Jekyll & Hyde Inc.

Tina fought tirelessly at his side, kicking the legs out from under the creatures and then stamping on their necks when they were down. She laughed breathlessly as she fought, delighting in the mayhem. She grabbed two handfuls of a creature’s clothes, hauled it off its feet and lifted it above her head, and then threw it down the hall. It flew through the air and smashed into the tables, sending good food and wine flying, and scattering the panicked Frankensteins. She managed the same trick several times, because the creatures never learned—no matter how hard they landed, they always got up and came back for more.

Most of the Frankensteins were on their feet now, screaming conflicting orders at the creatures, but none of them made any attempt to get involved themselves. Perhaps because they were businessmen, and such direct action would be beneath them. But some of the younger Frankensteins were so incensed, or saw an opportunity to make an impression, that they left the safety of the tables to advance on the Hydes with scalpels shining brightly in their hands. The Clan spokesman yelled for them to come back, but they pretended they hadn’t heard him. The young men and women broke into a run, smiling maliciously, with blood and punishment on their minds. One after another they threw themselves at Daniel and Tina, only to be struck down so hard they never got up again. Daniel took a certain satisfaction in that, remembering the bloody-handed surgeons standing over gutted corpses, but there just wasn’t enough time for him to savor it properly.

He was breathing hard now, his heart hammering painfully fast in his chest. It seemed there might be a limit after all to Hyde strength and endurance. He drove the dead men back with a flurry of blows and looked quickly about him, his eyes darting over fallen creatures still struggling to rise, and more dead men coming, and then he smiled suddenly as his gaze fell upon the nearest table. He called out to Tina and pointed, and she got the idea immediately. They charged right at the nearest creatures, sending them stumbling backward with lowered shoulders and great sweeps of their arms. They grabbed hold of the table and heaved it over onto its side, despite its weight, and then used it as a barrier to force the crowd of creatures back. Daniel and Tina kept their heads carefully low, so the hands reaching over the table couldn’t find them. Some of the creatures took hold of the table and began to tear it apart.

Daniel suddenly let go and stepped back. Tina looked at him sharply, but he shot her a reassuring smile. He’d just remembered what she said earlier, about how the creatures were conditioned to obey authority figures. He took a deep breath, and raised his voice so it would carry over the screaming Frankensteins. He glared at the creatures, and stabbed a finger at them.

“Stay!”

And for a moment, the creatures did. Held where they were by the simple power of a direct command. Tina started to turn away and head for the door, but Daniel wasn’t finished yet. He couldn’t forget the hybrid in its chains, and the gloating satisfaction in the spokesman’s voice. He reached across the table and took a firm hold on the nearest creature’s head with both hands. He braced himself, and tore the head right off. As the headless body toppled slowly backward, Daniel pulled back his arm and threw the head with all his strength. It rocketed down the length of the hall, and hit the Clan spokesman in the face with such force that his head all but exploded. Blood flew on the air, and the Frankensteins nearest him shrank back, crying out with shock. Daniel grinned like a wolf.

The Frankenstein Clan fell silent, staring at Daniel with wide, stunned eyes. The creatures still weren’t moving. Daniel looked upon his work, and knew it to be good. Tina tapped him politely on the arm.

“If you’ve quite finished . . . ”

“I think so,” said Daniel.

“Did that make you feel any better?”

“Do you know?” said Daniel. “I really think it did.”

“Good,” said Tina. “Can we go now?”

“Right behind you.”