Page 49

“So, that’s why she can carry an Alpha child?” I have to admit, there’s a certain jealousy, in spite of what she’s suffered. To be able to carry Six’s baby to term seems like an impossible dream right now. “Why would Ericsson bother going after the samples?

“I’m guessing there was more to it than a few injections, am I right, sweetheart?” His question is directed toward Cali, who nods in answer.

“I had to have surgery. They modified my insides, I guess.”

“Exactly. Why go through all that trouble, when you can inject a little Dredge and put the Alpha gene to sleep?” He crosses the room toward a chair and plops down, sliding a cigar from his shirt pocket. “Not only that, but imagine the possibilities of being able to walk amongst Ragers with those pheromones. You could build an army of men and direct hordes to wipe out your enemies.”

“Is that speculation on your part?”

“No. It’s the reason I left the lab. Had I wanted to make weapons, I’d have dabbled in biodefense instead.” He points his cigar toward Gregor. “There is a way in, isn’t there, old man?”

Lips peeled back and brows drawn together, Gregor shoots him a look of pure disgust that only brings a smile to Jed’s face.

I can’t begin to think why Jed would take an interest in something that he chose to walk away from, unless there’s a part of him that still longs for the science. A part of me hopes Gregor will be belligerent and stubborn, and keep with his explanation that there is no possible way inside, but instead, he lowers his gaze and huffs.

“There is one way.”

My stomach sinks with his words, and I can’t bring myself to look back at the group behind me, who will surely be elated by this news.

From his desk, he nabs a sheet of blank paper and a pencil. “The tunnels are the passageway that was used between Calico and the underground research lab, back in the early days. It was a means of keeping the most dangerous and violent subjects from the hospital patients.” On the blank page, he draws a long tunnel between two square blocks--one set above ground level that represents the hospital, and one below. “When contamination took place in the research lab, we were forced to close it down and block it off. This left only the hospital tunnel open, which I’m assuming is now sealed off, as well. In the event of an emergency, or breach, there are two cage doors that slide down at either side of this hatch here.” Halfway into the tunnel, he draws a circular object at ground level, and two lines to show where both sides of the tunnel are closed off, creating a sort of box within the tunnel. “This cage prevents the mutations from escaping. But there is a code on the outer surface of the hatch. You punch it in, and both cage doors slide open.”

“How is that possible?” Kenny stands with his arms crossed, shaking his head. “I programmed the system to lock down all entrances in the event of a breach.”

“Guess you didn’t factor in the hatch that I designed.” Gregor goes back to his drawing. “Anyway, the code overrides the system, popping these cages open. The idea behind this was to flood the tunnels with Ragers and blow them up, if need be.”

“So that’s how we get in. Punching this code to open the tunnels.”

He nods and draws two sharp lines in either direction over the tunnel sketch. “From there, you’d have access to each facility. But as I understand, the doors to the hospital are sealed, as well.”

“Doctor Ericsson mentioned a ventilation shaft that led down into the tunnels,” Cali says from behind. “That’s how he lowered the Alphas down there.”

“Yes, of course.” Gregor twists the page of drawings to the side and draws a long passage perpendicular to the tunnels. “Air was pumped down into the tunnels, to provide ventilation. There is a ladder that runs the length of this. That would be one way to get in, so long as you can reach the vent. The tunnels themselves are about twelve feet in height.”

“Where is this hatch located?” Standing over my shoulder, Six stares down at the page, eyes studying the drawn map.

“Northeast end of the hospital. Where the Ragers are penned.”

“Why would you put it there?” It’s Brandon who asks this question, revealing what limited knowledge he possesses on the cruelty of the men he once answered to, that the subjects they tortured would risk facing off with violent mutations and Ragers, rather than suffer their brutal demises at the hands of scientists.

“To keep subjects from using the tunnels to escape.” I lift my gaze toward Jed who sighs and shakes his head. “If you disagreed with their methods, why didn’t you say something. Do something?”

Jed scoffs, sending smoke out his nostrils. “And be thrown into one of their experiments? Call me arrogant, but I value my life.”

“As do all of us. If only indifference would’ve spared us, the same way it spared you.”

Jed’s eyes narrow on me, while he puffs his cigar, allowing a hint of a smile to crease his lips around it.

“What do you mean us? Did you not grow up on this side of the wall?” Gregor asks, casually crossing his legs. “As I recall, your father was just as much a part of the suffering that took place there, as anyone.”

“He wasn’t my father. My real father died trying to save his men from a horde. Doctor Falkenrath took me in. Raised me as his own. Saved my life from the Ragers that Doctor Ericsson decided to feed me to, when he learned a girl had infiltrated his hospital.”

“Ha! That was you?” Jed sits forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “I heard about you. The girl of Calico. Consumed by Ragers.”

“And yet, here I am.”

“Here you are. Just goes to show, you can’t believe everything you’re told.”

Lounging back in his chair, Gregor crosses his arms and shakes his head. “I had no idea.”