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

“Run, run, run!” the voice of the mad inmate echoed across the desolate halls of the asylum, “It’s been too long since I’ve had somebody to play with! Oh, this little game of tag is going to be such fun, fun, fun!”

Jake and Rebecca raced down the corridor in hopes of getting away from the madman chasing after them. They’d only just managed to catch their breath before Dr. Murray unlocked the door and unleashed the psycho from his cage. Neither of them were too terribly frightened by the man, but then neither of them were willing to risk a fight in such a confined space. With what they’d seen so far from Murray’s experiments and treatment of her patients, they weren’t overly fond of the idea of testing the man’s capabilities.

His footsteps were heavy and hard as he chased after them. He let out a deep and unhinged laugh that bellowed out in an unsettling manner. Jake thought that the sound of the growls and groans from the infected were more tolerable than his sociopathic laugh. He looked over at Rebecca who was more focused on finding a way out and putting distance between them and him than anything else. She kept in step with him and continued trying to follow his lead as she’d promised.

“Keep going,” he said, reaching into his utility belt to retrieve a small hexagon with adhesive on the back.

“What are you planning?” Rebecca asked without stopping.

“Don’t worry about it,” he replied, “I won’t be long, but I need you to keep going. We can’t afford to stop, neither of us.”

Despite her natural instincts, Rebecca didn’t argue with Jake. She slowed her pace without Jake noticing in case he needed support. She glanced behind her to watch Jake as he slowed down and flicked his wrist. The hexagon shaped disc flew from his hand and stuck to the wall. The sound of their pursuer’s heavy, thudding bare feet slapping across the floor echoed alongside his unhinged laughter from behind them. Jake paused and spun around in a taunting manner. Rebecca almost came to a grinding halt in reaction to Jake’s actions, but she had given him her word that he’d follow his lead.

“Oh, ho, ho, is someone giving up?!” the scarred man asked with an insane upward inflection, “Don’t worry, little friend, I’ve got all sorts of games we can play together!”

Jake grimaced in response as a series of unsettling images came to mind. The way this madman spoke told him that there was something more sadistic that man had in mind. He wasn’t going to give him the chance, but he needed to keep his focus on him. Jake pressed a button on his wrist guard to activate the device from his utility belt. It flashed and beeped for a second as the lumbering brute got close. He kept laughing even as he crossed the invisible line and triggered the proximity sensor. 

A wire shot out from the little adhesive device and embedded itself into the wall on the opposite end of the hallway. The deranged inmate’s maniacal laughter came to a sudden stop as he was tripped by Jake’s wire trap. If their situation wasn’t as potentially dire as it was, Jake might have tried to capitalize on the opening he’d managed to create. However, as it stood, the gadget was primarily meant to buy them some time to put more distance between them and the madman. Jake didn’t delay to admire his handiwork and turned back around to join Rebecca in their escape attempt.

“Let’s go!” he shouted, catching up and passing by Rebecca.

“Hmph,” Rebecca huffed but nodded.

She looked back over her shoulder as she hurried to keep up with her beloved. She saw the psychopath struggling to untangle himself and get back to his feet. He wouldn’t be down for long, and it wouldn’t be long before he was back on their heels. Rebecca pointed at the ceiling and sent a small ray of purple energy shooting from her fingertip. It wasn’t much, but the beam connected with the tiles and caused a small explosion. The blast caused several tiles and other debris to fall down and crash onto the back of the inmate. She knew it wouldn’t be enough to finish him, but combined with Jake’s tripwire it would help to slow him down.

They continued down the hall and made a sharp turn to the left. Both of them half expected to round the corner and run into another horde of infected, some of Murray’s securities, or that massive monster that had caused their group to splinter. They were fortunate to find another empty hallway with different pieces of discarded medical equipment scattered around. The pair kept up their brisk pace with the knowledge that they could encounter another threat at any second. A pair of double doors at the end of the hall waited for them to break through. Jake pulled ahead and barreled through them without a second thought.

They broke through them and entered a room that looked like another receptionist area. There was a circular desk in the center of the room, a couple of roller chairs behind the desk, a few benches and chairs that were scattered around the outskirts of the large room. There were doors on each side of the room and what they assumed was an elevator shaft, but they weren’t sure if it was functioning or not. There were four large columns that dotted the outskirts of the desk. There were papers and other bits of debris, dirt, and dust all over the floor, but they doubted that any of them would prove useful.

