blood?” Kate cringed.
Despite her fear, I had to include Kate in the conversation. I needed her
support, especially with her uncle being a senator.
“The day we arrived, they injected us
with microscopic robots that are circulating in our veins. It’s how they track
us,” I explained.
“Eww. Seriously?” Kate examined the crook
of her arm, as though trying to detect the microscopic bots through her skin. “They’re
floating around inside me?” I had to admit that every time I thought about it,
it made me shudder. I didn’t like the thought of little spies flowing in my
veins.
Gaby nodded. “Dr. Ridus gives everyone
an injection when they leave for good. However, it takes about four weeks for
them to die.”
“We don’t have that long.” How were we
going to get to Columbia? Were we insane for even conjuring such a plan? And
could I successfully convince my dad and Kate’s uncle about what was happening?
Most importantly, would they do anything about it? I had no idea if it would
work, but I had to take that chance. “We have to find a way to get them out of
our system quickly.”
“We?” Kate squeaked. “Miranda, I don’t—”
“Kate, I really need your help.” I jumped
off the counter and knelt before her. I took her hand and squeezed it. I had to
get through to her. “I can’t do this without you. Besides, it’s only you and me
that have political connections.” She said nothing. The hesitation in her gaze declared
her reluctance. She was backing out. Great, I get Gaby on board and Kate decides
she wants to bail.
“That you know of,” Gaby reminded us.
“You’re right.” I released Kate and
stood. “We need to find out if anyone else is leaving and if they know anyone
that might be able to help us.”
Kate folded her arms and compressed her
lips in an expression of fear. I waited for her to break down in tears, but she
never cried. “This is so dangerous, and I don’t think—”
“Yes, you can.” Gaby placed her hand on
Kate’s arm. “You can do this.” Kate nodded but didn’t seem onboard with the plan.
“And so can you,” Gaby said to me. “I have to be at the Med Center in an hour
for my shift. Let me see what I can do.”
“Okay. Kate and I will talk to the other
girls. Let’s meet this evening, after dinner. Well, girls, I think we have
arrived.”
“Arrived?” Kate’s wrinkled her nose.
“Yep. We have finally arrived at the
decision to get out of Nidus for good!”
“You’re damn right we have.” Gaby stomped
her foot on the floor.
“And from now on, we only communicate
through handwritten notes.” I pulled out the sheet I had written on earlier.
“Got it,” Kate replied. “Just like our
mom’s did in high school.”
“Perfect thinking.” Gaby tapped the side
of her head. “They’ll never be able to track that information.”
“Exactly.”
“I better get going,” Gaby said, walking
to the door.
“Gaby?”
She paused before hitting the open
button. “Yes, Miranda?”
“Be very careful. There are hidden eyes
in the waiting area, the urgent care room, and the hallways. The examination
rooms are safe.”
“Got it. See you tonight. Same bat-time,
same bat-channel.”
I winked and pulled Kate by the arm. “Come
on, we have work to do.” I realized that I would have to direct her every step.
I didn’t mind because it meant one thing.
Freedom.
θ
Chapter 4
Kate and I discussed a strategy to talk
to as many girls on the tenth floor as possible. Once we told them we were
going home and of our plans, hopefully we would have their support. I reminded
her to have all conversations in the bathroom or through handwritten notes. No
exceptions. It was the safest way to communicate.
Before I could leave, Shiloh alerted me
that I had a message. At Nidus, they scanned our electronic messages before
releasing them to us. They also filtered everything we sent and kept a tight
control on our virtual interactions outside the facility,
Despite her fear, I had to include Kate in the conversation. I needed her
support, especially with her uncle being a senator.
“The day we arrived, they injected us
with microscopic robots that are circulating in our veins. It’s how they track
us,” I explained.
“Eww. Seriously?” Kate examined the crook
of her arm, as though trying to detect the microscopic bots through her skin. “They’re
floating around inside me?” I had to admit that every time I thought about it,
it made me shudder. I didn’t like the thought of little spies flowing in my
veins.
Gaby nodded. “Dr. Ridus gives everyone
an injection when they leave for good. However, it takes about four weeks for
them to die.”
“We don’t have that long.” How were we
going to get to Columbia? Were we insane for even conjuring such a plan? And
could I successfully convince my dad and Kate’s uncle about what was happening?
Most importantly, would they do anything about it? I had no idea if it would
work, but I had to take that chance. “We have to find a way to get them out of
our system quickly.”
“We?” Kate squeaked. “Miranda, I don’t—”
“Kate, I really need your help.” I jumped
off the counter and knelt before her. I took her hand and squeezed it. I had to
get through to her. “I can’t do this without you. Besides, it’s only you and me
that have political connections.” She said nothing. The hesitation in her gaze declared
her reluctance. She was backing out. Great, I get Gaby on board and Kate decides
she wants to bail.
“That you know of,” Gaby reminded us.
“You’re right.” I released Kate and
stood. “We need to find out if anyone else is leaving and if they know anyone
that might be able to help us.”
Kate folded her arms and compressed her
lips in an expression of fear. I waited for her to break down in tears, but she
never cried. “This is so dangerous, and I don’t think—”
“Yes, you can.” Gaby placed her hand on
Kate’s arm. “You can do this.” Kate nodded but didn’t seem onboard with the plan.
“And so can you,” Gaby said to me. “I have to be at the Med Center in an hour
for my shift. Let me see what I can do.”
“Okay. Kate and I will talk to the other
girls. Let’s meet this evening, after dinner. Well, girls, I think we have
arrived.”
“Arrived?” Kate’s wrinkled her nose.
“Yep. We have finally arrived at the
decision to get out of Nidus for good!”
“You’re damn right we have.” Gaby stomped
her foot on the floor.
“And from now on, we only communicate
through handwritten notes.” I pulled out the sheet I had written on earlier.
“Got it,” Kate replied. “Just like our
mom’s did in high school.”
“Perfect thinking.” Gaby tapped the side
of her head. “They’ll never be able to track that information.”
“Exactly.”
“I better get going,” Gaby said, walking
to the door.
“Gaby?”
She paused before hitting the open
button. “Yes, Miranda?”
“Be very careful. There are hidden eyes
in the waiting area, the urgent care room, and the hallways. The examination
rooms are safe.”
“Got it. See you tonight. Same bat-time,
same bat-channel.”
I winked and pulled Kate by the arm. “Come
on, we have work to do.” I realized that I would have to direct her every step.
I didn’t mind because it meant one thing.
Freedom.
θ
Chapter 4
Kate and I discussed a strategy to talk
to as many girls on the tenth floor as possible. Once we told them we were
going home and of our plans, hopefully we would have their support. I reminded
her to have all conversations in the bathroom or through handwritten notes. No
exceptions. It was the safest way to communicate.
Before I could leave, Shiloh alerted me
that I had a message. At Nidus, they scanned our electronic messages before
releasing them to us. They also filtered everything we sent and kept a tight
control on our virtual interactions outside the facility,
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