Prep School Experiment (6 page)

“They’re not telling the truth.” Kaitlin sounded shocked. “I’ve been poisoning us.”

Coordinator Steele pulled out her gun. “Shut up. Get in the jeep.”

Rhys froze. His gaze went to Kaitlin.

She stood pale and still.

His gaze tracked the coordinator and searched for a weakness.

The Scientist waved his arms in the air. “Whoa, what are you doing?”

“They’re useless. You said it yourself, their data is corrupt, and now they’re causing trouble.”

“But—”

“Sometimes you have to destroy bad specimens.”

“Wait, wait, wait, back up a step. It’s true they can’t be used in the data pool. But this… this...” The Scientist sputtered.

Coordinator Steele lowered the gun so it was aimed at Kaitlin and tilted her head toward the jeep. “We just need some time. No one will come looking until tomorrow.  “By then, we’ll have a solution. Head to the airfield.”

They piled in and rode with the gun pointed at them all the way to the hangar where Rhys had first arrived. The coordinator locked them in the office and left them. Rhys took stock. Water. Toilets. Heat. It could be worse. Some of the trailers at the trailer park had it worse.

Kaitlin rubbed her hands together, stared at the door, and stomped her feet. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop talking. But, they were lying right to our faces.”

“That must be your heightened skill,” Elena said. “You’re really intuitive.”

“Intuitive?” Kaitlin twisted her lips. “I’ve been called naïve and gullible, but never intuitive.”

“This Alaskan isolation probably changed you, or maybe rooming with me did it.”

“Or the experimental drug,” Rhys said. “Elena and Thane
have changed a lot
.”

Elena raised her eyebrows. “Really, Rhys? Now?”

“That’s not a dig. I don’t mean dating. That’s really whack. But, your other skills. Thane was always strong, but never fast. Not like he is now.”

Thane tightened his arms over his chest.

“And Elena climbs like an Olympian. Maybe you don’t see the change because it’s been gradual. “But, I haven’t seen y’all for months and I see the differences clearly.”

Rhys looked down at his fingers and spilled the change he’d noticed over the last week, the one he barely wanted to admit to himself. “You know I’m good with math and science. Right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’m better here. First, I thought the crap they were throwing me was just easier than at good old Trallwyn High. It’s not. Some of the equations are complex, and they spin around my mind all the time, making me half crazy. Unless I’m around Kaitlin. Then my mind stills—the same way Thane calms you down.”

Elena sank to the floor. “
For experimental use only
. I didn’t really believe him. Nothing like that exists.”

New drug articles always featured online, usually in the financial section, as companies vied to raise their stock. But, they were there. “It doesn’t now, but companies and doctors are constantly trying to find ways to enhance people. Their brains. Their bodies.”

“I thought stopping the vitamins would be enough,” Elena said, sounding sorry that she hadn’t been suspicious enough. “We ate so much of it in the cupcakes.”

Kaitlin flushed, looking guilty.

Rhys leaned against the wall and sank down, his hands loose atop his spread knees. His stomach felt hollow. “I could use a cupcake.”

Kaitlin gave him a startled smile.

“Maybe the effects will wear off when the drugs are out of our systems,” Thane said.

Kaitlin sat beside Rhys. He looked at her. “No provisions. No transport. Temperatures just above freezing. Unfamiliar terrain. Maybe if you’d made friends with some Alaskan kids, you’d make it out of here. But, you picked three southerners. So, you’re screwed until daylight.”

She stopped twisting her hands together and gave him another small smile.

Elena folded her jacket into a pillow. “I knew the boarding school was weird, but I never thought it was criminal.”

“We signed a lot of consent forms,” Kaitlin said. “I’m not sure what they did
is
criminal.” She shrugged out of her own jacket and sank back.

“They didn’t disclose this,” Rhys said. “I read every page of their stack of forms.” He could recite them. But, he didn’t mention that.

Thane tugged Elena close and they whispered.

Rhys got up and hit the light. He lay back beside Kaitlin and her cold hand inched over near his. He threaded their fingers together.

***

Coordinator Steele awakened them with a gun in their faces. “Get up.” She backed out toward the exit.

They wouldn’t have much time. Adrenalin jolted through him. He’d have to make a move soon. The girls looked exhausted and scared. He and Thane shared a silent look. They’d have to work together.

