His words echo inside the vast darkness which is my mind.
I've failed you. I'm sorry Ashie.
Why did he apologize? He has failed nothing, and from what I've heard, the tests the scientists have been taking have gone flawlessly. Even Zero's Coach seems to have developed a soft spot for Zero.
The door clicks open, and my dad walks in, holding a file. I let out marshals of air, grateful to have a distraction from my thoughts.
It has been three hours since I passed out, one and a half of them I spent unconscious, another half hysterically demanding to be let out of the room, and the final hour spent calming down and collecting my thoughts. The room I reside in is on the third floor with a window and a table in the middle, similar to the one where the alarm went off and I tried to kill Peter.
"What's going on dad?" I whisper, watching him take a seat. He sighs, lifting his glasses to rub his eyes.
"Ashley, there's something very important I have to show you." He starts taking two papers out of the file. One is labeled a x-Ray of Zero, and the other, is another x-Ray.
"What are these for?" I ask, confused.
"It's the explanation for why you went ballistic just a few hours ago." He replies, and I wince upon remembering it. "See these lines right here?" He taps at a wire looking red cord wrapping itself around Zero's muscles and body in his x-Ray. It makes it seem like he has red wires travelling throughout his body.
"Yes?" I say, still confused as to why he's showing me a x-Ray of Zero and what may be his arteries.
"While you were unconscious, I had a sudden theory, but I needed to do a body scan on you to see if I was correct, so I did. This was the result." He pushed the next x-Ray picture to me. I study it closely, but see nothing wrong. I sit back in my chair, still extremely puzzled and growing frustrated.
"There's nothing there'"
"Look again." He says, his eyes not leaving my face.
Sighing, I look back at the picture, eyes slowly scanning over every inch of my body until I get to the chest area.
And then I see it.
There, wrapped around my heart, is a tiny red cord, looking like the same one Zero has wrapped around his whole figure. I feel my eyes widen and I slowly look up to meet my dad's eyes.
"What does that mean?" I ask, my breathing growing heavy. "Is that supposed to be there? Is it going to kill me?"
"No and no. It's not supposed to be there, and we don't know how it got there, but we do know that it is the reason what Zero has been experiencing has been transferring to you. It also won't kill you, as long as Zero is still alive."
My breathing grows more rapid as I try and take the news in.
"Is that how we can communicate with our minds?" I mumble to myself.
I don't know what to think about this. My brain isn't comprehending the entire mass of this subject, or how this tiny red cord around my heart connects me on a way deeper level to Zero now.
"Is there anyway to get rid of it?" I ask, searching his eyes for any sign of hope that this strange connection can be cut. It's nothing against Zero, in fact, every part of my body is screaming to keep the connection, all except my brain, which is watching out for me and telling me this is dangerous.
"It could be done, but the result would be your death. There is no way we can cut if from your heart without affecting any major arteries or blood vessels."
"So that's it then? I'm supposed to be connected to a person who Scientists repeatedly do pain filled tests on every day for the rest of my life?"
My dad winced, before leaning back. His face clears of emotion, and he looks me dead in the eye.
"There may be a cure. And a group of scientists and I have been organizing to do this for a while now, but now we have a new motive, to find a cure for you."
"Dad, what did you plan to do?" I ask cautiously, not liking how reproachful his voice sounds.
"We're going to the island. And Zero will be our guide "
In a split second I'm up out of my chair, hands buried in my hair, frantically pacing.
"What? No! What kind of plan is that? You can't go to the island!"
"Ashley the only reason I haven't made the trip myself so far is to watch after you, but now your safety is on the line. Our team we gathered is trained and educated to the highest degree. Well be prepared for any danger that comes our way."
"You can't do this dad! I won't let you!"
"I can and I will. While we're gone you will stay here and go back to your duties as Secretary. Mrs. Clark has graciously offered to keep a close eye you, and you will do right to listen." He says, as if talking to a child.
Dread fills me at the though of being watched by Mrs. Clark and being left behind.
"Mom died going to that island dad. And your making the same mistake she did." I say in a softer voice.
Dad stares at me for a second, our eyes locked in battle, before he stands up, straightening out his white coat.
"This is the end of discussion. We leave in one day." With that he storms out, leaving the door wide open behind him.
The second he's tone I have a meltdown, much like the on I had just an hour or two ago. I cry, sob, and when the tension get too high I scream, but nothing helps. There's still the heavy ache and dread ready in soundly in my heart, keeping it pounding in fear. For a second I stand still, trying to see if I feel any difference in my body around the chest region, but I feel nothing. If it wasn't for that body scan, I would probably still be oblivious to the red cord wrapped inside my body, gripping My heart like a deadly snake.
My mind drifts to the fight I just had with my dad. Things used to be so easy. My dad and I would never fight. We clung to each other's love like a life line after mom died. We were the only loved ones we had left on the island. Now it seems we fight left and right, and its slowly tearing my heart open. No one should have to endure this amount of distress.
I can't let him go to that island. At least, not alone.
Staring at the door, I take a split second to decide what to do, before striding towards it. I peek out, checking to see if anyone's in the hallway leading to the elevator. No one.
I speed walk to the metal doors, patting my pockets for a key. I come up blank and worried. Suddenly, I hear a soft whistle.
I whirl in time just to see the familiar figure of Peter walk around the corner, whistling a bored tune. On the ground, lies a key card.
Thanking Heaven for making such a good human named Peter, I grab it and open the elevator, pressing the bottom floor. Tapping my foot impatiently, I wait with old jazz music playing for the doors to finally open. Th minute they do I scurry out, quickly giving th room a once over to make sure the coast is clear.
No one's in the lab, but I see light coming from Mrs. Clark's office. I walk as softly as I can to Zero's cell, holding the key card to the slot. I wince when a loud beep sounds, freezing for a moment. When I hear no other sounds, I slowly pull the door open, slipping inside and closing it behind me.
Zero is hunched over in a corner, not even glancing up at my arrival. I stand there, studying him, remembering all that's gone down in the past few hours and wondering if he will go ballistic again.
"They're going to the island." I finally break the silence.
"I know." Comes Zero quiet reply, and I inhale a shape breath at how remorseful he sounds.
"Why are you grieving?" I ask, because it's the only question I can come up with at the moment.
"Because," Zero pauses, turning to face me, his grey eyes glowing as they meet mine. "They are all going to die."
Dear readers, Hello!! It's me!! I've recently gotten so much votes and comments, it's overwhelming me with happiness, which is Why I wrote this chapter. I hope you enjoy. And when we reach 5k, I'll do another story in Zero's point of view. This book is just beginning so hang in tight. Love you guys, and thanks again. I can't even begin to say how amazing the support is.
Love,
Dangeroustoken.