Chapter 1 - The breach
1903 Words
#musicvibe - I am my own worst enemy, Robert Pettersson.
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Sheffield, United Kingdom.
November 21st, 2136.
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Eric Sampson POV
“Alpha Team has breached the perimeter.”
The quiet voice echoed through the truck as we watched the screens in front of us. Twenty screens were placed on the large desk inside the truck. All of them broadcasting a bodycam each.
Twenty of my best men were about to breach a factory. We received some intel that it was a front for an illegal medical facility and we were just about to go in.
“Proceed.” I ordered.
Since I was the director of an MI6 operations division, I was the one in command of the operation and supervised their breach.
We watched as Beta, Charlie and Delta Teams also made their way into the compound and started to secure the perimeter.
When the outer security had been handled, they moved into the building.
Alpha Team were instantly met with gunfire as they stepped inside the doors. They returned fire to cover the Beta team that moved past them further into the building.
I carefully watched the Beta team as they checked the offices in the corridor before reaching the lab.
The cold and sterile environment made the place look like something from a horror movie.
I shuddered at the thought of what had been going on in there.
Suddenly, a single gunshot was heard and everyone was instantly on high alert.
“Alpha Team, is that you?”
The leader of the Beta Team, Lieutenant Matthews, asked through the coms.
“Negative.” They replied.
“Charlie?” I asked.
“Negative.”
Before I could ask Delta Team, another single gunshot blared through the coms.
And another one.
I instructed the Beta Team to move forward.
There were three people from my technology department in the truck with me, and our eyes were glued to the screens in front of us.
We heard more gunshots, and they were starting to puzzle me.
It was so quiet in between them.
Then everything happened all at once.
“Drop the gun!” I heard Lieutenant Matthews shout before I watched a man in a lab coat fall to the ground from the two shots that Lieutenant Matthews put in his chest.
He held a gun in his hand and another member of the Beta Team secured the weapon quickly.
“Clear.” Alpha Team reported.
“Clear.” Charlie Team reported.
After getting a “Clear” from the Delta Team as well. I was starting to relax a little.
“Umm- Sir. I heard Lieutenant Matthews say through the coms. “I think you need to see this.”
I frowned.
“I’m on my way.” I replied.
I walked out of the truck and got in the car parked beside it.
When I arrived at the compound, I was met by the Delta Team and they guided me in the right direction.
I made my way across the compound to the place where Lieutenant Matthews was.
When I met the Beta Team, they all looked at me with stunned faces and just silently gestured to the door.
The first thing I noticed when I walked through the door was cages.
Twelve cages, six on each side of the corridor.
Lieutenant Matthews stood at the end of the corridor, looking into the last cell on the left.
As I passed the other cages on my way there, I saw teenage boys and girls.
One lying in each cage.
All of them were dead.
I quickly noticed the single gunshot wound to their heads and I started to feel sick.
The gunshots we heard were these kids being executed.
I just didn’t know why yet.
I quickly found out when I reached Lieutenant Matthews in the end of the corridor and I stopped in my tracks.
Inside the cage, I saw a girl sitting cross legged on the floor with her eyes closed.
The girl seemed to be around fourteen or fifteen years old. She had blonde, curly hair that reached her waist. She was wearing a gray hospital gown and was barefoot.
There was a thin mattress in the corner, along with a toilet and a shelf with some small things. I saw some pennies, a hairbrush, a feather and a marble.
My eyes widened as I noticed the Rubick’s cube in front of her.
It was floating mid-air, twisting and turning on its own.
I had never seen anything like it. That wasn’t even possible and yet it happened right in front of my eyes.
“Hello?” I said hesitantly.
“We’ve been expecting you.”
The girl spoke with her eyes still closed.
I started at her, unsure what to say, and then she spoke again.
“I was hoping that it wouldn’t be me.” She mumbled softly.
I glanced at Lieutenant Matthews, he looked just as confused as I felt.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
She opened her eyes and a tear slipped down her cheek.
“I always hoped that it wouldn’t be me that survived.”
The Rubick’s cube dropped to the floor, and Lieutenant Matthews flinched beside me,
I sighed.
It’s just a little girl. I told myself. She needs your help, not your fear.
Slowly, I made my way into the cell and crouched down in front of her.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
"Twelve." She mumbled.
“Okay Twelve."
