Page 138 of Johnny

last night for a sample audit and—”

I stop listening because I’m thinking about Megan now.

I was just a kid. I just… processed them.

Accounting. Not keeping of money, but people. So this girl we’re about to scare the shit out of is

probably just another Megan.

So maybe some of her story is true.

Not all of it, obviously. But some of it. Maybe.

Logan begins to shout at the woman. “You’re a bunch of sick fucks, you know that? You keep

people here? You experiment on people and you want us to believe that any of you are innocent?”

“We didn’t choose our jobs any more than he chose his!” the woman spits back, indicating me with

one sternly pointed finger.

“Enough,” I say. “Let’s go. Open the fucking door, Darrel.”

Darrel shuffles over to the wall, presses some hidden pressure point and a panel slides open.

Logan walks over to watch him as he starts entering a code and I stay back to make sure none of the

captives get any dumb ideas.

The wall begins to slide open and Logan rushes in, assault rifle at high ready. “Clear,” he yells,

backing against the wall. Then he points to Darrel and says, “Lead the way.”

I motion for the rest of the pack to follow, and Logan hangs back, bringing up their rear.

I go in last, sick feeling in my stomach.

The smell is the first thing I notice as we make our way down a proper cave tunnel. Not death. Not

even the filth of the cell I found Megan in. Something else. The walls are ragged rock and the floor is

littered with stones. Someone up ahead trips, stumbles forward, but doesn’t go down.

We stop at a steel door. This time, no fancy security panel. Just an old-fashioned vault lock. Darrel

begins twisting the dials with the combination without even being told and just a few moments later

he pulls on the door and swings it open.

A girl gasps on the other side. She’s young. Very young. Definitely not of age. She’s got on a full

hazmat suit that includes the full hood, faceplate, and gas mask.

“Darrel,” I say in a low, angry tone. “If you lied to me—”

“It’s just a precaution,” he says. “I swear. She has to wear the suit when she’s working. It’s a

standard level four regulation. But there’s no leak in any of the cells or the air filter alarms would be