The Dead World (The Dead Room Trilogy Book 2)

by Erickson,Stephanie

  She pointed the knife at him.

  “Mattli,” Mason gurgled.

  It broke Mattli’s heart. He didn’t want the man to bleed to death right there by the preparation stone. It wasn’t right. He’d done nothing wrong but have a perpetual habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  “I’m going to take that as a word of caution. And your friend is right. I will end this if you force my hand, Elder Mattli. But I don’t really want to. I’ve always liked you some. Even if you did side with that bitch Ashley more times than I care to count.”

  She looked up at him, tearing her eyes from the blade just for a moment. “Maybe I should kill you, just for that.”

  Mattli froze, wondering if he’d get a chance to go for his gun.

  Leaving him off balance, she went back to silently cleaning her knife. He looked to the stone, trying to see Mason, but he must’ve been slumped behind it. He couldn’t see anything but some dark, shiny slime on top of it. Then, a hand shot up and grabbed the stone. It too was shiny in the moonlight.

  “Mattli,” he gurgled, more insistent this time.

  “Oh no, you don’t,” Branneth said as she turned toward Mason, brandishing the knife.

  With her back to him, Mattli pulled out his gun. Three shots echoed through the silent night, sending the birds to the sky.

  7.

  June, 2024

  Ashby didn’t know what to do with himself after he stormed out of his home. He thought of Ashley and how much he would miss her, but she was off to college in a few months anyway. He supposed Judy’s timing was just right for the big reveal.

  Gripping the steering wheel even harder, he rounded the last corner back to the college with a screech. How could they do this to him? To be honest, he wasn’t sure who he was more hurt by, Judy or Mendi.

  They’d both acted as if they loved him all this time. But really, they only loved each other. And Mendi had won. Everything. After all these years, he thought he’d gotten the girl, but really, he’d just been the butt of their cruel joke.

  The sound his car door made when he slammed it echoed throughout the parking garage.

  He stormed back to his lab, rolling all the wrongs of his life around in his head. Was Ashley even his? Something that never seemed to matter to him before suddenly did. A lot. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and almost dialed home, but something stayed his hand.

  What good would it do except to hurt Ashley? No. She would always be his, as long as she would have him. If he ever did something right in his life, it was her.

  She was a good kid, got good grades, and had good goals. She wanted to be a big-time chef and would start culinary school in the fall, a school that wasn’t cheap.

  Walking mindlessly over to his microscopes, he peered down at one of his little eating machines.

  “I ought to set you lose in Mendi’s lab. See how he’d like that.” It was a ridiculous idea. He would know who was responsible for the destruction. It shocked Ashby how much he didn’t care about that. All he cared about was hurting Mendi as much as he’d hurt him.

  The idea grew in his mind until it consumed him. He’d all but forgotten about his victory earlier in the day when his assistant interrupted his furious note taking in the journal Mendi gave him.

  I must destroy him. But how? he wrote.

  “Excuse me, sir?” his assistant asked.

  “Yes?” he asked absently while he kept writing the word destroy over and over again.

  “We have some things to go over, paperwork to file, things like that after today’s discoveries.”

  He straightened. “Right. The chimp.” Looking longingly at the journal, he warred with himself. One way to destroy him would be to win at this fight. Another way would be to remove him from the race…

  Chewing the inside of his bottom lip, he followed his assistant across the lab where they documented the chimp’s post-procedure condition, filled out the appropriate paperwork regarding the research, and did additional scans on the chimp to include in their files. By the time all that was finished, it was after five o’clock.

  “See you in the morning, sir,” Hope said, offering a weak smile. But before she made it to the door, she turned. “Sir, if there’s anything you want to talk about—”

  Ashby cut her off with a wave of his hand. “You’re a sweet girl, Hope. Never lose that. I’m fine. Or at least, I will be.”

  “Today was a good day.”

