Crystal

Prologue

Computer screens flashed blood-red warnings and screamed with emphasis, sending the entire room of lab-coated scientists into an uncontrolled frenzy. The tube in the center of the room filled with these screens was cracked and fogged. Blue liquid leaked onto the floor and began soaking the grout, sending smoke to the fire detector up on the ceiling. It joined the cacophony of sounds, and within moments, it had caught Vana Wolff's attention from just beyond the door.

"What is going on in here?" she roared over the sounds, her violet irises flickering with sparks of rage. "What did you do?"

The Head of Research, Bahn Svensson, bolted towards her and dropped to his knees, lowering his head to the pitch black tile. "Miss President, it's a disaster!"

Vana lifted her head towards the tube, and the blanks began filling themselves. "Did you tamper with the settings of the Fetters?" She grabbed the man by his collar and lifted him off his feet. "Answer me!"

"I... I...!"

She threw him to the side like the useless ragdoll he was, then walked over to one of the middle screens and began typing in commands.

"We're locked out of the system," one of the scientists informed her. "We need to leave!"

He tried grabbing her arm, and in kind, Vana snapped her head towards him with an icy scowl, her mauve hair slicing through the air.

"Let me go, and get out."

She snatched her arm back and continued to make futile attempts as the scientists escaped. None of her passwords worked. None of the system workarounds were viable. The tube hissed and cracked, whispering below the rest of the noise like a specter. She was running out of time, and she knew it would not be long before it broke completely.

Will she even remember who I am?

Vana shook her head. It didn't matter. Her only task was to rescue thirty years' worth of research, and most importantly, her daughter.

'Emergency self-shut down engaging in thirty seconds.' the computers blared in unison.

"Goddammit!" Vana slammed her fist through one of the screens, sending a river of blood down her arm. "If it shuts down before I'm able to at least stabilize her..."

She removed her arm from the contraption before turning towards the machine.

25.

Vana ran towards the tube and pressed the glowing button near the base. The acid ate through the soles of her shoes and burned her feet, and she removed the shoes and stood atop them whilst the glass lifted towards the ceiling.

14. Come on, come on...!

The glass lifted, and a limp body fell into her arms, drenched in solution. The woman was heavy and nearly sent Vana tumbling into the acid puddle, but she managed to regain her balance.

Vana placed an arm behind her daughter's back, and an arm behind her legs, then bridal-carried her through the pair of sliding glass doors, ignoring the searing pain coursing through her soles.

When she got into the corridor, the scientists were waiting on her. One of them in front held a first aid kit in hand, and immediately dropped to a knee as he opened the kit and began preparing to tend to her wounds.

"Take Farah to the ICU and start her on her treatment cycle," she instructed through bouts of sharp inhales. "Isabelle?"

A woman lifted her head, her dark brown irises sparkling with tears as pitch black hair began to stick to her sweaty cheeks.

"Remove the Fetters. It's time to find another way."