Havoc (29 page)

“I'm busy!” I called.

The door creaked open anyway. I spun in my desk chair, prepared to politely tell whichever family member was currently concerned about me that I was fine.

Instead, I found Casey Delgado.

She offered me a weak smile. “Um, hi. Do you think we can talk?”

Biting my lip, I thought for a moment. These girls obviously knew something about what was going on, but they hadn't exactly been forthcoming with the info. They had attacked me. Prevented me from keeping Megan and Dalton safe.

Or at least, the others had. I remember Casey at Megan's side, holding back the flow of blood while I tried to call for help.

“Sure,” I finally said. “Come in.”

Straightening out my comforter, she took a seat, then smiled at me again. “So. I suppose we have a lot to talk about.”

“I'd say that's just a tad of an understatement.”

She laughed politely, then went serious. “My sisters don't know I'm here,” she said softly. “But I think you deserve to know what's going on. Especially after what happened behind Dalton's house.”

Leaning forward, I motioned for her to continue.

Her hand fluttered to her chest. “I mean, I don't want you to think we know everything, either. Just … Okay. The beginning. Nikki, Amy, Brittany, and I have known we have these … abilities since we were very young. Our parents trained us how to use them. I guess you didn't know about your own abilities?”

I shook my head. “Not a clue. I only just found out two weeks ago that I was even like this. I've been stumbling to find out why ever since.”

Her eyes fell, sad. “Oh. We didn't … Well, okay. Recently our parents told us to look out for other kids at school, like you, who started to act strangely. They didn't tell us exactly what that meant, but I at least kind of got the hint when you started going nuts at Mikey's party.”

“Yeah,” I muttered. “I guess that'd do it.”

Again Casey laughed politely. “Um, but we weren't sure if you were just acting that way for attention or what. Which is why my sisters have been kind of … mean. But anyway, all we were told was that once we knew who you were, we were supposed to keep you safe from … something. We didn't know entirely what that something was. I don't know why, but Amy and Nikki got it in their heads that Dalton was who we were supposed to protect, and you were what was after him. But that's not right, is it?”

Sighing, I leaned back into my chair. “Yeah, not quite. I don't know exactly what all you saw, but me and Dalton, and Spencer and Tracie for that matter, we were made into werewolves. By some company called BioZenith. You know about them?”

Casey shook her head. “No. But maybe I can ask my parents. So, but okay, you and all of them are … werewolves? That's what we were looking out for?”

I shrugged. “Guess so.”

Crossing her legs at the ankle, Casey looked down. “Anyway, I came here because yesterday I saw a friend of mine disappear into thin air. I don't know what exactly we were supposed to protect him from, but clearly we … clearly we failed.” She took in a sharp breath, then met my eyes. “So I guess I thought I should come talk to you, since it seemed like Spencer and Tracie were listening to you at the party. I'm guessing something bigger is going on than what our parents told us. And maybe together, all of us, we can stop it.”

I met Casey's eyes. They were earnest, or at least they appeared to be. After the way her sisters had treated me, I wasn't sure if I could trust anyone.

But if she was telling the whole truth, if she'd come to me in good faith, then I couldn't say no. I may have been designated an alpha for whatever reason, but clearly I couldn't figure all of this out alone. And you know what? I didn't want to. The idea of us werewolves and a bunch of psychic cheerleaders taking on some crazy scientists…

Well, frankly, the idea seemed straight out of a Syfy channel original movie. But that was my life now. And I liked the notion.

I stood up and offered Casey my hand. She stood and shook it.

“You know what, Casey?” I asked. “I wouldn't mind having some help.”

She smiled at me. “Well, good! Now we just have to convince my sisters and Nikki.”

Sitting back down in my chair, I tilted my head at Casey, suddenly full of questions. “So your sisters and Nikki, you knew about yourselves all your lives? Your parents trained you guys how to use your abilities? How? Are they telekinetic too?”

Casey shook her head. “No. My parents and Nikki's dad were all scientists years ago, so they observed us and helped us along.”

“Scientists like Dalton's dad,” I said. “And Emily Cooke's.”

Cocking an eyebrow at me, Casey tilted her head. “Oh? I didn't know that.”

“Yeah. Sounds like a pattern. I'm learning lately that patterns usually mean something.”

Biting my lip, I spun my chair toward my computer, then clicked open the files from the thumb drive Spencer had given me. Casey watched silently as I opened up the HAVOC folder and found a document called “Project Mission Statement and Personnel.”

“What is that?” Casey asked as I scanned through the document.

“We got all these files from BioZenith, where Dalton's dad works,” I explained as I read. “We've barely had a chance to go through any of them.”

“Is there anything interesting in the file you just opened?”

I shook my head, but didn't say anything. I wasn't entirely sure what I expected to find, just that I had this nagging little idea in the back of my head telling me to start here if I really wanted answers.

I held my breath and scrolled through. The first several pages were a bunch of densely overwritten scientific explanations about the project. There was discussion about the goal—to create hybrid human and animal “vespers,” whatever that meant, which would experience the world on a different level and be able to help with … something. It wasn't entirely clear. I kept seeing a word I didn't recognize pop up: Akhakhu. Mostly as part of the phrase “Akhakhu technology.”

There were links to further documents going into greater detail about the project, code-named HAVOC, but I didn't want to read that now. Instead, I scrolled down to the names of the people who were involved in the experiments.

Several familiar last names were there. Holt. McKinney. Cooke. Townsend.

And, under the heading “Project Lead”: Caroline Webb.

My mother. My mother, who I was told died when I was two, whose job was at Microsoft, not a bioengineering laboratory.

