by Aaron Denius
“I heard about the game.” Paz takes a seat on her bed.
I sit next to her and take her hand, keeping my voice down so as not to wake Pocket. “Paz, listen. The attack on the compound is going to start in a few hours, in the early morning.”
She grimaces, bows her head, and nods. “I knew it was coming soon.”
“Promise me that you will do whatever you can to keep yourself and Pocket safe.” I look around at the room, taking note of its location. “You might be safe here since most of the fighting will be happening by the ramp and barracks.”
“Are you going after the escape Flyz for the Genesys?” she asks.
“We are.” I'm surprised that she knew what our target was.
“That's an ingenious plan.” She smiles.
I smile back. “Do your best to stay safe. At the first sign of trouble, seek shelter.”
“We will.” She looks at Pocket and back at me, then squeezes my hand. “If things go south, you come and find us.”
“I promise.” I stand.
Paz stands next to me and pulls me into her warm and comforting arms. She sniffles, and I can feel her tears hit my shoulder.
She pulls away. “Be safe.”
I smile at her and walk over to Pocket. The girl is sound asleep, her face gentle and innocent. Waking her would be too hard—I wouldn't know how to explain what is happening. I lean down and kiss her forehead, knowing that I will do anything in my power to save her.
When I turn, I see that Paz has sat back down on her bed and is crying into her hands. I squeeze her shoulder, kiss the top of her head, and then walk out of the door. I take two steps down the hallway and collapse to the ground, leaning my back against the wall.
I'm overwhelmed by everything that has happened and the pressure of needing to succeed. My body shakes, and my breathing speeds up. Sweat and tears roll down my face. So many people are counting on me. What if I fail? I've already failed KJ. I've failed her mother and sister. I've failed the girl from the dungeon. 93. If I fail now, I will fail them all.
A commotion down the hall pulls me out of my panic attack. Two women are arguing around the corner, right by Brianna's room.
I grab my rifle and move with stealth to the cross-section of corridors. I stop when a figure turns the corner and walks away from me to a room halfway down the hallway. It's Dr. Kivuli.
Once she's in her room, I hustle to Brianna's room and knock.
Brianna answers, ready for a fight. She eases up when she sees me but pushes me back down the hallway. “It's her. Dr. Kivuli is the mole. You need to stop her before she tells anyone.”
“What does she know?” I ask as I turn the corner to go to Dr. Kivuli's room.
“Everything,” Brianna yells after me.
I head down the hallway to the door I saw Dr. Kivuli enter and knock.
The door flies open, and Dr. Kivuli stands in the frame. “I don't care, Brianna, I'm telling… 80?”
The surprise of seeing me at her door causes her to let down her guard, so I enter her room before she's able to close me out.
“What are you doing here?” she asks.
“I'm sorry.” I raise my rifle.
The pain and fear in her eyes nearly get me to lower the weapon. “You're with them?”
“I want to live. I want to have a life,” I plead my case.
Before I can pull the trigger, she runs out the open door, down the hallway to the exit door with the scanner. She must think that I don't have access to those doors. I walk after her, knowing that there will be less alarm if I shoot her outside. I also don't want to do it so near Paz and Pocket.
She runs out the door and pushes it shut as I arrive. I place my hand on the scanner and speak. “80.”
The latch clicks, and I push the door open. When I step outside, I see her running toward the field with the tall plants. I take a wider turn to enter the plants from a different angle and avoid the cameras if my memory serves me right.
As I walk into the tall grass, I listen to her movement. She is running toward the center. This works to my advantage; she'll be harder to find. Even if the sound of my gun raises alarm, they'll struggle to find her quickly.
When the sound of her feet stops, I crouch down to the thinner parts of the plants and spot her legs a few yards away from me. I move quietly toward her, and when I feel I have a good shot, I raise my rifle and pull the trigger.
