by Jack Dagger
“Now, we're going to do this slowly,” Ian said. “Slow steps. Don't run. Don't make any noise. Focus as hard as you can on thinking about staying in the building, or something else equally not about leaving. Got it?”
Everyone made quiet, uncertain but affirmative noises.
“Good, now...who goes first?” There was a long bout of silence. Ian sighed, finally. “Jackson, you go,” he said.
“What, why me?”
“Because I said so. Now, go. And stay focused.”
Jackson began to protest, but fell silent and then took a step forward. He stared longingly at the door, then unhappily at all the blood, then the ceiling. Finally, he heaved a sigh and massaged his temples briefly. He stood there for a long moment, staring at the front doors, or at Baker, or possibly nothing at all.
Very suddenly, he set off. His strides were stiff but even. He made slow but steady progress across the bloodied lobby. His shoes began squelching as he came to the fresh blood. There was so much of it he nearly slipped. But he kept going, his gaze and pace unwavering. Right as he came within arm's length of the door, a ripple of unease passed through the entire group, causing them all to shudder collectively.
They glanced up. The ceiling looked exactly the same as it always had, but they could practically feel the unseen weight of the creature as it lurked above Jackson. Despite this, he pressed on. Tension was palpable on the air. The squelching seemed to be the only thing that any of them could hear. Peter began to tremble, gently.
And then, very suddenly, reality almost seemed to snap into a sharper focus as Jackson stepped beyond the threshold. He kept going until he was beyond Baker, who was now genuinely smiling. Jackson began laughing wildly.
“Yes!” they heard him scream. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Holy fuck!” A trio of cops came forward to get him away from the building. The five remaining trapped inside watched him disappear into the army of cruisers and cops.
“Next,” Ian said, then chuckled grimly. Richard stepped forward, wordlessly. He took a few steps away from the group, then stopped and stood there, clenching and releasing his fists. He remained like that for several seconds, his head bowing, as if in prayer. He stared at the ground. When his head came back up, the others couldn't see it, but his eyes were closed. He began walking. They watched in rapt, nerve-wracking attention as he took his trek.
Peter frowned as he noticed that Richard's course was veering very slightly to the left. Ian must've noticed it to, because he began tensing. He almost took a step forward, but held his place. They watched in wretched, miserable silence as his course continued to drift, pointing him towards the door frame rather than the door itself.
He wasn't correcting.
Peter opened his mouth, then felt Autumn squeeze his hand. He glanced over at him. She shook her head gently. No. They couldn't say anything to him, it would break his concentration. Baker was frowning now, deeply. He looked as if he was suffering from a similar dilemma as Peter. Time continued to pass in painful, swollen fragments. The seconds stretched into minutes. Right as he was about the bump into the door frame, Baker spoke up.
“Kid-”
Richard bumped into the frame. He gasped, his eyes snapping open. He had a chance to look at Baker, once. He opened his mouth. There was a sudden sound overhead and then Richard was nothing more than a fresh spray of blood.
Peter heard several of the cops cry out and Baker began cursing loudly, speaking rapidly into his wrist which, Peter assumed, held a radio. Banks looked ready to break and run, but Ian grabbed him firmly by the shoulder. Overhead, the creature had retreated back inside the ceiling, hidden behind the bland tiles, now flecked with blood.
“Oh goddamn it,” Peter groaned, his voice shot through with despair.
“Now what?” Banks asked softly.
“Now, it's someone else's turn. And I suggest that whoever goes next, doesn't close their fucking eyes, which he obviously had,” Ian said.
“But it's here now,” Peter replied.
“Chances are it was always here, and maybe now it's a little more aware, but the plan remains. Someone else go.”
“I'll go,” Autumn said, making her way ahead of the group. Peter wanted to go with her, but knew it was probably best to do it one by one. She looked back at him and smiled sadly, nervously, before turning away and striding towards the door. Peter held his breath, his stomach churning wildly. He felt ready to throw up. He shook badly as he watched her go. She was doing good. Her pace was brisk, her path was steady.
She reached the door and passed through, unharmed. All three men let out a deep sigh of relief. Peter laughed, a short bark of sound with a hysterical edge to it. Autumn turned around and waved off the cops who tried to take her away. She said something to Baker, and he nodded and shooed them off. Reluctantly, they retreated.
Autumn turned back to face the building, look directly at Peter and raised her arms, smiling. He laughed again, this time a little more in control of himself.
“Guess I'm up,” he said.
“I...I'd like to go,” Banks said quietly. Peter looked over at the cop. He was very, very pale now, and trembling.
“Think you can make it?” Ian asked.
“I...well, I don't got much choice, do I? I was thinking about just waiting, getting my nerves under control, but...I don't think that's going to happen. I'm just...I'm just going to have to do it and get it over with.”
