Arachna

Lance’s heart almost stopped as light banished the darkness and the first guard pointed his rifle at him. The other one drew his pistol on Derek.

Lance’s breathing became rapid. He waited for the killing calm, but it didn’t rear its head. Horror crept up his spine. Now it chooses to shut up?

“What are you two doing in here?” asked the guard with the rifle.

“We…” Lance started, but he couldn’t think of anything with the gun pointed at him.

The calm stirred somewhat in his chest, but he tried to ignore it. If it had appeared seconds before, he could have taken them, but now the officers had the advantage.

Yet that stirring was persistent. It lingered and spoke to him, whispering for him to attack. If this went on much longer, he wasn’t sure he would be able to resist. His body struggled against his mind, tensing and urging him to rush the men.

“I’m sorry,” Derek said. “We’ll just leave. But can you please put those weapons down? We’re on the same side here.”

The first guard lowered his pistol, and the other lowered his rifle. Lance tried to keep his sigh of relief quiet.

“Sorry,” the rifleman said, turning his attention from Lance. “You just caught us off guard. But you still haven’t answered my question. What are you two doing in here?”

Derek looked at Lance. “Do you want to tell them, or should I?”

Panic rose within Lance again, but as he stuttered, trying to come up with something, Derek inched within arm’s reach of the pistol. Lance showed it no attention and said whatever came to his mind.

“I… I wanted to get a picture of the view outside the window. Seriously, have you looked out at the city from here? It’s beautiful.”

The guard with the pistol looked at the rifleman, who said, “You seriously snuck in here just so you could take a picture?”

Derek paused for a moment, a predator preparing to pounce. Then, in the blink of an eye, he ripped the pistol from the officer’s grip and bashed his visor in.

Lance charged the guard that was already aiming his rifle at Derek and disarmed him, tackling him into the desk and slamming his head until the visor shattered and violet blood splashed onto the polished wood.

Relief swept through Lance. His body relaxed just slightly, as if releasing that bit of energy had tamed whatever beast lay within his gut.

Derek flipped the light switch, returning the room to darkness. Lance slipped out of the office with him and started to shut the door quietly. He turned to speak, but Derek stopped, turned around, and peeked into the room. He nodded at the two unconscious men on the floor, gesturing with his hand as if he was talking. Then he shut the door and muttered to Lance, “Act calm. If someone else is watching the cameras, they can’t suspect anything.”

“At this point, I think they already do,” Lance said. “I wish we’d noticed the cameras.”

“I didn’t see any when we first stepped on this floor, and I don’t now.” Derek shook his head. “We’re lucky. If either of them had managed to get so much as one shot off, these halls would be flooding with men right now.”

They reached the elevator, and Lance summoned it with the press of a button. He stole a glance at the ceiling and walls. Just as Derek had said, no cameras were visible. Wherever they were, they were hidden well enough that even the professional ex-assassin hadn’t noticed. The thought sent a chill down his spine.

“I guess,” Lance said. “At least we have a lead now. I’m ready to get out of this place for good.”

“Yeah, I wonder how Kaela’s doing.”

The elevator door slid open, and six men poured out, guns pointed.

“Hands behind your head, now!” shouted a guard.

Derek and Lance backed against the wall, following the order.

Rotoya stepped out of the elevator, wielding a malicious smile.

The whisper in Lance’s head strengthened its resolve. It’d had a taste of combat, and it wanted more; a hungry beast awaiting more food, not satisfied by the morsel it’d been given. But they stood no chance against these men. They blocked the hall on both ends, surrounding them.

No way to escape. No way to fight.

They were stuck and at the mercy of the chief.

Lance fought as hard to calm the beast as he did to keep his expression neutral.

“I felt something off about an hour ago. A shift in the wind, you could say. Wouldn’t you believe, one of my officers went missing? And then two more at the back entrance?” She laughed. “Don’t worry, they’re all fine. Even the one your friend on the rooftop thought he killed. That’ll be a nasty shock.”

Lance glanced at the men around them, waiting for some kind of sign from Derek.

As if she knew he was looking around, the chief set her attention on Lance, her smile disappearing. “You’re not going to get away. Not unless I want you to.”

“What happens now?” Derek asked, murder in his eyes.

