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“Let me guess, I serve the devil. You know, in college, I had a never-ending supply of Christians who wanted to debate me. I destroyed all of their arguments, of course. Ridiculous. But one guy was different. He was a coward who came up to me shaking like a leaf. He could barely get a word out, but finally he said, ‘God knows about the game you play.’”
Myles was visibly moved. “Sydney, you’ve been vulnerable with us here today, so I’ll do you the consideration of doing the same. What that boy said to me mortified me. No one knew the torment I suffered. No one knew that I picked up a gun almost every night and put one bullet in it. It was the only thing that made me feel anything. Another irony perhaps, is that I used to play Russian roulette and now look at who I’m working with. He told me God wants me to put the gun away and to come to him. It was the only time in my life when I thought that perhaps I was wrong about God.”
“God’s still calling you,” Sydney said.
“Maybe. Or maybe someone found out about what I was doing and sent that kid to scare me. I feel as though I have the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity. Leo, go ahead and shoot. If God is real, he can stop you and then we’ll all know. And if not, then we can get on with business after a little pause to clean up the mess.”
Sydney retracted her fingers from the tabletop and fisted her hands at her side. “He may not choose to save me. He could be ready to receive me.”
“Said like a true Christian making excuses for a nonexistent God. Leo?”
Sydney closed her eyes, emptying her mind of everything so she could stay focused on Jesus.I guess I’ll see you in a second.
“Wait,” Myles said, and Sydney’s eyes sprang open. He laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get your hopes up. But would you mind moving over there, closer to the wall? I don’t want blood to get on the table or chairs. They’re custom-made.”
Aleksander snickered and leaned back in his chair, enjoying the show.
Sydney looked down at the table, then obediently walked to the open spot Myles had indicated. Her stomach was a bottomless pit as she closed her eyes again.
But a bang at the door drew everyone’s attention, and then it flew open. A voice in her head urged her to drop to the floor. She did so immediately as a bullet from Leo’s gun blasted into the wall behind her.
Sydney watched several people stream into the room. She recognized them all but couldn’t make sense of the scene as weapons were fired. Time slowed as her wide eyes took in the surrounding chaos, then a tense stillness returned.
Leo was dead on the floor, Aleksander was unconscious, his head resting on the table after Jemi released him from a headlock, and Myles gripped his own arm where blood was seeping between his fingers. Pallon had his hands resting on his head, trembling uncontrollably.
Sol put his hands on his hips. “That was a letdown. I didn’t get to do anything.”
Bec smirked. “We’re about to get married. I think that’s plenty for us right now. You okay, Sydney?”
But Sydney’s eyes were locked on the table, wide in fear. “No.”
“Sydney? It’s okay, you’re safe.” Aaron said, still standing over Myles with his gun trained on him.
Bec crouched down and put a hand on her arm. “It’s okay.”
“No, no, no, no, no,” Sydney said breathlessly as she stood. “The container broke.”
Everyone looked at the table where she pointed. The capsule had been shattered by a bullet. The fungus was scattered across the table and onto the floor.
“We’re all dead,” Pallon said, looking like he was about to faint.
“Okay,” Aaron said, letting out a slow breath, “Sydney, what exactly does that mean?”
“We need to lock down this room,” she said, rushing to the door and slamming it shut. “And we need to contact the CDC.”
Myles laughed. “You couldn’t make this stuff up if you tried.”
“I don’t know what you find so amusing,” Aaron said. “This is your life that’s at stake too.”
“You almost had me going, Sydney. Your friends storm in to save your life and prove that Jesus lives. But tell me this.” Myles leaned forward. “What does it mean if it’s not just you that dies, but you take everyone else with you? I always thought the Christian God was a weak, miserable sort of god, but now I see he has a sense of humor.”
“Ignore him, Sydney,” Aaron said.
“You know,” Myles continued, “in college, I think because I was so good at dismantling their arguments, those Christians were determined to convert me. I was their prize.” His eyes darkened. “Now we can all meet in hell and debate together there.”
Sydney shook her head. “I’m so sorry, everyone.”
Peter stepped forward. “Sydney, can you explain exactly what’s going on? There are a few of us here who are not fully briefed.”
