28. Tris: The King and Queen
Three months! Three months and I still don't have a clue! I've been looking for the stock of serums, Marcus says to possess. I tried every unlocked door in the compound and I still don't have a clue. I punch the bag hard again. I punch it until my knuckles hurt too much.
"Are you angry Mummy?" asks Adam little voice behind me. I stop immediately. I don't want him to see me like this. His voice has enough violence already. I savor the sound of the word "Mummy" in his mouth though. He just began using it about two weeks ago. I kneel down to his height and answer quietly "No. Mummy is upset, but that's nothing to do with you sweetie. Is it time for your training already?" He nods and goes to the ring. I hate to watch him actually fighting other kids, but I don't have choice at the moment.
It's true that I'm upset. Our plan is going on quite well, even if we can't give too much detail to each other. Four is working with Zeke to breach into the compound security, and hack their control system. They plan to access the whole camera system as well as the alarm signals. They want to spy for a while before we go for the attack. It is much more complicated than last time because we need to free more than 600 kids as well as our family. Logistics' very different. Four got the idea to get help from the Factionless-there are a lot of their kids prisoners here. With his connection to Evelyn, they are getting help from a lot of technical personal from the Fort Sheridan and many public services as transportation or electrical network. In due time, their help will be precious to get out of here.
The main flaw in the plan at the moment is that I still haven't located where they store the serums, and I don't know how Marcus would use it on the city if needed. I suppose he must keep it at hand, but probably not in his office. I checked a lot of rooms already without finding anything. What I have to do is find a way to make someone get there and spy on them. I think I have an idea but it's quite dangerous. Maybe I could've come up with this earlier.
OK I think I won't stay any longer, as the technicians look like stopping here for today, after Adam knocked out 2 boys about 3 years older than him. It's true he's quite tall compared to them. I decide I must do it quick. I'm trying to turn him into a normal child but this won't be possible inside here, where he is always under stress and used a laboratory subject for violent experiments.
I have to see Marcus; very soon. But first I need a few accessories, especially the key I stole 3 months ago, and I have to speak with Matthew right now.
xxx
First I go to the library. It's a big room with oaken shelves. The coding system is different from the Erudite's, but I manage to find the lane I need. I'm looking for the serum sum book of Jeanine Matthews: Serums and their effects. I easily find back the section, where they talk about the side effects of the over-using of the serum, and the ability to produce a simulation without serum. I ask for a copy of it. The guy at the desk frowns at my demand, but I say I want to show it to Marcus and I'm not allowed to take the book out. I finally get may copy of the pages I need and I decide to straight to Marcus' office.
I knock but I don't wait for the answer…and I find myself in front of him, talking with Johanna Reyes, seated in front of him.
"Hello Beatrice." says Marcus smiling as usual. I'm so shocked that I don't even think about going out again, and also, I feel rage growing inside me. That filthy traitor of Johanna is still helping him then. I don't know if she understands what I'm thinking about, or maybe she's just fearing for her life. She says with a crooked voice "I see you're doing well in here. I'm sorry things turned out that way for you both, but you know there were higher interests in balance. I had to make the right choice."
"Glad you feel right about it." I spit "Betraying the ones who helped you to get here and destroy their families and lives… nice decision to live with!" She flinches.
"I didn't know what else to do, even if I don't like it." She says. "And at least, you're all alive! I'm the one who suggested to let Natalie with her parents to compare her behavioral evolution scheme with Adam."
"I don't need your excuses and I don't care. I can't even imagine how you could look at Four every day, knowing what you did to us. Please don't speak to me again."
Marcus says "You're so naïve my dear. You don't understand yet, what it is to make sacrifices for the sake of everybody."
I look at Marcus and Johanna and I feel sick. "You are two venomous snakes. You speak about higher interests and sacrificing for the good of others but when did any of YOU, sacrifice for the others? It's easy to talk and ruin the other's lives. I know; I've done it. I have stolen many people's memory. But I couldn't even live with it afterwards. You, just don't care. You drape in your believing, that you're the best to rule, whatever it takes."
Marcus doesn't seem to care but Johanna seems to shrink in her chair and I'd swear she's about to cry.
I decide to finish her "But what kind of leaders are you to sacrifice the weakest to your purpose, instead of trying to co-operate? You don't deserve the power you have."
Maybe I just blew up all my chances to see Matthew and solve my problem, but I couldn't help it. Anyway, would Marcus be deceived if I suddenly became quiet and nice to him? He would guess I'm up to something. I must ask now.
"Now; I came to ask Marcus the permission to speak with Matthew about something I'm concerned with for Adam. It's about his reactions to the simulation serum. I believe his knowledge about serums and brain could help. We will speak in the lab only, if you want to know everything we say."
"What is it about?" says Marcus.
I show him the copies of the book and explain to him, that I'd like to know if Adam can actually produce a simulation on his own. But I lie, saying I'm the one who connected to him once. He looks interested and thinks for a minute; weighing his options as usual.
OK he says, go to the lab this afternoon at 3PM, but I want a guard in the room and no object can be exchanged. We'll have the cameras anyway. Tell Matthew to report to me straight after you're finished.
xxx
I go to the lab in due time; I still carry my papers. This is when I have to be cold hearted and precise. As I enter the room, I walk slowly to check for the cameras, as Four always does. Now I know where to stand. I greet Matthew with a hug and whisper in his hear, "I need help, play along." I talk to him casual and explains my story about having witnessed a strange nightmare of Adam. I put the two paper sheets at the right place and when we bend over, our backs turn to the 2 main cameras, and the third one is behind a beaker as I planned. I go.
"Look at this. I think Adam could be concerned; I sort of connected to him once." I say. Then whispering "Can you make an airborne truth serum quick?" He nods. I go on "It's from Jeanine Matthews you see, do you know how she got to experiment on this."
"No. I have never watched her during her experiments you know, I was never in the control room." He answers.
"Look here what she says" I add showing him the paper. Then whispering "Can you make a dose for 3, stored in a water bottle from the refectory?"
"I see." He says nodding to my other question. "I believe this is possible, but we would need to witness or test it, to be sure." He whispers to me "Tomorrow lunchtime. Exchange bottles."
I add "Do you think we could make a test tomorrow evening as I noticed it happened during his sleep, or I think so anyway."
"If Marcus is OK, I can be ready tomorrow by 7PM, but I'll need to work part of the night. I will ask him when we're finished."
"He wants your report straight ahead anyway." I say. Then I hug him "Thank you Matthew."
The plan is going on pretty well till now. I must not forget, to keep a full bottle of water tonight, a sealed one, that I'll keep with me all day until lunch tomorrow, in case they search me.
