"Will Agent Bailey be joining me?" I ask Ramos, my voice mimicking a toad's.
"No," Ramos responds flatly. "A patrol car will pick you up momentarily."
I find it that odd that Sophia, my partner, won't be escorting me to apprehend Emerson's killer. But it's nothing compared to how I feel about the girl on the viewscreen. What do I feel exactly? I don't not know. I try to convince myself that she's just enough criminal but it's not working. Those hazel eyes . . . .
"ETA?" I ask Ramos, unable to pull my eyes from the viewscreen.
"Five minutes. Ramos out."
The vidphone disconnects. More out of obligation than want, I turn off the viewscreen. I hurry to change into my uniform, as numbness spreads throughout my body. Why didn't Ramos inform me of the evidence that was discovered linking the suspect to the crime scene? It's usually protocol to thoroughly discuss intel with the arresting officer. As a superior agent, Ramos is allowed to bend regulations as he sees fit, but why withhold the evidence from me? Next to Sophia, I'm one of the most dedicated agents under his command.
The patrol car arrives on schedule. So much for my late-night snack. As I slide into the passenger's seat and exchange a silent greeting with the driver, I beg the Purge for the strength to carry out my assigned task. All the while, the girl's face torments me. It no longer brings peace to my troubled mind, it only adds to the chaos.
Chapter Fifteen
Charlotte
Currently Listening To: "If Today Was Your Last Day" by Nickelback
It's a little after midnight when I tuck my father into bed. Today was one of his better days, so he, Abigail, and I stayed up a little late playing a board game I had tucked away inside my hidey-hole for years. I retrieved it earlier when I went back to pick up the envelope the Entity gave me what seems like eons ago.
We all had tons of fun. In the past, people had all of the coolest toys. The game we played was called Scrabble. It was amusing to see all of the words we could come up with. Abigail kept trying to invent words and my father tried to steal a few of my letters. I enjoy these golden moments spent alone with my family because we're free to be ourselves. To be human.
My father coughs but continues to beam brightly. "Thanks Charlotte for such a wonderful evening. Dinner was amazing like usual and Scrabble—" (he coughs twice) "—who would have thought that something with a strange name could be so fantastic."
The smile on my face literally stretches from ear to ear. "I'm glad you enjoyed it." I kiss his forehead and he squeezes my hand affectionately. "Good night."
I want to tell him that I love him but it's difficult. We do things that express our love for each other; however, we have never spoken the term aloud before. It's something foreign to me. I use it as a figure of speech, to describe my care for my belongings. But actual love seems very complex, something you just know whether you can say it or not. Like how Scarlett felt about the boy from the agency. Like how I want to feel for the monorail boy. We're two peas in a pod—Scarlett and I. Both of us are attracted to White Agents. What the heck is wrong with us?
But I suppose that's how love is. You don't decide whom you fall in love with; it just happens.
I sit with my father until he falls asleep. He's the only man I truly love. I wish I shared his pain, to make the burden easier for him. Not only does he have to contend with a deadly disease ravaging his body, but he also worries for the two daughters he haven't lost yet. His dream is to do everything he can to ensure we're all right when he passes.
"Don't worry, Dad," I promise, fighting back the tears that come from out of nowhere—tears of joy and sadness intermingled as one. "We'll be all right. I'll make sure of it."
I wipe my eyes dry and exit his room. Across the hall, Abigail's door stands open but her room is dark. She's already in bed, exhausted no doubt from the amazing evening we had. Tonight was what it meant to be a family, and not the fabrications the government produces. You can't control every aspect of a person's life but those roundheads inside the Core like to think so. Roundheads—a term I learned in my remedial history course. Apparently, I pay attention more than I thought.
I hurry into my own bedroom and quickly change, not into pajamas but rather the hoodie that Abigail gave me and some black pants. I'm going out tonight. Lilly finally tracked down Aidan Richardson, so I'm meeting them to find out once and for all what's inside the secretive package. Lilly was supposed to pick me up but she was stuck in the studio late like usual. So, I slip into a pair of gray trainers since I have to walk. The meeting place is not too far away, a few blocks or so.
