Frankenstorm: Category 8 Read Online Free PDF Page A

later.” He stood near the closed door to the corridor, hands joined in front of him.
    As Emilio was returning to his chair, Dr. Corcoran entered the office with another masked man right behind him with a gun. He was surprised to see some genuine emotion on Corcoran’s face. Normally, the man walked around deep in thought, or with a smirk, or he was talking a mile a minute to someone as he hurried down a corridor, or he looked half asleep. But as he stood in Fara’s office, Corcoran wore fear on his face like foundation makeup.
    “I hope this didn’t interrupt your party, Dr. Corcoran,” Fara said.
    His eyes narrowed. “I think the fact that you can find humor in this is disgusting.”
    “That was sarcasm, not humor. I’m not laughing. We have no power because our generator is shit. It looks like these geniuses have let out our test subjects, something they never could have done if you’d installed the proper safeguards.”
    “This is as much your doing as it is mine,” Corcoran said.
    Fara’s eyes wandered in the direction of nothing in particular as she slowly nodded her head. She seemed to drift away for a moment, then turned back to Corcoran.
    “Yes, you’re right. I’ve got a lot to make up for, and that’s what I intend to do.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    Ollie walked in before Fara could answer. He went to Fara’s desk, turned around, and leaned his ass on the front edge. He pointed his gun at Corcoran, then turned it on Fara, then back to Corcoran.
    “I want answers from you two,” he said. “This project, this whole thing, with your human test subjects and everything, this is for the government? The military? It’s Uncle Sam–approved, and everything?”
    Corcoran looked down his nose at Ollie with unconcealed disdain. “I have no obligation to explain any of this to you or—”
    Ollie pressed the barrel of his gun to the corner of Corcoran’s left eye. “I got your obligation right here. Don’t fuck with me, pal. I will shoot you. We came here with the idea that everybody other than the people we came for was expendable, just in the way. Now I’ve found a use for you, so you’d better take advantage of it. Answer the fucking question.”
    Corcoran licked his lips. “The work we’re doing here is for Vendon Labs.”
    “Vendon Labs is a government contractor, don’t bullshit me. This work is for the government, yes?”
    “Yes, it is,” Fara said, “of course it is. We’re developing a biological weapon for the military. A virus. I told you that already.”
    “I’d like to hear him say it,” Ollie said.
    A sudden explosion of sound and movement in the dark made everyone jump. A figure ran into the office through the open door shrieking, jumped in the air, and latched on to Corcoran’s back. Corcoran released a ragged yelp as he went down, hitting the floor with a grunt.
    Fara screamed as she lunged from the couch and hurried to Emilio’s side in the corner. Emilio stood so suddenly that he knocked his chair over as he shouted a string of obscenities.
    The figure was a skinny man with a shaved head, wearing a bloodstained hospital gown. Blood was spattered and smeared on his bare arms and legs, too. He straddled Corcoran’s prone body and began repeatedly punching the back of his head.

7
    “I’m making cookies for the kids,” Rosie said as she led Latrice into the kitchen.
    It was a beautiful kitchen. The floor, walls, and countertops were all tiled in a mottled tan and brown. There was a big sub-zero refrigerator built into the wall with a shiny stainless-steel door, dark wood cabinets. But it was a slovenly mess. Dirty dishes, pots, and pans filled both sides of the sink and covered most of the counter space. Spilled food littered the floor, along with a couple of children’s toys, some pet toys, and scattered bits of dry pet food. An archway opened onto a dining area, but it was dark in there. On the floor in the archway was what looked to Latrice like a dog