Authors: Natalie Whipple
Time slugs along. Major Norton brings me dinner as usual. It’s a big, greasy pizza that I want to stuff my face with more than anything. “I’d really like to let you eat this, but I need your cooperation first.”
“Eat it yourself.” I plug my nose so I don’t have to smell all that cheese and meat and fresh, hot bread.
“If you insist.” He pulls up a chair and opens the box. His bites are big and messy, and I turn the other way in disgust. I swear he enjoys this—I’ve never seen someone take such pleasure in someone else’s pain. Not even Graham or my dad. “You know, I was hoping we didn’t have to take this further, but I’m beginning to think you’re stubborn enough to starve yourself to death.”
“Probably.”
He nods, and the fluorescent lights gleam off his bald head. “I know you’ve ‘seen it all’ and talk big, but have you ever been tortured?”
I don’t answer.
“I didn’t think so.” He leans back. “It starts slow, something uncomfortable but not unbearable, just enough to fray the senses and weaken resolve. Then it gets worse, both mentally and physically, until you’ve been violated in every possible way and you’d do anything to make it stop.”
Closing my eyes, I tell myself to breathe slowly, to stay calm, to believe in myself. But I still can’t suppress a shudder.
“I’m only telling you this because step two begins tomorrow, and maybe you’d like to tell me what you know about the formula and the desert before then.” He sets the box on the floor and slides it under the bars. “Don’t want you dying. Yet.”
There’s no way I’m touching that box.
Major Norton clucks his tongue. “You of all people should know integrity died a long time ago.”
“No wonder no one trusts the government anymore.”
“Fight fire with fire, sweetheart.” He eyes Tagawa. “Tell me if she eats.”
“Yes, sir.”
Even though the night grows dark and quiet, I can’t sleep. I hate admitting the Major’s threats got to me, but they did. Torture isn’t something I plan on sticking around for. My mind runs through plans for escape. It’ll be hard, since I’m so weak from not eating.
Tagawa starts snoring, and I roll my eyes. He has fallen asleep every night he’s been on duty. The first day I tried to reach the keys latched to his chest pocket, but he was too far away. Pizza smell fills my nostrils, and I wish Miles was here to unleash a nasty smell that would make me too queasy to eat.
I crawl under my blanket and try to sleep, but my body aches from the hard linoleum floor. As I’m finally dozing off, I swear I feel someone nudge my shoulder.
No, I’m losing it.
Another nudge.
I pull the blanket down and recoil when I see a figure standing over me. In the darkness, it’s hard to make out who it is. Until I hear the voice. “Someone call for a fairy godmother?”
I scramble to my feet. “You.”
The Phantom snickers. “Had enough yet, Fiona?”
“You really think it’s funny, don’t you?” I hiss. “I’ll yell for the guard—he’ll sound the alarm and then the whole Army will be after you.”
“What’s new?” he says. “Besides, if you wake that guy up, how will I help you escape?”
My heart skips a beat. “What?”
“They starved you, no?” He looks me up and down, as if he’ll be able to tell. “If you haven’t eaten, I can make you like me with one touch. No Radiasure necessary, even.”
It’s tempting—there’s no denying that—but I can’t help wondering. “How’d you know they starved me?”
He waves his hand dismissively. “Standard procedure.”
“Yeah right. You have some kind of spy in the Army is my bet.”
“This is not the time to question me, is it? Look, I intended to teach you a lesson about keeping your word, not to permanently imprison you. These idiots were supposed to let you out days ago.” His eyes, dark as they are, still pierce me through the dimness. “If they’re keeping you, it must mean you know things they want to know. Things
I
want to know.”
I keep my mouth shut though he’ll take the silence as confirmation.
He nods, then holds out his hand. “Let’s go.”
I stay where I am. “Why, so I can give you information in return for getting me out of the place you got me into to begin with?”
