The Unlocked (Charlie Hartley Series Book 1) (20 page)

Amanda's face softened. "Of course I would, and did,
for a time. My little Saraphina..." She stared into space.

Joshua had mentioned the same name. Saraphina must be
Amanda’s daughter.

Amanda spoke again, more to herself than to Charlie. Lost in
thought, she orated, "Saraphina, my little baby girl. Born in
Port-au-Prince, to parents who didn't realize her worth. Left her with relatives
who didn't know better." Without meaning to, Amanda clenched both her
fists. "Poverty was abound. Saraphina was not spared. She became my
personal informal tour guide and was grateful for whatever I gave her to make
it through the day. Two weeks in Haiti and I forgot about my career in
research. Woke up wanting to see more of Saraphina and hear her unusual
laughter. I no longer cared about the multidrug-resistant tuberculosis I was
supposed to be working on."

Amanda was caught up in a memory. "I looked forward to
the next day, knowing I could spend it with her. She possessed wisdom that went
well beyond her age. My dear Saraphina was extremely optimistic, a ray of sun
in a dark city. I was ready to adopt her, you see. I had the papers prepared.
The day I got the go-signal from my legal counsel was also the day Saraphina
was taken away."

Knuckles bared and ready to punch, Amanda narrated in a
louder, much fiercer voice. "Her uncle sold her to a rebel group. They
needed child combatants and my lovely little girl was sent off to join them.
That was also the first time I didn't think before I acted: I went to their
camp and looked for Saraphina, prepared to pay whatever amount they asked just
so I could get my daughter-to-be back. We reached an arrangement right then,
thanks to the money I had earned as a scientist for GEN...

"Then the U.S. Army came. They fired bullets
everywhere, sparing me because I was an American. I tried to explain the
situation, begged them to be careful because my Saraphina was somewhere in the
area. But they didn't listen, they didn't care! They shot the rebels, even the
children! They didn't think, they just kept firing!" Amanda was screaming
now. "They killed my daughter! They killed my Saraphina!"

"I... I'm sorry, Amanda. But you don’t---" Charlie
offered, not knowing what else to say.

Amanda looked up. "That's also what they said. But did
it matter? An apology won't bring back my Saraphina. It won't take away the
bullet that shot through her heart. It didn't and will never make a difference.
But I can make a difference. I vowed to give justice to my daughter's
death." She stood up and approached Charlie. "You can help me do
that."

When Charlie didn't speak, Amanda went on. "When I sold
the serum to the government, I dreamed of creating an army of my own, this time
housing them on American soil and putting them exactly under government
purview. It's quite poetic, if you ask me. They will fund ANDREI only to have
the weapons they consented in creating turn against the very entity that made
them possible."

"All this for a little girl?" Charlie asked.

Amanda raised both her hands and pointed around the room,
addressing Charlie. "All this for a twin you never even knew?  Tell
me, Charlie: wouldn’t you go to these same lengths for someone you love?”

The answer was clear in Charlie’s head: a resounding yes.
Like anyone, she was capable of being stupid. The difference lay in her
awareness of a decision being stupid; more often than not when one talks about
love, foolish decisions are made without realizing the folly until it’s too
late. Charlie didn’t want to be that kind of person; however, her entire
journey at ANDREI seemed to be evidence of that stupidity.

“I really am sorry for what happened to Saraphina. But I
don’t think it’s enough reason for you to take it out on innocent people. The
students at ANDREI have nothing to do with what the soldiers did to your
daughter. They’re just orphans, Amanda. Saraphina didn’t have parents, either.
That rebel group

gathered children to make them combatants. Aren’t you doing
the same thing? You’re no better than they were.”

That struck a nerve in Amanda.

A force pushed Charlie’s face to the side, the sting on her cheek
lingering when she turned back to face the enraged headmaster. “You don’t
understand what I’m trying to accomplish.”

Charlie tried to match the daggers in the woman’s eyes.
"You use orphans for lab rats. How can you stomach that?"

