Half Life

Pursuit

Danny didn't stop to think. As Spectra reached for her tablet, he sprang away from the table. He had never felt adrenaline like he was feeling now. Every beat of his heart pulsed frantic energy through his body. Without looking back, he ran straight through the locked door. 

Alarms began to blare as he burst back into the shuttle docking bay. All the students were gone, replaced with squads of armed Space Corps security. They trained their weapons on him.

"Attention fugitive," an amplified voice commanded. 

"Stand down immediately or we will open fire."

But Danny was too charged with energy to care. They would not take him away! He broke into a sprint, heading toward the sealed door leading into Casper Institute. 

True to their word, weapons began firing behind him. Strange blueish liquid splattered the walls and floor. They were firing tranquillizers, not bullets. Danny felt a surge of relief and fear as he realized this. They didn't want him dead. But they did want him. 

As he charged for the entrance, he saw several bullets fly straight through his chest. He was fully intangible now, and glowing like a beacon. 

"Halt!" the voice commanded again

Danny ran through the metal door, silencing the sounds of his pursuers. He skidded to a halt in the empty hallway, panting.

What was the plan? Where could he go now? They had his record. They would know where he lived, where his friends lived. They must be tracking him even now! 

He stood still in the hall, every particle of his body straining with fear that commanded him to run, to hide, to get as far away as he could. But where?!

 The door behind him slid open. Danny tensed himself to run again, but a different voice was now broadcasting to him.

"Danny, dear? Slow down. We have something you should know about."

It was Spectra. Danny turned to face the open door. Squads of security were poised in the doorway, weapons locked onto him. Spectra stood in front of them, hands held up in a placating gesture. 

"Come on dear. What is your plan here? We don't mean you any harm. We just want to talk about Halpha. Don't you want to know what happened? Don't you want to know where you came from?"

"That's not my life anymore!" Danny yelled, adrenaline still coursing through him. "What I want is for you to leave me alone!"

Spectra shook her head sadly. 

"I'm afraid you're too important for that Danny. It would be so much easier for everyone if you came willingly." 

She pulled two figured out from behind the legions of Space Corps soldiers. Danny felt his heart collapse as he saw who it was. Sam and Tucker, both bound and gagged.

"Everyone," Spectra repeated. 

Sam looked like she had been knocked unconscious. Her green eyes were glazed and she hung limply in her restraints. Tucker was wide awake, and looked terrified. But he shook his head frantically at Danny. If he could talk, Danny knew he would be telling him to run. 

He stood, frozen in the hallway. Spectra held his gaze with her poisonously innocent stare. 

"It's your choice Danny." 

A sick feeling of defeat drained through him. He felt the energy leaving his body in waves. Slowly, painfully, he began the long walk back down the hall. A wide smile spread across Spectra's face.

"That was the right choice," she smiled. 

A prick of pain stung Danny's neck. He twisted around in to see two Space Corps officers who had snuck up behind him in the hall. The world began to waver before his eyes. He collapsed to his knees on the hard metal floor. 

"Come along Daniel," Spectra said, bending over him. As the world slipped away, Danny felt restraints being tightened over his arms and legs. 

"There are many people who want to meet you."