  He nodded, trying to remember that. But deep down, he knew his two best friends made it the worst day of his life.

  Ashby didn’t go home. After a short call to Ashley’s cell, telling her he’d be staying at the lab tonight, but that her mom would be home, he settled in. He slept on a cot in the back of the lab. Or rather, he tried to sleep. Halfway through the night, he got up and found himself wandering down the hall. Mendi’s lab was a few floors down from his, and the area was dark and a little creepy as he made his way toward his former best friend’s workspace.

  Part of him expected Mendi to be there. The other part expected him to be at his own house. But he hoped they wouldn’t do that in front of Ashley. Honestly though, he felt like he didn’t know the two most important people in his life at all. He never imagined they would betray him this deeply.

  As he peered through the glass window on Mendi’s lab, he wasn’t sure why he’d thought that. All the signs were there. The way they got along so well, even after she’d chosen Ashby over Mendi. Of course they did. They never broke up.

  “You’re a fool,” Ashby said aloud, looking into the space, searching for any sign of Mendi. Was he sleeping on a cot too?

  But the dark lab revealed nothing. A few lights on along the back walls were just enough to show him no one was inside.

  Years ago, when the duo first started working together, they’d exchanged keys to their labs. Just in case either should need something in an emergency. Ashby wasn’t sure what type of scientific emergency would demand that sort of access, but he was glad they’d done it as he slid the never-before-used key into the slot.

  Closing the door quietly behind him, he gazed around the lab, using every ounce of self-restraint to not trash everything inside. Security cameras would reveal him, and then he’d never get the chance to best the man who’d ruined his life. If he didn’t leave a trace behind, there’d be no reason to check the footage in the first place. At least, he hoped not. His plan counted heavily on that little loophole.

  He walked around the lab, set up similarly to his own. Although all his chimp habitats were empty, he had an island in the center for procedures, and his computer near the front of the room. His computer.

  Ashby went to the machine, hopeful. If he could find something to debunk his research, the path would be clear for his robots. A speedy divorce would mean he and Ashley kept everything they got from his discovery, if he played his cards right. And Judy could have Mendi, in all his failing glory.

  Hungry for revenge, he sat down at the machine, the glow of the screen giving his crazed expression an even creepier appearance. If his assistant saw him like that, she’d say he’d lost it. That this had broken him. But all Ashby saw was revenge.

  Mendi’s computer was locked. But it didn’t take long for Ashby to crack his code, now that he knew his big secret. Judy16. That was how old they were when they met. Sixteen.

  Once inside, Ashby didn’t really know where to look. He started with his records. Data. Something had to be wrong. But of course, it wasn’t. Mendi was the most straight-laced guy. Adultery notwithstanding.

  Ashby was still poking around as the sun was rising. He knew he’d have to get out of the lab soon. Mendi would be coming to work in the next hour or so. But nothing was jumping out at him. Everything had been done by the book. His research was flawless, and more than that, it was working.

  In fact, his latest group of Alzheimer’s patients was not only progressing, but was also healing. Healing. He had notes that one family reported the patient even kne
w who they were. Regularly. She was starting to do things for herself again, like comb her hair. Ashby was horrified and mystified all at the same time. Not only had he managed to cure Alzheimer’s, but he’d also reversed it? Ashby’s bots couldn’t do that. Nor would they ever do that. They were seek and destroyers, not miracle workers.

  Then, just before he clicked on a file that had a padlock symbol next to it, a thought stayed his hands. If he did find something to incriminate his friend, he would be depriving the world of his cure. His miracle.

  What mattered more to Ashby—revenge or saving the world? Frankly, saving humanity was always Mendi’s thing. All Ashby ever wanted was the money to live comfortably, and without cares like the one he had regularly about how on Earth he was going to pay for culinary school. He never wanted to save anyone but himself.

  The image of Judy frantically trying to dress flashed in his mind as he double clicked on the file.

