Extraordinary Mistakes

36. Stay afloat

Abigail hadn't slept properly ever since her conversation with her parents.
She's now sure that part of their money is funding this lab that Rachel seeks. No additional proof needed.

The man she killed also keeps popping up on her nightmares, making it harder to rest.

The urges to manipulate her emotional state keep creeping in. You don't need it. She takes it out on the gym, on the shooting range. Anything that keeps her occupied and tired enough. But nothing seems to work. Whenever she lies in bed, she just ends up waking up a few hours after.

Day after day, she heads to the Institute. She's there physically, but her mind is elsewhere. She's on autopilot mode. Smiles whenever needed, making small talk, teaching her students, and making them feel safer than she feels.

She keeps looking over her shoulder. Asking herself if her colleagues, the ones she has for years now, some she knows since they were students, were also part of it. 

Her only moments of peace throughout her workday are when she can have lunch with Aminu. She couldn't trust anyone, but him. She knew in her heart that he wouldn't have anything to do with it.

Emily hasn't joined in a while and keeps being busy. Probably with the marketing department, Jade, or both.

Later that day, she and Emily meet and sit quietly for a while in Abigail's room.

"I haven't slept properly since you brought her over."

"I'm sorry. I thought you deserved to know the truth about what she saw in there."

"Wish I didn't..."

"I know what you mean. Part of me feels the same. That it would be better to unsee everything that happened. I'd sleep better. Eat. But we'd live a lie..."

Abigail sits closer to her.

"I'm going to join them."

"Who, Abigail?"

"The terrorists."

"What?!" Emily stands up immediately.

"Yes, I've thought about it thoroughly, and it is my best shot. Right now, I trust them more than anyone else. Your parents are part of this, Emily. And mine, I don't even want to consider it. I'm scared all the time and can't keep it any longer."

"And the solution is to leave your perfect life and become an enemy of the world?"

"The solution is making my own decisions. I'll try to convince Rachel to let me join them on my terms. I have nothing to lose."

"You have everything to lose! You are a Parker!"

***

Emily meets Jade on a park near her house. The girl has a towel in the grass and lies down while updating her socials.

"We need to talk."

"Shoot." She puts her phone down.

"I think what happened at the Institute was an inside job-"

Jade stops her and turns off both their phones before telling her to keep going.

"They weren't deviants, and the Institute either organized it or at least closed its eyes."

"So what?" Jade's facial expression is the same as being told about the weather forecast.

"What do you mean 'so what'?" Emily's eyebrows raise.

"It probably was, Emily. Made up threats are a known technique. Rachel Moore is the big bad wolf with her gigantic army!" Jade mocks, "but we witnessed her saving you, so it turns out, is a whole new group that is threatening our peace."