Page 27 of Hell's Fear

“It’s your imagination,” Bobby replied as he studied the first platform. “There’s a year written on this plaque.”

“Do we have to match the uniforms to the years?” Sallie asked.

“This one says sixteen-twenty,” I said, peering at numbers and studying the two rows. “That one, that’s a plague doctor from that century.”

London marched down to stare at it. “I can’t change the dates.”

“Maybe you have to carry it here?” I suggested as I tried rocking the mannequin in front of me. It didn’t move. I bent down and tested the plaque, and it came off easily. “Yeah. The plates lift off. They must have sensors in.”

London grabbed the one at the bottom of the plague doctor and headed towards me. As he passed a nurse in a long gown, Dana let out a scream. Several of the mannequins began moving and weapons appeared in their hand.

“What the hell!” I gasped as one held a gun and fired at me. I’d already been stepping aside, and it grazed my arm. I looked down in disbelief at the blood welling from the wound.

“Those knives are real!” London yelled as he swung the plaque he was holding and hit an approaching attacker.

The surgeon slashed at London with a knife, and London skipped back.

Bobby pulled his weapon and fired a warning round, but three people launched at him. He got one more shot off before he went down fighting, his gun knocked from his hand.

I shoved Sallie and Dana behind me, silently cursing we were three men down. A man dressed as an orderly ran at me. He stabbed outwards with a knife, and I punched his arm away.

Dana was yanking at something, but I couldn’t spare her a moment’s attention. The guy lashed out again, and I felt him graze my already wounded arm.

I kicked upwards, grateful I knew some self-defence thanks to Nova and Falcon.

The man grinned and yanked out a second blade, and I gulped.

I sensed movement and out of the corner of my eye saw Sallie moving behind the mannequins. The asshole came at me in a fury of motion, and I barely defended myself.

There was evil etched on his face, and he clearly intended to take me down. I could hear the others fighting but had no idea how they were managing.

The guy stabbed at me again as Sallie slid behind and hit him hard with a mannequin’s arm. He staggered and Sallie whacked him a second time as I thundered a right hook into his nose. There was a snapping noise, and his eyes rolled up. He was out for the count.

“Get behind me!” I roared at Sallie and jumped on one of the men attacking Bobby.

Bobby rose up, fighting as I wrenched the guy away.

Without a second thought, I snapped his neck and dived for Bobby’s gun as another man appeared. On my back, I aimed and fired twice.

Bobby leapt to his feet and kicked his assailant in the face, knocking him out. He grabbed his weapon from me and targeted a guy throttling London from behind. London was kicking out with his feet at another attacker while trying to loosen the asshole’s grip.

Bobby’s first shot took the strangler straight in the head. His arms loosened, and London tore free.

Bobby’s next bullet entered the neck of the second guy as he slashed at London with a wicked-looking knife, and London ducked.

I was sitting on my ass when Dana rushed me.

“Fanatic, you’re bleeding!” she exclaimed.

“Dana, I’m fine, just stay behind me until we know there’s no more here,” I warned.

London and Bobby were checking each mannequin, and they finally reached the end. Bobby withdrew some zip ties, and I laughed.

“Seriously? Are you for real?” I demanded.

Bobby looked at the zip ties and chuckled dryly. “Once a cop, always a cop.”

“Thought it was boy scouts who had the motto of always being prepared, not cops,” London said as he staggered over.

---