Unremembered (Unremembered #1)(72)

‘A new text message,’ I say, tapping at the screen.

‘What does it say?’

After a few attempts, I finally figure out how to open the message and read it. But I don’t understand what it means.

‘It’s just two long numbers,’ I say with a frown.

‘Numbers?’ Maxxer repeats, walking over to me.

‘Yeah,’ I say, confused. ‘35.35101 and -117.999523.’

Maxxer freezes. ‘Who is it from?’

I look at the screen again. ‘It says “unknown number”.’

‘And what number did Alixter call you from last time?’ she asks.

I feel the colour drain from my face. ‘An unknown number.’ I glance back down at the phone. ‘But what do these digits mean?’

‘Those are GPS coordinates,’ Maxxer informs me. ‘Alixter is telling you where to meet him.’





42


GOODBYES


Maxxer’s car is parked in a dimly lit garage next to the storage facility. I help her carry Cody’s unconscious body to the car and strap him into the back seat before hurrying around to the passenger side. Maxxer slides in behind the wheel.

She turns the key in the ignition and the engine revs to life. She takes my borrowed cellphone out of her pocket and shows it to me. The image on the screen doesn’t look like much. Shades of red layered with light browns. And a blinking blue dot marking a spot right in the centre. ‘According to this, the location is close to a place called Red Rock Canyon,’ she explains. ‘But these exact coordinates are in the middle of nowhere. About ten miles from any road or state highway. My guess is Alixter is leading you somewhere remote to avoid causing a public scene.’ She hands me the phone. ‘I can get you close but you’ll have to travel the rest of the way by foot.’

‘That’s fine,’ I agree.

‘And just to be safe . . .’ she begins, flashing me an apologetic look.

I nod. ‘I know.’

She pulls the Modifier out and spins the dial counterclockwise. ‘I’ll put it on a low setting. You’ll only be out for fifteen minutes. Just until we’re away from here.’

I close my eyes and lean back against the headrest, inviting her to do what she has to do.

I feel the prick of the cold metal and the faint vibration of the electricity flowing into my nervous system and then . . .

When I wake up, we’re on a dark, empty highway. I didn’t even realize how late it had gotten. The day is already gone. Maxxer drives in silence, her eyes focused on the road.

‘How far away is this place?’ I ask.

She jumps slightly at the sound of my voice but quickly composes herself. ‘About forty-five minutes.’

As we drive, I think about Zen.

About what I’m willing to do for him.

After tonight I’ll be back there. At the Diotech compound where I came from. Where this all began.

Except this time, Zen won’t be there.

There’s no way they’ll ever allow him to come back. There’s no way they’ll ever allow me to see him again.

But it’s worth it. As long as I know he’s alive, I’ll be able to live with my decision.

The meaning of the poem has never been clearer to me than it is right now.

‘Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.’

Circumstances cannot change how you feel. When you truly love someone – on a level that goes deeper than your mind, deeper than your memories, all the way to the very thing that makes you human – you do whatever it takes.

You save him.

I just hope I get to see him one more time.

‘Are you scared?’ Maxxer asks me.

I contemplate his question. I guess I really hadn’t thought about it until now. I’ve been so preoccupied with finding Zen. Saving Zen. Protecting Zen. I didn’t even stop to think about my own future. About what it will be like when I return to the Diotech compound.

The truth is, I have no idea what my life will be like after tonight. I don’t know what they’ll do to me, since I have no recollection of anything they’ve ever done.

I only know that I won’t be with Zen.

And that’s the most terrifying thought of all.

‘Yes,’ I finally reply. ‘I’m very scared. But I have to do this.’ I breathe in. ‘I love him.’

Maxxer nods. ‘I know.’

I turn and study her face, the dashboard lights reflecting off the lenses of her glasses. I don’t know where I’d be without her and yet she’s still so mysterious to me. An enigma. There’s so much about her I don’t know. And then it suddenly dawns on me just how much she seems to know about me. Practically everything, actually. She knew it was me chatting with her in the coffee shop. She knew where to pick me up. About the phone call with Alixter. My entire story with Zen. How I got here and everything that’s happened since. She knew exactly what I wanted to know.

It’s as though she’s been one step ahead of me this entire time.

And I didn’t even think to question it until now. I was so wrapped up in what she knew, I didn’t even stop to think about how she knew.

‘What’s wrong?’ she asks, evidently sensing me staring at her.

‘How do you know so much about me?’ I ask. ‘You left Diotech before me and yet you’ve been talking about everything as though you were there. You had all the answers. And at some point, you even seemed to have the questions too. Plus, when we were chatting online, you knew it was me. You knew where I was and you even knew when my phone was about to ring. You couldn’t possibly know all of that unless . . .’