Unremembered (24 page)

Maxxer: I’ve been sent to help you.

I immediately lunge for the keyboard.

Visitor: Help me with what?

More seconds tick past, and then:

Maxxer: Help you find what you’re looking for.

The excitement builds inside me. For the first time since I saw them dragging away Zen’s lifeless body, I feel a twinge of optimism. I try to steady my trembling hands so that I can type
out a response. But it takes several tries and backspaces before I’m successful.

Visitor: I’m looking for Diotech. Do you know where they’re located?

I hold my breath while I wait for a response. It’s taking longer than I anticipated for such a seemingly simple question. I look to Cody for help but he only shrugs. Finally there’s
a soft
beep
and a reply appears. Although it’s not exactly the answer I was hoping for.

Maxxer: Further than you would think. But growing closer every day.

I frown at the screen. Cody verbalizes my confusion. ‘What is
that
supposed to mean?’

I shake my head. ‘I have no idea.’

I rest my fingers on the keys, preparing to request more detail, when the computer beeps again.

Maxxer: We should not be having this conversation here. It’s not safe. We must meet.

A heavy, terrifying pause.

Maxxer: In person.

Before I can contemplate his response, the computer is ripped out from under me. ‘Don’t even think about it!’ Cody shrieks, hugging the laptop possessively to his chest.
‘Look, you had your fun little chat session but this is where I draw the line. Everyone knows you’re not supposed to meet up with people you find online! That’s like Internet rule
number one. Especially guys who post things on conspiracy theory websites. I mean, that’s like the official breeding ground for nutcases. I mean, just look at the guy’s picture.
He’s clearly a loony.’

I glance at the photo on the screen, once again taking in his long silvery hair and the creepy glass eye that sends a shudder through me.

‘For all we know, he could be a serial killer,’ Cody goes on. ‘He probably puts up these vague, mysterious posts to attract curious young minds. Then he lures them in with
fancy talk and the promise of answers but instead of answers . . . he slaughters them.’

‘He knows my name,’ I point out. ‘My
real
name.’

Cody scoffs at this. ‘Big deal. These Internet predators have their ways.’

‘I don’t know how to explain it, Cody,’ I say. ‘I just have a feeling he can help.’

Beep.

Cody and I peer at the screen simultaneously.

Maxxer: I
can
help.

I gasp and glance around the coffee shop, fully expecting to see the man from the photograph sitting at the next table, listening in on our conversation. How else would he know what I was
saying?

But no one looks even vaguely familiar. Nor does anyone seem to be paying attention to us.

Beep.

Maxxer: But first . . . I think someone else is trying to get in touch with you.

Cody and I exchange another look as an eerie silence falls between us.

I start counting the seconds. I can’t help myself.

Before I reach five, the silence is broken by the shrill ring of my stolen cellphone.

‘Are you going to answer it?’ Cody asks, nudging me with
his elbow.

I shake my head numbly as I stare down at the ringing cellphone on the table. The screen is illuminated with the words
Caller Unknown
.

‘Aren’t you curious?’ he prods.

With trembling hands, I reach out and pick it up. I press the green button and bring it to my ear.

‘Hello?’ I squeak.

‘Sera.’

These two syllables send an ice-cold prickle all over my skin. The voice is male. Rough. Cruel. He doesn’t have to say anything else. Hearing him pronounce my name is enough to make the
connection. It’s the voice I keep hearing in my dreams.

The dark stranger.

The man I saw through the glass ceiling of the ocean as I panicked and struggled for air.

Alixter.

Zen said he was the president of Diotech.

The most abominable man in existence.

And now he’s here. On the other side of this call.

‘Who is this?’ I ask, wanting to be sure. And at the same time, praying that I’m wrong.

A
tsk
comes through the phone. ‘I’m so disappointed that you don’t remember my voice. It’s your dear friend Alixter, of course. Your
raison
d’être.
’

Raison d’être: reason to be, or, reason for being.

I guess I can add French to the list of languages I speak.

‘It’s nice to hear your voice again,’ he says.

