Vampire Redemption (14 page)

"Selah? Is that--? Your eyes!"

"Cloud, yes, it's me. I-- You're with the General?"

"Yeah. I'm back in Miami with-- Selah, your eyes... Are you cured?"

Selah felt a whirlwind begin to churn within her, felt doors closed the past few weeks begin to open. 
Not now, not now!
 She nodded, swallowed hard. She couldn't speak.

"Are you all right? What's going on? Where are you?"

"Cloud, listen, I don't have time. I need you to talk to the General, give him a message for me. I'm at the USAMRIID Lab in Colorado. They're sending me to a SuperMax. They can make a vaccine from my blood, but the President, he's shutting us down. We're going to escape. Me and some friends. I need the General to pull whatever strings he's got access to so we can get out."

"What?" He didn't seem to be listening. "Selah, I thought I lost you." His voice was too much. She wasn't ready for this. For his face. "You're cured. Wait." She could see him working it out. If she was cured, that meant she had to have followed the cure. She remembered Louis' words: 
consume the heart of one who loves you
. Theo tearing open his breast. His features going feral as he clawed back to his feet to come after her, all compassion and love gone from his eyes.

"Cloud, listen to me! There's no time. The General. Tell him. I'm being kept in the Hybrid quarters. We can make a vaccine. We need help escaping. We're going to make a move in fifteen minutes. Can you tell him?"

"Yeah. I mean, of course. Yes." He ran his hands through his hair in that gesture she knew so well, what he always did when he was under stress, and she nearly started crying right there.

"Thank you. I got to go."

"Selah!"

"Bye, Cloud. Bye." She killed the connection. It was all coming back to her. The nightmare that had been those final days in LA. She remembered his touch, his hands, his arms around her, his lips on her neck, his eyes, his love. The stink of the air, toxic with burning tires and human filth. Armando dying, shot down as he rescued her. Arachne. Her hand as she tore out Caldwell's throat. Cloud. That final time she had seen him, when he had saved her from the military escort. His face. The misery, the fear. It was too much.

Dominique was speaking to her, had a hand on her shoulder. Selah handed the Omni over, and covered her face with her hands, pressing the base of her palms into her eyes. She sat still, shaking, taking shallow breaths.
Control
. 
Control.
 It was all she said, over and over again until the images receded. The blood, the darkness, that animal hunger and power that had welled up within her each night as Sawiskera's curse had consumed her.
Control
.

Slowly, the doors within her mind closed once more. After a minute she looked up, rubbed the back of her sleeve across her eyes, and took a sharp breath. "I'm sorry. I'm okay. That was ... that was unexpected." She looked at Dominique. Didn't want to look at Lee or Tom.

"Okay." Dominique still had a hand on her shoulder, and gave her a squeeze. "It's okay. I'm going to the lab. I'll be back in fifteen. Be ready."

Selah nodded. She thrust the memories down. She nodded again, convincing herself she was fine. She 
was 
fine. Dominique stood, watched her for a moment, and then turned. Lee stepped aside, and then followed Dominique down the hall, clearly intent on having a private word with her. Tom stood in the doorway and Selah looked down. She felt wretched, wrenched, vulnerable, devastated. Cloud. Just like that. Cloud.

Tom stepped into the room. She thought he was going to say something, but instead he simply sat next to her and wrapped his long arms around her and pulled her into a hug. It took Selah completely by surprise, and at first she went stiff, almost shoving him away. But he simply hugged her, not saying a word. She sat still, frozen in his arms until she allowed herself to relax. She rested her head against his chest, eyes closed. 
Cloud
. Her mind spun and it was too much. It was all too much, and for the moment, Tom's arms were all she needed, his comfort, his warmth, his support.

Chapter 12

Selah felt the stillness of the next fifteen minutes like an ache in her bones. Tom left to gather what few belongings he had and she sat still on the edge of her bed, looking out at nothing, mind wandering, haunted by the past. Every few moments, she would yank it back from memories of Miami or LA and into the present, to sit and listen, straining to hear some sign that their escape attempt was imminent, but there was only the hiss of the air conditioner to mark the oppressive silence.

The knock on her door, when it came, startled her. She stood and opened it. Lee. He examined her, face sober. "Are you ready?" She nodded. "Come."

