Houston Run

Chapter Eighteen

“What do you want?” Lynx asked the Superior, doing his best to imitate the floor supervisor’s voice. Tom had been the same size, but his voice had been slightly higher.

“I want to check on your new arrival,” the Superior said.

“New arrival?” Lynx repeated, wondering if the android meant him.

“His name is Lynx,” the Superior stated. “We brought him over early this morning, before you arrived. I dropped his dossier on your desk, on your Incoming tray. But with all the paperwork on your desk, I was concerned you might not see it.”

“I saw it,” Lynx lied.

“This one is a troublemaker,” the Superior mentioned. “If you require guards, I will have a detail posted.”

Lynx nodded toward his former room. “We won’t need guards. He’s locked up safe and sound.”

The Superior stared at the door to the room. “I’d like to see him.”

“You can’t!” Lynx blurted out.

Melody anxiously licked her lips.

The Superior studied the feline mutant. “Why can’t I see Lynx, Tom?”

“Because…” Lynx responded hastily. “He did give us some trouble when we tried to feed him, and he had to be sedated. He’ll be out for four, maybe six hours.”

The Superior nodded knowingly. “I knew he would be a problem. I will order a guard detail posted, and no one will be permitted in the room other than yourself and Melody.”

Lynx nodded enthusiastically. “That’s an excellent idea, now that I think of it. Don’t let anybody in his room. He’s too dangerous at that.”

“Report to me if he creates another disturbance,” the Superior ordered.

“Without delay,” Lynx responded.

The Superior wheeled and walked away.

Lynx headed for the stairwell, Melody on his right side. “Who the hell was that?” he whispered.

“WW-60,” Melody answered. “He handles administrative coordination for this section.”

“Do you think we fooled him?” Lynx queried.

“If we hadn’t,” Melody replied, “we’d be in custody right now.”

They walked to the stairwell door, deliberately conveying a casual air, but once in the stairwell they increased their pace, speeding up the steps as rapidly as their legs would carry them. They reached the door to Floor 45 without mishap.

Lynx hesitated, his left hand on the knob. “How do we play this? Won’t we be suspicious if we march on in and ask to see my buddies?”

Melody reflected for a minute. “What are their names?”

“Gremlin and Ferret,” Lynx said.

“I have an idea,” Melody stated. “Follow my lead.”

Lynx opened the door, then unexpectedly halted.

A Superior was standing not six feet away, leafing through a handful of papers. He looked up and saw them. “Hello. May I assist you?”

Melody moved past Lynx, smiling sweetly. “Sorry to bother you, but I believe you have two new arrivals here for testing. Their names are Gremlin and Ferret.”

The android nodded. “They’re in 45-C taking the written portion of the Psychological Profile Examination.”

“The Examination will need to be interrupted,” Melody said.

The Superior lowered the papers. “Why?”

“We’ve subjected their companion, the one called Lynx, to a routine medical exam,” Melody said. “WW-60 sent us up as soon as he saw the results.”

“What results?”

Melody feigned abject dismay. “We were appalled to discover Lynx has a communicable sexual disease. Syphilis.”

“Sexually transmitted diseases were eliminated from our stock decades ago,” the Superior commented.

“From our stock, yes,” Melody agreed. “But these mutants are from outside Androxia, correct?”

“What does WW-60 require?” the Superior asked.

“He wants Gremlin and Ferret tested right away,” Melody said. “We can’t have these degenerates mingling with our pure stock if they’re infected. WW-60 is preparing the proper papers, but those forms take a while to complete. He wanted to know if you would send Gremlin and Ferret down with us, and he assures you the release forms will be on your desk within the hour.”

“A reasonable request,” the Superior stated. “Wait here. I will bring them out.” He turned and moved down the corridor.

Lynx nudged Melody’s left elbow. “Syphilis?”

“It was the best I could do on the spur of the moment,” Melody said.

