The Purity Project

Chapter 21

"If one more person tries to tell me to turn around, I swear I'm going to punch someone," Halona said as she an through the halls. 

"Maybe if you stopped drawing attention to yourself, then they wouldn't talk to you," Tyler snapped.

"We're three teens running the wrong way in an evacuation. We're going to draw attention to ourselves no matter what," Lorenzo replied, smirking when Tyler glared angrily.

Halona sighed and readjusted the gun hiding under her coat. The heavy weapon made her skin crawl, but the thought of shooting someone with it didn't bug her. She was more scared about shooting too late, and watching one of her friends get hurt in the process. She shook her head, clearing her mind of bloody thoughts. 

"Isn't that convenient?" Tyler mumbled as he pointed to a sign that said Holding Center.

"That's just wrong," Lorenzo whispered as Tyler led them in the direction the sign had pointed to.

Halona took deep breaths as they neared the end of the corridor. She didn't know whether to feel relieved that there were no more scientists rushing by, or to be concerned why there weren't any. A large metal door stood tall at the end of the hallway, and there were no guards to be seen.

"Shouldn't they be guarding the prisoners?" Lorenzo asked, slowly pulling out his gun.

"They're probably more focused on the chaos outside." Tyler's expression was grim as he placed his hand on the door.

Halona held her breath, but Tyler didn't open the door. Instead, her turned toward her and gave a weak smile.

"Want to do the honors?" he asked, stepping aside to let her approach the door.

"I don't really have a choice," Halona muttered as she placed both her hands on the cool metal. She straightened her back but she couldn't stop her hands from shaking.

"It's okay," Lorenzo whispered as he placed his hands on top of her's, steadying them. "We can do it together."

Halona nodded and slowly pushed the door open. She stepped into the dim room, and shuddered at the bloodstained walls. The smell was horrible, and she wanted to turn around and run outside. But instead, she took Lorenzo's hand and let him lead her past the jail cells. Halona held her chin up, doing her best to ignore the whispers. 

"Halona?" a weak voice caught her attention.

"Braden!" Halona rushed over to the jail cell and her eyes welled up as she looked at her best friend. His clothes were stained and he looked thinner, but his smile was still the same.

"I don't understand how you're here, but I've never been happier to see you," Braden said as he reached his hands through the jail bars.

Halona took his hands and smiled. "It wasn't hard. I could spot your stupid face from miles away."

"Out of the way!" Tyler shouted as he walked over the cell with a large hammer in his hand.

"Where did you-"

"Move!" Tyler swung the hammer up and brought it down on the jail bar. He continued to hit the metal until it bent far enough for Braden to climb out.

Halona threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder, not caring about the smell. "I'm so glad you're safe."

Lorenzo coughed and Halona pulled away from Braden. "Not to break up this reunion, but we still have one more person to rescue."

Halona's cheeks burned and she turned toward Tyler. "Do you see Jada's brother anywhere?"

Tyler frowned and his eyes scanned the cells. "Hey Malcolm!"

Halona started shouting for Malcolm, and so did Lorenzo. Some prisoners started shouting also, begging for Tyler to free them.

"Tyler! Over here!" a voice shouted from the back of the room.

Tyler sprinted toward the source, and Halona helped Braden over to the cell. Standing by the door was a tall boy that resembled Jada.

"Let's get you out of here," Tyler said as he begun to hit the jail bars.

Malcolm squeezed out of the cell, then hugged Tyler. "Dude, I can't believe you're here."

"You think I would miss out on a chance to break into a federal building." Tyler laughed and patted Malcolm on the back.

"Wait, don't tell me you brought Jada here?" Malcolm crossed his arms in anger. 

Tyler sighed. "Yes she's here, and before you lecture me, I'm sure she's safe. But we need to get to her, now."

They started to run toward the exit, but Halona paused. "We can't just leave all of these people here."

"We don't have time for this, Halona," Lorenzo said, extending his hand toward her.

"These people have lives! They deserve to get back to them, just as much as Braden and Malcolm do." Halona turned away from Lorenzo.

"She's right. A guard should be coming soon, and they'll have the keys to the cell. We should hide and ambush them," Malcolm said, motioning for them to hide in Braden's open cell.

They all ducked down, and Halona gripped her gun tighter. After a few minutes, she heard footsteps. A man approached the cell, then started to pull out a gun when he spotted the group hiding. Before Halona could shout, Tyler stood up and flung a knife at the guard, nailing him in the shoulder. The guard screamed and collapsed to the floor, passing out.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Braden asked, staring at Tyler.

Tyler shrugged as he moved to the guard's side and grabbed the keys. "I can do a lot of things." He then sprinted out and begun opening jail cells.

"I don't know how I could ever thank you," a young woman said as she squeezed Halona's hands.

"Just get out of here while you can," Halona replied, and she watched the woman disappear out the door.

"Come on, we need to get out of here," Lorenzo said, taking Halona's hand.

"Right," Halona said. She could feel Braden glaring at her, but she avoided meeting his eyes. She rushed out the door, and back into the chaotic hallways.