The Awakening
Page 64
thatheleftasplatterofpusalongthepaint.
JJ’svoicebuzzedinherear: “TENBODIESSTRAIGHTAHEAD!”
A“ding”soundedfromsomewherenearby,followedbytheominous
openingofanelevatordoor.Insidewereindeedtenbodies—someinguest
servicesuniforms,othersdressedasserversormaids,butallofthemworethe
same hateful expression. They cocked their heads in unison and then spilled fromtheelevator.
Sanchoreactedimmediately,showeringthecreatureswithawallofflames.
Theiruniformsquicklyburnedanddisintegratedintonothing,andtheirsecond
skinformedpuddlesofsludgealongthefloor,revealingtengreyInterlopers
in the midst of a blazing inferno. They continued forward, as if the fire was inconsequentialtothem,andPercyraisedhisgunandunloadedasurgeof
diamondbullets,eachonesparklinglikebitsofsunlightbeforeburrowinginto
thefleshofitstarget.
ThreeInterlopersseparatedfromthegroup,shootinghighintotheair
beforedippingdowntowardtheirhumanandchimerafoes.Evewasthefirstto
act,liftingherhandsandtwistingherwrists,sendingallthreealienscolliding intooneofthechandeliers.Thechandelierwildlyswungfromsidetosideas
the aliens’ impaled bodies hung from its scrolls, and then the entire mess of lightsandcorpsescrashedtothefloor,landingatopyetanotherunsuspecting
Interloperandsmashinghimintothemarble.
Another alien ran toward Jason, his talons flailing as he let out two quick, piercingshrieks.Jasonclenchedhisjaw,hiseyeslitwithafocusedrage,and
swunghisaxestraightatthecreature’sstomach,cuttingtheInterlopercleanin
half. As he came out of the swing, he spotted the last remaining Interloper at thefarendofthelobby.Thecreaturesmiled,andjustashelungedtowardthe
group,Jasonlaunchedhisaxeacrosstheroom,flingingitwithsuchspeedthat
itslammedintothealien’sfaceandpinnedhimagainstthewall.
Thelobbywassilent.Eveandtheotherseyedtheonceelegantspace,which
wasnowdecoratedwithyellowblood,brokenbodies,andshardsofshattered
glass.Jasonmadehiswayacrosstheroomandyankedhisaxefromhis
victim’s face, wiping the pus from the blade and ignoring the body as it slid downthewalltothefloor.PercyremainedbyEve’sside,scanningthedamage
withaproudgrinonhisface.
“God,weare sogoodatthis,”hebeamed,brushingafewflecksofdustfrom theshouldersofhisleatherjacket.
“Guys,” JJinterrupted,punctuatingthestillness, “there’sonemore.”
Justasshespoke,another“ding”soundedbehindthem.Asecondelevator
dooropenedbesidetheentryway,andinsidestoodalarge,brawnyman—a
bellhop in an old-fashioned uniform. He stared at Eve, Jason, and their two human comrades, and then his gaze flicked to the ten Interloper carcasses in front of him. With wide eyes, he took one step out of the elevator, hesitated, thendashedacrossthelobby.
“He’sgettingaway!”Sanchoyelled.
Withoutasecondthought,Sanchochasedafterthebellhop,hismovement
hamperedbytheweightofhisflamethrower.TheInterloperbarreledacross
theopenspace,andjustasEvepreparedtointervene,shestoppedherself.The
bellhopwasheadedforadeadend—awall.Still,neitherthehotelworkernor
Sanchoslowedtheirpace,andEvewatchedinconfusionasthebellhopran
straightintothewall— throughthewall—andcompletelydisappeared.
Sanchodidn’tstopeither.Hechargedahead,followingthesamepathasthe
bellhop,untilhe,too,wasinchesfromthewall.
“SANCHO!”Evecried.
Itwastoolate—Sanchosmackedagainstthewall,hisentirebody
ricochetingofftheplasterandthencollapsingtothefloorwithaloudthudthat madeEveandtheotherscringe.Heteeteredatophisweaponizedbackpack,
flailinghislegsbeforefinallyrollingtohisside.
“Motherof balls,”hemoaned.“Didn’tseethatcoming.”
“Youdidn’tseethe wallcomingasyou ranintoit?”Percysaid.
