The walls were a dark forest green and had a smooth texture. I ran my fingers along the wall, realizing that I was finally here. All of these secrets would soon be discovered.
I then saw a huge sign that said "Fresh Start" blown up on the wall.
This wasn't the Utopian headquarters. It was where the food was processed.
Great. The whole time I thought the truck was taking me to the headquarters but I wounded up in the factory that was right in the center of town. Nobody could access it though.
I quickly climbed the flight of stairs, realizing that if I was here I might as well snoop. Each step I took my blood pounded with angst.
I still had to keep quiet and hidden because who knows what evil was contained there. It was surrounding me, and that was enough to send a chill down my spine.
Out of my right peripheral, there was a corner that was just wide enough for me to hide. Just beyond the corner was a door that had a sign: No Entrance without Identification.
The silver door was beckoning to me as I hid from a group of people walking in the hallways.
My heart was pounding in my chest as
more people passed me. They were laughing and making small talk. The uniforms were a forest green that matched the walls. My green sweater was camouflaging with the wall.
All of a sudden I heard a familiar laugh in the distance and everything inside of me froze. It was the laugh that echoed throughout our house as he joked with my brothers and I. It was the laugh that made me feel safe. But here it is now, so out of place. No longer the warm laugh, instead it was cold and laced with vile.
Mark's POV
"Everyone please gather around," chimed the bosses voice through the intercom.
All of the workers were called to a meeting and we all piled into the vast factory where we would be lectured and possibly humiliated.
I would be one of the bosses victims today, and I know exactly why.
The leader of the Utopia was standing before us on an elevated wooden platform. He was the one who was in charge of everything, and I was one of his wingman.
His posture was perfect as always and his hands were folded- right over left. The navy blue suit he wore was tailored perfectly and made him seem ageless considering his short buzz cut hair.
His name was Red.
"Sorry for interrupting all of your hard work and duties but this is rather an important meeting," he said, his voice crisp through the speaker.
Everyone in the room turned their heads and focused their eyes on me. I pretended not to know by staring at my hands and fiddled with the loose strand at the bottom of my suit.
"Mark," spoke Red and the room went silent.
"Red, you need to believe me I will do it immediately when I get home,"
Everything humane inside of me turned off. How could I tie up my wife who I loved dearly. How could I kill her?
"Julie is tied up and she can't go anywhere to get the kids. Even if she did escape from the handcuffs because I inserted a tracker in her. It will be all over tonight," I said, letting the words flow like it was a normal thing thing to say.
"And remember: do not kill the two boys. Beckett and Zander are there names?"
I nodded.
"Well The Rules say if you have an heir to your last name they can live and that just happens to apply to you."
"Yes Red."
"Mark, I'm depending on you for this, you're one hell of a worker and my number one person who I can go to and trust. I don't want it to get ruined by you not paying your dues. You're strong Mark. You can do this."
"Of course,"
"Good," he said patting my shoulder, "now let's-"
The silver door opened and a late worker came scrambling in. The closer the figure got I saw that it wasn't just a worker.
It was Red's son.
"Oh well well look who showed up late as always how's your little girlfriend?"
"I can't find her."
Celeste's POV
Oliver. What was he doing at the Fresh Start factory? He never mentioned anything to me about him being employed anywhere.
Is that why he moved? Did his dad work here?
My mom was handcuffed by my dad and a tracker is inside of her. My throat was closing in as I ran down the hallway to get the hell out of this place. How could my dad do that? Was I next? Why would he kill us? This man who is my dad chained up my mother? I need to get out of this place, unchain my mom, get my siblings, then hide at Mrs. McCaans.
But Oliver? He knows about this? He never told me he worked anywhere, let alone at the Fresh Start food factory.
Who the hell can I trust?
I rushed out of the factory into the parking garage where we came in. Cars were speeding down the road and my eyes searched for a yellow cab.
"Taxi!" I yelled and signaled my arms frantically. A cab pulled over and I jumped in. "Take me to the high school."
Once we pulled into the parking lot of the school I asked the driver quickly, "can you please wait for ten minutes. I'm begging you this is an emergency." He nodded and parked the cab.
I bolted into the courtyard trying to spot my siblings. Immediately I saw Zander and Beckett sitting at the lunch table with their friends.
"Guys we have to go," I said out of breath as I grabbed the two of them by the arms.
"Woah there Celeste are you okay?" they both asked.
"Cut the questions and get into the damn taxi," I screamed. "Where's Fiona?"
"She's waiting for food, can you please tell us why we're getting in a taxi? We can't leave-"
"Fiona!" I screeched as I saw her waiting in the line for food. "Fiona get I'm the taxi!"
"Celeste tell us what the hell is happening!" panicked Zander.
The four of us piled into the taxi and I handed Mrs. McCaan's address to the driver.
"Dad, he's not who we thought he was," I said trying to contain my tears.
"What do you mean?" Fiona asked wide eyed.
"Please guys no more questions just follow my directions. When we reach the house were hiding at I want the three of you to run in and enter the back door. Lock all doors and close all blinds."
"Wait two questions, where is mom and whose house is this?" asked Beckett.
"I'm going to take this cab after I drop you guys off to go get her at the house. She's in some serious trouble. And the house, well it's my English teachers."
"Excuse me?" asked Zander.
"What did I say on not asking any questions! Just please listen to my directions and we will meet you back at the house."
"Promise?" they all asked.
"I promise."
...
Mark's POV
"Rewind the tape again," I said squinting at the pixelated video footage.
"What are we watching over here?" asked Red.
"That's who we're trying to find out, somebody snuck in here and nobody even noticed," I said sighing.
"Hey Oliver how is it going with Celeste anyways? Is she cooperating with you? like you know falling for all of the things you say?" asked Red.
"Hell yes she is, she will fall for anything I say to her, if I told her to go jump off a bridge she would. What an oblivious girl. I thought it would it would be hard to talk to her but she was the easiest girl I had in awhile."
"Lucky you, must make the job easy for you," said Red and walked away.
"Okay enough Oliver this is my daughter we're talking about here!" I said scowling
"Yes sir, you're daughter that you are hiring me to kill because you are a wuss and can't kill anything," cackled Oliver.
"Speaking of Celeste, isn't that her in the footage," said Oliver while taking his first glance at the screen.
Now I could see it. She heard everything we were saying.
"Damnit!" I screamed. "Everyone search for a girl in this building!"
"And where exactly do you think you're going sir?" asked Red stopping me in my tracks.
"I'm paying my dues."
Authors note:
PLOT TWIST !!! yes Oliver is bad and if you had a feeling all along you were absolutely right. The bosses name is Reddington but all of the workers call him Red for short. Just in case you were confused on that. From now on I'll be switching POV. Mostly from Oliver, celeste, and sometimes the dad. And you can't forget Miles! He will be showing up soon and I won't tell if he's good or bad. You'll just have to read :) thanks for all the reads and keep on continuing to vote ~