The four of them took their turns with the practicalities. Toilet. Gear. Water.

The Scientist stood in the doorway, looking torn. The clock on the wall in the overheated room read four a.m. “It pains us to do this. But you have to understand that, for the greater good, when specimens go bad, they have to be removed from the pool. It’s basic science.”

Piece of shit.

“We’re people, not specimens.” Elena swallowed and backed up. “The other students and coordinators, they’re expecting us to come back.”

Kaitlin inched closer to him.

The Scientist said, “You
were
coming back, but you begged us to let you climb down the giant hole where the baggage trucks fell to see if you could salvage anyone’s luggage. Coordinator Steele says you’ve been on her about your stuff since you got here.”

Kaitlin had told him about that. An earthquake when they arrived had cracked the ground and swallowed their baggage trucks. He wished he’d seen it. He didn’t want to see it like this though.

Coordinator Steele stepped into view behind The Scientist, gun prominent. She gestured at the exit.

The Scientist shook his head. “The four of you were lost in a tragic Alaskan climbing accident.”

Rage filled Rhys. He fought it back to bide his time. God. He wanted out of this. Wanted them all out of this. Thoughts of the librarian flashed through his mind. She couldn’t handle losing him again. She might not know him except as a kid she worked with, a friend even, but he knew she’d feel guilty. Guilty because she’d helped send him here. Guilty in an unshakeable lifelong, life-altering way. Rhys didn’t want to do that to her. He couldn’t. He had to get them out.

He tried to focus on their options.

The gun trumped everything.

They drove near the school and parked at the base of the crevice, where the coordinator threw climbing gear at them.

Delay them. Break through the B.S.

“How many of you are testing on us?” Rhys asked. “Is it just you two?”

They didn’t answer.

The Scientist appeared torn. “I hate to lose the knowledge they have, the skill sets, the promise they show. The long-term data would be useful.”

Coordinator Steele seemed fed up with his half-hearted protests. “There’s no good science here. They’re just liabilities.”

They moved through the icy snow to the blackness that marked the edge of the dark hole that split the earth. Roots were visible here near the surface. The Scientist knelt beside the hole and peered in for a closer examination. “You would have had such genetically superior babies.” The Scientist shook his head. “Such a waste of potential.”

And that explained his soul mate matching program. Sick freak.

“Four kids went down to get everyone’s luggage. They wanted to make up for cheating during the event. To win their classmates’ trust back. Heroic really.” Coordinator Steele’s smile made a mockery of the words.

The Scientist stared at the ground and then crossed his arms over his chest. But when he raised his gaze, he appeared dead convinced. “We can do miraculous things with this drug. Create an amazing world full of amazing people. Sometimes, you have to do things for the greater good. When the most people benefit, you know the choice is right. It’s basic ethics.”

Coordinator Steele waved her gun at the hole. “Time to get in.”

Kaitlin jerked against him. “Wait. We can—” Her voice held an edge of panic.

“Enough. Move.”

They moved.

“Come here, Kaitlin,” Elena said. “You’re a dancer, so you’re strong, really strong. Just stay calm and listen to me, and it’ll all be fine. Can you do that? Can you listen to me and keep Rhys calm for me?”

Kaitlin swallowed and nodded.

“Good.”

Elena messed with the equipment. “Okay. I’ll go down with Thane. When we reach a ledge, we’ll set this up.” She held up a metal device. “It will guide you down.” She and Thane dropped over the edge and Elena’s voice came up to them. “Okay, Kaitlin first. Don’t worry if you swing out. You’re small, and with this equipment, I can hold your weight.”

Kaitlin stepped forward.

“You four keep going down until I say stop. Then climb back up. I’ll give you more supplies if you make it. Then, you’ll get to go down again.” Coordinator Steele waved the gun again, pointing at each of them in turn. “You’ll keep it up until you can’t.”

The coordinator was enjoying this. Rhys could see it in her face. He helped Kaitlin over the side. Her big eyes searched his face and he tried to smile a confident smile at her. It would be fine. He’d make a move when she was clear. Pebbles pinged as gravity sent them down around her. Rhys stayed by the ropes, watching the anchor. He had to wait until Kaitlin was secure.

Coordinator Steele stared at him, the gun steady. “Get going.”

