[OLD] The Supers Experiment (#1)

Nineteen

Claire was unnerved by how dark and quiet it was. She could barely see the others. Walking through the empty building felt wrong and uncomfortably surreal, like it was all a strange dream.

Summer came to a stop in front of her. They had reached an intersection. "How are we going to find Ivy?" Summer asked. "We've been walking around forever. These halls are a maze!"

Claire closed her eyes. Maybe she could sense Ivy. The building seemed to be deserted, so she wouldn't have to worry about running into too many minds at once.

"There's... maybe ten other people in the building? No, fifteen. That I can sense, at least," Claire said. The others turned to look at her, but her focus was on finding Ivy. There were two people on the top floor, and a group of people in a room a floor below them. A few others were scattered near the first floor. And...

"There's someone else on this floor," Claire said, opening her eyes. She pointed down the hallway to their right. "That way."

"Do you think it's Ivy?" Summer asked.

Claire hesitated. "I can't be sure, but I think so. I don't know if I can read their mind from here."

"We may as well try," Spencer said, moving next to Claire. Claire felt Ace brush up against her leg and absentmindedly reached down to pet him.

"Let's go, then," Summer said. She set off down the hallway.

After they'd walked for a few minutes, she came to an abrupt stop.

Claire almost crashed into her. "Summer?" Claire whispered. There was a faint red light up ahead.

"Target detected," a voice said. Something grabbed Claire and she shrieked.

"Soldiers!" Summer exclaimed.

Claire cried out for help as another set of hands grabbed her and dragged her down the hallway. She could hear the others calling her name, but it was too late.

~

"Claudia."

Claudia turned around. "I thought you were leaving with the others."

"I am," John said. "I just wanted to ask if you were sure about going through with this."

Claudia rolled her eyes. "Not this again. Listen, I'm busy. I have to tell Andrew—"

"Forget about Andrew for one second." John narrowed his eyes. "I know you want to impress him, but that's not what this is about."

Claudia folded her arms. "Then what is this about, John?"

"You want to prove—"

"I don't want to prove anything."

"Let me finish." John couldn't keep the exasperation out of his tone. "Fine, let's pretend this is about Andrew. He's behind this whole thing anyway, isn't he? Have you heard him talk about anything that isn't Operation Black Knight? He's insane, Claudia."

"Andrew's a genius," Claudia insisted.

"A PhD can't stop you from losing your mind. Listen to him! All he does is go on about aliens and realms and dragons and that blasted Pyramid."

"Don't bring the Pyramid into this."

John shook his head. "You can't possibly believe him."

"Of course not. I mean..." Claudia trailed off and sighed. "You haven't seen the Pyramid Fragment. In person."

"No, but I will," John said. "And I do know it's not what Andrew thinks it is. Those stories are just myths."

Claudia opened her mouth, closed it, and opened it again. "I'm done talking about this. In case you haven't noticed, I'm trying to run Scorpion."