Advance: (Advance Industries) (Book 1)

by K A Duggsy

  “I know, it just... It never made sense. We had her, she belongs to Advance Industries, she was the sole breakthrough and he released her... when we had so much more to gain from studying her.”

  “We have still studied her, she’s been constantly monitored. Johnson believed, rightly or wrongly, that we could only truly believe she had no memories if she weren’t around our people, our lab... our tests. I do not know his reasons but he’s never steered us wrong before. Have faith Alec, Ameera. We will be victorious,” I tell them. “I will arrange for a team to be assembled to make an off-grid recovery, if she is there to recover, they will find her,” I continue before reminding them to stay vigilant and then turn off my comm-rec.

  Now to inform Johnson Franks.

  I summon an over-rider to carry me to Johnson’s home. As we live in the same zone it isn’t far but my ankle is still tender; therefore, the easier option.

  I stop outside and the over-rider hovers above the ground for me to step down. As soon as I dismount, the over-rider leaves, staying at ground level.

  I look up at the opulent building before me and with a heavy heart start to climb the many steps leading up to the front door. I’m regretting not doing this via my comm-rec. Telling Johnson face-to-face seemed like the right thing to do; now my head is telling me otherwise.

  A hired hand opens the door and ushers me inside before leaving me standing in the entryway as she rushes off to notify Johnson. I’ve been here many times before but am still always taken aback by the surroundings. Johnson’s home is the largest in the entire city, being the president that is his right and one of the many perks of his position. He lives here alone apart from the quarters his help stay in. Before his wife’s death they never managed to make a family, something I know Johnson was desperate for. It seems such a waste; this home must have double figure bedrooms and all for one person.

  Johnson appears at the top of the wide stairway and I swallow down my nerves to greet him.

  “A home visit Fraser? Something must be amiss, am I right?” Johnson asks whilst leading me to the sitting room and gesturing to the armchair for me to sit. The decor matches my nerves, the reds and dark brown shades feel oppressive, heavy drapes and overbearing furniture add to the weight I feel in my chest.

  Johnson walks over to the window and stares out at his vast gardens while I wait nervously to begin. Where to start I wonder? I take a steadying breath.

  “Faith never met with the twins,” I state, glad to have got that sentence out.

  Johnson says nothing and continues looking through the window, rubbing his index finger over his lips.

  “They waited for her in case she couldn’t find them, but nothing.”

  “So, she’s disappeared again?”

  I shift in my seat. “Looks like, although not in the same way as before, that would be impossible. Someone claims to have seen another being dragged off grid - a possibility it was her.”

  “Highly unlikely Fraser. Off grid dwellers have no interest in our people.”

  “Maybe she went off grid of her own choosing then; I think it would be worth sending a team... just to check.”

  Johnson mulls this over before joining me in the seating area. The armchair creaks under his tremendous weight.

  “We could but you know they don’t trust us. If I send my guards again, the dwellers will band together to thwart our efforts. They won’t willingly be of assistance.”

  “What do you suggest then?” I ask worried by his lack of concern.

  “Leave it with me. We’ll find her.”

  Chapter 10

  Faith

  I’ve been granted permission to leave the confines of the tent now that Kye has my word I’ll stay. I step out into the blistering heat and tilt my face to absorb the warm rays. I look down when I feel unfamiliar flooring below my shoes.

  Sand.

  A beautiful blanket of sand that stretches on for miles ahead. A few other tents are dotted around and in the distance I can make out a few shacks; from here they are nothing more than dots on the horizon. I reach down and scoop up a handful of the sand letting it run through my fingers. I smile at the sensation, it feels lovely. I never noticed it before, too absorbed in the mystery presented to me. I don’t know what I plan to do or where I’m going but just leaving the restrictions of the tent is good for my soul. I’m not exactly claustrophobic, I just hate being contained, forced to stay in one place for too long. I always have. Kye is nowhere to be seen but I’m not stupid enough to think he’s left the area. He’s most likely in one of the other tents having top secret talks that I’m not invited to listen to.

