by J. Andersen
“’Bout time you got here,” Kate says, barely giving me a glance. “I’m right on time. Not sure what you’re complaining about. Spent the morning hanging out with your little lover boy.”
“So he knows our plan?”
“Oh, no. He doesn’t know a thing. It’s better that way. Then no one will be able to accuse him of anything. Not like he’ll be much help to us anyway, being unconscious and all.”
Jaxon and Kate exchange glances before he motions for me to step to the side. “He wasn’t supposed to be unconscious,” he says. “Makes it difficult to have him walk out of there, don’t you think?”
I shrug. “They started early; he’s already out. Some things I can’t control. Trust me, I have my people where they need to be, and those who are working on Micah’s surgery are incompetent fools. We can pull anything over on them. Sometimes you have to go with the flow.”
“Somehow that doesn’t make me feel any better,” Kate says. Raindrops have forced their way through the branches and sprinkle dark dots on our clothing. The rest of the group is antsy; I can see it in their stances, and the rain isn’t helping. These aren’t my normal soldiers who are calm at every moment no matter the weather or the assignment. I’d cast this pitiful group off in a heartbeat if I didn’t need them to get my son back.
I move toward Kate. “I want to remind you of our deal, Katherine.”
“Don’t call me Katherine. You haven’t earned that right. We’ll talk more about the deal when you come through on your part—getting Micah out of here alive.”
I smile at her. “Oh, so now the rules have changed. I have to get him out alive. I should’ve known.” I snicker and shake my head.
“You’re not funny.”
“I wasn’t joking.”
She rolls her eyes and joins the group going over logistics of this massive escape. “Let’s get down to business, shall we?”
I have to give them credit. If they can pull this off without getting caught, even with my help, it’ll be impressive.
“Saul, why don’t you tell us your part of the mission?” Jaxon asks as the group huddles around blueprints of The Institute’s medical facility.
I point to a passageway between the walls. “This hallway is rarely guarded. It’s used mostly by the cleaning staff. At the time of Micah’s surgery, the staff will be having their weekly meeting, so it should be clear. We’ll enter here,” I move my finger to the entrance, “and follow this passage to the end and through the storage room. Once we get through, here’s where we’ll need to be careful. We’re headed for the observation area, which means we’ll be in open territory for the length of this hallway and up the stairs. If we can get past that, we’ll be scot free.” A few heads raise, and the group’s huddle eases.
“I’ve looked up the charts. No one is scheduled to view Micah’s surgery, probably because it’s top secret. We should be free and clear once we get up there. The procedure is scheduled for one o’clock. We need to be ready before then. Here’s how it’ll work:
Team one, which is Jaxon, Hunter, you three,” I motion to three burly-looking guys next to Hunter, “and I will set off the gas, hop the viewing area barrier, and drag Micah out with us. Team two, Kate gimpy-leg … Kate look-alike,” they both shoot me dirty looks, “and the rest of you will stay here with two of my men. We’ll give Micah something to bring him out of anesthesia, but he’ll still be out of it and not much help. So I’m expecting my team to carry him most of the way. Your job is to keep the area free from intruders and give us a clean get away—”
“I’m going with you,” Kate interrupts.
“No. You’re not,” I say, pointing to her leg. “You’ll be in the way with that injury of yours.”
“I’m not injured. It’s healed.”
I give her a look.
“Healing,” she corrects herself.
“You’re a liability. You shouldn’t even be here now.”
“I will be there when you wake him up. I’m going with you.”
“Kate, you have a choice. You can go with us and get all kissy face with Micah, get caught by Fishgold’s men, and end up in a dank Institute prison never to play kissy face again; or you can stay out of the way and let me get him out of here ... alive just like you asked.”
She studies my face, probably trying to see if I’m lying to her. “Fine,” she says in a huff.
I turn back to address the group again, “You all know your escape routes if we get separated. If something happens, we’re all on our own. Don’t try to communicate via the radios; it’s too dangerous. Someone might hear. Last word of advice … don’t get caught.”
