Chapter Three
“Applebees?”
Sean blinked. “What?”
“Sean, up until a few minutes ago, I thought you were dead. And you want to meet at Applebees?” I smirked. “Dude, that’s more than a little anti-climatic.”
“Well, I happen to think they have nice food. Okay?” A waitress passed our booth and smiled at us. Sean waved back. “She’s cute.”
“Right, you like the food.” I said. “So, are you gonna tell me why you’re not dead?”
Sean nodded. “Sure, but first are you mad at me?”
“No I’m not.”
“Really?”
“Yes—.”
“Cause you do seem quite a tad bit—.”
“Sean, I’m not--!” I stopped because I noticed the odd looks we were getting from the other tables; then dropped my voice. “Look, I’ll tell you what, if you promise to tell me what the hell’s going on, I’ll promise not to hit you as hard when I beat you to a pulp later.”
Sean smiled. “There it is! Now was that so hard? Now, I know. You’re upset and you have every right to be.”
I raised my eye brow. “Really?”
“Really really,” he said.
I sighed. I was so busy being worried about Sean that I’d forgotten how much of a piece of work he could be. “So what’s going on man?”
Sean gulped down the rest of his water and looked at me. His face turned solemn. He looked like a mess. His hair was disheveled, he had rings under his eyes, and he was still in his hospital garb, which I found totally ridiculous. But this whole experience had been ridiculous from the start so I wasn’t too surprised.
“You won’t believe the night I’ve had man.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Try me.”
“Okay, I almost have every piece to this story except a few holes.”
“Like what?”
“What happened to you man?” he asked. “At the party? Remember? You were supposed to be there.”
“I was! I mean would’ve been there just…I met Sarah.”
“Wait a minute. Sarah? Sarah from biology?”
“Yeah…”
Sean sat back in the booth. “So, I got stood up for a booty call.”
“It wasn’t a booty call,” I said. “It’s not like that.”
“Right, I don’t know if I should be mad or proud. Oddly enough, I’m more proud than anything. I told you that chick had the hots for you but you didn’t listen.”
“She’s married.”
“So what?” Sean shot back. “Just because you like to play Mr. Good guy and listen to her problems for a month doesn’t mean shit. Really man I’m not mad, you should’ve boned that chick a long time ago.
I shook my head. “Whatever, man. I’m sorry alright?”
“Nah, don’t be. It’s cool.”
I didn’t say anything. A waitress came by and poured some more water in our cups.
“So, are you gonna tell me about why I found you covered in blood earlier; or how about the drug?”
Sean winced. “You know about the drug?”
I sat the pill bottle on the table so he could see it. Sean sighed.
“You searched my pockets?” he asked. “Wait, do you have my gram?”
“Forget the stupid gram dude. What the heck is this?”
Sean’s expression changed. He suddenly looked very tired. “Dude, it was…I don’t know how to explain it. Unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
“Sean, what happened?”
He sighed, went to drink some more of his water, and frowned when he realized it was empty.
“Well?”
Sean stayed very quiet. He looked like he was remembering something terrible. Then he said, “You know, Michael Hampton?”
Yeah, I knew of him. Michael Hampton had everything: the looks, the girls, and the money. He was just another rich play boy.
“What about him?”
“He invited me and a couple of people to an after party, which you were supposed to go to. Remember?”
No, they invited you, not me, I thought. “Yeah sure.”
“Well,” he said “the after party was in this bar called Remy’s. It’s was a hookah bar man. We all chilled and got dupha high. It was awesome…then.”
“Then what?”
“Then Michael said he had some even harder stuff back at his beach house. But only a few of us were invited: Just me, Austin, Michael Emery, and Van--.”
“—Wait a minute,” I stopped him. “Was Sarah there?”
“No.” he said “Why would she be?”
Yeah, why would she be, I thought. “Nothing, just I thought of something…”
“Yeah, well I’m gonna go piss.”
I looked up. “What?”
“Look man, I just drank all of this Applebees water and I have a weak bladder so I’ll be back.”
