The Unlocked (Charlie Hartley Series Book 1) (14 page)

Carefully closing the double doors of the truck, Charlie ran
as quietly as she could to the nearest hiding place she could find. She
squeezed between a thicket of trees and watched as Marvolo shook the hands of a
man in a crisp suit. To her horror, the man opened the passenger seat and
opened the briefcase. Holding one of the fingers like it was not part of a
human body, he turned to his right where one of the safe boxes was held by one
of the armed men.

Upon scanning the fingerprint, the safe unlocked and opened
to reveal a stock of vials full of white powder.

She remembered a lesson in grouchy Mr. Beane’s AP Science
about biological weapons. One of the things that caught her attention then was
a photo of white powder that resembled talc or salt. The label on the vials
said Bacillus anthracis. She recognized the name as a biological weapon that
causes Anthrax, a potentially life-threatening disease.

"Let's go!" Marvolo commanded like a military
officer. Charlie watched as the students each carried a safe box to the van.
"Hurry up!"

Suddenly, she felt antsy. She couldn't quite explain the
feeling, but it felt like her feet were being magnetized by an invisible pull.
It could be her instincts kicking in, telling her to go back to ANDREI, or her
danger senses activating because of the realization that what her fellow
students had on hand may or may not be a biological weapon. However, the pull
she felt wasn't towards the direction of the school. Charlie's feet dragged her
to an inconspicuous alley, badly lit despite the sun shining brightly.

At the end of the alley was a man’s shadow. A normal person
would back off, but Charlie moved forward until her last step brought her a
foot away from the unidentified man. He stepped into the light and the softness
of his expression kept Charlie's fears at bay.

"Who are you?" Her question was misplaced but
Charlie asked anyway.

"You don't beat around the bush, do you? Joshua
Thompson, former Laboratory Head at GEN Laboratory," the man replied. Upon
mentioning the laboratory’s name, the warning bells in Charlie's head rang all
at once. Everything in her screamed "Run!" but she remained glued in
place. The next thing he said was the clincher. It made her stay. "You're
Charlie, the new student."

Silence engulfed their rancid surroundings as Joshua stared
at Charlie for a while. He shrugged. "Pardon me for staring. It's just
that... You look a lot like a former colleague. She's no longer working for GEN
Laboratory, but you resemble her. Like a carbon copy," he almost gushed.

When Charlie didn't say anything, Joshua continued. “There's
something different about you. The students at ANDREI don't usually respond to
my calls."

Charlie found her voice again. "What calls?"

"I forgot to mention. I'm like you. I have the ability
of Beacon Emission and can draw people towards me. That's why even if every
bone in your body screams for you to get away, you stay in place."

At this point, Charlie was terrified. If this man can truly
do what he claimed, and it was becoming increasingly apparent that he could,
what could stop him from killing Charlie on the spot?

"I've never actually encountered a student like you so
this is untapped territory for me." He noticed her body stiffen.
"Don't do that. You'll get cramps. Besides, it doesn’t serve any
purpose."

"Please let me go," Charlie pleaded, her voice
cracking.

"No, no, you don't understand. I'm not here to hurt
you. On the contrary, I'm here to save you."

Why would he want to save me?

"ANDREI is not what you think it is," Joshua said.
Charlie shook her head violently. Her vocal chords seemed to have vanished so
all she could do to protest was shake her head. She felt ridiculous. He kept
going. "Just hear me out, okay? I'll let you go, just listen to me."

Her violent head-bobbing stopped.

"We started out as good people. The initiative to build
the institute was noble, if you can even call making weapons out of orphans
noble. We wanted to catapult the United States to the forefront of human armory
for global security."

Charlie managed a squeak, "But we already have an
army."

"Not army; an armory. It was a scientific breakthrough!
Magic and empirical evidence rolled into one! It was supposed to be a creation
that would change the course of humanity." There was a change in the man's
expression. "We didn't even want the world to know at first. It was too
powerful to be put in the wrong hands and we simply couldn't take that
risk."

