by S. C. Davis
“The case information they gave us for the new assignments was confusing. Most of it didn’t make any sense. It's almost as if the information was scrambled or encoded to hide something. Something was obviously very wrong. So, a few of the original members, myself included, began to look into it a little deeper. Eventually, we figured it out.”
“Figured…what out?” I asked, reluctant to hear the answer.
“We weren't the good guys anymore,” he said, a hint of shame in his voice.
This wasn't what I had expected to hear.
“What do you mean by that?” Britta asked, as if she hoped she’d misunderstood.
Mr. Gregory sighed once more, and looked down at his hands folded into his lap.
“The Rosalind Group is no longer protecting scientists from having their research stolen. We’re now the ones who are stealing it.”
Chapter 18
Our Mission, Should We Choose to Accept
I WAS MORE DISAPPOINTED than surprised to hear what Mr. Gregory had just revealed about the Rosalind Group. I knew that money was a powerful weapon, and that people have done pretty terrible things for the sake of it.
I was, however, a little surprised to hear Mr. Gregory say “we” instead of “they”. If he knew they were up to no good, why was he still involved in the group? His next explanation cleared that up, and also revealed why in the world he was telling us, of all people.
“You might be wondering why I'm still involved with the Rosalind Group after finding out what they're up to,” Mr. Gregory said, apparently having read my mind.
“I thought about leaving. I really did. But that felt like turning a blind eye to a problem without making any effort to stop it. I would feel just as guilty about walking away as I would about staying and being a part of it,” he said.
We nodded, understanding his dilemma.
“Fortunately, the others who helped me dig up the dirt on Rosalind felt the same. We decided to work behind the scenes to bring the organization down. We've been working hard over the last few weeks, gathering intelligence and making plans. The real goal is getting rid of Rigby and his crew, so Rosalind can get back to doing good work,” he said.
Hearing this gave me a whole new level of respect for Mr. Gregory. He could have easily walked away like the other former members. Maybe even been paid to walk away. But he didn't. He stayed true.
I found myself ready to agree to do anything to help his cause, even though it was still a great mystery what the six of us had to do with any of this. Whatever the case, I was starting to get excited. Was this the adventure I had been longing for?
“So here it is. Here's why I'm telling you guys about this,” he said, and I felt butterflies in my stomach, excited to hear what was next.
“The leaders of Rosalind are onto us. They're suspicious. There are only a handful of original members left, and they keep a close watch on all of us. They don't know that we know what they're really up to now, but they’re always wary of the possibility of us finding out.
“It's become too difficult for us to dig for information and even think about taking any sort of action without the leaders intervening. They've kept us on board for different reasons, but if we give them enough reasons to kick us out, they certainly will. Only, I'm not so sure kicking us out of the Rosalind Group will be the only form of punishment.”
The six of us kids stole glances at one another. We were starting to realize the gravity of the situation, and now we were all thinking the same thing. Was he about to ask us what we thought he was?
“We realized we needed to find some help. But these new leaders are cunning and clever. We couldn't ask just anyone. They've got eyes everywhere, because they can afford to have them. We can't touch any other former member of the Group. We can't even touch other scientists in the area. We need people that the leaders would never in a million years suspect,” Mr. Gregory explained, looking at each of us in turn. Yep. He was going to ask.
“It was actually not even my idea at first. It was my colleague Claire's idea,” he said. I could have sworn I saw his face blush slightly when he said her name.
“Claire mentioned to me one day that I’m constantly talking about my students. She said I actually brag about many of them; about how smart they are and how I see great potential in some of them,” Mr. Gregory said, smiling proudly.
“She came up with a crazy idea. What if we recruited the help of some of my students? I already knew which ones were the most brilliant, ambitious, and trustworthy. And most importantly, they're kids! The Rosalind leaders would never imagine a random handful of kids being involved in a secret covert operation to rebel against them, right?”
I noticed every single one of us was grinning ear to ear. Was this really happening? Was this a joke? Where were the hidden cameras?
But it wasn't a joke. Mr. Gregory was just as serious as when he began the conversation. He continued his story.
“I'm sure you've figured out where this is going, by now. You six are the 'random handful of kids'. But you know what? You're not random at all. I handpicked each one of you, because I saw qualities in you that I knew we had to have to get this done.
“You're smart, you're kind to one another, you work great as a team, you’re loyal to the things and people you care about, and you all seemed like you would be up for a great adventure,” he finished with a smile.
“The whole purpose of the after-school project was to confirm what I already knew. And like I said, you passed the test.”
I'd never felt so proud of anything in my life. He handpicked me? I always felt like such a background fixture. I considered myself your basic girl-next-door. I didn't stand out in any particular way. I wasn't overly smart, I wasn't a major achiever, but I also wasn't an epic failure. I was just incredibly average. Just Jenna. What were these qualities that he saw in me that were so impressive?
“Mr. Gregory,” it was Britta who quietly spoke up. “I don't really get why it's come to this. Why can't you take this to the police? Couldn't they do something?”
