The Anomaly Project

CHAPTER EIGHT

AUTUMN

"I think you've cut off my circulation, dude," I tell the guard holding my arm. "I mean, seriously. I know how to walk. You don't have to drag me along, or clutch me like a lifeline."

The guard frowns down at me, but he loosens his grip. Big Nose is ahead of us, pulling Noah along. He yanks open a door and we enter a room I haven't seen before. But then again, I haven't seen many rooms in this building.

Noah and I have been here for so long now that I've lost track of the days. It feels like it's been forever, but really it's probably only been around three weeks.

Every day is pretty much the same: in the morning, we're given food - if you can even call it that – then we're taken to the testing room so that we can be... well, tested. The tests are painful and long; they usually last for several hours. Then we're deposited back in our cage for the rest of the day, and the next morning it starts all over again. Every three days, Dr. Finch comes in to take blood, or skin, or hair, or some other kind of DNA sample from us.

Today seems to be different, though. We're definitely not in the testing room – this room is much smaller. Like almost everything else in the building, the entire room is made of steel. There are no windows, no tables; just two doors side-by-side in the wall opposite us.

About five scientists stand waiting for us, all holding clipboards. Now where have I seen this before? Noah thinks to me. I roll my eyes inwardly. Desmond Forrester emerges from the group and gives us the once-over, an evil smile on his perpetually smug face. I feel such intense loathing at the sight of him; it's a miracle I manage to restrain myself from ripping him apart. He runs a hand lightly over his slick blond hair and opens his mouth to speak.

"Today, we are going to study your navigational senses and your basic physical capabilities," he tells us. We stare back stoically. He gestures at the twin doors behind him. "Behind these doors are two identical high-tech, well-manufactured mazes. As of this moment, you are competitors. You will enter the mazes at precisely the same time and the first one to exit will be the winner. Am I clear?"

"I'm not competing against my own sister," Noah spits. "Especially not for you."

Forrester's smirk disappears and he steps forward. Before I know it, he slaps my brother hard across the face. "You will cooperate," he says angrily. Without looking away from Noah, he pulls a black device out of his lab coat pocket and waves it threateningly. One single button is on it. "Would you like me to press this button?"

Noah's face is hard. He doesn't move a muscle. Forrester steps closer and shoves the device up to Noah's nose. "I asked you a question," he says, his voice low and soft. Dangerous. "Do you want me to press this button, Noah Stone?"

Obviously hating it, Noah slowly shakes his head no.

"Then you had better behave from now on," Forrester says, regaining his composure. He glances at me. "That goes for the both of you."

I avert my eyes. His are too cold for me to be able to hold his gaze for too long.

"As I was saying, you will enter the mazes at the same time. Only one will be the winner. Of course, we have to do some preparation first." He nods to the scientists behind him, and the guard holding me shoves me down onto a table. Before I know it, my arm is strapped down, and they're fitting me with a metal manacle not unlike the one my father was wearing. The same thing is being done to Noah.

"These devices will tell us your speed, location, heart rate, and brain patterns at all times you are in the maze," Forrester explains. He laces his fingers together behind his back and smiles eagerly. "Now, without further ado, let us begin!"