P.S.I. Private Supernatural Investigators Book 3: Condemned Souls

Chapter 11: Vacancy

Scarlet and Butch went to their office after talking with Jeff. He had gotten on the phone calling the hospital. While Butch was busy with that, she was writing more information down of the new discovery in the book. Scarlet glanced at the pin board where a photo of Terance was added.
      "So we have a problem," he finally spoke after hanging up the phone. "The hospital is not picking up. I tried the receptionist desk. Nobody still picked up."
      "That doesn't sound good," worried she says. "It was already bad enough last time, the emergency unit had to relocate the patients and staff for their safety."
      "We better go make sure everyone is all right?" Butch implies.
      As they began to head out, Scarlet halted for a moment. She looked up at the TV screen to see the news report still on. Only this time, the new reporter was explaining about the hospital.
      "Butch?"
      He turned back around and, walked over to his partner, which he looked at the screen as well.
      "Miami Hospital is shut down," spoke the reporter. "Not exactly sure as to why the emergency facility is but thankfully there are others in the area whom are taking their patients for the time being."
      Scarlet looks at Butch with worry which he looks worried as well. They rush out of the police station with officers watching. They were confused as to why the investigators were in a hurry.
      "What's gotten them in a rush?" one officer lady spoke.
      "Aww, young love," comments another officer with a grin of a smile.
      "What?" she says confused at his comment.
      After getting into the van, it drove off in a hurry down a neighborhood now. Butch quickly idled the van before she hopped out. Scarlet rushed to a door to a familiar house. She knocked on the door which she waited anxiously. The door opened which a man holding a newborn baby smiles.
      "Hi, Scarlet," greets Wallace. "What can I do for you?"
      "I need your son, Wallace?" Scarlet explains.
      "Is that you Scarlet?" spoke a young voice. Appearing beside his father was Freddie.
      "Freddie...I need you," she informs. "Are you not doing anything right now?"
      "Naa, was just listening to some music," answering he replies while showing his headphones around his neck. "I'll be back, father. Will you be all right taking care of Elisabeth?"
      "Go ahead, son," the father invites as he lightly bounces the sleeping baby. "I know Scarlet. She is a friend and a good officer."
      "Thank you, Wallace."
      As Freddie closed the door behind, and they rushed to the van, he hopped into the back. "You saw the news too?"
      "Yes," answers Scarlet. "Your mother came to my mind."
      "When I saw the report, I wondered why she didn't come home?" he confides.
      "We are heading there right now," assuring she says.
      The van tore off again heading out of the neighborhood and back into the city.
      "So why did you need Freddie?" Butch asks confused.
      "Really...you ask a question like that?" shocked Scarlet speaks up. "Freddie can turn into a hawk. Remember?"
      On their last case, Freddie had been bit by his sister as a sabertooth, unknowingly at the time. The bite infected the teen boy. Now, he can transform into a hawk whenever he likes, after had learned how to control the skinwalker form.
      "I am going to have Freddie as a hawk fly into the hospital," she explains more, "which hopefully there is an open window. He will be our eyes for us."
      "Smart," with understanding now Butch compliments.
      "Don't worry, Freddie," Scarlet assures glancing back at the teen. "Your mother is going to be okay."
      He nods his head at her assurance. "I know she will be."
      With Susie not returning home, after the hospital was shut down, did that mean she was held hostage? Would a zombie do that?
      As the van entered the parking lot, she noticed there was a few cars. Only four though which was odd. The hospital definitely looked abandoned like what the picture showed on the news.
      "All right, Freddie," looking to the back seat she says. "Search over as much of the hospital as you can. Your mother works for the emergency ward. If she isn't there, look elsewhere."
      "And be sure to look out for a zombie," he cautions. "He's a guard so he would be warring a uniform."
      "Gotta ya," assures Freddie. "Why didn't you guys bring along, Scott?" he asks with a smile. "This could have been more fun with him tagging along."
      "Sorry, Freddie," she apologises. "He is working two jobs so he can save up for college."
      "It's all right," smiling he assures. "Glad I can help you two."
      "Susie is your mother after all," Scarlet continues. "You have every rights to get involved with this investigation."
      She quickly hopped out of the passanger side. Scarlet opens the back  door for Freddie. In hawk form, he hobbled to the end of the seat then, took off towards the hospital. The hawk accidentally pooped on the windshield.
      "Aw man, seriously," remarks Butch disgusted.
      "Ke-eeeee-arr!"
      "Freddie says sorry," she translates.
      "Ke-eeeee-arr!"
      "I had Taco Bell before you guys picked me up."
     
