Free Catalyst (Book 1): Decay Chains by Kate Wars Page B

entrance to the gardens once stood directly below the skyway on their end. Three cars were piled up in that spot now. The fountain flowed clean water into a muddled pool, creating a hue just under blood red. Smoke oozed from surrounding cars. Stormy could make out bodies here and there, but they didn’t concern her when they lay still. It was the ones that flashed from place to place that made her cringe.
    The group strained to see the direction of the gunfire. Their best guess was that the shooters fired from a nearby rooftop, but they hadn’t been in their current location long. Stan pointed out scrapes and cracks in the glass. The fight must’ve been bad for trained soldiers to hit so far off mark.
    “They’re here. The rescuers.” Vicky ran ahead of the group toward a shadowy figure at the entrance to Tower Two. “He hears the prayers of the meek.”
    Weapon aimed, the soldier stepped onto the skyway. “Return to Tower One.”
    Stormy ran to catch up. “Vicky, wait.”
    Two more soldiers fell in line with the first. “Do not advance any farther. Return to Tower One now.”
    “Vicky, stop,” Stan said.
    She paid no mind.
    “We’re not infected,” Stormy shouted. She was closing in on Vicky, as was Dr. Louboutin.
    “Please. Please help us.” Vicky sounded overjoyed and out of breath.
    “All facilities are on lockdown. Return to Tower One. Repeat, return to Tower One.”
    “Vicky, come back,” Dr. Louboutin said.             
    “Lethal force is authorized to maintain secure lockdown of these facilities.”
    “Don’t fucking shoot,” Stormy yelled.
    “This is your final warning. Return to Tower One for your own safety.”             
    “Save us,” Vicky said.
    “Vicky!” Dr. Louboutin screamed.
    The soldier on the far right fired a warning shot.
    Vicky kept going. When the soldier fired again, he wasn’t alone. Stan raised both arms over his head and screamed for them to stop.
    The soldier’s weapon dropped to his side as he reached inside his cargo pocket and retrieved grenades.
    “Drop down!” Stan shouted.
    The soldier threw two grenades, one after the other. The second was part of a seamless swivel motion that aided his retreat safely back into Tower Two. The door shut hard behind the soldiers and then the skyway filled with smoke and screaming.
    The first grenade hit just off Vicky’s left side. The other hit the skyway’s glass wall. The explosions took out an entire section of the skyway and sent everyone flying back into the atrium.
    Stormy couldn’t hear anything except a tone that wavered in and out. Her ears were about to burst from the pressure, but she couldn’t move to do anything about it. She lay crumpled against a column, and remained pinned there by a large section of railing until Dr. Louboutin’s unsteady arms wound around her. They both fell under her weight.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER TEN
    DAYS UNTIL THE SUPERVIRUS GOES GLOBAL: 30:20:15
     
    Stormy’s hearing restored itself when she swallowed hard on the lump in her throat. The ringing was painful, but not as bad as swallowing with a desert dry throat. She listened to the fire take the hall. Vicky wailed from somewhere in the rubble. Stormy’s view was obstructed, but she heard someone stumbling her way.
    “You there?” Stan called out.
    Dr. Louboutin uttered something unintelligible in response. Debris jostled about, and then Stan hobbled into view. Bits of charred carpet, twisted metal, and thick glass covered the space between them.
    “Doc,” Stan said.
    “We’re here.” Stormy didn’t recognize her own voice. It was strained, breathless, and higher than ever before.
    “Oh shit. Vicky.” Stan picked up the pace. “You’re not looking good.”
    She wailed again.
    “Help me get her out.” Stan heaved a section of railing off Stormy and lifted her to her feet. A sharp pain pierced Stormy’s side. She could tell immediately that it was there to stay. A mixture