Project S.T.A.T.I.C. Part 5: The Asylum

Jake and Beth were leading their friends down the hall deeper into the asylum with Rebecca and Pam close behind. The sirens and lights were flashing and going off as they ran as fast as they could. There was a problem that was making its way to intercept them. As they neared the intersection they saw the hulking monstrosity they’d briefly encountered while scouting Alexis’ hideout. The terrifying yet strangely indifferent monster of a woman was walking at a slowly and deliberate pace. Her unnervingly milky white eyes seemed to be locked on the four of them.

“Is that the same thing from Alexis’ place?!” Beth shouted, keeping her pistols at the ready.

“My gut says yes!” Jake shouted back, “She’s blocking the way forward!”

“Don’t be so skittish, you two!” Rebecca scoffed, pushing past them and picking up her pace, “This is nothing more than an attempted clone of that oafish Havoc!”

Jake was about to try to stop his ex, but she was charging forward too fast for him to stop her. He wasn’t sure what she was planning, but he knew there was nothing that he could do to stop her. Rebecca’s body contorted, expanded, and started to transform. She transformed into a werewolf as she got closer and her speed doubled. As she neared the freakish behemoth, it slowly started to pick up its pace in response. They were going to meet for a head on collision.

Rebecca was running on all fours with her mouth locked in a sinister snarl as she got closer. She straightened up and drew her left arm back with her claws extended once she got within striking distance. Rebecca slashed her claws upward in an attempt to cut through the monster’s chest and expose her heart, but she was surprisingly fast for something her size. To Rebecca, and everyone’s surprise, the beast managed to twist to the side and dodge the incoming swipe aimed at her chest. Rebecca was caught off guard, but she managed to recover quickly enough to duck under a titanic right hook.

Rebecca leaned back just as the monster threw a hefty uppercut aimed at her jaw. The colossal fist would have surely shattered her jaw if she hadn’t managed to get out of the way. Again, Rebecca tried to slash at the monstrous woman with her claws. A swift strike aimed at the chest of the monster. Her claws managed to rake across the thick coat, tearing through part of the lofty leather. Rebecca didn’t waste time following through and trying to capitalize on the opening she had. She launched into a flurry of ferocious swipes and slashes aimed at the chest, throat, and face of the hulking woman in front of her.

Rebecca’s swift and constant barrage of slashes and cuts lasted for a few brief seconds. She managed to land a handful of blows before she was suddenly stopped. She winced when she felt one of those massive hands clamp down on her forearm and halt her assault. She tried to pull her arm free, but this thing was far stronger than she thought. It truly reminded her of Havoc and the few times that she’d fought the titan before she’d fallen in her supposed holy war. Rebecca was suddenly lifted off the ground and thrown into the wall, but the wretched she-beast refused to let go. 

Rebecca growled as she tried to break free from the grip of the monster woman holding her in place. Her feet were dangling above the ground, but she still had one arm free. She tried to sink her claws into the thing’s wrist to free herself, but this woman seemed entirely unphased. Her other arm reared back and that bionic fist clenched tightly and aimed at her face. She tried to dig her feet into the concrete of the wall, but she wasn’t sure she’d be able to even try anything before this thing managed to crush her skull. 

Rebecca was trying to figure something out before she was annihilated by this thing. The sound of gunfire cut through the shrill sirens and alarms. Rebecca opened her eyes as the sound reached her ears and she didn’t feel the inevitable crushing blow of steel crashing against her face. The gray skinned woman was looking back down the hall in the direction of the gunfire. The bullets that hit her didn’t seem to have any effect on her other than to irritate and distract her. Much to her dismay and aggravation, Rebecca suddenly felt herself being flung through the air back down the hall.

Rebecca shifted in the air to stop herself from crashing onto the floor. She dug her claws into the ground and her hindlegs to stop herself from losing too much ground; coming to a stop beside Beth who’d stopped shooting. “Maybe we should run?” Beth offered, hoping that Rebecca would see reason.

Rebecca snarled and growled in response to the idea of retreating. Beth rolled her eyes as Rebecca charged in again. If it were up to her, she would have likely left her old adversary to fend for herself, but that wasn’t an option given what they were up against. Instead, she took a step back and tried to figure out what to try next. “Flank her!” Jake shouted, running past his friend and towards his ex.

