Omen Operation

by Taylor Brooke

  She was nervous, and her heart fluttered when she dropped down into the darkness. It wasn’t what she expected in the least. A table top lined with computer screens shone bright against the barely-there light of a lantern on another far table. A few chairs were folded out, which Freddie and Chester occupied. The other man, who Brooklyn hadn’t been introduced to, sat in one of the chairs in front of a computer screen.

  Nicoli took a seat next to him. “This is Brooklyn.”

  He was the youngest of them all—she guessed maybe sixteen or seventeen—with a crooked front tooth and a handsome face. His head was shaved, and he was tall enough to have to slump in his chair so he could see the computer screen.

  “Oh, hey. I’m Lance.” He also seemed the friendliest, with a welcoming smile.

  She didn’t pay mind to Chester’s boiling glare and did her best not to look at him while he snarled at her from his place next to Freddie.

  “Did you get his name?” Nicoli asked when Lance clicked on a series of pictures. Most of them focused on a man, his face obscured by a pair of sunglasses, skin freckled and pale, wearing a black suit.

  “No,” Lance said. “He was constantly in a group. Obviously government. They didn’t ask many questions, and the ones they did ask were strange. The whole recon was bizarre.”

  “Almost like they were hunting aliens,” Freddie snorted.

  Nicoli shook his head and drummed the tips of his fingers against his lips. “Did they have badges?”

  Lance shook his head. “Naw, not anything like that. I did get…” He paused, clicking through some more of the pictures. “These though.”

  He zoomed in on a label sticking out of a thin blue binder that a woman was holding. Across the orange tag in bolded black letters spelled out: ECHO

  Brooklyn kept her composure. She kept breathing. Kept blinking. Kept standing. But the word, bold and familiar, sent shivers into her bones that shook her from the inside out.

  “Any idea what it means?” Nicoli asked.

  Freddie spoke up from his seat behind them, “It has to be an operation of some kind. Gene therapy. Animal and human trials. It would make sense with everything else we’ve collected on the Omen project.”

  Brooklyn stumbled and caught herself on the stairs leading back up to the cabin. Her eyes were wide, and even though she wanted to breathe, she couldn’t. She struggled to swallow, to stop her lips from shaking.

  Nicoli tilted back to look at her. “You okay?”

  She tried to nod, but it came out short and barely there.

  “Can’t handle a little investigating there, girly?” Chester said snidely as he picked at his teeth.

  “What are they looking for?” Brooklyn asked, keeping as calm as she could.

  “We never acquired that information,” Freddie said. “But they did question a few store owners and some tenants in the area—said they were looking for some voluntary test subjects that hadn’t come forward, made it seem like they were looking for people who were doing trial runs for new prescriptions.”

  Brooklyn wanted to be sick.

  “That’s weird,” she said and rubbed her sweating palms together. “Is that all you found out?”

  “Yeah, pretty much,” Lance said. “We’re trying to tie it to another case we’ve been working on. Genome splicing. Cybernetic upgrades. The kind of shit the human race shouldn’t be messing with.”

  “Yeah, that sounds crazy,” Brooklyn said. “I’m gonna head back to camp and get some tea.”

  “You sure you’re okay, now? You seem a little shaken?” Nicoli asked.

  Brooklyn made her way up the stairs and called back down to him. “Yeah! Just tired, thanks Nicoli!”

  He didn’t follow her, and she was thankful for that, because her feet moved fast against the ground as she ran out the door and into the woods.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Brooklyn found Porter pacing around the fire. She grabbed him by the arms, causing him to yelp. He tugged away and clutched his bad shoulder. “Relax! What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “Sorry! I’m sorry. Are you okay? I didn’t mean to—I just…” She shook out her hands, shifting from foot to foot. “There’s a lot going on, and I think we should go. I think we should go right now.”

  “What’d you find out in there?”

  She looked around before she leaned in closer, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “There are people in Seattle looking for us, and they’re carrying around a bunch of shit labeled ECHO, just like the empty document that we found on Terry’s laptop.”

