Myrna and Ace looked at each other before looking back to Fayth. “How long have you been here Fayth?”
“I don’t know, how long has it been since the ground stopped rumbling?” She blinked and fresh tears rolled down her face.
Ace answered first, “It’s been a few hours…are you hungry?”
The young girls face brightened up, “I’m starving, I haven’t eaten anything since dinner last night. I didn’t even get a chance to have breakfast. I woke up late this morning, and when I was getting ready for school, my mom and dad were rushing me out the door. Didn’t even give me a chance to have my toast or coffee.”
Myrna raised her brow. “How old are you?”
Fayth finally smiled, “Ten!”
Ace was already reaching into his side pack and grabbing a protein bar, “Here love, it’s not much but it’s all I have right now--”
“What’s going on in there? Why are you talking so loud?” Emmett and Jameson were coming back from the kitchen area, “I told you two to stay by Snow—” His eyes landed on the young girl, and he raised his gun. “She’s infected.”
Something inside Myrna changed, she got to her feet and pushed the young girl behind her. “If you even think about shooting this little girl, you’re going to have to kill me.” The anger was rising deep inside her, she wouldn’t let another innocent soul die so young. “She’s blind. Not infected do you have no soul?”
Immediately, she already knew Fayth had become priority number one to her. She would do anything to see Alfred dead, but Fayth was young, alone and had no one there for her. Myrna already knew that her parents were dead and possibly were walking among the infected. “Yellow Cat put that child down and exterminate her.” Emmett pointed the gun directly at Myrna’s face.
Ace said nothing but stepped in front of her. “Captain, stop. If Myrna says she’s not infected, then she’s not. And the child has a name, it’s Fayth. She’s been hiding in this cafe long before the final infection set in.” He waved to Myrna who kept the young girl tightly behind her back, “Myrna would know. She can sense when someone is infected.”
Emmett made another face, “The kid can’t come with us. She will endanger us. Draw them near, we will all end up like Snow.”
Myrna felt Fayth squeeze her back, “I can help you get into the lab that my mom and dad worked in.”
Emmett lowered his gun finally, “What lab is that?” He quickly covered the distance and pushed Ace to the side. As he was about to push Myrna, she grabbed his arm and squeezed to the point she saw pain in his eyes. He turned to look at the dirty young girl, “Tell me kid, what lab?”
Fayth still hid behind Myrna, but she tried to keep her voice calm. “The one underneath the city. My mom and dad are scientists, they’ve been really frazzled lately—”
“Because of Alfred?” Emmett kept pushing, trying to get to the young girl.
Myrna squeezed a warning again, her eyes narrowing down at him. “Enough Emmett, this young girl has been through enough.”
Finally anger leaked into his voice, “And we haven’t?! You lost your sister, Ace lost his entire police force, and I lost Agatha, Snow and two God damn cities. We’re supposed to come in, kill Alfred, destroy the lab, and get the fuck out of dodge. We literally can NOT take on someone who can’t defend themselves!”
Myrna shoved Emmett’s arm down, “I don’t listen to you. You don’t own me, nor do you control me. I decide what I want to do. It’s because I lost my little sister, I refuse to let this little girl fight for herself.” She pulled the young girl close to her side. “And if I have to find another way out of this damn city with her and Ace, I will.”
The cafe grew quiet, it was the first time since they got in there that the dead weren’t pounding against the windows and doors. She narrowed her eyes at Emmett waiting for him to fight back. “And she will take us to the lab if she wants to. If she doesn’t, I’ll protect her with my very life.”
“Are you really going to let her talk to me like that Ace?” Emmett’s cold voice traveled over to him.
Ace stood next to Myrna, “I may be her handler, but she has her own free will. I’ll follow her to the ends of the earth. So yes, if she wants to protect Fayth, I will help her.”
Emmett let out a long groan of frustration, as Fayth came out from around Myrna, “I’m not kidding, I can take you right into the lab.” She reached from underneath her shirt and produced a glowing pendent. “This is my visitors card. Since I’m not old enough to carry a purse, my parents made it into a necklace.”