Amanda turned again, bearing the crazed eyes that Charlie
thought was gone. "Lab rats?" Amanda laughed. "I’m helping them,
can’t you see that? If not for me, how do you think they could survive this
damned country alone? Nobody wants them anymore! What use will they be if they
get thrown out of the system? They will add to the statistic of failures in
this glorious country!" Amanda said the last two words with such disgust.

"You have no right to make that choice for them! They
didn't consent to this!"

“Who wouldn’t consent to this, Charlie? Who wouldn’t want a
chance to jump-start evolution? Super strength, manipulation of the elements,
defying the laws of physics and gravity, playing God in a God-less world! Who
would pass up this opportunity, Charlie? Don’t you kids value power as much as
we do? Don’t you wish to be the superheroes you see in the movies?”

Charlie shook her head. “And be puppets? With a puppet
master who is interested in nothing but vengeance? If the government wasn’t
funding this craziness, you’d be wanted for kidnapping!”

Amanda walked up to Charlie, stroking her hair lovingly
making Charlie cringe. “Oh, Charlie. You have it all wrong. These children, I
see them as my own. I care for them. Like a mother, I provide them shelter and
food and clothing--“

“And send them on potentially life-threatening missions,”
Charlie added. Amanda leaned in closer, grabbing a handful of Charlie’s hair
and yanking painfully. But her smile didn’t fade.

“And discipline them when they are naughty,” Amanda
continued. She moved away from the bed and paced around the room, laughing
bitterly. "You’re starting to sound like your father, sadly. Too bad you
inherited your parents’ traits even though they didn’t raise you. So
hard-headed, thinking they were all high and mighty. Like they had the moral
ascendancy to walk away from anything because they thought I was wrong. Look
where they are now, and where I am."

Charlie’s eyes widened. Her mind played with the
possibilities and the realization struck her hard. "You… went after them.
You are responsible for my parents' death, aren't you?" Charlie asked in a
low voice, her mind refusing to believe what her thoughts suggested. When
Amanda didn’t respond to her accusation, Charlie took her silence as a
confession to the crime. Fury filled her chest and she shouted, “How could
you?! You told me my mother was your friend! Why did you kill them if they were
your friends?!”

"Friends? Do friends abandon each other in times of
need? Look at yourself, Charlie. You willingly walked straight into my arms just
because you thought sweet little Hilary was in danger. And what did your
parents do? My daughter was killed and John and Catherine chose to run off into
the sunset together with two of their own!”

“That’s not true. My parents made a mistake when they made
that serum. They realized their mistake and they opted to right a wrong. That’s
why they left.”

“How would you know? You never even met them! Your parents
wanted to make the Unlocker as much as I did. They were afraid of the
consequences, while I faced whatever happened head-on.”

“Because you had an ulterior motive! You wanted to exact
revenge!”

“Do you really want to know why your parents left, Charlie?”
Amanda didn’t wait for Charlie to respond. “Your parents went ahead and used
their powers for their own personal gain. They ended up getting someone killed,
did you know that? It wasn’t intentional, perhaps, but that doesn’t change the
outcome. And what did they do after that? Walked away like they always did.”

“No,” Charlie said in disbelief. “You’re lying.”

Amanda smiled sweetly. “That’s the problem with orphans. You
always make yourself believe your parents were saints, without realizing that
the reason you were left behind is because they were just the opposite.”

Charlie swallowed her tears.
I will not show her any
weakness. That’s what she wants.
She lifted her chin and said, “And what
about Jeanne?”

“Ah, my dear Jeanne.” Amanda said her name lovingly. “She
was such a surprise, you know? A long delayed Christmas gift your parents left behind
for me.”

“Why did you remove her from ANDREI? What’s Project Athena?”
Charlie blurted out, and the effect was instantaneous.

“How did you--?” Amanda paused.  “Ah, I see. No wonder
the locks were loose the last time I visited my private archives. The goddess
of war and wisdom, Athena. A perfect idol to morph my beloved Jeanne into,
don’t you think?”

