Haven - a Steel Falcon Novella by N. K. Quinn

Author:N. K. Quinn
Language: eng
Format: epub

5

Horrific Tableau

Damian looked up and let out a terrified yelp. He got to his feet and stumbled forward, trying to get to Doc, but it was too late, the Transport was instants away from colliding with the wall. Damian threw himself on Izzy, trying his best to shield her from the impact with his body, bracing himself for the boom of rending metal and the smashing of glass. It never came. They glanced up from their huddle to see the Transport zooming on, following a path that led down, underneath the ground level.

"Hologram," Doc grunted over his shoulder at them. He manoeuvred the vehicle at breakneck speed down a narrow gangway, with a sheer drop on either side. and then yanked the wheel to a side. The tyres squealed in pain and the smell of rubber and cooked clutch filled the cabin.

“Welcome to Haven,” he said, pulling away the mask that covered his face.

Once Doc cut the Transport’s engine, darkness descended on them like a curtain falling, and it was impossible to see more than a few yards ahead. He eased himself out of the vehicle and Izzy heard Doc groan as he stretched and then slid his cloak back over his shoulders. He reached back in and opened a compartment near the driver’s side. Izzy saw him grab a few Aug canisters, and they disappeared underneath his cloak.

“That’s how he drove so fast,” Damian whispered to her. “The Aug he took back at his place must have supercharged his reflexes.”

Izzy made a face and rolled her eyes at Damian and followed him out of the Transport. There was a sound of whirring and one by one the overhead lights blinked to life. The parking structure around them was grey and grimy. The smell of decay permeated the atmosphere and soaked into the walls. Damian and Izzy exchanged glances, but Doc seemed unperturbed by it. He took them up a series of stairwells where the long shadows seemed to come alive. They carried on until they came out to a large open foyer. Long cracks ran the length of the tiled floor and scattered belongings littered the area. On one wall screens hung limply from their support brackets, looking down on a service counter of sorts.

“People used to come to places like this to watch movies together,” Doc said. “Before the Corporation days.”

“This is Haven?” Izzy said. “I thought it’d be bigger.”

She wrinkled her nose as a wave of the sickening smell hit her.

“This is just a place between places,” Doc said. “Haven moves location during the year so that Sentech can’t triangulate its location.”

He walked past the desk and to a set of double doors. Damian followed him, but Izzy stood rooted to the spot. She felt the hair on her neck prickle up. She took Damian by the wrist and pulled him back to her.

“Something’s wrong,” she said. "This doesn't feel right."

Doc knelt by the side of the door. He ran his bandaged hand across the handle and it came away stained red.

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