puddle.
“Lieutenant Lewis,” Caine acknowledged.
Lewis’ face was a study in suspicion. “Alright, let’s go over your story one more time shall we?”
Daniel sighed, “I’ve told you everything I know Lieutenant.”
“Well, tell me again.”
“We went to the morgue to look for Megan Halsey,” Daniel responded exasperated.
“You and this Doctor West?
“That’s right.”
“Neither one of you were even supposed to be here,” Nurse Purdy chimed in.
“Please...” Lewis started.
“If anyone’s responsible it’s that crazy West,” she interrupted. He was expelled by Dean Halsey for some kind of unauthorized experimentation he was doing and you were suspended from duty,” the Nurse stated pointedly at Daniel.
“Is that true?” Lewis questioned.
“Yes,” Daniel nodded in the affirmative.
“Just where is this Dr. West?”
“I told you what happened. He’s dead. Hill kidnapped Megan and when we tried to stop him he.. he... killed him.”
“And it was Doctor Hill that caused all the carnage in the morgue?
“That’s right,” Daniel responded rather distractedly.
“Willis...Willis get over here!” Lewis shouted to a nearby uniform.
“Yes sir?”
“I want you to go down to the morgue..” Lewis started.
“But Lieutenant,” Willis whined.
A look from his dour superior was all that was needed to silence the young officers objection. “Go down to the morgue and look around for this Doctor West.”
Lewis turned to Daniel. “Description,” he demanded.
“What?”
“What does West look like?” Lewis questioned impatiently.
“Uh, five-ten, around one fifty I guess. Umm, black hair, brown eyes.”
“How old?”
“About my age I think, looks it anyway.”
“Clothes?”
Daniel stared blankly, his mind being pulled back into the abyss. “What was he wearing,” Lewis said not giving an inch.
“I don’t know.. uh, black suit, white shirt.. wait he took off the jacket.”
Lewis looked to his Officer, “I want him identified.. now.”
“Yes sir.” Willis turned and headed for the elevators. His step less than enthusiastic.
Nurse Purdy crossed her arms and gave Daniel a fish-eyed stare.
“How soon before I can question Miss Halsey?” Lewis asked.
“I don’t .. I don’t know if she’ll ever.. come around Lieutenant,” Daniel said his voice catching.
“Just why is it, Doctor Caine, that you haven’t brought in any other doctors to examine her?” Nurse Purdy’s question hung in the air like the accusation it was.
“Do you have a problem with my competency?!” Daniel rose. He had had just about all he could take.
The burly Lieutenant intervened. “Sit down Dr. Caine.” “I’m satisfied, for the moment, that you’re competent to perform your duties.”
Lewis faced the sour Nurse. “Don’t let us keep you, I’m sure you have other more pressing matters to attend to,” he said dismissively.
“Fine.” The look on Purdy’s face at that moment could have frozen fire. She turned on her heel and stalked back to the nurse’s station.
“Thanks,” Daniel offered sincerely.
“Your welcome.” “But just so there’s no misunderstandings, I think you know a lot more about what went on here tonight than you’re saying.”
“Are you accusing me of something Lieutenant?” Daniel started.
Lewis held up his hand. “I’m not accusing you of anything.” “For now you’re a material witness to a massacre.” He paused. “But if I find out different, your ass will be behind bars so fast you won’t know what hit you.”
==========================================================================
Some moments later, Willis came running down the corridor breathless. “Sir!” The uniformed man snapped to attention in front of his superior.
Lewis rolled his eyes. “Well?!”
Looking a little like a deer caught in headlights Willis reported, “They’ve identified everything that could be identified.” “It wasn’t easy Sir,” he offered rather squeamishly.
“And?” the Lieutenant prompted.
“There isn’t any Herbert West in the morgue.”
Lewis eyed Caine.
“Look, I saw Hill get to him. I tried to help but I couldn’t breathe through the fumes. I.. I had to leave him. There was no choice.” Daniel hung his head.
“I see...” Lewis said carefully. “Would you care to speculate on what happened to his body?”
Willis snickered, “Maybe he just got up and walked out.”
“Willis, report to fourth floor clean-up duty.” “Now!”
“Yes sir,” Willis responded, his puppy dog face hanging.
