What We Become | Book Two

19. Games

My fingers breezed across the keyboard, pressing various letters and numbers. The screen flickered for a moment before the desktop was displayed in front of us, an all-access pass at my fingertips.

"Shit," Chris muttered as he leant over my shoulder. "What now?"

My eyes scanned the busy screen in front of us, filled with icons and folders. "You could've at least cleaned up your desktop, mum," I muttered with a sigh. "Now, for the big moment," I added, pulling the hard drive from my pocket and plugging it into the side of the computer.

"You couldn't have just used any old computer to do this?"

I glanced over. "Military-grade encryption software. They both recognise each other when it's plugged into the same computer it came from. Otherwise, it's like using your own keys to get into someone else's house."

I cast a brief glance to the door behind, where the corridor was still covered in darkness.

"You should probably go watch the hall while I go through this."

He stood up straight, following the instruction. "Do you even know what you're looking for?"

"Not really," I admitted, beginning to scroll through the files. They were more than I had anticipated. "But I'll know it when I see it."

I opened tabs and closed them again, moving onto file after file but there was no order to the chaos of her folders. I thought my mum had been organised after always seeing her at work but everything that was in front of me spoke the opposite.

"Argh!" I slammed my hand against the desk. The table rattled and I sat back in the chair in defeat.

"Jesus!" Chris jumped away from the window as his head snapped towards the computer. "Why don't you hit it a bit harder? I don't think anyone would've heard that."

"I can't fucking find it," I told him. "And I don't even know what I'm looking for!"

"Have you tried searching for it?"

"That never works."

"Try searching your name."

I scowled for a moment before turning back to face the screen, hovering the cursor over the file search bar. They keys tapped as I pressed three letters and hit enter. The loading icon pulsated for a few seconds before returning its result.

One document.

Patient 1A.

I double-clicked the icon and began scrolling through the pages. My pupils scanned the words, looking for the ones I knew must be there. I was halfway down the page when the room illuminated with a bright white light and everything was no longer bathed in purple.

"Shit," Chris said, suddenly frantic. "Did you do that?"

"I'm sitting right here! Of course I didn't fucking do it!" I spat back.

I rubbed the back of my hand against my eyes to adjust to the new light as I stood up from the screen, backing away towards the door.

It burst open in front of us before I could take another step.

"Get back!" the man yelled as he pointed a gun at the two of us. "Put your hands up!" It was one of the soldiers that had been patrolling the corridors and he was now accompanied by Pilot, treading slowly into the room behind him. Chris and I both raised our arms above our heads.

Pilot's arms were crossed behind his back and he held himself taller as if there was no reason for him to even bother protecting himself from an attack. Though, even as his dark mask covered half of his face, he seemed younger in the bright light, more youthful even.

"What did I say?" he probed in a low voice which was too calm for the situation we found ourselves in. It made everything more unnerving as he paced in the middle of the room.

The door burst open again. This time, Mike appeared in the frame and a confused expression pressed his features. Pilot turned to him, visibly irritated by the intrusion.

"What's going on here?" Mike asked.

"It appears you've got some intruders," Pilot stated before turning back to the two of us.

"Ben? Chris?" Mike scowled. "What are you two doing in here?"

"What did I tell you?" Pilot cocked his head as his narrowed eyes glared. "It was a very simple thing. Were my instructions not clear enough for you?" He paused, waiting for an answer. When he didn't get one, he continued. "If you start creating chaos, if you even think about it, I would be there to shut it down... And here I am. I can't say I didn't warn you."

He pulled a gun from his holster and held it to my forehead.

"Pilot is that really necessary?" Mike said, failing to calm the situation.

I dropped my gaze for a moment before returning it to his. He didn't get to have the satisfaction of believing I was scared.

"Thanks for unlocking that computer, by the way." His eyes crinkled at the corners and I could tell he was smiling beneath his mask. You've done us a real favour. We've been trying to get into that for months... I guess that means you're not needed here anymore."

I clenched my jaw. "I really don't think you want to do that."

"Ben," Chris whispered, nudging at my side, warning me not to antagonise him further.

"Oh, believe me," Pilot said as his smile grew beneath the fabric. "I really do."

"You need me."

"Needed," he emphasised as he pressed down on the safety.

"Mike, would you do me a favour?" I asked, not dropping my stare from the man who stood in front of me. "Would you mind checking the computer for me? I think you should have a read of that last paragraph while you're there."

"This is no time for games," Pilot warned.

I shook my head and held my stare. "I know," I told him. "I'm not playing."

Mike's wild eyes darted around the room before he took a shaky step towards the computer and sat down in front of the screen. Pilot tapped his foot, unamused at the interruption.

A quiet gasp from Mike broke the silence.

"Oh my God," he breathed, staring open-mouthed at the document.

I fought against the smile that tugged at my lips, not letting my amusement show. I didn't let Pilot know he'd lost.

"Pilot, put your gun down this second," Mike instructed, turning to face us.

"I don't take instructions from you," he spat.

"That's an order!" Mike shouted as he stood from the chair. His eyes were still wide as he assessed the faces in the room. "Put it down," he said again, his voice solid and unwavering as he locked eyes with the man who still held a gun to my head. "Now."

Pilot scoffed, believing he still had the upper hand. "And if I don't?"

Mike took another step towards him, pointing a finger. "You kill him and you kill us all."

"Excuse me?"

Mike shook his head. He couldn't believe the words he was saying either.

"It's all there in Jackie's files... What she did," he said, gesturing back to the screen. "He isn't here to help us find the cure. Ben is the cure. The only cure we've got."