“Well, hepassedrightthroughit—”
“It’sthesecondskin,”Evespeculated.“Hewaswearingit,thehotelis
coveredinit.Itprobablyallowsthemtopassthroughwithoutanyissues.”
PercyyankedSanchotohisfeetandhelpedhimregainhisbalance.Asthepyro
readjustedhisdeviceacrosshisback,Jasonmadehiswaytohissideand
restedahandonhisshoulder.
“Iguessthat’syourcue,Sanch.Lightthisplaceup.”
SancholookedupatJason,hiseyesbrightwithexcitement,thenglanced
overatEve,whonoddedinagreement.Withalookofconviction,hetookone
stepforwardandpointedhisflamethrowersatthewallinfrontofhim.
“This,”hesaid,“is definitelythehighlightofmy entiresemester.”
Twoblastsoffirejettedfromhiscontraption,crawlingupthewalluntilthey
bledontotheceiling.Sanchoslowlyturned,runningtheflamesacrossthe
guest services booth, the back elevators, and even the fountain, and soon the entirelobbywasawashinflames.
Eve,Jason,andPercyhuddledinthecenterofitall,practicallynumbtothe
blisteringheatastheystaredinastonishmentatthewalls—thewallsthatwere
neithercharringnorsmoking,butratherweredripping,likewhite,gluey
syrup. Slime rained down from the ceiling, splattering atop their heads and formingpuddlesalongthefloor.Thestatelylobbywasgraduallymorphing
intosomethingnew—somethingdarkandforeign.
AsEvewatched,thewallsbegantomovetogether,thespaciouslobby
rapidly closing in until it formed a tight circle around the group. The floor sankintotheground,devolvingfrommarbleintohard,compacteddirt.The
ceiling,oncebrightanddecorative,collapsed,reshapingitselfintoa
mechanicaldomeonlyafewfeetaboveEve’shead.Inonlyminutes,the
transformationwascomplete:thePierLorentHotelwasnomore,andEveand
theothersstoodinthecenterofwhatwasundoubtedlythealienlair.
“Holyshit,”Jasonmuttered,hiseyeswidewithshock.
“ChristAlmighty,” JJgasped. “I don’t know what you guys are seein’, but the outsideofthePierLorentjustgotahellofalot— ”
“Creepier?”Sanchointerrupted.
Evelookedaroundattheirunfamiliarsurroundings.Theywereinadark,
enclosed room, circular in shape and stiflingly still. The rounded walls and ceilingwereconstructedfromgroovedpanelsofmetal,piecedtogetherand
held with rivets. A single stream of light trickled in through the space; it was coming from the exit, now just a hole in the wall that opened out onto the sidewalk.Evecouldseepassersbygatheringinthestreet,takingphotosofthe
eyesorethathadmagicallyappearedbeforethem.
Sheturnedawayfromtheexitandfacedtheoppositewall.Threeseparate
openingswerepresentedbeforeher,eachonedarkandforbidding.Theportal
to her left was smooth, perfectly sculpted into the wall, and the portal to her right was its flawless mirror image. But the opening in the center was large andgaping,drippingwithsecondskinandlinedwithsharp,silverneedles,as
ifitwerea
weaponizedmouth—themouthofanInterloper.
Thegroupstoodinsilence.Jasonwanderedaroundtherimoftheroom,
trailinghisfingersalongitssurface.Percyseemedunaffectedbythe transformationandtooktheopportunitytoreload.Sancho’seyesdanced
acrossthethreeportals.
“Shouldwesplitup?”heasked.
“Areyoucrazy?”Percygroused.“Haveyoueverwatchedahorrormovie?
Neversplitup.”
JasonfinishedhiscircuitoftheroomandmadehiswaytoEve’sside.
“Whichwaydoyouwanttogo?”heasked,calmly.
Shedidn’trespond.Instead,shetookonelastlookateachopening—atthetwo
unthreateningones,andthenattheonedirectlyinfrontofher,itssurface
coveredinteeth-likebayonets.Withoutaword,sheheadedfortheominous
centralportal.
“Oh,comeon,not thatone,”Percywhined.“Itlookslikethemouthof hell.”
“Whichmeansit’sprobably therightwaytogo,”sherebutted.“Besides,this isthedirectionthebellhopranin.”
