"HARPER, WATCH THE HALL," JASPER ORDERED.
We had successfully broken into the president's office while he was supposedly in some meeting. Monty and I had broken into the keycard swipe panel and hacked (broke) it. Maya had gone to the surveillance room to make sure no one was watching and the plan was going smoothly.
"Why do I have to watch the hall?" Harper whisper-shouted back to Jasper.
"Monty's good with computers and Jess and Miller are thieves," Jasper reasoned.
"Why can't Tahlia watch the hall? Why's she even here?" The blonde replied.
"She's a thief and she's good with tech. And also, I don't know, she just followed us here," Said Jasper.
"Why can't you watch the hall?" Harper rebutted.
"Because I'm the mastermind," Jasper smirked. "Just go watch the hall, c'mon." With a huff, Harper obeyed.
Monty and I headed over to the desk where we found a laptop while Miller and Jess snooped around.
"What do we have here?" Monty said as he opened up the laptop. I wasn't just a mechanic, I knew my way around computers as well. Growing up around Raven, you learn a thing or two. Monty turned the device on, only to see that it was protected by a password. I recognised the model and remembered something I had read about it in a manual back on the Ark.
"Password protected," Jasper noticed from behind us.
"We'll see about that," I pushed a couple buttons on the computer to bring up a code log before letting Monty hack through the password protection.
Monty pulled the laptop away from me to do some further hacking. I noticed he missed a file that seemed intriguing.
"Hey, you missed that one," I pointed to the screen where a file marked 'surveillance' was planted.
"I got something," Miller announced, pulling out some kind of paper from the drawer.
"Us too," Monty said. "Damn we're good," He cheered and high-fived me. He clicked on the file I pointed out and I was beyond shocked at what I saw.
Photos of our people were on the screen. Not just the hundred, the people from the Ark. It was Alpha station.
"They're alive," I blurted.
We had to be fast so we clicked through some more of the photos, got rid of any evidence we were ever there and got out of the president's office.
The next day we were relieved to find that no one caught us.
There was just one problem...
Where the hell was Harper? I thought she had followed us back from the president's office, but maybe she didn't...
"Hey, Harper didn't show for breakfast," Jasper said as he approached Miller, Monty, Jess and I. "You guys seen her?"
We all shook our heads. "Not since Dante's office," Said Miller. We all shared the same worried expression.
"So where the hell is she?" Monty demanded.
Jasper sent Maya to look for Harper in places we weren't allowed to go. No luck.
On a different note, Monty came up with the brilliant plan to use the command center to access the Ark-wide channel on the radio to let them know we're here. The only problem was getting into the command center, which Maya claims is highly restricted.
So we settled for Maya to get us into the art warehouse, where we could use the wires that lead to the radio.
"All we have to do is break through a two-foot section of a wall, find the outgoing wire and jack into a closed system, without being heard by anyone," Monty planned.
"That's all, huh?" Miller said sarcastically.
"No. We also need to steal some copper wire, the guard's schedules and a walkie-talkie," Monty added "Oh yeah, and a big ass hammer."
"Seems easy enough," I said, kind of sarcastically.
The next day, Maya got everything we needed. I snuck into the basket she was wheeling with all of the supplies so it seemed less suspicious. Jasper, Monty and Miller followed behind her. Jess had another treatment so she couldn't help.
"Right here. The communication lines are behind this wall," Monty said. Someone opened the lid of the basket and Miller lifted me out. Everyone started clearing the wall, preparing for what we needed to do.
Miller grabbed a huge hammer out of the basket. I can't believe I didn't notice it when I was in there. It looked super cool.
"Ooh, lemme see that!" I exclaimed quietly, trying to grab the hammer from his hands.
He shoved my face away. Like literally put his hand over my whole face and shoved it away. "Someone explain to me why we let the seven year old help us?" He whined.
"She's a mechanic," Monty defended me, shrugging his shoulders.
"'Big ass' enough for you?" Miller smirked, showing Monty the hammer. Monty nodded, wide eyed.
Miller was about to take a swing at the wall when Maya stopped her. "Wait. They'll hear you."
"This was the plan. I knew it. She's afraid of losing her blood supply," Miller snarled.
"You don't have to like me, Miller. You can blame me for what my people are doing, but I'm trying to make things right," She argued calmly.
"Then get the hell out of my way," Miller shot back.
"Five seconds," Maya said, checking her watch.
"What happens in five seconds?" Monty queried.
"Miller realizes what an ass he is?" I suspected sarcastically.
"Language!" Jasper scolded. As the five seconds were up, an alarm started wailing throughout the mountain. Jasper nodded, pointing to the ceiling.
"A friend owed me a favor," Maya shrugged, smiling.
"Time it to the blasts," Jasper told Miller, who nodded and started swinging at the wall. With every wail of the siren, another swing was taken at the stone wall.