To humor the man into letting her go, she prodded in a
whisper. "What happened?"

"Saraphina happened."

"Who's Saraphina?"

A horn blaring in the distance followed by a shrill scream
cut through the awkward conversation. Charlie recognized that voice. Hilary.

"Please let me go. Please. I'm begging you,"
Charlie pleaded, still unable to command her body to move.

Joshua laughed bitterly. "If something happens to your
friend, her blood is on your hands."

That sent a chill down Charlie's spine. "Excuse
me?"

"You think you saved her when you stopped what you
thought was a bullet? You didn't! You just put her right back in the hands of
an evil mastermind!" There was a crazed expression in his face and
Charlie, beneath her solid and bold exterior, shuddered inside.

"What are you talking about?" Fear, anxiety and
confusion made her overly emotional, especially knowing her friend was in
potential trouble and she was helpless because this lunatic kept her captive.

Joshua continued. "I’m talking about Amanda! Are you
dense? If you can respond to my beacon emissions, I'm ninety-nine percent
certain you are not under her mind control. Still, you choose to be blind and
stupid!"

Charlie shook her head while looking at the ground,
confusion manifesting in her being. "I don't understand."

When Joshua spoke again, it was in a much calmer and softer
voice. "Wake up, Charlie. You may be more powerful than you know. But if
you remain blinded by comfort and familiarity, you will never find out the
truth."

Charlie was inconsolable at this point. She had never gone
through anything like this before; living a sheltered life back at Milford and
immersed in a strange new life at ANDREI for the last few months taught her one
thing: she was not ready for the big bad world.

Am I facing the big bad wolf now, with no knowledge of
self-defense?
  And then it dawned on her: she was telekinetic!

In her confusion, she’d conveniently forgot about her powers.
Reinvigorated, she flung Joshua against the wall. He slumped down on the
ground. He lifted his hand to stroke the back of his head. She was free from
Joshua’s emission. However, Charlie's bravado faded when she realized she’d
hurt someone. She saw this as her chance to run to Hilary’s aid, but the
undefined pull kept her there. 

"Was that really necessary?" he mumbled.

"I-I can do it again," Charlie stammered, ruining
the intended threat.

Joshua shook his hands in front of Charlie. She lifted Joshua
off the ground. He yelled, "Stop, stop!" Charlie pushed on until he
blurted, "I know about your sister!" She dropped him butt-first, the
last word jolting her into sobriety.

"Don't believe Amanda when she says your sister is in
some government facility. Jeanne and you reside under the same roof, Charlie.
Unlike you, however, she is under Amanda’s control. You need to find her and
get her out of there."

"Why would Amanda take a special interest in my sister?
Why would she lie to me?"

"Because you and Jeanne are the only natural-born super
humans. She didn't know Jeanne had a twin, but now that you're here she hit
another jackpot."

"Do you expect me to believe that? There's an entire
school full of them!"

"Your classmates are simply Unlocked. They were injected
with a serum called Unlocker that I helped create. There were four of us.
Amanda, Catherine Richards and John Weaver." Charlie recognized the
Catherine Richards name, the woman Amanda identified in the laminated photo.
Joshua kept going, "We were all injected. Amanda got hive mind, but she
can only control those who are like her. That's why she wanted to create other
Unlocked and manage ANDREI: to make her own private army."

Charlie felt like ice-cold water had been poured on her. She
remembered both Hilary and Brianna stopping mid-sentence, becoming almost
comatose for a few seconds. What he claimed could explain the students’
robot-like attitude she observed in school. She backed away from Joshua, no
longer feeling the pull that brought her there.

"Think about it, Charlie," Joshua said. "You
know I'm not lying." Charlie shook her head, slinking away from the alley
but nursing an unmistakable feeling that he was not lying.

Perhaps it was a gut feeling, but for some inexplicable
reason, Charlie knew Joshua was speaking the truth.

