by Silver, Ruth
“Maybe.” I considered the plan. It wasn't without risk. If we got caught, there'd be no chance of taking out Isaura tomorrow. Isaura was the more important goal, but if the place was pretty much dead, why not see what was around? “As long as we're careful.” I didn't want to even think about what would happen if we were caught.
Joshua gave me an eager smile. “I'm not worried. Why? Are you?” We shifted the sofa to make it easier to climb up into the duct. Thankfully the metal frame was secure and we weren't exceptionally loud as we moved through the tight space, inching our way across what would be the hallway. Joshua slid open the corner of the tile, glancing first to make sure no one was inside and second that the door was closed. Once he deemed it safe he moved down into the room. “You're not coming?”
“How are we going to get out if I do?” I made a valid point. We'd moved the furniture in one room. If we did that in all of them, someone would notice.
“Okay, but you're searching the next office,” he insisted, rummaging through the drawers. “Nothing worthwhile here.”
After a few minutes Joshua climbed back up the duct, with my help and we headed towards another office. “Maybe we should try another floor?” I suggested.
“Nope. If there's anything it's on this one,” Joshua insisted. “The rest of the floors are filled with test subjects and labs. The important people with their own offices are stationed on the third floor.”
How had he gathered so much information in the short time he was back in Torv? How did you run into Hunter when you came back? I hadn't ever asked the question before, though it hadn't particularly bothered me until now.
“Actually he found us,” Joshua answered. He knew of the facility and assumed we'd object to it. Hunter didn't know who else to trust, but assumed he could trust his brother, Gavin, and us from Spade. It wasn't such a far leap when the new government turned us away.
“What?” I'd asked, surprised.
Keep your voice down. There are guards out in the halls. That was why he'd chosen to communicate telepathically with me.
Sorry, I answered, letting him continue. You were saying the government turned you away? Why hadn't he told me sooner?
We turned in the vent heading further down the hallway. They didn't elaborate. Just told us we weren't invited to speak with the governing body and to leave the capitol city of Torv. If we didn't, we'd be arrested for acts of treason.
So, you decided to see what they were hiding? Just a short time ago we'd been invited to the city during the restructuring of the government. Something was definitely amiss.
Well, I tried. Joshua admitted. We turned through the ventilation system, further along the third floor. Gavin and I were discussing sneaking into some of the labs, looking into what was so secretive. We didn't expect to find much. He paused as we shifted through another narrow vent and stopped over a grate for me to climb down this time. That's when Hunter found us with a plan of his own.
It all seemed convenient, Hunter finding Joshua and Gavin but I didn't bring it up. We'd spent enough time with Hunter since rescuing the women that I was confident he wasn't a spy for the government. If he had been, we'd have been dead long ago. I pushed aside the metal grate. While Joshua had been lucky with the previous two rooms and the ceiling tiles, the grate was heavier and louder as I shifted it, metal against metal. I grimaced pausing momentarily to make sure the guards weren't coming. There were footsteps and voices but they passed by the door and I shimmied my way down into the room with a thud. I ducked behind the desk, waiting a moment as their shadows passed again but neither guard opened the door.
I glanced up at Joshua exchanging nods before easing myself off the floor. My fingers rummaged the top of the desk. Papers were askew but nothing I could understand. There were equations and research but it all looked like a foreign language to me. Sure I took math in school but this was far beyond anything I'd ever learned. My fingers worked the desk drawer open, grimacing with the squeak of its hinges as I fingered through the papers inside. I paused finding several files with names I recognized, including my own.
The office door swung open and the guard flashed his light in my eyes. “Isaura,” he stared at me, “I apologize for barging in. I hadn't realized you were in this late.” The guard studied my face for a moment longer and the glamour wouldn't last forever.
“Shut it,” I commanded. I gestured towards the door.
“I'll close the door behind myself,” he assured me, shutting it with a click in place.
