Control

xxx | aidan (part i)

NEVER WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE LEADING ATTACKS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD FROM ONE OF MY BEST FRIEND'S BASEMENT. The setting itself was alarming, considering everything that we were doing was to go against said best friend.

It's funny how the path life takes you on is nothing you ever expect. This definitely isn't what I thought I'd be doing at seventeen when I was nine, before going to the Institute. Heck, even after discovering that I wasn't really sick, never did I think it would come to a war between the girl I'd die for. The girl who was the entire reason why I discovered I was lied to all these years. My partner in crime, who wasn't even by my side right now.

I couldn't pinpoint how many soldiers we had around the world, but I knew it was a lot. Taylor was able to release a lot of people before the Institute intercepted the signal, stopping it instantly. They weren't able to regroup the people back as their slaves.

"Eighty Four to One... come in One..." The message came through my head piece in an instant. Eighty four was located in Amsterdam, according to the Institute's files. We used their numbers to make it easier for new leaders around the world. The fact that we managed to set up a communication line so quickly was amazing. 

Then again, Spencer had the code for the mind control devices. Everything was done under our command before we released them, explaining the new roles of certain people. 

"One to Eighty Four, what's the issue?" I asked through the mic. I was already pulling up the map of the city, tiny dots representing each person left alive. One blue for army leader, red for assigned soldiers -- but some may be missing, since there were many --, white for any other civilian and purple for members of the Institute. They were all attached to the grid. It was easy to track them all. Put a strong firewall up and no one can see that we can see the information.

If there was a black dot with a white rim around it, we know we've lost them. Their light goes off the screen an hour after they're dead.

I could already see the issue on the map. Institute members were closing in on their headquarters. Max was there with a few other soldiers, though I have a strong feeling they were close friends and family. 

"Scratch that," I said, the gears in my brain working. The Institute members were ready to act. They could throw a surprise attack, exiting the room from where the Institute was entering. I scrolled through the blueprint of the building they were in. "You have to sneak out of the building. Keep weapons on hand."

"My sister's crying. She can't even walk."

I gulped. In the middle of the circle of blue was one single white dot. She was probably younger than him, afraid of what was going on. 

The cursor on my screen goes to Max's profile. The Institute had profiles on everyone. Max was supposed to be part of the experiment, but his parents had hid him from them. I figured he was familiar with the Institute. 

MAXIMUS PETER JANSEN 
AGE 19
PARENTS: THOMAS JANSEN (48), ANNIKA PORTER-JANSEN (49)
SIBLINGS: THOMAS JANSEN JR (22), TESS JANSEN (13)

Thirteen. The same age as my own sister. If I was in that situation, what would I do? If my sister was scared out of her mind, unable to move, I couldn't just leave her. 

"Carry her." But then she would just be dragging him down. He wasn't an Evolutian, he couldn't carry her and fire a gun at the same time. I might be underestimating his abilities, but it wasn't practical. "Or hide her and come back for her."

"I can't do either, Aidan. Please don't make me do either of those choices."

Blood must be sacrificed for this. He obviously cares about his sister too much -- even though his file says he wasn't close to either of his siblings, nor his parents. He moved out the second he had the chance.