by Jenna Moreci
Withasmugsneer,Eveshovedpastheradversary,swungopentheclosetdoor,
andpushedJasoninside,quicklyslammingthedoorbehindthem.
“Well done, horndogs, you’re off camera,” JJ quipped. “Now the folks at the Shelter will assume you’re occupied for the next fifteen minutes to an hour, dependingonJason’s…performance.”
“SowilltherestofRutherfordHall,”Evemumbled.
“Thatwasthepoint.Youhavecountlesseyewitnesseswhothinkyou’rebusy
spawning.It’stheperfectalibi.”
“Yeah, perfect,exceptyouledustoadeadend,”Jasonadded.
“Onthecontrary,thisisyourescaperoute.Doyouseealatchonthefloor?”
Eveglancedaroundthetightspace,reallynoticinghersurroundingsforthe
firsttime.Theclosetwaspitchblackasidefromthesmallstreamoflightthat
pouredunderneaththedoor,illuminatingthestacksofbuckets,mops,and
cleaningsuppliesstrewnacrosstheground.
“Idon’tseeanythingonthefloor.It’scoveredinjunk,”Evegriped,pulling
aknotofcobwebsfromherhair.“Seriously,howthehelldopeoplehavesex
inhere?Thisclosetisfilthy.”
“Quit whining and look for the latch,” JJ ordered. “And while you’re at it, makesomeloudmoaningsounds— youknow,toaddtothefaçade.”
Evegrowledunderherbreath.“No,JJ.”
“Comeon,beagoodsport.”
Eveballedherhandsintofists.“Isaid NO,”shebarked,stompingherboot againsttheground,orwhatshethoughtwastheground.Jasonletoutalong,
awkwardgroanasheclutchedathisthrobbingfoot.
JJlaughed. “Geez,Jason,waytofinishearly.”
“Jason!”Eveyelped.“Areyouokay?”
“Yeah.”Hehunchedover,strugglingtoregainhiscomposureandstraining
tostareatthegrimyfloor.“IthinkIfoundthelatch,too.”
“Good. Pull it open,” JJ instructed. “You’ll see a stairwell leading to the basement.”
Jasonyankedatthelatch,knockingoverbucketsandtoolsintheprocess.
Beneaththemwasametalstairwell,justasJJhaddescribed.
“Hurry,thereisn’tmuchtime.Theabductionisscheduledtotakeplacein eight minutesandtwenty-sevenseconds.”
BeforeEvecouldheaddownthestairwell,Jasongrabbedherwrist.
“Wait!”
Hetuggedherclosetohimandgaveheronelast,longkiss,pullingawaywith
asmirk.
“Sorry,Ihadto.”
“Eight minutes,”JJgroaned.
Theyflewdowntheflightofstepsandmaneuveredtheirwaythroughthe
basement.Adampheatemanatedfromthepumpsandboilers,stickingtoEve’s
skinandsettlinginherthroat,butshepaidnoattentiontoit.Shewaslooking
foranotherstaircase,perJJ’snagginginstructions,andatlasthereyeslocked
ontotheconcretestepsthatappearedinthedistance.
“Exit through the blue door at the top of the stairs,” JJ commanded. “You’ll findyourselfatthebackofRutherfordHall,towardtherearofthecampus.
Turnright,andfollowthewall.Solongasyoustayclosetothebuilding,you’ll remain off camera. And guys, you know that super speed you’ve got at your disposal?Now’sthetimetouseit.”
TheyreachedthedoorwaylongbeforeJJfinishedspeaking,and
immediatelytheybegansprintingdownthenarrowpathwaybehindRutherford
Hall. The cool air felt like shards of ice clawing at their skin, but still their bodies were warm with adrenaline. Eve kept close to the wall, trailing her fingersalongitssurface,andpushedherselftorunfaster.Jasondidthesame,
though he could see the end of Rutherford Hall looming a short distance in frontofhim.
“We’rerunningoutofwallhere,”Jasonsaid.
“Don’tstop,” JJordered. “You’reclearingallfourdormitoryhalls.Aslong as youstayonthatpath,you’llremainoffcamera.”
JasonandEveracedbetweenthetwobuildings,hopingtoGodthattheyhad goneunnoticed.Discretionwaskey;EvecouldhearFurst’sharrowingthreat
repeating in her thoughts, and she suddenly felt her heart thumping in her throat.