I reached out my hand.
“I promise, you are going to be just fine.” I whispered.
Twelve looked at me with a soft smile.
She placed her little hand in mine and I helped her up from the floor.
When we walked out to the corridor, she let go of my hand and walked into the cell opposite from her where a boy was lying dead on the floor.
I waited for her by the door.
One by one, she walked around to all the cells, placing her hand on their foreheads and murmured a prayer in a foreign language.
“What is she doing?” Lieutenant Matthews whispered.
“Saying goodbye.” I mumbled sadly.
If we had been here just a few minutes earlier…
I forced myself not to think like that and led Twelve out of her prison.
*
“Sir?”
I looked up and saw Sam, the head of our technology department, walk towards me with a file.
Twelve was sitting on one of the sofas in our headquarters in London. I was sitting opposite her, waiting for her to say something.
So far, she hadn’t said anything and just looked uncomfortable every time we asked her any questions.
I decided to bring her back here to find out where she came from and give her some time to come to terms with what happened back there.
Twelve was given a change of clothes when we arrived. She was dressed in blue jeans, a black t-shirt and a forest green hoodie. At first glance, she looked just like any other teenager.
I leaned forward to get Twelve's attention.
“I’m just going to have a chat with my colleague over there, alright?” I said.
Twelve nodded and looked down at her feet.
“Has she said anything?” Sam asked when we were alone.
I shook my head.
“I'm trying not to push her.” I shrugged. “I saw her move that Rubick’s cube without touching it. God knows what they have done to her and I don’t want her to lash out and hurt anyone or herself because we are being reckless.”
Sam nodded.
“Maybe she just needs time.” She agrees. “We got what we needed from the factory anyway, so we’re not in a rush to interrogate her. We don’t know what she can do yet, so we should proceed carefully.”
“Did you get a hit on her DNA?” I asked.
Sam gave me the file.
“Her name is Valeria Adams.” She said.
I froze when a memory came to life.
An eight year old girl was playing with her big sister in the garden while her parents and I lit up the barbecue and set the table.
Two months before they died.
How can she still be alive?
Valeria’s father, Paul Adams, was my best friend. We served in the military together for a long time. He married a Swedish girl, Hanna, and they had two daughters, Alexandra and Valeria.
One day, seven years ago, I found the fire services outside their house. A gas leak had set the house in flames, burning all the bodies beyond recognition.
My head felt like it would explode from all the questions I had, but I had to remind myself to proceed carefully.
I looked at the file and there was no doubt: This was Valeria Adams.
Going back to my office, I retrieved a photo of Paul and myself and went back to Valeria.
She was still sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at the wall.
I walked up to her hesitantly, and slowly reached out my hand to let her see the photo.
Valeria looked at me and took the photo from me.
“Do you know who I am?” I asked as I settled back on the sofa in front of her.
Valeria nodded.
“Do you know the other man in the photo?” I asked.
Valeria nodded again, but still didn’t say anything.
“What happened, Valeria?” I asked softly.
I saw the tears streaming down her face as she shook her head.
“Please.” She whispered. “I can’t talk about it.”
I crouched down beside Valeria and took her hand.
“It’s okay.” I cooed. “No one can hurt you here. You can tell me.”
“No!”
I felt an invisible force knock me over and I landed on my ass with a grunt.
Valeria got up and ran to the furthest wall, covering her mouth with her hands.
I got up, but didn’t make any attempts to approach her.
“Did you do that?” I asked.
Valeria’s eyes widened and more tears spilled on her cheeks while she pressed her small frame against the wall.
“I’m sorry.” She sobbed with her hands still covering her mouth.
I could barely understand what she was saying.
“It’s fine.” I said. “I’m not angry. You didn’t hurt me.”
Valeria didn’t reply. She just stared at me with eyes filled with fear.
“How is it that you can do that?” I asked instead.
Valeria dropped her hands from her mouth and looked at me hesitantly.
I gave her a reassuring smile, hoping that she could tell me.
Valeria shook her head again.
“Please.” She whispered. “I can’t.”
I sighed and decided not to push her.
“It’s fine.” I said. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t feel comfortable. I just hope that one day you can trust me enough to do that.”
Valeria nodded and I thought that I saw the ghost of a smile on her face.
Or maybe I was just imagining that I had gotten through to her on some level.
- Writer
