The Ark

43.

"This is a terrible idea," I hissed, following Delta toward a spiral staircase that led to the penthouse below. "That could be anybody down there."

"I know," she admitted, sparing a glance at me over her shoulder before she started down the stairs. "But what other options are there?"

None. I sighed. Any other deviation from the plan would cost us time we already didn't have. Especially when Zenith could literally start a war at any minute.

I headed down the stairs after her, my rushed footsteps sounding far more audible than hers. At the bottom was a set of glass terrace doors. Delta was already peering through into the empty kitchen.

"It's not like we're unprepared," she murmured as I came to stop beside her. With one hand, she rummaged through the duffel, her eyes still scanning the apartment through the glass doors. After a moment, she handed me a plastic tube containing four anaesthetic syringes.

"What are these for?" I whispered incredulously.

Delta rolled her eyes, then inclined her head toward the door. "Our mystery guest," she whispered back. "Did you bring your gun?"

My hand drifted to the back of my waistband, my fingertips grazing the grip of my new laser pistol. I swallowed and gave an uncertain nod.

"Good." She inhaled deeply, casting a bracing look in my direction. She pushed open the glass door with ease and ushered me through, closing it silently behind us.

The apartment was quiet, except for the distant splatter of running water. I looked around for the source of the sound and caught Delta's eyes.

"A shower?" she suggested quietly, slinking through the kitchen.

I followed close behind her, my gaze darting around wildly. The polished white tiles and countertops reflected the water from the pool in the glass ceiling, casting undulating patterns of blue light around the room. It would have been mesmerising had I not mistaken every ripple of light in my peripheral for the movement of an imaginary attacker.

On the other side of the kitchen was a vast living room, furnished with the largest sofa I had ever seen. I stared at the white pleather and noticed a man's jacket dumped on the nearest cushion.

Delta grabbed my arm and I started, nearly pulling my gun on her. She let me go, grinning in silent amusement as I scowled at her, my pulse thundering in my ears.

"What?" I half-whispered, half-mouthed.

She indicated to an open door to our left—a home office. I could just make out an interface big enough to rival the one back at Delta's hideout inside.

"I'm going to check that out," Delta whispered. "You put our mystery guest down for a nap." She indicated to a door on the other side of the living room, which appeared to be the source of the sound of running water. "I've installed a shared panic alert on our Lenses. If anything goes wrong, let me know."

I gave a hesitant nod, remembering the last time we had been in a situation like this—I had beat a ZenSecure guard senseless with the butt of a gun. "You sure you don't want to be in charge of nap time?" I asked hoarsely.

Delta laughed then tapped a finger to her chin in a theatrical display of thoughtfulness. "You're telling me you want to upload the virus and co-ordinate OmniTech and UberSoft to take over the critical software applications once ZenTech goes down?"

I gulped and pulled a face. "On second thoughts, you handle the virus. I'll handle the... guest."

She grinned and slapped me on the shoulder. "You'll be fine—all you have to do is put them to sleep."

I drew breath to reply, but she had already disappeared into the home office and shut the door. I stared down at the tube of syringes in my hand and blew out a long exhale.

All you have to do is put them to sleep.

She made it sound so easy.

I turned and faced the door across the lounge, my grip reflexively tightening round the tube. Dozens of possible plans of attack ran through my mind as I touched the fingers of my free hand to the power patch on my neck. Even with the energy boost the patch gave me, I'd still be no match against a larger opponent. My best chance was going to be using the element of surprise to my advantage.

I crossed the room as quietly as possible, tiptoeing around the sofa and stopping with an ear against the door. The sounds of running water coming from within were still muffled—as though they were still another room away once inside.

I twisted the knob, my whole body tensing as I eased the door open a sliver and peeked inside. It was a bedroom—probably a master bedroom—judging by the size. Furniture was sparse, with the exception of an extravagant four-poster bed at the room's centre; its canopy of gauzy white fabric draped elegantly over the silver frame.

I opened the door a little wider and dared to step through, taking in the way the pool in the glass ceiling made the whole room feel as though it was an underwater sanctuary.

That and the sounds of running water emanating from the closed door of the adjoining bathroom.

My boots sank into the soft carpet as I crept a little further into the room, hoping to find a good hiding place to plan an ambush from. As far as I could see, options were limited. I could press myself against the wall beside bathroom door and hope my target didn't notice me as they exited—or I could hide behind the bed. That was it.

I looked down at the tube in my hands once more, suddenly feeling very aware of the sound of my own heartbeat—and not realising why until it was too late.

The sound of the shower had stopped.

I cursed and fumbled to twist off the tube's seal, my head snapping up just as the bathroom door swung open and a woman in a robe stepped out, steam pluming around her. She stopped dead when she caught sight of me, her wet hair falling over her shoulder as she tilted her head in astonishment.

"Astrid?"

The tube of syringes slipped through my fingers and landed soundlessly on the carpet by my feet.

"Mum?"