Mind Over Matter

Chapter 17

Carroll

I was running down a tunnel.

I ran into a solid steel wall. It was like déjà vu. I decided to try something new. I stared really hard at the wall. Nothing happened. Then I pointed my finger at the wall. Then, my finger retracted into my hand and some kind of laser pointer replaced it. It sent out a later beam, and it started cutting the metal. Awesome! A laser! I cut out a circle big enough for me to get through. I went through. Then, I was in a steel box about 7'x 7'x 7'

I cut through the top. There was another box. I cut through the side of the first one, just to find another one. I went into that one, and cut through that one. Another box. I turn around, just to see that the tunnel had been replaced by another box. I decide to go in one direction, so I kept cutting in the direction I was going.

I guess I should explain. We went back into the tunnels, this time with Alex. He finished whatever mission he was on and we filled him in on the details. Oh! We also went in with Mark. He's much better now, but he still doesn't have his powers. The doctors gave him something to compensate for losing them, so he's not all weak like when I found him. He seemed to really want to help us. I guess I kind of saved his life, and we're trying to stop the people who nearly killed him. He seems like a nice guy. We split up the first fork we found, I went left, Don went right, and Alex and Mark went together in the middle. The steel wall seemed interesting, but we'll see if it goes anywhere.

Don

This time, I had a flashlight so I could see. This tunnel was going on for awhile. Odd, most of them were about the same length. Suddenly I saw to figures. They were people. "Alex, Mark?" I said, "Is that you?" No response. I moved forward, cautiously. They got closer. "We're surprised you came back in here," one of them finally said, "You're going to regret it." Before I could say anything, they gagged me with a cloth, tied me up and put a bag on my head. They carried me down the tunnels. I don't know why they put the bag on my head, because it's not like I could find my way back through this. Finally,we got to this building, and they took me through some doors and intended a room. They strapped me in a chair, and took the bag off. Then they removed the cloth. "I don't know what you hope to accomplish by this," I said. The men just walked out the door and locked it. I noticed that the last one out had something tattooed on the back of his neck. It was a number. The worst number I know of. 51.

Mark

I was happy to be free of the mind control, but it was weird not having my powers. I didn't realize how important they were. These seemed like nice people, working for a good cause. Plus, they saved my life. I wanted to help them in every way I could. I was with Alex. He seemed like a good person, but he was mysterious. Those two qualities usually don't mix, but for some reason he has both. I kinda like it. I wonder if he has superpowers like the others. "Do you have powers like the others?" I asked as we walked down the tunnel. "Look, Mark," he replied, "You seem like a good, honest, trustworthy person, but I'm not allowed to answer questions like that quite yet." "No problem," I said, trying to be nice, "I understand, you gotta keep secrets." "I like you," he replied. "I'm a likeable guy," I replied, "Sort of, anyway." He laughed. "Hey, I understand too," he said, "It's awkward trying to talk to someone you tried to beat up earlier." "Yeah," I replied, getting nervous, "Sorry about that." "Hey," he said, "Mind control is cruel stuff." I eased a little. "That machine I told the robot about..." I started. "She's a person," he replied defensively, "At heart anyway." "Sorry, I guess I need to get to know her then," I replied. He paused for a moment. "No," he said, "I'm sorry, you didn't know... You would have figured it out. Continue." "Anyway, that machine is what we need to find," I said, "It's dangerous, and these tunnels should be the least of our worries." "That's comforting," he replied sarcastically. "Yes, very," I added. "Is Shadow working with someone?" he asked. "Yes," I replied, "But I don't know who. All I know is that they're big, and set on controlling the world." "That could be anyone," he said. Suddenly, I noticed something. "This tunnel is longer that usual," I said. We both stopped.

Carroll

I kept cutting, until I found another tunnel. I went into it. That was weird. Well, relatively. Of course, this whole thing is weird. I didn't know what to expect next. I ran down the tunnel. Next, I came to a hallway with about five wooden doors on each side. The walls and ceiling were painted white. I went through the first left door. It took me to another hallway. It was the same, except it was painted blue. I went through the first left door. It took me back to the first hallway, but the tunnel was gone, and in place of it was the door I just walked through. I tried to go back through it, but it was locked. I went through the first left door again, and it took me to the blue hallway. It's a maze. I went through the first right door this time. It took me to a light blue hallway, same number of doors. I went through the first left one. Back to the white hallway. It's a confusing maze. I went through the first left one, then the first right one, then the first right one again. Back to where I started. This is going to take awhile.

Don

It was dark. I had been sitting there for hours. They hadn't even asked me one question. No torture, no interrogation. Nothing. "What do you want?!?" I yelled. No response. I was freaking out. I couldn't figure out why they were doing this. And it didn't help that I knew who it was. It was Area 51. The worst organization on the planet. Possibly the worst in the universe for all I know. If it wasn't for the Lab, they'd be ruling the world by now. "Why aren't you doing anything to me?!?" I yelled. I was panicking. Then it dawned on me. That's what they want me to do. They put me in there so I would freak out. I got a hold of myself. I stayed quiet. Maybe I can freak them out.

Mark

I turned around. There was an exit right behind us. "It's a trick," I said, "They want us to keep walking, but we'll never get there." "Smart," Alex commented. We walked into the exit behind us. We were in a steel box, about 7 cubic feet in volume. "Odd," he said. "Isn't everything?" I said. He pulled out a little device, and pointed it at the floor. It sent out a laser beam that started cutting the metal. He cut a hole in the floor. It led to another box. We both jumped down. There was a hole on two opposing sides of this one already. "Did you cut these already?" I asked. "No," he replied, "Somebody else must have." I looked through one hole. It went through several boxes and then led to a tunnel. I looked through the other side. Exact same thing. "Which way?" I asked. "You pick," he replied. I thought for a moment. "Do you have a coin?" I asked. "If it lands on heads, we go that way," he said pointing toward one hole, and handing me a quarter. I flipped it. It fell on the floor. Tails. We went through the other hole. We went through the tunnel. It led to a black hallway, with a wooden door at the end. We went through it, and it led us to a white hallway, with five doors on each side.

Carroll

After awhile, I found the way to a black hallway, with a tunnel at the end. I memorized a code to remember hot to get here if I go through there again:

R4, L3, L2, R2, L5, R2, L1, L4, R5, R1

At the end of this tunnel, I found... a steel box. With the exact same holes that I cut in it. Dang it! Whether I go back or keep going, I know I'll end up there again, so I move forward... and find a white hallway with 10 doors.

Don

I wonder if Area 51 is working with Shadow. Probably. That's not good. I sit in the dark room for what seems like an hour. Nobody comes. I try to stay calm. I try to fake a smile, just to throw them off. My eyes have adjusted to the dark, but the walls are black so I can't make anything out. The door must be black too, because I can't see it either. No way out. I just have to sit here and act like I'm fine. We'll see how long I last.

Mark

We ran through different colored hallways, but always ended up at the white one. "We're lost," I said, "Aren't we?" "Yep," Alex replied. Very comforting. "I can't wrap my head around this," he said. We kept running around for awhile, and finally gave up. We sat and rested in a red hallway.