Broken Silence Page 11

  “Bring the boss down here, 634 thinks this is a game.” He stomped out of the room through the sliding door. I couldn’t help but smile at his child like behavior. This grown scientist was disrupted by a moody teenager.

  My humor was short lived as he stalked back in the room with a snide smile on his face. He was accompanied by my dad’s old boss.

  “Now 634 do we really need to give you more bruises before you cooperate? Timmins isn’t our only scientist. I promise they will outlast you. He wants you awake for this experiment, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have other means of getting you to listen.” He still used his fake pleasant voice, even when he was threatening someone. I just blinked at him, like I had ever other time. I refused to let them see they fazed me at all. I could handle pain. Before I realized what was happening, my head was whipped to the side as he smacked me with whatever was in his hand. My ear was ringing now, and I could feel the warm blood running down my cheek. My vision was still working, so I just blinked up at him as I straightened my head and braced my shoulders.

  “Just leave the abdomen clear, we can carry out the tests there.” The scientist said as he went back to grab his IV needle. He walked back over and showed the boss where to hold me down. He used both hands to hold my upper arm and shoulder in place. I continued to fight, but I was yet again overpowered. He managed to get the IV in this time, but not without bruising and pain. Generally I wouldn’t choose to move around when there was a needle coming at me, but this situation was not your average hospital visit.

  “There now, all done.” The boss said with a pat on my head. He raised his hand again, but this time I saw it coming. I squared my shoulders and awaited the impact of his closed fist this time. He clearly didn’t use as much power as before, but it still jolted my head as he made contact with my eye. I met his gaze with a determined one of my own. I probably looked like I was the loser in an MMA match, but I didn’t care. My fight wasn’t gone. I spit on him, as my only form of retaliation. If he needed me awake for this, then I would let this guy knock me out. The boss growled, but the scientist held up a hand to stop him from hitting me again.

  “Lucky you, you get to feel the pain of your insubordination while the saline goes through. Then you get to be distracted by the awful stinging of the vitamin mix. Then the real fun begins.” Timmins laughed to himself as he hooked the Iv to the stand nearby, before leaving the room with the boss. He wasn’t wrong, I could feel my pulse in my cheek and eye. I sat there in pain, trying to fight the hopelessness that was sinking in.

  Chapter 14

  I’m not sure how long it took for an IV drip, but it felt like hours before Timmins stalked back in. He didn’t bother acknowledging me this time. He switched out the IV with a creepy chuckle, before he stalked out of the room again.

  As the drip started making it’s way through my veins, I could barely breathe. The solution was like lava in my veins. When he said awful sting, I wouldn’t even have imagined it being anything close to this. This time, I knew the drip would feel like days.

  When I was to the point I didn’t think I could handle anymore the pain subsided and the IV bag was empty. I let out a sigh of relief.

  Timmins walked back in with a smile on his face. Where the hell did they find these guys? What kind of grown man enjoys the torture of others. I hope that Flynn manages to find these psychos, even if I don’t make it out alive. Not making it out alive was seeming more and more like a real possibility.

  Timmins walked over to the back of the chair I was strapped in and pressed a button on the side. I felt the chair moving under me, laying me flat. I stared at the ceiling so I could maintain my composure, but this was the point where I was starting to lose my calm exterior. I let out a whimper when I saw him bring over surgical tools. He just chuckled and set an array of scalpels and other equally horrific sharp tools. I started to thrash again as he pushed my scrub top up to expose my stomach.

  “I would hold still, these aren’t exactly tiny blades and you surely don’t want me to cut deeper then I mean too.” I whimpered again and went still. I believed him. I just tried to distract myself with memories of my friends and Sophia. I was brought back to reality as I felt the scalpel cut into the skin on my stomach. The scream that tore from my throat was raspy and animalistic. I have never felt such pain.

  After several swipes with the blade he picked up a tool resembling a hammer. I didn’t even react, which got a sneer from Timmins. He slammed the hammer into my side and I felt a few ribs snap. I no longer had the energy to scream or cry. At this point in the day I had been through so much, that it didn’t take long before I welcomed the darkness.

  Flynn

  We were about five minutes from the warehouses. The phone trace was still going and the location hadn’t moved. They had to be here somewhere. When a minor is kidnapped, it tends to motivate the judges and officers. We had a warrant on the way and a team of agents ready to go in.

  We parked outside of the main gates to regroup. Everyone put on their bullet proof vests. Clark was the lead agent so we were following his cues.

  “Flynn, follow this tracker.” He ordered and handed me his cell phone. It would hopefully narrow down the search. I kept an eye on the flashing gps signal that represented Charlotte’s phone. I had my gun ready in my other hand as we made our way through the maze of warehouses.

  Clark held up his hand for us to stop. I listened intently, but the only sounds I heard were cars driving in the distance. He motioned half of the team to the left and the rest of us to the right with him. It took fifteen minutes of walking around before we started to close in on the signal.