Tom was in the narrow hallway beyond. They filed out and into the living room where Gordon stood, feet shoulder width apart, hands behind his back, staring down at a chessboard though both lines of pieces were unbroken. He looked up as they entered and stared at Lee. "You're going through with this."

Lee slowed, raising his chin. A subtle tension entered his body. Both men stared at each other, Gordon's face set in a heavy frown, Lee's devoid of expression, but as smooth and hard as cast iron.

Gordon shook his head. "Well, fuck. I'm coming too, then."

Lee gave him a shallow, guarded nod. They all turned to the entrance as the great locks snapped open. Dominique entered seconds later, face flushed, breath shallow but controlled. She glanced at everybody and then nodded.

"Two minutes to go. Selah, your friend got back in touch. They've pulled strings. We've got access to a Bugbug chopper."

"All right!" said Tom. Lee nodded his approval. Gordon stared at Selah. "Who's your friend?"

"General Adams." Gordon's eyebrows shot up. "We don't have time. I'll explain later. Lee, what's the plan?"

"It's simple. We give the monkeys two minutes to start creating chaos. Then we slip out. Depending on the situation, we make for one of the two elevators or the emergency stairs. Up to the ground floor, and then Dominique will have to choose which exit to take us out through. From there, we head to the chopper in the flight yard and escape."

"Simple is one word for it," said Gordon.

Dominique looked at her watch. "Now."

Everybody froze. They strained to listen. Nothing. They all looked at each other, eyes wide. Still nothing. Then, was that a scream? It was muted, distant, but then followed by a second, a third.

"Follow," said Lee. He led them to stand before the doorway. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, listening. "Dom, up front."

The scientist stepped past Gordon and Selah to stand nervously by Lee's side. She watched him anxiously. He stood as if listening to his own private symphony. The moment stretched out like saltwater taffy, and then a siren went off, a three second blast, and he gave Dominique a sharp nod. She placed her palm on the sensor pad, pressed her eyes to the security scanner, and the door opened with a crack.

"Stay close. Don't split up." Lee met everybody's eyes once, and then pushed open the door and stepped outside.

The two guards were gone. A sheet of battered shatter-proof glass had been punched clean out of its frame and lay on the rubber hexagonal matt halfway down the hall. Before it sat a baboon. Its long, canine face swung around to stare at them. Its beady eyes were jet black. A massive ruff of white fur framed both side of its face, its nostrils flaring wide as it stared down at them. It was large; even sitting, it came up to hip height. Lee slowed, fanning out his arms. Screams and howls were coming from the primate lab. A chimpanzee pulled itself up onto the open windowsill and leaned out, one long arm anchoring it to the wall, staring at them from behind the baboon.

"Dom?"

She didn't have time to respond. The elevator doors at the far end of the hall opened and a fire team of four soldiers stepped out, rifles held at the ready. The baboon and chimp turned their attention to the men. A brief pause, crystalline in its stillness, and then the baboon let out a howl and bounded toward the soldiers.

"Run!"

Lee pulled Dominique after him as he broke to the left, and Selah felt somebody lift her off the floor, her head whiplashing to the right as she was carried after them, that terrible vampire speed catching her before she could react. The hallway behind them exploded in gunfire and screams. Tom set her down, grasped her hand, and pulled her after the others. More howls and then human yells. Dominique ran as quickly as she could, leading them further into the underground complex, past anonymous doors with opaque glass inserts, through a small cafeteria, and up to a heavy iron fire door where she pressed her palm to a sensor. It glowed briefly green and then the door opened.

"Come on," she said, and pushed through into the cement stairwell. Selah glanced behind. Gordon brought up the rear, his attention on a trio of small spider monkeys that had paused at the corner behind them. They looked inexplicably menacing as they stared after them, and then they screeched and began to zip forward, moving too fast to follow. Gordon let out a bellow and shoved Selah forward, nearly knocking her down, hurried in after her, and turned to pull the iron door shut behind him. It snicked closed just before three cannonballs impacted its other side with resonating thuds, causing its iron sides to bulge inward as if three superheated fists had almost punched through.

