"T-testing...Section..." the creature murmurs wheezily.
"Where?!?" I ask in a seething tone. The guard weakly raises its toned arm, motioning to the end of the hall, opposite from where I had entered.
"You... cannot save the woman..." it says, a fleck of fire shining momentarily inside of its opaque eyes. With a snarl, I rise.
"You underestimate the power of a determined fiance."
I squeeze the trigger, letting the weapon fire. The alien's chest bursts in a spray of black fluid. Its body spasms for a moment, then goes still. I turn away.
Pandemonium abounds in the hall outside of the cell as I step into the hall. The humans shout for joy as they're released one by one from their bondages. The alarms continue to blare all around us. I slide the gun into the back of my trousers, hiding it underneath the folds of my shirt. Slipping into the crowd, I dart easily among the escaped prisoners, heading towards the far end of the corridor.
Gunshots suddenly erupt from the other side of the prisoner's alley. Screams of pain and terror follow. I bound past the final row of cells, leaping into the narrow hall beyond. There's a door, to my relief, and I hastily slide it shut. There's no telling how long it will hold. I hurry onward.
I flinch at each gunshot, although they begin to grow quieter as I traverse down the hall. I shove the haunting noises to the back of my mind, pulling the thought of her to the front. She was my mission; the only thing that mattered.
I approach a crossroads, in which the hall divides into two. I pause, glancing down each one. They're identical, leading further into the maze before winding out of sight far ahead.
"Well, this is just great," I mutter to no one in particular, planting my hands on my hips in agitation.
Down the left alley, a door suddenly glides open, and three of the creatures march into the corridor. They immediately catch sight of me. Dawning their weapons, they rush towards me with fierce, indecipherable cries.
I bolt into action without a second thought, and instantly dart down the hallway to the right. My legs tear across the strangely smooth floor at a frantic pace as footsteps follow close behind. My heart pounds, and I struggle for breath. Even the thick, desert air of Iraq hadn't torn through my lungs like this. A bang echoes against the walls, and an onslaught of wind stings the side of my face as the creatures fire their foreign weapons.
My pace begins to drag, then I reach behind me to grab the pistol tucked underneath my shirt. I suddenly swerve to the left down a narrow side hall, taking a moment to catch my breath, then whirl back around the corner, gun blazing. I fell one of the creatures right away; it crumples to the floor in a bloody convulsion. The other two leap to the side of the hall, dodging my attempts. One of them discharges their weapon.
I step away, but a moment too late. A searing pain shoots through my left arm as the bullet, of sorts, hits just above the elbow. I scream, doubling over in pain as I stagger back to my hideout, just out of the line of fire. Glancing down, I spot blood and burnt flesh beneath the gaping hole in my sleeve. I grit my teeth against the pain, then grip the gun with a renewed sense of determination.
I sneak back to the edge, waiting. Footfalls reverberate against the halls, slow and cautious. Closer. Closer still.
Then, I spring from the corner once again. Spinning, I thrust the butt end of the gun against the nearest creature's head. As it stumbles backward, moaning from the surprise attack, I launch a hefty kick into the other soldier's abdomen, followed with a sizzling bullet to its over-sized brow. I smirk in satisfaction, but my elation is short-lived.
The first creature charges towards me, barreling into my side. The brute force of the blow sends me sprawling to the floor. I find myself on my back as the creature leaps onto me with a vicious hiss escaping from its thin lips. Its thick hands wrap around my throat, and I struggle to gain breath as the lights from above swim before my eyes.
"There is no escape," the soldier murmurs in a breathless voice. "You, your people, and your planet belong to us." I gasp for air, squirming hopelessly against the creature's hold. My hands reach for the weapon; for anything. As the lights begin to dim, and my shifting thoughts meld into a sea of nothingness, a thought flashes through my battered mind.
Her.
My fingers suddenly come into contact with something familiar. They tighten around the handle of the weapon. I tense, then swiftly pull the gun to my chest, firing it directly into the abdomen of the creature above me.
Blood drips onto my face. Its hands loosen, its eyes bulging in shock and pain.
"That's a nice speech," I spit at the soldier, "But I didn't take down the Taliban to let a bunch of ugly E.T.'s take their place." It gurgles, unable to conjure a response, then falls to the side. After a moment, it too, lies still.
My chest heaves as air is restored to my lungs. I scramble to my feet, grasping the gun with a trembling hand. More alarms resound nearby. Panic settles temporarily within the pit of my stomach. I gaze over the creature, and spot one of the thin, silver bands attached to its wrist, blinking and flashing with a strange series of lights. It's the only item the creature wears beside the sling for its weapon. I detach the bracelet, tucking it into my pocket. I spare the soldier one last glare.
"You guys stole the wrong woman," I cajole with a haughty smirk.
I continue the race down the corridor, keeping a wary eye on every door and side hall. The signs posted along the walls are useless to me, written in a language composed of odd, foreign symbols. Confusion swirls inside of my head. No amount of training in the Army could have prepared me for this.
At last, I reach the end of the hall, where a set of thick double doors rests. I slide my fingers into the groove, my wounded arm shaking in pain as I attempt to pry the door apart. Beside the door is simply a keypad, identical to the one at the cell. I slide the armband into the indentation. With a whir and a click, the door swings open.
Before I can even blink, I'm facing another, long dark hall. There are rooms branching off of the main corridor, with a thin veil over each doorway. Adrenaline surges through my veins. I sprint down the hall, storming through the doorways into each room, one by one. Most are empty, but seem to be prepped for some sort of treatment, or test of sorts. Uncomfortable-looking beds, with all sorts of wires and monitors attached.
"What in the..." I say underneath my breath as I take it all in. There's a sharp pang in my chest as I think of Her strapped to one of these devices.
As I enter the sixth room, at last, I encounter one of the creatures. It hovers over the bed, which is inhabited by an unconscious human. The human, however, is not Her. Nevertheless, I point my weapon towards the creature. It raises its hand reluctantly. This one bears no weapon, and appears to be some kind of doctor or physician.
Swallowing the sudden lump in my throat, I take the photograph and hold it up to the creature.
"Where... where is she?" I ask in a tremulous tone, glancing sideways at the unmoved human in the bed beside of me. The creature's eyes narrow, but it motions to the door. I jerk my head, and it moves obediently out into the hall. I keep the weapon trained on its back as it leads me to a room further down the hall. I send the creature to the floor with a quick blow to the skull, then rush inside. My breath immediately catches in my throat.
There she is, lying on the bed. Her eyes are closed, her flaxen hair splayed all around her. The red dress she loves so much is torn and shredded around her frail, motionless body. Tears prick the edge of my eyes as I approach, and a swell of emotions rises inside of my chest.
There are all sorts of wires and gadgets plugged into her head. I simple stare for a moment, horrified. Her body suddenly shudders, and her lips part as she mutters softly to herself. I lean towards her in concern, struggling to make out the words. At last, they register within my mind. A shiver runs down my spine.
"Don't run."
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