  I motioned for Clark to stop. He looked at the signal and assessed the best approach. The first team was approaching from the side and he motioned to the back of the building. From the outside it looked like any other warehouse. Clark counted down once he approached the door, then swung it open. It was dark and mostly empty inside. We did a sweep of the building but only found settled dust and some empty shelves.

  “If the signal is underground a bit, then it could be a surrounding building.” I suggested.

  “Clear. Team one, split in half and check the other warehouses.” Clark spoke into his comm. “Stay with me Flynn and Simms. You four head to the other building. Do not enter alone, comm for a regroup if you find signs of anything suspicious.” He quietly ordered and led us to the warehouse next to our current one.

  “Clear.” “Clear.” The other teams informed us. I cursed under my breath. We entered this warehouse and it seemed to be clear as well, except for some older ATVs. We did a sweep of this building and almost called clear when I noticed the tire tracks were new.

  “Fresh tracks, Agent Clark.” I announced. It didn’t seem to lead to anything though. The warehouse had a few shelves against a nearby wall covered in car parts.

  “Sir, we need regroup in our location. We have a locked door and footprints. We are in the warehouse to the right of yours.” The other half of our team announced. We made our way to them and the other two teams were on our heels.

  Clark led the team to the locked door. It was a digital keycode lock. Clark cursed and examined it for a few seconds before cursing again.

  “Gonzalez, we’ve got a digital keypad lock.” Clark announced into his comm.

  “Sir, take the front panel off, then tell me what colors the wires are and which brand.” The tech agent replied in our ears. I guess I know the name of the tech agent now. Clark did as she asked and waited for the reply.

  “Cut the purple and blue wire at the same exact time, or you will set off their alarm system. That should unlock. Good luck.” She ordered and another agent handed over a small set of wire-cutters. He pulled the purple and blue wire together and snipped them at the exact same moment while we all held our breath. There was a click as the lock disengaged. He eased open the door, his gun at the ready.

  Beyond the door it was like a different world. It went from dusty, grimy warehouse to pristine, wh
ite facility. I guess we found our place. We made our way as a group down the white hallway before coming to a front desk and a set of stairs. The guard behind the desk shouted in alarm as Clark slid over the desk and pinned him against the wall before he could set off any sort of alarm. Once the agents had him in cuffs, two of them led him out into the warehouse. Clark was ready to move forward when I signaled him to stop.

  I rounded the desk, looking for some sort of facility map. There had to be something. I eventually found a guard logbook with a map clipped to the back. It looked like the facility was really large. It was made up of offices and conference rooms on the top before leading downstairs. It marked dormitories for youth and elderly. Another floor below was titled labs. There were four long labs. The floor below that was one giant room that was labeled storage and incinerator. My stomach dropped as I read that. I ripped the map from the clip and rejoined Clark.

  “How do you want to do this?” I inquired. He hesitated and looked a bit overwhelmed. This facility was bigger than either of us expected.

  “We need all available units and agents here for backup. Send medical help as well, we don’t know the condition of the victims. My team is heading in now.” Clark announced into his comm, before motioning us forward. The office doors did not look like the same secure door at the entrance. One by one we cleared the office spaces. Not surprising that they were all empty, since it was after midnight. They probably had minimal guards and staff at this hour.

  The next floor was the dormitories. As we rounded the corner into the first hallway we were met with a yell and gunfire. We backed back around the corner for cover before returning fire. There were only two guards up ahead. Clark and I took turns returning the shots while the others watched our backs. One last round from Clark and the guards were down.

  We approached cautiously, in case more guards were taking cover at the bend of the hallway. The hallway was forked at the end. Clark motioned for me to check one and he covered the other. When no guards appeared we consulted the map and followed the right hallway that ended in stairs leading down. The labs were next and that was going to be the most horrifying part. After the guards were down we could safely check the dorms for victims.

  The stairs led to a long hallway that ended in another staircase. The hallway had four doors on the right side, widely spaced apart. Clark held up a hand and motioned for us to split up and approach the doorways. There were signs next to each door. I guess even sick, psychotic scientists needed labels too. The door I approached with another agent had Auditory and vision research.

  As soon as Clark gave us a signal, each set of agents turned the handle then kicked open the doors. I could hear screams as soon as the knobs were turned. Kicking them open caused yelling and gunfire to join the chaos. As soon as I kicked in our door I noticed there were two scientists and one guard. As soon as the door crashed in the guard raised his gun, but I was quicker. He slumped down the floor and I turned the gun on the scientists. They both put their hands up and we approached them slowly.