The freakishly gray skinned monster was at the intersection and holding her position. Beth sighed as she followed Jake’s lead. Again, she wasn’t keen on the idea of fighting this thing after what they’d already dealt with back at Alexis’, but she didn’t see many other options. She and Jake ran along opposing sides of the wall with her on the left and Jake on the right. Jake had his escrima sticks out and at the ready, but Beth had holstered her pistols. She didn’t see the point in wasting ammunition on this thing. Instead, she was preparing to summon her sword in hopes of landing a surprise attack when the chance presented itself.

Rebecca had managed to close the gap between her and the monster blocking their way forward. She swung her claw in an upward, diagonal slash aimed at the woman’s chest, but the creature managed to lean out of the way before she could land a blow. Rebecca shifted her weight and spun on her heels with her claws outstretched as the monster threw a forceful left punch. Rebecca was able to duck beneath the incoming fist and sink her claws into her arm as she finished her spin. She noted the distinct lack of warmth from blood gracing her clawed fingertips. Was this thing even alive?

Rebecca didn’t have time to wonder before the monster was coming again. She ripped her claws free and crouched down low to avoid an open hand aimed at her throat. “Over here, ugly!” Jake shouted, flipping a switch on his escrima sticks and causing them to crackle with electricity.

While their supplies had been more than limited at Eclipse, the different components they’d managed to salvage from the Birdcage and throughout the city had allowed him to enhance his weaponry. It wasn’t much, and they only lasted a short while, but Jake had managed to splice together enough wiring and batteries to electrify his weapons. The charge didn’t last long, but if he had time he could recharge them himself, or he could rely on Rebecca or Pam. He hadn’t tested them on a living specimen yet, but there was no time like the present. 

Jake had been planning on launching a surprise attack from behind, but then Rebecca had nearly gotten herself pinned once again. He changed course at the last minute and jumped up to plant his boot against the wall. Jake kicked off with as much force as he could muster towards the beast. He called out to it in hopes of getting its attention and distracting it as he swung his sticks in a horizontal arc. They crackled and jolted with electricity as Jake struck the monster woman across the face. Her head turned to the side as a burn mark started to form across her cheek, but she was otherwise unphased. His attack did nothing to stagger it, nothing to stop it, but it bought Rebecca enough time to recover.

“Fuck me,” Beth groaned as she saw Jake’s failed attempt at a power blow, “Here goes nothing!”

Beth extended her right arm and opened her hand. She took a deep breath and let the chill of the North Wind Blade flow through her. She could feel the hilt in her hand before it appeared and clenched her fist around it. The glowing katana blinked into existence with tendrils of ethereal energy radiating from it. The second that it appeared, Beth pivoted towards the monster. She narrowed her eyes and wrapped both hands around the hilt. She swung in an upward arc aimed at the back of this thing. A burst of spectral energy flew from the blade and raced towards the freakish hulk. It slammed into her and caused her to stagger and stop for a moment, but it did nothing to knock her off her feet.

The gray-skinned monster hunched her shoulders for a second after Beth’s attack. A large split appeared in the backside of her coat and the dress, but what little of her skin could be seen looked mostly intact. It straightened up and quickly spun around with its fist clenched and rocketing towards Beth. Beth was able to read the telegraphing of the monster’s attack. She could feel the spirit of her sword guiding and pulling at her to dodge. Beth leaned forward and low, shifted and spun, and barely managed to avoid the monstrous fist coming for her. She raised her sword and put a hand against the blunt end of the blade to reinforce it as the creature launched a follow-up attack; a straight jab that connected with her blade. Beth was pushed back, but she was able to keep her footing.

Beth took a step backward, angled her sword behind her, and sliced upward in a diagonal arc aimed at the monster. A burst of blue energy shot forth from the edge of the blade and rocketed towards the monster. The woman raised her bionic hand and somehow managed to catch the energy wave, but not before being pushed back a couple of feet. At the last second, the hulking mock havoc flung her arm and sent the shockwave flying upwards and crashing into the ceiling. Beth could feel a sense of disbelief starting to wash over her as she watched the redirect unfold. She was surprised again when a red blur appeared in front of her and knocked an incoming fist away at the last second.

