Pyro

Chapter 38

I ran. I ran faster than I ever had in my life.

No way was I facing that thing. No powers, no gun, a goddamned cat creature, and two people with abilities? Hell. No.

I burst through the roof door, leaping down the steps. My footsteps resounded in the cramped hallway, perpetuating the anxiety stewing my blood; I stumbled at the bottom, thrusting my arms out to catch myself.

All the while, the cat clamored to enter. Screeches of the metal door being scratched, bent, and distorted shook the walls until they ceased, and the door swung open. The door slamming shut jolted me. Panting, I desperately searched for a place to hide.

I briefly entertained routing, but decided against it. This place was big, empty, and all sound bounced back. The assassins would hear my footsteps.

In the open space brimming with cubicles, I ducked into a deserted conference room off to the side, agonizingly inching the door shut and closing it with a soft click.

I slid down the door, peeking out the window situated beside me.

Nothing. Not yet, anyway.

My reflection revealed slovenly hair and wild eyes. I looked like a cornered animal. Like a mouse trapped by a sadistic cat.

Almost literally.

The incessant thumping of my heart muzzled sound, and my fingernails etched grooves in the hardwood floor. What the hell was that gigantic cat? Was it a result of that man's ability? Because the woman had a completely different ability, evidenced by her snatching my gun.

Movement in my peripheral silenced my thoughts. By the nearest cubicle, a tiny creature padded along.

I squinted. The lack of light concealed the figure, but there was no doubt about it.

It was a kitten.

The kitten chirruped, and a pair of feet accoutered in combat boots trailed by the cat. A gloved hand descended from above, fondly caressing the kitten. A male voice rumbled, "He can't have gone far, Buddy. Sniff him out."

Clamping my mouth shut, the kitten swelled in size, doubled, tripled, until it trampled cubicles, snarling.

Christ! I thought, compressing myself in my corner. What kind of damned ability is that? As the snarls drew closer, I tried to summon fire.

Nothing. I must still in Alke's range.

Breath clouded the window.

It wasn't mine.

I scuttled backwards and the cat howled, bursting in and sending the wooden door exploding into splinters. Glass shattered and rained on me. Sharp pieces pierced my skin, but I paid it no mind.

Fear gripped me as the cat stepped forward.

It charged me, paws outstretched, and I belatedly dove to the side, scrambling for the now-massive entrance. Shards of glass burrowed in my palms and knees, torturing my every move, but I stumbled to the cubicles, swinging my head around.

The darkness obscured the man and woman, but with the creature snapping at my heels and droplets of its saliva splattering me, I couldn't debate the possibility of an ambush. Taking my chances, I propelled into a maze of hallways.

Turned out that wasn't a bad decision

The cat bounded after me, but it struggled: Hallways groaning under the cat's weight, the creature slowed. This huge thing compressed itself into a tiny hallway-it shuffled forward at a snail's pace. It dragged itself, yowling as it crushed itself in the far-too-small hallway.