Emmett grabbed the pendant and turned it around, it had a metallic code on the back. He made a face, before letting it fall. “Who’s your parents kid?”
Fayth rocked on her heels, and replied, “Martha and Gerald. They work under Doctor Locklear as their bioengineering techs. He replaced Doctor Moone. Doctor Locklear wanted to take some of my blood and run some tests, but my parents refused.”
Myrna rolled her eyes, “Just like him…” She placed her hand on the child’s shoulder. “Come on, you can come with us. I swear I won’t let anything hurt you. You can count on me.”
◆◆◆
When they opened the door to the city, Myrna made sure the young girl stayed between her and Ace, refusing to let Emmett get a second chance to touch her. Fayth had mousy brown hair, and a soft face that had aged almost overnight.
She knew how that felt…
“We’re going to be taking third street and going through the old quarter.” Emmett spoke over his shoulder; the young girl had her hand on Ace’s back and followed them easily at a trot.
She watched Fayth scrunch of her face, “Why are you taking the long way? You can go through the old library on Witcham street. Since you have me, you can get into the elevator without any issues.”
Emmett groaned again and turned around. “Who made you leader of this crusade kid?”
Fayth blinked in his direction, “I’m just trying—”
“The kids right Kitty Kat, listen to her.” Neeve spoke up through Myrna’s earpiece.
Myrna didn’t wait, she intervened. “Look captain she’s right. Neeve just confirmed it. Why don’t we just listen to her? She’s a native, and her parents have administrative access to the labs.”
Shuffling feet rubbed across the asphalt, Myrna tossed a look over her shoulder, without warning a figure jumped from the smoke grabbing Jameson by the face. She could see the fright in his eyes as sharp nails dug into his dark flesh. His finger pulled the trigger of his gun, flashes of bright white light nearly stunned her.
She grabbed the young girl and tossed her over her shoulder. “Neeve, directions to the library. Now.” Ace and Myrna took off at a sprint, Emmett staring at his fallen comrade as the dead fell atop of his body. The screams of Jameson ringing in their ears.
A soft hologram popped up in front of her eyes, the singular red dot that showed Alfred only moved a few meters, while a bright blue dot popped up on the radar.
It was a few blocks away, if they pushed it hard enough, they would be able to make it—
Another long scream filled the air, and what sounded like metal on concrete echoed through the smoke-filled air. Fayth tightened her hold on Myrna, burying her face against her neck. “I’m scared…” her blood went cold, and she remembered her little sister...her little sister whispering the same words before she died. She held Fayth tighter to her body and picked up her speed.
The world around her was falling apart all over again, and this time she was going to do everything in her power to make sure Fayth would have a chance at survival.
Unlike her little sister.
◆◆◆
All Myrna saw was Emmett’s back, her mind was racing. There was a chance that Alfred already knew they were on their way, and there was an even higher chance that he had already left the labs. Fayth tripped on her own foot, and Myrna easily scooped her up and carried her bridal style. “I got you.” she whispered to the young child.
Those
sightless eyes looked up at her, and she could feel the hope rising in Fayth.
The city around them was covered in a deep smoke that hid the creatures. Myrna’s body kept screaming, warning her of dangers that were just out of sight.
Emmett took a sharp turn and they followed, in front of them stood a tall building standing five stories high. Because of the smoke, she couldn’t see the roof, “Myrna, you’re about to reach the library, you have four infected on your tail. Give the child to Ace and take care of them.” Neeve barked the orders in her ear.
“Ace, take Fayth and go into the library.” Myrna’s voice was calm and collected though her brain was going a million miles a minute. Her heart was pounding in her ears, they were getting close to the final stretch. She had been waiting so long for this.
Ace nearly slid to a stop when he heard her, his brows knitted together, “Are you crazy?! Come on, we’re right there.” He pointed to the library, Emmett was already shoulder ramming the door, “You don’t have to do this Minna.”
