The creature that stepped through the door barely resembled a living thing. Its limbs were long, jointed wrong, like someone had tried to imitate a human shape and failed. Metal glinted between pale folds of skin, and its eyes—if they could be called eyes—glowed with a cold, artificial light.
Paige stumbled back as the thing scanned the room. I felt her grip on my arm tighten.
"Kara," she whispered, "don't move."
But the moment the creature's gaze settled on me, I knew staying still wouldn't save me.
A low hum rose from its chest—charging, preparing.
Its intent was clear.
I forced myself upright, every muscle protesting. My legs trembled, and for a second I nearly collapsed. Paige caught me, fighting to hold me steady.
"You're not ready to stand—"
"I don't have a choice," I rasped.
The creature lunged.
Paige grabbed a metal tray and hurled it with more desperation than accuracy. It clattered off the creature's shoulder, but it hesitated—long enough for her to yank me toward a narrow maintenance door on the far wall.
"Move!" she hissed.
My feet barely obeyed, but adrenaline shoved me forward. Behind us, the creature screeched—an awful, warping sound—and charged.
Paige slammed her palm against a hidden panel. The maintenance door jolted, hissed, and slid open. We slipped inside just as the creature's clawed hand slashed across the doorway, sparks erupting as it scraped metal.
Paige hit another button, and the door slammed shut.
For a moment, only our breathing filled the tight corridor.
Paige leaned against the wall, shaking. "They're not supposed to send those things into patient sectors. He must really want you."
"Who?" I managed, though the answer was obvious.
The bald man. The one who smirked while my blood turned into fire.
Paige swallowed hard. "His name is Luther And whatever he injected into you… it's reacting. They've been monitoring your vitals nonstop since you arrived. You're changing, Kara."
A cold spike of dread slid through me. "Changing into what?"
She looked away, refusing to answer.
Before I could press her, a metallic thud echoed through the vent-lined corridor. Another. Closer.
"They're trying to track your signal," Paige said, pushing off the wall. "We need to get out before they triangulate it."
"How?"
Paige reached into her boot and pulled out a thin access card, fingers trembling. "There's an emergency exit on sublevel three. If we get to the lift shafts, we might reach the outer tunnels."
"Might?"
"It's better odds than staying here."
She grabbed my hand and pulled me forward again. I could feel my strength returning—not fully, but enough to take a few real strides. Enough to realize something terrifying:
My heartbeat wasn't normal. It pulsed like it was syncing with… something. A low vibration thrummed beneath my skin, almost like the fluid they injected was alive.
We ran.
The hallway twisted in sharp, industrial angles, pipes hissing overhead. Lights flickered, alarms continued to pulse, and the air smelled like metal and sterilization. Paige swiped her card at another door—it opened to a narrow walkway suspended above a vast chamber.
Below us hundreds of pods lined the floor. All occupied.
My stomach dropped. "Paige… what is this place?"
"A collection site," she whispered. "They only bring in off-worlders. People who fall through rifts. They experiment… to see which species can survive Luther's serum."
My hands shook on the railing. "And the ones who don't survive?"
Paige didn't answer—but I saw bodies wheeled onto platforms far below.
A scream tore through the speakers, metallic and sharp.
"Unauthorized access detected on Level Six. Subjects are attempting escape. Engage pursuit protocol."
Paige cursed and pulled me along the walkway. We were almost at the other door when a deafening clang echoed from behind us.
The creature was back—climbing up the wall like an insect.
"Run!" Paige yelled.
We sprinted. The walkway shuddered as the creature leapt onto it, metal groaning under its weight. It slammed toward us, each step sounding like a hammer on steel.
Paige reached the door first, swiping her card. "Come on, come on—open!"
The lock clicked.
We stumbled inside and slammed it shut.
For a moment, we both collapsed against the wall, gasping for breath.
"Paige," I whispered, "why risk this? Why help me at all?"
She met my eyes, and for the first time her fear softened.
"Because I was brought here the same way," she said quietly. "And nobody helped me."
She stood, offering her hand. "Come on. We're not safe yet."