It was as if it were yesterday, the memories fresh in her mind. Without looking around, she could remember where everything was, and that in the corner there was a heavily stocked cabinet that she needed to get inside of. Her line of work had blessed her with a faultless memory; it was part of a medic’s genetic structure. She pulled the door too behind them, but did not seal it completely. Looking around she saw a little screen, blinking an array of percentages and numbers at her. A quick check of the screen she could see a critical warning, and the back-up generator reading at a dangerously low level. A brief exchange with Jacob and he set about, the clicking of his fingers on the flat pad keyboard sounding as they set about their own tasks.
Elmina made her way over to the cabinet and her fingers ran along the rim of the frame, in the near darkness she couldn’t see the digipad needed. But eventually she found it and once more pressed her wrist against it, and the door opened to reveal the neatly stored guns now, a small light illuminating the contents. Her eyes rounded, as her fingers lightly ran over them. But as she looked through it was the small phials on the top shelf that caught her attention, and she picked one of them up and held the label beneath the lighting. Her heart skipped a little, her mouth suddenly feeling dry as she read the coding, knowing instantly what it was.
Potassium chloride in its crystal form, the very substance she had used to poison all those she had killed. It had caused all her victims to suffer cardiac arrest, save for one who had been saved. Her thumb ran across the bottle as she just stared at its contents until Jacob spoke, and she quickly stuffed the small phial into her pocket before answering.
From there Elmina stuffed everything and everything into the emergency pack that was folded up, and going through the small kitchenette area. There was nothing much to take, most of it now spoiled. All she could find were the foiled packets and hydration capsules, and to their fortune a small bottle of iodine. Everything and anything that they could use was stuffed into the bag before Elmina headed back to Jacob, now tying the top half of her jump suit about her waist, and running the back of her hand over her forehead as she looked over to him, her hand offering the bag to him as he took a gun, and the pair made their escape.
*
The journey down was almost uneventful, Elmina now coated in a slick of sweat and dirt as they continued their climb down. Her back was beginning to ache and her muscles protested such vigorous activity after such a long period of nothing, but she kept moving. Her cheek was also starting to puff out, the skin of her face stretching painfully causing her to wince a little. They stopped however half way down and Elmina rummaged in the bag for the box of hydration capsules and she popped two out. “Here” Elmina said offering him one and taking the other for herself. “Don’t swallow it” She said placing her own on her tongue. Instantly it began to melt, flooding her mouth and taking some of the ache around from her head, sighing in relief as it took its effect.
But that small break cost them, and with a loud noise the lights blacked out, loud bangs sounded, and the Apox’s power died. “Fuck” She hissed, pulling out a gun herself and slinging the bag onto her back. The sound of running feet and yells echoed off the walls, and Elmina’s eyes desperately searched the darkness. But she couldn’t so much as see her hand in front of her face. With the sound of someone running toward them, Elmina pushed Jacob into the wall and felt the rush of someone go past, before falling with a loud scream. The sickening sound of bones cracking and his pained screams sounded almost immediately. “We can’t be that high up” She whispered to Jacob, taking him by the wrist.
Blindly her hand reached out for the railing until the gap was found. “Stairwell is here” She added before they both crouched down on their knees, and as carefully as they could, climbed down
It was hard going and they constantly had to dodge those who had fallen free of their chambers now that the power had given out. The dead and injured littered the floor, and Jacob had to urge Elmina on. But after much difficulty she could see the light at the end, watching as a few others clambered for their freedom. “You ready?” She whispered as she raised her own gun, and after Jacob breathed his reply, she headed on and jumped free of the Apox.
Once again she barely made a step free when a man was coming at her, and she had to raise the gun, and without a single thought she squeezed the trigger, and watched as he hit the floor, eyes blankly glaring at the sky. “Run!” Elmina yelled to Jacob, the noise having attracted the attention of others who now headed back to the clearing. Once more Elmina grabbed his arm and ran into the forest, struggling under the weight of the bag.