XJ put her fist up in the air. “YES!” Finally, a win for me and my family!
Feeling the morning sun on her face, XJ smiled and opened the door to the GEP Daily Post. She felt relaxed as she walked up. After the skinny, little receptionist gave XJ a cappuccino with whipped cream, she showed her to Fitch’s office.
She sipped her drink on the way to the office, puffed her chest out and swaggered down the hall.
Smiling, she greeted the reporter with a warm handshake. “Mr. Fitch, it’s so good to see you again! I’m happy that we’re working together to share the truth about my mom.”
“Sit down, please.” He motioned to the chair. “This promises to be the story of the century.”
XJ took a sip of cappuccino. She almost felt normal. She slid the drive out of her pocket and onto his desk. This nightmare was over. She could feel it. A warm glow spread through her. Soon Dorothy would be home, and she’d convince her to give up the Revolution and become a normal mom.
XJ felt something pierce her skin. She dropped the cappuccino on the floor, slapped her neck and pulled out a dart. Her eyes widened. Suddenly she was starring into the barrel of a gun. Her body jerked. Her head swam.
The room spun as she took a full face dive into Fitch’s desk.
Chapter 17
“GEPs are poor creatures. They are half-human and half-gods traveling in a dangerous genetically enhanced direction. God help us. They must be controlled.”
—President, Humans United
Brandon couldn’t get XJ out of his mind. All night he thought about holding her, keeping her safe and caressing her. It was weird. He’d never felt this way about any girl, but XJ did it for him. Would she ever speak to him again?
He smacked himself upside the head. Stupid! I’m so stupid! Why did I have to tell her that I wanted the story?
The sun streaked through his window as he rolled over. He wondered if XJ had a good night. Sliding out of his bed, he tramped to his bathroom and got into the shower. The hot water stung his back and hair.
He kept thinking about her as he felt his manhood rise. He hadn’t had a boner like this ever. This girl had him turned inside out. What was he going to do?
He finished soaping up. He stepped out of the shower and dried himself off. His mind kept running a mile a second. What should he do next? How would he prove that Fitch was bad news? He knew there was more to all of this. He needed more information. He had no idea how to reveal Fitch’s deception.
He continued to get himself dressed. He knew exactly what he had to do. Instead of breaking into Fitch’s computer, he would take a different approach. He needed to get to school to meet with the Young Revolutionaries. He finished dressing and headed down the long hall to the back kitchen. He preferred eating away from his father.
At first, it had upset him that Todd wasn’t there when he woke up from the incident with Fitch. But now that he felt better he had no desire to see him.
He rounded the corner and slammed into his dad. Christ! Where did he come from?
His dad backed up. “I see you’re doing better.”
Brandon’s stomach was tied into knots. “I’m fine,” he mumbled and continued towards the kitchen.
Todd blocked his path. “What were you doing in Fitch’s office?”
Brandon backed up. Why does he always make me feel like a five year old? “What does it matter to you?” he said angrily, trying to push passed Todd.
His father was immovable. “While you’re in my house, and under my rule, you WILL answer my questions!”
Brandon shrunk back against the wall. Should he tell him anything? No. I don’t owe him any explanation. Did I ever get an explanation about my mother? In fact, why isn’t he putting the pressure on CAGE to find out more about mom’s murder?
He wouldn’t go easily or quietly. A cold hatred filled his eyes, “I won’t tell you. My sole purpose in life is to make sure you pay. So if I have to snoop into your business to find a traitor then I’ll do it. Isn’t that what your business is all about trading the freedom of all GEPs?”
Brandon watched his dad’s shoulders collapse and felt elated. Good! Glad I made you uncomfortable. “Can I go now? I have to get to school.”
Todd hesitated, but just then his cell phone went off. He gave Brandon an exasperated look. “Miller here…, yes….” His dad broke off his conversation and pointed at Brandon. “This isn’t over young man!”
