by A. G. Taylor
The door opened silently and she slipped through. Sarah held her breath for a second in the corridor, fully expecting the place to light up with alarms. It didn’t happen. She breathed again, casting her mind back to the room. Mandy2 was still sleeping and hopefully would be for the next hour, just like most nights. Enough time for Sarah to find out a bit more about the base and then sneak back into the room unseen. She moved towards the exit.
The dome was in semi-darkness. It was the first time Sarah had been out of her room at such a late hour and she was pleased to see they created a “night” in the dome as well. It gave her cover as she ran from building to building. She stopped beside one of those with sarcophagi inside and peered round the edge. In the distance she saw the main airlock – the only way in or out of the dome. Her heart sank when she saw the number of guards patrolling the area: six at least, even at night, all Special Forces.
She cast her mind around the dome, looking for anything of interest. It didn’t take long for her thoughts to centre on a building over to her right. She sensed the presence of Colonel Moss inside and realized that it was the place where he’d argued with Rachel. Two guards passed close by her hiding place but didn’t see her in the shadows. Sarah waited for them to go before sprinting across the open area to the building. She pressed herself against the wall in the shadows and focused on the people inside…
Colonel Moss sits at a desk facing Rachel… She paces angrily before him…
“…just where are you getting your orders from, Colonel?” she says, voice full of anger. “HIDRA is meant to be helping the victims of the virus, but you’re turning this operation into a weapons research project…”
“I’m doing what’s necessary to maintain control of this situation,” he interrupts. “Sit down Dr. Andersen. I’m getting sick of these scenes.”
“I won’t,” Rachel replies. “I don’t like how you’re handling the children and neither do my team.”
“I gave you Sarah Williams, didn’t I? I stopped the tank experiments. What more do you want?”
“I want your guarantee that no more of them will be harmed. Using Sarah to report on Louise’s abilities is yielding results. I want her to spend time with more of the children…”
Colonel Moss sighs and leafs through a report on his desk.
“I’ve seen the answers she gave your team,” he says with contempt. “Nothing we didn’t know already. I’m going to give you another day to get something I can use, then we return to my methods…”
Sarah momentarily lost control of the vision as she thought back to the tank. One day! She had to find a way out of the dome sooner rather than later. She focused on the room again.
“My people won’t stand for that, Colonel,” Rachel replies. “These children have parents and they should be allowed to be with them, even if they’re victims of the virus.”
Colonel Moss sits back in his chair. “Just get me results. Information about how their powers work. One more day, Dr. Andersen.”
Rachel shakes her head and walks from the room without another word.
Outside the building, Sarah held her breath as the doctor emerged. Rachel was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to notice her, however. As the woman strode off across the dome, Sarah turned her attention back to the colonel.
Moss rubs his eyes as a third person emerges from the shadows and stands to attention. Major Bright.
“I take it you heard all that,” Colonel Moss says. “I’m beginning to regret not removing her when we found out about the emails to Wellman. Too bad we need her to keep the scientists in line.”
“She’s trouble, sir,” Major Bright responds. “But she’s right. The scientists are starting to make noises. Our insiders on the science team have the names of the main trouble-makers. They can be easily neutralized.”
“And the men?”
“Special Forces can keep the normal soldiers in line, Colonel,” Major Bright states firmly.
Colonel Moss rises from his chair. “The way the Williams girl got out of that tank was…impressive. Hell, she might become as powerful as Octavio. I want that power, and no bleeding-heart bunch of scientists is going to get in the way.”
“Just tell me what you want to do, sir.”
Colonel Moss runs a hand over his scalp. “The sleeper subjects are an unnecessary complication. Start shipping them out to the civilian hospitals. That should keep the scientists busy while we prep for the next stage of the Superhuman project. By the time General Wellman finds out what’s going on, we’ll have our results. There have been no reports of Daniel Williams’ body being found yet?”
Major Bright shuffles on the spot uneasily. “No, sir. As you know, two of our men took him out to the desert two days ago… They haven’t returned.”
Moss looks at his second-in-command with ice in his eyes. “And you wait until now to tell me this, Major?”
Bright stiffens to attention. “I sent two of our best, sir. Williams would be no match for them. Our men must have been delayed. I’ve already sent a second patrol to find them.”
“Make sure they do,” Moss barks. “I want Williams confirmed dead and his children… What’s that?”
Sarah snapped out of the vision with a jolt. The sound of an alarm carried across the dome. She heard a door being opened in the building and ran.
All around her, the dome burst into life as the lights, previously dimmed to create twilight, were thrown on full. Instantly it was daytime again and Sarah found that her shadowy hiding places were gone. Reaching the side of another building, she looked around desperately. They’d killed Daniel! Her heart was racing, but she tried to control herself. First, she had to get to Robert. She looked around the dome, searching for him with her mind.
His building was maybe a hundred metres away. She ran for it, aware of soldiers approaching from all directions.
