FUTURITY

MY TURN

CLICK!

The first armed bomb snapped into place onto the wall. Jason watched as Leon took out four other explosives. Jude stood beside Jason, constantly glancing over his shoulder.

"Jude," Leon said.

Jude jumped eyes wide. "Huh? What?" 

"Pay attention," Leon growled. "You're job is to go to the bottom level. Plant a bomb at each corner. Do it fast. Don't be seen," Leon said, handing the bombs to Jude.

Jude nodded. "Good luck, guys." And with a deep breath, he winked out of sight.

"Come on." Leon picked up the bag holding the last three bombs and led the way down the hall. After locking Daniels in the room that had once been their prison, it had taken a full twenty minutes to reach this side of the facility. Now, Jason just prayed they wouldn't get caught.

Leon stopped abruptly and looked around frantically. He grabbed Jason by the collar and yanked him into a side door.

"Wha—?" Jason began.

"Shh!" Leon cracked the door and peered through the gap.

Jason peeked over Leon's head. At first, he saw nothing in the hall.

Then he heard the whirring.

An automaton walked into view. It passed Jason and Leon without a glance in their direction. In another moment, it disappeared around a corner.

"The drug must have worn off," Jason whispered, smiling. "You can see the future again."

Jason stepped forward, but Leon pushed him back. Leon poked his head out into the hall and glanced around. He nodded to Jason. 

"Okay, let's go."

***

The alarm blared in Jason's ears with no warning. He jerked his hands over his ears and watched Leon activate the third bomb.

One bomb to go.

"They must have found Daniels," Jason said.

Leon nodded. "Let's finish this."

They sprinted down the hall. When they rounded the corner, Leon took out the final bomb and handed it to Jason.

Jason's fingers didn't respond fast enough. The bomb began to slip between his fingers. He fumbled, and it fell.

No, no, no!

Leon caught it with inhuman speed and quietly placed the bomb against the wall. "Be careful." 

Jason nodded with a gulp.

"Identify yourself."

Jason tensed and turned. Oh no.  An automaton stood in the hallway. It tensed the moment they both turned.

"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" it blurted. Two sleek guns slid out of its arms and aimed toward him.

"Jason!" Leon shouted. He body-slammed into Jason, and they both fell to the floor. Blue lights erupted from the ends of the guns and blackened the wall where Jason had stood.

The automaton began to charge. "Intruder!"

Jason sat up and grabbed the automaton with his mind. With a crack, the mechanical man's head flew off, and the body clanged to the floor.