by Orson B Wolf
He leaned toward a large box, and six ten-week-old mutts looked up at him. One of them suddenly leaped at the surprised boy and butted his nose.
Grandma Edna, who was standing by his side, burst into laughter. “Looks like someone just chose you,” she said with a smile. “Look at him. He’s definitely showing it to you.”
David didn’t answer at first. He held the black puppy with both hands and looked at him closely. The furry lump returned a curious gaze and David wondered whether this was the right dog for him, the one he’d spend his life with.
Then, for a fraction of a second, a worried wrinkle was furrowed right in the middle of the puppy’s forehead.
David gasped. “You’re like me,” he whispered.
“Did you say something?” Grandma Edna drew closer and placed her hand on his shoulder.
“It’s between me and him,” David answered quietly and brought the puppy closer to his face. “You won’t tell our secret to anyone, will you?”
The puppy looked at David’s face and blinked with utter seriousness.
David turned to his grandmother. “What do you think?”
“I think you’ve already made up your mind.” Edna smiled. “He’s got maximum cuteness levels, that’s for sure. What will you call him?”
That day they had taken Max home and he had become a part of the Robertson family.
Now, exactly one year later, David lay on the cold ground with Max sprawled on top of him, covering his body like a blanket. Every few seconds, Max sniffed his face and then, gently, licked off the salty tears from the boy’s cheeks.
David still couldn’t believe Max was with him, safe and sound.
“How did you find me?” David whispered. He lifted Max’s head and examined his face. “Now we’re both trapped here, you and I.” He took a deep breath, then looked up at the black skies through the opening in the ceiling.
The alarm that had sounded a moment ago could only have one meaning: a blinding flash could appear at any moment, followed by the end of everything. The commotion heard from afar did not bode well: sirens, gun shots, screaming.
David hoped his parents were in the shelter, safe from any harm. He took another deep breath and prayed that his grandmother was safe as well, that those cruel boys had at least taken her to a sheltered place. David shook his head angrily.
If he had known just how dangerous Jackie was, he would have taken care of him long ago, would have used the prophet’s people to prevent that insane sadist from carrying out his plans.
Max rose, shook his fur, and walked away. David felt a sudden chill without the dog’s warmth. He carefully moved his injured elbow; it was still stiff and painful, but he could move it more freely now. He smiled at his dog. “Well done, Max.”
Max went to the corner of the room and sniffed the area where Jackie had urinated a few hours earlier. He started growling menacingly in the direction of the urine stain.
David looked at him with appreciation. “That’s right, buddy. You recognize the one who did it.”
David strained his body and managed to sit up. He tried to organize his thoughts. Earlier, before falling asleep, he had reached a decision.
“You see, Max,” he whispered to his dog hoarsely. “I might just influence the situation in the world, yet reduce the tension.”
David knew there was no way of knowing whether his actions would have an actual influence. What he planned on doing would put the prophet’s abilities to the greatest test of all. But that was not what bothered him most. The real issue was that each of his actions would have to take place with Jackie’s approval and under his watchful eye. His secret would be exposed to Jackie.
David shuddered once more upon realizing that violent hoodlum was about to gain control of the keys to govern the world.
He sighed and whispered into Max’s ear. “There’s no other choice, buddy. Looks like the bad guys won this time.” The dog continued to stare at the wall, but flicked his ears, making David convinced he was listening to his every word.
“You see, when someone asks you whether it’s right to sacrifice a hundred people to save millions, the answer is obvious.” Max turned and looked at him with his wise eyes.
“But what if it’s just one person? Is it all right to sacrifice one person to save the whole world? In this case, the answer is even more obvious.”
David grabbed Max’s collar, pulled the dog’s face closer, and whispered, “And what if that one person is you?”
For a moment, he dug his teeth into his bottom lip, then let go of the collar and scratched the dog under his ear. Max closed his eyes and his mouth gaped open with delight.
“Anyway.” David sighed. “I’m not even sure there’s any point in doing anything.”
The siren had definitely shuffled all the cards. He could not remember the emergency instructions from school. What did the siren even mean? How long would it take the missiles to get there? Maybe the siren was just a precaution, instructing civilians to get inside the shelters?
He closed his eyes.
Outside, the panicked screaming grew even louder. A faint smell of smoke rose to his nostrils. Max also turned his head toward the opening in the ceiling and sniffed the air with discomfort.
It appeared that the outside world was losing its sanity, which was exactly the reason why he had decided to surrender to Jackie. If he could save the world—he had to do it, no matter what terrible price he would need to pay. A shudder traveled down his spine.
Max clung to him as he whispered, “This time, the bad guys won.”
61
You’re an Angel
The siren was sudden and startling.
Edna sat bound to the chair with her heart beating wildly. The piercing sound of the siren had almost disrupted her silent count of the passing seconds. “Six-hundred and one, six-hundred and two…”
She closed her eyes and focused on the count. The boys in the room probably thought she was praying. And that was a good thing: they mustn’t know what she herself knew. Her only chance of being rescued lay with that sound that repeated itself every fifteen minutes, as silent as a whisper, yet as clear as a sweet promise.
