Orbs (20 page)

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she was still starving. She glanced over her shoulder at the kitchen. “Do you think it's safe?” she asked.

No response. She whipped her head around to look at the Marines.

They were gone.

“Sergeant Overton? Corporal Bouma?” she whispered.

Her eyes darted around the room, searching for them, but the space was empty.

She froze, suddenly feeling completely isolated and alone. Fear gripped her and she wanted to run back to her quarters where Emanuel slept.

Her feet, however, wouldn't budge. In the corner of the chamber, where the passage led to Biome 3, she could see a faint blue glow. She squinted and watched the glow become more intense.

Not again, please not again.

Sophie blinked several times, hoping that the glow was nothing more than an optical illusion and that Overton and Bouma would be back. At this point, she'd be happy to be hallucinating. She closed her eyes and counted to ten.

When she opened them again, she wished she hadn't.

Standing where the Marines had been were dozens of Spiders and three of the Sentinels. They surrounded her on all sides, their heads tilted, studying her.

Scratch. Scrape. Scratch. Scrape.

The Spiders lurched at her, their claws coming within inches of her exposed flesh. She tried to scream, but nothing came out. Her eyes widened as she realized she was paralyzed.

One of the Sentinels slithered forward, flinging metal tables out of its path like a child tossing aside toys. Several of the Spiders screeched
in protest, scrambling out of the way.

Sophie's ears throbbed with pain. She closed her eyes again, desperately pleading for the Organics to go away. When she opened them the Sentinel was towering above her, licking its thin black lips with a long, blue tongue. The creature tilted its head as if it were studying her, the pair of reptilian-like eyes blinking rapidly. Then its mouth cracked into what looked like a wicked smile full of jagged black teeth.

Luke had mentioned that some of the Organics were smarter than the others. Was this one of their leaders?

Sophie didn't know. She didn't care. All she could think about was escape. She tried to move but she was still paralyzed, her limbs frozen against her sides. Her eyes were locked with the Sentinel's gaze. And then something took over her mind. Images raced through her subconscious. Hundreds of them. She saw the world from above—first Paris, then New York and Tokyo, and finally Moscow. The cities were filled with thousands of glowing orbs.

New images flooded her mind: long stretches of desert, as far as the eye could see. Speckled throughout were what looked like boats, and the bones of some sort of animal.

It only took a second to recognize the skeletal outline was that of a whale. She knew she was looking at what had once been the ocean.

The image disappeared and was replaced by a mountain range. Above the tree line, the rock was dry, void of any ice or snow.

Next she saw dried-up riverbeds and lakes. She saw dying forests with naked branches pointing toward the cloudless sky. The images continued, and she felt tears welling up in her eyes, unable to blink them away.

Why was she seeing these things? Why her? Why now?

The questions were replaced with more images. More death, more emptiness—a world void of life. No humans, no animals, no trees. Nothing.

She screamed inside her mind, and the scenes finally vanished. When she opened her eyes, the Organics were gone. She was back in bed with Emanuel.

He was shaking her violently, whispering so he didn't wake anyone else.

“Sophie, wake up! It's just a dream!”

She blinked and shook her head, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her tongue swished around her mouth and came back free of the taste of bacon. The thought of it disgusted her now.

She sat up and embraced Emanuel, silencing him with her grip.

“I saw it. I saw it all,” she whispered.

“Saw what?”

“The world, or what the world will look like when the Organics are done with it.”

“What do you mean?” Emanuel asked, pulling free of her hug so he could study her face.

“They aren't just after us—they're after the oceans! That's why the temperature is rising outside. They must be slowly draining the seas.”

Emanuel reached for his glasses. “The salt must be slowing them down.”

“Or the fact they cover over 70 percent of the Earth's surface.”

“Didn't stop them from getting all of the surface freshwater on day one,” he replied.

