To Be A Leader

Chapter 34: Every Breath You Take

"Runner Five," Janine says. She frowns when I don't answer. "Are you quite... with me, Runner Five?"

Moonchild laughs, the sound bell-like over the flowing river.

"I saw it," Amelia says, sounding almost afraid. "I saw it on the camera. Something creeping, crawling."

"Oh, yeah, I think I do see something." Sam pauses when static reaches my headset. "I just lost that camera, guys. Could mean Sigrid's after you, or-"

"It's not," I say, my voice flat. I keep running, keep my eyes ahead. It's here. It's coming for me.

"Well, we don't know that, but yeah. We're all thinking it, aren't we? Valmont took the blocks off A.N.N.I.E., enacting the Glass Protocol on you so he could use her DNA search thingy to find Selma. And now some weird thing is after you in the dark! Not a coincidence, or really not a coincidence?"

"We have to keep moving," I say desperately. "We can't hope to fight it. I don't..."

I trail off with a cough, trying to muffle it as best I can with my fist. Janine watches me warily, but nods.

"I concur," She says calmly. "We have very little time. If there's something down here, we'll simply have to outpace it. And we may use this as an opportunity to learn something about your foe. An unseen beast may be terrifying, but once we have seen and understood it, it will merely be a logistical problem. Mr. Yao, do you have a location on the police chief known as Raoul?"

"Mmm, yep. Got him easy. He's heading through the Old Town towards the stone bridge. You should be able to see him on surveillance cams in that office you're in Amelia."

I hear the blonde laugh. "What on earth makes you think I'm still in that office? Why would I have possibly stayed after Janine left me alone?"

There's a beat of silence. "But you needed Janine to arrange evac! You kept nagging us for it!"

"Valmont left me a Porsche in the main quad," She replies, and I really do hope Valmont eventually sees that he can do so much better than her. "Also, you told me to shut up, which I am not likely to forget, Sam Yao."

He sighs. "I literally do not have time for your hurt feelings right now. Five, Janine, you need to keep moving down that tunnel. If the Glass Protocol is after you, it's behind you."

"Oh, yes. I think we all know it's behind you. But when you turn and look, will it still be there?"

Moonchild's words shake me to the core, and I feel my chest start to cave in as coughs rack through me.

"Go, now! Run!"

High-pitched laughter follows his words, echoing against the stone walls, the river carrying the sound further through the tunnels. I have to fight the urge to cover my ears and close my eyes. I keep running, eyes wide, my heart beating so quickly I fear it may burst out of my chest.

I've seen this before. I've had a vision. Me and Janine, running from that thing. I wish I had known I was also infected, but I suppose that would have been too easy. I only know bits and pieces, the puzzle pieces scattered around, never fully coming together until that time comes.

And it's here. It's coming for me, crawling after me. It's not fast, but it never stops. I can run, but not forever. Eventually I'll have to slow down, and when I do...

It will be there.

But if we get out of these tunnels, then maybe we can trap it down here, just for the time being. I trapped it down in that Xia-Hifa building. It didn't immediately come after me then. Yes, Valmont did take away the ability from A.N.N.I.E., but I'm sure he didn't do so the second I left. I don't even know if he knew I was there.