Beep, Beep, Beep, Beep,

I groaned in my head. My alarm? I didn’t want to get up right now. I felt terrible. So bad I felt like I could barely move. No way I was going to schoo- wait.

No! The simulation! I’m back in the simulation! We got caught! Braxton, Jason, Lexi! Where are they? I have to find them!

My eyes snapped open blurrily and I was surprised to find myself in a dim, unfamiliar room laying on a bed. There were machines next to the bed and I could see tubes and wires on them. Was it another N.I.N. machine? I glanced around trying to think of a plan to escape but I knew that with how exhausted and weak I felt I would be lucky to even sit up.

Movement next to me made my head move and I saw a woman with dark brown hair sitting on a chair next to me. Seeing my movement she leaned towards me and I belatedly remembered to close my eyes and pretend to be asleep.

“Alexsis?” She said softly. “Alexsis, honey? Are you awake?”

I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, my heart aching. I wanted to be awake. I wanted to be awake and safe. I didn’t want to get sent back to a simulation again.

“Alexsis open your eyes.”

I forced my eyes open again. I had to convince them not to send me back. I had to convince them to let me stay awake!

Seeing my eyes open the woman leaned forwards smiling at me and I flinched. She noticed her brow furrowed in confusion and sympathy. She was about to say something when I broke her off.

“Don’t! Please, don’t send me back there.”

“What?”

“The simulation. Please-don’t put me back. I- I don’t care what you think I know. I don’t know anything!”

“Alexsis-”

“I don’t know anything. Where are the others? What did you do with them!”

The woman put a hand on my shoulder. “Alexsis, listen! Do you know where you are?”

I blinked looking around the room again for any signs of where I might be. Where was I? I remembered that being important. Important for being rescued. Where had Jason said again?

“The Department of-Experimental…”

“Alexsis, you aren’t in the compound anymore. You’re at the base.”

“B-base?”

She nodded. “Our hideout. Resistance base.”

Resistance base.

Overwhelming relief filled me with my fear evaporating. Resistance, I was with the resistance. I was free. I was safe.

Tears stung at my eyes and a few tears leaked out before I forced myself to hold them back worried to embarrass myself in front of this woman and whoever else might be here that I hadn’t seen. I glanced around the room again. Wait! If this was the resistance where were…

“The others! Where are-”

“Shhh it’s alright. Everyone’s alright. They’re all fine. They’re just sleeping. They would have been here but you’ve been asleep for two days and I made them all get some rest.”

Fine. They were alright. We were safe, we were free! Tears sprang from my eyes and I suddenly found myself sobbing, unable to hold back the pure joy and relief that I felt. My friends were safe, they hadn’t been hurt because of me and we could be together!

The woman smiled again, holding my hand. “Are these happy tears or are you sad?”

“H-Happy. I-I think.” I muttered trying to get under control though I wasn’t sure if all of them were happy. I wasn’t sure about this new world. These new people, but it was better than where I had been before.

She nodded and pulled out some kleenex to help me wipe my eyes and now runny nose. I sniffled embarrassed at my sudden breakdown though I felt better for it and was suddenly glad my friends hadn’t been there to see it. Especially Braxton.

“S-Sorry, I don’t- know what happened there.”

“It’s alright dear. Better to let emotions out than keep them in.”

I glanced around the dim room again and noticed the tired look in the woman’s eyes. “Wh-what time is it?”

“About three in the morning. Being in the simulation for so long screwed up your circadian rhythm.”

I sighed. Of course when I woke up for the first time in the real world it would be in the unholy hours of the morning.

“Great.”

The woman beside me laughed. I liked that sound.

“Sorry I- woke you up.” I told her, aware that she should be sleeping too.

“It’s alright I was already awake.” She reached over to pick up a cup. “Would you like some water?”

I gave a slight nod, suddenly too tired to do anything else. She held the cup to my lips helping me drink though I was disappointed she only let me take small sips when I felt so parched I wanted to gulp down the entire glass.

“There, now you get some more sleep. I’ll make sure that the others are here next time you wake up alright?”

I blinked in response, heavily resting my head down on the pillow again as I fell back asleep, a tired smile spread on my lips.

***

A gentle light greeted me when I next opened my eyes and I found Braxton and Lexi sitting on chairs next to my bed. Lexi spotted me looking at them first and nudged Braxton as I yawned, blinking my eyes to get them to come into focus. With the extra sleep I felt a little better but still extremely weak.

Both my friends grinned at me excitedly. “Welcome back sleeping beauty!” Braxton said. “I would have been here when you first woke up but someone made me go to bed.” Lexi whacked him on the shoulder, shooting him a glare.

The woman’s voice came from behind him. “Braxton. What did you just say?”

Braxton blushed suddenly looking very small. “Sorry Mom…”

“Uh, hum”

“…I love you!”

“That’s better.”

I smiled. “That’s your mom?”

He glanced back at her. “Yeah, she’s our head nurse. Not that it gets me much sway with her.”

“Well Braxton” Lexi said glaring at her friend. “In her defense you were sitting here for two days refusing to sleep once we got back. We practically had to drag you out.”

He folded his arms glaring back. “Oh come on! It’s not like you weren’t poking your head in here every twenty minutes to see if she woke up!”

I smiled imagining them both being so worried about me but I quickly hid it as Lexi turned her attention back to me. “How do you feel?”

“Uh…Tired. Which is annoying, seeing as from what I can tell I’ve been asleep for ages. You would think I’d have more energy.”

They laughed. 

“Well you have been asleep for a couple months.” Braxton said. “Your body isn’t sure how to wake up.”

“Yeah, I guess. What time is it?”

“Almost two.” Lexi said with a smile. “We just finished lunch. Do you want some?”

I nodded, now that she mentioned it I realized how hungry I was. “That’d be great actually.” I glanced over at Braxton’s mom who had moved over to listen to our conversation. “If I can do that.”

“You can try. I’m not sure how much you’ll be able to get down though. Let’s start you out with some crackers alright?”

She went over to get me some food and water only to rush over when I started trying to sit up.

“No, no no! You do that you could break your stitches again! Someone has to help you get sitting up until they’re gone, got it?”

I scowled annoyed with my powerlessness and then resigned myself and let her help me sit up against the pillows. It wasn’t as if I had the strength to get myself sitting up anyways.

Mrs. Keller brought me a small plate of crackers and a cup of water that were set next to me and I began to slowly, at her insistence, nibble at a cracker. Looking around I suddenly noticed one of my friends was missing. 

“Where’s Jason? Is he alright? He got shot didn’t he?”

The two of them glanced at each other nervously and I set my cup down worriedly. Was he alright? Was the shot worse than they thought? Braxton’s mom said that everyone was fine. Didn’t that include Jason?

Not if they still think he’s their enemy. Not if they still think he betrayed them.

“He’s fine.” Lexi said, seeing the look in my eyes. “He was in the medical wing here with you for about a day for his arm; he’s briefing the general on what happened.” 

“General?”

“My dad.” Braxton explained. “He’s in charge.”

“If Jason is fine why do you guys look so nervous?”

Lexi pursed her lips. “Well…its just…”

I understood. “They don’t believe him do they? They still think he’s a traitor.”

They nodded. My heart ached for Jason. He had done so much for me, risked everything, just so we could be free and safe and his old friends still didn’t believe him.

“He didn’t betray us.” I said quietly. “Even if he did, he helped us get out.”

They nodded again though I could see the slight nervousness in their eyes. Maybe they didn’t trust him either. I didn’t blame them.

I tried to eat some more crackers but found my eyes kept trying to droop closed. Braxton’s mom spotted it, insisted my friends leave so I could get some more rest and after forcing them to reluctantly head out I layed back down hoping that soon I would get my sleep schedule back to normal.

***

Voices woke me and I listened for a moment keeping my eyes closed trying to decide if I should try and go back to sleep or not.

“…don’t think she would be able to give you any information dear. She hasn’t been awake much but from what I can tell the reports are accurate. She doesn’t remember anything. She didn’t recognize me when she woke up and earlier she didn’t know who you were either when the kids mentioned you.”

I opened my eyes seeing Mrs. Keller talking to a large, tall, man with unruly black hair. They hadn’t seen me so I kept my eyes open trying to figure out who this new person might be. Someone that was mentioned earlier. I thought back on my conversation with Braxton and Lexi, Braxton had mentioned his father being a general. Was this him?

“Am I the only one who thinks that’s a little suspicious?” The man said. “He comes back with information and helps us get her back, but he’s the only one who remembers what happened and his story contradicts what we had on last contact?”

“Do you not want to believe him?”

“No, I do. Heck it’s hard for me not to believe him! but I can’t put everyone at risk just because he helped us. We thought he had betrayed us before. Can we risk the possibility of it happening, if not for the first time, again? For all we know this could be a long con, or he could’ve been brainwashed…technically they both could have been.”

“Would they have come with us if they were brainwashed? Would Jason have taken a bullet for Braxton if he was planning to betray us later?”

“Like I said. Long con. Infiltration.”

“Taking a bullet is a lot more drastic than giving false information which, may I remind you, he gave us the correct information to successfully do the mission when we had wrong information before!”

“Are you saying you can completely trust him?”

“…No, I merely think you aren’t taking into account all he’s done for us since then.”

“I want to trust him. I do. But I can’t if it will put us all at risk again.”

At that moment he looked over and spotted me watching them.

“Oh! Look who’s awake!” He said with a smile coming to his formerly stern face. “I’m sorry we didn’t mean to wake you!”

“It’s ok.” I said as I smiled back nervously and glanced at Mrs.Keller for help. She caught it and stepped forwards gesturing to the man.

“Alexsis, this is my husband Laurence. He’s in charge of the base.”

I nodded in understanding, turning my attention back to him. “Hello sir. Um…sorry I didn’t recognize you..my memory..”

He waved a hand dismissing my apology. “It’s alright, I’ve been briefed on your memory loss. I’m sorry.”

I nodded. “Sir…Jason..he’s not a spy. He helped protect me. He wasn’t working with them of his own free will! He was a prisoner just like me!”

He walked over to take a seat next to me. “I actually wanted to talk to you about Jason. How did you get to know him after your memory was erased if you were placed in the simulation?”

“I woke up. At first I thought they were dreams. Jason was there working on the simulation, fixing things for them though he didn’t want to, and taking care of me. He said he made a door or something so Braxton and Lexi could get in and find me.”

Mr.Keller nodded. “Yes, he mentioned the door. What happened when you were awake? Did he or anyone else say anything important or tell you anything about their plans?”

“The Commander mentioned using me as bait to catch other rebels and using them to test out more machines…though if the one they were using on me was the only one I’m not sure what they were planning on doing. Jason said he didn’t know much about their plans, he was just in charge of keeping up the simulation.”

“I know you don’t remember much but can you try to think back? Do you remember anything that happened on the mission when you were captured? Anything to support Jason’s story?”

I looked back searching. Turning over the words in my mind. Mission, Jason, Capture. I looked as far back as I could but there was nothing besides my life in the simulation. It was just…empty. I looked down ashamed. Here I was the only other person who might be able to clear Jason’s name and I couldn’t remember anything!

“I’m sorry sir. I can’t remember anything.”

“It’s alright. If you remember anything make sure to tell someone alright?”

“Ok. I will. Sir can…can I see Jason please? Just to make sure he’s ok?…I uh..never got to thank him.”

He seemed unsure for a moment but then nodded. “I’ll arrange for him to be able to come see you.” He stood up. “Well I should let you get some more rest. Get well soon.”

I frantically tried to think of anything I could to try and convince them of Jason’s innocence. A thought came back to me.

“They hit him.” I said forcing my tired eyes to stay open.

He paused at the door, turning to look at me. “What?”

“In the dream..ur when I woke up. When Jason tried to defend me they’d hit him. The commander was going to kill him when he saw I was missing…but…Braxton killed…him first.”

The two of them looked at each other wide eyed.

“Hmmm, they…never mentioned that. Thank you Alexsis.”

I nodded and then dropped back to sleep.

***

The next day Mrs.Keller decided it was time for me to start walking again. I was excited when she proposed it, having become sick of lying in bed all day long. Standing up for the first time with her helping hold me steady I was surprised by just how weak I actually was. Even with her help to walk over to the bathroom I felt like I could barely hold myself up and by the time we got to the bathroom only a few steps away I was already exhausted. Once I was done and we had walked back over to the bed I laid back heavily suddenly finding myself wanting to sleep for hours even though I had just woken up.

“This sucks.”

Mrs.Keller nodded sympathetically. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“I mean..at least in the simulation I could move.”

“You’ll get your strength back and the stitches will be gone next week. It’ll just take some time.”

“I know. It’s just annoying.”

She nodded, tucking me in and telling me to get some more rest which I also found annoying seeing as I had been doing nothing but resting for days. Even so I took a nap waking up later when Mrs.Keller brought me some food for lunch. I was able to eat most anything at this point; though it was hard to stay awake to finish it.

A visitor at the door distracted me from my sandwich as a man poked their head into the room looking in at me and Mrs.Keller.

“Hey Lura, I brought him.” He glanced at me. “If now’s a good time and she still wants to meet.”

I sat up a bit straighter excitement chasing away the last bits of my exhaustion. Mrs.Keller saw my reaction and nodded to the man. “Let him in.”

Jason walked into the room and I was glad to see that he looked well, he seemed nervous but the dark circles under his eyes had started to fade. Upon entering the room he spotted me and I could see relief fill his eyes, his shoulders dropping slightly. He smiled.

“I was worried when they said you hadn’t woken up.” He said, eyes shining “I’m glad you’re alright.”

“You too.”

Jason shuffled towards me waiting for Mrs.Keller’s permission before taking the chair next to my bed. As he sat down I noticed that he had handcuffs around his wrists. I glared at them.

“You shouldn’t have those. You didn’t do anything wrong. You should be free!”

Jason glanced over at the man who had brought him here who was standing just inside the door. “It’s fine Alexsis. I’d far rather be a prisoner here than free back at the compound.”

I looked at him sadly. “You shouldn’t be a prisoner at all. You saved us.”

“I knew what would happen when I got back here, Alexsis. I knew they wouldn’t trust me. The Resistance are far better captors than N.I.N, they treat me well.” 

He was putting up a strong front but I could see the tremor of nervousness still in his eyes. His friends thought he betrayed them. Even if they were moral and wouldn’t hurt him that didn’t mean they would be nice to a traitor.

“I’m sorry.” I said, tears welling in my eyes. “I keep trying to remember the mission. I keep trying to remember so I can tell them you’re telling the truth but…It’s all…There’s nothing there!”

Jason leaned forwards holding my hand in his own. “It’s alright Alexsis. It’s not your fault. You don’t need to worry about me. I can take care of myself, remember? You just focus on getting better, alright?”

I wanted to argue more but merely nodded. There wasn’t much I could do at the moment to help him but I decided I would keep defending him in any way I could. The thought came to me that I could maybe try and make something up and say I remembered the mission but I was hesitant about trying that. Could I really lie to these people I had just met? What if they asked about specific things that they would know about the mission that I didn’t know? What if I actually remembered later and it didn’t match what I had made up?

“How are you doing?” Jason asked, trying to change the subject.

