THE CODE THAT LINKS US ©

Chapter Ten

MADISON

The rest of the day goes by really fast and with every second I transform myself into a nervous mess. Every single minute I tell myself that everything is going to be fine and that everything would go as the plan states, but every time it gets more difficult for me to believe it.

When it is dinner time, Sarah brings a tray with my food and leaves it over my desk without even saying a word to me and it takes all on me to do exactly the same thing. I wish I could run to her, hug her and cry on her arms the way I've done it my whole life. Tell her the plan. Tell her I am not mad at her. Tell her that I love her like the mother I've never hard. She's the person I trust the most in the whole entire world, and the fact that I can't tell her what's going on is more than frustrating.

I get a message from Levy.

8:26 PM LEVY: How much time?

I stare at the message for a few minutes. This really is happening.

8:30 PM MADISON: Two hours. I'll let you know as soon as I have the girl.

8:30 PM LEVY: I'll see you at 10. Street at the end of the garden.

I stand up and take my backpack, emptying it on the bed. I take some shirts and t-shirts from my closet and pack them in my improvised suitcase. How many would be enough? How much time would this last? I think in front of the backpack, now half full, when suddenly someone opens the door again. I cover my bag immediately from whoever it is and hold my breath panicking. Then I finally rest when I see my mother. She glances at what I am hiding and smiles closing the door behind her.

"I guess it's happening tonight," she opens her arms widely for me. I let me go to them hugging her stronger that I have ever done before and I start crying. My newest habit.

"You are going to be fine. We are going to be fine," she whispers to my ear.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt," I sob and she takes my face in her hands.

"We... are... going... to... be... fine," she whispers emphasizing each word and finishes with a kiss in my forehead. Her crystalline eyes stare at me waiting for an answer to the lie she's trying to force herself to believe, and I finally nod making her show me a painful smile. "Goodbye my love," she says giving me another kiss and a small strong hug before she leaves.

I sit down on the little couch by the window and look outside. Everything looks like a normal night. The night insects sing without ceasing. The pool's water is calmed and full of color for the lights at the bottom. The little lamps lighting up the road to the entrance. Everything looks exactly as it is supposed to.

I look at the clock on my phone's screen that shows nine- forty, and I gulp. The time is coming. I finish packing. A pair of jeans, makeup, sunscreen, creams, money. Sunglasses? What the heck does someone packs when getting out of the city?

I have never been to any other place apart from San Francisco. The farthest I almost went was to Los Angeles, seven years ago. When my mother assured me we were going to Disneyland. But of course, we never went.

I force the bag to close and leave it under my desk before the phone buzzes again.

10:05 PM LEVY: Right outside. Do you have the girl?

I search under my pillow for the silver key and when I find it, I hold it strong in my hand.

It's time.

I find the hallway completely dark, so I end up having to light my way with my phone's screen. The door opens without hesitation and I have to take a deep breath before entering.

The lights are fully lightened in the child's zone. I walk quickly to the invisible crystal door and place my palm over it lighting up the panel that immediately asks me for a code. The code. It was essential. How do I plan to take out the girl without the code?

I look at the girl through the crystal. They were just three digits. Three numbers, I think again and look around searching for some kind of clue. Nothing.

I insert three random numbers. 1-7-3. INCORRECT CODE.

I walk in circles around the room trying to remember anything else. I try to remember the moment I saw my mother typing it but the number seems to be blurry. Then something finally pops into my mind. The girl. Her wrist. She had a cipher. I hit the glass hard. Maybe if I get to wake her up, she could show me her wrist. I hit the crystal again till I remember that the walls are made of mirrors. Why would she wake up and show her wrist to a mirror that she has seen her entire life?

"Damn it!" I hit the table next to me and this time it lights up projecting the menu and then, I see it. In the upper corner of the screen... E-150. Bingo.

I type the three numbers in the panel and the door opens immediately. I enter as fast as I can to the child's area and walk to the bed passing my hand carefully on her cheek getting her to open her eyes of a beautiful and shiny blue. I force her a smile and she just stares at me seriously. "Please don't cry," I beg and she just looks at me. "We need to go," I hold her and get out before anything happens. I pick up the bag from my room and then hurry our way out.

Going down the stairs, I perceive a silhouette in the living room that makes my heart skip a beat. I hold the girl stronger against me before I continue my way down. When I finally get to the living room, I'm sweating nervously and have already ask myself twenty times if I am truly going to make it out. I find the silhouette's face and I sigh of relief.

"I- I don't think I can do this," I panic when she reaches me with a pity look and tears in her eyes. I put the girl down and look at my mother.

"You got this," she says passing her hand on my cheek and a tear leaves my eyes. "I would never ask you to do anything that you weren't able to do. I trust you."

"I'm scared," she nods pulling me in a strong hug.

"Fear is as strong as you let it be," she whispers to my ear and I hug her tighter.

She lets go of me and I look at her one last time before I hold the child again. My mother opens the door for me and once we are out the wind and cold rain hit us right in the face. Why did it have to rain?

I begin walking through the path that leads to the exit and through the heavy rain I get to see the lights of the white Jeep waiting for us at the end of the big garden. When we finally arrive, I open the door and set the girl in the back seat buckling her in while she just observes my movements.

"Gosh, are you sure of this?" Levy says as soon as I get in the car. "It's illegal."

"Don't make me want to get back Levy," I say and he looks at the girl.

"Welcome to San Francisco!" he says with a smile and the girl just stares at him in reply.

"Don't take it personal," I say to Levy and he laughs nervously starting to drive.