The Invasion

45 | A Tour

I've been staring at my hands, trying to activate my powers and looking for that spark in electricity, but nothing happens. Frustration and uncertainty, coupled with the fact that my mind is foggy from insufficient sleep, have me losing my concentration. After several failed attempts, my exhaustion peaks and I doze off on the thin mattress.

A couple of hours later, Lieutenant Johan startles me awake by paying me a visit. His creepiness sends chills across my arms and up my spine. He seems to have a habit of appearing in the middle of someone's nap.

"I realize that I've been a terrible host," he confesses from the doorway, inclining his head in a silent demand to get myself off the bed. "I haven't shown you around this place, have I?"

I roll my eyes. "If I could choose, I would rather have another guide."

His supercilious smile widens. "Oh, I'm sure you would love what I'm about to show you." His eyes gleam with malicious excitement, in a way that makes my stomach knots with dread. "Come."

It's not a request, but an order.

I gnaw on my bottom lip. Unless I want to aggravate him, I can't turn him down. Even if I don't like the way he looks at me like I'm his pet, I've got to maintain my composure. Now that he has Zarius and Mom in his captive, he thinks he has absolute control over me. One wrong step might kill my family.

It's a good thing he hasn't realized what Dad means to me.

Because I would kill him if he attempts to manipulate Dad again.

I'm forced to my feet and led out of my cell. Two well-armed guards watch me from the back as I follow Lieutenant Johan from the confinement annex to the laboratories. I hate how it reminds me of a hospital. It smells too clean here with a distinct scent of disinfectants in the air.

As we head down the corridor, a couple of scientists greet him with a smile. Patrol guards at every door and intersection dip their head in greeting. It gets even more clear when we get into the elevator and arrive at the main floor that's accessible to everyone—The Lounge.

The moment we step out, people flock to us. Faces of civilians break out in warm smiles and flatter him with words of appreciation for his hard work of protecting this place.

"Thank you for keeping us safe, Lieutenant Johan..."

"I heard you captured the creatures again. That's amazing."

My stomach lurches at the way they treat him with respect.

It's like they worship him as their leader—this lunatic who's obsessed with capturing merfolks and turning them into puppets.

Across the pristine floor, artificial flowers and foliage bedeck the wall panels and pillars—adding a touch of vibrance to this lackluster place. Robots glide across the room, cleaning and providing administrative help to the humans. Electricity is accessible here and I don't know how it is being generated.

After being hunted by the creatures and living in dire conditions for the past two weeks, this place and its advanced technology feel foreign to me. It's like I've stepped into a dream world—a sanctuary which I never imagined still exists.

How long has this underground city been here for?

From my look of awe, Lieutenant Johan seems to grasp my question. "This hidden city had been in the works since ten years ago," he explains. "It used to be a government research facility, but now that the apocalypse has happened, this has proven itself to be of great use."

I don't miss the unwelcoming stares that some civilians have been giving me. It's definitely because of my prisoner outfit and the guards by my side that they think I'm a criminal.