Free Stone Soldiers 5: Black Knight Down by C. E. Martin

the place clean year-round."
    "Mark!" a woman's voice called out.
    Everyone turned and saw a redhead in a labcoat standing at the short set of stairs that led up to the hotel's double doors.
    In the blink of an eye, the woman was gone- moving at inhuman speed, like a blur- and appearing at Kenslir's side. She grabbed the Colonel and pulled herself up to his height, then gave him a long kiss.
    Kenslir pushed the red head away, and appeared slightly embarrassed.
    "I knew you couldn't stay away!" the red head said. Her hair was long and curly, just past her shoulders. She had a creamy, almost pale complexion and blood-red lips. Her brown eyes twinkled mischievously and she grabbed the Colonel's rear with long, red lacquered fingernails.
    "Dr. Olson," Kenslir said, removing the hand.
    "My, Jimmy, whatever have they been feeding you?" Laura Olson said, turning and grabbing one of Jimmy's arms and squeezing. She smiled widely, running the tip of her tongue over her long, fang-like canine teeth.
    Jimmy seemed a little frightened, so Laura released his arm and laughed. "Relax, kid- they keep me well-fed here."
    "Hey, Laura," Josie said.
    "Josie!" Laura Olson said, grabbing the young girl in a big hug. "It seems like forever since I saw you!"
    "It was like three weeks ago, Doc," Jimmy said.
    "Oh, Jimmy, you kidder," Laura laughed, elbowing Jimmy painfully in the ribs.
    "Will that be all, Doctor?" the driver of the cart asked.
    "Fine, fine- I've got it from here, Harold," Dr. Olson said, shooing the guards away.
    Both shrugged and drove off in the cart. Laura stepped between Jimmy and Mark and looped an arm through each of theirs. "C'mon, kids, let’s go inside and see the Wizard!"
    ***
     
    The hotel's elevator carried them down several dozen feet, to the subterranean complex of labs under the island. When the ornate, gold-lined elevator came to a smooth stop, Josie turned to her grandfather.
    “You don’t mean a real Wizard, do you?” Josie asked.
    "Is that real gold?" Jimmy asked, pointing toward the elevator doors.
    "24 carat!" Laura said, leading the way out of the elevator. The elegance and expensive trappings of the first floor gave way to fluorescent lights and cold tiles in the corridor beyond the elevator.
    “And no, he’s not really a wizard,” Laura said.
    “Why all the gold?” Josie asked.
    "Magically inert, remember?" Kenslir said, stepping out. "Shields the entire facility."
    The trio followed the very happy Dr. Olson down a door lined corridor, finally stopping at a metal door and keypad.
    "Van Helsing!" Dr. Olson said into the speaker by the door. A green light flashed and the voice recognition buzzed as it disengaged.
    "What? I read the classics, too," Laura said as Josie gave her a questioning look.
    They entered the large room beyond, where a man in a labcoat was examining a statue.
    Josie immediately recognized that the statue was actually a petrified person. Several more stood silently in the room.
    "Dr. King?" Dr. Laura Olson called out.
    "Hmm, what?" the man in the labcoat asked. He turned around and stood, revealing he was as nearly as tall Colonel Kenslir. A full face shield covered his face from view. He flipped it up and stepped forward, hands extended.
    "Welcome!" Dr. King said, grinning widely. He was an old man, maybe in his sixties by Josie's estimation, with curly gray hair. And one gray eye.
    Josie couldn't help but stare at the eye, which seemed to be petrified in its socket.
    "Dr. King- this is Jimmy Kane and Josie-" Colonel Kenslir started to say.
    "Winters!" Dr. King said, stepping close and grabbing Josie's hand with both of his. "I've got my eye on you, young lady." Then he broke out laughing.
    "Uh, hello."
    Jimmy stepped forward, striking his hand out for the Doctor to take.
    King accepted the hand, holding it and turning it over to examine both sides. He began poking and pinching Jimmy's arm, up to the elbow with his free hand.
    "Simply remarkable!" Dr. King said. "Jason told me that