Chapter 4: Yuma, Arizona

Landon ran through the halls, looking for anyone. He needed help. "Hello? Please, my brother needs help," he shouted, "my parents work here. He needs someone." The motion sensor lights flickered on as he passed. A green sign for a first aid station came on glowing red. He riffled through the cabinets for something to bring back for his brother. Devin could be dying, and he wouldn't know. Grabbing everything he could carry, Landon ran back out to the SUV. He burst through the doors but there was someone hovering over his brother. "Get away from him!"

The woman stepped away, almost dropping Devin to the ground had it not been for his seatbelt. Landon dropped his things and went to his brother.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I thought he was alone."

"Why would anyone just leave someone like that?"

"You don't know what's happened, do you?"

Landon stood between them, "what are you talking about?"

The woman gestured around, "everyone's gone. They all disappeared."

"What does that mean?" He looked toward the empty building, "how is that possible? How do you know?"

"Because I helped create the problem."

"Who are you?"

"Can we talk while I help your friend?" she stepped closer with his things in her hands, "I know first aid. Please listen to me."

Landon figured he didn't have many choices. This was the first person he had seen since waking up. There was no other option. She pushed past him, "Do you have water?" He got a bottle from the cooler and handed it to her, watching her meticulously.

Careful hands cleaned the cut on Devin's forehead. The boy shifted away but calmed when Landon put his hand on his shoulder.

"My name is Connie Bomber. My mother was involved with the biochemical side of the project. She engineered the shot that everyone took."

"The Starlight vaccine?"

"It's not a vaccine," speaking softly, "It was meant to be a fix all."

"What were you trying to fix?"

Connie frowned, pausing for a minute then, "Listen. You must be exhausted. Why don't you come along with me?"

"Okay," the word left his mouth before he could stop it. Landon's legs shook beneath him. He grabbed the car door. His exhaustion from the day came on him all at once.

"Thank you. I'd hate to go alone," she smiled, "let me help you." Bonnie helped Landon into the back of the SUV. He could barely keep his eyes open. "Just relax."

Landon passed out across the backseat. Smiling, she closed the backdoor before packing the medical supplies. Everything was put in the trunk but something caught her eye, two gun cases. Connie opened one taking the Beretta pistol from its spot. She loved it.

"Landon?"

Her other passenger started moving around, struggling with his seatbelt. Connie slipped the gun in the back of her waistband. She closed the trunk and returned to Devin. He didn't have the strength to unfasten, and he didn't seem to notice Connie. She grabbed his hand.

Devin looked at her in surprise, "who're you?" his words ran together.

"I'm a friend."

"Landon?"

She tilted his face toward the sleeping redhead. At Devin's sigh, she figured that was who he was looking for, "See. He's okay." Devin nodded, relaxing into the seat.

She cupped his face in her hand, looking him over, "how are you feeling?"

"Hot."

It was a little over a hundred degrees. Connie closed the door, and walked around to the driver's seat. Her passengers' eyes followed slowly. He barely processed what was happening until they were already driving away.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Las Vegas."

"Oh. Why?"

"I have some business there."

./*\.

Five hours earlier.

The project had just activated. Connie stood at one of the computer screens staring at her own vital chart.

Nothing abnormal there. She had volunteered to be set up to the dozens of machines when her mother had asked for volunteers. It wasn't like anyone else would volunteer. She had told her mother numerous times to stop asking them for her testing. They were cowards, sheep being led to the mouth of the wolf.

"Constance," her mother called to her but when she looked over, she was gone. The room was empty. There had been scientists and engineers everywhere. Connie hadn't noticed when it had suddenly turned quiet, too focused on the task at hand.

The silence was blissful. She hadn't had a moments peace for months. After taking off the medical equipment, she laid on the floor. It was calm. She thought of how her mother would enjoy this. Her mother would have, but she had disappeared. Her peace was ripped away, allowing an unfamiliar ache in her chest. Fires blazed in her mind as her heart opened for the first time. Agony seeping its way into her screams. This was what she had wanted. Her mother did all of this to fix her after all. The poor little girl who couldn't feel anything but anger. Connie hit the floor. It hurt to care. Why would anyone want to care?

Hours passed as she lay on the floor crying. Too heavy to move. This was her fault. She had pushed her mother to rush. She had wanted to be normal, so that maybe she could feel the love others seemed to easily give. This wasn't worth it.

"This way," someone shouted from the hall.

Connie curled in on herself. There are others. She growled at herself. The reason this happened had to be linked to the project, therefore the shot. Two percent of the world was trapped with her. That's annoying.

The other subjects crowded into the room. Connie could barely get her feet under her before they started tearing into the equipment. No particular goal in mind.

"No. Stop," her words went unheard. Smashing buttons rarely solved anything. Although with the amount of energy being used for the Starlight Project, they could blow the entire building up. Connie grabbed at one of them, pulling them away from a consol. The woman swung at her blindly yelling to destroy the machine. Her stomach dropped. There was no reasoning with them.

"Listen to me!" She demanded, and they did.

Then she sent them away. Where they would never bother her again.