Coded

by Kayla Bainbridge

  “What kind of adjustments?” Jordan asked.

  “I’ve decided to keep her sedated for 72 hours. Hopefully, that will keep the pain at a tolerable level. Also, it will keep her safe while she goes through the worst of it.”

  Jordan stood up quickly, “72 hours?”

  Ryan remained sitting and explained, “Sleep is the best kind of healing. All the drugs we throw at her seem to be absorbed faster than I’ve ever encountered. I will have to keep a close eye on her. She is very unpredictable.”

  Jordan sat back down and put his head in his hands. This was not going to look good on his report. Brandon wasn’t going to be happy either.

  “Now what am I supposed to do?” Jordan asked Ryan.

  Ryan smiled at him, “Go work on those muscles of yours, I’m starting to see some fat on that six pack.”

  “Ha, ha, ha, at least I have a six pack,” Jordan teased back.

  “I, on the other hand, have lots to do. Don’t worry, I’m keeping a close watch on her.”

  “Thanks Ryan,” Jordan said as he started to go into the next room.

  “Next time don’t let your asset get shot!” he yelled back.

  “Good advice,” Jordan said to himself.

  Jordan walked back to his apartment and touched basis with Brandon. He then got changed out of his suit, into athletic wear and headed to the gym.

  ∆∆∆

  “Give me an update,” Dustin asked.

  The other man stayed silent for a moment.

  “Just give it to me straight.”

  “Gunshot wound; they have her sedated.”

  “How?” Dustin asked, shocked.

  “We aren’t sure.”

  “How is our backup plan coming along?”

  “So far so good. That was genius to have an inside man,” the man offered.

  “Hopefully, it will be enough,” Dustin said. “I better report all of this.”

  “I will keep working on it,” the other man said.

  Dustin put down his papers and took a minute before making the call. This was his second year working for these people. Military recruited; Dustin was just what they were looking for: brute strength. Of course, Dustin also had many other traits, he was cunning, smart, and could read people very well.

  Dustin had grown up in Colorado. He loved the outdoors and the serenity that it brought him. Every year he enjoyed going back to visit his family out there. After two years, he also developed a love for his east coast home. Dustin had taken this job because of his childhood friend Taylor. Now working as the information specialist, and coordinating field agent, he worked with Taylor in the field all the time. Although they were close, even Dustin didn't want to make this call. He lifted the phone and made the call to Taylor.

  ∆∆∆

  Chapter 3

  C 00011

  Kennedy felt weird as her senses slowly came back to her. It wasn’t quite the same feeling as getting up from a night of rest, more like she was being woken from a deep sleep. Everything felt so weak and required so much effort to move. She started with her fingers, wiggling them slowly. Next, she tried to raise her hand, but the energy it consumed made her change her mind and she softly laid it back down. Then after sitting still for another minute she mustered up the courage to open her eyes.

  Cautiously, she let the slits in her eyes absorb all the light and become accustomed before she opened them completely. She saw a plain cement ceiling about ten feet above her. As she turned her head to the left, she saw medical monitors, cabinets, a sink, chairs, and a plate full of drugs. She was in a hospital. Dread and fear swept over her. Something bad must have happened to her. Continuing her view around the room while trying to hold back tears, she saw a man standing over to the right. She jumped a little.

  “Good morning,” Ryan said quietly.

  Kennedy nodded.

  “I’m Doctor Ryan Sharp. I’m the doctor who has been overseeing your care.”

  Kennedy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. What was this man talking about?

  “I’ll give you a moment. I’m going to check your vitals.”

  “Pa…”Kennedy coughed, her mouth was so dry.

  “Let me get you some water,” the doctor said, walking over to a mini fridge. When he returned, he carefully inclined her bed before opening the bottle and handing it to her.

  Kennedy went to grab the bottle with her right hand but pulled back her arm. Pain surged from her shoulder and she cringed.

  “Use your left arm,” he suggested.

  Kennedy tried again, this time successfully. She greedily drank the water.

  “How is the pain?”

  Leaning her head back against the bed Kennedy closed her eyes, “I’m fine.”

  “So, more painkillers?” the doctor interpreted,

  “I don’t need those,” Kennedy objected. She hated being on drugs.

  “You don’t have to convince me you're strong, I’ve already seen it.”

  Kennedy didn’t know what he was talking about. She watched him grab a syringe, pull some drugs from a bottle, and inject it into her IV.

  “You’ll thank me,” he said to her.

  She didn’t have the will power to reject him. Now that she had her drink she just wanted to go back to sleep again.

  “It’s ok, you need to rest,” the doctor said, reading her mind. Lowering her bed back down he took the water bottle and placed it on a nearby table.

  Kennedy nodded ever so slightly before closing her eyes and falling back asleep.

  ∆∆∆

  Filling out the report for the mission took longer than Jordan had anticipated and took up most of the first day. He also worked on some of his other cases. A few times a day he would drop by the hospital to check on her. Jordan's lack of medical knowledge meant that he relied solely on Ryan and trusted his decisions.

