The Fall

Chapter Sixteen

Travis's head spun. She, Janet, the memory-whiz, had forgotten? How was that even possible?! It did start to emerge in his racing mind, the idea that maybe they should have tested her after she'd been revived. She had drowned, after all, and most people would have suffered some sort of brain damage from such an experience.

But now... if she didn't know, then they couldn't type in a code, then they wouldn't get the roster of the ED operatives... they would have failed. They had failed. Mission failed.

The confusion turned to hopelessness, and then to rage. Why hadn't she said anything? This was all her fault. 

Peter and Rita were looking to Travis for answers. It had always been this way, and now was no exception. However, now, Travis had no answer for them.

But what does the leader do? He still finds the answer.

Rita's eyes were wide. She was confused and upset, as he was. Peter looked scared. Travis almost felt bad for him.

He cleared his throat and looked back at Janet with icy eyes. In an equally cold voice, he said, "Alright. Alright then."

Janet's eyes were full of regret, and dread, and rightfully so. Travis remembered the day she and ran away, the day she defected. How he had searched and searched, with no reward. He had lost both Janet and James on that day.

He tore his eyes away from her and looked back to Rita, the word coming out clearly and sharp.

"Iceberg."

The alarm went off, the lights came on, flashing. Janet was on her feet in a moment, scared, a deer in the headlights. Rita backed up, knowing to get out of the way. Janet looked angrily at Travis, then at Peter. "What is this?!" she yelled, furious. 

Travis grabbed Peter's arm. Peter wrenched away. "Travis?"

Travis knew that Peter was suddenly realizing that he'd been tricked. The look in his eyes told it all. He must have felt... betrayed.

Men were in the room, holding guns, pointing them at Janet. "Freeze!"

Janet screamed and lashed out, fighting for her life.

Men fell over. Travis was caught in the fray and went down with them, hitting his head hard. Rita was at his side, trying to help. Men were yelling, "Get her!" Before jumping up and running out after the girl.

Travis groaned and tried to sit up, his vision blurry. Rita was holding onto his arm, repeating something that he couldn't hear clearly. He tried to stand up, managing to balance on wobbly legs before racing after the others. Peter and Janet were no where to be seen.

"Lance, get down here quick!" Rita yelled into her phone as she followed Travis, skidding to a stop outside the warehouse. The men were yelling and running around, trying to find the fugitive. She couldn't have gone far.

Travis looked around the road, the buildings, before his eyes fell on the structure of steel and glass, next door to the warehouse.

~

It was so dark, so eerie. The only light was the far off city glow, dim in the outskirt of town. Peter walked silently up the stairs, making sure to avoid the very obvious holes that lead to the next floor. This building had never been finished, left in a hurry. 

He peeked into the floor he was on. He remembered seeing Janet look up at this building before, perhaps she had chosen it as her hiding place? There sure were a lot of places to hide.

"Janet?" he called quietly into the dark office area, before heading in himself. "Are you here?"

"... You lied to me."