Year 6 (First Draft) #Wattys2016

-Chapter 14-

  “You what?” Kane asks, his hands slamming onto a solid metal table. Charlie gathered Kane and Paul and I into a room that apparently serves as Kane’s office. The table sits in the middle of the room, taking up more space than it’s worth in my opinion.

  I clear my throat.

 “I want us to choose a group of willing men to go stir up some trouble at a Social Gathering. I would think that the choosing should be left up to you and Charlie,” I say, pointing to Charlie who is lounged in a worn desk chair. The desk chair is pushed up to a scratched up metal desk on the wall opposite the door. “And Paul,” I say. “I need to ask you something when you have some spare time. You are going to play a big role in this plan.”

  “Better talk to him as soon as possible,” Kane says, his voice agitated, and I am worried I have already lost his approval. “Because if I don’t get this full picture quick, I am not going to even consider the plan.”

  With that, Kane exits the room, and the door slams shut behind him. His sudden burst of anger startles me, and I almost want to give up. Maybe it was a stupid idea. I should have come up with a more steadfast plan before I even brought it up. But then I am reminded of the time limit. Two days. That’s not enough time to create a plan and put it into action. That’s why we need to get started today. I need them to trust me on this one.

  “Paul,” I say. “Ready to hear me out?”

  Paul nods, grabbing small pad of paper from a work belt he wears low on his waist. I don’t know what he’ll need it for, but I don’t bother to ask.

  “I need you to make fake IDs,” I say, starting with something basic. The second request will be harder. “I also need help with something else. Can you think of any way that we could make ourselves, I don’t know, blend into the crowd?”

  A small smile spreads across Paul’s lips, and I feel my hope coming back. He already has an idea.

  “I’ve been working on a gadget for a while,” Paul admits, flipping to a page in his notepad. He hands me the notepad, and I stare at the sketch on the faded yellow paper. The sketch is of a simple head, but the gadget hidden just behind the ear appears to be very complex. Blue wires wrap around tiny pieces of metal, and something seems to mold it all in place. There is so much detail in the device that I can’t even begin to understand it. “Now, so far I only have one, and it is a prototype. I haven’t even gotten to test it yet. But, if it works, I have already started to make about ten more. I was a little confident in my work. I could have them completed by the day you need them, or even tomorrow if I work through tonight.”

  I smile. At least one person is willing to help me.

  “What does it do?” I ask, curious as to how this small device will help me progress my plan to the next level.

  “Come down to my workshop,” Paul says. “You can be the one to try it out if you want.”

  Paul leads me down a hall, and we come into a large dome shaped room. Metal scraps lie everywhere, and workbenches clutter each and every part of the wall. I smile. Paul must really be into his work.