Brandon whispered under his breath, “Yeah, I know. You’ve got business to take care of.” He bypassed Todd, walked into the kitchen and picked up a freshly made breakfast sandwich to go.
He had better things to do than think that his dad gave a damn about him or who’d murdered his mom. He munched on his sandwich as he made his way to the garage. He slid into his Mustang and floored it to school.
Brandon walked distracted through the sea of brown, Asian, and white faces in the hallway. He focused on texting XJ’s phone. She wasn’t responding. He made a quick exasperated rake through his hair.
Man! I messed up royally this time.
She wouldn’t even take his calls. He knew that she’d been upset with him. But he’d begun to believe that there was a feeling growing between them amidst all the drama.
He walked to his next class giving some half-high fives and receiving second glances from others. He could care less. He needed to figure out how to get XJ to talk to him again—convince her that Fitch wasn’t on the up and up, before she gave any information.
He had to meet up with the Young Revolutionaries to brainstorm a plan of action. Hopefully, they’d give him something to work with. He could run by her house after school to pitch his idea, and make sure she was okay.
Brandon settled in his seat and pulled out his folder. The class was eerily quiet but he wasn’t focused on them. He heard a small gasp of disbelief from a girl who sat in front of him. Everyone started whispering, and watching the news on a small hand-held device.
Aggravated, he turned. They were watching the breaking news.
“Just in. XJ Patterson, the granddaughter of the slain GEP activist, Dr. Gary Leonard Kates, has just been taken in for questioning by CAGE: the small governmental branch that regulates Genetically Enhanced Persons. It appears that she was in possession of stolen classified documents. Stay tuned for more details from Regional Director, Nadia Stillwater, in her press conference.”
A shocked F-bomb rolled off his tongue in slow motion.
Rose perfume assaulted his nose and a pale arm slid down the front of his chest. Heather took both of her hands, squeezed his cheeks together and forced him to face her devilish grin.
“Oh, Brandon. I wish you’d look that way for me. All torn up about your little jungle bunny?” She puckered her lips for dramatic appeal.
Brandon was not impressed. He jerked her hands from his face. “What do you want, Heather?”
Chapter 18
“The development of a human weapon against CAGE is inevitable. It must be done by any means or sacrifice, if we hope to be free.”
—Dr. Gary Leonard Kates, Revolutionary Meeting
She rolled over on the smelly old mattress and threw up in the holding cell toilet. XJ’s head exploded as her stomach heaved. She crumbled back onto the stinky mattress and placed her arm on her forehead. Her breath came in short gasps. It took her several minutes to center herself, as she thought of what happened.
One minute she was happily sharing what she knew with Fitch … and the next she was staring down the barrel of a gun.
Her body shivered, as she remembered that CAGE officers had shot her with a tranquilizer gun in his office. Her last memory was of Fitch’s triumphant smile, as she toppled over.
XJ sat up on the edge of the bed. “That jerk set me up.” She sighed deeply, and looked around the empty cell.
She tried to stand, but her legs started to wobble so she slid back down. The bed squeaked. She slumped her shoulders and wiped her eyes. Her body shuddered more as she looked around. T
he cell smelled like urine and torture. Everything held a drab dull green haze from the flickering light.
Her mother’s soothing voice wafted through her mind. “They take you to a holding cell, first, for hours to let you sweat it out and then the questions begin. Don’t let them trick you. Be silent, no matter how much it hurts.”
Was she becoming a revolutionary? The thought sickened her. She rolled over again, and just made it to the toilet to barf up more of her stomach. She wiped her mouth. Fitch had been her last hope. She wanted to use the press to pressure CAGE to free her mother. Peacefully.
But now the headlines probably read like something else … OMG, I’ve become my revolutionary mother!
The revelation crashed into her. She bit her bottom lip and tried to stop from shaking. What I am supposed to do now?
She should have listened to Brandon. She’d dreamed about him. The moment they shared together still made her feel warm inside.
