the zombies at bay. Orpheus had already dragged the Jekyll through the door and onto the roof. The rest of them were only a few seconds behind. Mutt, who brought up the rear, slammed the door. Mutt and Tim leaned against the door, the other three subdued the Jekyll. Sam and Fish cuffed its wrists, ankles, and they threw a thick canvas back over its head and secured it with a drawstring.
Orpheus informed Lena that they had a Jekyll in tow and called for an extraction. They had about ten minutes to wait.
Tim wasn't quite caught off-guard by the rough hands that slammed him against the door. What was unexpected was the impact itself; it drove the air out of him. “What the fuck was that?!?” Orpheus screamed. “What did I say, bait? I told you to sit this one out. Seeing as you were too stupid to understand that part, I at least hoped you would have followed instructions. Grab and hustle the fuck out of there! It's not hard! Listen to me next time! Goddammit, Eth-!” He paused, took an extended breath, and said, “You're the first person who didn't do what I told them who is actually around to have a next time, you lucky little shit.”
“Yes, sir,” was all Tim could manage to force out.
The Jekyll settled down after a few minutes. It began mumbling again.
When Tim felt it was safe to speak again, he asked, “What is that thing, anyway? I thought it was a survivor. I...froze.”
Orpheus nodded in agreement and could have beaten him up further over it, but he didn't. “The Jekylls are somewhere between us and them. They slip back and forth from mindless zombie to nearly-human lucidity. That's why they're so damn dangerous.”
“But we got him!” Fish whooped and high-fived Sam. “Let's go get another one!”
“Pass,” Mutt said. “I just want to relax.”
“I bet you do,” Fish said. “Maybe O will put in a good word for you.”
“Aw, shut up.”
“Knock it off. Grab our gear and prepare for extraction.” Orpheus grabbed a walkie and transmitted, “Attention, any survivors. Please respond immediately.” He waited for a few moments and got nothing. “Ethan Holt, are you there?” Still no answer. He was disappointed, as he had been for weeks, but not surprised. He repeated the transmission several more times, then replaced the radio on his belt.
Mutt patted him on the shoulder. “Next time, buddy.”
By the time the helicopter arrived they all had their bags slung on their backs. The pilot hovered and the co-pilot threw down a rope ladder and a body harness. Orpheus and Tim stayed on the roof and strapped the Jekyll into the harness while the others ascended. Orpheus gave a thumbs-up and they reeled the Jekyll in. When it was completely in the helicopter and secured, Mutt signaled for the other two to join them.
Tim went first, and as he slung his leg over the top rung and onto the floor of the helicopter, Orpheus began to climb. A few rungs from the top he stopped and looked down at the dead island in the predawn light. It was another miss, and he was running out of opportunities .
* * *
They wasted no time getting the Jekyll to the labs. It flipped personalities several times during the short trip. At one point, it sounded like it was begging, but Orpheus did not let himself feel any empathy for whatever shred of humanity may have remained. Whoever the man used to be was long gone, and the only thing he had left was the opportunity to sacrifice himself for something nobler. Orpheus liked to think that, on some level, he...it...understood that, and was okay with it.
Trager was waiting for them at the lab as they handed the Jekyll off. “Well done, gentlemen! Well done!” He shook each hand in turn. When he got to Orpheus, he held his grip and said, “You've done this island a service every night since the beginning, but tonight, you may have saved the world. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but if we can do what we think we can do, it won't be hyperbole in the
Orpheus informed Lena that they had a Jekyll in tow and called for an extraction. They had about ten minutes to wait.
Tim wasn't quite caught off-guard by the rough hands that slammed him against the door. What was unexpected was the impact itself; it drove the air out of him. “What the fuck was that?!?” Orpheus screamed. “What did I say, bait? I told you to sit this one out. Seeing as you were too stupid to understand that part, I at least hoped you would have followed instructions. Grab and hustle the fuck out of there! It's not hard! Listen to me next time! Goddammit, Eth-!” He paused, took an extended breath, and said, “You're the first person who didn't do what I told them who is actually around to have a next time, you lucky little shit.”
“Yes, sir,” was all Tim could manage to force out.
The Jekyll settled down after a few minutes. It began mumbling again.
When Tim felt it was safe to speak again, he asked, “What is that thing, anyway? I thought it was a survivor. I...froze.”
Orpheus nodded in agreement and could have beaten him up further over it, but he didn't. “The Jekylls are somewhere between us and them. They slip back and forth from mindless zombie to nearly-human lucidity. That's why they're so damn dangerous.”
“But we got him!” Fish whooped and high-fived Sam. “Let's go get another one!”
“Pass,” Mutt said. “I just want to relax.”
“I bet you do,” Fish said. “Maybe O will put in a good word for you.”
“Aw, shut up.”
“Knock it off. Grab our gear and prepare for extraction.” Orpheus grabbed a walkie and transmitted, “Attention, any survivors. Please respond immediately.” He waited for a few moments and got nothing. “Ethan Holt, are you there?” Still no answer. He was disappointed, as he had been for weeks, but not surprised. He repeated the transmission several more times, then replaced the radio on his belt.
Mutt patted him on the shoulder. “Next time, buddy.”
By the time the helicopter arrived they all had their bags slung on their backs. The pilot hovered and the co-pilot threw down a rope ladder and a body harness. Orpheus and Tim stayed on the roof and strapped the Jekyll into the harness while the others ascended. Orpheus gave a thumbs-up and they reeled the Jekyll in. When it was completely in the helicopter and secured, Mutt signaled for the other two to join them.
Tim went first, and as he slung his leg over the top rung and onto the floor of the helicopter, Orpheus began to climb. A few rungs from the top he stopped and looked down at the dead island in the predawn light. It was another miss, and he was running out of opportunities .
* * *
They wasted no time getting the Jekyll to the labs. It flipped personalities several times during the short trip. At one point, it sounded like it was begging, but Orpheus did not let himself feel any empathy for whatever shred of humanity may have remained. Whoever the man used to be was long gone, and the only thing he had left was the opportunity to sacrifice himself for something nobler. Orpheus liked to think that, on some level, he...it...understood that, and was okay with it.
Trager was waiting for them at the lab as they handed the Jekyll off. “Well done, gentlemen! Well done!” He shook each hand in turn. When he got to Orpheus, he held his grip and said, “You've done this island a service every night since the beginning, but tonight, you may have saved the world. I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but if we can do what we think we can do, it won't be hyperbole in the
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