The Transcended: They call him Lucius

Part 1: Memories ~ Chapter 3

Amy was on her hands and feet, gasping for air between the spasms of her stomach. It's worse than we thought—he's beyond insane!

She got up too fast and went down seeing black stars dance in front of her. Slower now, she rose again. With some trouble, she managed to stand in front of the hellish machine. The trapped woman was still wailing softly.

There must be a way to shut it down! She looked closer at the machine. This undercover operation ends now.

As she examined the outside of the construct, she retrieved her earpiece and turned the volume back on. As clearly as her trembling voice would allow, she stated, "I need people in here now. Call an ambulance, too. I have a seriously injured woman."

She waited for a response, but the line remained silent.

"Hello? Tom? Anyone?"

She took the earpiece out to examine it. The door behind her slammed shut, startling her. She dropped the piece, ducked, rolled back, and grabbed her gun. Aiming it at the door, heart pounding in her throat, she realised she was still alone.

Was it the wind or did Lucius hear me?

She swallowed, the taste of bile still heavy in her mouth. She rose and sprinted to the door, but it was locked.

Shit, maybe he used a secret passage! She tried to force it open, but it wouldn't budge. Fuck, fuck, fuck! How could I be this stupid? She cursed herself as she looked around the room for another exit—only the door Lucius had gone through seemed to be an option.

The earpiece lay on the ground and she huffed, realising the surrounding metal and concrete were probably blocking the signal.

Fifteen minutes was all I was given. How much time has passed? Just ... try to remain calm. Backup's coming. You got your gun; if Lucius returns, you can handle him.

She went back to the trapped woman, her cries barely audible now.

I might be able to wait for backup, but she needs a doctor NOW.

Refusing to put her weapon away, she kept it firmly in her hand while she searched for a way to turn off the blades endlessly shredding away at the woman. The smell of blood triggered a new wave of nausea, but she managed to keep the rising bile from escaping her mouth.

Squinting, she noticed something shiny behind the victim. It was near the back, to the side—a safe distance away from the grinder. Thinking it was the switch she was so desperately searching for, she reached for it. Just as her fingers almost touched it, it went away. Her heart skipped a beat, but when a firm hand grabbed hers, it almost stopped for good.

"Did you really think you had me fooled, Amy?"

Shock delayed her action for just a second. She raised her gun while she searched for a spot to aim it at—she had to ensure she would hit Lucius and not the woman.

Lucius yanked her arm roughly, causing her to hit her head on the metal frame. Her knees gave way and she collapsed, but Lucius still held her wrist tightly.

The machine came to a halt. There was a muffled shot and the woman went silent. Amy's eyes widened as she realised what had just happened.

"I must say, I never expected you to actually eat the meat I gave you. Remember little Timmy? It was a piece of him that you so willingly ate."

She felt lightheaded. Oh God, you sick fuck! She tried to regain her focus and lifted the gun again. With the woman being dead, she only had to ensure she wouldn't shoot her own arm in the dark.