I shrugged. “Alright, I started walking today though I’m still super weak. I’m staying awake longer though so that’s good!”

He nodded, smiling. “I’m glad you’re walking. With so long in the simulation I was worried it might have damaged your motor functions. Don’t worry about being weak, your muscles just aren’t used to moving yet; you’ll get your strength back. Just give yourself time.”

I nodded but I wanted to learn about him. “How have you been doing? I remember you getting hit, are you alright? What have you been doing while I’m here?”

“I’m alright Alexsis. I just needed a few stitches. It hurts a bit but other than that I’m fine. I haven’t been doing much since I got here. Speaking with the General and resting mostly. They won’t let me do much else but I’m fine with it. I’ve wanted a chance to rest.”

I nodded. He had been staying up to talk with me at nights and who knows all the other things he had to do for the Commander during the day. 

“I’m glad you’re able to get some rest. You deserve it. You’re looking better.”

He chuckled a bit. “I doubt it but thank you for the sentiment. You’re looking better too. Being awake and getting a bit of food seems to have done you some good!”

I blushed looking away embarrassed. Lexi had brought me some of my old clothes but I had quickly found that being in the simulation had made me lose quite a bit of weight. I felt like I was a skeleton.

“Ha, sure.”

He frowned apologetically. “I’m sorry Alexsis I tried to give you as much nutrients as I could but they were watching us both closely. I was worried just changing the medication…I wish I could have gotten to you before… everything happened.”

I looked down nodding thinking of the stitches I had where feeding tubes had been and the gaps in my memory. I shrank deeper under my blanket. Thinking of that…of what they’d done…it made me want to hide under my covers and never come out again.

I’m fine. I’m safe now. It’s over. I’m fine.

“It’s ok.” I told him, forcing a smile. “You saved us in the end. That’s what matters.”

 He nodded and I started yawning exhausted after spending a few hours awake and Jason stood up to leave so I could rest. As he moved towards the door I forced myself to stay awake and watch him leave. After having him as my protector for so long I didn’t like seeing him go wishing he could stay near me. Just before he left I remembered something else I wanted to say to him.

“Thanks for protecting me.” I called and he looked over smiling sadly at me.

“It was my pleasure Alexsis.”

***

A week later after I got my stitches removed and had regained enough strength that I could walk with minimal help I was finally allowed to leave the medical wing. Lexi came to get me excited to show me the rest of the base. I had asked her on one of her visits if I had been in the base before but she said that the one we had lived in before had been destroyed after my capture and I had never been here before.

She wanted to give me a tour but luckily when I stood up and got going she saw that I was still pretty weak and relearning how to walk so she decided better than to drag me all across the seemingly enormous building and brought me straight to the room we would share instead.

“Welcome to our room!” She said with a flourish, opening the door for me to reveal a small dimly lit room with a bunk bed, a desk littered with wire and tools, and two dressers.

“The bottom bunk’s yours. I would give you the top one but I don’t think you’d be able to climb up yet.” She explained.

I nodded, walking over to the bed and sitting down taking in the room. She looked at me concerned. “You ok?”

“Uh..Yeah. Just tired.” Which was true. Though I was also trying to connect that this was my room. That the base was my new home. This place…it felt safe but it was just so…foregin.

Another world.

“I saved some of your stuff from the old base!” Lexi said excitedly going over to a drawer and pulling out items and putting them on the bed next to me. A light brown jacket made from worn, soft, leather, a book with pencil smudged edges, a knife in a leather sheath, and finally a picture frame.

Taking the frame I stared at the picture in shock. It was a younger version of me standing with my parents. They looked exactly like in the simulation.

My hands trembled with rage as I thought of the spies I had left behind who had looked just like that and I almost threw the frame at the wall. How dare they? How dare they take so much from me? How dare I have to see their faces again? However, stopping myself I looked at the picture again. These weren’t the spies. This was real, these people in the picture had been my parents.

And they were gone. They were gone and I didn’t even remember them.

Hot tears flooded my eyes rolling in steady streams down my cheeks. A feeling of loss filled my heart. Startled by my sudden reaction Lexi slid over putting her arms around me in a warm embrace as I sobbed. I didn’t know these things that had been so important to me, I didn’t know anything about this place and this world.

“Alexsis? What is it? Are you alright? I’m sorry, was it too much?”

“Lexi, I…What do I do? I…I don’t remember any of these things…I don’t even…remember…them!”

She held me tighter. “It’s ok. It’s alright. I can tell you what they were. Do you want that?”

I nodded trying to wipe away my tears. “Y-yeah. Th-that’d be nice. Thanks.”

“Alright, let’s do that.”

She told me the picture had been taken about a year before the uprising that killed my parents. Apparently they had died while trying to get me to Braxtons family and they had managed to save me. The jacket had been given to me a few years ago for my birthday and was one of my favorite ones. Trying it on I knew why, it was extremely comfortable with deep pockets that could hold almost anything. The book was a journal I kept throughout the last few years and Lexi promised that she hadn’t looked in it while I was away, and finally the knife had been given to me by Braxtons parents before I went on my first mission and was my first ever weapon.

I studied the knife running my fingers across the leather case and the smooth metal hilt. I didn’t take it out seeing as I had no idea how to use a weapon and wasn’t sure how strong my grip would be but pulling it out slightly I saw a shiny, well kept blade with a sharp edge.

It was a reminder. A reminder of what I had been before I was captured even if I couldn’t remember it. I was a worrier. A rebel fighting for their freedom.

“Lexi, can you teach me the stuff I used to know? What I used to do here? How to help fight?”

She nodded. “Of course! Anything, just ask! Hey, I can even teach you how to make your own explosives if you want!”

I smiled nodding as I gripped the hilt of the knife. They may have taken my past from me but I would get it back. Somehow. Just let them try to stop me. 

I kindled the anger within me and felt the first fires of revenge.

The End

Jason looked at the computer making sure that he had gotten everything he needed. He wasn’t sure if his friends would ever believe him about his betrayal. Could giving them this information and saving Alexsis somehow gain their trust? He wasn’t sure, but either way it would be invaluable to the rebellion.

He pulled out the flashdrive that held everything he had been able to get his hands on in their database. He hoped that Alexsis had been able to get the coordinates to them and that Braxton and the others could come and be able to get them out. If not they might just have to try and sneak out on their own which would be far harder without backup or a clear plan of where to go after they escaped. Jason shook his head, that would never work. Braxton and the others were their only hope.

Please don’t hate me kid. He thought. I didn’t actually do it. I never wanted her to get hurt.

A crash sounded behind him and Jason turned his breath stopping at the sight of the Commander walking into the room. Jason shoved the flash drive into his pocket.

“There’s been a breach! Jason-” his voice trailed off as he saw the empty bed. His face contorted into unbridled rage. “WHERE’S THE GIRL?!”

Jason fell back into his subservient role. A simple thing to do after all this time. Act like you couldn’t think of doing anything rebellious and no one would think of you as a threat.

“S-sir I-I the rebels attacked and they…”

“WHERE’S THE GIRL JASON?!”

“T-the rebels took her sir. I hid so they wouldn’t see me. I would have tried to stop them but I was afraid they would kill me!”

They might do that anyway. He thought sadly.

The punch hit him squarely in the face knocking him off balance causing him to hit the desk and chair on the way down leaving bruises. Jason gritted his teeth. He had survived worse than a few bruises. He could take a hit.

“You coward! We should have known better than to let you into our plan! I bet you let them take her! Well, you should have gone with them. You’re nothing but a useless traitor!”

Jason looked up shakily at the commander who was pulling out the pistol he carried at his hip. Jason’s eyes widened.

“No! S-sir please!”

We were so close.

Jason closed his eyes, time seeming to slow down. He didn’t want to see the gun that killed him. At least Alexsis wouldn’t have to see his death. At least she was hidden and the commander thought she had escaped.

“You’re a failure. We do not tolerate failure in this organization Jason.”

“Braxton” Jason whispered under his breath to his old friend who would probably forever think him a traitor. “I kept my promise.”

BANG!

***

I didn’t know if I had screamed. I couldn’t hear anything from the other side of the door after the gun went off and I realized that if I had screamed then the commander had just heard it and knew exactly where I was.

I swallowed dryly trying to hear anything beyond the door to tell me if he had heard me. If I had betrayed myself. 

“…you’ve hurt her Jason, so help me!”

Was that…Braxton?

The door opened in front of me and a girl with brown hair stuck her head in a smile widening on her face, her eyes shining with relief. She turned behind her, opening the door a bit wider.

“Braxton, she’s in here!” 

I blinked. Her voice..was that?

“Lexi?”

The girl looked back at me smiling. “Yep! Told you we’d make it! In the nick of time too it looks like!”

I blinked still trying to connect what was going on. “Your hair changed.”

“What? Oh! Yeah it’s normally brown. I changed it to blue as a disguise in the simulation so the spies wouldn’t recognize me as easily.”

Braxton’s face appeared around the door and he smiled at me with a look of relief filling his face. I was relieved to see them both but I was still reeling and my mind was having a hard time adjusting to all this information.

“I-Is Jason alright?”

Braxtons face fell a bit and he glanced behind him suspiciously before turning back to me and nodding. “Yeah he’s fine.” 

Jason’s face came into view behind Braxton as he stood up. “It’s alright. I’m ok Alexsis.” he put a hand on Braxtons shoulder causing him to glare suspiciously at him. “Thanks for the save bud!”

Braxton shoved his arm off. “It’s nothing.”

I sighed with relief flooding me and felt tears coming to my eyes. He was alive. The others were here to save us. I would survive. We wouldn’t be killed today.

“We should get going.” Braxton said all business “More guards could come soon.”

Lexi nodded coming in and pushing my wheelchair out of the bathroom. I spotted a lump on the ground covered with a sheet that looked suspiciously like the commander. There were two other rebels standing at the open door with guns in their hands, their attention to the small room outside and another door. One of them turned back looking at us.

“Woah! She’s already out?! You guys work fast!”

The other rebel looked back, seeming equally shocked and flashed me a quick smile before addressing Braxton. “The hallway is clear for now but I don’t know if it’ll stay that way for long! That N.I.N’er might’ve called back up.”

Braxton nodded and waved the first rebel over. “Jason got her out before we got here. Get all you can from the computers and then put in the virus, it should destroy all their files. Lexi, get to work on the charges.”

Jason stepped forwards holding up a flashdrive. “I already downloaded everything I could find from the database.”

The rebel looked Jason up and down suspiciously. “I’ll see if I can find more. There may be things you couldn’t reach.”

Jason rolled his eyes behind his back. He clearly thought that the lone rebel wouldn’t be able to get to things that he hadn’t been able to break into in months, but he let him get to the computer without complaint. 

Lexi nodded going towards a contraption that I hadn’t seen earlier next to the bed. Made up of a large box that connected to the computers it had a strange device that sat above my discarded pillow in a clump of wires and electrodes. The N.I.N. even piled in a discarded clump the thing seemed menacing, like a pile of sleeping snakes.

I would be happy to see it go up in flames.

While the others got to work Braxton crouched down next to me a smile spreading across his face though there was worry in his eyes. “How do you feel?”

I sat back with a small smile coming to my face. “Like I was hit by a train.” Braxton laughed and I heard Jason give a small chuckle too as he stepped up to us.

“How’d you get put on this mission kid? I thought Savanna’s team was going to come, don’t they usually do extraction missions like these?”

Braxton shrugged, giving Jason a suspicious look. “I got back after our meeting and the other team had already started out for the Department of Detainment and I managed to convince my Dad to let me come check out your coordinates with my own team.” He looked back at me smiling. “Looks like I made the right choice.”

I smiled back at him. “I’m glad you believed me.”

He reached up holding one of my hands in his own. “I never stopped.”

Braxton’s eyes narrowed and he reached towards me turning my left arm over to reveal the long, jagged, scar that Jason had shown me. Braxtons hold tightened on my arm and I could feel his hand trembling. I looked up at him biting my lip but he was still staring at the scar, his teeth clenched.

“What happened?” He asked breathlessly. “Who did this to you?!”

I looked away fighting back tears. “I don’t know.” I didn’t think I ever wanted to find out. Braxtons angered gaze went to Jason and I jumped in to defend him. “They did it to Jason too! He showed me his scar.”

Braxons gaze changed from accusing to questioning. Jason looked away from us both and I noticed he clutched his arm closer to himself. “Some things are better left forgotten.”

Braxton nodded solemnly and helped tuck my arm under the blanket again. Standing, the person who had gone to the computers came back over. “I got what I could from their database and put in the virus! They won’t have a scrap of data left on this model.”

“Good, Lexi? How are we doing on the explosives?”

“Almost…Ready! Lets go. We’ll want to get out of here before I engage them.”

Braxton nodded and went behind me to push the wheelchair, at his signal the two guards moved out into the next room and said it was clear for the rest of us to come out. Braxton pushed the wheelchair forwards and I went into the unknown.

The room we emerged into was large and cluttered with workbenches and an operating table off to one side. I looked at the ground after I saw it. Jason was right. I hadn’t wanted to know what was beyond the door.

We didn’t stay in that room long, the guards at the door quickly gave us the all clear and we moved forwards out into a white, brightly lit hallway that made me have to squint to see.

The group started down the hallway, one of the rebels with guns in the front to scope out our escape and another watching our back as we fled down the hallway towards an elevator. We were going extremely fast and I wished we could slow down. Moving again after being asleep for months was throwing my body for a loop.

“We’re almost there.”

Pounding footsteps sounded behind us and the man in front with the gun turned behind swearing and started rushing back to help the other who had already started shooting. Shots rang through the hall, everything erupting into chaos.

My wheelchair jerked to a stop and I barely managed to grab the armrests and stop from falling out. Glancing back I saw that Braxton had stopped me and was now turned to the approaching guards helping to shoot.

Jason rushed over taking control of my wheelchair starting to push it towards the elevator doors when he glanced back and suddenly shoved my chair forwards so I ran into the wall right next to the button. I heard something hit the ground as Jason cried out and looked over to find Jason had shoved Braxton to the ground and was now getting up clutching his shoulder as a red stain seeped into his white lab coat.

“Jason!!”

He glanced back over at me grimacing as he gestured at something near me. 

“Alexsis hit the button for the elevator!”

Looking around I saw that he had pushed me right next to the button. I hit it waiting anxiously for the doors to open glancing the opposite direction I saw more guards turn the corner coming towards us.

“Guys! Incoming!”

Lexi glanced behind her at the incoming men and rushed over standing between me and the guards pointing a gun at them. “Oh come on!”

Braxton scrambled back to his feet defending Jason. “Everyone fall back to the elevator!”

Everyone crowded towards me and I looked at the elevator. What was taking them so long?!

The shooting stopped. The lack of sound was even more shocking than the fight had been to the point that I wondered if I had gone deaf from all the noise. That was until I looked around Lexi and spotted a man in a uniform who had moved to the front of the guards.

“Well,well, what have we got here? Think we could pull off a little rescue did we?”

The group around me stiffened, their guns still pointed at the man and other guards. The man seemed unconcerned about the weapons pointed at him as he assessed our group.

“Hmm. Let’s see. What has our bait lured out of hiding? Ah! Lexi Amaran, the terrorist who helped destroy the Department of Reeducation.” The man smiled. “Such a shame your family got caught in the blast.”

