by Patra, CS
“I never should have given him that flash drive!” Ren groaned.
“Now, wait a minute! That doesn’t mean this is a bad thing!” Nikhil cut in. “Maybe this isn’t going to cause chaos. It can’t, right?”
His words came too soon. People caught sight of the video on the cameras and they just stared at the screens with wide eyes. Even the Blackwells seemed to be shocked by it.
The video was being spread on every social media platform now. Comments were coming in too quickly for anyone to keep up. Everyone had the same questions. What was all this? Was it all true? People were sharing the video in every area of the world. Pam couldn’t keep her eyes off this. She had gotten a text from Rusty asking her the same questions but she couldn’t answer them. She was just taking it all in.
“How did he pull it off?” Ren asked. “I thought they would have caught him or something! I guess I should never underestimate him again.”
“No, I guess not,” Nikhil murmured. “I got a bad feeling about all this though. I don’t think we made anything better. I think we just opened a bigger wound.”
“Why would you think that?” Crystal asked.
“It’s just a feeling. I don’t think they’ll go under as easily as we think.”
“I agree with him,” Pam said. “I’m getting a bad vibe out of this whole thing. She seemed so calm during the whole talk. If she noticed anything at all, she didn’t react to it. It’s like she was expecting something to happen. Maybe she has another plan up her sleeve.”
The others didn’t share the same doubts however. They kept staring at their phones as they were buzzing. The people in the party were now talking amongst themselves as the pictures were being posted. There was a lot of scrambling around and now people were trying to go everywhere they could. They wanted to see these things for themselves.
“I don’t believe it!” Crystal exclaimed. “This is spreading everywhere!”
“I’ll be damned...” Pam whispered, staring at her phone. “They did it. They managed to get this online.”
“He actually managed to pull it off.” Doug kept staring at his phone. “It’s over for them. They have no way of getting out of this one. The public knows.”
“I wouldn’t count them out yet,” Nikhil warned him. “Don’t forget. They can still monitor seven of us here, not to mention the other Project 99 experiments that are alive. I don’t think any of us are safe as long as they can track us.”
Pam nodded. “That’s why I’m not ready to celebrate this either. That bad feeling I had before hasn’t left me. Something’s about to happen and it’s going to alter everything we know.”
Ash and Jackie came to see the chaos in the room. Ash could only smirk as he listened to all the people chatting amongst themselves. They were buzzing away and checking out everything on their phones. Jackie knew what had happened but she was just as stunned by it. The two of them made their way through the crowds and back to where their siblings were.
“I have to hand it to you. I didn’t think this would go so smoothly,” Ren said. “They’ve got a big mess on their hands now.”
“Yeah, it will take them a while to put themselves together,” Ash agreed. “I was worried about the whole thing for a second. She was so calm when talking to us. I felt like she knew what I was doing.”
“She probably did,” Pam muttered. “I hate to be the pessimist here but I feel like this was too easy. There’s no way they’d go under like that.”
“There you are!” Someone yelled at them. They turned to find Misty’s older sister Annie running toward them. She looked completely upset and flustered as she tried to slow down. “There you are...I need your help.”
“Annie, what’s wrong?” Jackie asked. “What happened? Where’s Misty?”
“That’s what I want to ask you.” Annie slowed down long enough to take a breath. “I thought she would be here with you.” She looked around. “Where is she?”
“Isn’t she supposed to be at her piano recital?” Doug asked. “Weren’t you supposed to be there?”
“The recital ended an hour ago but I couldn’t find her anywhere. My parents are worried sick! They keep asking people where she could have run of to! I told them that I would search outside and I came here. I remember Misty saying something about her friends being here.” Annie took another deep breath. “She played her pieces, everyone applauded, and then she disappeared. I asked around if they had seen her and someone mentioned that she was going off with some guys. As far as I know, the only guy from our family is our father. None of our friends were there.”
“Some guys?” Ren replied. “Can you describe them?”
“I’m afraid not. They just told me these are big guys. Oh, and they were also escorting an older woman out too.”
“An older woman?” Pam repeated. It didn’t take her long to realize she was talking about Patty. The bad feeling she was having before snapped back into her again. “Annie, quick! Do you have any idea where they might have gone?”
“No! That’s why I came here! I thought they would bring them to you but...” She sighed. “I don’t know everything that’s going on. Misty told me bits and pieces but I’m still lost. She told me that she had to meet you guys but I just didn’t know...” She looked around the group, “I didn’t know you’d all be older than her.”
“Rest assured, this has a good explanation,” Nikhil said. “Misty couldn’t tell you anything because we’re all trying to figure it out. I assure you that you will know everything. Right now, I just want to know what happened to Misty.”
