Return of the Re-animator-Chapter 4
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.
...
The halls of Miskitonic University Hospital were still awash with people. Policemen looking grim and determined, hospital staff worried about patients, hardened reporters with hungry expressions all seemed to be waiting, waiting for someone to make sense of the carnage.
Alas, the only two gentlemen who knew what had happened there earlier that night were not inclined to impart their knowledge. In fact sneaking through the cafeteria, they were doing their best to make sure no one would ever know what had truly happened that night.
Herbert stuck his head through the door leading from the cafeteria to the staff elevators and quickly pulled it back.
“What?”
“There are too many people out there Dan, we’re going to get caught,” Herbert pleaded.
“Let’s get to Mexico while we still have a chance.”
“Not without Megan,” Daniel countered stubbornly. Herbert was not pleased.
“You want to take off? Be my guest, but when they find out about Megan and they will sooner or later. You can bet that every government in the world will want to have a few words with you. They’ll take your research from you and when they find out you’re not quite alive, they’ll lock you up for good measure too.”
Herbert’s expression softened slightly. Daniel’s words struck just a little too close to home. He wasn’t even sure yet how to proceed with his experiments now that the serum had proven viable with a human. At this point, there were too many variables to control them all. “All right, all right, let’s just get this over with.”
Pushing a tall metal dinner cart, Herbert and Daniel made their way to Megan’s room as inconspicuously as possible. Thankfully, everyone was too shell shocked to notice two orderlies serving food at three in the morning.
Megan was as Daniel had left her. Her bruised face pale and still. “Megan honey it’s Daniel, can you hear me baby, we’ve come to get you out of here.”
Herbert opened the empty cart. “Come on, just stuff her in here, believe me she won’t feel a thing.”
Daniel gently lifted Megan’s cold form from the bed and placed her into the metal receptacle. Stopping to give her a light kiss on the forehead he muttered, “This is all my fault, I should never have involved you in my madness.”
“Daniel, we really don’t have time for recriminations. You want to make it up to her? Then let’s get the hell out of here.”
“You’re right, let’s go.”
Herbert paused and listened at the door. The hall outside Megan’s room was clear. The truth was he could now hear sounds far beyond what most would consider normal. Then again he was hardly normal anymore. Herbert started to giggle at the thought. He couldn’t seem to help himself, it was just so hysterically funny. He hadn’t exactly been considered normal when he was alive so now that he was newly alive or newly dead...
“What’s the problem?” Daniel’s voice shook Herbert from his bizarre reverie. Daniel was staring at him askew.
“Sorry, private joke,” he said and stepped into the hall pulling the cart along behind him.
Daniel took up position pushing from behind. Herbert led the way his head bowed slightly. Thankfully the corridor was now nearly deserted. There were only a few hospital workers who were trying gamely to carry out their routine duties as if nothing had happened. Only their haunted expressions gave any indication of what had transpired earlier that night.
Daniel’s mind was a jumble of conflicting thoughts. There were so many things that could go wrong, that had already gone wrong. Daniel said a silent prayer, although he couldn’t think of a single reason why God would still listen to him after the atrocities they had perpetrated in the name of science. Science. Science was Herbert’s God, but he was a cold and unforgiving master who didn’t allow for the tiniest mistake, the smallest regret. Daniel stroked the side of the metal cart gently. But there was hope now, he reminded himself. Herbert West could bring the dead to life. The implications were staggering.
Coming upon a turn in the corridor Herbert came to an abrupt halt. Distracted, Daniel ran right into the now stagnant cart with a thud. “What is it?”
Herbert cocked his head to the side and made a shushing motion. His eyes grew suddenly wide; he shoved the cart to the left against the wall and grabbed Daniel’s arm. “Police!”
“Wha..” was all Daniel managed as Herbert pulled him backwards through the nearest door. Luckily, the room was empty. Daniel turned, “We can’t just leave Megan out in the hall!”