“Wherearewegoing?”sheasked.
“Themusicbuildingcourtyard.That’swherethey’restagingtheabduction.”
“JesusChrist,that’sallthewayacrosscampus!”Jasonspat.
“Andyouhavefiveminutesandfifty-sevensecondstogetthere,soIsuggest
youshutupandrun,” JJgroused. “IhavetopatchovertoSanchoandPercy.
AwaitmyinstructionsattheendofLangleyHall.”
ThetwosomepassedHutchinsonHall,andthenClarenceHall,allthewhile
checkingforthepryingeyesofnonexistentpassersby.Theywereconsumed
with paranoia, and though each step they took felt like a bigger mistake than thelast,theyforcedthemselvesforward,theireyesfocusedonthebackcorner
ofLangleyHall.
Jasonskiddedtoanabruptstop;Evegrabbedathisshoulders,bracing
herselfasshecaughtherbreath.
“We’rehere,”shepanted.
“Took you long enough,” JJ muttered. “Do you see a row of trees ahead of you?”
Theypeeredaroundthecornerofthebuilding.Besidethefrontstepsofthe
dormitory was a line of lush palm trees that continued across the edge of campus.
“Yes,”Eveanswered.
“Good.Duckbehindthemandcontinuestraight.”
Eveobeyed,thoughitpainedhertodoso—shecouldseepeople
meanderingacrosscampus,andtheslimtreesofferedlittlecoverage.But
despite her apprehensions, she and Jason dashed behind the palms, trying to convincethemselvestheywerehiddenfromview,whileknowingthatwas
hardlythecase.
“Canyouseethemusicbuildingyet?”
Evestopped,positioningherbodybehindasinglepalmtree.Aheadofthem
was a large, white building with a domed ceiling, sitting behind a circular courtyard lined with red and bronze tiles. It was most certainly the music building,anditscourtyardwassurprisinglyempty.Shebreathedasignof
relief.
“Yes.”
“Good.Gotoit.”
“Butthere’snocover,”Jasonretorted.
“It’sallright,you’renotoncamera.”
“Peoplewill seeus,”Eveadded.
“They’remeetingSamhere.Youhavenootherchoice.”
“But—”
“Look,foreverypersonwhoseesyouhere,therewillbetenmorewhoswear
theysawyousuckingfacewithJasonbackatRutherfordHall,” JJrationalized, herpatiencewaning. “Whichstorydoyouthinkeveryonewillbelieve:theone
whereyou’reheroes,ortheonewhereyou’rethefilthychimerastheywantyou tobe?”
EveglancedoveratJason;withanod,theybothsteppedoutfrombehindthe
tree.Theymovedquickly,suddenlyfeelingexposedandvulnerable.
“Yourpathwillleadtothecenterofthecourtyard.There’sanarea— acircle
— that’s completely out of any camera’s view. That’s where they’re going to initiatetheabduction.”
“Howthehellarewesupposedtoknowwherethisinvisiblecircleis?”Jason
asked.
“Takenoteofthestatuetoyourleft,thetreetoyourright,andthestepsof themusicbuildinginfrontofyou,” JJanswered. “They’re all on ca
mera. The Interloperswon’tgoanywherenearthoselandmarks,andneithershouldyou.”
Eve’seyespannedacrossthecourtyard;shesawthestatue,abronze
sculpture in the likeness of a former U.S. president, and then she noted the singlemapletreeontheoppositeendofthetiledquad.
“Doyouseeanyone?”
Jason turned to his side; two figures were headed their way, coming from oppositedirections,thougheachwasequallyfamiliar.
“Yes,SanchoandPercyarecoming.”
“Anyoneelse?”
Theyappearedasifoutofnowhere.Fourstudents:atallboywithtannedskin,
anotheronebroadandmuscular,thenagirlwithpin-straightblackhair,
and finally another boy with stark white skin and reddish-blond hair. Eve’s bodybecametaut.
“Fourpeople:onegirlandthreeboys.OneofthemlookslikeRemington.”
“That’sthem— theInterlopersandtheirtarget.It’shappeningnow.”
“Got it.” Jason turned to Sancho and Percy, who weren’t too far away, and nodded.“We’regoingin.”
