Mind Trace

by McCaghren, Holly

  Eric had assumed that the readings from their enhanced polygraph machine were a result of bad calibration, but what if it was an accurate depiction of her brain activity?

  Obviously, Alice had burned her hand by coming into contact with that cable. Was it possible that she had somehow absorbed the information during that brief moment?

  Eric never considered that those drawings found in the cabin could have been created by her, but what if they were?

  It would certainly explain her seemingly instant and unlimited knowledge of the inner workings of EngineerCorp. The amount of data that our servers contain…she would literally have an unlimited arsenal of knowledge at her disposal. How would she access it? Was she aware of the process, or did it only come to her when she was under pressure?

  There were an infinite number of possibilities running through Eric's head. Each conclusion only brought up more questions.

  It almost scared him how realistic his far-fetched theory was beginning to sound. Eric prided himself on many things, one of which was being logical and fact driven. He did not waste his time on idle fancies, but he could not argue that the evidence was strong.

  No matter what the truth is, Alice has to be found. After her impossible escape, it's obvious that she poses a real danger to everything that I've worked so hard to create. I am not about to let anyone destroy that.

  ***

  The bus hit a surprisingly large pothole, causing Alice to jerk awake. They were just outside of Newport and it was still quite dark. Surprisingly, she slept heavily during the ride and felt better than she had in days. She stretched and gazed out the streaked window of the bus.

  Outside of the city, there were thick woods on either side of the street. The closer they came to town, the forest began to thin out as houses and a few small businesses cropped up. It was a mostly rural area, with very little industry. Cyberconn was located on the northern part of the city.

  As the bus wove its way into Newport, Alice began to feel the weight of her situation pressing down on her.

  Here I am, about to throw myself at the mercy of a complete stranger. A few days ago, I would have never considered this. A few days ago, I had other options.

  It doesn't matter what I'm feeling, though. I must make this work. I will not disappear into the bowels of EngineerCorp without a fight.

  Besides, Garrett would be a fool to let this kind of opportunity pass him by.

  Alice heard the hiss of the breaks and a drawn-out squeal as the bus doors opened. She piled out of the bus with the few other passengers and stepped out onto the sidewalk in front of the bus stop. There were a few hours to spare before it would be reasonable to contact Garrett, so she decided to find somewhere to eat and freshen up.

  It would be best to approach him at work. Better than creeping him out by showing up on his doorstep at the break of dawn...

  Her mind quickly pulled up a list of coffee shops in the area, and found an open one not too far away. There were other, closer places she could have gone to find food and a decent restroom, but something about the smell of fresh coffee made her feel at home. After walking several blocks, Alice entered the quaint little shop.

  This reminds me of Joe's… How I wish I was back there, drinking my coffee, sitting peacefully in my corner. Not a care in the world. Not running for my life…

  Alice sighed, gritted her teeth and pushed the memory from her mind. It would do her no good to dwell. Despite the whole situation being an absurd nightmare, Alice prided herself on being able to focus on the moment and persevere when she needed to. After her parents… it was the only way she knew how to be.

  She went to the restroom first, and freshened up as best she could, given the amenities. When she was satisfied, she left feeling a little more confident.

  Returning to the counter, she surveyed the coffee shop menu. On the center of the menu, written in an energetic font, she read, "Today's Special – Coffee and Breakfast Sandwich." It sounded wonderful to her, but there wasn't much that didn't at that point. Alice was starving.

  She ordered the special and settled into a cozy booth near the door. As she gazed around the shop, her eyes fell on a cute, older couple enjoying a nice breakfast together. They seemed happy and gave off the impression that they had known each other for a very long time. Looking at their faces, her mind suddenly exploded with information.

  Bill and Rosie Wilson. Married July 22, 1956. Moved to Newport in 1973 to a house on 2409 34th Street. Rosie Wilson was employed at Newport ISD until 1999 when she retired at the age of 65. Bill retired from his job at the lumber yard in 2001, but still works part-time at the local library.

  Shocked, Alice shook herself out of her mental background check of the couple. Of course, the Bureau of Vital Statistics, Property Tax Offices, and just about every other government agency employed EngineerCorp to store and protect their information.

  Wow... That was unexpected.

  It was going to take a significant effort for Alice to acclimate herself to the flood of information that seemed to flow uncontrollably every time she opened her eyes. Over time, perhaps she could learn to better handle the ability, so she wouldn't be overwhelmed every time she saw a new face.

  She finished her food without looking around, having her fill of information. Stepping outside, she saw that dawn was just beginning to creep over the edges of the trees, casting a rosy glow around her.

  It almost feels like a normal morning, where I would ride my bike to work after getting my caffeine fix for the day…but that will probably never happen again.

  Alice saw a billboard for a local business scrolling random bits of information in red marquee lettering. It informed her that it was Tuesday, approximately 6:30am with a temperature of seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit.

  It's Tuesday already? How is that possible?