Lexi stiffened her hand touching the detonator at her belt. “It…It was an accident.”

He didn’t respond looking at the others in the group.

“Who else? Two ex-marines, and ah, Braxton Keller son of the rebellion leader Laurence Keller. I wonder what he will give to get his precious son back?”

“Who says you’ve got us?”

“Well,” The man said, gesturing to the men around us. “I have you all outgunned. Unless Miss Amaran decides to blow you all up just to take me with you that is.”

Lexi flinched and I reached up and put a hand on hers, the same one holding the detonator. 

Jason shoved his way to the front. “Harry.”

“Oh and how can I forget Jason. A traitor to the end. How am I not surprised?”

“You know what they would do to Alexsis, Harry. Do you really want to hand her over to that?”

The man glanced at me and as I saw his eyes, realization finally dawned on my exhausted mind. Harry, this was him in real life. This was who he was. A glimmer of sympathy was in his eyes as he looked at me but I met him with a rageful glare and his sympathy was quickly smothered by cold calculation.

“She’s been tainted by you all. She’s useless now, but we can find better uses for you.”

The guards took a step closer when I felt a shudder behind me as the elevator finally arrived. I steadied my glare at Harry.

You know Harry. Now that I think about it you’re a terrible friend.

The elevator doors opened and I hit the detonator.

BOOM!

The entire building shook as Lexi’s bomb went off and the blast sent most of the guards behind us slamming into the wall or running away as flames and smoke spilled from the doorway to the lab. Braxton and the others after only a second of shock recovered themselves and started shooting at the guards as we backed into the open elevator doors forcing them closed to protect against the guards as they tried to fire on us again and get in.

Jason rushed over to the control panel and tried to pull it off the wall only to grunt clutching his still wounded shoulder. “B-braxton we need to-get the control panel off and rewire it to override their protocols or else we’ll- be trapped in here!”

“Move over.”

Jason stepped aside and Braxton took out a set of tools getting to work on the control panel. Once it was off he started pulling out wires searching for certain ones pulling out a knife to cut through them.  

The elevator started going up and Braxton frantically started cutting wires causing the elevator to suddenly jolt to a stop and then suddenly drop nauseatingly down so fast I was surprised my hair didn’t go flying in the air. All this jerking movement, from rushing down halls to these sudden drops weren’t doing me any good and I felt that at any moment if this elevator didn’t stop moving I was going to get sick. I was about to tell someone when it jurked again and finally settled to a stop.

Closing my eyes I settled myself for a moment. Relishing this one moment where I wasn’t moving or being shot at. I felt a pain in my stomach as I shifted in my seat a little but shoved the worries aside. It was just all the movement. I just wasn’t used to it.

Lexi moved in front of me holding two metal balls. As the doors to the elevator opened she rolled them both out in different directions down the hallway. Small explosions burst from where they had rolled. The two marines went out first guns pointed every direction and giving the all clear we were all rushing out into the smoke filled hallway towards some nearby doors leading outside.

As Lexi pushed my wheelchair through the smoke closer to the doors I coughed on the smoke filled air pain spiking in my stomach again making me grimace and then squint my eyes as we burst out into the daylight rushing towards a van that sat on the curb. As we neared more people got out of the back holding the doors open defending us as we ran up with rifles in their hands.

Two more people got out and rushed over to me helping Jason and Braxton jerkily lift my wheelchair inside. Once I was in Lexi and the rest lept in and closed the doors as the driver took off speeding away from the compound.

Everyone from our group collapsed exhausted and the others sat down on benches on the side while the rebels that had been waiting in the van moved to the front to help with any fighting still happening as we escaped.

We’re safe. We’re… free.

“Hey Simon.” Braxton said motioning to a man sitting near the front. “Jason got hit while we were escaping. I don’t know how bad it was but it’ll need to be looked at and Alexsis might…”

Braxton glanced at me and sat bolt upright, his face going pale.

I looked at him confused, struggling to keep my eyes open. “What?”

He glanced down and I looked to where he was staring a jolt of shock going through me. The blanket that I’d had around me now had a red stain that was quickly growing.

“Simon! Simon! Get over here! She’s wounded!”

Braxton and Simon both rushed over the latter, opening a first aid kit. Jason sat up taller trying to see over them.

“What happened?”

“She’s bleeding. Alot!”

“Did she get shot?” Simon asked, trying to pull away the blanket. “I don’t see a bullet hole here.”

“She has s-stitches!” Jason exclaimed. “The fighting must have broken them!”

My vision was swimming, blurring in and out. Whether it was from blood loss, exhaustion, shock or all three I wasn’t sure but I knew I couldn’t stay awake much longer.

“I’m dieing.”

I felt a hand on my arm and looked up to see Braxton looking at me eyes wide in barely concealed panic. “Alexsis, Alexsis, look at me ok? Everything will be alright. You’re going to be fine. You’ll be ok. I promi-”

The world went dark.

I spent all of the first period looking around and worrying before I was finally contacted. Braxton was the first to find me though I only caught a glimpse of him as he pressed a paper into my hand as he walked past flashing me a smile.

I was so excited I immediately opened the paper in the hallway reading his message.

Glad to see you again. Meet me in room 406 during lunch so we can talk. Don’t worry about last time. Sorry if we scared you. Everything will be ok. Hang in there!

Love, Braxton

I smiled absorbing the information. They weren’t mad at me for pushing them away! They hadn’t given up on me! They were still going to help me! They were going to help free me! I would see the outside world!

What did I ever do to deserve you all? I wondered.

“Hey Alexsis! What’s up?”

I jumped crumpling the note, turning to find Henry, no Harry, behind me a smile on his face. Was it just me or did he seem a bit too happy? Why did it feel like he could see right through me? Did he know that I knew?

“Jeepers Henry don’t sneak up on me like that!” I said trying my best to not betray that he had terrified me and not just spooked me.

He laughed, a haunting sound that seemed crazy and evil to me and I forced myself to keep a smile on my face even though I wanted to run away from him. He motioned at the paper in my hand. “What’s that? I hope it wasn’t important.”

I glanced down my mind trying to come up with an explanation for the crumpled note in my hand. How much had he seen? Did he know that Braxton gave it to me?

“Oh it’s just a random paper I had in my locker. I’m trying to clear it out.”

“Oh alright. You’re sitting with us at lunch today right? You were missing yesterday I was worried.”

“Oh yeah! I was just stressed out about an assignment I need to get done. I have to work on it during lunch today too. Maybe I can catch you guys another time?”

“What’s the project? Maybe I can help you with it?”

“Oh! Umm…no thanks I can do it by myself and I’m almost done with it. I don’t need any help.” Was that too obvious?

The bell rang and I blessed whoever had programmed the thing, probably Jason, and raced off to my class glad I had gotten away and created an excuse for where I would be for lunch.

You’re almost there. I told myself. Just hold on.

***

My classes seemed to drag on for forever as I wondered what plan Braxton and Lexi had to get me out of here and save me from wherever I was being held. Had they found where I was in the real world? Would they save Jason too? They had better. I would convince them to,or beg them if I had to. I didn’t care what they said about him betraying me, he deserved freedom as much as I did.

Finally lunch period came and I went to my locker to pick up my lunchbox so I wouldn’t seem strange to any of my friends who might see me and see if any other messages were waiting for me. There was one scratched on the inside of the door that said the room number again and I got it memorized before I closed the door trusting the message to disappear.

I tried to walk casually and not seem too eager as I strode towards room 406. As I was nearing the door I heard my phone ring and I took it out surprised to see I had a video call from Jason. I answered walking just inside the bathroom across the hall from room 406.

“Jason!”

“Alexsis I did it!” He said, smiling widely whispering as if afraid someone would hear. “I know where we are!”

A smile sprang to my face. “You do!?”

“Yes! It took forever but I was able to get past their firewalls and determine our location we’re being held at the Institute of Experimental Neurogenic Technology! It’s located in the tenth district of research!”

“Institute of Experimental…” I said nodding trying to act like I had any idea where that was and failing. I laughed nervously. “Ummm…could you text that to me? I don’t think I’ll get it right and seeing as this is life and death I should probably give Braxton an accurate address.”

“I-Is Braxton there?” he asked, sounding slightly nervous which was understandable seeing as Braxton thought he was a traitor.

“I have a meeting with him in a minute. Text me the quardenets and I’ll get them to him. Are you sure I shouldn’t tell him about you being on our side?”

Jason shook his head on the screen. “Not yet. I told you. It’s too dangerous.”

I glanced around the corner of the wall into the hall hearing footsteps coming towards me and ducked back seeing Harry walk down the hall and stroll into a room. I checked the number on the plack next to it and my eyes widened. Room 406.

“Jason I have to go! Harry found out about my meeting with Braxton!”

“Wait Alexsi-” I shoved my phone in my pocket stopping his warnings and rushed across the hall throwing open the door to room 406.

***

Harry had Braxton pinned against the wall in a choke hold. Braxton’s eyes went even wider in fear seeing me behind Harry taking on a slight look of betrayal.

“No…Alexsis” He choked out causing Harry to turn his head and loosen his grip on Braxtons throat a bit, his own eyes widening.

“A-Alexsis!”

“Henry what is going on here!?”

Harry took a step back, shocked at my tone, loosening his grip more on Braxton letting him gasp for air. “I-I can explain! I saw his note to you and I wanted to figure out what he wanted with you! He said that he was going to take you away!”

“After what I just saw I don’t mind getting away from you!” I shouted pretending I didn’t know why he was actually fighting Braxton. “I was given an assignment with Braxton in a class! I came here to work on it with him! He gave me the note to let me know where to meet because I told him you were jealous of him and he didn’t want to come between us!”

Harry let go of Braxton realizing that what he’d been doing, at least in the context of what he thought I believed, would paint him as the villain. He didn’t realize he already was.

“Alexsis, you don’t understand he’s dangerous!”

“I don’t want to hear it!” I shouted at him pointing at the door. “Get out! I never want to see you again!”

Harry stared at me seeming like he wanted to say more and I glared at him holding his angered gaze. 

I dare you. I thought I dare you to call my bluff. I dare you to admit that you have been lying to me.

Harry took a step back breaking eye contact. “Fine. I’ll leave.” He sent one last glare at Braxton before turning and striding out the door.

I went over and closed the door behind him sighing in relief before I turned towards Braxton, a smile spreading over my face. “I can not believe that worked!”

Braxtons confused look changed into a smile and we both burst out laughing.

“That was the greatest thing I have ever seen!” Braxton said catching his breath in between fits of laughter.

“I’m just happy it worked!” I said still in shock that I had managed to get him to leave. “I was worried he’d just attack me!”

“Well if he did I would have intervened.” Braxton said and I raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah because that seemed to be working.” I said sarcastically gesturing to where only a moment ago he had been held against the wall.

“Hey! He got the jump on me! I was expecting you to come in!”

“Sure. So what did you want to talk to me about?”

Braxton looked down uncertainly. “We…we were told that you believed us now the other night. Is..is it true?”

I nodded, taking a breath. “Yes. I still don’t remember anything, but I know you were telling the truth now. I’m sorry I didn’t believe you before.”

Braxton shrugged it off. “It’s ok. Changes in perspective take time to accept sometimes.”

I smiled then pulled out my phone remembering Jason’s message. “I just remembered I have something I need to tell you! It’s important!”

Braxton shook his head, seeming distracted as if he was listening to something I couldn’t hear. “Not here. I just got word from Nick that guards are headed this way. Can you meet me at the train station on Sixth Street in ten minutes?”

I nodded. “I think so.”

“Good, I’ll meet you there. See you soon.”

Braxton stepped back giving me a smile before disappearing into thin air. No sound, no flashing lights I just blinked and he was gone.Taking a moment to process his disappearance I then turned walking out into the hallway planning my next move. I needed to get out of the school without the guards knowing. I glanced over, spotting the fire alarm on the wall, a smile coming to my face.

I pressed the button pulling down on the alarm, causing the lights and deafening beeps of the alarms to start to sound. I started running as people flowed into the hallway disguising my escape. A laugh escaped me as I ran out the doors at the end of the hall.

“I like being a rebel.” I muttered

***

Running to my car I jumped in starting it up instinctively putting on my seatbelt though I supposed I possibly didn’t need it but old habits die hard. I pulled out of the school parking lot slowly and then started speeding down the street heading towards the main part of town and the train station where I would meet Braxton.

I had only gotten three streets away from the school when I heard sirens and flashing lights appeared in my rearview mirror.

Great, I thought rolling my eyes. Now I’m in a car chase. This day just gets better and better. Eat my dust programs!

I pressed on the accelerator speeding up for a few more yards before my speed started falling as if I was pressing the brake pedal. I heard a ding from my phone and glanced at where I had thrown it onto the seat next to me seeing Jason’s face appear on the screen.

“Alexsis I sent you the coordinates including the floor and room number! There isn’t much time. I got word that the others are going to attempt a rescue soon. I tried to send them the coordinates but the network just went on lockdown. There’s no communication to the outside! I’m going to have to pull you out so I can prepare for the escape!”

“Not yet Jason! My car is slowing down! Think you could help me get away from the cops? I need to get to the train station to give Braxton the coordinates!”

A moment later my car shot forwards accelerating to alarming speeds as I flew down the roads, the traffic lights trying to stop me turning green at every one I came to and looking back I saw the cop cars blocked as the light turned red behind me and traffic resumed causing multiple crashes in the intersections.

“Nice job Jason!”

“No problem. I’ll handle the distractions. Just get there fast, we don’t have much time!”

I sped down the road, all the traffic lights turning green just before I got there and crashes happening behind me. Cars swerved or disappeared right before I hit them only to appear behind me stopping the innumerable police cars that started speeding out of parking lots and side streets. I turned a corner without slowing, surprised that my car didn’t end up flipping. I was almost there.

Looking forwards from where I had just seen another crash in my rearview mirror I spotted the train tracks separating me from the train station and the safety gates dropping the lights flashing red in warning. I slammed my foot on the brake desperately trying to stop. Nothing happened.

“Jason?! My brakes aren’t working!”

I looked to my left terrified to see an enormous train racing down the tracks towards me.

“Jason?! There’s a train coming!”

My car only got faster in response, the speedometer revving up to the hundreds as I blasted forwards towards the barricades. The train thundered on the tracks racing closer to where I would be in a few seconds as I sped uncontrollably towards disaster.

“JASON!”

“Trust me Alexsis.”

My car crashed through the barricade splintering the wood and flying onto the tracks as the train bore down and I braced for impact and I closed my eyes. The horn blared blocking out the sounds of the police sirens behind me.

I opened my eyes, shocked to find myself speeding down the road on the other side of the tracks, the train speeding by in my rearview mirror. I took a deep lungful of air still trembling.

“Holy…criminy. Bit of a warning next time might be nice Jason!!”

“Sorry I didn’t have time.”

My car started to slow and I drove it the rest of the way to the train station parking in a spot near the entrance not sure if I would have to hop in and speed away again soon. I ran up the stairs to the large train station and through the large doors leading into an enormous space bustling with people and for a moment I froze inside the doors. Braxton hadn’t told me where in the station to meet him! Where was he? I was running out of time!

