Virus

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

173 Days

22nd January 2022

I woke up feeling like I had just been hit by a bus. I tried to rub my groggy eyes but I had lost all sensation in them as they were restrained tightly behind my back. When I opened my tired I eyes, I saw I was sitting in a metal room, cuffed to a metal chair and sitting opposite me was the same man in a black suit who read me half my rights.

"What time is it?" I yawned.

"Two thirty a.m." He replied with a stony yet triumphant expression.

"Were you watching me sleep?" I asked, his face remained indifferent but I could see the irritation flaring in his eyes. "You know I could sue you, you knocked me out before you finished reading me my rights." I said coolly, but my mind was speeding at a hundred miles per hour, wondering how I was going to get myself out of this one.

"I don't think you're in a position to make threats Miss Taylor." He retorted.

"Who the hell are you talking about?" I exclaimed, I decided playing it dumb seemed like the best way to go.

"There is no point arguing with us, Natalie." He said placing my real passport photo along with Alex and Lisa's on the table as well as the CCTV pictures of all four of us from Fort Detrick.

"That's not me!" I yelled, "My name isn't Natalie, it's Nicole Harper." He smirked,

"Yes the passports you forged were pretty convincing but unfortunately for you, DNA doesn't lie. We tested your blood while you were unconscious we know who you are." For a moment my heart sank, and then my mind began whirling again trying to decide what my next move was. "What I want to know is how four... teenagers, managed to break into one of the USA's highest security building and steal a cure." He said, making no effort to hide the distaste in his voice. "I also want to know where your other friends are." So they didn't have Alex.

"I want a phone call." His eyebrows shot up.

"Excuse me?"

"I know my rights I get a phone call." The agent quickly glanced over to the opaque window and handed me his mobile phone. I smirked and shook my head.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Well clearly not because as you just said, I managed to break into Fort Detrick. I'm not going to call anyone on that." I said indicating to his phone, "So you can track the call and listen to my conversation." I said stubbornly, he glared at me in frustration and unlocked my cuffs and walked me out of the metal interrogation room and down a corridor where there was a pay phone attached to the wall.

"You have two minutes." He said harshly and waited a few metres away. I quickly dialled Alex's mobile number and prayed he picked up, after three rings Alex's tired voice sounded through the phone.

"Hello?" He crocked as if he hadn't slept for days.

"Alex, it's me-"

"Natalie! Where are? Why didn't you meet-" His hysterical voice sounded from the speaker.

"Alex, I don't have a lot of time so I'm going to talk and you are going to listen and not interrupt okay?" I took his silence as an answer. "They found me. They picked me up after I left you that message." I heard his sudden intake of breath, but I continued before he could interrupt. "After we finish talking, you are going to destroy this phone and buy another disposable one. I hid your passport with my laptop in the place you showed me, wait a couple of weeks then I want to go and get them and get then the hell out of here. Don't go through the main entrance they'll be waiting for you there, go through the fire escape." I whispered rapidly so no one would over hear me.