Disclaimer: If you have a weak heart, DO NOT read this chapter. I am not responsible for any heart failure caused by the insanely twisting ending.
Alex found the keypad in the hollow tree. He punched in the key code: A-L-E-X. Alex put on his infrared snowboarding goggles. The dip in the mountain was free of infrared beams.
"Well done, Alex," Smithers complimented.
Suddenly, the roar of a snowmobile engine approached them. Alex peeked out of the grove of trees. Four snowmobiles came into view. Alex could barely make out the familiar forms of Camryn, Ryan, Tubs, Jack, and Akira. He stepped out of the trees and waved. The four snowmobiles pulled up and stopped at the trees. Camryn jumped off the vehicle and threw her arms around Alex's neck.
"Hey, you," Alex said, kissing Camryn's forehead.
"Alright, here's the plan," Ryan said. "Alex, Akira, and Jack, you're going to enter from the east end. Camryn, Tubs, and I are going in from the west. We're going to find Yassen, corner him, and kill him. Then we're going to secure the Uranium. Uh…I don't know who you are…"
"I'm Smithers."
"Oh, okay. You'll wait here for our signal to blow the place."
"Works for me."
"Cool."
"Let's roll!" Jack cried.
Ryan raised his eyebrow. "What?"
"Never mind, I just always wanted to say that."
The six agents mounted the snowmobiles again and headed down to the entrance of the lab. Once they reached the bottom, they armed themselves and entered the lab. Once inside, they split. Alex, Akira, and Jack went right, heading toward the east end. Camryn, Tubs, and Ryan went left, approaching the west end. Alex watched Camryn disappear. Somehow, he just knew that he'd never see her again.
Alex ran down the corridor and turned left to escape the shower of bullets. He hadn't watched where he was running and ran head into Yassen.
"Hello, Alex."
"Alex!" Jack shouted from behind.
Yassen whipped a gun from his belt and took aim. Alex grabbed the assassin's arm and pulled him off aim. Yassen fired wide.
"Stupid boy!" Yassen kicked Alex out of the way and fired again. The bullet struck Jack's forehead, killing him instantly.
Alex scrambled to his feet and lunged at Yassen. Yassen grabbed his throat and pressed his gun to Alex's temple.
"I don't want to kill you, but I will if I have to. Don't make me kill you Alex."
Suddenly, Yassen went stiff. His eyes widened in surprise. He released Alex and slumped to the floor. Alex looked up to find Akira with his gun poised, silencer attached.
"Alex, have you seen Ryan or Camryn?"
"No. Why?"
"Neither of them is answering their transmitter."
Alex's heart sank. His insides twisted in a thousand knots.
"But I did find the Uranium." Akira held up a black briefcase.
"Okay. Get out of here. I'm going to find Camryn and her father."
"Alone?"
"Yeah."
"You're stupid."
"Get your ass out of here," Alex said, walking passed Akira.
"Good luck, kid."
"Thanks."
Alex continued down the corridor. He turned left, left, and then right. He heard sobbing just ahead of him. It had to be Camryn. Alex ran to the end of the corridor. To his left, Camryn was kneeling on the floor crying. Alex ran to her. As he approached her, he saw that she was cradling her father in her arms.
"Cam…"
"I lost him again," Camryn sobbed.
"Cam, we need to go."
Camryn just kept on crying. Alex was about ten feet from her when a white-haired man stepped out from around the corner. Alex froze. Camryn looked up. Her silver eyes danced with anger and fear.
"Adrian Vygotsky…" Alex muttered. "I thought you were dead."
"Well, I found flesh masks to be very convincing," the old man gloated. He took three steps toward Camryn, then pressed his gun to her head.
"No!" Alex cried. "Leave her alone!"
"Tell her 'good-bye', Alex."
"Wait!" Alex thought desperately for something that only Camryn would know. He had to make sure it was really her. Then he remembered. "Cam, our first time in detention together – what happened?"
"We talked," Camryn replied shakily, "through Morse code."
Alex's heart tore apart. Adrian Vygotsky squeezed the trigger.
"CAMRYN!!!!" Alex screamed.
Camryn slumped to the floor beside her dead father. Alex crumpled to his knees. He fell into a fit of sobs and screams.
Vygotsky ran back around the corner and disappeared.
"Alex!" Tubs called. "Alex, let's go!" Then he saw the reason why Alex was sobbing. "Oh God…"
Alex gripped his head in his hands as he continued to scream his heart out. Tubs took his arm and began to pull him to his feet. Alex fought against the man.
"No! Leave me alone!" Alex shouted. "Leave me!"
Tubs picked Alex up and threw him onto his back. Alex continued to scream, but he didn't fight. He let the man carry him away. He had neither the energy nor the will to fight anymore.
Alex knew this time would come. He dreaded the moment he would have to say 'good-bye' to Camryn, but he never thought it would happen like this. He could feel his insides start to fall to pieces. Now he was more miserable and distressed than ever.
Alex took one last look at Camryn's motionless, lifeless, bleeding form. "Good-bye, Camryn," he whispered. "I love you."
Once Alex had gone, the old man stepped back into the corridor. He stared down at the two dead figures lying on the floor. Remorse stung at his heart.
"Flesh masks are quite convincing," he said to himself. He peeled off the mask concealing his true face. Ryan Albright kneeled down on the floor and kissed the dead girl's forehead. A single tear escaped his eye.
"I'm sorry, sweetie."