The Kill Order

As Mark and Alec follow the trail Lana, Trina, and Deedee left behind, Alec sees more and more evidence that they were being chased by something, likely a Berg. Mark and Alec lose Lana’s tracks in a ravine, but Alec identifies as the location of the Berg’s headquarters near a valley. There is nothing visible above ground, but Alec identifies signs of underground activity. As Alec and Mark discuss what they should do, a Berg approaches and the land begins to open up.

A round piece of land slowly rotates, “like a coin flipping” (152). It appears to be a landing pad for the Bergs, evidenced by the Berg coming in for a landing. Alec and Mark decide this is their chance to get inside and search for their friends: they drop down onto a metal walkway as the Berg lands.

Alec and Mark use the light on the workpad to make their way through the dark landing area. Finally, they come to an area filled with the sound of machinery. They listen to the landing pad rotating again as they move into a hallway, then back into a chamber as they wait for the crew of the Berg to exit ahead of them. In the hallway, they overhear someone say that the virus has been nicknamed “the Flare” (160).

Alec tells Mark that his purpose is to find their friends and find out what is going on. To this end, they explore the underground building. They find evidence of generators, but they appear to be failing because the light is dim. After exploring for a while, they come across a lone man inside what appears to be a dormitory. The man is clearly upset, telling them he did not want to leave the child.

Mark begins peppering the man with questions, but he will not respond. Mark begins again by asking the man’s name and is told he is Anton. With Mark’s questions, Anton begins telling his story. Anton says that two months ago, they were sent to infect a village with the virus as a test. He said it all went wrong, that the virus drove some of the people to question reality. Despite this, the people in charge pushed forward, upping the dosage of the virus, intent on killing half the population. Anton says everyone is infected, including him and Mark and Alec. He then says that he cannot do it anymore because they made the workers return the little girl to her people even though she had been hit with a dart and did not get sick. Anton tells them that everyone in charge in the facility has the virus and they are going to take it back to Alaska, where the PFC is headquartered, through a Flat Trans in Asheville.

After Anton falls asleep, Alec tells Mark that they need to sleep as well. Mark argues, but Alec insists they cannot help Trina, Lana, and Deedee unless they sleep. Alec locks the door and he and Mark crawl into empty beds. Mark falls instantly asleep as memories play out in his dreams.

In Mark’s dreams, he remembers that outside the tunnel entrance to the Lincoln Tower, a wall of water rushes toward Mark, Trina, and their group as they fight their way through another group of survivors. Mark grabs Trina’s arm and starts running. When the water hits them, it is hot. They run as quickly as they can down the tunnel while the water gets deeper and deeper. Alec points to an exit door, and Mark struggles to get there in the deepening water with Toad, Darnell, and the others close behind him. Bodies begin washing past them, some alive, some not. Alec reaches the stairs, holds on to the railing, and begins grabbing people out of the water. Mark stays back to help Baxter, who is panicked and struggling. Baxter falls, and Alec grabs him but lets go of the railing. Mark grabs Alec just before he and Baxter are washed away. Mark loses his grip, but others grab him and somehow pull all three out of the water. They enter the building.

Mark wakes in a panic from his dream. He recalls how they spent two weeks in the Lincoln Tower waiting for the flood to recede before they could go search for family members. Mark remembers growing more and more concerned for his parents and sister, Madison. Alec wakes, angry with himself for sleeping. Mark and Alec head out, intent on finding Anton’s coworkers to learn more about what is happening. They wander the hallways until they find a closed door behind which they can hear the sounds of many people. They sneak into the room, an auditorium, and listen as a meeting begins.

The man speaking, Bruce, tells the crowd that Asheville has built up their walls to keep out the infected. They have learned that the PFC has “created an army of monsters” (184) and turned their backs on them. Anger fills the crowd. Bruce tells the crowd he gave Lana, Trina, and Deedee back to Deedee’s villagers. Finally, Bruce tells the crowd that they are all infected and they need to get to the Flat Trans in Asheville so they can confront the leaders at the PFC. Bruce is clearly unstable, and he is inciting the crowd to fight the PFC. As the meeting is wrapping up, Bruce announces Mark and Alec’s presence and tells the crowd to restrain them.

Mark and Alec make a run for it, Mark leading the way back down the hallway. As they run, they make their way back to the rotating landing pad. Once in complete darkness, they realize the sounds of their pursuers have stopped. They stop as well, moving deliberately along the walls, searching for a place to hide. Mark and Alec slip into a chamber below the landing pad and close the door. Seconds later, someone turns on a flashlight and confronts them.

Mark and Alec are confronted by a group of people, and a brawl breaks out. Mark fights his way through it and hears Alec fighting as well. Mark manages to make his way to the door through the fighting. Alec joins him, and they force the door open, closing and locking it behind them as the crowd continues to fight among themselves.

Mark and Alec find themselves beside a Berg and decide to use it to escape. Alec opens the hatch and disappears inside. Mark follows and finds a stack of workpads. As he investigates them, the Berg suddenly lurches. The launch pad is rotating, set off by one of the members of the crowd.