The Extinction Trials(18)

“True. It’s a risk,” Maya said. “But I don’t think we have a choice. I think, at this point, we have to take that risk. It’s either that or wait for the power to go out and for whatever is outside to come in here. Either we run out of air, or we run out of food—it’s just a matter of time. We need to figure out a way to get out of here and get to safety.”





Chapter Fifteen





In the observation room, Maya and Owen related what had happened to the older man outside as well as what they’d found in the rest of the station.

To Maya’s surprise, the whole group took it in stride.

When Owen suggested they perform an autopsy on the older man outside, Cara quickly agreed.

Will was more than eager to try to restore power to the command center and get the computers up and running. Their first priority was to enable environmental control there. If they could do that, they could cut power to the observation room and establish a new base of operations in the command center.

Maya favored the command center as their headquarters for another reason: safety. It was behind a second airlock, which would offer time to prepare for intruders and biological protection from anything they might bring with them.

She wondered if that thought was a clue to what she used to do. She seemed to have a natural instinct for strategy and security.

Alister was the only holdout to the proposed plans.

“I want to take a look at this powerplant,” he said gruffly.

“You think you can fix it?” Cara asked.

“Maybe.”

“What sort of mechanic are you?” she asked.

“A bus mechanic.”

Cara bunched her eyebrows. “Are buses quite like geothermal power plants?”

He snorted. “Apparently, they’re more alike than doctors and mechanics.”

She bristled. “What does that mean?”

“It means I could keep a hundred city buses running, so what’s the harm in me taking a look to see if I can fix it?”

“I guess that’s where I get hung up: you fixing it. We’ve been told its failure is imminent. What if your interventions simply hasten its demise?”

Maya held up a hand. She had to stop this conversation where it was. The simple truth was that she didn’t trust Alister yet. She wanted either herself or Owen to keep an eye on all the team members at all times.

“I can see both of your points of view,” Maya said. “I really do. But right now, we need more information before we act. We’ll get that information from the autopsy and in the command center. Time is running out. We need to move. The power plant will have to wait.”





In the airlock, Owen donned the suit, attached the helmet, and secured the gloves and boots. The gear fit nicely over the sweater and pants, and he was pleased that the suit also provided some added warmth against the frigid airlock.

For his job, he was used to getting into a suit quickly. It was second nature to him.

He was surprised to see that Cara slipped easily into her suit as well. As though she were practiced at it—had done it before.

“You said you’re an ER doctor?”

“That’s right.” She glanced up at him. Had she detected the suspicion in his voice? Owen wasn’t good at reading faces—or hiding his own expressions.

“Like you,” Cara said, “we had a lot of practice getting dressed quickly when there’s an emergency.”

He nodded.

“Ready when you are,” she said.

Owen pressed Bryce’s thumb into the panel and the outer airlock began opening.

Owen assumed the suit would protect him from whatever was outside. That was a big assumption—one his life was riding on. As such, he couldn’t help sucking in a breath as he waited for the outside air to rush in around him—the same air that had killed the older man.

The suit had a panel in the forearm that displayed his vitals and suit status. The seals were good. His oxygen was at 100%.

Owen watched, waiting for any change.

Over the suit radio, Owen said to Cara, “You all right?”

“Yeah. I think we’re good.”

Owen stepped out into the rocky passageway. The ground was covered in soft dirt that his boots sank into instantly.

Owen arrived at the body first, knelt down, and gently turned the man over. His eyes were open, his mouth agape, dirt pasted on his face like a cake he had face-planted into.

Cara knelt beside him. “It feels so wrong to do it out here. Like this. Undignified.”

“I agree,” Owen said softly. “But I don’t see any other choice.”

“True. Help me take his shirt off. I need to open him up.”





In the command center, Maya and the others had hit a dead end.

Will’s attempts to power the computers had failed. Blair sat in one of the rolling office chairs, head slouched, picking at her fingers. Maya wasn’t sure if she was nervous, scared, or simply bored. Or some combination.

One thing was certain: Alister was annoyed. He paced back and forth in front of the screens, still going on about being prohibited from inspecting the power plant.

The worst part was that it was getting colder. Their body heat helped to warm the room some, but the cold was like an unstoppable army that kept marching deeper inside of her.