  Jordan walked into Kennedy’s room for the third day. Ryan was already in there working.

  “How is she?”

  “You missed her,” Ryan said as he wrote some things down in her chart.

  “Again?”

  “This time she was coherent, we are making progress.”

  “That’s good news,” Jordan said, taking a seat next to her.

  “Very good,” Ryan said as he looked her over one more time. “Are you going to sit with her? I have other patients that I need to check on.”

  “Yes, I’ll sit here for a few hours.”

  “Great, ring me if she wakes up again, or if you leave. I’ve had someone in the room the last day or two just in case. When you leave, I can send someone over.”

  “Will do!” Jordan said getting comfortable.

  Jordan was reading his book when Kennedy started to stir a few hours later. He put his book down and texted Ryan.

  She shook her head as she struggled to wake up. Jordan waited patiently. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her. After a minute she opened her eyes.

  “Good afternoon,” Jordan said.

  Flinching, Kennedy pulled back and took a deep breath.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. My name is Jordan.”

  “Kennedy,” she replied.

  “Nice to meet you.”

  Jordan saw Kennedy cringe.

  “Ryan is on his way; he can help you with the pain.”

  “I’m ok,” she said, despite clearly being in pain. She reached around and grabbed the bed controls. Sitting herself up, she looked at Jordan. What was he supposed to say?

  Thankfully, Ryan came in and burst through the awkward silence.

  “Good to see you again Kennedy,” Ryan said. He quickly checked the monitors and then turned his attention back to her. “How is the pain?”

  “Manageable,” she said.

  “Ryan,” Jordan said, disagreeing with her analysis.

  “Jordan,” Ryan said warningly, and Jordan backed off.

  “Kennedy, do you need anything?”

  She shook her head.

  Ryan continue
d, “Would you mind if I asked you some questions? I’m checking cognitive functioning.”

  “Sure,” Kennedy said.

  Ryan pulled out her chart, “Do you know what month it is?”

  “April.”

  “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-two,” Kennedy replied.

  “Great,” Ryan said cheerfully.

  “What was the last thing you remember?”

  “You introduced yourself, Doctor Sharp right?”

  “Very good, Ryan is fine if you don’t mind,” Ryan said, making notes.

  “How long have I been here?”

  “Today is the third day,” Ryan said, setting down the chart.

  “Three days?” Kennedy asked, and Jordan could see her trying to fight another wave of pain.

  “Mind if I take a look at your shoulder?”

  Kennedy’s hand went up to her shoulder in response, “What happened to me? Where am I?”

  “You suffered a gunshot wound,” Ryan said as he gently pulled back the bandage. “It is healing well.”

  “How?” Kennedy asked as she closed her eyes in frustration. “I don’t understand how I could’ve...where was...this is very confusing.”

  “Jordan here can answer those questions for you,” Ryan said, putting a hand on Jordan’s shoulder. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

  “I guess not,” she sounded so lost.

  “I’ll be next door,” Ryan said to both of them.

  ∆∆∆

  Kennedy’s mind was racing, who were these people? As Ryan walked out, her focus turned to Jordan.

  “Right,” Jordan said confidently. “Let me answer some of those questions you have.”

  Unlike Ryan, who was in his early thirty’s blond hair and blue eyes, this man was very young. In fact, Kennedy wouldn’t have been surprised if he were only a couple years older than her. His broad figure was incredibly attractive, and his brown hair and dark brown eyes were stunning. At his moment he looked flustered, it wasn’t comforting.

  Just then another man entered, and Jordan turned to see who the newcomer was.

  “Kennedy, this is my boss Brandon Cartwright,” Jordan said, standing to salute, and also offering his introduction.

  Brandon jumped in. “Brandon is just fine. That is what everyone classes me. I will be overseeing this operation. It is a pleasure to meet you. I would like to work with you immediately, but apparently you don’t have medical clearance yet. Please try and hurry this along. Have a nice day,” Brandon said turning around and walking out.

  Jordan put his head into his hands.

  What was happening? Who were all these people? Kennedy was getting more and more confused.

  “This is confusing, but I will be with you through every step.”

  “What? Why?” Kennedy asked. She had so many questions and no answers.

  “I am assigned to work with you.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Well,” Jordan replied cautiously. “I have been assigned to watch over you and make sure you have everything you need to be comfortable and to protect you.”

  “Protect me from what?”

  “That is why you are here. You will be safer here with me watching over you.”

  “Safer than being shot?”

  Jordan cringed, “Yes, that was unfortunate. Do you remember what happened when we picked you up? Those other people were after you too.”

  “You mean when I was shot,” Kennedy said accusingly. “When you chased after me and then drugged me and then brought me here against my will. Is that what you are talking about?”

  “Um, yes,” Jordan started. “But we saved you from them too.”

  “How do I know you aren’t the people I should be saved from?”

  “You’re still alive?” Jordan offered.

  “Hardly evidence to trust you,” Kennedy offered.

  “We wanted to take a different approach, but they forced our hand.”