How the hell did you do that? I heard Joshua's voice and the glamour vanished. I grabbed the files lifting them towards the ceiling for Joshua to take while I held his arm and maneuvered myself back up into the ventilation system. We replaced the metal grate and scooted through the vent to the office, files in hand. “What'd you find?” Joshua asked, handing me the files as I sat back down on the sofa. I pulled the blanket up around my legs feeling a slight chill in the air.
“I don't know. There were several files and I was one of them.” I flipped open my file once again, having another glance at it.
“You still didn't explain the glamour.”
Joshua had never witnessed me using a glamour before. “It was how I managed to be Jacqueline while I was in Genesis.” Joshua had known the plan, hadn't he?
“Right.” He smiled. “I forgot. Tomorrow when we're in the lab, you should glamour yourself.”
I sighed, nudging Joshua. “I'm not sure someone else with the ability couldn't see right through it. It's better if I hide and not make myself her intended target.” Joshua had to agree with me. There was no way he would ever want to put me in harm's way. I stretched out on the sofa, plopping my feet onto Joshua's lap. “It's going to be a long day tomorrow,” I yawned, letting my eyes close as I pulled the blanket up further around me.
I felt Joshua shift against the sofa and I whimpered in protest. Even with my eyes closed, I could feel his shadow before he leant down and dropped a soft kiss to my forehead. “I'll see you tomorrow.”
“Where are you going?” I murmured, reluctantly opening my eyes as my hand reached out to catch his arm. “Stay here.” I didn't think he'd try and sleep in the vent all night.
“You know I can't.” He kissed me again. “I want to,” Joshua whispered and his thumb grazed my cheek as my eyes fluttered closed again.
“Please,” I whispered. I didn't want to beg but we both needed to be on our best game tomorrow and there was no way Joshua would be if he was awake all night. “In the morning you can go back up and hide before Fabian comes back.” Through heavy eyes I lifted the covers for him to join me. Joshua waited only a minute before slipping out of his shoes and sliding in beside me on the sofa. There was hardly any room at all but I didn't care. It was nice to know that even in such a small space, we were both comforted by each other.
CHAPTER 22
As dawn broke, light seeped through the shutters past the slits forcing my eyes open. The sound of heavy footsteps falling outside the door didn't help either. “Joshua!” I woke him forcefully, pushing him up and off me all at once. He slipped his shoes on and climbed back up the vent while I moved the sofa back to its rightful place. There was a slight indentation in the carpet from where it had been situated the last twelve or so hours. I had to hope Fabian wouldn't notice.
Fabian used his key, taking his time jiggling the lock for an additional moment or two of warning to me that he was coming inside. I was relieved as it gave Joshua time to secure the ceiling tile back into place as Fabian stepped inside the office, turned on the light and shut the door behind him.
“Are you ready?” he asked me. Of course I wasn't ready, but I didn't have any other option.
“Are you sure there's no one outside?” If Fabian intended to parade me down the hall it was only a matter of seconds before someone would see me.
“It's shift change,” Fabian answered. “We have only a few minutes before the guards come on duty. We should go now.” He cracked the door open, makin
g sure all was silent as we maneuvered through the hall towards the elevator. My stomach somersaulted and I let out a heavy breath, knowing I'd be okay. Joshua would follow. I just hoped he'd be able to get from floor to floor without too much trouble. Stepping into the elevator Fabian pushed the button for the seventh floor. The seventh floor, Josh. I hoped he heard me and knew where we were heading.
I'm nearly there, he answered and I breathed a sigh of relief.
“You'll be fine,” Fabian glanced at me. I could see it in his eyes. Maybe the plan had been his but there was still some hesitation, some concern that everything was riding on me getting this right. I couldn't trap Isaura. I had to kill her. I wasn't a coldblooded murderer. Isaura was evil though. She'd kidnapped me, would have killed me if she had the chance. She experimented on women, held them against their will and maybe she was smart scientifically but she had no morals. She had to be stopped.
Fabian led me down the seventh floor. It looked familiar though I hadn't been on this floor before. All the halls with test subjects looked the same. Fabian opened the door to the room: it was unlocked. “Janessa's in here,” Fabian assured me as we stepped into the room. She lay on the table, the switch had been made. She turned her head, showing me she was awake and her eyes opened giving me a brief smile. “Not now,” he commanded. “You need to look sedated when Isaura comes in.”
