“Clear,” Sam whispered. He didn’t know what he expected but he wasn’t prepared for the silence. He’d never been to the aquarium this late at night. The familiar hum of pumps, generators, and other machinery required to keep an aquarium operating were gone.
“Where do you think they are?” Subie asked.
“They have to be deeper in,” he said, hoping that the dolphins were all right. If they put that sludge in the backup tank. . . . Sam shook his head to dispel the thought.
He led them down the hallway towards the tank that had already been sabotaged. They heard garbled words from voices that were distorted by the echoing acoustics of the empty halls the closer they got to the tank. Sam slowed and was surprised with every turn that there weren't any sentries guarding the area. Either they were sloppy or overly confident. Considering the freaky things that he'd already witnessed, he hoped for the former.
“Why are you doing this?” Sam heard Latoya's voice demand. It was the first recognizable speech he'd heard.
“I told you. It’s too much for your mortal mind to comprehend.” Sam recognized the triple toned voice. It was the same three people that had tried to take Tamara last night.
Sam peeked around the corner. They were in the same room as the empty dolphin tank. In fact, they were in the tank. Torches flickered around the outside. In the torchlight he could make out some discoloration on the floor of the tank. The way it was arranged nagged at him but he couldn't see it well enough to figure out why.
The voices were coming from the center of the otherwise empty tank. Sam’s eyes were drawn to Tamara. An upside-down ‘T’ was erected behind her. Her hair was plastered to her head from sweat, but so far it appeared she had escaped the same treatment Subie had suffered.
Sam wanted to run to her, but the three robed forms standing around her reminded him of their supernatural danger. It took Sam a moment to recognize his boss. Her clothing was completely stripped from her. Sam had fantasized about seeing his boss naked before he’d met Tamara. Her skin was dark, but he saw where it was discolored by bruises and welts. She hadn’t been as lucky as Tamara.
“What’s the plan?” Subie asked.
Brock was the first to answer with a determined growl, “We go in, guns blazing and make them pay for what they did to you, Subie.”
“There are two innocent civilians down there,” Jenkins said. Sam hadn’t expected the man to care. Had he really tried to kill Sam? “We go in like that and they’re sure to get hurt.”
Brock cheeks flushed and he glanced away for a moment.
“Whatever you want, you can have it,” Latoya screamed. “Just let us go!” A loud smack could be heard, followed by some sobbing.
Sam made his decision. He handed his gun over to Subie, Brock couldn’t be trusted with it.
“Stay hidden, and watch my back,” he hissed to them. He stood and stepped out before he could change his mind. “Let them go!”
“Sam!” Tamara yelled. Her voice was full of hope as she spied him.
The three cowled heads spun to face him. Sam’s head hurt from the sound of his heart’s pounding, but he ignored it. All that mattered was getting Tamara out. Latoya, too, of course, but Sam's eyes were focused on Tamara.
“It is not yet time,” the three voices spoke. “The sacrifice must be at the correct time.”
“Fuck that!” Brock shouted behind him.
“Damn it!” Jenkins cursed. Sam scowled. They were supposed to stay hidden.
“You’re not going to hurt anyone else!” Brock continued his macho tirade. “You hurt my girlfriend, and now you’re going to pay. Isn’t that right, Sam?”
“What are you doing?” Sam hissed. “You were supposed to have my back.”
“I’ve got your back. Besides, I can’t let you be the only hero. With both of us out here, they have a reason to be scared.”
“This isn’t some kind of game,” Jenkins said as he stepped up next to Sam. Jenkins had his pistol up and aimed at the trio.
“They hurt Subie,” Brock replied. “They hurt Adrian and Alex. I’m going to make those fuckers pay!”
“Shut him up,” the three voices said in unison.
Sam was about to inform them that he didn’t take their orders, but Brock grunted and dropped to the ground.
“What the—“ Sam was cut off by the sound of a pistol going off behind him. Military training and personal experience made him drop to the floor before his mind comprehended why he was moving.
Jenkins beat him down and stared at Sam with blank eyes. The side of his head was destroyed, blood pooling beneath his cheek.
“What the. . . .” Sam repeated as he rolled onto his back.
His own pistol was staring him in the face.
“Get up,” Subie ordered him. Sam couldn’t make sense of what was happening. Brock was lying next to him, face down. Sam couldn’t tell if his chest was moving. Had Subie killed her own boyfriend?
Don’t hurt him!” Tamara screamed. “Subie, what are you doing?”
“I said, get up!” Subie emphasized her command with a kick to Sam’s head. Lights flashed behind his eyes. Less than a moment later, darkness engulfed the lights.