Rise of the Elgen

by Richard Paul Evans

  “You know the rules. This is a controlled access. No one comes in here without direct EGG written clearance.”

  “And you know that Hatch changes the rules whenever he pleases.”

  “And you know what he does when you break a rule. No form, no entry.”

  I looked at Taylor. “Try it,” I whispered.

  She concentrated.

  “Now open the door,” I said. “We’re on a tight schedule.”

  “I don’t care if you’re on a tightrope,” he said angrily.

  Ostin stepped forward. “I have the form,” he said into the intercom.

  “Why didn’t you just tell me,” I said, playing along.

  “Because I assumed we wouldn’t need it,” Ostin said.

  “He’s got it,” I said. “Open up.” I turned to Zeus, and he nodded.

  The doorknob turned and opened. The guard, who was tall and muscular, blocked the door with his body and reached out his hand. “Let me see the—”

  Zeus blasted the man so hard it knocked him back against the opposite wall. We hurried inside, shutting the door behind us. Jack grabbed the keys from the unconscious guard and opened the second cell, and he and Wade dragged the guard inside, tying him to the bed with leather restraints. They locked the door behind him.

  “Which room is the Glow in?” I asked.

  “Fourth one,” Ian said, pointing to a cell door. Jack threw me the keys, and I unlocked the door, then slowly pushed it open. The cell was small—about half the size of my bedroom at home—and was dark and musty. There was a figure huddled under a blanket on a mat in the corner of the room. I pulled the wire out of the RESAT machine and the figure groaned a little.

  “We’re here to help,” I said.

  The figure moved, and his head slowly rose. Peering between the covers was a red-haired boy with freckles and deep blue eyes. His skin was puffy, and he was pale and trembling.

  “Tanner?” McKenna said.

  He looked up, his face twisted in disbelief. “McKenna?”

  She went to his side. “What have they done to you?”

  He dropped his head back down. “Everything.”

  “You know him?” I asked.

  “We were captured the same week. What are you doing here?”

  “Hatch locked me up.”

  I unfastened the RESAT from his chest and set it on the ground next to him.

  He breathed a loud sigh of relief. “How did you get out of purgatory? And what is Tara doing here?” he asked, looking at Taylor.

  “That’s Taylor, Tara’s twin, and Michael.”

  “In the flesh,” Tanner said. “The last two. Hatch told me they found you.”

  “Did he tell you we shut down the Pasadena facility and escaped?” McKenna asked.

  “He left that part out.” He looked at Zeus. “Frank. How are you, buddy?”

  “Alive and shocking,” he said. “Why do they have you locked up?”

  “I tried to bring down a plane.”

  “That’s what you do,” Zeus said.

  Tanner smiled darkly. “The one we were flying on.”

  “That would do it,” Zeus said.

  “You tried to kill yourself?” Taylor asked.

  “Yeah,” he said indifferently. “I almost succeeded, too.” He exhaled. “They brought me in here. The guards have this new device. It’s called a RESAT.” He looked at Zeus. “Since when are you on the outs with the Elgen?”

  “Since I met Michael,” he said. “And learned the truth.”

  “What truth?”

  “That Hatch has been using us.”

  Tanner sneered. “You think?”

  “What have they done to you?” Taylor asked.

  “Nothing I didn’t deserve,” he said. “I’ve done bad, bad stuff.”

  “Whatever you did, it’s not your fault,” McKenna said.

  Tanner grimaced. “Not my fault? Do you have any idea how many people I’ve killed? Thousands. I pulled the trigger. I’m one of the worst mass murderers in history. I make Jack the Ripper look like a jaywalker.” He shook his head. “Not my fault.”

  “Let’s get him out of here,” I said.

  “No! Stay away.” His voice softened. “They’re going to feed me to the rats, you know. Fitting punishment for one of the biggest mass murderers in history.”

  Taylor walked to his side. “May I touch you?”

  “That’s an odd introduction,” he said. “But why not.” He tried to reach out his hand but was unable to.

