The Mirage

Who Is Dr. Crook?

I looked at Lizette. I remember telling her I'm adopted. She didn't really care if I was adopted or not.

I never knew my real parents. Since I was homeless at the age of 3, They didn't really get any information. My mom told me they had to take my blood just to find out who I was. They eventually found out who my parents were. It said they gotten into some car crash and didn't survive. Even after my mom told me, I didn't believe it.

"What are you talking about?" I said intrigued by the new information.

"In the facility there's a lab. In that lab, there's a room where they test people. They test two people, a male and a female. Once they complete it they make them have a kid. Once they have the kid..." she went silent for about ten seconds. "They kill the parents."

"How did you find this out?" I said. I believed Lizette on everything, but this was a bit harder to believe.

"I told you about my friend. You have to believe me." she said looking me dead in the eye.

I looked around. Kids with their parents having the time of their lives.

"Why would they kill the parents?"

"Because the child are always more powerful than the parents."

"How can the child be more powerful than the parents?" I said with a straight face.

"I dunno.. Genetics?" she said awkwardly.

It went silent for about ten seconds.

"I don't know if this is true, but the machines they use.. they need a rare type of titanium for their machines.. People have said they keep their titanium in the sewers." she said with a serious tone.

"Why would they keep it in the sewers?" I said. Who would keeps a rare titanium in the sewers?

"Because who would go in the sewers in the first place?" she said grinning.

"Good point." I said my face breaking out into a tight grin.

"Maybe tomorrow after school, we can check out the sewers?" I questioned.

Lizette gave me a disgusted look.

"The sewers?! I'm not going down there! There's probably rats and It's going to smell so bad. Plus, what if-"

"Lizette please? It'll be cool for us to go. I've never been in the sewers." I said trying to beg her to come with.

"Ugh, fine." She said clearly disgusted.

I smiled at her, Finally we're going to find out the truth.

After me and Lizette hung out at the park, I decided to visit Dr. Crook.

I knocked on his apartment door and waited for him to answer.

He finally answered the door.

"Why, hello Mr. Jacobs." He said with a small smirk.

"Hey, Dr. Crook, decided to check up on you." I said grinning.

"Ah, very well, come in." He said, opening the door wider.

I walk into his apartment. It was exactly the same like before. I went and sat on one of the sofa's, while Dr. Crook goes behind me to the open kitchen.

"Coffee?" He said while brewing the coffee.

"Sure." I said trying to think of the questions I'm going to ask him.

"So, Dr. Crook, I guess you aren't from Wyoming, what made you come here in the first place?" I asked while watching him make the coffee.

"Well, I'm from New York. Let's just say me and my parents weren't very close. Once I was probably 20, I came here for some.. Opportunities.." He said while pouring coffee into two small cups.

"What opportunities?" I asked trying to get him to spill what he's keeping from me.

He went silent for a few seconds and started to walk towards me with a cup of coffee.

"Well.." He said taking a seat on the sofa.

"There is this facility. Researching for Cures and Solutions. Long story short, They were looking for people that were really good with science. As a kid and even today I loved science. By the time I got here, I decided to apply." He said. He wasn't even looking at me. He was looking at the wall.

"But the good thing about applying there is, I got to meet your lovely parents." After saying that he turned to me.

"Why were they there in the first place?" I asked in a confused tone. Hoping he'll tell me the actual truth.

He stayed silent for about five seconds.

"I don't know. I guess we'll never know." He said while taking a sip from his coffee.

"Dr. Crook.. What do you know about R.C.S?" I said. I wanted to stop playing this game and decided to start asking the important questions.

He stayed silent for a few seconds.

"Listen, Jacobs. Don't go looking around near the facility. From my experience, it was dangerous. If you keep snooping around, you will be in big trouble. Understand?" He said sounding serious. He looked at me right in the eyes just to make sure I was listening.

I pretended I wasn't going to look more into R.C.S. There's something weird going on. I'm going to find out. Not just for me, but for my parents.

After talking with Dr. Crook, I got up and went to the door. Before I opened it, Dr. Crook said "Do not Snoop around."

I guess he was giving me a final warning.

The next day, I had study hall. I sat on the table waiting for Jess to come. While waiting for Jess, I thought about if I should tell Sam. I decided that I should tell him, even if he might get mad.

Finally saw Jess walk into the library. She seemed upset about something. She came walking towards me.

"Jess, are you okay?" I asked looking at her.

"No.." she said looking down.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We're m-m-.." she couldn't even make a word out.

"It's okay you can tell me, Jess." I patted the seat down beside me. Gesturing her to sit.

She sits down next to me. Putting her head on my shoulder.

I could feel her holding her tears.

"We're moving."