The Typhon Project

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Be a Good Girl and Save the World

I scrutinized Jace's father's expression. What could he possibly want me to do to prove my loyalty? I shifted from one foot to the other and looked down. I couldn't go back to The Farm. I could leave, but where would I go? Would they let me leave now that I know about them and know where their hideout is?

I lifted my head and looked him in the eye. "What do you want me to do?"

Jace stepped closer to his dad. "She doesn't have to do anything."

His dad poked him in the chest. "My place. My rules."

Jace lifted his chin. "She was hiding from the soldiers too. She's not one of them."

"You don't think those things could concoct a plan to flush us out? Son, this is war. And they'll do anything to win."

I placed my hand on Jace's shoulder. "It's okay, Jace. I'll do what I have to do."

His father shot me an blistering glare, and I removed my hand from Jace's shoulder. "Name it and I'll do it."

His dad smirked. "Everyone out!" The cave-like room emptied.

His father looked me over from top to bottom. "There are heat sensors in the tunnels. A human goes in there, alarms go off. You run about five degrees cooler. If you go in, no alarms."

Jace shook his head. "Dad, no." 

"Jace, we've been trying to figure out a way to get in there. Now we've got one." Then he turned to me. "I want you to destroy the coil. With the coil gone, humans have a fighting chance."

My mouth dropped open. He may as well have asked me to fly. "How am I supposed to do that?"

"With a bomb."

Jace stepped between me and his dad. "No. No! You can't send her back there."

"She'll take the service tunnel directly under the coil. She'll secure and activate the bomb. Then she'll have five minutes to get out. When the coil goes up in flames, she'll be one of usand she can live here." 

I couldn't help but notice that now that he had a use for me, he called me "she".

"No, it's too dangerous," Jace said.

His dad was right. I knew my way around the tunnels. I even knew my way around the coil building. If the coil were destroyed, it would set everything right. I remembered Mom's words. Be a good girl and save the world. Maybe this is why I was saved.

I pulled in a deep breath. "I'll do it." 

"You don't have to do this. You don't have to prove anything to him," Jace said.

His father crossed his arms.

I swallowed hard. "Tell me what I need to do."

* * * * * *

I followed Jace's dad down another dark corridor lit by a slim beam of light from his flashlight. Jace followed me.

Jace's father led me into a low-ceilinged room full rough wood shelving stacked with what at first glance looked like junk, but as my eyes adjusted, I could make out different colored wires and the glint of metal. Electronic components.

A table sat at the center of the room, strewn with wires and mother boards. His dad walked to a metal cabinet that stood against a jagged, stone wall. He dug a key out of his pocket and wriggled it into the pad lock. The doors clambered as he threw them open.

He pulled a football-sized contraption off  of a high shelf and, cradling it in his arms, carried it to the table. With both hands he eased it down onto the table.

Jace stiffened. "Dad, I'll do this. I'll go. I'll plant the explosives."

"You know you can't get through those tunnels." His dad pointed at him. "So you either shut-up or you leave."

"No. I'm going. This is my job," I said.

"You could die. You realize that."

"I've wanted to die since I became this . . . thing." I waved my hand over my body.

"You'll need to secure this to the base of the coil," his dad began. "It's pretty simple. It has magnets on the back to hold it in place." He pointed to two long black strips that ran down one side of the device. "Flipping this switch activates it. Once it's activated, you won't be able to turn it off. The ignition is wired into the magnets so if they try to move it, it'll blow. Once it's live, you'll have five minutes to get out of there before it goes off."

"Can't you give her more time?" Jace asked.

His dad glared at him. "We can't risk the lizards disabling it or removing it. Five minutes is already too much time."

Clearly, he'd prefer a kamikaze bomber.

He hurried to a shelf and retrieved an army-green canvas back pack. He unzipped it and carefully stowed the bomb inside, tossed in a roll of duct tape, and pushed the entire package at me.

I stepped backward. "Now? I-I have to go now?"

"What? You think I'm gonna let you mooch off of us and give your kind time to find us here? Yeah, now."

"Dad, can't you just give her some time to--"

"Time to what? Do her hair? Kill us in our sleep?"

Jace looked down at the dirt floor.

I took the pack from him and carefully looped the strap over one shoulder.

"Don't blow yourself up," he said and then walked out of the room. He didn't look back. He seemed as though he didn't expect to see me again.

Jace pulled the pack off my shoulder and set it on the table. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought you here. This is my fault. Let's just go. I can get you out of here." He tugged on my elbow.

I stood my ground. "I have to do this. I'm meant to do this." I swallowed hard. "If I die, I die." Mom's words echoed in my thoughts and tears warmed my eyes. I sucked in a ragged breath. "My dadss asleep. My mom's asleep. Lindsay is asleep. And I'm so tired, Jace."

I beat back the tears. Jace wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head on his shoulder and allowed myself a moment of comfort before I pulled away. "Will you help me find my way back to the tunnel?"

"Of course. I will try to talk you out of it on the way."

"Please don't."

His lips pressed into a hard line. "Let's go."