“Now,” the chief sang, “I’m going to get you two all settled and comfortable outside, and then I’m going to retrieve your little friend down in the break room. If you try to escape, I’ll have you both executed on the spot.”

There it is. Lance swallowed as the calm stirred within him again, a snake coiling to strike. The chief stopped and looked at him, as if she, too, could feel the calm within him.

An awkward silence grew, just like the smile on Rotoya’s face. “Let’s go.”

* * *

Kaela rounded the corner of the hallway, the sound of elevator doors sliding open behind her. When she stepped into the lobby, she nearly thanked the darkened visor of her helmet.

The room was bright, brighter than the inside of a car dealership at night. Kaela wasn’t sure how the receptionist could look her way without squinting.

“Shift change already, Allen? Martinez just came in with the donuts. He’s in the break room,” the receptionist said, nodding her head toward a door down another, much wider hall. Kaela almost thanked her but instead chose a polite nod.

Kaela took a deep breath as she walked across the lobby, the armor hot and heavy—and worst of all, ugly.

She reached the break room and looked through the small glass window at eye level before stepping inside. Only one other guard was in the room, his helmet off, snacking on a donut, the smile on his face like a kid’s. The veins in his neck were purple, nearly protruding from his skin.

“Martinez?” Kaela said, deepening her voice slightly to sound more authoritative.

This ‘Allen’ woman’s voice was deeper than Kaela’s, and she hoped her impression was close enough. It was a risk—a monumental risk—but one she had to take if she was going to get any good info.

Martinez turned his head, sprinkles falling from his chin. His veins looked dead, not glowing like the officers’ at the station.

“Hey,” he said through a mouthful of the treat, setting the remains of the donut next to the box. He sat on the table across from her and smiled. “Well, I got the donuts you asked for. Baker even gave me a discount. I think she was scared of me, though.”

He laughed heartily, but Kaela could only look at those veins. Even his eyes had a tint in them—bloodshot, but even those veins were purple.

“Thanks,” she said, her throat protesting at the voice she was putting on. On any other day, in any other building, with anyone else in the room with her, Kaela would have gladly devoured the treats presented to her in the box on the shiny metal table. Even with the helmet on, the smell permeated the room. “I appreciate it, but… I’m feeling sick to my stomach.”

Martinez’s face twisted into concern, but even then, those veins made every movement of his features look cruel and sick.

“You okay?” he asked, licking his fingers.

Kaela nodded and scanned the room until she saw the small bathroom in the corner.

“If you feel like you’re gonna be sick, you can take your helmet off, you know. It’s pretty suffocating in those things sometimes.”

“No,” Kaela said, committing to the role. She hunched forward just slightly and slurred her words, feeling the nausea she didn’t have swelling in her throat. “No, I don’t want to do that.”

“Come on, the chief said it was okay as long as none of the R&D guys saw us, and they’ve all gone home.” The smile he gave her would have been beautiful. His teeth would have gleamed in the light of the room. But even they had the slightest purple tint to them.

Kaela’s fake nausea wasn’t so fake anymore. “Do you think I’m sick from…” She paused as she took a step toward the bathroom. “You know.”

Another risk…

Martinez’s eyes shone like an innocent pup’s, and he said, “You mean that sandwich you ate earlier? I told you that meat smelled funky. That’s why I don’t eat at Jerry’s.”

Kaela continued her slow shuffle toward the bathroom, trying not to overdo it. “No, I mean… the other thing.”

She refused to turn her head toward him as she closed in on the bathroom, instead looking at him through her peripherals. But if she saw it correctly, a spark of realization flickered in those puppy dog eyes, and as he spoke, she stopped.

“Wait,” he said, eyeing the donut he’d left next to his helmet, “are you pregnant again?”

Son of a bitch, Kaela thought. “No, Martinez,” she said, frustration flickering in her fake voice. “I’m talking about the drug.”

Martinez shrugged. “I guess it could be that. I mean, the shots were a couple of weeks ago, but they did say there might be some side effects, right?”

Kaela tried not to seem too interested as she looked at him. “Do you remember what they were, again?”

He stood and shoved the rest of his donut into his mouth then brushed the crumbs off his hands.