“Quiet,” Herbert hissed, “She’s fine where she is, on the other hand if you don’t stay still we’re all in deep trouble!”
Daniel almost shot back a retort when he heard footsteps outside the door. The faint static of a com radio played out a strange tune.
“I’ve been on the force fifteen years and I’ve seen some scary shit, but I ain’t never seen anything like this,” a voice commented. “It’s like something out of a horror movie,” another voice agreed.
Daniel’s heart started to race. They had stopped next to the food cart. He was mortified. He wanted to run out, push them away and flee with Megan. The impulse was hardly rational he realized quickly. He wouldn’t get two feet before they would catch him or shoot him down. Well, what did he care anymore? Herbert could always just bring him back. Somehow that was a less than comforting thought. Sweat ran down Daniel’s face. “Get a hold of yourself,” he chastised. A tap on the shoulder nearly sent him jumping out of his skin.
“They’re leaving,” Herbert said.
“You sure?”
Herbert put his head near the door. “Yes,” he replied, then pulled the door open just a crack and peeked out. “All clear,” he motioned as he stepped out into the hall. Daniel let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t even realized he was holding his breath.
They began the trek back to the cafeteria anew. Daniel leaned forward over the cart as they walked. “How did you know they were cops?”
“What?” Herbert responded absently, his mind on the corridor ahead.
“How did you know the cops were around the corner?” Daniel persisted.
His patience wearing thin Herbert snapped, “This isn’t the time to play twenty questions.” Calming somewhat, he continued, “I heard the static from the radio and recognized what it was.” “Alright?”
“I didn’t hear it,” Daniel stated.
Herbert sighed. “Try paying attention next time,” he offered sarcastically.
=====================================================================
“Come on, come on,” Herbert complained. “Alright..just gimme a second,” Daniel responded, struggling to lift Megan’s limp form from the food cart. He paused to tenderly brush the hair from her face.
“Can we please save the pathetic display of affection for a later time.” Herbert looked around nervously. “I’m going to get killed again, I just know it.”
A sharp sound like a car door slamming echoed in the parking garage. They both froze. Daniel’s mind was racing. What possible explanation could they give as to why they were pulling what appeared to be a dead woman from a food cart. He drew Megan closer to his chest as if to protect her. “Oh God it’s probably the police,” Daniel panicked. “Herbert!”
“Shh, be still,” came the sharp reply. Herbert’s head shot around attempting to ascertain where the sound had originated from.
“You see anything?! Herbert, answer me!” Near desperation, Daniel didn’t see Megan’s eyelids flutter softly nor feel her stiffen in his embrace. Not until it was too late.
Megan’s eyes flew open and her hands reached up to clasp Daniel by the throat. At that moment Daniel very much wanted to tell her that everything was alright, that he loved her and he had come to save her, but unfortunately the only sound he managed to emit was “Croak”.
“It’s fine they’re not...” Herbert started to say as he turned back to the task at hand.
Confronted with the sight of Dean Halsey’s newly reanimated daughter attempting to throttle her lover he paused. His first instinct told him to snap her neck and be done with it. It was a clean, practical response to the immediate threat. Herbert had always felt that the best way to deal with an unpleasant situation was to just change the event into something more palatable. Of course, the best course of action would be to just kill them both and then continue on to his alternate lab unencumbered.
“What the hell am I thinking!” Herbert fought the strange thoughts and sensations that seemed to well up with a mind of their own. Instead of murdering his best friend he decided on trying something less drastic.
“Let him go!” Herbert ordered. Well, that was unsurprisingly ineffective, he noted. Daniel’s face was starting to take on a purplish hue. Against his better judgment Herbert maneuvered around the distracted woman and grabbed her hard, pinning her arms to her sides. Her reaction was instant. It was like holding a writhing snake. She fought and twisted, snarling like a wild animal caught in a snare. Through it all Herbert managed to keep a tight grip.