Amidst the filth, discarded furniture, and debris, a handful of security guards were sitting near the desk. Their helmets were off and the quartet were conversing and relaxing as though they were on break. Two of them had cigarettes hanging out of their mouths with wisps of smoke drifting upwards. The four guards snapped to attention as Jake and Rebecca broke through the doors. Jake shook his head and pulled a couple of birdarangs from his utility belt and lobbed them at the guards before they could draw their weapons. They found their mark and collided with the guards’ hands and caused them to recoil for a brief second.

Rebecca moved to the left as Jake threw his birdarangs. She’d watched him throw countless and dodged more than twice that many in her years fighting for and against him. She waved her right hand and curled her fingers into a fist. Casting complex spells in this place was exhausting and strenuous, but she could rely on her more basic and innate abilities. A small vortex opened up and her familiars burst from the swirling black masses. The large, red eyed raven flew forward and dove at the guards. Its talons dug into the shoulders of one and forced him to the ground while a deafening howl rang out across the room.

“Son of a bitch,” one of the guards shouted, “Kill that witch’s fucking pets!”

“Hmph, some people simply have no respect,” Rebecca snarled as her eyes flashed red, “I am going to enjoy this, you lowly little heathens.”

Rebecca’s vision split between what was directly in front of her and what her canine familiar could see. She ducked down low as the two Jake had hit recovered and grabbed for their handguns. Her wolf was stalking along the outskirts of the large room while the other three guards tried to train their guns on Jake and Rebecca. She ducked behind one of the large square pillars for cover and tilted her head to the side to signal her pet to attack. It had managed to sneak around to the backside of one of the guards. It didn’t make a noise as it leapt at him and forced him down to the ground. It sank its teeth into the throat of the guard leaving only two still on their feet.

Jake had seen Rebecca’s offensive out of the corner of his eyes. He was glad that she was on his side for a change, and he was incredibly thankful for her pets. The attack from the wolf had created an opening that he needed to launch a counter-offensive against the remaining guards. One of them turned to check on their friend and opened fire without a second thought. Jake changed direction the instant the guard turned his back on him. Jake tucked himself low and sprinted towards him. He dove through the air and wrapped his arm around the neck of the guard. He threw himself into a corkscrew motion and sent the guard flying to the ground in a painful flip that landed him on his back.

“Knock, knock!” the insane voice of the scarred and deranged inmate filled the room, “Where are you, friends?!”

“Shit, the Sitter is loose!” the last guard standing shouted and started to backpeddle, “We need backup, down here. Doctor, Sitter is out of his cage.”

The sound of static filled the room as the intercom activated and Murray’s voice sounded, “I am aware that he’s loose. Derek has been cooped up for too long, wouldn’t you agree? Our newest arrivals deserve to have some fun, and his games are as wonderful to watch as they are creative.”

“D-Doc, what about us?!” the guard shouted, “Sitter isn’t going to stop with these two.”

“Then I hope you are either fast or have an interest in becoming Derek’s newest toy,” Murray chuckled, “I am eager to see how this plays out. Try to have fun, my little worker bee.”

“Shit, shit, shit!” the guard shouted, looking around before raising his gun, “Inmate seven-seven-three, this is your one warning: stand down and get on your knees.”

“Jake,” Rebecca whispered, her voice ringing out in the back of Jake’s mind.

Jake heard her clear as day, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away long enough to respond. Derek the Sitter took a few playful steps towards the guard who had his pistol raised. Jake could see his face clearly now, and the yellow teeth of his sadistic smile sent shivers down his spine. He’d seen insanity up close more than once, but there was something truly unnerving about this man. It might have been a combination of his scars, those rotting teeth, and his impressive stature. Whatever it was, Jake had a truly nasty feeling as he watched stalk towards the guard.

“Oh, don’t you want to play?” Derek asked with a gleeful smirk.

“Stop!” the guard shouted.

