Lance had warned me, when we first discussed using the night vision goggles, that I’d want to watch for the glow of lights, or risk being temporarily blinded. With that in mind, I make sure to pay close attention to the corners as we make our way through the building, keeping an eye out for little halos that would indicate lights coming up.
Interestingly, we haven’t encountered any other guards along the way — but then again, neither had I on the nights I’d ventured here. It’s less than five minutes and we’re at the last turn before coming to our destination.
Remembering the minimal illumination beyond this point, Cade motions for me to take off my goggles as he does the same. “Be careful,” He risks whispering, “Stay close.”
I give him an earnest nod; I don’t plan to stray.
Grabbing the code-catcher from my pocket, I double check no one is around before half-jogging to the keypad and placing it over top.
“So that’s how you got in,” Luca quietly comments. As we’re supposed to be quiet, I don’t respond, keeping my focus on the gadget.
It would really suck if they changed the codes, or revoked this person’s access….
They haven’t. It flashes green as the locks disengage.
Cade is right there, ready and waiting, and pulls the door open wide as soon as the last lock clicks free.
Lance and John step inside, weapons at the ready, careful not to step off the ledge we’d warned them of. When they see no one, Lance waves over his shoulder for Cade to once again take the lead. I can hear them pulling the door closed behind us as we begin our descent. I’d be freaking out over the sounds of our feet pounding on the metal if I didn’t know it couldn’t be heard from down below.
Thank goodness for soundproof walls.
At the bottom, I quickly repeat the process from the first door…. And we’re in.
Cade is more cautious here, taking slower steps and upping his awareness of our surrounding as we all file into the hallway at the opposite end of the observation windows — the bodies from before are gone, thank goodness. From here, we can’t see the happenings below in detail, but I catch shadowy silhouettes bouncing around on the walls we can see from this level, making my breath stall in my chest.
There’s definitely someone here.
“That’ll be Price and Sharp,” Luca supplies, and I turn to see his blue eyes focused on the windows. His face is pinched, like he’s frustrated or uncomfortable, but he offers me a reassuring smile when he notices my attention.
Is it real?
“Where’s Nyler?” Cade is the one to ask, though I can feel John and Lance zeroing in on Luca’s answer. We probably should have inquired before, but there hadn’t been time. We’d already been running a few minutes behind to meet Luca at my place because I’d tripped over a fucking rock on the way over and slowed us down.
Jackass rock. Shouldn’t have been in my way.
Luca doesn’t look at Cade when he replies, holding my gaze instead. “He’ll be in the lab, not on the cage floor. He’s….” His face shuts down and he breaks eye contact.
“He’s what?” My voice comes out soft, but I don’t mean it for it to. It was supposed to be a demand.
Luca’s acting weird, being even more sketchy, and I understand why with his next words. They have me falling back into Cade, who catches me and holds me upright. “It’s why I said we had to move tonight. He’s testing a new serum… on Jeremy and Ainsley.”
My mind wants to shut down, but adrenaline forces everything around me to speed up instead. I turn, racing for the door that leads to the last staircase into the lab. Shocking the hell out of me, it’s Lance who pulls me back at the last second to prevent anyone below seeing me. He wraps his arms around me from behind, and in a show of strength I didn’t know he possessed, picks me up and carries me back over to the others.
I look around the hallway, seeking out Cade, only to find him standing over Luca who lays prone on the floor, not even trying to defend himself. There’s a blossoming bruise already forming on his clean-shaven jaw that clues me into what happened when I took off. And why it’s Lance holding me back now, instead of Cade.
“You should have told us this immediately!” Cade rages. I can hear the roar wanting to break free behind his words, he’s so pissed.
Luca just lays there, accepting whatever punishment Cade wants to dole out, utterly defeated. “I bloody know. I know. But if you’d been made aware any sooner, you’d have rushed here right away and everything would have blown up in our faces. Robert is here now, and he’s vulnerable. Thinking he’s finally done it. He’s less likely to be at his best, and that means he’s more likely to be taken down.”
