by Eliza Tilton
“Fine.” I sigh, relenting. “Our original plan stays.”
“Good. You guys will arrive in about fifteen minutes. Good luck.” With those parting words, the hologram dissipates.
Not surprisingly, I don’t feel any better after coming to terms with this preposterous idea. “I’m not ready for this,” I confide, taking deep breaths and looking at Jims for support.
“None of us are,” Jims scoffs. “We’re about to head into BORAS. The BORAS! It’s insane. Plus, if we do succeed and make it out, this is really gonna kill my vid business. Hopefully, I can steal some tech while we’re inside.”
I shake my head. Of course, Jims would be thinking about money. Always planning that next sale. I offer a genuine smile, promising, “If we survive, I’ll invest in that modding shop you always talk about.”
Jims smiles in return and slaps the wheel. “Finally! I’m telling you, Damion, there’s a big demand for modifying vids to your personal specifications.” He points a finger at me, his voice rising in excitement. “Just think, instead of a girl, you can be a guy, change the avatar appearance, the background, and the setting. I know a great hacker who wants in, but we need funds.”
Honestly, I don’t care what tricked-up plan Jims has concocted. If we survive today, I’m up for anything. “I’m in. How much longer until we get there?”
Jims glances at the center console. “Three minutes.”
I think again of Ivy scrunched in that black trunk in the back. No light, barely enough air. I think of her risking her life to expose BORAS. Is this worth it? I know experimenting on kids is highly illegal and morally screwed, but they are making the world a better place.
Stupid. I’m stupid to even think like that. Make the world a better place. I’m pretty sure that’s their logo.
Jims suddenly veers off the highway. Sitting on top of a grassy hill is the window-encapsulated edifice of BORAS. My chest constricts. Bio-metrics Optogenetics Research Assimilation Solutions is in huge, silver-plated letters across the front of the glass building. A razor-topped fence surrounds the hill like a military fort, and a guardhouse blocks the only entryway in next to a heavy metal gate.
Sweat coats my palms. The drumming of my heartbeat drowns out any noise around us. This is it. Our first checkpoint. If they let us through, we might have a chance at surviving.
As we pull up to the gate, an armed guard steps to the window.
Jims rolls down the driver’s side window and flashes his ID. “RSC here for maintenance.”
The guard takes the offered ID and shows it to another guard sitting in the booth, who types on a keypad and nods.
“You’re clear to go ahead,” the guard approves in a no-nonsense manner and hands back the ID.
Sweat slides in rivulets down my neck. I’m part relieved, part shocked that it worked.
Jims rolls the window up and the gate in front of us opens. As we pass through, I casually wipe my forehead. My fingers are still shaking.
“Now what?” I ask.
Jims hands me a tablet without taking his eyes off the service road. “Map is on there. The maintenance entrance is around the back. We go in through there and make our way to the seventh floor.”
“What about Ivy?”
“We’ll separate once we get inside. All she has to do is keep running.”
I scoff. “You say it like that’s easy. Just run and don’t get caught.”
Jims sighs, impatience warring with understanding. “She lived here most of her life. I’m sure she can find her way around and be okay. Trust her.”
We drive down a slight incline to the parking garage.
If trusting her would keep her safe, I wouldn’t have a problem with it. But he and I both know it won’t.
There is a good chance that if we make it inside and separate, I’ll never see her again.
TWENTY-EIGHT
~Ivy~
The van stops. Doors open and shut. The back doors creak open on springs that need to be oiled. Holding my breath, sweat trickles down my body as I wait for the worst. Suddenly, bright light spills in as the top of my storage box is pulled off and Damion’s anxious face greets me. His dark hair hangs forward, blocking his right eye. He reaches down and pulls me from the confines of my plastic cage, tugging me to his chest as soon as I’m out.
“We’re inside,” he whispers, never releasing his tight hold. “The maintenance entrance is on the opposite end of where we need to be.” He squeezes me tighter. Even though we don’t speak, I feel his fear in the way he refuses to let go.
Jims coughs discreetly from outside the van.
Finally releasing his hold, Damion turns and hefts the large, robotic vacuum cleaners and hands them to Jims, who places the machines on the ground outside the van. Damion and I climb awkwardly out of the back of the van, and then the three of us stand there silently, with no clue what to say to one another.
Eventually, Jims breaks the silence. “Here,” he offers, handing me a stun gun. “This will knock out anyone you come across. No one has to die.”
I nod and take it. It’s heavy and cumbersome, but small enough to fit into my pocket. My mouth fills with saliva and I hope I don’t throw up. I’m terrified of what comes next.
Next, Jims hands out earpieces. I put mine in and click the button, as directed.
“Ivy?” a clear, resonant voice comes through the speaker.
“Eric!” His voice is as clear as if he’s standing right next to me, and my heart leaps. “Are you okay?”
His warm voice reverberates through the earpiece, flooding me with relief. “Yes, Ivy. I’m going to guide you guys through the compound. I’ve scrambled the security feed, so you’re clear to enter.”
