She clutched my hand tighter.
“What happened in the dream, Owen? Why were you so shaken up when I woke you?”
“I dreamed of a memory of when I was ten, when my mom was still alive. She reminded me of why I have to do this. I have to do what is right.”
“I just fear this isn’t the right thing to do…” Her voice trailed off. Viktor and Grey minded their own business. I leaned in and stopped beside Rachel’s ear.
“If your dad gave you advice in a dream, I know you would take it.”
I pulled back away and she stared into my eyes. Even behind her disheartened expression, she nodded. She knew what I said was true.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Grey said, “but I have to make a phone call before you go, Owen.”
“Got it,” I said.
“I’ve been skimming through what I can through their wireless, and I found the name of the company who services their technology. That, my friends, is a hacker’s jackpot.”
We all chuckled.
He had the phone to his ear.
“Hello, my name is Chad Elliott and I am with Georgia Systems Management. I need to do some routine maintenance on the server.”
Rachel and I were smiling, and I shook my head. Grey was such a badass.
“Oh, no, no, you don’t need to transfer me at all. My access ID is C-H-Elliot-182. Actually, if you want to save us all some time, I can just request the access right through your computer?”
There was a pause.
“Why yes, ma’am. It really is that easy. Just accept the access request and I can download the system update wirelessly. No need to talk to anyone else.”
Another pause.
“Thank you, Renée. You are too kind. They need to give you a raise, you sound like an angel on the phone.”
Viktor and Grey were both grinning, and I couldn’t help but be in awe of Grey’s abilities.
“Oh no, it was my pleasure. Have a good day off tomorrow.”
He closed the flip-phone.
“Well damn,” Rachel dragged out the words. “You going to take Renée out to dinner and a movie while you’re at it?”
We all cracked up from her comment.
“Eh, maybe, if I knew what she looked like,” Grey teased. “You see what I just did? That is half of hacking. You have to know enough about what you’re doing to convince people you are legitimate. I sweet-talked her a little, and she just opened the gates for me to come right in. Now, I can access any part of their system.”
“I guess Natasha wasn’t lying this morning when she told me how good you were,” Viktor complimented him with a smirk.
“Ah, I’ll remain humble on that note. She is highly skilled herself, Viktor. She is definitely a good asset to have on your side.”
“I know,” he responded. “She is the only reason I have made it this long without getting caught.”
There was a solemn tone in his words. For a brief second, I thought of Grey as a parallel to Natasha. If he wouldn’t have taken the risk to help me, we would never have even got out of Virginia. I wouldn’t have met Rachel. We wouldn’t have been here.
And now it all boiled down to this.
“Owen, the midday news will start in twenty minutes. It’s time to go.”
My stomach sank. Rachel’s hand slid away from mine, and feeling her touch disappear made me further realize that I was sticking to my decision. If I wanted to turn back, now was my chance. No—I couldn’t just give up. I had to stand up for everything my party has fought so hard to change in this country.
I clutched the plastic baggy in my hand and looked around at everyone.
“If they arrest me, which I’m sure they will, just know that I am very thankful for everything you have done for me. Please tell Briana the same thing, Rachel.”
Her eyes were glistening. It looked like she was trying to hold back tears.
“I will,” she said.
“It’s been one hell of a ride, Owen.” Grey said, reaching around the back seat to grab my forearm. I grabbed his and patted him on the back. “It has, my friend.”
“Now listen,” he began. “When you go in there, make a left, and then an immediate right. It will be a long hallway. Count the doors you pass. When you get to the third door on the right, that is where the maintenance office is. He is still eating his lunch on camera, so hurry.”
I nodded and turned to Rachel. She looked into my eyes like hers would never meet mine again. It killed me inside to see how much pain she was in, and I just hoped she knew she wasn’t alone in that pain. I felt it too. Her eyes darted across me, and she didn’t say a word. It was like she was trying to take a mental picture of me, trying to hold on to this moment as long as she could.
“Rachel, thank you for everything.”
She nodded, and her bottom lip quivered, but she pressed them together to hide it.
“Like I said, it was an honor to get to know you and to hear your story. I promise I will write it well.”
“I know you will,” I said with confidence. “I can’t wait to read it, even if I am behind bars.”
I gave her a wink. She cracked a smile.
“I love you,” she said softly. The words made my heart swell.
“I love you too. Don’t forget it, either.”
She nodded, and I pulled her into a hug. I squeezed her back and rubbed it lovingly. I tried to remember the feeling of her arms around mine, the scent of her hair, and how affectionate her beautiful brown eyes were as they gazed into my own. I had no idea how long it would be until I got to be with her again. I wanted something to remember, something to hold on to. I pulled back and cupped her face. She waited, and I went in to kiss her. We held it for as long as we could, and I wished I could have stayed there forever. I saw flashes of the beach, of how magical that night was. I planned on having many more with her once all of this was over.
When we separated, she embraced me again and put her mouth beside my ear.
“When will I get those flowers?” she whispered, her voice like velvet.
