Chosen (Lost Time Prequel)

Chapter Forty

    I landed silently on my feet. I steadied my breath and looked around. The barracks were deserted with only one or two guarding, but they were patrolling near the edge of the Leadership Zone. They couldn't see me even if I made noises to call attention to myself. The barracks would impede their vision.

    I moved as silent as an owl's wings in the night as I ran to the courtyard. I avoided areas the moonlight touched and crouched low when I saw a silhouette standing near the tree Scarlet and I always sat under.

    "Hello?" A gruff voice emitted from the silhouette, which slightly moved. I recognized the voice and straightened. I went over there, but my guard was still up in case of a setup.

    "Simon told me you had something for me." I said. Gage stepped from under the shadowy tree. I could see him under the moonlight. He examined me.

    "You're well prepared. I think you'll make it just fine." He said.

    "What is it that you need to give me?" I asked, ignoring his comment. Gage gave me a gun that was chrome like the flash drive.

    "I'm not going to shoot anyone, Gage." I said in a final tone. "End of story."

    "This isn't a weapon. It's an Extirpator, which shoots tranquilizers that will destroy anyone's memory up to five hours prior to what happened and put them to sleep. You'll need to use this if you get caught." He said. "When you shoot, it'll be silent. Look, I can't stay long. I have to go back in the city before my men notice I'm gone. They can't go too long without orders." I examined it one last time before I put it behind me under my waistband. I could feel the cold metal press against my back as my shirt held it in place.

    "Thanks. I really appreciate it." I said.

    "This is extremely important. You must know the truth, so don't mess this up." Gage said. I slowly backed away from him, then sped the rest of the way to the Station.

    I opened one of the double doors slightly and peered inside. The main corridor was vacant as well. I slowly went down the hall until I reached the door that led to the stairwell. I jumped over each flight of stairs until I reached the fifth floor. I kept straight, turned right, and then left. For a while, I didn't have to worry about any guards. The riot must have been terrible.

    I stopped right outside of the restricted room. I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. The truth was just a few feet away. I looked to my left, and then my right. Then, I slowly turned the lever door handle and quietly stepped inside. The same wave of cold air washed over me like the time Scarlet and I came in, only this time I expected it to come. I used the black cloth to cover up the window and turned on the light. If anyone passed the room, they wouldn't notice the light on. The bottom of the door was sealed tight so the cold air couldn't escape and therefore blocked the light too.

    I hurried to the M.R.A and started to flick switches and press buttons. After I activated it, I went through several steps to disconnect the machine from Brian's computer. Then I plugged in the flash drive and placed my palm on the scanner so that the M.R.A could gain my lost memories. As I downloaded them, I sat in the chair and put the helmet over my head. The lens started to brighten, preparing to reveal the secrets Brian tried to keep from me. Before it officially began, the month, day and year appeared.

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    MAY 30, 1997: A woman with jade green eyes and a round face—who looked identical to the woman in my dream—was lying down in a hospital bed surrounded by people in mint green scrubs and masks. She looked weary, but she was smiling. A baby with silky black hair was presented to her by a nurse wearing white latex gloves. The woman started to cry tears of joy.