Pam had seen enough. She’d watched Rebecca foolishly charge into battle against the freakish behemoth. She hadn’t forgotten what this thing had been able to shake off back at Alexis’ hideout, and she knew that facing her head on in such confined quarters was a mistake. However, her former mentor lacked nothing in terms of confidence. So she wasn’t surprised when Rebecca charged in without a second thought or a plan. Admittedly, Rebecca had done better than she thought, but it hadn’t been enough. Jake and Beth had no choice but to jump in and try to join the fight, and neither of them were doing much more than irritating the monster.

Pam hadn’t been expecting this thing to toss a direct energy attack from Beth’s sword like she had, though. That had been the final straw for Pam. Beth had been in a state of shock at what she’d just seen, but Pam had sprung into action. She’d charged forward, a plume of crimson smoke rolling off her right arm. She threw her fist forward and that smoke shot out of her arm and started to take shape. In a flash, the smoke had taken the shape of Rage with an elbow aimed at the wrist of the monster. Rage quickly disappeared again only to reappear at Pam’s side.

Pam stopped in front of the titanic monster as it turned to face her. She leaned back out of the way of an incoming uppercut, and Rage shot out and threw a powerful straight jab at the stomach of the monster. A burning chain shot out of her hand and pierced through the stomach of the behemoth without warning. Rage twisted her wrist and pulled back with all of her might to pull the monster forward as Pam put her hands together and sent a blast of spectral energy shooting out of her palms. Again, it wasn’t enough to knock the freak off her feet, but it was enough to stagger her. 

Pam took a step back and folded her arms together. Rage fell back to stand beside her and mirrored her stance. Dual orbs of violet energy appeared in their palms and started to illuminate the dark corridor. “Be ready to fall back!” Pam shouted as she and Rage pushed forward.

A set of simultaneous blasts shot out of their hands and collided with the body of the chaotic giant. It was finally enough to cut through the thick overcoat and singe the skin of the monster standing before her. The lights were blinding, but the opening was clear albeit brief. Pam didn’t waste time breaking away from the fray. She was quick to try to get past the monster on her side. Much to her dismay, The woman’s colossal hand shot out blindly to try to grab her. It was within inches of her head when a large raven appeared in her face. It pecked and scratched at the face of the gray-skinned freak and broke her concentration. Pam seized the moment and rushed past her.

Rebecca flanked past the other side of the freak and passed beside Jake. The pair of them turned to run down the intersection. A pair of large double doors were open. Neither of them paid the sign beside the door any mind or heed as they crossed the threshold. Rebecca wasn’t a fan retreating, before or after her time as the Goth Goddess. However, it was clear that whatever this thing was was more than they were prepared for. Perhaps they could have found a way to finish her, but whatever this thing was was only one obstacle in this madhouse. Once they cleared the threshold, the doors behind them suddenly slammed shut and the automatic locks engaged to seal them off.

On the opposite side, Pam had managed to make it to Beth and wrap her in a tight, running embrace. Pam wrapped an arm around Beth to guide her towards the set of doors on the opposite side of their friends. Her goal was just to put some separation and distance between them and that freakish monster. She and Beth could have easily regrouped with their friends, but she wasn’t expecting their paths to be cut off without warning. Just like with Rebecca and Jake, the doors behind them slammed shut and the locks engaged. 

Pam whipped around and looked through the thick glass windows on the upper portion of the doors to see what the woman was going to do next. She watched as the blank stare of the monster looked back and forth between the two halls that the four of them had been split between. Pam waited to see which one that thing was going to try to chase after, but she was shocked when she saw her turn and head back the way she’d originally come. Whatever that thing was apparently had no interest in pursuing them. 

“Dammit,” Pam snarled as that thing retreated back from whence it came, “Of course it was a diversionary tactic…”

“Huh?” Beth frowned, checking on Pam after her sword faded into the ether.

