The Focus Effect

Twenty-eight

Dear Hannah,

It is my hope that you'll have time to read this sooner rather than later. But later is better than never if you know what I mean. So let's just go ahead and get the hard stuff out of the way first, sweetheart. If you're reading this, I'm probably not alive anymore and I'm really sorry about that. It also doesn't necessarily mean that you're safe. This is what I intend to accomplish above and beyond anything else. Right now, you should be heading east. Watch your step and be weary of wildlife. Poisonous snakes and frogs will probably be your biggest threat on land, piranhas and alligators if you decide to go swimming. That's a joke. Do not go swimming. If you have to cross a river, try to find a narrow section or something that spans it. The GPS will only last for so long so use it to get your bearings and then turn it off to save the battery. If you should become disorientated after the GPS dies, you'll have to get your bearings using the sun—away from it when it's setting, towards it when it rises.

I'm not going to lie to you, Hannah. You've got a tough journey ahead of you. It could take upwards of a week before you reach the nearest road or township, more if you get turned around. The map I provided you isn't so much for the jungle as it is for when you reach civilization. I've marked Georgetown in Guyana because that is where the nearest American Embassy is located. When you get there, tell the first person you see that you want to speak with Asher Brooks. That name will get the ball rolling and you'll be back in the States before you know it. Commit the name to memory and destroy this letter when you've finished. I wish I could tell you the best way to get to the embassy, sweetheart, but I can't. I don't know how long it will take you. But I do know you can do it. You have to fight every step of the way and never give up. I don't want to put any more pressure on you than there already is by telling you how many lives you can save if you survive. But you need to know that what you're fighting for is more than just your own life. You're fighting to free people from over two decades of torture and experimentation. I know that's a lot to handle for a girl your age, but I believe in you, Hannah McKenzie. I believe in you. You'll have to rely on the kindness of strangers and watch out for those who would do you harm. Watch a person's eyes, they can tell you a lot. If a person doesn't look you in the eye, they could be lying to you. Just try to be a good judge of character and don't trust anyone blindly. Speaking of...

I have to turn the letter over to read the rest of Doctor Sue's words when my attention is drawn to the middle of the page where she has written the following words in capital letters and underlined them: DO NOT TRUST JD BRYSON. I can feel the blood drain from my face and I feel sick. I don't understand. I try to remain calm enough so I can get through the rest of the letter. The page is shaking in my hand.

...trust. I'm aware of how much it pained you to turn JD in but I have good reason to believe that since then, his loyalties rest solely with Kingshire. Word has come to me from the Depths that he intends on handing me over to Kingshire in exchange for medical attention. I may only have a few hours until they come for me. That's why it's absolutely imperative that I get this letter, along with the antidote, to you. Alliances are made quickly and enemies quicker under the watchful eye of Kingshire, Hannah. DO NOT TRUST JD BRYSON. You should have no reason to have to and I only tell you these things to ease your conscience. I don't know your reasons for turning him in, but it seems your intuition was spot on. Rely on that intuition, Hannah. It will serve you well. Also, avoid Brazilian local authorities at all costs. Kingshire pays them a hefty fee for their loyalty. One final thing: It is crucial that you get the GPS to the embassy. Within are encrypted files that the people there will know how to retrieve. These files are vital for a successful rescue mission.

I would be proud to call you my daughter, Hannah. You have my heart and my love always.

Doctor Sue