Her Imperfections

Chapter Seventeen

Before her mind could even start to mangle with her new realization, a low growl of explosion rang through the base. Sophie paused, her breath as frozen as she was. Then another one and another one. After a minute, Sophie had counted nine explosions. She didn't need to see what was going to know what was happening.
The Black Swan was here.
Sophie felt the rush of relief flow through her and she grinned to the empty room. Just in case, Sophie took the tray in her hands and hoped it would be enough to fend off any Neverseen members before her friends found her. Another explosion rattled the base, this one felt much larger and made the floor shake a little. Worry crept in but Sophie still waited.
There was jiggle on her door's handle. Sophie raised the tray. The handle jiggled again then stopped. A few moments later it swung open. Sophie cried out in relief to see Dex and Biana standing in the doorway.
"SOPHIE!" Biana screamed, ripping the tray from her startled arms and hugged Sophie with such ferocity she feared Biana might squeezed her to death.
Dex wasn't much better as he tried to hide his happy tears flowing with his dimpled smile. Their reunion was short, too short, but another explosion pulled all of their attention away.
"We have to go-" Biana's words were cut short as she brushed a hand up her own arm. Her brows furrowed and her heart shaped lips stayed close together when she spoke, "What are these walls made of?"
Dex's gaze met Sophie's and they all knew. Biana whispered a curse under the breath and yanked Sophie from the room with mama bear anger. The farther they ran from the room, the more air pushed into Sophie's lungs. It was like she had been drowning for five days and finally got a breath of air.
Biana and Dex moved her onward and they got stuck in the continuing halls of the Neverseen base. It was strange to see the base beyond her cell, but it was nothing to be spoken of. Stone walls, most likely underground, tiled floors. Every turn got them stuck in a maze of endless, smooth, bare walls.
"Where are the others?" Sophie huffed as they ran.
Dex whipped his head around nervously, "The rest of our friends including the Collective were all part of the distraction. They caused the explosion at the entrance."
"Keefe is here?" Sophie whispered softly as they slowed a little.
Dex and Biana exchanged glances with unreadable emotion before Dex answered, "No, he was forced to stay behind."
Sophie grimaced, it couldn't have been easy. To steer the awkwardly soft conversation away, Sophie asked. "How did you guys find me? And where are we going?"
"My brother tracked your mind with the help of Mr. Forkle. It took them some time and even more time to plan. As for where we're going, up. To the light. We need to leap away."
Sophie understood and followed them up a staircase to their left. Suddenly another explosion wrecked the walls and the railing of the staircase crashed down the steps. Sophie spun around just as a shattering scream broke her exhaustion. Dex was crumpled on the stairs, a chunk of the stone railing digging into his calf. Just the sight made Sophie want to run away, but her friend needed her.
Sophie kneeled down and easily grabbed the rock with her telekinesis, flinging it to the wall with all the anger coursing in her veins. Biting down the rage, Sophie focused back to Dex. Dex wheezed and Biana flung one of his arms over her shoulder, Sophie taking the other one. Together they pushed him running up the staircase. Each bump of the step on Dex's leg made him cry and stuff his face into Biana's shoulder with desperate hope for relief.
They had just one more staircase to go. Biana had the crystal out before they each reached the top. Dex was practically dizzied into unconsciousness from his pain. The light bubbles into existence before their eyes as Biana held it to the slim starlight from the windows. Sophie glanced at them before looking down the shadowy staircase.
If she left, she might be leaving behind the answers Fintan had about Project Moonlark. But she couldn't risk her friends' safety again. The light blinded her visions and the staircase was gone.