Duplication

Chapter 22

“You know what? I don’t think any of this matters anymore. Without him. I don’t care, whether the human race or the alien race lives.” Caitlyn shook her head, tears sliding down to her lips.

  She sank down next to Nathan’s body, and buried her head in between her knees, rocking back and fro violently, wails ripping out of her throat.

   Heather’s musical laughter sounded from the bed. “No amount of grieving will bring your boyfriend alive-“

   With the speed and accuracy of a super human and the vengeance of a human, Caitlyn jumped up to her feet, snatched Síla from Heather Foster, pinned her down onto the floor with her foot, and plunged the sword into her back.

   Lucy’s mouth hung open. “Kate-“

As soon as the sword sank in, a hollow metal thunk sounded from Heather Foster, who struggled no more.

  Caitlyn shoved her hand into the gaping hole on Heather Foster’s back.

At first, her hand swished in the air. Then, something cold touched the back of her hand, just as she was about to pull her hand out.

  She groped, a crease in her brows.

So you’re alive, kid?

Nathan responded with a thumbs-up.

With a grunt and a sigh, Caitlyn ripped off the key from the ceiling of the gaping hole. It was half the size of her index finger, a rusted gold color, reeking of copper and dirt, a simple key with its upper body shaped as a three-leaved clover.

 “We still need to locate the rocket before it’s too late.” Nathan got up gracefully, and wiped the blood from his stomach with a disgusted groan. “As soon as the key is placed into the keyhole, the launch will be deactivated.”

 “What did you just do? I’m sure what I witnessed was resurrection,” growled Benedict, while Lucy burst into hysterical sobs of relief.

 Nathan shrugged sheepishly. “Later. We have no time.”

“We need to locate the rocket,” reminded Travis.

Caitlyn glanced at the key, its case beeping red. She strained her ears, and closed her eyes for a better effect. Somewhere in the dome, a similar beeping sounded.

   She smiled grimly. “I don’t think so.”

I watched, half in amazement, and half in admiration, when Caitlyn nonchalantly handed me my bloodied sword, like my acting had not nearly broken her.

“Thanks,” I muttered, and swiped the blade nonchalantly on Hudson’s bed sheets before following Caitlyn, Benedict, Travis and Lucy out.

  Caitlyn held the beeping key in hand, her eyes sharp and focused, sweeping around the dome. For a few moments, she just stayed still, so still and quiet that I could not even pick up her breathings.

   Then, she cracked open her eyes. “The locket is located below. We dig. Now.”

Travis crouched on the marble ground, his fingers pressed against it. Benedict, Lucy and I mirrored his action, and so did Caitlyn.

  Travis let out a shaky breath. “On my count of three.”

  We all knew that anything could happen at any moment.

A bomb could’ve been hidden in the dome, and we could be blasted off into pieces before we could even take our next breaths. This could be a trap set by The Esquivel; perhaps there was a mine planted underground. Perhaps androids were hidden to attack us as soon as we had our backs on them.