I leaned into her ear.
“One day,” I whispered back.
She looked at me with watery eyes, and a smile tugged at her lips.
“Until next time, Bonnie.”
I popped open the car door.
“Until next time, Clyde,” she said, wiping tears from the corners of her eyes.
“Good luck,” Viktor called out from the driver’s seat.
“Thank you. Take care of her, okay?”
Viktor nodded.
“Hurry, Owen. It’s now or never,” Grey said.
“Okay.”
I closed the door. They drove off. I looked both ways and weaved my way across the street. My heart began to race, and I jammed my hands in my pockets, just to double check I hadn’t forgotten the baggy. It was there. Anxiety began to course through my body. I neared the entrance of the CNN building, and it didn’t look as big as I remembered it to be. It was a faded beige, and there were bright red letters with CNN at the top corner.
I was ten feet from the revolving door. I made sure to keep my eyes down, and I zipped my jacket up tight, all the way to my chin. Today was the day I would finally be noticed, but I didn’t want to ruin my chances of that by being recognized on the way in. The whole country would notice who I was in less than half an hour. Suddenly, another thought entered my mind.
What would I say?
I had a feeling that I would know exactly what to say when the time came.
I slipped into the revolving door, and the warm air of inside hit me. I quickly scanned my surroundings. The reception area was diagonal to my right, and there were many people walking around. I recalled Grey’s instructions and turned left. A few feet down that hall was a dead end, and the only way I could turn was right.
He was correct in his description. It was a very long hall, with many doors lining the right side. The left side was floor to ceiling glass windows. I passed the first door to my right. One. I sa
w the second one coming up. Two. Farther away was the third. I passed people and did my best not to make eye-contact with them. I prayed my jet-black hair was enough to make them not notice me.
Then, I reached it. Three.
The door read:
EMPLOYEES ONLY
I let out a shuddering exhale as I turned the handle of the door and pulled it open. The lighting was so dim I could barely see what I was looking at. There was a Hispanic maintenance man, mid-bite in his sandwich, staring up at me in shock. I tried to smile and act confused. My main goal was to seem trustworthy enough for him to stand up. I needed him to think I was just an innocent stranger who was lost. The man swallowed his food and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“Uh, yeah, I think I’m lost.” I pulled out my flip phone and opened it. “I’m sorry, I have to find the name of the person’s office. Do you mind pointing me in the right direction?”
“Yeah, I can,” he said in a faint accent and stood up. My heart pounded, and I acted like I was scratching the side of my leg, but I gently opened the baggy instead. I had no time to use the glove. I would just hold my breath.
“Here it is,” I exclaimed, and turned my phone to him.
“Did you click off of it? I don’t see any—”
I jammed the cloth in his face, and he struggled to push my arm away. With one inhale, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he passed out. I began to undress myself, and I locked the door to the room. I saw the key ring on his side and knew I was in good shape to execute the rest of Grey’s plan.
Once dressed, I left my old clothes in the room and headed out the door. I walked with confidence, like I had nothing to worry about. I wanted to appear like I belonged. I continued down the long hall, and then I realized—Grey never told me where the service elevator was.
Fuck. I walked aimlessly, roaming the different halls. At the far end of the one I was walking down, I saw a man in a similar uniform open a door and disappear. I figured it was worth a shot. As I neared it, I saw that it had some sort of locking mechanism attached to it. I reached for my key ring to get in as quickly as possible. With people passing by every few seconds, I didn’t want them to see me struggle. I was an employee here, not someone trying to break in. Upon closer investigation, there wasn’t a keyhole at all. It was a card slot, similar to a hotel door. I reached for his ID card and slid it in the slot. The light turned green, and I was in. My breath was rapid, and I tried my best to calm it. The hall was long. Its floor was concrete, and the sound of my feet scraping across it made me feel too vulnerable. I saw no one, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anyone around. The fluorescent lighting felt brighter than the lights outside, and the walls were stark white. I glanced to my left and right constantly, in an attempt to find what I needed.
I turned a corner and saw another maintenance man. It took every bit of control I had in my body not to jump, or to let the shock I felt show in my face. He glanced at me a little funny but kept walking. An idea popped in my head. It was risky, but it reminded me of what Grey did in the car. I didn’t want to walk circles in this place forever. The midday news had probably already begun. I spun around.
“Excuse me,” I said. My voice echoed down the hall. My heart fluttered in fear.
He stopped and turned around.
“What?” he asked, confused.
“I’m the new guy. Someone told me to meet them by the service elevator. Is it around here?”
I struggled to keep my voice from trembling. His eyes darted up and down the length of my body quickly. He didn’t answer right away, almost untrusting in his body language. His questionable expression returned to normal.
“It’s around the corner. Halfway down the hall on your right.”
“Thanks,” I muttered and quickly turned around.
I followed his directions and found it. I pushed the arrow to go up and tapped my foot impatiently for it to reach the ground floor. The longer I was here, the more I risked my ultimate goal. I had to get on TV.
