She jolted her head toward Adam and the mysterious woman.
“Not sure, but it’s not looking too good.”
“Everything will be all right…Oh! This is my girlfriend, Jasmine.”
“Nice to meet you,” Lana said, offering her hand.
Jasmine smiled and took her hand, shaking it as if she feared breaking it. One glance at her and Lana could tell they had nothing in common. She looked like a blond Barbie doll with the attitude of a diva, and Lana figured that she had Adam wrapped around her fingers.
“Adam, where are the others?” Lana asked.
Adam led Lana to the monitor and pointed at the screen. It was a video of Bienaimé standing on a table speaking to a crowd full of men and women in jumpsuits.
“What happened to the guards?”
“They surrendered once the Professor told them we had control of the building and would free all the prisoners. They’re locked up in the cells right now.”
“It was that simple, huh?”
“No, not really, it took some convincing, but they had no chance, especially after we opened the cell doors. After a while, they were begging the Professor to lock them away.”
“Where’s Destiny?”
“She’s in the fourth division, talking to the captives right now. I need you and Cory to run down to the other two divisions and update them on what’s going on. We’ve wasted too much time in here already. We need to move fast.”
Lana looked back at Cory tending to his mother. Given his mother’s condition, it would be unrealistic to expect Cory to leave her side, but it had to be done. She walked up to Cory and with a soft touch on his shoulder, she said, “Cory, we have to go.”
Kissing his mother on the forehead, he stood up. “Yeah, I know.”
Zaire stopped them right before they left.
“Go take care of your mother - I’ll go in your place. Adam, watch over the good doctor.”
Cory thanked him and watched as Zaire and Lana disappeared behind the door.
*
“You take the second division; I’ll go on ahead and take the first,” Zaire ordered as they ran through the halls.
Lana got to the second division and waved good-bye as Zaire ran past her. When she walked in, the lights were dimmed. It was just dark enough to allow a person to sleep comfortably, yet light enough that you could see where you were going. She stood in the center of the floor and took in her surroundings. Barred doors surrounded her. The division had three levels. Each level had thirty-four cells that went around in a circle. There were two metal staircases positioned at the left and right sides of the division. Gazing up at the cells, Lana took the edge of her shirt and twirled it between her fingers.
Her legs buckled.
She had a hard enough time getting Cory to listen to her, and now she had to command the attention of more than a hundred people. She took a deep breath as she radioed Adam.
“A-Adam,” she stuttered, “can you patch me through to the intercom and turn the lights on in this place?”
“Yup,” Adam replied. “You’re good to go; next time you try to radio your voice should echo through the division.”
Lana checked her surroundings one last time. The majority of the captives still seemed to be sleeping, but there were a few up and staring at Lana, wondering what was going on. Lana cleared her throat as she prepared herself for her presentation. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the jitters.
“Hello,” she said through the radio.
Her voice rang through the division. She heard the rustle of captives getting up and pressing their faces through the barred doors. Whispers started echoing through the room.
“Sorry to wake you, but I came to free you all. There’s no time to explain, so I will say this quick. I don’t know what they told you, but the Government has captured you all.” She stopped twirling her shirt as her confidence grew with each word. “Now, my team and I have taken over this building and the Armory. All that is left are the guards outside. Most of you have loved ones to get to, but if you want your freedom, you’re going to have to fight for it. When that cell door opens, I want you to make your way down here and follow me.”
While Lana spoke, all the whispers and chattering steadily stopped. The promise of freedom captivated all the prisoners. Lana ordered Adam to open all the prison gates, and when he did, the prisoners made their way to Lana one by one.
“All right, you can start leading all the prisoners near the control center,” Adam ordered.
Lana was the first to get to the control center. She made her way inside while the prisoners crowded outside. Soon, Bienaimé and the others came squirming into the room. Lana greeted them and got introduced to yet another mysterious girl in an orange jumpsuit. Her name was Rebecca, Destiny’s pretend sister.
