The New Haven Incident - Part Forty-Four

Relying on his near-perfect memory of the locations of each of the surviving groups, Sebastian led the way through the city. First on his list, as they were the closest, the survivors at the Village Heart Retirement Home. They had not answered their radio when Sebastian tried at the university. He had hoped that it was perhaps an equipment malfunction. He clung to that hope as he jogged through near-empty streets in their direction, trying to raise them on his comms unit every so often to no avail.

Mendez could do nothing for the growing agitation of his friend. He opted to remain a silent, but hopefully comforting, presence. For the hour and a half it took to reach the Heart of the Valley Retirement Home, he remained at Sebastian’s right shoulder, careful to check his 6:00 every time the pair came to a stop at an intersection or obstacle.

On arrival, they stopped at the nearest intersection, pressed against the wall of the five-storey apartment building on the opposite side of the street, down half a block. Sebastian peeked quickly around the corner. He tensed.

Unable to keep his curiosity in check, Mendez did the same. He grunted.

The short bus the group had planned to use as a transport idled in the driveway. Near the rear door, a wheelchair sat on its side, one wheel spinning slowly. The bottom half of someone remained in the seat. Where the rest of them went, was anyone’s guess. Mendez guessed that the nearby huddle of kobolds had something to do with it.

Various bones, some with strips of flesh still attached were scattered around the vehicle. One body of a female nurse, if the scrubs were any clue, had yet to be touched, save having a left arm torn off and the throat ripped open. Brown eyes stared blankly up at the afternoon sun. Pink skin and bright red blood indicated that the attack must have happened recently. Mendez closed his eyes a moment. He turned to Sebastian.

“There’s nothing we can do,” he whispered gently.

Sebastian’s blue eyes flashed. Mendez knew that look. There was murder on the man’s mind. “We have to get to the others,” Mendez reminded him.

“In a moment,” Sebastian said. Before Mendez could stop him, the agent dashed across the street. He tested a door and it swung open. He was in the building before Mendez could catch up to him.

Mendez entered and blinked. It was a liquor store.

“Bit of a bad time to toast the deceased, isn’t it?” he asked into the silence. He heard Sebastian grunt his amusement and followed the sound to find him standing before a shelf full of clear spirits.

“Everclear,” he read. He raised an eyebrow at Sebastian as the man grabbed four bottles from the shelf and squatted before it.

“Molotov cocktails,” Sebastian said. He handed Mendez two bottles with rags stuffed into the tops before turning back to the shelves and grabbing four more bottles.

“Look, I love a good revenge story as much as the next guy,” Mendez said. “But this isn’t a good idea.”

“I’ll take that under advisement.”

Rolling his eyes, Mendez waited for Sebastian to finish making the rest of the molotovs. Sighing, he followed the agent out of the store and, keeping low to avoid being seen, scurried to the low wall that delineated the lot belonging to the retirement home. Sebastian lit the first molotov. He glanced quickly over the wall, then tossed it. It was such a nonchalant motion that Mendez felt certain he had missed. The ear-splitting shrieks that followed the sound of shattering glass said otherwise.

Mendez and Sebastian peered over the wall again. The commotion had drawn several Changelings and a Dark One over. Sebastian lit the next cocktail and threw it, engulfing half the group in the burst of flame. Another one followed quickly, taking the rest of the group. The screams were horrific. Despite feeling anger at what had happened to the people of Heart of the Valley Retirement Home, Mendez felt sick.

The nausea immediately disappeared, replaced by leaden dread as a deep rumbling growl announced the arrival of a hellhound. He and Sebastian peered over the wall. The bear-sized scaled dog lumbered around the site, its nose down, sniffing.

Sebastian turned to Mendez, taking the remaining Molotov cocktails from him. “Go,” he whispered.

“I’m not fucking leaving you,” Mendez hissed in return.

Sebastian’s expression flattened as he stared at Mendez. Mendez answered only with an expectant twist of his lips. As stupid as whatever Sebastian was planning, he’d need help, and Mendez was the only one around to give any.

Shaking his head, Sebastian turned back to peek over the wall again. The hound climbed onto the bus, crumpling the roof under its clawed paws. It sniffed the air, bringing its head around. It stopped and stared as Sebastian ducked down again.

“Shit,” he said.

Mendez shook his head. “It saw us, didn’t it?”

“Likely.”

“Well… shit.”

The taloned paw of the hellhound slammed onto the top of the low wall, the great box-shaped head coming into view shortly after. The wide muzzle pulled back in a snarl, revealing razor sharp teeth set into pustule-ridden, diseased gums.

Sebastian grabbed Mendez’ shoulder and pushed him hard as the hound snapped for the pair. He dove forward, rolling to the side of the creature, lighting another Molotov as he did so. He rolled to his feet, throwing the bottle hard as he back-peddled. He still singed his hair as the bottle broke and flames engulfed the hound’s left shoulder. It roared, stumbling sideways to slam against the nearby building and rub against it in an instinctual effort to smother the flames. Sebastian turned and ran to Mendez, pulling him off his back.

“Let’s go,” he said.

Mendez did not need to be told twice. He turned and sprinted, following Sebastian down a side street. The hellhound roared behind them, and soon its weight shook the ground as it gave chase. Sebastian turned around. It was still on fire, bounding after them as if the flames licking the side of its head meant nothing. And it was gaining.

“Oh shit!” Mendez felt Sebastian’s hand on his right shoulder and was violently shoved. He stumbled sideways just as the hound’s jaws snapped shut where his head was moments before. Mendez felt his back slam into a building. He pressed himself against it to permit the creature room to move past him. The hellhound’s momentum carried it several steps past him. He saw Sebastian, also pressed against a wall, directly opposite him. He darted to Sebastian’s side as soon as the mutated dog ran past.

“What’s the plan, genius?” he asked as the hellhound scrabbled sharp claws against the bitumen, tearing up the road in an effort to stop and turn.

“You have any of those fuel canisters left?”

“Four.”

“Oh good. Give me two.”

Mendez pulled two canisters from his belt and handed them over. The hound found its feet again and turned, growling low. The flames had gutted themselves, leaving nothing but a cracked, charred shoulder that still sizzled and smoked.

“What are you going to do with those?” Mendez demanded as Sebastian stepped away from the building. The hound’s weepy eyes fixed on the movement. It snarled at Sebastian.

“Oliver?” Sebastian said softly.

“Yeah.”

“Stay very still.”

Mendez narrowed his eyes at Sebastian. The agent did not spare a glance at him. He walked into the middle of the street, two canisters in one hand. He unholstered the pistol at his thigh.

“Come and get me, mutt,” Sebastian said in answer to the snarls. He raised his pistol and fired. The bullet hit the beast right between the eyes… and did absolutely nothing. The beast roared, then bounded forward. Sebastian turned and sprinted back the way they had come, turning down the main road where there was more room to manoeuver.

The urge to follow and help very nearly drove Mendez into action. He choked it down, though it made his palms itchy, waiting until the hellhound bounded past him and around the corner before he moved. He scowled, then followed as stealthily as his six-foot-two frame would allow.

Previous Part                                                                                                                                                                          Next Part