The Typhon Project

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Two Tunnels

Jace led me back down the tunnel, we'd not long ago come down to get to the survivors' hideout. Not long ago, though somehow it seemed like weeks ago. The pack hung heavy on my shoulder. The bomb. I carried a bomb that could wipe out Jace and me in an instant.

Jace walked ahead. Periodically, he glance back at me, eyes wide and brow furrowed by the light of his flashlight. Was he sad or angry? I didn't know. Why would he be sad or angry? If I died, I'd just be one less Typhon to threaten his world. 

I wished I could be something else. One or the other. Instead, I'm both. Inside, human. Outside, Typhon. But no ones cares about the outside. They only care about what they see--reptilian pupils, scaly skin.

Maybe the human me and the Typhon me would both die today.

When we made it to the door to the house, Jace pressed his finger to his lips. Not that I'd made any noise up to that point. "You wait here," he whispered. "I'm going to make sure it's empty."

Why should he risk himself for me? I shook my head. "I'll do it," I whispered back. I stepped forward, and he grasped my shoulder.

His nostrils flared. "I said, I'll do it."

I lifted my chin. He pointed at me, his gaze bore into mine.

Fine. I'd let him do it.

He slipped through the door and closed it behind him. With the flashlight gone, I was plunged into total darkness. I strained my ears to hear what was happening on the other side of the metal door, but the silence was as impenetrable as the darkness.

Please let him be okay. Please let him be okay. Please.

I couldn't take knowing one of the last humans died to save me.

The door squeaked open, and Jace and his flashlight reappeared. "All clear."

I put my hand up and squinted against the flashlight. He lowered it and said, "Come on."

I stepped inside the solar flair shelter and then Jace closed the door. I turned around to face him. "Thanks, for helping me get back. I can take it from here."

"No, it's okay." He shrugged. "I'll make sure you make it back to the other tunnel okay."

I hoisted the pack higher on my shoulder. "You don't need to risk yourself for me. Just . . . leave."

"This is my fault. I shouldn't have taken you there."

"Don't worry about it. Have a good life." I spun around and headed farther into the house. Jace's footsteps thumped behind me. Tears stung my eyes. Why couldn't he just go? Why did he have to act like he cared? It made me feel worse--all pink and soft and vulnerable. Every human part of me raged. Hot blooded and afraid.

I climbed the stairs out of the basement, back to the main floor of the house that could've been mine. It was still dark, but sunrise would come soon. I walked into the living room to scan the area once more before venturing outside. I peered out of the large picture window. I could see the manhole from here, a blemish in the asphalt.

"Why did you come to this house the first time?" Jace's voice startled me.

I glanced back at him, standing in the doorway to the basement stairs.

I stared at him for a moment. The reason was so personal, embarrassing even. But likely, I was about to die. What did I have to lose? I sighed. "It looks just like my house--the one I grew up in." I swallowed hard. "I was pretending I was home, talking to my family. Lindsay and I always used fight over the pop tarts. It seems like a stupid thing to fight over now."

"That's what siblings do isn't it? Fight over stupid things." He stepped closer. "My brother and I . . . we used to. . . ." He looked down. "Nevermind."

He shuffled to my side and pinned his stare on the street. "You don't have to do this. You could just go back and resume your life there. What's my dad going to do about it?"

"I gave my word."

"Under duress."

"I promised my mom that I'd save the world. I need to at least try."

"It might not work," he said.

I lifted my chin; I wanted to be strong. "No one will know until I try. Maybe it will work and you guys would have a fighting chance."

Memories of Dean helping me leave that place flooded back. Had they already figured out I was gone? Would he be punished? Especially after I set a bomb.

"Jace, I need you to listen carefully. There's a boy at The Farm named Dean Green. He knows everything about the coil, and he'd be on your side. You can trust him." I blew out a trembling breath. "If I fail and they haven't discovered he helped me escape, he might be able to help. There's this game he plays called Zombie Epoch on Tynet. If you can hack in, you can communicate with him."

Jace nodded in tight movements.

What else did I need to tell him? A feeling in the pit of my stomach told me that these were my final words. My throat tightened. I lifted my wrist and stared at my watch--Dad's watch. The compass needle meandered as it always did. I loosened it from my wrist. "Can you look after this for me?" I held the watch out to him.

He took a step back. "You might need that."

"I don't want it to get damaged. It's important to me."

He reached out and took it. "You're coming back, you know. I'll be waiting for you here and I'll give it back.

I licked my lips. "You should go home in case the soldiers come back."

He squeezed the watch in his fist. "No, I'll see you back here in a couple of hours."

I picked up his wrist. I watched for a shudder at my cool, scaly touch, but it didn't come. I took the watch out of his hand and buckled it onto his wrist. "Take care, Jace."

I walked to the front door and grabbed the knob.

"I'll see you later," he called after me.

"Goodbye Jace." I opened the door and stepped out into the frigid night air. I looked up and down the street for good measure and then darted to the manhole cover, pulled it off, and climbed inside. I fixed the cover in place then descended the ladder. 

The tunnel stretched in front of me. At the other end--the Tesla coil. I pulled the pack straps over both shoulders, tightened them, and broke into a run.

The bomb pressed into my back. This was why I was saved. I was sure of it.