“Well, weird cravings, for one,” he said with a chuckle that ejected crumbs onto the table. “Let me think… Mood swings. I got mad at a citizen earlier just for tripping over her own feet. Didn’t fall down, just tripped a little.” He shook his head. “Made me so mad, but I don’t know why. There are probably a lot more, but you’d have to ask the chief, and even then, I’m not sure she even knew.”

Kaela closed the door to the bathroom, and through the door, she could hear Martinez’s footsteps close in as he kept talking to her.

“Gotta admit, despite the side effects, the stuff we get in return is pretty worth it, right?”

“Yeah,” Kaela said, forgetting in that second to lower her voice. Even with the helmet on, she put a hand to her mouth.

Martinez was silent, then he said, “You know, you do sound kind of sick. Do you need me to leave so you can get it all out?”

Kaela took her helmet off, breathing in the cool air of the bathroom, the smell of air freshener keeping her grounded. It was starting to hit her that she was inside a building full of people that wanted her dead. And if either of the guards we knocked out wake up soon…

“Allen?” Martinez called.

Kaela returned the helmet to her head and said, “No, no, just stay here. I’ll be out in a second.” She sat on the toilet and stared down at her feet. “Why did we even bother taking this crap if it’s making us sick?”

Martinez chuckled again. “Chief told us to. But come on, who wouldn’t want to be a superhuman? And believe me, we’ll need the extra strength.” After a moment of silence, the door creaked as he leaned on it. “I think you’re just feeling sick because you’re nervous. Those shots haven’t been giving anyone else nausea, especially after several weeks.”

“Me? Nervous?” She tried to fake a hearty laugh. “Never.”

It must have been convincing enough, because Martinez joined in. “Don’t think you can fool me. Look, I honestly don’t think we’ll have to kill anybody. When they all hear what they’re being offered, they’ll beg for it. Those fugitives, though… I don’t know, I don’t think we’ll have to kill them either as long as they don’t come busting up in here.”

Kaela’s stomach turned. She was grateful for the bathroom, for the sanctity and safety of the small space. She took her helmet off again and breathed in the air. She even took off one of her gloves and braced her hand against the wall—anything to ground her, to calm her racing thoughts.

Is Landreau Corp planning a hostile takeover of the city?

Her mouth was too dry to speak anymore, and Martinez must’ve sensed it.

“Uh huh. I knew you were nervous about it,” he said. “But just think of the end goal here. It’ll be glorious to see the rebirth of Arachna. You just have to remember that what we’re doing is right.”

Kaela forced the helmet back on her head, every fiber of her mind screaming for her not to. Her stomach did somersaults inside her, and bile rose in her throat. “How do you know?”

Then the helmet came off again, and Kaela flipped the lid of the toilet up. The last thing she’d expected was to become as nauseous as she was pretending to be.

“Because the chief says so,” Martinez said. “And she’s never led us wrong, so I have no reason to believe she will now. I trust her.” When Kaela didn’t respond, Martinez continued, “Well, I gotta get back to patrol. You feel better, okay?” His shadow disappeared from under the door.

Kaela leaned against the wall, wishing with all her might that none of this was real, that everything could just go back to the way it was. When she could work at the Rose and laugh with the girls or dance at the club or even sit in meetings and hurl jabs back and forth with Eric—anything but sitting in this dreadful bathroom and thinking about the deaths of the people of Arachna if they didn’t accept whatever this ‘offer’ was. The drug, maybe?

Kaela had told herself plenty of times over the years that she didn’t care about the people of Arachna—that, for the most part, they could burn, for all she cared. But hearing the words coming out of someone’s mouth, hearing that people would die if they didn’t obey their corporate masters, sent bile to her throat.

She couldn’t live in a city where everyone was forced to comply, to walk around with those purple veins.

Oh, and how ugly they would be.

She couldn’t handle the nausea anymore and vomited into the toilet. This whole thing went much deeper than she’d thought. The quiet of the bathroom weighed heavy on her as she steeled herself. She had to get out and learn more about this. Martinez had been enough of a help, but any more questions would make him suspicious.

She stood, her legs wobbly, her chest tight and her stomach turning like waves in an ocean. She leaned against the wall, feeling the cool wood on the back of her head. The armor was more constricting with every passing minute, and after a few shaky breaths, she walked out of the bathroom with her helmet back on, keeping her back straight and her steps rigid.

But when she did, she found four guards outside the door.

All were looking at her.

None of them said a word.

