Page 89 of Tyton: The Spider and the Dragonfly
Talia duck walked down the first hallway, creating a viewing port with her PalmInter near the closest door.Empty.
The second blocked her view with lab supplies.
The third, a room of sleeping acolytes.Too many to fight or disable.They would be a problem if an alarm tripped.
Talia stole on, growing increasingly frustrated.
The fourth housed a reproduction chamber.She shuddered and then hid it with a seething rage.She hated how much this place got to her – how much of her childhood still kept a hold on her body.
A lone woman waited, seated at a vanity brushing her hair, bathed in candlelight, but thankfully, facing away from the door.This would have to do.
“Prison.”A knife appeared at the woman’s throat.Her breath hitched.Talia spoke low against her ear.“I won’t hurt you if you show me where the prison is.”
The woman hesitated.Talia tugged her hair.“I used to be one of you,” she whispered.“They can’t touch me and I promise they won’t touch you either.”
The woman nodded as much as she was able.The knife withdrew.
“What’s your name?”
“Jessie.”The whites of her eyes shone in terror.
“I’m right behind you, Jessie.Walk to where the prison is.”
The last loop of rope fell away.Elena turned to warn the others just as the lights died.Callie took her chance.She sprang forward, wrapping the nylon cord around Elena’s neck.
She thought of how neither Sesi nor Talia had that mental block preventing them from taking another life.And here she was, killing with nothing but a rope.Raw.Visceral.Like something infernal buried under her skin had leapt forth, a true nature, innate and primal.Dark.
But whatever happened, whatever consequence, Callie refused to let anything happen to Talia.At this moment, she refused to restrain her mother bear.Like it or not, Callie was a killer.She would make peace with that later.
Elena kicked against the door, throwing them both backward.The machete clattered against the ground and Elena rolled away.Callie grabbed for the machete, but Elena beat her to it.She swung.Callie dodged and the machete chipped the Hexaline.
Callie punched at Elena’s knee.It caused only a momentary imbalance, but it was enough and Callie had the rope around her neck again.Elena flailed the machete behind her.
Callie winced, the long blade hacking at her arms.Her muscles began to slacken from her injuries when the door opened.A girl she had never seen before screamed.Elena gasped and the machete clattered against the floor.
Like a rose, a knife appeared to sprout from Elena’s chest.Callie fell to her knees, Elena’s head on her lap and Talia’s arms around them both.Prayers of forgiveness dropped from Talia’s lips, but Elena received none of them.
Callie met the girl’s eyes wide and frozen in horror.Sesi’s hand appeared on her shoulder.The girl flinched but her eyes remained locked on the scene in front of her.
Sesi turned her by the shoulders to face her.“Walk to the end of this hall.Sparx will take care of you until you decide what to do.”
The girl froze, but Sesi held her until she gave a small nod and walked tentatively away.Sesi joined Callie and Talia in their embrace.
“C’mon Freckles, let’s get you cleaned up.”
“But...”Callie reached for Talia, her arm covered in ugly gashes.
“This is the best thing you can do for her right now.”
Queen of Cups
January 15 2268
C
allie awoke on the same massive bed she had only a day ago.Sesi held her hand.Bandages covered her arms.She had never seen so many.
“Those are gonna look so cool,” Sesi joked.“Unless you want to go to a DocPod.”