  In some ways, it seemed like an eternity had transpired since her life was turned upside down. Mostly, it just felt like time had stopped flowing the moment she burned her hand.

  Alice checked the bus schedule and took the next one that arrived. It dropped her off roughly thirty minutes later, just after seven o'clock.

  She stood outside of Cyberconn and studied the drab building. The reality of the circumstances hit her as she stared at the once epic and successful company, now reduced to a tiny, aging building in the middle of nowhere.

  Successful or not, the owner of this company is one of my only options.

  She steeled herself and began to survey the building. The windows inside were dark, so she walked around the side of the building where the parking lot and side door were located.

  There was a strange-looking keypad next to the door, but as she stood over it and waited for a flood of information to hit her, Alice realized nothing was happening. She almost laughed aloud.

  Further inspection of the keypad revealed a Cyberconn logo near the bottom, confirming her suspicions. If she hadn't needed to get into the building, the quietness in her mind would have been a pleasant sensation.

  I guess EngineerCorp didn't bother to steal their schematics for a security panel... Pity. Now I'm going to have to do this the old-fashioned way.

  Alice spotted some trees near the side of the building and propped herself up underneath one to wait. The tree was hard against her back, keeping her alert. She would be visible to anyone looking directly at her, but the branches provided ample shading so she was not immediately noticeable.

  She waited about fifteen minutes before a gray sedan pulled into the lot and parked in a marked spot near the entrance. The plates matched the vehicle owned by Garrett Wiggins.

  A tall man got out and walked around to open his trunk. While he was busy digging something out of his car, Alice crept slowly closer.

  As she approached him, she began to mentally compare Garrett to the pictures in her mind. He was a handsome man, with tall, strong shoulders and rich, chestnut eyes. Intelligence was visible in his face. Faint lines peeked around the corners of his mouth, marking
where he frequently smiled, but there was also hardness about his eyes that spoke of another side.

  Alice was around the far side of the car, opposite the building, when Garrett closed the trunk and headed toward the entry. She wanted to call out to him, draw his attention so she could speak with him, but she froze.

  This is crazy. This guy will never help me.

  He suddenly stopped and began digging through his bag. Then, he mumbled unintelligibly, and turned around to go back to his car.

  Oh no! He forgot something.

  It was too late to run and hide anywhere. She was in the middle of an empty parking lot. As she stood, unable to move, he looked up and saw her for the first time.

  Not knowing what else to do, she looked him in the eyes and said, "Garrett Wiggins, I need your help."

  ***

  Garrett realized he had left some papers in the trunk and turned back to retrieve them, when he looked straight into the face of a young girl.

  What? Who is she? Why is she here at this hour? Oh my gosh, is she going to rob me?

  After realizing she wasn't there to mug or assault him, he felt less shock and more of a strange curiosity. She looked somewhat exhausted and frightened, and he could not imagine what on earth a girl like that was doing there.

  Aside from the exhaustion, she had a pretty face. Her eyes were deep and bottomless, partially hidden behind a pair of dark-rimmed glasses. He could see small, brown tendrils of hair peeking out from beneath an outdated, bright blonde wig. She was slightly disheveled, but the view was pleasant.

  Could this week get any stranger? First, the anonymous emails, claiming to have hacked into the EngineerCorp mainframe... Then, just as I'm arranging to help this anonymous person, he drops off the face of the planet and I lose all contact.

  Now, here's some strange, frightened girl wandering around the parking lot, looking scared and lost. Whatever trouble she's in, I can't leave her here. I have to at least try to help her…

  When she finally opened her mouth to speak, it was to address him by name.

  Garrett could only imagine the dumb look that must have been on his face as she spoke. He managed a hesitant reply, "Um…who are you?"

  She looked at him uncertainly for a few moments, as if deciding whether he was trustworthy. Garrett smiled hesitantly, wondering if he should encourage her or not.

  She returned his shaky smile and went on, "Look, I know this seems strange to you, but believe me, I have no other choice. And I know you have no reason to believe anything I say, but I need to talk to you, preferably somewhere other than this open parking lot."

  She cast her eyes nervously from side to side, as if she expected someone to appear out of nowhere and sweep her away.

  Garrett looked at the girl again, and decided that she could pose no real threat to him. If she had intended to harm him, she could have easily done so before she caught his attention.

  I'll see what she has to say. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious. Besides, I would never forgive myself if I turned her away without trying to help.

  "Can I at least have a name first?"

  She leaned forward and in almost a whisper, she replied, "Alice."

  "Well, Alice, if you don’t mind coming with me, we can talk more in my office. We should be relatively unbothered for at least another half hour."

  Garrett abruptly turned away, leaving her to follow him if she chose. After a moment of hesitation, he heard soft footsteps following him. He entered his security code at the side entry and then stepped aside, holding the door open for her to pass through.

  "Ladies first," he prompted, smiling.

  She gave him a questioning look, then looked at the door and quickly went through, mumbling a soft thanks as she did.

  Once inside, he directed her down the halls and back to his office, gesturing to one of the empty armchairs while he set down his things.

