The Project

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Zap

My back was now throbbing with pain. I'd been squished in this cabinet for five minutes now, each second getting more and more uncomfortable. Footsteps echoed in the almost empty bathroom, getting nearer and nearer to my hiding spot until they stopped. 

"Remember, Jason. Search. Everywhere." More footsteps padded out of the bathroom, leaving me with Mr. Brute.

The guard grunted in response and squatted beside my cabinet. Now where have I seen this before.. The guard opened the cabinet door and before he could call the others, I kicked him, making him stumble into a stall. 

He groaned and got up from his seat on the toilet. If I had my box I would have asked him if he was having a hard time in there. Wasted opportunity, such a shame. He opened the door and I kicked it back, making it slam into his head.

He stood up again, angrier this time, throwing the door open and barreling toward me at full speed. I jumped out of the way just in time for him to crash into the wall, some of the wall tile falling to the floor and shattering.

He held his bloodied forehead with one hand while the other one caught me by surprise, slamming me full force in the jaw and sending me to the floor. I rolled away from him just as his body slammed the floor where I once was.

See, this is why I wanted to finish school. I mean, just by looking at him my braincells are committing suicide. What a dumbass. His fist collides with my shoulder and I slump to the floor, cradling my arm in my hand. 

He stood over me with a smirk. This is it. This is the day I die. I squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for his fist to smash my face to pieces.. but it never comes. I heard a heavy thump and I opened one eyelid to see Mark standing above Mr. Brute's crumpled body with a crowbar. He holds his hand out to me and I take it.

He hauls me to my feet and I nod thankfully. He raised an eyebrow. "I leave you for two seconds and you've already made a friend. You're such an asshole magnet." I roll my eyes and he lets out a dry chuckle. "We should go." He looks down at my hand quizzically before nodding.

The whole time we walked I couldn't stop thinking about Dan and the others. They're my friends, yet I'm abandoning them and leaving this place with Mark, who I thought actually cared about them. -What am I saying? This isn't Mark. Not even close.

I stopped Mark with an arm. He looked at me and then back at my arm. I rolled my eyes and let my arm drop to my side. "We're leaving your friends." He raised both of his eyebrows at me and crossed his arms. "My friends? I thought they were our friends?" 

"Man, Doc. You're cold." He gave me a sideways smirk and kept walking before I could correct myself. I didn't mean his friends.. I meant our friends.. right? Mark stopped dead in his tracks and turned back to me, stone faced. "Be quiet and do as I say, understood?" 

I raised my hands to protest when he shook my shoulders. "Damnit, Doc! This isn't the time to rebel against me." He hissed, scrunching up his face. I hesitantly nodded and he held his hand out for me to stay.

I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wall, waiting for him to come back so we could leave. Unless he was dumping me off, who knows.

A few minutes later he came back, his face as white as a sheet. "What happened?" He shook his head and gave me a small smile. "N-Nothing. Let's just go." I narrowed my eyes at him, but followed. "What did you see?" He sighed, running a hand through his red hair.

"You're really persistent you know that?"

I shrugged. "Fine.. I was scoping out the perimeter and there's a bunch of guards up ahead." I had the feeling he was lying to me but I just nodded along. He'd tell me sooner or later, the truth will always come out. One way or another.

Everything went quiet again. Not really an uncomfortable quiet.. just a 'I fear that if I make a sound someone will hear me and blow my brains all over the wall' quiet. I looked over at Mark. I could practically see the cogs turning in his head, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. 

I've never seen him like this, then again.. this isn't Mark. He stopped suddenly, his ears perking up to attention. "Did you hear that?" I shook my head and narrowed my eyes at him. "Hear wha-" He held my hands still as if seeing them move would create the sound that my mouth wasn't making.

"That."

Footsteps echoed in the distant hallway. "I do believe that's our only way forw-" I could hear him groan and drop to his knees, holding his head in his hands. I crouched to his level and held a comforting hand on his back.

"Get back."

I complied this time and moved away from him. He sat there, making a pained noise every once in a while until he got up again, moving his hand against the wall to steady himself. "C-Come on, let's go." I hesitantly nodded and we continued further down toward the noise.

"Are you sure you're okay?" He laughed dryly and nodded, gripping his head in pain before turning a corner. About six people lined the hall, blocking our path to freedom. "Get ready for a fight, Doc." Shit.. this is not going to end well. I might as well dig my grave right now and ask Mark to fill in the hole.

Mark had a huge grin plastered on his face as he studied the guards weapons. I silently huffed in annoyance at their appearance. They looked like lipstick cases.. Damn it all to hell, not again. Those bitches hurt. 

Fuckin' tasers..