Helix

by Mary Ting

  My projected map flickered in and out, and still no sign of Mr. San. I caught Russ staring at me. A warning. He had told me the room might be different and my mapping might not detect Mr. San and his team.

  Mr. San was probably laughing at us behind the impenetrable wall. This had to be a setup and we’d fallen right in.

  “Ava.” Payton pressed his back to mine. “Do something.”

  My team relied on me, and I wasn’t going to let them down. I tugged and yanked at my gift. I searched, reaching deeper and deeper into the layers of my complex mind.

  Come on. Where are you, Mr. San?

  Bingo.

  Countless holograms appeared, faintly outlined against the other side of the wall. Yup, they were watching. We were outnumbered, but we had been before.

  I halted and spun. So as not to give away that I knew where he’d hid, I faced the wrong wall.

  “Ava?” Justine inched back to me from the abstract metal statue she had examined.

  If Mr. San didn’t have a name to trace before, he did now.

  Why was Mr. San taking his time to attack? To see what we would do? If we left, would he let us go? I doubted that.

  ISAN had tried to assassinate him once before and failed. We were back again, and we seemed desperate to finish the job, desperate enough to dive into his trap if need be.

  The figure in the center, whom I assumed to be Mr. San, held up something that pulsed like a heartbeat.

  “Get down!” I dove behind an ottoman.

  Taser pellets poured on us, but instead of embedding in the walls, they ricocheted until they hit a soft target. A handful of pellets hit me, but Kendrick’s new, improved bulletproof suit kept me protected.

  The men’s tuxes were bulletproofed, and the pellets ended up trashing the upholstered furniture nearby and the walls. Too many. Even our special suits wouldn’t hold up under that kind of fire.

  I yanked off my necklace and tossed it at the bookcase where the shots had come from. My team followed my lead. The fake diamonds split apart, attached to the cannons, and blew up.

  Clever disguise. The firing stopped.

  Tamara called my name just as my map beeped in warning, sensing change. Orange light lit from the ground, right under ...

  “Watch out!” I reached for Justine, but I was too late.

  Aubrey, Justine, and two of Drew’s teammates plummeted into the pit that opened beneath them. The floor sealed back up.

  “Justine. Justine.” I dug and slapped at the floor as if that would bring her back.

  Get yourself together, Ava. You can’t break apart. You’re their leader.

  What had happened to her? Buried alive? Fallen to her death? My mind whirled. I stopped when Brooke wrapped me in her trembling arms.

  “She’s gone.” Panic struck Brooke’s eyes. “But we need to get out of here. Get us out, Ava.”

  I nodded. I had to break through that barrier. Think. But I didn’t have a chance. The floor trembled and shifted. It rotated until we were no longer in the room.

  Streaks of rainbow light brightened the space around us like something out of this world as if we were players in a virtual reality video game.

  “Good evening.” Mr. San’s voice vibrated all around us, bodiless. Not even a hologram. “I do not wish you harm, or you would have already died by fire. I’m aware of your bulletproof suits. Yes, I knew you would come for me after the first botched attempt on my life. So, I decided to put on another charity event just for you. Well, not all for you, but a perfect opportunity to bring us together. As you already know, the man you killed was not the real Mr. San. Had you given him the chance to speak, he would have told you what I’m about to say.”

  “If you do not wish us harm, then where’s my team? What did you do to them?” I clenched my teeth, my fist tight on my weapon, ready to fire.

  “They’re safe underneath us in an unmapped tunnel. This makeshift mountain was built in the destruction over what was once a metro station.”

  “What do you want?” Mitch glanced about the room, looking for the source of the voice.

  “To have the opportunity to explain who we are. Have you heard of SAN? SAN was an acronym for Superhuman Advocacy Network. Our organization was created first, but soon after, one faction of SAN was reformed into ISAN. We are trying to stop ISAN before more children are turned into weapons. We renamed ourselves ANS—Advocacy Network for Superhumans.”

  My father’s journal came to mind. He had thought he was helping people, but he’d realized there was much more to his tests. He was afraid for the children.

  “This war between us began before you ever started training,” San continued. “One of the Remnant Council is the creator of ISAN, and that is all you need to know. Surrender and I’ll let you walk away.”