I turned around searching the crowds for a sign of him and spotted two security guards walking towards me who were almost definitely spies. I was about to head towards the door and lock myself in my car or try and lose them in the crowds when I spotted a head of blue hair moving towards me.

I ran towards Lexi throwing my arms around her in a tight hug relieved to see a friendly face. Someone who actually had a plan and experience with this sort of situation. Someone I could trust.

“I’m so happy to see you! I’m sorry I yelled at you the other day I didn’t know you were telling the truth!” The words came out in a jumbled rush barely coherent.

“It’s fine Alexsis. I forgive you. It’s just good to have you back. We’re going to get you out of here. We have a team mobilizing now to move out. You’ll be free before you know it!”

I stepped back smiling at her and she smiled back. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

Lexi shrugged. “What are friends for?” She glanced behind her at the tracks.

“Braxton is waiting for you over there at line one. We don’t have much time so you’ll have to be quick. I’ll take care of the security.”

I nodded starting to head towards the tracks to meet with Braxton. A thought occurred and I turned around.

“Wait Lexi!”

She turned to face me concerned. “What is it?”

“I-I don’t know what’s going to happen next with the mission. If…If the worst happens…I want you to know that you’re the greatest friend I’ve ever had…in any life.”

Lexi’s lip trembled and tears were in her eyes. When she spoke it was a whisper as that was the best she could manage. “You too.” 

I nodded waving and she gave me another smile as I headed towards the tracks where I spotted Braxton waiting for me. I pulled out my phone to get the coordinates for him.

“Braxton I have the-”

“Not yet. They’re watching.”

I looked over at him. He seemed so casual standing there with his hands in his pockets. He seemed to be trying to not look like he was talking to me. “We need to go through the portal. That way we’ll be in a place where the spies can’t listen or see us.”

I looked around expecting a magic portal to appear in front of me. “Where is it?”

“It’s almost here.” Braxton then stepped off the platform onto the tracks turning to face me. “Come on.”

I raised my eyebrows at him looking down the line at where a train would be coming soon. I could hear it in the distance getting closer. “You’re nuts!”

“It’s not real. None of this is. It won’t actually hit us.”

“From my understanding of this world if you stand on the tracks whether a train is real or not it can still hit your not real body!”

“It won’t hit us. Trust me Alexsis.”

I looked at the tracks and the train coming and then back to the crowds behind us. A fight seemed to have started and I saw some flashes of blue hair as Lexi stopped the guards from getting to me. I turned back to Braxton and his outstretched hand the train turned the corner rushing closer.

“Trust me.”

I took his hand stepping down onto the vibrating track. The roar of the train grew ever nearer thundering like an earthquake. I stared at it as it rushed ever closer, the horn screaming at us to move. Instinctively I took a step away from it looking at the sides of the platforms that rose like walls around us and Braxton wrapped his arms around me.

“Alexsis!”

I looked up to see Harry running towards me on the platform trying to get to me, his eyes going wide at seeing me on the tracks. He sprinted towards us only to be tackled to the ground by Lexi at the edge of the tracks. He reached out for me and I stared back at him apologetically.

I’m sorry Henry. I can’t live a lie. 

The train hit.

***

“You can open your eyes” Braxton said letting go of me. “We’re safe.”

My eyes opened to a bare white room that seemed to stretch on into infinity in all directions. I looked down at myself relieved to find not even a scratch on me. Braxton stood in front of me smiling, a look that seemed to say ‘see? Told you so.’

I smiled back nervously and then remembered what I was supposed to be doing and pulled out my phone bringing up Jason’s text. “I know where my body is! You can come rescue me now!”

Braxton’s smile widened and he shook his head. “We know where you are. Our spy told us last night. Lexi and I just came to make sure you were on board and tell you the plan.”

I tilted my head confused. “You knew I was at the Institute of Experimental Neurogenic Technology? J-my friend on the outside just told me before our meeting.”

It was Braxton’s turn to be confused now. “Institute of Experimental Neurogenic Technology? We were told you were at the Department of Detainment and Interrogation! Who’s your contact?!”

I swallowed looking around at the endless white room unsure I should tell Braxton. What if he thought Jason was trying to trick us? I took a breath. He would find out eventually. 

“It’s Jason.” I said and watched as Braxton’s eyes widened and his fists clenched at his sides. “He’s been helping me! I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him! Braxton he’s a prisoner too you have to help him!”

“He’s tricking you Alexsis! He betrayed you! You told me yourself before we lost contact!”

“Even if he did he’s helping me now! Please Braxton you have to believe me! The other coordinate is a trap! I heard the commander talking about it! They said they would use me as bait to catch you guys and then kill me!”

Braxton stood rubbing his chin trying to decide who to believe. He glanced at me. “You’re sure that’s what they said?”

“Yes. And I know you think that Jason joined them, but he didn’t! He’s been protecting me! Without him I’d be dead right now.”

“You trust him?”

I nodded. “More than anyone.”

Braxton let out a frustrated sigh shaking his head. “They might both be traps.”

I nodded then held the phone out for him to read the message. “Maybe, but this one has me in it.”

He took it and read the information, speaking it outloud to someone on his side. After a moment he handed it back to me. “I admit it has far more specific information than what our spy gave us.”

“It’s the right coordinates Braxton I promise! You have to come save us!”

He stood thinking for a moment he looked back at me. “Alright. We’ll check out both. It’ll weaken our forces but I think we might be able to manage it if I can convince the others.”

The edges of my vision were getting dark and I could see it closing in. I took a trembling breath. “I-I think I’m waking up.”

Braxton moved closer, putting his hands on my shoulders. “We’re going to find you Alexsis. We’re coming and we’ll get you out! I promise!”

My vision started to make Braxton a blur and I forced a smile. “Thank you Braxton.” 

He nodded. “See you soon.”

My vision went black and I woke up.

***

I opened my eyes groggily to see Jason leaning over me with some bandages in his hands. He glanced over at me while placing one on me though I could barely feel it.

“Good timing you’ve been out of the simulation for an hour. I was wondering when you’d wake up. I just got the machines unhooked. We should be able to move you now.”

He picked up a blanket he had set aside and draped it over me, even though I was wearing a pajama shirt and shorts, leaving my arms free and helping me to sit up. I wanted to tell him I could walk but then as he lifted me I realized I was far too weak to even stand.

Well I have been asleep for a long time. I thought I hope I get my strength back soon…considering we survive this.

Lifting me up Jason carried me into the bathroom where he had hidden a wheelchair that he placed me in tucking in the blanket around my legs so it wouldn’t catch in the wheels or drag on the floor in our escape.

“Alright I’ve got you out. The download of all the institutes files is almost done…what am I missing?”

“The part where you tell me what happened during the mission.” I said a small smile on my face. He raised an eyebrow at me.

“You want me to tell you about that now?”

I shrugged. “You said you couldn’t tell me because I was in the simulation but now I’m out. We’re about to try and escape and might end up dying. If that happens I would like to know how we ended up here.”

Jason sighed putting his palm on his face, seemingly exasperated at my terrible timing. “Alright fine. I suppose you’re right.”

He crouched down so I could see him better glancing at the partially opened door back at his computers. He started the story speaking quietly still afraid to be heard saying these words aloud. 

“We went on the mission and had managed to get to the data control room where they were keeping all the data on their new N.I.N device. We were starting to copy the data to take back to the base when the security alarms went off. There had been a malfunction of some sort… or something in our devices that let us get past the security measures and they were alerted to our presence. We were able to see on their cameras that there were guards on the way there but we didn’t have any way to escape without getting caught by them. It was us two against around fifty of them. We knew there was no chance of escaping. While we barricaded the door to buy us some time we came up with a plan. I would pretend like I had betrayed you to them so that they would trust me and with that I would be able to get to you and help you escape. I didn’t want to do it but you said it was the best chance we both had of getting out alive. You were about to tell the others about our plan, but the guards got past our blockade and we weren’t able to let them know what was going on. After that we were both captured and taken to the detainment and interrogation centers. By the time I was able to get to you they had just erased your memory to place you in the simulation. I was too closely watched to be able to get to you before then and even when I did I was being watched so I couldn’t let you know any sooner. I figured out how to send messages to Braxton and the others and let them in using the new upload as a cover to put in a back door to the simulation that they could use.”

He looked me in the eye. “I never betrayed you Alexsis. I never betrayed the rebellion.”

A sound came from the computers and Jason turned to look at it. “That’s the download I was doing of all the files in their database. I already got what I could on the new N.I.N. model, the one they used on you, it’s all right here.”

Jason pressed a flash drive into my hand. “Hold onto that one for me. It’s your home after all. I’ll go grab the other one and make sure it got everything.”

He stood walking out the door closing it softly behind him. I looked down at the flashdrive in my hand rubbing my finger on the smooth surface. It looked so small to hold everything about my world. I spotted a mirror above the sink I was next to and hesitantly looked into it getting my first look at what I really looked like in the real world.

I was relieved to find I looked mostly the same. I was a bit pale and my hair was disheveled but my eyes were the same bright green that I remembered with determination behind them. I looked down at myself. Overall except for the large scar on my left forearm I looked the same way as I had in the simulation. It was comforting. Maybe things weren’t so different here. 

A crash sounded in the other room that made me look up, my breath catching afraid it could give me away.

“There’s been a breach! Jason- WHERE’S THE GIRL?!”

“S-sir I-I the rebels attacked and they…”

“WHERE’S THE GIRL JASON?!”

“T-the rebels took her sir. I hid so they didn’t see me. I would have tried to stop them but I thought they’d kill me!”

I heard a shockingly loud smack and a series of crashes as what I supposed was Jason falling to the ground.

“You coward! We should have known better than to let you into our plan! I bet you let them take her! Well, you should have gone with them. You’re nothing but a useless traitor!”

 “No! S-sir please!”

I heard a sickening click and tried to get my exhausted body to move. I had to do something! Jason needed me!

“You failed. We do not tolerate failures in this organization Jason.”

 BANG!

There is more to be seen but will people see?

There is more to be heard but will somone listen?

There are more worlds but will they dare to explore?

More emotions to flow but should I let them show?

You my old friends must answer this question! A single comment may be enough to again open the portal to these new worlds but only with the promise that you will read and comment! And only through these actions will the gateway stay open!

If I should return you must do these things or I will yet again disappear. If you wish for my return, more worlds to explore, more people to meet…send me a message.

Should I return? Will you keep the gateway open?

Opening my eyes I groaned my head feeling like I’d banged it against a wall for an hour. I glanced over at my alarm clock finding it was almost time for me to get up but I didn’t want to move instead laying there waiting for the pain in my head to subside.

Terminated. 

If these dreams were to be believed those people were going to use me as bait and then kill me. I shoved the thought aside, they were just dreams. Braxton and Lexi were gone now I wouldn’t let some random nightmares ruin my chance to get my life back to normal!

Getting up and getting ready I ate a breakfast of waffles with powdered sugar and drove to the school glad to get everything back to how it was and not have to worry about seeing Braxton. 

When I arrived I was surprised to find that all the lockers seemed to have a slightly lighter coloring, the gray seeming a bit more light and the white board in my history class seemed brighter and more white but I shoved the thought aside. At lunch Braxton and Lexi never appeared and I was confident that they had finally decided to leave me be for a while.

After school I went home doing my homework, ate dinner and then took a shower wanting to catch up on my missed sleep from last night. Drying off and putting on my robe everything felt like it would go back to normal for once and for the first time in days everything seemed to be getting back on track.

That was…until I saw the words appearing in my mirror.

Go to sleep.

We need to talk.

-Your friend Jason

I stepped closer to the mirror waving my hand in front of it to see if there was anything or anyone in front of it like a ghost but I felt nothing but air. Swiping my hand over the mirror I tried to get rid of the message and pretend it had never happened,but the steam didn’t smear the message as stark as it had been before. I tried again and again even getting paper towels and windex to try and clean the mirror to no effect. The message stayed silently urging me to go to bed and I sighed angrily admitting defeat. I started to go out the door when more words appeared under the first line.

PS. Don’t worry. No uploads today.

Well that’s good I guess. I thought heading up to bed trusting the message to disappear on its own. Laying in bed I again went over everything that had happened in the dreams and what Braxton and Lexi had told me. 

I could find quite a few holes in their conspiracy now that I had time to think about it, least of which was the idea of the world being a simulation. My parents were clearly alive, I had memories of my past that had nothing to do with any uprisings or rebellions-such as when my family had gone to disneyland when I was five-I wasn’t some kind of blank slate, and as far as I was concerned there was nothing interesting enough about me to possibly mark me as part of some grand revolution.

These self assurances in mind I fell asleep to face whatever Jason wanted to talk about. He wouldn’t change my mind. This was my reality.

***

I opened my eyes to find Jason sitting at his desk. He looked over at me jumping at seeing my eyes open.

“You should say something when you wake up or at least let me wake you! What if the commander was in here?!”

I shrugged. “If I said something and he was in here he would have found out.”

Jason shrugged. “At least let me tell you it’s clear before you open your eyes. He could have been looking right at you and you wouldn’t know it!”

I nodded a bit conceding the point. Jason rolled his chair over to me. “So what do you think about what Braxton and Lexi told you?”

My eyes widened slightly. He knew that I had talked to Braxton and Lexi?! I mentaly shrugged it didn’t matter.

“Doesn’t matter. What they say isn’t real.”

Jason looked at me confused. “How do you know?”

“Well if what they said is true I’ve had my memory wiped and that’s impossible.”

“Putting you in a simulation is impossible as well so you say.” Jason gestured with his arms at the room around us. “And yet here we are.”

“Even if mind wiping technology did exist that doesn’t change the fact that it’s stupid.”

Jason raised an eyebrow. “Stupid?”

“Well yeah,” I said, shrugging my shoulders a bit at the obviousness. “If what Braxton said is true I was part of a rebellion. You don’t just capture someone and immediately wipe their memory. You’d lose any information they could give you. Brainwashing them? Maybe a better idea, but just erasing their memory? It’s stupid.”

Jason nodded sitting back. “You’re right. Immediately wiping your memory would have been stupid of them.”

“Would?”

Jason stood up walking to my other side where he pulled back the blanket covering me so I could see my left arm. A long, jagged scar ran down the inside of my arm from my shoulder to nearly my elbow. I shuddered.

“It would have been stupid of them.” Jason continued gently covering my arm with the blanket again hiding it from my sight. “But that’s not what they did. They tortured you for information first. Me as well.”

“Y-you?” I was still shocked at seeing what they had done to me.

He nodded pulling back his lab coat sleeve to show me a smaller scar on his own arm. “I might have joined them but they still insisted on using any means necessary to get information out of me.”

Jason pulled down his sleeve again and sat back down in his chair hands clasped between his knees. “As for the brainwashing that was their original plan with you, but you had a way of getting past their efforts. In the end they decided to wipe your memory instead. Try and start fresh.”

“So…I’m brainwashed?”

He shook his head. “No. I stopped them from doing anything like that but… I wasn’t able to reach you before they erased your memory. I’m sorry Alexsis.”

“It wasn’t your fault. Besides, memory erasing doesn’t exist.”

Jason rubbed his forehead as if I was giving him a headache. He glanced up at me. “Is there any way I can convince you?”

