Page 7 of Rok's Captive
“Jus,” she slurs, “something’s wrong.”
The bus shudders violently. Through the fog filling my brain, I hear mechanical sounds—clicks and whirs and the hiss of what sounds like hydraulics.
“Transit anomaly detected,” a new voice announces over the speakers. “Initiating emergency protocols.”
The driver stands up—which shouldn’t be possible with the bus still moving—and turns to face us. In the greenish mist, his eyes seem to glow with an inner light.
“Prepare for emergency suspension,” he says, his voice resonating strangely through my earbud, which means he’s probably not speaking fucking English anymore.
“What’s…happening?” I manage to ask, my tongue feeling thick in my mouth.
“Sleep,” he replies simply. “For your protection.”
The mist grows thicker. My eyelids grow heavier. Jacqui’s head falls onto my shoulder, her breathing slowing.
The last thing I hear before consciousness slips away is the driver’s voice, oddly gentle.
“The journey will be longer than anticipated. But you will survive.”
“Transit to orbital station commencing,” says another voice over the speakers. “Estimated arrival: ten Earth hours.”
Orbital what now?
Oh shit.
We should have read the fine print more carefully.
We’re not going to a facility in Arizona.
We’re leaving Earth.
Chapter2
THIS WAS NOT IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION
JUSTINE
It’s cold. That’s the first thing I notice as soon as I come to. That means I’m not in my apartment and certainly nowhere in the city.
“What…” I groan as I lift my head, still a bit groggy. “What happened?”
Still on the bus, I’m slumped forward in my seat. Maybe it’s what wakes me up. Pushes me to sit up too quickly. My head pounds and I sway, my shoulder hitting the side of the bus that’s now so cold it feels like ice. “Jacqui?”
I turn to see my sister still in her seat beside me, her head thrown back against the headrest and her mouth open.
Panic surges in my veins as I reach for her. “Jacqui?! Jacqui, wake up! Jaqs?!” I touch her face and she winces slightly. But the relief I feel that she’s still alive is quickly overpowered by rising fear.
There is groaning as more of the people regain consciousness and as my vision clears some more, I notice that so is the air, like a thick fog is lifting from around us.
The bus driver. The gas. My gaze shoots to where he’s supposed to be, only to find the driver’s seat empty.
“EMERGENCY PROTOCOL ENGAGED. WAKING ALL SUBJECTS FROM CRYOSLEEP.”
Emergency protocol? Cryosleep? What? Jacqui groans again and my head pounds as I try to look around. Am I dreaming? The bus windows are all blocked out with gray metal. I can’t see outside, not even through the windscreen, and the bus driver, whatever he is, is gone.
“PAYLOAD COMPROMISED.”
Payload? What payload? My mind races as I try to piece everything together. It suddenly feels like nothing’s making sense. I swallow hard, saliva soothing a very dry throat.
