Stealing the hairpin and loosening the vent in the bathroom turns out to be an easy mission. The hair and makeup area is empty other than one very frazzled Evolved man who is in charge of making me look like I haven't been through hell for the past day and a half. He sees me as a canvas rather than a person, and once his work is done, he doesn't pay any further attention to me.
After I loosen the screws on the bathroom vent, Marie sends me a quick message through my contact cameras telling me that the files she downloaded from Dr. Rodriguez's tablet were corrupted. I'll need to find time after the interview to get on my Strand tablet so she can get back on his system and see what the problem is.
Not wanting to raise any suspicions, I walk toward the set we'll be using for the interview with Tressa. Just another obedient Throwback ready for duty.
"Your behavior today will directly impact where your Molly sleeps tonight—safe in the pod, or six feet under," Lexi says.
I flinch at the barely-leashed rage in her tone. "I understand."
"Blake has written talking points for you, but Tressa refused to give us the full list of questions, so there will likely be some you will have to answer on your own. If the public and the police watch your interview, they must see that you are being treated well and are here voluntarily. Which you are, of course."
"Of course," I reply, aiming for my usual sarcastic tone, but missing. Maybe Dr. Rodriguez's torture didn't fail after all. Maybe I am broken.
"I see that your treatment yesterday was effective. You've seen the value in cooperating."
"I do."
The set designers, who have been adjusting furniture and lighting, suddenly straighten.
I look over my shoulder and see Tressa striding toward us with her signature wide, white smile.
"Welcome," Lexi says, reaching out her hand to Tressa's.
Tressa looks at her outstretched hand, but doesn't shake it. "I trust that there is an Evolved Strand representative here I can engage with as we get ready for the interview?"
"Certainly," Lexi says smoothly, seemingly unfazed by Tressa's dismissal. A vicious part of me hopes she's often snubbed now that her Status as a Genetic Replicant is public knowledge.
Blake Greene hurries onto the set, and he and Tressa talk logistics. I should be paying attention, or at least trying to think about how I can use this interview to my advantage without putting Addie in danger, but I can't focus. That dread is back in my stomach.
When my vision comes this time, it isn't one of Lozen's messages. It's worse.
Mav, Jin and Blu are in the old Bunker space, sitting on the beaten couch in the main room.
"I won't leave Joan locked up in there," Mav says, his little mouth set in a firm line. "Harriet and Mason say that we have to wait for the right moment to help, but they could be too late. It's up to us to save her."
"Let's get some explosives and blow a hole in the wall at Strand. Then we can run in and get her," Blu says excitedly.
Mav rolls his eyes. "That'll never work."
"Then what's your great idea?"
"Easy. We kidnap Lexi. Then they'll have to let Joan out if they want her back."
Blu and Jin stare Mav with wide eyes, clearly impressed.
"You're a genius," Jin says.
Mav looks like he's fighting a smile. "She's got to come out of Strand sometime. She might be on the lookout for someone dangerous, but she'll never expect it to be a few kids. We'll snatch her up and bring her back here. You both in?"
It's not too late to save them. Act now.
I'm back in my body, shaking with fear at the idea of Mav getting anywhere near that sociopath. I have to get a message to Harriet. But before I can even think about how to communicate what I've seen, Blake Greene snaps his fingers impatiently to command my attention.
"Get on set, Throwback."
Tressa and Lexi are both sitting in chairs that are now spaced farther apart than they were before, and they're both looking at me. Do they suspect that my mind just came back from a trip to the near future?
A swarm of cameras flies around us, capturing our discussion from different angles.
Tressa gives me a fake smile. "Let's warm up, shall we?"
I know from experience that there is no 'warming up' with Tressa. If the cameras are here, then she's going to use any footage she can get.
I settle into my seat, which is sandwiched in between Lexi and Tressa. My mind races as I try to figure out how to imbed a message into my answers.
Lexi and Tressa kick things off as Lexi explains Strand's 'transformative genetic research', and how I'm 'assisting'. I nod blandly and use Blake's talking points, which are loaded into a teleprompter over Tressa's shoulder. When Lexi makes a special point of talking about how well I'm being treated, and my ability to leave any time I want, I nod along like a good little puppet.