Daniel knew he was exhausted and probably confused but he would never, could never, forget what he had seen. The young cop had simply overlooked West’s body in his haste to get away from the carnage. He couldn’t say he blamed him. “Tell them to look again.”
“We got nine Doctors and a dozen EM people down there,” Willis tried.
“He’s there, I’m telling you.” “Look again,” Daniel repeated.
Lewis nodded to Willis.
It was just one horrific disaster after another. Daniel shook his head. Nothing could surprise him anymore. It was a wonder he was still sane. He closed his eyes. Why was it that genius and madness seemed to go hand in hand? Herbert had been so driven, his obsession so overwhelming, that he was willing to do anything, to anyone, even himself. Daniel ran his hand through his hair and froze. His whole body went momentarily numb with shock. “Oh my God,” he whispered, his breathing labored. “Walked away?!” he murmured with dawning realization.
Daniel’s mind was forming a momentous idea. Herbert’s addiction...could the re-agent already in Herbert’s body effect re-animation?
Daniel thought back to what Herbert had told him the day he had walked in on him injecting himself with the serum. His hands were shaking and his brow covered with sweat. It had been obvious to Daniel that Herbert had been taking the drug for some time. West confirmed that, saying he had been injecting himself with small amounts of re-agent for almost two years. He said that it heightened his thought processes and sharpened his senses. Rather that was true or just the drug talking, Daniel didn’t know, but if the effects of the re-agent were cumulative then even in small doses Herbert’s body would be saturated with the stuff.
Which would explain why he had disappeared.
Daniel’s mind went into overdrive, “I’ve got to get out of here!”
“Excuse me, Lieutenant Lewis, I need to check on Miss Halsey,” Daniel said rising.
For a moment it looked as if the cop might stop him but he simply nodded and said, “We’ll go over your story again when you’re finished.
“Fine, that will be fine, excuse me.”
=========================================================================
Daniel tried not to appear anxious as he hurried down the hall to Megan’s room. “My God, my God, where is he? Where would he go?” a jumble of frantic thoughts collided in Daniel’s head. He was so lost in thought he walked right past Megan’s room. “Oh yeah, you don’t look suspicious,” he chided himself.
Entering he found a nurse seated next to Megan’s bed reading a magazine. She rose and offered, “Dr Caine.” When he hesitated she added, “Lieutenant Lewis asked if I would stay and let him know if she came around.”
Apparently Lieutenant Lewis’s faith in him wasn’t nearly as solid he would have liked him to believe. “I’ll let the Lieutenant know when I think it’s appropriate for him to speak with my patient Nurse,” Daniel answered, not caring about his tone. “You may leave.. now.”
Not sure what to do, and figuring discretion was the best course of action, the nurse turned and left without a word.
Caine leaned down over Megan, tears filling his eyes. The guilt was overwhelming. “Megan can you hear me?” There was no response. Not that he expected one. He had made the decision to keep her heavily sedated. It was risky, but it would be disastrous, if she awoke and went on a rampage.
“It’s going to be alright baby. West isn’t dead, not really. He can help you Megan. I’m going to find him. He’ll know what to do. Just hang in there a little while longer.” Daniel tenderly pulled the blanket up to her chin and whispered his goodbye, “I love you.”
Verse: Same
Characters: Herbert West, Daniel Cain, Megan Halsey, ensemble
Pairings:
Rating: Mature, Adult Situations, Adult Language, Violence, Gore, Sex
Status: Unbeta'd and I know it.
...
Daniel Caine sat with his head bowed and his hands over his ears. It was a vain attempt to drown out the screams of the damned. The only problem was the screaming had long since stopped and been replaced by a cacophony of voices all asking the same question, “Why?”
The events of the night had just become too much for his battered body. The images of the morgue danced in and out of Daniel’s mind with a will of their own. A surrealistic Hell on Earth that the crazed Dr. Hill had created, his re-animated army poised to kill on command. Herbert had stopped him, finally, but he paid the ultimate price.
A vision of Herbert being squeezed to death played out behind his eyes. Daniel shook away the picture only to have it replaced by another more horrifying image, that of Megan being strangled while he struggled uselessly against newly re-animated strength. “Make it stop, make it stop!” Daniel cried aloud.
