The Sowing

people approach, making those sickening sloshing, slurping, and crunching sounds that drown out everything—the weapons blasts, the pounding of the blood through my veins…

Aiming my own pulsator, my finger tightens on the trigger repeatedly. Energy bursts find their targets and the survivors scramble.

Arrah and I collapse into each other’s arms.

Through the swirl of emergency beacons, I see the contaminated horde all around us in a nightmarish strobe, wriggling out of the walls and ceiling, more and more, too many to stop before we run out of ammo.

I can’t get my brain around it. It’s all wrong. Slade said the rebels had taken over the facility, but these are obviously victims. And I’ll bet my life that this outbreak is the Establishment’s doing.

“Rip out their livers and make them eat!” a voice bellows, prickling every hair on my body.

I’m not sure who shouted that, but we’re not sticking around long enough to find out. I pry myself from Arrah’s grip and drag her to her feet. “We’re outta here!”

“Spark! Arrah!” Dahlia cries from up ahead. “We haven’t got all day!”

Slinging Arrah’s arm over my shoulder, I start running toward the freight elevator. I can hear the awful sounds of our pursuers not too far behind us, grinding through my brain, getting louder and louder.

“What have they done to these people?” Arrah’s voice flares in my helmet speakers. I’m too breathless to respond, and just as concerned with the why.

Up ahead, Leander, Rodrigo, and Dahlia are waiting for us by the elevator bank. Rodrigo’s got the access panel open and is busy rewiring it, trying to bypass security, while Dahlia and Leander flank him, firing at any contaminated that venture too close.

Leander barely stops firing when he recognizes Arrah and me. His eyes bulge. “Don’t look back! Keep running!”

A pang of guilt hits me. Leander and the others are Establishment, and they’re waiting for me. Would I hesitate to leave any of them behind?

As Arrah and I reach them, Rodrigo connects two sparking wires together. “That’s it, baby.” The elevator doors grind open and we spill inside, just before dark shadows smother us.

Rodrigo jams his gloved palm against the elevator’s key pad and the doors clang shut, sealing the horde out.

Leander grins through a blood-speckled face and elbows me in the ribs. “Everyone having fun yet?”

FOUR

With a stomach-curdling lurch, the elevator begins its descent into the bowels of the research center. The lights flash on the floor indicator at dizzying speed, creating a strobe effect. I shut my eyes. A brief flash of memory assaults my senses. I’m on a different elevator, descending into the depths of the Skein on my way to begin the Trials. Instead of my fellow trainees, I’m surrounded by the four other Recruits, all with bowed heads. Cypress, Gideon, Ophelia, and…

Digory.

This time my chest lurches. My blood’s like a mallet pummeling the inside of my temples. Dead. They’re all dead. And there’s nothing I can do for them now but exact justice on their murderers.

My eyes spring open.

An alarm blares.

I brace against the side of the car. “What’s that all about?”

“Everyone remain at attention!” Leander barks.

The elevator brakes suddenly, bouncing to a stop and jostling us around the car.

The overhead lights flicker and dim.

The doors swoosh open. A crimson glow spills into the cramped car, drenching us in emergency lighting.

A voice bursts from speakers in the walls: Attention! A security breach has triggered the research facility’s failsafe device. The entire complex will self-destruct in T-Minus fifteen minutes. All personnel proceed to evac stations immediately. This is not a drill. Repeat. This is not a drill.

I can’t help but notice the disdain in Leander’s face flicker into… something else. Is it fear? His hand coils around his sidearm.

A guttural scream that sounds like it came from just outside the elevator doors shatters the silence, piercing my flesh like a skewer.

“Back up!” Leander shouts, drawing his weapon in a flash and aiming it at the opening.

We huddle behind him, drawing our own guns, our backs pressed against the rear and sides of the car. Arrah and I exchange a glance.

I prod her shoulder with mine. “It’s going to be okay. Just remember our training.”

Leander snorts and gives me a wink. “That’s cute, Spark. I’m deeply touched.”

Arrah pushes away from me. “I’ve had more training than you, Spark. You just worry about taking care of yourself.” She looks away, her eyes focusing outside the car, her expression unreadable.

Another scream reaches a crescendo, then echoes down the corridor. The crackle of several energy bursts follow it. Someone’s firing. But at who? And why?