I shook my head defiant in my belief. If this was what my life was I didn’t want to wake up.

Jason rubbed his chin trying to find a way to convince me. He glanced over at the computers and an idea seemed to come to mind. He nodded to himself turning back to me.

“Alexsis, at your school there is a boy you know as Henry correct?”

I nodded. “Yeah,why?”

“He’s a spy sent in to watch you. His real name is Harry Carthwich. I want you to remember that, got it? Harry Carthwich.”

I nodded. “Harry Carthwich.”

Jason smiled. “Very good. Someone is going to call Henry by Harry Carthwich tomorrow and I need you to keep a watch on him and see how he reacts alright?”

I rolled my eyes. This was ridiculous but I would go along with it. Jason went over to the pole next to me flipping switches and pressing buttons and I felt the now familiar feeling of cold wash over me as my eyes started to drift closed.

“Harry Carthwich. Remember.”

I nodded falling asleep.

***

I went to school a part of me keeping my ears peeled for any mention of the name Harry Carthwich. I didn’t expect to hear anything and didn’t feel like anything would happen. Going to my classes I listened to the teachers call out roll listening for the name but none of them said anything outside of the ordinary. By lunch I was about ready to just ignore the dream I’d had like I should have from the beginning when I saw a message appear on the inside of my locker door as I got out my lunch.

The message is coming soon.

Remember Henry’s name is Harry Carthwich!

I rubbed the words etched on the door looking at the lock to try and see how whoever had left the message had gotten in but it showed no signs. Pulling out my lunch I closed my locker door with a clang turned my dial to zero and started walking to the table for lunch.

Henry was already sitting at the table and as I started walking up a boy with a stoic face walked up to him speaking loudly to be heard above the clamor of people talking and laughing.

“Harry Chathwich you are requested at the office immediately.”

I heard a thunk as my lunch fell from my limp fingers hitting the ground. I didn’t pick it up, my eyes glued on Henry as he nodded standing and walking away towards the office.

Henry? I felt tears come to my eyes, a feeling of betrayal in my heart. Realization dawned on me like an icy blast as I remembered everything Braxton had told me. 

“I-It’s true.”

I left my lunch on the ground running into the bathroom and locking myself in a stall as tears started streaming down my cheeks. 

It’s true. Everything. Everything they said was true.

I fell to the ground looking at the stall around me. This was a prison. The school, my house. This entire world. There was nowhere to run. These walls were nothing but data and every person I met was either a spy or some kind of computer program. I looked down at my arms touching the place where Jason had shown me the scar. This wasn’t even my own body was it? I wiped my tears with my hands smearing makeup on them. These tears were not real.

But it felt real.

I leaned back trying to take deep breaths to try and calm down and stop hyperventilating. I needed to think. I needed to figure out what to do. Even though doing anything other than sit here terrified me and threatened more sobs to start.

“Alexsis?”

I froze holding my breath to try and stop my sobs. I didn’t know who had said my name and I didn’t see anyone outside my stall but I couldn’t stop thinking about how I would look to any spies who checked on me sitting sobbing in a bathroom stall for no apparent reason, and what would happen if they found out that I knew my whole life was a lie.

Termination,Torture,Useless…

“Alexsis? Can you hear me?” The voice said again and I realized it was coming from my phone in my jacket pocket. I pulled it out dropping it in my haste and instinctively worrying about breaking it then shoved the thought aside. It wasn’t real. I turned it around and looked at the screen shocked to find Jason’s face looking sympathetically up at me.

“You saw the message?” He asked solemnly.

I bit my lip nodding as more hot tears flowed down my cheeks soaking into my knees as I curled into a ball hiding my face the phone still gripped in my hand.

“I’m sorry Alexsis.” Jason said by my ear. “But you had to know. You had to know what’s going on. You needed to know what’s at stake.”

“Yeah.” I said trying to get my voice under control. “Everything is fake, I’m all alone, and they’re going to kill me!”

I curled myself tighter as more sobs rose in my chest. Everyone I knew was against me. Henry was a spy, probably along with all my other friends and my parents. My parents. They weren’t my parents. My parents were dead. They had been dead for six years.

The thought broke the wall I was trying to use to hold back my tears and I fell into more sobbing as Jason tried to talk to me through the phone.

“Alexis! Alexsis listen! I won’t let them kill you. For now you are safe. It is alright that you know as long as you don’t let on that you have become aware.”

I wiped my eyes building a wall against any thoughts of my parents. I had survived for six years without them hadn’t I? I knew how to take care of myself. I was safe as long as they didn’t know that I knew their secret.

“So what am I supposed to do?” I asked, laying my head back against the wall. “Pretend that nothing is wrong? Act like my world isn’t a prison?”

Jason nodded a small smile on his face. “Precisely. We’ll figure this out; we just need time. Braxton and the others are out there doing whatever they can to rescue you and I’m here as well watching over you. You’re not alone. We’re both gathering needed information, but for now your job is to stay as calm as you can and give them no reason to suspect you. Do you think you can do that?”

I took a deep breath letting it out slowly through my mouth. I nodded, “I think so.”

“Good. Here I’ll get your lunch for you. Take as much time as you need but make sure you’re on time for your next class.”

I could hear him typing on his keyboard and a moment later my lunch box appeared out of the air in front of me sitting on the ground. Normally I would be in awe of that sort of thing but a teleporting lunchbox was the least strange thing that had happened to me recently.

“I’ll talk to you tonight, no uploads. Alright Alexsis?”

I nodded, taking another deep breath. “Ok.”

Jason gave me a comforting smile. “See you then.” The screen went black.

I pulled my lunchbox into my lap, opened it, and ate some of my sandwich. As I ate I realised that I probably didn’t need to eat food to survive in this data world and wondered how the people holding me captive were keeping me alive when I was actually in a coma. The thought made me uneasy.

The bell rang all too soon and I forced myself to get up checking myself in a mirror and wiping away some of my smeared make up with water from the sink. Once I looked reasonably presentable and had gathered my things I took a deep breath and headed out into the hallway.

***

The first class was the hardest. Walking in I saw my friend Ashley and was almost overwhelmed with more tears thinking about how my friend was either a programmed AI or a spy and felt overwhelmed with feelings of loneliness and nerves with all the eyes on me. Through will I forced myself not to cry and relax my muscles thinking about Lexi and how she had hugged me when I had first met her…or met her again. I wasn’t alone. I had friends and they were going to help me. When the teacher called on me later and I felt for sure that she had seen right through me I reminded myself of what Braxton had told me about being a part of a rebellion. I was a spy, I had probably done dangerous missions before. I relaxed and answered her question acting like I didn’t have a care in the world.

The hours seemed to drag on as I sat in class pretending to listen when my mind was really a world away. I looked around at my classmates sitting around me, questions flying around my mind that I had no answers to.

How many of them are spies? Are they watching me right now? How many of them are just programs and entirely digital? Are any of them prisoners like me? If they are,did we know each other before my memory got wiped? Is the teacher a spy or just a program? Did any of what she’s teaching actually happen in the real world? What are Braxton and Lexi doing right now? When will they come back?

I was tempted to write these thoughts down on the empty note paper sitting in front of me that I used to pretend I was taking notes but refrained worried someone would see it and figure out my secret. I would have to keep my thoughts to myself for now. When the day finally ended I rushed to my car relieved to get back to the relative safety of my house. At least there I didn’t feel like people were staring at me.

That night I took a shower to help me calm my nerves, put on my pajamas and got into bed excited to talk to Jason and ask him about all the questions in my mind. Maybe we could come up with a plan somehow, or he could send a message to Braxton and Lexi to let them know that I believed them now?

I wished that they would come back so I could apologize to them.They had more of an idea on what to do about these sorts of things than I did. I wondered what my life had been like with them before my memory had been erased. Could there be a way I could remember those times, or were my memories gone forever?

My eyes drooped closed and I woke up.

***

I peaked an eye open to make sure the coast was clear before opening both of my eyes. The room was dark and the only person that I could see was Jason who was looking at me. When my eyes opened he smiled wheeling his chair over to me.

“Good morning sleeping beauty.”

I glanced at him confused. “Is it morning? um..out here I mean?”

Jason shook his head. “No. The simulation and the real world run parallel to each other now; so it’s night here as well. That way it’s easier for the spies to do their work without a time change. Uh most of them…” He gestured around the room. “I don’t apply. They make me work all hours. As you know.”

I looked around the room for the first time noticing a padded bench with a pillow and some crumpled blankets. Jason slept here? It reminded me of some questions I had for him.

“Jason? Braxton and the others said that you betrayed me during the mission I was captured but…you don’t act like you betrayed me. You didn’t tell that commander guy I was awake and you keep helping me… you seem like as much of a prisoner as I am…I don’t think you actually betrayed me like they think you did Jason. What actually happened during the mission?”

Jason looked away from me. “I want to tell you, but I can’t. Not yet anyways. There’s just too much at stake. As long as you’re a part of the simulation it’s too dangerous for you to know. If N.I.N. finds out it could be the end of both of us.”

I nodded understanding, we were in danger. Now was not the time to share secrets. But man did I want to know!

I looked at the walls around us trying to imagine what the world outside looked like. What the real world looked like. I realized I knew nothing about that world. Nothing that really existed beyond this room. I didn’t even know who I was. Who had I been? Why did I join the rebellion? Was I important or just one random person in a large group? What did I know before? Did I have training in a certain skill? What had I done, what had I seen that I would no longer recognize?

There was a world out there. One I knew literally nothing about.

“Jason? W-who am I?” I hesitantly asked, looking at his confused face. “My entire life is a lie. At least what I remember and…I don’t know anything about this place..this world. I don’t even know why I ended up a prisoner. What was I fighting for?”

What did I feel was worth so much risk? Why did I join the rebellion in the first place? Why was I fighting?

Jason nodded leaning forwards in his chair, his hand rubbing his chin. He looked at me seriously.

“You are Alexsis Everson. You are one of the bravest,most caring people I have ever met. You have fought beside some of the bravest people in the world, had the kindest parents I ever had the privilege of meeting and were raised by some of the best, most caring, leaders I have ever seen. If anyone can face a new world with open arms and find out who they were you can.”

I looked down. Had I really been all of that? Who was it I had fought beside? Would they still want to fight for me? A girl that didn’t know anything of this world? I had nothing to give their cause.

“I don’t know if they’d still want me anymore. I’m…not who they remember. I don’t know anything about being in a rebellion.”

Jason held my hand shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter what you do and do not know. What you can’t remember. They are your friends just like me. They won’t give up on you. You will be free again Alexsis. I promise.”

“I wish I could remember them. I feel bad for how I treated Braxton and Lexi…I should have listened to them. I’m..not even sure if they’re coming back.”

Jason squeezed my hand. “They will. I had to lock them out for a bit but I’m going to open the door again so they can come in. Then you can talk to them about everything.”

“But…how will I find them? Won’t they get you in trouble with that commander guy again?”

“They’ll find you, or send you a message. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

“I still don’t know where we are. Lexi and the others need to know before they can save us.”

“I’m looking into it. I’m close to getting into their systems. Once I find out where we are I’ll contact you.”

Footsteps sounded coming towards us and Jason stood flicking levers and sending me back into the simulation.

***

I opened my eyes to my bedroom and told myself to get ready for the day. I didn’t dare think too far ahead or about how my life was all fake. If I did that I might just curl up into a ball and be unable to do anything. Instead I got dressed giving myself instructions like objectives in a mission. I had done those before right?

Step one change and get some breakfast without looking suspicious. I thought to myself. Two, get to school and find some way to contact Braxton and Lexi. Three, figure out where my body is so they can rescue me. And do all of that without getting caught.

Once I was changed and had done my make up and hair (Even though I didn’t feel at all like doing it today I mainly did it because I was worried I would look too suspicious if I didn’t.) I went down the stairs to grab some breakfast stopping short at seeing my parents sitting at the table.

My parents are dead. 

They hadn’t looked up and for a moment I stared at them, tears welling in my eyes ruining my freshly done makeup. Did they look like my real parents? What had they been like? Would these spies miss me when I was gone? Had they grown to love the girl they had captured, or would they be happy they didn’t have to babysit me anymore?

My mother looked up a worried look coming to her eyes at seeing me crying. “What’s wrong dear?”

I smiled trying to wipe away my tears. “Nothing.” 

Everything.

My mother looked at the clock jolting. “You better get some breakfast quick or you’ll be late for school!”

I nodded grabbing some granola bars and my lunch heading for the door unsure what would happen if I stayed with them for too long. What I might reveal.

As I rounded the corner to go out the door I looked back one last time. They may have been spies, they may have been faking the love they showed me, for all I knew they might not have even been people; but they were the only parents I could remember.

Thank you. I thought towards their turned backs. You might have never meant it, but thank you for giving me the life I know. Thank you for at least pretending to love me.

With that I turned away from my digital parents for the last time and walked out the door.

Time seems too fast and too slow at the same time. Amongst the endless piles of things to do today there is also what I need to do tomorrow and the next and then there is next week and the two four to five page essays I need to write while also dealing with getting my wisdom teeth out. On top of that there is work where I have been for four days this week and I will have three more straight days until I get a break. Not that it’s actually a break. It’s the day I get my wisdom teeth out.

Read these four chapters on three different subjects by the end of the week all of them having at least ten to fourteen pages of densely packed words. Read everything because there will be a quiz and test on all of the chapters.

Sit for an hour you do not have listening to people talk about philosophy and Aristotle so we can make sure that you understand how to be a good person just in case you haven’t figured that out yet and then write a five page essay on nuclear war during your “break”.

Get your wisdom teeth pulled next week. If you manage to survive this week. You will get a needle stuck in your arm but that’s not supposed to be bad you’ve had those about a billion times the scars like little stars dotting your arms. It doesn’t matter that just the thought makes you break out in sweats and pull your arms closer to your body they will have you do it anyway. They always do.

It’s supposed to help. You need this. It will be good for you. At least it will be over.

At least you’ll be able to sleep for an hour. Let go. Escape.

It doesn’t matter that you don’t have time.

Do all of these assignments on music and geology. What’s this rock with the stripes and the light colors? What that wasn’t covered? Wrong, wrong, wrong… It’s ok when will you even need all this anyway?

Here this chapter on 1965 and 1970’s music was fun and interesting. Man those guys were crazy. It was cool to see how all the history connects. Now quick! What were the names of all the band members in the Cream? What was the Who’s first hit single? Who was the producer that started pop music on FM radio?

What you don’t know? You just spent two days reading about it?

Oh dear your coworker is sick. Here take all of his shifts for the next few days on top of your own. Do you want to switch him for Friday? Take one more day off? Nope your mom stole your phone and said no so you’re working tomorrow.

It doesn’t matter. You can rest when you’re writing your two, four to five page papers after you get your wisdom teeth out. What will you eat? Ice cream and milkshakes have always been too cold. Mashed potatoes? Pasta? Maybe you’ll just starve.

Write your outline for your sci-fi paper on feminist theory next week. Also read these two sci-fi stories and write paragraphs on them. Here read two chapters on the history of American Sign Language even though you already know all about it and take quizzes on them.