Rubbing his blood shot eyes, Daniel couldn’t help but rail at the fates that had brought him to this. He wanted to blame Herbert for all that had happened, but he couldn’t. “My fault, it was my fault,” he muttered. After all, he had chosen to work with Herbert knowing that he was unstable. The prospect of immortality had just been too seductive.
Daniel couldn’t say what lay behind Herbert West’s obsession with conquering death, but he had his own motivations for allowing the experiments to continue. What it came down to was he knew the difference between right and wrong. West obviously didn’t, so who was the real monster?
Now he must take responsibility for what had come of it; the lives that were destroyed forever. My God, and to make it worse what he had done to Megan. He was no better than Herbert. But the thought of living without her had driven all semblance of restraint and sanity from him. Herbert had given him the means to save her or to damn her.
Daniel returned his head to his hands and sobbed softly. It appeared that he had done the latter and with Herbert dead there was little chance that he could carry the experiment to its conclusion with any success. He just didn’t have the knowledge necessary. But he could end Megan’s suffering, and his own. Not by defying death but by embracing it. It occurred to him that it might be the only way to save them both.
Daniel was roused from his morbid contemplations by the sight of a very determined looking policeman and a properly priggish Nurse Purdy heading his way. Daniel wondered if it would be possible to just sink through the floor and reside there in a puddle.
“Lieutenant Lewis,” Caine acknowledged.
Lewis’ face was a study in suspicion. “Alright, let’s go over your story one more time shall we?”
Daniel sighed, “I’ve told you everything I know Lieutenant.”
“Well, tell me again.”
“We went to the morgue to look for Megan Halsey,” Daniel responded exasperated.
“You and this Doctor West?
“That’s right.”
“Neither one of you were even supposed to be here,” Nurse Purdy chimed in.
“Please...” Lewis started.
“If anyone’s responsible it’s that crazy West,” she interrupted. He was expelled by Dean Halsey for some kind of unauthorized experimentation he was doing and you were suspended from duty,” the Nurse stated pointedly at Daniel.
“Is that true?” Lewis questioned.
“Yes,” Daniel nodded in the affirmative.
“Just where is this Dr. West?”
“I told you what happened. He’s dead. Hill kidnapped Megan and when we tried to stop him he.. he... killed him.”
“And it was Doctor Hill that caused all the carnage in the morgue?
“That’s right,” Daniel responded rather distractedly.
“Willis...Willis get over here!” Lewis shouted to a nearby uniform.
“Yes sir?”
“I want you to go down to the morgue..” Lewis started.
“But Lieutenant,” Willis whined.
A look from his dour superior was all that was needed to silence the young officers objection. “Go down to the morgue and look around for this Doctor West.”
Lewis turned to Daniel. “Description,” he demanded.
“What?”
“What does West look like?” Lewis questioned impatiently.
“Uh, five-ten, around one fifty I guess. Umm, black hair, brown eyes.”
“How old?”
“About my age I think, looks it anyway.”
“Clothes?”
Daniel stared blankly, his mind being pulled back into the abyss. “What was he wearing,” Lewis said not giving an inch.
“I don’t know.. uh, black suit, white shirt.. wait he took off the jacket.”
Lewis looked to his Officer, “I want him identified.. now.”
“Yes sir.” Willis turned and headed for the elevators. His step less than enthusiastic.
Nurse Purdy crossed her arms and gave Daniel a fish-eyed stare.
“How soon before I can question Miss Halsey?” Lewis asked.
“I don’t .. I don’t know if she’ll ever.. come around Lieutenant,” Daniel said his voice catching.
“Just why is it, Doctor Caine, that you haven’t brought in any other doctors to examine her?” Nurse Purdy’s question hung in the air like the accusation it was.
“Do you have a problem with my competency?!” Daniel rose. He had had just about all he could take.
The burly Lieutenant intervened. “Sit down Dr. Caine.” “I’m satisfied, for the moment, that you’re competent to perform your duties.”
Lewis faced the sour Nurse. “Don’t let us keep you, I’m sure you have other more pressing matters to attend to,” he said dismissively.
“Fine.” The look on Purdy’s face at that moment could have frozen fire. She turned on her heel and stalked back to the nurse’s station.
“Thanks,” Daniel offered sincerely.
“Your welcome.” “But just so there’s no misunderstandings, I think you know a lot more about what went on here tonight than you’re saying.”
“Are you accusing me of something Lieutenant?” Daniel started.