The girl scooted down on the squeaky bed, and rubbed the spot where they shot her. She felt violated, confused and hurt. Her mother was gone. She closed her eyes: determined.
If what her Mom said was true, she’d be facing something terrible and she needed to rest as well as erect mental, iron walls. She squeezed her eyes shut and pushed back until she touched the cold walls.
Her mental work had begun.
XJ dozed in and out of sleep, for what seemed like hours; until she heard the jail cell bars grate open. Ms. Hughes sauntered into her cell. She sat up and squeezed her nails into her palms. The bars smashed shut behind the social worker.
Hughes gave her a gold tooth grin, and stood like a hungry lion ready to battle.
Inside XJ’s mind she heard, “So you weren’t able to escape me after all.”
She focused on erecting her mental iron walls. But the compulsion jerked her mind and she felt her legs twitch. She leaned back and grimaced. Cold perspiration rolled down her back. Her body was moving without her permission!
A nauseating, rolling sensation swept through her and she used everything within to fight back. Her nerves were scraped raw. She wrestled with the urge to scream. She had to focus.
Hughes continued her mental assault—sending wave after wave of compulsion to try and manipulate the girl’s body without her permission. The two threw mental blows back and forth, until XJ thought she’d crumble or her brain would cave-in, then the struggle subsided a little.
“You little tramp!” The social worker sneered. “You won’t get away this time—there’s nowhere to run or hide!” How could I keep this woman from controlling me?
“I did nothing wrong!” XJ grunted with intensity. “I’m just a kid that’s trapped in an impossible situation!”
She continued to use singular focus. The mental assault picked up again, but this time the wave of thoughts were piercing her mind. XJ choked—beginning to drown inside her own psyche. Her spirit trembled. She couldn’t catch her breath.
The life was being soaked out of her.
Down, she thought, calm down. Hughes began to compel her to answer questions. XJ bit down on her quivering lip.
“I’ll let you to drown in your own bodily fluids, if you don’t tell me what I want to know!” Hughes’ words thundered within the room and XJ’s mind. “Did your mother give you the information that you shared with the reporter?”
Her mouth opened. But she was able to keep the words from spilling out. The mental swarm attacked, but washed over XJ. A flat smile curled about her lips, as her eyes popped open. She wouldn’t tell her a thing.
But could she lie?
“I … have … no … idea what you’re … talking about!” XJ gritted her teeth and exerted an intense concentration to keep the truth from rolling out.
The mental assault stopped. Her mind cleared and she sat up. The social worker looked pissed. “Remove her and place her in the chamber!”
She gasped … she’d focused on the social worker and didn’t realize that she was surrounded by CAGE officers. Each officer took one of her limbs and dragged her down the hall—Ms. Hughes laughing manically as XJ tried to fight them off.
They slammed her beleaguered body onto a lab gurney. Her eyes turned gray, as she used her telekinetic abilities to stop them from strapping her down. She kicked, punched, and bit her attackers. Hughes had wore her out mentally. Her abilities fizzled. Her entire body ached. She still fought—hard.
How much more of this could she take? Anger boiled in her gut as they secured her legs, then her arms. Her body shook as the realization took hold. It was the cold emptiness in the officers’ eyes. They would restrain her or do whatever was necessary to take her out.
She cried, screamed, pulled at her restraints. Then her heart dropped and a dizzying depression took root inside her mind. Maybe I should tell them so they’ll let me go! They wheeled her down a long dark hall.
She swiveled her head in different directions. “Where are you taking me?” she screamed like a mad woman. Her response was the sound of the wheels scraping across the floor.
“What do you want from me?” Her lungs burned from exhaustion and stress. The gurney halted and they parked her next to a wall. XJ heard the boots of the CAGE officers march away in unison. Her body shuddered. Tears rolled down her cheeks and face.
Brandon must think I’m an idiot by now! He was right about Fitch! She couldn’t even wipe her face, so she turned her head to wipe the tears on the hard gurney.
