Unplugged: The Hidden World (#2, Unplugged Trilogy)

Chapter Twelve

A hand gently jostles my shoulder.

"Enna?" Matthew whispers.

"Mmm?" I moan, still too asleep to form a coherent word or thought. Attempting to sit up, I run my fingers through my tangled hair, brushing it to the side of my head. The room is too full of sunlight for me to fully open my eyes.

"It's time to see Gale."

"Gale?" And then I remember. My eyes pull apart and the sleep rushes out of my bones and muscles. Matthew crouches beside me, hair combed into acceptance, dressed in clean clothes. "Is my mother awake?"

"No. I thought we could go it alone." I nod, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. Part of me wants to change my dirty clothes, but our next task seems too important to postpone a moment longer.

"When do we go?"

"Now." I nod again, letting him take my hand. We begin to walk towards the front door when I hear a small sound behind us. I twirl around instinctively, only to find Ariel partly hidden behind a section of wall.

"Where are you going?" She whispers. Matthew glances at me swiftly before replying.

"We were going to get some breakfast. It might be a while, though."

"Okay." The little girl bobs her head eagerly in understanding. Once we close the door behind us, I sigh.

"Good job with that," I mutter. Matthew shrugs and smiles crookedly.

"Lying to young children is my specialty." Once we descend the elevator, it doesn't take long to walk up to the counter. Gale isn't there, but the door to the meeting room is slightly ajar.

"Gale?" I call quietly. No reply.

"Gale?" I call again, louder.

"Is it you two?" Her voice replies. "Only you two?"

"Yes."

"Come in. Quickly." Matthew leads me into the room and I close the door behind us. It looks the same as it did last night, except a box of glazed doughnuts rests in the middle of the table. Gale sits in a chair against the corner of the room.

"I'm glad you've decided me trustworthy," she says with a twinkle in her eye. "Have a doughnut."

"We're still wary enough," Matthew assures her, ignoring the demand. She holds up her hands.

"Understood. Only time will prove my validation." We stare at each other silently for a moment, then Gale straightens in her chair and clears her throat.

"We have plenty to discuss, which is why I wanted you here just after the Workers left. I'm not too keen on our conversation being overheard." Matthew and I take the seats at the end of the table.

"What about Paul?" I ask.

"I've sent him some things to do. He should be preoccupied til sundown."

"What does he do here? Other than own the place?" Gale smirks.

"He's supposed to tend to paperwork downstairs. Answer phone calls, register the guests... That sort of thing. I've been taking over for him quite a lot lately." After a beat, she shakes her head. "But enough of that. We have more pressing matters to discuss."

"What is this place?" Matthew asks.

"What are the workers doing?" I question. Gale holds up her hands again.

"First things first. I have to explain things chronologically or else they won't make sense." I lean forward in my seat, tense. I'm finally about to learn the meaning of our arrival here: hopefully the meaning of what's going on everywhere. Maybe we can find the Depot detainees! Maybe--!