Freak of Nature

chapter Nineteen



Kaitlyn sat on her bed with her arms wrapped around her legs, lost in thought. She’d been in the same position for over an hour—since she returned from the meeting—but had barely noticed the passage of time.

Back and forth emotions pulled her in different directions. Could Harrington convince the buyer to allow Lucas to be a part of the package? If not, she’d be starting a new life all over again. Her sensors picked up on Lucas down the hall, moving quickly in her direction, but she was too worried to care. Soon, she could be gone. He was probably coming to take her away now.

Lucas rushed into her room without bothering to knock. “We have to get you out of here, now.”

Kaitlyn jumped to her feet. She noted the black rucksack in one hand and a pile of clothing in the other. “What happened?”

“Harrington caved. He’s willing to give you over as long as he gets credit for you. I really thought he would stick to his guns on this. You should have heard him the other night. I know he doesn’t want to give you up, but he thinks it’s the only option.”

She glanced up at the camera.

“Disabled. For now. Hurry, Kate. We don’t have much time.” Lucas handed her the change of clothing. “Put these on.”

“Where will I go?” she asked, clutching the all-black clothing to her chest as she stared at him.

“As far away from this place as possible. I have money saved up. You can start over.”

“Start over? Without you?” It felt like someone was pressing on her chest and she couldn’t breathe.

“It’s for the best. They’ll turn you into a killer, Kate. I can’t stand the thought of that. I’m not going to let it happen.”

Kaitlyn dropped the pile of clothes on her bed. She stepped forward, cupping his face in her hands. His eyes were wild. “I don’t want to leave you.”

She rose on her tiptoes to kiss him in an attempt to calm him. And for a moment, his heart rate slowed. The rucksack he held hit the floor with a thud, and he pressed his body against hers. As the kiss deepened, he grasped her by both arms and pushed her away.

“Kate, don’t you get it? Either way, you leave me. They will never allow us to be together. They want someone with no ties, no emotions. Now that I know you can feel, I can’t allow them to do this to you. I don’t care if I lose my job or get sent to jail.” His gaze swept across her face as if he was drinking in the sight of her and he plunged his hands into her hair. “I can’t let them have you.”

“Where would I go? I don’t exactly blend in,” Kaitlyn murmured, her hands resting on his chest, her mind filtering through all the information.

“You can blend in, Kate. You just have to wear long clothing to cover what we’ve done to you. Don’t get in long conversations with people. Keep to yourself.”

“It won’t work, and you know it,” Kaitlyn said. “You’re shaking, and that’s why.” She covered his hands with her own. “There is no way out of this for me. I should just go, Lucas. It’s not worth you getting in trouble. It’s too big of a risk.”

“It’s my risk to take. You have to try. Please, Kate.”

She bit her lip, scanning her mind for options. “Do you have a plan?”

“Of course. But, Kate… I can’t know where you are. If I know, I will look for you. I can’t lead them to you. They’ll watch me, they’ll watch all of us once you escape.”

Escape. The word sounded so foreign to her. She reluctantly stepped away from his warm embrace and tugged off the clothes she wore. She could feel Lucas’s eyes on her as she dressed in the black pants and pulled the long sleeved black shirt over her head. “What about the GPS?”

“I’m going to fry it. They won’t be able to track you. As long as you stay out of the limelight.”

“Limelight?” Kaitlyn frowned.

Lucas smiled sadly. “Just don’t get caught.”

He pulled her close and kissed her deeply, as if he only had a moment left to live. It literally took her breath away.

“I still don’t know how you do that to me,” she said against his lips, stealing one more kiss.

He brushed a strand of her hair out of her face. “Whatever you feel is magnified by a thousand for me. God, I’m going to miss you.” His voice was hoarse.

Kaitlyn opened her mouth to argue such a thing was not statistically possible, but something overrode the reaction. She realized without having to be told that he was just being sweet. But was it her computer that recognized the sentiment, or the real Kate?

“Kate, I’m going to do something I should have done a long time ago. I hope you can forgive me for all I’ve taken from you.”

“Lucas don’t say that, none of this is your fault. You were just a pawn in Harrington’s game.”

“Shh.” He pressed his finger to her lips. “Turn around.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m giving you your past back. Memories of your old life.”

Kaitlyn’s breathing hitched and she paused in the act of turning to look at him seriously. “My real life? Human life?”

Lucas nodded. “I programmed it so that your memories won’t hit you for thirty minutes. That should give you more than enough time to get off the compound.”

“But how? I thought they were gone…”

He closed his eyes, pained. “Not gone, Kate. Saved to a hard drive and taken away from you.”

“They saved my memories?”