“There isn't enough information to hypothesize. We don't know that they did. And we also don't know how fast they are draining the oceans.” Sophie paused and caught his gaze. “All I know is nothing will survive. They won't stop until every ounce of water is gone.”

CHAPTER 24

R
AYS
of light danced across the walls of Biome 2. Sophie crouched next to the water, staring into the clear depths and wondering how much was really left outside the walls of the Biosphere.

“Are you ready?” a voice said from behind her.

Sophie didn't budge. The sight of the pond was calming, and after the chaos of their short stay in the facility she welcomed the escape.

“Is this really necessary?” she finally said, turning to see Holly in the doorway.

“You know it is. You can't keep going on like this. These dreams are not good for your mental health. You have to address them.”

Sophie stood and paced down the metal platform. “All right,” she said, studying the young woman's face. Unlike the others, Holly didn't look fatigued. Her eyes were warm, welcoming, still filled with . . .

Hope
.

“I have to admit, I'm surprised by how well you're holding up,” Sophie said.

Holly smiled. “I'm glad I learned something after accruing that mountain of student loan debt.”

“I don't think that it matters much anymore.”

“No. No, I suppose you're right. I won't be getting a call if I miss a payment,” she said with a laugh. “So how are you doing?”

Sophie turned back to the pond, clasping her hands behind her back. “I'm okay. Honestly. I mean, for the most part. I've come to accept that everyone beyond these walls I have ever known and loved is
dead. All I can do now is try to move on, to take care of those who are left.” She watched a ray of light sparkle across the surface of the water. “Especially now that we have the children.”

“You're right. There isn't anything we can do for those we have lost. As team lead, you're faced with deciding the best path forward for all of us.”

The words echoed in Sophie's ears. She was well aware of her responsibilities, but hearing them from someone other than Emanuel caught her slightly by surprise. “What would you have me do?”

“That's up to you, Sophie. You and only you can make that decision, but just remember, your mental health will affect your decisions, which in turn affect all of us.”

Sophie crouched down next to the pool again, peering deep into the clear water. For the first time she caught a glimpse of the bottom of the pond. Even with the state-of-the-art recycling system, they were slowly using up the last known freshwater source.

Fear overwhelmed her, and reality finally set in. Holly was right—as a leader she was going to have to make decisions that affected everyone on her team. And given the dwindling water, she was going to have to make one in the near future. The Biosphere wasn't going to protect them forever.

“There's something I need to do, Holly. Can we continue this later?”

The petite woman sighed but managed a smile. “Sure,” she replied. “Just remember what I said.”

“That's just it, Holly. You've helped me realize what I need to do.” Sophie approached the door to leave but hesitated, catching a glimpse of sadness on Holly's face. “It's going to be okay,” Sophie said, embracing Holly before making her way to the command center.

“You must go—”

Sophie paused the video and then replayed it, studying Dr. Hoffman's lips before the image faded and crackled away.

“I'm sorry, Dr. Winston, but with recent events I did not have time to discuss this with you earlier,” Alexia said.

Sophie ignored her. “So you think he meant either we must go to
Secundo Casu
or we must go on with the Biosphere mission?”

“Precisely. I ran the possibilities after uploading Dr. Hoffman's personality profile, and these two are the most logical responses.”

Sophie sucked in a deep breath and exhaled. She turned to face the others in the control room. Overton, Bouma, and Emanuel stared back at her, waiting for her to lead.

“You guys are a lot of help,” she said, managing a smile.

“She's the computer,” Bouma said. “If she can't figure it out, how could we?”

“Artificial Intelligence,” Alexia corrected.

“Yeah, whatever. Either way, does it really matter what this Dr. Hoffman meant?” Bouma asked.

Overton stood and stretched his legs. “It matters now more than ever. He knew more about these Organics than anyone
.
If he told us to go somewhere or do something, we'd be fools not to listen.” He turned to Sophie, narrowed his eyebrows, and looked her directly in the eye. “So what the hell is
Secundo Casu
?”