She had a point, and we all turned back to Mr. Gregory for the answer. He nodded thoughtfully, as if he knew we would ask.
“Yes, that seems like it would be the obvious solution, and we considered it. The problem is that the Rosalind Group has always operated in secret. The government doesn’t even know we exist,” he said.
“But, if you’re the good guys…why hide?” Britta asked.
“We’ve always found that the fewer people who know about what we're doing, the better,” Mr. Gregory said. “That way there’s less chance of interference, and less chance of conflicts. Even the scientists whose research we were working to protect didn't even know about us. They never even found out that anyone was trying to steal their work in the first place.”
“So how does Rosalind find out?” I asked.
“We received intel from multiple sources, all very discrete. Rosalind had members all over the world, and it was either word of mouth or our own research that revealed cases to us,” Mr. Gregory said.
“If these scientists knew how many cases we dealt with, they would begin to distrust each other. They would grow paranoid and territorial of their work. The quality of important research would drop, or it might not even happen at all. Science relies on collaboration, and we wanted to preserve that while still getting rid of the few bad apples.”
“So, since you hope to rebuild the Group back to its original function, you don't want the officials to find out,” Chase concluded.
“That's right. If it becomes a matter of life or death, we’ll of course take it to the level necessary, but we want to see what we can do without resorting to that, first. If we have to reveal ourselves to the government, we may not be allowed to resume operations at all, even under our original good intentions,” Mr. Gregory explained.
Mr. Gregory waited for more questions, but we all understood. We were ready for it.
“Before I pop the question, I need to make su
re you're aware that being involved could be dangerous. I would never put you in harm's way on purpose, but these people are sly and they only care about money. Who knows what they’ll stop at to get it?” he said.
I felt a small shiver at the realization that this was no game.
“I don't believe you’d ever be in any danger physically. But if they ever find out about you, I believe the leaders could very well make your life difficult in other ways. If you’re not willing to take any chances, I’ll fully support that and will never mention any of this again. But if I didn’t believe that the six of you are clever enough to do this, I would never have asked. I have full confidence in each of you.”
Mr. Gregory took one last look around the room, pausing to let it all sink in.
“So without further ado, will you, Alexandra, Chase, Jenna, Wes, Britta, and Ethan, help myself and the other rebels take down the corrupt leadership of the Rosalind Group, and restore it to its original and noble intent?”
Despite his last warning of the risks, it was the easiest decision the six of us had made since the beginning of our meetings.
“Yes!”
Mr. Gregory smiled. His face showed a mix of relief and gratitude, but I sensed he was still very concerned. I wondered if it was more for us, or for the implications of an adult teacher recruiting a bunch of kids to take on a dangerous mission.
Still, the group was buzzing in celebration. After the initial excitement wore off, we all turned back to Mr. Gregory to find out the next step. His smile had disappeared and his brow furrowed, as if he had been reminded of something disturbing.
“I'm so grateful for you all,” he said. “I'd love to celebrate, but I'm afraid there's no time to waste. There’s something that needs our action right now. If this isn't solved quickly, this may be the thing that forces us to involve the government after all.”
We stared at him on bated breath, waiting to hear about our first epic assignment.
“Last weekend, you took the initiative to go and seek out help on your project from Dr. Terry Wyatt at the college,” Mr. Gregory said. “And you arrived to find that Dr. Wyatt had supposedly gone on vacation, correct?”
We all nodded in confirmation.
“That's right. Why do you ask?” Alexandra said.
Mr. Gregory's response was a chilling reminder of just what we would be up against.
“Dr. Wyatt is the first target the Rosalind Group has set its sights on. Unfortunately, he’s not just on vacation…he’s missing.”
Chapter 19
The Accusation
AFTER KIERAN LEFT THE lab, the mood in the room grew more tense. Dr. Wyatt knew there was nothing quite so innocent about the visit of these two strangers. Finally, it was the woman who spoke up.
“Dr. Wyatt,” she began, no longer concerned with charming him by using his first name. “I'm sure you’re wondering about the nature of our visit.”
“Indeed,” Dr. Wyatt said, raising his eyebrows.
“First, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Olivia Pritchard, and this is my associate, Axel.”
No last name? Dr. Wyatt thought to himself, wondering if this so-called “associate”—more like “henchman”—even spoke.
“We represent an agency known to very few members of the scientific community, called the Watson Group,” Olivia Pritchard explained.
While her cold calmness was intimidating, she was not completely without flaws. Dr. Wyatt noticed just enough hesitation in her voice when she named the “group” that he knew instantly that it was a false name.
Perhaps it wasn't only a false name; perhaps there was no group at all. Still, he leaned back casually against his lab bench, folded his arms and waited for Miss Pritchard to continue.
“I'm afraid I cannot reveal too much information about the activities of our group. However, I can assure you that we only have your best interests at heart,” she said, locking him in an intense stare as if she were attempting to hypnotize him.