Reaching Robert’s building, she burst through the main door and found herself in a deserted corridor with three unmarked doors. Robert was behind the third one, Sarah sensed. Heart racing, she tried swiping the stolen ID card to open it, but nothing happened. She tried again and again, with no result. The card must have been locked out. Sarah slammed her fist onto the door and slumped against the wall.
Sarah! Sarah! I hear you!
She looked at the door, pressing her palms to the cool, plastic material.
Robert!
Get me out of here!
Sarah could sense the panic building in him. The continual tests had been hard for her to endure, but he was so many years younger.
The sound of a door opening caused Sarah to spin round in time to see a scientist approaching from one of the other rooms, a sleep aerosol raised to spray. In a flash, Sarah’s pent-up anger directed fully towards the man and he froze in his tracks, eyes wide with fear as her feelings surged through his mind. She visualized the hand holding the aerosol moving round…
Struggling against himself, the scientist pointed the aerosol spray in his face and pushed the trigger. He crashed to the ground.
Sarah, you’ve got to run! They’re coming!
Sarah sensed it too. At least three soldiers were approaching the building.
I’m not leaving you, she told Robert.
Just run!
They lied to us about taking care of Daniel. Don’t trust any of them. I’ll be back for you…
With that, she bolted for the exit, dashing out past one of the soldiers, almost knocking him over as she went. Hands grabbed at her, but she ran on blindly, evading them and making for the edge of the dome. Maybe she’d be able to cut her way through somehow… A new voice broke through her thoughts.
Over here. Keep running…
It was a male voice. She slowed for a moment, looking for the direction from which it had come.
By the truck. Move!
The voice again, directing her towards a huge, camouflaged truck parked by the dome wall. She doubled her pace, aware of soldiers gaining on her.
An arm
shot out as she passed the side of the vehicle, dragging her round and down by the wheels. A hand clamped over her mouth. She turned to find herself looking into a pair of brown eyes belonging to a boy her own age, his skin and hair darker than hers.
He held up a finger to his lips as two soldiers began to pace around the truck. At any moment, Sarah expected them to check under the wheels, but they didn’t. One of them spoke into a communications device, receiving orders. A second later both soldiers walked away. The blaring alarms around the dome stopped abruptly.
Come on, the boy ordered without speaking aloud, pulling her out from under the truck. They made for a smaller building near the wall and ran through the open door.
Inside, Sarah blinked as her eyes adjusted to the dimness. Her rescuer stepped into the room and closed the door. She looked around, making out two beds and a television. Computer games and books were strewn about on the floor.
Another boy appeared from the shadows. He looked almost identical to the other, except his features were a little sharper and his eyes a little harder.
“I’m Octavio,” he said. “And this is my brother, Nestor. What took you so long to get here?”
21
“Who are you?” Sarah demanded, stepping back against the door. “Why did you bring me here?”
She took another look around their room. It was nothing like the cold hospital cell she’d been given. The walls were lined with posters and shelves of books. A case of DVDs stood near the beds.
“It’s okay,” reassured Nestor, the one who’d grabbed her. His voice had a definite accent to it. Spanish-sounding. “We just want to help you.”
His brother, Octavio, produced a deck of cards from his pocket and held up one of them in his slender hand, its back to her. Sarah felt for the handle of the door and turned it. It was locked.
“Let me out of here,” she said, looking from one boy to the other.
“You can go,” Octavio said slowly, pushing past his brother with the card held out. “All you have to do is tell me what card I’m holding.”
Sarah shook her head and side-stepped him, moving back into the room, almost tripping on the clutter on the floor.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. “I’m not doing anything you say.”
Nestor looked at his brother, “Take it easy, Octavio. Can’t you see she’s scared?”
“All she has to do is show us what she can do,” Octavio said relentlessly. “Then she can go.”
Sarah reached out and snatched the card from his hand, looking at it.
“Three of clubs!” she cried, throwing it back in his face. “Now let me out of here. I have to get my brother!”
Octavio calmly held up another card. His eyes were cruel and intense.
“Tell me and you can go.”
Sarah looked into his eyes angrily, concentrating on the card. The image on the other side started to appear, a blur at first, then becoming clearer.
“The king of diamonds,” she said, looking at Nestor, who hovered uncomfortably at his brother’s shoulder.
“Well done,” replied Octavio with a nod. He produced another one from the deck. “She’s fast, Nestor. Potentially powerful psionic ability. What about this card?”
Nestor walked to the door and pressed a button on the wall to unlock it.
“She did what you wanted, Octavio,” he said, holding the door open. “You can go, Sarah.”
She took a step towards the door, then stopped and turned on them both.
“How do you know my name?” she demanded. “How come you two are living like this when the rest of the survivors are locked up in cells?”
Octavio gave a little laugh. He sat on the edge of the bed and lounged back, shuffling the cards expertly in his hands.
“We’re not survivors,” he explained. “At least, not of this meteorite. We’ve been with Colonel Moss for a while. Waiting to meet more people like us.”
People who have the power. It was Nestor’s voice in her head.
What’s happening to me? Sarah asked him. She decided that she liked Nestor a whole lot more than his brother.