She looked over her shoulder, “We’ve been followed, take the girl and go. I’ll take care of them.”
“But…” Ace took the young girl from Myrna; he was about to argue.
Her smile reached her eyes, though it was hidden behind the mask. “Five minutes is all I need.” The viridian green shifted to the molten gold of Yellow Cat. “They won’t last long.”
Ace’s robin blue eyes shone with worry, but he held the young girl close to his chest, “Ace come on!” Emmett shouted from the now open library door. “Let her do her job! It’s one of the reasons we brought her here!”
“I love you.” Ace refused to break eye contact with Myrna, he could hear the sharp scratching of metal against metal echoing through the air. “Come back to me.”
“I will.”
Chapter Ten
Alfred’s fingers ran over the cold tube, his newest project was nearly complete. It wouldn’t be much longer before his perfect bioweapon was finished. I just have to make sure Myrna doesn’t get into this building first. He glanced to the security cameras that wrapped around the room.
He had been watching their descent into the city, and just like he hypothesized, Myrna was able to trigger herself. She had come a long way from the little girl he knew and watched grow up. The computer to his right started to sing to him, Yellow Cat was activated again, her blip turned on, flashing on the map.
You’re so much stronger than I thought you would be…maybe I jumped to conclusions too fast. He sniggered as he watched Myrna pounce on one of his creatures.
To play God…is nothing. What I have done, and succeeded? He turned back to the floating tank, watching the nude woman open her eyes. Veins popped across her face and down her jaw. Her mouth turned into a snarl as she reached out and dragged her fingers down the glass.
He leaned forward and placed his forehead on the cool tank, “My beautiful creature, my perfect weapon…you’ll take care of Myrna for me, will you?” His breath clouded up the tank, the woman that was suspended in the green ichor, “You’re my beautiful creation…Agatha, I no longer need anyone else. I have you.”
Agatha started to thrash around in the tube, “You’re ready, aren’t you?” Alfred pulled away from the hanging woman and pushed a single button on the side. The suspension liquid drained at the bottom of the tank; the young woman floated to the bottom.
Alfred pushed another button; the large glass was tediously slow in rolling down. He kept bouncing his leg, wanting to hold his newest creation in his arms. “Come on…come on…”
The alarms kept blaring, warning him of the level five contagion. He didn’t care, this, this was his life’s work.
Nadine was a failure.
Myrna was a late bloomer.
But Agatha?
Agatha was the one to bring the world to its knees. The one that will bring his company from the ground up.
Agatha will be his Gabriel.
When the glass disappeared into the floor, Agatha coughed out the last bit of liquid from her lungs, Alfred reached down and gave her his hand, “Stand for your god.”
◆◆◆
The blood on her hands were cooling, and the monsters laid at her feet. Myrna caught her breath and stepped back, from the corpses. Her head throbbed and she saw spots in her vision.
“Good job Kitty Cat, kick it into high gear. Time isn’t your friend.”
Neeve was her voice of reason as she came back down, her body radiated heat and her muscles screamed for a break. Each time she changed, shifted into Yellow Cat her body ran hot. She was getting accustomed to it; I don’t know if that’s good or bad…being used as a weapon. Her hair clung to her face, from blood and sweat.
Myrna let out a slow breath as she turned on her heels and took off at a trot. The streets had quieted down, and the smoke was starting to lift around her.
With her heartbeat in her ears, Myrna pumped her arms even harder. She didn’t dare to look around her, at the carnage she knew was waiting for her. Though the city wasn’t on fire, she could still see the dead littering the streets. Come on Myrna hang on just a little bit longer, Fayth needs you. Ace needs you; the world needs to be saved and you’re the only one who can do it.
As she reached the library, Ace was the first one to open the door. Her heart jumped and her body sang when she saw him. Being this close to death, this close to finally winning. Myrna could see herself marrying Ace and settling down.
To start new.
