Exposed

by Maller, Andrea

  He gently pushed up Alyson’s pant leg. To his horror, her muscles were already starting to atrophy. He massaged her legs while she slept, careful not to wake her while he gently kneaded the flaccid skin between his fingers. Pallid flesh hung loosely over her skeletal figure. He worked feverishly going back and forth from Alyson to Cassie, hoping he wasn’t too late. The IV fluids were just barely enough to keep them alive.

  For now, they were safe while his father ran tests in the laboratory. They could sleep and even dream of their freedom. In a few hours, their tormentor would return and their torture would continue. Jake stayed with them through the night hours. Eventually, he fell asleep at Alyson’s side. The click of the door jolted him awake.

  “Wha? Huh?” he muttered, still half asleep.

  “Did you spend the entire night with the clones?”

  “I can explain, Dad,” Jake said, scrambling to think of a plausible explanation.

  “No need,” his father said. “I know why you’re still here. You are my son after all. You finally get it. You finally see what I see.”

  “Of course, Dad,” Jake said, feeling relieved and very confused.

  “I’m so proud of you, Jake. You finally understand what it feels like to be a scientist. Once you’ve had a taste, you want more.”

  “That’s exactly it,” Jake said, trying to cover for his confusion.

  “We’ll do this together then. All the procedures. All the research. It will be us. Working as one until we’ve discovered all there is to know. I have so much to teach you.”

  “That’s...great. I can’t wait to learn everything you know.”

  Jake was glad the girls were still asleep. He didn’t want them exposed to his father or their conversation.

  “Why don’t we go back to the lab? You can show me how to run the tests and understand the findings.”

  “Nothing would make me happier. I finally have my son. You are an extension of me now.”

  Jake swallowed hard on his father’s words. He didn’t want to be anything like him. Certainly not a self-obsessed egomaniacal scientist. Jake took one more look at Alyson, then followed his unwitting nemesis down the hall to carry out his plan.

  Chapter Sixteen

  For the next week, Jake assisted in the lab, earning more of his father’s trust each day. He followed every order, never questioning even the most difficult request. Trying to expedite the situation, Jake volunteered to obtain all the samples so while his father was occupied running tests on the girls’ DNA samples, he was free to explore the building. He checked every hallway, searching for the perfect escape route from the girls’ room.

  After securing the best path, he spent every moment with the girls to wean them off the IV and slowly start introducing solid food. Little by little, they grew stronger, gaining weight and increasing their muscle mass.

  He loosened their restraints, but kept them in place for appearances when his father did check on them, which wasn’t very often. Howard was so consumed with running the tests in the laboratory, he usually left that task to his son, Jake.

  Finally, the day came when Alyson and Cassie were strong enough to be moved. Their wounds were almost healed and their muscles were gaining strength.

  “I think it’s time, girls. We’ll plan the escape for tonight. I’ll make sure my dad is home asleep so he won’t be able to stop us. You just have to hang on for a little while longer.”

  “Is this for real? Are we really going to be getting out of this prison?” Cassie asked.

  “I want to believe you, Jake. It’s just...it’s still very hard to trust you. How can we be sure this isn’t some kind of trick and the second we put our guard down your lunatic father isn’t going to do something even worse to us?”

  “I give you my word, Alyson. I know you don’t want to hear it, but I do still love you.”

  “You’re wrong, Jake. I do want to hear it. I just can’t believe it. Not yet. You really hurt me. I don’t know if I can ever trust you, but part of me so wants to. I still love you, too.”

  “Then believe in that love. Believe in us. I’ll prove myself to you. To both of you,” Jake said, glancing in Cassie’s direction.

  “I need to call your father, Alyson. I can’t get you out of here by myself. I’m going to need his help.”

  “No! I don’t ever want to see him again. He’s the reason we’re in this mess right now. Because of his lies, Cassie and me are paying the price. Besides, he doesn’t care about me.”

  “Are you kidding? He’s been going crazy out of his mind with worry about you. We’ve been working together since the beginning to try to find you. I haven’t spoken to him in a while because I was afraid of what he might do when he found out it was my dad keeping you here. I didn’t want him to do anything to jeopardize your safety. I’ll tell him now, though.”

  “Don’t you dare!”

  “But, Alyson. He has to know. We need his help.”

  “We’ll be fine without him.”

  “No, we won’t. Besides, he really does love you. He’s sorry for what he did to you. Especially for keeping the secrets. He didn’t know how to tell you without hurting you.”

  “He’ll get over it. It’s not like I’m his real daughter. I was always just a means to an end. He planned to use me for body parts to save his precious Samantha. He never wanted me.”

  “That’s not true. He does think of you as his daughter. His real daughter. Over time, he grew to love you. We both love you. Please, Alyson.”

  Alyson listened to the desperation in Jake’s voice. His urging and pleading. Then, she looked into his eyes -- his deep, soulful eyes. They were bloodshot, slightly glazed, and about to cry. She had never seen him like this before.

