The Holocaust Engine, page 43
He nodded, but she thought he didn’t really believe her, so she added, “We don’t have much time. I’ll come back for him later. We’ll figure something out.”
He pointed at the girl who sat alone in one of the holding pens. “Need,” was all he said.
She sighed and shook her head. “We can’t bring her. We have to move quickly, and she’ll just get in our way. All we need is each other.”
He stood firm by the door to the holding pen, and said, “Need!”—with more conviction this time.
She knew that look on his face; no one could argue with him when he got that look. One time he went four days without washing because he didn’t like the texture of his soap, of all things. She had to whittle off an inch and practically sand it to make it smooth enough for him.
She could drag him along by the ear, but they would get caught that way. He needed to move and move quickly, which would only happen on his terms.
“You know the alarm will ring when I open the door to the tunnel. All the Monks will know something is wrong!”
He folded his arms against his chest.
She sighed. “Do we need the other three or just this one?”
He shook his head. “Only the girl.”
“Okay, we’ll take her, but we have to go now!” She stomped her foot in frustration, retrieved two gas masks from the table, and checked to make sure they had a full two-week charge. That’s the maximum amount of time they would have together, as they could not risk being in contact with the Soulless girl unprotected.
The Red Death was easily transmitted through air, so just being near a Soulless would cause infection. Those contaminated died young, never lasting beyond the early twenties. If an older person encountered the disease, death came almost instantly. No known symptoms foretold the disease except what showed in the eyes. The children all knew the rhyme: ...eyes turn red, you’ll soon be dead.
Aaliss watched Wilky as she changed into her jumpsuit.
He held two beakers in his left hand and a dropper in his right. He squeezed fluid from each beaker into the steel door’s lock. Smoke spiraled upward and an acidic odor filled the room, as the metal fused together and melted the lock.
“Nice work, Wilky.” Fully dressed, she approached the holding pen with her key in hand, and looked back at her brother. “Are you sure we have to take her? This is crazy. She’s going to slow us down.”
“Need!” He grabbed his cloak and glared at her.
She regarded the girl again, whom she’d gathered two days earlier. The girl had been odd and constantly talked to herself in a language Aaliss did not understand, but she’d taken direction and seemed harmless.
Aaliss donned a gas mask and made sure Wilky had his on securely, and then she opened the glass door and waved for the girl to follow her.
The girl tentatively stepped forward.
Wilky gave the girl a cloak and a satchel, and motioned for her to follow him.
Aaliss unlocked the door to the tunnel into the Zone. Dread filled her as she peered back at the lab.
A large framed picture of Jacob hung by the door. Underneath the photograph was the Guardians’ sacred motto: The Soulless are Not Human. To Kill in Jacob’s Name is Just.
Red lights flashed.
An alarm blared.
She grabbed her supplies and turned to push them forward, but Wilky and the girl had already started to run—straight toward the Zone and the full moon.
—-End of Special Sneak Preview—-
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David Rike, The Holocaust Engine
