Chapter 2 - The Monster Who Could Still StandThe Roar did not sound loud.
That was what made it terrifying.
There was no thunder.
No scream.
No obvious blast.
Just a pressure that passed through the air and entered the human body like invisible water.
Alex's muscles locked.
Her fingers curled.
Her lungs stopped obeying her.
All around her, prisoners dropped.
Hundreds of bodies hit the concrete.
The tunnel became silent.
Alex couldn't move her head.
Couldn't breathe properly.
Couldn't even blink.
Then she saw Kael.
He was still standing.
So was Daren.
Every human was on the floor.
Every ordinary Vael soldier had collapsed too.
But the two defectors remained upright.
Kael reached Alex.
He knelt.
"Listen to me."
She couldn't answer.
"The device."
His fingers closed around her hand.
"Press it."
Alex couldn't move.
Kael tightened his grip.
"Alex!"
Somehow, through sheer panic, she forced one finger down.
The device clicked.
A sharp pulse erupted.
The Roar vanished.
Alex crashed forward, gasping.
Daren immediately lifted her.
"What was that?"
"Counter-frequency."
Daren looked toward the sealed corridor.
"They'll know."
"Yes."
"Then we move."
Kael pulled Alex up.
She stumbled.
"I can't walk."
"You can."
"My legs..."
"You have thirty seconds before the second pulse."
"Second pulse?"
Kael looked at her.
"There are always two."
That got her moving.
They ran.
Behind them, the prisoners began to recover.
Then a second vibration rolled through the tunnel.
Alex looked back.
People collapsed again.
This time she understood what Kael had meant.
They reached a maintenance shaft.
Kael opened a hidden panel in the wall.
Inside was a narrow tunnel.
Alex stared at it.
"You built this?"
"No."
"Then who did?"
Kael didn't answer.
They climbed.
The shaft led upward for what felt like hours.
Alex kept stumbling.
Daren caught her twice.
She hated needing help.
She hated them.
She hated the fact that they were saving her.
Finally, they emerged into darkness.
Not underground darkness.
Night darkness.
Alex froze.
Above them was the sky.
Real sky.
Stars.
Clouds.
Moonlight.
For the first time in six years, she saw the moon.
Her knees gave out.
She dropped into the dirt.
Kael stood nearby.
He didn't speak.
Neither did Daren.
Alex reached toward the sky with trembling fingers.
"I forgot," she whispered.
"Forgot what?" Daren asked.
"That it was this big."
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Then she began to cry.
She hated that too.
Kael looked away.
Daren did not.
After several minutes, Alex stood.
"Where are we?"
"North of the old city."
"What happens now?"
Kael pointed toward the horizon.
"The coast."
Alex laughed bitterly.
"The coast?"
"It's two hundred miles."
"Through Vael territory."
"Yes."
"With both of you?"
"Yes."
"And why exactly should I trust you?"
Kael looked at her.
"You shouldn't."
That answer startled her.
"Then why did you rescue me?"
His expression changed.
"We weren't sent to rescue you."
"Then why?"
Kael stepped closer.
"You were sent to die."
Alex's smile vanished.
"What?"
"The camp received new orders three days ago. Every prisoner in Dormitory Nine was scheduled for elimination."
Daren added quietly, "The mines beneath the camp aren't mines."
Alex stared at them.
"What are they?"
Kael looked toward the distant mountains.
"They are laboratories."
"For what?"
Kael didn't answer.
Instead he removed a small black chip from his armor.
He handed it to her.
"This contains the reason your camp was destroyed."
Alex took it.
A tiny symbol glowed on its surface.
She knew that symbol.
She had seen it carved onto the walls of her old dormitory.
A circle crossed by three lines.
Kael watched her face.
"You recognize it."
Alex swallowed.
"My mother drew that symbol."
Silence.
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"When?"
"Before she disappeared."
Daren looked at Kael.
"Then we were right."
Alex stepped toward him.
"About what?"
Neither answered.
She grabbed Kael's armor.
"About what?"
He finally looked down at her.
"Your mother wasn't executed."
May you like
Alex stopped breathing.
"She escaped."