A knot forms in my stomach. My chest convulses and that acidy bile fills my mouth again. I swallow it down.

‘Although,’ he continues, ‘I do wish it were under different circumstances. You can imagine I’m not very happy about having to come all the way here to get you.’ He
sighs. ‘But alas, it is what it is.’

I have only one question to ask him and so I don’t waste any time. ‘Do you have Zen?’

He chuckles. It’s a cold, callous sound that makes my ears ring. ‘Wow, you really do have a one-track mind, don’t you?’

It doesn’t matter that he didn’t answer the question. I already know the answer is yes. ‘Where is he?’ I demand. ‘Is he alive?’

‘He’s perfectly safe.’ There’s a long, dead pause. ‘For now.’

‘Please don’t hurt him.’ I wish I had the strength to yell, make all sorts of angry threats and demands. But really the only thing I’m capable of is pathetic begging.

‘Well, that depends,’ Alixter says.

‘On what?’

‘On you.’

The knot in my stomach tightens and then doubles in size. When I don’t reply he keeps talking. ‘It’s you I want, Sera. Not him. You’re the trillion-dollar investment. And
he’s . . . Well, he’s just the fool who fell in love with you.’

My forehead burns with the memory of Zen’s touch. The mark he left. It’s as permanent on my skin as this tattoo.

‘I can’t say I blame him,’ Alixter goes on. ‘You are . . . quite breathtaking.’

I close my eyes and fight to regain my composure. But my entire body is shivering.

When he speaks again, his voice is lighter. More casual. But it still chills me to the bone. ‘Which is why I’m willing to negotiate a trade.’

‘A trade?’ I ask, and I feel Cody stiffen beside me. ‘What kind of trade?’

‘Well, you for him, of course,’ he replies swiftly.

‘I agree,’ I reply immediately.

He laughs. ‘You may be the smartest human being on the planet, but you’re not a very good negotiator, are you?’

I ignore his insult. ‘Just tell me where you are.’

‘See,’ he says, sounding very proud of himself, ‘I told my agents that it would be so much easier to let
you
come to
us
, instead of them chasing you all
around the state, making idiots of themselves and leaving behind nothing but a trail of messes to clean up. And I was right. You
are
willing to come to us. You just needed the right . . .
motivator.’

‘
Tell me where you are!
’ I scream into the phone, causing a few people to turn and stare. I lower my head.

‘Patience,’ he soothes in a voice that’s far from soothing. ‘Good things come to those who wait. Isn’t that how the saying goes? Although I’m not sure how
much I believe that any more. After all, I waited five long years for you to come into my life and then you simply deserted me.’

I don’t reply. I’m not going to play into his taunting any more. I have a feeling he’s enjoying it far too much.

‘We’re in the process of relocating to a more remote position. My agents have already attracted too much attention, chasing after you in public places. Not to mention all the
attention you’ve managed to draw to yourself.’

I glance around the café. Everyone who turned to stare at me has gone back to their own conversations.

‘You’re quite the publicity whore, aren’t you?’ Alixter says with another disturbing chuckle. ‘Although it was that very popularity that helped us locate you in the
first place so I suppose it’s a catch-22.’ He pauses, seeming to contemplate his next words.

‘Anyway, we can’t afford to attract any more attention to ourselves. We will be in touch once we arrive at our new location. Until then, I guess you’ll have to wait.’

I’m about to slam the phone down when I hear, ‘Oh, and Sera?’

‘Yes,’ I seethe through gritted teeth.

‘I’m very much looking forward to seeing you again. It’s been far too long.’

There’s silence on the other end of the line and I hear a tiny
click.
I throw the phone down on the table. It bounces and slides off the side. Cody catches it before it falls to
the floor.

‘What was that about?’ Cody asks.

But I don’t answer. I just grab the laptop back and start typing. I don’t hesitate. I don’t stop to think. There’s no longer anything to think
about
.

Visitor: Where do you want to meet?

I drum my fingers impatiently on the table as I wait for a response. Fortunately it doesn’t take long.

Maxxer: I’ll be outside in ten minutes.

