whatever the hell we want || j. jordan

~ chapter 2.5 ~

All through dinner, I fought to keep my eyes off of Jasper. I tried to focus on the task ahead of us, but so many things were racing through my mind.

After dinner, we all met up at the dorm. After a bit of catching up, Jasper led us to the president's office.
"It's locked."
"Yeah, no dip." Miller pushed past me. "Monty, you can break this, right?"
Monty nodded and got to work on the lock. I stood by, watching the hall to make sure no one approached us. I wasn't really sure what we would do if that happened, but I tried not to think about it.
"Today, Monty." Jasper said through gritted teeth.
"I'm going as fast as I can!"
I glanced up at the wall and noticed a small camera. I exchanged a glance with Miller, and he looked over to Jasper.
"Relax. Maya's decontaminating the surveillance room. No one's watching. We got this. If we can get that door open."
A small 'beep' sounded, and Monty pushed open the door.
"That's my boy. "C'mon, let's move." Jasper ushered us all into the office and shut the door behind us. Monty rushed to Wallace's computer, and Miller to the cabinets and shelves. I started to step in when Jasper held out his hand.
"Harper, Cressida, watch the hall."
"Why do we have to watch the hall?" I protested.
"Monty's good with computers, Miller's a thief..."
"Why can't you watch the hall?"
"Because I'm the mastermind," He sighed. "Just go watch the hall, come on."
I rolled my eyes and followed Mr. Mastermind's orders. I wasn't very close with Harper, so our conversation wasn't much. We mostly ignored each other.

•••

"Not fair. You're a cheater." I pointed at Miller.
"What? One doesn't cheat at Go Fish. Even I don't cheat at Go Fish." He held up his hands in surrender, careful not to show his cards to me and Monty. Jasper and Maya walked up behind us, interrupting our game.
"Whatever happened to Harper, someone must have seen something."
I set down my hand.
"Hold on, what about Harper?" I'd slept in and missed breakfast.
"She wasn't at breakfast this morning, and no one has seen her since last night." Monty whispered to me, filling me in.
"Where could she be? This place is a sealed bunker," Miller said. Monty turned over his shoulder and pulled out the map he'd taken from Wallace's office the previous night.
"There have to be rooms we don't know about. Rooms that are unmapped." I turned to Maya. "Is that possible?"
"I doubt it, but maybe." She shrugged.
Miller sat back down, defeated.
"Thanks. You're a big help."
Jasper narrowed his eyes. "Easy, Maya's on our side."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Jasper continued to glare at Miller. "She's risked more than all of us."
"Really?" I stood. "Is she gonna end up in the kennel too, if she gets caught?"
"Stop it!" He stepped closer to me, staring me down. Monty broke the silence.
"I found something," He pointed to something on the President's map. "That leads to an antenna on the ground. If we can access the radio we can send a message over the Ark wide channel. Tell them we're here."
Maya shot him down immediately. "The only radio is in the command center on Level 7. It's highly restricted."
"But we got in before." I added, trying to hold onto the sliver of hope that might get us out of here.
"Only because it was scheduled for decontamination," She explained. "That won't work again so soon."
"We don't need the radio. We need the wires that run it into here." Monty corrected.
"Art warehouse," Maya suggested. I spared a glance at Jasper, but he wouldn't look at me. "That, I can get us into."
"Great! And all we have to do is break through a 2-foot section of wall, find the outgoing wire, and jack it to the closed system. Without being heard by anyone in the command center or on the field." Monty said.
"That's all, huh?" Miller said sarcastically.
"No. We'll also have to get some copper wire, the guard schedules and a walkie talkie." Monty faltered, flashing a real smirk. "Oh yeah! And a big ass hammer."

•••

We ran into the art warehouse, trying to be inconspicuous.
"Right here," Monty stopped at a painting.
"That's a painting, Monty."
"Shut up, Morgan. You're such a dumbass." Miller punched my arm.
"The communication lines are behind this wall." Monty explained. Jasper lifted the painting away and set it down.
Miller turned around to a cart full of decontamination items and returned with a hammer.
"Big ass enough for you?" He held it up to Monty, flipping it in his hands. Monty nodded. Miller turned and swung towards the wall.
"Wait!" Maya cried. "They'll hear you." Miller rolled his eyes. I was trying hard not to do the same.
"This was the plan!" He snapped at her. Turning to the rest of us, he sighed, exasperated. "I knew it. She's afraid of losing her blood supply."
Maya clapped right back.
"Look, you can hate me all you want, Miller, and you can blame me for what my people are doing. But I'm trying to make things right." Miller and I exchanged a glance before he spoke.
"Then get the hell out of my way."
"I saw that." Jasper pointed out.
Maya checked her watch and held up a hand.
"Five seconds."
"What happens in five seconds?" Monty asked.
"Miller realizes what a dick he is?" Jasper grumbled. I was about to add something, but a sharp alarm sounded.
I jumped, thinking that we'd been caught, but Maya just smiled.