  Brooke’s mouth fell open. Payton massaged his temple. Tamara looked at me for reassurance. Drew and Gene gave me a bewildered, wide-eyed stare. Russ and Mitch and I exchanged glances.

  “What do we do?” Mitch whispered.

  “We can’t abort.” Russ looked at me for confirmation.

  As if on cue, the room rumbled and the floor opened up like before, but in pockets that swallowed Gene, Brooke, and Russ in turn.

  I jumped on the sofa, and Tamara followed. I didn’t freak out like the last time.

  If Mr. San told the truth, then everyone below was fine, but I wondered what waited for them. I imagined them captured with a wall of guns pointed at them.

  When the floor shifted again, I yanked a feather from my mask. Pointing upward, I pushed the tiny release button and a thick cord unspooled to anchor in the ceiling. Tamara did the same. It reeled me up and I dangled in midair as the floor opened and shut like a flytrap.

  Mitch and Drew jumped on the table. Mitch pointed his cane, which Kendrick had converted into a rifle, and fired. And Drew, with a Taser in one hand, unclipped a tiny dagger from his mask.

  “Ava, are they here?” Mitch stopped, a trickle of sweat dripping down his forehead.

  “I don’t know. I can’t detect them.” I twirled to get a view of each wall. Nothing.

  The floor stopped opening and all was quiet.

  Too quiet.

  The walls groaned, getting louder. The room began to spin.

  “Hold on, Tamara.” I reached for her with my outstretched arm, but our hands missed.

  Tamara screamed, holding onto her rope for dear life. Mitch and Drew slid off the table. Mitch stabbed his cane at the wall and steadied himself, but Drew fell right into the hole that had opened up.

  The walls spun faster, changing direction every five to ten seconds. My cord kept me grounded as I swung to the adjacent wall, leaped into the air, and dodged the open floor. Sweat drenched my forehead, my muscles ached, and even with Helix, my reflexes slowed.

  Dizzy. So dizzy.

  I jerked back. A thick barrier shot up from the ground to the ceiling, dividing me from Tamara.

  Bam. Bam. Bam.

  More slammed into place like a knife on a chopping block. One nicked my back, and I collided with another wall as it soared to the ceiling. Blood soaked through my suit. The barriers were sharper than they seemed.

  I twisted and threw myself awkwardly to avoid getting crushed. Swirling to keep another from boxing me in, I rammed into the metal statue in the middle of the room and collapsed on top of it.

  The statue trembled. Something inside must have been triggered. I felt it before it happened.

  The explosion slammed me into the wall. A gust of air whipped around me. Then a tornado formed in the center of the room, uplifting furniture and everything in sight. My cord unleashed from the force, but I held onto the bookcase.

  Tamara’s screams died when she got zapped. Then Mitch fell in. The beast of a tornado slowed, returned into the open space.

  I ran to a hole in the floor and caught a glimpse below. Gunshots echoed and red Taser beams flashed across the darkness. I had no choice. My team needed me.

  I jumped in j
ust as the floor sealed.

  Ava

  My feet thumped on solid ground, one floor down. Pebbles dug into my palms.

  Though I twisted my ankle in the drop, I hadn’t sprained or broken it. But my shirt, wet with blood, clung to my back. I pushed the dull ache away. The wound on my back couldn’t be all that bad unless Helix numbed me to pain.

  I yanked my mask halfway off my face and bolted toward the sounds of bullets, and Taser light beams streaming. Ducking behind wreckage, I searched for my team, but clouds of dust blocked my view.

  For an underground tunnel, it wasn’t as dark as I’d expect. Electrical lights hung bright enough to see the surroundings.

  I pulled up my map. There. In the darkness beyond lay the exit. Or so I hoped. Any compound with defined walls was easier to pull up than a half-collapsed tunnel. My map appeared distorted and hazy.

  I still had thirty minutes of Helix left. Not that I worried about me, but I did about my team. I had to get them out of here. Mitch was here somewhere. Perhaps he would buy my team more time before he triggered the cyanide.

  Bastard. How would he like it if I had that kind of power over him?

  Where are you, Brooke?