Watch these videos of people signing and take more quizzes. What? You don’t know what they’re saying? Doesn’t matter take the quizzes anyway you don’t have time to figure it out.

Here take your midterm exam on geology! Wait where were those rocks formed again?

Oh time for work again! Hurry the bread needs to be baked and the cookies packaged and the brownie display filled. Don’t forget to clean, clean, clean! Take out the trash, scrape the floor, sweep, fill the display, mop the floor.

No brownie crusts for you they’re all in the garbage.

Good job class have a good break! Don’t forget those papers you need to write! Also go look at the rocks in the mountains! See you in one week where we will get started just as fast as before!

See you on Tuesday so we can take out your wisdom teeth! At least you’re doing this on spring break! You won’t have anything to do! Don’t worry it should only be moderately painful.

At least you are a teenager. Teenagers have all the time in the world. No troubles or worries at all. Collage is important for your future. By the way what’s your major? Have you decided on classes for the summer yet? Will you move out when in person classes start? When do you want to switch jobs?

What? Why are you laughing like that? Why are you crying? Are you ok? Don’t worry you’ll have a break soon. Why did that make you laugh harder? Why are you sobbing curled up in bed?

You teenagers are so overdramatic. This is the real world. Welcome to the rest of your life.

Why? Hmmm…no one has ever asked that question before.

When everyone moved I stayed still. Others said they felt the call and they were ready for the next stage in their lives, but I didn’t. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready. They all moved away rushing to their new lives, new classes, new friends; and I was left standing alone my only change the computer sitting in front of me where I could take classes from home and a job baking bread and cookies in the back of a bakery all alone.

I try to keep in touch with old friends whos lives are as alien to me as another planet. I send close friends who I know how to contact the stories I’ve written wishing to know how they react to the surprises I have hidden for them, but how can a friends story compete with homework and tests?

I don’t blame them. I say I understand. I do. But it doesn’t make the loneliness any better.

What else am I to do?

Is this the price I must pay for my safety? To keep safe because my heart was damaged? Will I be forced to hide inside until this pandemic somehow ends? If it ever does. Some say that it’ll be better when the pandemic ends and I can go to an actual collage campus, but will it?

Leaving home and being on my own scares me more than any virus ever could.

Am I destined to leave one uncertain fate for another that’s just as frightening?

Am I destined to be alone forever?

Am I destined to be forgotten by time my words left to gather dust never to be seen by a living soul?

Never to change people’s hearts?

Never to help people understand me?

Am I destined to have other people’s ideas of me define me forever? Never giving me a chance to tell my own side of things?

If you want to learn about me. If you want to know who I am then read my stories.

All of them hold pieces of me.

And please.

Please comment when you do.

Let me know that I’m not alone.

Let me know that you care.

Let me know that you-or at least someone- likes the hidden secrets in my writing.

Likes my jokes and twists and characters.

Please.

Let’s not be alone anymore.

All my binders were message free when I got to school and I found no messages on the inside of my locker. By the time lunch rolled around I was hopeful that maybe Braxton and Lexi had forgotten about me or moved on to someone else; only to step into the comans and find Braxton sitting at the lunch table with my friends.

I debated just walking away and finding another place to sit where he wouldn’t see me but I pushed the thoughts aside.I had to end this.I couldn’t let Braxton control me.

Mustering my courage I stormed up to the table putting my lunch bag down with a bang next to him and spoke in my strongest voice.“Leave.”

My friends looked from me to Braxton who himself had wide eyes. He held his hands out defensively. “Please,I’m just here to talk. I need to-”

My fists clenched at my sides. “No! I’m not listening to anything you have to say!”

“Alexsis-”

“Leave me alone Braxton! I don’t care about your conspiracies!”

“Is this guy bothering you Alexsis?” Henry said appearing next to me with a plate of spaghetti. He glared at Braxton.

I folded my arms across my chest not taking my eyes off of Braxton. “Yes as a matter of fact.”

Braxton looked from me to Henry, his face a mask of panic and anger. He stood up leaning closer to me. “Alexsis please! You have to listen to me!” He whispered.

“Stay away from me!” He only came closer whispering in my ear.

“Alexsis, he’s a spy! Who do you think’s been watching you?”

I shoved him away from me. I spotted the campus police officer walking nearby. I waved my hand to get his attention.

“Officer!”

Braxton looked from me to the officer betrayal evident on his face. “Alexsis…Please. This isn’t you!” His eyes turned to Henry who was still standing next to me. Braxton looked about ready to murder him.

“What did you do to her!” He demanded trembling in rage.

The officer stepped up. “Is there a problem?”

Henry nodded. “This guy has been stalking my friend!”

The officer put his hand on Braxtons shoulder. “Well! Come along son let-”

Braxton elbowed him in the stomach and took off running down the hallway. As he turned the corner he shouted behind him one last message.

“I’ll get Alexsis back! You’ll never win!”

The officer, Henry, and I ran to chase after him but when we turned around the corner the hall was empty. Braxton was gone.

***

As the rest of the day dragged on there were no more signs of Braxton or Lexi. I couldn’t stop thinking about what they had told me the other day though. I knew I shouldn’t but I kept wondering my mind asking why it was impossible that they couldn’t be telling the truth. After all if I really was in some kind of simulation I wouldn’t be able to tell would I?

Try as I might to force these thoughts aside I kept coming back to them. Eventually I decided to test Braxtons theory. There was no harm in that right? If it was a conspiracy then I wouldn’t find anything and I would go on with my life and ignore what had happened with Braxton. As for what I would do if I found evidence… it didn’t matter, I wouldn’t find anything.

At the end of school I went to my science teacher Mrs.Hally. An exciting and extremely smart woman Mrs.Hally was one of my favorite teachers and was always looking up the latest and greatest in upcoming scientific discoveries.

I stepped into her room finding her sitting at her desk grading papers. A lone kid was sitting in the back finishing a test, but other than that the room was empty. I stepped up to her desk and the woman looked up smiling brightly at me.

“Hello Alexsis! What can I help you with?”

I smiled. “Hi Mrs.Hally! I was wondering if I could ask you a question? I heard about something from…A friend of mine but I want to know if it’s real or not. I think they might have made it up but I want to make sure. It sounded interesting!”

“Really?! What was it? Maybe I can help you find it!” She seemed excited at the prospect of learning something new.

I thought back and made sure I remembered the words right. “They said it was called a…Neural Interface Network?”

My teacher’s face changed to confusion. “Hmm I don’t know what that is. Let me look into it.” She turned towards the computer.

A sudden pain stabbed through my head and I gasped gripping the side of her desk. She looked over at me worried. “Alexsis? Are you alright?” I looked at her but my vision was spinning and her voice seemed to be coming from far away. My head swam.

“I’m…fine.” I managed to choke out.

Darkness filled my vision and I was unconscious before I hit the ground.

***

I woke to a hand clasped over my mouth. Opening my eyes I found the young man sitting next to me with his hand over my mouth, his eyes deadly serious.

 “Are you insane!” He whispered angrily at me. “Do you realize what you’ve just done!”

I stared at him wide eyed. What had I done? What was going on?!

He sighed, glancing at the mystery door. “They’re about to come in! Whatever happens you can’t do anything Alexsis! They can’t know you’re awake!”

I nodded and he took his hand off of my mouth just as the door started opening. I closed my eyes trying to pretend to be asleep. Footsteps thundered into the room.

“You had better have an awful good explanation for this Jason!!” An angry man thundered.

My breath caught and I had to force myself to not open my eyes. Jason.The young man was Jason. He was the person Braxton said had betrayed me to N.I.N. 

“W-what sir?” Jason asked, sounding confused.

“Don’t act like you don’t know! There’s a breach in the system! She knows about us! You said that she couldn’t remember anything!!”

“Th-that’s impossible sir! The suppressor is still working at full capacity!”

“If it’s still working then how did she know?” The man asked menacingly.

“The- the breaches sir!” Jason said quietly. “The rebels must have gotten something through to her!”

“Yes, I’ve heard of the breaches. There seem to have been a number of those since you started on this project.”

“You changed the system just before I came in sir. It’s a technical problem… nothing more.”

“It better be. You wouldn’t want to go back to interrogation would you?”

“N-no sir. I came to you remember?”

“Ha! Even if you went back to those rebels I doubt they would show you any mercy. A traitor like you. They don’t seem like the forgiving type.”

“You may be right sir.” Jason said quietly.

I flickered my eyes open for a moment catching a glimpse of the room. Jason sat looking worried at the computer. The other man was large with black hair and a dark gray military uniform. Jason glanced towards me and I closed my eyes again.

“You know I’m starting to think about canceling this project.” The angry man said. “It’s a waste of time, she doesn’t even have any information.”

“It wasn’t my idea to wipe her memory.” Jason remarked coldly. “You’d already done that by the time you let me in.”

“Yes, but it is your council that prevents us from finishing what this study was meant to do!”

“Introducing the N.I.N. into the simulation could override the suppressors. I have told you this before and if your reaction to her knowing about N.I.N. is to come storming in here I think it’s for the best that she doesn’t know.”

“It isn’t her knowing that’s the problem!” the man thundered. “It is how she knows! There’s been a breach in the system!”

 “And what would you have me do about that?!”

“What you are going to do.” The man threatened “Is another upload. A full one. A complete reboot of the firewalls and replacement of anything that was changed in the breach.”

I shuddered, biting my lip. That didn’t sound good.

“B-but..”

“Is there a problem Jason?”

“Um..n-no sir..it’s just it will take some time to prepare.”

“How long?”

“A-a few hours.”

I could feel myself shaking and wondered how it was that the angry man hadn’t noticed. I tried harder to relax trying to tune out their conversation. I didn’t want to know what they were planning to do to me. I just wanted to wake up.

“Fine. Add another layer to the firewall then get to work on the upload. I want it done by tonight.”

“Y-yes sir. I’ll get right on it.”

I heard footsteps come closer to me and I tried to relax more, thinking of sleep. I felt a warm hand on my shoulder and opened my eyes a crack to see Jason leaning over me. He fiddled with something behind my head and I felt something cold press against my temples. He leaned his head toward my ear pretending to work with something.

“Try to relax. I will do what I can to help.”

I nodded slightly, having no other choice and closed my eyes again. Jason’s hand left my shoulder and I heard him streaten working on the pole next to me.

“What are you doing?” the angry man asked annoyed.

“The medications seemed off. I’m adjusting things.”

I clenched my teeth to keep from reacting as the cold washed over me, my head started spinning.

“Alright now let’s do that upload.”

I heard the clicking of keystrokes as Jason worked on the computer. The cold spread over me and my body felt heavy, my eyelids like heavy curtains over my eyes.

“Done.”

Dull pain stabbed through my brain and I fell asleep.

***

I opened my eyes to find myself in the nurse’s office at school sitting in a chair. The nurse walked in smiling at me.

“Oh good! You’re awake! How do you feel?”

I sat up blinking and holding my head trying to ward off my drowsiness. “Uug…tired. H-how long was I out?”

The nurse shrugged. “Just a few minutes. How’s your head?”

I blinked, still feeling drowsy. “It..feels alright.”

The woman nodded. “Do you know what might have caused you to pass out? What were you doing last?”

I thought back trying to remember. What was I doing? I was in Mrs.Hally’s room. Was I in science class? No I wasn’t. I came to ask her a question. What was I asking again?

My eyes widened and I pursed my lips so I wouldn’t say the words aloud. I was asking about Braxtons conspiracy. I passed out after I asked about the Neural Interface Network.

“Are you alright Alexsis?”

I blinked looking over at her trying to steady my rapidly beating heart. “I’m fine. I just remembered that my mom said to text her when school ended.”

“Would you like us to call your mother? We can have her give you a ride home.”

I shook my head hiding my wince as it made my head pound. “No. It’s fine. I can drive.”

The nurse looked at me worried. “Are you sure?”

I smiled nodding. “I’m sure. I didn’t drink much water, I was probably just dehydrated.”

She looked at me sideways then pulled open a cupboard bringing out a water bottle. “Drink this and then you can go alright?”

I smiled, taking it and unscrewing the cap. I didn’t have to pretend to be thirsty, my mouth felt like sandpaper. I paused for a moment and texted my mom saying I had just stayed behind to ask a teacher about homework and was about to head home.

Finishing my water I walked out of the office waving to the nurse and displaying my empty water bottle. Going to my locker and getting my jacket and keys I went out the back doors towards the parking lot. As I walked out to where I had parked my car yesterday I looked at the maintenance shed by the track. I was tempted to walk over and look at it more closely, but I shoved the thought aside. I needed to get home. I had a ton of homework to get done.

Getting in my car I sat for a moment thinking about the dream I’d had. I had passed out right after asking about the Neural Interface Network, that couldn’t have been a coincidence right? And then there was Jason. Braxton had said that he had betrayed me,but if he had betrayed me why hadn’t he told that man that I was awake? Was that real, or was it a dream? I thought about their argument remembering what they’d said.

My hands tightened on my steering wheel trembling. There’s going to be another upload. A big one.

I pushed the thoughts away fighting against a growing feeling of despair. When would all this end? Buckling up and turning on the car I pulled out of the parking lot driving back to my house trying not to think about the dreams. Trying not to think about how much that upload would hurt me.

When I got home I didn’t want to get out of the car. I wanted to keep driving to the end of the earth. Keep driving until my thoughts and the dreams and Braxtons conspiracies all disappeared. Sighing I turned off the car, picked up my backpack, and walked into the house.

Getting out my homework I worked through math and history stopping for a bit at 7:00 to make myself some mac & cheese for dinner putting the leftovers in a container to eat tomorrow. 

I was about to pull out my science binder when I heard a knock at the front door. The tension that had slowly been fading rushed back. Who would be knocking on my door so late? I crept towards the door trying to decide whether or not to open it. Whoever was on the other side knocked again, louder.

Taking a deep breath to try and get rid of my nerves I unlocked the door yanking it open. Lexi smiled at me, opening her mouth to speak. Only for me to shut the door in her face cutting her off.

She talked from the other side of the door. “Alexsis! Please! I just want to-” 

“NO! GO AWAY!”

I felt guilty for slamming the door in her face but all the fears from earlier were coming back. Everything about her and Braxton were strange and I didn’t want to deal with it right now! Couldn’t I get a break!

I locked the door stumbling away, my whole body trembling. Why wouldn’t they leave me alone? Every time they showed up or something involving them happened I always had another nightmare. I felt tears sting at the edges of my eyes. Would her being here be enough to cause another one?

I sat on the ground, with my knees pulled up to my chest trying to calm down, hoping she would leave. I heard a click and looked over to see her opening the door. I glared at her.

“What did you do?” I asked bitterly, turning my face away from her to hide the tears now rolling down my cheeks. “Pick the lock?”

She took a step in closing the door softly behind her. “No. I had my friend Nate unlock it for me. He’s a programmer.”

“Let me guess I knew him too?” I said sarcastically while trying to discreetly wipe away my tears.

Lexi stepped closer sitting down next to me but I kept my head turned away from her. 

“You did actually.” She said quietly. “He was J…jason’s apprentice before you guys went on your mission. He was like a father to him. Nate was heartbroken when he found out what he did. He’s been one of the most avid supporters for getting you back. I think he feels responsible for what happened, especially since his real father helped create the Nuro-.”

