Remember

Chapter Seventeen (edited)

 Bethla Garner sat down at the end of the table in the large room, the eyes of her colleagues bore a hole through her and she took a big gulp. She looked down at her hands that shook ever so slightly and then made eye contact with the woman directly across from her. The woman was angry and had every right to be. Ms.Garner had let the key to the Paradisium Confederation's destruction escape her grasps.

"Please ma'am-" She started, but the woman silenced her with a wave of her hand. She did not want to hear whatever pitiful excuse that was about to escape her lips.

"Ms.Garner, please, save it for someone who actually cares. You failed at your job and have cost this organization a great deal. We gave you the job because you said you were capable. Out of a thousand qualified people, we chose you." The woman paused, a scowl on her face. "We even gave you the freedom to choose how you would contain our... problem."

"Governor Khoen, I'm sorry. Please give me a chance to fix it. I have no idea how she found out. She had to of had outside help." Ms.Garner pleaded with the woman. If she could not convince her to give her another chance she was afraid she would lose more than just her job.

Governor Khoen stood up quickly and slammed her palms against the table angrily. The glass groaned beneath her fists and threatened to shatter. "What did I say about your excuses? You are walking on a very thin line Bethla. Not only are you making excuses, but saying we have a mole in our organization?" Ms.Garner looked around at the faces of her colleagues; most held smug faces that showed no remorse to the anger she was receiving. They all agreed with the Governor, they had to or they would meet their own untimely deaths.

There was only one person who did not look at her in anger and that was the man she had grown up with. He avoided all eye contact with her, instead staring at his hands that were clasped on the table in front of him. She understood why he did not stand up for her, he had a family to take care of. He could not take the risk.

Alarms began to blare in the room and red lights flashed everywhere. One of the guards must have raised the alarm. It was no surprise, people tried to escape everyday. They would never learn that there was no escaping the Paradisium Federation. They ruined the chance of a happy life when they broke through the simulation. Now all that was left for them was the broken hell they called the real world. If only the people in the simulation understood that the Paradisium Confederation was trying to protect them.

A few guards burst into the room, earning a raised eyebrow from everyone in the room -- including the Governor. The guards were out of breath as the first one spoke. "Governor Khoen, we have a code 'X'. Three escapees, they're headed towards the back door."

"People run all the time, what is the importance of these? Why are you here and not chasing them?" She barked back, clearly frustrated with the guard for having the mind to interrupt the meeting.

"Ma'am, subject Colette Degorne is of the three escapees." The Head Guard took a step back as he gave her the information, clearly terrified of the woman's reaction. Rightfully so. Ms.Garner had watched her shoot many people on spot for disobeying direct orders, she had no remorse. Governor Khoen's features turned to rage as she balled her hands into fists and stood up from the large table in such a manner that her chair flew backwards and slammed into the wall.

"Then stop standing there with your head in your asses and do something about it. Let her escape and I will see that your entire squad is executed and replaced immediately." The men turned to leave, but not before pausing to receive an update over their radios.

The Head Guard turned slowly, his face suddenly ten shades lighter than before. "Ma'am, the subjects have left the building..." The man bit his lip, his men already running towards the back door in hopes to help their squad members detain the escapees.

At this point Governor.Khoen was screaming, her face turning red with rage. She turned to Ms.Garner. "You want to save your ass?" Ms.Garner nodded. "Figure out where they are going and find them." She looked to the Head Guard. "I'll deal with you and your men later. Help Ms.Garner find the girl and her friends and I might just let you live." He nodded. "Now, Lieutenant Koeffer!"

Ms. Garner quickly stood up, nearly tripping over her own chair, and followed the guard out the door. She had to find that girl.

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A.N. : So I thought I'd give you a little government insider... it's a bit shorter than all the others but I hope you enjoyed! :)