D O U B L E T R O U B L E
(When one is not enough ...)
© September 2016 Written by David Wicker
Please do not reprint without permission
CHAPTER 9 - "Escape !"
* * *
This chapter is Rated: EVERYONE
If I had expected anything wonderful, I was underwhelmed by what I saw.
A plain blue background with the icon of an executable program said WELCOME. No other icons or items appeared.
I tried using the keyboard to go into diagnostic or system mode but someone had deliberately glued these particular keys so they would not function.
I sighed and navigated the mouse to the WELCOME icon and clicked there.
The screen went black and 4 glowing white circles appeared. And - then it appeared as if the computer crashed or something because that was all that was seen.
I tried using the other keys that weren't locked down, but it was no good. I got out of my seat to look behind the screen to see someone had fused heavy plastic over the wires in the back, so I couldn't even turn off or reboot the computer.
Sighing in frustration, I returned back to the main screen and the lights - well, they appeared blurry now.
Either it was a great effect or the screen really was dirty. I went ahead and took the tip of my shirt, licked it, and wiped on the screen. But to no effect - the lights remained blurry.
What's strange is as I pulled back from the screen, for a moment, just a fraction of a second, I thought I saw 5 blurry spheres instead of just 4.
I was pondering this when suddenly I laughed out loud - from what appeared next on the screen.
"How many lights did you see ?"
I started to type out "four" on the keyboard, but it didn't register. So they wanted a numeric input.
With that I calmly hit "4"
At first, nothing happened, then it appeared as if the screen was filled with many MANY blurry circles, which faded. New text appeared. "You see 4 lights. In time you may see 5. And when you do, we will know that you are ready for the next level of your development."
No laughter from me this time, just an icky creepy feeling like a snake had crawled up from the back of my throat and retreated just as quickly. I swallowed hard. What I read was sinister, I knew that.
Then I heard a tapping. Was this coming from the computer ?
I leaned my head close to where they cemented the speakers to the table. No, it wasn't the computer, it was behind me !
I whirled around but no-one was there. Now it was silent. I turned back to face the computer again when I heard the tapping.
This time I got up to investigate. I finally tracked and traced it down to a little flap that was beside the door. There was a red button beside it.
Tap-tap-tap it went again.
Finally I hit the button, and a panel flapped open. Inside the receiving tray was Dollface !
"Hiya handsome !" she said. "Wanna help me out ?"
"Sure." I said and picked her carefully out of the tray. This was apparently used to give meals to kids that were too rowdy to see in person. Hoped that would never happen with me.
Remembering what Dollface said earlier about her fear of heights, I immediately put her on the ground. Then I lowered myself on the floor to see her better.
"I'm here to get you out." she started. I nodded. She continued, "I'm afraid you're going to wind up like fire girl. They're going to push you too hard in a test and you'll get killed by - well - whatever else it is that you summoned in the amphitheater earlier."
"You saw that ?" I asked her. "How ?"
"I get around." she smiled. Then more serious, "You need to leave now." She looked up to see a cabinet near a small kitchenette. "That's where they're keeping the stuff you arrived with."
Quick for someone so small she dashed to the cabinet and ducked underneath a small opening apparently for ventilation.
"Here ! Open the door !" she yelled back.
I got up, went to the cabinet and pulled it open. She was on the floor by my feet again. "Go and get dressed. Use the bathroom if you like. You're leaving tonight !"
"What about you ?" I asked her.
"Heh - don't worry 'bout me handsome. I can't leave. If we have time, I'll try to explain it to you later."
I nodded, then went to the bathroom and got out of the 'company' clothes they had for me. I redressed back in my original clothes and went out to see her.
"This is the perfect time." she told me. "It's 7:30pm now. We have until 8pm."
"Why ?" I asked her.
"Because that's when they change the NICE guards to the not-so-nice guards. You'd have to see it to believe it. But we better go now."
"Okay." I told her agreeably. Then I watched as her tiny form pulled out a paperclip, nearly as big as her head.
"Got to do a little rewiring is all." and then she hiked up the side of the door about a foot and using the paperclip, pried out a piece of tight metal. Behind it was wires.
"If I'm not back soon, call for help." and then she darted straight into the wires !
"You're not serious !" I told her. A long moment passed. "Hello ? Dollface ?" I was getting worried now.
Suddenly the security door leading out popped wide open with an angry buzz.
"Get through !" I heard Dollface say, muffled by where she was. "The lock won't stay open forever !"
* * *
I took her queue and hurriedly walked through. The electric door suddenly slammed closed and clicked to show it was locked again.