Sophie pulled away from Overton's gaze. She paced over to Emanuel, who stood with his back against the doorframe.

“I guess now is as good a time to tell them as any,” she said.

Emanuel nodded and stepped forward. “
Secundo Casu
is NTC's prototype ship that was to carry passengers and a crew to Mars to begin colonization. We had been hired as the crew to manage the Biosphere on Mars, hence our mission here.”

He paused, seeming to weigh his words. He glanced at Sophie and continued, “Our team was not privy to NTC's time line, nor were we directly involved in the ship's design or construction. What I am about to say is only an assumption.”

“Go on, Doctor,” Overton said.

Emanuel shot Sophie another nervous glance. “Sophie has been having dreams. Lots of them. Very realistic ones.”

“What kind of dreams?” Bouma asked.

“Paranormal dreams,” Emanuel replied. He raked his hands through his messy hair. “She dreamed about the Organics before they invaded.
And she was able to describe what the drones looked like long before we actually made contact.”

“So what? Luke said thousands of scientists worldwide knew. Maybe your girlfriend was one of 'em.” Overton said.

Sophie stepped forward, her face bright red. “I didn't know!”

“With all due respect, Doctor, why should I believe you of all people didn't know about the invasion?” Overton asked.

“If I were you, I would be asking the same question, but all I can tell you is that it was as much of a shock to me as it was to you.”

Overton growled. “This is bullshit. You're telling me she dreamed these things up before they invaded? I thought you people were supposed to be scientists!”

The console next to the hub of monitors glowed to life and Alexia's image emerged. “I am capable of answering that question, Sergeant Overton,” she said without hesitation.

“Be my guest.”

Sophie's ears perked up and she grasped Emanuel's hand. Something told her she wouldn't like what came next; Alexia was far too eager to explain.

“Two months ago you were all required to go through several rounds of physicals and procedures that tested your ability to survive for an extended trip in space. You may remember a specific test, one in which you were given a sedative and put into an MRI machine.”

Sophie gripped Emanuel's hand tighter. It was fuzzy, but Sophie could remember the white room and the amber glow of the MRI before she had fallen asleep.

“During this process you were all implanted with a microchip at the base of your spinal cord. It was designed to automatically track brain activity in order to mitigate any mental anguish and high stress accompanying space flight.”

“This was done without our consent?” Emanuel shouted.

Overton frowned at him. “Does that surprise you? This is NTC we're talking about.”

“However, the microchip Dr. Winston was implanted with also had a secondary function. As team leader, her subconscious was
supplied with confidential information NTC had on file about the Organics. Images of the first drone, data revealing what NTC knew about the high-pitched frequencies the aliens use to communicate, and information about their thirst for our resources—for our water.”

“Oh my God,” Sophie gasped, dropping Emanuel's hand and wrapping her hands around the nape of her neck.

“Dr. Winston, the second function of your microchip was only supposed to be activated if a catastrophic event occurred. Clearly, the chip was flawed, and caused you to suffer from recurring nightmares prior to the invasion. I should explain that this device never made it past laboratory testing. The FDA did
not
approve it for human experimentation. NTC, however, felt the importance of the Biosphere mission justified utilizing it.”

“Of course they did!” she said, keeping her voice just shy of a scream. “The depths of NTC's manipulation doesn't surprise me. What I want to know is why you didn't share this information earlier.”

“The information was stored in a database I did not have access to until Dr. Hoffman's message was delivered. It was then that I was informed of the microchips.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “Figures. Dr. Hoffman kept us all in the dark.”

“Dr. Hoffman told you exactly what you needed to hear at the time,” Alexia responded calmly.

“Forget Dr. Hoffman. Forget NTC. How do I get it out of me?”

“Dr. Winston, I would strongly suggest keeping it. That chip contains everything NTC knew about the Organics, more than even I know. Besides, without the proper medical tools, the surgical procedure could be dangerous.”

