MW: Slate #3
Ken Cooney
kenpc at insightbb.com
Sat Apr 4 10:13:46 PDT 2009
S L A T E
Issue 3. by Ken Cooney
[This metaworld series is intended for a mature audience. This issue
contains some violence and language.]
"Can't believe the way you need to
Run run run!
Can't believe the way you bleed when you
Run run run!
Are you having fun?
Run! Run! Run!"
-- Concrete Blonde "Run Run Run"
I had no time to think. Looking ahead I saw the stairs. It was
almost like those horror movies where someone is running from the
killer and there's no one around and you're asking yourself "Where the
hell is everyone?!" In a way, I was glad no one was there. No one to
stop me; tell me not to run in the halls. No one to explain that
someone is trying to take me out, one way or another.
I turned left toward the stairway door and glanced back. The
brunette nurse was half way down the hall, running after me. I turned
back, grabbed the door knob, opened the door and started rushing down
the stairs, taking two steps at a time.
I grabbed the handrail, jumped, and landed on the bottom of the
stairs for this flight, turned and continued down the stairs. I saw
a five on the wall. I grabbed the handrail, jumped again, and heard
the door above me open. I glanced up and saw the woman look at me.
She took out her gun; it looked like a silencer was on it. "Stay on
the edge of the walls and keep moving," I told myself.
I quickly headed around the bend and continued downward. I heard
loud foot steps echoing in the stairwell. "He's in the northeast
stairwell," she said.
They got radios. Time to head out. I ran out the door and quickly
glancing around, headed right. I moved briskly but didn't want to
draw too much attention to myself.
* * *
"He's on four." Alison said into her shirt sleeve, as she continued
running down the stairs.
"We got men at all the entrances,"
* * *
I started thinking as I quickly walked down the hall. They may
have people at the entrances. They know what I look like, but I
don't know who is looking for me. That's a major disadvantage. I
glanced at another stairwell door and then something caught my eye.
* * *
"Stone. He may be headed your way, so keep a look out."
"Understood," replied a man, sitting in a chair by the door.
Stone had a clear view of the walkway. He pretended to look at
the newspaper, keeping an eye out. Suddenly he heard a siren go off.
"What the-?"
"Fire alarm!" the receptionist shouted. "Everyone head out the
front door in an orderly fashion."
People started heading walking from the hallways. Stone stood up
and looked into the crowd.
"Everyone needs to head out the front door," the receptionist
repeated.
Stone turned his attention to the receptionist with a look of
frustration in his eyes. He started walking to the door, raising his
arm up toward his face. "Heading out."
Stone walked across the street to the other side, glancing back
and around, looking for the target. Even if he spotted him, walking
through this crowd would take some time.
"The other agents are near the doors. Keep an eye out."
"Affirmative," Stone replied.
He stood around, quickly glancing from person to person. There
were a lot of patience, some walking and some in wheelchairs. He saw
a few doctors and nurses, some pushing wheelchairs or helping those
with those IV things. More people were heading out the door. None of
the looked like a target. Fire engine sirens slowly rose above the
noise.
"Jax."
"Negative."
"DC."
"Negative."
"Angel."
"Negative."
One by one, each agent replied, saying the target wasn't spotted.
"He wasn't still inside the building, was he?" though Stone, "Well, if
he was, the fire fighters will find him and escort him out."
"Stone."
"Negative," he answered, looking around.
Some people were headed toward the garage. Stone looked at those
people but none seemed to fit the description.
* * *
I found a white jacket and put it on. I helped a few patients from
their beds to their room door, much like the others who were dressed
like me. I then walked to the nurses station and looked around.
There had to be a lost and found box somewhere. Bingo. I searched
through and found a pair of glasses and grabbed a comb. I combed my
hair down and put the glasses on. My vision was a bit blurred but
this would have to do.
