Page 57 of The Hollowed
The second guard smirked faintly. “To say goodbye to your girl,” he said as if he enjoyed the twist of the knife. “After that, we’ll take you to collect your things, and you’ll be on your way.”
Alex’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t bite. He gave a small nod instead and kept his eyes forward as they ushered him into the hall.
He could feel the weight of their rifles at his back, the unspoken threat that any sudden move would drop him cold. If he gave them an excuse, they’d sedate him again, and he’d lose the only chance he had left to see Luci.
So he played it cool. He walked when they told him to walk, kept his hands where they could see them, and let his face harden into an unreadable expression. Inside, though, every thought narrowed on a single truth.
If they were letting him see Luci, even for a moment, then thiswas his chance — and he’d be damned if he wasted it.
They walked him down a long dim hallway lined with steel grey walls and lights that flickered in uneven intervals. Luna remained glued to his side. Alex kept his gaze moving without making it obvious and took note of everything that he could.
There were three guards at the first corner with rifles strapped to their chests. Two more were stationed at a door on the left. They looked like they were itching for an excuse to fight. There was a rack of weapons visible through a storage case, filled with rifles, pistols, and boxes of ammunition. His gut clenched at the sight of it. This facility was equally if not more well equipped than the one back home.
The farther they walked, the more he saw. There were cameras mounted in the corners with blinking red lights. Keypads locked every door, and the windows he could see were barred. Every opportunity to escape would end with some sort of fight.
And then he saw her.
Luci was sitting on the edge of a narrow bed inside a glass isolation room. She looked pale and scared, but he forced his expression to remain neutral.
The guards slowed and one of them smirked at Alex. “Keep it quick,” he said. “We want you out before sundown.”
The door buzzed and slid open. Alex stepped inside with Luna pressed against his leg. The moment it shut behind him, Luci was in his arms. He held her tightly and breathed in the scent of her hair.
Her lips brushed his ear. “We need to get out of here. Now.”
His hand tightened at her back, but he forced himself to stay calm. “I know,” he muttered. “But we have to play this right.” With a subtle tilt of his chin, he gestured to the corner where a camera hung, its red dot illuminated.
Her body stilled in his arms, but he felt her nod against hisshoulder.
Alex kept his arms locked around her, his mouth close to her ear so no one else could hear.
“Just pretend you’re saying goodbye,” he whispered, his voice barely more than breath. “But be ready to run. I’ll be back for you soon.”
He felt the faintest almost imperceptible nod against his shoulder. For a moment he didn’t want to let go and risk losing her again, but he knew they were being watched. Every second they remained together would only draw more suspicion.
Reluctantly, Luci eased back and let her hands slide from his chest to his arms. Her face tilted up to his, and she forced a thin smile.
“I’ll miss you,” she said, her voice carrying just enough weight to sell the part. She swallowed hard before adding, “But they need me here to continue my research and to join the reproduction program.”
Her words landed like a knife to his gut, but what gutted him more was the way she tried so hard to avoid spilling tears from her eyes.
His jaw clenched, but he nodded and played his role. If this was the game Prometheus wanted to play that was fine. But they had no idea what he was capable of when it came to protecting her.
Alex forced his throat to work despite the emotions threatening to spill over. “I’ll miss you too,” he said as he brushed his thumb over her arm. “But this is where you belong.” The lie tasted like ash, but he said it anyway, for the cameras and the guards.
Luci gave a small nod, then bent down onto one knee. Luna pressed into her and thumped her tail against the floor before stopping as if she understood too. Luci cupped the dog’s face between her hands before she spoke. “Take care of him for me, okay? Don’t let him do anything reckless.”
Luna gave a soft whine in response and licked at her cheek. Luci smiled through the tears that finally spilled.
Alex stood back just long enough to let them have that moment, then he pulled Luci back into his arms for one last embrace. He held her tight, memorizing the feel of her against him, the way her heartbeat raced in time with his.
The hiss of the lock shattered their moment. The door swung open. “That’s enough,” one of the guards shouted. It’s time to go.”
Alex lingered for a second longer and pressed his cheek to hers before pulling away. He caught her teary eyes and gave the smallest nod. It was a promise only she would understand.
Then the guards were on him again, rifles raised as they herded him toward the hall.
For the second time that day, he was forced to leave her behind.