Mind Trace

by McCaghren, Holly

  Given his weight and the direction of the force he's applying on my wrists, I should be able to break his hold with a significant force in this direction…

  She broke his hold by violently propelling her hand outward. He obviously did not expect that reaction and hesitated for the briefest of moments. Alice frantically reached down for the tranquilizer gun and closed her shaking hand around it. She pressed the weapon to his thigh and released the trigger.

  The shock on his face was undeniable now. Eric held her gaze as his hold loosened and he began to sag. Alice pushed him off her body and onto the ground.

  She stood up and looked down at him, giving him her best smile. She couldn't resist saying, "Well, I'm sorry too, Eric. I really hoped you'd be reasonable."

  The shock on his face turned to undeniable anger. Before he could reply, he was unconscious.

  Alice leapt in the elevator and held down the floor button, so it would skip over any other floors on its ascent. She tried not to think about what had just happened as the elevator continued to rise. Her heart was pounding in her chest, her body filled with adrenaline from her encounter with Eric. She could not help but be in awe of him. He was handsome, intelligent, and powerful. A dangerous combination. But it was that very fact that gave her victory almost epic proportions.

  No time to think about that now. I have to escape.

  Even if their altercation had managed to go unnoticed on the security feed, she knew Eric could not go missing for long. Not to mention there was still a guard locked inside her room.

  The elevator dinged softly and opened in the central part of the warehouse. A guard was posted near the elevator, but he merely glanced up at her, nodded, and went back to his crossword puzzle. Apparently, her escape had not yet been noticed.

  The layout in her head told her that the docks were to the north of the elevator, with the offices, sorting stations, and another security station between her and the exit.

  A direct path there would leave me vulnerable, too many checkpoints. If I take the longer, less traveled route, there is less risk.

  Alice weaved her way in and out of boxes, taking advantage of the blind spots in the security system until she had almost reached the docks.

  Ahead of her lay yet another security station. The only way in or out of the warehouse from there took her directly past the station. Although they were more likely to question the people coming in the warehouse, Alice knew that her whole plan could be ruined right there if she was not careful.

  She pulled her cap down a little tighter and surveyed the situation. She saw a group of warehouse workers talking and carrying on in front of a large machine, which she recognized as one of the package sorters. As boxes were received and scanned, they were then placed on a conveyer belt that fed them into the sorting machine. The machine took in the packages, scanned them, sorted them based on their destination, and then pushed them onto separate conveyer belts leading to the appropriate areas of the warehouse.

  It was a valuable machine and her mind interjected that it allowed the warehouse to cut down processing time by over 75%.

  If that were to fail suddenly, it would provide more than enough distraction to get past the security station.

  She backtracked, went down a few more aisles, and ended up at the backside of the sorting machine. Prying open a panel near the engine, she strategically unplugged a few wires and replaced the cover.

  Alice hurried back to her previous position just in time to see workers running over to the machine, shouting. This caught the attention of the guards at the security station and they ran over to see what all the commotion was.

  She took advantage of their distraction and walked hurriedly past the station, unnoticed. Her heart was beating so quickly and loudly, she was sure that someone would hear it and she would be discovered. Alice tried to look casual as she sought out some sort of delivery vehicle that was on its way out of the warehouse.

  Unease gnawed at her resolve as she passed dock after dock, finding no suitable vehicle to escape.

  Please, don't let this happen. There has to be at least one truck leaving this place!

  Alice had almost given up hope when she came to the last dock. There was a solitary delivery driver loading boxes into his truck for departure.

  It was a typical delivery truck, with a rolling door in the back and two side doors near the driver that seemed to be perpetually open. As he finished loading the last box, the driver approached a small terminal to the right of the dock to confirm the boxes he received for delivery. Alice quickly glanced over her shoulder and crept into the back of the truck, sitting behind a tower of boxes.

  She settled down, trying to remain hidden from view. The back door suddenly rolled shut and she heard footsteps come around the other side of the truck, followed by the squeak of seat springs as the driver sat down. The engine started, and the truck slowly pulled away from the dock.

  Alice had just begun to breathe a sigh of relief when she realized that the radio was still chattering in her ear.

  I forgot I was even wearing this. Wait… They can use this to track me if they find out I have it!

  She hastily removed it and crushed it beneath her boot.

  When the driver picked up enough speed, she was able to safely discard the uniform without being heard over the engine. Outside of the EngineerCorp campus, the uniform would be a liability, making her stand out and draw unneeded attention.

  Alice's hands were shaking as she put her own shoes back on and silently prayed that the truck would make it beyond the campus without any mishaps.

  After what seemed like an eternity, she felt the truck roll to a stop, heard a gate open, and then the truck was off again. Judging by the relative speed of the vehicle and the time since they left the dock, they had just made it past the outer gate of campus. As they were driving away, she heard a proximity alarm go off and some men yelling, but then they were too far away to hear any more.