I’m partly relieved and slightly angry with him that he didn’t tell me the truth about what was in my brain. It’s a conversation we need to have, but one I don’t want to have with Damion around. Eric has always been quiet, and he may not say anything if I’m yelling at him with two other guys nearby.
The service entrance is situated on the far right of the garage, so we put on our best blue-collar game face and start walking with the robotic vacuums. The robots roll smoothly along the flat cement, their frames loaded down and packed with every cleaner and tool necessary to fix maintenance equipment. We enter the corridor and breathe a sigh of relief when we don’t encounter any employees. We still have a long way to go.
“Take the elevator to the third floor,” Eric’s voice instructs. “That’s where Ivy gets off.”
Damion looks over at me and grabs my hand as we walk into the elevator. The robots beep and we squeeze them into the small space next to us.
“Ivy, remember when we used to play hide and seek from the guards?” Eric queries softly through the earpiece.
Old memories flicker in my mind. “Yes.”
“Remember how fast you were?”
I squeeze Damion’s hand and try my best not to fall apart in front of him, because if I do, he’ll never let me go.
Eric continues, “I need you to be that fast. Once they know you’re here, he’s going to come for you. I’ll be watching you through the feeds, but you need to keep moving and go where I say.”
I chuckle mirthlessly. “That’s the plan, right?”
Damion wraps his other hand around my waist, tugging me closer to him. His warmth spreads through me and I lean into him, drawing courage.
I’m afraid.
“You’re not the only one who wants justice.” Eric’s voice is low. Eric may work here now, but he grew up alongside the rest of us. Once he discovered what happened to Bethany, it made him question what happened to his mother all those years ago.
The elevator stops without chiming and the doors open soundlessly.
“Be careful.” Jims leans forward and squeezes my arm gently.
“Whatever happ
ens,” I urge them, “get that script uploaded.” I find Damion’s gaze and hold onto it, soaking in his face one last time. Before he can detain me with a kiss or beg me to stay, I run.
TWENTY-NINE
~Damion~
The elevator closes, shutting off my view of Ivy.
Without warning, Eric’s voice crackles in my ear. “Get the fingerprint ready. As soon as they see Ivy, hit the code and use the print. You guys only have as much time as Ivy’s distraction can give you.”
Jims slips a tiny plastic case from his pocket and opens it. I crane my neck to look over his shoulder, seeing a silicone fingerprint lying on a piece of black fabric. With a pair of tweezers, he carefully places it on his thumb. I stand by the keypad, ready to input the code that will authorize us to go to the seventh floor.
Sweat coats the back of my neck and my heartbeat sounds impossibly loud in my ears. My adrenaline pumps so fast and hard, I feel the insatiable urge to hit something solid. I try not to think of Ivy running, defenseless, while BORAS races to capture her. I keep wondering if I made the right choice.
There’s no other way.
Minutes tick by. We can’t hold this elevator stopped any longer before it becomes suspicious.
“Go!” Eric shouts in my ear suddenly.
Jerking, I punch in the code and the elevator begins to ascend. The lights above the doors blink as I watch the floors go up. 5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . .
Eric instructs, “As soon as those doors open, head straight down the hall to the last room on the left. You’ll need the print to get into my father’s office.”
“What?” Jims and I say at the same time.
“Dr. Hecks is your father?” I screech. I don’t even know how to process this new bit of information.
“Yes.”
“Does Ivy know?”
“Yes.”
Why wouldn’t she tell me? That means Buzz is his son, too!
Jims stares at me with the same dumbfounded expression that must be on my face. He mouths a few choice words, and I shake my head wordlessly. I’m just as confused and shocked.
The elevator opens and I stare at the clear hallway. “Where is she?” I blurt, suddenly needing reassurance that Ivy is okay.
“Heading to the fourth floor.”
“And the guards?” Jims nudges me to leave the elevator, but I can’t move.
“Right behind her.”
“The faster we get this uploaded, the faster we get her,” Jims prods, finally pushing me out of the elevator.
I don’t like the fact that the way to Dr. Hecks’ office is clear. This is too easy, and it shouldn’t be. “This feels wrong,” I spout. “Why should I trust you?”
Without hesitation, Eric divulges, “Because I care more about Ivy than myself. All of us do. She’s not in this alone, and my father needs to pay for what he’s done.”
Jims grabs my arm and drags me forcefully down the hall. Deciding the best course of action is to cooperate and get out, we run to the massive glass doors that cordon off the office at the end of the hallway. My heart pulls me back to the elevator, back to her, but Jims is right. As soon as we upload, I’m out of here. I don’t care what Eric says. I’m getting her and we’re leaving.
There’s a shiny black keypad near the door. Jims and I exchange a meaningful glance and I nod. He presses the fake thumbprint on the keypad, we wait for what seems like minutes but is probably only heartbeats, and the light goes green as the lock unclicks with a soft whirr. We step into a plush, carpeted office, which overlooks the immense grounds through wall-to-wall windows. A plain desk, ill-suited to the lavishness of the rest of the office, is located at the end, directly across from us.
“Stay here and keep watch,” Jims advises as he sprints to the desk.
