Summer Of Mayhem (Westside's Saga #1) ✔

Seventeen: Operation Abort

First my friends thought grandpa was absurd for telling us not to alert the cops. Then it was me who questioned grandpa for disagreeing with the whole Neon City thing.

But when you discover the truths that lay behind the lies... you can't help but feel so stupid and ashamed for questioning your grandfather's will. 

Forty-five minutes left.

Before humanity in Westdale would be swept away.

"Would suffer brain cancer if they stay in Neon City for exactly seventy-seven days...?" Harvey read aloud. "What does this mean?" 

I took the paper from Harvey. "Explains why you all lost your memory about Westdale."

Isabela sat on the couch, facepalming. "I don't get it. Once the clock hits twelve we're just suddenly getting brain cancer?"

"Don't wanna stick around to find out, do you? Right now, the only solution is..." I paused, kneeling down, holding up the emerald key, "to abort the Porter 3000."

Sabrina crossed her arms. "So, you guys with us?"

 They both exchanged glances but finally nodded. Dewayne reached into his backpack, pulling out a big piece of rolled paper, unrolling the blueprint into the coffee table. We all leaned in and watched as he pointed to the bathroom. "Here's the weak spot. There's a ventilation pipe here... we can sneak into the building this way."

"There's no way I'm climbing in that thing, no," Isabela protested. 

"You got any better plans, little girl?" Dewayne said.

She crossed her leg and laid her hands on her knee. "The main door, duh. Just pull on a mask like yours and go right through it." 

Dewayne chuckled. "It's not as easy as you think. Listen, the Grand Lodge has a five-star security system. It has no flaws. Trust me, I work there." 

I held my hands up. "Listen, we should all cooperate, alright? We've only got less than an hour to pull this off. So let's follow whatever the expert, Dewayne, has in mind."

Isabela rolled her eyes. "Well then call the cops!"

"Here we go again," I said, sighing. "The cops in here are practically useless! We got to do this ourselves. Grandpa said so." 

Dewayne nodded. "Okay, that's enough. Follow the plan, or not." 

Isabela didn't say another word, which I took as an agreement. 

"The Porter 3000 is in this room," Dewayne continued, pointing his finger in the middle of the map. "After we sneak in, two of us will be on the lookout. Volunteers?" 

Isabela shot her hand up, along with Sabrina. 

"Alright, then the boys at the frontline. Alex will be disguised as the maintenance, sneaking into the room. Harvey, you'll pose as a guard. Standby in case something happens." 

Harvey opened his mouth to say something, but Dewayne handed us our uniforms before he could say another word.

"How about you, grandpa?" Sabrina asked. 

"I'll be playing Mayor Claud," he said. "I'll hack Hutchins' laptop, unlock the doors to the Porter 3000, and give you guys access to the CCTVs. Use your cellphones to keep watch." 

"How's that even possible?" Isabela asked. 

He grinned. "Hypnotized. I can handle it." 

I frowned. That was five minutes wasted. 

Dewayne handed us our mini microphones, and we got into the van. We buckled up, and Dewayne held his hands up as he shut the door behind him. "Let's do this. And like every operation has a name, let's call this Operation Abort."