“Right,” I said and smiled. “A problem which made you a pain in the ass since we were kids.”
Sean shrugged. “What can I say? It’s one of my many flaws.” Then he left leaving me alone with all of my thoughts. It was odd. Why would Monroe lie to me about Sarah’s involvement?
“Don’t move.” I froze as I felt the barrel of a gun touch my back.
“What do you want?” I asked. I didn’t realize I’d subconsciously turned as I asked the question and the man poked me harshly in the back.
“I said don’t move, Mr. Carter!” he said in an even harsher whisper.
I gritted my teeth. “Who are you?”
“I’m FBI.”
Great, I thought. Another badge. But this guy sounded a little unstable. “Someone have a bad night?” I asked.
“You won’t even believe kid.” He replied. “So here’s what I think. Somehow your friend Sean’s still alive and now you’ve come to meet him.”
“Sean’s dead.” I shot back. “I happen to like Applebees, Sir. They have good food.”
“Yeah, good excuse. But just one thing, maybe from now on you should keep your blinds closed kid. People could be watching.”
That one made me pause. I wasn’t expecting that. “I’m under surveillance?”
“I’ve been watching you since you picked up your friend. I would’ve gotten to you first if Monroe hadn’t showed up.”
“So, you know what’s going on then? You can tell me?” I asked. The FBI agent froze. Maybe he was surprised that I actually didn’t know what was going on, I thought. Or maybe he was shocked at how dumb I was. Then I looked up and saw Monroe walk to the restaurant.
Holy Shit.
Things just went from bad to worse. And I still had a gun to my back. Yay. Monroe zeroed in on us in a second. “Agent Paul Brink, or should I say former agent? Your phantom conspiracy doesn’t exist, Paul. And that kid has nothing to do with it. He’s just an accomplice to a murder.”
“What?” It was my turn to be surprised. “No way, you’ve got this all wrong man.”
“Do I, Mr. Carter?” Monroe pressed. “Or did you not kill Miss Mitchelle because she wouldn’t love you. You drugged her at the party and had your way with her after.”
“N-no,” I stuttered. “This isn’t about me. It’s about Sean. You brought me in because of Sean.”
Monroe laughed. “Yet another delusion, Mr. Carter!” Every one in the Applebees froze, except the waiters who had already started sneaking back into the kitchen. They knew what was coming. Monroe stepped toward us but Paul was already ready. He pulled out his gun.
“Don’t come any closer,” he ordered. Monroe kept his distance.
I still hadn’t left my booth. I didn’t understand what was going on. “You’re framing me.”
Monroe laughed again. I was really getting sick of that. “You think Sean is your friend, Mr. Carter? He was an anarchist! He brainwashed you. And you fell for it. He killed all of those people at the party. He set the hospital on fire. And now, he’s dead.”
I stood up. Balled my fists. Stared Monroe dead in the eyes. “You’re a lying piece of shit!”
Monroe’s gun left it’s holster faster than I could think. He fired three shots before I moved to duck. Paul fired back two of his own. Grabbed my arm and gave one single command.
“Run!”
Chaos erupted immediately. Customers ran for the exits. I bolted after Paul. A glass fixture busted above my head. A pitcher of water to my right exploded. Paul led me into the kitchen where a lot of the chefs and staff had already vacated.
We ducked behind one of the many counters just as I heard the kitchen doors swing inward. Monroe was in the room. Paul placed a finger over his lips. Then peaked over the counter. Satisfied he pointed in a direction, and I followed him around to another counter.
I heard feet shuffle then stop. “Marco!” Monroe taunted. “Come on, Paul. Don’t be that way. I just want to talk.” He moved a couple of more steps. I could practically feel him peering over the counter we hid behind.
“Don’t run, Eric.”
Paul held up his hand, motioning me to wait.
Monroe continued. “It’ll only make things worse.”
