Outside In Part 27

Hank stared at me as if he could read my thoughts. I suppressed the urge to squirm under his intense scrutiny. "Cogon told me you didn't believe in the Controllers. And you never stopped to consider our beliefs before you carelessly announced they didn't exist." He stepped closer to me. "The Controllers are just system safeguards and directives from our ancestors, you and Logan said. Do you know how upsetting that was?"

He didn't wait for my reply. "Do you even understand that when you told the scrubs Outside was not the paradise they believed in for thousands of weeks, but some airless void, you destroyed their hope of ever reaching a better place?"

"I do now."

"Too late! The damage's been done. I never gave up hope. I kept searching for them. I knew they wouldn't abandon us." He swept his hand out. "And here they are. Just like us. On a journey through Outer s.p.a.ce to find a home. And now I don't have to play nice with the Committee or you."

I glanced at Bubba Boom. "If everyone believes the Controllers are our leaders, then why did you say you needed me?"

"Because there are many like you who don't believe. And who trust your word," Bubba Boom said.

"But all you need to do is show them proof." I gestured toward the Outsiders. They moved closer. Their gait awkward. And so did Karla Trava. Oh joy. Two nightmares within easy reach.

"We don't want to spark a panic. They accepted the Committee because you endorsed them, so they'll accept the Outsiders as our Controllers as well."

Such confidence that I didn't deserve. Hank had been right about me. I hadn't considered the ramifications of my discoveries. But I did know taking out the Pop Cops had been a good thing.

"Why is Karla here?" I asked Bubba Boom.

"The Travas have been cooperating with the Controllers long before your rebellion. She helped us when they contacted us."

"Did the Travas know they're from Outside?" I asked.

"No," Karla said. "We believed they were intelligent beings living inside the computer network. The reality is far more logical."

"How did you get out of the brig?"

Bubba Boom answered. "Anne-Jade. All this time Logan's been under ouraprotection, not the Committee's. We have control of the life systems as well. Anne-Jade won't risk her brother's life. She cares too much to refuse us."

"I think Trella does, too," Hank said. "And I'm not convinced of her change in heart either."

Bubba Boom pulled me close as if to protect me. "She was taken by Jacy. Sloan tried to kill her and she understands."

"Understands what, exactly?" Hank asked.

"I understand that we need something to unite us," I said. And this I believed one hundred percent. Except my thinking skewed to uniting us as Insiders and not as servants to the Outsiders. "And I believe the Controllers will help and not hurt us."

Hank turned to Karla. "What do you think?"

"I think you should recycle her right away," she said. "She will ruin all your plans. She should never be trusted."

Bubba Boom's grip on my hand tightened. "I trust her. And Cogon loved her like a sister."

"And look how that worked out for him," Karla said.

Hank chewed on his lip. "I'll let the Controllers decide. Come with me."

It was a good thing my heart had already run away, otherwise it would have exploded in my chest from the sudden surge of terror.

Bubba Boom pried my hand from his. "It'll be okay. Just tell them the truth." He nudged me toward Hank and the Outsiders.

They waited for me to join them. I followed them into another room. When the door hissed shut, I couldn't breathe in the thin air. Gasping, I felt as if I suffocated. Panicking, I glanced around.

The room was a standard conference area with table and chairs. But big silver tanks lined the far wall and metal boxes had been stacked in the corner. Metal plates covered the air and heating vents.

Hank gestured to a chair. Once I sat, he showed me the small tank near the chair's legs and the oxygen mask. Understanding cut through the dizziness and I covered my nose and mouth with the mask, filling my lungs with thick air.

The Outsiders fiddled with clamps around their necks. A popping noise followed a whoosh and they removed their round silver helmets.

They did resemble us. Short brown hair, brown eyes, a nose, mouth and ears. But their skin had an unhealthy yellowish cast, almost like jaundice. And their expressions were far from friendly.

The Outsider on the right crinkled his nose as if he smelled something rotten. "This is sheep leader?" He spoke with a thick accent. He struggled to p.r.o.nounce each word.

Hank pulled his mask away from his face. "Yes. This is Trella Garrard."

"She looka"

"Insignificant," the other Outsider said.

"She is not. She caused much trouble for our world, but her actions enabled us to contact you."

As if I didn't feel bad enough.

Hank introduced the Outsiders. "This is Ponife." The Outsider on the right inclined his head. "And Fosord."

"What is problem?" Ponife asked Hank.

Hank explained in concise sentences how they needed me yet they doubted my sincerity. The two Outsiders conferred in a strange dialect. I could understand every fourth or fifth word.

Ponife stood and went to the stack of metal boxes. He removed the top one and set it on the floor, then rummaged in the second one. He returned with a thin silver loop, walking toward me.

"Stand, Trella Garrard," he ordered.

I glanced at Hank.

"If you truly believe, you'll do as they say," Hank said.

Escape would be difficult, considering the blocked vents, and the roomful of people between me and freedom. I rose. Ponife touched a small metal X to the loop and it opened, breaking into two half circles hinged together.

He held the broken loop out and approached me, aiming for my neck. I decided I had learned more than enough, and ducked. Running for the door, I hoped the element of surprise would be on my side when I raced through the new control room.

It wasn't. The door refused to slide open. Hank tackled me to the ground. Despite my struggles, Hank kept me pinned, and Ponife snapped the loop around my neck. It felt big at first, but the metal warmed against my skin andasoftened then tightened. Hank released me and I dove for the oxygen mask, convinced I was being choked to death.

After a few deep breaths, I realized my windpipe had not been compressed. I tried to hook a finger under the loop, but it was skin tight.

"I knew you were lying. Did Jacy send you to spy on us?" Hank asked.

