14 Surv1v0rs

19

After crawling through the ducts for about ten minutes, he came to another opening. With a grunt, he gave the grille a kick. It was harder kicking it out than he had imagined. Gritting his teeth, he scrunched his legs up, then, taking a deep breath, slammed both heels into the grille again. The sound was too loud; he hoped nobody was nearby to hear it. He felt it bend outward. He looked at the side and saw light glinting through the edges where the screw held it in place. He concentrated on this corner, kicking it again and again. After a while, he paused, out of breath.
Then, he heard voices.
"Who's there?" someone shouted, throwing a door open.
Jack went still and held his breath.
"What is it?" came Karl's voice.
"Someone's in there."
He was sure it was Hal.
A light shined through the grille, temporarily blinding him. Someone came close to the grille, and shined light on the corner that was bent outward.
"Someone's in there all right," shouted Hal. "Who is that?"
Connor came in. "Someone's in there? Is it Reeves?"
"I don't know."
"Reeves? A bullet can tear right through that aluminum, you know!" shouted Connor, his voice trembling slightly. "You'd better come out of there!"
"Hold it," said Jack. "It's not Reeves—it's me. It's—it's Jack."
He heard muttering.
"Come out." It was Connor's voice, and it had adopted an icy tone.
Jack brought his legs back and tried kicking the grille again, but it wouldn't budge.
"Karl," said Connor. "Get something."
He heard Karl leave.
"What are you doing in there?" asked Connor.
"I heard shooting," said Jack.
Karl returned, and, after some cursing, unscrewed the warped grille. When it fell away, Jack found himself facing four people: Connor, Karl, Hal and Michael. Connor was pointing the gun in his face.
"He's a spy," Connor said.
"I'm not a spy," said Jack.
"Michael?" said Hal, turning to him. "Is he on a private channel with Reeves?"
Michael used his interface tool on his wrist, and scrolled through the names. "No."
"Turn it off anyway."
"Done."
"Not a spy, eh?" said Connor. "Tie him up."
"Are you in charge now?" Jack asked.
"Shut up," said Connor.
Karl found some industrial strength duct tape and taped him to a chair. Peripherally, he was aware that they were in the office of the terraformer.
"What's your buddy up to?" Connor said, pacing the office. "Eh? Does he really have a bomb?"
"You saw it," said Jack.
"Maybe that wasn't real," said Connor. "How did he get it?"
"Kaiser had it."
"Kaiser had a bomb?"
"He took it from Bob Marley," said Jack.
"Jesus," said Karl.
"So, what's the plan?" said Connor, sticking the gun in his face.
"He wants the truck," said Jack.
"Of course he does," said Connor.
"He wants to kill all of you and escape in it so no one will know about the infection."
"And you're going with him, aren't you?"
"No."
"Of course you are, Jack. The two of you are working together."
"Im not," said Jack. "I just want to get out of here."
"But you're infected, aren't you, Jack?" said Connor. "Reeves told us."
"I don't think I am."
"Why?" said Hal. "You told us yourself you were infected."
"I was confused."
Hal leaned closer to him and looked into his face. "That doesn't mean you're not infected, Jack. It just means you're confused about who you are."
"I don't think I am."
"Why?" said Connor, who'd begun pacing around the office again, the gun rapping against his thigh. "You can't expect us to believe you because you don't think you are, Jack."
"I'm not with Reeves," Jack said. "I—I can't explain it. Or maybe I can, but I don't think you'd understand."
"Try us," said Hal.
Jack paused, looking at them. He caught Michael's eye, then looked away. He was afraid to see distrust in his eyes. Michael was the only person he thought would believe him. "At first I thought I was it. I mean, it's hard to tell. But Reeves ... he said you had to sacrifice your soul to it. But ... but I couldn't do that. Not when I saw him kill Dareel. Not when I saw him kill Marcus. It made me feel sick—"
Connor cut him off by laughing. "Are you serious? You're going to try to convince us by telling us you still have a conscience?"
"You're losing your hair, Jack," said Hal.
"Same with Reeves," said Karl. "He was also losing his hair."
"Pathetic," said Connor. "I thought you'd be cleverer than that, Jack. You know, tell us some bullcrap like you were working with him to find out who he really was, or something. You know ... double agent stuff. But 'it made me feel sick?' Come on!"
"What does he want?" Michael asked.
"He told us what he wants," said Connor without looking at Michael. "He wants the truck ... and all of us dead."
"But what does he want in the end?" said Michael.
Jack looked at him. "He wants to return to Earth."
"Why?" said Michael. "What's on Earth for a man with scales and alien protuberances?"
"Phase five," said Jack.
"What do you mean?" said Karl. "What's phase five?"
"Don't you remember?" said Michael. "Kaiser told us."
"No, we don't remember," said Connor. "What is it?"
"The virus becomes airborne."
Connor swore. Then he raised the gun to Jack's head. "If I kill him, will it stop the virus?"
"Perhaps," said Michael. "The virus is accelerating a genetic transformation in the body. However," he continued hurriedly, "Jack might be useful to us."
"How so?" said Connor.
"Kaiser said there was a telepathic link among the ... others like him. They become hive-minded. Jack might be able to know what Reeves is doing ... thinking even."
"You hear that?" said Connor. "If you want to stay alive, tell us what your alien friend is up to."
"I've already told you," said Jack.
"What is he doing now?" growled Connor.
"I don't know," said Jack. "If you think I can read his mind, well I can't help you there."
Hal looked at Michael. "I've another idea. You hacked their comms before, right?"
"Yes," said Michael.
"Do it again."
Using his Darpa8 tool, Michael began hacking into Jack's neural implant. "I'm in," he said after a moment.
"Put him back in contact with Reeves."
Michael was already on it. "Done."
"Find out where he is," Connor said, pressing the gun to Jack's temple. "Ask him."
"Okay," said Jack.
"Wait, what are you gonna say?" asked Hal.
"Tell him you have the keycard and the truck," said Connor. "We'll ambush him when he comes in. Tell him that you'll meet him here in the garage."
Jack nodded.
Michael stood by, watching.
"Alright, let's do this," said Connor. He pressed the gun to Jack's head and looked at Michael, who had pulled up a transcript of their messaging and sent it directly to their interfaces.
"Reeves?" Jack said.
Static.
Michael looked up at everyone. "It's transferred to an external comms unit."
"He's still suited up," said Hal.
"Reeves, do you copy?"
Static.
"Reeves?"
"Jack?"
"Reeves, I'm in the truck."
Static.
"Reeves?"
"How'd you get the keycard?"
"Connor had it. I had to ... I had to kill him."
"Finally comin around, Jack. Attaboy. Any sign of the others?"
Jack looked at Connor.
"Tell him we're holed up in the atrium," said Connor.
"They're holed up in the atrium," Jack reported.
"That's strange. Thought they were dead set on me not getting the truck; I thought they'd be in the garage of the terraformer."
"They don't know Connor is dead yet and that I have the keycard now," Jack improvised quickly.
"Good work, Jack. It all went smoothly, then."
"We can leave now."
"Oh, I don't think so," said Reeves.
"Why?"
"Why? We still have to kill them, Jack. We can't leave anyone alive."
His comms unit went dead.
"Good work," said Connor. He pointed the gun at Jack. "We'll use him as bait in the truck."
"Think he bought it?" asked Karl.
"We'll find out," said Connor. "Let's go out and set it up." He left the office with Karl and Hal. "Keep an eye on him, Mike," he said over his shoulder.
When they were gone, Michael turned quickly to him. "I'm letting you go."