She peered out. The corridor looked empty. She stepped out and moved swiftly again, remembering the path Erica had taken her before.
But as she neared the intersection, she heard footsteps.
She once more darted to the nearest door, swiped and slid inside again. She glanced behind her, but this room was empty of people, though it showed signs of being lived in. Salvi wondered where the occupants were, whether they were stuck in the front of house rooms with clients right at this very moment.
She opened the door again to peer out and saw Travis had just walked past the room. She quickly closed the door again and swallowed. In just a few minutes he would discover Erica’s body. She had to move faster.
She opened the door and watched as he disappeared through the double doors into the front of house again. As soon as the door closed, she slid out and moved to the corridor intersection. Seeing it was clear, she turned down the corridor to her left and saw the next set of double doors ahead, which led back to Bronte and Kara.
Then she heard raised voices up ahead, coming from the guard room. She raced to the nearest door again, swiped and slid inside, closing it behind her.
Before her sat a young man, maybe seventeen years old. He wore only a pair of shorts as he sat on his bed staring at the wall. His arms and legs were missing, and in their place were metal replacements. His face turned to hers; his head was adorned with the neural devices, and his eyes held a look of morose acceptance.
Behind her, Salvi heard running footsteps in the corridor. She was sure it was the guards. As soon as they passed she quickly opened the door to peer out and confirm it. She saw the two guards turning right at the intersection in the corridor. It was then she noticed lights flashing overhead.
A silent alarm.
Travis had found Erica.
“You can’t escape,” the young man’s voice said, sounding melancholy. “I’ve tried.”
Salvi glanced back at him, at his metal limbs. “I’m going to get you out of here,” she said firmly. “I promise.”
He stared at her unmoved. “No, you won’t. They’ll just make you regret you ever tried.”
Salvi swallowed hard but turned back to the door. She couldn’t consider that fate; having it controlled by another. She would control her own.
She swiped Erica’s chip over the door, checked the corridor was clear, then moved quickly down the corridor to the guard room. As she neared the doorway, she slowed, then peered around. She saw the room was empty, saw the corridors showing on the screens of security feed. Saw herself. She stepped inside the room, noting which camera to keep an eye on, and quickly looked around for weapons of any kind. She opened drawers frantically until she found one with contents that made her pause.
A clear Perspex container holding five blue syringes.
Fyte.
She nodded to herself as an idea formed. Right now, she needed every helping hand she could get. If she had to Fyte her way out of here, then so be it.
She pulled out the container, but it was locked with a code. She glanced around, saw a metal coffee mug, grabbed it and began smashing the container’s lock. Eventually it popped, she threw the lid aside and picked up one of the syringes and stared at it. Movement on one of the cameras caught her attention. It wasn’t her corridor, but another.
It was Dancer.
Dancer ran along with a taser in his hand; free of his guard.
Salvi looked back to the syringe, pulled off the protective covering, tested the needle, then stabbed it into her thigh and plunged.
Once the syringe was empty, she tossed it aside, then grabbed two more. One for Bronte, one for Kara, placing them in her pockets. She turned back to the corridor and suddenly saw a spare taser attached to the wall behind the door. She pulled it off, switched it on to arm it, checked the battery life, then glanced back to her corridor screen. It remained empty, but she knew it wouldn’t be for long.
Her mind raced. Had Dancer provided her with a distraction? Had Travis assumed she’d run for the main entrance of MasterSlave instead of into the back of house? Did he not expect her to try and free Bronte and Kara? To just free herself instead? Perhaps that was how the ghosts worked, but Salvi had promised Mitch she was going in with Bronte and Kara, and that she would be coming out with them too. So she would.
She swept out into the corridor again and ran for the double doors. She swiped the chip, the doors opened and, seeing it was clear, she moved swiftly to Kara’s room. Salvi peered through the window and saw she was still inside with a nurse by her side. Salvi quickly swiped Erica’s chip again, the doors opened, and she raced at the nurse without a second thought.
Kara looked at her in surprise, but her nurse had no time to react as Salvi raised the taser and fired.
The nurse barely made a sound as her body locked up, and she fell to the floor.
“Jesus Christ!” Kara said. “What the fuck is happening?!”
Salvi swept back to the door, swiped it closed, then moved back to Kara. She released her from her binding, then tossed her the taser. Kara caught it.
“Brentt, what the…?” Kara said eyeing her.
“We don’t have long!” Salvi barked. “Hurry!” she moved to the nurse who was starting to murmur and move again. Salvi grabbed the data slate on the bench and smashed it over her head. She turned back to Kara, who stood with the sheet wrapped around her. Salvi pulled one of the syringes out of her pocket.
“We have to Fyte our way out,”
