My rational mind knew that the progression of emotions clouded my judgment. Did my appearance make Adamanthe and his father determined to make me an Overseer? Logically, their interest is solely for their own profit. Am I to be a pawn in their scheme?
I needed a few days to distance myself. Time to reflect on our conversation. What did it matter that I resembled the Founder? A chill crept the length of my spine. Something felt strange about the whole situation.
My apartment shook violently as the warning sirens blared.
EVACUATE TO LANDING STRIP IMMEDIATELY.
Barefooted I ran to the stairwell. The walls vibrated but appeared intact. I realized I had forgotten my communication device in the apartment. When evacuations occurred the government would extract their own and take them to a safe place.
Soon all the residents in the apartment filled the stairwell. We made our way to the landing strip in a frenzy. Although we were a civilized culture, an evacuation brought out our primitive, animalistic nature to survive.
Once on the strip, people were beamed aboard aircrafts. An ear splitting scream ripped through the open air. My eyes searched for the direction of the noise and saw the woman pointing behind me. I turned to see the invader. Its vines like tentacles reaching up through the red clay dirt.
"Calypso!" I turned to see Gaia ushering me toward the transport.
I ran to her as another scream tore through my core. The building was collapsing. People behind me were running at full speed toward the ships. We would not all fit.
Adam's face flashed before my eyes. I thought back to his candor in the lab. It made me realize something about his words. The truth. If the truth was revealed to the masses, we would have an intergalactic war on our hands.
Rage filled inside me as I was lifted through the air. The people below who were not captured, fell screaming into the crumbling abyss. Seemingly satisfied, the plant disappeared beneath the ground. Leaving a gaping hole where my apartment once stood.
I was so consumed by my hatred, I had not noticed Gaia's hand clasped in mine. She had strapped me in to my harness and was starting at my face in concern.
"I am fine." I assure her, patting her hand.
"That is what frightens me." She half smiles. "You have a look of purpose."
"My purpose will be to destroy that thing." I say through gritted teeth. "I will take down all those who turned their backs on us and stranded us here."