“Crying won’t help,” a plain, matter-of-fact, voice called from the other side of the hallway.
“Who’s there?” XJ asked, squinting. A silhouette of a young woman, about her own age, came into focus. Like her, she was strapped down.
“I’ve been here for six months and I swear that crying won’t help,” the girl said in the same flat, emotionless voice. “It just gets worse each day.”
“Do you know where they’re taking me?”
“From the looks of things, you’re on your way to the chamber.” The girl droned on as if she were talking about crossing the street. “Your best bet is to tell them what they want to know. But don’t tell them too soon ‘cause they’ll get suspicious.”
“So, what do I do? I don’t have any more information.” XJ lied.
“Well … if I were you I would try to black out,” the young woman said, “I’ve been here for what seems like forever and I don’t even know what they want outta me. I’ve resorted to making up stuff so they’ll leave me alone. By the way, my name is Amber….”
XJ took a deep breath, “My name is XJ … XJ Patterson. I just want to go home.”
“Highly unlikely. Once CAGE has you, you’re in for good. I should know. Shh…!” Amber lowered her voice to a scared hushed whisper. “Here they come! It was good to meet you, XJ. I’m sure we’ll meet again in Zone 6. That’s where we all end up….”
She heard the CAGE officer’s boots tramping in and her gurney was back in motion. Glancing over to get a better look at Amber, she saw that besides her lighter skin color, they seemed to have similar body builds and features.
XJ rolled her head back to the center and watched the ceiling tiles pass across her vision. She’d have to put up a fake fight, at first; and then pretend to be defeated. She’d give them a big fat lie to get out of this.
Her mother had trained her to ward off these types of interrogations. But was she ready for what was ahead?
Chapter 19
“GEPS suffer at the hands of CAGE. One day CAGE will suffer at the hands of GEPS. It’s inevitable.”
—Dorothy Kates-Patterson, Revolutionary Meeting
The guards rolled XJ into the chamber like executioners. The slow steady movement drove her insane. She stretched her body and wiggled her hands and feet. Tightened down and trapped, her nerves were raw. This certainly was not what she’d expected.
Her mind wandered into a daydream where she fantasized about what should have happened.
The dream calmed her down. The paparazzi surrounded her wit
h questions about how she single-handedly brought down CAGE. They were forced to release her mother. And she announced at the end of her news conference, her desire to enter the Miss GEP High School Pageant with Brandon as her escort.
The wheels of the gurney dragged her back into the moment and she trembled.
“Excuse me,” She squeaked out, “Can I get some water?”
They ignored her.
She gained a little more confidence, “Can a sista’ please get a drink of water?”
The gurney stopped, and a man dressed in a white lab coat approached. “I’m Dr. Winfred Robinson. This will help minimize the pain.” The doctor adjusted his glasses and smiled as he took out a syringe like tube, rolled up her sleeve and jammed her arm with drugs.
Her mouth went dry. Her body stiffened. She couldn’t move. It was as if she was paraplegic. The only things she could move were her eye lids, and her mouth … but very slowly.
Unable to speak above a soft whisper, she pleaded. “Please, please don’t do this to me.”
The doctor touched her arm and gave her a consoling look. “It’ll be over soon.”
They moved the gurney into another room, where she was further restrained. A single tear rolled down her face.
How could they do this to me?
The guards lifted her head and placed it into a metal brace with a microphone hanging over her head. Then they took out industrial strength straps and further tightened and secured her body. If she’d had any feelings left, she would have sobbed. Her mind moved a mile per second. But she couldn’t concentrate. Her limbs sat lifeless.
A whispered cry escaped her lips. The guards rolled her into a chamber and attached each gurney wheel into a locked, docking station. Claustrophobic terror gripped XJ as the guards left the chamber. The sound of the door clicking into a dead lock left her in silence.
She lay there for what seemed like a scary eternity. She went deeper into her psyche, and focused on memories of the fun times she’d spent as a child….
Breaking Free Page 8