Grant

Chapter Nine-Exchange

We arrive outside what looks like a condemned apartment building. A shit one, going by the smashed windows, grey exterior, and crumbling concrete steps leading to the boarded-up door. There are no signs of life in the building, but my eyes move to Des as she steps forward. "You know this place?" My voice is hushed as we crouch behind the concrete wall across the street so as not to be seen. She can't pry her eyes away from the building as she nods.

"Yeah. This was one of the first places he took me when I was recruited. The hideout isn't the building. It's underneath."

"Underneath," I repeat, feeling discomfort and panic rising up in my chest. Being underground isn't exactly my favorite thing in the world after my childhood. This is becoming far too familiar to me. "Alright. How many gifted will be inside?" I ask and Ramona shrugs.

"Anywhere from five to twenty depending on who is out on missions." She replies and I huff while coming up with a plan.

"Okay. We're sneaking in. I'm going to knock out whoever I come to and Des, I need you to take them back to the facility. Straight to Tony, he'll know what to do." She nods with determination written across her face. "Ramona, stay on my tail. If we run into too many then I'll need you to help negotiate. Got it?" Both women nod and I nod back. "Let's go."

We slink over and Des guides us around back where we find our first gifted. A young man stands in front of a hatch walking back and forth. He has no weapon, so I have to assume that his gift is his weapon. "Devon. Fire." Ramona barely whispers and I nod.

"Wait." I murmur and shift into a bee, buzzing over until I'm just behind him then wrapping an arm around his throat with a hand over his mouth and nose. The shock keeps him complacent for a moment, then his hand comes up and grabs my arm. Searing heat burns me as his hand glows orange, but I just grit my teeth and bare it. These aren't the first burns I've suffered. His strength only lasts a few seconds before he's out from lack of oxygen. I let him fall to the ground before nodding to Des who is frozen beside Ramona. "Des." I call her and she snaps out of it, moving forward before vanishing into shadow. Slowly, I open the hatch and take a breath at the sight of stairs into pure darkness. When Des reappears, we move down into it. I shift my eyes to see and set the hands of the women on my shoulders as we continue.

The hall feels long and my instincts are prickling before we see the soft glow of light from under a door. "Wait here. If I'm not back in three minutes, leave." I don't wait for an answer before shifting into a ladybug and slipping under the door. It takes me a moment for my eyes to adjust to the bright light, but when they do, I almost wish I was blind.

Cages line the entire left wall floor to ceiling. The center of the room is littered with gleaming silver tables covered in beakers, sterile fridges, hot plates, and silver tools. The right side is a uniform line of hospital beds clearly nicked from multiple places. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what they're doing here. Experimentation. My body quakes as I stare at the line of bodies, some immobile, within the cages. I take a deep breath before looking to the people in the room. There are only two and they're on opposite sides of the room. Easy. I scuttle over to the one towards the left while ignoring those in cages.

While the other is busy fiddling with the beds, I shift behind the young woman and flex my hand. I touch her bare skin and catch her as she falls to lower her silently to the ground. Neurotoxin. Tony's addition to my suit. Without shifting back I do the same to the young man across the room before opening the door for a startled Ramona and Des. "Quickly, Des." I assure her in and she vanishes while Ramona and I go over to the cages. There's a little girl in the first, no more than ten I'd say, but her eyes are open and staring at me. "Ramona, what is this?" I ask and she swallows.