Chapter 10 - Natalie moved before she could think.The gunshot had come from the east corridor.
“Lily!”
She ran.
Behind her, Briggs shouted.
“Wait!”
She ignored him.
The hallway was dark.
Emergency lights flashed.
Red.
Black.
Red.
At the end of the corridor stood a little girl.
Yellow dress.
Brown hair.
Holding a stuffed rabbit.
Natalie stopped.
Lily stared at her.
“Mommy?”
Natalie's eyes filled with tears.
She dropped her crutch.
Her injured leg nearly collapsed.
But she crawled the remaining distance.
She wrapped her arms around the child.
Lily screamed.
Then laughed.
Then cried.
“I knew you'd come.”
Natalie held her tighter.
“I never forgot you.”
Lily's voice was tiny.
“They told me you did.”
Natalie looked up.
Evelyn stood at the other end of the corridor.
Kane was gone.
“You used my daughter.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“I brought her here because the Board was coming.”
Natalie stood.
“Where is Kane?”
“Gone.”
“What happened?”
“He activated the purge.”
Natalie looked around.
The facility had begun shaking.
Holloway rushed toward them.
“We have six minutes.”
“Until?”
“Everything underground collapses.”
Natalie grabbed Lily.
“We leave.”
Evelyn shook her head.
“You can't.”
Natalie looked at her.
“Watch me.”
“The exits are sealed.”
Briggs appeared.
“Not all of them.”
He pointed toward a maintenance shaft.
Evelyn stared.
“How do you know that route?”
Briggs smiled.
“Because I built it.”
Natalie looked at him suspiciously.
“You built this place?”
“Parts of it.”
“So you really were one of them.”
Briggs didn't answer.
Lily clung to Natalie.
Suddenly the lights flickered.
A voice came through the speakers.
Kane.
“You think you've won.”
Natalie looked upward.
“You're finished.”
“You still don't understand.”
“What?”
“The Board isn't in this facility.”
Natalie froze.
Kane laughed.
“They're in the White House.”
Everyone went silent.
Holloway swore.
Evelyn whispered:
“He activated the contingency.”
Natalie stared.
“What contingency?”
Kane answered.
“Every Echo soldier has a trigger.”
Natalie looked at Ward.
Ward's face went pale.
“What trigger?”
Kane's voice became colder.
“One command.”
Then the speakers played a phrase.
BLACK SUN.
Ward collapsed.
Holloway fell to one knee.
Briggs screamed.
Natalie felt something explode inside her head.
Her vision blurred.
Her muscles locked.
Lily screamed.
“Mommy!”
Natalie tried to move.
Couldn't.
A voice whispered through her mind.
TARGET ACQUIRED.
May you like
Her eyes turned toward Lily.
Her own hand slowly reached for the pistol.
Related Stories