Lexi has started to relax, but I see a glint in Tressa's eyes that promises trouble.
"The latest episode of that tawdry reality series you're starring in dropped online recently, Joan. In it you had footage of the Darwin injecting you with an agent that supposedly activated the H2IV in your system. Will you admit that it was fiction, created to entertain the humble minds of gullible Throwbacks, rather than a real event?"
"Of course," Lexi cuts in. "I was well aware of the plot for the episode and agreed to play the villain to help with ratings. All in good fun."
Tressa doesn't even look in Lexi's direction. "I'd like to hear what Joan has to say."
I think of the hours that we all spent creating something that could make a difference in the struggle of Throwbacks everywhere—to show the truth of how we are treated and what we endure. By saying that moment with Lexi was a lie, many will think the whole show is fabricated. The worst part is that while some parts of the show are scripted, the moment Lexi injected me is pure truth.
But there's only one answer to give, with Addie's life on the line. "Yes. It was written in to add drama."
"As we all knew. But I'm glad you're capable of admitting the truth," Tressa says, triumphant.
"But everything else is real," I rush to add. "The state of the hospitals, the prejudice, the daily struggle—"
"That's enough," Tressa says. She looks over at one of the staff. "You can cut that last part before we air the episode. No surprise that she'd lie about that, just like her team is lying about how Strand is responsible for releasing the H2IV at the Showbox and then yesterday at the nursing home."
"A nursing home?" I interrupt. "Has there been another attack on Throwbacks?"
"That's enough, Joan," Lexi says with a dangerous glint in her eye.
I want to scream, but I hold it in. Somehow, I have to get Tressa to air a warning about what Mav and his friends are planning. It takes a monumental effort, but somehow I slip into my Sweet 'Lil Joanie persona.
"While I'm being honest, I also have to admit that the best actors in the reality series are the Evolved cast members."
Tressa eyes me, wary but obviously curious. "I suppose you mean Justus."
"Actually, I was thinking of Maverick Hunter. He's practically a child prodigy. He's an amazing actor, and so benevolent with his Throwback cast mates. He's so kind, he'd do anything to rescue a friend in need, even if it puts him in harm's way," I say, laying heavy emphasis on my last few words. Harriet will figure out what I mean, but only if this part of the interview is aired.
"He is a crowd favorite," Tressa says. "Rumor has it that his father was murdered on Circe Night during that act of terrorism at the Showbox Theater. The killer was never found."
I know what I have to say to make sure that Tressa airs this moment. "I was there that night. I know who killed him."
I hear Lexi's intake of breath beside me. Tressa leans forward in her chair, riveted.
"It was me. He tried to stop me from escaping the theater, and I killed him with a laser pen."
A delighted smile spreads over Tressa's face. "Shocking! And you're supposed to be one of the 'good' Throwbacks."
"That's enough! This interview is over!" Lexi announces. "You will cut that out of your show before it airs."
Tressa raises a disdainful eyebrow in Lexi's direction and ignores her statement. I silently send a message through the mind manipulator to Tressa to air this segment in full, so my message to Harriet won't get cut.
Blake comes bustling over. "Clearly, the girl is suffering from some kind of mental illness. Her statement can't possibly be true."
"That's right. It's common for her clone type, as you know," Lexi hurries to add. "And Strand's lawyers won't allow you to air this utter lie."
Tressa stands, looking at Blake and Lexi with contempt. Their bluster has only increased the chances that she will air my statement.
"I have my own lawyers that Strand is welcome to reach out to if they have any concerns."
She starts to stride off of the set, but pivots at the last minute and meets Lexi's gaze directly. "You might want to take those contact lenses Joan is wearing. In case you haven't figured it out by now, she's recording everything with them."
My entire body freezes. Everyone is staring at me, except for Tressa, who walks away without a backward glance, as if she hasn't just soaked my life in gasoline and lit the match that will burn it all down.