“Megan sweetie, it’s me baby, everything’s going to be ok.”
“Now is not the time for diplomacy!” Herbert shouted, “Get the syringe!”
Daniel fought his shaking hands to get the key into the trunk to retrieve the same heavy sedative he’d used to keep her safe in the hospital. Megan continued to fight and then began to caterwaul.
“Shut-up, you bitch,” Herbert hissed. “It’s no use fighting, one way or the other you’re coming with us.” Herbert was surprised to find that Megan had actually heard what he said. She stopped struggling and seemed to be trying to think it through. Herbert knew from experience it was useless. Clarity only came with a dose of re-agent or so he hoped. Megan turned her head to the side trying to get a better look at her captor.
“Herbert, Herbert she listened to you!” A look of hope flooded Dan’s features. Daniel took a small step forward. Megan’s hand shot out with blinding speed and contacted with Daniel’s face. He flew back and landed squarely on his ass; his hands cupped to his wounded mouth.
Herbert secured his hold. “Oh good God, we really don’t have time for this Dan!” he scolded.
“I know, I know,” came the muffled response as Daniel cradled his bleeding mouth. His hands still shaking Daniel ripped open the syringe pack and filled it with enough sedative to anestisize a horse. Megan renewed her struggling. Leaning forward she bit down hard on Herbert’s arm.
“Damn it Dan, she biting me!” he yelled, “Give her the damn injection now!”
“I’m trying to.. hold her steady. Less gently than he would have liked Daniel jammed the needle into Megan’s arm. For a moment their eyes locked and Daniel saw what he could only describe as pure unreasoning hatred. It made his heart constrict with pain. Then her eyes glazed over and she slumped forward like a rag doll. Daniel looked up.
“Thank you,” he breathed as he took Megan’s now still form.
Herbert’s expression was one of disgust. He strode around the van to the passenger side. “Make sure that it doesn’t happen again," he paused as he opened the door. “Or I will,” he said, his eyes reflecting something dark and dangerous.
Daniel was unsure if he should take the threat at face value. Now didn’t seem to be the time to worry about anything but getting the hell away. So he gathered Megan close and placed her in the back seat. Climbing into the drivers seat he looked over at Herbert to see if he was still angry. Something about his face told Daniel that now was not the time to pursue the issue. In fact, he noted with some disquiet, that Herbert’s expression reminded him very much of Megan’s, maybe too much.
============================================================================
So intent on their task at hand neither Daniel nor Herbert noticed the figure that had been quietly observing them from the shadows. They piled into the van oblivious to the fact they had been spotted.
Berkov was ecstatic. All the doctors told him that smoking was bad for you, but this cigarette was the best thing that ever happened to him. This might well be the story of a lifetime. Of course had the intrepid reporter known what he was walking into, he might have decided that the story of a lifetime wasn’t worth cutting short his lifetime. But at the moment the only thing Sam Berkov knew for sure was that dollar signs were calling his name. There were no other considerations as he pulled his car out of the hospital parking lot and settled into traffic two cars behind the good Doctors West and Caine.
A gust of cool air puffed Daniel’s face bringing him fully awake. He glanced at his watch, 6am. They had made good time once they were away from town. The rural roads were nearly deserted. Another twelve hours or so should put them in Mexico. A few hours beyond that and they would be in their new sanctuary. Megan would be safe and Herbert would make everything alright.
Daniel checked in the rear view mirror. Megan was huddled on the backseat, her blonde hair cascading down the side. How he loved her. He smiled lightly. They would have their life together. Maybe not as they had planned it, but that no longer mattered. His dreams of a career as an imminent physician, a house filled with the laughter of children just weren’t that important anymore. That future had died along with Megan.
