The Eden Projects (FINAL EDITING)

Chapter 37. Monkeys paw.

- Zak -

The ground shook and the lights flickered. Zak caught himself on the wall, "Did you feel that?" He stopped, listening to the building settle. "Was that an earthquake?"

Topher let go of the railing. "We should go back." 

"Toph if it was the failsafe there is nothing we can do." 

Topher looked to Zak. 

Zak waited. "We're at the top. There's no point in all of us going back right? That's the logical thing to do... Caleb, could you start heading down?"

Caleb nodded and turned.

"Don't do anything stupid."

He nodded again before disappearing around a bend.

They waited, listening to him open the steel door they had walked through moments before, his footsteps muffling in the carpets short pile. "Let's go." Zak continued up. It was just a tremor in an old building. That's all it is.

It took them another ten minutes to reach their final landing. Cutting across another office space before stepping through the final door. 

They were at the top.

Rook stepped ahead and fanned his wings to block the door. "Wait." 

Zak attempted to shove past. "What now."

"Ace is up there-"

"ROOK."

"Shut it, he deserves to know what's in there."

Zak felt a mixture of feelings. "You knew this whole time and you didn't say anything till the last freakin' second-" He gritted.

Topher rubbed his face with one of his hands. "We didn't think we'd actually come this far while he was still using the place. How were we supposed to know the stairs were good the whole way up?"

"You should have just told Kasper when we were together. This is gonna cause some massive problems when he finds out." He lingered, and Rook steadied. "Move, and let me deal with this."

"He doesn't have to find out, we can all turn around and go-"

"HE'S NOT STUPID, he'll know. I'm not a liar either. Now move." 

Rook stood still. "Isn't lying all you do?" 

Zak bit his lower lip and furrowed his brow. "If you don't get out of my way I'll sic him on you like a damn dog-" 

Topher nodded to Rook who stepped aside. "Fine. Your funeral."

Zak twisted the knob, trying to hide the tremor in his hand.

Well.

Things can't get much worse than this.

The door gave under a heavy shove.

A cool breeze met him first.

Then he squinted into the light.

Birds.

All birds.

The room beyond was crammed with supplies, more like an army surplus warehouse than a camp. Crates, medical kits, ammunition, blankets, all stacked in uneven rows between dozens of Avians. Several sets of those eyes turned toward him. His own searched instinctively through the flock. Whether he realized it or not, he was looking for one man. If he'd walked into a room like this six years ago, he would've pissed himself. Every person here was a threat. He knew it.