  Sounds like they found Eric…

  Alice knew that the entire campus would be shut down the moment they realized she had escaped. The fact that she had made it safely past their defenses before they realized their error made her feel almost giddy.

  And they all thought they were invincible. I'm really glad they were wrong.

  She let out a small, nervous giggle and then checked herself. It would be just her luck to escape a maximum-security underground complex, only to be discovered stowing away by some delivery driver.

  What would she do now? Suddenly sober, she considered her options. It didn't take very long; there were precious few to choose.

  My best hope is to find Garrett and somehow convince him to help me. But, I'll need money and some way to get there…

  She checked her pockets but, not surprisingly, everything had been taken. Most of her money had been in her bags anyway, which had been confiscated by EngineerCorp. Alice would have to get creative.

  The EngineerCorp campus was located just outside of Yorkshire, Virginia. It was massive, centered on a five-mile stretch of land and was technically considered a city in itself. It was not open to the public and could become an impenetrable fortress at a moment's notice.

  Cyberconn, however, was located in Newport, New Hampshire. Alice had to cover almost 450 miles if she wanted to seek Garrett's help, and she wasn't getting there without some form of money.

  It was approximately thirty-two minutes before the delivery truck stopped again.

  I better get out now. They can trace me too easily to this truck, and wherever it stops.

  The driver went around the back of the truck and rolled up the door. She could barely see him through a small space between boxes. He loaded several things onto a dolly and walked away in the direction of the driver's side. When she could no longer see him, she squeezed between the boxes and exited from the side passenger door of the truck, tucking the guard uniform under her arm.

  She was in a small town approximately twenty-seven miles from EngineerCorp
. Alice looked around and began mentally laying out a map of the city, overlaying the streets until she knew exactly where she was.

  The driver had parked in front of a large office building in the heart of the business quarter. In the immediate vicinity, there was an assortment of similar corporate buildings, tapering off to smaller structures and local businesses further down the street. Being early afternoon, there were very few people about, as most of them were still at work.

  Hastily crossing the street, Alice put some distance between her and the truck, tossing the uniform bundle into a covered trash can as she passed by.

  When she was a few blocks away, she noticed an ATM in a small alcove off the sidewalk. As Alice approached the machine, she was caught off-guard when her mind began accessing all sorts of schematics, diagrams and programs for that particular ATM.

  This really is amazing. It's like there's no limit to the information that's on EngineerCorp's servers. I guess that makes sense; they are involved in almost everything.

  Still, if a less scrupulous person was given this kind of data…they could do some serious damage. Me? I just want freedom.

  She analyzed the data she was presented with, finding that this series of ATM had a hard code wired into it; pressing a series of buttons and entering a sixteen-digit code would grant her access to the maintenance portal. From there, she entered her routing and account information and had the machine output five hundred dollars from her account. She altered the information to show the money being withdrawn on a date prior to the "incident." Alice returned the ATM to its main menu and pocketed the cash.

  How am I going to get to Newport? I don't even have an ID. Anything extravagant is most likely too expensive or covered in security cameras. If I chose one of those options, I might as well just turn myself in now.

  I suppose a bus would be the simplest route, less security. I'll start there.

  Alice had one more stop before heading to the station. There was a clothing store a few blocks out of the way, but it was worth the effort.

  I really need to disguise myself. I'm too recognizable in these clothes. Plus, I've been wearing them for days. Soon, I'll stand out because of the smell!

  She reached the clothing store a short time later. It had a nice, generic name, "Clothes & More." It offered an assortment of clothing for all lifestyles, non-designer clothing that would do well for blending into the crowd.

  Searching through the meager racks, Alice quickly picked out some subdued clothing and was heading to the register, when she noticed a small section along the wall with assorted wigs.

  A wig! Why didn't I think of that before?

  She selected a close-cropped, inexpensive, blonde wig. The kind that would have been popular several decades ago.

  Wow. This is going to look...terrible. But, as long as it keeps me from getting caught again, it's worth it.

  After paying, Alice ducked into the restroom to change into her new persona. It took some time to tuck her hair completely inside the wig, but she managed.

  Inspecting herself in the mirror, she almost didn’t recognize the person standing there. It gave her a small consolation for having to wear the obnoxious wig.

  She did not tarry further, hurrying the last few blocks to the bus station where she purchased a ticket to Newport. It would take a little over nine hours to get there, putting her in Newport around five the next morning.

  Tired, grateful, and finally feeling a glimmer of hope, Alice sank back into the worn-down seat of the bus and started to relax.

  Hopefully, this will all be behind me soon.

  Chapter 8

  Eric was aware that someone was calling his name. He struggled to consciousness, eyelids flickering. When his eyes fully opened, they focused on Grant's worried face. Several security officers waited at the end of the hallway at a respectable distance.

  "Eric!…Eric? Sir, what happened? Are you alright?"

  Eric sat up, head pounding. As he remembered the events that brought him there, he was furious.