“I’m sorry to inform you that your research has been flagged, Dr. Wyatt,” she said. “There’s some question as to the legitimacy of your methods and results.”
Dr. Wyatt narrowed his eyes at Miss Pritchard, whose expression did not change. The minion, Axel, had also not taken his eyes off of Dr. Wyatt ever since Kieran had left the room.
There was not a single part of Dr. Wyatt that felt any sense of panic, as if he had been caught, and karma was finally catching up with him. He knew that every word she spoke was false. He knew he was innocent of any activity even remotely close to what she had just described. Still, he thought to himself: Okay, I'll bite.
“Just what, Miss Pritchard, am I being accused of?” he asked curtly.
Olivia pursed her lips and stood a little straighter. Dr. Wyatt guessed she had been expecting him to cower and tremble under the suggestion that his integrity and his work were anything less than spotless.
“I don't feel it is prudent to discuss any details here. I believe this is a conversation better reserved for our director, Dr. Nigel Rigby. We take these matters very seriously, Doctor, and we want to ensure that the matter is researched properly. I'm afraid I’ve not been briefed any further than what I’ve already told you,” she said.
“I’ve been asked to accompany you to our headquarters as quickly as possible so that we may address the matter and, I'm quite sure, absolve your name,” she concluded.
Though she gave the same brilliant smile she had worn when she entered the lab a few minutes before, Dr. Wyatt knew good and well that she had no concern for his “best interests”.
“Well...all right, then. What is it you need me to do?” Dr. Wyatt said.
He spoke as if he were giving in, but he had other intentions. He was no fool, but he also knew that there were ways to play such situations out cautiously.
He could tell that these were not the type of people to simply accept “no” for an answer. The alternative to his cooperation would be brute force. Based on the intimidating size and manner of Axel, Dr. Wyatt knew that he would be the one to do it.
“As I said, I request for you to accompany us to our headquarters, where our director can explain further,” Olivia said.
She paused, then continued with a sly smile. “I might suggest that you appear to be...on holiday, perhaps. The investigation may take a day or two.”
Dr. Wyatt nodded as he processed the strange request. The director’s name she had mentioned earlier, “Rigby”, was ringing a bell somehow. Suddenly, he realized why he knew the name, and an unsettling feeling accompanied the reminder.
A few months before, he had received an email from a wealthy businessman asking to partner with him on his research. Dr. Wyatt had responded with a brief message turning down the offer. He had neither the time nor the interest to work with any corporate partners at this stage in his research.
The man had replied with a simple message: “how disappointing.”
Something about that reply had seemed a bit chilling to Dr. Wyatt. It made him nervous. Ever since, he had had an unshakable feeling of being watched.
At times, he thought he was losing his mind, seeing people on the streets watching him. Seeing students in his class that he’d never seen before, who looked far too old and gruff to be college students. When he confided in Kieran, his student had laughed: “You’re getting paranoid, old man! No one’s out to get ya.”
Now all the pieces were starting to click. This “Dr. Rigby” was the man who had contacted him. Now he was even more convinced he had been watched, with the possibility of goons like Axel lurking about.
As Dr. Wyatt connected the dots, Olivia must have sensed his new fear. She seized the opportunity, stepping closer to him and lowering her voice, all while keeping the same shrewd smile.
“You know, Dr. Wyatt,” she said, tauntingly. “There’s an easy way and a hard way for everything.”
Olivia winked. Dr. Wyatt swallowed deeply, a rush of adrenaline kicking in. But his scientific brain overrul
ed. He reasoned that any pushback on his part would have consequences. These people would make sure of that; he knew it. He would have to be cleverer than that.
“Right. Let me leave a note for my graduate students, then,” he said calmly, trying to sound both cooperative and unsuspecting.
He walked over to his notebook, still sitting next to the set of various oils where he and Kieran had just brainstormed a few minutes earlier. He jotted down a note about needing a holiday, as Olivia had suggested. At the bottom of the note, he jotted down something else.
Dr. Wyatt set the pen down, and was about to turn to walk away, when he had another thought. He picked the pen back up and pretended to continue writing, with his back to Olivia and Axel. With his other hand, he very carefully unscrewed a few vials of oil, and added a couple drops of two new oils into the Jasper Oil v. 5 mixture.
Finally, he turned around, gave a big fake smile, and said, “Let's go sort this out, then.” He grabbed his jacket as he headed out the door, followed by Olivia.
-----
Olivia looked at Axel and nodded toward the notebook. Axel walked over to the notebook and checked it, making sure it did not reveal any sensitive information about their visit and the true nature of Dr. Wyatt's absence.
Axel glanced at the note, then followed the others out of the lab, pulling the door closed behind him.
“Anything suspicious?” Olivia whispered when Axel caught up to her.
“No. Said he was going on vacation. But he did leave a note at the bottom about what to add to the next version of Jasper. Version six, it said,” Axel responded quietly.
“Good,” Olivia said, “Now we know which version will be the latest. Good work, Axel.”
Chapter 20
Jenna’s Theory