The Haven

Chapter 20

The minute his knife touches her skin, I instantly regret volunteering to help my dad practice removing the chip.

We're in a veterinary clinic, in case you were wondering. When we were at the diner, my dad mentioned he had a vet-friend in the area and we hurried to the clinic.

After we caught a drone, of course.

It started a few hours after we left the diner. The drones are seeming more and more anxious to capture us, sending almost constant patrol drones to "check up on us." They are becoming harder to run from. I had a vision of their next attack, and we hurried to set a trap. Once they locked down on our location, they headed straight for us. One of the skimpier drones, I'm guessing a newbie about ten, fell into our trap and the others left her behind.

I can't control my visions and I haven't seen another one showing them attacking. Either their waiting, or I just won't see it coming. They could strike any minute, so my father was urgent in starting the surgery. Using the tools he brought from the Blaze and what he could use from the clinic, Jackson sedated the girl and is now beginning the removal.

I keep thinking, how are we going to explain everything to the girl if the surgery is a success?

"I got it." Trying not to look at the blood or the small opening in the back of the girl's neck, I hold out the napkin for him to set the chip on.

Jackson sews her up and cleans the wound, then gently covers her with a blanket.

"If the removal is a success, I need to remove your chips right away. I can only do it safely here, where we have sterilized supplies. We don't have much time." Jackson says with a concerned and serious look in his eyes.

Suddenly, we hear the girl gasp. He eyes go wide and she starts whipping her head around the room.

"She's going into shock, there is too much strain on her brain."

The heart monitor's beeping rapidly increases its pace. My dad hurries to fill a needle and inject her with a drug to make her calm, but before he can get to her, her heart stops beating and and the line on the monitor goes flat.

My heart stops. We just killed a little girl. My dad rushes over to her and yells "clear," then I see her body kick up. He does it again, but nothing happens. I see his shoulders slump; he's giving up.

"Do it one more time! Do it again!"  I scream at him, but he just shakes his head.

"It's too late." His eyes and head are lowered to the ground as I notice a tear slip from his eyes.

I feel anger rush into my veins and flood my body. I push him out of the way and grab the plates from his hands.

"Clear!" I say and press the plates to her chest.

The girl jolts, but nothing else changes. She's gone.

"Aaliyah! The drones are coming!" Wiping the tears from my eyes, I rush after River to the window. Through the binoculars I can see their black cars headed towards us.

A wave of rage washes over me and I feel my face heat up with anger. I'm so tired of dealing with the Director! Everything he's done, everything he's doing. I am done playing his games.

"Dad. Remove my chip." I demand, stomping back to the table.

"No." He says sternly.

"Now!" A tear drips from his eye.

"What if you..." I fill the needle with the sedation drug and plunge it into my arm.

My head becomes dizzy and everything starts to blur. My knees go weak, sending me falling to the cold, tile floor. I hear my dad call my name, then my eyes flutter shut and I drift into unconsciousness.

***

My head radiates in heat. Everything feels heavy. Even my eyes feel too heavy to open. I hear a voice, one that sounds extremely familiar.

Willow.

My eyes bolt open, burning from the harsh, fluorescent lights. I sit up straight and see Willows adorable face. I reach to hug him, but an excruciating ache burns in my head, forcing me down. Like strobe lights, images and scenes flash in my mind. Memories. They flood my mind to the point I feel as though it will burst from all the pressure. The pictures won't stop, there are so many of them. I feel my breath quicken and my heart beat rise. With one last bright flash, the pictures stop and everything goes black.