  Of course it was locked. He tried a number of passcodes to get into it, but nothing worked. In the end, he snatched a flash drive from Mendi’s desk and copied the files over, hoping someone in the university could unlock it. At eight AM sharp, he walked out of Mendi’s office, locking the door behind him. He kept his head down as he took the long way around to his own lab, trying to avoid running into Mendi.

  Hope was waiting for him in the lab when he walked in. She’d already cleaned up the cot and returned it to the storage closet, but she didn’t comment. Ashby thought he should thank her, but he decided against drawing attention to the fact that he’d attempted to sleep with his chimps last night.

  “Good morning,” she said pleasantly as he walked in.

  He nodded at her, and she handed him a steaming cup of coffee. “Thank you,” he breathed as the aroma alone gave him a jolt of energy.

  “Hope? Do you know anyone who can hack into a locked file?” He didn’t make eye contact with her when he asked the question, instead keeping his gaze fixed on his cup of coffee as he sipped.

  “Why?” she asked, surprising him. She never questioned him, but his behavior yesterday and this morning must have made her uneasy.

  “I need some information. But I can’t get to it.” He didn’t elaborate. Unlike Mendi, he didn’t like to lie. He stuck his hand in his pocket, feeling the flash drive.

  She shifted her weight. When her eyes went to his hand in his pocket, he removed it hastily. Just as she opened her mouth to answer, Mendi came through the door.

  “Ben, please,” he said, before Ashby could even turn around to see who’d come in.

  “Get out,” Ashby said, his voice so cold and low that Hope instinctually backed away from the two men.

  “Don’t be like that,” Mendi pleaded. “You don’t understand. We never meant to hurt you.”

  Ashby whipped around. “Oh really? What exactly did you mean to do?”

  Mendi didn’t have an answer.

  “If you’re going to do something, Mendi, at least have the decency to do it on purpose,” Ashby said, disgust dripping from his words.

  At that, Ashby stormed past his former friend and out of his own lab.

  He had no idea where he was going. But when he’d asked Mendi to leave and he didn’t, he felt like he had no other options or be trapped there with his betrayer. He walked to his car, toying with the stick in his pocket. He didn’t have his laptop with him; it was back in his lab. But maybe he could head over to the computer lab, and then find someone who would help him. Maybe, just maybe…

  Changing course from the parking garage back to the lab, he picked up his pace, hope giving him the drive to push forward. Mendi would never think to look in the computer lab for him. He’d be free to work on his own.

  Work. He really should be working on his own stuff. He’d had a major breakthrough yesterday. He should be focused on that. But the image of Mendi and Judy kept him focused somewhere else.

  The lab was quiet when he went in. Nearly every station was occupied. Being a science and technology college, he wasn’t too surprised. The lab itself was impressive. The latest computers lined every wall, and they were replaced every two years, to make sure they could handle the programs and assignments the students were given. They would be well equipped to enter the ever-changing high-tech workforce, that was for sure.

  He stopped at the desk where a young girl with earbuds was sitting staring at her own computer screen.

  Ashby cleared his throat as he leaned on the desk, but she didn’t notice him. “Excuse me,” he prodded quietly, not wanting to disturb anyone.

  She looked over at him and smiled, removing one of her buds. “Sorry, didn’t notice you there. People are usually pretty independent here. How can I help you?”

  “I’m a scientist here on campus, and I managed to get myself locked out of some of my files. Do you think anyone here could help me? They’re paramount to my research. If I can’t get into them, my whole program is toast.”

  She immediately looked sympathetic and pointed to the far wall. “There, with his back to us and the bright red headphones on. He’ll get you in lickety split.”

  Genuine gratitude caused some of the tension he was carrying to melt away. “Thank you.”

  She smiled softly back at him. “Of course. Good luck!”

  He nodded and walked toward the student with red headphones.