Once I'm ready, I check my watch. It's 12:15. I need to leave now.
I stuff the envelope inside my jacket and head downstairs and navigate the living room in the dark. I'm about to pull open the front door when I hear Abigail's voice from the shadows: "Where are you going?"
The lights snap on and Abigail sits on a corner of the couch, looking stern. She's wearing her pajamas but she's definitely not in bed. I sigh. "How did you know?"
"A hunch," she says, sounding far older than she really is, almost like a mother. "All throughout dinner and during the game, I noticed you constantly glancing at your watch. You were enjoying yourself, certainly, but you also seemed antsy, like you had to be somewhere soon."
"I have a courier assignment," I say automatically and rather lamely.
"In the middle of the night?" Abigail cocks and eyebrow.
Damn it. Why does she have to be so perceptive? She has caught me again.
"I have something else to do," I tell her. "Something important."
She rises from the sofa and walks over to me. For a fleeting second, I'm almost afraid that she's going to strike me. But she doesn't. She only stares into my eyes, into irises so much like her own but less green. "Charlotte, please tell me what's going on? You've been acting very strange lately, sneaking out of the house for 'something important' other than your job, school, or errands for Dad. If there's something wrong, you can tell me. You can tell me anything."
"I—I—"
"Go on," Abigail encourages me.
I start to experience a pang of deja vu. This conversation reminds me of the one I had with Scarlett on the eve of her arrest.
"I can't, Abigail. I'm sorry. It's better that you don't know. For your own good."
"But what if I can help you?" She insists. She's stubborn like me.
"You can't," I tell her. I want to open up to her. I want to tell her everything just like Scarlett told me. But this is different. It's not that Abigail's too young but I genuinely want to protect her and keep her safe from the whirlwind that has already ensnared me. The less she knows, the less someone can pry out of her if I'm ever imprisoned.
I reach for the doorknob but Abigail squeezes in front of me, blocking my path. This scene is eerily familiar now.
"Move, Abigail," I speak quietly. "Please."
"No," she says decisively. "Not until you tell me what's going on."
"No. You can't help me."
"Yes, I can."
"No."
"Charlotte, tell me!"
"No!" I shove her aside, irritated. She falls to the floor and looks up at me repulsively. I realize what I've done but it's too late to take it back now. I was worried she was going to lash out at me earlier and now I'm the one who attacked.
"Abigail, I'm—"
"Sorry?" She finishes for me. "No, I don't think you are." She climbs back up to her feet and glares at me. Here comes the onslaught of angry words. But she surprises me by saying, "Whatever you're involved in, just try not to get yourself killed. There are people in this world who care about you. I'm one of them, no matter if you yell at me or push me down. Just remember that."
She stalks off, heading for the stairs. Our wonderful evening spent together is crushed now. I have to make it up to her somehow.
I leave. Trying to rid myself of all of the frustration I feel for not being able to tell Abigail all of my darkest secrets, I break into a bri
sk jog.
The air is cool and crisp, the light from the full moon tinted blue. It's a beautiful autumn night. There are no clouds present in the blackened sky; only a multitude of glistening stars.
For a second, I wonder if my mother is up there somewhere, if she's one of those stars. I've read somewhere that when good people die, their souls ascend to Heaven. Was my mother a good person? I imagine that she was but does dependence upon the Purge count?
Without warning, I hear sirens off in the distance somewhere. The blaring noise swells to a crescendo as the cop cars draw nearer to my location. They're at it yet again, off to arrest another person brave enough to defy their laws. I feel sorry for whoever it is and I admire his or her courage as though it was my own.
Several patrol cars speed across the intersection up ahead. I dart down a side street, slipping into the shadows to avoid being seen. I wait until the coast is clear before I emerge from the darkness and jog on. The cops are heading towards my neck of woods, which is a little discomforting. Which one of my neighbors will I not be seeing ever again?
