The Designs Of Change

~chapter 6~

         I couldn't do anything but blink as the ground opened up in front of me, a staircase stretching out into dark shadows. There were small lamps hanging from the top of the staircase, making it look like light was dancing on the sediment walls.

          I faintly heard some small gasps from behind me, and turned to see Caseus staring at me with wide eyes. I stared back, most likely looking more amazed than I felt. considering the government was kidnapping people, a secret bunker under the city didn't sound too farfetched.

          we stared until I felt the overwhelming urge to punch him in the face, and I quickly looked away. Stupid Caseus and his stupid punchable face...

          I glanced back at Copia, who stood with a half confused half surprised hybrid face, with her mouth slightly ajar. Harrison stood behind her with a neutral face, as if this were just any normal day of the week. The staring contest between all four of us didn't last long, because then we found ourselves back under a pavilion, the odd bunker entrance long-since closed for fear somebody would see us.

          "Something about this just feels really off." I finally commented to break the silence.

          "No der, sherlock." copia retorted. "Ive' studied the plans for Topeka Dozens of times, and I never read anything about a city-wide bomb shelter."

          "For somebody so smart, sometimes you act really stupid, Copia. Why would the city have a bomb shelter? With all the other odds and ends going on in the city, people getting kidnapped, school attacks, it doesn't seem too farfetched to me to think the bunker might be playing out in their ploy somehow." I said, with a somewhat exasperated tone. "Besides, if it was just a bomb shelter, why would the author of the journal just randomly have had the key? The ends of those conclusions don't match up."

_

          I took the journal out of my purse and set it on my desk in front of my drawing pad, along with the UV flashlight I had stolen from Caseus. Copia, Caseus, and Harrison had long since gone home, and I had driven home myself, the images seen of the burning university still burned into my head as I passed the Collage.

          "Maybe there's something more in the entry about the key." I muttered.

          I opened to the middle of the journal, to the page I had clipped the key to, and shined the purple light over the parchment. and suddenly, my eyes were met by several more sentences that very very much filled in the pieces that had been missing previously.

          After I figured out the truth, I left the lab, feigning sickness. This will only give me a few weeks though so I may as well give you all of my information.

          Enclosed in the spine of this journal is my key to a secret research facility. Please note that this is not the actual lab, it's just the place where most of our combined observations and records were kept... along with several of the identities of those that were taken.

          The facility is beneath the largest park in Topeka. it may not stay in operation for long though because of it's... annoyingly public location. There has been much talk of abandoning the facility and destroying the contents, but if we can get there first and gather as many of the records as possible? Well, we may just be able to help some of these people before it grows too late.

          I hope eventually my knowledge of the Dragonets can be used to expose Operation Vity to the public. Operation Vity, more like Operation Longevity.

          I don't have much time. Aure Mercutio, yes, I know who you are. In the future I have planted this book specifically for you to find. From the files on you, I figured you were fitting to carry on my work. good luck, you're probably going to need it.

          Sincerely, Abby holtamier.

          I frowned at the page. Did she say Vincent??? The guys at the collage said something about "vincent" getting orders from higher up.

          Suddenly, I felt a wave of fresh foreboding wash over my entire body. If Abby holtameir had supposidly worked with the government agency that was kidnapping people for this opperation "Longevity," whatever that meant, and whatever these "dragonets" were... I needed more time to think, more time to figure this out.

~~~

Author:

          heya, guys! sorry for the short chapter, I had to cut out a bunch of stuff that didn't make sense to me. but anyways, I hope you enjoy. and for every vote on this chapter, Aure rescues one person.