Paul lashed out with his fist, nailing Monroe in the nose. “Run!” he yelled. I jumped up and shot for the back door. Monroe whipped his gun around; fired a shot. A pan hanging off one of the racks near by fell of its hook and clanged loudly on the floor. Paul slapped the gun from his hand. It slid across the floor. Monroe kicked Paul in the chest and dove for it. After that I don’t know what happened. I ran out the exit.
Outside, I was in a back alley by a dumpster. I ran to the nearest curb and caught a taxi.
I’m not a secret agent. I’m not a cop. I’m just a normal guy and I’m not cut out for gun fights. I’m not meant to be a hero, those only exist in movies. I’m just Eric Carter and I wanted my life to be normal. So, I went home. What else could I do?
Believe me, I knew it was stupid. The cops knew where I live. And I had no way of knowing if Monroe escaped. He was probably already on his way to get me. But where else could I go?
When these things happen to you in real life, you don’t suddenly get all noble and become some super hero. You don’t just know what to do like they do in the movies. I didn’t know what I should do next. So, like a run away pup that miss’s it’s home, I returned to my apartment.
I had to pass Christine’s door to get to mine, and I stopped when I noticed something strange. Christine’s door was open. I dono whether it was curiosity that convinced me to do what I did next or worry. After all, I’d had a pretty strange night. The cops seemed to be after me and everyone tied to me. And apparently they’d already taken Sarah. What if they’d taken Christine too?
I stepped into her apartment. The lights were out. The living room was empty. So I went to her kitchen and saw the blood. Her apartment was built just like mine. So I knew that the trail of blood leading out of her kitchen led right into her bedroom.
I followed it to bedroom door. A foul odor drifted from beneath the door frame. I turned the knob and crossed over the threshold.
And found Christine. She was alive. She was on the bed bent over something dark. Her face practically submerged in it. I didn’t realize what it was until I reached over and cut on the light.
Biffy…
“Christine, what the fuck?” I half whispered. Her head snapped up. She tilted her head. Much like a dog does sometimes. Blood oozed from her mouth. And her face was covered with it. She stared at me hungrily with her dead cataract eyes. A second passed where we didn’t move at all.
“AAAARRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” Christine let out a blood curdling scream that sounded like she was in raged and in pain at the same time. Then ran at me at full speed.
I barely had time to react. She jumped me and I fell through the door way. We crashed on into the small hall way between her room and the kitchen. She swung at me rabidly with her arms, lashing out with her teeth. Trying to get a bite…
I elbowed her in the jaw, busting her nose. A water fall of her blood gushed onto my face. Her head rocked back from the blow. But the pain didn’t seem to register. She redoubled her attack more ferousciously. Gnashing her teeth together, biting wherever she can. I kicked her off before she could get lucky.
She grabbed my leg and I turned back and kicked in again in the face this time. I scrambled to my knees and she jumped on top of me. I panicked and slamed her into the wall using my back. I stood up and kicked her some more for good measure and ran into her kitchen. I jumped behind the counter and grabbed a knife.
“Christine wait!” I said, when she entered. I stayed behind the counter moving back and forth with her movements, always keeping her on the other side, the table between me and her.
“Now, wait,” I said once more trying to reason. “What’s wrong with you?”
Christine growled and jumped to the left. I jumped to the right. Still keeping the table between her and me.
“Did they do this to you?”
She said nothing. Just growled and snapped her teeth.
“What is wrong with you?”
I didn’t know what to do. Christine, was not had just become nigh of the living dead. If I turned to run she’d probably catch me and that’d be the end of it. That’s when Christine got smart. She jumped over the table and lunged at me. But I was ready. I ditched the knife and grabbed a cooking pan of the stove. The moment she reached me I swung the pan as hard as I could at her head. At the last second she ducked and hit the sink next to me.
I stepped back and she lunged again. This time I fixed my aim waited and swung the pan. Christine’s head snapped back with the force of the blow and I heard a crack. Her body laid motionless on the ground. For a second I couldn’t move or breathe. Then the second was over. And I no longer wanted to stay in there. I barely got took two steps into the main hallway when my phone rang.
I looked at my caller ID. It was Sarah.
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