The screeching noise of the sirens die out, no longer splitting the air with their shrieks. In about five minutes, I arrive in the vacant parking lot where I'm supposed to meet Lilly and Aidan. No one is here yet. I must be a little early.
Or at least I thought no one was here. Movement suddenly to my left! I tense and spin around to see something flicker before disappearing. I stare in that direction curiously, clenching my fists just in case.
Then, it happens again. A digital pixelization appears out of nowhere before fading away. I move towards the strange phenomenon. What the—
"Hello Charlotte," I hear Lilly's voice but I don't see her. I also leap ten miles into the air when I hear her unexpected greeting.
Lilly materializes suddenly, emerging from the area where I noticed the digital flashes. She's laughing her laugh that I usually enjoy hearing.
"Very funny," I comment darkly.
"Sorry," she apologizes. "I couldn't resist."
"Where did you come from anyway? How is that possible?" With the crazy stuff scientists are inventing nowadays, nothing surprises anymore. Some stuff intrigues me though.
Lilly smiles. "It's something Aidan rigged up. He's a genius."
"But what is it?"
"A cloaking device. It's based off of Concealer technology. Some of the Amber Army soldiers can do it too."
I nod. I've heard that the soldiers of the Amber Army had strange abilities because of their modified armored suits.
"Come on inside," Lilly tells me. "Before someone sees us." She turns around, takes a couple of steps, and vanishes.
I follow her, a little apprehensively. I watch for the occasional flickers to make sure I'm heading in the right direction. Then, without warning, I pass through something cold and gelatinous. The next thing I know, a large vehicle suddenly appears and I find Lilly standing next to it.
"Pretty neat, huh?" She says.
"Yeah." I look around. A circular barrier surrounds us, diaphanous like the wings of dragonflies. Peering through it, I can see the parking lot and the rest of the city beyond in a distorted fashion.
"There are still a few glitches that Aidan's working on. But we're nearly invisible." She motions me over to her. "Come on in and meet Aidan."
"Why all of the security measures?" I wonder.
Lilly chuckles. "Aidan's paranoid."
I stare at the humongous automobile before me. I recognize it as recreational vehicle, a type of mobile home that used to be popular among campers many years ago. It looks like a small house. I could sleep here comfortably I'm sure. It's painted black with silver stripes along the side. A fairly large generator is hitched to the rear of the RV, no doubt powering the cloaking barrier.
Lilly leads the way inside. The place is warm and cozy with homely furniture that's definitely not SDPs. The couch appears soft and inviting. There's a recliner and even an old plasma TV! And computer parts are everywhere, from gigantic routers to modems with blinking lights. Aidan's definitely a tech person and it makes sense that he would be the one to crack an ID chip. He has enough hardware in here to coordinate satellites in space.
There he is, sitting before an old monitor the size of my bedroom. He's playing a computer game with a little boy. From the looks of it, they're shooting aliens. I've never played a video game before but it seems like a lot of fun.
"She's here," Lilly announces, as the little boy cheers when a group of aliens explode on the screen.
Aidan pauses the game and twirls around in his seat. He's no monorail boy but he's definitely cute—if I'm using the term correctly. He's a lanky black boy with dreadlocks and piercing brown eyes that are partly concealed behind square glasses. I can tell at once that he doesn't take the Purge. Thin facial hair dots the area between his nose and lips, as though a pencil had sketched it. He wears a t-shirt displaying huge red lips with a tongue sticking out. The words "Rolling" and "Stones" are printed above this bizarre image. I think the Rolling Stones are an old band that was pretty good. I might have to check their music out soon. I wonder if Aidan have any of their CDs. He seems to like outdated stuff like me.
"Charlotte Tatum," Aidan speaks my name and it makes me feel uncomfortable. Not in a bad way, but uncomfortable nonetheless. "It's nice to have another girl around here. At least you're prettier than Lilly."
"Shut it, Aidan," Lilly grumbles playfully, grinning.
