Practice Run
"Tonight?" Eli's voice shook. "Kane is going to open a portal tonight?"
Dr. Evans nodded, her face pale in the moonlight. "She said something about the stars being aligned. She needs to get to the lab with both of you before midnight."
Marcus paced nervously. "We can't just hide and wait for Kael's people anymore. We need to stop Kane."
"But how?" Eli asked. "There are guards everywhere."
Dr. Evans pulled something from her pocket—a plastic ID card with her picture on it. "I can get you into the facility. My keycard still works."
Kael's eyes lit up. *This could be our chance. We could destroy Kane's tools before she opens the portal.*
Eli looked at the keycard, his mind racing. "It's too dangerous. What if it's a trap?"
Dr. Evans looked hurt. "I'm risking everything to help you. Kane would kill me if she knew I was here."
*She's telling the truth,* Kael confirmed. *Her mind is open. She's afraid, but she wants to help.*
Marcus studied his map again. "If we do this, we need a plan. A good one."
"I know the facility better than anyone," Dr. Evans said. "I can guide you."
After much debate, they decided to try. The research center was their best hope—it had communication equipment they could use to call for help, and it was where Kane would perform her ritual with the Void. They had to stop her before midnight.
They followed Dr. Evans through the bush, staying low whenever helicopters passed overhead. The night was cold, and strange shadows seemed to follow at a distance—Void creatures, watching but not striking.
"Why aren't they coming after us?" Marcus whispered.
"Kane must have ordered them to bring us in alive," Dr. Evans explained. "She needs you both."
When they reached the edge of the facility grounds, they hid behind a big rock and studied the building. It was a blocky, three-story building with few windows. Guards walked the perimeter, and security cameras watched every door.
"There's a service entrance on the east side," Dr. Evans said, pointing. "It's used for deliveries. The camera there has a blind spot."
"How do we get past the guards?" Eli asked.
Dr. Evans smiled grimly. "Leave that to me."
She walked out into the open, waving her arms. Two guards spotted her and ran over, guns raised.
"Dr. Evans! Where have you been?" one guard asked.
"Tracking the aliens," she said easily. "Dr. Kane's orders. I need to check something in my lab. Are the deliveries coming tonight?"
As she occupied the guards with questions, Eli, Marcus, and Kael sneaked past the fence and entered through the service door using Dr. Evans' keycard. Inside, they found a poorly lit and empty hallway. Kael had his silver skin covered with a lab coat and wore a baseball cap to hide his glowing eyes. Marcus advised they plan their escape routes just in case they faced problems. Eli agreed and suggested splitting up, with Kael going with Dr. Evans to find Kane's equipment while he and Marcus checked the exits. Dr. Evans informed them that the equipment was on the top floor’s north side but warned them about guards on every level.
Once Dr. Evans took Kael away, Eli voiced his distrust for her, which Marcus shared. They moved quietly through the hallways, checking doors while Marcus recorded which needed keycards. They found one door labeled 'Security' that was locked and deemed it possibly useful. Marcus timed their route to Kael's old room on the second floor, which they reached in two minutes and thirty-seven seconds, and then planned to head to the main exit.
However, when they turned a corner, they froze at the sight of a guard close. They quickly hid in a supply room as the guard checked his radio and then left. After timing the route to the exit, which took them four minutes and twelve seconds, they chose to try another route for safety. On their third route, they neared Kane's laboratory, hearing voices inside. Eli peeked in and saw Dr. Evans and Kael with Kane, who looked frightening.
Kane praised Dr. Evans for bringing Kael to her, showing Dr. Evans' betrayal. She claimed Kane threatened her family. As Kane ordered a guard to find Eli and Marcus, they quickly turned to escape but were met by a guard with a raised gun. Eli tried to reason with the guard, but instead of an ID, he used compressed air to blind the guard, while Marcus hit him with a fire extinguisher. They ran as alarms went off, going for the emergency exit.
