Amplified (9 page)

Where All the Things Meet

Rick was tinkering with
an assortment of vials and liquids bubbling over Bunsen burners. In his protective glasses, lab coat and gloves, he was the epitome of a chemistry teacher, lost in concentration and every so often jotting down notes in a notebook splayed open on the counter nearby. Slipping onto a stool the next table over, I watched him with curiosity as he mixed the chemicals, siphoned drops out and dropped the fluid into trays filled with other fluids and gel.

This lab was much smaller than the other, but it had clearly been stocked in advance.
Several vials were obviously blood specimens, some the rich red color you’d expect them to be while others were the dark black-red of feral blood. Blood was the new gold in this day and age. There was nothing more precious or more fragile than the red, viscous life sloshing about in our bodies.

The urge
to grab one and tilt it into my hand to watch the blood flow back and forth in small, tiny waves was overwhelming. My fingers itched to touch the glass containers, so I stuffed them into my pockets and remained seated on my stool. Besides, it was easier to not reach over and snap Rick’s neck if my hands weren’t available.

I wondered which vials
held my blood as I craned my neck to read some of the labels. When I’d mentioned to Mercer about being a drained, little human, I wasn’t kidding. The effects of the anemia made me overwhelmingly exhausted, thirsty and lightheaded if I stood up too fast. After taking a shower and wiping the steam off the mirror of the bathroom, I’d found an unfamiliar pallor of yellowish gray to my skin, replacing the previously healthy pink glow. It had made me wince as I took in my reflection, my lips a dusty pink, pale and delicate. It had flared up a bit of resentment toward Mercer and Rick, but I shook it off momentarily, promising myself they’d get their just desserts in due time. These freaks had to slip up sooner or later, and I had to recover from the draining before I could even think about fighting with anyone.

I hated feeling helpless. Already so used to
being a hybrid human, which had given me so much strength and agility, I felt a sense of utter loss at being drained. At least I was sure to recover fast. Still, if only I had some vampire blood, it would speed up the process.

I cleared my throat. Rick d
idn’t even look up. “Rick.”

“I
’m quite busy.”

“I don
’t care.”

He put down a vial and smiled as he finished
dropping a couple tablets into it, causing it to fizz up. “I knew you were stubborn, but you really need to let me work.”

“Worst of the worst.”

He peeked over his glasses, shiny blue eyes framed with tiny crow’s feet wrinkling around them as he continued to grin. “Helen would chat with me sometimes, when I was able to see her, and she spoke highly of you and your wild ways. She had so much respect for her wayward daughter. She was very proud to be your mother.” Was that a hint of sadness in his voice?

It only caused the anger to resurface inside me
, and my mood darkened at the mention of my mother. I flicked my eyes down to the black counter, willing the bubbling resentment away.

“Sorry, I didn
’t mean to upset you.”

I shrugged. “Doesn
’t matter.” But it did. “Did you find anything in my blood that makes a difference?”

Moving
his eyes down in shame, he swirled the vial in his fingers until the fizzy liquid turned a pale violet and then morphed into a deep maroon red.

“Well, I
’ve found several differences between your blood and your mother’s.” He lifted the vial and poured it into several test tubes he had propped up in a rack. “I’ve isolated several red blood cells that defy the definition of a blood cell. It’s like they’re super red blood cells, filled with energy and resistant to injury. Your T-cells are abnormally large, too. In fact, the entire makeup of your blood is mutated compared to a normal human’s blood. It’s not very obvious, but I see the differences.” He peeked up at me again, a serious but excited twinkle lingering in his eyes. It only made me shift in my seat even more. “It’s like you’ve adapted to this virus, assimilating it, and it has enhanced your entire body.”

“The Hulk. That
’s me. I’m relieved I don’t have to turn green, though.”

He laughed
, and so did I. As much as I despised Rick, I was glad the somber mood was gone.

“Well, not quite, but
not too far off. You could very well be the answer to the antidote problem.”

My ears perked up at this
, and I waited, impatiently, for him to tell me more. My knees knocked under the table, and I buried my hands deeper in my pockets to hide my fidgetiness. “What do you mean?”

“I mean that the antidote was having some issues working without any side effects.”

“What sort of side effects?”

“Well, some people
… err… vampires… died from it. They’re body couldn’t separate from the virus without tearing up the person inside.” He wrinkled his nose and dipped a dropper into the vial he’d just mixed, letting one fat droplet ease onto a slide.

I gulped. “
So why in the hell were you were going to shoot me up with that crap?”

“Well, we hadn
’t tried it on a human hybrid yet. Your mother’s blood hadn’t converted to hybrid, and it was impossible to test how well it would work.”