  “Hands on the wall!” I yelled and they complied. They both looked pale and shaky. Probably because they knew if they were ever caught, it wouldn’t be pretty. This is one trail that would be bursting with evidence and testimonies against them. We had them cuffed before assessing the rest of the room. I motioned for the agent to help the older man and teenage boy that were sitting at different work tables. They both had some sort of headphones on and didn’t even flinch when the gunshots were fired. I led the scientists to the hallway, where they already had eight more lined up. I shoved the two I escorted forward to join them. Several agents had their guns trained on the group, surrounding them.

  “Any sign of her?” I asked the agent’s passing by. Nobody could answer me and I was growing more frustrated and slightly nervous. I sent up a silent prayer that she was still alive. As I turned around to head back to the auditory room, I saw a figure approaching slowly from the stairwell. As soon as he saw me he tried to turn his gun on me, but a gunshot rang out from next to me, bringing him down first. I turned and Clark gave me a nod.

  “No sign of her yet, Flynn. The dormitories are next. Any victims?” I held up two fingers and walked back into the room. The agent was leading the two males towards the doorway as I entered. I got a better look at their small frames and sickly pale skin. We needed to get these people medical attention fast. I stepped out of the way and did a quick look around the room. The back wall had a few tables with computers and headphones. I assume for some sort of hearing test. The front half had different machines that you see in optometrist offices. On the final side were two chairs with built in straps to bind a person in place. Next to the chairs was a huge shelving unit and cabinet filled with needles, IV bags and an array of other equipment. I cringed at the sight and made my way to check out the other rooms and victims.

  The medical team was making their way into the first room in the hallway. I took a look into the other two rooms first to give them a chance to work. I glanced into the room next to ours. It was filled with exercise equipment, treadmills with machines next to them, and what looked like a boxing ring in the back. What the hell were these people testing? I walked back to check the sign and read Muscular development research.

  The next sign read Disease reversal research. I tried to convince myself to not even look, but I had come this far. This room looked like an infirmary. There were beds lining one wall, with medical stations next to each for checking vitals. There was a door near the back that read X-Ray. Next to the door was an ultrasound machine as well. I noticed a few elderly men and women strapped to the beds, where agents were trying to gather information to figure out how to help them.

  I made my way to find Clark. I was ready to check on the victims in the dormitories now. The guard we shot earlier had keys that I picked up as we passed by. Hopefully one of the keys would be a dormitory skeleton key.

  I found Clark in the first room and almost puked when I took a glance around. There was blood covering the floor and the chairs. There was a teen girl laying back on a gurney. The medical team was stitching wounds along her arms and legs. The only clothing she had on was underwear and a tank top. Clark noticed me, probably due to my noise of disgust.

  “Let’s go check on the victims. Realistically those hallways are hardly big enough to maintain 634 people.” He said in a defeated tone. We saw a lot on this job, but this was one of those cases I knew would haunt me. These sick assholes were conducting human experiments that were not only illegal, but extremely unsettling.

  We made our way back up the stairs after Clark sent a few agents downstairs to the final level. Clark motioned me forward since I was the one with the keys. In the first dormitory hall I tried the keys one by one until I finally got the door open. The sight inside was just as awful as the rest of the place. The older woman was strapped to her bed. She looked extremely thin and frail. Her hair was matted and she smelled like she hadn’t been showered at all.

  A wheelchair rested near the door, I’m assuming as a means to transport her back and forth from the labs. She didn’t even acknowledge us as we went entered the room.

  The rest of the hallway was a mix of frail to healthy looking adults. They were all elderly and an equal mix of men and women of all races. We left each door open as we exited. Those who had the mental capacity to talk to us or look at us were reassured that help was on its way.

  The next hallway tore my heart out at each room. It was clearly the youth hall. Each room had a terrified teenager inside. They were dirty and also ranged from healthy to tortured. Some had cuts similar to the victim in the lab downstairs. Finally we reached the last room in the hallway. I took a deep breath as I reached for the door knob.

  Chapter 15

  I woke up in a state of agony. The pain in my head and my abdomen were nearly unbearable. I noticed that my eye was still swollen, but opened enough to see out of. I slowly lifted my shirt with a shaky hand, but the shirt was stuck in the sticky blood tha
t covered me. I didn’t want to rip it away and bleed out. I noticed I was back in my cell again. The rooms were soundproof. The lack of sound was so unsettling I knew I would go crazy if help didn’t come soon. Though with how I currently felt, It wouldn’t matter if they got to me soon, I wasn’t going to make it long here. The scientists were crazy.

  I flinched as I heard the door open. I put my head back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. I refused to let them see me react. I would be just as stony as I was before this happened. I heard footsteps crossing over to my bed and looked over expecting my guards or Timmins. Instead it was Flynn and another detective. I let out a sob as I realized I was finally in safe hands.

  The look on Flynn’s face as he looked me over was one of pure disgust and devastation. He tried to lift my shirt but I whimpered. He pulled his hand back and turned to the other man.