“So do I. Is she not here?”
“No, we haven’t seen her.” Crystal said. “You said that she went off with some guys and there was an old woman with them?”
“That’s what witnesses say. I’m trying to call her phone and she’s not responding.” Annie tried to sit down. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know where to go. You guys have to help me! My parents are calling the police but I think you’ll have a better idea on this.”
“I don’t think the police will help much,” Ren said. “I have a good feeling I know who took them. I just don’t know where.”
“Then who was it?” Annie asked. “Who took my sister?!”
Pam realized what Ren was getting at and her blood felt cold. “Project 99 did.”
Chapter 24 – Misty
Misty had no idea how she had gotten into this mess. She had no idea where she was going now. She looked up at the front seat where a woman named Jasmine and some big guy were controlling everything. They didn’t tell her anything but asked her to go with them. That was the first wrong thing she did. No sooner had she left, she was shoved into the car and told not to say anything. Then they took off and she grew scared. Almost immediately, she knew what they were a part of.
The piano recital had gone well. She was a little nervous in beginning and it showed when she hit the first few notes. Once she regained her composure, everything came together with ease. She began playing faster and was careful not to hit bum notes. If she landed on one, she covered it up easily. After she took her bow and went off stage, that should have been it. She never expected to be whisked away suddenly and taken far from the stage.
The last few moments of her life felt like a blur to her. It was supposed to be a quiet night. It was supposed to be a night where she would play for an audience and accept the applause. She hadn’t gone anywhere near the Bradley Institute today. There was no reason for anyone to jump her and take her away. While they didn’t tie her up, they had guns. That was enough for her to go quietly with them.
She tried hard not to breathe as they drove down the dirt path. They had taken her phone so she had no way of contacting anyone. All she could do was sit and see what they were planning. While she was terrified, Patty seemed to be calm. She had no expressions on her face and seemed to accept whatever fate they had for her. She kept looking over at Misty as if to reassure her that everything would be okay. They had to be okay.
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Jasmine turned to Misty who tried to keep a straight face. “Understand that we are only doing this for your own good, Misty. I promise no harm will come to you.”
“Where are you taking me?” Misty found the courage to ask.
“You will see soon enough. There is no need for you to be alarmed. All we’re going to do is set some things straight.”
Misty swallowed hard as she looked around her. It felt like they were driving some dark roads with nothing but cornfields lining them. She couldn’t see a sign of any sort out here. There wasn’t even a light to show her where they were. She sank back in her chair and tried not to notice the two big guys that had sandwiched her. She shuddered and prayed that they would pull up to a familiar place soon.
They eventually stopped driving once they reached a wooded area. She had no idea where this was or what they were planning to do. Once the engine was cut off, one of the men nudged her. “Get out.”
A part of her wanted to fight back. She wanted to do whatever she could to take that gun from him and threaten them. She wanted to shoot her enemies. She just wanted them to leave her alone. However, she couldn’t find that strength to attack. It was down there but it wasn’t coming out. She got out of the car as asked and tried to will her legs to start running. Even though she didn’t know this location, she wanted to get away from it. She wanted to go as far as she could. She didn’t know what was going to happen but she didn’t want to stay to find out.
“Leave her out of this, Jasmine.” Patty told the woman who was in charge. “She is not the one you want. She’s too young!”
“That may be so but she is one of ours as well.” Jasmine replied. “I think she’s old enough to deliver messages, don’t you?”
“She’s just a child!”
“She’s an experiment, Patty! She’s no different from the other experiments! She’s a puppet, built to be everyone’s dream come true.” Jasmine replied. “She was made to be human. That doesn’t mean she is one.”
Why can’t I move? Misty asked herself as she looked down at her feet. This evening, she had worn her favorite new black heels. She didn’t want to ruin them but she was willing to get rid of them if it meant survival. They had sent her to one end of the path and sent Patty to the other. Jasmine whispered something to Patty who just nodded. Then she went down on her knees.
What’s going on? Misty wanted to ask. She tried to take a step forward but Jasmine came over to her.
“It’s cold out tonight,” she said. “That jacket alone isn’t going to keep you warm. We can get you a blanket if you wish.”
“Why did you bring me here?” Misty asked. “What is going to happen now?”
“We need to deliver a message to your brothers and sisters. A line was crossed that shouldn’t have been crossed. Unfortunately, we have no choice but to get rid of the problem. If this is the only way we can get through to you, then so be it.”
“What problem?” Misty looked over at Patty who was still on her knees. Behind and in front of her were the two men with guns. “What are you doing?! What do you want?!”