Opening his eyes, he said, “No. I did.”

Kaitlyn couldn’t stop her jaw from dropping. “Do they know?”

He shook his head.

“Why would you save them?”

“Because I cared about the girl you were before you came to us.” Before she could ask another question, Lucas went on. “I can’t take you through this time. I need an alibi once they realize you’ve escaped. It will give you more time. I’ll have to sound the alarm when Harrington sends me to pick you up, and I find the room empty.”

Pivoting on the balls of her feet, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him in for one last kiss. The thought of never tasting his lips on hers again made her feel hollow. “Thank you.” A small part of her was annoyed that he had her memories the whole time, but she pushed the thought aside. He was risking so much for her.

Once they broke away, Lucas looked at her sadly. She wondered if his heart was hurting as much as hers. “Let me implant the chip to override the commands. I wish I had known you then, Kaitlyn.”

Kaitlyn hesitated, and then slowly, she turned around. He pulled down her shirt and kissed her neck. There was an audible click and she felt a pinch as something was inserted into her mainframe.

“Okay, it’s done.”

She turned to face him, and he handed her an iPhone. Kaitlyn had never seen one before, but it would be easy enough to figure out.

“There are maps on here and access to information. The phone is not traceable. If you need information, double click on the round button and speak into the phone, asking it what you need.”

Kaitlyn looked at him like he was crazy. “You want me to talk into the device, and it will answer me?”

“I know it sounds silly, but it really works.”

“Where am I going to go?”

“I-I don’t know. Just trust your instincts. Remember, try not to draw attention to yourself. Harrington will not stop looking for you.”

“I don’t want to say goodbye.”

“It’s the only way.” He whispered. “Don’t underestimate the guards, Kate, they know what they’re doing.”

She shot him a look. “I’ll be fine. I’m quite efficient, thanks to IFICS.”

Lucas looked down at the floor. A flush of red covered his cheeks. “I’ll still worry about you. Every day.”

Kaitlyn reached for his hand and entwined his fingers in hers. His hand was large and warm in her own; it felt so natural. How could she walk away from him? And Quess?

“Quess!” she blurted out.

“I’ll tell her you’re safe, but you have to go. Now.” Lucas picked up the rucksack and handed it to her. “Don’t kill anyone getting out. The guards are just doing their job. They all respect you. I think some have even grown to like you.”

“No collateral damage. I’ll get out without loss of life.” She nodded and slung the bag over her shoulders.

Lucas peeked out the door first and motioned for her to follow. They hurried down the empty hallway. At the back door, Lucas came to an abrupt stop. “I have to go back to the lab so I’m seen.”

“I’ll never be able to repay you for giving me my freedom back. I will find you again,” Kaitlyn told him, her heart pounding.

Lucas’s eyes glistened under the fluorescent lights. “Goodbye, Kate. I’ll never forget you.”

Pushing the metal door open, Lucas hurried to the right, and Kaitlyn silently took off to the left, blending into the night. Her night vision kicked in, and her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. She had to admit the technology came in handy. At first, it had taken her a bit to get used to, but now it felt no different than her day sight. It was an advantage the guards did not have, at least not automatically like she did. They would have to go to the supply closet and pick up night vision goggles, buying her more time.

Kaitlyn knew the location of all the guards, and she also knew that at any minute they would be alerted that she had escaped. She had to act fast.

She flitted across the campus, aiming for the far reaches of the compound. It only took five minutes before she heard crashing in the bushes behind her. The erratic bouncing of flashlight beams danced around her, followed by excited yelling. Lucas must have sounded the alarm.

A bullet whizzed past her ear. She heard it thump as it hit the grass. They’d spotted her! It took all of her self-control not to turn around and break the guard’s neck. Lucas had told her no death. She ran in a zigzag pattern—typical of her training. It was hard to hit a moving target. Let alone at her speed.

Vectoring in through her location sensors, Kaitlyn found the nearest wall almost four hundred meters away. So close. She increased her speed, legs and arms pumping, breaths equal and strong. Just a little further, and she would be free.

Don’t think. Just move. Let your body do what it was made to do.

The high fence loomed before her. Skidding to a stop, she tossed her bag over. One quick glance behind her, and she scaled the fence. Once she was close to the barbwire she jumped over, her arms flailing as she fell towards the ground. She hit the ground, bending her knees and tucking in her elbows to absorb the impact.

With one last glance behind her, Kaitlyn shrugged her rucksack on. Her heart constricted and an aching pain filled her chest. So that was what pain felt like, she thought sadly.

Move, Kaitlyn scolded herself and took off in a full sprint, disappearing into the night as if she’d never existed.