by Candice Lim
“I know exactly what I want!” I pressed the Zapper harder against Tracey’s temple making her wince. “I want you to tell me where Hershey is!”
“Hershey? I can show you. But first, get this thing out of my face.”
“Why should I trust you?” I still remembered what Tracey did to me back in the Alps. This wasn’t the perfect time to take the leap of faith.
“Because I am your only way inside.”
I hated to admit she was right. As of now, Tracey was my only available avenue. I slowly got up, still aiming the Zapper at Tracey. With the sensor trigger, I could take Tracey down in a flash. “Show me the way.”
With a grunt, Tracey climbed to her feet and checked her lab coat for lint. The disquiet was obvious. “Yeah, let’s walk.”
“Lead the way.” I stepped closer and jammed the muzzle into Tracey’s waist. “And don’t try anything or they’ll have to clean you off the walls.” I activated InviSpec.
Tracey rolled her eyes and dragged her feet.
“Hurry up,” I said and Tracey walked a little faster.
“Cool invisibility gadget you have there.” Tracey’s nerves made her talkative. “Where did you get it from? I don’t remember CU having them.”
“Quiet.” I didn’t want to raise any suspicion. I knew Tracey was trying to do what she always did best; draw attention to herself.
The silent five-minute walk felt like an eternity. I steered Tracey by the shoulder as we moved along the corridor. I had my tablet on, lest Tracey was playing any tricks.
“Where is Hershey?” The battery bar blinked again and turned danger red. Ten percent left. It wouldn’t be long till I had to look for other ways to conceal myself.
“You couldn’t even find her if I told you,” said Tracey matter-of-factly.
“My cloaking device battery is running low. You’d better get me there ASAP!” scolded me.
“You don’t have backup power?” Tracey smirked.
I would’ve punched Tracey but I was more concerned about the battery level and saving my friends. After a while, the last bar was spent and the battery went dead. I pulled Tracey into the staircase just as the invisibility wore off. The InviSpec died off with a soft bleep.
Tracey grunted. “Now what?”
I pulled the vestigial device over my head and tossed it into a corner. I looked up at the CCTV, relieved that I still had the Jammer. “Where is Hershey?”
Tracey smirked. “I told you. I’ll bring you there.”
Our gazes locked as I took a step at her. “You don’t know where she is, do you?”
“No, I don’t. And you’re the fool I’ve always taken you for.”
I swung my fist at Tracey’s face. But Tracey caught my fist in hers and held tight. “You are no longer invisible, Roxy but you’re still dumb as ever!” With a swift kick, Tracey sent me stumbling a few steps back and hit the floor below.
I pulled out my Zapper and aimed it at Tracey’s face. “Who’s the dumbass now?”
Tracey didn’t flinch and I realized that Tracey didn’t know the gun was a Zapper. Tracey took a step forwards. “After everything that happened, do you still think you can walk out of here alive and in one piece?”
I tightened my grip on the Zapper. “No. But with Vaxine and Axon. And Hershey, yes. We will walk out of here safe and sound.”
Tracey clucked her tongue and shook her head. “Sorry to disappoint you. Hershey is in the other zone. Far, far away from here. You will never find her. Ever.”
My heart sank. I was about to fire when the door burst open. It was Edmund in a lab coat, but I couldn’t recognize him for the gray hair or the wrinkles on his face. All heads turned and the three of us wore the same surprised expressions.
Edmund pulled out a Zapper on me. It was an older version but no less lethal. “Drop your weapon, Roxy Riley.”
I didn’t budge. I had come so far to go down without a fight. Especially with Tracey’s attempted deception. Over my dead body would I surrender before her. “We die together then.”
Before I squeezed the trigger, Tracey’s shriek rang out in the enclosed space. After she hit the floor, the air went still. The resulting silence was so deafening I could hear my heart palpitating, pulsing like a drum in my ears.
Edmund lowered his Zapper. Tracey was lying on the floor, unconscious and very still.
I staggered back a few steps when Edmund approached me. My shoulders tensed as I veered between into fight or flight mode. Edmund got the message and stopped. The Zapper in his hand was lowered and he held it behind his back. “Roxy, don’t be afraid. I won’t hurt you.”
But I still couldn’t bring myself to believe him. The memories back in the Underlab came back like a nightmare. They had scorched so deep, I doubted I could erase them.
“Look, I know what you are thinking―”
“I know what you did to Hershey back in the Underlab. I saw everything. You monster!”
Edmund’s head bowed as guilt and woe filled his face. A brief silence fell over us. “I am sorry, Roxy. I don’t know what came over me. Even if I do, there’s little I could do.” Silence. “I knew it was wrong.”
“Then why are you still here?”
“It’s all too late now.”
“It’s never too late.” I shook my head. “You can always turn back―”
“Cranax is not as simple as you think.” Edmund’s voice rose and sank. “I am one of the founders of Project Cranax. There’s more to it.”
