The truck finally came to a stop, but none of the guards moved. I saw the driver talking to someone outside his window. I tried to peer out the the window, but all I could see was a gate tall enough to keep giants out. There were a few men, heavily armed and very big at the gate's entrance. I've known for a long time, that these people were just paranoid enough that I would never be able to shake them. After all, I'd been trying for sixteen years.
The gates are pulled open, revealing a glass skyscraper. If I didn't know what was on the inside of it, I would've thought it was a beautiful piece of architecture.
In only a minute's time, we pull to a stop. This time the guards get out. Jasper, my brother, and I ready ourselves to sprint to safety. You'd think after going through this routine for all our lives that we'd finally give it a rest. But that was a very special day.
Only a week ago, they took our eldest brother away.
As soon as the van doors open, we push out of our seats and sprint out of the van. Unfortunately, there were about thirty men with guns waiting for us. Some men grabbed us and tried to force us into the tall, glass building. I wouldn't let them get a solid hold on me. One of the brutes with a gun got tired of that, and decided to just hit me across the jaw with the bottom of gun.
"Liza," I heard Jasper plead. I figured I wouldn't upset my brother any further, so I stopped.
The inside of the building was so elegant. Porcelain tiles covered the floor, and leather couches filled in the little extra room. There was a quaint, little reception desk near the entrance. As we passed, the women sitting at the desk shook her head in disapproval. I wasn't all that surprised, I could feel the blood dripping from my mouth. Her eyes were so focused on us that it felt like her gaze was piercing my skin. I tried not to look over at her.
The guards led us into a large elevator. Only three of them followed us into it. The elevator was so grand, the walls look as if they are made of gold. I watched as one of the barbarians pressed the button for the tenth level. We all wait there for a minute in an awkward silence.
I turned to the man next to me and asked, "New elevator music?"
"Yep," he grunted.
"I like it," I smiled.
When the doors opened, the guards pushed us out the doors and I nearly lost my balance.
This level had the apparent smell of disinfectant and chemicals that I had gotten so used to. But it was still nauseating. On this floor, all the walls are made of glass so you can observe what goes on in each room. Some rooms have surgical equipments, others have scientists messing around with some tubes and doing research, they even had some people in the middle of surgery. We were led into a room with table with two chairs, a table, and a couple of shots with a blue liquid in them.
One of the guards takes the handcuffs off us and leaves the room. I heard a click signifying the door locking. Jasper is the first of us to sit down. I observe the room before I even dared to sit down. I check under our chairs and the table, nothing wrong. I decide it's safe to sit down, which occasionally it isn't. I bent down by one of the shots and observed it. Just as I was about to tip it over, when a woman in a lab coat walks in and says, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."
The woman was a tiny old crow with her white hair pulled into a tight bun. You could almost confuse her with a sweet old grandmother, except she had a huge burn mark across her cheek, complements of yours truly. She told us to call her Fran, but I had some other names I liked to call her. "Liza, Jasper, nice to see you again."
"Nice to see you again," I mocked. She frowned for a moment and then plasters her signature, frighteningly-wide smile on her face. Jasper kicked me under the table.
She looked to me. "How are you two feeling today?"
"How do you think?" I snapped.
She gave me a disappointed look and groaned, "There's no need for that tone, missy."
"Don't talk to her like that," Jasper said in a barely audible voice.
"What was that, honey?" Fran said, turning her beady eyes on Jasper.
It was made obvious that he wasn't expecting to be heard by the look on his face. Jasper gulped, "Where's Theo?"
"Theo, Theo, Theo," Fran repeated to herself. She pretended to ponder this, which just added fuel to my rage flame. "Oh, yes! Your older brother was feeling a bit - for lack of a better word- icky, so we're just taking care of him."
"Why do I find that hard to believe?" Jasper growled. He rose to his feet and stuck out his chest defiantly. Fran's eyes widened. Jasper was never the brave type, so this was perfectly insane.
Fran rose to her feet, and in one swift movement, she grabbed one of the shots and places it against Jasper's neck, "I really didn't want to have to do this."
I jumped up out of my chair and I nervously stuck my hand out. Jasper is clearly freaking out and I see a tear roll down his cheek. I stuttered, "Look, Fran, we just want to see Theo..."
"I really don't want to do this," she complained, "But I don't have a choice."
"We just want Theo!" I yelled.
She looked me in the eyes and said, "I'm sorry." Then she injected the drug into his neck.
Jasper collapsed to the floor and struggled for breath for a moment. He looks to me, and with what little breath he had he murmured, "Liza."
I tried to run to his side, but Fran yelled for a couple of goons to help and they burst in. They grabbed my arms as Fran injected the same liquid into my neck. I watched my world drift away.
At least, that's how I though it happened.
