CELL

/ THIRTY TWO /

Moments before, the door to Records had been just that. A door. A lump of wood in an opening with a sign.

Now, it was much more. The conversation with Bradley's father had changed, no, charged the atmosphere. There had already been tension, but now a thick layer of foreboding made the air heavy and thick. The door was now a barrier that, with a few simple presses on the keypad, could transform into a portal. Stepping through it could reveal Bradley's and her father's entire operation. Moreso, it could uncover Ryan's identity. He could regain his memories and his life.

"4735," Pedra said.

"Huh?"

"The code. It's 4735."

"Oh, OK. Go on then."

"No, Ryan. This one is going to be all you. From here on in, you're on your own."

"What does that mean, you're abandoning me?"

"Far from it. I'll be out here buying you time. But, in there, you need to see it yourself. I'll just... taint it."

Ryan took a deep breath. He nodded.

"Thank you."

"Whatever. Just... do what's right."

"Of course."

"No, I mean it. Don't just act out of anger or frustration or something like that. There's a right and a wrong here, and they'll seem blurred right now. Once you know, do the right thing."

"OK, sure. I will."

"And take this."

She pressed the gun into his hands, closing his fingers over it. He tried to pull them away, but she wouldn't allow him. She was stronger than she looked.

"I don't want it."

"I don't give a shit about that. You'll need it, whether you like it or not."

"Fine."

Pedra released her hands and Ryan kept hold of the weapon.

"Go," she said.

Ryan turned to face the door, hesitated briefly, then tapped the code into the keypad. There was a quiet buzz, followed by the click of the lock disengaging. He pushed the door open. Beyond, the room was as black as his cell.

"Go," Pedra repeated.

A shot was fired, followed instantly by a second, and she spun around. At first, Ryan thought she was turning to face the shooter, and he was astonished by her swift reactions. But then, blood hit his face and entered his open mouth. He could taste the coppery tang and, rather than be disgusted, it and her collapse showed she'd been hit. He rushed to her.

"Pedra!"

"GO!" she yelled, jumping back up to her feet and pushing him away.

Blood was seeping from a wound on her arm, but she ignored it. Instead, she crouched, facing the three oncoming guards. Ryan saw them too and brought the gun he'd just been prepared to give up.

"Fucking GO!"

His hesitation was brief. He wasn't going to fire anyway, and Pedra was already in the air, flying towards them. She hit the first and used his body as leverage to bring her around so she could kick another in the side of his head. Landing squarely on both feet, she hit out three times at a speed that made it difficult to follow.

Her hand shot forward, with two fingers outstretched. They jabbed into the eye of the third guard, whose momentum carried him forwards until they were deep in the socket as far as they could go. Pulling her arm back, she straightened the remaining fingers and swung the edge of her hand into the neck of guard number two. The first was pushing himself up from where he'd fallen. Pedra's foot stamped down on the back of his neck. His chin slammed into the floor and his head snapped back.