Ouroboros

Bluejacket Bolt

Tegan pressed her hand to the glass. Coda-9994 gazed back at her, and she knew someone was home inside that massive head. Someone, not something.

"Well, we can't talk to him without CCIT. That'd be Cetacean Communication Interpretation Technology, but no one wants to say all that," she overheard Jim saying. "Plus, we get started with the talk in fifteen minutes. No time to whip out the gadgets." He waved at the whale as he walked past. "Though, if I'm correct, they have CCIT set up for the belugas tonight. If you want to say you spoke with our whales, head over there."

She pulled the drawstrings on her hood a little tighter, hoping she wouldn't be seen and recognized. When someone tapped her on the shoulder, she whirled around and nearly had a heart attack until she saw it was Sofia. "You scared me!" she snapped.

"Thank you for asking me to leave that damn closet. Fiver was getting on my nerves." Sofia pulled a dust-bunny out of her wiry dark hair. "And I hate spiders."

"You don't strike me as being very squeamish," Tegan admitted. "I'm glad it worked out, though. I asked you to come out here because I'm concerned about that guy over there. He hasn't stopped watching me since my little stunt on the way in."

"What did you do, anyway?" Sofia asked.

"I pretended to faint. No one really bought it, but it served its purpose. I think he's onto me, though." She glanced at a man in a dark blue uniform standing against the wall. He glared at them through dark-rimmed glasses. When Tegan glimpsed the rifle holstered to him, she turned away and shuddered. "Somebody must have told the bluejackets to expect us."

"The what?" Sofia asked.

"The thugs who get paid six figures to be ICA guard dogs," Tegan explained. "Detestable."

The room quieted down as Jim stepped up onto the podium. "Good evening, everyone," Jim said into the microphone. "I'm Dr. James Morris, and I regret to announce that Dr. Amelia Sullman can't be here tonight, as she's feeling ill."

"Bullshit," Tegan whispered. Sofia glared at her.

"With that being said, it is my pleasure to introduce – for those who don't already know him – the chief of the space exploration program, Harrison Mather." Tegan swallowed hard at the sound of that name. The man who walked in, smiling and waving, red hair slicked against his head, was undeniably her uncle Harry. She turned her head away, hoping he wouldn't recognize his rebellious niece among the crowd.

"Hey, Tegan." Sofia put a hand on her back. "Everything okay?"

"Yes," Tegan lied. "I just thought it was odd that he has my last name."

For a split second, she made eye contact with the bluejacket across the room. To her horror, he started walking toward them. Everything about him radiated menace, from the glint of his glasses to the bold text of his name badge – J. PITT – to the soft, horrible clomp of his boots on the carpet.

"Run," Sofia whispered into her ear. "Now!"

Tegan got up and sprinted for the door without a second thought.

BANG!

The impact sent her sprawling across the floor. The world rocked and careened in circles around her. Stars flickered before her eyes. Her mind struggled to process what had happened. When she caught a glimpse of her foot, at the shards of pulverized bone sticking out of the bloody crater where her heel used to be, it didn't look real. It didn't feel real. It couldn't be real.

Surreal images of people running and screaming floated past her eyes. A hundred feet beat her flat against the floor as the crowd ran out the door, paying no heed to her plight. Through the frenzied rabble, Ice Five rushed to her side. "Look at me, Tegan. Stay awake." Black-gloved hands pressed firmly against her wound. "You're going to be all right."