  In that moment, Alyson realized she and Cassie weren’t the only victims of Howard Parker. Jake’s life was devastated also. He didn’t just lose his mom. He lost his father, also. The man Jake knew to be his dad was gone. Jake must have seen it by now. She could see the pain he was in. His face looked strained, not the relaxed happy-go-lucky expression she was used to seeing. Things were different now. He was different. She could see his sincerity.

  “Okay. You can call him.”

  “Thank you.”

  Jake smoothed Alyson’s hair, then gently caressed her cheek.

  “I won’t let you down, Alyson. Not again. Never again.”

  Alyson wanted to say something, but didn’t. She just returned his loving look and stayed silent.

  “If this is going to work, I need to leave now. I can’t have my dad getting suspicious. I’ll make sure he’s home tonight, then slip him a sleeping pill so he won’t wake up before you’re safely out of here. I’ll be back later. Just a little longer. The nightmare is almost over.”

  “Jake,” Cassie called as he was about to open the door.

  “What is it?”

  “Thanks,” she said, smiling easily and closing her eyes to rest.

  “Your welcome,” Jake said, stepping confidently out the door, letting it lock behind him.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Mr. Pierce?”

  “Jake? Am I glad to hear your voice. Have you found her? Have you found my Alyson?”

  “That’s exactly what I’m calling about. I found her and Cassie.”

  “Are they okay? Please tell me they’re okay!”

  “They are okay, but they’ve been through a lot.”

  “Where are they? Are they with you?”

  “Not exactly, but I have seen them. I’ll tell you all the details when I see you.”

  “Didn’t they want to come home? They’re still upset, aren’t they?”

  “Alyson is still hurt and angry, but that’s not why they didn’t come with me.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “They didn’t come with me because they couldn’t. My dad has been...keeping them.”

  “What do you mean he’s keeping them?”

  “He’s been holding them hostage. Running all sorts o
f tests on them.”

  “Where are they?”

  “At his lab, Genesis Biotech. I have a plan to get them out of there tonight. I need your help to do it, though.”

  “You don’t even have to ask. Just tell me what the plan is and how I can help. I’m sure Cassie’s father is going to want to help as well. I’ll fill him in on all the details after we hang up. I’m sure he’s eager to know his daughter is okay.”

  “I found an escape route that should be safe to use. There’s an emergency exit not far from the room they’re in. There’s no alarm on the door so security won’t hear when it’s opened.”

  “What about your father? Where is he going to be?”

  “He’ll be home -- asleep. I’ll make sure of it. He won’t be a problem.”

  “No more so than he already has.”

  “I know you’re upset. I am, too. If I could change things, I would. I hate that I’m related to him. I don’t even know who he is anymore. He’s not the same. He’s...changed.”

  “In what way?”

  “He was always driven when it came to his work. I’m used to that. Now...it’s almost like he’s...possessed. He’s completely out of control now. I never thought I’d be saying this, but...I’m afraid of him. I don’t know what he’s going to do when he finds out they’re gone.”

  “If you save my daughter, I’ll protect you. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate the concern, but I’m not the one in trouble now. Alyson and Cassie are. We need to just concentrate on them.”

  “Tell me the plan so I can call Alex. He’s been beside himself with worry since Cassie disappeared.”

  “We’ll have to be very careful. We can’t let security see either of you.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll go in your car so they don’t recognize ours. We can park outside the premises, then ride in together.”

  “I’ll park around the back near the emergency exit. The two of you will wait in my car while I go inside and open the emergency exit door for you. We’ll have a fifteen minute window from midnight until 12:15 when security is on a break. That should give us just enough time to get the girls out and safely away from the building.”

  “I’ll let Alex know the plan and we’ll meet you outside the front gate at exactly 12:00.”

  “12:00 it is. I’ll see you then.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Dad? Are you home?” Jake called out, closing the front door behind him.

  No response. The house was silent. Jake ran up the stairs to see if his father was in his room. He knocked on the door and waited for a response. Nothing.

  “Where can he be? He should have been home hours ago. He couldn’t still be at the lab. Could he? No, no, no, no. This can’t be happening. I have a plan. And it doesn’t include this. He has to be home for this to work.”

  Jake’s heart beat faster. Little pin pricks tingled the tips of his fingers. His temples throbbed as he gasped for breath. Visions of Alyson and Cassie kept spinning around his head as a chill shot through him. He needed to calm down. He went to the one place he always felt safe -- the basement.

  He got downstairs, flipped on the light, and there was his father, on the couch, staring straight ahead. The television was off. There was no music playing. He was just sitting in the dark -- staring, as if in a trance.

  “Dad?” Jake said softly, tapping him gently on the shoulder.

  No response. He didn’t move. He just kept staring. Jake tapped his shoulder again, then stood directly in front of him.

  “Dad? Are you okay?”

  His father blinked a few times, then came out of his trance.

  “Okay? Am I okay? Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “You were sitting in the dark, not moving, staring into space. I called you over and over and you didn’t answer me. You never even come into the basement. This is the first time I’ve seen you down here since Mom died.”

  “Well, I’m fine. You needn’t worry. I’m just going to grab something to eat and then head back to the lab.”

  “No! You can’t!”