Lynx smiled. “I’m shocked, princess. A lady like you, comin’ up with a disease like that!” He laughed.

“It was the first thing I thought of when you kissed me,” Melody explained.

Lynx’s eyebrows tried to leave his face. “But you kissed me!”

Melody grinned mischievously. “I must be a gambler at heart.”

“I don’t have no sexual diseases!” Lynx snapped, miffed. “I’m as healthy as they come.”

“I’ll bet,” Melody said, chuckling.

The Superior emerged from one of the rooms with two mutants in tow.

“That’s them,” Lynx verified in a hushed tone.

Gremlin, walking behind the Superior, spotted Lynx and opened his mouth to yell a greeting. Before he could, however, Ferret reached up and clamped his right hand over Gremlin’s mouth. The Superior never noticed.

“I can see you’re the brains of the bunch,” Melody said softly.

Lynx puffed up his chest. “As a matter of fact, I am.”

“No wonder you’re all prisoners,” Melody whispered, and then the Superior was within hearing range.

“Here they are,” the android said. “Do you want me to accompany you?”

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary,” Melody told him.

“They might attempt to escape,” the Superior observed.

“We’ll take the evevator then,” Melody proposed. “They can’t escape from an elevator.”

“A logical alternative,” the Superior concurred, and turned. “Follow me,” he directed Gremlin and Ferret.

Lynx and Melody brought up the rear as they walked down the corridor until they reached the elevator.

“I will be expecting the release forms as promised,” the Superior said to Melody.

“WW-60 will see they reach you,” Melody affirmed. She pressed the button for the elevator.

Lynx stepped up to Gremlin and Ferret. “You two will behave or suffer the consequences.”

“Whatever you say, sir,” Ferret said meekly.

“That’s the right attitude,” Lynx stated imperiously.

“We’ve learned our lesson,” Ferret went on. “We don’t want any trouble.

We never did. It was our friend Lynx who gave you Androxians such a hard time. He’s always getting us into hot water. I guess he can’t help himself.”

“What?” Lynx stated.

“That’s right, sir,” Ferret continued. “Lynx combines monumental stupidity with a supreme arrogance. He blunders his way through life, creating more problems than he’s worth.”

“That’s enough about this Lynx,” Lynx said.

“Yes, sir.” Ferret then ignored him. “Lynx is about the dumbest nincompoop this side of the Milky Way. I’ve heard you perform lobotomies here, and you would be doing the world a favor if you performed one on Lynx. Of course, you probably won’t find anything in his head worth lobotomizing—”

“That’s enough!” Lynx declared angrily.

“Yes, sir,” Ferret said in a suddued fashion.

The elevator arrived with a clang, the door sliding open.

Lynx motioned for Ferret and Gremlin to enter.

“Thank you,” Melody addressed the android. “We’ll contact you as soon as the test results are known.”

Lynx stepped into the elevator.

“All mutants should be as efficient as you,” the Superior complimented Melody.

Melody smiled and joined the others. Her right hand reached up, and she tapped one of the buttons on the control panel to the right of the door.

The elevator door closed.

Melody pressed the button for the ground floor.

“Lynx!” Ferret exclaimed in delight. “How did you do it?”

Lynx gave Ferret an icy stare. “It was easy, even for a nincompoop like me.”

“Some people can’t take a joke,” Ferret retorted.

Lynx glanced at Gremlin, who was gawking at Melody. “And what’s with you, birdbrain? Why are you so quiet?”

“Where did you find such a lovely woman, yes?” Gremlin asked.

Melody grinned. “I take back what I said, Lynx. You’re not the brains of the bunch.”

Lynx introduced his friends, pointing at each one in turn. “Ferret and Gremlin, I’d like you to meet Melody. She’s my squeeze.”

“I’m your what!” Melody queried. She looked up at the floor indicator lights above the door.

