by Susan Harris
“Theresa, please don’t do this.”
She shot me a sarcastic look over her shoulder, and I witnessed the madness in her eyes. “Last chance to save those who have helped you, Alana. Give me the names, and I will spare their lives.”
I shook my head and clamped my mouth shut in exaggerated defiance. She might take me down, but I would not take the others with me. Theresa sighed and waved the woman forward.
“Goodbye, Alana. It was quite an experience knowing you.” And with that, she vanished. A feral scream ripped from deep inside me. The woman entered the cube, and the door closed behind her, sealing us in.
My life was almost gone, and I was about to lose everything. At that moment, I realized what I had: Daniel, Connors, Jayson, even Afsana, the people who had tried to help me. They’d tried to make me see that losing my family didn’t mean I had lost everything. They had all sacrificed so much for me, and now I could not repay them for it.
I would never hold Daniel again or feel my body heat under his gaze as those blue eyes drank me in. The thought of never kissing those lips, hearing his laugh or basking in the safety of his arms almost brought me to tears.
In frustration, I cried out again and squeezed my insides. Bucking against the restraints was useless. During the past year, I’d experienced a lot of emotions… grief, loss, guilt, anger, love, but through it all, I’d never felt as hopeless as now while I awaited my fate. I prayed for the first time in my life, that if there were a God, he would spare me, vowing I would never ask anything of him again.
The woman in the lab coat reached my chair and remained standing, blocking Theresa from my line of sight as she surveyed from outside. My eyes searched for an ounce of compassion in the woman, but most of her face was concealed by a mask, and her eyes were devoid of any emotion. All my hopes of dignity were dashed as I pleaded with her and begged her to let me go, to stop whatever she was doing. I could only watch as she filled a syringe and tapped my vein.
Closing my eyes, I saw Daniel, my Daniel, with eyes the colour of clear skies and a smile to drive me insane. I held onto the image of him for dear life. If I had to die, then I would do so thinking of him.
“Alana, whatever I say, do not indicate that I am speaking to you, understand? Blink once for yes, twice for no.”
I hesitated when she spoke and opened my eyes… blinking once and staring at the woman. She was fairly normal looking, someone who would not stand out in the crowd. Most people would skim over her in a crowd unless they were looking for her in particular. Round face and small eyes with dark hair that framed her face. She had a slightly crooked nose, and her lips were pursed in a serious line.
“When I push the syringe into your arm, I need you count to fifteen, then convulse. Make it look good or Theresa will be suspicious. I’m putting my ass on the line here, so do not mess it up. I need you to convulse for about thirty seconds and then let your eyes roll back in your head and pretend you are unconscious. Do you understand?”
I blinked once and the woman kept talking softly through the mask. “Then I will inject you with a sedative that will pass their tests to make sure you really are out of it. They will take you back to your cell and wait to see if the serum has taken hold. You remember how Veronika was, right?” I blinked. “Good, they will expect that of you too… having tried to use suggestion while you sleep to induce a walking, talking zombie. Knowing Theresa, it will be the same thing she used on Veronika. You will have to pretend not to know any of your friends. Don’t be friendly with the guards. You have to act as if the serum has worked, at least until Grand Master Johnson’s lecture.”
“Why?” I exhaled, needing to know why she would take such a big risk for me.
“You mean why am I helping you?” I blinked once. “Your father was a good man, an honest man. When I advised against using Treatment on children, he listened and ended up dead. Are you ready for this?” I blinked once again, and she gave me a weak smile.
“While you’re asleep, I will be removing the behaviour chip. You won’t feel a thing when I’m doing it ’cause you’ll be out cold. But you might have a little discomfort when you wake. Try not to let it show. And I’m afraid you’ll have a scar… unnecessary if I had more time to remove it, but I don’t. I hope you’re a good actress, Alana, for all our sakes.”
Why would she be taking out my chip? I watched as she stuck the needle in my arm and the plunger emptied whatever she put into my system. Counting to fifteen in my head, I bucked against the restraints. The metal cuffs scratched my skin and burned as I pretended to convulse. But the pain only made me feel more alive. My desire to live was strong. I concentrated so hard on convulsing that I almost forgot to count to thirty before I let my eyes roll back in my head and closed them, lying still in the chair.
“Good girl… I’m going to put you under now, Alana. It’s up to you now, honey. By the way, Daniel sends his love.”
My saviour had whispered in my ear before I felt the prick of the needle in my arm. The grogginess washed over me, and I struggled to remain awake. I needed to make sure that the woman told the truth, that I wasn’t being set up. My eyes remained closed, but I heard the slide of the door and then Theresa’s voice.
“Is it done? Did it work?” Theresa’s voice was frantic and strained.
“When she wakes, we will know. Right now, we can only observe to see if she reacts in the same way as Veronika.” The woman was still talking, but I was slipping fast and couldn’t hold on as sounds became gargled. Soon, I lost myself to the drug, letting it pull me under.
27
Daniel
“Now that I know what I’m without, you can’t just leave me.
Breathe into me and make me real.”
