by Candice Lim
“Naw, Roxy, you’re not a loser,” said Sam. “Maybe a bit lost right now, but you are not at all a loser. Trust me, you can do better than this.”
“I don’t think I can even graduate. After all that shit happening to me?”
Sam looked straight into me, eyes boring into mine like lasers. “I believe you can. I always have.” He reached over to the chest behind him and produced a white box for me. “Well, I, uh, actually bought you a graduation present.”
My heart leaped.
“I wanted to give you a surprise. But it seems like you need it right now.”
“Thanks.” That was all I could manage with so many mixed feelings going through my head. I was overwhelmed with joy and guilt. Sam bought me a graduation present. I never really thought of him after high school though we kept making plans to hang out and eventually gave up.
The white box glittered with silvery specks. The metallic print read ‘ZAPPER X SERIES’. Sam worked with tech companies that gave out the latest and special gadgets in exchange for reviews but Zappers were prohibited items.
I flipped the box over. The contents tumbled out in protest. The fine print on the corner of the box read, ‘For licensed professional use only’.
“Whoa,” I gasped. “This is too pricey. I can’t―”
“You can’t reject it.” Sam urged when I was still staring at him. “Open it now.”
I did as told, slowly lifted the lid. Exquisite twin white Zappers with gold rims lay inside on black velvet.
“These bad boys come with fingerprint authentication and self-assembly mechanism. Hold them tight in your hands.”
“Blot my gel. Fingerprint authentication?” I grabbed one and felt it in my fingers. They were lighter than the ones Vaxine gave me. In fact, so much lighter. And their shapes were more ergonomic.
“To activate them, you need to hold both. And switch them on.”
I didn’t have to be told twice. I picked up the other and aimed them at the wall.
“No, no, no, aim at the window!” Sam’s voice wavered with panic as he raised and lowered his hands.
“Calm down. I have enough experience handling these bad boys.” Leveling at the open window, I put my fingers to positions. There were no triggers.
“Hey, what’s wrong―?”
I held the Zappers close to examine them when Sam shouted at the top of his lungs. “Hold it there!” He hovered over me, grabbing my arms to wrestle the Zappers out of my grip. Right on cue, twin rays hit the tree outside. A huge branch fell off and hit the ground with a loud crunch. A dog wailed in the distance.
“Blot my gel.” My jaw dropped.
He let go of my arms and glared at me.
“I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t know they’re so sensitive.”
“These are the new generation of Zappers. No more triggers. You put your finger there and it fires.”
“And you were lucky the firing was delayed because they were recognizing and registering your fingerprint in the database. Next time you do that, you’re toast.” I thought I felt an accusative hint in Sam’s voice.
“I don’t know what to say. I―”
“A ‘thank you’ will do,” said Sam. “So, you have received your graduation present. You’re gonna graduate no matter what happens. And you’re gonna kick that Cash in her greedy ass. Twice. For me.”
I nodded and held his stare. The throng of memories from the past rushed in, filling me with nostalgia. Sam had always had my back. He still did. The breakup was too abrupt and my feelings for him that still hadn’t extinct were blossoming to life. Maybe it had been my imagination, Sam leaned closer. His lips inching towards mine. I sucked in a breath, hoping for a kiss but he shook his head and moved away.
I looked away and another laugh escaped from my lips. No time for romance now. “There’s something else I need.”
“Ask away,” said Sam.
Putting the Zappers away in the box, I pulled out my tablet and showed him the BioTomb file. “I need you to help me hack this puppy.”
31
ROXY
“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” asked Sam again as we made to the jetty from the parking lot where he parked his car.
“No.” I turned around and looked Sam in the eye. “You’re not supposed to be seen with me anyway. I don’t want you to be executed for accessory.”
“There’s nothing money can’t solve, right?” Sam shrugged.
I smirked. “Not sure if I want to take the risk.”
As we neared the sea, a midget submarine with What Sub stenciled on the bow parked at the jetty and a plump man about our age turned around to greet us. Jason walked towards us. He looked like a smaller version of Bulk. A schoolmate majoring in Marine Biology, Jason was stout and a tad shorter than me. Ha. Finally someone shorter than me. But still sweet and lovely, all these years in the Community hadn’t gotten better of him.
“Hey, Sam.” Jason shook hands with Sam and turned to me. “Roxy, it’s been a while. You look different.”
“And you’re still the same.” I gave him a hug. “You sure it’s okay to do this?”
“My boss is out of town so it should be fine. You’ll just have to make sure that it comes back in one piece,” said Jason though his face betrayed his fears. He clapped Sam on the shoulder. “We put her and Roxy in your hand. Take her and Roxy’s friends back alive too.”
Sam nodded. “I’ll protect them with my life.”
I smiled at the boys and climbed into the submarine. Sam took up the rear.
