Determinant: One choice will change everything

Chapter 38: Tobias - Determinant

Determinant

[dih-tur-muh-nuhnt]

noun

1. A factor that decisively affects the nature or outcome of something

2. Biology: a gene or other factor that determines the character and development of a cell or group of cells in an organism, a set of which forms an individual's idiotype

3. Mathematics: a quantity obtained by the addition of products of the elements of a square matrix according to a given rule

adjective

Serving to determine or decide something

Chapter 38: Tobias – Determinant

The alarm still blares as we dart down narrow hallways between rows of cubicles, gray panels surrounding us in all directions. Their walls are a couple of inches shorter than I am, which has its pros and cons. I have to keep my head ducked down as we run to make sure I'm not seen, but as we reach each "intersection," all I have to do is stand on my toes to peer over the corner, checking if the way ahead is clear. It feels safer looking from above like that – I know from years of being taller than average that people tend to look straight ahead and miss movements that are higher up.

We cover quite a bit of ground without encountering anyone, and I'm beginning to think that the alarm is only sounding because Margot and Peter are attacking the twentieth floor, and that they succeeded in giving us a free path here. But we certainly can't rely on that. So little has gone right on this mission that it would be foolish to assume now is any different.

As we prepare to turn left again, that pessimism proves to be accurate. There's a soldier standing guard halfway down the hallway we want, machine gun in hand. Shit. There weren't any soldiers on this floor when I checked the cameras earlier – just security guards – but his uniform and gun are different from those. Reinforcements have obviously been sent to this floor, which means something has gone very wrong. For a moment, I can't help but worry about the others, but I push it away. Either they're alive or they're not – letting the thought distract me helps no one.

Christina starts to step forward, gun ready, but I throw my arm out to block her while I try to think of how to proceed. Unfortunately, our choices are limited. The soldier is too far away for a clean shot with our handguns, but we're well within range of his machine gun, so it's a bad idea to fire at him. If we can get across this "intersection" without being seen, we can take the next left instead, since the hallways form a grid system through this whole area. But it's unlikely that all three of us can cross here without him seeing us. Besides, there's probably someone in the next corridor too. We're very close to the Control Computer at this point, so it's a sure bet that every hallway is guarded.

No, somehow we need to find a way to get close to the soldier without being noticed. My eyes roam to my companions automatically, looking out of habit for her to come up with an idea. But she's not here, and it's hardly surprising that Marcus and Christina seem to be as clueless as I am. I force my gaze away from them, turning to the sea of cubicles around us, and slowly a thought begins to form. Maybe it's possible to go over instead of around….

I do some quick mental calculations, pausing as I remember that Christina's leg isn't fully healed yet and that my father is twenty years older than I am. I guess this task is up to me.

"Wait here," I say, speaking just loudly enough for them to hear me over the sound of the alarm. Christina shakes her head immediately, frowning, and Marcus grips my arm to stop me. I try not to wince, knowing that he's not planning to hurt me right now – it's more the opposite. They feel the need to protect me, so I can complete this mission. But there's no time for that.