Escaping Elysia

Chapter 22 - Perks

Evita

None of the lights are glowing.

I tug on Dale's sleeve and gesture toward the doors. His face lights up like a man who's been lost at sea for weeks, spotting land in the distance.

He whispers in my ear about the lightning messing with the alarms. He takes a step forward. I'm about to follow him when the electricity comes back, and the door alarm glows once more.

Dale's face falls. Disappointment pulses off of him, but I barely feel the surge. In fact, I quiver with the effort of containing my euphoria.

Because of course. Of course there has to be a way to turn off the alarms.

Before I can tell Dale, a guard breaks his hold on Nadya's hand and pulls him away from us. I give Nadya a gentle squeeze and mouth to Dale, Everything will be okay.

We just have to find out how to turn off the alarms.

*

The guards keep us in our rooms for hours, even though the storm only lasts a few more minutes. Maybe they're still dealing with electric problems. When they let us out a female guard, Ripley, strides over. "Come with me," she says.

I don't ask why.

When she leads me into the clinic my stomach churns. I haven't been here since the procedure, and when the antiseptic smell hits my nose the memories of all those shots flood back.

She leaves me there. Nurse Cerny calls me back and takes me to an empty exam room. I suppress the urge to ask her why I'm here. She won't tell me anyway.

A few moments later Dr. Ellis walks in. He sits next to the exam table and I notice he's brought a needle. A needle exactly like the kind the nurse pushed into my thigh each morning for two weeks.

"Why?" I ask, my voice cracking. I thought I'd have a longer break.

He looks down as he replies. I'm not sure I've ever made eye contact with the man. "Sheer wanted me to tell you that we've seen no change in Nadya."

Oh.

"She wants to be sure that you're aware that the success of the experiment is what's best. For everyone."

So this is a threat. Does Sheer know I'm not giving the pills to Nadya? How can she?

Ellis sighs and preps the needle. He's never given me the shot before. I pull up my pant leg, the motion all too familiar. Weston was right, Ellis does look older. His hair is thinner, like he's been tugging at it. As I'm observing him, the door opens.

A young nurse pushes a cart into the room. Boxes of syringes are piled inside of it, filled with a clear liquid.

"Oh," she exclaims. "I didn't realize anyone was in here."

Ellis jumps to his feet. "What are you doing? Get those out of here."

She nods, her chin wobbling, and backs out of the room. Ellis closes the door behind her. He turns back to me and rubs his forehead, his eyes unfocused. He gives me the shot. I watch him press the plunger, emptying the syringe's contents into my body.

I push down my pant leg and am standing when he grabs my shoulders.

He meets my eyes, his gaze fierce.

"I hope you're giving her the pills, Evita." He chuckles, a dry, humorless laugh. "Hope. That's the only hope we have left."

I nod and leave the room.