  A man walks out of his tent opposite the one I’m staying in and stops still when he spots me. We stare at each other for a moment until I take a small step forward. Looking down again I stop as I realise this sand isn’t the easiest surface to walk on. I can feel bits of it in my shoes like grit. I stop just before the large set man and take in his appearance. He’s wearing the same kind of uniform as Kye not dissimilar to the AIG jumpsuits, except his is black. He has a bushy beard and a head of thick black, wavy hair. His lips are pursed and his grey eyes curious.

  “Hi, I’m Faith,” I offer, holding out my hand in greeting.

  He looks down at it briefly but doesn’t make any attempt to take it. “I know who you are,” He replies.

  “And you are?” I push.

  “Jonah. I’m Kye’s second in command.” His gruff answer is laced with pride.

  Jonah. As in Jonah from the conversation I overheard. Time to do my job, be the reporter I am and grill this guy.

  “How do you know me Jonah?”

  “You know I’m not supposed to tell you, even if I disagree with the reasons why.”

  “I need to know Jonah. Why don’t I remember any of you? What am I involved in? Surely it would be better for me to know? You can help me. I won’t tell Kye, you have my word.”

  He stands there deliberating. Once I have all the facts I can proceed knowing whether it’s wise to stay with these strangers or take off. They can go home and do whatever it was they used to. I understand his reticence, Kye would likely go ape-shit if he knew about this, he’s used to people doing as he tells them, even in the short time I’ve spent with him that much is obvious but I’m hoping Jonah will trust his own instincts.

  He looks around quickly and puffs out a breath before taking my elbow and guiding me into his tent. I swallow down my apprehension at being alone with this giant of a man. I’m in screaming distance of others so figure I’ll be safe.

  “Activate your comm-rec,” He orders in the same gruff tone as before. He activates his and I follow suit eagerly and without question. I’m nearly giddy with excitement that I’m finally going to get the answers I want, that I need. A smile spreads across my face which quickly falls then turns into a scowl when Jonah glares at me.

  Once our devices are activated he transfers a file over to mine. It takes seconds.

  “Read that when you’re alone. If you have questions, ask me. Kye cannot know about this,” He tells me grumpily.

  I nod my agreement, say thanks and turn around to leave when he adds, “Oh and Faith, don’t look so excited, that information you’re so desperate for isn’t pretty reading.”

  I stand at the opening of his tent and try to get a read on him, is he helping or being mean? He stands still and accepts my perusal almost challengingly, daring me to find fault with him. His facial expression doesn’t change and I wonder if he even has the muscles to smile.

  I exit his tent and make my way back to Kye’s tent, still anxious to read the file despite Jonah’s warning.

  I lie down on my stomach on the camp bed; raise my legs at the knees and cross my ankles in the air. I open it and with the tips of my fingers downsize the screen before me so that it’s no longer a huge holograph image but easy for me to read and hide quickly if someone walks in. I check over my shoulder looking at the entrance to the tent, double- checking Kye isn’t lurking,
and then turn back to the screen.

  The file has Advance Industries heading it. I read through a few pages of uninteresting jargon before coming along a file that catches my attention.

  Name: Faith Elaina Acnavda

  Age: 23

  Parents: Sperm and egg donors from the reproduce study.

  Parents unknown

  Officially adopted by Advance Industries

  Raised by caregivers at the on-site crèche

  Tests: The most recent include Advance and memory stimulant testing.

  • Please note the candidate was successful in the Advance trial, although once returned it became apparent that her memory had been erased.

  • Further testing to coax memory was carried out with negative results.

  • Candidate was granted a reprieve from the president but remains closely monitored.