EveandJasonenteredthecourtyard,theirhandsclenchedastheyfollowed
thefoursome—thethreeconvincinglydisguisedInterlopersandtheir
unsuspecting target. Just as they were close enough to hear their pointless chatter, Jason grabbed one of the students, digging his fingers into the boy’s shoulderandjerkinghimtotheground.Theotherthreespuninplace,
surprisedbythesuddenintrusion.
SamstaredatJason,hisfacedrippingwithshockandrepulsion.“Whatthe
helldoyouthinkyou’redoing?”hespat.
“Youneedtogetoutofhere,”Jasonanswered,hisvoicefirmand
commanding.
“DoyouthinkIdon’tknowwhoyouare?”Samsneered.HeturnedtoEve.
“Bothofyou?”Hebackedaway,formingalinewiththeothertwostudents.
“Youstayawayfrommeandmyfriends.”
“They’renotwhoyouthinktheyare,Sam,”Evewarned.
Samopenedhismouthtospeakbutstoppedshort.“Howdoyouknowmy
name?”HeturnedhisattentiontoSanchoandPercy,whohadalsodrawnnear.
“Andwhothehellare you?”
SanchoandPercyweresilent—Sanchofussingwithhissweatshirt,running
hisfingersovertheconcealedweapons,andPercykeepinghishandsabovethe gunstuckedinthebackofhisjeans.JasonandEveremainedstill,theirgazes
fixedonthetwostudentsbySam’sside—ontheirstillbodies,theirbeadyeyes,
and the sweat that formed along their foreheads. Eve took in one last, long breath.
“Run,Sam,”sheordered.
“What?”
“RUN!”
Astartlinghowlsoundedbehindthem.EveandJasonspunaroundandgaped
at the third student, who was now rocketing into the sky, propelled by grey wings that sprouted from his soggy back. He stopped and hovered in the air, skinoozingdownhisfacelikecandlewax,andvigorouslyshookhisbody,
sendingtheloosefleshrainingdownonthecourtyardbelow.Then,witha
hatefulsmile,hedovedowntothegroundonceagain,hissightsclearlyseton
Jason.
“SANCHO!”Jasonbarked.“THEAXE!”
SanchopulledtheaxefromhissweatshirtandtossedittoJason,andwithout
hesitation,JasonsprintedtowardtheInterloper,fueledbyanuncontained
aggression.Justasitlookedasiftheirbodiesmightcollide,Jasonswunghis
axeatthecreature,slicinghimclearacrossthethroat.Thealien’sseveredhead flewthroughtheairandploppedontotheground.
Jason froze in place; he stared in awe at the lifeless Interloper, at the decapitatedhead,andthenatthediamondaxeinthepalmofhishand.
“Holyshit,”hegasped.
Therewasnotimetorevelinthemoment;thegirlatSam’ssidereleasedher
second skin, sending her flesh spraying from her body like an explosion of foulmeat.Samscurriedintheoppositedirection,hisfacepalewithshock,but
thenewlyexposedInterloperignoredhim,insteadfocusinghisattentiononhis
fournewopponents.Helungedtowardthegroup,thenabruptlyhisbody
lurchedbackwardintotheair,hislimbsflailingasheshothigherandhigher
intothesky.SuddenlyEvesenthimplummetingtotheground,hittingthe
surfacesoforcefullythatthecourtyardtilesshatteredbeneathhisbrokenbody
andyellowguts.
ThefinalInterloperhadalreadytargetedhisopponent:hechargedtoward
Sancho,smilingashesawhispreyfumblingwithhisfirearm.Sanchoglanced
anxiouslybackandforthbetweenthegunandhistarget,andthen,withasurge
of panicked energy, he steadied his hold and fired at the creature, nearly topplingoverbackwardfromthesheerpoweroftheweapon.
TheInterlopermerelyflinched.Helookeddownattheholeinhisstomach
andpulledthepoorlyaimedbulletfromhisflesh—andthenwithasneer,
continuedforward,galvanizedbyanewfoundanger.Sanchofiredagainand
again,notoncemakingcontactwithasinglekillzone,andthealiendoveinhis
direction,whippinghimwithhiswingandsendinghimflying,hurtlingtoward
thepresidentialstatueand,morethanlikely,towardhisdeath.
Suddenly,Sanchohaltedinmidair.Hehovered,weightlesslydriftingabove
the ground mere inches from the statue. He looked down and saw Jason, his armsextendedathissides,hishandstremblingashestruggledtosupportthe
weightofbothSanchoandtheInterloper,whowasalsosuspendedintheair—
mid-lunge.