  “That’s not possible,” Porter snapped. “ECHO was never a go. They demolished the idea within months after my dad pitched it to the board. There has to be a mistake.”

  “I saw it!”

  Porter’s nostrils flared. She could see the gears turning in his head. His blood was pumping fast, increasing his heartbeat.

  “Dawson’s in Seattle…they’re in Seattle. I know they are. We have to get to them first, Porter. We have to find them,” Brooklyn whimpered.

  “You don’t understand.” Porter reached out and grabbed her hand. “The ECHO campaign is extreme. It’s more than I can explain right now, and I don’t want you thinking I had anything to do with it.”

  “I don’t care about your involvement anymore, okay? I care about our friends who are going to get taken by these people if we don’t hurry up and get moving. You can explain everything about that after we find them.”

  Brooklyn turned swiftly to find Gabriel, who was in the shed with Julian, Cambria, and Plum. She walked inside and found them picking at a salad of vibrant peppers.

  “Why’d you just take off like that? I was worried,” Gabriel said.

  “I just wanted to talk to Nicoli,” Brooklyn said. “Are our clothes dry?”

  “They should be. Hey, look at what Plum did for me.” She wiggled her fingers out in front of Brooklyn and showed off the pretty nail polish adorning her nails.

  Brooklyn couldn’t help but smile. “They look really nice. I like the light blue.”

  “It’s periwinkle,” Gabriel corrected.

  Brooklyn rolled her eyes.

  “I thought we’d be staying another night,” Julian said.

  “Yeah, well, I was thinking we should get going sooner than later.” Brooklyn was trying to get her point across without having to say much in front of Plum and Cambria, but that seemed to be near impossible.

  Gabriel frowned. “We probably shouldn’t be traveling in the dark though.”

  “I…I know that, but really, just…I think we should go. Let’s get dressed, okay?”

  “Y’all can stay,” Plum whined. “I like you guys. You’re funny an’ nice. Please, stay?”

  The last thing Brooklyn wanted to do was run out on the people who had given them shelter, and even though they hadn’t spent much time with them, it seemed like Plum, Cambria and Nicoli were important. The group of forest dwellers pulled at Brooklyn’s heart strings. If she lived a normal life, things could be different. She could leave a phone number, an e-mail. She could promise to visit, make plans. But she didn’t live a normal life, and the hardest part about leaving was the fact that she may never see her new friends again.

  Julian cleared his throat. “I’m sure we’ll see you guys again, Plum.”

  “Of course we will,” Brooklyn said. Her heart sank.

  Porter took the clothes down off the wire. Gabriel walked out first with Plum at her side, and Julian followed. Brooklyn hurried after them, but Cambria grabbed her arm and waited for the door to shut before she spoke.

  “You’ve got something to do with the Omen operation, don’t you?” Cambria asked.

  Brooklyn didn’t want to lie. She didn’t think she could have if she tried, especially not to Cambria.

  “It’s okay. You can tell me,” Cambria added.

  Brooklyn searched Cambria’s face. She printed it in her mind, the woman’s pretty high cheek bones and the gap between her front teeth as her lips fell
loose, waiting. Brooklyn wanted to remember the kindness in her earthy brown eyes.

  “Yeah,” Brooklyn confessed, shaking her head, disappointed with herself for even accepting their help and putting them in danger. “We do. We need to go before this gets out of hand.”

  “I’m going to get you a backpack with some water and food. Keep the clothes, pack them if you need to, and stay off the main roads.”

  “Cambria, you don’t have to do all that.”

  “We’re not the kind of people who will send you off with nothing but a memory and some good luck, all right? Take what I’m giving you.” Cambria nodded slowly and reached out to rub the top of Brooklyn’s arm.

  Brooklyn didn’t know whether to say thank you, to hug her, to cry, or to deny everything and just run. Run as fast as they could away. So she stood there, wearing an expression that lingered somewhere between disbelief and the utmost gratitude.

  “I don’t know how to thank you for all this. For everything,” Brooklyn said.

  Cambria huffed. “You don’t need to.”

