Human Phase by J.S. Morin

Author:J.S. Morin [Morin, J. S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-942642-71-8
Publisher: Magical Scrivener Press

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The inside of Arthur Miller Theater had become a prison straight out of an archival movie. The doors had all been welded shut except for a single back entrance, which the Chain Breakers kept heavily guarded. Kaylee and the other hostages had been herded into the audience seating and told to stay put.

Each of the twelve hostages wore a bomb collar around their neck and a freshly woven, form-fitting, plain white jumpsuit without pockets, courtesy of the cloth-o-matic kept backstage for making costumes. They were barefoot, stripped of jewelry and tech, and wiped with an EMP for good measure.

It hadn’t been until the vision in her left eye went completely blurry that Kaylee even remembered the implanted lens in it. It helped her examine tiny details without needing a microscope and had become so second-nature over the course of her adult life that it hadn’t occurred to her to worry as Gregor, from turbine control, steadied her in front of the EMP.

Now, blinded in one eye, she sat sullenly in the third row on a plush velvet seat, feet chilled against the concrete floor. Alan sat two seats over, slouched in his seat with his head lolled back and his eyes shut. His hand dangled across the middle seat, an invitation waiting for Kaylee to accept.

Up on stage, Ned and a couple of his buddies conversed too softly for the hostages to hear.

A row behind her, Martha Jameson whispered to Kevin Chang. “You think they’d do it? You think they’d really kill us?”

Kevin hushed her but not fast enough.

“Hey!” Ned shouted, storming over to the edge of the stage. “No talking. You’re a bargaining chip, so shut up and act like one.”

Kaylee held her breath, gaze locked on the remote in Ned’s robot-like grip. Even a slip could kill them all.

There were whimpers behind her. The offenders didn’t speak a word of apology or contrition. They just shut up as told.

When Ned turned his attention back to his co-conspirators, she let out a breath.

Beside her, Alan snored softly. She shot him a look of reproach. He didn’t even have the decency to be properly terrified with her.

However, in that look, she also noticed the bare line of paler skin where his wedding band had been. She rubbed at the naked spot where her own had been, then at her sore jaw when they’d slugged her for refusing to hand it over. There’d been no need to confiscate them. Kaylee wasn’t some secret agent with a transmitter in her ring—or a dark energy blaster or anything else dangerous. Taking their possessions had been an intimidation tactic.

Kaylee wanted to refuse to let it work on her, but it had anyway.

There was a clatter from backstage. Kaylee’s hopes rose along with a shot of fear. Was it a raid? Was someone finally coming to rescue them? The Chain Breakers were obviously in contact with the outside but hadn’t been forthcoming with details of the situation beyond the theater walls.

“Chow time,” Ned announced.

Kaylee’s stomach growled.

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