“I could
’ve died, and you didn’t want to test it on my blood first?”

“I wasn
’t given a choice. Mercer wanted it tested on you immediately.”

“And if it
had killed me?” He didn’t answer. “Who would you test it on then?”

“I don
’t know, April. I’m working blind here. I really didn’t want to do it.”

“That doesn
’t make me feel better.”

“I
’m sorry. I’ll have to show you what it can do later.”

He was silent as he worked and didn
’t look up again. I was left stewing at his words. Moments later, I was still steaming, tapping my fingertips furiously on the black tabletop, but he’d decided I’d calmed down enough.

“Look, I know that would
’ve been the better route to take, get a sample of your blood and test it on that first. But Mercer is very impatient and even convinced Christian to help wrangle you up. I didn’t know what his real intentions were until I got to your door. It was only then that he ordered me to inject you with it. I’m really sorry.”

“You can shove th
at apology where you know it will hurt most, Rick,” I hissed and pushed off the stool, sending it toppling over. Bad idea. The room spun, and I grabbed at the table to steady myself.

“W
hoa, there, cowgirl.” Christian’s hands were on my sides, holding me up. I wanted to hit him in the chest with my frustration and hurt, but I just let him hold me instead. I was tired, and it was making me think all screwy. It wasn’t a good position to be in. Weak, vulnerable.

“I
’m going to lie down.” I shoved his arms away, but he didn’t let go.

“Did you eat anything?”

“Yes, breakfast.” I glared at him, but his twinkling eyes found it amusing and not dismissive as I had wished it to be.

“It
’s lunchtime already.”

I hung
my head and closed my eyes. I decided the fatigue might fade some with food. I relented. “Okay. What’s on the menu?”

“Steak.”

My eyebrow lifted, questioning the choice. “You have steak?” My question would’ve been unusual before the end of the world. Now it was so foreign to talk about meat. Fresh meat, at that.

He nodded. “Yep. Fat cows and sheep in the underground
pastures. Just like the City of Vida.”

I grinned.
A steak might be good for me. Iron, protein. I was game.

“Got any hamburgers?”

“With the works.”

“About time something goes my way.”
My mouth was already salivating, but I swallowed it back.

“Indeed.”

Now that the room wasn’t spinning like I’d just gotten off an amusement ride, I managed to keep up with Christian as he headed toward the dining room. He ordered a burger with the works for me. I glanced around the crowded eating area and cringed. It was full of hybrid vamps. Lots of them, with hungry eyes and deafening whispers as I passed them by. Déjà vu sucked eggs. I wasn’t ready to fight, not here, not against these vampires. I had no weapons, no juju, nothing. I wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Don
’t worry. They have strict orders to not touch you.”

“I
’ve heard that one before.” I groaned and turned away before I let their haloed stares wear me down and make me want to bolt for the door. I wanted my hamburger.

Christian’s
eyes flashed at me, deep and determined. “I’m serious. It’s an immediate kill order for anyone who comes near you, no warning.”

“What about you? You
’ve touched me.”

“I
’m exempt. But I, unlike them, have no intentions of killing you.”

“What about Mercer?”

Christian flicked his eyes away and accepted the two burgers handed over by the cook. It was piled up tall with all the fixings, making my mouth water even more. In my mind, I was already savoring each and every delicious bite.

“He
’s not to be trusted.” He kept his voice low as we left the grill and reentered the rows of venomous stares.

I pondered this while he led me back toward the room I
’d been in earlier. It had a small table and two chairs in it. I figured it was probably best he took me there anyway. We were away from the prying eyes of dangerous folks who looked like they wanted me gutted and spitted.

I had t
o figure out how to escape, but I really didn’t want to yet. I wanted that antidote, and I was all ready to stay as long as it took to get it. It wasn’t for me, though. I was never going to take the damned serum. I liked the way I was, but there was a whole new world out there that could use it. Once I had it in my possession, then I would figure out what to do with myself and get the heck out of there. Not until then. I was just hoping it wasn’t going to take long to get it. I was already missing Jeremy, Rye and all of my friends.

The thought of them sent a sharp pain through my chest
, and I sucked down a sip from my soda to cover it up. How I longed to be enjoying this burger with them. Jeremy would love it. He’d eaten one every day we’d spent in Vida. That and heaps of pizza loaded with all kinds of stuff on it. It’d been a good time, seeing him scarf down his favorite pre-epidemic favorites. The virus had stolen so many such pleasures away.