  Brooklyn was lost for words, and her stomach started to turn upside down. She tried to walk out the door, but once again, Cambria’s hand stopped her.

  “I just have a question,” Cambria whispered. There was a tremor in her voice that clued Brooklyn in on what she was about to ask. “Are you one of them?”

  Brooklyn’s fingers curled into fists, and she turned to look over her shoulder at Cambria. The woman looking back at her shrank, eyes clear and curious, like a seal looking at a shark. Brooklyn said nothing as she pushed the door to the shed open and walked outside toward the fire.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  It wasn’t dark yet, but the sun was starting to set over the horizon and turned the sky into a palette of watercolors. Oranges melted into purples, and rose golds collided seamlessly with dark navy blues. It was beautiful. Brooklyn wanted nothing more than to climb into a tree and watch it while her friends cooked dinner over the fire. But that wasn’t an option. They’d had their rest, and now they needed to move.

  Brooklyn had changed out of the dress Plum had leant her, but when she’d tried to give it back, Plum had insisted that it was a gift. Gabriel shoved the pair of decorative lace shorts she’d worn into the backpack, followed by a pink crop top, substituting both with jeans and a long sleeve shirt.

  Cambria handed them the backpack while they laced up their boots. “I put fresh bandages and some of Plum’s ointment in there as well. Keep the jar airtight so it stays fresh.”

  Porter smiled. “You’re a lifesaver.”

  She winked down at him and looked out past the trees toward the cabin.

  “You need to find Nicoli. He’ll never forgive me if I let you guys leave without saying a proper goodbye,” Cambria said.

  Julian shrugged the backpack over his shoulders and adjusted the straps to fit snug.

  Brooklyn shoved the only gun they had in the back of her pants and gave the camp a onceover to be sure they weren’t missing anything. “Okay, let’s go to the cabin, and then we’ll try to get a clear trail before nightfall.”

  They made their way toward the cabin with Plum and Cambria guiding them. Plum held Gabriel’s hand the whole time, swinging it playfully and laughing about the short time they’d spent together. She was one of the sweetest people Brooklyn had ever met. It was a shame to have to say goodbye.

  Cambria walked next to Brooklyn and didn’t say much but turned and gave her a once-over. “You’re strong. You know that?”

  Brooklyn shrugged. “Not really. Not as strong as I should be.”

  “Yeah, well, you’re strong enough.” Cambria hummed. “Came into a pretty dangerous pack and lay with them just fine.”

  “We’re a lot alike, I guess.”

  “You’re a lion among wolves, Brooklyn. It’s not that we’re alike at all—it’s that you’re more deadly.”

  Brooklyn took in a deep breath and felt Porter bump gently into her shoulder. He was right next to her, listening to the entire conversation.

  “You’ll always have a home with us,” Cambria concluded.

  Brooklyn mustered up a thankful smile.

  They walked in through the back door of the cabin. Cambria leaned over the edge of the cellar to call down to the boys. They’d already heard them coming. Freddie walked up the ladder so he could see them all.

  “Hey, you guys taking off already?” Freddie asked.

  Brooklyn had it all planned out. Everything she was going to say. The words were right there on the tip of her tongue. She wanted to speak. She wanted to say goodbye and be done with it. She opened her mouth, smiled, but as soon as she tried to speak, the sound of feet slapping the ground silenced her. She looked up at the back wall and held her breath. Her heart raced; her chest tightened.

  The leaves that littered the forest floor were picked up and tumbled along the ground in the wake of several pairs of feet. They hit the earth sloppily and quickly, again and again. A group was running. Their breath was moist and clogged with blood. She could smell it, the sickness of it. The sourness left a taste like something fermented on her tongue.

  They were too late.

  Gabriel realized it too and shoved Plum toward the cellar. “Get in! Get down there now!”

  Plum’s eyes narrowed. She resisted, squirming in Gabriel’s grasp. “What’s a matter with you! Lemme go!”

  Julian was the first one outside and stared off into the woods in the direction of the noises.

  “Cambria, get everyone inside. Lock the door. Do not come out until you don’t hear anything for at least an hour. Do you understand?” Brooklyn snapped, pushing Cambria toward the cellar as well.