I whipped around clapping my hand over her mouth. She stared at me wide eyed taking in my smeared mascara and terrified eyes.

“Don’t..s-say that.” I choked out more tears rolling down my cheeks and falling to the ground. I pulled my hand away hiding my face in my arms trying to stifle the sobs that rose in my chest.

“Alexsis…What’s wrong? Why can’t I say-”

“DON’T SAY IT!!” 

“Ok! Ok I won’t say it I promise! W-what happened? Why?”

I glared at her anger rising in my chest. “You.That’s what happened.” I stood up pacing, my arms trembling with anger. The uploads were because of them. The pain was because of them. Them and their stupid meddling.

Lexi moved away from me looking afraid. “M-me? What did I-”

I turned on her raging. “YES YOU! YOU HAD TO SEND THOSE STUPID NOTES DIDN’T YOU? YOU AND BRAXTON HAD TO SHOW UP AT THE SCHOOL AND GET SPOTTED EVEN THOUGH YOU KNEW IT WAS DANGEROUS! DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU’VE DONE? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY’LL D-”

I stopped myself realizing what I was about to say. I pressed my lips closed turning away from her horrified expression. I heard her stand up taking a step towards me.

“What will who do Alexsis? What happened?”

I squeezed my eyes shut. “I-It’s nothing.” It’s not real,it’s not real,it’s not real.

None of this is real.

I wanted to curl up into a ball and hide. What Braxton and Lexi were saying made sense when it came to the dreams and my blackout from earlier seemed to confirm what they said,but if what they had told me was true…if what they had told me was true then I was a prisoner. A person whose entire life was a lie and my parents were dead. I was alone.

Lexi put her hand on my shoulder turning me around. I didn’t look her in the eyes. I couldn’t. “What happened Alexsis? What did they do to you?”

I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not real.”

“Yes it does. You’re obviously upset about it. What happened?”

“I-there’s been these…” I wasn’t sure where to start. I sighed looking up at her. “I asked about the N…the virtual reality thing.”

She nodded slowly. “Ok. What happened?”

“I…passed out. I had a dream and there were these…there were people there. They..”

Lexi’s hand tightened on my shoulder. “What happened? Did they hurt you?!”

I stepped away running my hand through my hair. “No…yes..I don’t know what they were doing…they did another upload. It kind of hurt but it wasn’t too bad…compared..”

“Wait. Hold on. What do you mean by another upload? This has happened before?”

I took another step back not looking her in the eye. “I-yeah. I just.. didn’t want to think about it ok? It’s just a dream. It doesn’t mean anything.” 

Right?

Lexi sighed exasperated. “Alexsis…I know you don’t want to accept this but this world isn’t real. Your life.Your real life is in danger right now. Think. Is there anything that you remember that could tell us where you are?”

Are, were, am. “I don’t know! It was just a dark room!” I turned away from her again. I didn’t want those dreams to be real. I didn’t want to be hurt again.

“Come on Alexsis! Were there windows? Who was there with you?”

“There weren’t any windows or anything! It’s not real! Please just leave me alone before they hurt me again!”

“Alexsis we’re just trying to help-”

“Well maybe I don’t want your help! Just leave me alone!” 

Please..

Lexi tried to put her hand on my shoulder but I moved away from her. She sighed sadly. “Ok…I just came by to let you know we’re going to be gone for a few days. Apparently they’re beefing up security and we were told by our spy to stay away for a bit.”

I stayed silent with my back turned away from her. I heard her leave the door closing softly with a click. I was relieved that she had gone but I hadn’t expected to feel so alone.

***

That night I tried to stay up as late as I could in hopes that I wouldn’t have any dreams. I finished all of my homework and watched youtube until my eyes started drooping and I threatened to fall out of my chair. Taking a shower in hopes that it would keep me up for a little longer I made the water colder than normal to try and shock me awake. Stepping out of the bathroom however I stumbled almost falling over from exhaustion.

What am I thinking? I can’t stay up all night! 

Admitting defeat I stumbled up to my room collapsing into bed. Maybe if I did end up having another dream it would keep Braxton and Lexi away for good? Would it get things back to normal?

I didn’t have much time to think about it. I blinked and my eyes stayed closed.

***

“..upload ready yet?” I heard a voice ask.

“It’s almost done sir.” Jason responded. “I-it would be better if you gave me more time to work out the kinks..”

“Just get it done! You can do fixes later.”

I flickered my eyes open for a moment so I could see the room annoyed as one of my eyes stuck closed for a moment. Jason was sitting at the desk working on the monitors in front of him. The man in the uniform was standing behind watching him work.

I glanced around the room remembering Lexi’s questions about windows. There were none that I could see besides the window on the mystery door. I glanced over at the uniformed man-something told me I didn’t want him to see me awake- but he was still turned away from me along with Jason.

“I spoke with Dr.Vargon about the progress of this project.” The uniformed man said and I closed my eyes as he turned towards me. “He doesn’t like it but, he agrees with my sentiment about its termination. There is little more the girl can teach us regarding the device.”

“Dr.Vargon is giving up on his beloved research?” Jason asked, sounding astonished “I thought he would defend the project’s continuation! It was him that started it!”

“Yes, he was, but he admits that there is little to be gained from it now. He has agreed for us to implement our back up plan.”

“Would you let me know what this plan is? I seem to have missed the meeting.”

“It is a way for the doctor to find new subjects for his project using the defective one we already have.”

“Hmm and…once you have these new subjects? What happens to…?

“Ha! The girl? Well there’ll be little use for her then. She will be sent to the officers to pay for her crimes.”

My fists clenched in fear under the sheets. Crimes? What had I done? What price would I have to pay?

“What price will that be?” Jason asked and I could hear a slight tremor in his voice.

“Termination. She’s a rebel after all.” The man replied matter of factly. “Ha! Don’t look like that! It’s not you we’re handing over Jason! You’re with us now!”

I opened my eyes and saw Jason’s wide eyed glance in my direction causing his eyes to go wider. I closed my eyes, suppressing a shudder, and willed myself to wake up. I didn’t want to be here.

“Hmm…um I’m going to check the medications.Then we can do that upload.” I heard Jason get up moving towards me.

“You don’t have a soft spot for that girl like Harry does, do you?” the man mocked. “After your betrayal she would hate you. If she could remember.”

I flickered my eyes open to get a glance at Jason and saw his cheek bulge as he clenched his teeth. He put a hand on my shoulder and I closed my eyes again.

“Alexsis was my friend. I’ve known her since she was five years old.” Jason said coldly to the man. “And unlike that creep Harry I actually care about her.”

I felt a rush of cold wash over me and my head started to feel heavy. I forced my eyes open to see Jason walking over to the computer. 

‘I’m sorry Jason.’ I thought at his retreating back ‘I don’t remember you.’ 

He sat down and I closed my eyes again trying to get myself to sleep.

“Uploading now…”

Pain spiked through my head and I had to stop myself from crying out even with the drugs. My eyes flashed open for a moment and I saw Jason shoot me a worried, apologetic, look before I fell asleep.

A cold wind blew as I walked towards the maintenance shed after school. I had contemplated having one of my friends come with me,like Henry, for safety or support but had decided against it. I didn’t know what Braxton would do if I brought someone else with me when the notes had said to come alone. He might just stop the meeting until I came alone and I wouldn’t get any answers.

That’s not to say I didn’t come prepared for anything. In my hand I gripped my small pepper spray fidgeting with the safety and I kept my backpack swung over one shoulder ready to be dropped or rammed into someone if anything happened. My 5 pound textbooks would at least be good for one thing.

Lexi stepped out from behind a car and walked up to me smiling as relaxed as if we were headed to a new movie. “Nice to see you! I had a feeling you would come. Are you ready?”

I glanced up towards the maintenance shed suddenly frozen. Lexi being there seemed to make this meeting more real, not just something I could turn away from whenever I wanted, a real thing with real people who may or may not be safe to be with. I tried to take a step forward but I couldn’t move, my hands were shaking.

Lexi came up in front of me putting her hands on my shoulders. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

I looked down trying to find words. I couldn’t just say that I was afraid that her and Braxton were about to mug me could I? That was how I felt though. I was terrified and felt like I should be running away from here as fast as I possibly could. I felt like I should shove her away and scream at her to leave me alone, but I couldn’t because like it or not a part of me needed to know what they had to say.

“I..It’s just..I don’t know..” I muttered trying to get any words past my frozen vocal cords.

Lexi pulled me into a hug squeezing gently. “I’m sorry Alexsis. I know this all must seem pretty… scary and all. If we had another way to tell you everything that was easier we would, but we can barely reach you. We never meant to scare you with any of this.”

She pulled away holding my hands. “You’re safe with us. I know you don’t remember but we’re your friends and even if you’ve forgotten about us we haven’t forgotten about you.”

I glanced up at the shed again, wondering what I had done to gain such loyalty. “You’ll stay with me?”

Lexi nodded. “The whole time. I promise.”

I took a deep breath and nodded to her. Still holding my hand we walked together towards the shed. As we walked Lexi talked to me making sure I had obeyed the notes instructions.

“You didn’t bring anyone with you?”

I shook my head taking another deep breath. “Nope.”

“And you told no one about the meeting, or the notes, right?”

“I wanted to. But no. I didn’t” 

That was not for lack of trying. I had tried to show my friends the messages on my note papers only to have nothing be there when I brought them out and when I went to my locker the etched message had also been gone, not even a scratch showing where it had been.

I looked over at her. “How did you do those notes by the way? Break into my locker?”

And my house? I wanted to add but held myself back.

Lexi shrugged looking around nervously. “I can’t tell you out here. They could be watching us.”

“Who?” I whispered. “Why are they watching me?”

“Let’s get to the shed. We’ll be safe there.”

I looked around nervously and kept walking with her towards the shed. Once we got there Lexi opened the door gesturing for me to go in. I gestured for her to go first-she was nice but I wasn’t risking her jumping me from behind once we got inside- she stepped in and I followed.

“Close the door behind you.” Lexi said as I stepped in. I didn’t want to but I did anyway making sure afterwards that the door didn’t automatically lock behind me and was relieved to find the handle still turned. I could get out if I needed to.

I turned to look at my surroundings. The shed was dark and small having only a few lights shining dimly from the ceiling leaving the shadowed lumps of boxes and machines to create a small pathway towards the dark back of the shed. Lexi gestured for me to follow her. “Come on! Braxton’s waiting for us!”

Making sure that my pepper spray was unlocked I followed Lexi into the shadows. Winding through the boxes we soon came to a cleared out space with some chairs. Braxton stood from one smiling nervously at me.

“Hey Alexsis! I’m glad you came!”

I glanced around the small space. Braxton had no weapons on him that I could see and the space was empty except for three chairs. From what I could tell the only way in or out was through the door I had just come through.

I folded my arms in front of my chest,more to try and stop my fidgeting than anything else, working up my courage I leveled a scowl at him. “It’s not like I had much choice.”

Braxtons smile fell and he took a small step back. We all stood in awkward silence for a moment. He cleared his throat nervously. “Ummm…do you want to take a seat?” He asked, gesturing towards one of the chairs.

I leaned against one of the boxes stacked by the passageway. “No thanks. I’m fine here.” 

I wasn’t, and all I wanted to do was sit down and relax, but I was trying to gain some control of the situation. Braxton could make me come to a secret meeting in the back of the maintenance shed but that didn’t mean I was going to just do everything he asked! If the only way I could do that was by standing then that was how it would work. Besides I was closer to the door like this anyway.

Braxton cleared his throat again. “Um..uh ok then. I guess I’ll get started…”

He waved his hand at the ground in front of him, palm down and suddenly an image of a thin older man appeared out of green light floating in the air in front of him. I took a step towards the floating figure. 

Braxton has a hologram?

“This is Rodger Calloway,” Braxton said motioning towards the figure. “Ten years ago he invented something called the Neural Interface Network or N.I.N for short.”

Braxon flicked his wrist and the image changed to an image of a person wearing a strange headset with wires on it. “The devices allowed people to connect their minds to a server and be able to do and learn things extremely fast.” 

“Kind of like a version of virtual reality?” I blurted, suddenly interested.

Lexi nodded “In the beginning they were mainly used for simulations by NASA and the government for everything from training troops,formulating battle strategies, and seeing how people would react in emergency situations. Everything was going great until..”

“Spies from other countries hacked into the network.” Braxton explained the image changing to a map of the U.S. “Once they had control of the network they brainwashed military leaders and drove them insane making them turn against their own men and country. Using the captured leaders they ordered the military to take over the government and N.I.N. facilities.”

I watched as parts of the map turned a stark shade of red as cities and states were taken over. Other parts changed to black with small pockets of blue or yellow. I pointed at them.

“What are those?”

Braxton smiled. “Some members of N.I.N who had worked on the project managed to escape the military men or were scattered and became small pockets of rebels. That’s what we are.”

I raised an eyebrow. “A couple of teenagers are humanity’s only hope? I don’t know whether to call that cliche or just sad.”

“It’s not just us.” Lexi said. “Most of our parents are former employees of N.I.N. or members of the military who wouldn’t obey their commanders orders when they said to turn on their country.”

“Alright” I said rolling my eyes “So you guys are part of some secret rebellion against a government takeover that never happened because of an invention that doesn’t exist. I don’t see what that has to do with me.”

“It has everything to do with you Alexsis.” Braxton said seriously. “Because you are part of it!”

I took a step back from them suddenly feeling slightly uneasy. “What? That’s impossible! I’ve never even heard of all this!”

Braxton ignored my outburst continuing his explanation. “You were sent on a secret mission,disguised as a volunteer for a new system they were making, with one of our top programmers, named Jason, to infiltrate one of the former N.I.N. facilities to try and gather information.”

I backed myself against one of the box stacks. My head was hurting like crazy as I tried to make sense of all this information. He seemed so adamant that this was the truth, but it was impossible. These people were insane. And yet…

“What happened?” I asked, shaking. I had to know. “W-what happened on the mission?”

Braxton ran a hand through his hair. “We don’t really know for sure. Your last transmission said that Jason had betrayed you and then we lost contact. You were captured and placed in a N.I.N. simulation. A while later some of our spies gave us a hint about the simulation and we managed to get into the code. That’s how we were able to get the notes to you.”

“But..Why you? Why didn’t you just send my parents or something? They’re in this rebellion thing too right?!”

They both looked away. I took another step back towards the passageway.

No.

Lexi looked up at me with pity in her eyes. “Alexsis…your parents were killed in the uprising. They..they’ve been dead for five years.”

I turned away from them. It couldn’t be true. How dare they say my parents were dead! How dare they even suggest such a thing!

Braxton stepped closer to me. “Alexsis?..A-are you ok?”

“Stay away from me.” I whispered. My head was pounding. He took another step closer, putting a hand on my shoulder. I turned, shoving him away from me.

“STAY AWAY FROM ME BRAXTON KELLER!”

Braxton stepped back eyes wide. Lexi leapt to her feet staring at me equally shocked. When Braxton next spoke his voice was quiet, breathless. “Alexsis? H-how did you know my name?”

My eyes widened realising what I had just said. “Y-you told me your name. Wh-when we met in the lunchroom.” He shook his head.