“You want to turn Jeanne into your personal nuclear weapon.”
Charlie cringed at the concept of her sister being turned into some sort of
bomb.

“Indeed. Jeanne was out of control when she first exhibited
her powers. Killed three of my personnel. But while all others panicked, I saw
the younger version of Catherine, so full of power! Can you imagine my shock?”
Amanda giggled. “To think that your parents actually passed down the unlocked
gene to you. It’s as if they handed me a very late Christmas gift!”

Charlie shook her head in disbelief. Amanda sneered at her.
“Cat got your tongue? I thought you were defending your parents! What happened
to the fighter in you?” She laughed triumphantly. "We could've been very
powerful, Charlie. Invincible, even. Despite your parents’ attempt to abandon
my cause, they left behind twins for me. Jeanne and Charlie. The two of you
could have led my army, could have been my front liners when I brought about
the new age!” She spread her arms to the side and her head up high. But then,
her shoulders slumped and she looked at Charlie mournfully. “Alas, things don’t
always go the way we want them to. But there is always a way for one who isn’t
willing to give up.”

Charlie protested vehemently, "My parents didn’t want
this. Parents don't hurt their children! I may not have met them, but I know in
my heart that they would never do anything that could hurt me or my
sister!"

"Let me tell you something, Charlie. Parents are not
designed to be omnipotent beings capable of always making the right decisions
for their children. In fact, sometimes they end up making the worst
choice."

"Did your parents mess you up so badly, Amanda? Is that
why you're mad? Just because your life is miserable doesn't mean you can take
it out on others!"

Amanda grabbed Charlie’s face and pulled it toward hers.
“You have no idea what I’ve been through, Charlene Hartley. What you’ve gone
through is nothing compared to what I had to endure growing up, so don’t you
dare compare anyone to me!”

Amanda let go of Charlie and walked to an area where she was
obscured from Charlie’s view. Jeanne reappeared in the doorway, but this time
Charlie knew better.

“I know it’s you, Kio! Stop it! Just stop!” Charlie
screamed. But Kio just stood there, wearing the face of the twin sister Charlie
longed for.

I wish I could pretend it’s you, Jeanne. I wish I could see
you right now, so I’d have something to hold onto.

Charlie pressed her eyelids tightly together to avoid
Jeanne’s fictional double. When she opened her eyes, Jeanne’s piercing dark
eyes were only inches away from hers. For a second she was awed by Kio’s power,
how he could so masterfully copy someone. Then she remembered how he’d played
with her feelings and how stupid Charlie was for believing that Jeanne could be
handed to her so easily. “Get away from me!” Charlie kicked and screamed while
strapped down.

“Enough, Kio,” Amanda commanded. She walked back to Charlie,
her face devoid of emotion. Kio immediately transformed back into himself and
left the room. When the headmaster leaned over Charlie, she produced another
syringe from behind, but this time it wasn’t empty. 300CC of transparent fluid
filled it, and it looked more horrifying to Charlie than the empty one. 
Charlie began to toss and turn in the bed, fighting against the straps and the
hands that pulled her down as four students of ANDREI assisted their
headmaster. Nightmare became reality when she saw the needle inching closer to
the side of her neck. Charlie screamed, her voice piercing through the room
while the stinging currents fried her skull.

Then darkness enveloped them and Charlie felt the sensation
of her power being released from her core. She heard loud thuds in all
directions, immediately followed gasps and grunts. The device on her head
ceased to function with the power out. Charlie did not waste time. She willed
the straps to unbuckle and was immediately released from her imprisonment.
Charlie rushed blindly to where she deduced the exit to be, only to bump
against the chest of a tall male. She couldn’t see who it was, nor did she
care. Charlie reeled back, balled her fist and propelled it at the face of the
one standing in her way. She heard him grunt, her punch making him stumble to
the side and allowing Charlie to skirt him and throw the doors open.

