Operation W.A.R.

Chapter 28

Jack's POV-

We run towards the doors and it isn't until I touch them that I realize what a bad idea we really had. Why didn't Akilah say anything? She probably knew that is was a bad idea to just run for it. The guards immediately attack the moment we get inside the building, trying to capture us. For what exactly? More experiments? Who knows, but I can't let that happen. Right now, being bulletproof really helps, because they're just shooting at me. Why? As far as I know they should be shooting at all of us, right? I'm so busy with myself that by the time two men grab a hold of my wrists, I realize that they already have the others in handcuffs. They put the same ones on me, but they're not ordinary. I feel something powerful emitting from them, making me weak. It's like the bracelets they used but much stronger. They knew we were coming. They must have known. What have we gotten ourselves into? 

-Do you know where Katherine is?

I ask the man to my right. He and the other is holding me in place and start to lead me though different hallways, doors, and eventually the stairs. He doesn't answer me, he only looks straight ahead. The others trail right after me, and just like me, have two guards holding them in place. I'm starting to feel weaker with the handcuffs around my wrists, but they keep dragging me further. We keep going higher and higher, and I don't know what to expect when we get to the top. Looking behind me, my friends all seem weak, without any willpower of their own. Even Branton, with super human strength, can't fight the handcuffs. Should I be surprised? Probably not. We reach the 70th floor and my head starts to spin and feel fuzzy. The light is starting to make my eyes uncomfortable, so I close them for a little bit, only to trip on a step. The last step. What lies behind the white doors? Only one way to find out. The guards open the doors and toss me inside. It hurts, but I manage to stay standing. It's a large circular room, doors surrounding the walls like a clock. There is a guard in front of each door, as though they worry we might try to escape with these stupid things on our wrists. In the middle of the dim room is Judith, standing there as though she has been waiting for us to arrive a long time. Once the four of us are inside, the guards position themselves behind us, ready to grab us in case something happens. 

-Where is Katherine?

She is the only thing I can think about now. I know they have her. They have to have her. Judith's eyes suddenly darken, and she lets out a laugh. It makes me shiver.

-That's the only thing you can think about, Jack? My, my, love truly has weakened you.

How dare she? Anger starts to boil inside of me. I want to punch her more than I have ever wanted to punch anyone.

-Where is she?

I demand for her to answer me. She just rolls her eyes at me, like I'm an idiot or something. Damn! If she doesn't tell me where she is, I'll break her nose apart, cuffs or not. She walks to her right, to the door with a number 8 on it, like a clock would. Instead of opening the door, she walks to the side, touches the wall and a window appears. There she is, Kath, trapped in a small white room, hands trapped in the same cuffs I'm wearing. 

-KATHERINE!

Each of us yell at the same time, but I can only hear myself. I run towards the window and I get her attention, as she was sitting in a corner staring into nothingness. Her eyes shoot up and look at me through the window, at least I hope she's looking at me. The other are right next to me, but to my surprise, she gets up and holds her hands up and touches the window, as though she were trying to get to me. I see her lips move, saying a name: Jack. She's as fine as the rest of us, but I can't help but look into Kath's eyes, the hazel color surrounded by red. She must have been crying. Judith is going to pay for this, in more ways than one. She is now standing behind us, a smug smirk across her face. I turn around and walk towards her.

-What have you done to her!? Let her go!

-Hush, hush, now. All in good time. No need to get protective over her. She's been here at least an hour already. She should have known what she would have gotten herself into. By the way, I think there are more people you would like to see.

She raises her left hand and I see a small black object in her hands. A button. She presses it and suddenly the walls are no longer walls. Their windows to rooms, the eleven rooms that were left. In room 9 is a little boy, 7 little Harry from the Orphanage, 5 Sarah, 4 a man who I'm guessing is Matthew Danford, Sarah's husband. In room 10 is Gregory Wilson. What? I thought he was in on all of this. Room 11 is President Fountaine, a sight I never thought I would see. 

-What is all this?

Akilah finally says something, after all the quiet and the processing. 

-This is where you belong, locked up, while we take care of everything else.

-Who is we?

-Always the smartypants, are ya, Akilah? While you were trying to find out why the serum was used on you, I had the chance to smuggle in a few friends from Romanotia. 

Holy Shit! This is not possible.

-I should thank you, really, for running away like that. I gave everyone the distraction I had needed for 10 years. Now, Aglaria can finally be in safer hands. 

I can't process everything at once. She's been a spy this whole time. I remember her kindness, the way she would encourage us after a hard day of training. Where did she go? 

-Guards, put them in their respective cells. 

The next thing I remember is being dragged to room 2, the door shut behind me and me weak to my knees.