Tom helped Selah regain her feet and they fled up the stairs. The sound of gunfire and howls faded away, and then their group as one pressed against the wall as a team of six soldiers hustled down past them, their boots clomping on the steps, faces grim and intent as they passed without comment. A small red light set in the ceiling of each landing was flashing and the siren was still sounding its alarm.

Up and past the first floor to the ground level. Dominique palmed open the door and they stepped out into a well-lit hall.

"Slow it down," said Lee. "Calm now."

They forced themselves to walk slowly behind Dominique, who led them with a businesslike manner down the hall. People were talking excitedly to each other, standing in small groups and staring at their Omnis. Emergency lights flashed at each intersection and several people called out to Dominique, asking her what was going on, what the problem with the apes was. To each and every one, she answered with the same sharp response. "You need to get into a safe room and lock the door. Go."

Selah's heart beat frantically, her mouth dry. But nobody seemed intent on stopping them. It was almost too easy. She fought to keep her expression neutral, but she already felt like celebrating. They were going to make it. The plan was working. Then they turned a corner and ran into a squad of soldiers led by Wigner.

"What the-- Dominique. What the hell is going on here?"

"Alex." Dominique opened her mouth, then closed it. She was completely blindsided. The soldiers, already on alert, picked up on the tension and began to step back and fan out.

"What are these Hybrids ... and Selah? Are you-- Is this related to the primate-- Oh." That final 'oh' sank Selah's stomach for good. Wigner's face closed like a fist and he shook his head. "Stupid. So stupid. How could you? Never mind. Sergeant, take these people under custody."

Six rifles were raised. Lee's hands were open and by his side, but he was a steel blade, flexing back and forth, taut with tension. Tom subtly slid his left foot out and stepped to the wall. Behind her, Selah heard Gordon move carefully as well.

"All right. Everybody on the floor, hands behind your head." The Sergeant was backing up, pulling Wigner with him, his team also retreating. The muzzles of the rifles were fixed and unwavering. Selah's mind raced. Even vampiric speed was no match for rifles on overwatch. A crowd was building behind the soldiers and Selah could hear voices behind her.

"On the floor!"

The sergeant's voice was a whip crack, yet Lee didn't move. Instead, Selah saw him bend his knees, as if preparing to spring.

An awful, stunning crash came from behind them. It sounded as if a vast hammer had been swung through a wall, shattering cinderblocks and steel, a wreaking ball of undeniable force and might. Screams sounded, primal cries of panic and pain, and the perfect focus and tension of the moment was swamped by basic instinct.

"What the hell?" whispered Wigner. More screams came, the visceral wailing of people in agony.

The Sergeant stared at Lee and then past him. Selah saw him make a calculation, and then he held up his hand and gestured forward. The soldiers broke into a run, swarmed past the Hybrids, leaving Wigner behind. Lee stepped forward, hauling Dominique after him, who seemed to be transfixed by Wigner's murderous stare. Selah needed no prompting. Gunfire erupted behind them. She turned to glance back, but Tom gripped her wrist and hauled her on, so that she almost tripped and was forced to look forward.

Another turn and they were at a gray metal door. A guard stood at alert beside it. He was young and his face was glistening with sweat. He stared at the group and started to raise his weapon, but then corrected himself and stepped aside. Dominique pushed open the door and they stepped outside into the night.

The darkness was rent by flashing red lights that spun about within their plastic casings. It was cold, shockingly so, and they stumbled and ran through the lurid crimson shadows over frost-crusted ridges of dirt toward the exit gate. Movement was all around them in the harsh glare of spotlights. Humvees and men poured into the inner compound from the base outside, barked orders and the rumbling of engines filling the night air. Selah smelled the rank tang of gasoline mixed in with the sharp scent of pine trees. Outside. She glanced up. The moon was three quarters full, beautiful and flush against the flank of a mountain that speared up behind the base to challenge the stars themselves for dominance of the sky. All around them, black, tree-furred slopes, sharp ravines, and tumbling cliffs. Selah brought her gaze back down and slowed to a walk as they reached the open gate.

Gordon moved to the front, his presence solid, concentrated with authority and confidence. He patted Lee on the shoulder as he passed him and led the small group against the flow of soldiers and personnel. Selah stared at the guards stationed at the gate. They were standing outside their control post, listening intently to their ear coms as they processed the incoming soldiers. She hunched her shoulders, willing herself not to be seen.