  Kennedy didn’t believe a word he said. A wave of pain hit, and Kennedy took a few seconds to compose herself. Pain was constant at this point, but the waves made it worse.

  “But why me?” Kennedy asked, now switching the topic. “Why did you pick me up?”

  “This is where things become tricky, but I will give you all the information I know. Four months ago, the United States military intercepted a message that had a bunch of information. During those four months, our teams have been trying to decode the message. Slowly the message came together. One of the first few words we decoded was your name.”

  “My name?” Kennedy asked.

  “Yes, and we aren’t sure why.”

  “What?”

  “We don’t know why your name showed up, but our analysis is working on the remainder of the code.”

  “Code?” Kennedy asked.

  “Right, all of the information passed between parties is coded to block other groups from intercepting the message. We found the code and are now trying to decode the message.”

  “How long will that take?”

  “Since you are injured, it will take time to heal, I am hoping it will be done before then. But nothing is certain, things take time.”

  “But if you intercepted the message from the government, who does that make you?”

  “Good question, I work for a private organization that works on advancing the world’s scientific and medical fields. Ryan works for our medical staff, but he is also a part of a separate department that is working on medical research.”

  Kennedy considered this, “But what does that have to do with me?”

  “My employers believe that you were singled out for some medical or scientific reason. This theory comes from other tidbits they have discovered from the code.”

  “Like what medical reason?”

  Jordan continued, “Maybe how your body can sustain double the number of drugs with the effect of a single dosage.”

  “What?” The more he explained, the more Kennedy was lost.

  “Your body is different from everyone else.”

  “How do they plan on figuring that out?”

  “There is a series of tests that a team is putting together.”

  “Tests?”

  “Yes”

  The word test scared Kennedy and she didn’t want to participate in any tests, she just wanted to go back home.

  “What if I say no?”

  Jordan took a moment to answer, “We will take care of you for now, and then talk about options.”

  That didn’t sound good. “Why can’t I go to a regular hospital?”

  “Every gunshot wound needs to be reported to the police. You will be swarmed by questions that you can’t answer. Also, we are offering our services for free. At a hospital you will have to pay all the medical bills.”

  “What about my family, my friends?”

  “That has been taken care of,” Jordan told her.

  “What do you mean? What about Cole?”

  “We told them that you have accepted a job overseas as an analysis, and that they would pay for your schooling, so it was impossible for you to turn down.”

  “Like anyone would just believe that I upped and left. What about my parents?”

  “You called them, we used voice technology to simulate your voice and have made calls. Also, you broke up with Cole.”

  “You can't just make decisions for me!” Kennedy said getting upset. Who did these people think they were?

  “We can’t let anyone know of your location, or our location.”

  “Which is?”

  “That is confidential,” Jordan replied.

  “This is ridiculous!”

  “Nothing is ridiculous when considering your security.”

  “You have the wrong person, I’m not special. In fact, I’m the opposite of special. I’m just a perfectly average person.”

  “We beg to differ.”

  “Ugh, this is all infuriating!”

  “I did it
for your safety.”

  “You did it to help your company,” Kennedy corrected. “I want to go home.”

  Kennedy was getting fed up with this guy. Who was he to tell her what she can and can’t do? She had rights! Obviously, someone who drags people out of their workplace aren’t to be trusted.

  “You are in no condition to travel,” Jordan said, clearly trying to defuse the situation. “Why don’t I make your stay more comfortable? I could get a TV installed, some books, one of those paint by number things?”

  Kennedy rolled her eyes as she leaned her head back against her pillow. “Can you just leave me alone for a little?”

  “Does it hurt?” Jordan asked.

  Could this man be any more annoying?

  “Please, I need some time to process all this.”

  She was trying to be polite, but it was not going well. The pain was coming back, she closed her eyes and clenched her face to keep from screaming. These men were going to keep her here and there was nothing she could do about it. She turned to her side and started to cry.

  “Kennedy,” Jordan said sympathetically.

  “Go!” she screamed. She had had enough.

  She heard Jordan walking out and the door closing.

  ∆∆∆

  Jordan stood in the hall, looking through the windows at Kennedy.

  “You know you are in big trouble if this girl dies,” Brandon's voice said, startling Jordan.

  Caught off guard Jordan didn’t see Brandon's approach, but quickly maintained the composer, “Yes sir.”

  “We don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Ryan said, joining the conversation.

  “How is she doing?” Brandon asked.

  “Medically, she is doing well,” Ryan answered.

  “Not as well emotionally,” Jordan admitted.

  “We just have to be patient,” Ryan said.

  “I hate waiting,” Brandon said stiffly.

  Jordan had never really liked Brandon. In the last couple of months, Brandon had been promoted to Jordan’s boss instead of co-worker. He had a military background which gave him a rough outside. Jordan knew from experience that his insides were just as rough, if not more. Everything made him hard to work with, and he often frustrated Jordan. Brandon liked applying pressure to get results and Jordan didn’t come through all the time. Right now, they were stuck together waiting.