  “What’s happening?” Cambria squeaked.

  “They found us. Just go. They don’t have any interest in you. Please, please, go.” Brooklyn was on the verge of tears.

  The danger, the destruction, everything Brooklyn wanted to shield their new friends from, all of it had followed them.

  Freddie ducked down, and Brooklyn heard him speaking quickly with Nicoli.

  “Go!”

  Cambria took Plum and hustled into the cellar.

  Brooklyn grabbed the edge of the door and tilted it closed. She glanced between them, their eyes wide from the bottom of the stairs. Nicoli looked up at her, concerned and confused. Cambria’s arms wrapped tight around Plum.

  “Stay alive, girl,” Cambria said.

  Brooklyn closed to door over them.

  The Surros moved fast, feet pounding the ground. Their breathing was accompanied by loud grunts and hollow growls. They sounded like a herd of rabid animals. Just before their silhouettes could be picked out among the trees, Brooklyn heard the first wave of ear-splitting screeches, warped and carnal.

  As they took off toward the river, Brooklyn fished the gun out of the back of her pants and shoved it at Porter. “Take this.”

  “You should hold on to it,” he said as he hopped over a large rock.

  “I don’t need it, remember?” Brooklyn slammed it into his chest.

  Porter winced but grabbed hold of the pistol and held on to it tightly.

  The Surros were just behind them. Brooklyn could hear the wetness of their breath and the cracking of their bones as they closed in. There was no way to outrun them, not with Porter being hurt, and there were too many of them to fight. Their options had dwindled.

  Gabriel spun around suddenly and took Brooklyn off guard as she sprinted back toward the group of Surros. She bared her teeth and yelled over her shoulder, “We have to pick some off before we can ditch them!”

  Brooklyn admired her fearlessness.

  Ten Surros were running toward them. They spat and snarled, clanked their teeth and tried to grab at them with long, bony fingers.

  The sunlight faded, and the shadow of night dropped down over them. Brooklyn gave in to her senses, allowed her eyes to adjust and her ears to tune in to the vibrations around her. It felt like the world was rotating in slow motion, every
precise movement, every instinctual dip or dodge. It all came to her as easily as breathing. Her fingers flexed, the muscles in her legs hummed. Her body wanted to move, and somewhere in the back of her mind, a primal part of her fed off the urge to fight.

  A Surro, large and masculine with black blood oozing from its mouth, reached for Brooklyn, but she spun effortlessly and snatched its arm. She twisted, hurling the heavy body across her back before she sent her boot down into its face. Her heel crushed the bridge of its nose, leaving a wide, gaping cavern in its place.

  Gabriel was messy. Her movements flowed together in time with each oncoming Surro, but that didn’t mean she was executing the combat the right way. It wasn’t an act of survival for her; it was a challenge. A test. Her lips turned up crudely. She laughed when a Surro gagged and gasped for air as she tightened her grip around its throat. She reveled in their death, teeth bared in a grin, eyes narrowed.

  “Brooklyn! Behind you!” Porter yelled, firing a bullet into the chest of a Surro coming up on her flank.

  The sound of the bullet cut through the air. The smell of bloodstained soil mixed with hot metal and charcoal.

  Julian was busy with two others. He spun around, dodging the tangle of arms that tried to grab him. It seemed like no matter how many they took down the Surros just kept coming.

  “We have to run!” Julian shouted as he tossed one of the smaller Surros against a tree, sweeping the legs out from underneath another.

  “Go!” Gabriel yelled as she jumped up and bounced off a tree, kicking one of the Surros straight in the cheek. “I’ll hold them off!”

  Brooklyn pushed another Surro back with both her palms and dodged the prying, nasty hands of one on her left side. They were surrounding them, slowly but surely. Julian was right—they had to run.

  Brooklyn felt Julian’s shoulder brush against hers as they tried to back up, taking careful steps backward toward the river. Porter was being wise with his use of the bullets. He cracked the gun down over a Surros skull that reached for him and kicked another out of the way.