  How dare she! She made a fool of me for the last time. She will not get such a chance again!

  "The girl…where is she?" he asked quietly.

  "We don't know. The last time she was spotted, she was exiting the elevator in the warehouse. I have some analysts working on the security feeds now to determine where she headed."

  After Eric continued to remain silent, Grant continued, venting his own outrage.

  "How on earth did she manage this? It's as if she had the complete layout of this entire complex. No one should have been able to get past any of our security, let alone stroll out the front door!"

  "I don't know, Grant, but I fully intend to get to the bottom of this. We cannot have someone like that running rampant, knowing that kind of information. Put every available man on this. I want her found!"

  Eric briskly got to his feet and walked away, ignoring the protests from his body. Grant considered following him, but thought better of it. Eric never had emotional outbursts because he didn't have to. Judging by the pulsing veins in his neck and the set of his jaw, Grant knew better than to bother him. He needed to be alone.

  Eric headed towards the elevator.

  A few hours in the lab will help me calm down, put things in perspective.

  There were hundreds of labs scattered across the EngineerCorp campus, but Eric's private lab was located in the basement of his estate. It was there that he could be sure no one would disturb him.

  Outside the building, Eric shielded his eyes against the harsh glare of the setting sun. He emerged from Central Tower, the largest building on campus. His office was there, along with the most critical laboratories and servers. It was truly an impressive structure, over ten stories high with sharp angles jutting out from each floor. It gave the tower the appearance of a modern-day fortress, with an almost medieval facade. The unique architecture fortified the building, strengthening it in the rare event of an attack.

  Clustered around the center of campus was the business sector. From there, it fanned out to apartments, classrooms, cafeterias and recreation halls. There were even a few retail stores. The campus was designed to be self-sufficient, providing everything that its employees and workers would ever need, effectively giving them no reason to leave. Everything was run and controlled by EngineerCorp, unofficially called "EnCorp City."

  Eric's estate was near the center of campus, but it was slightly isolated on several acres of dense woods, his own sanctuary in the midst of his grand creation.

  He could have just as easily driven there, but he felt like walking. A small breeze blew cool and refreshing air on his face, serving to slightly ebb the tide of anger.

  Eric was so deep in thought, he did not realize how far he'd gone until he found himself at the entry to his estate. A quick retinal and palm scan later, he was inside.

  He looked up as he entered his grand home. The foyer was open all the way to the third floor, and ended in an remarkable chandelier – one of the few embellishments he tolerated.

  Eric didn't waste time with useless adornments. He worked more efficiently without such distractions. He didn't have time to worry about trivial matters when the whole world depended on him.

  His estate had several wings, filled with all the amenities he could ever desire. There was a home theater, billiard room, libraries, spas, and more. Although Eric spent little time indulging in such things, it seemed like a requirement for someone in his position to have the option of using them if he chose.

  Eric took off his coat and hung it on the rack next to the door. He rolled his neck, trying to ease the tension that had been building up in his shoulders all day. The piercing headache he had was lessening into a dull throbbing, but he tried to ignore it.

  Turning left off the foyer, he headed for the entrance to his lab. Behind an imposing metal door, a set of stairs winded down to his private sanctuary. It was, of course, security protected. Even in his own house, security was of the upmost importance. The onl
y other people permitted to enter his house were the cleaning staff, and they were always under the supervision of his guards. No one went into his lab under any circumstances.

  As he entered his lab, he flipped the switch that supplied the room with power. The workspace came to life as the devices began to hum and go through their various power cycles. Eric took a seat at the main desk and sorted through some of the current projects waiting for completion.

  A few frustrating minutes ticked by and Eric realized that he was only fooling himself.

  I can't get her out of my head. What power does she have over me to derail my very thoughts?

  He let out an irritated sigh and pushed his chair back.

  It's not just her. It's the whole problem. I can't focus until I find a way to contain this situation. And I certainly can't rest until she realizes that no one toys with me and gets away with it.

  How did she do it, anyway? She's barely out of high school. She might be gifted with an impressive education, but no one just waltzes out of this complex like some kind of tourist! Somehow, she has intimate knowledge of things she has no business knowing.

  Not to mention, no one outside of the assigned team even knows of project Alchernon. We haven't released any pertinent details to the public and it's completely isolated to the underground complex. How did she just happen to know about it and that any malfunction there was too critical for anyone to ignore?

  Then, there's the matter of how she got out of her cell, subsequently found her way to the surface, hopped on a truck and escaped without so much as a second glance!

  She must have acquired the information when she hacked the network. But, where did she store it? How did she have the time to intimately familiarize herself with it to the level she clearly demonstrated?

  Frustrated and not wanting to admit to himself that he was at a dead end, he decided to mull over some of the less conventional scenarios.

  If I consider all the circumstances, the melted cables, the reports from our servers that a full dump was performed, yet she didn't own any device capable of storing all the information… Is it possible that there was no logical explanation? What if the truth of the matter was something no one could explain?