Sacrifice

Chapter Sixty-Eight

Janson stalked into the lab where Thomas and Teresa had fled. He moved slowly through the room, weapon raised, trying to catch one of them. 

"I admit it, Teresa, you had be fooled," he said out loud. "I thought we were friends. Maybe it's just in your nature to betray the people closest to you." 

Janson heard something move behind one of the lab tables. By the time he made it to the other side, no one was there. "Come on, let's not prolong this. We both know that there's no way out of here." Janson found another empty corner. 

In fact, he had just missed Teresa. She was making her way over to Thomas while Janson stalked over to the other side of the room. As Teresa crawled around the corner, thinking that the cost was clear, Janson appeared in front of her. She gasped and backed away. 

"I think you have something of mine," Janson said. 

As she stood up, Teresa took out the vial with the cure. 

Janson wasn't satisfied. "Not that. Where is he?" 

"Just take it, leave him alone." 

"What is it with you two? You think he's so special? He's a lab rat. He was born with the gift, he never had to fight for it, he never had to earn it. He doesn't deserve it." 

"Maybe, but it's his." 

"What about you, Thomas?" Janson said in a louder voice. If Teresa wasn't going to give him up, maybe Thomas would reveal himself with the right motivation. "What do you have to say? Don't you have enough blood on your hands already? You might not have been able to shoot her, but I can." 

After a moment of silence, there wasn't any sign of movement from anyone else in the room. 

"Fine, have it your way," he said. 

"Janson!" 

Janson turned and ducked out of the way just in time to miss the stool Thomas threw at him. 

"Missed you little shit," Janson said. 

"Did I?" Thomas replied. 

Janson hadn't been the target. Instead, Thomas had been aiming for the glass wall that kept the two Cranks separate from them. The stool's impact had created a crack that was getting bigger at an alarming rate. Janson was standing right next to the glass, and by the time he realized what was going on it was too late. Once the Cranks broke through the glass they pinned Janson down and immediately began chewing away at his flesh. 

Teresa ran to Thomas, helping him to his feet and leading him out of the room as quickly as she could. Janson's cries of agony becoming more distant as they got further away. 

*************** 

The whole building was on fire. Thomas and Teresa were struggling to find a way out, and to make matters worse, Thomas was losing more blood. Thomas had one arm around Teresa and was leaning on her for support. They tried the stairs, but their only option was to go up because of the fire. 

They climbed four flights of stairs until they finally made it onto the roof, where the transports were supposed to be. But all they found was an empty roof and more smoke and flames. Teresa turned around but fire now engulfed the door from where they had come. They were trapped. 

Feeling the hopelessness of their situation, and his own strength failing, Thomas finally allowed himself to collapse. 

"Thomas!" Teresa gasped. She sat down next to him and pulled him close as he leaned his head into her. He clutched his bleeding stomach.