The Junkie Quatrain by Peter Clines Read Free Book Online Page A

shotguns. ‘AA-12. Automatic assault shotgun. The one with the long barrel over there’s some kind of sniper rifle.’
    ‘Jesus,’ Monica said. ‘What’s it all doing here?’
    Barney shook his head. ‘Some gun nut executive,’ he said. ‘We’re looking for a hospital, not an armory.’
    She picked up a square-topped machete with a well-worn wooden handle. ‘Maybe it’s part of the same set up? That’s the hospital, here’s the guns, food’s over there?’
    Barney shook his head again. ‘There isn’t enough here for a squad of guys. It’s just random stuff someone collected and put in a hidden closet to impress chicks.’
    ‘Consider me impressed,’ Monica said. She loosened the strap on the P90 and slung it over her shoulder. ‘Think I might keep this one.’
    ‘Might as well. This is top of the line stuff and it’s all going to waste here.’
    Derek came back in with an empty holster strapped to his thigh. ‘Give me one of those pistols,’ he said. ‘Time for a serious upgrade, y’know?’
    Jay followed behind him. The big man had a foil pouch and was shoveling food into his mouth with his fingers. ‘Chicken and rice,’ he said. ‘It’s good.’
    ‘Okay, everybody listen up,’ said Barney. ‘Charlie didn’t screw up as bad as we thought. We lucked out, but we don’t have time to waste, so it’s going to be like Christmas Eve.’
    ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ asked Chit.
    ‘Everybody can take two things. That’s it. We know this place is here, we’ll come back once we get Bradbury his supplies. But for now we’ve got a schedule to keep and we can’t get bogged down with this stuff.’
    ‘What about food?’ said Jay. ‘Does food count as one thing or two?’
    ‘If you want to grab some food and shove it in your pack, fine. But don’t go crazy with the weapons trying to turn yourself into some kind of badass. Especially you, Derek.’
    They stuffed random pistols into holsters they’d grabbed from the other room and hefted rifles into the air. Barney hung the AA-12 on his shoulder and grabbed an oversized pistol he was pretty sure was special forces issue. Monica strapped the machete to her thigh in a nylon sheath. Jay and Charlie filled their backpacks with the military-issue rations they’d found.
    Five minutes later the outsiders moved out and headed down to the floor below, all praising their good luck. Chit smashed the card reader on the third floor landing, twisted some wires, and the door opened with a clunk of released magnets.
    Suite 331 was what they’d expected. It was a quartet of white rooms that looked like it belonged in a hospital. Or maybe a sci-fi movie. There was an operating table, drawers filled with stainless steel equipment, and a collection of machines with electrodes and paddles and coiled cables.
    Sarah and Derek were with Charlie. The round-faced man read items from his list one by one. He had a knack for pronouncing the long chemical names, or at least getting close enough that anyone else would know the name when they saw it. The extensive directions explained where each item should be, what it looked like, and how it was packaged. Sarah searched for it on the shelves. Derek followed her around with the packs as she loaded them up with small cardboard boxes, blister packs, and plastic bottles.
    It took half an hour to fill all three bags, just like Bradbury said it would. He’d also been keen on them leaving everything else, so Monica swatted Jay’s hand when he tried to pocket a bottle of Vicodin. He knotted his eyebrows at her, but put the bottle back on the shelf.
    They headed back down to the lobby where some of the outsiders stood guard. Epi’s head was pressed against the glass, his bright mohawk splayed out like an old brush. ‘Back up the hill,’ he said. ‘People.’
    Barney frowned. ‘Another team?’
    ‘There’s only two of them.’
    ‘You sure?’
    Epi shrugged.
    ‘Junkies?’
    ‘Don’t think so. They seem pretty