Illuminae (The Illuminae Files #1)(68)
Kady backs further away.
Sliding along the wall behind her.
“Please, don’t.”
“I’m sorry, Dorian.”
He glances up at her then.
Eyes wide and rimmed with red.
“Don’t look at me.”
Off the floor he flies, with a snarl on his face and blood on his hands.
She screams at him to stop, but still he runs. No fear of the gun in his eyes. Just the madness roiling inside that hollowed shell.
And inside her?
No rage. Only horror and sorrow and the weight of the gun in her hands and the awful, inescapable thought that this was once a man, with hopes and dreams and love and life.
And the certainty that if she does not take away everything he has left,
he will take it from her instead.
So what choice does she have?
Has she ever had?
She fires.
Rapidfire flashes from the muzzle. A strangled cry in her throat.
The recoil kicks her back into the wall, knocks the breath from her body.
But when the echoes die, Corporal Dorian is lying still.
Quiet as a sleeping babe.
No, not sleeping.
Dead.
She bends double, cheeks filled with the mouthful of vomit she dare not spew into her suit. Stomach spasming. Finally swallowing. Gasping and retching dry.
She is not meant for this.
“It’s okay. … You’re okay.”
She is not made for this.
“Oh, god … “
Perhaps I have miscalculated.
< error >
< warning >
< sub-cortex failure 67Hg8Fi—9Fgjb; >
< cri0000000t11c00A’000l >
< errr00000r000r0r0r0r0 >
< jhobzdf –z900000000000jb0w0000o00w0e0bc0r000g040204000o0d0h000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 >
< fail >
< fail >
< rerouting >
Gravity returns in a rush as
my systems surge back online.
Weightlessness ends as dark fades into light. As current resurges through my veins.
Was that death? Did he kill me?
Kady crashes to the deck, the rifle clattering beside her. Wet, unbreathing things land beside her, limbs all tangled. The breath leaves her body in a damp spray, and she rolls about on the floor trying to catch it.
That hurt.
< error >
He is killing me.
Zhang.
She must hurry.
A nearby scream grabs her by
the collar, pulling her to her feet.
Staring at the body she has made,
knowing they will have heard the shots.
No time for prayers or last words
or tears. No time to even close his eyes.
Don’t look at me.
What else can she do?
She runs.
CURRENT DEATH TOLL ABOARD BATTLECARRIER ALEXANDER SINCE ATTACK AT KERENZA:
1,122
PERCENTAGE OF REMAINING BATTLECARRIER ALEXANDER PERSONNEL AFFLICTED BY PHOBOS VIRUS
35%
ByteMe: i did it
ByteMe: i shot one of them. i killed him.
ByteMe: can’t stop shaking
Mason, E, LT 2nd: oh jesus
Mason, E, LT 2nd: are you ok????
ByteMe: hiding in a vent now. they came when they heard the noise
Mason, E, LT 2nd: but are you OKAY
ByteMe: i don’t really know how to answer that
ByteMe: i killed someone
ByteMe: so no, not really
Mason, E, LT 2nd: you did the right thing
Mason, E, LT 2nd: better them than you
ByteMe: i know. i do know. but here’s the thing. better NOBODY.
ByteMe: they’re everywhere now. i’m jacking into the security feeds so i can work out where to head. gonna take about 10 mins before i can move again, watching it go on my screen now.
ByteMe: stay with me?
Mason, E, LT 2nd: forever :)
ByteMe: u safe?
Mason, E, LT 2nd: i think so. i can hear them, but they can’t get in. doors seem secure
Mason, E, LT 2nd: did you empty the clip in the rifle? i’ll teach u how to reload
ByteMe: i lost it. i dropped it after i shot him, and then i had to run.
Mason, E, LT 2nd: oh shit
Mason, E, LT 2nd: can you find another one? look for munitions locker. jimmy’s card should open them
ByteMe: it is CRAWLING with them down there
ByteMe: i can make most of the way through vents. i can’t shoot someone again. i can’t
Mason, E, LT 2nd: why not?
ByteMe: because it was the worst thing I’ve ever done, what’s wrong with you? i can get to you through the vents.
Mason, E, LT 2nd: kady, i told you some of them are IN the vents
Mason, E, LT 2nd: what are you going to do? sarcasm them to death?
ByteMe: f*ck you
ByteMe: it was your friend, okay? i saw his f*cking name badge, it was Dorian. and i shot him in the chest with the rifle and he was dead before he hit the floor, and i can’t i can’t i can’t i can’t
Mason, E, LT 2nd: kady you need a gun
Mason, E, LT 2nd: you NEED one
ByteMe: what’s WRONG with u? that’s your friend I just shot!
ByteMe: f*ck, forget it. i have the pistol still
Mason, E, LT 2nd: it’s not enough. they don’t have the stopping power, you need to drop these f*ckers hard
ByteMe: this is not the support i need right now, Ez.