Reception

Chapter 10 - Runaway

Sirens screamed as Sarah jogged her way down the hall, presumably to freedom. She watched as the hallway seemed to go on forever. It curved slightly and extended as she continued through it. She had expected a left turn or two to have raced up to her, but she found no such exit. The walls were the same white she had grown accustomed to in the room. Was it possible that Alice had lied to her?

"There she is! Grab her!"

Sarah turned only to gasp as she saw two large men exiting a nearby room on her right. They pointed, shouted into their TEDs momentarily, and began their pursuit. They were fast, very fast. Sarah began to pant as she increased her speed, willing oxygen and power to course through her legs. Even with all of her willpower and want, her energy was slowly decreasing. Fatigue began to choke her much like the pressure in her chest. Her body was screaming for air.

As Sarah ran further she noted various objects that hugged the walls. She stopped for a precious few seconds in front of a table to her right. With all her might she threw it onto its side. It acted like a natural road block, but she couldn't count on it to provide any long-term solution to the two brutes behind her. Sarah darted forward again, legs aching and screaming in pain.

She looked back to see if her plan had worked. The men veered around the table, only slightly slowed. She cursed in dismay. There was no exit in sight and her body was about to give out. She figured running and jogging for nearly a half an hour would do that to a person. While the running and jogging hadn't been non-stop during her initial stages of escape, it was definitely enough to tire her.

Sarah had barely finished the thought when, suddenly, she found herself on the floor, face-first, and in pain. She had bumped into a something or someone. She cursed as she brought her head up, trying to push and jumpstart herself. Her muscles gave out, causing her to smack her head back onto the floor. Constantly drawing ragged breaths she found herself slipping in and out of blurred vision. A pair of boots blocked her line of sight.

She closed her eyes. So much for Alice's plan.

*****

Sarah awoke to a distant voice. The siren hadn't left, but it was much more indistinct, almost echoed. She realized she was hoisted up by someone, their arms supporting her as she rested on them. She tried to physically struggle, wriggling and pushing against the support. She had to get out.

"Whoa now, take it easy," said the distance voice, shocked by her movement. Sarah couldn't tell if the voice was far or near. She couldn't even tell if it came from the person who was supporting her. "You took a nasty fall, there, Ms. Gram." The voice seemed like it was a whisper, which wasn't helping Sarah focus in on it. Her head swam with pain as she moaned.

"What happened?" she mumbled.

"You met the floor with your face. Not the best choice if you want a true, lasting relationship with it, but I'm not one to judge." There was a certain tone about the voice's response that told her that it was smiling, "Alice told me everything. I'm getting you out of here. The other guards think that I'm limping you on down to the infirmary. Just stay awake and stay silent."

Sarah tried to manage a nod. Her head pounded and she groaned again as she attempted the maneuver.

Bad idea.

"Wow, you act that out pretty well," said the voice. Sarah couldn't be sure, but she decided to peg the voice as male.

"It's because it isn't an act," Sarah half-snapped, half-mumbled.

"Yeah, you smacked yourself pretty good, there."

It was a few more minutes of hobbling before a door slid open quickly to their left. Sarah could hardly focus, her eyes trailing slowly over her surroundings. It was hard for her to take in all at once.

The door opened to the outside. The rush of wind both calmed her and aggravated her pain. It seemed like every synapse and nerve ending was on fire. The blinding light that contrasted the dark interior shot pain through her eyes.

"Okay, so, I'm going to lead you to your home, alright? I have a vehicle parked outside," came the voice again, reassuring her through the dark pain that had gripped her pounding head.

She mumbled her compliance and began her hobble to the instructions given.

Stay silent. Stay awake.

*****

Michael paced the room in swift strides, stopping only long enough to throw a word or two at Damien, "That they even offered that you join is simply ridiculous."

Damien nodded, understanding Michael's frustration, "I agree."

Michael stopped in front of Damien, eyes ablaze, "The more ridiculous thing, however, is that you're accepting their proposal."

Damien, after Alice had left, had researched long and hard through the government repository for articles concerning the massacre from over twenty years ago. While Damien was no expert, he did manage to find eye-witness accounts that simply didn't add up.

"You have to admit," began Damien, "that when one eye-witness claims that all of the forty-thousand were shot executioner-style, while another eye-witness claims that The Holos killed everyone by burning them alive, the real answer becomes-"

"-we didn't really see them die," echoed Michael, nodding in affirmation. "While I don't necessarily like your decision, Damien, I do agree, something isn't right about that massacre and the stories concerning The Holo Day." Michael stabbed his finger onto the table-TED and sifted through windows until he pulled up more articles concerning the matter. "Many of the police reports also conflict with each other. One group says that the majority of The Holos members surrendered without fight, while another group, of the same division, claims they faught long and hard for days trying to break through their ranks."

Damien put his fingers to his lips, thinking, "It just doesn't add up. It's like one is true while one is false. But which is which?" Michael trailed his emerald eyes to Damien. "That is what I have trouble figuring out. They both seem credible enough to form an opinion on, but not much else."

"Suppose that one was forged and one was, in fact, real, how do you think we should go about debunking them?"

A loud knock suddenly exploded to their right. Sarah's front door shook as the knocks continued. Both Damien and Michael looked at each other curiously.

"I didn't have anyone coming over," commented Michael.

"Neither did I."

Both cautiously walked towards the shaking door. Damien pushed a few buttons on the panel to the right of the door, activating the monitor. He groaned and rolled his eyes when he saw who was at the door.

Michael gave a mischievous grin and swung the door wide open, "Alice! So nice of you to drop by!"

"I got your mail," Alice replied in a sing-song voice, shaking her TED lightly in front of the two, "You agree to our terms?"

Damien shot his right hand to his face, gripping it tightly.