  “Can’t? What do you mean I can’t? I know you didn’t just tell me...”

  “I mean...it’s late. You look tired. Why don’t you get a good night’s rest and start again fresh tomorrow?”

  “There’s still a lot of work to be done. We don’t have time to relax. I thought you understood. I thought you were committed to this project. Was I wrong? Did I make a mistake taking you on as a partner? I know you’re my son, but maybe I should continue without you. There’s no room for nepotism in the world of research.”

  “No, I am committed. Completely committed. There’s nothing else on my mind. Nothing else I ever think of.”

  “Good. Since you are my son, I will give you another chance, but if we’re going to work together, you need to eat, sleep, and breathe this project.”

  “That’s kind of my point, Dad. You haven’t slept in such a long time. You’ll be a lot more productive if you get some sleep.”

  “It has been a long day. And having you help out has moved things along a little quicker. Maybe, just this once, I’ll take the night off.”

  “I’ll make you a hot cup of tea and bring it up to your room.”

  “You are a good son, Jake.”

  Howard went upstairs to rest while Jake prepared a special brew for his father in the kitchen. He carried it up the stairs, careful not to spill any. He wanted his father to get the full dose. Pushing open the bedroom door, Jake looked at him, his trusting eyes, about to be betrayed by his own son.

  “Here you go, Dad,” Jake said, handing his father the steaming cup of tea.

  Jake was halfway out the door when his father called him back.

  “Come sit with me. We can talk. Just like we used to.”

  Jake searched his memory for the last time he had a real conversation with his father. Even after his mom died, his father was barely around. He was always working. Always too busy to be a father. Still, Jake felt it important to make the effort. Maybe his father was trying to change, to reach out to him, now that he believed they had something in common.

  “I don’t really know what to say, Dad. We don’t talk that often. It just feels kind of...weird.”

  “If you would rather not...”

  “No, it’s not that. It’s just been a really long time and we haven’t talked about anything important...ever. Even after Mom died. We never really talked about anything serious.”

  “We could start now. I would like to try to get to know my son better. Especially now.”

  “Especially now?”

  “Yes, now that you have become a part of my work, my research, we have so much to discuss.”

  “Of course. Your work. Yes, it has been...enlightening working with you. You should drink your tea...before it gets cold.”

  “That’s my boy. Looking out for his old man,” Howard said as he took a large gulp of tea.

  Jake casually checked his watch, but not without the notice of his father.

  “You late for a date, Jake?”

  “No, no, no,” Jake said, his face starting to flush.

  “You’re turning red. I caught you, didn’t I?”

  “C..caught me?”

  “You’re moving on from your clone friend. That’s wonderful news. You shouldn’t hide it. I’m proud of you, son.”

  “Yes. Yes, that’s it. I didn’t want to say anything before, but now I guess the cat’s out of the bag. You...caught me.”

  “So, what’s her name?” Howard asked, taking another gulp of the tea.

  “Her name?”

  “Yes, her name. She does have one, doesn’t she?”

  “Of course! Of course she has a name. It’s...Maggie. Yes, Maggie. We met a few weeks ago.”

  “You must tell me all about her,” Howard said, starting to yawn.

  “You look tired. We’ll talk in the morning. Finish your tea and I’ll bring the cup downstai
rs.”

  Howard took a few more gulps and handed the cup to Jake.

  “Goodnight, Dad.”

  “Thanks for the tea, Jake. And the talk. We should have done it sooner. I’m sorry I haven’t always been there for you. I do love you, though. I’m glad you’re becoming a part of my world now. My son.”

  Howard closed his eyes and was unconscious in a few minutes. Jake waited five minutes more, just to be certain, then brought the cup downstairs. He washed it thoroughly to remove all traces of the substance. His father’s words resonated in his head. He hadn’t heard his father confess his love very often. Jake felt conflicted for a moment, but knew he was doing the right thing. His father had to be stopped and the girls had to be saved. He grabbed the car keys and headed out to meet Alyson’s father.

  Chapter Nineteen

  “You’re right on time, Jake. This is Alexander Stephens, Cassie’s father,” Mr. Pierce said, gesturing to the stocky, spectacled man standing to his left.

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Stephens,” Jake said, his hand extended.

  “You can just call me Alex. It’s good to meet you, Jake. Thank you for finding my daughter. Both our daughters. They’re very special girls, as I’m sure you’re already aware.”

  “Yes,...I am. They are very...special. In more ways than one. I’ve never seen such strength or resilience in anyone. They’re both very brave. I’m embarrassed to say it, but my dad has done...unspeakable things to them. I am very sorry.”

  “It wasn’t your fault. Your father is the one to blame. Not you, Jake. Neither myself nor Alex hold any animosity toward you. We’re just grateful you’ve led us to them.”

  “We should get to it then. We don’t have much time. Get in the back of my car and stay down. I’ll drive around the back, park the car near the emergency exit, then walk back so I can get inside. When it’s safe, I’ll open the door and lead you to their room. I’m sure they’re going to need a lot of help. It’s been a long time since they’ve been allowed to walk.”