Red Skies | The Prime Archives #1 ✓

twenty-seven

They six of them stood on a sidewalk in bustling district that was East Midtown.

Besides the dull moon, the night sky was devoid of any light. Emily had grown accustomed to seeing the brilliant stars whenever she looked out her window. The city of New York wasn't known for its clear air.

As they approached Shaw's old base of operations, she grimaced. Her ears were still ringing from the overload of sounds she endured on the subway. Screeching trains and obnoxious New Yorkers made her eardrums want to explode. The pressure from their jet ride earlier hadn't completely subsided either. It was safe to say she was in agony.

She wasn't looking forward to getting back on the trains after they finished. Their jet was on the other side of the city in a private airport; it wasn't exactly possible to the land the aircraft in the middle of the street.

''Mr. Shaw used to work in this place?'' Andre asked.

''That's what he said,'' Chase said.

Stella examined the address sent to them on her phone. ''This is the place.''

Emily had been expecting more from Director Shaw's startup building. He'd come from money, he could've afforded a more glamorous office space.

Standing before them was a rather shabby, two-story structure that belonged in the 1950s. The bricks were weathered and ready to fall apart. Rotting boards covered the windows, which were busted and vandalized. Discarded newspapers and unwanted fliers tumbled past the entrance, the sound rustling around them.

''I don't know what you guys are talking about,'' Theo quipped. ''This totally looks like the lair of a supervillain.''

''Yeah, yeah,'' Emily said. ''Let's hurry up and get inside.''

''Agreed,'' Stella added.

The group approached the front door. Andre pulled on the handle. He frowned and faced them. ''Looks like we've got a problem.''

Chase strolled up to the door. '''Did you forget I have super-strength?'' He gripped the handle and prepared to the door from its bolted hinges. Before he could do so, Stella hissed at him to stop. Eyebrows raised, he titled his head at her. ''What?''

''Cops,'' she whispered.

The six of them turned around. A police cruiser moseyed down the street. Upon seeing the teenagers, they blared their siren for a few seconds. Red and blue light bathed the sidewalk. The officers inside examined the teenagers with distrustful glances. The one in the passenger seat activated their megaphone.

''Step away from the building. Now.''

They did as were told, holding their hands up. Of course, they could've handled a few two-bit police officers, but Emily had a feeling Director Shaw wouldn't be happy if they got themselves arrested.

''We catch you 'round here again and you'll find yourselves in a cell. You got that?'' They nodded. The officers eyed them up and down once last time before driving off. Emily flicked them off as they went by.

''Well, that was interesting,'' Andre said, scratching the top of his short afro.

''We can't risk going through the front,'' Stella told them. ''Let's look for another way in.''

A chain-link fence ran around the perimeter of the building, leading into some sort of patio in the back. After checking for anymore cops, the six of them hopped the barrier and searched for an alternate entrance to the abandoned office space. 

The back of the place was filled with overgrown weeds, cardboard boxes, and rusty equipment. Shadows from the towering buildings on all four sides cloaked the entire area. She could barely see anything. As she moved forward, her toe caught something.