  Education:

  Top ranked amongst her peers

  Highly proficient

  Aptitude for resourcefulness and problem-solving

  Falsified Information:

  Upon release, candidate received the following altered information:

  Surname

  Parents

  Occupation

  Zone status

  I stop reading. I can’t see through the tears filling my eyes and trickling down my face. Its lies, all lies. Jonah must have made this up. I’d know if I had no parents, if I’d been a lab rat, experimented on. It’s all lies; I won’t believe a word of it. How can he be so cruel to give me this file, to try and confuse me? I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him or Kye. I was actually starting to believe Kye had my best interests at heart. What a mug! Seriously though, what are they playing at? Is this how they get their kicks? Why would they do this to me? No wonder Kye didn’t want me to find out what callous, twisted men he’s forced me to stay with. I kissed him. More importantly I enjoyed kissing him. What possessed me to kiss my kidnapper? Am I really this gullible?

  I lie down and continue to cry silently into my pillow, replaying everything I just read, everything Fraser told me, what Kye told me, remembering my dreams. It’s too crazy to be real. I can’t be a test tube baby. I have no parents? Definitely a lie! I have their pictures and possessions. I’m pretty sure I would be aware if I had no parents, whether I remember them or not. I start hitting my head, over and over again. If it’s true, and I really can’t remember, then this will help. I’ll hit the memories from my brain.

  Kye

  She’s so preoccupied with hurting herself she doesn’t hear me return. The sound of her sobbing and the viciousness of her slaps tear at me. Faith has never been one for over dramatics; she’s strong so to see her this worked up hurts... hurts a lot. Has she remembered? My heart skips with hope.

  I stride towards her and still her hands, bringing them down into mine, where I hold them firmly. I pull her close and she starts to fight me viciously. She pounds at my chest, claws at my arms, wildly thrashing until she’s worn out. I let her take it out on me, she obviously needs this release. Finally, she stops and hides her face in my uniformed chest, crying until her face sticks to me.

  I stroke her hair and try to breathe normally at the contact. I’ve been without it for too long and it feels like heaven. She smells the same and I can’t help but inhale her deeply. I shush her soothingly but don’t question what this is all about. I let her have the release and just comfort her while she does. The temptation to bury my nose in her hair is driving me to distraction so I’m slightly relieved when her cries become less anguished and she pulls back from me.

  “Sweetheart, what’s wrong? Have you remembered?” I ask hopefully.

  She shakes her head, still sniffling and trying to hide her blotchy face.

  “What is it then? Did someone upset you? Tell me who it was!” I stand up; ready to maim whoever pulled this reaction from my girl.

  “No-one,” she half whispers, her throat closed up from the relentless crying.

  “Then, what’s wrong? What’s this all about, Sweetheart?” I crouch before her and gently run my hand down her tear-stained cheek.

  She looks up at me and my heart misses a beat. She looks so small and frail as she asks, “What’s my name, Kye?”

  I stare at her in confusion. She looks so forlorn, timid even and I don’t like it. “Faith,” I answer slowly, trying to work out what’s going on.

  “My full name?”

  “Have you forgotten it?” I start panicking. I was hoping her memory would improve not worsen.

  “Do you know my full name?” She persists finally showing some of her familiar spirit as she questions me with a slight edge to her voice. She’s making me nervous.

  “Yes, Sweetheart, but you’re starting to worry me. Do you know it?”

  “I thought I did,” She mumbles.

  I’m completely perplexed, was she crying because her memory is declining? Not good.

  “Do you know my parents’ names?”

  She doesn’t have any parents, what can I say? Is she remembering and doubting or does she really not remember the falsities Advance Industries gave her? I don’t know how to answer.

  “Did I have parents Kye? Am I really a reporter? Do I really live in Zone 4? Do you want to answer any of these questions truthfully?” She yells, standing up and pacing.

  I run my hands through my hair and take her place on the bed. I knew it would be hard for her to remember, painful even but I didn’t expect her to react like this.