Derek took another step and the guard opened fire. The bullets from his gun ripped out of the barrel and found a home in Derek's shoulders. To Jake’s horror and astonishment, Derek barely seemed to flinch despite the blood that started to roll down his chest. The guard kept firing, but Derek continued to advance until the sound of the guard’s gun jamming signaled the end. Derek’s hand coiled around the guard’s throat and raised him up. Derek flashed another toothy grin before bringing the guard in for a quick kiss as his face started to turn red from the strangulation.

“Jake, we need to go!” Rebecca’s voice practically screamed in Jake’s head, “We cannot spare anymore time, and we certainly cannot afford to squander this opportunity while this lumix is distracted.”

It went against his better judgment, but he knew that Rebecca was right. They were already working with borrowed time. He forced himself to turn away from the sight of Derek strangling and almost caressing the wounded guard. He chose to focus on Rebecca who pointed at the large doors opposite them. Jake nodded and ran towards her. She joined him as soon as he got close and burst through the doors. They held onto the hope that maybe they’d find a way to escape the madman toying with one of the guards.

They threw their shoulders against the doors and frowned as they entered an area that was carted off with a chainlength fence. They could see the outside for the first time since they’d arrived. They were near the exercise yard by the look of things. A thick fog has started to descend upon the outskirts of the asylum as the sun started to set. There was a single door only a few short feet from where they were, but it looked to be locked. The red light hanging above it was a clear indicator of that.

“Shit,” Jake breathed, “Rebecca, do you think you can get that door open?”

“I am not at full power,” she replied, “If I were, it would be a simple wave of my hand. However, I should be able to within a few minutes.”

“Hahaha!” Derek’s grotesque laugh echoed around them, “Where are the rest of my friends?! Where are you?!”

“I don’t know how long we have,” Jake shook his head, “Do your thing, and I’ll see if I can buy us some time. Whatever happens, don’t stop until the door is open, yeah?”

“Jake-” Rebecca began.

“We don’t have a lot of options right now, Rebecca,” Jake cut her off, “You’ve got to trust me here. I can hold my own against this guy while you work. I have to.”

“I-” Rebecca started and stopped herself, “I do trust you, Jake, but I know how reckless you can be. Just watch yourself while I work my magic.”

“I got this,” he assured her, secretly hoping to convince himself.

Rebecca wanted to believe him, but Jake’s overconfidence had cost him in the past against her and many others over the years. However, he was right that their options were limited at best. She hurried over to the door and set her sights on the locks. She held up her hand and let them erupt in a blistering heat. Her hand turned to a small, scorching blade that she aimed at the door. She started cutting through the thick steel, but as she did Derek burst through the door behind them. 

“Goody, goody, I found you!” Derek exclaimed with a cruel laugh, “My other friend is too tuckered out, but you two look like you’re just full of energy! Let’s play, friends!”

Jake visibly flinched at Derek’s sadistic yet childlike tone. There was something about that tone that was unsettling and offputting to him. Whether this gigantic patient believed he was harmless or not was irrelevant. Both he and Rebecca had seen what he had started to do to the guard, and Jake didn’t want to find out how far his twisted games might go. Jake reached behind him and pulled out a pair of steel batons. He slid his feet apart to widen his stance and turned to the side as Derek gleefully stomped towards them. After seeing how little bullets affected him, Jake was more than a little concerned about what his attacks might do.

Jake kept one of the batons in front of him and held it horizontal with the other tucked back and angled slightly for defense. As Derek got closer, Jake side-stepped around him and swung the batons forward. The first baton crashed into Derek’s hip and the second one crashed into his arm. In response, Derek seemed to laugh at the brief sting of Jake’s attack. His large, lumbering hand shot out and was aimed at Jake’s face. Jake grimaced and rolled underneath his arm before he could get caught in his grasp. Derek pivoted and kicked wildly at Jake. His powerful leg and weighty foot slammed into Jake’s side and sent him flying forwards. Derek laughed at the sight as Jake caught himself and flipped himself forward to land on his feet. 

Jake spun around and glared at Derek who had turned to walk towards him. The massive inmate stretched out his hands in eager anticipation of Jake’s next move. This was little more than a game to this madman. He let out another unhinged cackle as he got closer and lunged at Jake. He tried to wrap Jake in what would have surely been a crushing bear hug, but Jake again managed to roll under and past him. This time, Jake attempted to wrap one arm around Derek’s upper body and position his leg between his. Jake tried to throw his weight backwards and trip the big man, but it was like trying to move a tree trunk.

