"Hilary?" Amanda uttered in surprise. She smiled at the girl, but it immediately fell when Hilary sent fire in their direction. Cutting off Cassandra's concentration, Charlie and Madison met the floor face first with loud thuds. They got back on their feet as Charlie eyed the windows behind Amanda's army. She grabbed Madison's hand and tugged her to take hold of Hilary's. With one pull, the glass panel windows exploded. While their tormentors took cover, Charlie used her shield on Hilary and Madison and hurriedly retraced their steps back to the lower floors.
"I'm fine," Amanda convinced Vladimir, who had used his body to shield her from the explosion. He helped her up and she dusted her suit.
“Follow them,” she commanded her students and the guards. Amanda Pitt stood in shock while her army filed out of the building in pursuit of the escapees. Etched in her mind was Hilary’s image firing at them and escaping with Charlie.
CHAPTER 18: Hidden in the Shadows
Breathing heavily and aching with sore muscles, the three reached the first floor without any more obstacles. They expected to exit through the laboratory front entrance but armed guards made it formidable. Charlie pulled the girls away before anyone noticed them. Pausing momentarily, Charlie considered taking the guards out before the rest of the students came for them when she heard quiet footsteps. She turned abruptly, ready to attack. It was Natalia, the school psychologist. The woman, whose disheveled hair stood out oddly, placed her fingers over her lips and motioned them to follow her. The three exchanged looks of confusion and wariness. Charlie weighed between possible evil and definite evil and told the girls to follow Natalia.
More footsteps, many more grew louder and they drew closer. Natalia turned to them in consternation. She opened the nearest door and motioned them to enter. Quietly shutting the door behind them, they listened to the shuffling shoes of the Andreians who pursued their rebellious classmates. Charlie watched Natalia fiddle with her phone and a high pitched alarm went off somewhere in the building. The heavy footsteps outside frantically ran in the direction of the sound, leaving the hallway empty once again. Natalia opened the door slightly to make sure. "It's safe, let's go."
"Wait!" Charlie said, overtaking her mentor and blocking her way. "What's going on? What are you doing?"
"There's no time to explain," Natalia began, but Madison interrupted. "Ms. Worthington, I'd rather take time than be led into a trap."
Natalia shook her head in disbelief. "Alright, but I’ll talk as we walk." The girls agreed. "Okay, come on," Natalia said as she walked back into the building when Madison stopped her.
"Where are you going? The door is that way." She pointed to the opposite direction.
"You can't go there. If you make it to the entrance, it will be easy for them to spot you. Besides, more guards await you there. I have a different route in mind." And she turned on her heels and left the three girls confused in her wake.
Natalia walked up the stairs where the girls had come from. "I've been working with Joshua, Charlie. I applied for the job at ANDREI to get information for him,” she began. When she reached the top landing, Natalia raised her hand, signaling them to stop. She quickly swept the hallways of the second floor before she motioned for the girls to follow.
"It's been quite difficult to dig up information from a secret project within a confidential government project. But when you came along, I had hope," she continued as she led the girls to the bridge walkway towards ANDREI.
Charlie tapped her shoulder, "What do you mean 'when I came along'?"
Natalia smiled shyly. "I had you dig up the information for me. Even when I found out where Amanda Pitt hides all her private files, I never could have opened that door myself." Charlie’s jaw dropped. "You're the one who gave me that DVD?" Charlie had already suspected the psychologist, but it still came as a shock to get confirmation from Natalia as she nodded assent.
Keeping their heads low, they crossed the bridge to ANDREI without arousing the enemy. Both Madison and Hilary expressed their confusion about Charlie's and Natalia's conversation, but Charlie promised to explain later. The hallway’s security feature was disabled when Madison and Charlie used their powers to open the door. The halls of ANDREI looked forlorn. Charlie took side glances at every corner and every room they passed, trying not to recall the brief time she’d regarded the school as her second home. Distractions were not needed at this point.
"Why risk it, Ms. Worthington?" Hilary raised the question as they made their way to the ground floor of ANDREI. "What are you trying to gain by being a mole inside the institute?"
