Chapter 150
- Evan -
Security had tightened since the dome fell, thanks to the surge of people. More nurses. More guards. More eyes everywhere. A girl's critical condition was already risky, but a girl with a hyperactive immune system and a mysterious collapse?
They had Kaysi locked down like a biohazard case.
Josh carried Becky down the hallway, the blue glow fading just enough to look like a hospital reflection instead of her powers. Good—if her parents came back and saw this, it would destroy the plan she had fought for years to protect. She didn't feel safe telling her family. Micah was fortunate to be able to share her cause and burdens safely.
Baby walked ahead briskly, tense and alert. Duke followed on the opposite side, scanning for anyone who might question us.
Micah trailed at the back, James' arm around her for support. "This is insane," she muttered. "They'll never let her into quarantine."
"We were trapped in the dome before," Baby whispered. "And we found a way out, didn't we!"
Josh tried to keep Becky balanced in his arms so the movement wouldn't hurt too badly, or she wouldn't hurt herself. She crossed her arms in an attempt to hide her frost-lit fingers. "Do you know what room she's in?"
"I know," James said softly. He pointed down the hall. "I saw her go back here before you went to pre-op. The security checkpoint is new. Wasn't here a few hours ago."
Sure enough, a guard and two nurses blocked the hallway leading to isolation. A red light blinked over the door.
Authorized personnel only.
Becky exhaled shakily. "I can't reach her from here."
Josh's jaw tightened. "We're getting you in there."
The guard stepped forward. "Only medical personnel beyond this point. I need to ask you to leave."
Josh didn't break stride.
The guard raised a hand. "Sir, stop right there."
Becky tensed, "Josh, don't—"
Because Baby stepped between them—smiling just wide enough to make the guard uneasy.
"Oh! Good, you're here," she chirped. "We were told to bring Miss Flatter to isolation two for post-op neurological screening. You know—because of the collapse, the coma cycles, and the whole medical mystery situation and exposure to the other girl that collapsed."
The guard blinked. "Uh... I wasn't given any new orders or updates."
Baby widened her eyes dramatically. "Are you sure you didn't miss something? This came directly from the doctor... What's his name again?"
"Dr. Halvern," James said smoothly. "Neurospecialist. As well as the consultant investigating the dome incident."
Baby snapped her fingers. "Yes! Him."
The guard still hesitated. "I...I don't know—" He was starting to sweat, unsure of himself. He looked relatively new, likely the result of a rushed appointment due to staff shortages.
Duke stepped forward with the authority of every bit of his six-foot-seven-tall self towering over the guard.
"Are you going to call the doctor and delay an emergency eval on a post-surgical minor, who is very busy with the surge of people?" He growled, "Or are you going to let us through like we already explained to you?"
"...Go ahead," the guard said finally, tapping the key card. With the look of defeat on his face, he said he couldn't afford to lose his job.
The red light blinked green.
And the door slid open.
Josh exhaled shakily. "I owe you guys one," he said, looking at Baby.
"No," Baby murmured. "Save Kaysi. That's the only debt that matters right now."
The isolation wing was dim, eerily quiet, sealed off with negative-pressure glass, and humming with vents. Kaysi's room was at the end, visible through the windows but unreachable without the locked secondary door.
I felt my stomach twist when I saw her through the window.
She was worse.
His skin was too pale, almost colorless under the fluorescent lights. Her breathing is so shallow, nearly nonexistent. Frozen. Like she wasn't fighting anymore.
Becky sucked in a breath, hand gripping Josh's shoulder. "She's slipping."
"We're here," he whispered.
"But the inner door requires a code—six digits and a fingerprint scan," James said.
"We came so close and are now stuck," Micah hissed.
"No," Becky whispered. "Where are we not?"
Her fingers glowed—just barely—as she reached toward the glass.
The ice spiraled beneath her skin, lighting faint blue trails up her arm.
Josh panicked. "Becky—the staff will see!"
"I'll hide it as best as I can; give me cover." She whispered. "I just need enough time to open the lock."
She pressed her palm against the glass, and we circled around them, blocking anyone's vision.
Frost didn't bloom outward—not visibly. Instead, it slid inside the panel, threading itself between circuits, making the machine hiccup. Lights fluttered. A soft click sounded.
The lock flashed green.
Baby's eyes widened. "You just hacked a locked door with ice!?"
Becky leaned her head back against Josh's shoulder. "Please hurry..."
Josh kicked the door open with his foot.
The second Becky crossed the threshold, the room temperature changed.
Not colder, but still.
Like time hesitated.
Becky reached toward Kaysi, fingers trembling. "Lay me down next to her."
Josh looked horrified. "No—you just had surgery—"
"Josh, trust me...please."
He gently lowered her to the side of the bed. Becky winced, clutching her sutures, but didn't stop. "I am okay, but a little pull is still tender."
Josh sighed.
Becky placed her hand over Kaysi's and closed her eyes.
You could see their eyes moving, fluttering under their lids.
Blue frost crept around their fingers, joining them—
delicately, luminous and beautiful—
like winter threading between their souls.
Becky whispered something like a prayer none of us could hear.
Then—
Her pulse synced with Kaysi's blue light surging at the beats under their veins.
The monitors glitched, and the lights flickered.
There was a pull in the air like a string connecting two worlds.
"I think she's going in," I said quietly. "Wherever Kaysi is... Becky's following."
James nodded grimly. "Becky would dive into hell to save any of us."
Becky's breath went still.
Kaysi's chest stopped moving.
Josh's face drained of color. "No—"
But Becky's eyes glowed under her closed eyelids, Ice blue burning through the frosted lashes.
"She's not dying," I said, grabbing Josh's arm. "She's fighting."
"But what if she doesn't come back—"
"She will have faith," I said, touching her hand, and a shock wave of lightning hit my hand.
"Ouch, I pulled back. What the hell?"
Josh grabbed my hand. "Your hand has the purple specks like what Micah said it did the first time you went to the abyss to get Kaysi."
Micah looked at my hand. "Yeah, like when you were connected to her before, and she shared her energy. Maybe you can return it."
"Josh, your arm is glowing as well," I said. Your divine arm already shows a connection to Becky."
James tilted his head, thinking. "What happened with the swords and shared energy from before? I believe you may hold the power to help Becky pull herself back."
We hope they deserve it. We are counting on Becky, but if we can help in any way, we will!
Josh and I nodded our heads and touched our hands to theirs. A vortex of thundersnow rippled through the air.