Untold Truth

Chapter 23

Everything looks normal. In fact for a moment I thought maybe it had all been a dream. But then I notice the body parts spread across the once gorgeous landscape. And a window had been broken. Jack is speechless so I reach and grab his hand. I squeeze gently and he squeezes back. I look up to him and smile. He just shoots me a great full look.

"Good you're on time," says the familiar voice of Mrs. Franch. I look around and can't believe I didn't notice her standing next to the house earlier. "I wasn't sure if she'd come." She says turning her head to talk to someone. Not just anyone, but Dr. Brights.

"Dr. Brights?" I can't help but ask. I knew he was involved somehow, after that hint he dropped in the hospital.

He simply nods. "Yes Karlie. Although I think you've figured this out already."

"Well I had my guesses," I confess. So he's part of the Surge. "What do you want?" I ask getting back on subject.

Dr. Brights looks at Mrs Franch. She nods to him. "We need you to do something for us. Well to get something for us." He says. I look at Jack. This is not at all what we were expecting.

"That's it?" I ask. It couldn't be that easy. They don't want me?

"Well now, hold on. It'll be dangerous. If your father finds out, well he may just kill you. We don't want you to get hurt but we need this done. We really do want you to trust us. But once again we need this done." Dr. Bright explains.

"No problem. I thought you wanted something else." I say looking down slightly embarrassed.

Mrs. Franch speaks up. "You? No. I mean we do, but we thought it through. It's be too risky with your boyfriend running around. Now we don't want to make you choose a side now, but we need what we need." She says with cold eyes. She's not at all like the bubbly teacher I used to know.

This time Jack talks. "Well, spit it out already. What do you want?" I can tell by his voice that he doesn't like where this is going. I don't even think I like where it's going.

"We need 200k. We know your father has this and we need it tonight." Mrs. Franch tells me. I look at Jack. His face is hard but it means he's thinking. No, it can't be this easy.

"What else?" Jack asks. He knows there's more. I do to.

"A map. This is the dangerous part. We don't know where it's at but we know it's in your house. You must bring the map and the money." Dr. Bright insists.

"What's on this map?" I ask. My mind quickly flashes to the letter my mother left me. Why would they need it? It certainly isn't some map to Taco Bell.

"That is top secret. One thing we do know is that it is highly secured. It won't be easy or safe." Mrs. Franch says.

Jack pulls me away. "Karlie no way." He's right. "If it wasn't so dangerous they'd do it theirselves. I know how they think. They want you to die. Think about it. If you die it'll show your dad a lesson."

I ponder on this. Dr. Bright clears his throat to remind us he's still there. I turn to them. "No. I won't steal from my own father." I declare.

Dr. Bright nods his head like he understands. "Here just take my card and call if you're interested." He says while pulling something from his jacket. Jack walks to him to grab it. Dr. Bright yanks handcuffs out from his jacket and puts them on Jack before either of us can react. Jack starts to struggle but Dr. Bright shoves him to the ground. He's only slightly bigger then Jack but he must have some big muscles hidden under his jacket to overpower him so easily.

"What the hell is this!?" I ask. Panic welling up inside of me.

"I told you we would have to take action if you didn't cooperate." Dr. Brights says innocently. Jack groans. I start towards him but Mrs. Franch stops me by grabing my hurt shoulder. I let out a small wail andd it's enough to make Jack freak out.

"Leave her alone!" He yells trying to get up, earning himself a kick in the side. He screams in frustration and I try once again to get to him. But Mrs. Franch pushes me back, causing me to fall.

"Go now and get the damn money and map or we'll turn him into his father." She threatens. She starts to kick Jack repeatedly and Dr. Brights whips out a gun and points it at his leg. Now I know that I have no choice. Giving Jack to John is a fate worse then death. I don't understand what happened with them but it's big. My father and him are planning something and I won't let it happen.

I risk a glance at Jack and I immediately regret it. His forehead is split open and he's bleeding. His face masked in pain. "Stop!" I yell to everyone and no one. "Okay. I'll do it."

Dr. Bright smiles. "Of course you will." Mrs. Franch towards me but I back up. Jack was right, we should've brought better weapons. "So you have until 9pm. Go." She says.

Okay, that's not enough time. "But if you give me until tomorrow, I'd have no problem getting it."

"Yes normally we'd agree, but that was before you almost refused. Now go. You haven't got much time." She says shoeing me away. I start to run back towards my house, but I turn around to look. The scene is not one most people would ever see. Blood and body parts scattered on the ground. The boy they love handcuffed and being held hostage by two people you thought you knew. "Darling you're wasting time." Shouts Mrs. Brights.

I run. Faster then ever before. I need as much time possible to look for the map. I misjudge how far away a unturned root is and I trip. Everything goes dark.