Hitching another ride back to the school, Charlie stared
into nothingness until ANDREI came into view. The roles were reversed this time:
the driver was a talker and it was her turn to nod until the talking stopped.
She was elderly but Charlie didn't bother to ask what her name was. In the last
hour, the lady, though, kind and welcoming, ranted to Charlie about the United
States being the melting pot of the world, with too many immigrants taking a
slice of the American pie. Charlie got the impression the lady was racist, but
she was not one to criticize.

Charlie thought the days of discrimination were over. She
detested the idea that people could be so prejudiced they supported things like
apartheid. Because Liz was Asian, she was bullied by some students at Joseph
Foran High School when she first arrived. Charlie stood by her side and
threatened to beat the crap out of anyone who bullied her best friend. She
realized she had no guts to actually do it, but the bullies stopped taunting
Liz. Charlie wanted to protest the driver’s ravings but thought it best to keep
her mouth shut.

Less talk, fewer mistakes, Charlie.

“You’re not much of a blabbermouth, eh? Wish my ol’
granddaughters were like you,” she exclaimed before reaching out to Charlie and
wrapping her in an awkward side hug. “You take care now, lil’ ladybug!”

“Thank you,” Charlie said on autopilot, staring intently at
the black gate that sheltered GEN from the outside world. She’d arrived at the
perfect time. The van had just pulled up the curb. She quickly jumped behind
the bushes as the woman drove away. When all the students sent on a field
mission were inside the gate, Charlie walked briskly towards the entrance just
before it closed and sidled up beside Hilary. Her friend didn’t even notice her
until she spoke up.

“Hey,” Charlie greeted.  She remembered the scream she
heard during the field mission, propelling Charlie to run as fast as she could
to where she last saw Hilary. But she was gone by the time Charlie freed
herself from Joshua’s mental shackles. She’d seen Marvolo climbing into the van
and rushed to hitch a ride back to ANDREI. It was good to see Hilary arrive in
one piece.

“Hey,” Hilary replied without looking at her. Charlie
studied her friend’s face. She noticed a slight burn mark on her left cheek.
Deciding not to ask the question directly, she instigated a different line of
interrogation. “How was the mission?”

They passed through the GEN Lab entrance and still no one
noticed that Charlie had left the building. Hilary looked too tired to notice
or ask questions, more so to answer Charlie. She reached out to touch Hilary’s
arm but with the slightest contact of their skin, Hilary jolted and stepped
away.

“Are you alright?” Charlie asked worriedly. Hilary just
stared, looking genuinely scared. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing. I’m just tired,” Hilary muttered under her breath.
“I’m heading to bed.” This was the second time this had happened to Hilary, the
first instance on Charlie’s first day at ANDREI. She was now concerned her
friend might be ill.

“Let’s go to the infirmary and have you checked,” Charlie
suggested, all her thoughts about her little expedition in town pushed to the
side. “You don’t look well.”

Hilary’s expression changed from that of exhausted to
furious. “I said I’m fine!”

Charlie inched away from her, appalled.

“I’m fine,” Hilary said, softer this time. “I just need some
rest.”

Her friend walked away while Charlie stood frozen in place.
She wasn’t the confrontational type and was troubled by Hilary’s outburst. When
Hilary was out of sight, Charlie’s thoughts returned to Joshua and the events
that unfolded during the day. The first unsettling discovery was the bioweapon
she found in the truck that the students appeared to be retrieving.

Even if she factored in the gross loose body parts, the
second discovery was more unnerving to Charlie. She didn’t want to believe
Joshua, but there was something about how or what he said that resonated in her
gut. Charlie left Milford as sheltered and optimistic. This time she was
bolder, if only circumstantially so. Calculating her moves, she would
investigate to prove Joshua right and in doing so, prove herself wrong. Charlie
had no idea where to start but based on his potentially damaging allegations,
GEN Laboratories could hold the proof she needed. Whether or not it was a
stroke of luck, her uniform allowed her to blend right in, her white overalls
successfully hiding her in plain sight. Using a trick she’d learned earlier
that day, with tilting the cameras to keep her out of sight, she wormed her way
into the maze on the other side of the laboratory doors.

