Waywalker

Chapter 7

The intruder wasn't easy to follow. At one moment, Will even lost sight of them completely. In a building where sound could travel everywhere, the engines of the turbolift gave away their position.

Navigating a building he didn't know would only ensure the intruder's getaway. If it wasn't for his recent trip to the turbolift with Ezra, he wouldn't have been able to retrace his steps from his quarters. The one place he did know where to go from. Having passed its level on the way to the Research Center, Will doubled back up the monumental ramp and took the corridor he remembered Ezra guiding him through and arrived at the turbolift just in time to see it pass him. The intruder onboard.

Hearing Will, they looked up, their face hidden in shadows. His current situation left him with two options. The first being the most plausible but tedious which was running all the way up or catching a lift with the intruder. A feat that was sure to leave some bruises. Instinct chose the latter, the ascent of the turbolift not really leaving him with a choice.

He took a couple steps, preparing to run. Unaware of his pursuit, Will reached the edge and jumped. Landing graciously had never been an option. In one dive, Will went crashing to the ground, colliding into the intruder and bringing them down with him. In account of its speed, he had barely missed it. They both sat up, the intruder appearing disorientated at first. Their orange bangs were just visible under the hood that covered their face.

"Who are you?" Will asked.

In answer, they whipped out a baton that appeared strikingly identical to the one Will had found in his quarters. Sharp blades sprang forth from each end. Will evened the battlefield by bringing out his own weapon from the depth of his boot pocket. But before he could activate the blades, the intruder charged at him and in one swing of their weapon, his own baton went cluttering to the floor.

Will found himself flat on his back, staring into the menacing blue eyes that currently held him in fear. For the next few seconds, they said nothing, their mouth and nose covered by a mask. Will fixated his frightened gaze on their blue eyes and orange bangs, being their only visible features. He became aware of his heavy breathing and attempted to steady himself under the confined prison of human arms, their weapon in one hand over their shoulder and a dagger clutched in the other, hugged tightly against Will's throat, knees trapping him on either side.

"I should be the one asking that question," they snapped. Will detected a female voice under that mask which didn't make his situation any less scary. In fact, her voice alone proved his situation to be even more frightening than necessary. Sunlight streamed through the domed, glass ceiling, casting a rim of light around her dark clothed figure as the platform neared its last stop. "You should be dead," she resumed, her tone laced with confusion.

"I get that a lot these days," Will responded.

She ceased her grip on him and backed up onto her feet. With the dagger away from his throat, breath returned to his lungs. Sensing all was safe, Will picked himself up, being sure to keep his distance.

"They told me you were dead," she countered. It was self-reassurance, as if denial of sight would suddenly empower words to correct her sense of mind and erase Will from existence.

"That makes two of us," Will said.

"But you're not him, are you? The Will I knew never agreed with Project Infinity. But you're here. Working with them-"

"Is that why you blew up the lab?" Will asked.

"Immortality is wrong. It's evil," she snapped. "There is life after death. But we just need faith for that. Humanity is dooming themselves to extinction by being the Creator of a world that already has One."