The bang is followed by the thump of a body falling to the ground. I run to where her body lies on the ground, and I can see blood pooling around her. Even if she's not dead, she will be soon. I'm about to shoot her once more, but the sound of voices reacting to the first gunshot gets my feet moving. They'll be listening for more to try to pinpoint the location.
I run to the back wall of the compound, to the door Farouk and I walked through. I place my hand on the scanner, say my name, and run through. Once outside, I edge my way along the exterior wall toward the front of the compound.
The gunshot's commotion inside the compound has turned the drones' attention from the top of the wall inward. I sprint to the first building under cover of the night's darkness.
I'm about to continue my path to Petros when I catch a glimpse of flowing blonde hair out of the corner of my eye.
“KJ?” I step away from the cover of the building toward the girl with the blonde hair.
She turns, and the rush of blood that was pumping to my heart slows. It's the blonde Genesys girl. I believe her name is Fe.
Recognizing me from the Breekbal game, she takes a step forward, but two outsiders rush her and grab her by the arms. She struggles to break free, her eyes pleading for my help. I don't move. I watch as Dr. Peters joins the two outsiders and forces Fe to swallow some kind of liquid.
Her body goes limp, and the three of them drag her deep into the city. I feel bad for not helping her, but this can only work in our favor. The Genesys would not leave one of their own behind. Even if Dr. Anfang would, I know Atom will come after her.
I run around the other side of the building and head to where I recall meeting Petros. Dozens of outsiders guard the building. They raise their weapons when they see me running at them. I see the four Integers standing next to Petros. One of them leans in and says something to him.
“Stand down,” Petros yells. All the outsiders lower their weapons.
“Is this all you got?” I ask as I look around at the small army.
“Most,” Petros responds.
I'm grateful that Brianna had the four Integers stay behind. They do legitimize this part of the operation a little more. “Alright. Remember, we are fighting our way down the ramp to get to the hangar. Let's go!”
The outsiders and four Integers scream and run forward. Petros steps up to me. “Let's hope you know what you’re doing, 80.”
We run off to start the assault on the compound. When we are a hundred feet away, I begin to hear the shots that have already started going off. That must be 13 and the others. I hope they were able to thin out the number of drones.
We approach part of the wall that has yet to be rebuilt and are met with shots from drones protecting the area. We return fire and clear them out of our way. A few of the outsiders lie lifeless, and as I move forward, I see an Integer dead on the ground.
Once inside the compound, I'm assess everything that is happening. To our right, the Integers are fighting through a group of drones. A handful of drones and scientists run toward us from our left, abandoning their posts from the compound's side and back. In front of us, some of the Integers and even a couple of scientists are shooting down to the bottom of the ramp.
“You six, help them on the right.” I bark my orders at some outsiders, then point to the three remaining Integers. “You three with me here on the left. The rest of you, get down that ramp!”
Everyone does as they are told, including Petros. The three Integers and I run for cover behind a couple of rubble piles that still litter the field, where we open fire on the incoming d
rones and scientists.
We make easy work of them, but as I turn to shout my next orders, the Integer right next to me is shot through the head. His blood splatters the debris pile and my face. I turn and find a drone crouched at the top of the wall aiming his rifle right at me. I turn my gun toward him, but a shot rings out, not mine, and the drone falls from the top of his perch.
I look around and see 13 with his rifle aimed at the top of the wall. He smiles at me and then runs to the ramp. I look over at the two remaining Integers near me and point for them to head to the ramp.
They rush to join the battle, and I see that the ramp's entrance is populated with outsiders, Integers, and Mutineers. They aren't gaining ground, so they must be meeting a lot of resistance.
I need to find another way to the bottom of the ramp to get to the hangar. Looking around at my options, I take my rifle and run toward the medical ward's open wall. If I can find my way to the surveillance room, I can see a way into the hangar.
As I reach the open wall, I poke around and find the medical ward empty. I sneak to the door to the main hallway and push it open with the tip of the rifle. The hallway is quiet, but my nerves are on edge. I walk down, ready to shoot at anyone who comes down the corridor.
