Operation Shutdown

...Chapter 3...

Rosie's eyes fluttered open to see a man looking down at her.  She tried to scream, but no sounds would come out.

"Calm down.  You breathed in too much of the gas and it stunned your lungs.  Sorry for the scare."  Rosie looked out of the corner of her eye down at the mask over her mouth.

"Uime vine," Rosemary's voice was weak.  "Vere's Memma?"

"The real pretty brunette? She's in a different van.  She didn't need any med help like you.  She's fine. You two were very lucky."  He looked at Rosemary curiously.  "My name's John by the way."

"I amf notch tellinf youf my name."  Rose struggled to talk with the mask.  John shrugged at her declaration.  "Bow fong hav I ben owt?"

"About four hours. You were starting to worry me."

"Well I'm awake now. Mind telling me how I got here?"  Rose said after taking off the breathing mask.  Cool air rushed through her lungs and she relaxed silently on the gurney she laid on.

"Sure.  We showed up into the room, oh by the way, don't ask questions about why we were there, it's all top secret stuff.  Anyway, we started looking around.  After no hope in finding anyone, we were about to leave. That's when we saw the security camera next to the failure door showing us the inside. We saw you and that friend of yours putting up quite the fight.  We managed to turn off the gas, and pull you and your friend out."

"Why'd you only take us?"

"Everyone else is dead."  He said it casually, like it was no big deal.

"Everyone else in the world is dead?!  Really?!  How did that hap-"

"No, genius, everyone who took The Test today is dead.  We think it was a cover up.  We found a young man shot in the head.  I'm pretty sure it was an accident.  Scott thinks it was intentional.  Whatever it was, it's done.  I guess you could call yourselves smart for trying to find a way out, but you two almost died on your own.  It's a good thing we got there when we did, because you and your brunette friend would have been dead about ten more minutes in that room."

"Wait, why were you there?"

"Well, we're from the outside. Trying to stop the government and all.  We were going to try to save people who failed."

"Like a rebellion.  Rebellion is a funny word.  It's like re-belly-on."

"No.  It's not."

"Yes!  It is!  I'm not stupid!"

John rolled his eyes.  "You're either stupid, or you're still high on that gas."

"Oh shut up.  I want to see Emma!"

"Not until we stop the van," John said matter-of-factly.

"Where are we going?"

"Outside the border.  It's the only way you'll be safe."

"Outside the border?!  We can't go there!  It's too dangerous!  There are murderers and psychopaths out there!"  Panic was rushing all through her and her breathing became rigid.  A bizarre look spread across John's face.

"Um... They're inside the border too.  You do remember what I just told you, right?  Hundred or so people just died!"

"Oh. Right," Rosemary answered, feeling stupid.

John stood up from his seat and mumbled so Rosie could barely hear.

"Stupid Scott, calling dibs on the smart, pretty one."

"What was that?"  Rose's voice bounced off the doors.

"Nothing," John groaned, "We should be coming to the border in a few minutes.  You'll see your friend soon."