Chapter 12 Part 1 Info

Chloe

April 15th, 2014

9:50 AM

Arcadia Bay, Oregon

Two Whales Diner

I arrive at my Mother's diner and park my truck in the small parking lot beside it. It took longer than usual to get due to the roads being closed off by Chrysalis enforcement and the civil disobedience opposed to it. I had driven by closed roads guarded by troops with protesters waving picket signs and shouting out "Hell no, Chrysalis go! You tell Prescott we won't go!" behind the barrier fences. The longer this Max and Rachel situation was kept up, the more serious things would get.

I walk into the diner and see Warren texting on his phone. I walk over to where he sits to sit down and hear what he had to say to me.

"Chloe, glad you could make it. What kept ya?"

"Have you looked outside, Warren? It's fucking Iraq in Arcadia Bay with soldiers and protesters blocking the streets. That's what kept me."

"Right. Can't blame you for that."

"You said you found something that might interest me. Make it worth my while."

"Well, considering you'll be helping defend Max with her case in court, I though you might want to look at this."

Warren pulled up a web page on his phone and had me take a look at it. It was a Wikipedia page about quantum terrorist.

"I was looking up some interesting facts about quantum terrorism last night and I came across this on Wikipedia."

"What is it?"

"It's a quantum terrorist group founded in the early two-thousands that was countering the Chrysalis security branch. Meaning they were funded with the same military hardware and technology Chrysalis has. They call themselves Neo-Chrysalis."

"Neo-Chrysalis? Like Neo-Nazi?"

"Yeah, sort of. But that's besides the point. Neo-Chrysalis is known to be a deadlier terrorist organization than Al-Qaeda. People like the CIA and National Security have tried taking down these terrorist for year but have always failed. When Chrysalis became aware of it, they've always tried getting the upper hand towards them as well. But then again, it was no easier for them than it was for others. Rumor has it, these terrorist have performed some kind of supernatural rituals that are capable of destroying civilization."

"Hmm, keep going."

"It says here that Chrysalis have theorized these rituals to be performed globally. For instance, there were theories about Hurricane Katrina being an act of terrorism using the destructive rituals. There are even more theories about twisters in Kansas even tsunamis in Japan being terrorist attacks. What if the twister that hit this town six months ago was ritualized. You know, terrorism so to speak."

"So...what you're telling me is that you think that tornado that struck the town was ritualized by these terrorist who call themselves Neo-Chrysalis or something?"

"Why not? It's my only logical guess if you ask me. They're saying that Max had caused the problem. What if they're wrong? Suffice it to say, what if Neo-Chrysalis set Max up or something? This may be a good lead to clear her name out."

"Well Warren, we can't just bring this up in court and tell the judge this is all the evidence to clear her name now can we? Rachel already has some pretty good leads for Max anyways. We should probably wait it out until then."

"Well maybe I can send this info to Rachel or something. It could be really useful."

"Maybe. I'll just have to tell Rachel about it. But she already has her hands full deciphering evidence to prove Max's innocence at moment. Is there anything else you like to share before I go?"

"Nothing else for now, Chloe. I just hope it was worth your time."

"By the way, Warren, how's everything at Blackwell? I heard about the protest over there."

"It's not pretty, Chloe. Besides from Chrysalis security harassing us every time we have to get to class and back to our dorms, I've never seen Victoria become so prevalent to start a school strike. She's got like all the woman power in the world to start anything at Blackwell."

"Pff, I know how Victoria's mind works. Is she leading the protest alone?"

"Nah, some of her Vortex Club friends are leading with her. Kate had told me she wanted to lead with them and was offered to do so."

"Who? Kate Marsh? She wants to lead with Victoria? Didn't Kate used to get picked on by Victoria at one time?"

"They've been putting their differences behind them. Victoria was nice enough to let her lead with each other and so she actually accepted the offer. It was all part of Kate's token of forgiveness and redemption. Perks of being a Christian."

"You know for someone as religiously Christian as Kate is, you don't think protesting would make her a sinner or anything?"

"In her code, protesting isn't a sin. It's a pathway to hope and liberty. That's what she told me when I asked her the same question. After all, she's been praying for Max since the day they took her in."

"Well Warren, it was nice chatting with you. Thanks for the info. I'll be sure to tell Rachel."

"Don't mention it, Chloe. Good luck with Max's case tomorrow. Your going to need it."

Chapter 12 Part 2 Dr. Sorenson

Max

April 15th, 2014

12:04 PM

Portland, Oregon

Chrysalis HQ

I had been sitting in my cell for nearly three hours waiting for my examination. There was nothing else for me to do there than to lay down on my bed watch television. At least there were able to let me watch some of my favorite modern cartoons like Gravity Falls and Steven Universe. Me and Chloe had grown up watching Spongebob Squarepants and Invader Zim when we were little brats. The cartoons I had been watching today were some that me and Chloe enjoy ourselves. I heard someone unlocking my cell door and the guards had returned for me.

"Crosby would like to see you in his office," said the guard. "Turn around and face the wall, ma'am. Put your hands behind your head where I can see them."

I get off the bed and do as I'm told. The guard takes my hands from behind my head and cuffs them. The two men in the security uniforms escort me out of my cell and take me to the top floor where Crosby's office was located using the elevator. When me and the guards enter the office, there was man in a lab coat sitting by Crosby's desk where Crosby himself had been waiting for me with the person who was with him. I assumed the man in the lab coat was one of Chrysalis's scientist or whatnot. It was my only obvious guess.

"Ah, there she is. Our guest of honor has arrived," the man in the lab coat said.

