In which we are saved.

Dedicated to the rebel of the group.

They knew they were about to die.

The boy looked around, assessing his battleground. Then he nodded at the room of scrambling lab coats and green tint. He raised his freckled arms, revealing two heavy assault rifles, black as wet obsidian. Then justice reigned in the form of searing lead. Gunshots rang around the room felling all that the boy saw. And the boy saw everyone. Mr. Luitpold sprinted towards and exit, bowler hat toppling off his bald pate. A well aimed bullet felled him mid stride, striking him on his pinned lapel. In a matter of seconds, All but the hum of the growing-machine was persisted.

The boy walked out of the smoking doorway, revealing himself to be a redhead, and one that needed a trim, too. A baseball hat capped his fiery top, and he wore a stained safari jacket and black cargo pants. His arms were freckled to the point of tanness, no doubt from the many hours spent working outside. He was visibly strong, a strange feature for such a lanky frame.

As he walked towards the cylinder in the center of the room, he released a barrage of bullets into the humming mechanism. The room silenced and the girl stopped growing. The ginger boy tapped furiously on a keyboard, and the green glass tube disappeared into the ceiling. As the two in the operation beds came into view, the boy cursed. “Too late! I’m too late!” He rushed to the beds muttering ferociously. When he reached the sleepers – one a battered woman and the other a preteen, he stared at them for a full minute, his hand on his forehead, his breathing rapid and sharp. “Another gemini.” he whispered, “And I told ’em I could save her…” He looked the girl up and down, and shook his head. “Well,” he sighed, his voice burdened with stress and disappointment, “At least they didn’t finish. Maybe the other one has a chance, maybe.” He looked up with determination in his eyes, and breathed deeply.

“Um, ladies?” said the boy, unsure how two deal with the awkward situation. “Up, please? Ma’am? Yo! Y’all wake up, we need to move!”

And at that, a miracle opened her eyes for the first time.