  “So you have remembered?” I ask, I need this clarification and then I can help her work through it. I’m also slightly hurt. I knew remembering her upbringing would sting but hoped that once her memories of me came back she’d fall into my arms.

  “I asked you a question first... actually I asked you a few questions. Care to answer just one of them?”

  Wow, she’s mad, really mad. “I’m slightly confused here Faith, if you haven’t remembered then...”

  I trail off, the answer punching me in my stomach, sucking all the air from the space. Someone told her, against my orders.

  Told her and confused her and now she doesn’t know what to believe or who to trust. Being told about your life but having no recollection of it is a head fuck. That’s why I wanted to wait for it to come to her on her own. Instead someone disobeyed a direct order, made the woman I love cry her heart out and possibly has jeopardised any chance she had of trusting us to be the good guys. I’m steaming mad. One of my men caused this. One of the men I trust or at least trusted.

  “Who was it Faith? Who told you?” I demand, jumping to my feet.

  “Why, what does it matter? Is it true?”

  “Oh, it matters!” I growl and storm from the tent.

  Chapter 11

  Kye

  Minutes later and I’m back after rounding up the men and ordering them into my tent. I’m beyond agitated and nothing Faith says to me will make me sit or stop pacing. She gives up and sits back on the bed, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly. She looks almost childlike and it’s like being whipped back to our first meeting.

  The tent opens again and becomes crowded with all my men - all looking sheepish, all staring at Faith, except for Jonah.

  They line up before me as I pace back and forth trying to get it clear in my head where to start. They’re silent; they’ve witnessed my brooding before and know better than to speak up before I get what’s bothering me off my chest.

  “You all knew what this mission was before we embarked on it. You were all given the opportunity to opt out. You were all told about my expectations. You all received orders. And you were all told one very specific piece of information, the most important piece of information that I expected to be upheld.”

  I pin them with fierce eyes, trying to figure out which one of them it was. I’m still bristling, even though I’m speaking calmly to them. They all look uneasy. Which one of you was it? I want to scream but instead continue calmly.

  “So would someone - anyone, like
to explain to me why one of you can’t follow a direct order?”

  The men look around at each other and Jonah’s shoulders sag. He steps forward.

  “Kye...”

  I cut him off, “I don’t want to hear excuses for the men Jonah. They know the consequences.”

  “It was me Kye,” Jonah says standing tall and showing no sign of guilt or remorse.

  I’m stunned into silence, my mouth drops open quickly before I regain my composure and dismiss the other men, who all now seem reluctant to leave. Once they’ve left, I throw myself into a camp chair and put my head in my hands. Out of all of them Jonah is the one I least expected to go against me. I can’t believe he would do that. My oldest friend - a traitor.

  “She needed to know, Kye. The softly, softly approach is not good enough.”

  “That wasn’t for you to decide,” I mutter.

  “It’s done now, can’t be changed. We have to look forward.”

  I stand up so quickly the chair overturns. I get up close, nose to nose with Jonah.

  “You have no idea do you? How selfish that was of you, you may be my second in command but I thought we were friends. I would never do to May what you did to Faith! Get out! I can’t stand to look at you!”

  “Kye...” Jonah starts.

  “OUT!” I bellow and turn my back on him.

  Jonah flicks one last look over at Faith before storming from the tent. I sit down next to her, still radiating tension.

  “I never wanted you to find out like that Faith, I’m so sorry.”

  “So it’s true?”

  “What did he tell you?”

  “Nothing, he gave me a file. I only read a bit before I could take no more. My name is Faith Ecnavda?”

  I sigh deeply before holding her hands in mine, stroking my thumb back and forth over her soft wrist. “All children raised by Advance industries have that surname, Sweetheart. Advance - backwards. Original, right?”

  “How many of us are there?”

  “We don’t know for sure. It was called the reproduce experiment but it didn’t last for long, some didn’t reach full term, there were many still births, miscarriages and sudden infant deaths and they pulled the funding to focus on other more lucrative inventions.”