Captive

Chapter 37

The Gilliman's food truck sat idling two blocks from Doctor Spencer's psychological research facility. Both the driver and passenger waited impatiently, periodically exchanging glances with the digital clock on the dashboard. It was 11:40 on Tuesday morning; Vincent would be preparing to launch the strike against the selected branch of the Algern Corporation. Freddie double-checked the back of the truck. It was empty, save for two backpacks, several pistols with extra rounds of ammunition, and a replica of Vincent Matthews. The facsimile, now alert and dressed in one of the original's uniforms, sat like a soldier preparing for battle. He remained cross-legged, a shotgun resting on his knees. Regan was in the driver seat, tapping her anxious fingers on the steering wheel. Despite the fact that they did not know what was to come, the trio was ready to do their parts to aid in the rescue operation.

"You okay back there?" Regan asked as she peered through the rearview mirror.

"Yes Reg," the clone responded, causing the driver to cringe. She found herself a bit uncomfortable with a second version of her brother in her midst. One Vincent was bad enough, but two of them seemed a little excessive.

"You know what you have to do?" she continued.

"I help you get the prisoners out of there, and then I destroy the place." The clone picked up one of the bags beside him. "I take these bags to the basement and blow up the generators. I will not survive." The answer was calculated and methodical. This creature, despite holding the mannerisms of its original form, was unwavering and a bit obtuse. It did not seem bothered by the thought of taking another life. Regan wondered if something inside her brother's head held the same shrewd and uncompassionate tendencies toward others.

"Yes, but remember. You help us get the others to the truck. That includes my real brother and Bridget Dunn. You understand?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Okay." Regan took the car out of park and merged onto the street. "Let's do this." She hit the gas and drove the truck toward its destiny.

***

Matthews strolled to his cubicle with his hands in his pockets. His right palm clutched a small USB drive no bigger than a man's thumbnail. Yorick designed the device to fit comfortably into the computer and still remain unseen. The guard checked the clock—it was 11:43, so he went to the water cooler and poured himself a cup. Matthews stood there for a moment, drinking his chilled water quietly and observing the lunch transition as guards moved in and out of the break room. He tossed the empty paper cup into the receptacle beside the cooler before he went to his cubicle where he pulled the USB stick from his pocket and sat at his desk. Knowing that the cameras were still active and watching his every move, he pretended that his computer mouse was not working to justify his need to pull the hard drive tower forward. Matthews, playing with the mouse cord hooked to the back of the tower, quickly slipped the jump drive into a port, jiggled the mouse cord one more time, and repositioned the hard drive. He logged into his computer at approximately 11:45 and checked his email. It would take Yorick a few moments to disable the cameras, so Matthews closed his email and pulled up Bridget Dunn's file. He typed some quick notes about her morning and then saved them. His phone vibrated with a text that read, All clear. He logged off the computer and started to make his way out of the lounge toward the loading docks.

Matthews arrived just as the Gilliman's food truck was backing into the receiving area. The guard greeted several of the dock employees before he made his way to the truck's passenger side window. When Freddie saw the guard, the lab technician pulled a gas mask from under his seat and rolled down his window to hand it to Vincent. Matthews put the mask on and banged on the side of the truck. The clone kicked open the back door, and aerosol canisters filled of Kolokol-1 exploded from the rear of the truck as Regan, Freddie, and the clone burst from the apparatus wearing masks and carrying firearms. The employees fell where they stood, which provided the party with a quiet entrance into the facility. The group entered the foyer of the building and dumped the masks.