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I follow the path the scientist took me on the first day, but as we come out of a door Akuji rips off its hinges, shots are fired. I’m thrown into a wall with a body covering mine, and I realise it’s Akuji. Everyone scatters, waiting as the humans continue to fire.
“Akuji,” I whisper, but he shushes me, and then he smiles.
“They are reloading.” He moves then, sprinting down the hallway. Cato is on his tail, as is another monster, obviously hearing what he did. There are no more shots, just screams, so I peek around the door to see Akuji waving me on. Hurrying after him, I find more rooms, and after a quick search, we realise they are empty. There’s another locked, closed door with a chamber behind it. It looks like it’s used to decontaminate. We hurry through it, ignoring the automated voice as Akuji smashes through the door. There are no humans waiting beyond as we break out into the corridor, and I see banks of elevators, but past that is a fire exit sign that’s lighting up the dark.
Stairs.
“There,” I call.
I hurry to the door and kick it open, ignoring the blaring alarm it sets off, and peek over the railing. Fuck, we have to be at the top of the skyscraper. It will take us forever. I’m quickly scooped into Akuji’s arms, making me squeak, and then he grips the railing and throws us over it.
I clamp down on my scream as we fall, trusting him, but I look up to see the other monsters doing the same. We hit a landing below, and he throws us over again, and again, until we land on solid ground at the bottom of the stairs.
The others land behind us, Talia in Cato’s arms and the kid in his mum’s. I check them over before sliding out of Akuji’s arms. My legs are shaky, but I push away the feeling and open the door, peeking around it to see we are in a reception area. The bank of elevators is close, and beyond it are turnstiles. Everything is empty and dark, bar some lights in the walls, illuminating the company name in silver above a reception desk. There are sofas, a coffee bar, and screens, but I don’t see anyone. The glass doors beyond beckon us to the darkened city.
It’s too easy. Akuji must feel the same way, because he frowns down at me. “Stay here,” he orders, and then he’s striding out into the reception.
I hold my breath as he stops in the middle, the shiny tiled floor reflecting his red skin. There’s a bang, and I scream and rush forward, but he’s already ducking the net that flings out from somewhere. I stop and watch with my heart in my throat as guards come surging over and he pounces on them.
“Where else are you hiding?”
“No more, last line,” one wheezes, and Akuji slits his throat before holding out his hand.
I hurry over to him, grinning. We did it.
“Stop.” The voice is loud and echoes around the reception area.
I skid to a stop, looking around for the voice like Akuji does.
“Do not do this,” the voice demands. “If you walk out of that door, so does the hope for humanity and the future of our people.”
“Fuck you,” I yell. “If you have to hurt people for survival, then you’re fucked. Our lives shouldn’t depend on others’ deaths.”
“If you do this, you will be starting another war. We cannot stop now. We will come for you.”
“I’d like to see you try.” I smirk as I locate the camera and speaker, and with a wink, I shoot them and then look around at the gathered monsters. “Okay, beyond is the world of humans. I don’t know where we are, but once we hit the slums, I can direct you—”
“I know where we are. I can get us through the streets,” Talia calls with strength in her voice. “I’ll get us to the slums, then you can get us to the wall.”
“Good. Keep low and stay in the darkness. We will be seen, but remember that these humans are not your enemies. They are just trying to survive like you. Not everyone here is your adversary.”
One monster snarls, “If they come for us—”
“Then you can kill them,” I snap as I go toe-to-toe with him, “but not if they do nothing. They will be terrified, just like you were. We go home and only kill if we have to. We show them we are better than them.” I look at Talia and take her hand. “Lead the way.”
Their lives hang in the balance of two humans.
THIRTY-NINE
ARIA
Pushing out of the glass doors, I take a deep breath as we step onto the streets. I have never been to this part of the city, and I can’t help but gawk with the monsters. The streets are perfect, dark concrete with impeccably lit paths on either side. There are skyscrapers around us and some cars parked on the side of the road. Everything is clear, spotless, and glittering with glass and riches.
“Let’s do this,” I whisper. Talia nods and hurries along. We follow her into the alley at the side of the building, rushing down it and then through the maze of backstreets. The skyscrapers eventually fade into houses, some with lights on and humans moving in their windows. There are flowers planted out front.
Here, there is no starvation, no beggars, and no crime.
It’s surreal that this is how they live when just ten minutes from here, people are dying on the streets. It pisses me off, but I keep my anger in check as we reach the end of an alley. “We have to walk down the street from here.”
