Fluctuating Beats

Chapter 8: Bloodline

You followed Emelia out of her office and passing a knocked out guard on the floor. That explained the bang. You had a feeling Emelia was stronger and braver than she was letting on.

"Feels just like old times," Minho joked sticking close by you as you followed Emelia through the winding corridors.

You chuckled remembering your dramatic escape from Wicked. "It does a bit. Let's hope a load of Grievers don't turn up."

Minho groaned, "Please no, not now, or Gally with a gun for that matter."

A pang of sadness hit you thinking about Chuck. You may not have known him long but it surely wasn't fair for the youngster to die before you got out. "Yeah."

"We need to hurry, if the alarm starts before we can get to an exit we're in trouble," Emelia spoke checking every corner you went past for guards.

"What happens when the alarm starts?" Minho asked as the lift came into view.

Emelia didn't immediately answer him taking out her ID card and scanning it on the lift. The panel went red as a bolting sound started on the doors. Emelia swore under her breath as a red light started flashing and a blaring alarm went off.

"That happens," she groaned looking around.

You covered your ears as the blaring continued, "The stairs!" You yelled going over and opening the door to the emergency stairs. There was no alarm in the stairs just the flashing red light and the voices of other people above and below you.

Keeping the gun raised, you led the way down the stairs keeping your eyes scanning for any signs of movement from the other doors. "They're going to have the front entrance in lockdown, we need to go all the way down to the cell block level. We can escape through the underground train line."

"How'd you know that's not already locked down?" Minho questioned from the back of the group.

"It's kept open for emergency purposes. Staff are the only ones who can access it so we should be alright."

"You don't sound confident," he jabbed checking over his shoulder every few steps in case you were being followed.

"Not the time," you pointed out glancing back at him trying to hide your amusement. He, like you, had a bad habit of being sarcastic when in pressured situations.

"Won't they be able to see us on the cameras?" He changed his tone to sound less sarcastic and more genuine.

"No. The guard who broke you both out. Miles, he's taken out all the memory cards in the computors tonight so even if we're spotted on the cameras, it won't be recorded."

"Helpful," you muttered as you passed a camera positioned in the corner of the staircase, "Where's your guard friend now?"

"He's my husband, and he's blending in with the rest of the guards-"

She got cut off by a loud shout echoing up the stairs, "Sweep all the floors, don't move up a floor until you're 100% that each one is clear," the voice of Ratman echoed up the stairs

"Shit," you breathed looking over the railing and seeing hundreds of darkly dress figures running up the stairs towards you. They must've been a good eight floors below you but that didn't help. "Where next?"

"Back," Emelia whispered frantically leading the sprint back up the stairs, you didn't even manage to make it down five before having to run back up them.

"Never a dull moment, eh?" Minho kept up the mood as you jogged up the stairs taking them two at a time. You just laughed.

Emelia stopped near the landing of the next staircase and you, not thinking, went past her. "Watch out!" She grabbed you back as gunshots sounded on the floor above. You could see the guard's shadows on the wall leaning over the railing and shooting down. There were bullet holes in the wall exactly where your head had been.