I don't know who is more startled, Miranda or Charlotte. Both of their eyes widen as the door slides shut behind Miranda. She quickly strides over to her desk. She types something quickly on the hologram on her desk and says, "What is it Charlotte?" She takes in the drying on Charlotte's cheek.
Charlotte says, "It was just this offie Tech who was being a jerk about Rivies and R.I.s. I just needed a second to breathe. Your office was the closest, and I figured you wouldn't mind, so...I'm sorry, Miranda." Charlotte begins to tear up again.
“Don't let some Tech ruin your day. Besides, I did give your Notice code all time clearance for my office for a reason."
"Yeah, I guess. If I had known it was going to be a bad time, I wouldn't have come."
Miranda smiles, “It doesn’t matter, I was just going to ask for Piper to meet with me. We have some...important things to discuss. So, if you don't have anything else planned for the day…"
Charlotte nods, “I’ll just go to the Odds and help out for today or until you are done with Piper. Bye Rebs.”
She strides out of the room, her eyes still rimmed in red, leaving me alone with Miranda. I try to gage her mood, but she’s unreadable.
"Have a seat.”
I sit on a hard metal chair in front of her desk.
What could she be so mad about? Is it something I've done?
She starts immediately, "Who is the girl Eeke?"
"Bridget. 990."
"The boy?"
"Canton. I don't know his number."
She nods. "About your story, is there anyone else in the Unknown or who should be in the Unknown, that you know?"
"I know, Dana, Bridget, Canton, and there should be a Rivie named Josh that came here the same day as I."
Miranda begins typing in her hologram. "There's no Rivie here named Josh. Either he never got sent to the Unknown or he's with the Ecru."
Josh with the Ecru? It's possible, the Officials might have caught on to some of the things he did. Will he be like Canton when he’s released?
I need his help. He may have a better idea on where we might find the message from the rebellious Officials. I don’t know when or where to expect it.
Miranda continues, "How can I be sure that your story is true?"
I run my tongue over my straight teeth thinking. "There is no more proof I can give you. All I can say is that it's true."
Miranda narrows her eyes, "I'm beginning to get tired of the way you nonchalantly answer my questions. I expect you to take them seriously considering that I am the Leader here."
I shrink back in my chair. I wasn't trying to be disrespectful. I just didn't know how to respond. I want to give Miranda an honest answer, but I can't.
Miranda continues, "I still don't completely believe your story. We’re going to visit Bridget and Canton. Bridget hasn't uttered a single word since she saw you. They have moved Bridget and Canton to separate rooms. And-"
A beep echoes through the room. Miranda glances at her Notice. “Sorry, I thought I had it on vibrate…”
Her eyes scan the message. She bursts to her feet, "We need to get to the Nurse department as fast as we can. Canton is conscious and he's trying to attack the Nurses. They can't get any sedatives into his blood stream. He disconnected the line."
She's already heading to the door. I don't see how I will be helpful. Canton won’t recognize me. We’ve never met face to face. I have to almost run to keep up with Miranda's long strides.
Breathless, I say, "Miranda. Canton won't recognize me. You should get Dana, she has actually met Canton."
Miranda stops in the hallway. A boy runs directly into Miranda.
He opens his mouth to complain, but then realizes who it is, shuts his mouth, and continues down the hall. Miranda mumbles a sorry and turns around and walks back the way we came. We come to a door labeled Kitchens and Miranda presses her Notice to the scanner. Miranda just pokes her head in the door and shouts, "I need Dana/”
All the heads in the room turn our direction. Some break out in smiles and others cower away slightly. A girl I met yesterday, everyone called her J., comes hastily over, drying her hands on a holey towel. "What is it Miranda? Dana is in one of the rooms in the back making bread. Can it wait?”
"It's important. Can you have an Odd or two come and bake the bread?"
"I guess. I’ll go get her.” J. quickly strides away.
Miranda waits impatiently shifting from foot to foot. After a couple seconds, Dana and J. appear around a corner. Dana frowns when she sees Miranda and I waiting for her.
She opens her mouth to say something, but sees Miranda's expression and changes her mind. She smiles nervously towards me. Her hair is up in a frizzy pony tail, little curls of hair escaping.
Miranda is already out of the door. Dana and I scurry behind. Dana says, "Um, where are we going?"
Miranda nods towards me, "Piper, give her the shortest explanation."
"Canton and a girl named Bridget, I knew her, were put in with the Ecru. Canton has been unconscious for a day, completely unresponsive, but now he has woken up and is attacking Nurses. Canton and Bridget were working together against the Ecru and Canton told Bridget about you and Brinn and Josh."
Dana glances nervously at Miranda when I mention her and Canton, but Miranda seems lost in her thoughts.
Miranda jams her Notice to the scanner in front of the door labeled Nurses. The smell hits me again, causing me to wrinkle my nose. Dana starts coughing. Miranda gives her a sharp look.
The hall is more crowded than it was before. Four or five nurses are grouped in front of a door. It's the same door that Canton and Bridget were in before.
Miranda jogs forward, Dana and I right behind. The nurses glance at us and clear away. We peer through the semi-transparent glass. I can make out a figure lying peacefully on the cot.
Miranda wrinkles her brow, "I thought he was attacking people."
The nurse that fell asleep, Milla, steps forward, "He has pulled out his I.V. line, making it impossible for us to sedate him in any way. Whenever a nurse comes close, he lashes out, Lilly here," She motions to a girl on her right. The girl has red slashes tracing down her cheek and neck, "She was in the room when he woke up. Lilly had her back turned. He made a growling noise, she turned, and he caused that. While it’s nothing too major, we aren’t sure what he is capable and don’t want to risk any lives.”
Miranda directs her question to Lilly, "Are you okay?"
Lilly nod timidly, "They're just scratches. They aren't deep at all."
Miranda continues, "I want to go in with these two."
Milla steps forward, "I have to warn you that there is a very good possibility of you getting hurt. I would stop any other person from going in there, but you have more authority than me, so I can only encourage you not to."
"There's something I need to get to the bottom of. We can take a few scratches."
Milla presses her Notice to the scanner and the door slides open to Canton's room As soon as we step through the door, it slides shut behind us.
The room smells worse than the hall. Canton's head swivels towards us. A deep, terrifying growl starts in his throat. I fight the urge to back away.
Dana frowns, trying to find recognition in the shell in front of her. Miranda is cold, her eyes narrowed.
Dana takes a deep breath and takes a step forward. The growling grows. Dana holds her ground.
She opens her mouth, "Don't you remember me, Canton?"
Canton's eyes lose their edge for just a second, he looks confused, but then they harden. His fingers curl. His fingernails end in dangerously sharp points.
Dana takes another shaky step forward, "Remember me, Canton?"
The growling grows.
Dana puts another forward, halfway across the room, "I'm Dana. Remember?"
He glares viciously at her.
Dana crosses the room the rest of the way. She stands just an arm’s length away. Canton looks so weak, he couldn't hurt her.
Dana says, "Remember? We used to talk? It was Dana, Josh, Canton, and Brinn?"
He moves so quick, Dana doesn't even have time to react. I don't even see his fingers lash out. Angry red streak marks trace her face, a drop of blood falling from her lip.