THE PRODIGIES

Chapter XXIX

She killed them.

She actually killed them.

That's all that is repeating in my head as I look between Mila, Bree, and the two bodies on the floor. Coming into this building, we knew that we were going to either end up dead or we were going to have to kill some people. But to actually do it is another thing. None of us has ever killed anyone before. We had a brief discussion over it before we arrived, and we knew that it would change us forever. We would never be the same once we made that decision to take another person's life whether it's to protect ourselves or someone else. That's not a feeling that anyone can just get over even if the kill was necessary. It's still someone's life. It's still someone's child, brother, or wife. So to know that there are going to be even more bodies before the night is done, makes me want to throw up.

Neither of us have even made a step towards one another. Mila is still standing here clenching my wrist with all of her might. Bree is still over by the bodies. And I'm trying hard not to pee on myself.

I don't want to see Bree as a different person because of this, but I do. Not necessarily in a bad way, but I just know that this is going to be an adjustment we have to get through together as time goes on. I can also tell that Bree is shaken up by the events that took place before we came. She's not cool, calm, and collected as she usually is. She looks worrisome and guilty, and I understand why. But right now we have to forget about that just for the moment. So I guess it's up to me to lead these two because their heads aren't in the right place. I snap out of my daze and speak up.

"Turn on your watches. They're gonna be coming for us soon. Now let's go. We have to get back to the elevators."

I continue on.

"Bree, you're gonna have to take off one of their suits and put it on. We gotta blend in."

She bends down and starts to undress the woman.

"I didn't want to kill them." Bree states.

"We know." Mila answers.

"They tried to tie me down and inject me with something. I couldn't think clearly. I just went crazy."

I remove myself from Mila's grasp and walk to Bree. I bend over beside her. She has stopped removing the protective gear from the woman so I push her hands to the side and start doing it myself. She continues talking while I'm doing this. She tells us that it happened really fast, and it happened just before we entered the room. I guess while Bree was unconscious her force field was active but as she was coming to, it shrunk. So when she woke up the two ladies were standing above her with a syringe in their hands. I would have done anything to keep that syringe from entering my body, so everything that she said she did is justified in my opinion. I don't know if she feels the same way though. She's staring off into space. By the time I remove every article of the suit, she still hasn't moved. Mila comes over to help. We literally put her into the entire suit ourselves. She hasn't said a word. When we're done, Mila tries to put the helmet on her, but I stop her. I grab the helmet while standing in front of Bree. I snap my fingers three times in her face.

"You need to come back to life. This is the real world. Things happen, but we have to move on. We don't have time to think about this right now. We have to go destroy that extraction device. Then we have to go save all those kids. Your head needs to be in the game because if it's not, we might as well go and surrender right now. Do you want us to do that?"

Mila gives me a shove.

"That was a little much. Don't you think?"

"No." Bree interrupts our little exchange. "She's right. I have to let it go."