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The thing controlling Flynn motions me into the elevator when its doors open, and for the first ti with horror I press ainst the far wall of the elevator, turning in time to see the half-controlled facility workers come to a stop just inches away froaze at me while the elevator doors close between us
The elevator descends, and then the whisper leads h a security check manned by a still, blank form seated at the desk, with the same black-eyed stare as the sentries up above Then he leads ain, down farther, down staircases and ramps, down into what feels like the heart of Avon The farther I walk into the belly of this secret facility, the heavier the air presses in all around ain
We reach a door with another security pad, though this tih This door is different froned to dilate open If it were a regular door I ht be able to force it, but these are the kinds of doors they use on ships as fail-safes Airtight, absolutely secure
Flynn comes to a halt beside it and turns to me expectantly Finally we’ve reached a place with no others, no witnesses Nobody here but us I wait, but Flynn does nothing, siet the uneasy i for him to speak and he would never crack I clear my throat "What am I supposed to do?"
"Open the door"
"It needs a key, and I don’t have one" My terror is di with tension and grief
"You are incorrect," the Flynn-thing says coldly, the dilated pupils fixed on my face "You have had a key all this ti his voice is like a constant searing fire--knowing it’s not hi to me "What? How could I--" But then I stop short, heart pounding in the silence Because I do have a key I have the ident chip we found the first tiht me here--I reach into my pocket to fish it out
Thoughto examine the security pad There are nuular indentation on the bottoht I press the ident chip into the slot, and it fits perfectly The keys all light up green with a cheery beep, and then the door whooshes open
The inside is so bright that for an instant my eyes are too dazzled to see A hand between my shoulder blades propels me forward, and the touch is so like Flynn’s--and so unlike it at the same time--that I’m too dumbfounded to resist I stu
Flynn follows, and the door whooshes closed again I turn, heart seizing in alar to the ground
I give a wordless shout and throwat him before his head can hit the solid plastene floor
"What the--Flynn? Flynn, wake up Please" I give him a shake, but his head lolls back I bend , but only barely His pulse is slow
Cradling hiainst me, I lift my head and look around I’d expectedwith technicians Instead, the rooht source, despite the brightness reflected off the curved walls The floor and ceiling are le to the touch, as if they’re somehow conductive, except that plastene is an insulator by design
As I draw in a ragged breath only to have the sound sed by the space, I remember another property of plastene: it muffles noise Noto hear h Flynn’s hair, desperate for his touch even if he’s unconscious Even if he’s not him anymore Don’t leave ht, a breeze traces along the back ofto the side There’s nothing there, and when I lift a hand to rub at my neck I realize the collar ofon nore it
We’re not alone
"I know you’re there," I say, trying to sound harsh and competent "Show yourself Now" But no one answers; all I can hear is ht to be sure, but for an instant I think I see a faint green glow hovering only a few feet in front of roan, and my attention snaps back down He lifts his head froainst the floor
"Flynn?" I duck my head to try to see his face I can’t afford to hope
His eyes open, showing me only blackness, and my heart sinks I s the sob that wants to escape, and scra for the gun he dropped when he collapsed He finishes picking himself up slowly
"We are sorry," Flynn whispers, almost to himself, his movements slow and un clenched in h I can’t aze over toward me "Yes We--I--" The word is slow to leave his lips, as though it feels wrong "I am sorry You must listen, we don’t have much time The others will know I have interfered"