I rise from my chair and dash towards the front door of the
coffee shop, shoving it open with my shoulder and exiting on to the street. The warm sunlight is a
welcome distraction. I gaze up into it, and for the briefest of moments everything goes pale pink. My eyes water. The world disappears. And I can pretend that none of this is really happening.

But that brief moment is over far too quickly.

I blink and look away. Cody is hurrying out the door, his laptop tucked under one arm. ‘Sera, or whatever your name is, you
can’t
do this,’ he insists.
‘I’ve seen this horror movie and trust me, it doesn’t end well. Let’s just get out of here while we still can. We’ll figure something else out. We’ll keep
searching the Internet until we can find more information about this Diotech place.’

‘He
has
all the information I need,’ I say with complete confidence. ‘I know it.’

‘But what if he works for
them
?’ Cody argues. ‘The very people who are after you. Who took Zen! You could be walking right into their trap.’

‘Then at least I’ll have no trouble finding him.’

Cody fumes, making a variety of grunting sounds in response.

I won’t deny that I’m afraid, but I allow my fear to be overpowered by my yearning to find Zen. I already made a huge mistake by running away instead of staying to fight and protect
him. I let him be captured. I let them take him. This whole thing is entirely my fault.

And there’s no way I’m going to run away again.

I don’t care what Rio said about my instincts or what’s in my DNA. I won’t flee this time. I’m going to do whatever it takes to find him. Including this.

It’s just like Zen said to me back in the kindergarten classroom when I made a dash for the exit. I can’t keep running away every time I’m afraid. At some point I have to stay
and fight for something I know is right.

And I know this is right.

A grey car pulls up to the kerb and stops. A window rolls down and a woman I don’t recognize sticks her head out.

‘Sera,’ she commands in a stern voice. ‘Get in.’

I look to Cody but he’s still brooding and doesn’t offer me any help.

The woman has thick wiry grey hair that’s cut bluntly across her forehead. Her skin is pale and loose. As though it’s been stretched too far and then released. Her narrow dark eyes
are hidden behind a pair of glasses with thick black frames.

‘But you’re not . . . Where’s Maxxer?’

She glances suspiciously up and down the block. ‘I am Dr Rylan Maxxer. The photograph on the website is a cover. I’ll explain everything later. But right now you need to get in the
car.’

I peer over at Cody again. ‘So? Are you coming or not?’

He rolls his eyes and finally releases his tightly crossed arms, letting them drop down to his sides. ‘Well, it’s not like I can let you go alone.’

We approach the car together. Cody gets into the back seat and I walk around the front to the passenger side. I yank on the handle and slide in, pulling the door closed behind me.

The woman steps on the gas before the door has fully shut, screeching away from the kerb and causing me to be thrown backwards against the seat. I peek behind me to see Cody pulling his seat
belt across his body and fastening it. I reach up and do the same.

‘Where are we going?’ I ask the person claiming to be Maxxer.

‘Probably to a murder house,’ Cody responds under his breath.

Dr Maxxer peers anxiously in her rear-view mirror but doesn’t answer my question. Instead she jerks her thumb over her shoulder and asks a question of her own. ‘Who’s the
annoying kid?’

‘Hey!’ Cody interjects, sounding offended. ‘I’ll have you know, I’m thirteen. I’m not a kid.’

‘OK,’ Maxxer amends. ‘Who’s the annoying thirteen-year-old?’

‘He’s my foster-brother,’ I tell him.

‘Right,’ she responds, slowing at a yellow light and obsessively checking her rear-view mirror again. ‘The good news is I don’t think they’re following
us.’

‘Who?’ I ask.

‘Diotech,’ she replies, and I can almost hear her voice tremble at the mention of their name.

I shake my head. ‘They’re not. They’re waiting for me to come to them.’

‘Well, you can never be too careful,’ she muses.

‘Are you going to tell us where we’re going?’ I ask again.

The car comes to a stop at an intersection. ‘Like I said,’ she begins, reaching into a compartment in the driver’s-side door, ‘you can never be too careful. Especially in
a world where not even your
memories
are safe.’