“Okay, what do we have?” Bienaimé said as he stepped in.
“Well, we’ve got a small army versus about fifteen guards outside,” Adam replied.
“I like those odds! So what’s the plan?”
“Without the weapons in the armory, the guards won’t be much of a threat, but there are snipers up in the towers that we can’t get to.”
“All right, so here’s the plan, let the prisoners rush the field outside. They will draw the snipers out, and that’s when we shoot. Lana, Destiny, I want both of you to keep an eye on the towers. The first clear shot you get, you take it. Adam, patch me through - let me speak to the prisoners.”
Lana and Destiny accompanied Bienaimé out the room to speak to the multitude. It was difficult moving through the crowd, seeing as they packed everyone into the center hall like sardines. The threesome made their way to the front and turned to face the masses. Bienaimé waited until all ears were fixed on him before he spoke. The prisoners were excited and anxious, so it took a few minutes to gather their attention, but Bienaimé never appeared to be rushed for time.
“Everybody, listen up,” he started. “Outside these doors are about fifteen men standing in the way of your freedom. The plan is simple: we’ll rush them and take control of the prison. Once we have that, we will use their vehicles to get you guys home. Those who know where the armory is located, I suggest you go there first. We have men inside willing to provide you with weapons. I know that many of you are strong in your faith. Well, then consider this as your God sending us here to set you free. You all have five minutes to prepare yourselves; when we unlock that door, it begins.”
Bienaimé stopped talking and excused himself back to the control room.
“What happened to the doctors and nurses?” Lana asked Destiny as they walked behind Bienaimé.
“They’re safe in a sealed off room until we get this thing over with.”
Once they got back into the room, the first thing Lana did was check on Cory. She wasn’t sure if he would leave his mother and join the fight outside, but she wouldn’t blame him if he stayed indoors. With the small army they had, she was confident they didn’t need him out there anyway.
She looked into Cory’s eyes, and seeing that there were no words he could have used to express the sorrow he felt, she didn’t bother asking him if he was all right. She knelt down beside him and wrapped her arms around his back -that was the only way she could show him that she was there for him. As calm as he looked holding onto his mother, his body felt tense.
“I’m here for you,” she whispered into his ear.
26
Cory zoned out, paying little attention to anyone besides his mother. He was so focused on Elizabeth that he almost forgot they were still in prison.
“All right, Adam, get ready to open that door,” Bienaimé said from a distance.
Lana leaned toward him, “Cory, stay with her. We don’t need you out there.”
Just as she stood up, Cory grabbed her hand.
“I’m coming,” he declared. “You’re not going out there alone. No one close to me is ever getting hurt again. Bell, take care of Mom while I’m gone.”
He g
rabbed his gun before walking out. Bienaimé was in front, preparing the final countdown. Cory, Lana, and Destiny were mixed in with the crowd.
This is it, huh? Cory’s mood changed. He felt like a zombie standing in the midst of the living - voided of any care for his own well-being. The weight of the world came crushing down on him. It would be better if I didn’t exist anymore. He turned his head to the sound and sight of people praying to their gods.
Pointless.
He shook his head in disgust.
Morons.
Mom believed in God all her life, and this is how God rewarded her. If there is a God, he already forgot about us.
Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he wiped them off before anybody noticed.
Turning to Lana, he felt a small flicker of hope return. With everything wrong in the world, Lana embodied everything right, and he felt alive for a moment. He promised himself that he would fight for his mother the same way Lana fought for him.
Get a grip Cory, she ain’t dead yet, he thought, chasing away the negativity.
As soon as Adam unlocked the door, everyone rushed outside, yelling and pounding their fists in the air. Bullets greeted the first wave of prisoners, but that didn’t stop them from marching on. They kept coming until the prison guards were forced to retreat.