A door next to me flies open, and a scientist catches me off guard and pushes me against the wall. He tries to pull the rifle away but is too weak. I twist the gun around, breaking it free from his grasp. I kick him down the hallway, and he stumbles to the ground.
“Run or get shot,” I yell.
He hurries to his feet and runs off. The next three people I come across on my way to the surveillance room aren't as lucky. All three of them are armed drones, ready to kill me if I don’t shoot first. So I do.
I turn the last corner and approach the door to the surveillance room. I remember there being about five scientists in there, and I need to be ready in case they all charge at me. After pushing the door open with my foot, I sweep my rifle across the entire room. It's empty.
I step into the center and look over all the monitors. Some are black, which I assume means the cameras were destroyed. On a couple of other monitors, I see some rogue outsiders pillaging other parts of the compound.
I scour every monitor, but the only feed that shows a path to the hangar is the same one Dr. Anfang spotted me on. I watch the feed and see a few of the outsiders and Mutineers retreating. At the bottom of the monitor, I see Atom run out of the hangar door.
On the monitor on the top right, I spot some of the Flyz taking off. It's too late to keep the Genesys from leaving, but we can still stop the Ragnarok. I look back at the feed for the ramp and don't see Atom. He was heading away from the hangar. They won't set off the Ragnarok if Atom can't be evacuated safely.
“Fe!” a voice screams from the hallway. My eyes dart across the various screens until I see the feed to the corridor outside the door. Atom stands exposed in the middle of the hallway.
CHAPTER XIX
I grab my gun and shoot off a couple of shots at the wall next to him. I don't want him to be caught off guard and shoot me. I still have time to try to talk some sense into him and stop all of this.
Looking at the monitor, I notice that he's taken cover around a corner at the end of the hall. I stand tall at the doorway and yell, “Atom!”
“Who's there?” He replies.
I throw caution to the wind and walk through the door. “It's 80. I'm stepping out.”
“Are you alone?” he calls out.
“Yes.” I stand in the middle of the corridor and place my rifle on the ground. I want to make sure he understands that I only want to talk.
He steps out and faces me. Atom does not reciprocate my attempt at civility. He points his rifle right at my head. “If you move, I'll shoot.”
“Got it.” The size of his pupils reaffirms that he means what he says. He's focused on one thing, and I feel like I'm standing in the way of him getting it. There is a fire in his eyes, and the kindling is anger directed at me.
“Why? Why did you do this?” He lowers his gun, the pain of my betrayal replacing the anger for a moment.
I know this is the only chance I will have to reason with him. The vulnerability of our exposed positions might help my point come across. I take a deep breath. “You taught me what it was like to live. You taught me the value of life, and I didn't want to lose it. I told every drone I could what I had learned, and one by one, we came to realize how wrong this extermination by the scientists is. It's not their place to decide the fate of others.”
My words have struck a chord. I can tell he's letting his guard down. He walks up to me, but his fist connects with my jaw before I can continue talking. The force is so strong that it knocks me into the wall.
“I guess I deserve that.” I stand back up, wiping blood from my lip.
“I was your friend!” he yells, right up in my face.
How dare he say that to me? I push him away. “And you were going to let me die!”
Atom flinches. What I said hit deep. He steps back up to me and gets in my face again. “I didn't have a choice!”
“Well, you do now,” I implore. “End this.”
The remorse in his eyes tells me the answer before he speaks. “It's too late. There's nothing I can do. Rene already started the sequence, and it can't be stopped.”
The pain in my chest is unbearable. We failed. I failed. Farouk, Paz, KJ, Pocket; I failed them all. I don't try to suppress the tears that well up in my eyes, so they streak down my face.
“Have you seen Fe?” Atom breaks the silence.
I wipe the tears from my face and look up at him. He's not going to like this. “She's in the city.”
He pushes me hard against the wall. “What did you do with her?”
“I didn't do anything.” I smack his hands away. “She was wandering around the city last night, and a few outsiders took her captive. They are holding her in one of the buildings by the pyramid.”