For the first time in my life, I truly want to strangle someone. I pull against Lance’s hold, but he doesn’t let up — if anything the bands of his arms grow tighter. Dude’s fucking ripped and I’d been too wrapped up in Cade to notice. I’m not going anywhere until he decides to let me, defensive training or not.
I watch as Cade slowly brings himself back under control, the killer instinct in him that I’d never before witnessed going back to hide in whatever vault he keeps it in. When his breathing has calmed and some of the wrath has drained from his features, he steps back from Luca. His gaze briefly flicks to me to assure himself I’m okay, but then fly straight back to the asshat on the ground. “When this is over, you find your own way out there,” he points up at the ceiling, “you’re not coming anywhere near us or you’re fucking dead.”
Luca shrugs, his shoulders brushing along the floor. “I get it. You won’t ever have to see me again.” This last is said as he stares directly at me, and I know it’s his apology and goodbye wrapped into one. After tonight I won’t be seeing Luca Duncan ever again.
Good riddance.
“Let’s get this show on the road.” John quips. Stepping over Luca and ‘accidentally’ kicking him in the ribs in the process. Luca flinches, but doesn’t protest.
When Cade and John are far enough away, Luca stands up, not bothering to straighten his rumpled appearance — something he’s habitually done before. He’s always been so aware of how he looks, but at this moment, he seems to not care. There’s a wrecked sadness in his gaze as he looks at me, imploring me to forgive, but I just look away, ignoring him.
Lance finally releases me and we get back into formation — John now between Luca and myself like a human shield. Charlie, who hadn’t said a word through the entire sordid exchange, takes up the rear, allowing Lance to box Luca in opposite John.
As we make our way to the last door, I take a moment to wonder at the fact no one came across us during our little ‘scene’ as I stare down into the pit below.
There are more people present than ever before, crowded around the isolation blocks in the center of the room.
It takes me a minute to realize there are new bodies on the beds beyond them. My little brother, and tiny little Ainsley, are restrained — laid out naked for all to see. And everyone is looking. Much like the occupants before them, they have machines and wires hooked up and poked-in all over their small bodies, viscous black goo chugging into their veins like a train of death heading down the tracks.
I step to the side and vomit, the meager granola bar I’d forced down earlier coming back up in acidic waves that scorch the inside of my throat and mouth, before coercing myself to look once more. I need to know the layout and where everyone is — I, we, cannot fail. More rides on this mission now than ever before.
This serum, as Luca called it, looks different than the previous one. Even from this distance, I can easily tell. There’s a shimmery appearance to it now, almost like they’ve mixed luminescent particles into it somehow. Instead of the pitch-black sludge coursing through their veins, like it had with Nyler’s previous subjects, this new serum looks almost silver under the surface of my siblings' skin. It glitters and sparkles as it courses through them, drawing the eye to the unusual sight.
It’s almost pretty. I hate it. What will
it do to them?
Cade checks one last time we're all good, weapons ready, then pushes through the final door. We trail close behind, stealth no longer an option.
The only thing I hear before they notice our presence is the voice of Asshole, aka Dr. Price stating, "This one's dead. Dump it."
My head whips to the side, trying to pinpoint his location as all hell breaks loose. He's standing on the outside of the clear room they have baby Ainsley in, disappointment clear in every facet of his features.
He's not mourning the loss of an innocent child though. No — he's upset because his experiment failed.
What the fuck has the world come to?
I want to crumple to the floor and curl up in a ball of misery and tears.
Equally, I want to sprint across the room and shove my knife through his fucked up face.
The two emotions war within me, despair and rage, trying to push each other out of the way and assert dominance. But with one look at the men surrounding me, I know I can't act on either right now. No. I have to wait, push my feelings aside - ignore my heart that's breaking for a little sister I never even held - and complete our mission.
How do I get to Jeremy?