  I thought about yelling her name, but that would draw attention to myself. An idiot move I’d resort to if I got desperate.

  I spotted ISAN guards to my left shooting at a group I didn’t recognize, and then another.

  Rebels? ANS?

  Stealthily, I moved from one pile of debris to the next. To my horror, I almost tripped over a body. I gasped and slapped a hand over my scream.

  Vince’s team. They were bloodied and ... I reached to feel their pulses. Nothing. All five of them. ISAN guards wouldn’t have killed them. The ANS group had done this. It had to be them.

  They had claimed to be on our side. Liars. They were all filthy, dirty liars. I didn’t trust any network. Not today, not ever.

  Vince’s team should have been on the first level. What were they doing here? No time to analyze. Just get the hell out.

  I crouched low and ran behind ruined concrete, trying to reach the section with battered trains. They were off the track, tipped over, windows shattered, and damaged beyond repair.

  Almost there. Run faster.

  I ran again, but I had to veer right and hide behind what had once been a pillar. Doubling over, I nearly vomited. Chelsea’s bloody body lay crooked in my path, with her arms and legs twisted and awkwardly bent.

  Chelsea. No! What happened?

  A few yards over lay the rest of her team, bloody and most likely dead.

  I shivered and my heart squeezed as I trembled with rage and guilt. I really liked Chelsea. She was a good person, and her team had been good too. But right now, I couldn’t be grief-stricken. I had to find my team. The need to survive overrode any emotions.

  Chelsea’s group should have stayed on the first level like Vince’s. Who had changed the plan? Chelsea’s face became Brooke’s, Tamara’s, Justine’s, and even Payton’s.

  My team. It could have been them.

  Pull yourself together, Ava. Find them and get out.

  I raced to the pile of bricks and stone. To make matters worse, I spotted Rhett, Ozzie, and Reyna. Like me, their masks were off. I heaved a breath and blood roared in my ears. I’d told Rhett to leave and he hadn’t listened. He was going to hear a mouthful from me. Now I had to worry about them, too.

  Rose-pink feathers peeped out from the wrecked trains, and a shuddering breath of relief escaped me.

  Get down, Brooke.

  At least I knew she was safe and well.

  When Brooke popped up to fire at someone shooting at her, our eyes met. She flashed a smile and then dropped back down. Knowing Brooke, she would come to me. I wanted to tell her to stay there, but too late.

  Brooke raced across the track and ducked behind a flipped train. Then to my surprise, Tamara did the same. As they both rushed to me, I fired blindly to give them cover. I didn’t care if I was shooting at ISAN guards.

  “That was close.” Tamara crouched behind the boulder, panting, wiping her forehead and leaving a dusty smudge behind.

  “I’m so glad I found you.” Brooke lowered to my other side. “It’s crazy. I don’t know who I’m shooting at or who’s shooting at us. For all I know, I could be shooting at Justine. I have no idea where she is. Can you find the exit? We need to get to our sub-glider.”

  “I can.” I bit my tongue against telling them what had happened to Chelsea’s and Vince’s teams. Not a good time, especially when we were on the run, too. “We have to make it across there.” I pointed toward the darkness where there seemed to be less crossfire.

  “Great. That’s not too far.” Tamara lowered her shoulders and inhaled a deep breath as if a brick had been lifted off her chest.

  “First, let’s take these off.” I pulled off Brooke’s and Tamara’s masks and dropped them. “You don’t need those. Second, get ready to run.” I turned my back on them to peek around the side of my makeshift shelter. “We’re going the way you came. The trains will cover us. Ready?”

  No answer.

  I sighed and spun to see a weapon pointed at me. I crossed my arms and glared at Rhett. Even in the chaos, as mad as I was at him, his presence made me giddy. But I made sure my expression didn’t show.

  Brooke’s cheeks glowed as her eyes stopped on Ozzie. Tamara stood stiff as the chunk of cement behind her, her lips tight.

  “Really?” I pushed down Rhett’s Taser. He wanted me to go with him, but he wouldn’t Tase me, would he? “You wouldn’t dare.”

  He quirked an eyebrow. His answer.