Now he had a new future, one where Megan was by his side, always. What once would have been a lifetime of loving Megan would now be countless lifetimes. There would no longer be the indignity of old age or the suffering of disease. “Immortality,” Daniel whispered to himself. There he’d finally said it. “Forever, infinite, everlasting.” It was an almost impossible concept to wrap your mind around. To know that you would be there as the heavens changed, as the sun burned down to an ember. Somehow the idea wasn’t as terrifying as he had first thought it would be. After all he wouldn’t be spending eternity alone.
Daniel sighed slightly and glanced over to where Herbert sat scribbling in his black notebook. He didn’t know how he could see well enough in the soft glowing dash lights to write. He refrained from asking the question. Herbert’s behavior was more than erratic, it was volatile. He hadn’t said two words since they left Arkham. He seemed lost in thought, which was understandable, expected, given the situation. Daniel figured he cut him some slack, quite a bit of slack. After all coming back from the dead was likely to make anyone a little unstable. He’d be fine. He had to be, for all their sakes.
Herbert took his journal from the medical bag and started to write. It never occurred to him how odd it appeared for him to be writing in the near total darkness of the van. There were things he needed to record. Things he hadn’t told Daniel about.
He had felt different from the moment he had awaken from his fugue state in Daniel’s basement. “Different”, not a very scientific or precise description but one that would have to suffice for the time being. Herbert simply couldn’t put into words the way he was feeling different. He only knew that something fundamental had changed. It didn’t worry him. But considering his precarious condition and Daniel’s fragile state of mind he thought it prudent to keep these new sensations to himself. Still, science demanded that the facts be recorded. Science was after all his master, his lover, his reason for being. He would always be true to it.
His mind was flying. Things were falling into place with a speed and clarity unlike any he’d experienced before. The serum had boosted his thought processes when he was alive but never like this. His hand couldn’t keep up with the ideas that were forming in his newly re-animated brain. Equations for reformulation of the serum that would usher in a new age for those he chose to bestow with the gift of immortality. The majority of the populace would have to die of course, but that couldn’t be helped. After all there were so few truly deserving of power of this magnitude. It was all quite clear to him now, quite clear.
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.
...
The halls of Miskitonic University Hospital were still awash with people. Policemen looking grim and determined, hospital staff worried about patients, hardened reporters with hungry expressions all seemed to be waiting, waiting for someone to make sense of the carnage.
Alas, the only two gentlemen who knew what had happened there earlier that night were not inclined to impart their knowledge. In fact sneaking through the cafeteria, they were doing their best to make sure no one would ever know what had truly happened that night.
Herbert stuck his head through the door leading from the cafeteria to the staff elevators and quickly pulled it back.
“What?”
“There are too many people out there Dan, we’re going to get caught,” Herbert pleaded.
“Let’s get to Mexico while we still have a chance.”
“Not without Megan,” Daniel countered stubbornly. Herbert was not pleased.
“You want to take off? Be my guest, but when they find out about Megan and they will sooner or later. You can bet that every government in the world will want to have a few words with you. They’ll take your research from you and when they find out you’re not quite alive, they’ll lock you up for good measure too.”
Herbert’s expression softened slightly. Daniel’s words struck just a little too close to home. He wasn’t even sure yet how to proceed with his experiments now that the serum had proven viable with a human. At this point, there were too many variables to control them all. “All right, all right, let’s just get this over with.”
Pushing a tall metal dinner cart, Herbert and Daniel made their way to Megan’s room as inconspicuously as possible. Thankfully, everyone was too shell shocked to notice two orderlies serving food at three in the morning.
Megan was as Daniel had left her. Her bruised face pale and still. “Megan honey it’s Daniel, can you hear me baby, we’ve come to get you out of here.”
Herbert opened the empty cart. “Come on, just stuff her in here, believe me she won’t feel a thing.”
Daniel gently lifted Megan’s cold form from the bed and placed her into the metal receptacle. Stopping to give her a light kiss on the forehead he muttered, “This is all my fault, I should never have involved you in my madness.”