“Hold her back.” Jasmine told one of the other guys.
“No!” Misty stepped away and got as close as she could. “I want some answers! No more of this cryptic stuff! What are you going to do to me?!”
“Nothing, Misty. As long as you stay on your side, you will be fine,” she assured her. “It’s Patty that we want. Your chimera has run her course. It’s time to end things.”
“End things?!” Misty almost shrieked at that. She tried to run to Patty but the men held her back. “No! No, you can’t do that! Patty...Patty, tell them! Stop them! Do something! Please…” She nearly fell to her knees. “Please…save yourself. Let me save you!”
“Stand back, Misty!” Patty yelled back. “It’s not worth fighting over! I’m not worth it!”
“No! You have to fight back! You have to let me…” She tried to run again but she was pushed. “Please don’t do this! Please don’t hurt her!”
Misty could feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Suddenly, she understood what this was supposed to be. She was going to witness an execution. They were getting rid of their chimera as a punishment to them. Jasmine looked at the two men and nodded at them.
“Let her say her goodbye. She deserves that much.”
They let Misty go and she tried to run toward Patty. One of the bigger guys stopped her halfway. “Please do not go any further. Whatever you need to say, you will say it from here.”
“But I…” Misty realized it was all a lost cause. She was going to be witness to this and no one was going to fight back. Even she had lost all the strength to fight.
Misty looked over at Patty who seemed ready to die. “Don’t cry, Misty. This isn’t worth crying over. You have to be strong now.”
“How?” Misty managed to squeak out. “How can I be strong?”
“You just have to be. Please deliver these words to your brothers and sisters. Let them know that I’m glad to have made all of you. I’m glad I got to see you. I’m proud of what you’ve all become. Don’t think for one minute that you are a puppet. Remember that you are human. You are real. No matter what anyone says, you are perfect. All of you are perfect.”
That made Misty cry even more. “Patty...don’t say that...”
“Please step back.” One of the men told her. “That is enough.”
“You don’t have to look, Misty.” Patty told her. “For your sanity, don’t look. Close your eyes, turn away, and forget about what will happen. Just don’t look. Don’t look anymore.”
Misty did as asked and closed her eyes. Slowly, she turned around and let the tears fall from behind her close eyelids. She heard a shot behind her and it made her cringe. Breathing hard, she began to cry more and found herself on her knees. She placed her hands against the dirt and dug her fingernails into it. She wanted to sink into the earth now. At this point, she didn’t care if they pulled the trigger on her too. She could hear fire crackling behind her. They were burning the body and all evidence of the crime no doubt. She could hear someone’s footsteps walking toward her now.
Do it! She wanted to yell at them. Pull the trigger! Put me out of this misery too!
“We have a message for you as well,” Jasmine said. Misty didn’t bother looking at her face. If she did, she would end up spitting at it. “Tell your brothers and sisters that the Project 99 chimera is dead. Tell them that this is over. Whatever battle you were trying to fight, you lost it. This is where the foolishness ends.”
Misty heard everything but her mind was elsewhere. She was too busy shaking and sobbing to acknowledge anyone. Her phone was dropped in front of her but she didn’t check to see if it was broken.
“Call someone to take you home.”
Once again, Misty couldn’t look at them. She couldn’t look behind her because the fire was still burning. All she could do was stare at the ground. Their actions had led to the death of their chimera. Now no more experiments could be made from Patty. She was nothing but ashes.
No matter what anyone says, you are perfect. All of you are perfect.
That was Patty’s message to them. That was the one thing she wanted them to believe. If Misty ever had doubts about herself, they were erased after hearing that. Now she knew that she was a human being and she could change everything. They all had the power to change what happened. She coughed out some phlegm and spat up on the ground. She felt so sick and everything was coming out of her right now. She threw up right then and there. This was too much for her. Somehow, she could not protect Patty. She couldn’t stop them.
She picked up her phone and saw Annie’s number was at the very top. She wanted to go home and forget that anything had happened. The fire was still burning behind her. Her finger shaking, she found Ash’s number right below Annie’s. She needed one of her Project 99 siblings to find her. She needed to tell them the truth.
She tried to get a connection but nothing was coming through. S
he could not pick anything. She couldn’t get a hold of anyone. They had purposely left her in the middle of nowhere because they knew she would have trouble getting in touch with anyone. Project 99 may have gotten the upper hand now but they were not going to win the war. All they had done was fuel the fire that was already burning. It was time to strike back.
It was time for them to come together and bring Project 99 down. Their entire existence depended on it.