“You are what they call savvy.” He smiles, and the kindness in it creeps me out more than anything. The Phantom is beginning to see me as useful, and that is not a trait I want to have. “I only want to get you out so you don’t crack and tell them what you know, but I won’t refuse extra information for myself. As a good faith gesture.”
“Good faith my ass.” I step toward the bars. “Thanks, but I’ll get out myself.”
He tilts his head. “Oh?”
“Yeah, I’m not owing you anything.”
Before I can blink, he swoops in, grabbing my shoulders and pinning me to the bars. The stupid guard doesn’t wake up. I struggle to push him away. “I’ll scr—”
He punches me in the gut, and it knocks the wind out of me. His fist smashes into my face next, and the pain is blinding. For how frail and ghostlike The Phantom appears, he sure can be solid when he wants to. The guard lets out a loud snore, while I’m left speechless.
“Go ahead. Scream.” The Phantom’s face is too close to mine, his breath stale. “Have you ever thought owing someone is better than making unnecessary enemies? I would not make a true enemy out of me, Fiona McClean.”
“I’m not trying to,” I cough.
“If you do anything to help the Army get the element first, then you may as well start picking out your headstone.”
Finally getting my breath back, I scream as loud as I can. Tagawa falls out of his chair, but The Phantom is already running for the wall. He goes right through it just as Tagawa stands on the other side of the bars. “W-what’s wrong?”
“The Phantom was here,” I say.
He snorts. “Good one.”
“He was—he attacked me.” I touch my fingers to my nose, and there’s something wet. “I’m bleeding.”
“Yeah right. You’re just trying to get me to open the gate.” Tagawa calls me a dirty name and goes back to his chair. As I glare at him, a fire ignites inside me. I decide once and for all that Juan or the Army or anyone else who comes will never lay a finger on this merinite stuff. There’s no way I can turn a blind eye after what they’ve done to me. I’ll do what I have to in order to stop them.
I plan on escaping when the soldier comes to clean my waste bucket, but he doesn’t show up. This makes me crazy paranoid, as if they somehow can guess my plan, though in reality Major Norton probably just wants to make me more uncomfortable. Hate to admit this tactic is more effective than he knows.
My only chance will be when the Major himself shows up. I’ll have to be fast to disable him and Tagawa, but it’s not impossible. If I strip down…no, that will only make it obvious I’m preparing to fight.
The outside door opens, and I crane my neck to see if the cleaning guy has finally shown. But it’s not him—it’s the blond scientist girl I stole the formula from. I raise an eyebrow as she stands in front of my cell, her eyes wild as she searches for my invisible face. I wait for her to speak, but she seems hesitant and uncomfortable with the sight of me.
“What, never seen an invisible girl before?” I say when I can’t take it anymore.
She smirks, her eyes never stopping the search for my face. “No, actually. You’re fascinating.”
This statement makes me step back, because I get the distinct impression she’d like nothing more than to study me. “So did you come to stare, or is there a point?”
“I need you to tell me what you know.”
“No way.” I head for the corner nearest the bars, where she won’t be able to stare at me like a creeper. “Did Major Norton think I’d cave to a girl?”
She sighs. “He didn’t want me to come, but I insisted on trying before he…anyway, he thinks it’s a risk to the mission for you to see me.”
I stay quiet for a moment, taking in that tiny piece of information. Just what kind of stuff does this chick know? Maybe I should be trying to get information from her…“So I guess I can’t ask your name.”
“Classified. Sorry.” Her delicate fingers wrap around the bars. “But if you agreed to help us, that could change.”
I grit my teeth just thinking about the idea. “No offense, but there’s no way in hell I’m helping an organization who imprisons me based on fake evidence, continues to keep me because of what I might know, starves me, and is now planning to torture me. Call me stubborn like that.”
“Major Norton’s tactics are extreme, but I promise his intentions are good. Can’t you trust me on that?”
My laugh comes out cold. “Why should I trust a person I know nothing about?”
“Because…” I hear fabric shift, and I guess she sat down but I don’t look. “I need what you know to do my job. Do you know what happens if I don’t do my job, Fiona?”