The fine hairs on my arms raised themselves into goosebumps.
“Project Cranax was created for the development of Asia Nova. It was a new approach to curing terminal diseases. And Cranax was our brainchild, our solution, although it was still untested.”
I cringed. Each of his words sent shivers down my spine. “What do you mean untested? You are still working on it?” Blind daggers cut through my heart. “Has it not taken enough innocent lives?”
Edmund shook his head. “There were hopes for a bright future. But whatever we do, like an errant child, Cranax does not work the way we want to. It turns malignant. Whatever we did, we got the same results. Investors lose interest.”
A moan came from Tracey. She stirred and was beginning to gain consciousness.
Edmund tweaked the setting on his Zapper to knock her out for forty minutes and squeezed the trigger. Tracey blacked out again.
“Grants were ceased, and sponsors dropped us. We all were upset, especially Cash who had been a fledgling scientist hoping to make a name for herself. Desperation spawns ill will. She came up with this idea to set off a pandemic. She managed to talk George and me into it.”
Edmund looked at the bare ceiling as though begging for an answer from high above. An invisible hammer pounded at the inside of my skull. I grabbed my hair. This was all too much to stomach at once. Edmund turned away as though ashamed to look me in the eye. “I know I was wrong. And I am sorry. There’s nothing more I can do, but to hope something will put a stop to this madness.”
“Why should I trust you?”
“You don’t have to trust me, Roxy. You only have to trust yourself. Go now, before it’s too late.”
No way I could make it to Hershey and the rest in time. However I hated it, Edmund was my best bet to accomplish anything. “You can make a change today. Please help me find and rescue Hershey and my seniors, Dr. Edmund.”
Edmund’s head hung low again. “Hershey will not forgive me.”
“She will. If she could forgive me for my follies, well, there’s no doubt she would forgive you for this.”
☣☣☣☣☣☣
Tracey’s perfume lingered on the lab coat and choked like poison. I had no choice but to wear it as a disguise. Edmund and I strode along the soundless corridor, going from door to door. I expected one of them to burst open at any time.
“Keep a low profile, Roxy,” whispered Edmund.
“As always, Dr. Edmund. I w
as always a wallflower. I’m sure half of my coursemates only heard about me from the news―”
“No, I mean, literally.” Edmund held me back. Right on cue, two lab-coated men turned the corner. The three scientists vaguely greeted each other and parted ways.
I glimpsed at the two scientists’ retreating backs. Their lab coats shone in the white light. “How much farther?”
“We are already there.” Edmund and I stopped at a door we had passed countless times. This one was reinforced steel, unlike the other wooden doors in the corridor. Edmund glanced behind him before opening it with the palm-ID scan.
The door slid open to admit us into a dark room, with the same steel door on the other side. Edmund tried this door and opened it. As the door opened, I smelled dank musty air in a narrow passageway. I saw a row of cells, and in the nearest one the inmates stirred as I approached them. There was no mistaking them for Vaxine and Axon.
I broke into a run and crouched by their side. They were bound but awake. Weak but alive. For the first time, I was happy to see Vaxine.
“Roxy, what the hell are you doing here?” Vaxine’s voice lacked strength, but the surprise on her face spoke volumes.
A click and the room burst into light. I covered my face with my palms. Somehow, the light found its way and burst through my eyelids.
“Roxy, are you okay?”
I straightened myself and slowly opened my eyes, allowing them to adjust to the brightness. The room took shape. Vaxine and Axon’s features were clear and I could see anger seething in their eyes. They looked as irritated as the day they were captured. Their faces were streaked with dirt.
“Roxy, you trust too easily. What did I tell you?” Vaxine caught sight of Edmund. He was standing by the light switch.
“Vaxine, he’s here to help.” I pulled myself to my feet. “Dr. Edmund, will you please untie them?”
Edmund strode towards a heavyset metal cabinet. He found a cluster of keys he passed to me. “Use the one with the spades pattern.”
I checked the keys and went down on one knee. My hands worked on the shackles. They clinked in protest and eventually gave way.
Axon and Vaxine wriggled free from the nest of metal chains on the ground. They stood up and dusted their clothes. Unrestrained, Vaxine suddenly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me away from Edmund. I almost doubled over. I was surprised Vaxine still had the strength.
“If I wanted to kill her, I would have killed you two beforehand.” snorted Edmund. “You should worry about the real enemy.”
“Why are you helping us?” Vaxine’s shoulders tensed as though she was anticipating a fight.
“Calm down. He’s on our side now,” I said.
Vaxine shushed me. “I’m not asking you.” She turned and took a step towards Edmund. “I’m asking you, Edmund. After all you have done to Hershey, why are you doing this?”
Edmund stared at Vaxine. Untold stories danced behind those silent eyes. “George is dead, Vaxine.”