  “I just want to help,” Taylor said.

  “By all means,” he said, sounding almost comical. “Help away, whatever your name is, Tara’s twin.”

  “Taylor,” she said. She laid a hand on his shoulder. “Oh no.”

  “What are you doing?” he said. He looked at McKenna. “What is she doing?”

  Taylor burst into tears. “No!”

  “She’s reading your mind,” I said.

  In spite of his weakness, Tanner pulled away from her, lifting the blanket up to his chin. “Keep out of my mind. I don’t want you to see what’s in my mind.”

  Taylor couldn’t stop crying. I put my arm around her, and she laid her head on my shoulder.

  Tanner glared at us. “Stay away from me!”

  Abigail had been standing by the door, but now she walked up to Tanner.

  “Don’t touch me,” he said to her.

  “It’s okay,” McKenna said. “She’s my best friend.”

  “Well,” Tanner said sarcastically, “with that ringing endorsement. By all means.” He looked at Abigail. “You one of us?”

  She nodded. “I can make you feel better.”

  His eyes narrowed to slits. “No you can’t.”

  Abigail looked into his eyes and held her hand up to him. “May I try?” She slowly reached out and touched him.

  Almost immediately his expression changed. His eyes closed in relief and the look of pain left his face. Then he began to cry. When he could speak he said, “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” Abigail said.

  “Are you healing me?”

  “I’m sorry. I can only do this while we’re touching.”

  “Then don’t stop touching me. Please.” Tanner looked over at us as if suddenly remembering we were all in the room. “Are you rescuing me?”

  “Yes,” I said.

  “I know some places in Italy where we can hide, if you can get me out of here.”

  “We’re not in Italy,” Taylor said.

  “Where are we?”

  “Peru,” I said.

  His eyes widened. “Peru? How did I get in Peru?”

  “We don’t know,” I said. “But we’ll take you with us. Can you walk?”

  “I don’t know. I thought I was still in Italy. Who knows how long they’ve had me hooked up to that machine.”

  Zeus walked over and took his arm. “C’mon, buddy. I’ll help you up.” He helped Tanner to his feet.

  “What about the other prisoners?” Taylor asked.

  “We don’t have time to rescue everyone,” Jack said. “We get Michael’s mom and get out of here.”

  “He’s right,” I said. “Every minute we’re here the more danger we’re in.” I turned to Taylor. “We’re going to go look for my mom now. If you can find a way to shut this plant down, do it. Otherwise, be ready to go.”

  I looked at Ostin. “Taylor’s in charge. Work together. We’ll be back in less than an hour.”

  “Michael,” Taylor said.

  “Yes.”

  She put her arms around me. “Hurry back.”

  “Of course. Keep everyone safe.” I lowered my visor. “Let’s go, guys.”

  Ian and Jack pushed down their visors as well. “Hasta luego, baby,” Jack said.

  We left them standing inside the prison.

  The three of us walked out of the Starxource building into the blinding Peruvian sunshine. Ian hadn’t exaggerated; there were guards everywhere.

  “That
’s the Reeducation building,” I said, gesturing with my head.

  “I’ve got the key,” Ian said.

  “We just don’t know what it’s good for,” I said.

  Near the Re-Ed door was a guard sitting inside a cylindrical booth.

  “Ian, is there another way in?” I asked.

  “Through the assembly hall, but it’s worse. There are two guards at the door and about fifty just walking around.”

  “I say we try curtain number one,” Jack said.

  “What’s the booth made of?”

  Ian shook his head. “Plastic. All plastic.”

  “Great.”

  “Maybe he’ll just let us in,” Jack said.

  “It’s worth a try,” I said.

  We approached the building, pretending to be talking to one another. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the guard in the booth drinking from a metal Thermos. He set it down as we walked past him to the door. “Hey!” he shouted.

  I turned back. “Yeah?”

  “What are you doing?”

  I looked at his name tag. “Lieutenant Cox, we’re here for our shift,” I said.