"Forget the government. If you get caught, who knows what Ms. Pitt will do to you," Madison warned.
Moonlight spilled through the glass doors of the institute, light reflecting the glistening dew. Natalia reached for the door and turned back for them. Her eyes were sad and her expression somber. The memory of day she’d first met the woman came back to Charlie. Beyond that door was the garden where Natalia spoke about her past. Charlie remembered Natalia speaking about her adoption, and about tracking down her lost sibling, only to find out he was already dead. The file she’d found in the archives about a certain deceased student allowed the puzzle pieces to fall in place.
"Justice." Natalia answered Hilary's question before opening the door.
Natalia quickly ushered the girls around the garden leading towards the dormitory. “You can escape through the woods surrounding the field,” she said. They reach the stone pond in front of the entrance to the dormitory and Natalia climbed on its edge. She held out her hand to assist Hilary to climb over, then Madison and Charlie.
Behind the pond, a steep dirt path led to the thick foliage. The three followed Natalia into the woods, imploring good faith. She took them a few meters away from the dormitory, then stopped. “This is as far as I can go,” Natalia announced.
“What?” Charlie said. “I thought--”
“I need to stay inside ANDREI,” Natalia declared. “Their operations won’t stop when you girls escape. On the contrary, this may speed things up so I need to have my eyes and ears ready for new information.”
“Isn’t your cover already blown with you helping us, Ma’am?” Madison asked, but Natalia smiled at her.
“That’s the reason I deactivated the electricity and security cameras here.” Displaying her phone to them she lamented, “Unlike you guys, my power lies here.”
Natalia then proceeded to instruct them. “Now, Charlie. I need you to find Joshua. He can keep all of you safe. Go straight through these woods until you see the south school perimeter wall close to the west end. Walk in that direction and you will see a water tunnel concealed in some bushes. Here’s a pair of bolt cutters to cut through the wire mesh, Hilary. I trust you girls will be able to squeeze through the opening and emerge on the other side.”
She continued, “Listen carefully. When you get out, walk west till you find the road. Get in the truck with a cartoon frog sticker; it will be waiting for you.” Natalia looked over at Charlie to tell her, “You’ve met Brian, Charlie. He’ll give you a ride to where Joshua is. ”
Charlie was about to ask who this Brian was, but Madison cut her thoughts. “Ma’am, what about our other schoolmates?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t do anything for them right now. But Joshua is forming a team, and he can help you save the others,” Natalia assured them.
The three girls looked at each other. Guilt weighed on their hearts at the thought of abandoning their friends at ANDREI. But all of them knew there wasn’t much they could do by themselves.
“Take care of them, Ms. Worthington... Natalia,” Charlie said. “If you can, don’t let the institute abuse them.”
“I won’t,” Natalia promised. With one last nod, she turned to return to the institute that had trapped them all.
Freedom awaited them beyond the woods. Charlie felt they were prisoners who broke free and were now running for their lives while guards and attack dogs pursued them in the darkness. With the moon an
d stars to guide them, and the stadium lights from the school field filtering through the trees, the girls followed Natalia’s instruction. Hilary walked ahead while Charlie and Madison followed close behind her. Charlie’s heart pounded like it never had. She felt the pangs of hunger and thirst. Food and drink were luxuries none of them had the time to address.
The musty smell of moist leaves and damp soil was a novelty after exposure to the antiseptic odor of ANDREI and GEN Laboratories. Charlie noticed the woods surrounding the field, but she’d never seen anyone enter it before. She had an eerie feeling about being in woods she had never set foot in.
Looming beyond the woods was the concrete facade that isolated ANDREI and GEN Laboratory from the world. A smile formed in Charlie’s lips. Freedom was to be theirs soon. Charlie paused briefly to look back at the school. Memories of her struggles and triumphs washed away the fatigue in her muscles.
I will return. For Jeanne. For everyone.
The lights in the school field seemed brighter than usual. Charlie scanned the vacant field, not expecting anything. As if in a trance, she stared ahead in incredulity at a lone figure in the center of the field. She slowed her pace and glued her eyes on the person standing in the middle of the vast space. She recognized the figure.