Lewis held up his hand. “I’m not accusing you of anything.” “For now you’re a material witness to a massacre.” He paused. “But if I find out different, your ass will be behind bars so fast you won’t know what hit you.”
==========================================================================
Some moments later, Willis came running down the corridor breathless. “Sir!” The uniformed man snapped to attention in front of his superior.
Lewis rolled his eyes. “Well?!”
Looking a little like a deer caught in headlights Willis reported, “They’ve identified everything that could be identified.” “It wasn’t easy Sir,” he offered rather squeamishly.
“And?” the Lieutenant prompted.
“There isn’t any Herbert West in the morgue.”
Lewis eyed Caine.
“Look, I saw Hill get to him. I tried to help but I couldn’t breathe through the fumes. I.. I had to leave him. There was no choice.” Daniel hung his head.
“I see...” Lewis said carefully. “Would you care to speculate on what happened to his body?”
Willis snickered, “Maybe he just got up and walked out.”
“Willis, report to fourth floor clean-up duty.” “Now!”
“Yes sir,” Willis responded, his puppy dog face hanging.
Daniel knew he was exhausted and probably confused but he would never, could never, forget what he had seen. The young cop had simply overlooked West’s body in his haste to get away from the carnage. He couldn’t say he blamed him. “Tell them to look again.”
“We got nine Doctors and a dozen EM people down there,” Willis tried.
“He’s there, I’m telling you.” “Look again,” Daniel repeated.
Lewis nodded to Willis.
It was just one horrific disaster after another. Daniel shook his head. Nothing could surprise him anymore. It was a wonder he was still sane. He closed his eyes. Why was it that genius and madness seemed to go hand in hand? Herbert had been so driven, his obsession so overwhelming, that he was willing to do anything, to anyone, even himself. Daniel ran his hand through his hair and froze. His whole body went momentarily numb with shock. “Oh my God,” he whispered, his breathing labored. “Walked away?!” he murmured with dawning realization.
Daniel’s mind was forming a momentous idea. Herbert’s addiction...could the re-agent already in Herbert’s body effect re-animation?
Daniel thought back to what Herbert had told him the day he had walked in on him injecting himself with the serum. His hands were shaking and his brow covered with sweat. It had been obvious to Daniel that Herbert had been taking the drug for some time. West confirmed that, saying he had been injecting himself with small amounts of re-agent for almost two years. He said that it heightened his thought processes and sharpened his senses. Rather that was true or just the drug talking, Daniel didn’t know, but if the effects of the re-agent were cumulative then even in small doses Herbert’s body would be saturated with the stuff.
Which would explain why he had disappeared.
Daniel’s mind went into overdrive, “I’ve got to get out of here!”
“Excuse me, Lieutenant Lewis, I need to check on Miss Halsey,” Daniel said rising.
For a moment it looked as if the cop might stop him but he simply nodded and said, “We’ll go over your story again when you’re finished.
“Fine, that will be fine, excuse me.”
=========================================================================
Daniel tried not to appear anxious as he hurried down the hall to Megan’s room. “My God, my God, where is he? Where would he go?” a jumble of frantic thoughts collided in Daniel’s head. He was so lost in thought he walked right past Megan’s room. “Oh yeah, you don’t look suspicious,” he chided himself.
Entering he found a nurse seated next to Megan’s bed reading a magazine. She rose and offered, “Dr Caine.” When he hesitated she added, “Lieutenant Lewis asked if I would stay and let him know if she came around.”
Apparently Lieutenant Lewis’s faith in him wasn’t nearly as solid he would have liked him to believe. “I’ll let the Lieutenant know when I think it’s appropriate for him to speak with my patient Nurse,” Daniel answered, not caring about his tone. “You may leave.. now.”
Not sure what to do, and figuring discretion was the best course of action, the nurse turned and left without a word.
Caine leaned down over Megan, tears filling his eyes. The guilt was overwhelming. “Megan can you hear me?” There was no response. Not that he expected one. He had made the decision to keep her heavily sedated. It was risky, but it would be disastrous, if she awoke and went on a rampage.
“It’s going to be alright baby. West isn’t dead, not really. He can help you Megan. I’m going to find him. He’ll know what to do. Just hang in there a little while longer.” Daniel tenderly pulled the blanket up to her chin and whispered his goodbye, “I love you.”