Lockdown Nation

by Lim, Candice

  “Not sure. Probably mutation of the binding site or something,” said Axon. “But we discovered the expression of these genes is regulated by something else.”

  “Like another set of genes?”

  Axon nodded. “Except this set of genes isn’t from the same genome.”

  “Uh-huh.” Mandy’s head hammered. The flashbacks from Hershey’s Genetics class came rushing back.

  Vaxine swiped her hand midair to go back to the phylogenetic tree. She pulled out two sequences and put one on top of the other. “The top sequence is from your standard Infected we will call Type A from now on and the one below was from Jane Hershey.” Another snap of fingers, the same part, and few extra sections on Hershey’s sequence were emphasized.

  Mandy rested her fists on the bench and leaned forward. “You’re saying the genes from Hershey are controlling the expressions on the other Infected? Is it even possible?”

  “No, throughout the entire history of genetics, we’ve never seen something such a jaw-dropping phenomenon. This might be a breakthrough discovery that could change our perspective forever,” said Ronin.

  “Cool. But what can we do with this piece of information?” asked Mandy.

  “It’s still too early to make assumptions yet. There’s something we can do to solidify our hypothesis before we decide our next course of action,” said Ronin. “Peyton and Cash are the only confirmed subjects who are Infected and show no apparent signs. If we could get close enough to them, we might be able to get into their genes.”

  The dots were slowly connecting in Mandy’s head. The fear trickling in her chest. “So we have to pay a visit to Peyton and Cash, the possible key players behind Project Hive Mind?”

  “We don’t have a better choice,” said Vaxine. “We need to know exactly how Cranax works if we want to control them.”

  A wave of resentment for Roxy for leaving Mandy with this mess swelled in her chest. It wasn’t the first time Roxy had gone MIA, leaving her in the dark about her whereabouts. Except now they’d swapped places. An escape plan was taking shape in her head when Ronin rested his fist on the bench, shattering her thoughts. “We’ll have to pay a visit to the Council.”

  Mandy gulped but Vaxine and Axon didn’t seem to be perturbed by the idea. “Field trip?” Axon crossed his arms over his chest and arched his brow.

  “Hope we get some nice souvenirs out of it.”

  “Sounds fun,” mumbled Mandy.

  Ronin clapped his hands once. “Alright. We shall plan our itinerary then.” He turned to Axon and Vaxine. “We’ll work out the best course of action to get into the Council and see what else we can work out from the data we’ve collected so far.”

  Mandy was no longer in the headspace of the discussion. Her thoughts were all over the place but here. Sure this was her chance to prove herself worthy in the Community but was it worth it to risk her whole life and future for it? Was it why Roxy had left her out? Because she didn’t want to be the reason for her to drop out of the Community again?

  “Mandy!” Her thoughts scattered. She looked up at the three staring at her.

  “You okay?” asked Axon again.

  Mandy pinched the bridge of her nose. “Yeah, sorry. It’s just too much for me to handle right now.”

  “We’re not the only one suffering from the impact of the Cranax pandemic. As the members of the Community, it becomes our duty to make things right and not whining like a brat.” Vaxine’s words dripped with venom but Mandy was sure she directed the last part to Roxy.

  A wave of futile anger swept over Mandy, but she wasn’t in an argumentative mood, so she dropped it. Her head was already preoccupied with so much worry and questions to be in a screaming match with Vaxine.

  “Mandy, make sure all the electronics are fully charged before our mission.” Ronin’s gaze stilled on Mandy for a while, like he got something to say but changed his mind about it. Then, the three went into the lab without Mandy.

  Mandy sighed when their last shadow disappeared around the corner. Her eyes fell on the electronics, a spell of loneliness swelled in her chest. The other night, she and Roxy shared the duty but now she was gone, her status unknown.

  Unable to hold back the burning questions, she turned around and picked up her phone to call Roxy. She paced up and down, raking her hand across her overgrown hair. She could twirl it around her fingers now, it was long overdue for a cut.

  After a minute, all she got was a long beep. She pocketed her phone and felt worse than before. “Please be alive, Roxy,” she muttered to herself and got to work to distract herself from the intrusive thoughts.

  10

  ROXY

  I jolted out of snooze when I thought of the Neighborhood Admission Kiosk dotted around the interstate borders. I blinked quickly and found myself in the cab. The first blush of dawn painted the sky in an ombre of pink and purple.

  “The national news channel was compromised but we’re now back online. As the Cranax cases continue to soar, we’re going into Stage 2 restrictions, namely Lockdown Nation,” said a female voice over the radio. “The emergency Cranax coalition led by National Counsel Professor Ronin Yamashita has called for the impeachment of President Professor Peyton for alleged treason.”

  The cab driver scoffed, scattering my reverie and snapping me back to reality. “What an interesting time we live in! Lucky for you, we don’t have to go through the annoying NA-Kiosk yet.”