“Hilary! Give me light!” Amanda commanded, suddenly anxious
at the sound of the doors. A red-orange glow illuminated the room and in the dim
light, Amanda saw the bed empty and her shape shifter sporting a bruise on his
cheek. Fury rose up inside her but she pushed it down. Strong emotions lead to
illogical thinking. She commanded her students, “Go after her.”

Bradley, Jian and Kio nodded and pursued the escapee. Hilary
trailed closely behind but was halted by the headmaster. “Hilary, I have
another mission for you.”

Blinded by the darkness, Charlie strained her eyes to make
her way around the hallways. But her destination wasn’t clear even to her; all
she focused on was getting as far away from the infirmary as she could. Heavy
footsteps tailed her, and Charlie didn’t have to look to know who pursued her.
She squeezed her eyes shut and pictured a force to throw them all away; all she
could muster was a small force, making them stumble.

Lights flickered from above and Charlie raised her head to
see the emergency lights awakening from slumber. She spotted the stairs door
and rushed to it. Charlie climbed and turned around when she reached the intermediate
landing. She waited for her pursuers, first Kio followed by Jian.  She
flung the two males to the side and heard them crash against the wall. In her
mind, she prayed she’d done little damage to them, given that they were
innocent and merely being controlled by her true enemy. But when Bradley turned
the corner, Charlie had little mercy to offer the egotistic lad. She threw him
off to the side opposite from where Jian and Kio landed and moved faster to
distance herself from them.

When she reached the third floor of ANDREI, her thoughts
reverted back to the earlier screams of Madison. Charlie turned around and
checked the hallway for any hints leading to her friend. She reached one of the
doors of the training room and heard shuffling from inside. Cautiously and
slowly, Charlie opened the door and peeked in. In the middle of the training
floor, Madison sat on a chair. With no further thought, Charlie pushed the door
open wide to rush to Madison’s aid, but a click from behind compelled her to
stop. The cold muzzle of a gun nudged her hair and its owner told her, “Don’t
move.”

Having no other option, Charlie held her hands up and stood
still. Her eyes darted around for signs indicating the presence of other guards
but found none except the one behind her. She heard him click on his radio and
the static sound emanated. He had no chance to speak before Charlie wheeled
around and executed a flying kick, sending the gun in the air, which landed
several feet away. She proceeded to fling the guard against the staircase
leading up to the mezzanine, where his head struck one of the steps. He lay
limp.

Charlie went up to Madison, checking for shackles or straps
that bound her ally. Madison’s hands were cuffed to the back of her seat.
Charlie broke it and freed her ally. She caught the semi-conscious girl as
Madison collapsed in Charlie’s arm.

“Madison!” Charlie struggled to carry Madison. “Madison,
wake up! We’re getting out!”

Madison’s green eyes showed between her eyelids and she
slowly came to her senses. “Charlie?” She began to sob, "They wanted me to
confess... They wanted me to tell them what we know. They-- They punished me
for trying to run away!" She looked back up to Charlie's face and a
half-smile formed on her lips. “But, you came back for me,” she said softly.
"Thank you."

“Of course, I did.” Charlie replied. “Come on, let’s get out
of here.” Madison nodded and stood slowly. Charlie helped her to her feet and
they left the room.

In the dead of the night, the halls seemed eerie despite the
illumination of the emergency lights. Madison tightly clutched Charlie’s hand
that gripped hers. Even Charlie started to fear the dark.
There’s no point
in backing down now. We have to keep going.
Nearing the bridge, Dorothy and
Brianna blocked their way, and Charlie stepped up to battle them alone, given
Madison’s weakened condition. With one wave of her hand, the door near the two
girls flew open and she pushed them inside with her powers. Charlie felt a
tinge of guilt having to lock them both in a room, using her telekinesis to get
the knob stuck. She turned on her heel and assisted Madison in prying open the
security door to the bridge.

Once inside the laboratory building that looked even emptier
than the ANDREI building, Charlie took the opportunity to retrieve her sister
before they made their exit, and Madison agreed. “Make sure you convince your
sister harder before she triggers another alarm,” she made Charlie promise.