“George is dead?” I couldn’t hold back my glee and broke into a chuckle. “Blot my gel!”
The three turned to me, and Vaxine crossed her arms.
“Um, Roxy…” Axon glanced at Vaxine.
I held a hand up at Axon. I gulped in mouthfuls of air, trying to compose myself. But my giggles erupted afresh.
Edmund stepped forth. “George is Vaxine’s ex-mentor, Roxy.”
As though my throat had been cut, my cackling ceased at once. My eyes widened as I gawked at Edmund and the two seniors. “What?”
“He was no mentor to me,” Vaxine said but sadness tinged her voice.
My eyes flicked between the three, hoping someone would fill me in.
“Well.” Vaxine sighed and glanced at me and the rest. “Save that question for bedtime. Are we going to find Hershey or not?”
“She’ll be in the Genetics Lab. Zone D,” said Edmund. “Go and get her.”
“What about you?” I asked when Edmund was walking towards the door.
Edmund drew his eyes to me. “Someone has to stop Cash. Go now. While you still have time.”
32
CASH
“Dr. Cash, we have a situation.” Every head in the lab turned in the direction of the guard marching in. Worry was etched on his face and his voice quivered. “The two guards on duty at the loading dock are missing.”
There was no denying her fury, but Cash wasn’t letting it show. “Why am I not surprised?”
The guard bowed his head.
“Did you observe any suspicious activity?”
“No. But the squad is combing the area right now.”
Cash turned to look in Hershey’s direction, who smirked. No one else moved a muscle. The lab-coated personnel of the Genetics Lab stared at the two women, deadlocked. “Why are my instincts telling me this is the work of your Roxy Riley?”
Hershey lowered her voice. “That’s impossible, Cash. No way Roxy could’ve done this.”
“Well, Hershey.” Cash took a step towards her. “Let’s be honest now. How many more crazy daredevil students do you have?”
Hershey shrugged.
Cash wasn’t one to take no for an answer. With an exasperated sigh, she spun on her heel. The hem of her immaculate lab coat danced around her knees. “Cooper!”
A black-suited guard approached and cast his shadow over the two women.
“Will you please escort Dr. Hershey to her rightful place?” Cash smiled viciously at Hershey. “In the animal holding area?”
“Your wish is my command, Dr. Cash.” Cooper took Hershey and walked her out.
Hershey didn’t fight back. Cash trusted her enough not to make things worse for herself now. Cash swirled around, with clenched fists and the rest of the personnel in the lab looked at the floor.
☣☣☣☣☣☣
There was no denying Cash was always wore a glum expression, but this time it took over her face. Her heels clicked against the marble floor. Two armored men flanked her sides. They wore the same blank stares as the ubiquitous squad patrolling the hallways. They wielded Zappers in their gloved hands. Edmund wondered if they were cyborgs that looked extremely human. Or else, the level of discipline they were subjected to must be extreme.
Edmund knew Cash had heard him, but she didn’t even look in his way. None of them stopped for Edmund. Not even their pace had slowed. Edmund had to jog to catch up with them.
Cash held up her hand. “Edmund, what the hell is going on with the security system? Seems like they need some motivation.”
“I am glad you were informed, Cash.” Edmund feigned relief. “I checked on the prisoners. They are secure.”
“Good.”
“What about Hershey?”
“Oh, don’t you worry about that, Edmund. Rest assured, she’s in a safe place.”
Alarm bells went off in Edmund’s head. With great effort, he concealed his displeasure. One loose word would cost him his life. “I am glad to hear that, Cash. You are capable as ever.”
“And that was the brightest thing you have ever said,” beamed Cash. If there was any sign of suspicion, Edmund couldn’t detect it. At least, that was one less complication for now.
“I’d better check the control room.”
Cash nodded at him.
The staircase door burst open in front of them and out walked Tracey with her hand on her forehead. She grimaced as she limped. A big ripe bruise marked the left of her face.
Cash and her two followers skidded to a halt. Cash’s skinny brows drew together so quickly they looked like caterpillars. “Blot my gel. Look at yourself. How disgraceful! Where is your lab coat?” Her face twisted in pure disdain as though Tracey was naked. Perhaps to Cash, she was worse than that.
“Maybe you should ask him!” Tracey jabbed her finger at Edmund. Her eyes were on fire. “Roxy Riley is here. He’s with her!”
Edmund’s heart stopped when Cash turned to him. The murderous
look in her eyes shook him to his core.
“Treason!” Cash yelled, her voice full of disgust.
Edmund reached for his Zapper, but the man behind Cash was faster. A sharp pain burst in his chest. His legs gave in beneath him and Edmund crumbled to the ground. The world wobbled and whirled on its axis. Black spots blurred his vision. A frenzied roar of sounds filled his ears and everything he had ever known ceased to exist.