InFAMOUS Second Son - Your Snowflake

Chapter 48

A sharp intake of breath was the only audible sound that could be heard over the pounding rain. All air seemed to have left my body as I took in the sight before me, my green orbs widening to a near impossible size.

Standing in a dark alleyway, as to remain hidden from the army of D.U.P.s not two streets away from us, were Delsin, Reggie and I. As the two Rowe brothers gazed upon the sight of numerous D.U.P.s busily readying their newest setup, my eyes remained fixated on the establishment's center as fear slowly began to creep up my spine.

"Huh." Delsin began, a hint of curiosity lacing his tone. "Well....this is new."

A few feet behind him, a familiar cop rolled his eyes at his brother's remark. "New? That's all that you have to say, Delsin? That it's new?"

"Well, I mean. Yeah," Delsin responded in the defensive, still not quite comprehending the severity of the situation. "It's big and all but I don't get what all of the fuss is about. The D.U.P. has command centers all over the place, man. Why should this one be any different?"

Taking a step back, I slowly began to retreat further and further into the alleyway while I shook my head in a denial-like fashion. "That's....that's not a command center." My voice began to waver as my fear intensified. "That's a testing center. An experimental setup, a place for Augustine to poke and prod around a conduit's insides!"

By now, concern had settled onto both of the men's features and, surprisingly, Reggie was the first one to speak up. "Isabella," he began in a calm voice as he took a cautious step towards me. "Just calm down-"

"Calm down?!" I gawked at the officer in disbelief. "Reggie, do you know what that is?"

"An overcompensation for the male population of the D.U.P.?" Delsin asked playfully in an attempt to lighten the mood. Unfortunately, the comment only served as an irritation to his older brother whom flashed a quick glare at him before returning his attention back to me.

With a shake of my head and an unsteady raise of my arm, I nervously pointed at the establishment ahead.

You see, Delsin wasn't completely wrong when he said that the setup was larger than the average D.U.P. command center. Fashioned after the ones in the Rainier district, this "center" consisted of three large, concrete structures that towered over the neighboring buildings. With two set up in the back and one in the front, the area resembled a triangular bowling pin set up, complete with the typical D.U.P. fencing to box the area in. Closer to the front of the so called "command center" was a break in the fencing, only to be replaced with a heavily armed checkpoint guarded by two watch towers on either side.

However, it wasn't the strategic placement or menacing setup that struck me with sudden dread. No. It was what was inside of the establishment that sent my heart racing in fear. There, in the center of the D.U.P. setup, was a white, make shift building where countless of D.U.P.s of all rankings and specialties bustled in and out of; each carrying intricate pieces of machinery and equipment as they unloaded them from nearby trucks. However, these weren't some random or foreign military supplies that one would typically find at a command center. No, it was medical equipment that they were unloading. Equipment that I had become all too familiar with over my years of imprisonment at Curdun Cay.

"T-those machines," I began, failing to hide the panic from my voice. "T-t-those things that they're carrying. That's w-what Augustine used on me at Curdun Cay....Wh-what she used on all of the conduits....the things that she tortured us with day after day! S-she's here! Augustine must be here!"

Then, without another thought, I hastily pushed passed the two Rowe brothers before dashing off in the direction of the establishment ahead, ignoring the familiar calling of my name and pleas for me to stop and return. Numerous emotions swirled inside of me; fear, confusion, dread, pain, anger. All of them mixed together into one bubbling ball of panic that felt as if it would explode at any minute. All rational thought left my mind and instead I found myself being fueled by the dangerous instability of my emotions. Every thought, every pulse and beat of my heart, everything was focused on one thought and one thought alone.

'I have to put a stop to Augustine.'