It only took about four or five swings before the system was revealed through the wall. Monty shone his flashlight towards it to get a clearer look.
"Jackpot," He cheered.
Monty and I started working our magic which was surprisingly easy. The wires weren't messy at all, and it reminded me of the scrap radios Raven and I used to build together when I was little. Well, the ones that Raven would build and I would sit beside her and hand her tools while she taught me how to build it.
"We can set it up to play our SOS in a loop over the Ark-wide channel. If we can get it to transmit, somebody's bound to hear it," Monty explained. As he plugged in one of the final cords, it started playing some kind of interference... just like the black box.
"Well that doesn't sound good," Said Miller, referring to the sound.
"Wait. I've heard this." Monty cut in. "The black box of the Exodus ship right before it crashed." Monty lifted his head in realization. I realized it as well.
"They crashed the Exodus ship."
"Jamming signal," Jasper said quietly. "What are they jamming now?"
"Everything. To keep our people from talking to each other," Monty answered.
"We're totally screwed?" Jasper suspected.
"I wouldn't say totally," Said Monty.
"Just shut up and record the message," I rolled my eyes. Jasper recorded his message and Monty and I transmitted it. As usual, there was a problem.
"Damn it!" Monty snapped.
"So now we're totally screwed?" Jasper asked, holding the flashlight behind us.
"Our message is broadcasting but it's over a jammed frequency," Monty informed.
"So then unjam it," Miller snaps.
"What do you think he's been doing?" I retorted.
"Someone's feisty today," Jasper smirked.
"We need to shut it down from the source. I need five minutes in the command center," Monty announced.
"No way, you heard Maya, it's too dangerous," Jasper protested. Monty couldn't go into the command center. It was the most restricted room in the whole mountain.
"I'll go. If they catch me I'm just a clueless little kid who got lost, right?" I offered but was interrupted before anyone could answer.
"The guard's coming!" Maya announced, rushing up to us from the entrance where she was keeping watch. "We have to go. Cover the hole!"
We acted fast. The older kids covered up the hold swiftly and I kept watch. I could see the light from flashlights in the distance of the warehouse.
"Guys, hurry," I whispered. They were finally done and we booked it out of there.
Miller ended up just picking me up and carrying me since my little legs couldn't carry me as fast as the others. Monty, Jasper and Maya must have been behind us.
Miller and I made it to the dorms and plopped down on my bottom bunk, both of us out of breath. After a moment or two, Jasper and Maya showed up... without Monty.
"Where's Monty?" Jasper asked.
"We thought he was with you," Miller furrowed his eyebrows.
"I haven't seen him," Maya said.
I was worried about Monty. I knew where he was. He was trying to sneak into the command center. What an idiot. I could have gone in there, it would have been way safer for me to go. If they caught me, I could just play innocent and flash them my puppy dog eyes and I would just be the cute little kid who got lost.
It had been two days and there was still no sign of Monty. Jasper and I had been asking around, we were worried sick. We were worried about Harper, too. She had disappeared before Monty. We all knew where they were.
The harvest chamber.
But Maya said she went in there twice and they weren't there.
I was with Maya, snooping through Medical when one of the guardsmen walked in.
"Sergeant Lovejoy. Hi," Maya smiled. I acted fast and lied down in one of the beds before he saw me since I wasn't supposed to be in there. I shut my eyes, hoping he didn't notice me.
"Where's Thorpe? I need to go over the treatment schedule so I know how many cages to clear," The man said.
"He just left." Maya informed.
"Thanks, I'll try to catch him," I heard the man say. I opened one eye to see Maya nervously glancing at me. I thought it was safe but just in case, I kept my eyes closed until Maya gave me the okay. Luckily I did because the man turned around.
"She's done an hour early," I heard him say. I could hear pages being flipped, probably the treatment schedules. "Twenty five minute treatment, that's gotta be a record," I could hear the surprise in the man's voice.
"You really need Thorpe now, huh?" Maya changed the subject. "I think he said something about going to the mess hall."
"Thanks," The guard said. I heard the buzz of the door but kept my eyes closed just in case.
"You can get up now," I heard Maya say. I opened my eyes and sat up. The room was empty apart from me, Maya and some random lady who was getting her treatment.
"I think someone from the Ark is here." Maya said. Someone from the Ark? Does she mean in the harvest chamber? "Stay here, I'll go check it out."
I stayed in Medical while Maya went to the harvest chamber. I could hear someone approaching so I quickly ran to one of the beds and slid under the covers, pretending to be unconscious.
I could faintly hear some kind of grunting noises, possibly fighting coming from the harvest chamber. I was itching to go check it out but whoever was in Medical just wouldn't leave.
They finally left after about four minutes and I practically threw myself out of bed. I ran to the door and swung it open. I knew the way to the harvest chamber, it was right next to Medical.
I saw two people walking out of the harvest chamber, looking very shady. One of them was Maya and one of them was a guard...
Or so I thought.