Arachna

Derek dashed across streets and through alleys, Kaela at his side. Caleb hadn’t given chase, but that didn’t stop Derek’s feet from pounding against the concrete. Each breath he took was proof they’d been spared—this time.

They ran until they couldn’t anymore, and they stopped in an alley. Derek, even with all the roof hopping he’d done over the past few years, hunched over and gulped down air. Kaela stood beside him, bent over, hair pulled back as if she was about to throw up.

Then she did. She ran to a nearby trash can and vomited into it. Derek suppressed his own nausea in response, leaning against the cold brick wall. His head spun.

Amari… Dead because of Caleb, yet he’d claimed she wasn’t how he’d found them. Derek racked his brain for an answer, but none came. Maybe Kaela would have an idea.

Kaela wiped her mouth and sat across from him, her eyes filled with hatred. When she finally caught her breath, she swore.

“I don’t get how he found us,” Derek said.

Kaela didn’t respond. Her face twisted, and she shoved her head into her hands. She brought her knees to her chest and sobbed.

Derek spoke slowly. “Where’s Eric and Lance?”

Kaela shook her head. “I don’t know.” Tears fell down her cheeks. She looked at the ground. “Son of a bitch killed Amari. I’ll ruin him.”

Kaela tensed then went still. Something sparked in her eyes—realization.

“Oh my God,” she said. “You don’t think Malcolm…”

Derek swallowed the lump forming in his throat. “No… no, Caleb wouldn’t have asked where Malcolm was, otherwise. But maybe we need to get to the Rose, and—”

“No!” Kaela shouted then looked around. “No, we can’t. If Caleb doesn’t know where Malcolm is, he doesn’t know about the Rose. And anyway, Malcolm couldn’t have ratted with George watching him. No, we can’t risk it. If we go there, Caleb may just follow us and…” She clenched her fists. “I don’t know.”

“There you are,” a voice spoke. Derek whirled, aiming his pistol.

Eric appeared from around the corner, stepping into the alleyway. “Probably shouldn’t yell in the middle of a manhunt, Kaela.”

Derek sighed and lowered the weapon.

Lance trailed behind Eric, cane in hand. He stepped over a dirty puddle, his limp more pronounced.

Kaela frowned when she turned toward Eric, and her eyes flashed. For a moment, she seemed ready to lunge at him and claw the smile from his face.

Eric shot a quick look at Lance, something resembling concern on his face, before turning to Kaela. “I don’t mean to add to the bad news, but… well, I’m going to do it anyway. We need to go after Daniel if we’re going to get that sample.”

Derek froze. “What?”

“Eric… we barely survived Caleb. We’re not strong enough to go take on another psychopath.” Kaela’s voice showed almost no emotion.

Eric’s eyes lingered on her frown, and he widened his smile. “Why, Kaela—”

“Don’t.” She held a finger up in warning. There was a tense silence for a heartbeat. All she uttered was the one word, but somehow, it sounded like a threat. “I’m not playing games anymore.”

Eric made no comment, but his smile weakened. “Like the letter said—”

“I don’t give a jack shit about the letter anymore.”

“Can I see?” Derek’s heart skipped a beat. They don’t mean Daniel Landreau, do they?

Eric handed him the letter, and Derek scanned it.

Attempts at cure unsuccessful thus far. Theory was to use my nanobots and rewire them to attack foreign nanobots. Like white blood cells fighting a virus. My nanobots are not good enough. Not designed for attack patterns. Caleb’s are.

As are Daniel’s.

Confession… Daniel is alive. Caleb told me Daniel was alive. Caleb said he was hiding in sewers, weak. Asked me to strengthen his nanobots. My research at the church, before you arrived… truthfully, was for Daniel.

Another confession. He is near. Arrived at the Rose and felt his presence. Near, but not close, the faintest whisper. I am sorry… Please do not be angry.

Daniel will not give sample willingly, especially after what Eric did. He is weak but not fragile. Caution is advised.

Eric spoke, but Derek didn’t hear. He met Kaela’s eyes. “The sewers.”

Kaela shrugged. “Yeah, I heard you.”

“We can get to the Rose from the sewers.”

Kaela paused, then her eyes lit up. “I think there’s a sewer grate in the alley next to the Rose.” She nodded, and a smile played at her mouth. “I think that just might work.” But then her face twisted into a frown again. “But we’ll need to find a grate that’s out of sight to crawl into in the first place.”

“Well, there’s one right there.” Derek chuckled and pointed at a grate in the street just outside the alleyway, illuminated by an orange streetlight. “And even if anyone’s watching, it would be way too difficult to track us.” He ran over the idea in his head a few times.

Daniel was alive. After that explosion? And how dangerous is he? Caleb had told Malcolm he was weak, but if he regained his strength, he could join forces with Caleb. One rampaging Landreau was bad enough.

Derek shook his head. He couldn’t let himself be distracted.

Eric smiled. “Then I suppose we should go then, yes?”

Kaela wrapped her arms around Derek. “Thank you, Derek.”

Derek couldn’t stop his smile, patting her back. “You’re welcome.”

Eric’s teeth shone yellow. “Is the old Kaela back?”

“Shut your damn mouth, Eric.” Kaela’s eyes turned to stone, and she released Derek. Anger didn’t lace her tone, just indifference.

Tension hung like a thick fog in the air.

Lance remained still, a smug grin pointed at Eric.

Eric frowned at her, but she stared into those black eyes with her own yellow ones. Eric’s smile slowly grew, while Kaela’s mouth formed a thin line.

Finally, Eric spoke. “Well then… I suppose we should head over to the Rose, shouldn’t we?”

Kaela pointed at Derek and said, “You take the lead. You’ve maneuvered through this city enough, so your sense of direction should be good enough to lead us there.”

Derek nodded, still searching for what could possibly have led Caleb to them if not Amari.

How many more would have to die before this was over?

“Sure,” Derek said, clearing his throat. “Let’s get going.”