Jeremy would
understand my plight. If I told him that I wanted to save more people from Mom’s fate, he’d be completely aligned with me. I knew it. The thought rewarmed my frigid insides as I shoved an enormous, mouthwatering bite into my mouth.

Salvation Is Love

Rye

“How the hell did she get away?” Rye paced the floor, unable to calm the raging fire consuming
him ever since he’d discovered April was missing. “How did they get her? We were supposed to be secure.”

“Calm down.
” Blaze’s set jaw let Rye know he wasn’t immune to the disappointment either. Their enemy had effectively locked them out of their isolation area and snatched one of their own from right under their noses. “We’ll find her and get her back.”

“Why are we sitting here
, then?” Rye paused, staring out the glass wall of the lab. “She could be dead by now. Or worse.”

“We
’re trying to find the way they came in. Patience.”

“They
’re not trapped, we are. Leaving without her isn’t happening.”

Blaze
sighed, rubbing his temple and staring out the glass wall alongside Rye. “Christian betrayed us. He was our only link to this hive. If we stay, we risk being decimated by their ranks.”

“We can
’t leave!” Rye’s eyes widened at the suggestion. “She’s their prisoner. I can’t leave without April.” Rye shook his head, aware of the danger they were in. “I won’t leave.”

“We have to go. Knowing April, she
’ll figure a way out anyway.”

“You did not just say you
’re fine with abandoning her here.”

“Rye.
” Blaze grabbed his shoulders and tilted his head forward to meet him eye to eye. “This is April we’re talking about. If anyone can get themselves out of a mess, it’s her.”

Rye continued to shake his head, unable to fathom what his cousin was about to do. “No, I can
’t.”

“You will come with us. I
t’s an order.” Blaze let go and headed toward the sleeping quarters where the others were waiting. No one would be happy with the news, but he knew Elijah and Sarah wouldn’t object. They knew April as well as he did. They would return to patrol the area for April, but it was now up to her to escape. The fortress was impenetrable, and they had no knowledge of the place, no guide. There was simply no option but to leave and let April figure it out from the inside.

Rye smacked his wrist on the glass,
and a dull pain instantly enveloped his hand. As much as it pained him to leave her behind, he knew Blaze was right. They were sitting ducks there, waiting for a slaughter. Still, the thought of leaving made him sick and desperate to save April. But how? How could he save her?

Rubbing his throbbing wrist, he sighed and felt his heart
ache. He’d make sure to patrol this area every day until April was found. He’d be there when she figured it out. She would, too, knowing her stubborn, conniving resourcefulness. She was the only person he’d always bet on.

“Let
’s move out!” Blaze’s voice echoed down the hall, and Rye grabbed his pack and headed over to join them. His heart was racing to the tune of his boots pounding the tiles as they evacuated the hive. He hoped April would forgive him and sent a silent message of love and support to her.

I
’ll never leave you.

His silent prayer to her made him feel a bit calmer, but it still was devastating, like
when he’d lost her to the City of Vida for days upon days without news, without a way to locate her. This wasn’t any easier; it was actually worse because he knew where she was, he just couldn’t reach her. She could be just a few yards away, on the other side of a wall, but she was all alone.

“I
’m not going anywhere.”

Blaze
’s agitation was slipping past his usual mask of stoicism. Rye didn’t care if he pushed him too far. He’d planted himself in place and refused to move.

“You
’ll die here.”

“So be it.”

Blaze’s shiny halos flared to life, his anger flushing the color of his skin. “Fine. Rye, it was a pleasure knowing you.” Blaze pivoted away, and the others followed closely behind. Rye sat down at the control panel, scanning the cameras and watching the others in their quarantine. There was no sign of April, no sign of anything out of the ordinary. They were even still drilling at the escape door, hoping to open it.

Their continued
charade made him laugh and shake his head. The bastards were stellar actors. They still acted as though they were desperate to open the door. It was that or they really didn’t know that someone had come and taken April through a hidden route. From the looks of it, the entire hive wasn’t privy to this information. It made him wonder where the possible hidden entrance could be.

Now that he was alone, he had all the time in the world to find it.

A tap on the tile floor had him jumping from his chair and drawing out his gun. Crouched and poised for an attack, he groaned as Elijah and Sarah stood with hands up.

“Whoa, buddy, it
’s just us.”

“What the hell do you want?” Rye stuffed the gun away and plopped back onto the chair, switching camera views t
o another part of the facility.

“She
’s our friend, too.” Sarah sat down on a swivel chair next to him and started scanning the screens. Her long red hair was in a thick braid draping over her back. She was beautiful, and Rye knew she was April’s friend from high school. That little fact made him relax, happy to have some small part of April there with him.

