I expect alarm bells to ring out but nothing happens.

The hallway looks peaceful in its taupe colored glory. I close the door behind me.

“Okay, I’ve got Bill’s map cued up from your mind,” says Xeno. If we’re where I think we are, you should go down all the way and turn left,” he says. “No, not that way, the other way.”

I spin around and speed walk all the way down the hall, buttoning up my new white lab coat as I go.

“These shoes are a size too small,” I mumble. “Hurts my fee—”

“Now go right. Yeah. Yeah. Okay, now quick left. Now go through that door over there. No, not that one, the taupe colored one.”

“They’re all taupe,” I growl.

“The one that woman is standing in front of.”

“Oh, great,” I mumble. I turn around, grab a clipboard off the wall, and pretend to inspect the paperwork mounted to it. I adjust my face mask, look back over my shoulder, then back to the clipboard.

“She’s just standing there,” I say.

“Just walk past her, use Fartgun’s card.”

“Right,” I say, and suck in a breath. My heart is pounding in my ears now. My heart is playing racquetball in my ribcage.

I spin around and stride towards her. Confident, like I know what’s up. She doesn’t look up from her tablet, not until I’m upon her.

“Sorry,” I say, scanning my card on the door. I clear my throat. The door unlocks.

She gives me a funny look but steps aside with no questions. I give her a quick glance, a nod, then step into the room and the door closes behind me.

“Good,” says Xeno. “Now, all the way through to the other side, and the lobby should be just down the hall from there.”

The room is dark and a bit chilly. There’s a layer of fog or mist or something rolling around the edges of the room, all stemming from a set of lab tables in the far corner.

Creepy.

No people though, which is good.

I practically run to the end of the room, swipe the card, and burst into the hallway. I look left and right.

“Which way?”

“Right.”

I still have the clipboard in hand. I study it as I make my way down. It only takes about thirty seconds of speed walking before the lobby opens up on the left side. I recognize the room vividly.

The elevators are on the far wall and no one is around. There’s not even a receptionist at the desk.

“This is too easy,” I say. “Feels almost—”

Stolen story; please report.

And just as I say it, the elevator dings and the doors slide open.

I stop, my finger hovering above the elevator button.

Jim is standing there, checking his watch. He takes a step, then stops, looks up at me.

My eyes go wide.

His eyes go wide.

And we just stand there, looking at each other with wide eyes.

I swallow.

He blinks.

The elevator doors try to close and I put a foot in the way and they open back up.

The face mask is no disguise for my good friend. He knows, there’s no hiding it from Jim.

Jim seems to go through a series of emotions in the space of five seconds: Horror, panic, frustration, annoyance, then finally … resolve.

He nods, then motions for me to get in.

I do.

He cranes his head around, looking for cameras and people in the lobby as the door slides shut.

“Oh, Jeez,” I blurt.

Jim pushes a button. Top floor. We’re going up.

“I don’t want to know,” he says, glancing at the blood speckled on my collar.

“You don’t,” I confirm.

He makes a face, then reaches in his pocket, pulls out a set of keys, and hands them to me. “Blue Corvette,” he says, third row.

I take the keys. “Why are you helping me?”

He doesn’t respond. Doesn’t need to.

I huff out a breath, look at the numbers illuminated on the wall panel. Five more levels to go.

“Look, they’re going to send Agent Cord after you again.”

“Agent Cord? Oh, is that Pete?”

“Yes, and he has a new partner, Agent Rabbet. You liked to refer to him as Thing 1.”

“Wait,” I say “His name is Rabbet? They’re going to send Pete and Rabbet after me? Peter Rabbet?”

The panel dings indicating we’re passing floor 3.

Jim rolls his eyes. “You’re going to have to punch me,” he says. “Make it look convincing.”

“Or I can just send you to paradise,” I say, opening my hand.

“No,” he says. I don’t want to risk that. “I’m not, just, hurry, Jack. Punch me. Right here.”

“I can help with that,” says Xeno, slithering out of my hand.

Jim gasps.

“Don’t hurt him,” I say, grabbing Xeno’s slimy appendage.

“Just a scratch, Jack, don’t worry.”

Jim’s eyes are wide again, his back pressed up against the wall of the elevator so hard I feel like he might press through. “What is that thing?”

I nod. “Jim, Xeno. Xeno, Ji—”

Floor 1 dings and Xeno yanks my arm forward, slashing at Jim’s jaw bone. The impact knocks him into the back wall and he falls to the floor, still conscious but dazed.

“I said don’t hurt him!” I help Jim back to his feet with my left hand.

Xeno snaps back inside and says, “What? He’s fine. I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time.”

The elevator doors open.

“Thanks, Jim,” I say, as I leave him there, looking stunned and slightly bloodied.

The door closes behind me and I turn to face another empty lobby, this one built in the 80’s for sure. The parking lot is over there. I can see it through the windows. I rush towards it, click the key fob, and hear the hopeful sound of beep, beep in the distance. Sounds like freedom.

“We’re out,” I say, as I push the double doors open.

“Yes, Captain Obvious, Now don’t get cocky. We still have a long way to go.”

Dugway Proving Grounds is an odd little army town with a dark secret beneath its quaint surface. Most of the buildings look like they're from the early '80s. There's a copse of trees and a surprisingly charming little neighborhood. I wonder if Jim lives in one of those houses.

Some of those homes will be empty tonight.

I push the thought away as I cruise down Stark Road, leaving Dugway behind. At the edge of town, there's a small building set up as a checkpoint, but it's unmanned at the moment. I let out a breath as I drive past it. I glance back over my shoulder. No alarms, no flashing cop lights. Nothing.

The sun peeks over the horizon. Morning has never looked so beautiful. It looks like freedom.