Each time it recurred, she began to count anew. Ten minutes had passed since the last time it sounded, which meant that her opportunity would come in five minutes. She watched the boys in the room.
They were startled by the loud siren even more than she had been: they jumped from their places, walked back and forth, and spoke with anxious voices. It was obvious they just wanted to get out of there.
The siren sounded for a full minute and ended abruptly. Now she could hear their words.
“The Russians must have attacked” and “the explosion should be coming any second now,” were two sentences she had been able to overhear.
Edna took a deep breath and tried not to let the panic take over her as well. Once again, she remembered the words of Agent W: “When being held captive, each occurrence that might surprise your captors presents an opportunity for you to improve your situation.” She had to take advantage of the siren and act. It was now or never.
“I need to go to the bathroom!” she announced loudly.
It seemed that none of them had heard her. They continued to pace the room, pale-faced and nervous. Thomas disappeared into the hall while tensely speaking into his telephone, “This is the third message I’m leaving you. What’s going on?”
Edna repeated her words, shouting this time, “Hey! Do you hear me?”
This time they heard. The two boys turned to look at her. Alex appeared more attentive. The other one just stared at her in confusion.
She addressed them again. “Alex, if I’m going to die, at least let me do that with an empty bladder.” She gave him a reassuring smile. She felt like he needed that smile—and it seemed that it was working. The hard expression on hi
s face had softened a little. He looked at her, saying nothing.
“If I pee on the floor, we’re all going to suffer for it, won’t we?” she added softly.
He walked closer to her and stopped, directed his eyes at Thomas and then back to her. It appeared that he had reached a decision. He bent to her and whispered, “Don’t move.”
She looked at him expectantly as he drew a sharp knife and cut the duct tape. From her ankles first, then from her wrists.
All that time, she continued to count the passing seconds in her heart. There were about two minutes remaining. She had to hurry.
“Please hurry up, Alex, I can’t hold it much longer,” she pleaded.
He finished cutting and pulled the last piece of tape from the chair’s backrest. She was now free. With great effort, she began to get up on her feet. It wasn’t easy; her left leg was completely numb. Currents of sharp pain travelled down her hip and she nearly crumpled to the floor. Alex hurried to support her as she began to slowly walk toward the bathroom.
She leaned on his arm and thanked him with a trembling voice, “Thanks, you’re an angel.”
She had to hurry. The sound would return in a minute and she had to be alone when it happened. They marched together down the hall when Thomas suddenly appeared. He stopped in front of them and blocked their way.
“What are you doing?” he asked Alex angrily.
“She needs to go to the bathroom,” the scrawny teen said uncomfortably.
“Quickly, please. I can’t hold it!” Edna stared at Thomas, knowing that each moment of delay was critical. He examined her suspiciously. Edna continued to silently count the remaining seconds. Eighteen, seventeen… A moment later, he stepped aside and stated, “Make it quick.”
They returned to marching down the hall and she felt stronger now. She carefully tried to shift her weight to her left leg. Much better. She freed herself from Alex’s support and continued to quickly walk on her own to the bathroom.
Smiling thankfully, she quickly closed the door and locked it on the inside. Finally, she was unsupervised and with her hands untied! How much time remained? Did she count the seconds right?
Her heart beat wildly as she lowered the toilet seat and sat down. She removed the hairpin from her hair. She held it with both hands and carefully examined it. It was a simple metal hairpin, shaped like a long nail. Its round head was the size of an ordinary marble. It was green, and an image of a bone was depicted in its center. She turned it this way and that.
Could it be that this tiny little thing was producing the sounds she heard? Edna brought the pin closer to her ear and held her breath.
Then she heard it, just like fifteen minutes ago. This time it was close and clear.
Three taps, silence.
Two taps, silence.
A single tap.
She gasped with excitement. She wasn’t imagining it, then. The pin had played hers and David’s secret tapping code! Her genius grandson had figured out that if he gave her a hairpin as a present, she’d proudly wear it at all times, even at home. He knew just how emotional she was, especially about him. And he was right: the fact that he knew her so well allowed him to have her carry a permanent surveillance device. She laughed silently, “Good thing you find me so predictable, my darling boy.”
The moment she answered with her own identification password, it would probably be the sign that the pin was with her and not with anyone else. From that moment on, the pin would transmit her exact location to… the security center, perhaps? David must have made sure the transmissions would get into the right hands.
She looked at the small pin. It must contain a miniscule battery with limited energy. So long as the pin was used as a receiver, it was on energy-saving mode that allowed it to operate for lengthy periods, just like a recording device she had seen in the movies, one that could remain hidden for weeks until activated by sound.