“Gee, thanks for that word of encouragement,” Jaxon says, slipping a gun into his holster.
I wink. “Only the best for you guys.” Off to the side, I count my weapons, ready the gas mask, and check my watch before I shout, “Two minutes. Get yourselves ready for some breaking and entering … and national treason.”
SEVENTEEN
COMMITTING TREASON
(KATE)
I don’t care what Saul says or wants; I’m not standing in some stupid storage closet when I could be helping Micah get out of here. Saul sees me as an incapable little girl who’s so lovesick she can’t handle anything important. Idiot. I will not stand by and let them screw this up, not with Micah’s life in the balance.
With a gun in my hand, I grab a mask on the way to our starting point. Jessica sees me. She raises her eyebrows in question but never says a word. She doesn’t have to. I know exactly what she’s thinking.
“What?” I ask, shrugging. “You honestly thought I’d wait in some hallway and let the guys get all the glory?”
“Of course not,” she brings her hand out from behind her back. In it is a gas mask. “But I wouldn’t want you to go in there alone, either.” I grin, and she smiles in return. “I knew I liked you for a good reason.”
“Wait, we like each other now?”
“For today,” I say, sweeping my hand to the side for her to pass. “Shall we?”
“Absolutely. Let’s give The Institute some trouble.”
Quickly, we both tuck the masks into our backpacks. No need for Saul or Jaxon to see them and start to question. We’ll let them go first then join them later when there’s nothing they can do about it.
****
Climbing the fence into The Institute’s borders puts enough pressure on my ankle to remind me I’m not totally healed. No matter. The pain reminds me why I’m here. It’ll keep me on my toes. For what seems like hours, we hike over a trail near the border before we finally approach a cave carved into the side of the hill.
The rocks creating the entrance look as if they’ve been chiseled away, making the gap wide enough for one person to walk through. Inside, it must be impossible to see until someone up ahead turns on a flashlight. Suddenly, my mind is back in the caverns of the Hidden City, following Micah that first time he took me there.
We’re underground for a few more minutes, and then the cavern opens and reveals a door at the far end. On the other side of the door, there’s a small room disguised as a closet; it’s how Saul’s men will get out quickly. Only, we’re using it to get in. Soon we’re gathered in a tiny passageway, brushing each other’s shoulders as we all filter through the gateway to The Institute.
Just like Saul said, the small maintenance hallway is free and clear of people. He leads the way with Jaxon and Hunter behind, followed by the rest of their crew. They march like the expert militia they are, hunched over, holding their weapons close. The clomp of their boots is nearly imperceptible against the tile floors. And they communicate with hand signals and motions.
At the end of the hall is a door, which opens into a storage room. “Wait here,” Saul says to my team. Jessica and I look at each other then nod at Saul and watch as the group of men survey the danger zone of the open corridor.
“Looks good,” Jaxon says as he beckons the rest of the men to follow. “Masks on,” I hear some
one whisper. All the men slide the breathers to their faces as they creep out into the hall and disappear around the corner.
Once they’re past, Jessica whispers in my ear. “They’ll have ten minutes or so after they detonate the gas. If you want to help, we better go as soon as it’s clear.”
I don’t answer. I just pull the mask over my face and open the door. Behind me, Jessica issues orders to those we’re leaving in the storage room. Moments later, she’s behind me, pushing gently with one hand. “It’s up there. The entry is set into a nook. It leads to the viewing area.”
“I know. Worked here, remember?” She gives me an “oh right” look through the eye shield of her mask, and we inch quietly around the corner to the alcove where the entrance is. But when I ease it open, it hits someone standing there. Bugger! The person moves, and the door opens to reveal Hunter. He doesn’t even look surprised to see me; he just puts his finger to his lips to hush any sound I might make and moves aside for me to pass.
“Just couldn’t resist, could you?” Saul doesn’t even look at me when he whispers.
