“The elevators are taking us to the basement, only we didn’t push any buttons. Stay back, Ev. I’ll keep the comms open, but unless I say your name, don’t speak up. Got it?”
The siblings had played this game before, when it really was just a game. Along with all their martial arts, explosives training and general survival tactics, the three had practiced using communication devices back on their childhood ranch.
Evan sighed and said, “Copy, that.” Meg could feel her brother’s fears and desperation to help, but pushed them aside to focus on the next ten seconds.
“Alik, keep low, remember your training, I’ll take the ones on the left, you take right. Stay back to back with me; don’t let them separate us. Breathe slowly and deeply.” Meg kept her voice low, slipping into her own soldier-mode. Alik nodded, lightning bursting across his light-blue eyes. The vein in his forehead was bulging angrily.
They moved into defensive positions against either side of the doors so when the elevator jerked to a halt they were ready for the doors to open.
A soft chime announced their arrival and the doors slid back with a soft whoosh.
Alik and Meg waited for a moment but nothing happened.
Meg motioned for Alik to stay back and she risked a quick peek only to see an empty hallway that looked very much like those on the floors above. Frowning she motioned all-clear and they slipped out the elevator doors and hugged the walls as they moved cautiously but surely down the sterile smelling passageway.
Alik stopped and motioned for her to scan the area. Meg closed her eyes briefly, while Alik stood guard and sent out her empath feelers again. It was clear to her.
She pointed to a solid wall.
Alik looked between her and the wall, a question clear on his face.
Meg shook her head emphatically and held her hand against the cold wall. The pull was definitely coming from there. Surely there was another entrance to the room on the other side. She walked further up one side, then tried a door only to see it was a supply closet. She was about to close the door when something stopped her. She turned back to the small room and placed her hand on the wall that would have to be adjacent to the one holding the children.
A flash came to her.
She received a crisp image of the last person who had touched the wall there. They were wearing a white lab coat and had just eaten dinner. They knew to sweep their hand behind the cabinet to press a hidden lever. Meg was about to follow the psychic directions when she turned to Alik and motioned for him to get ready.
He nodded and held his gun up in a ready to fire position.
Meg’s nimble fingers flipped the lever and the entire wall slid back and to the left revealing a huge room. No fewer than twelve beds were neatly stacked against the walls separated by curtains. In the beds laid children, ranging in ages from infant to eight-years-old. Standing beside each bed was a metasoldier holding a gun to each of the children’s heads.
Meg wanted to scream. The children were strapped to the beds, eyes wide with old terror. A voice spoke from the room.
“Drop your weapons,” it said ordered.
For a split second, Meg wondered if she and Alik would be able to take the twelve soldiers before they killed the children. She looked over at her brother who looked just as torn and furious as she felt.
Just then a deafening boom echoed off the stark walls.
The soldier who had spoken smiled menacingly at them. “Oops. I have some real itchy fingers. This piece of shit is lucky I only shot a hole through his pillow.” He jerked his head to the terrified child, no more than five-years-old, crying silent tears.
Meg slowly crouched; hands held up in the universal sign of surrender and knew Alik would follow her lead. Once their guns were on the ground, the soldier scoffed. “You know how this works assholes, kick them over here.”
The Winter children obeyed.
Soldiers swarmed the unarmed metas. Their wrists were yanked behind their backs where multiple zip ties were secured too tightly. Their ankles were tied with just as much venom. Dirty clothes were shoved into their mouths and secured with duct tape. The soldiers taunted and jeered as they worked happily.
Meg didn’t know how long they were made to stay lumped on the concrete floor with guns held over their heads as if posing for a sick portrait. Sure enough, Meg saw what were undoubtedly security cameras in the ceiling, pointing right at them. While held there, both Meg and Alik had plenty of time to think about what may be happening to the others.
Was Evan captured, too? Were the others able to kill Williams? What would happen to mom?
Meg looked around the room and tried to see the condition of the children strapped to their beds. They looked frail and traumatized. Not one of them made a sound. How did they get here? What was Williams doing to them? Were these the next generation of metahumans?
Just as Meg was trying to wrap her head around what was really happening to them, the lead soldier nodded into a cell phone and smiled wickedly at her. All she sensed from him was evil.