Shattered Girls (Broken Dolls Book 2)

by Tyrolin Puxty

  I don’t respond. Lisa always had the uncanny ability to say something offensive without ever really hurting my feelings. She just said it the way it was, and it’s exactly what I needed to hear.

  “Can we help you, Sianne?” I ask over the rhythmic eye clicks.

  “No,” she says from inside the truck. “Just keep passing me my darlings.”

  Lisa and I take turns picking random dolls and passing them to Sianne.

  “Have you heard from Gabby?” I ask as Sianne drops three powdery balls into a gymnast’s mouth. “Or Daniel? Anybody?”

  “Nope. Next doll.” I swap the gymnast for a swimmer. “Daniel and that lot are still trapped. Gabby, eh, I can’t be sure. She’s smart, though, and she’s protected. Worry about yourself. I haven’t got any more dolls to transfer you into. You’re fighting this battle human.”

  “So it’s a suicide mission? Well, that’s just swell.”

  “For the greater good.” Sianne clears her throat. “These dolls will probably be destroyed when they storm the company. Even if they aim well, they’ll probably get caught in their own crossfire.”

  “That’s good, though! That means they’ll wake up in their bodies.”

  “Not necessarily.” Shaking her head, she passes the swimmer back and motions for another. “The company created these dolls to be unbreakable, right? So what if they do break? It wouldn’t risk them waking up. If their doll vessel is destroyed, their body might be cut off from its consciousness. I wasn’t kidding when I called this a battle. There are going to be casualties. And you’ll probably be one of them. Thank your lucky stars Gabby is out of the picture.”

  I back away, unable to swallow the lump in my throat.

  The upgraded dolls swarm Lisa, staring up at her with devoted eyes. “Found Sianne. Now listen to Lisa.”

  She raises her hands in the air and spins. “I. Am. God.”

  “So you programmed them to take orders from you? I hope you’re a master of battle tactics. Didn’t you just hear Sianne say they could actually die if they break?”

  She shrugs. “There are always casualties. I’ll do what I can, but I can’t promise anything. They can destroy the computers and wound the workers. Legally, the company can’t do anything if their own product turned on them. How sly is that? There’s no proof that it was me either! Doll revolution for the win!”

  “I don’t care about that,” I say. “I have to get Daniel and Jason out before they get hurt.”

  “That’s on you. I’m staying outside. I’ll keep a few dolls with me so they can swipe a computer. Then I can alter transmissions.”

  I chew my bottom lip. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Daniel was going to escape and deal with this delicately.”

  “Well, considering he’s gotten himself good and caught… Look, if news breaks that the dolls are revolting, nobody will touch them with a ten-foot pole. The kidnappings will stop, and everything will go back to normal. It’s got to.” Lisa pauses. “Here, take this phone. It will stream online so that everybody can see what’s happening. We’ll expose these pugnacious, abhorrent, malevolent, downright pigheaded coxcombs, who are nothing more than conceited fops too preoccupied by their own vomitus, abhorrent agendas!… wait, didn’t I already say abhorrent? I get carried away sometimes. Anyway, you just make sure to grab the data. Should be in Chris’s office. It’s a big hard drive in his desk drawer. Top one. Even you wouldn’t be able to miss it.”

  The sad part is, I don’t think she’s going out of her way to be nasty. Lisa is just naturally gifted.

  “There’s a security system in his office that the dolls will be able to disable with their spikes. I’ve already ordered two to do their thing.” She hands me the phone, its battery worryingly low. Taking a steadying breath in, I turn to Sianne. “How is it going with the upgrades?”

  “Almost finished. Just a few to go.”

  “Then those ones can stay with Lisa. I’ll take the rest with me.” I clear my throat, unused to the sudden desire for food, or sedative. “Lisa, tell your little minions to listen to me.”

  Smiling, she points at me, so the dolls redirect their affectionate gaze. “See that woman? That’s Ella. You’re going to obey her.”

  “Obey Ella,” they chorus.

  I shudder. “That is beyond creepy.”

  “Armies aren’t creepy.”