A small group ran toward the armory and returned with Jeff and the others, fully armed. It was chaotic. In the darkness of night, the smell of gunpowder was strong and all Cory could see were flashes coming from the guns.
A beam of light focused on the crowd of prisoners, assisting the sharpshooters in the towers. Using the prisoners as decoys, Cory led Lana and Destiny out, jumping over wounded bodies. He ushered them to cover behind a prison transport vehicle between the two observation towers.
Cory kept watch as Lana and Destiny scanned the towers for the shooters. Meanwhile, the snipers picked apart the prisoners. The tower to the left was so far away the prisoners didn’t realize they were being shot at. They scattered defensively, some using others as human shields.
Lana and Destiny hurried to find their targets before they had to retreat to the building. Lana targeted the left tower, while Destiny had already spotted hers in the other. Destiny squeezed the trigger and didn’t stop firing until she made sure her victim was neutralized.
Lana was getting frustrated - the left tower had dimmed lighting, making it difficult to get a good visual of the target. Don’t rush it, she thought, taking a deep breath. She scanned the area once more and found the darker figure of a human body. Making sure her aim was steady; she took a breath, held it, then squeezed the trigger between beats of her heart.
“Fuck!” she cried out.
The bullet missed, passing directly above the figure. Lana watched as her prey repositioned himself in front of the tower door. She vowed to hit him with the next shot.
She took time to calculate adjustment based on the trajectory of the first bullet, made the compensation and sighted in the top of the doorway. She fired, and the bullet hit the figure. Lana fired a few more shots for reassurance.
“Got him,” she exalted.
“Okay, now we can go join the others,” Cory said.
With the snipers out of the way, it wasn’t difficult to regain control. The majority of the guards were already at the mercy of the prisoners, while a few guards fled. They were the lucky ones. The prisoners didn’t forgive those who remained. They beat them so bad, that Lana and the others couldn’t watch.
Once the battle was won, Bienaimé gathered everyone around him. He suggested each person concentrate on finding transportation. He held up a set of car keys he had taken from a guard, and pressed a button on the key fob. A horn honked, and a light-colored sedan’s lights blinked in the parking area. He tossed the key into the crowd. “I don’t need to say anything more, people. Good luck, and God speed.”
As the former prisoners scattered, Bienaimé led Cory and the others back into the control center. Cory rushed to Elizabeth’s side. Her condition worsened. She was in so much pain, she couldn’t use sleep to escape it.
“What happened to her?” Cory said.
Isabel looked up at him with puffy eyes and shook her head.
“I don’t know,” she said, wiping away tears. “She woke up in pain.”
Cory surveyed the room. Everyone crowded around his mother with puzzled and concerned looks on their faces. Suddenly, his gaze fixated on Dr. Phils like an eagle spotting its prey. Cory’s glare captured everyone’s attention, and they turned their heads to see what he was staring at.
If anyone knows what is happening to her, it’s him, Cory thought as he took a step toward Dr. Phils. His facial muscles tightened. He played the image of strangling the doctor until he either coughed up answers or coughed up blood. It took one look at Cory, and Dr. Phils knew his intent. The doctor stumbled back to create more space between the possessed man approaching and himself.
“Wait a minute, you can’t possibly blame me for this,” he cried, his hands extended.
It didn’t matter to Cory what the man said. He needed an outlet for his frustration. Zaire stepped between them and tried to calm Cory, but Bienaimé ordered him to step aside and leave him be.
“He deserves answers,” Bienaimé said.
Every step Cory took forward, the doctor matched with a step back - until he was backed into a corner. A quick glance around the room told him no one would rescue him.
“Please, please,” he pleaded to Cory.
“Tell him what he needs to know, doctor,” Bienaimé advised.
Cory grabbed the doctor by the collar and propped him up against the wall.
“What did you do to my mother?” he shouted.
