Plague Saint

Chapter Twenty: King of Clubs

Ten minutes later, the Plague Saint stood in the middle of the flashing neon lights and blaring music of the Diamond Club, completely out of place and clutching her staff like it was her only lifeline. Lights reflected off the beak of her mask, and she might have laughed at the image under different circumstances. Right now, she was in shock. She had no idea anything like this existed in Devil's Pass.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for Forrest!" she yelled over the music, hoping one of the people pointing at her and whispering to their friends could help. Either they couldn't hear her, or they didn't care.

Thankfully, word of the Plague Saint wandering the club spread quickly. Forrest emerged from the crowd and waved. "Plague Saint! What brings you here?"

Winter could barely hear him. "I have to talk to you about the transport of—"

"What?"

"I have to—!"

"Come with me!" Forrest gestured for her to follow him through the crowd. They passed through a door labeled "employees only" and entered a cool, quiet hallway. Another door brought them into an office.

"Atherton, said he arranged for you to get me ingredients by tomorrow morning, correct?" Winter asked.

Forrest collapsed into the chair behind his desk and spun in a slow circle. "Uh, yes. Well, a couple of my employees."

"Well, there's been a new outbreak in this part of the city. With City Hall and other important businesses so close, he's asked me to get a head start on making medicine. I'm going to need some of those supplies right away."

"Right now?" Forrest groaned and rubbed his forehead. "I have a lot going on at the moment."

In the light of the office, Winter could really study him. His dark hair was a mess, his yellow shirt half opened, and his eyes were bloodshot. "Do you know what time it is?" she asked.

"Uh, six?"

Winter didn't bother asking if he meant a.m. or p.m. Apparently, this place was open all day. "It's noon. First case was reported an hour ago, and there have been four more since." She slammed her hands down on his desk. He jumped. "This is more serious than red plague. They'll all be dead by the end of the night if they aren't cured."

"So? Who are they, anyway? Anyone I know?"

Winter took a deep breath. "Doesn't matter. They were in this part of town. There is a very high chance of someone coming into this club with it and infecting everyone else. It may have even already happened. And it'll spread like fire in there. Do you understand?"

Forrest frowned.

"If I start making batches of cure right away, we'll have enough to treat your customers. But if we don't, they'll all die." Winter leaned forward. "Which means you lose a good portion of your income. And it's only going to get worse from there."

That got through to him. Forrest straightened up. "Well, shit. And all you need is to grab the stuff I bought for the hospital?"

"Yes. Where is it?"

"My house." Forrest stood up and stumbled a few steps before regaining his balance. "It's on the west side."

Go figure. That's where all the nice houses were. The only houses in Devil's Pass, really. Everyone else was crammed into tiny apartments.

"Short walk from here," Forrest continued. "I'll lead the way."

Winter assumed they would take a back exit, but Forrest returned to the club floor. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Party at my house starts now!"