The Post Sunday Experiment | COMPLETED 2020

Chapter 19

Lights. Penny glimpsed flashing white lights before her eyes. Colors. Shining colors enveloped her limp body. Blurs. Blurs of strange people disoriented her senses. Hums. Muffled hums of talking and shouting caused her ears to ring.

These fragments of information were all Penny could make out in her intoxicated state. Her body laid strapped to a medical table as at least four doctors worked around her. They drew blood, gave her shots, and checked her temperature.

Though her brain was too fuzzy to make out their words precisely, she could hear the worry in their tones. They spoke to each other while they ran about her body.

Penny didn't know why they were in such a hurry or what they were looking for exactly. The aching in her muscles made her feel weak and fogginess in her brain didn't allow her the focus.

"She's awake." Penny didn't recognize the voice. Whoever had said its tone was calming yet it made her stomach tighten at knowing what these strange people were capable of doing to her. She was at their mercy, her fate in their hands.

The man reached over to the medicine bottle. Before he could administer the medication, another doctor held his hand steadfast before he could sedate the girl once more.

"Wait and see if she resists. Remember we need answers and we cannot get them when the patient is asleep. That is what Mr. Aldrich said."

"Yes sir." The man's eyes drifted to the floor as he wrung his hands in discomfort. He put the cloth down and folded his hands. His mask hid the red of his burning cheeks.

"Allow her to rest and when she recovers, we'll bring Mr. Aldrich in so that he can investigate her memory."

"Was that other boy found?" The third doctor had been silent until now.

"No. But the boy cannot hide forever," the second doctor replied. "Now, let's run those samples through the lab and give her some time to rest."

The three other doctors nodded and they walked out of the room. They locked the door behind them.

***

One hour later

Penny's eyes opened once again, only this time she could see clearly. She attempted to sit up in the doctor's chair, but found her wrists and ankles buckled down. She laid back and sighed to herself.

Trying to move, she winced in pain as she noticed the tubes in her stomach. Padded cuffs secured her to the table.

The only door slid open and a man walked in. He closed the door behind him and made his way over to the girl. He pulled a chair up where he sat next to her head.

The man wore a turtleneck suit with a strange raven lapel pin and tinted sunglasses that hid his eyes. He had dark brown hair neatly combed back. He had an everyman appearance, Penny couldn't make out any distinguishing figures on the man's face or body.

"So, Miss Winter, it's come to my attention that your brother and you have a growing interest in the PSE. What can you tell me about that?" The man's face gave nothing away.

"Why would I tell you anything?" she spat. She had no respect for the man who had forcibly taken control of her life.

"There's no need for spite, Miss. Winter. You simply give us answers and we'll let you go. Now, do I need to repeat myself?"

Ceasing her struggling, Penny sighed and laid her head back on the table. "We just want to know what it is."

"Good. Now, why do you wish to know so badly?"

"Because our father thinks... well, thought that Ody would be able to figure it all out."

"And why's that?"

"Because he is the smartest boy we know," she smiled at the thought of him.

"Is he now?" Mr. Aldrich chuckled.

"Yes. Years ago, he'd known nearly all there was to know about Devlin's work. He had been so excited to learn that he and Mama were moving to New York to study more. We'd all believed he could be great if given the chance."

"I can't help but notice your lack of past tense."

"Oh, well..." Her voice trailed off. She wasn't sure she knew how to explain it.

"Please, go on. Everything that is said in this room, stays in this room," the man lied because he very well knew how thoroughly the room was bugged and videotaped.

Penny continued in a dry tone. "Well, after he was forced to leave Cazenovia, he got mad. He said he desperately wanted to fit in. Really I think he was just trying to show Mama how much he hated it in the city. He threw it all away but I can still see it. He still has that spark in his eyes. Ody is a fighter just like Mae. If he wants to know something, he'll give everything to figure it out."

"Hmmm, so I assume that's why he left you here?"

"No, he didn't leave me here. He escaped to go get help."

"Are you so sure about that?"

"Yes, and don't try and convince me otherwise. Ody is a good person. He just gets angry sometimes. He'll come back. Just watch. He'll come back and you'll have to let me go!" She couldn't hide her distress as the tears glistened in her eyes.

"Very well then. Where do you expect he is now?"

"I can't tell ya that!" Penny scoffed. "You'll catch him then!"

"Remember, what is said in this room, stays in the room." Penny didn't believe a word coming out of the man's mouth.

"I'm sorry, but I don't know." Penny struggled to regain her composure. She didn't want to give anything away.

"Do you know where he's going?"

To this, Penny turned her head from the man and remained silent. The man only shook his head. He rose to his feet and left without another word. As he turned to leave, Penny could hear him speak into his walkie-talkie.

"364, 365, 367, and 368. We must find the boy."

"Ya can't find him! Ya never will! He is too smart for ya! Ya just watch!" she shouted as she struggled to break free in panic.

Turning back to face her the man smirked. "Oh really? And what makes you so sure of that?"

"Because he's not alone." Penny's smile looked more like a smirk as she remembered what that note Devlin had left her had said: "Devlin Jax Winter is still with him."