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Chapter 8 - Mind Set

The morning came. The morning went. Alex was still trapped within his cage, unable to move his muscles, unbearably sore from being crammed inside a cage all night long. He struggled against his bonds, but they were far too tight. He was trapped. He was scared. He could only move his eyes and fingers, as his mouth was gagged shut. He wished Anna was here, she would have gotten him out of here. Even if she wouldn't, he would feel much safer. Then he heard her scream. It was bloodcurdling, frantic enough to penetrate the thick metal walls of whatever room he was trapped inside. 

It felt as though a switch had been thrown inside of his mind. A low growl escaped his throat, and the cage he was in exploded. Bits of metal flew around the room, embedding themselves deep into the wall. He freed himself, and tried to get feeling back into his legs. He ran towards the door, prepared to throw it open.... but it was locked. But that didn't stop Alex. He beat it with his fists, and kept trying the door handle. He feel a strange tug, pulling him forwards. The door flew off of it's hinges, into the hallway, knocking out two men stationed to keep him inside. 

Alex listened for her screams again, but couldn't hear anything. He wasn't sure whether or not to be happy, or to be scared. This could either mean that they stopped hurting her... he didn't even want to consider the other option. He didn't even stop to think as he barreled down the hallway towards where he thought he heard her voice. He had to save her. She had to survive. 

He was able to make it halfway down the hallway. It led toward a 4 way intersection.  Out of each other hallway stepped dozens of armed guards, some with guns, and some with things that looked like whips, but were blazing with light. 

"Get him," said one of the soldiers, probably the captain. Alex smirked. Then he attacked. In a mist of fury, he launched himself onto guard after guard, ripping their weapons from them. He picked up one of their whip-like devices, and it seemed to launch a binding mechanism onto whoever it hit. He leaped and dodged his way down the hall, disarming guards as he went. He saw a control panel on the wall, and sliced at it with all his might. The lights went out, and there was a slam as a door closed shut. He was cut off from the guards. It was all he could do to hope he was going the right way. 

He continued on his journey, dropping the strange device for a simple tranquilizer gun. That was what the other guards had held, though they looked almost exactly like real, bullet-firing rifles. Alex slowly trekked down the hall, unable to see more than a few feet before him in the flickering lights, which were partially his fault. 

There it was again. Anna's bloodcurdling scream. It was much louder than before, meaning he was getting closer, but it pained him to listen to her. Alex set of sprinting down the hall, until he reached the end. There was only one door, with a keypad and a security camera. 

He stepped up to the door, and slammed it with all his might. Nothing happened. 

"ANNA!" he screamed into the door. "ANNA, ARE YOU IN THERE!" After a moment of whimpering and another scream, she yelled yes in response. Then there was the sound of a hammer breaking bone, and another scream. 

"ANNA!" he yelled again. He tried to move the door as he did before, but nothing was happening. He couldn't concentrate, couldn't hear over her screams. He did his best to block them out, but they wouldn't stop. It wore away every part of his being. He was helpless, he couldn't do anything to save her. Then he remembered: There was a keypad. He ran over to it and typed in a basic code that resets the system on most industrial keypads. The keypad blacked out, and the camera turned off. He tested the door, pushing it open. It swung in silently on well-oiled hinges. There was no light inside, and Alex stepped in cautiously. 

He kept moving forwards. There was no sound now, other than his own heartbeat. He stepped in time to it's frantic beat, finding it to be the only thing rooting him to the ground. He could see a circle of light in the distance, on the ceiling. He raised his rifle, and fired. 

Instantaneously, light filled the room. 

The door swung shut with a resounding boom. 

In the center, just feet away from him, Anna was lying on a table. There was blood surrounding her, on the floor, on her, everywhere. He raced to her side, and checked her for injuries. She had none, which brought him momentary relief. It was lost the moment his wrist was shackled to hers, and he blacked out for the second time in two days.