“Murray sent that blasted thing to split us up,” Pam sighed, looking through the glass to see Rebecca and Jake locked behind the doors across the hall, “I truly hate this woman…”

Beth looked around the hallway that they’d been sealed within. There was a sign hanging a little ways down the hall. The letters on the sign were faded and barely legible, but she could faintly see the words Day Room and Exam on it. There had to be elevators or a stairwell somewhere around here, but she wasn’t sure where. The truth was that places like this always unnerved her, and the stories that were associated with this one in particular didn’t sit well with her. That meant that she didn’t know the layout of the hospital.

“There’s nowhere to go but forward,” Beth shook her head, glancing back at Pam, “We need to find a way to the next floor. Maybe we can reunite with Jake and Becks when we make it off this floor.”

“That doesn’t-” Pam started, stopping as she registered what Beth had said, “Did you just call her Becks?”

Beth Shrugged and smiled, “I’m trying something new, sue me. She keeps calling me fucking Elizabeth, so why can’t I call her something else? Do you think it would piss her off?”

“She’d be furious,” Pam shook her head, unable to stop the small smile that was spreading across her face, “Save that for when we make it out of here. The last thing we need is infighting among our ranks while we’re stuck in this place.”

Beth rolled her eyes and scoffed, “Fine, but only because you smiled. We’ll be alright, Pam, I promise. We’ll get through this together.”

Once again, Pam was reminded of how lucky she was to have a partner like Beth. She could feel Rage beneath her skin crying out in frustration. She was the alpha in their relationship, and it was her job to protect Beth. However, she’d learned over the last year that Beth had the capability of switching roles when the need arose. Admittedly, it had proven incredibly useful over the last year. Times like this were a perfect example. 

“Any suggestions, Kitten?” Pam asked, feeling slightly more relaxed, “Or are we to wander aimlessly and hope for the best?”

“I mean, isn’t that what we usually do?” Beth joked, sobering when Pam shot her a serious look, “Okay, okay I get it. There’s nowhere for us to go but deeper in, though. The sign up there says day rooms are this way. Maybe we can find a stairwell or something that branches off from down there. If we’re lucky, we won’t see anymore of that big Havoc knock-off freak. Do you have any idea what that thing was? Did you get any read or vibe off of her?”

“Vibe, really?” Pam asked, following Beth as they started to make their way down the hall, “No, it was like trying to read a blank slate. It was the same way back at Alexis’ hideout. It’s strange too. With the infected, I can feel hunger and anger, but that woman was like a machine.”

“She reminds me of Havoc,” Beth said, taking slow and careful steps forward.

“She’s different from Havoc,” Pam shook her head, “Havoc wore a mask, literally and metaphorically. She put on a facade of being cold, aloof, and indifferent, but she was hiding her emotions. We saw it in her final hours, but I could feel it before then. This woman, this thing, was nothing. It was like dealing with a brick wall.”

“Then what do you think it is?” Beth asked, “Is it even human?”

“I think that she may have been, once upon a time,” Pam said, “I don’t know if she was a victim of Murray or a volunteer. Whatever the case, I think that she’s another product of that woman's demented mind. This is a woman that was deemed too much of a flight-risk for Rebecca to utilize. We were told to avoid her at all costs, and you’re well aware of the likes that Rebecca employed.”

“As much as I hated her, I never denied that she was smart,” Beth sighed, glancing back and pointing at Pam, “Don’t you dare tell her I said that, though. Anna Murray has always been more of a loner and a serial killer. There’s psychopaths, and then there’s sociopaths. She earned that moniker of the Babydoll Killer because of all the bodies we found. We never could understand the rhyme or reason to the carnage she left behind, and when she was questioned, it only got more confusing. She talked about perfection and symmetry with her victims and how close she was. We’d send her to prison, and she was an almost perfect inmate every time. She’d either slip out in a massive breakout, or she’d sneak out without anyone being any the wiser. Shit, once she was even released for good behavior! There is something that is just unnatural and unhinged about her. There always has been.”

Beth and Pam continued down the hall before coming to a large open area. There were tables and chairs that were scattered around, but many of them had been turned over on the sides. Some of the chairs had been flipped, some had been stacked, and others were broken. There were signs of struggles and fighting that had taken place, but Beth couldn’t tell how recent it had been. The lights were on, but many of them were either flickering or the bulbs were out. Unlike the hallway from earlier, the emergency lights were off. There were a few rooms that branched off, but the doors were sealed tight.