Herthreecomradesreluctantlyfollowedsuit,duckingtheirheadstododge
thelow-hangingspikesastheypassedthroughtheportal.Almostinstantly,the
lightfromtheexitfadedintodarkness.Evestrainedhereyes,tryingtoadjust
totheencompassingblack,andstretchedherarmtoherside,searchingfora
walltoguideher.Herfingersbrushedagainstahard,dampsurface,one
covered with fine grains of ash, and she realized that they were venturing throughatunnelmuchliketheoneintheWilds.Behindher,shecouldheara
scuffle—theDirtierSanchezknockedagainstPercy,whointurnshoved Sanchointothewall—butshetriedtofocusonthepathahead,onputtingone
footinfrontoftheotherandprayingthatnothingwaslurkinginthedarkness.
Timeseemedtopassslowly,andafteralongstretchofaimlesswalking,she
noticed that their path had taken a decline. They were heading underground, andwitheachsteptheairbecamemuggierandevenmorestiflinglyblack.The
only sight she could see was the faint glow of their heat sensors; Jason’s brightened as he neared her side, and he rested his hand on the small of her back.Shefeltcomforted,ifjustforasecond,andthenSanchoawkwardly
bumpedintoher,effectivelyruiningthemomentbeforeteeteringaway.He
coughedonthethickairandgroaned.
“Whatarewelookingfor?”hewhispered.
“The mainframe,obviously.”
“Iknowthat, Percy, butwhere is it?”
“For God’s sake, quiet down,” Jason growled. “You’ve been bickering this wholetime.”
“It’salegitimatequestion.”
“Wedon’t knowwhatwe’relookingfor,”Evehissed.SheturnedtoSancho
andglowered.“Now quiet.”
Sanchoimmediatelywentsilent.Itwassounlikehimtotakedirection,butEve
soonrealizedthathewasgazingbehindher,transfixedbyamutedlightin
the distance: a portal exiting the corridor. Jason grabbed his axe and took a cautiousstepforward,andEveandtheothersfollowedsuit,stoppingonly
oncetheyreachedthesideoftheportal.Eveeyedhercomrades,surprisedto
seethattheirfacesweresuddenlyeasilyvisible,eachlitwithastrongredglow.
Reluctantly,sheglanceddownatherwrist—hersensor,alongwiththeothers,
wasshiningbrightly.
“JJ,”shewhispered,“oursensorsaregoingcrazy.”
JJhesitated. “I…Idon’tthinkthereareanyInterlopersinthere.”
“Howisthatpossible?”
“The heat— it’s all coming from one place— a concentrated source.” Eve couldhearthelighttappingofJJ’sfingers. “It’snotabody.It’ssomethingelse.
Somethingreally,reallyhot.”
EveglancedapprehensivelyatJason.Withtheirweaponsraised,theyslid
aroundthecornerandthroughtheportal.
AwaveofheatrushedoverEve’sbody,carryingwithitaputridstench.The
roomwasfaintlylit,andaftershe’dadjustedtotheoverpoweringsmell,Eve
saw that it was just as lifeless as JJ had predicted. Percy and Sancho stepped intotheroombehindher,theirfacesimmediatelycontortingwithdisgust.
“God,thisplacessmellslikeapileofoldassholes,”Percymuttered.
Evemaneuveredherwaythroughtheroom.Shecouldseeitclearlynow—
thehighceilingmadefromsheetsofmetal,thesmall,glowingorbsthatkept
thespaceilluminated.Thewallswerelinedwithhooksandchains—forwhat,
shewasn’tsure,thoughtheintentionseemedsinisteratbest.Cages,muchlike
the one that held Florenza, were stacked along one side of the room, their floorslitteredwithbitsofboneandrottingtissue.Shenoticedsomethinginthe
distance—asmall,squaregate—butwasquicklydistractedbythesoundof Sancho’svoice.
“BALLS!”heyelped.
Eve turned just in time to see Sancho tumble face-first into a pit of ashes carvedintothefloor.
“Sancho!”shecried,rushingtothesideoftheditch.“Areyouokay?”
“Yeah,I’mfine.”Hehoistedhimselftohiskneesanddustedtheashfromhis
clothes.“Whydidtheystickapileofashinthemiddleofthisdump?”
“Probablyassumedpeoplewouldwatchwherethey’regoing,”Percy
quipped.