She stared at them all, then at the pistols on their hips, at the soulless visors, imagining the menacing faces behind them.

Her hand twitched to grab her own pistol, but she wouldn’t be able to take them all out before they shot her down. She wasn’t as proficient with guns as Derek. And even he surely wouldn’t have that quick a trigger finger.

She opened her mouth to spit out some excuse, but the leftmost guard stepped around her and into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. She let out a sigh, smelling the remnants of her regurgitated MRE on her breath, coughing at the stench.

“Sorry,” she said with a laugh, remembering to keep her voice low. “I’m not feeling well.”

“I can tell,” said the guard on the right. “Your voice isn’t what it usually is, Allen. You sure you shouldn’t be on sick leave?”

“No, no, I’m good. I don’t know what it could be, though. Martinez said it could be something I ate or even the shot.”

The guard in the middle grunted. “I doubt that. There’ve been some weird side effects, but no one’s gotten sick.”

“Martinez said the same thing. But even if it was the shot, it’s worth being a little sick if it means being stronger, and… you know, the plan.”

“Yeah, the plan is worth any pain, any sickness… any sacrifice.”

The uniforms they wore made it harder to read their body language, but Kaela could still feel the tension glowing around them. She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry again, her nose crinkling at every breath she took.

“Which is funny,” the guard continued, stepping over to the box of donuts and looking in. His hand grasped the box much more firmly than he should have. “From what the chief told us, the shots are supposed to give us a resistance to poison… disease… and sickness.”

Kaela started to take one slow step back, but she stopped herself when her back pressed against another body. She balled her fists and craned her neck at the guard standing tall behind her, his arms crossed.

The guard had either exited the bathroom quietly, or he hadn’t gone in at all.

“I was just feeling nauseous, that’s all,” Kaela said, her hand and mind fighting over whether to reach for her gun or not. “Not actually a sickness. Martinez said it was just nerves, and I’m starting to think that’s what it is. Besides, what about all those headaches we get every now and then? I swear, I had one earlier, and I think this nausea could be left over from that.”

The guard’s hand relaxed, just a little, on the box. He looked at his friend.

The breathing of the guard behind Kaela was loud and heavy in the tense silence—a big mistake on his part, as Kaela followed the sound and marked the spot where he was. Behind her, more to the left. One quick strike of her elbow in the right place, and he would be down for the count, armor or not.

The guard looking at his friend spoke again. “I’m sick of this game. Take off your helmet, Allen.”

Dammit. Her cover was as good as blown. With the armor she wore, a bullet or two wouldn’t do too much damage. And with the uniform being loose on her anyway, maybe… just maybe she could get out of this.

The guard’s hand inched toward his gun.

“Sure,” Kaela said, shrugging. Her hands shook as she reached for her helmet, pacing herself as she grabbed it. The helmet slid off easily, and before the guards could draw their weapons, she threw it at them.

Kaela shot her elbow back against the man’s neck. He choked and gagged as she grabbed him from behind. She ripped his helmet off and drew her gun, pointing it at his head. He raised his arms in surrender, his purple veins glowing and his head turned as far as it would allow for him to glare at her.

He was bigger than her, and with the drug, he could tear her grip from his neck easily. Kaela released him but kept her gun pointed at his head. She grabbed the pistol from his holster and pointed it at the rest of the guards.

She had the advantage, but only for now.

The armor was heavy, and her movements had been slower than she wanted. But now here she was, peeking out from behind a guard’s back at the three others pointing their pistols at her.

“If you call any of your friends in here, this one dies,” Kaela said, grateful that her shakiness had not reared its ugly head in her voice.

But the guard to the right laughed, the first time he’d even made a noise. He said, “What was that you said about sacrifice, Raymond?”

Before the words could settle a chill into Kaela’s bones, gunshots rang out. Blood splattered from the hostage guard’s neck, and he fell backward.

In a blind panic, Kaela squeezed the triggers on both guns. Two more ear-splitting pops echoed in the room, and the guard’s limp body fell back on her. If she hadn’t been wearing armor, she would’ve been crushed. Her head struck the floor as she landed.

