His phone interrupted Mei’s reply. Korn sang “Make Me Bad” and George stopped Jonathan Davis mid-lyric. “Hello?”

“Get to the hospital. Now! Something’s going down.” The captain cut off the call before George could reply.

The five minute trip took two. Mei tightened her seatbelt. Checked her gun. They spun half a doughnut, burned rubber, and squealed to a stop before the Emergency entrance. People ran from the hospital, across the parking lot. Wonder they hadn’t hit anyone.

“What the hell?” George asked as he threw open the door. Both scrambled from their seats, dashed toward the entrance.

Screams attacked the night. “Oh, God!” someone yelled.

Carnage and blood met them as they crossed the hospital threshold. Bodies were everywhere. Gore covered the walls. Slicked the floor. Mei slid, and then righted herself. Another scream, this one close, right around the corner where the hall made an L.

Followed by laughter.

Hairs stood to attention on the back of George’s neck.

Gun drawn, he peered around the corner. He saw what went down. The gun was useless.

Goth-guy stood stock-still, staring straight ahead with insane intensity. Laughter bubbled up from his gut, terrible and somehow unholy. Next to him, Slash held a nurse, her back against his chest. His hand cupped her breast as he ripped out her throat. Blood spilled down the front of her uniform. Crimson glared from snowy white.

Mei came up behind George. “Why did you stop?” She looked and the question was moot.

“Back up,” George whispered. “Let’s give them room while we figure this thing out.”

“Why don’t we just shoot them?”

“It won’t work. We could go in there, guns blazing like a Saturday afternoon Western, and it won’t make any difference.”

Mei’s eyes widened. “You’re crazy. People are dying in there. The only good reason I see for not shooting is we might hit a civilian.”

More screams. More laughter. More lives ended.

George’s gut sank. Mei was right. Although he knew it was useless, the cop within told him they had to try.

George looked at Mei, but he thought of Beth. He raised his gun. And nodded.

“Follow me, Partner,” he said.