The doors slid open. I stepped inside
‘The newsroom is on the fifteenth floor,’ Grey’s voice echoed in my mind.
I hit the button, and the elevator accelerated. There it was again—the sound I used to cherish. The smooth hum of the elevator. No, this elevator wasn’t taking me to my apartment. It wasn’t taking me to see Cole in the hospital, or to a penthouse suite in Miami. It was taking me to fate’s doorstep…and today I decided I would knock.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm my pounding heart.
The doors slid open. It was another plain hallway. It must have been disconnected from the main newsroom in its own secret corridor. I tried remembering Grey’s instructions.
‘According to the blueprint we found in the public records, there is a storage closet just behind the newsroom. On the security feed it seems like there is a set of double doors that connects the newsroom to the storage closet.’
The hallway wasn’t straight. It bent, almost like if I were to keep walking, it would form a hexagon. I meandered farther down and saw a doorknob jutting out of a wall. I hurried to it, and as I reached it, I saw black lettering towards the top.
STORAGE
So, this was it. This was what it felt like to have nowhere to run once I made my move. I was trapped. All by the work of my own hands. The fear I felt had never been this real, this raw. It ran through my blood hot, and almost burned. I tried to harness it and use it to my advantage. When I was ready, I would burst through the doors in front of me and tell the world the truth. My heart was beating out of my chest, and another wave of fear percolated through me. But this time, I held onto it. I transformed it into something different. Now, it almost felt like electricity, tickling my skin. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I felt so alive. It was courage. Courage was building up within, slowly replacing the fear.
What did I have to lose? Everything I had worked for was gone. My best friend was dead. My party was dying like a wilting flower. At this point, as long as Rachel was safe, I could live with whatever happened next. The repercussions didn’t matter anymore. My public image was trashed to the point where I couldn’t even show my face. I was a wanted man. They wanted to wipe out my mark and destroy all the good I had done in this country.
No. Not today. Today, right now, was the moment I would fight back. It was the moment I would show them that they should have never picked me. Someone else might have given up. They might have quit after the cat and mouse chase across the country wore them down, but not me. Cole and I had a vision for what this country could be, and I wasn’t going to let them take that away. I wasn’t going to just so willingly hand over our country to the people who had fought so hard to run it into the ground. They were sick people. They were frauds, corrupt, and above all else—evil.
Freedom. It was the word they threw around so carelessly, acting like patriots, and trying to further convince the public that they had their best interests in mind. No, that wasn’t the truth at all. I knew the truth, and it was time for the rest of the country to find out. Our government was behind Black Monday. They caused the bombs and the stock market crash. The attacks at the debate were premeditated by Veronica.
Most importantly, the Confinement was never supposed to end. It was just the beginning. A chill raced up my spine at the thought, and my teeth clenched with anger. My breath shuddered, and I gently held the cold metal push bar of the double doors. My palms were sweaty, as was I. Darkness engulfed the storage closet, and from behind the doors I could hear the muffled voices of the news anchors. They were probably only ten feet away. Oh, were they all in for a big surprise.
If someone would have told me a week and a half ago, on the evening of the debate, that I would be the most wanted criminal in the United States, I would have told them they were crazy. I would have never believed that any of this was possible. I was blinded from the Convergence’s success, and I was living in that bubble. If I would
have only known that behind the scenes, the very people responsible for Black Monday and the Confinement were plotting something new. This new plan would allow them to stay in power, it would allow control of our country for another four years, and that would be enough to revive what the Supreme Court snuffed out. Like Viktor said, I was the oxygen to their dying flame. They chose me. I was the sacrifice they needed in order to regain what they had lost from the emergence of my party.
I was the gambit—just a pawn in their grand plan.
My chest heaved up and down rapidly, with realization of what I was about to do. Images of my journey flashed through my mind, and looking back, it felt much longer than a week and a half. So much had changed in such a small amount of time. My breath shuddered as I prepared my hands to push the double doors open, and my heartbeat was so rapid I could feel it pulsing in my throat. They thought I would go down without a fight, but they were so far from being right. I was raised to stand up for myself, and today was that day. I had to fight to regain what I had lost. My party had the chance to save this country from the destiny Veronica fought so hard to make everlasting. I would not go down in history as a terrorist. I would not go down in history as a coward. They had used the media to destroy my influence, and now, it was time to give them a dose of their own medicine.
The words of Laura came back to my mind suddenly.
‘What they say on the news. That is shallow water. If someone were to shine a light, they would see under the surface is lies. Their water not deep enough to hide truth for long.’
Veronica hid her lies in shallow water, and now, it was time for me to shine a light.
I held the remote and began flipping through the channels. I was glad Mom let me skip karate practice. All I had to do was act like my cough was worse and rub my forehead to make it warm. I hated how on Saturdays I missed my favorite shows.
None of my friends took karate. They liked to skateboard, and I did too.
I thought that my mom just wanted me to be involved in something. She thought I liked it, but I really didn’t. I just didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
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