"Max, this is Dr. Sorenson," said Crosby introducing the man. "Chief Science Officer of Chrysalis, co-founder of Chrysalis, and curator for Project Elysium. Guards, you can remove the cuffs. Ms. Caulfield won't be any trouble."

The guards unlocked the cuffs off my wrists and left the office. The office itself looked pretty snazzy from where I stood. There was an enormous glass window in the room that allowed people to get a bird's eye view of Portland. There also some nice furniture in the room to sit on too.

Dr. Sorenson looked a little older than Crosby and even Sean Prescott. The three of them all founded the company and I guessed they must have been close pals taking the ambition to develop Chrysalis. Sorenson also had a real thick voice. If not a foreign accent of some kind. He even came out just as friendly as Crosby when I was first introduced to him. Way more friendly compared to how Prescott always come off.

"Have seat, dear," said Sorenson. "We have a lot to discuss."

I shake Sorenson's hand and the three of us sit down on the furniture set up in the room. Then we all have a friendly chat with each other.

"I must admit, Ms. Caulfield, it's an honor to meet after all these months."

"It's an honor to meet you as well, Dr. Sorenson. Call me Max if you don't mind."

"As you most certainly wish, Max. Crosby told me I can call you whatever you want to be."

"Charming. So what is it that you want to talk about? I've already told most people about my personal history with my power."

"It's not about your personal history, Max. It's more about yourself in general."

"What about it?"

"Crosby may have mentioned that we brought you here for study. We want to learn more about your abilities Max. We want to know if your really the person people think you are or if your the opposite."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that we want to study the true nature and practicality of your powers. Here at Chrysalis, we provide ourselves with test subjects exposed to the same powers you withhold in order to determine the capability of time wielding as excruciating to the environment that surrounds the time wielder or beneficial to whatever the time wielder wishes to differentiate."

"Oh let me guess. This is the part where I become your lab rat now. No way, no how."

"Max, hear us out for a minute," said Crosby. "If you do this for us, we not only learn more about your powers, we can also bring this up in court as well."

"In court? What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying is that both the judge and jury would want to know what you actually do with your powers via video footage of your sessions you'll be taking for us. Otherwise, there wouldn't be much evidence to determine the verdict."

"So what you're saying is that you want me to go into your little laboratory just for some footage of me using my powers for the judge and jury to see?"

"You'll be taking your sessions in the test chambers and simulation rooms," Sorenson reassured. "Not in the labs."

"Either way, I don't think Chloe or my parents especially are going to enjoy that."

"They're opinions won't mean anything to us, Max," said Crosby. "Besides, I already made an agreement with your parents about it and they said they were cool with it. After all, I also offered them a chance to see what you can actually do with your powers."

"Really? When did you do that?"

"Just recently. They're on they're way over here right now as we speak."

Before I could say anything else, the office door had opened revealing two guards escorting my unexpected visitors. And there they were. My parents had walked into the office and just so happened to get here in the nick of time.

"Speak of the devil," said Crosby.

"Max, sweetheart!" my Mom had shouted.

"Mom! Dad!" I shout back.

I rush my way over to my parents and give my Mom a hug. My Dad rubs my hair with his hand for my warm welcome.

"Are you okay, Max? Did they hurt you?"

"Settle down, Vanessa," my Dad said calming his wife down. "Crosby promised us Max was okay."

"I'm fine, Mom. Really... Look, Mom, I'm sorry. Okay? I'm so sorry I have to make you-"

"Max, sweetie, as of right now you don't need to be sorry," said Vanessa. "Your Father told me what you had to go through. You're safe. That's all that matters."

"Are you and Dad still upset about what I did? Even if I didn't ask for it to happen?"

"Max, me and your Mother both know you didn't mean for this to happen. Alright? You have our forgiveness. Crosby told us what they were going to do to you and I successfully managed to convince your Mother into seeing your powers. Even though it wasn't easy."

"For the record, you and Mom really deserve to know more about my powers," I said. "I suppose your right. I just want you to all know, please don't freak out. I want you to prepare yourselves for what you'll see."

"We will, Max. Your Mother and I will be ready for anything. You don't need to worry about us."

"Well how kind of you. Considering how foolish I acted in that interrogation room, I'm surprised you don't even care anymore."

"Max, that no longer matters," said Vanessa. "Like your Father said, if we had known about this sooner, we would've acted differently. The sooner you get out those rags, if you get out of those rags, the better. That's all the matters."

I give both my parents hugs accepting their forgiveness. In time, they'll have to accept who am now if they haven't already.

"Guards, escort Mr. and Mrs. Caulfield to the observation rooms near the test chambers," Crosby ordered the guards. "We'll take care of their daughter and make sure she gets there too."

The guards did what they were asked and walked my parents out of the room for a brief moment. Then I was left in the room with Crosby and Sorenson. Whenever they were ready to take me to the test chambers.

"So are we doing this, Crosby or what?" I ask him. "My parents sounded pretty anxious to see what I can do."

"Just so you know, Max," began Crosby. "If your parents overreact about what they see, they're be much we can do. Understood?"

"If you say so," I say nodding. "I know how my parents are. No matter how they react, we don't got a whole lot of choice, do we?"

"No we don't. We better get to work. We've got a lot catching up to do. Let's keep your parents waiting."

Note: If you guys think this episode is getting a little boring, I apologize. I know the episode so far has been nothing but filler, other than reading the heist mission in this episode, but bear with me folks. It's only pacing.

So I decided to make this chapter two parts for two different POV's. I'm sure you noticed. This episode will get better as it progresses.

Until next time, stay golden.