The Amnesia Project by Payton Todd

Author:Payton Todd
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wood Dragon books
Published: 2023-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-EIGHT

It took a while to get back with Allister’s abnormally slow driving. My muscles feel limp, like cooked spaghetti and they burned in some places while tingling aggressively in others.

I nod off, my head lolling back. I snap back awake and nod off again. The cycle of exhaustion keeps repeating.

The vehicle lurching to a stop woke me for the final time. I went bolt upright, before feeling a hand on my knee.

“We’re here.” Astrid yawns, speaking like she’s bored and tired. She probably is. I roll my neck, feeling the knots of stress tighten with every movement. Astrid stands and helps me to my feet. I drape an arm over her shoulder, not trusting my own feet. Allister puts the vehicle in park and turns it off, pulling the keys from the ignition. We open the doors and step to the ground. The lights of the compound glow fiercely, like a beacon in the darkness. That is exactly what it represents to me in the moment. A beacon.

A beacon of hope and peace.

The doors of the entrance level crack and swing open. Professor Kingston and Professor Romanov appear in the frame and promptly close the distance between us. They seem a strange mix of concern and sternness, walking with purpose as Astrid keeps me from hitting the dirt face first. She barely struggles under my weight.

“9X.” Kingston makes it to us first, Romanov only five and a half paces behind. “We saw one of your transport’s tracking beacons die. We would have sent out another unit to provide for aid, but you made it back in time.”

“We had a bit of a situation,” I say, planting my feet and leaning away from Astrid.

“Would you care to elaborate?”

“The transport fell off a cliff!” Allister shouts. “Freak accident. Lost control of the steering and good bye Rhonda.”

“Rhonda?”

“I wouldn’t ask.” I shake my head.

“Of course. Let’s get you to the medic center.” Kingston nods to Romanov who takes me firmly by the shoulder. Astrid moves to follow us. “Actually, Alpha. I would like to speak to you and your company.”

“But—” I begin to protest.

“It will only take seconds.”

“Sir, with all due respect, I would really—” I try to continue.

“Kole, please. Just take direction. Astrid will be with you within moments. You will survive without her guidance for five minutes,” he snaps. I was about to protest, his words stinging, but I thought better of it.

Romanov steers me inside and down the hall to the medic center. I try my best not to look back at them. The Russian hadn’t said a word since they met us on the asphalt and that was very uncharacteristic of him. His usual loud and unapologetic personality was stifled by something. I frown.

“Sir?” I ask. “Is something wrong?”

He grunts. “Nothing’s wrong, Boyo. The world’s just crazy, is all.”

I frown deeper. He is acting weird. Weirder than normal. And that was concerning. Something must be really wrong for him to be bothered. “How fast can you prepare for a mission?”

“I need a little time.

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