The Atlantis Plague (The Origin Mystery 2)

Janus cut left, leading them into a room with four doors.

“What now?” David asked.

“Now we wait. If I’m right, Kate will know what to do. She will not only release the tube that holds Ares, she will open the entire ship. That will be our opening. It will be a very, very short window to do what we have to do.”

Janus related the rest of his plan, and David merely nodded. He was out of his element; he had no choice but to trust Janus.

David turned to Milo and held out his sidearm for him to take.

Milo eyed it, then took a small step back.

“Milo, if anyone besides us comes through that door, you have to shoot them.”

“I cannot, Mr. David—”

“You have to—”

“I know. I must do it to survive. But it is not in me. I know if the time comes, I cannot pull the trigger. I cannot take another life. On my journey to the Ark in Malta, I learned many things. The most important thing I learned is who I truly am. I am sorry to disappoint you, Mr. David, but I also cannot lie to you, and I will not pretend to be something I am not.”

David nodded. “Believe me, I’m not disappointed, Milo. And I hope the world never gives you time or reason to change.” For a brief moment, he thought about himself, in his grad school days, before that building had buried him and started him on his own journey of vengeance.

Janus walked to the wall. A panel opened as he approached. He took out another yellow cube and began working his fingers in the light that emerged around it.

He returned to Milo and handed him the cube. “This is a cube similar to the one I used in the catacombs under Malta. It will not take a life, but it will incapacitate everyone within reach—you as well, Milo. And it won’t work on Atlanteans, obviously. But perhaps it will give you some time, time for an ally to arrive.”

“Got any more high-tech weapons?” David asked.

“Nothing of use. Just follow the plan. And follow my cube.” Janus inched closer to the portal door and held the cube up, ready to release it.

“I want a cure for the plague before we go through.”

“I told you, Mr. Vale, that discussion is finished. You and Kate share the pure form of the Atlantis Gene. You will both survive as you are.”

“Unacceptable.”

“Your acceptance is not required.”

Dorian brought Kate to a stop before a set of double doors.

He worked the panel and the doors parted.

Seven tubes stood in the room. The middle one held Ares. His eyes followed them, cold and unblinking.

Dorian stared at him for a long moment. “Release him,” he said without turning to face Kate.

She held her bound hands up and wiggled her fingers. “Release me first.”

Dorian spun on her. “You can manage.”

“I can’t.” She motioned to the panel. “It’s impossible to work the system with my hands bound. Untie me, and I’ll let him out.” She paused. “What’s the matter? You think both of you can’t handle me? Or all three of you can’t?”

Dorian nodded to Shaw, who took the assault knife out and snapped the zip tie in half.

Kate walked to the control panel. She felt Ares’ eyes following her.

Her next move would determine her fate, and that of many others.

The memories were clearer now, and the most vivid ones were of people, more than places. Janus. They had studied a hundred worlds over thousands of years. He had stayed the same. Somewhere along the way, she had changed. She had grown a bit more compassionate, more reflective, and more driven. And she longed to be with someone more like herself: someone with intellect and passion. Someone like David.

However, one thing about Janus stuck out in her mind above all else: he was the smartest person she had ever known. She was counting on that. The opening she was about to create would leave no margin for error.

She manipulated the cloud of blue light that rose from the panel.

Around her, lights snapped on and the other control panels flickered to life.

The tube slid open and Ares stepped out.

“Well done, Dorian.”

“Now, David.”

The portal door opened, and Janus rushed through, David close on his heels.

Janus flung the cube into the hallway and it raced away, a yellow wake of light marking its path.

The cube would find Kate, and David would lead her back to the portal. Janus had promised David that he would take care of the ship. He couldn’t allow it to fall into Dorian’s or Ares’ hands.

David chased after the cube. From the adjacent corridor, he heard Janus’s boots pounding the floor.

As soon as Ares stepped out of the tube, Kate lunged across the room at Dorian. Her attack took him by surprise. Her fist landed square on his jaw, sending him into the wall, then to the ground. She fell on top of him, and she felt Shaw’s hands grip her, pulling her back. But her distraction had succeeded. Had she bought enough time? The answer came in a blinding yellow-white light that erupted throughout the room.

David pumped his legs harder, racing down the corridor. Up ahead, the glowing cube ducked into a room and flashed. David heard a scream. He pressed on.

Shaw screamed out in pain, then fell to the floor beside Kate and Dorian and began writhing back and forth.

Kate was on her feet and out the door, but hands grabbed her. She tried to break free, but the strong hands spun her around.

David.

“Come on,” he said as he sprinted down the corridor.

Dorian’s ears rang, and he saw spots. Someone jerked him up. The panel on the opposite wall was exploding. What was happening?

He felt the ship shudder.

Ares slapped Dorian, and held his face. “Focus, Dorian. Janus is activating the self-destruct. We have to move.” He pulled Dorian up and out of the room.

Out of the corner of his eye, Dorian saw Shaw lying there, rolling in agony. Dorian gripped the doorframe. “Adam!”

Ares pulled him away and the double doors closed. “We have to leave him. Don’t be a fool, Dorian.” He dragged him down the corridor.

Another blast threw them to the ground.

Dorian leapt up and started back toward the room where Shaw was still crying out.

Ares grabbed Dorian’s shoulders and pinned them to the wall. “I won’t leave you. If you won’t leave him, you’ll kill us both, and everyone down below. Choose, Dorian.”

Dorian shook his head. His brother, his only family… He couldn’t make that call.

The hands shook his shoulders, slamming him into the wall again. “Choose.”