Agent (Book 1)

Chapter 13-Lynn

13

Lynn Kramer

Agent: 53

Mission: Protect Citizens of Quarter 9

Location: Quarter 9

Date: August 30th, 2089

Time: 2300

Our course of action remains the same over the next three days. Every night (after gathering more food from Hood's grandfather's house) we guide more and more citizens underground. It's easier to control these next few waves, because after seeing the others already down in the tunnels, they've agreed to trust us, if only temporarily. I assume most figure that since we haven't already killed them, we're reliable enough.

We've successfully managed to get over two hundred citizens under the streets after our third night, and though neither of us say it, I can tell the thought is somewhat uplifting. Other than these two hundred, we should've cleared most of the city, according to Agent Hood.

It is only on the fourth night (without which we have seen any activity aboveground) that Hood and I decide its time to move the people farther along the sewer tunnels. "They're so close to the entrance," Hood tells me. "We need to be sure they can't be found."

Seems logical enough. However, Hood and I both know that we can't risk bringing all of these people into a tunnel that we haven't investigated. Even if it's not The Kings, there could be other things down there. Something far worse than The Kings could ever be. I don't dwell on the thought. It's endless darkness down in that tunnel. If I hadn't thought to bring a flashlight, we'd be walking into blind waters. Where the monster is only lurking, waiting to hook on and reel us in.

So while we decide not to bring the whole group with us, Hood specifically picks a few of the older men and women (specifically those of a broader build) to accompany us down the tunnel. It's obvious no one is thrilled to be going (into potentially uncharted territory) but they don't refuse and, after we've given them each some long sips of water and crackers, they gather into a heap and are ready to leave.

Agent Hood nods at me from his position at the back of the group. The dagger he gave me feels cold against my hip and he presses a waiting hand against his own. He shifts back and forth on both feet, though I try to distinguish if it's from pure anxiety or excitement. Maybe a little of both. Pull it together, I tell myself through a deep breath. It's just a tunnel. How bad can it be? And with that, we're off.

Agent Hood takes up the rear while I lead with my flashlight trained on the empty darkness ahead. I shoot a few glances back at him as we walk, checking to make sure he isn't catching any activity. Nothing, yet.

We push on. Not too fast, but not too slow either. There is a heavy smell of moisture in the air, that and the aroma of rotting flesh soaked through the ceiling. I've never really noticed how filthy it is down here. But all I have to do is take another look at that piling heap of corpses outside, and this place looks scrubbed to perfection. I still find it hard to believe Agent Hood could remain unaffected by that. Even after living here for all of those years, I don't think I could ever get over the smell of decaying flesh.

For a moment, I let myself close my eyes as we walk, flashing back to our conversation behind the drugstore last night. I suppose since my mother passed, I've never imagined anything worse than losing someone you care about. But Hood's words made me realize that there might be after all. It's one thing to lose someone. But it's another to never even know who that person is. My mother, the woman I know so wholly, gone forever? Not a trace of her anywhere?