She didn’t have time to blink the stars away from her vision or wait for the ringing in her ears to stop. She didn’t have time to consider that she’d taken another life or care about the pain searing her hands and wrists from the kick of the pistols. Shots were fired again, and Kaela couldn’t contain her scream. She fired back and squirmed out from under the guard’s body. Purple blood stained her armor and painted her face. She flattened herself against the wall of the bathroom.

“She got Tray and Daymon!” a guard shouted.

Only two left, then.

Kaela flipped the light switch, dimming the bathroom. Light spilled in from the break room. Still not dark enough. She took a deep breath and blindly fired at the ceiling. Two of the lights shattered and sparked, and the bathroom finally fell into darkness. Dim light still lit the break room.

More shots rang out, and Kaela pressed harder against the wall, goosebumps rising on her skin. She crouched and turned, spotting the two guards with their guns pointed at the door.

They couldn’t see her.

Good.

With two shots to the helmet, another guard crumpled to the floor in a splash of violet blood and broken visor pieces.

One left. Just one.

She held her breath. The sound of heavy footsteps trying to be quiet stomped against the floor, inching closer and closer to the bathroom door.

Just a few more seconds, Kaela thought. Just a few more…

The footsteps paused just before the door, and Kaela fired at the floor, flashing the darkness with light for a split second. The guard flinched just long enough for Kaela to grab his gun and throw her weight against him. They fell and clattered to the ground.

Kaela slid her dagger free from its sheath and plunged it into the guard’s neck. He choked and gurgled as violet blood filled his mouth.

Kaela ripped the blade out and took a second to breathe, surveying the chaos: purple blood on the walls, dead bodies around her, half the lights off, the others either on or blinking.

“Shit,” she said, out of breath. “How the hell do I get out of here now?”

Shouts erupted from behind the door, and seconds later, it blew off the hinges, the wood splintering and crashing against the opposite wall. Kaela fell to the ground, her gun slipping from her hands. She sheathed her knife just in time.

The chief stepped in, her eyes glowing purple and her mouth formed into a snarl.

No. If she was going to die, she was going to take the chief with her. Kaela picked the gun back up and pointed it at Rotoya.

“Wait.” Rotoya grinned and unhooked the bulletproof vest from her chest then dropped it to the ground. “Go ahead.”

“What the…” Kaela paused then blinked away her hesitation. She fired, riddling Rotoya with bullets. The chief took each bullet with a smile, backing up with each impact until she fell against the wall, splattering it with amethyst blood. She slid down, that haunting smile still on her face. Her empty stare pointed at the ground.

When the gun clicked, Kaela tossed it aside. “Crazy bitch.” She leaned against the wall as the pain worsened—her hands, her head, her ears, her back. Her entire body ached. More guards stormed in, and she just glared at them. She should’ve known this plan would fail. She closed her eyes and prepared for death. She just hoped Lance and Derek would get out okay.

“Hold your fire, boys.”

Kaela opened her eyes. She could’ve sworn that voice was…

Rotoya was still smiling as she lifted her head back up then stood. She looked down at her armor, at the purple blood oozing from the wounds. “Want to see a trick?”

Rotoya raised her arms to her sides, and the bullet wounds glowed. Kaela’s jaw dropped as the bullets wriggled out of her body and clinked on the floor. The bullet wounds glowed brighter then closed as if she’d never been shot at all.

The bodies of the men Kaela had shot glowed as well.

Rotoya scanned the room with that smile.

The ground swayed beneath Kaela’s feet as each guard she’d shot, one by one, stood. Not even as if they’d woken up, but as if they’d been faking the whole time.

They all stood, surrounding Kaela, each one staring at her. Martinez walked in, matching the chief’s smile.

“You can come with us, or we can drag you out,” the chief said, her voice distorted, her smile revealing purple-stained teeth. She picked her bulletproof vest up and strapped it back on. “You have three seconds to choose.”

Kaela tried to swallow the lump in her throat, but it remained lodged in place. The guards stepped toward her, all of them at the same time.

Am I in hell?

The knowing smile on the chief’s face sent a chill up her spine.

Kaela stepped forward, almost losing her balance, and put her hands behind her head. The guards closed in on her, herding her out the door like cattle.

She tried to resist a smile of her own. If only they knew who was waiting outside the building with a rifle pointed and ready. But would Rob be able to shoot them all before one got lucky and popped her? Unlike them, if Kaela was shot, she wouldn’t be getting back up.

