A Circuit of Time: Book Two of Spark (A MPHFPC Fanfiction)

Chapter Four

The Laboratory of Peculiar Souls was at the second floor.

He made his way up the stairs, walking as casually as possible. Emma's voice echoed in her head, "You will be surprised by how many places you can go if you act like you belong there."

The door to the Soul Lab required a assess card. Fortunately, someone was already inside. With Emma's philosophy in mind, John knocked the door.

The person hurried to the door and opened it.

"General wants us to relocate the unregistered ambrosia." John said.

The man peeked at a metal container in a corner. "I wasn't notified. Let me check it for a second." He said, then started towards a wired phone on a desk.

Before he could reach it, John pulled out his gun and smacked his head on the desk. He repeated it again and again until the person passed out.

John pushed the unconscious man aside and went to check on the container.

It was locked, but John found the key in the pocket of the man he just assaulted. Inside the container was some kind of cold liquid and a dozen vials of ambrosia, all of which labeled with the name of their owners.

All but one.

It wasn't the standard vial a lab would use to contain the peculiar essence, but the simple glass one John took from the ambro factory they raided.

Inside it, simmering under the room's electrical light, was Blanche's soul. A piece of who she was, trapped inside a glass bottle.

And now he had it. The first part of their plan had been going on smoothly so far.

Then, he heard someone clapping.

"Bravo, Mr. Hill. Who would have thought you are willing to go this far for that lady." John turned to see Noah Albiar, the military leader of this loop, the very person that always doubted their intention, stood by the door, watching him.

John summoned a ball of flames on his left palm. "Please don't try to stop me."

"Oh, I won't stop you." Albiar said. "You think anyone working here would be careless enough to leave a door open for you to sneak in? You think a truck just happened to enter this compound when you can't find a way in? I let you in, kid. And I want you to take that soul and leave. We don't need more junkies trying to break in here for some unlabeled ambrosia."

John stared at him in disbelief. How could this man, of all people, actually be helping them? Perhaps luck had decided to side with him tonight.

"Thank you, sir. We won't cause you more trouble after this." John said.

Albiar nodded and reached out to shake John's hand. When their hands touched, John felt something like an electric shock. But it didn't linger, so he didn't say anything.

After giving the general one last nod, John ran towards the exit as fast as fast could be.

No one tried to stop John on his way out. The gate was conveniently left open just wide enough for a person to past.

Perhaps Noah Albiar also asked his people not to stop him. Maybe they never would have to flee this loop.

Now all he had to do was deliver this vial to Blanche.

He's silhouette disappeared into the mist that lingered around the base.

*

Something was glowing blue at the park.

Just deliver the vial. John told himself.

He ran towards the memorials. Then a gunshot rang out from behind the stones, followed by shouting and another shot, then more shouting.

John hurried to the pool and saw two vehicles parked by the memorials. Two black vans with nightshade flower symbols consisted of dark purple and gold on their side.

Nightshade Resistance. Albiar's people were here.

He wasn't sure whether to feel worried or relaxed.

Albiar helped him. Maybe his people were here to help them.

But why did he hear gunshots?

He darted through the knee-high grass.

Just deliver this vial.

He ran past Miss Peregrine's memorial.

Past someone waiting behind the monument.

The ambusher swung a fist at his stomach, knocking the air out of him.

More people showed up out of nowhere to held him down and dragged him to the fountain.

Then he saw her. Standing inside the fountain, pistol in one hand, screaming at the soldiers not to come any closer.

A soldier took the vial from John.

"Stop!" John shouted, "Mr. Albiar agreed to let me take it! There must be some mistake!"

"You heard him!" Blanche said, "Let him go and give me the vial!"

"Believe me, I had talked to Mr. Albiar about this." John pleaded.

"Yes, we did." Noah Albiar emerged from behind his men and took the vial from the soldier next to John. "And you led me right where I wanted to go."

John stared at him in rage. "Liar!"

"You are too trusting." He raised the vial to his eyes, scrutinizing its silvery black substance, "I admire your resolve, but you should have been more vigilante when doing something that will make everyone your enemy."

A shot rang out and bullet flew over his head. "Let go of him or it will be your head next." Blanche threatened.

"If she fires another shot, kill the boy." Noah said without looking at her. "Anyways, John, you should have realized something was wrong when everything was just perfect for you to steal the vial. Trusting every coincidence to be just a coincidence is, in my humble opinion, one of the most dangerous things to do in a war."

"But how do you know Blanche is here?" John asked.

"About that, remember the shake? It's my peculiarity to peek into the mind of people I come into physical contact with." Albiar smiled casually. "Now I have evidence of you breaking into a restricted area and stealing ambrosia. That will put you two away for a long time, I'm sure."

"But what do you think that will achieve? Locking us away won't benefit your war." John questioned.

"First, it will settle the problem of your loyalty once and for all. Second, it can also give me a reason to destroy that vial, and this time Francesca won't say no. Third—"

While he was talking, John heated his hand. His guard instinctively flinched and let go of him. Before Noah Albiar could tell them his third point, John slapped a ball of flame on his suite and grabbed the vial from his hand.

Albiar took off his suite and slammed it on the ground, trying to extinguish the fire while yelling at the soldiers to seize John.

Before anyone could bring him down, John hurled the vial towards the fountain.

Five soldiers rushed forward and pushed him to the ground. Blanche screamed in horror as the vial flew through the air in a perfect curve and smashed on the stone outlet of the fountain.

The ambrosia dripped down.

One single drop of the black liquid fell all the way down and touched the surface of the glowing water. Then, as if dragged by an invisible force, the rest of the ambrosia fell into the fountain with an unnatural speed.

A column of bright blue light shot towards the sky. The water hissed and churned violently. White mist rose up and surrounded the girl inside it.

"Fire!" Albiar shouted. "Don't let her take the ambro!"

Gunshots followed, but the bullets bounced off the mist. John could hear the splash they made as they fell into water.

But they kept shooting, until Albiar ordered. "Enough. Hold your fire."

The mist slowly cleared, and Blanche emerged from it, face full of fear.

Seeing Albiar had his soldiers' guns pointed at John's head, Blanche dropped her pistol and raised her hands to surrender.