“I told you my name was Braxton. I never said my last name was Keller.”

Lexi took a step towards me with a look of hope in her eyes. “Do-do you remember something Alexsis?”

No. This can’t be happening. This is impossible. 

My head was pounding. I had to get out of here. In an instant I turned around and sprinted towards the door wildly spraying my pepper spray behind me to try and blind them. Braxton grabbed at my backpack and I let go of it, letting him pull it off continuing my wild dash for the door, both of them calling after me. I burst out the door to a small drizzle of rain and ran towards the school building.

I sprinted towards the doors spotting Henry walking out the doors his gym bag hung over his shoulder with his backpack. Practice must have just ended. He spotted me and his eyes went wide as I rushed over to him and he put his hands on my shoulders stopping me. 

“Woah! Alexsis! What’s wrong!”

“Henry! I need to get out of here! I-they-”

“Slow down Alexsis. What’s wrong?!”

“Its-Braxton and-and that one girl I-I met him in the shed and..”

“What! What happened are-are you hurt!”

“No. I just-I-I need to get out of here!”

Henry nodded. “Alright come on. I’ll drive you home.”

We both rushed to his car,a silver Honda,and got in buckling up. Henry got in the driver seat turning on the car and looked over at me. “Where’s your backpack?”

I shrank back still shaking. “I had to leave it in the shed.Th-they grabbed it. Wait…Crap!”

“What is it?”

I groaned. “I drove today and my keys were in my backpack!”

Henry looked back towards the maintenance shed and back at me. “Lets..Let’s get you home Alexsis. I’ll go back and look for your backpack afterwards ok? I’m sure your parents probably have some extra keys at the house and then you can get your car later.”

I didn’t like leaving my car at the school but I didn’t like the thought of going into the shed again even more. Henry pulled out of the parking spot and drove out onto the street heading in the direction of my house about a mile away. As he drove he glanced at me from time to time trying to make sure I really was alright.

“So..what happened in there?” he finally asked nervously “If you don’t mind me asking.”

I sighed, still trying to calm down. “I don’t really know what to tell the truth. Nothing happened, he just talked, but it didn’t make much sense. He said something about a government takeover or something. It was weird.”

Henry sighed, rubbing his forehead. “uhg..I was afraid this might happen.” he muttered.

I looked over at him confused. “What?”

Henry glanced at me. “You know how I said I’d heard of Braxton? I heard about him from my cousin Martin. Apparently Braxton used to go to his school. I talked to him and he said that when he went to his school Braxton was known for being some kind of stalker. According to my cousin he was expelled after a girl he had been watching went missing.”

I wrapped my arms around myself worried again. “W-why didn’t you tell me?”

Henry looked down. “I should have…I just. I hoped he wasn’t who I thought he was, or he’d turned over a new leaf. I’m sorry Alexsis. I should have told you.”

We arrived at my house and I unbuckled my seatbelt to head back inside. I opened the door to get out when Henry stopped me.

“Wait! Alexsis!”

“Yeah?” I wasn’t sure what I wanted more. To get in the house or stay there with Henry. At least in the car I wouldn’t be alone.

“My cousin said that Braxton tries to draw people in with conspiracy theories. If that’s what he was trying to do with you don’t worry about it ok? None of what he said is real.”

I forced a smile nodding. “Thanks Henry.” I got out of the car.

“I’m going to go see if I can find your backpack!” He shouted as I walked towards the front door “If anything else happens feel free to call me alright?”

“I will. Thanks!” I shouted back then went into my house. What Henry had said made sense even though it was creepy and confirmed my suspicions about Braxton being some kind of stalker.

Ten minutes later I got a knock on my door. Looking through the side window I found it was Henry and I opened the door. He smiled holding up my backpack.

“Found it! Man is this thing heavy!” He said looking down at the bag flexing it like a dumbbell. “You should’ve clocked him with it!”

I laughed for the first time since leaving the school. Thanking him I took the bag putting it on the floor. Henry fidgeted on the porch.

“Do you want me to stay? I can keep you company.”

My grip tightened on the door handle. I didn’t want to be alone after just getting out of a meeting with a stalker but I needed some time to work everything out. I was also a bit embarrassed and didn’t want to seem like a scaredy cat to Henry.

“I’ll be fine.” I said forcing a smile.

Henry nodded. “Alright, shoot me a text if you need anything alright?”

I nodded and he turned walking to his car. Closing the door and locking it I went through the rest of the house locking doors and pulling blinds. Finally I turned to my backpack. Opening the smaller pocket in front I found my phone and keys right where I had left them which boded well, they were the most expensive things I had in my backpack anyway. Opening my other pockets I found everything right where I had left it. Pulling out my math binder I headed over to the table to work on my homework trying to put thoughts of Braxton and his conspiracies out of my mind. Opening my binder however I found another note written in green marker on top of my notes.

Alexsis,

We’re sorry we scared you.

Please remember who you are.

Be careful! They are watching you!

Love, Braxton & Lexi

I slammed my binder shut, shoving it back into my backpack. Deciding to leave all my homework for tomorrow I shoved my backpack in the corner,heated up some leftover pizza for dinner, and went downstairs to watch T.V. After everything that’s happened today I told myself I deserve a break.

I watched T.V. until 10:00 and then took a shower, pointedly not looking at the mirror in case another message appeared, checked all the blinds and locks again,and then got into bed.

Laying there I remembered the dreams I’d had lately and how Braxton had confirmed that his last name was Keller. I glanced at my clock which now said 11:11. I wish for a dreamless sleep tonight. 

As usual I didn’t get my wish.

***

“Alexsis?” The young man’s voice whispered next to me. “Can you hear me?”

I stayed silent, afraid to speak. I wished I could see something instead of the endless darkness. Wished that whoever these people were would leave me alone. Wished that I didn’t know what would happen here. I shuddered.

“It’s alright.” He said gently “You can talk, we’re alone.”

“P-Please d-don’t hurt me!” I begged him sobbing quietly. “Please don’t do another upload.”

 I felt him grab my hand, gripping it tightly. “I won’t! I won’t! I promise! No uploads today, alright?”

I nodded feeling a small rush of relief. My mind had finally decided to have a bit of pity on me. I was safe.

“I’m sorry Alexsis.” The young man said. “If I’d known the uploads were hurting you..” He trailed off.

“W-who are you?” I asked him. I tried to open my eyes so I could see but was unable. 

“I am your friend.”

“What’s your name?”

“That’s not important. I don’t really like my name.”

“Where are we? Why can’t I see?”

“Well, your eyes are closed. Can you open them?”

I tried again but it didn’t work. They felt fused shut. “No.”

“Hmmm. Let me try something.” I felt his hand leave me and heard him get up moving to the other side of the room. A ripping sound came and then the tinkling sound of rushing water. His footsteps came closer to me.

“Oh! Wait.” I felt a blanket be put over me and I smiled slightly in comfort. The young man sat down next to me again.

“I’m going to touch your eyes, but you don’t need to worry it’s just a wet paper towel; alright?”

I took a deep breath, not so sure I wanted to see what might be beyond the darkness anymore. “Ok”

I heard him move and sure enough something wet touched my eyes trying to wipe the sleep gunk off of them so I could open my eyes. One of them came free and I got my first glance of the man helping me.

He smiled at me, his brown hair ruffled and unkept his green eyes bright with humor though there was a hint of sadness in them. He seemed about twenty or thirty.

“Ope! Hello! Let’s get the other one open!”

He moved to my other eye and soon I was blinking away the excess water and looking at my new surroundings as he moved back to his chair strengtening his white lab coat. He studied some machines and bags hanging on a pole next to me.

The room was small and windowless. About as large as a hospital room most of the space taken up by the hospital bed I was laying in. Glancing to my right I saw a desk with numerous computers and monitors sitting on it and a door that led somewhere.

“Where does that door go?” I asked the man. He looked to where I was looking.

“Oh. That’s just the bathroom.”

I turned my head to the left seeing another door with a window cover over it. “What about that one?”

“Umm…you don’t want to know.”

I looked back over but he didn’t meet my eyes instead intently studying the bags on the pole next to me. His hands were trembling. I shivered. What was behind that door?

“Sir?” I asked the man “What am I doing here?”

He didn’t answer his head suddenly turning towards the mystery door, a look of fear coming to his eyes. A moment later I heard footsteps coming towards us from the other side of the door.

The man turned back to his study of the machines flicking levers and sending substances down toobs connected to the bags. I winced as a cold feeling washed over me along with a wave of drowsiness. My eyes started to drift closed again.

“I’m sorry Alexsis.” The man said sorrow in his eyes. “This wasn’t the plan.”

***

I opened my eyes finding myself in my bedroom with light streaming from the window. I glanced at my clock and sat bolt upright in bed. I was 20 minutes late waking up!

Quickly changing I put on a bit of makeup, went to the bathroom then went downstairs to snarf down some cereal.

In the kitchen I found my parents waiting for me.

“I hear you had a meeting yesterday Alexsis?” My mother said with a look that told me that I was not getting away from the conversation. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

I looked down, seemingly frozen by my parents’ gaze. “I-I didn’t want to worry you.”

I glanced at the clock and the urge to get to school overpowered my parents’ stares enabling me to move towards the cupboards. Halfway there I remembered the note in the cereal box from yesterday and changed directions getting out some bread. Toast would be faster anyways.

“Did anything happen at the meeting Alexsis?” My Dad asked and I rolled my eyes. Couldn’t they see what time it was?!

“Nothing happened! I’m fine. I promise!”

“Don’t snap at your father Alexsis!” My mother said scowling at me. “We just want to make sure you’re alright. What happened at this meeting?”

I sighed exasperated and put my bread in the toaster. “Can we talk about this another time? I kind of need to get to school.” I also don’t want to think about it.

“Well” my father said a small smile on his face. “You just put that toast in so you at least have three minutes.”

I screamed in my head mad at his sound reasoning. I took a deep breath calming myself so I wouldn’t snap at them again. “All that happened was I went into the maintenance shed with this girl and met a boy who told me about some crazy conspiracy theory. Eventually I got creeped out and left and Henry drove me home. That’s it.”

My mom looked at me with her eyes wide. “What was the conspiracy theory about? Why did you even go to this meeting in the first place Alexsis?”

I turned away from her, my toast popping up from the toaster and I pulled it out plopping it on my plate. My mind whirled with answers to her questions that I didn’t know what to say to.

I went because there were messages that appeared out of nowhere and it was the only way to get them to stop. I went because I was curious. I went because I had to know what they had to say. Because they seemed so nice. They said that none of this was real. They said that I was in a rebellion. They said I was captured and am a prisoner.

They said you were both dead.

I shoved the thoughts away, the beginning of a headache starting. I shouldn’t be thinking about this. “I’d rather not talk about it.” I answered her quietly, still looking at my toast as I buttered it. Last minute I decided to put on some cinnamon sugar to add to the flavor. “Please. I just want to forget about it.”

My mother sighed. “Alright. Get your stuff I’ll drive you to school.”

I walked over grabbing my backpack and put a piece of toast in my mouth as I headed out the door to the car. I got into a shotgun and my mom drove me to the school we drove in silence for a few minutes before my mom started talking again. 

“Do you have your keys? Your car’s at the school right?”

I nodded stuffing more cinnamon toast in my mouth. “Yeah. It is.”

“I want you to come home right after school today and text me when you get back. Got it?”

“Alright.”

“If you see this boy or the girl again and they try to talk to you, get a counselor or the campus police officer alright?”

“Ok, I will.” I was totally prepared to turn Braxton in to the police or the counseling center. He needed it if he thought what he was saying was true.

“Don’t go anywhere with them.” she said, giving me a sideways look.

I blushed a nervous, guilty, smile coming onto my face. “I won’t.”

We came to the school and I looked up at the large building that suddenly felt dangerous. Would Braxton and Lexi be waiting for me inside? Would there be more notes? Would they try and convince me of their conspiracy theories again?

“Mom..”

“Yeah, honey?”

I looked down not sure I should be saying this. “At the meeting…they said that you were dead. They said that you had been killed. That’s what made me leave.”

I looked up at her, a lump forming in my throat. I could feel myself shaking. “I know it wasn’t real but I can’t stand the thought of that happening. I-I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

My mom leaned over and pulled me into a hug. It was a bit awkward with both of us sitting in the car but it was still comforting all the same.

“It’s alright honey. We aren’t going anywhere. We’ll always be right here. Nothing is going to happen to us.”

She pulled away and I sat up whipping tears from my eyes. “You’re right. Thanks mom.”

She smiled. “It’s fine. Just forget about what they said alright? It isn’t real.”

I nodded hopping out of the car. “Love you mom.”

“Love you too honey.”

With that I walked towards the school building. Braxton could try and talk to me again about his conspiracies but I wouldn’t believe him. Not when he said my parents were dead. It would take more than some messages to convince me of that!

I stared at the stairs leading down to the basement where I knew my parents were sitting watching television. What I was about to do would change everything. I wavered unsure if I wanted to tell them. This past year with my secret knowledge had given me more than I had ever had, or dreamed of having. They had given up ages ago leaving me to my own devices, what would happen when I told them there was something they could do? I could remember all the fights and fear and unrelenting pressure they forced upon me. All the shame I had finally freed myself from. What if all of that returned? Did I dare give them hope? Did I dare risk all I could gain on the thin hope that they might understand? Would telling them destroy the relative peace I had gained?

Or, whispered a small part of my mind. Would it save you? Save you from the damage you didn’t know you were doing to yourself? Save you from the fear that keeps you locked up in these chains. Save you from the consent pain and exhaustion that you never dare tell anyone about? Save you from the starvation in your bones? From your long hungry nights? Save what little you have left. They might understand you. They could listen. They could let you go slow. They can show that they care and not scare you. They could help you feel safe again.

Or they could use force. I thought, feeling myself tense. They could use the knowledge against me. It could bring back the fear and fights and walls. Destroy the small progress I have been making.

Or, my mind whispered again. They could ease your fears. They could use the knowledge to know how best to help you. They could take down the fears and walls and help you find more progress than you ever thought possible.

I looked down again. Did I dare?

Did I dare not to? To resign myself to this life of secrecy and slow progress? To give myself to the wills of a fate which had been so unkind in the past? Or, did I dare risk it all on the hope that my parents could help me? That they might understand?

I nodded taking the long, hard, steps down the stairs each one making my mind scream in fear at what I was about to do. I looked up at my parents, my voice constricting to try and keep my secrets inside where I would be safe from the knowledge being used against me.

“I have an eating disorder. It’s called ARFID.”

With the words spoken my strength failed and I collapsed to the ground finally showing the pain and exhaustion I had fought through every day. I was shaking with fear and closed my eyes to block out the exclamations and demands for answers I was sure were about to come. 

I was surprised to feel warm,gentle hands pull me into a strong embrace. Loving words and soft touches easing my fears and helping me relax and feel safe. Curious questions and understanding coaxing my eyes open to see the happy faces of my loving parents glad that I had finally told them what was wrong. Tears and apologies building bridges where walls had once been built. Plans were devised and written down. Curiosity inspired and progress lovingly encouraged. Fears banished and safety grown. Strength regained and confidence found. 

Life ignited and friendship created. 

So? What do you say? Do you dare with me?