Reception

Chapter 7 - You've Got Mail

Damien's eyes skimmed through the message three or four more times from the first time he read it, careful to make sure he understood its contents. After his fifth read-through he tilted his head back, trying to take it in. Was this a prank? Was it real? Whoever it was, he couldn't trace the source. This was particularily unnerving, as Telecommunications Tracking and Trapping was his major at the AA.

Whoever this person or these people were, they were good.

He read the message aloud, seeing if it sounded any different than it did in his head, "Dear Mr. Sulivan, we have Ms. Gram in our 'care.' If you wish to see her again you will meet us at the Forti Mall at three-fifteen on-the-dot. Any later and we will 'terminate' her. Please bring no one, we're a little skittish. Yours truly, The Holos."

Whoever 'The Holos' was, or were, it was a little unnerving. It was very clear from the message that he was to come alone, which ruled calling the Enforcers out of the question. He also couldn't tell his father, no matter how much he wished he could. To Damien, this was exactly what he had seen in almost every hostage flick, but it never occurred to him that it was possible in real life. It was very possible that he was being monitored.

Damien willed these negative thoughts to the back of his head, "One step at a time, bud. First, head, tomorrow, to Forti Mall." Damien thought about it and frowned.

The Holos had ruined his Saturday.

*****

Damien wasted no time in waking up earlier that next morning. It wasn't that he normally slept in on Saturday's either, but this time his adrenaline seemed to refuse him sleep once the clock struck 5:00AM.

After a shower, a small breakfast, and a TED-mail check to make sure The Holos hadn't sent him more threats, he was ready to consider his options. The Holos was expecting him in about eight hours. After a few minutes of contemplation, Damien decided to test the theory that Sarah wasn't really at her house. After all, not everyone believed the spam mail they received, and Damien was no different.

It was about a thirty minute walk to Sarah's, but the October morning breeze kept him cool. He had actually pulled on a hoodie to brace himself for the cold. His brown hair poked a little out of the top of the hoodie that covered most of his head. He hugged himself tightly with his hoodie, trying to get more warmth out of it than it was going to, or willing to, provide.

He reached the Grams' residence and raised a numb hand to knock on the door. Before it could connect, the door opened. Michael's worried face appeared behind the crack that now formed on the left side of the door.

"Damien, is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me, Michael, who else would it be?" Damien joked.

Michael didn't react. In fact, it seemed as though Michael was very cautious, taking a look to the left and right of Damien. "I don't know how they're watching, but I bet they know you've come here."

"Who? Who knows that I'm here?" inquired Damien, dread starting to build in the pit of his stomach.

After a pause, Michael opened the door wide, gesturing with his open hand to hurry inside. Damien barely had time to make it through the door before it was slammed behind him. "The Holos," was the simple reply from Michael.

"Wait, you know The Holos? I got a mail message from them last night," replied Damien, skeptical yet believing all at the same time.

"Yeah, Sarah and I have known about them for a long time. They were an old-world terrorist group that believed invention was a means of power, not a means to better people's lives. It was believed that they had died out soon after World War VII, but reports came in a few months after the war, each claiming they saw a member or two go into hiding in a city here, or a small town there." Michael paused, "I could have sworn Dr. Gram had done everything in his power to keep her safe. He was always so cautious, even though nothing was heard from or about them in over sixteen years."