Evebegantorollhereyesbutstoppedherself.Againshenoticedthegateat
thefarendoftheroom,onlythistimeshethoughtshesawsomethingmoving
behind it. She squinted, and realized the movement was a flickering fire: the sourceoftheintenseheat.
Eveapproachedthegateapprehensively,runningherfingersalongthe
handleandtheninstantlyrecoilingfromthescathingheat.Shecursedtoherself
andflickedherwristinstead,meltingthehandleandsendingthegateswinging
openwithaloudsqueak.Thefirecrackledhigher,asifangeredbyher
meddling,thoughEvewasunconcerned.Shepeeredinsidetheopening,
throughtheflames,andsawalong,blackdrawer,thinandnarrow,theperfect
size for one thing, and one thing only. A wave of nausea festered in her stomach.
“Oh.My.God.”
“What?” JJasked. “Whatisit?”
Eve’seyespannedoverthehooks,thecages,andthenonceagainmadetheir
waytotheburningfire.Shetookinashort,shallowbreath.
“It’sacrematorium.”
“Acrematorium?WhywouldtheInterlopersneedacrematorium?”
“Toburnhumans,”Jasonaddedgrimly,turningtogazeatthemoundofsoot
behindhim.“Thehumanswhoselivesthey’vetakenover.”
SanchostaredatJason,perplexed,andthenglanceddownattheashes—atthe
pitwherehestillsat.Hismouthhungopen.
“Oh,God.It’sdeadpeople.I’m sittinginapileofdeadpeople. ”Hescrambled outofthepit,spittingineverydirection.“IT’SINMYMOUTH!
THEREAREDEADPEOPLEINMYMOUTH!”
EveignoredSanchoandstaredatthewavesofblackthatcoverednearlyhalf
thefloor.Sheturnedtofacetheothers.
“We’re looking at hundreds of bodies here. There can’t be that many InterlopersatBillington.It’simpossible.”
“Maybethey’renotallatBillington,”Jasonsaid.“Maybethey’re
everywhere.”
Perc
yletoutalong,throatysigh.“God,IwishIhadadrink,”hegroused.
Thegroupbecamequiet.Eve’seyeswerecastdownatthemoundsofash;
sheimaginedthecountlessabductedhumansandwonderediftheyhadbeen
killedinstantlyorperhapsheldfordays—orifmaybetheywereburnedalive.
“Weshouldgetoutofhere,”Sanchodeclared,“before weendupinthispile.”
“Youwerejust inthatpile,Sanch.”
“YouknowwhatI mean, Percy.”
“Sancho’sright,”Jasongrumbled.“Ican’ttakethisdamnsmellanyway.”
Evelingeredforamomentlonger,stillstaringattheseaofsoot—thelives
thathadbeenreducedtoash.Sheshudderedandquicklylefttheroom.
Thefoursomecontinuedtomaketheirwaydownthecorridor.Evewaited
for her eyes to readjust to the pitch black, but soon there was no need—she spotted a green light in the distance, and before long it was right in front of them.
Thelightcamefromasquarepanelalongthetunnelwall,itsglowcastinga
sicklygreenhueoneachoftheirfaces.Jasonslidhishandoverthepanel,then
draggedhisfingersalongthewalluntiltheytouchedsomethinghardand
metallic.Heknockedonthesurfaceandangledhisheatsensoracrossit,
illuminatingagiantslabthatblockedtheirpath,sealingtheentiretunnelshut.
“Shit,”Percygroaned.“We’reatadeadend.”
Jasonhesitated.“Idon’tthinkso,”hebegan,stillrunninghishandalongthe
metalsheet.“Ithinkthisisadoor.”
“Well,therearen’tanyknobs,”Sanchosaid.
Jasonturnedbacktothegreen-litpanel.Itwasascreenofsomekind,made
from a pliant, plasma-like material. He poked at its surface, and a small,
blackenedfingerprintremained,thenquicklydissolvedintonothing.He furrowedhisbrow.
“Ithinkthisisapalmscanner.Ora…clawscanner.Somethinglikethat.”
Eve frowned. “I doubt any of our hands will work. I’m guessing we’re not exactlytheright speciesforthisdevice.”
“Tryitoutanyway,”Percysuggested.“Noharmintakingastabatit.”
“Whatifittriggersanalarm?”Sanchoasked.