by RB Stutz
Assuming the person was asleep I tried to make out more details of the small room and noticed the dark object hanging on the chair. Quietly I moved towards it and as I had thought, there was a hand gun hanging in a shoulder holster.
There was no way for me to know if anyone was still outside the room. It was time to leave though. I couldn’t stay long. Whoever was lying in that bed could wake at any moment. At least now, I could arm myself and have somewhat of a chance if there were still others outside. The clock was ticking. I needed to go and couldn’t delay any longer. I picked up the weapon, pulled it from of the holster, and then, something hit my head.
The impact threw me forward into the desk. The gun flew out of my hand. I tried to recover, staggering back to my feet when another hard blow hit the center of my back, pushing me forward again. This time I was able to twist myself around mid-fall and saw my attacker. I hit the ground and my head knocked hard back against the edge of the desk. Sharp pain flashed and my eyes watered. I could just make out a grey figure standing above me.
“Why are you here?” a steady dry female voice said void of any emotion.
My eyes cleared some and even though it was still dark, I could now see it was a woman, not much older than me, standing above me. She was wearing nothing more than a bra and panties, holding the gun I lost in the fall. Her body stood in a perfect form shown as shades of dim light and shadow.
“Why are you here?” her voice repeated.
“Sorry, I stumbled into the wrong room, my mistake. I’m new,” I tried to bluff.
“That response does not make any logical sense. All units know where their respective quarters are located. No other unit has code access to another’s quarters. No new units have been scheduled to be activated for several weeks,” the steady voice replied.
What was she was talking about? It was clear she didn’t buy my admittedly weak story. Using the only thing I could think of to distract her, I moved my glance to a spot over her shoulder, for just a fraction of a second and then back. My stupid elementary school trick worked. She turned, it was only a second, but was all that I needed.
I kicked the fallen chair lying at my feet. The force of the kick sent it shooting over the short distance into her lower legs. She lost her balance and fell back as the gun flew from her hands over towards the bed. As she fell, I kicked up back onto my feet and went to where the gun landed as the woman crashed into the side wall.
I had my hand on the small weapon when she hurled herself into me, throwing me down on the bed. The woman landed on top of me. She was definitely one of us, her speed and strength matched mine. The experience wasn’t as thrilling as one might have thought. It was more painful than anything. As I tried to maintain control of the weapon, she struggled to free the weapon with one arm and pound my face repeatedly with the other. She then decided it would be more effective to hit below the belt, literally with her knee.
While I got to experience that delightful sensation for the first time I could remember, the knee movement threw her off balance enough where I was able to quickly twist my body and throw her off to the side. She was on her stomach and I moved on top of her. Using a technique I had learned to incapacitate without killing, I put her in a sleeper hold until her body stopped struggling.
I got off and turned her still body over. Her skin was pale in the dim light and her face was framed with short dark hair. Even though parts of her were obscured by dark shadow there was no mistaking how beautiful she was.
I knew I had to be out of time. Surely they’d noticed I was missing. I looked at the time on the dim display of the PTD and saw more than twenty minutes had passed.
With my new weapon in hand I moved to the door of the room. I turned the lever slowly. As the door opened, I stood to the left of the doorway and could see down the hall to the right, back towards the entrance from where I’d come. It looked clear. With the gun to my side I peered around to the left. It was also clear. I sighed in relief and headed into the hallway, closing the door behind me.
At a brisk pace, I headed back towards the main corridor. The short entry hall was also empty, but there was no way to know if the corridor outside would be empty. There was no time to waste either. I checked the clip to my new 45 mm and it was full. After adjusting the PTD again, I jumped blindly back into the main corridor with my weapon in hand. The corridor wasn’t empty.
CHAPTER 18
I appeared in the main corridor only ten feet from Dr. Roberts and the two armed men escorting her. They were to my left coming from the direction of the medical section. Their weapons were still holstered and having just appeared from thin air, I had the element of surprise in my favor. They went for their weapons, but I put a bullet in each of their shoulders before either had a gun in hand. The men dropped and as they fell I turned the gun to Dr. Roberts.
“You’re coming with me,” I snarled.
One of the fallen men recovered to a sitting position and was trying to get back to his feet without the use of his arms. I put more bullets, one in each thigh of the rising man and the same for the other who was also starting to rise. They both fell back to the ground. Neither ever made any sound of pain at being shot multiple times. Neither said anything in fact. They just continued to try and get back up.
“What’s going on Michael? How did you get out here? Why are you doing this?” Dr. Roberts questioned in a frantic tone. “You shot them. Why did you shoot them?”
“They’ll be fine. You’re going to take me to Sara,” I said as I approached her.
With my gun pointed at her chest from just a few feet away, I grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her back towards the direction of the medical section. Keeping the gun trained on her I squatted down towards one to the struggling men and unholstered his weapon as well. He still couldn’t use his arms to try and stop me.
