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Vladik took a packet of scrubs from the supply closest and went into the men's locker rooms. Two other men were showering, but they didn't look his way. Vladik went into one of the toilet cubicles and changed into the scrubs, placing the uniform into the plastic packaging. He might still need it, so he tucked it into the waistband of his pants and hoped the baggy scrubs shirt would hide the strange bulk. He tied his hair back and put on a cap and mask before stepping out into the main halls.
The place felt like a hospital. The florescent lights were bright enough to make his eyes burn, and his sensitive gargoyle nose was going to be smelling bleach for days.
Vladik had studied the map of the building until it was imprinted in his brain. He walked to the far end of the floor to the laundry room and took an empty hamper cart that was used for collections. He put the guard’s uniform into one of the side pockets and pushed the cart out into the corridor.
Vladik didn't know if Misha was going to be able to walk or not and would need something to hide him in. It had been another of Zori's brilliant ideas. Maxim's manipulation of her had been so good that he was lucky Zori had never thought to leave him permanently. She had a good mind for escape plans, that was for sure.
Vladik moved to the elevator and waited. Zori had told him that the main labs were held on levels two and three. It was the best place to start.
Vladik kept his eyes down as the elevator opened and three people dressed in scrubs stepped out.
"I just knew it was going to be a long night with the medication change. I don't know why we are bothering keeping that monster alive. Maxim should put it down for everyone's sake," one woman grumbled to another.
"Hey, laundry guy," the man called, and Vladik looked up.
"Yes, sir?"
"There's a mess in lab two, level three. Can you grab the soiled linens and call a cleaning crew? I don't want to have to smell blood and vomit for the rest of my shift," he ordered.
"Sure thing, boss. How long do we have?" Vladik asked, wanting to punch the man in the throat.
"I have a thirty-minute break, so just get it done. Don't worry about the patient. He's too fucked up to cause you any problems," he replied.
"Not a problem. Consider it done," Vladik said, going into the elevator and pressing the button for the third floor. He didn't know how manymonstersMaxim could have in the building. He prayed like fuck to Morana that it was the one he was looking for.
Vladik took deep breaths to calm himself down. He would love nothing more than to go on a rampage and break everything and everyone that had ever thought it was okay to treat his family like science experiments.
The elevator doors opened, and Vladik kept his head down and pushed his cart. Everyone treated cleaning people like they were invisible, and that was going to work in his favor. He didn't look at the people working at computers or staring under microscopes. He was there to get laundry.
There was a set of glass doors that had white blocky letters stuck to the front, announcing it as Lab Two.
"Thank Chernobog, you're here. It's a fucking stink in there," a nurse said as Vladik passed him.
"Not a problem. Here to help," he replied. He swiped his card, and the red light beeped. Fuck. "Goddamn it, not again. Can you open the doors for me? My stupid card has been glitching all night."
"I got you. Mine was playing up last week too. With all the money around here, you think that security would fix the damn card system," the nurse said and tapped his card to the panel. The doors swung open. "There you go. You'd better be quick—"
"Yeah, I know. I have half an hour. The doc briefed me."
"Good man," the nurse said before heading back to his station.
Vladik tried not to recoil at the stench that hit him. It wasn't just blood and vomit. The air was sour with the scent of fear and suffering. He pushed the cart to the center of the room and pulled back the curtain. Lying on the bed was an unconscious man. He was skin and bone, with vomit smeared in his beard and his arms cut up with defensive wounds. They were shallow and had stopped bleeding, thank the goddess.
"Misha," Vladik choked. He went and checked his brother's pulse. It was fluttery and barely there. Vladik didn't bother trying to wake him. He undid the harnesses around his brother's feet and hands.
"I got you now. I got you," he whispered, lifting him up off the bed. "I'm sorry about this, but we need to hide you."
He laid Misha into the bottom of the laundry hamper. He looked so small and fragile. Nothing like his big brother.
Vladik swallowed the lump in his throat before he stripped off the soiled bedding and the towels that had been put on the floor to mop up the mess.
"I'm so sorry," Vladik repeated before covering his brother with the stinking mess of linens. Making sure he had them all, Vladik wheeled the cart out of the lab. He nodded to the helpful nurse. "I'm done. Cleaning crew is on their way. Just finishing up another work order."
"Thanks. Have a good night."
"You too," Vladik said. He tried to keep his pace measured as he pushed the cart to the elevators. He had his brother, and that was the hard part done.
Vladik barely breathed as he made his way back down to the laundry room.