“That's what she said,” Peter said suddenly, and looked as surprised as Banks and Ian at the joke. Abruptly, Ian burst out laughing. Banks joined in, his laughter nervous at first but eventually becoming genuine. At the end of it, Banks laughed and clapped Peter strongly on the shoulder.
“Thanks, man, I needed that.” Peter just nodded and watched as Banks began striding towards the door. Autumn had lowered her arms, looking unhappy but fair. All eyes followed the young cop who had just stumbled into the situation, much as they all had but later in the game. Peter could hardly watch. He felt like closing his eyes and, finally, he did. It was too painful, the tension, but closing his eyes didn't seem to really make it any better.
He opened them again, feeling like a stupid young kid, covering his eyes at the bad parts of the scary movie. But when he did, he felt an intense wave of relief wash through him as Banks passed through the door. He was reunited with his fellow cops. Autumn waved at him then, and he gave her a little wave.
“Well, guess it's your turn, kid,” Ian said. “Christ, I could use a cig. Haven't smoked in fucking five years but I would kill for one.”
“Wish me luck,” Peter said, because it was the only thing he could think to say.
“Good luck,” Ian murmured as Peter began walking.
It was the longest fifteen seconds of his life.
He stared intently at Autumn, thinking about how goddamn beautiful she looked. He focused wholly on her features. Her shoulder length brunette hair, her green eyes that he always found it hard to look directly at when he was talking to her. Her figure, well represented even in plain business-casual that she always wore. Her height, she was taller than Baker, almost. He always had a thing for tall women, he wasn't sure why.
And he found himself thinking about all the things he wanted to do with her. There were a lot of movies he knew she'd never seen that she had to. And from the sound of it she didn't play video games often but wanted to. And there were lots of restaurants he wanted to take her to. He hadn't had a girlfriend in years now, he'd always been bad at that, but he thought that maybe now his time for a good one had really come.
And he thought about tonight, lying next to her in his bed, even if they didn't do anything but sleep. It'd be more than enough for him.
And, suddenly, he felt cool air and the release of an intense pressure he hadn't even realized was weighing down on his brain and perhaps his soul. He faltered, stumbling away from the front of the building, into Autumn's waiting arms.
“Yes! You did it!” she cried, and kissed him suddenly. He grabbed her and kissed her back. It
had been years since his last kiss. After what felt like ages, he finally pulled himself away from her and he heard someone laughing nearby. He turned and saw that Ian had made it out while he had been necking with Autumn.
“You are so boyfriend material. That was a great kiss,” Autumn said breathlessly. Ian laughed again, louder, and Baker joined in this time.
“Holy shit I cannot believe we're out,” Peter said, staring back at the grim, forbidding office building. He blinked, suddenly, as his head began to swim.
“Oh boy, I think I'm gonna pass out,” he said.
And then he did.
Ian laughed as he caught the kid and lowered him gently onto the ground. Autumn looked worried, but in control of herself and the situation. He let her have Peter and turned to face Baker.
“You wouldn't happen to have any smokes on you, would you?” he asked.
“I would, actually. Here.” Baker fished out a pack of Osiris Slims and passed them and a lighter to Ian. He took it, thanked the man and lit up. Baker lit one up for himself. They both breathed in, then blew out smoke.
“You aren't really CIA, are you?” Ian asked. Baker smiled.
“What do you think?”
“I think you aren't. I'm not even sure you're affiliated with the government. Oh, you walk the walk and you talk the talk, but you're something more, aren't you?”
“Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. Why?” Ian took a deep, long draw off the cigarette and blew out two blue smoke rings.
“I want in,” he said bluntly. Baker's face grew more serious. He glanced around. The cops had taken Autumn and the unconscious Peter further back and generally retreated, leaving the pair of them alone in front of Apex Tech.
“That's a tall order, friend,” Baker said finally.
“I know, but-”
“But you got kicked out of the Marines on a medical discharge and this was the best you could find. You're a natural protector, Powell. You're a genuine good old boy. No family left to speak of, no real friends, just the job.” Ian was frowning by the time Baker finished up.
“How-”
“I read your file on the way over, Powell...I tell you what. You want in? Do one thing.”
“And what would that be?”
“I have to go in there, and get samples of that ash. Come with me and get back out alive, and I'll put you to the test.” Ian considered it only for ten seconds before throwing his cigarette down on the ground and squashing it beneath boot.
“You got yourself a deal, Baker.”
Baker smiled, killed his own cig, adjusted his suit a little, then began walking towards the front office building. Ian followed.
“Hey! Where the fuck are you two going?!” someone, presumably a cop, called. Neither man looked back or offered an explanation.
They were both swallowed up, disappearing into Apex Tech.