I had to bite back the nausea at what I’d just done, but forced myself to suppress it. I wasn’t a killer, I didn’t like violence and bloodshed but my feelings and the moral implications had to be sorted out at a later time. I didn’t know how much shooting I was going to do before I got to Sara, but readied myself in case it turned out to be a lot. I didn’t know the two men, but they were preventing me from being able to protect Sara. I’d done what I needed to save her.
The shots weren’t fatal, probably not even if the men lacked my healing ability, which I assumed they did. They never said a word, let out a cry, or anything. It was strange, but I couldn’t focus on that.
“You don’t have to do this Michael. We’re doing all we can for Sara,” she pleaded.
“Shut up,” I said and pushed her forward with the butt of the gun in my left hand.
We started to walk slowly with one gun at her back and another pointed ahead in the corridor.
“How many will there be between here and the entrance to the medical section?” I asked her. “And don’t lie or try to pull anything. I don’t want to kill you, but will if I have to.”
“I don’t know for sure. There are two guards at the entrance, but there could be others in the corridor. I’m sure the shots back there didn’t go unheard.”
“Well, you’ll be my leverage.”
Suddenly, a blaring alarm sounded overhead. I’d known it was coming but still a sinking feeling came with it. I was screwed.
“There is no way you will be able to get to her. They know exactly where you are headed. You will be stopped. Just stand down now. We can still work this out peacefully,” she tried pleading again.
“I think I said shut up.” I nudged the gun harder into her back. “Let’s pick up the pace.”
We soon came upon a door to the left marked DC01. The data center was supposed to be between the agent quarters and the medical section. The door to DC01 was similar to the others and had the same key pad to grant access. With the alarm still blaring, we quickly passed continuing forward.
With the sound of the alarm, I knew I wouldn’t hear anyone coming up on us and I constantly had
to look back as we proceeded to ensure we weren’t being followed. I felt trapped and the more we walked, the more hopeless it all seemed. It was inevitable the next time I looked back someone would be there, unavoidable I would be over powered and all would be lost. I couldn’t let those thoughts win. I couldn’t give up. I also couldn’t see the entrance to the medical section yet due to the curved corridor, but I had to be close.
Suddenly, Matthew appeared twenty feet in front of us with his gun raised. He must have made multiple jumps coming from the other direction to head us off.
“What are you doing Michael? Let’s stop this before anyone else gets hurt,” Matthew said in his normal light conversational tone. His tone didn’t match the fact he was pointing a gun at me.
“I don’t think so. I’m getting her out of here.”
“You are not leaving Michael. Not this way. We will stop you. Please give this up. Surrender your weapon and we will take you to see Sara. You can see for yourself she is being cared for,” Matthew pleaded.
There was no way I was surrendering. I’d heard what Matthew said to Caldwell and Batton earlier. His nice guy, I’m one of you façade was crap. Matthew started to walk towards us, gun still raised.
“Come on Michael, just drop the gun and let Dr. Roberts go. We can fix this. You can trust me.”
He was now just a few feet away.
“Okay, okay. If I drop my weapon, you will let me see her?” I asked.
“Yes. Of course. We’ll go right now.”
“Okay,” I said after a few seconds hesitation, exhaling and putting a defeated tone to it.
I started to lower the gun I had pointed at Matthew and he looked satisfied with himself having diffused the situation. At once, I forcefully shoved Dr. Roberts forward into Matthew and hit the PTD control. I appeared twenty feet ahead in the corridor and I turned in time to see them both tumble to the ground. The gun Matthew was holding flew from his hands.
Matthew quickly recovered and tried to crawl towards the fallen weapon. The right side of his body was exposed to me. I put two shots into him before he reached the gun. The first hit his shoulder and caused his body to lurch back onto his left side. With his torso exposed, I put the second bullet into his chest, aiming for his heart. Matthew toppled onto his back.
I shot to kill. I can’t say for sure I’d never killed anyone before that point. The way I felt inside, the dark pit I’d just stepped over the edge of, was confirmation. I knew Matthew’s true nature and there wasn’t time to just slow him down. I couldn’t risk it.
With his still good arm, he put his hand to his chest over the dark wet spot now spreading on the front of his shirt. He didn’t yell or scream out in any apparent pain or agony, but just looked at me, intense hate in his gaze. He started to shutter and as he did, I could see the strain on his face as he forced to continue his stare, not relenting to the reflex pulling his eyes to roll back. Finally, he lost the fight. His eyes rolled back and after a few more violent shutters, Matthew laid still.
From the corner of my eye, a white blur shot toward me. Before I could fully turn in reaction, I was flying towards the side of the corridor looking back at Dr. Roberts. Both guns were out of my hands.
Before I hit the wall, I twisted to my left and hit the PTD. I crashed into the wall twenty feet back up the corridor. Quickly, I got to my feet and saw Dr. Roberts secure one of the fallen weapons. Hitting the PTD again, I jumped back just a few feet from where the good doctor was standing.
She trained the gun towards me but I was able to block her turn and knock it back out of her hands. In reaction, her other hit collided with the side of my face and the impact caused me to twist back onto the ground. There was some real power behind her punch, the same power I would have had if I’d have thrown it. It seemed the good doctor was more than meets the eye. She was one of us.
