“Yes sir,” the Collector said.
“Take her first,” Dr. Neff said as he began to pass Allison to the Collector. As he did, Allison began to violently shake her body like she was in the grip of a flashback. The ruse worked and she was quickly laid on her back on the floor as Dr. Neff shouted for some medication. Allison swung out her arms, landing squarely on the legs of Dr. Neff and the Collector as they stood next to her. Their legs were swiped from under them and both men tumbled to the ground in a heap on top of each other. Allison jumped to her feet and dashed down the hall.
“Go! Get her now!” Dr. Neff screamed. A group of Collectors gave chase.
Allison bolted, running faster than she ever had in her life. She looked over her shoulder and realized she had lost the Collectors, but as she approached the next hall, she was greeted by the sound of boots pounding across the floor. She saw a closet a few feet ahead of her marked “Janitorial” on the textured glass window of the door and she slipped inside. She didn’t turn on the light and backed away from the door until she bumped into a person behind her. The fire in her belly jumped to her throat as her body prepared to fight once again. Allison spun around and saw Mary cowering in the corner. Relief washed over her.
“Please, don’t hurt me. I’m so sorry.” Tears streamed down her red face. The pounding of boots was right outside the door. Shadows of the Collectors passed by the window. Allison held her finger to her lips and Mary put her hand over her mouth to muffle her crying. The footsteps passed the door and continued down the hall.
“I’m so sorry,” Mary repeated. “I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to hurt people. Please don’t hurt me.” Mary’s voice strained and crackled with tears.
“I won’t hurt you. Why are you hiding in here? Just leave.”
“Dr. Neff kills deserters. I’d rather die in here than keep helping him.”
“What do you mean die in here?” Allison asked. All the hair on her neck and arms stood on end as a chill ran across her skin.
“He has the entire building rigged to blow. It’s his fail safe in case we are compromised. It’s only a matter of minutes by now, I’m sure.”
“Do you know what’s happening? How do I get out?”
“The Resistance are attacking, probably to free the test subjects like you.” Mary pushed back her tears. “You need to leave now. Take a left out the door then a right at the hall. There’s a back exit at the end of that hall.”
“Come with me.”
“I can’t. I just can’t,” Mary said as she slid down the wall and cried. Allison tugged on Mary’s arm, but she jerked away. “Leave me here. Save yourself. I can’t do this anymore.” As Allison contemplated carrying the woman Mary seemed to read her mind.
“It would be really hard for you to make it out of here with me on your back. You deserve to live. Go. Now!” Mary screamed. Afraid Mary would draw Collectors to their hiding spot, she bolted out the door following the directions Mary gave her.
Allison made the right and the exit sign burned high and green at the end of the hall. She ran full force for the door, but a feeling like a million tiny butterflies fluttering around in her stomach made her stop herself. She placed her hands on the door and barely pushed it open. Gunfire and screams filled her ears from outside. There are others here, Allison remembered as her stomach dropped, sending a wave of nausea over her. People Dr. Neff deemed no longer worthy of his experiments and therefore no longer entitled to life. Allison turned away from the door and took off back up the hall.
Gabby
An explosion erupted from the side of the building. The dumpster rattled. Fire raced up the side of the tan wall of the building, chunks of concrete flying into the air. Smoke clouded the grounds. Every Collector at the gate and on patrol ran toward it. The doors of the facility flew open and Collectors came pouring out, guns drawn, ready to fight. Snipers fired from the woods, engulfing the Collectors in bullets. A fog of white smoke filled the woods, giving Resistance members more cover. Lyon’s signal. The Collectors rushed to find cover, leaving their fallen comrades where they lay. The other Resistance members in the woods began firing at the Collectors, preventing them from advancing from their positions.
“Now!” Gabby screamed.
Trevor, Matt, and Gabby rushed the door as the explosions erupted. Gabby leaped over a fallen Collector, dead on the ground. As they reached the door, more Collectors rushed out. Trevor swung his fist, hitting the first square in the nose. The Collector raised his gun and pointed it at Trevor, but Trevor was quicker. He grabbed the man’s wrist, pushing it down, sending the bullet into the ground. Trevor kept applying pressure to the Collector’s wrist until it snapped and the man screamed. Trevor kneed him in the gut before hitting him on the back of the head with the butt of his gun, knocking the man out cold.
Gabby raised her gun, firing a shot into the next Collector’s chest as soon as he appeared in the doorway. Matt opened fire, unleashing a rapid stream of bullets down the hall into the building. The Collectors retreated, and the large metal door closed. Trevor yanked down on the door handle, but it wouldn’t budge. The keypad next to the door was destroyed. Matt aimed his gun at the handle and fired. The shot ricocheted off, hardly leaving a dent. He fired again, still barely causing damage to the door.