Ferret executed an elaborate bow. “My pleasure, dear lady! Seldom have I encountered a woman of such exquisite beauty. I expect you are endowed with an intelligence the equal of your loveliness, although your taste in men leaves me in doubt.”

“Why you—!” Lynx said, bristling.

“Quiet!” Melody commanded. “We don’t have much time. The elevator will be on the ground floor soon. This particular elevator shaft is located at the rear of the reception area. With any luck, we won’t bump into any Superiors. When it stops and the doors open, take a right. There’s an exit door to the rear parking lot about ten feet from this elevator. Ferret and Gremlin, keep your heads down or turn them to the rear wall. We don’t want anyone in the reception area to notice you’re not wearing O.D.’s.”

Gremlin indicated the gleaming disk on Lynx’s forehead. “Is that for real, yes?”

“No,” Lynx responded. “It’s a fake. I’m rippin’ the sucker off as soon as we’re out of here.”

“Too bad,” Ferret said. “You’ll have problems with the draft again.”

“Draft?” Lynx repeated, puzzled. “What draft?”

“The draft from the hole in your head the disk is covering,” Ferret stated, and cackled.

Lynx looked at Melody and sighed. “With friends like these two clowns, you can see why the last thing I need is more enemies.”

The elevator came to an abrupt stop and the door opened.

The reception area was spacious. Chairs lined the green walls and were organized in rows across the red carpet. A large circular wooden counter was positioned near the front door, staffed by three women in white uniforms and a Superior. Neither the android, the women, nor any of the humans and mutants seated in the chairs paid the scantest attention to the elevator’s arrival.

“Hurry!” Melody urged, leading the way to the right, nervously scanning the reception area, dreading the outcome if they were detected and apprehended.

Lynx marched up to the exit door as if he didn’t have a care in the world, reaching it a step behind Melody. He grabbed the knob, then glanced at Ferret and Gremlin. “I don’t intend to get caught again. They’re not takin’ me alive this time! So once we’re out this door, we do whatever it takes to stay free. I don’t care if there’s a hundred Superiors waitin’ for us out there.” He paused. “And if something should happen to me, I want you two bozos to make sure Melody reaches the Home. Got it?”

Gremlin and Ferret nodded.

Lynx squared his shoulders and twisted the doorknob, then shoved, prepared to sell his life dearly, if necessary, to safeguard Melody.

But there weren’t one hundred Superiors waiting for them.

There wasn’t a Superior anywhere in sight.

There were dozens of vehicles, and a number of mutants and humans moving from the parking lot to the Medical Building or going the other way.

Lynx moved outside. He saw an entranceway 30 yards to the right.

Then he looked to the left.

Fifty yards distant, resting on a concrete helipad, was a sleek white helicopter.

“Do you see what I see?” Lynx asked.

“I see it,” Ferret confirmed.

“If the pilot is still on board,” Lynx said, “we’ll have our ticket out of here.”

They hurried toward the helipad.

Melody repeatedly glanced at the parking lot, hoping no one would become unduly curious if they beheld two mutants in loincloths hastening from the Medical Building. She breathed an audible sigh of relief when they reached the edge of the helipad, and she eagerly scrambled over the top after the others. A startling thought slowed her down, though, as she stood on the concrete: if Lynx, Ferret, and Gremlin all wore those deplorable loincloths, was it possible all mutants, even the women, wore them where Lynx was from? She saw Lynx approaching an open sliding door on the side of the chopper, and she opened her mouth to question him.

Lynx was just about to climb onto the copter when a glimmering pair of revolver barrels poked around the right edge of the door. He leaped back, crouching, his claws extended, snarling in fury at being thwarted when they were so close to freedom. So close!

That was when a grinning blond man in buckskins appeared in the doorway, a revolver in each hand. “Howdy, runt,” he said to Lynx. “What’s the matter with you? Have you got ants in your britches?”

Melody would never forget Lynx’s response. She’d failed to recognize, until that very moment, exactly how many curse words there were in the English langauge.