The hawk flew around the hospital trying to find a way in. So far the windows he came upon were closed. Freddie wasn't about to test if they were either. Freddie continued flying around in hopes to find an open window.
      Finally, he found one, which Freddie swooped through. Freddie continued flying about inside which was eerily dark. A few lights were on but they flickered. He could tell that the hospital was torn upside down. It looked as if somebody came in rumaging through. Why though? It was a hospital!
      He landed on a light pole in a waiting room. Freddie did not see no sign of his mother. He took flight again which he passed through a hall. As Freddie passed a certain area, there was moment on the floor!
      Meanwhile, Scarlet and Butch waited anxiously in the van for Freddie to return. They had been waiting for four hours which was midafternoon. She was staring at the hospital with worry. He could tell Scarlet was frantic and reached a hand over.
      Butch places his hand on top of her left that was resting on her lap. She quickly looks at his hand before up at him. His hazlenut eyes soothed her every time Scarlet looked into them.
      "Freddie is okay, Scarlet," he assures. "It's a huge hospital."
      "I know," reassuring she says. "I just worry for him because..."
      "...he feels like a brother to you just like Duke," Butch guesses while smiling. "I know. I'm not saying don't worry about Freddie. I'm just saying don't worry too much. Not unless he doesn't come back by the time night rolls around."
      Scarlet smiles at her partner. "Thanks."
      Just then, the hawk flew to the van, which Butch announces, "Look! It's Freddie!"
      "Ke-eeeee-arr!"
      "He's worried," she speaks for him. "Freddie can't find Susie or the others."
      "All right," unsnapping his pistol from its holster he replies. "We are going in then."
      "Ke-eeeee-arr!"
      "Freddie says he'll still be our eyes," Scarlet informs, "while we are in the hospital."
      Butch tosses his pistol in the middle console. She stares at the pistol then up at her partner. He looks to see her confused expression.
      "What?" asks Butch. Scarlet gesters with her eyes down at the pistol. "Bullets are not effective towards zombies so what's the point in having it?" he tries explaining.
      "What is our defense then?" she queries.
      Butch shows her a pocket knife that was as huge as a kitchen knife. Scarlet glances at the kife then up at him. She had an expression that read seriously.
      "This is all we have," telling his partner he says. "We at least need something."
      "I'm still keeping my pistol just in case," Scarlet responds.
      She and Butch step out of the van. He locks up the van even though there was nobody around but them. Butch wasn't about to allow the van to be stolen by teens taking it on a joy ride. They began to walk to the hospital.
      "It looks like the automatic doors are shut off," observing he replies. "How are we getting in?"
      Just then, the automatic doors opened, which caused Butch to quickly grab the knife, while Scarlet whipped out her pistol!
      They stroll into the entrance to the hospital to see no one. No zombie attacked them either. Who had opened the door then? As they crept to a control pannel, they saw who had opened the door.
      "Ke-eeeee-arr!"
      "Freddie says you're welcome."
      "How long was he not with us?" Butch responds dumbfounded. "I could have swore he was with us the whole time?"
      She chuckles at her partner's reaction while walking off to the right. He quickly catches up with her which the hawk flies off following too. Just like he promised, Freddie was their eyes from above.
      "You should have seen the look on your face," laughs Scarlet as they walked along.
      "Hey, for all we knew, it was a zombie who opened the doors?" Butch defends himself.
      "Not that," still laughing she explains. "When we saw it was Freddie."
      "Well, yeah," he comments. "How can a hawk open a pannel?"
      "With talons," answers Scarlet with tease. "They are like hands to birds."
      "Okay, I'll give you that," Butch surrenders to their conversation.
      Little did they know, behind them in the lobby, something lumbered across!

Scarlet and Butch was on high alert as they walked through the hospital. There was flickering lights and everywhere was a mess. Chairs were tipped, tables were broken, TVs were shattered some half-hanging, and there was on occasion something spilled on the floor! She really hoped it was soda and not pee from a zombie.
      "Are you getting the feeling that we are in a horror film?" he asks his partner feeling unease.
      "A little bit," calm Scarlet answers.
      "You don't sound nervous?" Butch responds with shock.
      "You forget, I'm a werewolf," answering she reminds. "Rarely anything spookes me."
      As they came to the emergency unit, it was no different than the rest of the building. The smell of half-dead half-alive was heavily strong through the building.
      "I can take a guess why the hospital shut down," he speaks up. "Jerry must have attacked and he was way out of hand than last time. For everyones safety, they must have transferred everyone to the other hospital."
      "Ke-eeeee-arr!"
      "Freddie just asked then why is my mother not there?" translates Scarlet. She looks at her partner with the same question in her eyes.
      "Maybe she hid somewhere to be safe?" Butch guesses. "I don't know? Let's hope she is still with us?"
      Scarlet knew what he was implying. "Don't listen to Butch, Freddie," after hearing a worried kaw she soothes. "Your mother is all right. We are going to find, Susie."
      Suddenly, there was a swooshing sound, that came from behind them. He and Scarlet half-turn around to see nothing. Freddie flapped his wings staying suspended in the air as he looked too. Even he saw nothing. However, both she and Freddie knew something had passed by.
      "Okay...let's keep moving," Butch suggests with a nervous tone. "The quicker we find Susie and the three missing, the faster we get out of here."
      They continued onward which they entered the back. The last time they were here, the place was dead but still had signs of people here. Now, it was half-dark with many equipment and tools knocked over! Scarlet could smell the multiple scents of liquid medicine that was spilt on the floor.
      As they came to the room where Jerry was before last, he decided to go in first. Butch clutched the handle to the knife. She had her right hand lowered to her pistol's handle at ready. Freddie still hovered above them as he flew. They saw somebody lying on the floor.
      "Who is this," half-reliefed he speaks up. "Are you okay, sir?" Butch assures while placing a hand on his shoulder.
      The person quickly jerked his head around looking at Butch. This caused him to remove his hand quickly!
      It was Noah!
      He had white eyes and his jaw dangled with slim between, his teeth rotten. His hair was sprouts of grey just like Kurt but a little longer.
      "Butch...he's a zombie!" exclaims Scarlet with startle.