“L-listen,” Dr. Phils stuttered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Cory released Dr. Phils, planted his right foot back and using his body’s momentum, he punched the doctor with a thunderous blow to his chest. The impact of the blow caused the Doctor to collapse onto the floor, his head swaying back and forth gasping for air. Cory stared down at his feeble body, his hands gripping his chest. He waited for the doctor’s breathing to return before he continued his interrogation.
Grabbing the doctor by his shirt, Cory dragged his body until he was sitting up against the wall. Pulling up a chair, he sat in front of the doctor. He drew out a small knife with a black handle and toyed with it.
“You’re going to tell me what you did to my mother, or I will test that theory of immortality on you.”
Dr. Phils sat still, not sure of what to do. His breathing was ragged, and he might have broken a rib. His body flinched at the slightest movement from Cory. He looked at Bienaimé with eyes pleading for help, but Bienaimé turned away from his gaze.
“Don’t look at them. They’re not going to save you,” Cory said with a snarl.
“Please - I’m telling you the truth! I don’t know,” Dr. Phils sobbed.
“Don’t tell me that,” Cory screamed, lunging at the doctor.
Just as his blade was about to pierce Dr. Phils’s skin, Cory heard his mother’s voice calling his name. Although her voice was faint and went unheard by everyone else in the room, to Cory, her voice was clear as day. He took a step back from the doctor, spat at the man’s feet, then pivoted on his heel and went to his mother.
“Momma?” he said as he knelt by her side.
“Baby,” Elizabeth said, touching Cory’s face. “What did I tell you about your anger? You shouldn’t let it get the best of you.”
“I know, mom, but—”
“It’s all right, son…call the doctor over here.”
“But—”
Cory stopped speaking. As soon as that word was uttered, he saw his mother mustering all her strength to give him an earful.
“Okay, okay,” Cory said.
He stood up, sighed, and then walked back to Dr. Phils. As bizarre as his mother’s request was, he didn’t dare upset her more.
“Get up, my mom wants to talk to yo
u,”
The doctor let out a huge sigh, glad Cory hadn’t returned to finish the job. With pain etched on his face, he struggled to his feet. No one came to his assistance or even looked his way. Straightening his shirt and lab coat, he followed Cory to where his mother lay. He much rather preferred talking to someone who couldn’t do him any harm.
He knelt down next to Cory’s mother. She beckoned him closer, so he placed his face near her mouth as she whispered into his ear. Cory drew out his gun and stood guard. One wrong move meant a bullet in the back of Dr. Phils’ head. The doctor pulled his head back and crawled a few feet away from Elizabeth. He stood up slowly, running his hand through his hair, and looking down at the floor.
After a moment, he asked Cory, “What was her condition before ATHENS?”
“She had cancer; it was bad, but never like this…” Cory replied.
“I see. Well, my department never ran tests on her. We only chose those who were fit. Your mother would never have made it through the screening process. Was she going through chemotherapy?”
“Yes, she was.”
“All right. The thing with ATHENS is that it only sustains life - it doesn’t improve it. If your mother was still going through treatments, she should never have stopped.”
The doctor saw Cory’s jaw tighten, and took a step back. His voice had a whining, defensive tone as he continued, “This prison doesn’t have the facility to treat cancer patients. Her staying here with no treatment has led to her current condition.”
“Okay,” Cory said, closing the gap between them. “How about your cure?”
“I’m afraid it won’t work.” Beads of moisture appeared on the doctor’s forehead. “You see, the only thing that’s keeping your mother alive right now is ATHENS. If she takes the cure, then without a doubt, she will die.”
“Give it to me,” Elizabeth commanded with all the strength she had.
“No, Momma!” Cory barked back before returning his attention to the doctor. “There’s got to be another way!”
“Cory,” Elizabeth said, calling her son.
“Yes, Momma,” he said, returning to her side. He blew out a few quick breaths that did nothing to relieve the pain in his chest. He forced himself to look into her eyes, not wanting to hear what he feared she might say.
The Sabbath Page 20