Charlie walked towards a tree that stood between them and the field and planted her hands on the trunk. Eyes widened in surprise as she spoke, "Jeanne?"
"What are you doing?" Madison walked up to Charlie, pulling her arm. "Let's go," she hissed.
"It's Jeanne!" Charlie exclaimed. Madison followed Charlie's gaze.
Her grip on Charlie arms tightened, "I know what you're thinking but don't do it! We have to get out now."
"I can’t leave her!" Charlie snapped back. "Let me go to her. I can help her like I did you and Hilary!" Charlie tried to pull away from Madison but the girl wouldn't relent.
"Charlie, we can save her but not tonight," Hilary pleaded. "Remember what Ms. Worthington said. Her group can help us save everyone else, including Jeanne."
"If you have the chance to save your family now, why would you wait for someone else to do it?" Charlie chided them. Hilary and Madison were taken aback, giving Charlie the opportunity to free herself from Madison's grasp and run towards her sister.
She fought away the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.
Jeanne must not see me this emotional. She needs to believe and have confidence in me.
Charlie raced towards her sister, who remained motionless on the field. Charlie slowed when she was a yard away. Jeanne had her back facing Charlie.
"Jeanne," she called out. "Jeanne!"
Charlie extended her arms to touch her sister’s shoulders and pivoted Jeanne to face her. Jeanne's eyes were as blank as they had been in the secret room. Seeing her mirror image didn’t spark any recognition. Her expression remained cold and unfeeling. Charlie’s spirits fell seeing her twin still under Amanda’s mind control.
"Jeanne?" Charlie repeated, her voice cracking. "We have to get out of here. We have to escape before they find us. I know a way out."
Jeanne's head turned to the side, her expression curious like a child’s. "Escape?" she repeated. "Why?"
"Jeanne, we're prisoners here! They control us, to be at their beck and call. Don't you remember at all? We have to go now. We’ll come back for the others." Charlie’s words fell on deaf ears. Jeanne's hand suddenly curled around Charlie’s arm and pulled her towards the institute.
"Ms. Pitt would like to see you," she said, but Charlie pulled away.
"Jeanne!"
Charlie’s other hand crept up to the locket she was wearing. She easily used her powers to unclasp it. It slid beneath her shirt and she caught it before it fell on the ground.
Charlie tugged harder at her arm, forcing its release from Jeanne's grasp. She opened her hand to show Jeanne the locket. The engraved name 'Cate,’ glimmered under the light.
"Jeanne, look!" Charlie said, holding the locket up for her sister to see. "Do you remember? You have one like this, don't you? One that has your name engraved on it. This is mine. Our parents gave each of us a locket with our names on it."
Awash with emotions, Charlie’s tears cascaded down her cheeks. Charlie let out a nervous laugh,
"They probably couldn't tell us apart, even as babies. That's the problem with twins, right?"
Jeanne's face turned from blank to skeptic upon seeing the locket in Charlie's hands. Charlie felt a glimmer of hope when she saw the flash of recognition in Jeanne's eyes. But instead of an embrace, Jeanne pushed her sister away. She covered her ears with her hands as if shutting out some other voice. Concerned, Charlie went over her sister and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Jeanne, are you okay?"
The lights around the field flickered and Jeanne's skin began to warm rapidly. Charlie only had a moment to step back when Jeanne's head snapped up and her mouth opened, "Don't touch me!"
She screamed and a blast threw Charlie off her feet, sending her flying across the field. Sparks of electricity stung her skin; Charlie felt scorched. She heard Madison's and Hilary's screams from the woods as she rolled away, tiny sharp rocks cutting her skin. Charlie coughed, her lungs constricted. She pushed herself up, feeling the sting of an electric shock everywhere in her body and realized her hand was empty. Her eyes looked around but her locket was nowhere to be found.
At the institute, the blaring sound echoed throughout the premises. A young girl’s scream followed by an explosion alarmed Amanda as she turn towards the source. She commanded her army of students and team of guards to disperse and scour both buildings, but she realized that she was in the laboratory and far from her targets. Fortunately, she’d thought of the possibility and had placed her best bait for the rebellious teen.