  “Armies aren’t a bunch of live dolls, either.” I shake my head.

  “Hey, Ella?” Lisa says, her tone uncharacteristically soft. “I have to say… I’m really impressed with how you’ve grown. I knew Gabby was the right mix of strong and sassy to take down this blasted outfit, but I always thought you didn’t have it in you. Turns out giving you legs was the best incentive I could’ve hoped for. I took a calculated risk teaming up with you, but it’s paying off. We should be partners one day. I like the cut of your jib. You take orders nicely.”

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  A wide grin spreads across Lisa’s face. “Once we take down this entire company and I get all my files back, I’m going to do what I always wanted to do.”

  Oh, crap. I don’t like where this is going.

  “Lisa… seriously, what are you nattering on about?”

  “Nothing.” She sniffs. “Only this company will soon be mine. Now take the phone and hit the live stream on the app when you get inside. They’re going down.”

  reathe, Ella, and just focus on your mission.

  My heart races. It’s about to implode.

  Deep breaths… deep breaths… people are counting on you!

  “First order,” I say outside the building. “Stop blinking in unison. It’s really distracting.”

  “Yes, Ella.”

  “Second order. Stop responding like that. It’s really unsettling.”

  The dolls stare at me in silence.

  “Yeah, but don’t just stare like that. Just be normal.”

  More silence. More staring.

  “Well, that’ll have to do.” I sigh.

  They could be up to who-knows-what with Pam, Daniel, and Jason. I glance at my sidekicks. “Hey? Little cowboy? Blow open the door.”

  The cowboy tilts his hat and steps forward. Puffing out his chest, he spits out a powdery ball. It pings off the glass, but nothing happens. We wait for several seconds, but there’s only silence.

  “Is it a dud?” I ask, hoping I don’t visibly deflate.

  “No,” half the dolls chorus. “Sianne said they can catch you by surprise.”

  I instinctively drop to my knees and cover my head when the ball explodes, shattering the glass. An alarm sounds over the ringing in my ears.

  “Go!” I point at the door. “Don’t destroy the USBs and hard drives; bring them back to me! Stop the workers!”

  They charge through the doorway and into the empty lobby. Jumping onto one another’s shoulders, they hit the elevator button. I hop in with them, fidgeting anxiously as we make our ascent.

  “When you say stop,” the cowboy asks, his eyes wide, “do you mean kill?”

  My heart flutters. “No! Don’t kill anybody! Just stop them from doing anything.”

  “Like cut their Achilles tendon?”

  “That’s wicked.” I breathe heavily, unable to steady my nerves. “Did Lisa program you to be evil?”

  Their necks creak as they look at me, their painted eyebrows furrowing. “Lisa is our God. We are her warriors. We will win this battle.”

  I gulp as the elevator dings and the doors open. The dolls march, turning left down the corridor. I hang back. Just how I’m regretting my decision to help Lisa! She’s only ever looked out for numero uno and even though my top priority is getting my family back, I can’t help but fear it’ll be all for naught.

  “Grandma? Is… is that you?”

  Did someone just call me Grandma? Seriously? I turn to find Gabby peering around the corner.

  “Gabby!” I run up and squeeze the stuffing out of her. Almost literally. She looks human,
but her body isn’t squishy like it should be. It’s only now that I have skin that I realize just how cold and hard her body is. There’s a gaping hole in her abdomen where the bullet went through, which sends a chill down my newly working spine.

  “You’re human. And you’re walking! How?”

  “Sianne and Lisa… long story.”

  “Lisa?” Gabby shrieks, then lowers her voice. “What are you doing with Lisa?”

  “She helped turn you into a doll. It was part of a bargain she has with Sianne. But talk later. We have to get the hard drive for Lisa. She wants—”

  “What? Are you serious? But it’s Lisa! Grandpa said never to listen to her!”

  I start inching along a corridor, in a fairly random direction. “I didn’t have a choice. And you, what are you doing here?”

  “I never left. I’ve been hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to rescue everyone. There’s no way though. I may be invincible, but the family isn’t. These people are crazy.”