The vessel jolted and the floor trembled, shaking me off balance. The reinforced soles of my boots clanged against the metal floor. I stumbled a few steps back and when I found a handhold, I clung on for dear life. The vessel regained torpor. The submarine had banked into position, ready for disembarkment. It was the cue. I straightened myself and reclaimed my poise.
“Are you alright?” said Sam at the control station, where blue holographic displays floated over the wall. His hands froze at the maps of buttons as his chest heaved and fell rapidly. “My skills aren’t that honed yet.”
“Don’t worry about that.” I patted him on the shoulder and like a magic touch, he stopped gasping and his breathing returned to normal. “Thanks for your help.”
“Nah.” Sam waved his hand in dismissal. “Don’t worry about that. We are friends, right?”
It stung me. Being a friend, I was the worst. I hadn’t thought of meeting him until I needed his assistance. It probably wasn’t the best time to go down the path where Sam was leading to. I glanced around the vessel, at its metallic interior resembled a silver music box. “I hope I don’t get you into hot soup.”
“As long as we return it in one piece before dusk today, it’ll be fine. If not, well, it’s not like I haven’t got in hot soup before.” Sam laughed but I sensed fear in his voice. It didn’t surprise me. Even I didn’t have the guts to promise him anything.
“Hot as stealing a submarine?”
“Stealing is a bit too harsh. Let’s say I’m just borrowing it, only without permission.”
“And by the way, do you even have the license to drive this thing?”
“Um, yeah. Why do you ask?” There was doubt, but I couldn’t tell if that was a sign of deception. Anyway, I didn’t see the need to know.
I shook my head. “Nothing. I’ll try my best.” I didn’t want to give him high hope only to let him down later. I strode to the back of the vessel when Sam called me back.
“Hey, Roxy.”
I turned around. My heart fluttered, hoping for a kiss. It could be the last time I’d see him again. My stomach dropped when he said, “Sorry about your parents.”
I pursed my lips and nodded. “It’s all right. I’m done crying. It’s time for some ass-kicking.” I spun around again when Sam reached out and grabbed my hand. The next second, his lips found mine.
☣☣☣☣☣☣
It
was a peaceful day. The sky was cerulean blue and the tides were calm. The waves rocked the vessel gently and the breeze blew like a warm blanket on a cold day, casting a drowsy spell on the two patrolling guards. Their heads nodding like bobble-head dolls. Sleep would come to them at any time. The idea of something lurking in the calm water had never crossed their minds.
The first guard broke out of his trance when something broke the surface of the calm sea. He shook his head hard as he scanned his surroundings.
“Did you hear that?” he asked, nudging his colleague in the waist.
The colleague had just wriggled out of sleep himself. “What? Hear what?”
“There’s something in the water!” The firsts guard stretched his neck out, searching for the source of the sound.
“Maybe it’s a big fish.” His colleague yawned. “Nothing interesting.”
“Nothing interesting? There was a breach four days ago.”
“Yeah, that’s right. Lightning won’t strike the same place twice.”
Not buying his colleague’s words, he bent over to peer into the water and saw nothing but his own reflection.
“Nothing, right? Told ya.”
He cocked his head at his colleague when what seemed like an invisible force knocked him off balance and into the water. He sank with a loud splash.
“Hey, you okay, pal?” The other guard went towards the edge, but instead of being concerned, he burst into nervous laughter when he couldn’t find his colleague. He felt a strong pressure propelling him towards the water.
His arms splayed and flapped like a flightless bird when he stopped falling. Another force tugged on him from behind, saving him from the water like the grasp of an angel. But not for long. When he heard the clinking of keys at his waist, something greater than gravity overpowered his footing. He fell into the sea with a scream.
That was when I pressed a button near my temple on the InviSpec, a device that looked like rimless fitovers. My body reappeared and took shape, the cloaking effect now deactivated.
“That was easier than I thought.” I stared down at the water where bubbles formed rings that soon dissolved. The men were gone, soon to be forgotten.
I glanced at the CCTVs hung overhead, as redundant as the two security guards. With the Jammer in my hands, no one could trace my presence. I didn’t waste any time. Cuffing the carabineer to my jeans and pushing the button on the InviSpec, I disappeared into thin air and glided quietly into the building.
I had returned, only now I was invisible and assuming Vaxine’s role. The tablet in my hands wasn’t a good navigator. It only told me if the coast was clear, but did not give specific directions. Although I was undetectable to the naked eye, I was fully aware that humans have other senses.
“Can you help me run a couple more assays by this evening?” A female voice startled me out of my skin. I pressed myself against the wall, hitting it with a thud. The pain was bad but I managed to hold my breath. Right on cue, two women in lab coats exited through one of the many doors and stepped into the hallway.
“Did you hear something?” the first woman asked and paused. The other woman looked up from the report in her hands. The relief was overwhelming when I realized the InviSpec hadn’t failed me.