“Someone wants a hug!” Derek exclaimed as he tried to wrap his arm around Jake’s neck, “C’mere, little guy!”

The stench of rancid and unwashed body odor pounded Jake’s nostrils as Derek’s arm ensnared him. He grimaced in response, but he wasn’t going to let himself get pulled into any sort of agonizing counter. He was quick to reposition himself and try to adapt to Derek’s strangle hold. He ducked his head out and under before he could apply too much pressure first. Next, Jake moved his leg out and planted his boot against Derek’s knee. With as much force as he could muster, Jake kicked up and off without removing his arm that was around Derek’s upper body. Derek cried out in surprise anguish as his knee buckled. Jake wrapped his arm around Derek’s throat to apply his own stranglehold; Jake made sure to use his batons for additional leverage.

Rebecca glanced back behind her to check on Jake while she worked. She caught a glimpse of Jake attempting to put the big man to sleep. It looked like he had a firm lock on the lumbering sociopath. She’d felt that same hold a couple of times, though, and she knew that it wasn’t unbreakable. There was always the chance that someone, even a fool like this Sitter psycho, could break free. She needed to hurry so that she could help him deal with their sociopathic stalker. The scorching flame emitting from her fingertips continued to cut through the steel and the locks. She was making progress, but it wasn’t going fast enough for her liking.

Jake held on tight as Derek fell to one knee. The mad giant had continued cackling throughout Jake’s stranglehold, albeit with a clear rasp in his laugh. However, it wasn’t long before that laughter died and turned to a frustrated series of wheezes. He thought that he might be able to put this encounter to bed early. Derek’s large hand slapped and clambered to try to grab Jake. One of those enormous hands found a perch on Jake’s cape. The other hand grabbed at the back of Jake’s head and closed around it. Jake didn’t try to break his hold. His hope was that he might have worn Derek down enough that he wouldn’t be able to throw him off. Sadly, Derek was stronger than Jake had originally anticipated.

Derek tipped himself forward and threw Jake as hard as he could. The whirling momentum was too much for Jake to hold on, and he was dislodged from his perch. However, Jake twisted in the air and managed to land a powerful strike with his batons against the side of Derek’s head. The sudden blow brought an end to Derek’s laughter and killed his goofy, yet unhinged, smile. Derek shook his head and slowly got to his feet. He flared his nostrils in obvious annoyance and frustration. Jake again managed to land on his feet and took a defensive stance and watched as Derek picked himself up.

“That hurt,” Derek huffed and clenched his fists, “That hurt!”

Jake stood up straight as Derek suddenly charged at him like a wild bull. Derek screamed in frustration as he stomped towards Jake at a surprising speed. Jake launched into a handspring that flipped him to the left to avoid Derek’s frantic charge. He flicked his wrist and flung one of his batons at Derek to try to knock him off balance. It collided with his side before bouncing off and flying back towards Jake who caught it with ease. In response, Derek let out a disgruntled grunt, but seemed otherwise unfazed by the blow. Jake frowned as Derek prepared to charge yet again.

“How’s it coming over there?” he asked as he prepared to dodge again.

“Almost there,” Rebecca called back, trying to hurry as fast as she could.

Jake shook his head and squatted down as Derek charged towards him. He had to try to stop the rampaging psycho to give Rebecca time to work. He leaped into the air and over Derek’s shoulder as the large inmate blew through where he’d been standing. Jake wrapped his arm around Derek’s throat once again and began applying pressure. He locked one of his batons across his throat and started to pull back. He doubted the same move would work twice, but it could possibly buy them the necessary time to make their escape or combine their talents to finish this fight.

Again, Derek tried to get a grip on Jake’s head or cape, but this time the lumbering brute couldn’t get a handful. Whether it was because of his frustration and fury, Jake couldn’t say. Whatever it was, Jake was more than happy to take advantage of Derek’s furious state. As Derek started to fade, the big man made a desperate attempt to dislodge Jake from his back. He stumbled to his feet and ran backwards to slam his back, and Jake, into the chainlength fence. Jake winced as he was smacked against the fence once, twice, and three times. His suit helped to absorb most of the blows, but Derek was becoming more violent by the second.

