274 (Complex Series, #4)

Chapter Thirty-Two

The door glides open and Piper hustles us inside. On the other side of the door, Piper slams her fingers into the code pad, entering another extensive list of numbers.

Once she finishes, she leans against the door and lets out a deep breath. She says, “That was the hardest escape I’ve done yet. I suppose my final one couldn’t go smoothly.”

I ask, “You mean we’ve escaped? We’re free?”

“Not exactly. We are still in the Complex and could potentially still be found. But, there aren’t any Officials in this next part. This section has been shut down by the Heads. Officials aren’t allowed to go down here.”

Theo asks, “If it’s shut down, why are all the lights on? Wouldn’t they try to save energy or something?”

“Normally, they are off. Another Official turned them on for us. After we leave this hallway though, we are going to have to use flash lights. If we had the lights on the whole way, someone would definitely notice.”

Piper begins pushing me forward. Theo follows a couple steps behind, silent. His expression is unreadable, just like always.

The Distress says, “Where are we exactly escaping to?”

 “We are going to a village outside of the Complex. Things are going to be entirely different there, but you’ll get used to it. We have holograms and videos that will teach you everything you need to know. As long as you keep an open mind, you’ll adjust fine.”

“Are you in charge then?” His voice has a trace of a challenge, but not enough to address.

“Not really. We have it set up similarly to how the Unknown does it. With different people in charge of different sections or tasks and consulting together for major decisions.  There are currently eight people who are in charge, but it changes.”

 “Do you have a main leader though, like Miranda was?”

Piper flinches at the past tense. I watch Theo, unsure of whether he meant to insult her or not. His face is blank, just like always.

Piper says, “You could say that.”

“Who’s the Leader then?”

“I’m not going to tell you.”

Outrage is clear across Theo’s face, the first emotion I’ve seen, “Why not?”

“I’ll tell you once we leave the Unknown. If we are captured, I don’t want that information given away. It’s safer and it has nothing to do with you.”

Theo falls silent, making his irritation clear. If his annoyance bothers Piper, she doesn’t show it.

We turn the corner and there is a pile of flashlights littering the hall. Piper instructs us of the basics on how to use them. It’s quite simple. To turn it on, press the button. To turn it off, press the same button again. There’s also a small container of crackers and a jug of water. Piper hands out the food and we quickly devour it. We leave behind the jugs and containers. Piper explains that someone else will come through to pick them up.

We reach another door. Piper drills a long code into the pad. It slides open, revealing darkness. I flip on my flashlight, Theo doing the same. It illuminates a wide path in front of us, slicing through the darkness. Piper closes the door behind us, cutting off even more light. As we move through the black hall, I try to ignore the pressing claustrophobia of the darkness.

I lose sense of time as we travel through hall after hall. What seems to be every half hour or so, we enter a different section. Each time Piper enters an intricate number code. I begin paying attention, trying to follow her fingertips as they fly over the numbers. I’m able to keep track of every number, but I realize that the code is different for each door.

After hours have past, Theo turns to me. The flashlight reveals a wry smile turning up his lips, “Just like with the Ecru, right? Darkness, no time? Nothing but our own existence.”

I say, “Except without the Ecru. And, you haven’t captured me this time.”

“Maybe you’re right, I haven’t captured you. It seems as though we both may have been captured by Piper.”

Piper says, her words short and clipped, “I haven’t captured you. I’m saving you.”

“Really?” Theo asks, “Because I don’t know the last time I made a choice for myself. You dragged me out of the Unknown and I’m pretty sure you had something to do with my being dragged out of the Complex too.”

I frown, “I thought you said you rebelled. Didn’t you throw some stuff at Officials?”

“Nope, that was just a story I made up to intimidate you. I was dragged from my bed in the middle of the night. I hadn’t even done anything.”

I ask, “Do you know Bridget? Is she part of this whole thing?”

Piper nods, “Yes, she’s working with us. She has you sent to the Unknown so that I can help you escape.”

Was I not sent to the Unknown for conversing with Marie? Was that all simply a coincidence?

Theo lets out a short, humorless laugh, “Wait. So I was sent to the Ecru because of you?”

Piper sighs, “No, well yes, but…why don’t you understand? Ellen is running searches and tests through everyone in the Complex. She would have found you eventually and you would have been killed.”

“Why? Why does she want to kill us? Why does she care so much? Why can’t she just make another injection that works for us? Why go through all the trouble of finding us only to kill us?” Theo asks.

Piper says, “That’s exactly it. She can’t. She can’t find an injection that works on you, after one and a half years. She’s tried everything she can think of. She doesn’t know why you are immune and it drives her crazy.”

Theo asks, “She hates us because we’re different? Because of something we had no control over?”

“No. She’s afraid of you because you are different. She just disguises her fear as hatred.”