Innocently walking down the white hallways, trying to appear
as if she belonged there, Charlie peered in every window and found people
preoccupied with microscopes and test tubes. This went on until she reached a
completely dark area. Intuition told her not to proceed, yet she sensed exactly
where to push the light switch to illuminate the way. It was the same sensation
she felt on her first day, as if she had been there before. Charlie followed
the path instinctively, moving stealthily. The switch was exactly where she
sensed it would be. Her heart raced as she saw a hall to the right, convinced
she was going to find something.

To her disappointment, she found only a wall. She had
reached a dead end.

Charlie headed back the way she came with eyes transfixed on
the floor, feeling pathetic for thinking she could uncover the mystery and
answer the questions swarming in her head. Furthermore, she thought herself
naive and ridiculous to be swayed by a stranger she had only met. There may be
a lot of inexplicable things in ANDREI, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's
bad. “It's a school for super humans, for crying out loud,” Charlie thought.
“There are bound to be things I may never understand.”

"Jea-- Charlie, is that you?"

Charlie was startled by Natalia's voice. She stopped in her
tracks. The folly of her actions finally sank in, dissolving all traces of
infallibility that led to her boldness.

"What are you doing here?" Natalia asked.

"N-nothing, I was just... walking around," Charlie
answered.

"Students are not allowed in the laboratory. You do
know that, right?"

Charlie shook her head. "No, Ma'am."

Natalia walked closer and the young girl saw that the
guidance counselor didn’t look mad. In a soothing voice, Natalia asked:
"Charlie, what were you really doing here?"

Figuring she had to explain herself at some point, Charlie
decided to own up.

“I have a confession to make,” Charlie started. Natalia put
a finger on her lips then pointed to a camera that was tilted at an angle that
obscured them from view, as if to say "hush, it can hear us".
“But---” Natalia shook her head and instead led Charlie past the walkway, down
the first floor and out to the school field without saying a single word. When
they were a few feet away from ANDREI’s exit, Natalia stopped walking and
finally spoke.

“The cameras can still hear you even when facing another
direction.” Charlie made a mental note of that. “Now, what were you going to
say?”

Appreciating Natalia’s kind gesture, Charlie junked the idea
of limiting her admission to simply sneaking out and opted to disclose her conversation
with Joshua as well.

“I snuck out of ANDREI.” She looked at the counselor
reluctantly, expecting anger. Natalia was stoic, so Charlie continued. “I only
wanted to see what it was like to be on a field mission. Marvolo rejected my
request to join as an observer.

“I saw them retrieve a bioweapon from a man in a suit.” She
intentionally left out the other gory details. “And then I felt a tug. I can’t
explain it, but I felt something pulling me into the alley.”

Uncertain of Natalia’s response, Charlie looked at her and
was encouraged to go on by her expression. “I met a man named Joshua who
identified himself as a former Laboratory Head at GEN. He claimed to know a lot
about what happens here and that he knows my sister. He also posited that the ANDREI
students were injected with serum to unlock their superhuman abilities.”
Charlie smiled sheepishly, hoping her trembling lower lip would not betray her
nervousness.

Natalia surprisingly did not react in ANDREI’s defense.
Instead, she said, "Charlie, I've been meaning to tell you something about
your sister. She...” At the mention of 'sister,’ Charlie perked up. But before
Natalia could say more, they heard the door open followed by Amanda’s voice.
"Ms. Worthington," she called out. "Please meet me in my office
at once."

Natalia squeezed Charlie's hand and nodded, indicating
assurance the student’s confession was safe with her. Charlie mouthed her thank
you and watched Natalia head for the door. Amanda’s eyes landed on her and said
sternly, “Ms. Hartley, get inside.” Charlie did as she was told. She realized
if Natalia exposed her to the headmaster, she could be expelled from ANDREI and
lose all chances of reuniting with her twin.

