I check my surroundings and am encircled by fire. Everything is burning. Buildings, rubble, people. All of it charred to its core, or soon will be. The thunderous sound of the fire overwhelms the screams. I run. Not sure where to, but I run. Though it feels like I'm running deeper into the fire, I stop when I realize that I'm not getting burned. I check my body, and when I look down at my arms, my heart drops. Both of my hands are holding torches. I look back up, and the scorched bodies of all the people in the city run at me.
The fear wakes me, and sweat covers my body. My hands are clutching something, and when I look at them, I see a vial in each hand. This scares me more than the dream, and I almost throw them across the room. I could have sworn I hid them under the bed last night. I sit up and see the socks that I wrapped them in, now on the floor. I must have grabbed them in the middle of the night while I was dreaming. I need to make sure we move fast on this mission before I break these. Either that or secure them better.
I bundle the vials back up in the socks and place them in the same place. As long as I'm awake, I know I won't touch them. I stumble into the bathroom, intent on the hot water washing me clean of my dream. As the first few drops hit me, it dawns on me. The place in my dreams that was aflame was not the city outside of this stadium. It was the compound back in Egypt. I set it on fire. I destroyed everything. I stopped the Ragnarok!
The smile that graces my face strains the muscles in my cheeks. This dream. This vision. It's my purpose. It's why I am cleansing myself of who I was. I will bring the Ragnarok to a stop. I will burn Egypt to the ground.
I scream at the top of my lungs. The adrenaline has taken over, and all the rage I've built up releases in a single, primal burst. No more time can be wasted, so I end my shower sooner than I planned. The primordial scream is cleansing me better than anything else could. My body is still wet when I put my clothes on, but that is the least of my concerns now. I step into the hallway and am startled by the small congregation of scientists gathered outside my door. Their eyes accost me, and I know it's because they heard me yell. One of them, a tall, darker-skinned man with fabric wrapped around the top of his head, approaches me.
“Are you okay?” His delivery is direct, but there is compassion in his eyes.
I remember that I'm still supposed to pass as a drone, so I straighten my posture. “Yes, sir. The water in the shower was cold and scared me. Sir.”
The man looks me over and laughs. This prompts the other scientists to laugh. “Oh, we've all been there, haven't we?”
Most of the other scientists agree, with various gestures and head nods. They are enjoying themselves a little too much for what I confessed. The man leans in closer to me and whispers, “That was a good save, but you need to be more careful. You won't always have allies around you.”
I smile as he pats me on the back and leads the scientists down the hallway. It's not until the echoes of their steps disappear that I finally make my way through the corridors and out of the stadium. I've noticed that the more I walk with a purpose, the less people pay attention to me and question my being there.
The bright sun smacks my face and warms it the way the fires should have in my dream. When my eyes adjust, I notice that many outsiders are making their way toward the stadium. They are gearing up for another day of long, thankless work in hopes of collecting some protein pouch rations. Watching them makes me realize that I forgot to grab a few pouches for KJ. I will have to make it up to her, but more pressing things need to be addressed today.
I hustle in the direction of the crowd and weave myself a little deeper into the city, hoping I didn't already miss her. I make sure that I'm far enough away that a drone won't spot me. I place myself on a mound so that I can scan the horde. I yell at anyone who looks up at me, trying to maintain an official look.
“Are you an idiot?” a familiar voice speaks up behind me. I turn to see KJ's eyes repeating the sentiment. “People have seen us together. They know you are looking for me. Do you want to get us both in trouble?”
She's right. It was pretty reckless of me, but I was desperate to make sure I saw her. I climb down from the mound. “Sorry. I needed to see you.”
“This couldn't have waited until later, when we could have been a little more discreet?” She smiles through her words.
“No. And does it matter now?” I grab her hand and take her away from where we'd be too exposed.
Her hand holds tighter. “I guess not. What is this about?”
“I need your help.” I smile. The warmth of her hand in mine calms me. Her fingers are as delicate as a breeze. “Do you know a place where we would be able to barricade a couple of drones for a day or two?”
She looks up at me, her eyes questioning my motives, but she increases her pace and starts leading me. “Do I want to know why you need this place?”
“We are trying to turn as many drones as we can—to build an army that will help