“Get…off!” Derek shouted, stumbling forward and desperately throwing himself backwards.

Jake suddenly found himself sandwiched between the dirt and Derek. The wind was knocked out of his lungs and his grip was finally broken. Derek rolled off of him and coughed. The titanic inmate managed to get to his knees and back to his feet before Jake. Jake tried his best to to kip up, but Derek’s large hand was on his throat before he could make it. His batons clattered to the ground beside them as the massive maniac lifted him up. Gone was the playful glint in Derek’s eyes, but the sadism was still there. Those eyes seemed to turn an unsettling shade of black as he stared into Jake’s and continued to squeeze.

“Bad, friend!” Derek practically growled, “You need to learn to play nice!”

Jake tried to kick at Derek’s midsection, but his arm was far too long. Darkness began to creep in around the corner of his eyes as he struggled to find a way to break free. In a desperate attempt, Jake threw his legs up and wrapped them around his forearm. He attempted to pull his arm back and break his grip, but Derek’s arm snapped back into place before he could lock in a submission. Jake tried again, but this time Derek bent over and slammed him into the pavement. Jake’s attempts were cut short while Derek continued squeezing and applying pressure to his throat.

Jake was on the verge of passing out when Derek suddenly released him. He braced himself for whatever sick, twisted ploy Derek had up his sleeve, but it never came. Jake coughed and wheezed and tried to catch his breath as Derek stumbled forward and turned his back on Jake. He scrambled backwards while he worked to catch his breath. He looked past Derek to see Rebecca now on her feet with a hand outstretched. Behind her, the door to the open yard was now open and waiting for them to walk through.

“That is quite enough, young man,” Rebecca frowned, taking a few steps forward as her eyes and hand began to glow, “I think that we have all had enough of your silly games.”

“We’re not done until I say we’re done!” Derek stomped his foot and glared at Rebecca, “Wait your turn while I finish punishing the bird man, lady!”

Rebecca narrowed her eyes and turned her hand and fingers upward. The ground beneath Derek shifted and swallowed his ankles. He looked down and grunted in frustration as he tried to break free from the earthy hold. “You will keep your hands off of my Raven,” Rebecca growled in a possessive tone that wasn’t lost on Jake.

Rebecca clenched her fist and the ground that had swallowed Derek’s ankles tightened again. Derek tried to break free once more, but his struggles were useless. Rebecca raised her other hand and summoned a singular, large, jagged spike out of the concrete. Jake looked on in a stunned state as he continued to try to catch his breath. The large spike of earth stopped just short of Derek’s chest. Jake watched Rebecca carefully as she finished her druidic spellcraft. He saw a trail of crimson begin to roll down from her nose. The power dampeners were taking more of a toll on her than he realized. If this were any other opponent in any other area, he was sure that she’d have delivered the finishing blow by now. Instead, she seemed to be struggling to finish the job.

“What are you two doing?!” the voice of Beth cut through the air.

Jake pulled himself to his feet and looked around. He saw his friend racing across the foggy yard towards them with one of her pistols drawn. She opened fire as she ran and her bullets cut through the openings in the chainlength and dug into Derek’s shoulders. He grunted and groaned in discomfort and frustration. Like with the guard from earlier, Derek seemed almost entirely unfazed by the shots, but he was struggling to raise his right arm now. Jake watched as Beth raced around the cage and threw the door open to join him and Rebecca. 

“Gimme a boost, Becks!” Beth shouted, much to Rebecca’s chagrin.

“That is not my name,” Rebecca scoffed, although she put her hands together and knelt down as Beth approached.

“Argue with you in a minute,” Beth countered.

Rebecca rolled her eyes as Beth ran forward and put her foot in Rebecca’s hands. Rebecca pushed upward and sent Beth flying through the air towards Derek. Beth flew towards the hulking inmate and wrapped her arm around Derek’s neck. She threw her weight around and switched her momentum to pull Derek towards the jagged spike. Rebecca unclenched her fist to loosen the earthy restraints locking his ankles in place. Derek tried to catch Beth and throw her off, but when Rebecca released his ankles he lost his balance. He cried out in terror for a brief second before his screams turned to sickening gurgles as the spike punctured his chest. Beth let go of Derek’s neck and pushed herself to her feet and dusted herself off.

