Edge of Humanity: Book 2 in the Saving Humanity Series

CHAPTER 14

Caleb's room was through a door at the back of the kitchen. There were several bedrooms surrounded a communal TV room. Caleb was surprised at how cozy this part of the cave was. It was still covered in tile and lit by fluorescent lights, but rugs covered parts of the floor, and the furniture was upholstered in slightly tattered and faded suede, but it was still more comfortable than the metal stools in the dining room.

The large bedrooms had enough space to hold eight people, with bunk beds stacked against the wall. In total, the rooms could house sixty-four people. Caleb imagined the vast majority of them being scientists. For a moment, he wondered where they were and if Dr. Maudas had done something to them, but he pushed the thought away. He didn't want to know. It was better if he just imagined they never made it to the cave and were working at Zomtech. The closet had ample space, and surprisingly, Caleb found clothes hanging in there. Shockingly, they were in his size. He shuddered to think Dr. Maudas had been planning his arrival for a while.

There was nothing else of interest in the room, and he wanted to know as much as he could about his surroundings, so he decided to explore the cave. He meandered through the living quarters and into the kitchen, then to the lab. Disappointingly, there wasn't anything else. He wanted something. Trapdoors, secret tunnels, a ladder leading to a lookout higher on the mountain, or maybe a helicopter landing pad. Anything would have helped him feel less isolated from the rest of the world.

You've been isolated for a long time. How is this any different?

Caleb frowned. He'd been emotionally and mentally isolated from others, but they were still present. This physical isolation drove home how lonely he really was. Dr. Maudas certainly didn't count as a connection. Caleb didn't doubt the doctor viewed him as a subject—an experiment—and the idea certainly didn't make Caleb feel any less isolated.

In the lab, Dr. Maudas ran tests on Samuel. He had drawn Caleb's blood right after dinner. It reminded him of the draws he had to do at Zomtech. He turned away to keep thoughts of death and self-harm from his mind. At the moment, Dr. Maudas was preparing to insert Samuel into an MRI machine—at least it looked like an MRI to Caleb. It wasn't a huge metal tube like he had seen before, but a ring that made a loud whirring noise. So much of the equipment was unfamiliar to him. Part of him wanted to ask what it was all used for, but the other part was afraid to know.

Dr. Maudas was engrossed in his work, so Caleb decided to take his chances walking out of the cave. The tunnel loomed in front of him, causing sweat to rise on his skin and his heart rate to increase. The thought of the walls closing in on him ran through his mind. He hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure why it caused him so much distress. After all, he was heading out, not in.

This could be your chance. Don't miss the opportunity to take it.

But then I might not get answers about who or what I am.

Ah, there it was. The fear he might be missing an opportunity to know about his immunity. If he walked away, he might never know what he was capable of.

What's more important? Your freedom or information?

Caleb took a deep breath and stepped tentatively toward the tunnel. He glanced over his shoulder, expecting to see Dr. Maudas rushing toward him to stop him. He was still engrossed in his study. Caleb turned back to the tunnel and took a few more steps. Shadows crept out of the tunnel toward him. A few more steps and he would be engulfed in the blackness. He took them, then stopped in the dark, waiting to see what would happen next. He held his breath. Visions of RBZs attacking him projected onto his mind's eye, causing sweat to drip down his back. His lungs burned for air, so he sucked in a silent stream between his teeth. Several more minutes passed, and nothing happened, so Caleb rushed down the tunnel. He kept his gaze forward and his feet moving to avoid being crushed by the rock walls.