The Evil Within

Runaway

It was seven am when we arrived at home at Portland Row. Nobody had talked on the way home, we were all exhausted and terrified.
George announced that he would run to the archives first thing after a nap.
Holly laid down on the couch in the living room, I went upstairs in the attic and collapsed on my bed.
I dosed off in minutes, but I didn't really sleep well since Lockwood's laughter still rang in my ears. I had weird dreams, Lockwood with a pale face grinning, splattered with blood. Holly lying on the floor with dead eyes. George screaming in anger. I wanted to run, but my feet slipped and suddenly I fell down from a roof. Just before I hit the floor I woke up, sweating, someone shouting at me.
It was Holly, she had grabbed my shoulders and shook me, "Lucy! Lucy, wake up, it's just a dream!"
I looked around, heavily breathing, and found myself on the carpet next to my bed. I ran a hand through my hair, slowly calming down.
"You were screaming, I thought something had happened." Holly viewed me worriedly.
"I'm sorry, didn't want to startle you."I rubbed my eyes.
She shook her head,"No, it's okay. It's a tough time after all."
I nodded, "Definitely. I hate being this helpless."
She laid her hand on my shoulder, "We aren't helpless, George will find something... Lucy... About what he said to you in that room..."
I smiled weakly at her, "Forget it, it doesn't matter."
"Do you mean it doesn't matter because it's not him talking or because you don't care about what he said?"
I hesitated, "Both of course. It's none of my business what's going on between you two."
I got up, my legs still unsteady and went to the bathroom.
"There's nothing going on" Holly stood up, too and walked to the door, "Just that you know." and with that she headed downstairs.
I splashed some cold water into my face. Of course it bothered me what Lockwood had said to me in the observation room, but mostly because he was insulting me all the way. What did I care if he liked Holly, that was his problem. I just wanted to get that thing out of my friend, before he could tear others or himself apart.
"Lucy! George is back!", Holly shouted from the basement.
I dried the water from my face, took a deep breath and went down the stairs.
"Hey Luce."George didn't seem happy. Of course not.
" Hey" I answered yawning.
We took to the kitchen where George went for a donut before doing anything else. My stomach grumbled as well, but I ignored it. I felt sick thinking of what was coming.
"Okay so..." George wiped a crumb from his upper lip, "After two hours of searching I barely found anything. No one really ever encountered a Type Three let alone was possessed by one. All the articles about possession that I found call it impossible, a joke or in one case 'a suggestion disgracing the whole Problem research'. Guys, I don't know what to tell you, we're screwed."
Silence.
"Nothing. You've got nothing?", I crossed my arms.
He flinched, "It's not like I didn't try."
I scowled, "Maybe you should have tried harder."
"Oh yes? Maybe you should have gotten something out of him while actually talking to him? But nooo, you're little love story is way more important than actually saving him!"
The phone rang, Holly went for it.
I gasped, "What? You wanted me to go in there, because 'I have a connection', next time go yourself and don't blame it on me that you're scared of him!"
His eyes widened, "Scared? I'm not scared, I just know that you two have a special bound and you could get to him!"
I shook my head, "So you sent me in because of the love story you're so mad about?"
"GUYS" that was Holly, standing in the door frame, "We have a bigger problem now. Barnes called, Lockwood has escaped."

We immediately called a cab and I quickly went to change, at least my shirt. Ten minutes later all three of us sat in a car on our way to the DEPRAC.
"I'm sorry that I didn't find anything." George didn't look at me, but instead intensely watched the cars passing by. "I really wanted to. He's my friend, too, you know?"
I nestled on my rapier, "I know, I'm sorry for blaming you."
The rest of the ride stayed in silence.

By the time we arrived it was half past three, Kipps was already waiting there. As soon as we entered the building, we were blown away by a huge mess. Glass of broken windows was splattered all over the ground, desks had been thrown over, paper was flying through the air.
"Uh oh" George commented.
Barnes came right towards us, "In case you were going to ask, yes, that was him. He took a hostage as well."
My heart skipped a beat, "He did... All of this?"
He massaged his forehead, "Yes... Follow me, please."
He lead us down the entrance hall to a door which lead into a conference room. A TV stood on a shelf, Barnes switched it on. It showed the observation room including Lockwood.
The inspector turned to us, "That's a recording as you probably concluded. It's pretty ugly, so if you don't want to watch it..."
Kipps snorted, "We've most definitely seen worse."
Barnes' mustache wiggled in doubt, "Don't tell me I didn't warn you."
He clicked a button on a remote and the tape started rolling. It showed Lockwood sitting on the table where we had left him. He seemed relaxed, even had a little smile on his self satisfied face. His head was resting on his hands. After a few moments he started nestling on his handcuffs, then his smile got even bigger.
Kipps sighed, "That doesn't look good. He already does that when he's not possessed..."
He was just too right. Lockwood shook the handcuffs down his underarm, then it looked as if he kissed his wrist.
"What the hell is he doing?" George growled.
Then we saw.
"Oh my God, is that blood? Is he... Biting?" Holly gasped.
Blood ran out of Lockwood's wrists, down his slim pale arm. He stared directly into the camera for a moment, smiling broadly, the dark fluid dripping from his perfectly white teeth, then he went back to biting.
Barnes switched off the TV, "That's just the beginning. Of course we immediately called the ambulance, but on the way to the hospital he knocked both medics and the guard out. He also took the gun."
I needed to sit down, "You are telling me that you are not only unable to keep him from harming himself, but you also LOST HIM?"
"AND he's armed?!" George added.
Barnes was about to answer, but someone knocked on the door. It was a young secretary, a dark boy with huge glasses.
"Simmons, what is it now? I'm really busy, can't you see?" Barnes gnarled.
"I know, sir" Simmons whispered "it's just, they found him."
We all froze.
"Where, where, tell me!" the inspector barked.
Simmons winced, "Uhh" he got out a neon yellow post-it "Tower Bridge. And he has a request."
"What, what request?"
"The hostage in exchange for Lucy Carlyle."