  “What’s going on? You know them?” Tamara seemed confused, her gaze darting to Reyna, Rhett, and then Ozzie. “Isn’t he the guy Mitch brought in? Why are you talking to them like you know them?” She reached for her Taser.

  Reyna bumped her gun against Tamara’s temple. “Easy. No one needs to get hurt. But if you shoot, I shoot. My gun hurts more than yours. Actually, mine will kill. You choose.”

  I had no time to explain, and Tamara asking questions complicated things. She would no doubt demand answers if I asked her to go with them. Great. More lies to make up. More chances of ISAN finding out about Rhett and me, though it seemed like Mr. Novak already knew or assumed. So what did it matter anyhow?

  “I have to go back. I already told you.” I couldn’t look into his eyes. I pivoted to my team. “Let’s go.”

  They looked confused and kept glancing between us.

  “No,” Rhett breathed.

  One word had never been so soft and filled with so much pain.

  I gauged the distance to the wrecked train and ran, assuming my team trailed me. Thumping footsteps confirmed it.

  “Ava.” Rhett’s voice blended in with the gunshots.

  My heart sank to my feet, despair taking over me. Despite myself, I cast a glance to Rhett. Why? Guilt, perhaps, for leaving him now that I recalled parts of our past. Or maybe to twist the dagger already in my gut.

  My breath caught in my throat.

  Behind you, Rhett. Watch out. No.

  Words failed me. When they did, I took action.

  My heart leaped out of my chest as I ran back to Rhett, pointing my Taser at him. His eyes grew wider. Shocked. He held out his Taser, looking baffled, but didn’t point at me.

  “Duck.” I halted and positioned myself, ready to fire.

  Rhett flashed a glance behind him and squatted at the same time. Why didn’t he defend himself?

  I shouldn’t even think about harming my superior, but all I saw was Mitch’s smirk and him jabbing the butt of the Taser at my head when I’d tried to escape. The need for revenge replaced my better judgment.

  I scowled and fired at Mitch, but he dodged every pellet. He moved incredibly fast. Too fast. Mitch had excellent reflexes, but they couldn’t have matched mine. I should have been faster than him, for he was merely human.

  He had dosed himself with HelixB88.

 
In one swift move, Rhett lunged at me, stole my Taser, and pinned me under his arm with my back to him. I could have easily broken away, but I didn’t fight him when Tamara and Brooke pointed their weapons at Rhett. Ozzie and Reyna pressed weapons against Tamara’s and Brooke’s backs. A chain of confusion.

  Then ... Click. Click.

  Tamara and Brooke dropped to the ground, their bodies convulsing. Even knowing they’d only been Tased, the fact I had to see it made me furious.

  How was I supposed to get them out now? Mitch was still here. He could help me, and hopefully he wouldn’t trigger the cyanide. But why the hell had he just Tased my team?

  “Why?” I twisted and kicked to release myself.

  Finally, Rhett let me go.

  “Why?” My eyes burned into Mitch with hatred and the need to wipe him off the face of the Earth.

  “They’re fine, Ava. Let me explain.” Mitch held out a hand, palm facing me, an offer of peace.

  “Mitch tries to shoot you, and you grab me?” I socked Rhett’s arm, my breath heaving. “What’s the matter with you?”

  “Let me explain.” Rhett raked his fingers through his hair.

  “Fine.” I surrendered and relaxed my taut muscles, bewildered by Rhett’s action. I reached down to my friends to check their pulses and got back up. “What the hell is going on?”

  Rhett could start with why Mitch stood beside him as if they were friends.

  “Mitch isn’t going to shoot me. He’s my brother. Half-brother.”

  “What?” Shock slammed into me. “Say that again, because I remember clearly you saying, ‘I was brought up by foster parents like you.’”

  “I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t until I knew you were on our side.”

  I understood, but it still hurt he’d lied to me. I backed away when Rhett inched toward me. He didn’t get to think he would make things fine with a hug.

  “You’re a fool to trust him.” I tapped my Taser against my leg, debating whether to shoot Mitch even after what Rhett had told me. Every word left my mouth with a venomous strike. “Not only did Mitch point a gun at me, he hit me with it on the day of our escape. He must be the one that squealed. He’s the traitor.”