She took a deep breath. She mustn’t waste any time, she had to focus her mind. With trembling hands, she turned the pin and searched for the hidden switch that would allow her to complete the password. She couldn’t find it. She pressed the tiny ball between her fingers, closely examined the bone illustration—but found nothing.
What was she supposed to do? How could she complete the password in the next round of tapping that was supposed to come in a moment?
Edna knew that after the code repeated itself for the second time, she would not hear it again for fifteen whole minutes. She turned the pin from side to side, panting feverishly, desperate to figure it out. Her forehead beaded with sweat as she pressed the pin from every possible angle, but for nothing. She was angry at herself. The key for her release was right between her fingers, yet she couldn’t solve its riddle.
There was loud knocking at the door. “What’s going on, are you finished?” Alex sounded nervous.
Edna’s eyes widened in amazement when she realized what she must do. “Thanks, Alex,” she muttered.
“I’m breaking the door unless you get out of there right now, you hear me?” His voice had turned into an angry screech.
“I’m almost done, just a second!” she answered and hurried to get up, deliberately stomping her feet. She was hoping the noise would convince the nervous boy that she was about to come out in a moment and calm him down a bit.
Then she heard it again. Edna brought the pin closer to her ear with longing: three taps, two taps, a single tap.
With trembling fingers, Edna held the pin, and tapped it four times with the tip of her nail. What now? She brought the pin to her ear and held her breath. The reply came immediately: four taps!
Edna burst into silent tears and kissed the hairpin with trembling lips.
“Get out right now, I tell you!” Alex’s screech now reached an impossibly high pitch and he began to pound the thin wooden door with his fist.
Edna rose, straightened her clothes, and placed the pin back in her hair. She flushed the toilet, then washed her face and examined herself in the mirror. She looked terrible. David must have been scared out of his wits when he had seen her picture this morning, gagged and bound to a chair.
These hoodlums wanted to frighten and pressure him. That was the thing that worried her most, but now she at least knew he was all right. After all, he was the one signaling her with the pin. In the mirror she examined the small, yet so significant, object that connected the two of them from afar.
She opened the door and stared at Alex. The scrawny teen wheezed heavily and appeared more stressed than ever.
“Alex dear, no need to break this door. I told you I was coming out in a moment,” she quietly said.
He examined her closely, then combed the restroom with his eyes. “Let’s go,” he finally growled.
As they walked back up the hall, he asked her something. She hadn’t expected it, and it took her some time to digest his words. “What solution did you say you had?” his voice was low, almost a whisper.
“What do you mean? A solution for what?” she whispered back.
He hesitated. “You know, for the pimples.” He slowed down, obviously not wanting the others to overhear their conversation.
Edna stifled a smile, then cleared her throat and answered. “It’s very simple, actually.” She closely looked into his face and he looked back expectantly. They walked back into the room and to the chair in its center.
Edna sat down, careful to remove her hands from the armrests. She was hoping he had softened to her and would leave her hands untied.
“Well?” he asked, grabbing her right hand and violently pressing it to the armrest. He wasn’t trying to be gentle. With rough movements, he wrapped the silver duct tape around her wrist and continued to her other hand. “What’s the solution?” he repeated impatiently.
She looked at Alex as he toiled on binding her wrists with the duct tape. She remembered how the boys
had broken into her apartment and how he was the one who had disgustedly moved her cats out of his way.
“It’s simple. Just remember that melted cheese has an enzyme that breaks down the natural oils of the skin.” She spoke as confidently as she could. The boy was simply asking for it.
“Meaning?”
She looked at him and executed her little revenge. “Pizza, eat lots of pizza.”
“Really?” He gave her a questioning look, a spark of hope igniting in his eyes.
“Trust me on this one.” She nodded knowingly. “It will take some time, but in two weeks or so, you’ll start seeing the difference.”
62
Complete Chaos
“Are you sure there’s nothing to be afraid of, daddy?”
Edward looked down. Simon hugged his legs as hard as he could and looked up at him.
Tears shone in the principal’s eyes. He smiled, bent down, and swung his son up into the air, safely wrapped in his arms. “Everything appears to be in order so far, they haven’t fired at us,” he answered softly.
Relieved murmurs could be heard all around him. The now-silent sirens had scared everyone half to death. He turned to the others in the room and repeated his words, louder this time, “As I said, no one has fired yet.”
The spacious atomic shelter under the school had an inner room that served as a military headquarters and contained a server rack and medical equipment. Edward stood in its center and spoke to the group of people intently looking at him.
Through the open door, he could see the crowd gathered at the shelter. Five hundred people had come so far, and the place was designed to contain even more.
Over the past hour, the major had ordered four military buses to make rounds through the city and those had returned with a large number of bleary-eyed families. Edward was impressed with Lincoln, who had perfectly managed the operation. The families themselves acted in a surprisingly calm manner. The students and their parents unquestioningly obeyed the instructions. The major was about to send two additional buses when the alarm had sounded and thwarted his plan.