Mission 615

Chapter 10

I find hunter in the corridor outside. He leans against a metal railing that separates the hall from a wall of glass. I rest my hands on the railing, staring out over the city below. Brilliant structures made of glass and metal shoot up into the sky like nothing I've seen on Earth. I glance down at a path that leads along the side of the building. Dozens of people make their way through the small streets, most dressed in the white coats that I'd seen Willa and Freya wearing.

"What's with all the white coats?" I ask.

Hunter laughs lightly, a sound that strikes me as unusual coming from his usually serious demeanor.

"I said the same thing."

"Is that what this is all about?" I gesture to his black garb.

"Partially," Hunter answers. He starts walking down the hall, his combat boots thudding against the glossy concrete floors. I jog a few steps to catch up to him.

"What do you mean partially?" I ask.

"To a limited extent."

My step falters for a moment.

"Did you just give me the definition for partially?" I ask, through a laugh.

"Yep," Hunter says. We come to a set of glass doors to what I guess to be an elevator shaft. Hunter swipes his name tag and moments later the elevator car appears in front of us.

I step into the small chamber behind Hunter and stare back down the hallway as the glass closes.

"You really do think I'm an idiot, don't you?" I ask.

"Do you actually want me to answer that?"

"That is what most people as questions for," I smart back.

"Yes."  

My eyes widen as I stare straight ahead.

"What's your problem?" I ask.

Hunter grins.

"You aren't particularly dull, no. You just don't ask the right questions."

The doors open and Hunter leads me through another short hallway, towards a pair of double doors.

"Maybe, it's because you don't give me any answers."

"Well I'm not just going to give out information. It's the only currency around here," Hunter shrugs, pushing the doors open. The two of us are quickly swept into the throng of people. Hunter walks quickly, the women around us all parting to let him through. I trot beside him, annoyed that he's so intent on forcing me to make an effort to stay with him.

Him.

For some reason that word sticks in my thoughts and that's when I realize why. All around us, the only people with us are women.

I mentally smack myself for not realizing it sooner. I guess that's what happens when you're only with one person for years on end, even if we were just asleep in a capsule.

The longer I walk with Hunter, the more I feel my muscles tense up. At first, I guess that it might be because of whatever serum Hunter knocked me out with but back in the hospital, I had felt strangely normal. Besides, Hunter didn't seem worried. In fact, he hasn't even looked down at me since we left the hospital. He keeps his chin up as we walk through the crowds. I tug on his sleeve.

"Can we stop a second?" I ask.

"No, it's just a little further," Hunter answers, still not even glancing over to me.

"What is?"

"The Tower."

I stop walking. "No."