Sara Strong

Chapter 8

It was wasn't long after that ominous statement that Lecroix left the room, locking the room behind him. Max knew it was locked. Of course, he locked it. But it didn't stop him from trying. He eyed the door and for the millionth time considered his bodyweight and the weight of the door and if he could knock it down and somehow navigate his way through the halls and to freedom.

He sighed, turning around and flopping back unto the bed. He stared at the ceiling. An ache gathered from between his eyes and travelled to the sides and back of his head. 

It was a long time before the door opened again. Max kept his eyes shut. The pain had now spread all the way to his back. He kept his eyes closed from a moment. Then he dragged himself back up to face the door.

He was expecting to have to endure Sebastion Lecroix's smug, self-important face. Instead, he was met the last face he expected to see and also the one that was more familiar to him than his own. 

Ingrid stood there, with her sand coloured skin, her long and curly hair pulled into some attempt at a professional bun, her glasses dark and modern sitting fashionably on her prim nose. 

He breathed out her name.

Max was a smart man, he had proved it over and over again, to his teachers, to the kids from his old neighbourhood, to everyone who had ever doubted it because of his size or the colour of skin. 

But, at that moment his mind was blank. Ingrid was here. She was safe. She looked ok. She looked perfect. She looked- 

She was here, without any obvious supervision. She was wearing new clothes. She looked fine. Better than fine.

"Max," she breathed in return. 

"I didn't think they'd let me see you," he said.

Ingrid looked away for a minute. " I convinced them to let me."

"You convinced them?" He asked. "What does that mean? How did you convince them?"

Ingrid took a breath and when she turned her big brown eyes on him they looked incredibly sad.

"Max, they offered me a deal."

Max just shook his head. Nothing was making sense. He was so far in the dark, he had no idea what was going on. He hated the feeling.  

"Listen to me," she said urgently, taking his hand in hers. "You've asleep for a while. I still don't fully understand everything that's happening. But, we've been exposed to a virus that's delivering synthetic DNA to our systems. There's been no significant reaction to my system. But, the DNA is reacting to an existing mutation in your body in unpredictable ways. That's part of the reason why they can't let you go home."

Max felt numb. "Can't let you go home," he parroted. "So you're home free? Is that why you jumped ship to their side so quickly? This whole thing was your idea! This is happening because of you!"

"I know," she whispered. She was trembling a bit, but she had refused to let go of his hand. Max wanted to rip it away from her. "Whatever's happening to you. It's unpredictable. It's dangerous. from what they told me it can possibly kill you."

Max laugh humourlessly. "You've been having a nice long chat with them, I see."

"They want to monitor your progress and health with machines, " she continued over him. "Run some tests. They said they can force you, but it would be better if you cooperated."

"And they sent you to convince me?"

"Yes."

Max did pull away then. This was all too much. Too much information to process at one time. Too much change. It had been Ingrid and him against the world for so long. Was she now the enemy? 

"You're in pain," she told him. She reached out to brush against his shaved head. And somehow despite his panic, despite his uncertainty and fear. He did feel better. "I can tell. I don't know if we can trust these people, but we have no data and no experience to draw on from this. If something happens, I have no idea how to help you. Right now, we need them."

Max wanted to let her convince them, He wanted to gain back one familiar comfort. But he knew Ingrid too well, just like she knew him and that was how he knew she wasn't telling him everything. 

He turned his head away from her comforting touch. "What else?" 

"What?"

He turned back to her, drinking in her eyes for what might be the last time. "I know there's something else. Something you aren't telling me."

A pause. 

"What did they give you?"

Ingrid wasn't one for repeating herself. But she did now. "What?"

"They gave you something to convince you to do this. I want to know what it was before I agree to anything."

Ingrid hesitated. "They gave me a lead role on their research team."

Max closed his eyes. "Of course, they did. You get everything you wanted. And I get to be on the other side of the mirror."

"It gives me access to prior data about this virus," Ingrid insisted. "It makes so that both of us don't have to be kept in the dark. So that one of us has some semblance of control here."

Max stood up suddenly. "I don't feel in control, " he yelled.

"Neither do I, " Ingrid yelled back. "But I'm trying."

It seemed like the next moment of silence would last forever between them before Ingrid spoke up.

"I'm still on your team, she told him. She looked up at him, and Max knew without looking that her eyes would bright and brown and begging him to trust her. Like he always did.

He knew what would happen if he met those eyes and he refused to look at them now.

"I think I want to be alone, " he said slowly and articulatly. "You know, with my thoughts. I need to process things."

"Max, " she said. "They want an answer now."

"Give me a second, " he demanded. And then his voice grew soft. "Please."

Ingrid left without another word and Max went back to staring at the ceiling. After a moment he closed his eyes.