CHAPTER THIRTEEN

        Wiping the sweat from my brow, I propel myself forward. Leap over a few piles of debris. And dart around a couple lifeless corpses. Only to be stopped, dead in my tracks, by the massive metal slab standing before me.

        Baffled, I reach out with my hands as I huff and puff; searching the slab’s battered frame for the manual release valve. When I can’t find it, I start to lose my cool. Cursing beneath my breath, I fidget with my ear implant for a bit before whispering, “Tango One to Alpha Command. Come in Alpha Command. Do you read me?”

        “Yes, we read you, Tango One,” responds my Commanding Officer – General Wood – in his deep, booming voice. “We’re kind of busy over here, Private. What can we do for you?”

        “That, I’m not entirely sure of,” I say as something towards the center of the slab captures my attention. “What, exactly, did you say the objective of this mission was again?”

        “To successfully infiltrate Grav-Tech’s medical research facility, first and foremost; and to then locate Daniel Ross, or whatever may remain of him, and prepare for immediate evac. Why? What’s wrong? Has something happened?”

        “No, nothing’s wrong. Nothing’s happened, either. It’s just…, something seems off,” I say; hoping I don’t sound too weirded out as I move closer to the center of the slab, and run my hand along the outside of the very thing that captured my attention – a giant, human-sized rift.

        “What do you mean?” asks General Wood. “What’s going on out there? Are you sure nothing’s happened?”

        “Yes, I’m sure. Nothing’s happened, and nothing’s going on as far as I know. I just don’t think I’m as alone out here as you’d like me to think I am,” I say, shrugging my shoulders as I continue to run my hand along the outside of the rift; refusing to stop until I stumble across a liquid trail of neon blue. “A thermal sweep of the general area was performed before I was deployed, right?”

        “Of course!” says General Wood. “But I can always have another one performed around your exact location. All you have to do is send me your coordinates. Okay?”

        “Okay, great! I’ll send them over right now,” I say; lowering my arm long enough to do just that. “Can you confirm delivery?”

        “No, there seems to be a prob—” is all I get before the transmission feed is cut, and the hairs on the back of my neck start standing up. They’re coming – the infected – and fast, which means it’s time for me to go. The only question is where?

        Thankfully, my instincts decide to kick in right as the screeching starts back up again; and practically make the decision for me. I just wish I knew what was waiting for me on the other side of the metal slab before I found myself clambering halfway through the rift. And, then again, maybe not.