This World is Outrageous { BOOK 2 }

Chapter 8--Willow

Chapter 8

Willow

9:15 comes sooner than I expect it too.

I turned my earpiece off right at the end of a rather heated conversation with Bay. I know she isn't happy, but there's a reason three of us stayed behind while her and Casper went back home. They need eyes and ears within the facility in order to have safe passage back to the Pure State. Surely Bay couldn't be too upset knowing that I'm doing what I'm doing simply to protect her and Casper and get more information on what is to come further down the road.

My earpiece gives a long beep, telling me that connection has been lost. I keep the earwig in my ear so that it's ready to be turned on when the meeting is over. After the fiasco with the Jotunn coming to life without Calyx's control, she fled the room to get to the bottom of it. She told me she'd be back at 9:05 and would escort me to the meeting. I glance at the clock and see it's 8:55. I sigh and listen to Avery and Demetria talk to Bay and Casper without hearing the other side of the conversation.

"Right." Demetria comments as she brushes her caramel covered locks away from her eyes. "Avery and I will still be here to help however you need us too."

There's a pause in between the girls talking which I can only assume to be dialogue.

"I mean what's the worst that could happen?" Avery laughs under her breath.

There's more silence and without any warning, the girls both jump to their feet.

"Willow!" Demetria's voice is frantic.

"Shit. Shit, shit, shit. This isn't good." Avery shoots her green eyes my direction.

"What?" I stand as well, their panic making me panic.

"Boom. Big boom." Avery stutters.

"What the hell does that mean?" I demand.

Demetria and Avery rush over to the monitors, though it's a pointless effort because we don't have visual on the two of our friends.

"The connection has been lost." Avery breathes.

"It's just static." Demetria confirms.

"I haven't even left yet and everything's gone to hell in a hand basket." I curse under my breath, turning my earpiece on long enough to hear silence greet me.

"What do we do?" Demetria wails. She doesn't handle situations like these well at all.

"For now, we hope and pray that the silence is because the explosion messed with their earwigs. Let's assume that they're okay and the earpieces just have to sort themselves out."

It's advanced technology. Clearly any technology would be considered advanced in the year of 2117. The earpieces were composed of nanobots that repaired themselves when any damage was inflicted upon the device. I have a lot of free times on my hands and research whatever I can when I have the chance. Might as well learn some stuff while I'm stuck in a windowless facility such as this.

"And if the silence isn't because the earwigs are damaged?" Avery shoots me a nervous glance.

"We will cross that bridge when we get there." I swallow hard as I switch my earpiece off once again.

+++

Calyx doesn't bother to knock as she barges in. We all jump to our feet, expecting it to be another intruder. As soon as I realize who it is, I fall back into my chair. My arms flop around as I relax them, allowing them to flail. I do nothing but stare at her. So much is going on in my head right now that I can hardly comprehend what she's saying to me.