"They're in the school field," Amanda confirmed with a smile. She turned to Bradley and Vladimir. "Let's go." She ordered them and the rest to regroup. Victory was hers as she marched the dark halls of the laboratory. At every turn, more of the scouting teams regrouped with hers.
"Tell your men to hold fire and not interfere." Amanda ordered one of the guards, who radioed the instruction to the rest. The queen bee sent the same orders to all Andreians. She wanted to see the event in the school field for herself. It would be interesting to watch them test their mettle and unleash their powers against each other. She still considered her best soldier and her worst rebel her prized treasures.
Charlie groaned on the ground. Her back and shoulders hurt while smoke billowed around her. Hilary ran out of the woods to Charlie's aid, but the sisters saw her at the same time. The lights flickered once more. Charlie turned in time to see Jeanne hurl another blast towards her friend.
"Don't!" She screamed, and Hilary turned to see the light coming towards her. She lifted her hands to cover herself but the blast disappeared before it reached her. Charlie's shield manifested in time to save the small girl.
"Jeanne, stop this now!" Charlie pleaded, drawing the attacks on herself rather than her friends. The infuriated Jeanne lashed out at her, sending more blasts of light in Charlie's direction. All Charlie did was create a shield and protect herself from her twin’s attacks. Charlie attempted to approach her sister while deflecting each attack the other sent her. "Jeanne, I'm your sister Charlie! Your sister Cate!" She yelled over the blasts. "I'm trying to help you!"
Jeanne stood her ground, unflinching. The emergency lights illuminating the school field began to explode; glass shrapnel rained down on Charlie. Suddenly, Jeanne's arms were pulled against her body. Charlie turned to see Madison using the same binding technique they used on the rampaging Hilary earlier.
"Charlie, just get out of there!" Madison shouted as loud as she could, but her words were drowned out by Jeanne's screams. The ground shook as Jeanne's voice echoed throughout the area. The last light bulb shattered and Jeanne lifted her hand, fighting off Madison's force. She directed a blast towards Madison and Charlie jumped between the two and used her shield to protect Madison
. The force broke her shield and the impact sent both girls flying back to the woods, Charlie falling on top of Madison.
Charlie lifted herself up, her head dazed from the impact. She leaned against a tree to steady herself while Hilary helped Madison off the ground. "Are you guys alright?" Hilary asked. Charlie couldn't say if she was. This was the second time tonight that Jeanne had lashed out at her despite her efforts. It stung her heart.
"Look what you did. Her outrage probably alerted the entire school to where we are by now," Madison accused. "Now that you see your sister is beyond help, let's go before she explodes again." She stormed away. Hilary stood perplexed, unsure of who to follow.
Charlie glanced at Jeanne, who was on her knees, face buried. "Charlie." Hilary's voice was gentle and soothing. "Let's go. We can save Jeanne, but not right now."
Charlie looked at her friend, desperation in her eyes. "She's your friend. She's my sister. Madison might still think of her as her rival and enemy, but it doesn't change the fact that she's also a victim here."
This stopped Madison in her tracks. She sympathized with Charlie. "I know she is. But it's pointless to risk getting caught just to save her when we can prepare to return soon and rescue not only her but the others as well."
Charlie bit her lip. Their words made sense to her, but she couldn’t bring herself to abandon Jeanne. Looking back once more, she saw her sister stand again. She couldn't read her expression from this distance, but the sight pained her nonetheless. Months before, she hadn't even known she had a sister. And in the past weeks, Charlie had worked hard to meet Jeanne. All the struggles and pain she’d endured were for Jeanne to be reunited with her.
How could I abandon Jeanne now when I am so close to reaching her?
Jeanne looked around, searching for Charlie, Madison and Hilary. Her fist curled; a ball of energy sparked and crackled between her fingers. Charlie recalled the surveillance video Natalia had sent her. Jeanne was scared and blew the place up, killing the three people who had attempted to inject her with the serum. Jeanne was able to fight back because, like Charlie, she already had her powers before they set foot in ANDREI. And what about the other students? Did they try to fight back, but were overpowered? The thought fueled Charlie's anger.
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