Linewalkers

11 | Volition and Coalition

Not Edited 

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She woke in confusion. 

Her head pounded and her body was screaming at her. She attempted to open her eyes, only to close them again against the bright white light. She groaned and tried to move but discovered that she was bound. After a few moments, she opened her eyes again. 

Blinking against the pain, her vision finally cleared. She was in a white room, bound to a chair, and a metal table laid out before her. There was a wide pane of glass to her right and a door directly across the room from her. She shivered, the cool metal of the chair pressing into her skin, and she came to realize that she was in an interrogation room. 

Thoughts raced and she tried to figure out her situation. She thought she had died, she felt as though she took her last breath, and yet she didn't feel dead. She felt frightened. She assumed the worse and her breathing quickened. Had the FBI caught her?  

She remembered what had happened and it only proved to make her feel worse. She didn't know who those strange men were or why they had forcefully broken into her home. Surely the FBI weren't allowed to do that without a warrant, and she didn't figure she had a warrant just yet. And that young man with the amber eyes, she didn't know him but it seemed like he was fighting in her favor until he disappeared. 

She was drawn from her thoughts when the only door in the room opened. 

A man dressed in a black suit walked into the room. His salt and pepper hair gave away his age and she almost flinched when he dropped the vanilla colored folders onto the table. His chair screeched as he pulled it to sit down. Her eyes fell to the folders and her heart fluttered when she read familiar words. Department of Technological Evolution and Education. 

"Good day, Ms. Monticello." 

Her eyes moved to the man. Her mind was swirling. 

"You seem to have paled considerably," His voice was smooth, equable, and it felt strangely compelling, "Does something concern you?" 

She didn't speak. Part of her was still in shock and the other part was scared. After Elias had told her how dangerous this company was, here she was. She had screwed up. 

"I'm assuming you have already made the connections, so I won't waste any time then," The man leaned forward, she almost leaned back, "Why did you steal the codes?" 

Her heart tripled its pace. 

"Someone told you about them, otherwise you wouldn't have known exactly where to go in order to gain access," He continued, cold eyes studying her, "My agents confiscated your computer last night and it seems you have incredible computer skill." 

She was beginning to grow warm with nerves. She couldn't think of way out of this, she was trapped and completely at the mercy of this man and his department. They had the proof and she was helpless.

"You've hacked before and after your latest, its considered a criminal offense. In my book, you could land yourself in jail for five years. You would have a criminal record for the rest of your life, is that something you want?" 

"No." She mumbled, her resolve crumbling. 

"I didn't think so," He reached over and opened one of the folders, "What is your relation with Elias Rabino? Was he someone important to you?" 

She sighed, "He was my best friend." 

"Have you had any contact with Elias in the past seventy-two hours?" 

"No." She lied. 

He pulled her phone from one of the folders, "That's funny because we recovered information of a phone call made with an unknown caller ID." 

"I never answered it." 

"Yes, you did," He flipped through the folder, "You spoke to Elias and he told you about the codes. I understand that you're trying to help him and so are we." 

"You killed him." She grit. 

"Is that what he told you?" 

"You sent the letter." 

"We did," The man agreed, "But we have reason to believe that Elias is not actually dead. He's perfectly alive, we just need to find him." 

"Why do you want to help him?" 

He folded his hands together, "Ms. Monticello, there are things in this world that you don't understand. I have been working for over thirty years to unveil those secrets. We made a breakthrough and Elias has the answers we need." Her gut twisted at the undertone of his words, something didn't feel right. There was more to the story he provided.

"So why do you need me?" 

"I don't need you. I want you to help me find your best friend. His death must have been devastating for you, surely you don't want it to happen again?"  

"You just said he wasn't dead." 

"On the other side, he's not." 

She frowned, "Other side?" 

"You'll find out," He replied, then smiled, a cold dead one, "I believe we have reached a proposition, don't you? If you help us find Elias, then we both win. You get your best friend back, we get what we need. One big happy ever after. What do you say?" 

"What about the codes?" She thought about where this conversation started. 

"That's where you'll help us. We need them cracked, its the only way to get to Elias." 

"So it doesn't concern you that I stole them?" 

"Do we have a deal, Ms. Monticello?" He ignored her question. 

She paused, "What if I refuse?" 

"That would be a very unwise option," He leaned back in his chair, "You see, we control everything about you now. We can make you disappear," Her heart dropped and he smiled, "You won't exist. But you'll be here and I don't think I need to tell you everything that we can do, you get the gist of it, right?" 

"You can't do that." She almost trembled. 

"Oh, but we can. The law doesn't apply to us, we operate by our own set of rules. I suggest that you play nicely or it might get a little uncomfortable on your part." 

If she had been scared before, she was terrified now. Elias had warned her about how dangerous this company was but she never realized to what extent. She was in a predicament that she couldn't get out of. She only had one option. 

However, it may be the option that she needed. 

"I just have to crack the codes for you?" She asked. 

"Yes." 

She took a deep breath, "I'll do it."

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Interesting? 

I've written six chapters in the span of 24 hours, that's a record. 

What do you think?