Finding Nemo: A Thriller

Chapter eleven

Nemo's ghostly reflection stared back at him, his face paler than usual, even against the rest of the white around him.

Gill stepped up next to him in front of the glass, watching as a doctor poured a green liquid into a bottle.

"You miss your dad, don't you, son?"

He sighed. "Yeah,"

"Well, you're lucky you have someone out there looking for you."

Nemo's heart twisted. "He's not looking for me."

A pause, then, "You know the plan, remember?

He nodded.

Turning, Gill called behind his shoulder. "Peach, any movement?"

Peach had his body pressed against the glass again. "They seem to be getting things ready for Darla. Won't be long now."

Nemo's eyes had wandered to the scar streaking across the man's face, disappearing under his usual golden tie. He wondered how much farther the scar went, and what had given it to him.

Gill turned back to Nemo, and he quickly averted his eyes, hoping he hadn't noticed his staring.

"The first time I tried getting some people out of here, my brother caught me and gave me this," Gill answered the questions Nemo was thinking. "Used me as an example."

Nemo blinked. "How many times have you tried getting people out?"

He turned and walked from the glass, hands folded behind his back. "Enough times to lose count of."

Peach came up to them. "They're coming to pick up Nemo," He panted. "Better be ready,"

Gill leaned down and held his shoulders. "Okay, kid. You know the plan. By the time you shut down the generator, it will be ten times easier to get you out of here."

Nemo nodded quickly, reciting the steps in his head.

A doctor came up to Nemo, a mask over his face. "Mrs. Moorish is ready for you, 42."

He turned to go, but Gill was slipping something into his hand. It was a stone, as big as his palm. He shoved it into the elastic lining of his pants and pulled his shirt down.

He followed the doctor through a door and into the lab. It was so strange to see things from the other side of the glass, his friends nodding encouragingly back at him.

Like they rehearsed, he started squirming and moaning. "I need to use the restroom." He whined.

The doctor sighed, looking from him to a door where he assumed Darla was waiting.

"I'll be quick," He said, then turned around and ran to the restroom door, scooping up an operating tool on his way.

Inside, he looked around. About six feet up was a vent, just as big wide as his body. Standing on the toilet, he unscrewed the vent and carefully set it down.

Taking a deep breath, he hoisted his body up and into the dark tunnel, squeezing himself through the dusty interior. There were several twists and turns, and soon he could hear Deb arguing with Flo right beneath him.

He knocked on the floor of the tunnel three times and heard a knock back. He had landed right above the pod corridor.

Gill's voice sounded below him. "Okay, Nemo. See that fan?"