DEVIANT [H.S.]

30 - Fear

The prime objective is solely to find what is in the O2. To find a way for Deviants to simply survive under the terror of the Protector Core.

I wish I could say something to Niall about the concrete world around me, but I can't exactly open my mouth right now in fear of the unstable walls falling.

Once in the tunnel, I see the metro train Niall operated to get here. We jump down onto the tracks with little light to our path, and scale the side of the carriages before walking into the deep black abyss of the tunnel.

Niall and I hold flashlights up to guide us to the passageway, our breaths and steps the only sounds to be heard.

We rush towards the darkness and I watch as Niall lays his hand flat on the right wall of the tunnel. He skims his hands forward as we walk, and I don't have time to panic or question which way we are going; wherever Niall goes, I go.

Suddenly Niall slides to a stop, his fingers latched on a crevice in the concrete wall. He yanks hard, using his body weight to pull the slab of concrete, which has revealed itself as a door.

We found it.

I look around and take in all of our surroundings - however little there is - before stepping into the passageway. Niall follows suit, pulling the door closed behind him.

We are now in another tunnel, possibly a tunnel that runs beneath the O2 arena.

"We better hurry," Niall says, flipping his flashlight in his hands. "We don't have a lot of time to look around. Thirty minutes tops."

I wipe my hands across my face to get rid of little droplets of sweat. "That's all we need."

He nods and begins to jog down the tunnel and I hurry to follow. I have to be quick on my feet for Niall, and I love it. It gives me a sense of urgency... a sense of anticipation.

I just can't let the urgency or anticipation consume my every thought. If I do, I'll lose sight of what the true mission is and knowing me, I'll end up doing something stupid.

We weave through the tunnel, eventually ascending a very tall and narrow ladder. Niall is first to push himself out of the metal drop door at the surface and pulls me up.

The O2 Arena. We are at the edge of the O2 Arena.

Our bodies become lost in a vast ocean of dusty stadium seats and scuffed floors. The arena makes us look like ants. Hundreds of boxes are set down on wooden palettes as if dropped off for delivery.

What is in the center of the arena is what captivates our attention completely.

One after another after another, barrels line up straight and diagonally, all in rows, all aligned and multiplied.

What could possibly be in them?

I head down to the floor of the large space. Once I reach a good amount of barrels and they all surround and corner me, I notice all have lids covering whatever is inside and the lids are transparent.

I look inside a barrel without taking off the cover and I see a clear liquid floating around, filling up almost half of the barrel. It isn't water. There's a type of metallic tint to it. I step towards another one and carefully lift the lid, and the same thing is in sight.

"Niall!" I half shout, half whisper. "What is in here?"

"Serena! Don't speak too loud! There could be Patrols around!" He whispers loudly back to me, looking up from a box he has been rummaging through on his own.

I bounce on my feet a little too anxiously and almost fall over. I need him over here. "Niall, please! There's something in these barrels!"

I hear Niall sigh from all the way over here and he rushes to my side, seeing what I see.