“Daniel, we really don’t have time for recriminations. You want to make it up to her? Then let’s get the hell out of here.”
“You’re right, let’s go.”
Herbert paused and listened at the door. The hall outside Megan’s room was clear. The truth was he could now hear sounds far beyond what most would consider normal. Then again he was hardly normal anymore. Herbert started to giggle at the thought. He couldn’t seem to help himself, it was just so hysterically funny. He hadn’t exactly been considered normal when he was alive so now that he was newly alive or newly dead...
“What’s the problem?” Daniel’s voice shook Herbert from his bizarre reverie. Daniel was staring at him askew.
“Sorry, private joke,” he said and stepped into the hall pulling the cart along behind him.
Daniel took up position pushing from behind. Herbert led the way his head bowed slightly. Thankfully the corridor was now nearly deserted. There were only a few hospital workers who were trying gamely to carry out their routine duties as if nothing had happened. Only their haunted expressions gave any indication of what had transpired earlier that night.
Daniel’s mind was a jumble of conflicting thoughts. There were so many things that could go wrong, that had already gone wrong. Daniel said a silent prayer, although he couldn’t think of a single reason why God would still listen to him after the atrocities they had perpetrated in the name of science. Science. Science was Herbert’s God, but he was a cold and unforgiving master who didn’t allow for the tiniest mistake, the smallest regret. Daniel stroked the side of the metal cart gently. But there was hope now, he reminded himself. Herbert West could bring the dead to life. The implications were staggering.
Coming upon a turn in the corridor Herbert came to an abrupt halt. Distracted, Daniel ran right into the now stagnant cart with a thud. “What is it?”
Herbert cocked his head to the side and made a shushing motion. His eyes grew suddenly wide; he shoved the cart to the left against the wall and grabbed Daniel’s arm. “Police!”
“Wha..” was all Daniel managed as Herbert pulled him backwards through the nearest door. Luckily, the room was empty. Daniel turned, “We can’t just leave Megan out in the hall!”
“Quiet,” Herbert hissed, “She’s fine where she is, on the other hand if you don’t stay still we’re all in deep trouble!”
Daniel almost shot back a retort when he heard footsteps outside the door. The faint static of a com radio played out a strange tune.
“I’ve been on the force fifteen years and I’ve seen some scary shit, but I ain’t never seen anything like this,” a voice commented. “It’s like something out of a horror movie,” another voice agreed.
Daniel’s heart started to race. They had stopped next to the food cart. He was mortified. He wanted to run out, push them away and flee with Megan. The impulse was hardly rational he realized quickly. He wouldn’t get two feet before they would catch him or shoot him down. Well, what did he care anymore? Herbert could always just bring him back. Somehow that was a less than comforting thought. Sweat ran down Daniel’s face. “Get a hold of yourself,” he chastised. A tap on the shoulder nearly sent him jumping out of his skin.
“They’re leaving,” Herbert said.
“You sure?”
Herbert put his head near the door. “Yes,” he replied, then pulled the door open just a crack and peeked out. “All clear,” he motioned as he stepped out into the hall. Daniel let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t even realized he was holding his breath.
They began the trek back to the cafeteria anew. Daniel leaned forward over the cart as they walked. “How did you know they were cops?”
“What?” Herbert responded absently, his mind on the corridor ahead.
“How did you know the cops were around the corner?” Daniel persisted.
His patience wearing thin Herbert snapped, “This isn’t the time to play twenty questions.” Calming somewhat, he continued, “I heard the static from the radio and recognized what it was.” “Alright?”
“I didn’t hear it,” Daniel stated.
Herbert sighed. “Try paying attention next time,” he offered sarcastically.
=====================================================================
“Come on, come on,” Herbert complained. “Alright..just gimme a second,” Daniel responded, struggling to lift Megan’s limp form from the food cart. He paused to tenderly brush the hair from her face.
“Can we please save the pathetic display of affection for a later time.” Herbert looked around nervously. “I’m going to get killed again, I just know it.”
