World After (Penryn & the End of Days 2)

“What are these?” My heart is thumping fast, telling me to forget about it.

“The human race is being wiped out and you think I’m happy about it?” asks Doc.

“What’s this?” I hold up the box that says PAIGE.

“Let me guess, you’re bravely fighting to free us,” says Alpha.

“I’m doing what I can. ”

“Behind the scenes, no doubt,” says Alpha.

“Way behind the scenes, bro,” says Tattoo.

“Hey!” I say. “What is this?”

They finally look at me holding up the little box with Paige’s name and picture.

“It’s a video,” says Doc.

The alarm bells shriek again, echoing off the walls.

“The hell is that?” asks Tattoo. “And why does it keep going off?”

“There’s some crazy lady on the loose,” says Doc. “Keeps propping open emergency exits. Triggers the alarm. Are you going to let me go?”

Well, at least my mom must be doing okay.

“I want to see this video,” I say.

“Seriously?” asks Tattoo. “Want popcorn too?”

“I think that’s my sister. ” I lift the video. “I need to see this. ”

“Paige is your sister?” asks Doc. He seems to really notice me for the first time.

It sends a jolt through me to know that this man knows Paige.

Doc tries to come to me but Alpha yanks his hair back.

> “Stab me in the eye or let me go. ” Doc busts out of Alpha’s grip, looking ready to punch him.

“I need to see this video. ”

“If that little girl was your sister,” says Doc, “I’m afraid she died in the aerie attack. ”

“No, she didn’t,” I say.

He blinks at me in surprise. “How do you know?”

“I was just with her yesterday, or however long it’s been since I got here. ”

Doc’s eyes focus so intensely on me that it’s as if I’m the only one in Doc’s world right now. “She didn’t attack you?”

“She’s my sister. ” As if that answers the question.

“Where is she now?”

“I think she came here. We followed. ”

The alarm turns off and we all relax our shoulders a little.

“Don’t got time to watch a video, sweetheart, are you crazy?” asks Tattoo. “Take it with you. ”

“It’s Betamax,” says Doc. “This is probably the only Betamax player left in the Bay Area. It’s ancient, like everything else that was left around here. ”

“What’s Betamax?” I ask.

“Obsolete video format,” says Alpha. “Older than you. ”

“So you can’t see it anywhere but on this machine,” says Doc.

“What’s your plan?” I ask Alpha and Tattoo. “Is there any way I can watch this and meet you guys?”

They look at each other, and it’s clear neither of them has a plan.

“We take him captive and walk out of here,” says Alpha.

“Then we all die,” says Doc. “I mean no more to the locusts than you do. ”

“Locusts?”

“Those things. ” He nods toward the window. “That’s what the angels call them. Not sure why. These things will be the end of humanity. ” He fades into his own world for a minute as he looks out over the scorpion factory, then seems to remember us. “Look, if you want to escape, tonight is the time to do it. There’s something scheduled that will have all the locusts flying off on a mission. ”

“And we believe you why?” asks Tattoo. He’s found a letter opener from somewhere and is checking out the edge.

“Because I’m a human being and so are you. That puts us on the same team, like it or not. ”

“How long will the creatures be gone?” asks Alpha.

“Don’t know. ”

“What time will they leave?”

“I only know what I just told you. Tonight will be your best and only shot. ”

“If they’re gone, we could free everybody,” I say, thinking of Clara and Mom and everyone who sang “Amazing Grace” when those people were marched to their deaths. Now I know where they went.