The Legion of Dr. Freudenstein

[Willowfang]

Another story, this one from 2009

The Legion of Dr. Freudenstein

Dr. Nathan Fredricks walked passed the couple in the dark when the man turned to him, saying "Pretty abyssmal night, isn't it?"

He stopped and looked the couple over, both warmly dressed for an evening stroll through the snowy park at night, his analytic mind quickly processing as he greeted them with forced casualness.

"Yes, yes, quite dreary, probably snow some more before too long.... you have it then?"

"Of course," the man said as he smiled, pulling out a long narrow package. "You wish to check it?"

He almost didn't, but then taking it, Nathan tore open the newpaper wrapping to expose the hilt and drew it out. He found what he wanted, an old sword, maybe half the blade it once had, a bit over a foot long, now with a reforged tip, poor balance, but still sharp and deadly. It was rather ugly and mismatched in appearence, looking as though it had been repaired many times over the ages. It was supposedly used by ancient druids and later owned by Alister Crowley. Its true history went back even more than he imagined though, even far past the days of Babylon.

Wrapping it back in the torn newpaper, he supressed his awe as he tried to sound casual once more. "Very good... you got the money I wired as we agreed?"

"Yes, thank you, you're pleased I trust?"

"Yes, yes, very much so. Anything else?"

"Nothing at all, just use it well," the man said grinning as Nathan then walked away.

***

The couple watched as he vanished from sight.

"You think it'll turn out like Halphon says it will?," she asked.

"She's very clever you know, well, aside from betting on the losing team in the frist place, but ever since then..." he teased.

She frownd.*hrmph* "Don't remind me... There's a crowded concert at that old converted factory, we could jam the doors and start a fire?"

The man smiled. "I like how you think. Let's go" His lips meeting hers as their long snake like tongues intertwined within their kiss before they set off.

***

On the way home, the doctor's mind shut out the road ahead as he drove by reflex, the barren trees and snow covered hills passing by. His thoughts turned inward as he reflected on his plan once more, admiring his own brilliance yet again. He was certain he was right, the evidence out there was inescapable in his opinion. Myths and legends as old as man, older really.

He'd already had 5 of the subjects he needed and the 6th would arrive tomorrow. 3 of the subjects had been quite easy to aquire, Gordon Morris Crumb, Herbert Ray Gadly, and Reed Quincy Ross. All 3 were violent and difficult people. The 3 hospitals they came from were glad to discharge them when the "orders" came for transfer. No family members caring where their "loved" ones had gone, many of whom had been victims long ago, and the survivors never visited. Their trials probably on hold forever, so the courts wouldn't be inquiring of them any time soon either. Though no such trials would ever come now. Each one of them safe and secure in the secret rooms far below the hospital Nathan ran in western Conneticut.

The 4th was in a secure room far above where his experiment would take place. A patient of his, under psychiatric care at the hospital he directed. He had no doubt there was a second presense within Cedric Ray Holden, same as the others. He liked the effect this one had on the staff. Some days screaming for hours, other days soft spoken and malevelent, describing their most vile thoughts and sins in great detail whenever they tried to help him with his food or medication. A talent most unnerving to the nurses and orderlies.

His 5th subject he'd gotten by promising the most loving of care. She was brain dead and on life support in a room far more expensive than she really needed. A young woman, dark hair, blue eyes, 5'2", and underweight, having done nothing but lie in bed for the past few years after a prescription drug over dose. A shame about Cassandra Shepherd he thought, but not much really, he wouldn't have such an ideal subject otherwise he thought with a grin.

The final subject would be arriving at the hospital tomorrow, Nathan thought, as he contemplated this journey of his as he'd been doing most every night for the last few years now. He was a bit saddend that he'd had to give up on a few good choices. Getting them transfered to his hospital had proven too difficult when it would have taken them far away from loved ones, and others were just too high profile, few people would easily forget such media sensations even after many decades.

Still he thought as he pulled into his garage, even without his prefered choices, it would be his creation all the way and he was beginning to feel giddy, not very professional to be sure, but his goal was nearly complete. A little elation was hardly out of order now, was it? He never did see the red eyes staring down at him from the upper branches of a tree outside as he got ready for bed though...

***

Halphon loved Nathan. The way he thought it was all his plan, never knowing all the things she'd whispered into the dark recesses of his mind, such an easy man to fool really.. She saw that he had gotten her sword, wrapped in newpaper, lying on his dresser. Yes indeed, Nathan was a fine choice for what she had planned. With her plan almost complete, she'd need to visit Cassie before Nathan took her to the rooms below the hospital. Flying there, she glided on shadowed wings, the several mile journey not talking long at all. She landed on the ledge outside Miss Shepard's window and watched a moment before jumping in to the vacant mind. The heart and brain monitors both spiked a moment before evening out again. All was well and her plan would soon be complete.

***

The next day, Dr. Nathan Fredricks spotted the ambulence from his 3rd floor office. Its lights off as it drove up last mile of the winding road through the snow covered grounds. It seemed to be going far to slow for his taste, his impatience being what it was. But still, he waited till the van pulled around the side of the building. He then went to his desk and sat down, waiting for the call that would come shortly that John Lee Edgars had arrived. It seemed forever till it came, but came it did and down he went.

Arriving at the receiving desk, he barely checked the paper work and signed everything before Edgars was taken to his room. Tomorrow he thought, Thanksgiving day, light staff till Monday. He could movie Edgars tonight and Shepherd in the morning, then start right after, all was going well.

***

Early Thanksgiving morning, he finished altering the last of the files on his computer, the sun not yet over the horizon as he looked south east out his office windows. No one would remember who was and wasn't transfered elsewhere by the time anyone checked the records he figured.. With only Sheperd to move now, he turned off his computer and went to her room. The halls quiet and empty, his footsteps echoed just a bit as he walked the dim corridors. In her room, everything looked fine, he checked the monitors and saw everything was in order, never noticing Cassandra's closed eyes follow behind her eyelids as he disconnected the life support systems and the bed's own temporary power took over.

Wheeling her bed into the elevator, he used his key so he could go to the secret rooms below the hospital. Entering the main room far below, cold, dark, and large, the smaller sounds lost in the darkness, he took her in the center. The others were already in place around her, strapped to racks that would soon move into posistion. Some were still sedated, others screaming, Cedric Ray Holden was saying out loud the thoughts on the minds of the others, the situation dawning on him as he began reading Dr. Franklin's mind. Had Nathan being paying more attention to Cedric, he might have reconsidered his actions as Cedric read the mind of Halphon residing in Cassnadra's body, but Nathan had already tuned him out. One by one he raised the racks into posistion, like standing stones around Cassandra's bed. With the sword, he ran them through one at a time as he chanted.

"From one to another, let the legion become one." Chanting it over and over. After each thrust, he cut Cassandra in turn, dark tendrils of ghostly matter flowing into her, two tendrils from each victim as the soul of each and the evil spirit within was drawn in. Her body growing larger, stronger, more powerful. As she grew over half a foot in size, her bonds broke, Halphon's mind subjuagting the new spirits within her. Sitting up, she turned and smilled at Nathan, a pity for him she didn't need him any more.

His screams echoed for hours in the chamber before Halphon grew bored. Then taking her sword she left, she had much planned for the comming holidays. But first stop, some clothes from the nurses in the hospital above...