I stepped out of the station and headed down to the first floor
exit. I saw a older woman maneuvering in a wheel chair. "Do you need
any help, miss?"
"Oh, that would be great!" she said with a smile. "It's been a
while since I've had a nice young man like you take care of me."
I chuckled a little.
She smiled and continued, "I've been here for a month or so, and
this is the most excitement. I've seen in a while. You know they
never let me out?"
"No," I said, keeping my head down and looking at the blurred crowd
of people around me.
"It'd be nice to get out. Smell the clean air."
"Well, today is a perfect opportunity to do just that," I answered.
Fifty feet from the door.
"You single? I got a nice grand daughter. I think you'd like
her. She's nice, cute, twenty-eight."
I smiled, glancing around a bit but mostly keeping my head down.
She glanced back to me. "Oh, how rude of me. You're probably thinking
some old lady you just met is trying to hook you up."
"It's alright, really." I smiled through the thick glasses.
"I'm Annabelle. Annabelle Wilson." she said, extending out a hand.
"Jack." I said, shaking it. "Jack Phillips."
It surprised me how easy that came out. How easily I was able to
switch personas. "How about we find a nice tree around here?" I
added.
"Oh, that'd be great. There's some nice ones by the parking lot."
I was now just out the door. The group was migrating to the side
parking lot, which was perfect. I just need to keep my head down and
act normal. I heard some fire engine sirens in the distance.
"They probably burnt something in the kitchen." Annabelle said with
a smile. "They can't cook anything round here."
I followed the group, moving toward the parking lot.
"I can cook a great sweet potato pie."
"I love sweet potato pie," I replied, keeping the conversation
going.
"Oh, you should stop by when I'm out of here," she mentioned, and
then in a hushed voice said "Katie can cook, too. Katie's my grand
daughter."
I smiled and pushed her from the parking lot to a nice tall oak
tree. Several other patients and a few nurses were here. "Would it
be okay if I left, you know, so I can see if others need my help?"
"Oh sure! I'll be just fine here," Annabelle said with a smile,
"Be sure to stop by room 109 sometime. I'll show you some pictures."
I smile, nodded, and headed back into crowd. Some of the people
were heading to other parts of the parking lot. By the far end was
a garage for faculty. I headed that way, walking down a flight of
stairs to a lower level of the garage. I glanced back. No one was
looking my way or following me. I took off my glasses, pocked them,
and rubbed my eyes. When I opened my eyes again and my vision was
sharper, I looked around again. No one around.
I started walking down the rows of cars and spotted a car with the
windows rolled down. I reached in, unlocked the door, and after a
casual glance around, sat inside. I checked the glove compartment and
getting lucky, found a flat head screw driver. I grabbed it, closed
the glove compartment door, and slid myself over to the passenger
side. I tinkered under the steering wheel, getting out the starter
wires. It felt like I've done this before and wondered if I did this
to steal cars sometime in my past. After a few sparks, the car
started up. I said up, put the car in gear, and drove to the back
exit.
* * *
"Does anyone have a sighting?"
The channel went silent.
"Shit," the voice responded. "Can we get a bead on him?"
"We can't get any more precision," a woman's voice answered. "He is
still in the vicinity of the hospital. I can't tell you any more than
that."
"Shit," the voice said again.
There was a brief pause.
"Fall back. He's not going far. We'll regroup and tag him later.
Raven. You know what to do."
"I'm on it sir."
The channel went dead. Stone looked around one more time and shook
his head. It'll take a while for this mess to clear itself up. He
sat down on a bench and opened up his newspaper again. "Might as well
read this thing while I wait," he said to himself.
Sirens grew louder and fire fighters entered the hospital. The
noise of the crowd was rather loud. Somewhere by the back exit of the
hospital garage, a few cars left the hospital grounds.
======================================================================
SLATE Issue 3 "Targeted" A Metaworld comic.
Copyright 2009 by Ken Cooney, all rights reserved.
======================================================================
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