The virus, he explained. It seems to create a kind of link between anyone exposed to it. And much more besides.
At least for those not put into a coma by it, Octavio interrupted. The virus gives us powers. It’s different for everyone. Let me show you…
Octavio tossed the cards in the air. He held out his hand and they hung suspended. The cards circled around, picking up speed as they went, controlled by the boy’s telekinetic power. His ability reminded Sarah of Louise, although he clearly had greater control over it. The cards started to shoot out in various directions like tiny missiles. One of them grazed her cheek.
That’s enough, Octavio! Stop showing off!
Nestor’s hand shot out and the cards were thrown against the back wall by a powerful blast of air. The brothers faced each other for a second, eyes locked together in anger. The temperature in the room had dropped by ten degrees in as many seconds and Sarah sensed that it was Nestor’s doing. There was a low rumble in the room – like a sound of thunder before a coming storm.
“What’s the deal with you two?” Sarah asked out loud, stepping between them. “Did Colonel Moss give you all this stuff? Where are your parents?”
Nestor looked round at her. His face softened and immediately the atmosphere in the room returned to normal. The storm had passed, much to Sarah’s relief.
“They didn’t survive the Colombian meteorite,” he explained. “Colonel Moss must have told you about the virus outbreak in South America, right?”
Sarah nodded and he continued, “The colonel looks after us now. We travel around, looking for other survivors.”
“I thought HIDRA was supposed to be looking for a cure,” Sarah asked.
“Maybe at first,” Nestor explained. “But then Colonel Moss found out about our powers. The way we communicate with each other. How we can move things…”
Now he wants what we have, Octavio finished. He swept his arm around the room. This is what we get in return for…cooperation. If we didn’t, Moss would have us in cages. Just like you and your brother.
Sarah shook her head. “We have to get out of here. All of us. You two, Robert. And there are more kids like us in this base. You must know better than me.”
Nestor nodded. He explained that there were six of them in total. At fourteen, Sarah and the Colombian twins were the oldest, while Louise was the youngest. All of them, apart from Nestor and Octavio, were survivors of the meteorite crash in the Australian desert. And all of them were starting to develop powers. Colonel Moss had been careful to keep them apart, separated from one another while his men observed how powerful they were actually becoming.
Sarah listened intently to what he had to say.
When he finished she said, “Look, we can make it out of here if we work together. That’s what Colonel Moss and the soldiers are afraid of. Some of the scientists want to help us too!”
Octavio stood and looked towards the door.
I’m afraid it’s too late for that, he said solemnly.
Heavy footsteps approached from outside and Sarah’s warning signal went off in her mind. She looked round and backed away as the figure of Colonel Moss appeared in the doorway.
“Stay away from me,” she ordered, concentrating on him. Take out your gun and toss it on the floor, Colonel.
Colonel Moss smiled coldly and stepped into the room.
“That trick isn’t going to work with me,” he replied. “I’ve had enough practice with Octavio to be able to shield my mind from your type. I was impressed to hear how you escaped from the water tank, among other things. Now you’re going to show me what else you can do.”
Sarah looked at Nestor, who couldn’t meet her gaze. She turned her attention back to Colonel Moss.
“And what if I refuse?”
Colonel Moss pulled out a chair from the computer desk and sat down.
Nestor looked as if he was going to protest, but Octavio caught his arm and pulled him from the room. As they left, another figure appeared – Major Bright. He stepped inside, then closed and locked the door.
“You have to realize that I only want what’s best for everyone, Sarah,” Colonel Moss said, trying to sound reasonable. “Octavio understands that cooperating with me makes sense. I think that he and Nestor are very happy here. Goodness knows what would have happened to them on the outside world. Branded as freaks, maybe. Or made to perform by ruthless people only interested in making money from their talents. You can trust me, Sarah…”
He reached out to touch her hand, but Sarah flinched away.
“I know what you did to Daniel,” she said, unable to disguise the hatred in her voice. “I heard your conversation.”
Colonel Moss winced. Anger flashed in his eyes and Sarah moved away from him on the edge of the bed.
“Eavesdroppers hear no good,” Major Bright said softly from the door, as he traced a finger down the scar on his cheek.
“That really is too bad,” Colonel Moss said with a nod. “I would have preferred to do this nicely. But I guess it’s too late for that now. Major.”
Bright advanced swiftly, extracting something from his pocket as he did so. He placed a restraining hand on Sarah’s shoulder and jabbed something into her exposed arm before she could react. She saw him depress the plunger of a syringe.
“What was that?” she asked, rubbing her arm as Major Bright stepped away. A wave of fear spread through her. Had they just killed her?
“Please, don’t be alarmed,” Colonel Moss said, raising his hand. “We’ve just given you something that will make you a little more cooperative.”
Sarah’s vision swam momentarily and she had to struggle to keep her focus on Moss. A strange warmth spread up her arm from where the needle had entered. She knew she was in trouble, but was having difficulty remembering what it was. Her hand slipped off the edge of the bed and she giggled as she tried to right herself.