  "You'll have to excuse the mess…I wasn't exactly expecting visitors."

  Garrett settled into the chair behind the desk and gazed across at Alice.

  When she still hadn't spoken, he prompted her, "I hope this is satisfactory. Now, if you would please tell me what you wanted to talk about?"

  She took a deep breath, as if to prepare herself for what she was about to say. Then, hesitantly, she began to explain in a tense voice.

  "A few days ago you received an email from an unknown sender claiming to have hacked the EngineerCorp mainframe with an offer for the information that you have wanted so badly for such a long time. You agreed to provide some level of protection for this person in exchange for that information by setting up communication channels to expose EngineerCorp for its treachery… That person was me."

  Huh?

  The girl looked at him with a worried expression, watching his every move. Seeing that she still had his attention, she continued, "I fell out of contact for several days after being found and apprehended by EngineerCorp. I had been careless, but I never dreamed they would find me so quickly. After being held prisoner and almost tortured, I managed to escape and find my way here."

  Managed to escape? Is that possible? Is this a trap?

  She shook her head, as if trying to clear the unpleasant memory.

  "This is such a fantastic story, I hardly believe it myself. Eric couldn't have discovered my location yet or I would surely be in his custody again. I will need your help so it stays that way. At least until we have some way of bargaining with him…"

  She trailed off, waiting for him to respond.

  Garrett realized that he had not swallowed for several minutes, leaving his throat dry and uncomfortable. He was in such a state of utter disbelief and shock that he didn't know where to begin. So many things about the situation were far-fetched and absurd.

  This girl can't be much older than twenty years old, and here she is telling me that she hacked the EngineerCorp mainframe, found out I was the one that sent the email, and tracked me down to ask for help? Oh, and don't forget to throw in there that she was captured by Eric Martin and somehow managed to escape his impenetrable fortress all by herself? I'm supposed to just believe this?

  "Forgive my skepticism…Alice, is it? How exactly do you expect me to believe your captivating tale? Don't get me wrong, I am sure you're a very nice girl and all, but I just don’t see how any of this can even be…possible. I need something to go on, here."

  She had been fidgeting with the wig she was wearing, and then finally gave up and pulled it from her head. A pile of soft brown waves spilled out and fell around her face, flatteringly.

  How does a girl like her even get involved in this kind of stuff? Shouldn't she be off having fun, partying, going to college?

  She tilted her head and thought for a moment. "Does that computer have access to the internet? If so, may I borrow it for a moment? I can get you the proof you need."

  Now, she wants to use my computer. Well, sure. Why not? I've come this far and I'm going to see this through.

  He pushed his chair back, stood up, and dramatically moved aside to allow her to work.

  This is crazy, but something about her makes me want to believe what she's saying.

  She timidly came around the edge of the desk and sat down. Then, she began typing faster than he knew possible and he couldn't keep up. Windows were popping up here and there, files being created and compiled. It was eerily silent as Alice performed her strange task. Soon, a blinking cursor materialized on the screen and he realized he was looking at a login screen for some kind of remote server.

  Alice explained, "I had to take precautions to ensure that what I'm about to show you cannot be tracked or traced here. I'm taking a huge risk in showing you this, but you have to believe me, and this is the only way I can think of to prove what I'm saying."

  Alice filled in the extremely complex login information just as easily as she would have entered her own name. She began searching through what appeared to be endless security feeds until she found the one she wanted. In it, th
ere was a strange room full of medical and other diagnostic equipment, centered around some kind of restraining chair. The room was empty, and Alice sped through the feed until there was movement on the screen.

  Garrett saw two men bring a captive Alice into the room, followed by a man whose face he would never forget.

  Eric Martin.

  Overwhelming anger boiled up from within, but he held it in check and forced himself to keep watching. The men moved a very unenthusiastic Alice to the other chair, where they restrained her again before leaving the room.

  The feed had no audio, so Garrett couldn't hear what was being said. He could see that the girl looked quite frightened and uncomfortable while Eric spoke to her. Alice fast-forwarded through the rest of the video, showing her depart from the room, accompanied by the guards again, and Eric staying behind to speak with another man.

  Alice severed the connection and deleted all records of it before returning to the other side of the desk. Garrett collapsed weakly into his chair and stared incredulously at her.

  "That video was taken only yesterday when I was held there, against my will. Eric Martin was obviously aware of the situation and was directly involved."

  "How did you…escape?"

  "The details aren't really that important… An opportunity presented itself, and I took it. It wasn't easy, but I wasn't about to just give up and stay there!"

  "I see. And how did you manage to hack into their mainframe in the first place? I mean, how old are you, anyway? Seventeen?"

  Garrett knew she was most likely older than that, but he couldn't help teasing her. She seemed so forlorn and serious, and the situation just seemed so...unreal.

  It worked.

  She responded defensively, "I'm nineteen, not that it matters! I already have my masters and I'm very good at what I do! As for gaining access to their server, I just got lucky!"