An intercom unit squealed into life. 'Hey there, wonk,' the Civilian said.
Clark slipped the safety back on his pistol. He stood up and looked at his patron through the glass. The DoD man looked pale but unhurt. The Civilian's sudden appearance had surprised Clark, but it shouldn't have. The ICU looked like it would stand up to undead attack pretty well. If you were going to hide somewhere it made a great choice.
'I'm glad to see you're safe. I tried to call you,' Clark suggested.
'Yeah. I was busy.' The Civilian turned around and went to sit on a surgical table. 'Have you got anything to eat?'
Clark frowned a little. Why was the Civilian wearing a hospital gown? And what was wrong with his wrists? They were wrapped in thick gauze. Had he tried to commit suicide in some oxycontin-fueled haze? 'We'll sort out provisions later. Right now I need to lock down the prison. I'm assuming you were the one who overrode my original attempt.'
'I'd congratulate you on your detective work if you, me and Singh Nanda weren't the only ones with the authorization code.' He studied Clark's face. 'Yeah, this is going to be a hard sell, but you and me, we're loyalty oath types, right? Tried and true, red state good old folks to the core. So when I tell you the doors have to stay open you'll just get in line behind me.'
'I'm not sure you understand. People are dying here, right now. Every second those doors are open somebody else dies.'
Instead of answering the Civilian stared hard into Clark until he felt as if he was pinned in place, transfixed by that gaze. He tried to laugh it off, surely this was just some trick, some kind of hypnotist's trick but laughing didn't help. Clark had trouble breathing. He tried clawing at his uniform collar but it didn't help. He had a hard time standing up. Unable to really stop himself, he fell down on the floor, hard.
'I'm inside of your head, Bannerman. He told me there were incentives and wow, did he not lie. This is so goddamned cool.'
'He? He who?' Clark gasped.
'This dead Scottish guy. His name wouldn't mean anything to you. He's like, the C-in-C of the dead or something, and I'm going to be his SecDef. Pretty cool, huh? He taught me how to do this to you.'
The Civilian's eyes were lit up like two lighthouses spearing out light at Clark through a sudden fog that had come up out of nowhere, a buzzing, rattling fog that got inside his head, he couldn't think, he couldn't, he couldn't stand up there was nothing, there was nothing in the world except those eyes, those glowing eyes and the Civilian's voice'
'I literally have the power to cloud your mind, do you get it? It's easy. It's the easiest thing I ever did and you have no defense against it. I'm squeezing your life energy right now, that's all. I'm cutting off the force that makes you alive. This is what dying feels like.'
Instantly the fog was gone. The Civilian looked as he always had and the room, while dimly lit, was clear of haze.
'Okay. I think this contest is over, and I think I got a mandate. Do you want a recount, Bannerman?'
The fog started coming back.
'No,' Clark said. 'No, I don't think that will be necessary.'
Monster Nation
Chapter Eleven