Undiscovered (Unremembered #1.5)(23)

When I spun back toward the droid, she continued to stare at me, her creepy dead eyes unblinking. After a moment, she seemed satisfied that I was supposed to be there and went about her work, tidying up the lab. A sweeper protruded from the back of her wheeled base, brushing up dust and debris as she went.

I waited until she had disappeared out the door before popping out the retina strip, tears blurring my vision. I blinked rapidly then turned back to the mouse. The one who had less than four hours to live. I carefully eased open his cage, captured him in my hand, and lowered him into the pocket of my sweatshirt.

I inched to the left and began to open the next cage, but a voice stopped me.

I ducked behind a tower of machines and waited, listening.

Two scientists in white lab coats had entered the room—a woman and a man. They were sipping coffee out of SynthoPlastic cups from the commissary. It was obvious from their relaxed body language and easy speech that they hadn’t seen me.

“I’m telling you, the woman is nuts,” the female scientist asserted.

“I don’t know,” the man admitted. “I mean, if it works, it’ll be pretty amazing.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “Don’t tell me Dr. Maxxer has gotten to you, too. This whole place has gone spastic. I mean, time travel? Seriously? What does she think this is? An H.G. Wells novel?”

*

I hit Pause, my breathing starting to quicken.

Time travel?

Project White Flower is about traveling through time?

Is that what the status updates were referring to when they said Failed to transesse two minutes forward?

Curious and slightly nauseated, I pressed Play.

“I’m willing to buy in to Dr. Maxxer’s theory that it’s possible,” the man said.

The woman set her coffee down on a table and swiped her fingertip across one of the nearby screens. It glowed to life. “Well, it’s not like she would ever tell us if she was right. Dr. Alixter would be the first to know. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re sent to the Memory Coders the second this project is finished.”

Just then my attention was snagged by a white blur. I looked down and noticed that the mouse had climbed loose from my sweatshirt pocket and was scurrying toward the scientists. I dove forward to catch him, my hands closing around his small body. I scrambled to push myself back up but slipped, knocking my chin on the ground.

Stars danced in my vision.

When I looked up, both of the scientists were standing over me. An alarm started to blare through the room. I jostled to my feet, returning the mouse to my pocket, and made a dash for the exit. They didn’t bother to follow me.

They knew it wasn’t their job.

They also knew Director Raze and his security team would be here any second.

And they were right.

I’d barely made it into the desert air when I was surrounded. Agents closed in from all sides.

I pulled the mouse from my pocket and crouched down to set him on the ground. If I was going to be captured, at least he could be free.

He took two steps before stiffening and collapsing onto his side.

Dead.

Tears instantly welled in my eyes as the agents approached. A Modifier flashed in my vision, and then the world faded to black.

*

I was about to hit Stop when suddenly I heard voices.

I swiveled around in my chair, searching for the source, convinced I was about to experience a strange déjà vu from my stolen memory. But then I realized the voices were coming from the Revisualization monitor.

Through the blackness of my semiconsciousness.

That’s when I noticed the time code on the file. There were still three minutes left.

I tilted my head toward the darkened screen, listening.

Two people were arguing. The clarity of their words was compromised by my nearly comatose state, but I recognized the first voice as my mother. The second voice took a moment longer. Because I hadn’t actually heard it in over a year.

A chill settled into my spine when I finally realized who was speaking.

It was my father.

*

“There’s nothing I can do!” my mom insisted. “The protocols are in place for a reason. I can’t just rewrite Diotech laws.”

“He’s only a kid,” my dad whispered back, anger souring his words.

“Who broke into a C9 laboratory.”

“I’ve heard what these memory wipes can do to the brain.”

“They’re perfectly safe,” my mom argued.

My dad grunted. “You can stop this. You choose not to.”

“That’s not true! I have no power here.”

“Talk to Alixter. Reason with him. Or ask Havin to step in and make an exception. He’s just as much in control around here as Alixter. Besides, you two have gotten awfully chummy lately.”

My mom’s breathing was suddenly labored. She was trying to control her temper. “Don’t start with that again. My relationship with Dr. Rio is completely professional.”

My dad ignored this. “If you let this happen, you’re siding with them over me. You’re choosing this place over your family.”

“I’m sorry you see it that way.” My mom’s voice was tight. She didn’t sound sorry in the slightest.

There was a long, angry silence. “If you won’t do this for our son, then I’m leaving. For good this time.”