Pam frowned as a wave of emotions suddenly crashed into her. She could feel a weight suddenly pressing down on her psyche. She looked around for any signs of life or movement, but there was nobody but her and Beth that she could see. She stumbled forward and put a hand to her head. Pam steadied herself on a nearby table and immediately regretted touching it. There was a layer of dust and slime, but she tried to ignore it. It was easier than usual considering the swelling pressure building behind her eyes. She had an absolutely dreadful migraine.

Beth stopped and turned around when she heard the table scrape across the floor. “Are you alright?”

Pam considered lying, but she shook her head instead, “No, there’s something wrong here. My head…ugh…”

“Pam!” Beth exclaimed, rushing to catch her girlfriend before she fell, “I’m here, it’s okay. Here, here I’ve got a chair for you. Sit down for a second, yeah?”

“Tell me it’s not covered in the same filth as that table,” Pam winced, allowing Beth to lead her into a sitting position.

Beth rolled her eyes despite her concern. She carefully helped Pam sit down and made sure she was stable before she drew her pistols and looked around. They could afford a minute or two for Pam to regain her composure, at least she hoped they could. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry. “Talk to me, Pam,” Beth said softly, “What’s going on?”

Pam shook her head as she tried to figure out exactly what was happening. “It’s difficult to describe,” she began, “It’s like a whirlwind of emotions suddenly started wafting through the air. I used to get these headaches and feelings when I first unlocked this side of my powers. It was before I learned how to block out the emotional storm that comes from walking down the street. It’s strange here because this place is empty as far as I can tell. Unless…”

“Did we miss something?” Beth asked, trying to check their perimeter.

“I don’t think so,” Pam shook her head, “I think that it’s the residual energy and emotions that’s been left here. A combination of patients from the past and possibly some of the ones that Murray has been treating.”

“You mean like echoes?” Beth asked, “Isn’t that the kind of stuff that creates ghosts?”

“Yes and sort of,” Pam nodded, trying to rebuild the walls in her mind, “Trauma breeds strong and powerful emotions that leave imprints of people past and present. When people pass, their spirits can become tied to the places where they experienced that trauma. Sometimes it’s a wrongful death, other times an echo of themselves is locked where they experienced those miserable moments. If the stories of this place are to be believed, then it is entirely possible that there are ghosts here from long before Murray took over.”

“Fucking ghosts,” Beth murmured, suppressing a shudder.

Pam smiled as she felt her headache begin to subside. She lowered her hand and took a deep breath, “You’ll be fine, Kitten, I’ll keep you safe…”

A red, smokey serpent fluttered out of Pam and swirled around Beth for a second. Beth took a step back in surprise, “What the hell?”

“Sorry, we’ll, protect you,” Pam rolled her eyes, opening her hand to call Rage back to herself, “This is taking some getting used to with Rage having a bit more autonomy.”

“It’s weird,” Beth admitted, reaching out to help Pam as she got back to her feet, “Hey, are you sure you’re good to be moving?”

“We can’t stay here,” Pam replied, sighing when Beth gave her a pointed look, “I’m okay, I promise. I just need to keep my guard up while we move deeper into this madhouse. We still need to figure out where everyone is. There is no way that Murray is running this place by herself. Where are her patients? Where are her orderlies?”

“Do you think they’re on the next floor?” Beth asked.

“I don’t know,” Pam shook her head, “There are likely some up above, or even down below. This entire thing feels like some sort of elaborate setup.”

The intercom let out its familiar chime as it came to life. The chilling voice of Anna Murray came across the loud speakers, “Attention, patients and staff, the time is now a quarter after one. As you all are aware, it is feeding time for our more…eccentric patients. All patients are advised to report to their rooms, and all staff are to initiate lockdown on the outer halls until lunch is concluded. Those patients that choose to remain out do so with an understanding that they are risking their very lives. As for our new arrivals…well, I trust you’ll enjoy the spectacle and improvements that we’ve been making with our oldest and most reliable patient base. This has been a courtesy call from your loving care provider Doctor Anna Murray, also known as the Magnificent Babydoll, have a wonderful day!”