The troop squats below the barrier of the viewing deck, which is difficult with their backpacks, while Saul concentrates on what’s happening below through a gap in the panels. The movement proves they haven’t thrown the gas yet. Who knows why they’re stalling? Probably some scheme Saul has to get us all caught. I reign in that thought and the fear that comes with it. So far, Saul’s kept his end of the bargain. I have to believe he’ll continue.
I try to give him the benefit of the doubt. “What’s going on? Why haven’t you gassed them?”
Jaxon glares at me as if his eyes could shut my mouth.
“We’re a little late,” Saul answers.
“What do you mean ‘a little late’?” I whisper, louder than I intend.
“Did you hear something?” someone below asks.
“Is someone there?” They’re referring to me.
We remain silent and motionless, hoping they’ll ignore the previous sounds. When things have settled back to normal, and we hear the clinking of instruments being put away, Saul moves aside and allows me to look through the tiny crack in the barrier. Through it, I see Micah lying face down on an operating table. He’s about twenty or so feet from my eyesight, but I can still see it clearly. On the back of his neck, there’s an incision, closed nicely with small, even stitches. I fight back the urge to be sick. We’re too late. They’ve already implanted the microchip.
In the moment I take to gather myself, I hear one of the doctors talking. “Good job, ladies and gentlemen. I’ll inform the Data Unit that our job is complete and that Mr. Dennard can activate the chip.”
There’s only one Mr. Dennard I know of who works in the Data Collection Unit.
My father.
As the thought sinks in, a high pitched wailing screams through the room. Someone triggered the alarms. They know we’re here. At the same moment, Saul throws the gas.
EIGHTEEN
TWISTS AND TURNS
(KATE)
The room is in chaos. The workers below us scramble to get out the door, but the gas works fast, and they collapse, gasping for breath and clawing at tables or counters on their way down.
Surgical instruments crash to the floor. Saul and Jaxon are the first to jump over the viewing area barrier, followed by the rest of their team. They’re met by a few hefty security guards, who, for some reason, seem unaffected by the gas. For a moment, I’m confused, but the thought of saving Micah urges me over the railing.
A jolt runs through my bad ankle as my feet hit the hard floor from the five-foot jump. A second later, Jessica is by my side.
“Come on,” she says, grabbing my arm and pulling me into the action.
Pandemonium surrounds us. Jaxon is wrestling with an orderly, finally knocking him to the ground with a fist to the nose. Saul rummages through cupboards like he’s looking for something, not even paying attention to what’s happening around him. So much for him helping to fight our way out of here. It’s hard to see through the fury of swinging arms and bodies falling all over. But my eye is on the goal lying motion-less in the center of the room. Micah. I have to get to Micah.
He’s still unconscious and face down on the table, back bare. I run my hand over his shoulders, lightly fingering the stitches that line his neck just under the mark tattooed into his skin. It’s not The Institute’s identification barcode but a fake one he received in Arcanus to be able to blend in here.
I secretly hope the chip isn’t there. That somehow, these workers were sympathizers, and they just did some procedure to make The Institute happy. But as my finger slides over the bump in his neck, I feel the hard spot, much like the one in my own neck. No such luck.
Bending down, I place my mouth as close to his ear as I can get with a gas mask covering my face. “Micah, can you hear me?” But he doesn’t respond. Still, something calms me amid this commotion. Perhaps it’s that I’m close to him for the first time in months. That he’s here. Alive. And that we’re going to get him out. Our proximity reduces the action around me like I’m living in slow motion.
Then Saul pulls me out of my moment. “Kate, here.” He tosses me something. I catch it and open my palm to reveal a syringe. “Wake him up. Now!”
Oh, this is going to hurt, but I waste no time in yanking off the cap and plunging the needle into his arm. In normal circumstances, they’d wake him up slowly, give him time to come out of the anesthesia. Well, at least they do for non-criminals. I’m not sure what the protocol is for enemies of the state. But frankly, we don’t have the time, and these certainly aren’t normal circumstances, so I wait anxiously, hoping he’ll awaken without pain.