A sharp sound like a car door slamming echoed in the parking garage. They both froze. Daniel’s mind was racing. What possible explanation could they give as to why they were pulling what appeared to be a dead woman from a food cart. He drew Megan closer to his chest as if to protect her. “Oh God it’s probably the police,” Daniel panicked. “Herbert!”
“Shh, be still,” came the sharp reply. Herbert’s head shot around attempting to ascertain where the sound had originated from.
“You see anything?! Herbert, answer me!” Near desperation, Daniel didn’t see Megan’s eyelids flutter softly nor feel her stiffen in his embrace. Not until it was too late.
Megan’s eyes flew open and her hands reached up to clasp Daniel by the throat. At that moment Daniel very much wanted to tell her that everything was alright, that he loved her and he had come to save her, but unfortunately the only sound he managed to emit was “Croak”.
“It’s fine they’re not...” Herbert started to say as he turned back to the task at hand.
Confronted with the sight of Dean Halsey’s newly reanimated daughter attempting to throttle her lover he paused. His first instinct told him to snap her neck and be done with it. It was a clean, practical response to the immediate threat. Herbert had always felt that the best way to deal with an unpleasant situation was to just change the event into something more palatable. Of course, the best course of action would be to just kill them both and then continue on to his alternate lab unencumbered.
“What the hell am I thinking!” Herbert fought the strange thoughts and sensations that seemed to well up with a mind of their own. Instead of murdering his best friend he decided on trying something less drastic.
“Let him go!” Herbert ordered. Well, that was unsurprisingly ineffective, he noted. Daniel’s face was starting to take on a purplish hue. Against his better judgment Herbert maneuvered around the distracted woman and grabbed her hard, pinning her arms to her sides. Her reaction was instant. It was like holding a writhing snake. She fought and twisted, snarling like a wild animal caught in a snare. Through it all Herbert managed to keep a tight grip.
“Megan sweetie, it’s me baby, everything’s going to be ok.”
“Now is not the time for diplomacy!” Herbert shouted, “Get the syringe!”
Daniel fought his shaking hands to get the key into the trunk to retrieve the same heavy sedative he’d used to keep her safe in the hospital. Megan continued to fight and then began to caterwaul.
“Shut-up, you bitch,” Herbert hissed. “It’s no use fighting, one way or the other you’re coming with us.” Herbert was surprised to find that Megan had actually heard what he said. She stopped struggling and seemed to be trying to think it through. Herbert knew from experience it was useless. Clarity only came with a dose of re-agent or so he hoped. Megan turned her head to the side trying to get a better look at her captor.
“Herbert, Herbert she listened to you!” A look of hope flooded Dan’s features. Daniel took a small step forward. Megan’s hand shot out with blinding speed and contacted with Daniel’s face. He flew back and landed squarely on his ass; his hands cupped to his wounded mouth.
Herbert secured his hold. “Oh good God, we really don’t have time for this Dan!” he scolded.
“I know, I know,” came the muffled response as Daniel cradled his bleeding mouth. His hands still shaking Daniel ripped open the syringe pack and filled it with enough sedative to anestisize a horse. Megan renewed her struggling. Leaning forward she bit down hard on Herbert’s arm.
“Damn it Dan, she biting me!” he yelled, “Give her the damn injection now!”
“I’m trying to.. hold her steady. Less gently than he would have liked Daniel jammed the needle into Megan’s arm. For a moment their eyes locked and Daniel saw what he could only describe as pure unreasoning hatred. It made his heart constrict with pain. Then her eyes glazed over and she slumped forward like a rag doll. Daniel looked up.
“Thank you,” he breathed as he took Megan’s now still form.
Herbert’s expression was one of disgust. He strode around the van to the passenger side. “Make sure that it doesn’t happen again," he paused as he opened the door. “Or I will,” he said, his eyes reflecting something dark and dangerous.