The chime sounded again as her announcement came to a conclusion. Pam rolled her eyes at her speech, but she kept her senses on high alert. She couldn’t rely on her empathic powers for more than short ranged sweeps thanks to the waves of anguish that were radiating and staining the halls, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t use them at all. The announcement didn’t seem as though it was directed towards them, say for the last part addressing them. It almost sounded like a standard and routine address. The lights remained on, but a loud buzzer sounded in the distance.

“She’s got a humble opinion of herself,” Beth scoffed, referring to Murray’s title, “What do you think she’s talking about with that whole patient bit?”

The sounds of items being knocked over and snarling could be heard in the distance as the buzzer quieted down. The silence that had been stretching across the halls was quickly being replaced by the familiar sounds of the infected and turned stumbling, bumbling, and growling while they moved on the prowl for food. “Remember the video that we saw,” Pam said, looking around for somewhere that they might be able to hide, “The one where Jason was captured. There were waves of Courtney’s zombies and turned on the streets, but none of them moved to attack Jason or Murray. She seemed to have some sort of control over them similar to Courtney.”

“I thought that only happened with the matriarch, or whatever it’s called,” Beth pointed out, cocking the hammer on her handguns.

“Murray was working alongside Courtney when she first appeared,” Pam said, looking towards the doors leading to one of the exam rooms, “They may not have the closest relationship, but I would be willing to bet that Courtney has been more than happy to lend her toxins and parasites to Murray if it means advancing her children. It’s a win-win for Murray, given what we know about her. It gives her the chance to further her studies, and it allows her the chance to further her weird science. We need to hide, come on.”

“What?” Beth asked, turning to look at Pam, “You want us to run? You’re kidding, right?”

“I’m not,” Pam shook her head, preparing to take the lead, “We don’t have the energy or strength for a headon assault, remember? We have to be smarter than them. We hide, bide our time, and strike when the opportunity presents itself. If we can avoid a fight then that’s what we need to do unless absolutely necessary.”

A symphony of growling and snarling could be heard coming down the hallway near the opposite end of the day-room. The sounds of multiple staggered and aimless, clumsy footsteps could be heard echoing off the walls of the asylum. Beth looked in the direction of the noise and saw several shadows getting longer as a small herd got closer. “Shit,” she groaned, looking back at Pam, “Alright, lead the way. I’m right behind you.”

“Good girl,” Pam said, gesturing at one of the rooms off to the right, “Come on, follow me quickly and quietly.”

Beth nodded and let Pam take the lead. They crouched down and ran as quickly as they could. Their hope was that they might be able to slip away into the exam room off to the side before any of the supposed patients could spot them. If they were lucky, they’d be able to find another way through or around the infected. They crossed through the doorway to one of the side rooms unsure of what they might find. Beth quietly closed the door behind them, leaving it slightly cracked so they could peer out through it and watch for their moment.

The lights were off, but they could see the silhouettes of furniture. Unlike the day-room, this one had a couch, a desk, and a couple of chairs that were set up around the room. A bookcase with each of its shelves filled to capacity was against the wall. The cacophony of growling and snarling could still be heard outside, but both women hunkered low and made their way to the desk. They’d have to wait it out and plan out their next move. Already, they were searching for their escape. Another of the large vents was nestled against the wall beside the bookshelf. 

“There,” Beth whispered, pointing to the grate, “That might be our best bet.”

Pam nodded and looked back, “I think you may be right, but let’s see if this herd thins out. Perhaps we may spot some of her orderlies while we wait.”

“Alright, keep watch, will you?” Beth asked while she pulled her knife and started to unscrew the grate.

They’d managed to survive the first round, but their threats and trials were only beginning. Already, they’d been welcomed and forced to separate from the rest of their group. The most difficult part was figuring out whether they were playing into or against Murray’s machinations and plans. Neither of them wanted to consider the prior, so they focused on trying to plot their next move piece by piece. They could only hope that Jake and Rebecca were faring better than them.