Rising: Parables From The Apocalypse - Dystopian Fiction by Norman Christof Read Free Book Online Page A

stupid.”

Messing With Minds
    Christa was undergoing more testing with Dr. Montgomery.  It was just the two of them this time.  Normally Montgomery had an entire team of scientists hovering around to help.
    “Where is everyone today?” Christa asked.  “You usually have a whole group here helping out.”
    “Oh, there was a deadline on another project that needed to get finished up today.  They’ve gone to help out with that one. Don’t worry, we’re not neglecting you.  They’ll be back later next week.”
    “Ah, I wouldn’t worry about that.  At least I have you here.  I know I’ve got to be important when the big boss is spending all her time with me.”
    Montgomery smiled.  “You’re definitely right about that.  If we’re going to get this passed by the big wigs, we need to keep pushing the project along.  I really believe targeting the violent zombies is the right approach.  Controlling them all with Pacize was the only solution at the time.  We were desperate back then.  But science is all about the next big breakthrough.  We’ll pull this off, I’m sure of it.”
    Christa nodded in agreement.  “It’s good …”
     
    Before she could finish her sentence, Leekasha barged into the lab. 
    “Where is everyone?” she asked, somewhat flustered.
    “Leekasha,” Dr. Montgomery said. “Good timing, I was just about to send someone looking for you.  I’ve got an extra battery of tests I wanted to do this afternoon after I’m done with Christa.  We could start right now though, since you’re here.”
    “Actually,” Leekasha said, “Chambers wanted me to come see him.  He wanted Christa too.  That’s why I’m here.  I could come back and see you afterwards.”
    “Alright, we’re just finishing up here.  Come back when you’re done with Chambers.”
     
    Montgomery gave Leekasha a funny look as she rushed Christa out of the lab.  As soon as they were gone, she picked up the phone and made a call to General Chambers.
    “General,” she said when he answered the phone.  “The girls are on their way to you now.  What exactly was it that’s so urgent you needed to drag both of them away?”
     
    ***
     
    As soon as they got outside Montgomery’s lab, Leekasha picked up the two packs she had left outside the door and put one on.  The other she handed to Christa.
    “I’m sorry, but we need to go now.  I did something I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t help myself.”
    Putting the pack on Christa said, “What exactly did you do?”
    “C’mon, I’ll tell you on the way.”  Leekasha pulled Christa by the arm as they started moving towards the elevators.  “I got into his head and got him to let me into his private quarters.”
    “Leekasha, you know we’re all under surveillance.  Especially him.  They know what you can do.”
    “Yeah, I know, I just overestimated myself.  I thought as long as he was out from under the security cameras it would be OK.  They must have some other way of watching him.  As soon as he logged into his private computer, he just passed out.  I don’t know if he is dead or what.  Then his computer just shut down, and I saw the silent alarm go off in his room.  I tried to get his computer to boot back up, but then he started coming around.”
     
    They took the elevator to the top floor.  Leekasha continued, “I had to mind control a few soldiers on the way here.  They’re definitely on to me.”
    “Great, you’ve really screwed things up.  They’ll be after me as well now.”
    “Christa.  Things are already screwed up.  Us staying here isn’t helping.  It’s actually the biggest screw-up of all.  We need to move past all this.  We need to get out.  Patzy was right all along.  We need to go.  I need to go.”
    “Patzy?  Can you still hear her?”
    “Barely.  Just a whisper, she’s so faint.  She just keeps repeating ‘go, go, go.’  That’s all she says.” 
     
    From the elevator to the front lobby,