The doctor was upon me before I even hit the ground, pounding the side of my face again, this time with her foot. The impact caused me to twist back even further and when I finally settled on the ground, I swept my legs blindly to the left, anticipating her continuing attack.
I caught her as she rushed me and forced her hard to the ground. My head was spinning from the multiple thrashings it had just taken, but still I was able to jump up and immobilize her before she could recover. She was strong and fast, but I think I was just a bit stronger and faster. We twisted and struggled together on the ground while I tried to maintain the dominant position.
I had her arms and legs pinned. As I held her, she thrashed, spat and cursed at me. Because of the way we were positioned, there was only one way to put her out. It was violent and unsavory. I felt sickened at having to do it, and the fact I was going to do it to a woman, made the feeling worse, but it had to be done.
I was able to get enough leverage to lift her upper body off of the ground some and then slam it down, her head hitting the ground hard. There was a loud crack as it hit, even over the blaring alarm. She cried out for me to stop. I didn’t stop. I did it again and again. I kept doing it, it took eight or nine times, until she no longer thrashed or spoke.
I let go of my hold and checked her pulse and breathing before I got back up. She was still alive, though I wasn’t sure if she would stay that way. Our enhanced bodies could take a lot, but I didn’t know for sure how much. As much as I probably should have, I hadn’t wanted to kill her, just keep her out of my way. The alarm was still blaring and I was out of time. Quickly, I recovered two of the fallen weapons, stepped past the bodies and rushed forward again.
Discovering Dr. Roberts had abilities as well was something that I would ponder if I survived. There was no time, but the questions it led to, though, were huge. Who else had abilities? Did they all?
I knew the door to the medical section had to be only seconds away as I rushed forward. I had a gun in each hand and was ready to put bullets in whoever got in my way. I’d proved I could do what was needed, that I could kill. I couldn’t risk non-lethal shots any more. If everyone had abilities I couldn’t risk anything but a head shot. Whoever got in my way, tried to stop me, would end up dead or else I would. That was the cold truth that matched my cold detached determination.
As I sped through the corridor, the turn soon revealed another door to the left with no one standing guard. It baffled me as to why every soldier in the facility wasn’t standing ready for my approach. Similarly, why had only Matthew come for me before? It seemed what I was doing warranted more force to try and stop me. Maybe they were waiting inside.
The door was marked MD01 and it had the same nine digit keypad with a red light indicating it was locked. It was time for the Hail-Mary so I jumped.
CHAPTER 19
There’s nothing worse than failing the one you love, the one who depended on you to be their only hope of a savior. I failed that day. Despite all my determined effort and lines crossed, I failed Sara.
The main corridor of the medical section was empty, quiet and dark. Like all of the other sections of the HUB I’d seen, there was a shorter entry corridor that led to the medical section entrance. Like in the main corridor, there was no one waiting in the shorter passage. The next door was locked and after taking another deep breath and readying myself for instant conflict, I jumped. Again, when I appeared, there was no one.
A bustling, busy frenzy of white lab coats and black fatigues is what I expected to see. I was in what looked like an open reception area, a large box shaped room. The space was empty with three other doors, one in front and one on each side. Like the doors from each of the corridors, all were large enough for the small transport vehicle that took Sara to pass through. It looked like I had to play guess which door.
I went with the door to my left, marked MD03, staying chronological Eeny, meany, miny, moe. It was as good a guess as any.
As I approached, the door opened automatically. I jumped back and swept the opening passage. No one came through. I guessed there was an automatic senor. The space past the door was well lit, giving
me some hope I had selected the right one. With both guns raised, I went through.
There was another short hall before the space opened up into another larger reception area. I’d made my way down the hall cautiously, but it wasn’t necessary. The large area was empty as well. A small desk area held several computer terminals located to the right of another open hallway directly ahead. Parked to my left was the transport vehicle or at least one just like it. It looked like I made the right choice.
The fact the medical section, the entire facility, seemed to be almost completely empty, gnawed at the back of my reason. I ignored it though. I’d expected a lot more resistance than what I came across. It hadn’t been easy, but definitely not as hopeless as I truthfully thought my chances were. Sara was somewhere nearby, I felt it.
I was walking across the empty room, towards the open hall when I heard an agonized scream from further down the hall. The voice sounded muffled and distant, but still rang loud. I’d never heard such a sound of misery, despair and pain from Sara before, but I knew it was coming from her.
“Sara!” I exclaimed in fright and rushed off towards the tortured cry.
I sped through the bright hallway and all types of horrors flashed through my mind. At the end of the hall, I turned left and saw a guard just thirty paces away.
I squeezed off one shot without a seconds hesitation and one was all that was needed. One shot into the side of the head. I tried to ignore the spray of blood from the opposite side.
The body dropped and I continued.
When I got to the fallen guard’s body, I saw shoulder length dark brown hair spilling from her black cap. I forced myself to ignore the pale young face of the girl I’d just so coldly killed. Even though I was focused on my goal, I had to fight the feeling of nausea I felt at the sight of so much blood and at what I had just done.