That thought reawakened the nausea.

The guards circled her, and the chief led the group, walking to the front door.

It was exactly where Kaela wanted them to go, but she couldn’t look too ready to get outside.

She stopped dead in her tracks, and as soon as the guard pushed up behind her, she braced for impact. The guard shoved her forward, hard, and she fell to her knees. The chief chuckled, echoed by her men.

“How…” Kaela risked, “How are you just… healing them like that?” She looked around at the men, their wounds glowing purple as they closed. Through one of their broken visors, she spotted bright glowing eyes. “Are you controlling them or something?”

The chief scoffed. “I don’t need to control my men. They’re loyal. You understand loyalty, don’t you? After all, you’re one of Eric’s little henchmen.” Her smile was smug. “I wonder if you’d be willing to die for Eric. Or die with him.”

The guard pulled Kaela back up, and she wrenched her arm from his grip.

“Why are you working for Landreau Corp? Why did you let them do this to you?”

The cool night air caressed her cheek as the guards shoved her outside. Her eyes relaxed after the brutal light of the lobby. Police cars and armored vehicles littered the street.

The chief kept walking but said, “Simple. I was offered a much better deal.” She gestured to the glowing purple veins throbbing in her neck. “And don’t worry about anyone seeing this. They’ll be too busy watching your friends die.”

Kaela looked past her smiling face to the two men on their knees, surrounded by guards. A few civilians were looking out their apartment windows. An audience. No wonder Rotoya had brought them out here. They would be a message, a warning to anyone else that tried to resist.

Derek and Lance had their hands up, rifles pointed at the back of their heads. Kaela wanted to look up at the rooftop, to assure herself that Rob was still there, but if she did, she would risk not just his life, but the others’ as well.

So she resisted, hoping he was only stalling because he wanted all three of them together for an easier escape.

“Speaking of you and your friends dying,” the chief said, her voice suddenly much smoother, “please take a knee right next to them, or we’ll shoot both your legs and force you to.”

Kaela wordlessly kneeled next to Lance.

“I’m sorry,” Lance said. His voice was filled with a sadness he’d never shown before. “I’m sorry for letting Derek and I get caught.”

“I’m sorry too,” Kaela said. And though she didn’t want to, she risked a short glance at the rooftops, but Rob’s figure was nowhere to be seen. She’d sworn long ago not to show weakness, but if she were to let herself slip just a little before she died, well… Maybe it wouldn’t be all bad. “You didn’t deserve to be dragged into all of this. By any of us.”

His breathing was hard, slow. He was trying to calm himself down.

“Is this really where we die?” His voice was shaky, rattled. His eyes were wide and bloodshot. The last time she’d seen him like that was after he killed that man in cold blood. He’d turned around, shock and fear on his face, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just done. Whoever that monster had been was gone, replaced by who he was now. “I’m scared.”

“It’s okay,” Kaela said. Never had she thought she’d be comforting Lance, of all people. Death did crazy things to people, she supposed. She almost swore as her own voice shook. “We’ll be fine.”

When Lance turned his head, Kaela looked past him at Derek’s emotionless face. He was staring at the ground, but she knew he could feel her eyes on him.

Still, he kept his stare on the cold ground, so Kaela did the same. Lance’s breathing became panicked as the chief turned around. Kaela forced her own breathing to steady, holding it down and pinning it like a wild animal. Her lungs protested, her heart pounding in her chest, but she ignored its complaints. The chief walked to her first and stared her down with that same smile.

A spark of temptation revealed itself to her, the temptation to cry and plead for her life. She ignored it.

Right beside the chief’s head, a slight movement caught Kaela’s eyes. She nearly turned her gaze to it but stopped herself. The movement came from the rooftop where Rob should’ve been. That urge to smile returned, and Kaela’s heart beat in intense anticipation. She watched with the best poker face she could muster as the chief reached for the pistol at her side and aimed at Kaela’s head.

Kaela closed her eyes and waited for the distant sniper fire, for the opportunity to get out and crawl back into hiding like the little rats they’d all become.

Crack!

The shot of a rifle split the night, and a splatter of blood hit Kaela’s cheek. Something whizzed over her head. Damn, if Rob wasn’t an even better shot than Derek. In that moment, she allowed a small smile to slide onto her face.

Then a bullet found her chest.