  He stared at me dully. “There’s no shift change at this hour.”

  “We were told to report here,” Ian said. “We were just reassigned from the gate.”

  “Who reassigned you?”

  When none of us answered, the man’s eyes narrowed. “Let me guess. Anderson.”

  I glanced at Ian, and he shook his head.

  “Come on,” I said. “Don’t make me name names. We’re just doing as we were told.”

  “So it is Anderson. That’s the third time this month that idiot’s done this. I’m writing him up.”

  “All right,” Jack said. “Do what you need to do, but we’ve got to get in before we’re written up.”

  “All right.” He pushed a button and a lock on the door buzzed. Jack quickly grabbed the door and pulled it open.

  “Hold up, there. I still need your IDs.”

  We glanced back and forth at each other. The only ID we’d found in our guard uniforms was in Ian’s pocket, and the photo was of an Asian guard.

  I reached into my pocket, digging around in the empty space. “I must have left it back at the gate.”

  “What do you mean, you left it? No one forgets their ID. You know the penalty for not having it with you. You better find it before you’re caught or I turn you in.” He looked at Ian and Jack. “You two, show me yours.”

  Ian glanced at me. “Sure,” he said. He reached into his pocket and brought out the ID. I looked back at the guard.

  “C’mon,” I said. “Lieutenant Cox doesn’t have all day.”

  “You got that right.”

  I put Ian’s ID on the counter upside down and slid it partway through the opening in the window. As Cox reached for it, I magnetically pulled his metal thermos over, spilling the liquid. The fluid rushed out over his hands and down the front of the counter, giving me the conductivity I needed. I put my hand in the liquid and pulsed as hard as I could. Electricity flashed and Cox collapsed to the ground.

  I looked back at Jack and Ian. “We’ve got to hurry. I don’t know how long he’ll be out.”

  Jack held the door for us as we rushed inside. The interior of the building looked like a large elementary school with video monitors and screens everywhere. A strange noise played over the intercom system.

  “They’re in pink,” Ian said, looking at a row of inmates.

  “Welcome to Looneyville,” Jack said.

  “What kind of prison is this?” I asked.

  “Reeducation,” Ian said. “It’s where they brainwash you. Hatch was experimenting with brainwashing at the academy.”

  In spite of all the cameras, we moved through the facility undisturbed. I turned to Ian. “Where is she?”

  Ian casually looked around. “I think I found her. End of the second hall to our right.”

  My heart jumped. I couldn’t believe she was so close.

  “Don’t stare,” I said to Jack, who looked fascinated by what he was seeing.

  “Don’t gulp,” Jack replied.

  “Sorry,” I said, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself. We walked slowly down the hall, then, when no one was around, strode up to the door. “This is it?” I asked Ian.

  “She looks like the picture,” Ian said. “Mostly.”

  I could guess what he meant. Ian ran the key we’d taken from the guard over the magnetic pad: A light flashed green, and we heard the sound of the lock turning.

  I pulled open the door. It was dark inside, but I recognized what I was looking at—it was the same room Hatch had shown me on the monitor at the academy when I was ordered to electrocute Wade. Inside the cell was a metal cage. The prisoner huddled in the corner of the cell looked small and feeble, but there was no mistaking who she was. She was my mother.

  “Mom,” I said, running toward the cage.

  She flinched when she saw me, then scooted herself as far back from us as possible. “Leave me alone.”

  I took off my helmet. “Mom. It’s me.”

  She leaned forward, her eyes blinking rapidly. “Stop it!” she said. “Enough of your tricks.”

  “It’s no trick. We’re here to get you out.”

  “How dare you use my boy against me. How dare you?”

  “Mom, I’m real. Ask me something. Ask me something no one else would know.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “What’s my son’s favorite place to eat?”

  “Mac’s Purple Pig Pizza Parlor and Piano Pantry,” I said.

  “You’re a fake. My son would never call it that.”

  What was I thinking?

  “It’s PizzaMax,” I said. “I call it PizzaMax. We went there on my birthday.”

