Broken Beyond Repair (prologue)

Hold and Secure

Part 4

Would you rather live in New York City in the state of New York or San Francisco, in the state of California? That's a toughie. I've always been a New York guy, but the weather in Cali is epic.

...

After some thought, I have decided on New York. Times Square, the Empire State Building, Central Park... I can't pass that up, even if I have to struggle through freezing winters.

Although, I don't know why I'm daydreaming. I'm never getting out of this place. I'll just have to keep reading.

After all, that's what I was made to do: Read.

Oh, did I not make you listen to my sad and miserable backstory?

Don't worry, even if I wanted to tell you, I couldn't: Mr. C would be very, very, upset with me.

It wasn't hard to figure out what the California call meant. That's what I had started to call it since my mom refused to give me any more information.

I figured it had to be about my cancer because she wouldn't tell anybody about Gabe's nasty side. She wouldn't risk it. After a little sneaking around, I finally managed to grab her phone without her noticing. I scrolled down to the Cali call information and wrote down the phone number.

It took a couple of tries, but I finally matched the phone number to a company based in San Francisco, California.

Merck Cancer Incorporated was a cancer research facility that worked on a wide variety of cancers; including brain tumors and cancers.

Wait, but, why would they be coming to us? Wouldn't we be coming to them? It didn't make any sense. And why me? Why would they pick some random kid from all the way in New York?

I spent a while doing some more research on the company before I confronted my mom.

"When were you gonna tell me they offered to conduct research on me?"

She knew what I was talking about as soon as the words left my mouth. She was upset, I could tell, but also ashamed.

"How do you know about that?"

"That doesn't matter! I have the right to know!"

"I know honey, but I didn't even know if Gabe would be on board!"

"Who cares what he thinks," I yelled.

"I do!"

"Why do you just keep lying?" I asked. "You know I know you don't really care about him."

"Percy!" She reprimanded.

"WHAT?" I screamed, my anger rising. "You should have told me! I should have known the minute they came to you! It's not your body they want to do tests on! What did Gabe say, anyways."

"Well, considering they are offering to pay all our expenses for two years, he was very keen on the idea," she told me, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"So?" I asked her, leaning forward in anticipation of her answer.

"I've decided we're not going to accept their offer. And I haven't told Gabe," she added. "And you won't either."

I was speechless. This was the opportunity of a lifetime. She couldn't just turn this down. This could change my life. All of our lives.

"They can save my life," I whispered to her. "And you are just going to turn it down?"

"There's no guarantee that they can save your life, Percy," she said.