Asia and Denver stalked through dark hallways, clutching their weapons expecting a team of unfriendly faces at every turn. Empty. Every hallway, every corridor they crossed was empty. The eeriness of unoccupied spaces quickened the beats of Asia's heart to an erratic thud. Then there was the silence. No sound of hushed voices or cautious feet fluttering around them. The only noise Asia heard as they turned down the hallway was the pounding of her own eardrums.

Asia stopped at the adjacent hallway resting her back against the warm concrete wall. Denver did the same with his finger glued to the gun's trigger. He was nervous. She could tell from the shallow breaths he took and his wide blazing gold eyes, transfixed on the wall ahead. A stream of sweat rolled down the side of his reddening cheek and she second-guessed her choice.

 Maybe she should've listened to Denver? Maybe they should've broken the glass and jump out the window? If so, they would be back in the woods and searching for the others. 

Maybe I should just leave Keller, Asia flirted with the idea. There was still enough time. She and Denver could go back, break the glass, and be in the wilderness within minutes. 

No! The response sounded clearly in her mind. No, she couldn't abandon Keller. No, she couldn't let him be taken to the Factory. She didn't fully understand the concept of The Factory but whatever it was it didn't sound good.

     Asia nudged Denver with her elbow. He quickly turned to her with dazed eyes. "You alright?" She mouthed.

     Denver threw up the okay sign coupled with a faint nod. Asia matched his nod with a more vigorous one. She inhaled quickly—peeked around the corner and with wide eyes she slapped her body back against the wall.

      Denver bumped Asia's shoulder jolting her from her thoughts. When her eyes were planted on him he whispered, "What?"

     Asia placed a finger to her mouth. Asia held up three fingers then pointed behind her, "Guards."

      Denver wiped away the beads of sweat that percolated on his forehead. He released the gun, letting it hang at his chest. He threw his arms up, defeated. "What are you going to do?"

     "Me." Asia pointed to herself. "Us." She corrected.

     Denver stepped closer to Asia invading her private space. He leaned toward her, his breath warmed the goosebumps growing on her neck. His lips almost grazed her earlobe as he whispered, "Your friend. Your suicide mission." He stepped back firmly folding his arms.

       Asia could start a fire with the anger that burned in her eyes, "Don't bitch out on me, Den." She hissed punching him in the chest. "Would you leave me if I was in there." She pushed him, strenuously.

      The force of Asia's push caused Denver to lose his balance and he took a couple of fumbled steps backward.

        Once Denver regained his composure he lunged towards Asia, grabbed her shoulders and rammed her against the wall. She huffed out a gasp of breath from the impact. "Don't call me a bitch." He pushed her shoulder closer to the wall, concrete smooth against her back. "I would tear through hell for you, friend but not him. Fuck him."

      "Sister." Asia wrenched her hands around his biceps, making indentions in his flesh. "I'm not your friend. I'm your sister."

     Denver let her go but didn't step back, "What?"

       The confusion on Denver's face prompted her to clarify. "We're test tube babies. Created in a lab." She pushed Denver away from her but the action didn't shake the shock off him. "Our mother told me." Denver mouthed mother back to her. She nodded "Give me the gun."

      "No." Denver looked at Asia like she was losing her mind. Asia reached for the gun's strap around his neck. "Stop." He swatted her hand away. "Use your knife."

      She scrunched up her nose then punched him in the stomach. He bent over clutching his abdominal muscles. "Fine. I'll take care of it myself." 

She twisted on her heels. She tucked her head back around the corner. The same three men were in the hallway. One with the buzz cut was standing in front of the door watching the men, a blonde with tattooed arms talking to a bald black man with cat-like colored eyes that prompted Asia to blink a couple of times. Asia pulled two spikes from the sheath around her wrist. She glanced at Denver one more time, holding up the spikes in his face. "I got this." Denver rolled his eyes and she headed for the hallway.

      The bald man noticed her first. She tossed the spike but it wasn't the thing that brought the man down. Two slugs shot through the air. One hit the bald man in the leg, the other blasted the blonde in the shoulder. The blonde dropped to the ground convulsing but the bald man stood frozen; his hand dangling at his sides, his eyes staring far away. The man with the buzz cut fired his gun before Asia flung another spike. The two flying objects surged passed each other traveling on different trajectories. In two seconds everything changed.  

Someone gets injured, who do you think it is? Asia. Denver. The man with the buzz cut.