Janessa didn't answer and resumed her position. Was she trying to meditate to keep her breathing even? Whatever she was doing, it worked. I moved behind the door, standing in the corner of the room hoping not to be noticed. When Isaura would enter, her back would be to me, and the door would shield me for a few moments.
“Take this.” Fabian handed me a dagger. “Olivia.” His voice held warning, a reminder that I had come here for a mission that needed to be completed.
“I've got it. Piece of cake.” I smiled. “Now go, get out of here before she sees you and it ruins everything.” I gestured for the door and hid behind it as he headed out of the lab. Now all I had to do was wait for Isaura.
The seconds ticked by like minutes and the minutes felt as though hours passed. I had no idea how long I stood on my feet but with the adrenaline coursing through my body, the sheet of sweat coating my forehead I wouldn't last much longer. I glanced up, seeing the slightest movement above from the ceiling as Joshua pushed aside the tile and I caught his stare. Not yet. I warned him. Isaura could come in at any moment and Joshua would have the element of surprise if he stayed put. I didn't want her to come in and see him climbing down from the ceiling.
He repositioned the tile so it was just slightly askew, barely noticeable at all. The handle to the door squeaked and I held my breath, the dagger tight in both hands as I held it to my chest careful not to move, barely breathing.
“What have we here?” Isaura's voice echoed as she stepped into the room. She closed the door behind her and I was certain she could sense me, knew I was there by her words. She didn't react, though. Didn't pretend to notice me if she was aware as she stepped closer to the patient on the bed. “You have been the most successful candidate,” Isaura beamed. “My work is almost complete.”
I took a tentative step forward, held my breath and the clatter of feet against the tiled floor knew she must have heard me. I held my breath, but it didn't matter. Isaura spun around and was in front of me within an instant. I reached my hand forward to plunge the dagger into her chest but she'd caught my wrist before I'd pushed it in. I'd barely scraped her. I felt the blade at her chest but she had a tight hold and I was in trouble.
“Little girl!” She narrowed her eyes at me, the recognition of who I was dawning on her. “Olivia,” Isaura snarled and hissed, her nails digging further into my hand until they left unpredictable burn marks on my skin. Forced to drop the blade it clattered to the floor, the sound echoing through the entire room.
“Let me go!” I demanded, pushing away, my back pressed up against the door. If I were a coward I'd have run. Maybe I could have gotten as far as the hallway but no, I wasn't going anywhere. Janessa was on the bed and Joshua was in the vent just above us. I was not alone and wasn't going to live my life in fear of Isaura.
Isaura laughed and bent down to retrieve the blade sitting at her feet. “Did you think I wouldn't notice?” She fingered the dagger from one hand to the other, deciding to keep it in her right while she touched the tip of the blade, piercing her index finger of her left hand. She gave a slight grimace. Had she thought she was impenetrable? “You're a fool,” she warned me shaking her head, her back to Janessa who slowly sat up, grabbing the wire and reaching forward wrapping it around Isaura's throat, cutting off her air supply.
Joshua leapt down from the ceiling, helping Janessa as Isaura thrashed violently to get away, the blade cutting at Janessa's arms.
I wasted no time, finding a syringe and filling it with air. Maybe I couldn't get her vein on the first try but I'd sure as hell try. With her right arm thrashing the blade now at Joshua, I jammed the needle in the crevice of her arm where Elsa had once taken blood from me. I forced the syringe in and pushed the air into her body. Unsure if it would kill her or do anything at all she screamed and ripped the needle out. Her hand now on me, gripped my hair, pulling me closer, the dagger forgotten.
“I'll kill her!” Isaura shouted as her arm wrapped around my throat, gripping me as a hostage.
“No, you won't,” I gagged. “Even if you do, they'll kill you.” We had come to end this with Isaura. “You're not getting out of here alive.” I caught sight of the bracelet on her left wrist and my hand reached for it, pulling it off, tossing it to the floor. I wasn't taking any chances that she'd try and send us back to 2225. I wouldn't go there with her, not again.
