Zero

10 : The Escape

P A R T 1 0

It was a silent bullet.

The window glass crashes in a million pieces onto the floor. Branches outside rustle wildly as the murderer makes his escape.

I rush over to Paige's side. She is surprisingly calm for someone who just got shot. The organization probably trained her for moments like this.

"Listen to me," she says urgently. "You have to go and get the backup. It's in my room, top drawer of the cabinet. Here's the key." She hands it to me, then continues, "I'm going to die and you have to leave me here. Do not go to the police, you'll just get arrested. You need to get out of Nine, fast."

I stare at her in horror. Blood starts trickling from her mouth and nose. The wound in her chest is already staining her nightgown a bloody red. "You need to get help," I protest. "Did you see the murderer's face?"

Paige shakes her head. Her words begin to slur as the life begins to seep from her. "Wearing..mask... No use...getting help..." she struggles to get the words out. "Escape... underground tunnel... kitchen... leads to... woods....Cobbs... find you..."

I gape at her as she breathes her last words in a sentence: "Don't trust Six and Eight."

After this, the light goes out of her eyes and become glazed. She goes limp. As much as I would like to grieve, there is no time.

I run to her room, unlock the drawer she mentioned and find it empty. Then I spot a groove at the bottom of the drawer. I trace a finger along it and flip upwards.

The secret compartment in the drawer reveals an item that looks like a phone. This must be the backup.

I slide it into my pocket and rush to my room to grab my emergency escape bag. Who knew I would need it so soon?

Then I hurry to the kitchen and stuff a bottle of water and some food into the remaining space of the bag.

I look downwards, searching for the entrance to the underground tunnel. It's not going to be in the ceiling, that's for sure.

Or is it? My eyes trail from the air vent in the upper wall, then to the lone pillar in the kitchen. I knock on it. It is hollow.

I climb onto the kitchen counter, then onto the top of the cabinet on it. From here, I am able to reach the opening of the air vent which I pull out of the way.

Then, I use two hands to hold on to the edge of the vent and swing myself up, one leg at a time. The space is narrow but just enough for me to fit. I put the opening back in place so nobody will know I came through here.

It is very dark. I crawl along the vent until I sense a huge gap in front of me. This must be the top of the hollow pillar. I reach out, expecting nothing, but my hands bump into a pole.

It takes a few seconds for me to gather my wits before sliding down the pole. After that, I bump onto a steely surface the entire interior of the tunnel seems to be made of.

I get up and find that the ceiling of the tunnel is just centimeters above my head. I must be under the kitchen.

After a few minutes of walking forward I feel thirsty. I take a sip of water, then remember it's the middle of the night. I walk for maybe fifteen minutes more (can be thirty minutes, can be forty - I have no idea as I can't see my watch), then decide to sleep for a few hours before continuing.

Placing my bag against the steel walls of the tunnel and being careful not to crush the food, I use the bag as a pillow, lie down, and drift off to sleep.

The next morning, I eat a roll for breakfast, take a gulp of water, then continue on.

After walking for what must be a few hours (I'm not kidding) with rest breaks in between, I begin to see filters of light.

Somewhere far behind me, the tunnels turned from steel to soil. There is a stony object blocking my way out to where the light is shining from. I push on it, then make my way out.

I am in the forest near the Central Government Firm building. Where do I go from here?

As if on cue, I hear a voice saying, "Hello?" As if on a telephone. Only the voice is not physically here, it seems to be in my head.

"Four," it states. "Four."

I think that is where I shall head next.

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mindjournal #023

1 August 1300 hours

Extremely clear vision today. Did not tell Jones. Vision felt more like present than future.

Girl in the vision coming from Nine. Have to admit- gorgeous. Long, straight, very bright blue hair, choppy and uneven. Eyes have a violet outer ring of pupil, circle of black on inside.

Jacket covers collarbone, number cannot be seen.

Connected with her mind. Told her to come to Four.

Wonder if she knows anything about A Hundred Numbers. If she has anything to do with it at all.

When she reaches here, I guess I will know.