The Invasion

47 | Family

Hours ago, I saw Dad, and he had fought hard to regain his senses.

But now he doesn't recognize me.

Could it be that they've pumped a more powerful serum into his blood and made him go berserk?

Compared to Zarius, they've injected Dad with the nanobots much earlier, which means there are more drugs in his system. Now that things have gone awry, it just confirms one thing.

World Solutions has lost their control over Dad.

He's now on the loose, eager to kill anyone he sees.

I take the next elevator, pressing the button for ground level, because that's the floor I saw he has alighted. Wherever he's going, it will not end well. He has attacked several soldiers armed with guns earlier, so I'm worried that he has gotten hurt somewhere.

I hope he's okay. Zarius told me that Dad has incredible healing powers, so I'm counting on that to keep him alive.

But I'm not so sure what has happened to the rest of the humans who had already crossed paths with him.

I reach up to my right ear, realizing that I've lost the earpod that Max has given me somewhere during the fight. Something must have gone wrong with him, because he hasn't gotten back to me about Mom's location at our stipulated timing.

Did he change his mind about helping me? Or has something happened to him?

The elevator finally opens up to The Lounge. The scene is chaotic as civilians run for their lives and scream for help. Bodies of guards lie on the ground, dead. A couple of broken cleaning robots ignite into flames and smoke froths into the ceiling, triggering the water sprinkling system.

I'm soon drenched from head to toe. My guts sink, and remorse gnaws at me.

Come back to me, Dad.

The only way to find him is to go against the direction of the crowd. As I push past the herd of people, my shoulder slams into somebody and he grabs my arm.

"Sorry–" My words break off when I see it's just Max. "Max? What happened? I was waiting for your word, but you're bleeding?!"

Blood dribbles down his left eye from a gash at the side of his forehead and he wipes it away with the back of his hand. "I'm fine," he grunts before getting down to business. "Look, Cordelia. I tried to get to your mother, but security was really tight. I called you and there wasn't a response, so I came looking for you. But then I met this crazy creature who had broken out of his cell and was attacking anyone who got in his way. I barely got away from him without getting killed."

"Creature?" He must be referring to Dad. "Where is he?"

"Last I saw, he took your mother."

I'm half relieved. This means Dad still keeps a part of his own identity and remembers Mom, but I hope he doesn't hurt her.

No, scratch that.

I know he won't.

Max glances behind him and that's when I finally notice his brother–the last person I want to see right now. He's propped up against a pillar, his leg bleeding from a gunshot wound.

Matteo looks at me. He yelps once and jerks away from me quickly while clutching his bandaged arm. His face loses its colors, as if he's looking at a ghost or meeting the devil.

Do I scare him that much? Or is it because he's afraid of Zarius after knowing what he is and how close we are?

I frown. "What happened to him?"