  I replied with a polite laugh. I was still in the headspace of the lab, wondering if Ronin and the rest had found out we were MIA yet. It wouldn’t be much of a loss. Probably one less dead weight to hold them back from saving the world.

  “Hey, you okay?” Sam held my hand and squeezed tight.

  “Yeah, what an interesting time we live in.” I smiled, purging the thoughts of the lab and Cranax virus out of my head. Soon, I would be in Whiteshore, my safe refuge and paradise. I rested my head on Sam’s shoulder, inhaling the scent of his shirt and soaking in the moment of his warm body against mine.

  I wanted to forget everything about the Community, Project Cranax, or even the Cranax pandemic.

  My chest muscles tightened as we approached the border of Whiteshore. The mental images of the day when I left flounced in my head. The long line of cars waiting to enter the restricted town. Armed ATP inspecting every car before they were allowed in.

  Except I didn’t see any of it this time. The only evidence I wasn’t tripping were the walls that had remain erected around the first-class area. A mix of relief and apprehension washed over me. As much as I hated the idea of being probed by armed personnel, without the NA-K, Whiteshore was no longer safe from the Infected.

  The cab eased into the side of the road in the exact spot where Mandy’s car had parked the last time we had been here. Sam tapped his phone on the pay machine and hopped out. We stood on the curb and followed the tail of the cab until it disappeared around the corner. Then, our eyes interlocked.

  A mix of thrill and nostalgia came over me. Part of me couldn't wait to go home while the other part couldn't believe I was here.

  “Let’s go down to the beach for breakfast like the good old days.” Sam looked relieved by the second. I didn’t want to waste this moment overthinking it.

  With a smile, I took his hand and we made for the beach. The gentle breeze blustered through my hair, dancing away with every strand of trouble that had been bogging me down. I took in deep breaths, feeling every atom of the minty particle infuse with my lung cells.

  Part of me wanted to break free and run into the welcoming arms of the sea. Instead, I took it slow, enjoying the minuscule grain of sands that found their way into my sneakers. Once at the shore, I bent over and took off my shoes.

  The cold seawater washed over the sand and kissed my toes as I wriggled them. I sucked in a breath with my eyes closed. The chill pricked my skin. It was real. I opened my eyes and I was still at the beach, overlooking the clear blue sea at Whites
hore, not trapped behind the windows in the lab.

  A safe and relieved feeling swelled in my chest. I was reminiscing the gone days when a shutter scattered my thoughts. I turned around when Sam lowered his phone. “What are you doing?”

  “Snapping a photo of a rare beauty in her native habitat.” Sam smiled and was about to show me the photo when I turned away and pushed his hand down.

  “No, I don’t want to see it.” The mental pictures of my wanted photo flounced in my head, shivering me.

  “Trust me, you look pretty,” said Sam.

  I shook my head. “Let’s go grab breakfast.” Pulling him by the hand, I led him towards the stretch of beachfront restaurants and bars we used to frequent during our last getaway.

  “Fine.” Sam pocketed his phone. “We going to our favorite one?”

  “Our favorite?” I stared at Sam while racking my brain.

  “Remember the one where we got the organic maple bacon from?” asked Sam. “The one where they served freshly squeezed orange juice instead of perfumed water?”

  My mind drew a blank. Unsure of my loss of memory caused by the many different restaurants we visited or my taste for food being distorted by crappy artificial food at CU. “Uh, okay.”

  “I know exactly where it is.” Sam squeezed my hand and pulled me towards the stretch of restaurants where the staff was lifting the roller doors and wiping the tables in anticipation of their customers. Some smiled at us while we passed.

  Sam pulled up in front of a closed beachwear store. His face and shoulders fell at once. “Oh, it’s closed. It was here.” The memories trickled back into my mind when I turned around at the little island in the distance.

  It was where we had our last breakfast in Whiteshore before Sam and I parted ways. The fresh smell of acrylic paint and the spanking new minimalist interior hinted it hadn’t been open for long.

  “Guess we’ll have to go somewhere else.” The sadness seeped through Sam’s fake smile. I shared his sentiment and disappointment. Whiteshore had always been our special place. And the restaurant where we’d had our last breakfast before we split was now gone.

  I squeezed his hand. “It’s okay, Sam. The lockdown wiped off many businesses. We can try all the new restaurants and rewrite our story.”

  Sam’s eyes glazed over and interlocked with mine. “You’re right.” He moved forward and planted his mouth against mine, sent my heart reeling. My eyes fluttered closed. A wave of uncanny feelings rushed through my head.

  The last time he’d kissed me like this was when we were in high school before we broke up. It had been so long since I’d experienced such a human and organic feeling. I ran my fingers up along the length of his arms. A jolt of fear shook me. My eyes flew open. I pulled away.

  A hurtful and shocked look filled Sam’s face. I turned away, shaking my head. “Sam, we should take it slow. So many things are happening right now, and I need some time to clear my mind.”

  “Sorry, I just missed you so much.”

