The Post Sunday Experiment | COMPLETED 2020

Chapter 25

Mae's eyelids fluttered open with confusion. She woke on a bed deep beneath the earth. She looked to her right at the window with light peaking in. There was an artificial tinge to the light that kept Mae from falling for the trick. She wouldn't be convinced that they'd taken her to an above-ground room.

Shaking her head, Mae sighed. There was nothing she could do now except wait for them to let her go or find a way to escape. But even if she were to escape, where would she go?

If the US government wanted her there truly was nowhere. But what else did they want from her? When could she go home?

She stood up to survey her bedroom; it was more of a cell. She met a pair of brown eyes that made her freeze.

She stared into the round brown eyes of the girl with braids and parachute-jeans with colorful patches.

She hadn't seen those eyes for two years and as they stared at her blankly back. Mae couldn't hold back the tears welling in her eyes. Running over to Penny, Mae wrapped her little girl up in a hug. She could feel this little girl's heartbeat against her own.

"Penny, I—" Mae struggled to find words as she held the little girl she had missed dearly. It seemed almost unreal that here of all places, is where she would find her daughter.

"Ma..."

"Penny, how did you get here?" Mae laughed as she finally pulled away to look the twelve-year-old girl up and down.

"It's a crazy story. Do ya know if Ody got away?"

"Got away?"

"Yeah, when they tried to take us back to get the tests for the Technasma he was able to escape. He ran. Ya didn't happen to see him did ya?"

"No- no I did not. What is the Technasma?"

"Oh, I- uh-" Penny lifted her finger toward the cameras on the ceiling and Mae nodded. Penny held her hand up next to her mouth to whisper in her mother's ear. "They are watchin' us. The less they think we know, the better."

"But how did you find out about it?" Mae spoke quietly.

"Oh, that's easy. When they tested me, I was only drugged for half the time they thought I was. Their team thought I was out the entire time when really the medicine had worn off. I could hear them talkin' so I pretended to be asleep. I could listen and that one doctor kept bringing the disease up."

Penny tilted her arm away from the cameras and used her pointer finger to trace words on it. Mae nodded as Penny traced her finger over skin to form words that the cameras could not see.

She was distracted, but Mae managed to make out the words, 'Brain disease that killed Pa.'

"That's all I really know. I don't know why it's so secret and why they're trying so hard to keep it a secret but-" Penny paused as she noticed the color of Mae's countenance. "What is it, Ma?"

The woman paused for a second before looking up at her daughter. "That is why he-" She raised her hand to her mouth. "It makes sense now, that is why he did it."

"Did what, Ma?"

***

After stopping at the mall to pick up new outfits to change into, Eric and Ody made their way in the farm's pickup truck. Ody hated the outfit Eric had insisted he wear. It made him despise the man even more.

Ody didn't have a logical explanation for why he felt a strong dislike toward Dr. Bhurr, but he couldn't help but disagree with the man. The bright blue collared shirt he'd made Ody wear didn't help. It was expected that Eric didn't know much about Ody but Ody still felt insulted by the bright color.

Restraining his anger, the boy gathered his thoughts as they parked the car and headed inside the large building. They had booked the three o'clock tour. Both took deep breaths as their tour guide started off with the small group around the building.

The place was different on this floor than on the fifth basement. On this floor, there were pictures on the painted walls and the floors were tiled. There were even a few potted plants. As for the fifth basement, it had looked like an unfinished bomb shelter, empty and sterile.

The guide lazily led them about the building, discussing the history of the rooms and decorations relating to nine-eleven. Ody pitied their guide, he looked positively miserable. His mind wandered momentarily, wondering what the man would rather be doing with his day.

Soon enough, they saw their chance. Ody and Eric fell back from the crowd, their guide not noticing that two members were missing from the group. They turned left at the flamingo painting on the wall. They walked quickly through the halls to the elevator. Eric didn't hesitate to punch the access key in so that the elevator door slowly slid open.

As soon as the doors closed around them, they sighed in relief. They knew the easiest part of their plan was complete. Eric had been to the top floors and in three basements, but the fifth basement was restricted for security reasons.

The elevator gave a soft ding as they reached the fifth basement. Eric put his hand on Ody's shoulder before the door opened.

"Ody, it's going to be okay, son. We'll get out of here."

 "I'm not your son," Ody replied and then turned to walk out of the elevator. No one had spotted them, but by the tense partnership, Eric already knew that this mission would most certainly not go well.