Page 37 of Captured Immune

7

ARELLA

I’mfirm in my refusal to call my grandma. Eventually, Trey and Katie give up asking. Trey simply hands my phone back to Katie, and then she tells him to leave. At first, he hesitates, but eventually, he shuffles toward the door.

On his way out, I catch a glimpse of the big guy guarding my exit. He looks like the white version of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. I don’t know how I’m going to escape with that man around. I can’t take him on. He’s triple my size.

When the door shuts, Katie flashes me a gentle smile. “Are you allergic to anything?”

My response is automatic. “Liars and people who don’t use their blinker.”

She giggles, covering her mouth with a hand. “I’m glad you can still make jokes, given how scared you must be, but I was asking if you have any food allergies.”

She’s wrong. I’m not scared. I’m terrified. I’m making jokes because it’s keeping me centered. Otherwise, I might be hyperventilating in the fetal position right now.

“No allergies,” I say.

“Excellent. I’ll be right back.”

She leaves and returns a few minutes later with a food tray in hand. On it is a bowl of cereal, some milk in a glass, an apple, and a granola bar.

She sets it onto my lap. “Eat up.”

“No.”

She frowns at the food. “Do you not care for Cheerios?”

“I don’t care to eat any offerings from criminals.”

This girl has theaudacityto look offended. “I haven’t committed any crimes. You don’t have to eat if you don’t want to, but for your information, lunch doesn’t start in the cafeteria for another three hours. Judging by what’s on your schedule today, I think you’re gonna want all the energy you can get.”

I don’t like the sound of that. “What’s going to happen to me?”

Katie doesn’t answer with her mouth, but the pity in her eyes tells me all I need to know.

I glance at the food, then back up at her. I’m about to ask if it’s poisoned but figure if it is, at least I won’t have to endure whatever it is they’ve got planned for me, so I pick up the apple and take a bite.

My breakfast is long gone by the time Katie’s iPad chimes. She leaps off her chair and plucks that precious metal key out of her pocket. “It’s time.”

“For what?” I have a good feeling that whatever she’s got to say next won’t be good.

“To take you downstairs. Before I uncuff you, I wanna tell you that your stay here will be more comfortable if you don’t try to run. The last person tried and was put into a straitjacket. Those things are uncomfortably heavy. I don’t think you want that.”

The last person?That means I’m not the first. If that’s the case, what happened to the others? Do I even want to know?

Katie continues, “I was the one who suggested not restraining you at all. I told Victor it would help you be more agreeable. He wasn’t fond of that idea, so we compromised with restraining only one of your arms instead. I know you don’t have any reason to trust me, but I sure hope you won’t purposely ruin my chances of proving to my boss that I can have good ideas. So, do you think you can be agreeable?”

“I’ll be agreeable if you give me back my necklace.”

For the second time, Katie shoots me a firmshut uplook. It quickly disappears and fades into a warm smile. “Glad you’re promising to behave. Now let’s get you downstairs.”

This girl is either a psychopath or she’s up to something. Maybe she’s both. She’d better not think I’m going to simply brush off that she stole my necklace. It doesn’t matter that the man who gifted it to me is a... well, I’m not sure what he is. A spy? A secret agent from another universe? Whatever he is, I still want my necklace back.

Katie leads me down the hallways, passing a plethora of numbered rooms like in an apartment complex. The big guy who was guarding my door follows closely behind me. After a few turns, we pass what looks like a community area across from a cafeteria. A few people are scattered around the tables, typing on laptops.

In the elevator, I make a mental note that there are six floors. I also note that they’re keeping me captive on the second one. Katie presses the 1 button, and then the doors slide together.

Katie cuddles her iPad close to her chest as the machine takes us down. I’ll bet there are lots of important things on that device. Like incriminating notes, names of all the secret agents here, and a way for me to send for help. I’ve got to get that iPad from her.

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