He grabs me by the shoulders. The rage is back in his eyes. “If she's hurt…”
“I had nothing to do with it!” I stand my ground.
He pushes me away and runs down the hallway.
“What are you doing?” I yell after him.
“I have to find her!” He turns the corner and is gone.
“You'll get killed!” I shout. There are too many obstacles in his way. I would help him, but it's everyone for themselves now. Plus, his determination is contagious. I know the chances are slim, but I've got to do what I can to save Pocket. I promised KJ I would, and I have an idea that might work.
I run back into the surveillance room and scan the monitors once more. The majority of the activity is still happening at the hangar, and I see some more Flyz taking off. There is not much time left before this compound is in ruins.
With my rifle in hand, I speed toward the medical ward. This area of the compound is still barren of much activity, but the debris of fallen walls and ceilings litter my path. At times I have to squeeze through or climb over large chunks.
When I reach the medical ward, I spot two outsiders preoccupied at the side wall. They have found the protein pouches I have come for and are splurging on them as if they haven't eaten for days, which is most likely the case. I approach as quietly as I can. When I'm within ten feet, I raise my rifle and aim it at the one on the right. I need what they are eating.
“Back away,” I demand. My voice scares them, and they turn. The one on the right pulls a gun, and I shoot him before he can aim. The second outsider charges at me, so I aim and pull my trigger, but the rifle jams and doesn't fire.
His shoulder slams into my stomach, and as we fall backward, the rifle falls out of my hands. His cold fingers grip my neck and squeeze. I try to breathe, but it burns my lungs. My hands search the ground until I feel something. It's a chunk of concrete from the wall or ceiling. I struggle to lift it, but I use every last bit of energy I have to fight off the gravity and hit my aggressor over the head. The impact
is hard enough that I hear the crunch of bones.
The outsider collapses next to me, and I gasp for air as I push the remaining parts of his body off me. As I stand, I see through the fallen walls that this commotion has drawn the attention of a group of outsiders. About eight of them make their way toward the medical ward. There is no way I can fight all of them off, so I know I need to be as quick as I can. I run to the cabinet where the two dead outsiders were looting and take two big boxes of protein pouches out. I tuck them under my arms, hoping there are hundreds of pouches between the two boxes.
“Stop!” I hear one of the outsiders shout from the grounds on the other side of the fallen wall. As I turn, I hear a shot and feel a sting hit the lower left side of my back. I've been shot, but the adrenaline that's been building keeps me going.
I run back into the hallway and make my way to the old scientists’ wing at the back of the compound. My shirt sticks to my back as I move, and I can feel myself bleeding. I should probably look at the damage before making it worse, but I don't have the time. The clock is ticking, and I need to get to Pocket.
Though the sound of the battle still raging on is faint in this part of the compound, I can still hear the group of outsiders behind me in pursuit. I had hoped that the medical ward would have distracted them, but revenge for their fallen friend drives them at me. Allegiances have disappeared.
I continue to the back of the compound, toward Paz's room. An explosion at the junction has blown off the ceiling and about half of the back wall. The wall still stands about four feet up. The rest of the corridor is clear. I need to make it to the doors at the end before the outsiders reach this spot and have an unimpeded shot at me.
I run as hard as my bleeding wound will let me. The boxes tucked under my arms don't help either. With every obstacle in my way, I'm grateful for the small victory of the doors ahead opening away from me. I can push through.
Shots ricochet off the walls behind me. They've found me, and I'm mere feet from the door. I kick hard at the barrier in front of me as their aim becomes more precise, and their bullets hit the door next to me. Another shot hits the box under my left arm as I push through. I drop the boxes and notice that one has a small leak from where the bullet penetrated. There is not much I can do, but even that it won't matter if I can't find something to block the door. The outsiders are sprinting toward me, and if they make it past these doors, I'll be overrun. I won't be able to save Paz, Pocket, and myself.