Chapter 28 #2
Jess’s gaze slid past them to the corridor behind, lingering a beat too long.
Then she exhaled, her shoulders relaxing by degrees, and ran a hand through her hair.
“These soldiers showed up yesterday morning. Just... descended on the place. Armed to the teeth. They’ve got us all locked down—no comms, no going outside without a guard.
They say it’s for our protection, but I don’t believe them. ”
“Protection from what?” Elliot asked, though he already knew the answer.
“We don’t know, but we think it has something to do with Tyler and the black stuff he found.”
“Is he sick?” Rue asked.
Jess nodded grimly. “Getting worse by the hour. He’s been coughing up blood, and his skin...” She shuddered. “There are these black lines spreading under it, like veins. Dr. Volkova thinks it’s some kind of infection, but she’s never seen anything like it. She doesn’t think he’s going to make it.”
The confirmation hit Elliot like a punch to the gut. Tyler was infected with the same pathogen that had killed Maren and her team. Which meant everyone at the station was potentially exposed.
“Where is everyone now?” he asked, fighting to keep his voice level.
“Most of them are in their bunks. They’ve got everyone quarantined.”
“Then why are you and Koos out?” Ellioted asked.
“They need Koos to run the station, and the fuckers came here without a comms expert. When they found out what I do, they let me out, too, but they’re watching me all the time.”
“What about Moretti?” Rue questioned, and he didn’t miss the way she touched her parka’s pocket, where she’d stashed all of Helena’s pictures. She’d been determined to bring them so Moretti could have them back.
Jess’s lips thinned. “Dr. Moretti tried to fight back when they first arrived. Got knocked out for his trouble, so he’s in the med bay with Tyler.” She glanced down the corridor again and turned away. “I can take you to him, but we should move now. They patrol every fifteen minutes.”
“Have they hurt anyone besides Moretti?” Rue asked, limping after Jess.
“Not yet, but I wouldn’t put it past them.” She shook her head in shock. “I can’t believe you two survived.”
“We were at Takahe,” Elliot said bluntly, watching for her reaction. “And we found bodies, all dead from some kind of pathogen in the ice. The same one that’s making Tyler sick.”
Jess didn’t turn around, but her stride faltered for half a second. “Jesus. That’s what they’re looking for? Some kind of disease?”
“Not just any disease,” Rue said grimly. “We found research notes. It spreads through the bloodstream, builds these black filament networks. Eventually it...”
“Takes over,” Elliot finished for her. “And everyone at Takahe was left locked in a freezer until it killed them all.”
Now Jess did turn, horror in every line of her expression. “That’s what they’re planning here? To kill us all?”
“Looks that way,” Rue said. “Which is why we need to get everyone out. Contact the outside world. Get help”
Jess nodded. “I’ve been trying since the storm broke, but so far, no luck.”
All of his senses suddenly prickled, and he stared at the back of her head. She was lying. He didn’t know how he knew, but he wasn’t about to second-guess the sixth sense that had kept him alive this long. He lunged for her, slamming her into the wall.
“Elliot!” Rue hissed in shock.
“She’s with them.”
Jess’s eyes went wide with what looked like genuine shock. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You’re lying,” Elliot growled, pressing her harder against the wall. The knife was in his hand, though he couldn’t remember drawing it. “You’re the one who’s been keeping us from contacting the outside world.”
He’d suspected it ever since he’d managed to connect to WSW at Takahe with little trouble. Yeah, he hadn’t been able to maintain the connection, but only because his equipment was fucked from landing on it when he and Rue fell into the crevasse.
Jess’s mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping for air. “You’re crazy.” Her gaze landed on Rue. “Help me! He’s obviously lost his mind.”
Rue glanced at him, worry in her eyes. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
She nodded and crossed her arms. “What’s Praetorian’s plan, Jess?”
For a long moment, Jess stared at Rue with something that might have been hurt flickering in her eyes. Then her expression shifted, hardening into something cold and calculating. The transformation was so complete that Elliot wondered how he’d ever bought her act in the first place.
“Sorry,” she said, and her voice carried a chill that had nothing to do with the Antarctic air. “Just following orders.”
The sound of boots echoed all around them, multiple pairs, moving fast. Jess had led them straight into a trap.
“Fuck,” Elliot snarled, and dragged her against his chest, pressing the knife to her throat, keeping himself between Rue and the threat.
Six armed men flooded the corridor, rifles up.
“Drop the knife,” one of them ordered. “Down on your knees.”
Elliot assessed their options in a fraction of a second. Six operatives in a narrow corridor. No cover. No weapons except his knife, which wouldn’t do much against body armor and automatic rifles. Rue was injured, exhausted, and in no shape for a fight. He wasn’t in much better shape.
The math was brutally simple: they were caught.
He released Jess and raised his hands slowly, dropping the knife. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rue do the same.
Jess rubbed her neck where he’d pressed the knife, then walked to the nearest soldier, who handed her a pistol without hesitation. She checked the magazine, then pointed it at them.
“You wanted to see Moretti? Fine.” She gestured with the barrel of the pistol. “Move.”