  Not wanting to startle the boy, he cleared his throat, but that wasn’t working. He glanced back at the girl, and she smiled at him, gesturing for Ashby to just tap him on the shoulder. Ashby looked horrified. She shook her head and walked over, closing the distance between them with a short jog.

  “Hey, Brent,” she said as she grabbed his shoulder. So much for a gentle tap.

  “Hey, Celeste. What’s up?”

  “This scientist here needs your help. He works for the university. Got himself locked out of some of his stuff. Just needs you to work your magic so he can get back in.”

  Brent turned to Ashby and gave him a once-over. “How do I know you didn’t take this from someone and are trying to steal their work? I don’t know about you scientists, but it happens in this department all the time.”

  Ashby eyed the boy carefully, not wanting to give himself away. “You don’t, I suppose.” He shrugged, allowing the boy to draw his own conclusions.

  “Well, I always like a little mystery, with a side for some potential trouble.”

  Ashby hoped his relief didn’t show on his face as he passed over the stick without a word. He took it without ceremony, putting it into his machine.

  Immediately, he found the locked file and started working on it. “Huh. What do you have in here? There are so many layers of protection,” he said, his fingers madly typing away and getting answered with red warning screens.

  “It’s some of my research. If it were to fall into the wrong hands, my program would be toast. We’re on the verge of a breakthrough,” Ashby said, looking over at Celeste and feigning enthusiasm.

  “That’s wonderful. What department are you in?”

  “Engineering. But I’m working on a cure for cancer, among other things.”

  “Wow. I didn’t know they were doing that here,” she said, genuinely impressed. “Brent, can you imagine? If he does it, you’ll have helped him!”

  Brent chuckled. “Give me a shout out, will ya, when you’re famous?”

  Ashby nodded nervously. “Will do.”

  Celeste seemed to sense his nerves and patted him on the shoulder, making him jump. But she didn’t judge him. “It’ll be okay. Brent here is the best on campus.”

  He smiled at the girl. She had no idea.

  Brent leaned forward. “Dude. This is so weird. Did you have someone set this up for you? I’ve never seen something so sophisticated to protect a bunch of research.”

  Ashby just shrugged, not sure of the answer.

  “It’s beautiful really. I hate to hack through it.”

  “But you can?” Ashby asked, beginning to lean forward, anxious to see what was b
eyond the screen.

  “I can. But it’s going to take more time than I thought. Can I hold onto this for a while and get back to you with it in a day or two?” Brent asked.

  Here, Ashby froze. What if he gave the stick back to Mendi? What if Mendi found out? Every second the information was out of his hand was a risk. But, without Brent, he had no chance at getting to it at all. Clearly, he’d never be able to crack Mendi’s code on his own.

  “It’s okay, dude. Your information is safe with me. I promise I won’t copy it or sell it to another professor here on campus.” He was smiling when he said it, as if he was joking, but Ashby frowned at him.

  Brent cleared his throat. “Okay, not funny. Look…” He took out a small card and scribbled down his information. “This is my cell number. I answer it at all times, except when I’m in class, of course.” He laughed nervously, as if caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “Anyway, if you’re worried, call me any time. Call me right now if you want to make sure I put down the right number.”

  Ashby looked at the paper. “I believe you. You chose to trust me, so I trust you. But know this, my whole career will be over if that falls into the wrong hands.”

  “Yeah, I gathered that by the encryptions on here,” Brent said, looking back at the screen.

  “Just let me know when you get something.” Ashby reached into his inside coat pocket and pulled out a card. “My lab is #103. Just drop it by when you’re done. I’m there all the time. Literally.”

  Brent nodded, and Ashby extended his hand to the boy. He wondered if he ever was so dewy eyed. “I owe you one, Brent.”

  Brent laughed. “Maybe you can talk to my professor, get me an A in the next science lab. I’m not so good at those.”

  Now, it was Ashby’s turn to chuckle. How his priorities had shifted since his college days. “Let me know who the fellow is, and I’ll see what I can do.”