Agent Moonlark

Chapter Twenty Five

Sophie

When Sophie spotted the familiar building of Alluveterre, her heart stopped. She didn't know if she was ready to face the consequences of her actions, yet. Would Agent Forkle punish her? Were Grady and Edaline worried?

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and leapt off Silveny. She snatched the jar from Keefe's hands.

"Where are you going?" Marella asked. "Are we here?"

Sophie did not have time to answer. She had to get this to the people infested with the plague as soon as possible. She sprinted into the familiar building. She jumped into the elevator.

The elevator was gray and dull. No one would have expected it to lead to a top secret organization. But it did. It lead to one of the most secret ones of all.

Sophie threw off her gloves and pressed her palm into a specific place. The elevator lit up.

"Sophie Foster," its monotone voice said. "Agent Moonlark. Rank: Alpha."

The elevator plummeted downwards. Most people were terrified the first time they were in it. Not Sophie. She had been fascinated. But right now, she was impatient and panicking.

"Floor negative seven, please," she told the elevator.

"Ok."

The elevator came to an abrupt stop. The doors started slowly opening, but Sophie was out them by the time a sliver of space had appeared between them. She ran through the halls, not caring that the hood of her cloak was down.

She burst into the meeting room, where the Collective was.

"Tinker said there was no- Sophie?" Agent Forkle's eyes widened. "What? You're here already? We were so worried."

"No time," Sophie panted. She held up the jar. "I've got the cure."

"But there is no cure," Squall said.

Sophie shook her head. "No, there is."

"We hacked into the Neverseen. There is no cure."

"That's what they think. But Calla found one."

By the time they processed what she had said, she was out the door and running to the Healing Center. She pushed open the doors.

"Sophie?" Fitz was reading a book. "You disappeared. And you're not even supposed to be in here!"

Sophie ignored him. In a flash, she was at Tam's side. She opened her jar and grabbed some petals, but she stopped.

Tam was ghostly white. He looked like death itself. His forehead was plastered with sweat and his breathing was faint.

A tear escaped from Sophie's eye, and she quickly wiped it away. She took a deep breath and shoved the Panakes petals into Tam's mouth.

"Swallow," she begged him. "Please, Tam. Swallow!"

Tam did not move. The petals remained in his mouth.

"Someone make him swallow them," Sophie shouted. "Please!" All her desperation leaked into her voice.

A familiar brunette charged into the room. She was at Tam's side in an instant.

"Please, Tam," Biana said softly. "I know it's hard, but you can do it." She put a hand on his cheek.

Tam slowly swallowed it.

Please work. Please work. Please work.

She saw Keefe and Marella come in out of the corner of her eye. Keefe wrapped an arm around her waist. She hid her head in his chest, praying that this would work.