When blocked by Dr. Evans at the third floor, she urged them to follow her to a different exit, saying Kane had her daughter, Lily, locked up. Eli demanded proof, and Dr. Evans showed them a photo of Lily in a cell, while Kael's voice confirmed her truth, saying he could see the security feeds.
"Kael?" Eli whispered. "Where are you?"
*Still in the lab. Kane doesn't know I can connect to your mind from this distance. It's draining, but I can lead you.*
"What should we do?" Eli asked.
*Follow Dr. Evans. I have a plan, but I need time.*
Eli nodded to Dr. Evans. "Lead the way."
She took them through a number of back hallways and service corridors. They could hear guards searching, but Dr. Evans knew how to dodge them.
"My daughter is in sub-level two," she explained as they descended a rarely-used stairs. "Kane keeps all her secrets down there."
When they hit the basement level, the air felt colder. The walls were made of concrete, and the lighting was dim.
"This way," Dr. Evans whispered, walking them past several locked doors.
They turned a corner and came face-to-face with Kane herself. She stood alone in the hallway, her red skin glowing slightly in the darkness.
"Welcome, Prince Elian," Kane said, smiling with too-sharp teeth. "I've been waiting for you."
"Run!" Dr. Evans screamed, pushing Eli and Marcus back the way they'd come.
But the hallway behind them was suddenly filled with darkness—living shadows that blocked their exit. Void creatures emerged from the walls, their forms shifting and twisting unnaturally.
"There's nowhere to run," Kane said quietly. "The stars are almost aligned. It's almost midnight."
Eli felt his heart beating. He focused his mind, remembering what Kael had taught him. A small spark appeared between his fingers.
Kane laughed. "Your powers are just awakening, little prince. You can't fight me."
"I don't need to fight you," Eli said. "I just need to distract you."
At that moment, all the lights in the building went out. Emergency sirens wailed, and heavy security doors began to close automatically.
*Now! * Kael's voice commanded in Eli's mind. *I've triggered the emergency protocols. You have thirty seconds before all doors seal.*
In the darkness, Eli grabbed Marcus and Dr. Evans and pulled them through a small maintenance door that Kane hadn't noticed. They squeezed through just as the security doors slammed shut, trapping Kane on the other side.
"My daughter!" Dr. Evans cried. "We can't leave her!"
"Kael will help her," Eli promised, though he wasn't sure how.
They followed the maintenance tunnel until they hit a small room filled with blinking server equipment. A single emergency light cast everything in a red glow.
"What is this place?" Marcus asked.
Before Eli could answer, a screen on the wall flickered to life. Kael's face appeared, his violet eyes sparkling.
"Kael!" Eli cried. "Where are you?"
*Still in Kane's lab,* Kael replied. *I've connected to the facility's services. I can control the doors, the lights, everything.*
"We need to get you out," Eli said.
*No time,* Kael replied. *Kane is preparing the process. She has the crystal from my mask. With it and your father's technology, she can open a portal to the Void's dimension.*
"How do we stop her?" Marcus asked.
Kael's picture flickered. *There's only one way. I've entered the facility's self-destruct sequence.*
"No!" Eli shouted. "You'll die!"
*It's the only way to stop the Void,* Kael said sadly. *I've unlocked the way to Dr. Evans' daughter. You have ten minutes to get her and get out.*
Dr. Evans gulped with hope and fear.
"We're not leaving you," Eli declared, his voice breaking.
Kael's eyes softened. *You must, my prince. Your people need you. I've sent a message to my ship. They'll arrive sooner than we thought—within the hour. But if Kane succeeds before then, none of us will survive.*
The screen flickered again, and alarms began to sound throughout the building. A computerized voice announced: "Self-destruct sequence initiated. Ten minutes to evacuation."
Kane's enraged scream echoed through the halls, so loud it seemed to shake the walls.
*Go now,* Kael urged. *Save the child. Save yourselves.*
"Kael, wait—" Eli began, but the screen went dark.
As they stood frozen in shock, something crashed against the door to their small room. The metal bent inward, as if struck by an impossible force.
"She's coming," Dr. Evans whispered in fear. "And she's not human anymore."