  “Ella,” the dolls say. “We are waiting for your instruction. Waiting for your instruction.”

  “Oh, right!”

  Gabby’s fake eyes widen when she goes on tiptoes to peer over my shoulder at my squad. “What the hell is going on?”

  “Don’t curse,” I say automatically. I’m a flesh-and-blood Grandma now, I am allowed.

  I raise the phone and press the handy “live stream” app with a triumphantly grinning skull on the side. Lisa’s addition to the world of electronics. I square my shoulders. Now, if I only knew where it’s live streaming to… No, still won’t make me feel better. “Dolls. Off you go. Do your worst. But don’t kill anyone. Or maim. Or… Well, not really worst, worst.”

  “Yes, Ella.”

  Like little soldiers, they march down the corridor, their arms by their sides.

  “Gabby, have you seen Christopher’s office? Or two little dolls roaming the corridor alone? They’re going to disable the security system in there. We need his hard drive.”

  “Whoa, okay. I’ll check this way…”

  “And I’ll take the dolls to find the family.”

  “Shouldn’t I go? I’m invincible like this. They can’t hurt me.”

  “No, just get the data,” I say. “I have the dolls. Hurry!”

  We don’t have time for goodbyes. We turn our backs on one another and scurry off in opposite directions. I keep the camera on the dolls who split up, turning into different rooms. One by one, they use their upgrades to destroy furniture, smash windows, and light fires.

  At the end of the corridor are muffled voices.

  “Come here,” the dolls call. I hurry to meet them, where they stand solemnly outside of a lab. Several men in white coats are surrounding Daniel, Pam, Maddox, and Jason. They’ve been gagged, and their eyes are swollen and bruised. Tied together in the corner, they yell something inaudible when they see me. “I knew it was just a matter of time before you… wait. You’re not Lisa. Who are you?” a besotted man tilts his head. I scroll through my memories, my stomach lurching when he finally rings a bell. He’s different in my human form. Now, I can smell the distinct scent of aftershave, and sense his resentment. As a doll, most people seem nice. It’s that whole lack of intuition thing.

  “Dolls, stop,” I order, keeping the camera on Chris. They crowd around me, unnervingly still.

  He snorts. “Why are you filming this? You’re the one breaking the law.”

  “I’m not. Your product has turned on you. Or should I say, the people you’ve kidnapped and turned into dolls turned on you.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” He clicks his fingers. “Give me that right now, and I’ll spare you.”

  “It’s too late,” I say, “this is live streaming.”

  “Excuse me?” He struggles to form a coherent sentence. “Lisa put you up to this, didn’t she?”

  “I don’t know who Lisa is. I found the dolls this way, and they led me here.”

  His jaw clenches. “Liar.” He lunges forward and snatching the phone from my hand, smashes it on the ground, then wraps his hand around my throat and squeezes tight. Daniel screams through his gag and squirms.

  “Ella, orders are required. Orders are required.”

  “Override those damn things!” Chris yells at one of the men in white, his fingernails cutting into my skin.

  “At… at… ack…” I pant as my eyes roll to the back of my head.

  “Your pathetic family are nothing but lousy do-gooders,” he says through gritted teeth. “I’ve kept them here under the hope I could strike a deal with them. Pay them out. But it’s gone too far. You’re all troublemakers. I’m not even going to bother turning you into dolls. You and your family are a waste of space and a waste of time.”

  “Sir, we can’t override the orders,” the man in white says. Chris loosens his grip on me, and I suck in a blessed breath of fresh air. “Whatever transmitted the signal has protected it. The only way is to wake them up in their tanks and put them back under.”

  “Dolls, attack!” I scream before Chris has a chance to respond.

  And just like tiny weapons, they go for Chris and the goons. They use their spikes, they breathe fire, and within seconds, the office is filled with smoke.

  “Damn it!” Chris growls, kicking at the dolls who only charge at him faster, bringing him to his knees.

  I cover my mouth as the lab fills with smoke and run towards my family to remove their gags.

  “Don’t breathe,” I warn.

  “Where’s Gabby?” Daniel coughs, spluttering and choking.

