Free Awake by Egan Yip

sign.
    Andrew tapped on the window. “There’s
something there.”
    “Another person?” Kevin’s eyes started to
shine.
    “No…I’m not sure.”
    Kevin pursed his lips. “Might as well check
it out.”
    He stopped the car and everyone got out.
Genesis rushed to the stop sign, finding a Chihuahua lying on its
side. He looked across the street. Several dogs and cats were
sprawled along the asphalt and concrete. Concerned, Genesis nudged
the small dog with his nose.
    The Chihuahua glanced at Genesis.
“Agent…Genesis…”
    “What happened here?” Genesis demanded.
    “Ambush…snakes…a whole bunch snuck
behind…”
    “More snakes?” Genesis examined the dog’s
pitiful state. “Are you hurt?”
    “I’m not sure…I can’t feel anything
anymore…” the dog rasped.
    “You’ll be okay,” Genesis assured him. “I’ll
call for help.”
    The Chihuahua looked Genesis in the eye and
wheezed, “I think…they know about your plan. Be careful…they might
be looking to stop you.”
    Watching the scene, Kevin chewed his lip.
“How could they do such a terrible thing?”
    Genesis looked up at Kevin. “I didn’t think
they’d be this desperate. They’re mobilizing. An attack like this
shows they are prepared to fight.” Genesis paused. “The situation
has changed. At first I thought we’d just go and find a cure with
your help. But now it seems that if you continue to help us, your
lives will be in danger.”
    Kevin mused. “As if our lives weren’t
already in danger.” He walked back to the car and waved his hand.
“Come on, everyone. This just means we have to hurry.”
    Their destination wasn’t much farther along
the road. Kevin parked the car in an abandoned lot. The only thing
in the parking lot was a rusted tractor-trailer. There wasn’t even
a building in sight.
    Kevin looked out the window. “Is this really
the place?”
    Andrew double-checked the GPS. “This is 1219
Hollowbard Road.” He glanced at the woods and then the truck.
“Well, it is a secret lab. And it’s supposed to be underground
too.”
    They left the car and began scouring the
area for clues. Katie stayed in the backseat and left the door
open. She stifled a yawn and watched as the others searched
around.
    Finding the tractor-trailer suspicious,
Kevin inspected it right away. The vehicle had been gutted out.
There was nothing left under the engine hood and it had been
stripped of all its tires. He unlatched and opened the back door of
the trailer. The inside was empty.
    Kevin sighed and turned away, preparing to
close the door, but before he did, Genesis hopped onto the trailer
and began sniffing around.
    Kevin watched the dog explore with his nose.
“You think there’s something here?”
    Genesis wandered back and forth. He stopped
at the very front of the trailer and glanced at Kevin. “A human
scent is right here.”
    Kevin climbed into empty trailer. Then Kevin
crouched down, brushing away the dirt on the floor. He noticed a
slight crack on the ground and a crowbar on the side. He jammed the
crowbar into the crack and yanked it. Snap . He managed to
pry open a hidden panel. Underneath the panel was a dark hole
almost four feet in diameter. With his eyes Kevin tried to gauge
the depth of the hole, but it was too deep to see the bottom. But
there were sturdy rungs on the side.
    Pleased with himself, Kevin dusted off his
hands and looked at Genesis. “Once again, it looks like you’ll be
out of action.”
    Genesis nodded. “Luna and I will keep guard.
You can take everyone else with you.”
    “Everyone else, huh? Will it be all right
with just the two of you? I’m worried about those snakes.”
    Genesis said dryly, “I can handle a few
snakes. I’m more worried about what might be down there. The snakes
might not be working alone, and the laboratory is a good place for
an ambush.”
    Genesis’s words added more fear than Kevin
had expected. “We’ll be careful,” Kevin said uncertainly. “I just
hope