This Reality

13: The Password

Hello!
Thank you so much for 1k reads! And thank you all so much for your comments and votes and for adding my story to your lists.
Enjoy,
Kori.

"We're here!" Announces Milla from the driver's seat. "Everyone ready?"
She gets apprehensive murmurs in response.
"Well that sounds promising," she mutters sarcastically.

They all get out of the car and make their way to the Leaders' government building. It looms in front of them. They don't have to have secret buildings because they run the country. They are powerful over everyone.

"It's so tall..." Says Astrid.
"I know," replies Tiger, "how on earth do we find one specific man in that massive building?"

"We try our best," says Jax from behind them, encouragingly.

They approach the door. It's big and made of steel, and is very tall, even taller than Jax.
There is a dial pad on the door. "Code guessing time!"
"Wait, I thought Tiger knew the..." She trailed off, confused.
"That's for something else," they confirmed.

Milla steps to the dial pad. She speaks before pressing any numbers.
"Now, I have one guess. If I get it wrong, a loud alarm will go off and security will be alerted. If I do get it wrong, as I am only guessing, we run to the van and leave as fast as possible."
"You're just going to guess?" Asks Astrid. She isn't too sure about this.
"I think I have a pretty good idea," she says confidently.
Astrid just keeps her fingers crossed.

Milla enters some numbers, a four-digit code. She is standing between Astrid and the dial pad, so she can't see what is being typed. Whatever it is, it is a good guess.

The screen comes up with a glowing green hand and a large tick appears.
The screen reads ACCESS GRANTED.
"We're in!" Whispers Milla, excitedly.

"Before we go in, I just want to say something," begins Jax. "There won't be many people in this building today as it's meant to be a day off, however Xavier works everyday." He handed them each a small device. "If you get lost or need help, press the button with the X on it. Someone will be able to find out where you are with this tracking device and they will come and find you or help you. Tiger, go with Astrid to find her parents. Do anything it takes to get them out. Milla and I will go and deal with Xavier. Please, all of you stay safe and don't go anywhere alone.
Ready?"

He gets a slightly more positive response than last time and they step into the building.

The lights are blinding. The walls are white. The floorboards are white. The blinds are white, the doors are white, it's unsettling. They are in a reception hallway, a desk in front of them. It being a day off, there is no one at the desk. In fact, there is no one to be seen at all.

Jax walks to the computer.
"What are you doing?" Milla demands in a harsh whisper.
"Sshh... hang on a sec," he says quietly and clicks some buttons on the computer. "Found it!"
"Found what?" Astrid asks loudly.
"Shhh! I found where your parents are! Seventh floor, South wing."
"Great. You guys ready to go?" Asks Milla, "have you got everything?"
"Yes I think we have," confirms Tiger, putting their hand in their pocket and checking they had their cellular tracking device Jax gave them. Astrid does the same.

They leave the reception through a door towards the South. They have to be very quiet. They reckon there's only a few people in the building, some cleaners with earphones in, who don't notice them as they pass, and of course Xavier, who is upstairs in his office on the ninth floor.

"How many... flights of stairs... left?" Tiger whispers, panting.
"None, were here! This is the seventh floor."
They carefully and quietly try each door and corridor, making their best attempts at stealth. They eventually come across a sign that reads LOCKING CELL and assume that's where people are locked up.
"This way!" Astrid whispers harshly, grabbing Tiger's hand and dragging them down a corridor.

They arrive at a series of cells, all with their doors wide open, meaning they are vacant. All... but one. The door to cell one is locked.

"You never actually told me what the password is, or what it is for. I'm assuming we use it to get in here?" Guesses Astrid.
"Yep," they confirm.

There is a panel on the large steel door in front of them. On the panel is a device. It reminds Astrid of the device in the room she woke up in. There is a screen and a keypad and Tiger moves towards it.

She wonders what the password could be, as Tiger types.

S-M-I-T-H-S-O-N
Astrid's parents' surname.
Astrid's real surname.

The metal door creaks open, heavy on its hinges.
They step into the cell.

I don't think anything could prepare them for what they are about to see.