Episode 20 – Into the Snare
The chefs enter Ward 6 and the first thing the notice is the deathly quiet. “Hello”, calls Roberto, “Anyone about?” For a few seconds there is no reply, then Maxwell blunders in, bizarrely dressed in only his boxers, and what appears to be red body paint. “I’m off the hook,” he says weakly. “I haven’t got time for this Maxwell,” replies Roberto, but to his surprise Maxwell collapses into his arms. “Off …. the …. hook”, Maxwell says even more weakly and points to his left before he dies in Roberto’s arms. It takes Roberto a few seconds to register what is happening. He looks at is hands and discovers it is not red body paint but blood, then he looks in the direction that Maxwell had indicated and he sees an horrific site. The occupants of Ward 6 are all impaled on hooks one after the other in a line, all dead or dying, except Kinga who is at their feet with bottles protruding out of every orifice at unusual angles.
“So nice of you to join us,” sounds an unidentified voice, “but I’m afraid you missed the best bit of the party.”
The chefs spin round and find themselves face to face with the three remaining horsemen. They try to flee but it’s too late. Bureaucracy’s whip lashes out and snakes it’s way around Rex’s neck, and Naked Ambition lithely moves behind Gos, draws a knife and holds it to his throat. Spite leans against the door sneering.
“The Dark Mistress wants you alive”, Bureaucracy announces, “ although WE have no particular preference ….”
Just then another figure enters the fray. It is Craig. His eyes are filled with tears and he is muttering under his breath “Anfernee, I’ve lost Anfernee, has anyone seen him?” He then notices the bodies hanging on the hooks and screams, “Anfernee, what are you doing up there next to Makosi, you said you weren’t going to play with her anymore.” Then in a rage he attacks one of the hanging corpses. “Keep away from him you bitch. He doesn’t love you like he loves me ….”
The Horsemen watch the scene with a mixture of amusement and bemusement and that is all the distraction the chefs need. Gos strikes Naked Ambition with his elbow, winding her, and Roberto pulls the whip away from Rex’s neck. “Run!” he screams. The Chefs try to escape but Bureaucracy recovers quickly, his whip snakes out again and wraps around Penny’s ankle trapping her. She struggles to escape and falls over. Seeing her helplessness Spite runs over to her. “I’ll get this one Mawio, look how well I’m doing.”
Rachel has seen it as well and with a scream she leaps at Spite. “Luke you pathetic little worm!” she cries and slams him against the wall with all her weight. Penny jumps up and runs. Time seems to stand still.
Spite is staring at Rachel a look of wide eyed fascination on is face. Then he speaks, “Ahh Rachel. Poor sweet Rachel, always so pure, always so kind. I’ve always hated you you know.”
“Well you make me very cross sometimes as well”, replies Rachel.
Spite feigns surprise and hurt. “But why? Is it my tongue? Some people say I have a very poisonous tongue. But that’s not where my real poison is sweet Rachel. Oh no, my real poison … that’s on my spikes.”
For a second Rachel doesn’t comprehend what he is saying but then looks down. Dozens of red spots have appeared on her skin where she has been stabbed by the spikes on Spite’s gimp suit. There is a look of almost orgasmic joy on Spites face.
Rachel feels her legs beginning to give way and she struggles for breath, she falls to the floor and starts convulsing, her mouth foaming. Spite is standing over her, studying her with forensic interest. “A fascinating substance don’t you think,” he observes, “ The Dark Mistress says it was distilled from aspects of my own psyche. Very fast acting. And absolutely deadly.” With a sneer he kicks Rachel viciously in the head. It lolls to one side, her neck snapped, “Mawio, Mawio”, he squeals, his voice cracking with the joy, “I’ve got one, I’ve got one”
At the double doors, which Gos is crow-baring open, Rex screams “Rachel! No!” he attempts to head back into the Ward but Roberto grabs him and pulls him through the doors as they snap shut. Outside Rex bangs his fists against the door screaming “Open it, open it, we can’t leave her. Not her. Anyone but her.” Penny is crying and repeating “Nice lady help me, nice lady help me”.
After a minute Rex calms down. He looks Roberto in the eye. “We go to Ward 9 next.”
Roberto replies angrily, “Will you forget about Nicole just this once.”
Rex is still calm. “This has got f**k all to do with Nicole. Ward 9 is where I live. I know the place and I know the people. And when we get there that is where we stop running. It is where we turn around and fight these f**kers. And remember, whatever else happens, Spite is mine ……”
Next Episode – Raid on Ward 7
”
Rex is now officially on my shit list. Cowardly little runt 
And I don't think they'd have taken Dan down anyway 