I stand by the glass doors, staring earnestly at the empty hallway and elevator. Glancing back, I see Jims tapping his fingers across the desk. Every second is too long.
“We’re in,” Jims calls out softly.
“How much longer?” I pace by the door, unable to stand still. “Where is she now?”
Eric doesn’t answer.
I tap my earpiece. “Eric.”
Silence.
“Eric?”
I look back at Jims with wide eyes. My head spins with thoughts of what could be happening to Ivy at this very moment. “She’s in trouble. How much longer will that take?”
Jims gazes at the screen, his brow furrowed in concentration. “It’s crawling into their software now. I don’t know. It all depends on how long.”
Not waiting for him to finish, I scream, “Eric! Eric!”
A pause, followed by a breathless, “I’m here.”
“Why didn’t you answer? What’s going on?” I pace back and forth, holding the earpiece in my ear to make sure it’s working.
He doesn’t respond, and now I’m thoroughly panicked.
“Eric, answer me!” I look back at Jims and he nods with understanding.
“I got it from here, go.”
Not giving him time to reconsider, I sprint out of the office and run to the elevator, a finger pressed firmly on my earpiece. “Eric. Where is she now?”
“She’s . . . she’s on the fourth floor. In the lab. They have her cornered.” His voice is hoarse. “I had her on the other com. I told her not to go that way, but she wouldn’t listen. Damn it!”
“You said you would keep her safe!” I explode, punching the number four on the elevator pad as fiercely as I’d like to punch his face. I should never have let her go. I slam my fist into the wall, again and again.
“You need to keep a level head,” he chastises. “I’ll guide you there, just hurry. Get to her before my father does.”
THIRTY
~Ivy~
My heart races the faster I run. I know every twist of these halls and every hiding place imaginable, but now is not the time to hide. I need the guards to chase me. If they focus all their attentions on me, they’ll never learn about what Damion and Jims are up to.
I know Dr. Hecks won’t hurt me, but I won’t let him get my friends. No matter the cost.
My feet slap against the tile, taking me closer toward the rooms I’ve always despised. I need to back track, otherwise I’ll get stuck in this corridor with no escape. Damion’s face flickers through my mind, giving me the strength to keep going.
A shout. “She’s down here. Hall AB-five!”
“Ivy!” Eric’s voice comes through the earpiece. “At the next corridor, you need to go right.”
“I can’t keep running! Soon they’ll suspect something, and we need Dr. Hecks down here away from his office!”
Just then, an alarm blares and a red light flashes overhead. BORAS is going into lockdown, which means we’ll never escape.
If the file is uploaded, it doesn’t matter what happens next.
Habit forces me to turn left—dead end into a pair of doors.
“Damn it, Ivy,” Eric curses. “You know what’s in there. That’s the one place you shouldn’t go!”
I should have turned right and listened to him, but with my pulse racing, I made a mistake. Fear paralyzes me.
The guards’ footsteps get closer.
There’s nowhere left to go but inside. “I know, but it’s the one place Dr. Hecks will follow. Once I’m in, jam the locks and make sure Damion and Jims get out of here.”
My voice crashes with emotion and I want to cry. I won’t see Damion again. I know that now. I wish it could be different, but it’s too late. If I lure Dr. Hecks and all the guards to me, he’ll be safe.
I’m sorry I can’t say goodbye. My bottom lip trembles.
Taking a deep breath, I resolve myself to this moment, open the door, and step into the lab.
In the center of the room sits the chair; the one I spent hours in as a
myriad of scientists studied and dissected me, all under the guise of a cure. Idly, I wonder if the chair has been used since I escaped. How many other children have sat here through the years, enduring pain just for BORAS’s twisted endeavors?
Before heading further inside the room, I grab a metal tray table and use it to smash the keypad. In response, the keypad sizzles and sparks. That should keep them busy for a while, I think smugly.
I take another deep breath. All I have to do is wait a little longer, and then all this will be over.
“Hello, Ivy. Nice of you to return.”
With the sound of that voice, every hair on my neck stands on end. Terror freezes me in place.
I don’t want to turn around.
I don’t want to see him.
His feet pad quietly across the floor, the slight sound sending shivers up my spine. “Won’t you come and say hello?”
I close my eyes, remembering all the pain and suffering I endured through the years, remembering Bethany and how his sessions killed her. With my courage boosted, I turn to face him.
“Hello, Dr. Hecks.”
His face is paler than normal, almost translucent, and his bald head shines under the fluorescent lights. His eyes resemble bottomless pits, dark, dangerous, and unforgiving. He’s wearing his normal attire: white lab coat, lime green scrubs, tan loafers, with an e-pad in his hand. “Strange that you should return here of your own volition.”
Leveling my best glare at him, I refuse to give him anything.
“Ivy, what’s happening?” Panic fills Eric’s voice. “I can’t see you anymore. I can’t access the security feed.”
Dr. Hecks smiles and it makes me ill. “But I don’t suppose you did return alone. Did you?”
He can’t know.
His finger types into the pad. “Ahh, yes, I see your friend now. Such a shame we’ll have to kill him.”