Ace held out his hand to her, and she took it without question. He pulled her in and closed the library door. The first thing she noticed was how cold the library was. Even if her suit was insulated, she could feel the frigid air caress her face.
Ace closed the door behind her, pushing something in front of it. The library was cloaked in shadows, very few lights were on. “He has the backup generator on.” Myrna walked down the entry way stairs, her boots making soft noises on the tile.
“Myrna!” Fayth shouted from the from the front counter. The young girl jumped down and started to run over to her. “I was so worried about you.”
Fayth wrapped her arms around her waist and hurried her face into her stomach. Myrna felt her heart surge, as she pulled the young girl close to her. “I promised you I wouldn’t leave, didn’t I?” She softly kissed the top of the girls head, stroking her hair. “I promised you, and Ace I would come back, and I keep my promises.”
Emmett had a deep scowl on his face as he came from the deep shadows. “I don’t see where this damn elevator is. I think the brat is lying.”
Fayth turned around at the sound of his voice, “Liar, you wanted to leave Myrna to the monsters, and go ahead of her.”
“That’s because she can take care of herself little girl.” Emmett snapped.
Ace also made a face and came from the front door. “Yeah, we all agreed that she can take care of herself, but that doesn’t mean we leave someone behind. It’s not fair. I promised her that I would stay by her side, and I meant it.” He placed his hand on the back of Myrna’s neck and gave it a comforting squeeze. “She’s not a soldier, she’s a person.”
Emmett rolled his eyes, and started to dramatically wave his hands, “Do you fucking see an elevator here? I don’t. The damn kid was lying to us. We’re losing precious minutes finding Alfred and Agatha.”
Fayth turned her attention to Emmett, “Miss Aggie? She was Doctor Locklear’s apprentice. She had an accent, right? Irish? Always wearing heels?” She closed her eyes, and tried going into her memory, “She was heavily right footed, and weighed about 178 pounds?”
Emmett dropped his gun and snatched Fayth out of Myrna’s arms. He pulled the young girl to his face and gave her a handshake, “Where the hell is she you little brat? What did he do to her?!”
Fayth let herself be shook, Myrna jumped in and shoved Emmett away from the child. “Don’t you DARE put your hands on her again!”
“She went down to the lower labs, she worked side by side with him. The
n she just disappeared, my mom and dad were talking about her. Commenting on her intelligence. They were surprised at how quick she took to everything, when she didn’t show up, they got worried but didn’t question Doctor Locklear. The last person who questioned him, went to the lower labs and never came back.” Fayth lowered her eyes to the tile floor. “The elevator is behind the statue. You have to have me with you, or it won’t work.”
Emmett groaned, tangling his hands in his hair pulling. Ace stood behind Myrna and Fayth squeezing their shoulders, “Fayth what does this statue look like? Did your mother describe it to you?”
Fayth lifted her head and looked up at Ace, “It was a huge unicorn with a woman carrying a vase. I always heard water running from it.”
Myrna looked at Ace, “We’re looking for a water fountain.” She placed her hand to her earpiece, “Neeve, where is a water fountain in this library?”
Static.
“Neeve?”
Even more static, when she tried opening the map, she saw nothing but white noise. “Shit.”
“You said a curse.” Fayth teased.
Though now wasn’t the time, Myrna, and Ace both had a small grin. “Sorry sweet pea.”
She turned away from Ace and the young girl to look over her surroundings. Myrna watched dust fall from the tall ceiling, she pulled out her flashlight and turned it on. She panned over the wall up to the ceiling. It was tall with a stain glass window; it depicted a wicked witch holding the hands of two young children. The witches face was ugly, covered in warts and she was missing an eye.
She panned the flashlight over the wall again, closing her own eyes listening intensely at her surroundings. The only thing she could hear was Emmett cursing and punching at something. It was getting to the point she couldn’t hear anything else. Finally, she had enough, “Would you shut the hell up, please?”
Emmett turned his attention back to her, scowling.
Myrna closed her eyes once again, listening.
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