"No. I panicked." I pointed to Ponife. "He scared me." I tugged on the loop. It didn't budge. "What is this thing?"

"A command collar," Ponife said. "You willalisten to us."

"But she can't be trusted," Hank said.

"No matter. She isaattached to us. We know where she go."

"She will listen ora" Fosord, who hadn't moved during the whole incident, motioned to his colleague.

Ponife twisted the metal X with his fingers. Sharp needles of pain stabbed into my neck and traveled down my spine. Unrelenting pulses of fire coursed through my body. I collapsed to the ground, shrieking. Vinco's knife had been a caress in comparison to this anguish.

The pain stopped as quickly as it had arrived. My relief was almost as intense as the pain. Hank pressed the mask to my mouth as I gasped. Shudders overwhelmed my muscles as sweat pooled. If I had to guess how it felt to be kill-zapped, I'd imagine that torment came pretty d.a.m.n close.

Hank straightened. "Impressive. Do you have more of those command collars?"

"Yes," Ponife said. "We find them to beauseful forasolving problems."

"Can I?" Hank wanted to take the X.

"No. Only Controllers canacorrect problems."

"What else can it do?" he asked.

Ponife pulled on one of the ends. Numbness spread down my body, deadening all feeling below my neck. I could only move my head.

"She isastopped," Ponife said. He flipped it around and tugged another side.

Feeling returned with a sudden flush of heat. My body tingled like I had just been kissed by Riley. It intensified as pure pleasure raced along my skin as if invisible hands stroked my body. To me, this was more humiliating than the pain.

"She isarewarded. That is all." He righted the X.

The tingling stopped, and I had control of my body. For now.

"Plus you know where she is, right? It works like a tracer?" Hank asked.

Ponife dug into the pocket of his suit. The white material creased like fabric, but crinkled like very thin metal. He pulled out a small box that resembled a hand-puter the Pop Cops had used. He opened it, displaying a miniature screen. Inserting the X into the opposite side, he pushed a few but tons. Then he showed Hank the screen.

"That's a map of level five," he said. "What are those numbers on the side?"

"Her vitals. To know if she tells untruths," Ponife said.

Just when I thought my situation couldn't get any worse, he proved me wrong.

"Can we interrogate her now?" Hank asked.

"No. She isaterrorized. You must wait until her vitals return to normal."

"How long?"

"Depends on her."

Hank yanked me off the floor and hustled me from the conference room. He pushed me toward Bubba Boom. I fell into his arms.

"What happened?" Bubba Boom asked, supporting me.

"She tricked you, boy. She's spying for Jacy," Hank said. He tossed a long thin box at Bubba Boom who caught it in midair. "Take her to the lockup. When she settles down, we're going to have a nice long chat." He returned to his post.

Bubba Boom looked at me with a pained expression, but he followed orders, half carrying me from the control room. Right before the doors closed, I spotted Karla Trava watching me with a smug smile.

I tried to explain to Bubba Boom. "It's a misunderstanding. I got scared anda""

"Hank said you're spying for Jacy."

"You believe Hank over me?" I asked.

"Yes." Then he didn't say another word.

He kept a bruising grip on my upper arm. I was really sick of being manhandled all the time. We arrived in what would be Sector D5, which should contain apartments. Except the normally open hallways had barred double doors. Bubba Boom aimed that long box at the first set. He pushed a b.u.t.ton and a click rang.

"What's this place?" I asked as he opened the gate.

"Anne-Jade had wanted more cells because of all the Travas. The Committee agreed to convert this Sector into a brig." Bubba Boom pointed his box to the first door on the right. It clicked open. This door was solid except for a panel about eye-level. "You're our first guest." He shoved me inside.

Daylights switched on as the door banged. I shot to my feet, but it was too late. There were no handles or anything on my side of the locked door. The cell was two meters wide by three meters long. A mat covered the floor near the back wall. Solid bars covered the vents. Nothing else here but a toilet.

Trapped, I experienced a sudden premonition that being kill-zapped and fed to Chomper would be a kindness in comparison to my future.

As I lay on the mat in my cell, I tugged and pulled at the loop around my neck, but it refused to budge. I doubted even Logan could remove it. Not that I could go anywhere.

There was only one thing I could do. I slid my hand into my pocket and removed Riley's sheep pendant. Dangling it over my face, I considered my next move. Should I trigger the beacon? It would probably alert Hank. And without working computers, would Riley even know I had signaled for his help?

What if he tried to rescue me and was caught? I couldn't risk him. Jacy needed him. But did they know Hank had been using level five as his own personal headquarters? Did they know two Outsiders had come in? Too many questions and no answers. My emotions flipped from terrified to worried and back again.

One thing I did know. I trusted Riley. He was smart and wouldn't be as easy to catch as I had been. At least that was the reason I clung to in desperation as I pressed the sheep, sending the signal.

I waited for Hank to arrive and confiscate my pendant, but as the hours pa.s.sed, I slowly relaxed. Eventually, I lost track of the time. It seemed so long ago when Bubba Boom had arrived in the infirmary around hour eight of week number 147,026. Would the Outsiders repair the Transmission and resume our journey?

The click of the lock startled me from my musings. I shoved my pendant back into my pocket as Hank and one of the Outsidersa"I couldn't tell with his helmet ona"entered my tiny cell. I noted Bubba Boom's absence. The door closed behind them. Ice-cold fear spread inside me. This would be painful.

Hank questioned me and Ponife played with the metal X. The interrogation went something like this: Hanka""What is Jacy up to?"

Mea""I don't know."

Ponife (with a mechanical sounding voice)a""An untruth." He twisted the X.

I screamed in pain.

Hanka""What is Jacy up to?"

Mea""I don't know."