On the other side of the door I watched as a thin piece of metal was bent back. Dollface was using the paperclip again to get out on this side.
I saw her tuck the paperclip away on her back. A small bit of carefully crafted wire held it in place.
"We've got a ways to go before we find the exit."
Without waiting, she started to take off and - I know it sounds silly, but I was doing my best just to keep up with her. It was as if those little legs of hers could travel quite a bit faster than I could - and she was doing her best not to go flat out on me.
Wheezing a little I rounded a corner.
"Get back !" she hissed.
I flattened myself against the edge. Taking a quick peek I saw there was a guard keeping watch and preventing anyone from passing the door beyond.
Then Dollface did the unthinkable and walked out in plain sight.
She walked mechanically and made a wet hissing from the back of her throat. The guard, curious, went on over to pick her up. Still staying stiff in her joints she spoke like a windup toy.
"Mama."
The guard scratched his chin and laughed - but only for a moment. Then he threw her over his shoulder, but Dollface caught herself professionally on the floor and was not hurt at all. But now the guard was going to find me against the edge of the intersection !
The guard had stopped walking now. He was checking his firearm to make sure it was ready to fire. It was some type of futuristic and high powered taser rifle. Dolly was right beneath him expertly tying his shoelaces together.
Then she ran away for the inevitable. And it happened. The guard took one step and fell and HARD !
His chin bounced painfully on the floor, he chipped a tooth, and he was out like a light. His gun was flung from unconscious fingertips and clattered to the side.
"Pick it up." Dollface directed me.
"It's a weapon !" I said, not wanting anything to do with it.
"Of course it's a weapon. What else would it be ? Now PICK IT UP !"
"I wouldn't know how to work it." I told her, trying to find an excuse out of this.
"You just hit the trigger, that's all there is to it !"
Not really wanting to, I reached over and picked up the weapon. It was heavy in my small hands.
"You've never handled a rifle before ?" Dollface asked. Then without waiting for a reply added, "Yeah, I didn't think so. Okay, it's real simple. Here, hold it like THIS - " and she motioned with her arms.
"Cup the stock against the back of your shoulder - like this."
"Use the sight to line up a target. This one isn't percussion so it should just about be spot on accurate for short distances. Try it on the guard."
Feeling a little more confident, I held the machine-gun looking apparatus the way she said. I lined up the chest of the guard and hit the trigger.
Suddenly a bright and staggered bolt of blue light shot out from the muzzle and hit him squarely beneath his ribcage. Despite being unconscious he suddenly shook and vibrated all over. Then was still again. I saw the meter at the top of the rifle read 95% energy level.
"Do you have the hang of it ?" Dollface asked me.
"Yeah, I think so."
"Good, cause we'll need it where we're going. Check his pocket too. He should have a security pass to open this door."
I collected the guard's security card and saw it read. "A.C.U. All Clear Unit #6."
Then I scratched my chin a little confused on something, "Say um - Dollface ?"
"Yes ?"
"Can't you just get in and open the door like mine ?
She shook her head. "No, it's a different type of door, much more secure. And really we don't want to 'hack' any more door locks if we can. There's a good chance to set off security.
"What about where we were ?"
"You mean back in your own room ?"
"Yeah, that. What if the alarm got tripped there ?"
"Nothing. I would vanish out of sight. They'd send a guard to investigate and see the damage is inside too deep where you couldn't reach. They would attribute it to a malfunction or deterioration by age and just fix it."
"You wouldn't have gotten blamed if that's what you're concerned about."
"Okay." That was all the questions I had for now.
Suddenly we turned a corner and there were 2 elevators. Both guarded by a sentry.
"Remember how you zapped the guard earlier ?" Dollface asked.
I nodded.
"You'll have to do the same here. Go on my queue. We'll count to 3."
I nodded and steeled myself for whatever was going to happen.
"Three !" she said suddenly and then went running down the hallway.
The guard immediately noticed her, "What the ? Hey you, come back here !"
She stopped to turn like she was frightened. The guard stooped over to pick her up and that's when I nailed him with the blue energy, right up his butt !
He made a kind of strange moaning sound and fell to the side shaking all over.
"Grab the keys !" Dollface told me.
I nodded. I was starting to like this Cloak & Dagger type of stuff - but I really wondered just how far we were going to get.
Me, 10-years old, wielding a type of taser gun, and Dollface just as big as my hand - up against the remainder of the guards to find the exit to this place ...
(to be continued ...)
END OF CHAPTER 9
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