“I don't care. Take it out of me and download the information,” Sophie insisted.

“I'm afraid that's not possible. We simply don't have the surgical tools here. Besides, it was designed to recognize your DNA. If it is removed, the device will be rendered useless.”

Sophie's nostrils flared. “I don't have time for this. I'll dig it out myself if I have to.”

Overton blocked her from leaving the room. “Dr. Winston, maybe Alexia is right.”

For a second she studied his features—the scar lining his cheek, his bushy blond eyebrows, the stubble on his chin. Then she caught his gaze and held it for several seconds, refusing to back down.

“I'll consider your suggestion,” she said, her warm breath brushing over his face. “Now, if you would, I want to check on Owen and Jamie. Holly could use a break, I'm sure.”

Overton hesitated but finally withdrew his arm from across the door, allowing Sophie and Emanuel to pass.

“Just when I was starting to like her,” Overton said under his breath. “Come on, Bouma, she's not getting off the hook that easily.”

Holly watched Owen and Jamie play in the dirt of Biome 1. They chased each other through the trampled remains of a row of cucumber plants. The irrigation poles began showering them with water, prompting cries and shouts of laughter.

She smiled, and for the first time in a week she felt a true sense of happiness flood over her. The resilience of the children in the wake of losing everything and everyone around them amazed her.

For the majority of her career, she had worked with individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and while both children seemed to exhibit some traits of PTSD, they were also still behaving like, well, children.

“I'm faster than you!” Jamie shouted, running past Owen and shoving him playfully.

“Nuh-uh!”

The irrigation poles clicked off moments later and the children frowned simultaneously before dragging their dirty feet through the mud. Emanuel had set them to run as little as possible so they didn't waste any water.

“All right, kids, time for lunch,” Holly shouted, motioning them toward the metal platform.

“There you are,” said a voice from behind her. She turned to see
Sophie and Emanuel jogging across the platform.

“What are you guys doing out here?” Sophie said, lowering her voice so the children wouldn't hear.

“Look at that!” Emanuel blurted. “They're destroying the crops. We're going to need every plant we can grow,” he said pointing at the leveled row of cucumbers.

“We'll manage, Emanuel. Calm down,” Sophie said. She turned back to Holly to reassure her. “It's okay, and that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about, anyway.”

“Oh?” Holly replied. They left Emanuel and the kids and walked shoulder to shoulder around the crops.

“Did you know about the implants?” Sophie said quietly.

Holly stopped and squinted. “What implants?”

Sophie studied her face for a second. It was all the time she needed to determine Holly had no idea what she was talking about.

“Come on, I'll tell you on the way back to the mess hall.”

Timothy sat alone at one of the metal tables in the cafeteria, attempting to drink through a long straw. “Gah damn it,” he mumbled, tossing the cup onto the table. He heard footsteps and managed to wheel himself around to see the entire crew approaching. To the right were Sophie and Emanuel, and to the left was the man who had broken his jaw.

Adrenaline shot through him. He clenched his tender jaw and glared at Overton.

Asshole.

“Mr. Roberts, how are you feeling today?” Overton bellowed as he made his way across the mess hall.

Timothy scowled silently.

“Glad to see you're feeling better,” Overton said, ignoring the look of almost comical hatred on Timothy's swollen face. “You're just in time for a little discussion about the future of the Biosphere. Take a seat—oh wait, you've already got one.”

The sound of rubber wheels squeaking was the only response Overton got as Timothy wheeled himself away from the awful man's presence.

The sergeant was still chuckling to himself as the two doctors entered the room. “Dr. Rodriguez, now that you and Dr. Winston have had a chance to settle down, maybe you wanna tell me what you're
not
telling me about that ship.” Overton took a seat and retrieved his combat knife, twirling it on his fingers.

Emanuel paced over to the table and clasped his hands behind his back. He wrinkled his nose and took a deep breath. “Yes, I believe I probably should,” he said, glancing at Sophie for approval.