Page 95 of Stray Omega

CHAPTER 35: ORWEN

In the upper levels of the headquarters for the Department of Defense Research, there was an empty corridor. Overhead, fluorescent lights buzzed quietly, filling the space with an almost painful brilliance, illuminating the pristine linoleum-tiled floor and the walls lined with panels made of brushed stainless steel. Every dozen yards or so the walls were inset with deep alcoves and electronically locked metal doors. There were no decorations, no plants, and most importantly, no people anywhere to be seen.

If anyone had been around, however, they would have been witness to a most unusual sight.

From a smaller transverse passage that intersected the main corridor, a furry shape protruded, peeking around the corner with cautious, intelligent eyes. It was an enormous, wolfish canine with gray fur and pointed ears standing at attention atop its head.

The creature looked both ways, tested the air with its twitching black nose, then proceeded into the corridor on silent paws, head held low like a predator stalking its prey.

A most unusual sight indeed.

After the dog had padded several meters down the corridor, a second figure appeared. An alpha. He looked like a man, more or less. But his frame was enormous, and his jeans and sweater barely fit over the muscles that bulged underneath. His ears and flared nostrils were decorated with steel rings that only added to his frightening appearance.

Orwen and Smoke moved down the corridor in silence. So far, they’d had little trouble making their way through the building. Once or twice they’d been forced to duck down a hallway or into an empty closet to avoid detection, but that was all.

It was easy. Too easy. And that made Orwen uncomfortable.

Sure, the Outsiders were foolish and lacked perception, but this was insane.

And it wasn’t just the lack of attention that made the alpha uneasy. During their journey toward the upper levels of the building, they had come to a few locked mechanical doors. Every time, the doors had opened automatically.

The incident with the crane obviously had not been just a fluke. It was as if the building itself was helping them.

And that was very troubling.

Still, Orwen had no choice but to press onward, following Smoke’s lead. They had to find Embla and the other two alphas. They had to.

A sound came from behind them in the corridor, the sound of multiple voices and the tread of feet.

Orwen looked around.

He was not afraid of a confrontation, but right now stealth seemed like the best option. There was a deep alcove nearby, so he quickly ducked inside and Smoke followed suit.

The alpha and the dog pressed back into the shadows of the alcove, all but disappearing.

The footsteps got closer, and after a few more seconds, a cadre of armored guard marched past, boots ringing on the hard floor, heavy rifles clutched in their gloved hands.

Orwen held his breath.

The guards passed by without stopping or turning toward the alcove where Orwen and Smoke were hiding. The alpha let out a quiet sigh of relief as he listened to the footsteps receding down into the distance.

He was just about to step out into the corridor when his ears detected one more pair of feet drawing near.

Bare feet. That was strange.

And a weird scent as well. One that Orwen had not smelled in a very long time.

It was a beta.

Pressing back into the shadows, Orwen watched as a scrawny, naked beta shuffled down the brightly lit corridor. The creature’s skin was pale, almost gray, and webbed with nasty black arteries. The back of its head was sprouting wires and circuitry and odd metal boxes. It was carrying a pair of rifles, one in each hand.

What the hell?

Suddenly, the beta froze in its tracks, and Orwen’s pulse ticked up a few notches. Slowly, the beta turned toward the shadows of the hiding place, its lifeless eyes looking straight at the alpha. For some reason, Smoke was remaining oddly calm. Orwen, on the other hand, was just about to attack, when the beta spoke in a surprisingly familiar voice.

“Greetings, Orwen. We meet again.”

The alpha’s jaw dropped open in total and utter shock. Not only could this beta talk—something Orwen had thought was impossible—but it had addressed him by his name. It took him several seconds before he registered where he’d heard that voice before.

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