This is why he wasn’t home, tucked up in his bed, cuddling one of his favourite toys.
Atlas.
The time for idleness is over, our presence in the room is widely known and the guards are on the move, raising their guns and taking aim.
I have a feeling they aren't courteous enough to use non-lethal rounds.
We split up, taking cover as Charlie heads for the lab proper, shielded by our weapons. I follow Cade, ducking down behind an industrial storage container. It’s barely big enough to conceal our bodies as bullets and shouts begin to ring out across the room.
My heart is racing, adrenaline pouring through my limbs. I check to make sure Cade is good, then peek my head over the top of the container, scanning the area.
Aside from a nearly empty row of cages housing a slew of agitated Zerks, and the human subject enclosures that are completely filled to the brim, there are twelve guards in the room. Plus Dr. Price, Nurse Nance and Morgan - Morgan, what? - but no Nyler that I can see.
Where the fuck is the devil?
My eyes search the lab on the other side of the sliding glass doors, but I can't see him anywhere. I know he's here. There's no way he would let this experiment happen without him present — he's too much of a sadist for that.
Movement in the back of the lab catches my attention. There! Nyler is exiting a concealed door behind some metal shelves. Charlie narrowly manages to hide behind a table and then Nyler’s there in all his tainted glory. He takes in the entire scene in the span of a heartbeat before bomb rushing through the lab doors, a gun I don’t see him pull suddenly in his hand.
I move to make a beeline for him, but Cade catches my arm, shaking his head.
“Why not?!” I shout, trying to be heard over the cacophony of different sounds bouncing off the walls of the observation room. We both duck as a bullet pings off the crate we’re crouched behind. That was freaking close.
Cade keeps half his attention on me, while the rest of him is scanning the room for moving threats. “Because you’re part of what he wants.” He says, leaning out to fire at the guard who’s shooting our way. The bullets ricocheting off the crate stop. He got him, though the man won’t be down for long.
I’m beginning to regret my insistence of them not killing anyone. Atlas’ men certainly have no qualms about murdering us.
“They have Jeremy and Ainsley. They were after you bef—” He continues, cutting off when John calls his name from across the way.
While they signal to each other, my mind reels, spiraling out of control.
Atlas took them when they couldn’t get me. Because Luca protected me and removed me from the Subject list.
Ainsley is dead because of me.
Another person swallowed into the void of this jacked-up existence… because of me.
One less person I can call family.
I swore it would never happen again, and now look where we are. I just….
Fingers snap in front of my face, pulling me back from the void. “Keep it here, Sunshine.” Pay attention. Right.
I turn back around, facing the room, and once again peer over the crate. Nyler has somehow managed to dodge all the guys’ efforts to take him down and is halfway to the center chambers — halfway to Jeremy. I pull my pistol, take aim and fire. The hard as fuck, but ultimately harmless, bullet hits him on the side of his lower ribs. The bastard flinches, but keeps moving forward. Fuck!
I spot Luca circling around behind the guards who I think, somehow, still believe he’s one of them. Did they not see him come in with us? Either way, they don’t react to his approach, and at the last second, he lunges, clocking the nearest man in the jaw with a heavy blow. The guard falls, out cold. The lackey closest to the fallen man is definitely paying attention now, and swings his gun around to point it squarely at Luca’s chest.
I feel time decelerate, my pulse racing on, as things in the room appear like they’re moving in slow motion when the guard pulls the trigger. Luca drops at the last possible second, narrowly avoiding death.
Sounds and motions resume their hectic pace.
This is fucked up!
Lance has circled the room and is standing by the first cage with a human subject locked inside. He’s watching something beside me, and I turn to see John methodically going through the ring of keys Luca provided, testing each one of the ten to see which fits the lock keeping the release switch for the cages hidden.
Cade is providing cover for him, making sure none of the guards are able to get a clean shot of the unfazed Agent. It’s like John doesn’t even notice the bullets whizzing past his head. Or doesn’t care.