“Yeah, but anyway,” her companion said and turned away. “I hope we can get this part done by the end of the day. It’s kinda urgent.”
“Yeah, sure.” The first woman nodded. They seemed to have forgotten what startled them earlier. “That shouldn’t be a problem.” The two women glided through the hallway and disappeared around the corner.
I peeled myself from the wall and looked down the empty corridor. When the beating of my heart slowed and returned to a normal pace, I slipped towards the end and stopped where the corridor branched off.
“Psst, Roxy,” said Sam over the earpiece, giving me a shock. “Where are you now?”
I glanced around and put a finger at my earpiece. “Made it to Level One. Entering Zone B. Trying to figure out how to get there.”
“Erm, don’t you have a map?”
“Yeah,” I said absentmindedly, my eyes raced over the screen. “But it’s with Vaxine. Probably with Cash right now.” I could picture him rolling his eyes or smacking his forehead.
I found an information board behind me, with pamphlets containing directions and maps. Convenient enough. “Ah, I think I found what I need.” I grabbed a couple of them.
“Well, good luck then. Buzz me if you need help.” Click.
I shrugged and tried to locate Vaxine’s tablet. The ORF wasn’t the best place to get lost. Especially when I was operating under a time limit.
“Device detected. Location set. Turn left,” my tablet whispered after a couple of seconds.
I turned to my left and ran the few feet across the hallway.
“Recalibrating new coordinates. Thirty minutes left. Turn right,” the tablet announced for the seventh time. It only reinforced my frustration. Now I felt like screaming at the walls. Every spotlighted corridor and empty conference room looked the same. Two hours had passed, I found myself returning to the same damn place, like a lab mouse running in circles. Except this rodent was trapped in Cash’s deathly labyrinth.
Even if that was true, there was little I could do. There was no turning back. I’d come too far to chicken out and even if I wanted to, I still had to get out of this maze first. Moving forward was my only choice. I let out another sigh and followed the new instructions on my tablet, “Turn left”.
My feet had become so heavy I had to shuffle along. My muscles ached in protest. I must work on my stamina if I ever get out of this place. The urge to give up was stronger as ever, even the lure of revenge could not overcome it. The battery bar on InviSpec went from orange to red, in reflection of my diminishing strength and resolve.
A door burst open.
I froze, a little too exhausted to hide anymore. Plus, I’d been frightened one too many times for anything to surprise me, even if it was Adenine Cash who stepped out. I stepped aside, pressed myself against the wall and folded my arms.
Out walked a lab-coated woman; Tracey. She was devoid of all her dangling or flashy jewelry, but I had no doubt it was her. Looking at her smug face made me fume inside.
“Bitch!” I muttered.
Tracey turned in my direction with a frown that turned into surprise at the disembodied voice. “What?”
“I said payback’s a bitch!” I raised my fist and swung it at Tracey’s face with all the strength I still had. Sent reeling, Tracey fumbled back a few steps and into the wall. Her eyes glazed over and her hand flew to her cheek where a red mark gained color and size. No greater gratification could compare than seeing Tracey, who had sold me out, in such a lost and terrified state. Like myself over the last two months.
Tracey gave a hoarse cry and ran down the hallway in the other direction like she’d seen a ghost. Perhaps she thought so. I caught up with her until I grabbed hold of Tracey’s lab coat and pulled her back.
Tracey didn’t double over this time. She pushed back, almost knocking me over. Tracey spun around and I broke apart like magnets of the same polarity. Tracey’s eyes scanned the hallway as fear dotted her face with pearls of cold sweat.
The battery bar on InviSpec blinked. Its power level was now at thirty percent. I had only thirty minutes left. I had a sudden flash of inspiration; Tracey should know where Hershey and the rest were held. I flipped a toggle on the InviSpec.
As I reappeared, I smirked at Tracey gawking at me. “Roxy Riley, what are you doing here?”
“I should be asking you that.”
“I am a new intern.”
“Oh really?” I didn’t have to ask to know how Tracey had earned a position in Asia Nova’s most powerful organization. “I am here for revenge.”
A gasp left Tracey’s gaping mouth.
“You should be afraid!” Launching myself at Tracey, I brought the two of us to the gr
ound. Pinning Tracey down, I whipped out my Zapper and put it to her temple.
Tracey stopped fighting back. “What do you want?”
“Many things.” Anger burned afresh in my pit as I remembered Mom and Dad. And Hershey. And Derrick. Also, Vaxine and Axon. And everything that had happened to myself. There were so many things that made me mad and sad. So many people who fell victim to Cash’s evil scheme. So many. But my thoughts were scattered and entangled, caught in the whirlpool of my mind.
“How typical! You never know what you want, eh?” Tracey sneered and looked away. “Because you’ll never change, Roxy Riley!”