  “She’s safe,” I say, “she’s getting the hard drive.”

  “Turn…” Chris inhales the smoke and gasps for air. “Turn them off. Wake them up!”

  One of his henchmen practically drowns in dolls who are tugging on his eyelids, lips, ears. Even though he so richly deserves this, it’s terrifying. He scrambles for the laptop, but the screen is broken. He reaches for something in his coat pocket, screaming when a doll uses her spikes to pierce his skin. He flicks her away, then pulls out a tablet and punches in a code.

  It happens in slow motion. The dolls freeze, the way a computer does when it’s jammed up. Their mouths widen and they fold to crumpled heaps on the floor.

  Through the smoke, Chris coughs. “Do you see what you’ve done?” He rasps. “The warehouse will be inundated with… with cretins! This will cost us millions!”

  “Money is the least of your concerns,” Daniel says. “You’ll rot in prison for this. No matter how many judges you pay off. They’ll see through you.”

  We try to back out, but Chris pulls a gun from his back pocket. “Walk slowly into the corridor.”

  I can barely keep my eyes open through the sting of the smoke. We quietly obey, shuffling into the hall and out of the flames, Chris and his goons on our tails.

  “Get on your knees,” he says. “Get on your knees! Now! Here’s how it’s gonna go down. Daniel forced me into doing this. It was his concept, after all.”

  “No,” I say. “Blame me. Just let them go. This has gone too far.”

  Chris spots something up ahead. Ignoring my request, he aims and shoots. No matter how many times I hear gunfire, it never gets easier. I block my ears and turn to see Gabby standing at the end of the hall with a bullet between her eyes and a hard drive in hand. The bullet hangs from her plastic skin, so she plucks it out and tosses it to the ground.

  “Yikes,” Gabby says. “You’re a psycho.”

  Dumbfounded panic seems to drive Chris to grab Daniel by the collar and press the gun into his temple. “That’s it! Give me my drive little girl, or good old Gramps here gets it.”

  Time stops. This is one of those moments that will define the rest of our lives. Gabby could give Chris the hard drive and he’d run off, using the data to do the exact same thing elsewhere and under a different name. Or she could refuse and Daniel dies.

  I look into my husband’s eyes and my stomach lurches. My memories come flooding back, of ev
erything he’s done for me… of how selfish and downright malicious I was to the man whose only crime was that he loved me. Very likely, too much.

  I can’t let him die thinking that I never appreciated him. As a doll, I told Gabby that family comes first, and that the selfish me is gone. It’s still true as a human. Seeing my family vulnerable and scared like this is enough to change anyone.

  Without another word, I push Daniel out of the way and take his place in front of Chris as he pulls the trigger.

  Excruciating pain starts at my stomach and spreads, until my limbs go numb from shock. A warm breath tickles my neck as my knees give out from under me.

  I can’t see it, but I sure can feel the bullet in my abdomen. Just when the pain can’t get any worse, my body jerks, and I drop to the floor, my head hitting the tiles.

  Gabby screams and lunges at Chris. Stronger than her human form, she tackles him to the ground.

  The footsteps are distant, but I recognize the heavy thread and cries of Officer Bloom. He screams something I can’t make out and fires.

  My blinks are slow as I watch Chris drop to the floor. Their voices run together, waver, fade out like they’re not really there, but through the smoke, Gabby and Officer Bloom drag me down the hall and into the elevator.

  Time isn’t linear. It’s slow and disjointed all at once. Dying is strange. It’s… it’s kind of calming. It’s that sense of not caring because the pain is so shockingly immense. But there’s acceptance, too. I mean, I’m in no position to be in denial or to bargain. It is what it is.

  I’m carried into the street, surrounded by dozens of figures I’m unable to make out anymore.

  “Get the paramedics!” Officer Bloom yells.

  “They won’t get here in time!”

  “Then we’ll drive her!”

  “In this traffic?”

  See? Acceptance.

  “Ella?” Daniel cries as I’m lowered to the ground. “Ella, breathe!”

  It’s so bright out here. And noisy. But I don’t really care. I don’t care about anything. Only about people I love.