Seeking Charlie, I’m relieved to see he’s hard at work back at the computer. No one’s seen him yet.
There’s so much going on, I wish I could say I’m able to keep up, but it’s all gotten so out of hand. I’m out of my element. On top of that, I have to keep telling myself not to look at Ainsley where she lays - almost like she’s sleeping - in the clear room next to Jeremy’s.
“Got it!” John calls out, and suddenly all around us, cage doors spring free. Only, it’s not just the humans being released — it’s the Zerks, too.
“Shit! Balls! Dammit!” The slew of curses continue to rain from John as he jogs to crouch down beside Cade and myself.
Things just got a whole lot worse.
“We have to move.” Obviously, Cade dear. I’m not just going to sit here and get eaten. Or shot. “Original plan has changed — Craig, you help Lance get the subjects to safety. Saedie and I will provide cover. Go now.”
John doesn’t hesitate. Ducking down, he runs across the room to the growing number of weak and abused Pures climbing from their cages. I don’t see anyone I know yet, but I can’t really focus on faces.
Morgan’s voice rings out across the space, catching my attention. “Daddy, help!”
Nyler turns from where he’d been standing next to Dr. Price, observing everything from a safe distance. Coward. His eyes lock on Morgan just as a Zerk leaps for her face, jaw snapping open and closed, ready to take a bite. Its head explodes in a shower of bloods, brains and gore as Nyler kills it with a single perfectly aimed shot.
Two things occur to me in that moment. Nyler is far deadlier than I ever imagined. Crazy I can deal with, but even though I knew of his military background, I assumed that part of his persona was all for show. It’s not. He knows what he’s doing, and he’s an expert marksman. I’m just glad I have a team full of the same here with me to get us out of this mess.
The second tidbit… Nyler just confirmed with his actions that Morgan is his daughter. I cringe at the implications, but it’s also a benefit. He cared about her enough to save her — maybe we can use her as leverage.
Did I really just think about using one human being as leve
rage against another?
The rapid-fire of Atlas bullets has slowed - they’re taking the time to reload - but not for long. When the cages opened, they turned their attention from us, to the much larger threat. The six, now five, Zerks joining our chaos party.
That left an open window for the subjects to make a beeline for the staircase, John leading the way. I count fifteen ragged torture victims as they pass by, all of them strangers. I expect to see Lance taking up the rear, but when he doesn’t quickly follow behind, I search the room for his short frame.
He’s halfway down the row of cages, not far from where Nyler and Dr. Price still stand surrounded by guards, helping someone who’s too worn down out of their confinement. When the man lifts his head, I feel a stab of recognition rush through me. It’s Old Man Wilson!
He’s alive!
I don’t have time to enjoy the moment of happiness at the knowledge Nyler didn’t manage to eradicate the old fart, because at the same instant movement in the very center of the room draws my attention.
Jeremy is twitching.
I gasp loud enough for Cade to hear. “Steady.” He softly orders.
Jer blinks, head turning to the side to peer up at Nurse Nance. She’s been tucked down beside his bed, keeping watch on him as all hell broke loose outside their little bubble. I think she’s even switched out the bag full of black glittering tar once or twice as well, if the empty ones on the floor under the bed are any indication. Ignoring the witch, I watch Jeremy closely for signs he’s hurt, or needs help, but there’s no emotion on my little brother’s face as he stares at her. He’s expressionless, his features wiped clean like a blank slate.
No fear, no pain. Simply nothingness.
What have they done to him?
I stand up straight, tired of hiding behind a hunk of metal for protection. Fuck being pinned down; the guards are more concerned with shooting the last two Zerks than they are with my team and I for the time being. I need to do something — get Jer out of here.
Cade surprises me. Instead of ordering me to get back down, he takes charge, stepping out in front to lead the way to my little brother. Our motion draws Nyler’s attention and he finally notices me. Our eyes lock, time slowing once more.
Atlas (Apocalyptic Cries Book 1) Page 31
