Rise of the Requels

Aftermath

Randy caught up with the rest of the Super Six (God, he still hated that nickname) at the hospital. Their trap hadn't worked and Gale had been attacked. At the moment, they were all in the waiting room, waiting for Gale to get out of surgery. As they waited, Tanner gave Sam a tip, "The next time you have the drop on a deranged serial killer, maybe don't blow the element of surprise by shouting "Hey!" until after you've shot him. Or, at least, until after you have the gun in your hands."

"When can we see Mindy and Annika?" Randy asked the man at the desk. The man shrugged, "We just sent someone to check up on them and make sure they're ready for visitors. He should be back any minute now."

"Mindy's not returning my texts," Chad said, sounding worried. Randy put an arm around his friend's shoulder comfortingly, "Hey, I'm sure she's just asleep. It's not like she got any rest last night. She must be exhausted."

Suddenly, sirens wailed and lights flashed as several hospital employees ran by. Randy turned to the man behind the desk, his formerly happy expression now overwritten with fear and concern, "What does that mean!?"

"It means someone was attacked," the man admitted, gulping. Chad turned to Randy, "Where are they?"

"Follow me," Randy took off down the hall, sprinting faster than Tom Cruise in a Mission Impossible movie. Slowing down to turn the corner, Randy came to a complete stop as he saw the orderlies at the familiar door, the bloody red streaks on the floor standing out against the white tile.

Two blood-stained white sheets had been placed over two corpses in an attempt to obscure them from sight. They weren't very successful, since Randy could still recognize the bodies of Mindy and Anika. Randy turned to Chad, who had gone whiter than a sheet, and said, "I'm so sorry."

Chad didn't say anything. He just stood, frozen, staring at his sister's body.

Tanner jogged down the hall, closely followed by Tara and Sam. He looked at Randy quizzically, but the younger brother just looked at the ground and shook his head. Tanner's face saddened as he slowed to a stop, giving his brother a hug. Randy hugged his brother back, and they only broke away from each other when Tara muttered, "Oh my God... Mindy."

"Tara, Sam, I'm so sorry," Tanner said. He nudged his brother to get him to say something similar, but Randy's eyes were fixed on something over Tanner's shoulder. Turning around, the older brother could see the thing that troubled Randy so deeply. About six feet off the ground at the sight of the murders, written in blood, were three words:

I TOLD YOU

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It didn't take long for the police to arrive, although it took slightly longer for their ME to get there. On his way into the hospital, Dr. Mallard could see Randy Becker standing in the waiting room, comforting a friend who, judging by his facial structure, was the twin brother of one of the victims.

"Mister Palmer, if you would, could you please take our instruments to the crime scene?" Dr. Mallard asked, "I need to speak with Mr. Becker."

"Of course, doctor," Jimmy responded, looking sadly over at the group of grieving teens, "Poor people. They're just kids, and they've seen way, way too much."

"Indeed," Dr. Mallard agreed, "but we can help them by catching this killer, hopefully before he takes another victim."

Sighing sadly, the good doctor walked towards Randy as Jimmy Palmer headed deeper into the bowels of the hospital. As Dr. Mallard grew nearer, Randy caught sight of him. The young man stood up and walked over to the doctor, meeting him halfway, "Dr. Mallard, I guess you'll be the one doing the autopsy?"