“Blaze has no authority over us
,” Elijah said. “We choose our own paths. He’s heading back to his hive and said if we didn’t return within a day, he’d write us off.” He didn’t join them but walked to the glass wall that led into the corridor. Peering out to scan both ends, he secured the control room before he settled in next to Sarah.

“
Fair enough. I have to get her out of there. How could Christian betray her like that? I hate his guts, but isn’t he prohibited from putting her in danger? He’s supposedly bound to her in some sick way.” Rye’s face contorted at the thought of his competition. He’d noticed the way Christian stared at April. She also had some sort of emotional attachment to the enemy hive leader, which was an obstacle itself. She’d controlled the attachment by avoiding Christian in every way possible, a fact that made Rye very happy. Still, he was close to her now without any barriers between them. This sent Rye into a steaming rage, and he tapped his fingers impatiently on the console. It sickened him and made him even more desperate to find her now.

“I don
’t see any views of their cafeteria or any sort of prison-like cells to secure someone in. My guess is that the lack of cameras in those areas is intentional. I suggest the best course of action is to scope out any entrances and blueprints we can find and find another way in. Once we do, we’ll have to target these areas; it’s likely they’re holding her in one of them.”

Sarah hopped up and started ripping cabinets open for any blueprints of the place.

Rye watched her, impressed with her thoroughness. “Where’d you find this one?” He flicked his eyes toward Elijah, who shrugged and yawned.

“Came with the territory.”

“She’s hybrid, right?”

Elijah nodded. “There were twelve of us enslaved under the City of Vida
’s dictatorship. When April killed Katrina, we were freed. We owe her everything.”

Rye nodded and turned away from the burly human warrior.
He wasn’t sure what Elijah’s attachment to April was either, though he had no reason to feel threatened. He was pretty sure that Sarah had laid claim to the hybrid human leader already, but he wasn’t sure.

“Found them!” Sarah bounced back into the
room, spreading several rolled-up blueprints across one of the tables behind them. She smacked her gum, which she then twirled around her finger, stretching out the elastic substance before popping it back into her mouth. Rye gave her a tiny smile as he moved his gaze onto the papers under her hands.

“Where did you find them? I thought they
’d be in a more secure location.”

“I figured they
’d be in the most obvious place that they’d think we wouldn’t look.”

“Where
’s that?”

“Storage closet at the end of the hall.”

Rye wrinkled his nose but resumed orientating himself to the blueprints. It took a while to go through all of them, but as the three of them studied the papers, they came to a unified conclusion.

“No way that it
’s that easy.”

“No wonder they got past us.”

The bathroom at the end of the dorms was the hidden entrance. It was the only area left unmarked. It left a hole in the blueprints like someone didn’t really want to include it on the paper but had to so that the structure looked intact. The cavernous fortress was massive. It held huge living quarters with everything needed for survival, including water collection and filtration machines, livestock quarters, a massive greenhouse for food and herbs. It was a well-oiled machine and had been constructed over a period of years. The other hive had it good here, and it made Rye just a tad bit jealous that they had endured such harsh weather in the city to construct their makeshift bunker under the airport.

“Let
’s head here first.” Elijah pointed out the armory and was already heading out the door when Rye and Sarah moved to catch up.

“He doesn
’t waste any time, does he?” Rye asked.

Sarah giggled and almost skipped along next to him. Nothing ever seemed
to get her down. “Yeah, he’s pretty to the point. No bullshit.” She winked, making the blood rush to Rye’s face. She was pretty and so upbeat; he could see why April liked her. They were polar opposites in every way. Maybe April needed Sarah’s chirpiness to keep her head out of the murk she was constantly submerged in.

He hadn
’t really thought about what April had been like before the virus killed off most of the population and turned everyone else into blood drinkers. Had she been as happy and carefree as her friend here? It saddened him to realize how the world had left April−disillusioned and desolate. Her moods had become more unstable since her mother had died. She’d even left Jeremy in the City of Vida with his friends’ families instead of caring for him. How had she become so hopeless?

“Here it is.” They arrived at the bathroom and headed to the last stall. It looked the same as all the other toilets, but the wall on one side of it had to be hollow. Elijah spent the next few minutes touching it and pushing on the tiles to find the trigger to open it. Finally, he gave up and let Sarah have a go at it. After a few minutes, she had it swinging open after pulling the flusher handle up instead of down.

“That’s the stupidest lock I’ve ever seen.”

“You couldn
’t figure it out, could you?” Sarah rolled her eyes at Elijah, who shook his head as he frowned at the toilet.

“Come on. L
et’s get April back.”