An electric charge blitzes through me. What did Aidan just say about me? Did he say that I was prettier than Lilly? I never had someone comment about my looks before. I never considered that I could be attractive to someone. But Aidan had noticed something about me that the Purge has taken from the world. When members of the opposite sex who are addicted to the Purge look at me, they only see another drone like them. But Aidan is different. He sees something more. I think I like that.
The charge continues to flow throughout my body as Aidan takes a sip from a can of Alacrity. "Well it's nice to meet you, Charlotte," he says. "I'm Aidan, of course, and this is my little brother, Elijah." He then rubs his brother's head affectionately, and Elijah struggles to break free while laughing his head off.
I smile at both of them but curiosity gets the best of me. "Where are your parents?" I wonder.
I now understand what writers meant in books whenever someone said, "killed the mood". Elijah stopped laughing and Aidan looked somber all of a sudden. I know at once that I asked the wrong thing.
"Gone," Aidan tells me and nothing more. He looks to Elijah. "Time for bed, little guy. We have business to attend to."
"Okay," Elijah says. He doesn't want to go to bed, as evident by the gloomy way he hugs his brother good night. He says bye to Lilly and I, before disappearing down a narrow hallway behind the kitchenette area.
"How old is he?" I ask Aidan.
"Ten," Aidan replies. He spins around and wipes the computer monitor clean with a few keystrokes. "Let's take a look at that cipher."
I produce the envelope, while walking over to him. I'm reluctant to give it to him since I just met him, but I decide to trust him anyway. The Entity wants Lilly and I to find out what's inside that package and my interest have reached its maximum point.
Aidan takes the package from me and takes a quick look at the cipher. "Do you think you can—" I start to ask.
"Please," Aidan cuts me off. "I can crack this in my sleep while dreaming about the two of us sharing a candlelight dinner."
It takes me a moment to realize that he was referring to him and me. I blush. I can't tell if he was serious or not but it's enough to cause my cheeks to burn.
Lilly joins us and we watch as Aidan connects the cipher to his computer via a tiny cable. He begins typing feverishly. Numbers in alternating sequences of ones and zeros—binary code—appears on the monitor. The screen switches to another window suddenly and Aidan types a list of commands so swiftly that I have trouble reading them. Several minutes pass in silence and then�
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"Got it!" Aidan declares excitedly. At the same time, I hear a faint clicking noise.
He turns around to face us and returns the envelope to me. "I'll allow you to do the honors, Madam."
I open up the envelope with trembling hands. I feel the eyes of both Lilly and Aidan upon me and I end up shaking even more. Taking a deep breath, I reach inside. My fingers close around something hard and rather weighty. It's cool to the touch. I remove it from the envelope and hold it up for a close inspection. It's a strange circular device, with two rectangular ports on one side and a round, hollow depression covered by a glass-like substance on the other. At first, I think it's an SDP emitter, only in miniature.
"What is that?" Lilly wonders, staring at it. "Looks like a handheld digivid player."
"I don't know what it is," I say quietly.
Aidan rolls his eyes. "That's a Hippocampus SR-9000," he tells us this as if that's obvious.
Lilly laughs. "That's definitely not a human brain."
"No," Aidan agrees. "But like the component of the brain with the same name, this flash drive can hold a ton of information, storing it in short-term and long-term memory blocks. I always wanted to tinker with one. May I?"
"Sure." I pass him the Hippopotamus or Hippo-whatever. So, that device was what the Entity wanted me to deliver to Noah Emerson. We've found out what was inside the envelope and if Aidan is half as good as what he just demonstrated, then hopefully we can find out what kind of information is stored on the flash drive.
Aidan ejects something from his computer's hard drive and inserts the flash drive. It fits perfectly. Then, he goes to work. My anticipation builds with every passing second. We're close to discovering something that might have cost Emerson his life. What secret is worth dying for around here?
"Just what I expected," Aidan breathes heavily. He sips his energy drink and stares at the screen with a dejected look.
"What?" I lean forward. A little too far. My chest grazes Aidan's shoulder. He glances back at me and smiles. Embarrassed, I straighten my back.
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