Michael Vey: Rise Of The Elgen Part 35

"Yes," I said.

"I know some places in Italy where we can hide, if you can get me out of here."

"We're not in Italy," Taylor said.

"Where are we?"

"Peru," I said.

His eyes widened. "Peru? How did I get in Peru?"

"We don't know," I said. "But we'll take you with us. Can you walk?"

"I don't know. I thought I was still in Italy. Who knows how long they've had me hooked up to that machine."

Zeus walked over and took his arm. "C'mon, buddy. I'll help you up." He helped Tanner to his feet.

"What about the other prisoners?" Taylor asked.

"We don't have time to rescue everyone," Jack said. "We get Michael's mom and get out of here."

"He's right," I said. "Every minute we're here the more danger we're in." I turned to Taylor. "We're going to go look for my mom now. If you can find a way to shut this plant down, do it. Otherwise, be ready to go."

I looked at Ostin. "Taylor's in charge. Work together. We'll be back in less than an hour."

"Michael," Taylor said.

"Yes."

She put her arms around me. "Hurry back."

"Of course. Keep everyone safe." I lowered my visor. "Let's go, guys."

Ian and Jack pushed down their visors as well. "Hasta luego, baby," Jack said.

We left them standing inside the prison.

The three of us walked out of the Starxource building into the blinding Peruvian sunshine. Ian hadn't exaggerated; there were guards everywhere.

"That's the Reeducation building," I said, gesturing with my head.

"I've got the key," Ian said.

"We just don't know what it's good for," I said.

Near the Re-Ed door was a guard sitting inside a cylindrical booth.

"Ian, is there another way in?" I asked.

"Through the a.s.sembly hall, but it's worse. There are two guards at the door and about fifty just walking around."

"I say we try curtain number one," Jack said.

"What's the booth made of?"

Ian shook his head. "Plastic. All plastic."

"Great."

"Maybe he'll just let us in," Jack said.

"It's worth a try," I said.

We approached the building, pretending to be talking to one another. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the guard in the booth drinking from a metal Thermos. He set it down as we walked past him to the door. "Hey!" he shouted.

I turned back. "Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

I looked at his name tag. "Lieutenant c.o.x, we're here for our shift," I said.

He stared at me dully. "There's no shift change at this hour."

"We were told to report here," Ian said. "We were just rea.s.signed from the gate."

"Who rea.s.signed you?"

When none of us answered, the man's eyes narrowed. "Let me guess. Anderson."

I glanced at Ian, and he shook his head.

"Come on," I said. "Don't make me name names. We're just doing as we were told."

"So it is Anderson. That's the third time this month that idiot's done this. I'm writing him up."

"All right," Jack said. "Do what you need to do, but we've got to get in before we're written up."

"All right." He pushed a b.u.t.ton and a lock on the door buzzed. Jack quickly grabbed the door and pulled it open.

"Hold up, there. I still need your IDs."

We glanced back and forth at each other. The only ID we'd found in our guard uniforms was in Ian's pocket, and the photo was of an Asian guard.

I reached into my pocket, digging around in the empty s.p.a.ce. "I must have left it back at the gate."

"What do you mean, you left it? No one forgets their ID. You know the penalty for not having it with you. You better find it before you're caught or I turn you in." He looked at Ian and Jack. "You two, show me yours."

Ian glanced at me. "Sure," he said. He reached into his pocket and brought out the ID. I looked back at the guard.

"C'mon," I said. "Lieutenant c.o.x doesn't have all day."

"You got that right."

I put Ian's ID on the counter upside down and slid it partway through the opening in the window. As c.o.x reached for it, I magnetically pulled his metal thermos over, spilling the liquid. The fluid rushed out over his hands and down the front of the counter, giving me the conductivity I needed. I put my hand in the liquid and pulsed as hard as I could. Electricity flashed and c.o.x collapsed to the ground.

I looked back at Jack and Ian. "We've got to hurry. I don't know how long he'll be out."

Jack held the door for us as we rushed inside. The interior of the building looked like a large elementary school with video monitors and screens everywhere. A strange noise played over the intercom system.

"They're in pink," Ian said, looking at a row of inmates.

"Welcome to Looneyville," Jack said.

"What kind of prison is this?" I asked.

"Reeducation," Ian said. "It's where they brainwash you. Hatch was experimenting with brainwashing at the academy."

In spite of all the cameras, we moved through the facility undisturbed. I turned to Ian. "Where is she?"

Ian casually looked around. "I think I found her. End of the second hall to our right."

My heart jumped. I couldn't believe she was so close.

"Don't stare," I said to Jack, who looked fascinated by what he was seeing.

"Don't gulp," Jack replied.

"Sorry," I said, taking a few deep breaths to calm myself. We walked slowly down the hall, then, when no one was around, strode up to the door. "This is it?" I asked Ian.

"She looks like the picture," Ian said. "Mostly."

I could guess what he meant. Ian ran the key we'd taken from the guard over the magnetic pad: A light flashed green, and we heard the sound of the lock turning.

I pulled open the door. It was dark inside, but I recognized what I was looking at-it was the same room Hatch had shown me on the monitor at the academy when I was ordered to electrocute Wade. Inside the cell was a metal cage. The prisoner huddled in the corner of the cell looked small and feeble, but there was no mistaking who she was. She was my mother.

"Mom," I said, running toward the cage.

She flinched when she saw me, then scooted herself as far back from us as possible. "Leave me alone."

I took off my helmet. "Mom. It's me."

She leaned forward, her eyes blinking rapidly. "Stop it!" she said. "Enough of your tricks."

"It's no trick. We're here to get you out."

"How dare you use my boy against me. How dare you?"

"Mom, I'm real. Ask me something. Ask me something no one else would know."

Her eyes narrowed. "What's my son's favorite place to eat?"

"Mac's Purple Pig Pizza Parlor and Piano Pantry," I said.

"You're a fake. My son would never call it that."

What was I thinking?

"It's PizzaMax," I said. "I call it PizzaMax. We went there on my birthday."

"So did Hatch."

"Ask me something else."

"Leave me alone."

"Mom. Please." My voice was pleading. "Please believe me."

"Quit calling me that."

"It's me. Don't you know your own son?"

Her expression softened a little. "What did I give you for your birthday?"

"Dad's watch."

She shook her head. "No. I already told you that one. I told you. What does the engraving on the watch say?"

My eyes welled up. "'I love you forever.'"

This time my answer seemed to reach her. "How do you know that?"

"Because I read it every day." I pulled back my sleeve to reveal the watch.

I saw the doubt leave her eyes. "Michael," she said.

She scooted herself forward and I ran to her, putting my arms through the cage. "Oh, Michael," she said.

"We've got to get you out of here, before they catch us."

"How? There are guards everywhere."

"We're going to dress you as a guard, then we're going to walk out the front door."

Suddenly a light started blinking on a black box on the top of the cage. A feminine automated voice said, "Code required. Please input code. Arming capacitor. Commencing countdown. Twenty-five, twenty-four, twenty-three . . ."

"What's that?" I asked.

Her eyes showed her fear. "It's an alarm, it needs to be shut off when you come in. Do you know the code?"