Elena said something from below. Rhys didn’t know if they were secure. He couldn’t risk failing and have the coordinator mess with the anchor. Not when he wouldn’t be down there to help. He slipped over the edge, using the anchors. He braced his feet on the wall and started down.

“Careful, Rhys. Slow and easy,” Elena said.

The rope jolted and the glove bit into his hand. He braced his feet on the wall. The coordinators were messing with the anchor.

Rhys hooked in and continued lowering himself, using grooves and the anchors.

“Let go of the anchors and get in position, Rhys,” Elena said. “This will be fast.”

Rhys cursed but he held the rope with one hand up, one at his hip. He came down in seconds. The rope came loose in his hands the second his feet hit the ledge. His body jolted, and they grabbed him. More pebbles fell away, pinging into the chasm.

“No one’s going to believe we didn’t use ropes,” Rhys said. If they didn’t make it back, at least the coordinator’s B.S. wouldn’t stick. Not that the thought was comforting.

“They’ll believe the anchor failed.” Elena said.

Thane shook his head. “So we can either go up into the hands of someone with a gun, or down into the darkness.”

“No choice,” Elena said. “I’ll lead and set the anchors. We’ll find a bigger ledge and wait them out. We don’t go back up when they call. We don’t respond.”

Kaitlin nodded. “Maybe someone will come looking for us.”

Sure. In the spring.

They began the slow descent. Coordinator Steele called down from the top. “Head back up now and we’ll give you some water when you reach the top. Or, you can scoop a nice handful of snow to eat.” A sharp flash of light cut through the darkness. The beam bounced against each wall, searching for them. “Answer me,” Coordinator Steele said.

“Elena sees a truck. Wedged below us. Fifteen feet,” Thane whispered up to him and Kaitlin.

Light flashed through the cavern again. A sharp retort cracked through the air. Dirt sprayed out from the wall as a bullet furrowed into the earth above them.

Rhys cursed.

“Turn out your lights,” Thane said.

“Don’t try to move.” Elena’s voice shook. “Not without light.”

“Come back up now.” The Scientist’s voice sounded panicked. His guinea pigs were escaping.

Movements came from above, the sound of someone climbing over the ledge. Small sprinkles of earth fell past. Coordinator Steele shouted, “When I reach you, I will use the gun. I know how to climb and I have all the gear. Return now and we’ll consider another alternative.”

Adrenalin coursed through him, but they all stayed silent. Minutes passed and they held their position.

A deep female scream sounded. Wind rushed by. A person fell.

Above them, The Scientist yelled down, demanding Coordinator Steele answer him.

“Oh God. Oh God. Coordinator Steele just dropped to the bottom of the cavern, and I didn’t hear her hit.” Kaitlin sounded terrified. “How deep is this?”

“Miles.” Rhys had no words of comfort for her. This was messed up. “Could be miles.”

Kaitlin groaned.

Coordinator Steele was gone. Maybe the gun. That left one guy. The Scientist. Rhys’ fingers tightened. Crumbling earth came away in his grip. He knew shit about climbing. Elena was the expert. “Elena, what are we doing?” Rhys said. “Should we go up now? I can’t hear The Scientist anymore. But, if he’s still there, we can take him.”

Thane said, “There could be a second gun.”

“The semis aren’t far,” Elena said. “We can make it there. Rest. Think.”

They went down slowly, and reached the semi. It was ass up, sides wedged against the walls.

They made their way down, lifting the bar and hauling up the door. Their lights shone on jumbled piles of luggage. Supplies.

“Thank God,” Kaitlin said. She lay flat on her back across two large bags. She shook out her arms.

“Let’s go through the luggage and try to find something useful,” Thane said.

Kaitlin ripped off her gloves and tucked them into her pockets. With Rhys’ help, she pulled into a seated position. “I hope we find mine. I packed these special pistachios we get from a deli on 42
nd
. You’ll love them.”

Rhys moved to the wall. With one arm braced on the side of the trailer, he dug through the pile. “Priorities are weapon, water, warmth, then food.”

Kaitlin pouted and looked defiant. He rather liked the expression.

“We have to stay dry.” Thane glanced at each of them. “We’re fine for now: stable, warm, and we just landed on a pile of supplies.” Thane rose and brushed a hand over the back of Elena’s hair. “Above all, everyone has to stay calm. We’ll get out of here.”