  “Me too, Sam.” I took his hand, brushed my thumb across his knuckles, and pulled him towards the restaurant we walked past.

  ☣☣☣☣☣☣

  My chest swelled with the same kind of anticipation like the last time I’d opened the door to my childhood house. Though I was opening the door to an empty house, a sliver of hope sparked within me, wishing my parents would be waiting inside for me. The same wave of grief hit me when the same gray faces of the furniture greeted me.

  The only difference had been the clean floors and fresher air. The contents of the ration pack still sat on the kitchen bench like the day I’d left.

  With a sigh, I opened the door wider and let Sam come through. “It feels like opening a time capsule.” He walked in turning in circles, checking out every corner of the living room. “Everything is still the same.”

  I forced a faint smile. Part of me was glad everything had remained the same—no one had raided my little safe refuge yet. Another part of me wished either my parents or Quillon Riley would come back and give me a sign.

  My thought went to the leather-bound notebook buried in the depth of my backpack. Perhaps it would be handy to Ronin, but I couldn't bring myself to part with it. Sure he had given me other things, but these were the few relics of his life in academia I never knew. To boot, why would I help someone who had lied to me for his own benefits?

  My curiosity to read the contents was burning inside me. The same intriguing feeling hanging over me at Underlab. It was probably a bad idea but my desire to find the answers was stronger and overcame my common sense.

  “Hey, Sam. Why don’t you go freshen up and have some rest?” I said.

  “What are you gonna do?”

  “I just want some time being alone. To clear my head.”

  The creases on Sam’s forehead deepened with concern. “Are you alright?”

  “Yeah, thanks. I’ll be right back.”

  Sam’s eyes glued to mine in a long hard stare. “Okay, just yell out if you need anything.”

  I feigned a smile. “You bet.” I followed Sam’s retreating back with my eyes until he disappeared around the corner. He knew every nook and corner of the house, so I didn’t have to play host with him. I made for the staircase to the door next to my room.

  I stared at the doorknob for a few seconds and reached to grab it. The door creaked and opened to a staircase to the attic, where my folks had turned into a storeroom for my late grandparents’ belongings. I whipped out my phone and let the flashlight lit my way up.

  The dust tickled my nostrils. I sneezed a couple of times before I reached the attic. The attic was smaller, and the roof was lower than I’d remembered. But then again, I was probably around 8 or 9 when I’d last been up here.

  I swept the floor next to a pillar with my shoe and plopped down. Propped against the pillar, massive boxes decked along the walls, each marked with names. The morning light streamed from the window at the other end of the attic, turning the dust particles into little fairies.

  With another deep breath, I reached for my backpack and pulled out the journal. Clutching it in my hand, I stared at the worn leather cover, wondering if I would open another can of worms.

  Closing my eyes, I sucked in a breath. “What worse could happen now?”

  Holding my breath, I undid the strap and opened the first page.

  I can’t be prouder for my granddaughter for choosing to continue the family legacy of being in the Community.

  My heart cracked. I closed the book. I wasn’t exactly surprised but it still hurt like a slap on my face. Especially after I’d ditched Ronin and team to hide away in my secret refuge.

  Sucking in a deep breath, I purged the self-deprecating thoughts and flipped through the first few pages. I skimmed through the words, carefully not to read something that might trigger me when my phone vibrated against my jeans pocket.

  I pulled it out. It was Mandy Berger. Guilt pricked at my conscience. As if the universe conspired and urged me to go back to them. Yet I persisted. I stared at the call screen until it blacked out. I put it on silent and slid it back into my pocket.

  I scanned through the journal until I saw Hershey’s name.

  My curiosity has got better than me and I’m terrified of what I have done. The experiment has gone awry and I cannot stop it from getting worse. We’re so far from understanding the virus and when we do, it has already evolved into something else. We cannot seem to catch up with what it’s capable of. As much as I’m intrigued by this unique ability, I’m very concerned about what it can do.

  The tiny hairs on my arms stood on ends. The chill picked up and I hugged my knees.

  Hershey and I might have been overly optimistic and enthusiastic about this trial. I’ve urged her to stop the other experiments too and she seems to see eye to eye with me. But I’m still very concerned. I have no idea how many facilities are working with it. We’ve cost some people their lives and we can’t
let other scientists make the same mistake.

  I turned to the next page and found a newspaper clipping from seven years ago. ‘Man jumped off building screaming for help and twin’s name’.

  My blood curdled in my veins. What Botty told me in the lab about the twins' experiment swirled in my head. At least the droid wasn’t lying to me.

  I can’t forgive myself anymore. This calls for the end of my service in the Community. In Reason We Trust.

  The rest of the pages was blank.

  Closing the book, I stared at the empty faces of the boxes and let what I read sink in me. Ten years ago. When grandpa retired from his job. He never talked much about his job nor did I ask. I had no idea why no one ever mentioned it. Funny he didn’t mention anything about Project Hive Mind. Maybe he wasn’t involved after all.