“Fucking A, guys,” Beth shook her head, “Since when can you two not handle one big freak?”

“We were trying to avoid wasting energy and resources,” Jake answered as he got to his feet, “We didn’t want to get caught up in a fight when there’s the chance of that thing running into us, or more of Murray’s guards or her patients.”

“So you’d rather waste time running blind?” Beth asked, “Who the hell was that dude anyway?”

“Somebody named Derek,” Rebecca replied, “He was locked up and released by Doctor Murray in an attempt to catch us off guard. And, in my defense, using my powers is something that is incredibly strenuous. Speaking of, where is Pamela?”

“Yeah, wasn’t she with you?” Jake asked, looking around, “Also, how did you make it out here?”

Beth looked away and bit her lip. A sudden wave of guilt washed over her. “She sacrificed herself when we got cornered by some of Murray’s guards and one of her doctors,” Beth sighed, “She used her powers to send me back to that hallway where we fought that freaky gray chick. I was trying to find a way back to her, but then that thing found me again.”

“You let her give herself up?” Rebecca asked, “I thought you cared about her, Elizabeth.”

“Don’t pull that shit with me, Beccy,” Beth glared at Rebecca, “I didn’t have a choice or a chance to stop her. I don't know if you know this, but Pam's her own person and I don't control her.”

“Right, how silly of me to forget that you're the one on the leash,” Rebecca huffed and crossed her arms.

“What was that?!” Beth stomped towards Rebecca.

“I did not stutter, Elizabeth,” Rebecca replied, “I believe you heard me.”

“Guys, come on,” Jake sighed.

“Let them fight, Jake,” Ashley remarked in the distance, “If we're lucky, Beth will shoot the witch. I'd personally love to see that.”

“Ash, not now,” Jake shook his head.

“Look, you overgrown, undead, bitch,” Beth glared, “I don't give a damn how much you might have changed, you're not talking to me like that. I might serve, but I'm not some lowly worm or whatever.”

“Hmph, I suppose everyone is entitled to their opinion,” Rebecca shrugged.

Beth raised her pistol at Rebecca for a brief second before sighing and letting her arm fall. To everyone's surprise, she took a deep breath and bolstered her gun. “Can we drop this shit?” she asked, looking up at Rebecca, “As much as I hate to say this, I need your help if we are going to rescue everybody, and we really don't have time to fight.”

Jake blinked in surprise and watched Rebecca closely. For her part, Rebecca seemed equally surprised and taken aback. However, she shook her head and closed her eyes. “Hmph, I believe Hell is freezing over,” she scoffed, “You and I are in agreement for a change. We do not have time to waste fighting amongst ourselves while our people are suffering, and I am still struggling to cope with the dampeners in the walls. If I am finding it difficult, then I know Pamela must be as well.”

“She was getting some major headaches,” Beth nodded and turned away, “I'm worried about her. I was already worried before we got separated, but with that thing running around and inmates like that fuck here along with Murray’s bullshit, I'm genuinely scared.”

“We'll find her, Beth,” Jake assured his friend, “We'll find all of them and shut this place down.”

“Quite right,” Rebecca agreed, “Let's not waste anymore time here. Jake is fairly certain that Murray is keeping our allies on the top floor.”

“Then that's where we need to go,” Beth nodded, “If nothing else, I'm willing to bet that's where that loon is hiding out. We find her and we make her talk.”

“We find Pamela first,” Rebecca added, earning a small, grateful smile from Beth, “Come on, we have wasted enough time here.”

Beth nodded and motioned for them to follow her. Rebecca walked beside her while Jake brought up the rear. “Are we going to ignore the way she referred to you as hers back there?” Ashley asked.

“Not the time, Ash,” Jake shook his head, “They're right about us having more important things to focus on right now. We gotta find and save the others.”

“But we are going to talk about it,” Ashley said, “This isn't going to be another thing that we sweep under the rug, Jake.”

“Yeah, no, of course not,” Jake shrugged, hurrying to catch up with Beth and Rebecca.

“You're so full of shit,” Ashley sighed, “Don't think I'm letting this go. When this is over, we have a lot to talk about.”