  “So did Hatch.”

  “Ask me something else.”

  “Leave me alone.”

  “Mom. Please.” My voice was pleading. “Please believe me.”

  “Quit calling me that.”

  “It’s me. Don’t you know your own son?”

  Her expression softened a little. “What did I give you for your birthday?”

  “Dad’s watch.”

  She shook her head. “No. I already told you that one. I told you. What does the engraving on the watch say?”

  My eyes welled up. “‘I love you forever.’”

  This time my answer seemed to reach her. “How do you know that?”

  “Because I read it every day.” I pulled back my sleeve to reveal the watch.

  I saw the doubt leave her eyes. “Michael,” she said.

  She scooted herself forward and I ran to her, putting my arms through the cage. “Oh, Michael,” she said.

  “We’ve got to get you out of here, before they catch us.”

  “How? There are guards everywhere.”

  “We’re going to dress you as a guard, then we’re going to walk out the front door.”

  Suddenly a light started blinking on a black box on the top of the cage. A feminine automated voice said, “Code required. Please input code. Arming capacitor. Commencing countdown. Twenty-five, twenty-four, twenty-three . . .”

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  Her eyes showed her fear. “It’s an alarm, it needs to be shut off when you come in. Do you know the code?”

  “No. What will it do?”

  A green light turned on in the box above her cell.

  “When it reaches zero it will electrocute me.”

  “Seventeen, sixteen, fifteen . . .”

  “Ian!” I shouted. “We’ve got to get her out of here. Now!”

  “I don’t have a key.”

  “Find one!”

  “I’m looking!” he shouted frantically. “Jack, that guard right there. He’s got a key ring. Get it!”

  Jack ran out into the hall and smacked the guard over the head with his baton. Jack grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him into the cell. Ian went after the key.

  �
�Eight, seven . . .”

  “Hurry!” I shouted.

  “I’m hurrying!” Ian said. He ripped the key ring from the man’s pocket. “It’s gotta be one of these,” he said, fumbling through them. He tried one and it didn’t work.

  “Three, two, one. Capacitor armed. Prepare for discharge.”

  My mother looked into my eyes. “Michael . . .”

  “Get back!” I shouted. I grabbed the bars, pressing my entire body against the cage, and braced myself for the release. There was a bright flash and a powerful snap of electricity, the force of which threw me to the ground. Then all was quiet. The air was full of a powerful smell of ozone.

  “Michael?” Ian said.

  I slowly opened my eyes. Then I looked in the cage. My mother was standing against the bars staring at me, her eyes wide with panic. “Michael?”

  I suddenly started to laugh.

  “It fried his mind,” Jack said.

  I slowly climbed to my feet. “No. What a rush. Let’s get out of here.”

  Ian continued through the rest of the keys until he found the right one. The lock slid, and he opened the door.

  My mother stepped out and threw her arms around me. Tears fell down both our faces. “You shouldn’t have come,” she said. “You shouldn’t have come.”

  “You can ground me when we get back to Idaho,” I said.

  She wiped her eyes. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “Lots of love in here,” Ian said, his voice pitched. “But out there, not so much.”

  “Sorry,” I said, stepping back. I reached down and picked up the extra uniform. “Put this on,” I said to my mother. We had saved the smallest of the Elgen uniforms for her. She quickly pulled it on. It was way too big on her, but she looked all right if you didn’t look too closely.

  The bigger problem was her trouble walking. She’d been kept in a cage for weeks and her legs muscles were weak and cramped. “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “I’d carry you if I could,” I said. “But they’d notice.”

  “Just give me a minute,” she said, leaning against the wall to stretch her legs.

  “Mom,” I said. “This is Jack and Ian. They’re my friends. I couldn’t have made it here without them.”

  “Thank you,” she said, straightening up. “I’m ready.”

  “It’s clear,” Ian said.

  Jack opened the door, and we stepped out of the cell, shutting the door behind us. We walked down the hall, back toward the doors we’d entered through.