Ruby

Chapter 39

"Good. We need you," Mom says. Then she leads me further back into the facility. She stops in front of a seemingly plain wall. Her eyes dart back and forth, searching the wall. Suddenly, she whips her hand out and presses hard on the wall. The portion where her hand is sinks into itself. There's a soft click, and the entire wall melts into the floor. We step past where the wall once stood and into a hidden room. Once we're safely inside, a new wall drops silently, sliding into place.

I turn my gaze to the strange room. It's cluttered with old pieces of weaponry, protective equipment, and guns that haven't been fired in ages. The whole place is coated in a thin layer of dust, except for a small area in the corner. A desk stands there, covered in papers, patches of fabric, and what looks like kelvar. A jar full of small tools stands on the desk, along with a few spare parts.

"Mom? What are we doing in here?" I ask, looking around.

"This is where we've been working on a protective suit for you. I knew you would want to go out and fight, but we can't afford to lose you. You have the most information about Ruby that we have so far, besides maybe David, and this girl, if we get to her in time." She sighs quietly and reaches under the desk, pulling out a few boxes. "I was hoping that you wouldn't have to use this so soon, but..." She pulls a pair of boots out of the box, followed by protective leggings and a tight jacket. She hands the items to me, and they're surprisingly light and thin, especially for protective gear.

"We wanted to make it as light as possible. We made it so that it has plenty of movement, but is still tight and protecting you. It's built to withstand a small explosion."

I turn it over in my hands, admiring the sleek design. "Who made this? It's amazing," I wonder.

"It was mostly Chris. I helped a little bit with the design, but the technology is all his. It's quite amazing. Go try it on, I want to make sure it fits, " She says, opening the wall again and stepping out, leaving me some privacy. I change quickly, then let my mother back inside.

The suit fits tightly around me, just as planned. I swing my arms, and the black fabric stretches with my muscles. I turn, testing my range of motion.

The wall opens, and Chris comes in. He gives a satisfied smile when he sees me. "Do you like it?" he asks.

"Chris, it's amazing. I didn't know you could do this," I say.

"We all have our secrets," he replies, winking. "I have a few more things for you," he reaches into a drawer of his desk and pulls out a belt with throwing knives attached. "The belt and the knives are attached magnetically, so after you have thrown them, just press this button and they will come to you. Next, I have this pistol. It does just what it's supposed to do, but if you pull the trigger out, it becomes a grenade. Finally, I have this. It looks like a regular cell phone, but it's coded so that if it ever falls into the wrong hands, they get a good shock," he finishes, handing me the items and looking very pleased with himself.

"Thank you, Chris. You're amazing, " I say, strapping the belt on. There is a holster for the gun and the phone. Then I turn, open the wall, and hurry up into the main building. There, a group of people are waiting for me. Among them are Alec and Cinda. I search, but there is no sign of David. I am silently grateful. He can't afford another injury. I jog up to Cinda and Alec.

"Hey, there you are, " Cinda says. "You ready?"

I curl my fingers into fists. I can't decide if it's out of determination or nervousness. "Of course," I say, surprising myself.

"Good. Let's go!" She yells, loud enough for the entire group to hear. They all start moving at once, running towards the exit. I follow. Adrenaline courses through me, and I smile despite myself. It feels good to run.

Suddenly, I am yanked away from the group and twisted around. "Hey!" I hiss angrily. Then I realize who grabbed me. "David, what are you doing?!?"

"Where are you going?" He asks, still holding on to my arm.

"To rescue someone. Now, I really need to go!"

"I'm coming."

"No, you're not. I will not let you get hurt again," I say, desperately trying to keep him safe.

He opens his mouth as if he's going to object, but then it closes and he hugs me tightly. "Don't you dare let anything happen to you," He says quietly.

"I'll be careful. I promise, " I let him go, my fingertips brushing his. Then I slowly turn and run to catch up with the group. We file out of the door, and I take one last glance at David before the door slams shut.