(Evanescence: Bring me to Life)
She really was amazing. I had been observing her since she had woken up yesterday. Alana had portrayed Theresa’s perfect zombie soldier. She walked around pretending not to know anyone or anything. At first I was afraid that my helper had gone back on her promise to aid us because Alana was doing such a good job. She even had me fooled.
Admittedly, I had flown into a panic when Connors told me that Theresa had baited Alana, and she had snapped. I had been ready to march in on my white horse and try and save the day, but Connors reminded me that my Alana was not some damsel in distress who needed saving. From the way she was handling things, I knew she wasn’t, and the tragedy that followed her like a shadow would not break her. She wouldn’t let it.
Today was the day, the one we had been working up to since Alana first ended up here. My plan had slotted into place, and once Grand Master Johnson gave his speech, it would begin, and we would be free. I had bargained with the devil, but he had come through.
You see the thing with my dad was that Jameson Costello could not back down from sticking it to the Parliament. They were the people who had sent him to the Free Islands of Australia. With his contacts, Alana and I had a second chance there. And maybe, just maybe, so did me and my dad.
The morning had arrived. Inmates were forced to get up early. Breakfast was a quick rush of jamming as much food as possible down your throat before the guards shifted you from your seat. They ordered you to help them move all the tables from the floor of the mess hall. A wooden stage had been erected underneath the viewing room where Theresa Lane surveyed her kingdom from above.
Neither Connors nor I could get Alana on her own. Since her confrontation with the warden, she had been closely monitored for signs of degradation. But like a trooper, Alana carried on, and Theresa watched. The inmates cleared away the tables and spread out the chairs, all lined up in neat little rows.
Prisoners would all sit in sections by their colours, death row inmates in front. Jayson knew his job. Our business arrangement was a strange one. I had learned that his sister’s foster family had left England for the Free Islands months ago and had promised to take him with us when we went so he could find his sister. I knew where she was but would guard that secret until
he held up his end of the deal and we were out of here.
Yes, I was indeed plotting a prison break. But how could we escape one of the most secure facilities in the world? With a lot of help, that’s how.
Around midday, all the inmates had gathered together in the mess hall, taking their places. The staff was to be seated next to the stage along a line that would face the inmates directly. That way we could watch out for potential threats to the warden’s image of administrating the most secure section of the prison.
I pushed away from the archway where I’d been leaning and stepped forward until I paused long enough to slip an envelope in Connors’ pocket and move on. We didn’t look at each other and had said only what was necessary last night when he had come to my office to discuss our final plans. The phone calls and the final plans were made with Connors there to witness it. He knew all that I knew… just in case anything went wrong.
When I was about to take my seat, suddenly the warden appeared in front of me. We stared at each other for a brief moment. Alana had been right, that smug expression on her face really did need to be smacked off.
“I am sorry that your experiment had to be cut short, Dr Costello. Although Miss McCarthy has indeed taken well to Treatment, it remains to be seen whether the need for execution is necessary now. Perhaps the Grand Master will study my work and approve Treatment to replace the death penalty. It would be a glorious thing, would it not, to have a hand in the creation of a better world?”
I smiled. “It is such a shame, Warden, and I now have no reason to remain here. My professor has requested that I take my internship in America. I will be leaving as soon as the Grand Master’s visit is done.”
“It is a shame to see you go, but we must do what is best for our careers. I’m glad you understand that.” And then she turned and sauntered off, disappearing outside the door. I let out a sigh of relief while taking my seat. My eyes wandered throughout the inmates who were already seated until they found the inmate I sought.
Alana sat ramrod straight, her eyes staring dead ahead, empty and void of emotion. She must have felt my gaze because her eyes drifted slightly in my direction. For only a second, we held a glimpse of each other. It held so much promise, love, and trust. In an instant, she became the perfect zombie again. I looked at my watch and began to count down the minutes.
The door that Theresa had vanished through burst open, and she entered, walking next to an aging man. He sported a full head of greying hair, the same as his moustache, and he wore the Parliament’s navy colours, an array of medals decorating his snugly fit jacket. He was slightly smaller than he appeared in pictures, but his height might have been compromised by the round belly. He nodded as the warden spoke to him, her fingers lightly touching his arm. A full-scale team of bodyguards followed him, dressed in navy suits and earpieces.
The Grand Master took the stage while the inmates sat like perfect angels. Theresa found her seat a few people away from me, and I caught her peering at Alana to see if her prized possession still functioned.
The Grand Master tapped the microphone twice, then cleared his throat and began to speak. Here we go… zero hour.
“Warden, staff, and inmates, thank you for greeting me with such enthusiasm and respect.” Clueless eyes blinked back at him, so he continued. “When I first conceived the idea of using a stricken country for something so unique and redeeming, I never thought that it would be such a success. But every time I hear the story of how an inmate was educated and returned into society to become part of the people they may have hurt before, I am filled with an overwhelming joy. This prison and the inmates are all part of a unique family dynamic.”
A loud snort sounded with a few snickers of laughter, but William Johnson seemed unfazed.
“Despite the hardships of your past, most of you young men and women will eventually be released. I, like any educator, want to see you succeed in life and become who you were meant to be, not what circumstances forced you to be.”
