Page 102 of Perfection

Chapter Twenty-five

“Oh, shit,” she whispered.

“You shouldn’t be here,” B-Watson said.

“Take a hike,” York said in a threatening tone.

B-Watson seemed to shake where he stood. Kindra knew he’d go tattle like a schoolboy to Director Isaac or whomever he could find. He stared at them, fury in his eyes, then turned and fled.

Ten minutes seemed like a million. Thirty a bazillion. York drew Kindra into his arms. They had a brief time before all hell broke loose, and she allowed his embrace to calm her for what was to come. York grew silent.Focus on saving Brianna and the children. They were almost there.

The control beeped on the machine. They had the vaccine.

Just in time, too, because footfalls echoed in the hall.

Kindra grabbed the vaccine and inoculation guns and shoved them into a case.

York clutched her hand and dragged her into a laser-fast run.

* * *

An arm snaked out as she rounded a corner, ripping her from York’s grasp. She yelped as she slammed into the wall and a forearm cut across her throat, holding her in place. Someone shoved the business end of a laser gun inches from her face. She glared at it. She was tired of being walked all over.

Her eyes slipped up, following the length of the hairless arm. She met Director A-Isaac’s eyes.

He sneered.

York stepped forward.

“Back it up,” A-Isaac said. “Or she dies.”

York retreated a step. “Let her go. We can fix this. We have the vaccine. You can just disappear to an outpost.”

Isaac gave a sick laugh. “I don’t want to disappear. This genetic selection will stop. A bomb is set to take out the cryo center.”

Kindra felt lightheaded with horror. She squirmed wildly in an attempt to get free. “No.”

Her resistance was enough of a surprise to allow her to slip beneath A-Isaac’s arm. She ran two steps, but then fell. He bent and grabbed her ankle. She kicked. Thankfully, with another hard kick, she broke free, staggered to her feet, and ran.

She peered over her shoulder while she moved farther away. York, teeth bared, had A-Isaac in his clutches.

“I’ll contain A-Isaac and see to the bombs,” he told Kindra. “You get the children out of the cryo building.”

“But how? How can I get there?” she said, her voice shook as panic set in. In the most critical moment of her life, she couldn’t think. Should she take the air-tran, or flag down a police officer?

“Take my air-car.”

“But what about you?”

“I’ll get there. Don’t worry.”

She didn’t wait. She sprinted for the exit.

* * *

The air-car doors descended and latched with a soft click. Kindra’s heart beat like a herd of stampeding elephants. She was going to have to drive if she was going to save her daughter at the cryo center. She could do this, dammit.

She jabbed a finger at the ignition. Nothing happened.