Daniel was unsure if he should take the threat at face value. Now didn’t seem to be the time to worry about anything but getting the hell away. So he gathered Megan close and placed her in the back seat. Climbing into the drivers seat he looked over at Herbert to see if he was still angry. Something about his face told Daniel that now was not the time to pursue the issue. In fact, he noted with some disquiet, that Herbert’s expression reminded him very much of Megan’s, maybe too much.
============================================================================
So intent on their task at hand neither Daniel nor Herbert noticed the figure that had been quietly observing them from the shadows. They piled into the van oblivious to the fact they had been spotted.
Berkov was ecstatic. All the doctors told him that smoking was bad for you, but this cigarette was the best thing that ever happened to him. This might well be the story of a lifetime. Of course had the intrepid reporter known what he was walking into, he might have decided that the story of a lifetime wasn’t worth cutting short his lifetime. But at the moment the only thing Sam Berkov knew for sure was that dollar signs were calling his name. There were no other considerations as he pulled his car out of the hospital parking lot and settled into traffic two cars behind the good Doctors West and Caine.
A gust of cool air puffed Daniel’s face bringing him fully awake. He glanced at his watch, 6am. They had made good time once they were away from town. The rural roads were nearly deserted. Another twelve hours or so should put them in Mexico. A few hours beyond that and they would be in their new sanctuary. Megan would be safe and Herbert would make everything alright.
Daniel checked in the rear view mirror. Megan was huddled on the backseat, her blonde hair cascading down the side. How he loved her. He smiled lightly. They would have their life together. Maybe not as they had planned it, but that no longer mattered. His dreams of a career as an imminent physician, a house filled with the laughter of children just weren’t that important anymore. That future had died along with Megan.
Now he had a new future, one where Megan was by his side, always. What once would have been a lifetime of loving Megan would now be countless lifetimes. There would no longer be the indignity of old age or the suffering of disease. “Immortality,” Daniel whispered to himself. There he’d finally said it. “Forever, infinite, everlasting.” It was an almost impossible concept to wrap your mind around. To know that you would be there as the heavens changed, as the sun burned down to an ember. Somehow the idea wasn’t as terrifying as he had first thought it would be. After all he wouldn’t be spending eternity alone.
Daniel sighed slightly and glanced over to where Herbert sat scribbling in his black notebook. He didn’t know how he could see well enough in the soft glowing dash lights to write. He refrained from asking the question. Herbert’s behavior was more than erratic, it was volatile. He hadn’t said two words since they left Arkham. He seemed lost in thought, which was understandable, expected, given the situation. Daniel figured he cut him some slack, quite a bit of slack. After all coming back from the dead was likely to make anyone a little unstable. He’d be fine. He had to be, for all their sakes.
Herbert took his journal from the medical bag and started to write. It never occurred to him how odd it appeared for him to be writing in the near total darkness of the van. There were things he needed to record. Things he hadn’t told Daniel about.
He had felt different from the moment he had awaken from his fugue state in Daniel’s basement. “Different”, not a very scientific or precise description but one that would have to suffice for the time being. Herbert simply couldn’t put into words the way he was feeling different. He only knew that something fundamental had changed. It didn’t worry him. But considering his precarious condition and Daniel’s fragile state of mind he thought it prudent to keep these new sensations to himself. Still, science demanded that the facts be recorded. Science was after all his master, his lover, his reason for being. He would always be true to it.
His mind was flying. Things were falling into place with a speed and clarity unlike any he’d experienced before. The serum had boosted his thought processes when he was alive but never like this. His hand couldn’t keep up with the ideas that were forming in his newly re-animated brain. Equations for reformulation of the serum that would usher in a new age for those he chose to bestow with the gift of immortality. The majority of the populace would have to die of course, but that couldn’t be helped. After all there were so few truly deserving of power of this magnitude. It was all quite clear to him now, quite clear.