Still no response from the crowd, guards, or inmates.
“We must also acknowledge those who have made the most impact on your life and remember those who worked tirelessly so you would indeed have futures. Cormac McCarthy had been a strong advocate to dissolve the Death Penalty for children, especially for those who may have been redeemed.”
Alana didn’t as much as flinch when Johnson mentioned her dad’s name, so I did it for her.
“But the Parliament and the Court of Justice would not set out these policies if it were not necessary and—”
“I have a question?” Jayson raised his hand, his face full of mischief… he was going to enjoy himself.
Johnson’s expression remained stoic, but he nodded for Jayson to continue.
Jayson rose to his feet. “How do you decide who is redeemable and who isn’t?”
“A very good question, young man. We have very clear guidelines on how to determine if a candidate for execution truly deserves it.”
“And do you look at individual cases and review them or just let your wardens decide who should live or die?”
The noise in the room was beginning to elevate, and Jayson fed off it, attention seeking prat that he was.
“Take me, for example. I stole meds for my sick sister because our mom died, and I had no money to feed us… so I stole. I then accidently ran into an old man who fell, hit his head and died. I didn’t mean for him to die. How could I have even known he’d be there? But he did, so do I deserve to die for an accident?”
The Grand Master was flummoxed. “Well, I… I…”
But Jayson wasn’t done. “And take my little friend here.” He pointed at Afsana, who wore a horrified, pale face. “Take this girl… her crime was deciding to stop off at a market on her way home and pick up some supplies for a school project. A bomb went off and instead of actually doing what they were trained to do, your members of the United Army chose to make her a scapegoat. The real killers got away. Have you even seen her case?”
The warden paled as shouts from the inmates supported Jayson. She beckoned for guards to go to Jayson, but The Grand Master held up his hand.
“Are you trying to tell me that you feel unjustly wronged?” he asked.
Jayson flashed his most charming smile. “Hell, yeah. You claim that the Court of Justice works in our favour, but who listens to us? Who actually sits there with us and goes through the facts? I don’t deserve to die for what I did, even though I have to live with what happened for the rest of my life. In here, I feel it every day.” Jayson pointed to his head and his heart. “How can you say that your vision has paved the way for a better world when sixty percent of us in here are victims of your corrupt perceptions?”
The din in the hall rose and the Grand Master lost control of the crowd. Jayson jumped up on his chair and started to shout. “We demand to be counted… we demand to be heard.” It was a tad melodramatic, but it seemed to rally the troops. The inmates joined in with Jayson’s chant, and I delighted in seeing the warden’s face turn purple with rage.
The Grand Master bent down and whispered in the ear of one of his security team and tried to speak into the microphone once more. “Young man… if you all would just quiet down for a moment, I am willing to hear you all out. Please, there is no need for this.”
Theresa barked orders to the guards, and Connors moved into place, going to stand in front of Jayson and Alana and to block Jayson from her. But that was all part of the plan. Alana suddenly burst into action, giving Connors an elbow in the gut and pulling his gun free. None of the guards knew how to react because they all assumed Alana had been neutralized by Treatment.
She leapt up on the stage, shielded herself with the body of the Grand Master and raised the gun in the air. The sound of gunfire ripped through the room and stilled everyone… Theresa Lane scrambled to get to the stage, but her own security team held her back. The entire room quieted and watched as the audible sound of a gun being cocked echoed throughout the room. My gir
l pressed the gun to the back of the man’s neck. She said something, and he leaned in. His own security team inched forward, but the Grand Master held up his palm to stop them.
He leaned in closer as Alana again whispered in his ear. His eyes widened in surprise and narrowed in suspicion. It appeared that the Grand Master listened to Alana’s story. She’d summed it up in five minutes before Theresa Lane screamed for someone to help him.
When she finished, Alana stepped back, and I saw an expression of relief wash over her. She had her revenge; the Grand Master knew our story. Theresa Lane would suffer. Alana didn’t have to become a monster like Theresa.
Grand Master Johnson stared open-mouthed at Theresa. She forced a smile while saying, “William, I can explain.”
He yelled for someone to detain Theresa, but the noise rose up again in the room, and his words became garbled. Alana remained on the stage, and I moved closer to her, eager to follow the plan and get her to safety.
The inmates began to riot and many fought against the guards. Connors dragged Jayson down from his chair and pushed him and Afsana forward. The girl was vital for our plan to succeed. Alana made to move away from the stage as I inched nearer her, dodging inmates and guards while prisoners scrambled to get hold of the devices that could set off their behaviour chips. I grinned in glee when Theresa yanked out her computer as she pushed free of her bodyguards, trying relentlessly to key in Alana’s code and screaming in frustration when it would not work. I had covered all the bases.
Connors managed to free Jayson and Afsana, and they waited only yards away for me and Alana to join them. Once Alana was with us, the plan was to go to my office and Afsana would set off a small explosive, knocking out the office wall. It was our escape route. Most of the perimeter guards would have left their posts and come to help out with the riot. They were probably on their way now. Our outside helpers would take care of the rest.