Making her way back to her dorm room, Charlie’s fists were
clenched and it took conscious restraint not to punch anything. Stroking the
knuckles on her right hand, she calmed herself down. No need to get worked up
now, she thought. What’s done is done and I have to live with my actions. That
didn’t make it any less painful for Charlie, and finding the room empty as
usual made her feel terribly alone. She needed someone to talk to but Hilary
wasn’t receptive. Brianna drowned herself in books and Otto was nowhere near.
She had no way to know if Natalia was going to keep her word, and with the
gravity of her actions she would understand if the guidance counselor told
Amanda. And what was Natalia going to reveal about her sister before they were
interrupted? Her little world caved in, the debris littering her life crashed
down on her.

Charlie closed her eyes and fretted over a million different
scenarios the conversation between Natalia and Amanda could be going, and could
do little else but wait.

While the distressed student locked herself in her room,
Amanda and Natalia sat face to face in the headmaster’s office. "Ms.
Worthington, spell out what you and Charlie were talking about," Amanda
demanded.

"She spoke about how she is adjusting to school.
Bradley and Madison make it especially hard for her but she's getting by,"
Natalia lied smoothly. She maintained her usual poker face, the one she’d
perfected while studying Psychology.

"Is that so." Amanda’s response came as a
statement, not a question. Amanda wondered why any student would talk about
their feelings to a school authority. Students go about their routine without
asking questions or expressing their feelings to anyone other than their fellow
students.

"She also expressed her gratitude to Hilary, who helps
her transition more easily," Natalia continued. Amanda was not concerned
with Charlie displaying facets of her personality. She was bothered by the
girl’s perception of friendship with her schoolmates. The students at ANDREI
are conditioned to rely on each other as allies and comrades, but not as
friends. Any emotional attachment can endanger their ability to make the most
optimum decisions required once they enter the field. In fact, it was part of
their Code of Honor. After all, number eight says: Never create links and
relationships unnecessary for survival.

"I see. Thank you for your time, Ms. Worthington."
Amanda dismissed Natalia by swiveling her chair and looking out the window. The
headmaster then stood and looked below at the tiny dots of light in the
distance. She remembered an Amanda who would've appreciated this view and would
revel in the silence and peace of the night. That Amanda would forgive, rather
quickly, and never look back. The Amanda of today doesn't know how to let
things go because she must always get her way.

"Always," Amanda whispered to herself. The
headmaster began to formulate her plan for Charlene Hartley in the next coming
days.

The next morning, Charlie woke up later than her usual 6:45.
Brianna was usually gone by this time. Checking the clock, she saw that it was
7:30. Her roommate stepped out of the bathroom, clad in a pink robe with hair
bundled up in a towel.

"Good morning, Charlie! Let's go get some
breakfast!" Brianna chirped. She sounded like her usual self, but Charlie
sensed something different.

"Good morning, Brianna. You're early for
tomorrow," replied Charlie, trying to be funny.

Brianna stared at her like she’d spoken another language.
Then she perked up again. "Good morning, Charlie! Let's go get some
breakfast!"

"You said that already," Charlie said, forehead
scrunched up.

Brianna stared at her for a full ten seconds. Smiling, she
pulled out a set of fresh clothing from her closet. Charlie got out of bed,
eyeing Brianna suspiciously. "Brianna, are you okay?"

Brianna whipped her head to face Charlie and flashed her a
wide smile. "Let's go get some breakfast!"

She had previously witnessed one of her roommate's strange
episodes, but this hit a whole new level of weirdness. Brianna sounded like a
doll with a pull string, saying the same sentences over and over. Puzzling but
currently unsolvable.

Looking forward to seeing Hilary after the unpleasant
separation yesterday, Charlie took large steps toward the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was abuzz with the usual hustle and bustle,
but the air felt heavy. She observed the students talking in their chirpy
voices but something was amiss. When she sat down with Hilary and Otto, she
knew what it was.

Their eyes were glazed.

Hilary and Otto talked but their words glided past each
other, with no comprehension. "Hi guys," Charlie greeted.