The tiniest bit of guilt creeps in, imagining the kind of punishments the Major might inflict for failure. I stuff it back down. “You suck at this, you know?”
“I’m normally very good at it, but you seem to be an exception.” Scientist girl lets out a frustrated grunt. “If I could just tell you what I’m trying to do, I know you would change your mind.”
“Then tell me.”
“It’s classified. Not even your guard knows.”
This top secret information makes me salivate more than I like to admit. I have half a mind to give in just so I can know, but that’s exactly what she and the Major want. Whatever information they have, it’s incomplete enough that they believe they need me. And that’s my only protection, little as it is. “You can’t give me even the tiniest hint? There has to be something.”
The bars clang from being hit, and Tagawa yells, “Shut your mouth! You’re not the interrogator.”
“Don’t, George, you’re not helping,” the scientist girl says, and I try not to laugh about Mr. Tough-Guy Tagawa being named George. “I’m afraid there’s nothing I can tell you, Fiona. Not even the people closest to me know I’m part of this—it’s that secret.”
“You should just go, then.”
“I guess so.” More shuffling, which I assume is her standing up. “Sorry for what will happen to you tonight. I really hoped I could stop it.”
I don’t answer. Her footsteps fade away, and the door shuts behind her. The only thing I can hear in the silence is Tagawa tapping his spiked knuckles on the wall. Then he says, ever so quietly, “Shoulda talked while you could.”
When the school bell rings, my jitters start. There are only a few hours left to plan my escape. My face still hurts from The Phantom’s attack last night, and I gingerly touch my nose. Sure hope it’s not broken. Lying on the floor, I save all my remaining strength for the moment of escape. The idea of smashing my elbow into the Major’s face brings way too much joy. Tagawa will be tricky, since I don’t know where else he has those nasty spikes.
Dinner time. Major Norton comes in as usual. Today it looks like he brought Taco Bell—he’s crazy if he thinks that will be even remotely tempting. I’ve seen way too many burrito-eating contests since moving to Madison.
He stands in front of me. “Well? Have you decided whether or not you’ll talk?”
“I’ll talk.” I stay absolutely still, determined not to put him on guard.
He seems pleased, as if he thinks he’s already broken me. “Excellent. Tagawa, open the cell.”
Tagawa does as he’s ordered, and I have to force myself to be calm as I walk past him. I can’t use my opening move on him, as easy as it would be. The Major opens the office door. “Shall we?”
“Sure.” I start for the door, but then quickly turn on the Major with a knee to the groin. He hasn’t finished swearing over that when I sink my elbow into his face. There’s a lovely popping sound.
Tagawa grabs his gun, but in these close quarters I’m already up in his face and pushing the gun to aim at the Major.
“Get off me, bitch!” Tagawa yells as I feel something pierce my leg.
I scream, pulling back to see his sharp knuckles where my thigh was. Not having time to think about the pain, I throw my head into his like I would to a soccer ball. It hurts, but not as bad as my leg. With both of them on the ground, I make for the door as I pull my shirt off. The wound might slow me down, but I can still—
Arms come around my waist, and I hit the floor hard. “You really think it’ll be that easy, huh?”
I grunt as I fight against Major Norton’s hold on me. He pulls me upright and pushes me towards the office. I try to kick his shin, but he dodges it.
“Did you actually think that would work? I could tell you were lying, but I wanted to see why.” He grabs my hair, and I spit in his face.
“You have a fighting spirit, Fiona.” He wipes the spit off his cheek and rubs it on my invisible skin. “Looks like we’ll be skipping right to step three instead. Tagawa, get the chains to tie her down.”
“Yes, sir!” Tagawa heads for the door, and now I’m officially panicking. What will they do to me? I dig my feet into the ground as Major Norton tries to get me into the principal’s office. Once I go in there, it’s all over. I have no idea if I can keep my secrets under actual torture.