7 Days A Skeptic: The (Un)Official Novelization (Chzo Mythos #2)

Tuesday

       "Lieutenant..." Angela growled.

       "Look, it's fine Angela. I'll do it."

       "As you wish, Doctor, but please..." 

       I looked at her questioningly.

       "...be careful." Angela sighed, storming out.

       "I'll get back to the bridge, then," Serena said, leaving lightly. 

       I sighed, not wishing to be more involved. So I left Adam in the meeting room and headed to the engine deck. I went back to the airlock, putting on the suit and getting annoyed by the entire crew. I exited the ship and made my way up to the radio masts. But it was wrong.

       "Dr. Somerset, do you read me? Do you require any assistance with removing the blockage?"

       "Uh...It seems not...Serena, can you withdraw the masts for a second?"

       "Certainly."

       "Serena, the Captain's body isn't here anymore."

       "What?!"

       "The Captain's body is gone, Serena."

       "It must have gotten jarred off, or something..."

       "When the ship's at a standstill? Anyway, we'll worry about it later. Send the distress signal."

       "It'll take a few minutes for-"

       Clonk

       Thump

       "Serena? Serena?! Serena, come in, please!" 

        I headed in as fast as I could. "Oh hell..." I said aloud. But I stopped on my way down the ladder. If I could find Barry's body, maybe I could find some clue...So I took the ladder to the lower exterior of the ship. 

       There was no body, to my dismay, but as I turned to leave, I saw something flicking around on the bottom, stuck to a hook. It looked like a card of some kind. I carefully unhooked myself from the safety rail, stepping lightly to not launch myself into space. Kneeling on the ledge, I threw the clip down and hooked it first try. Smirking in self-satisfaction, I made my way back to the clip and re-clipped myself. The card was for the Captain's quarters. It had to have fallen from Barry's pocket when his body got jarred off. I pocketed it and headed inside to find Serena. In the airlock, I struggled out of the EVA suit and jogged to the elevator. Once it arrived, I pressed the button for the ops deck, and I began to sweat. I took out my Xanax. Three 3mg pills at once, swallowing hard. I breathed slowly. I gripped the handlebar in the elevator, trying to ground myself. 

       I blinked. 

       The world was black. 

       I blinked again, and it was back. 

       I shook my head and I was in front of the door.      

       "Doctor Somerset." Angela looked at me, daggers in her eyes. Serena's chair was knocked over. "Have you seen Serena?"

       "I was just about to ask you that. I was talking to her over the communicator, then she just cut off abruptly."

       Her eyes were panicked. "The distress signal hasn't been sent yet...and only she and the Captain knew the communication code." She bit her thumb, obviously nervous.

       "Angela-"

       "I haven't been able to find the Captain's codebook, help me search for it, Doctor."