Jason’sbreathingwasheavy,hisbrowtwistedashestrainedtocontrolthetwo
figures,andashislungstightenedwithinhischest,hefeltthecooltingle
of wetness on his upper lip: blood was dripping from his nostrils, down his lips,overhischin.Athrobbingpainsurgedbehindhistemples,andsoonallhe
couldseeandfeelwasablendofdarkness,blood,andarecognizableagony.
Hegrittedhisteeth—thesensationwasoverpowering,cripplinghisbodyuntil
hislegsshookbeneathhim—andwithadefeatedcry,hedroppedhisarmsto
hissides.Hehadlosthismelt,andSanchoandthecreaturepromptlytumbled
tothegroundbelow.
JustastheInterloperclamberedtohisfeet,aloudgunshotsounded,andthe
aliencollapsedtotheground,face-first.BehindhimstoodPercy,hisgun
barrel smoking, his face wearing a satisfied smirk as he admired the gaping craterinhisconquest’sspine.HeturnedtoJasonandwinked.
“Thatwaseasy,”heboasted.
Sanchohoppedupfromthegroundandjoinedtheothersinthecenterofthe
courtyard. Together they admired their kills: three fallen Interlopers, dead in justafewshortminutes.TheireyesmetwithSam’s,whowasparalyzedbythe
frontstepsofthemusicbuilding,andthenmadetheirwaytothesmallcrowd
ofspectatorswanderingtowardthem.
“Youguys,”Sanchomumbled,“peoplearewatchingus.”
Evelookedtowardthegatheringcrowd.Theirstaresseemedoff—distant
andoddlyempty.Theycockedtheirheads,eyeingthetwochimerasandtheir
humancomrades,andonebyone,theircuriousglancesturnedintoloathsome
glares.Then,asifEveknewitwascomingallalong,theirfacesbecameslimy
andmoist.Eveclenchedherfists.
/> “Don’tthinkthey’repeople,Sanch.”
Thecrowdwasexpanding—fivebecameten,andtenbecamefifteen—and
soonthegroupwassurroundedbyawholehostofwide-eyedstudentswith
vacantgazesanddrippingskin.Jasonstaredattheswarm,nonplussedbytheir
suddenappearance,thenhenoticedthewigglingoftheirnosesastheysniffed
attheair.Onebyonetheireyesturnedtohim,andheinstantlyrememberedhis
bloodynose.
“DidI—”Jasonwipedathisface.“DidI attract them?”
“Wait,whatdoyoumean, attractthem?”Percyasked,raisingbothofhisguns.
“Theblood,”Eveanswered.“TheycansmellJason’sblood.”
Percygroaned.“ThenforGod’ssake,Jason,closeyourdamnnostrils!”
Justasthewordslefthislips,twoInterlopersboltedfromthecrowdand
soared high into the air. They circled the group below and, with perfectly synchronizedmovements,theydippedtheirwingsandbarreleddowntoward
thecenterofthecircle.Evehaltedthemwithamelt,thenpropelledtheirbodies
inoppositedirections,throwingonetowardthestatueandtheothertowardthe mapletreeontheotherendofthecourtyard.
“WAIT!”
Evestopped,asdidhertwovictims—theybobbedintheair,desperately
attemptingtofreethemselvesfromherinvisiblehold,andfailingmiserably.
EveturnedtoJason,whopointedanxiouslytothetwolandmarks.
“Thecameras.”
Eveglancedattheendsofthecourtyard;thecameraswerediscreetbut
visible, and she sighed with annoyance. With a nonchalant flick of her wrist, shepulledbothaliensbacktothecenterofthecircleandslammedthem
together,theirconjoinedbodiesdroppinglimplytotheground.Sheturnedto
Jasonandshrugged.
“Better?”
ThreemoreInterlopersplowedthroughthepack,shovingtheirwaytoward
theirhumanandchimerafoes.Percychuckled,unconcernedwiththethreat;he
quicklyfiredhisguns,launchingasparklingbulletintoeachoftheirskullsand sending them toppling to the ground. A third Interloper barreled toward him, andheshotthecreatureinthethroat,clearthroughtheneck.Hesmiledashe
eyedhismarksandtheglitteringholesintheirbodies.