“You stupid girl,” Isaura chided me, her eyes narrowed seeing her only escape as that bracelet. She let go of me, just long enough to dive to the floor. Joshua tossed me the dagger and I threw it at her before she had time to get the bracelet on. Her hands quickly worked at the metal but the dagger slammed into her back, the blood pooling as she lay in a heap at the floor.
“Do you think she's dead?” Janessa asked. Isaura didn't budge.
I shook my head. Things were never that simple. “Where's the bracelet?” It wasn't on the floor.
“Olivia, no!” Joshua shouted as my hand touched Isaura's shoulder and she shifted to 2225, injured with me in tow.
Everything around us changed and yet it stayed the same. The building had been built long before 2225. Although the structure had since been remodeled, the room now stretched out into a long corridor, the hallway had once been bigger.
“Get away from me!” Isaura shouted as she stumbled towards the elevator.
“No!” I ran after her, the blood at my feet as I used all my force to rip the blade from her back. She staggered a few feet backwards, the blood falling faster and her skin glistening white. “We need to get home,” I demanded gripping her arm. “Send us back.” I was not going to be stuck in the past.
Isaura laughed and shook her head. “You came with me. You'll die here with me.” She gripped the burns knowing what would make me weak and plied the blade from my palm.
“No!” I screamed. I could certainly outrun her but without the bracelet or her help I'd never find my way home.
“Run little girl, run,” Isaura taunted me. She wiggled her bloody fingers in my direction, cackling as she pretended to come after me.
I pulled back, afraid of her. She'd done this to me. Scared me. I wasn't scared of much, but Isaura had the power to terrify me. No. I was not going to accept defeat. “You'll give me back the dagger,” I demanded taking a step forward. What did I have to lose? Joshua was gone, stuck in the future, in the world I came from and might never go back to. If I could kill Isaura she wouldn't hurt anyone else. If I trapped her here, she'd find a way to come back. She had to die. It was my mission and I would not accept defeat.
“I won't.” Isaura smiled. She stumbled down the dark corridor and I choked on the smell of ro
tting flesh. At first I thought it was Isaura until I glanced towards my far right seeing the bodies stacked up. They'd died from the Red Plague and this was one of the buildings they'd sent their sick to for help. It had been an experimentation facility. One that had administered the vaccine that had made all those women infertile. It shouldn't have surprised me Isaura had chosen the same building to conduct her tests. The perfect place in time and space, moving between them to get the information she needed during the plague.
I couldn't quite remember how it was spread. Was it airborne? Had I been vaccinated? I assumed my great-great-great grandparents had, but did that protect me from the disease that ravished the city?
“Don't look so pale,” Isaura laughed, swinging the blade at me. I stepped back, moving away and just out of her reach. She stumbled and cackled inching towards me, pushing me towards the right, back into the room with the rotting flesh.
“I'm not afraid to die.” I fought back, my foot sweeping her on the floor and my hands fighting for the blade. I ignored the searing pain as I gripped it. She'd done something, cursed it or made it impossible for me to touch without it burning through my skin. I didn't care. With the blade in my hands I plunged it into her chest. I had no choice. Her body twitched and convulsed. I pulled the bracelet from her wrist and secured it on myself. “How do I get home?” I asked her. I wasn't expecting an answer, honest or otherwise.
She didn't respond. Her eyes stayed open but she was gone. I pulled the dagger out, wiping it clean before taking it with me. Standing, I glanced around the room moving further away from the decaying bodies.
The elevator dinged and I saw men in white protective gear stepping out, carrying more corpses. “You can't be down here!” One of them shouted at me.
“I'm sorry. I got lost.” It wasn't entirely a lie. I was lost, beyond anything they'd ever imagined.
“Have you been vaccinated yet? Please tell me you have.” Perhaps the vaccination quarantine was in order. All families were required to become vaccinated during 2225. Slowly, they dished the doses out. First to the young and elderly. Then to people like me.