Suddenly, it’s quiet, like time has stopped, and we’re all waiting on Micah. That is until I hear Saul giving more instructions. “Jaxon, help me out. We need to flip him over and remove the breathing tube. He needs a mask or he’ll be useless to us, and we’ll be carrying his limp, scrawny body out of here on our shoulders.”
Jaxon rolls his eyes at Saul’s comments, but he and the other men scramble to help turn Micah over. Once he’s on his back, Saul leans in to remove the breathing tube, reaching out with a thick fist, ready to yank.
“I don’t think so,” I say, pushing Saul out of the way. I’m not going to let an amateur damage Micah’s throat. “You do the military breaking-in and rescuing stuff; I’ll do the medical life-saving stuff.” Saul throws his hands up in mock surrender and steps to the side. Moments later, I have the tube removed, and Micah is starting to stir. I whip the gas mask over his face, but his hands come up to push me away. With clawing motions, he tries to pry it off, screaming all the while. Jaxon and another guy grab his flailing arms and pin them to his sides until he calms down.
“Leave it, Micah. We’re here to get you out, but you won’t be able to breathe without it,” I say.
His head follows my muffled voice, but he’s still groggy, and it must be difficult for him to hear me. Through his mask, I can see him struggling to keep his eyes open, so I take his head in both my hands and hold him steady in front of my face.
“Micah! Look at me. It’s me. Kate. We’re going to get you out of here.”
“Kate.” It’s barely a whisper, and his eyes flutter and roll back in his head when he speaks. But when he puts his hands on either side of my head and pulls our faces together, I know he understands. “Kate,” he says again.
Jaxon helps him sit up, throws a blanket over Micah’s shoulders, and pulls him to his feet. But I keep talking, hoping he’ll catch some of what I’m saying. “You’ve just had surgery, but we need you to try to walk. Okay? Do you understand?”
His head bobs in what I can only hope is a nod. Either that, or he’s falling in and out of consciousness. “Just keep following the feet in front of you,” I urge. “We’ll help you, but you need to move as best you can.” Once he’s up, the room comes into focus for me. I see the damage we’ve done. Blood droplets spatter the walls. The cu
pboards are open, and supplies litter the countertops. But what’s worse are the men and women who lie in piles across the operating room floor. About eight of them. Many more than would be at a normal operation like this. Must be added security for a high-profile criminal. Too bad we outnumbered them.
“Let’s move, people!” Saul screams over the blaring sirens. “They’ll be here any minute. Take your time, and I’m leaving you behind.”
“Here, Kate, take my place,” Jaxon calls. “Help Micah get out of here.”
“What? Why? Where are you going?” Jessica asks.
I didn’t even realize she was behind me.
“I’ll catch up. There’s something I have to do for Micah,” he says. Jessica has a frantic look, and her hands are clenched, obviously trying to control her frustration. “Are you crazy? They know we’re here. We have to leave. Now!”
Jaxon grabs her hand. “Trust me. I’ll find you. I have to do this.” She looks down at his touch then back at his face.
I stand between them, watching her plead with him not to go. She doesn’t do it aloud, of course, but it’s in her eyes. I don’t know what possesses me, but I can’t stand there and watch her say good-bye to him. She loves him, whether Jaxon knows it or not, and I won’t be the one to come in the middle of something like that.
“Jessica, you carry Micah. Follow Saul and get out of here. I’ll go with Jaxon. He’s not as familiar with the place as I am. I can get us out of here without getting caught.”
She’s scared. Probably afraid of losing him, but as she looks from him to me, she makes a face and nods. Then she takes my place and drapes Micah’s arm over her shoulders.
“Let’s go.” Jaxon tugs on my arm and darts from the room.
I, on the other hand, back out, watching Jessica watch me. “Get Micah out of here for me.”
She nods but can’t speak the words she wants to say. It doesn’t matter. I know her heart. I need to get Jaxon out of here for her. We’re trusting each other with the person we love most. I only linger a second before I turn and chase Jaxon down the hall.