Beyond What We Know [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER 21 - Curtain Call [FINALE]

//Hello, everyone! This is it, guys, Ella & Co's adventure stops here. Maybe just for now, who knows...? I would like to give a special thanks to my best friend, my girlfriend and my friend Gab, who supported me all the way throughout this journey, and who always encouraged me to continue and never stop. I dedicate this story to them, Gab especially. Finally, I hope you all enjoyed, and I hope you look forward to more of my stuff! Because, come on, this story might be finished, but it doesn't need to be over. Kisses all around, I love you guys xx

It had only been less than an hour, but without my friends – no, my family –, it felt like an eternity I couldn't bear anymore, and hugging CK never felt so good.

"Where's Locke?"

"He went back for the others. We tried to force the doors open, but nothing worked... What happened here?" CK looked to his left and saw the Chair hunched over and leaning against the bookshelf. "You..."

"CK, don't. It's not worth it", I put my arm in front of him to stop him from losing his temper. I kneeled down and took the shoelaces off my boots.

"Yes, listen to your friend, Connor..." Wakefield chuckled and coughed.

"Here, tie her up. Can't let her leave scot-free", I smiled at CK as I handed him the shoelaces, and went back to the desk. "Now to get rid of C.L.A.S.S...." I was struggling to find any controls for that, when suddenly something came to my mind, "The painting!" I turned around and took Wakefield's portrait off the wall, setting it aside. And, sure enough, there was a secret control panel hidden behind it. The panel was labelled "CyberGenetics Logistics, Assistance & Security System"; below it were the words "Settings and commands". However, access was granted only through eye and fingerprint recognition from ours truly. Not that that was a problem, though. "CK, bring her over so we can shut down that annoying internal system."

After we had Wakefield unlock the panel, I deactivated C.L.A.S.S., which turned almost all the automated mechanisms in the building into manual ones. I turned on the intercom to let the others know we were fine, "Hello, everyone! I thought I'd let you know that we're close to putting an end to this. Just stay put, we'll come to you."

CK and I took Wakefield with us back to the others, who we met at the other end of the top floor. Locke confirmed to us what Doctor Myers said before she died: the Chair had commanded C.L.A.S.S. to initiate a sabotage sequence inside every piece of equipment in the control room, which caused the electronics to malfunction, spark and ignite. Luckily, they eventually managed to leave the room and put it out, though they didn't leave unscathed. Diego and Lee had their hands bruised from holding the shades and windows open the whole time, and Erica's and Rico's had small burn marks from messing with the equipment to try and make the sparks stop. All of them were still coughing every now and then due to all the smoke. But at least we were all alive, and we were together.

"We have to call the authorities as soon as possible—"

Kayla interrupted me with a proud smile, "Way ahead of you, buddy." She stepped aside to reveal a handful of officers, who immediately arrested Chair Wakefield.

"Octavia Thea Wakefield, you are under arrest for the horrendous misconduct and abuse of power you've practiced as the head of the CyberGenetics project, as well as the direct and indirect involvement in the murder of several people tied to the project, including your husband Edgar Nicholas. Anything you say from this point forth can and will be used against you in court."

Wakefield, now recovered from the hits she took, was visibly upset as they handcuffed her. "If you think it'll be over this easily, you're deeply mistaken."