Joan Ascends

Chapter 14: Break-in at the Bunker

The next day, I find Harriet in the room she's using as an office at the Chrysalis. I barely hold back a shudder as I step inside, because this is the room from my vision, where my friends discuss my impending execution.

"What's wrong?" Harriet asks, her sharp gaze missing nothing, even though it's obvious from the dark circles under her eyes that she hasn't gotten much sleep.

"Dr. Rodriguez. And wrestling with the guilt of having saved that asshole's life," I say, which isn't a lie.

"I know. It makes me sick if I think about it," Harriet says. "But it's also an opportunity. Between the vid Addie captured from her contact lens cameras and what Joseph told you, we know that they are holding Throwbacks on Strand's campus and experimenting on them. Now we need the Evolved police to see for themselves what's happening in Dr. Rodriguez's dungeon."

"I can call E and Officer Ben now," I offer.

"We're not ready. Strand probably has procedures in place to make sure that if anyone entered the building by force, evidence of criminal activity would be destroyed before it ever sees the light of day. And some of that 'evidence' is the Throwbacks they're torturing. When the police go in, they can't trip any alarms, and they will have to go straight to the lab, with no detours."

"Addie can take them there, right?"

Harriet shakes her head. "She's escorted to where she's doing her work, and doesn't have the access to get where she needs to go on her own. Marie is working on how we can take down their security measures remotely, but it's too soon to strike."

"Then what's next?"

"Well, Hautey got two more Throwbacks hired at Strand, and they're going through orientation next week. That means Addie will have help on site with her every day. I'm also working on a map of Strand's campus, so that the police know exactly where to go when they do finally get inside."

Harriet hands me a tablet that's loaded with blueprints. I try to follow the maze of hallways and rooms that she's outlined, recognizing a few of the rooms from my own time there.

"We need regular meetings with E and the police," I add.

Harriet wrinkles her nose at the suggestion, but then reluctantly nods. "E and I meet next week to talk about the foster situation. I can raise it then."

"Or you could let someone help you with that part, like me. You need to sleep, Harriet."

"You are the star of a reality series that is going to premier tomorrow night. You'll be doing the talk show circuit, filming more episodes, and, oh yeah, staying alive."

"You heard about me forgetting my dose of antidote, I take it?"

She gives me a wry grin. "You didn't forget. You gave it to a confirmed killer."

"Joseph has information we need, and you know it."

"I'm not sure it's worth keeping him alive, based on the genetic mutation you said that he's carrying. He's too dangerous."

She's right, but the idea of letting Joseph die like the woman in Addie's vid doesn't sit right with me. "There has got to be a better way. I want justice for his crimes, not more torture."

"You're right, of course. Mason said the same thing. But every time I close my eyes, I think of how we found Sacajawea and Elizabeth at the end. He was part of Crew's team then. He might have even been the one who..."

My stomach turns as vivid images of that day race through my mind. "I know. What if we—"

Before I can finish my sentence, Marie bursts into Harriet's office, gasping for breath. "Break-in at the Bunker. Someone blasted through the door, and part of the tunnel caved in."