My hands went limp, and I could not look away from the screen. I'd suspected it, vaguely, but I'd hoped I wouldn't see her name there. Wouldn't see what was written beneath it.

“What is it?” Casey asked, placing a hand on my shoulder. “What does it say?”

I didn't answer. I was too busy scanning the notes under her name. Her contributions to the project. Her spearheading of the initial experiments using the “Akhakhu technology.” Her volunteering to carry to term the first “vesper” they would create.

Me.

And, at the very end, there was something more than I ever expected to see.

“Emily, what is it?” Casey asked again.

I turned to her, my eyes wide. “I think I just found out who made me like this,” I said.

Casey's eyes went wide. “Who?”

I could barely say the words. “My mother.” I paused as I turned back to the monitor. “And this says that she went …
there
, Casey. To the same place where Dalton was taken.”

“There?” Casey asked. “Where's there?”

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the document in front of me. “This is going to sound totally crazy,” I said, my voice hushed. “But I think
there
is another world, where we saw Dalton get taken. Another dimension.”

Casey blinked at me. “Another … dimension? You're right. That does sound crazy.”

Meeting Casey's eyes, I whispered, “I know. But over there my mother and Dalton might still be alive. If we can get there, we can save Dalton, and we can get some answers from the woman behind all of this.”

Leaning forward, Casey said, “You think we can go over there?” she asked. “To another world? How?”

I shook my head, my confusion fading to be replaced by a pounding anger at all the lies and deception that had apparently surrounded me my whole life.

“I don't know, Casey. But you, me, the werewolves, and the cheerleaders, we'll figure it out.” My eyes leaped back to the monitor, rereading the words
Project Lead: Caroline Webb
over and over again. “If she can find a way over there, then her daughter will, too.”

Internal Document #6
The Vesper Company

“Envisioning the brightest stars, to lead our way.”

- Internal Document, Do Not Reproduce –

Details of Video Footage Recorded Oct. 31, 2010,

Part 6

21:37:23 PST—Hall 7, Sublevel Sector E

With Vesper 1(B) in the lead, Vesper 2.1(A) and Vesper 4(B) storm the hallway, taking the guards by surprise. They are easily crippled by a combination of the two Branch B Deviants, while Vesper 2.1(A) uses her telekinesis to smash the Sentinels against a wall.

I have to recommend that these transcripts and the related video footage not get released to anyone who might spread this information to our clients. I can't imagine it would be good for our reputation.

With the guards much too easily eliminated, the Deviants bust down the door to Super Holding Cell E1.

21:45:02 PST—Super Holding Cell E1

In the corner of the padded room, contained by a straitjacket clasped with reinforced steel buckles, is an individual identified as:

—Dalton McKinney, Branch B's Vesper 3 (designated “Deviant”)

White male, 16 years old

Vesper 1(B) runs to the boy's side and struggles with the locks. Vesper 3(B) watches blankly as she works the fasteners, while the other two Deviants watch from thenhyju7nhyju7nhyju7

nhyju7nhyj

u7nhyju7n nhyju7[;p0-

‘]

\/[;n

dszk468iouy tiyowtraioy*()^&

!~ijbkd/?<%$Eeilorutjih

dsakjlsadkjsadkjlsdjkladsakjldsjkluwierotczuxio

ewuro48357HDJKUIEWRERWIUOEEUWIROåquirwø

ÔÓبˆÁiyˆÁ¨ˇˇ¨‰Áˇˇˇˇ¨ˇ^Áˆ˙©°åßdfskhfhkdsdfjsh

0000ˆ¨øøˆ¨ˆ¨øˆ¨ø¨ˆøˆø¨ˆø¨ˆ¨ø¨¥ˆ¨¥ˆ¨¥ˆ¶•ª¶•ª¶•ª•¶ª•¶ª

JJJ/#

slkdj¶•ª¶•ª¶•ª•¶ª•¶ªffgfgcfgds shjEJKFKL51412

8KIJ7HIUWGø¨ˆ¨

Hi there! Emily Webb here. A few minutes ago there was a woman here, watching movies and typing stuff. I think her name is Limon, and apparently she's been watching surveillance videos, transcribing them, and then sending them off for review. I caught her in the midst of this one. She seemed surprised to see me, since it's been a few days since we escaped. Currently Limon is running down a hallway, screaming obscenities at some friends of mine and clutching her forehead where I slammed her head against this keyboard. Quite a mouth on that one.

Also, you guys have some super-resilient computer equipment.

So I've been looking through these papers you guys have in here. There are lots and lots of details on me. You guys are basically obsessed. I mean, really, transcribing my every move through your facility? Stalker much?

Well, let me finish this one for you. After a long, exhausting trek through your mazelike buildings, and after knocking out your guards (those guys deserve a raise), we finally found Dalton. He hasn't been quite right in the head since … Well, you know. The poor boy has been through a lot.

What Ms. Limon was about to type above was probably something like this:

VesperEmily: Dalton, it's Emily. It's me. We have to get out of here, okay? We need to run.

DeviantDalton: It's too late.

VesperEmily: What is?

DeviantDalton: It's too late, Emily. They're already here. We've already lost.

Something you probably learned about me watching these tapes: I don't like to lose. So I think I'm done letting you read what happened to me. Done letting you watch me from the safety of your observation rooms.

So I'm going to hit send and let this go where it's supposed to go. Just know, from now on, Vesper Co.? It's you who gets to be in the dark. Let's see how you like it.

See you soon!

Hugs and kisses,

Emily

Part 6 of Relevant Video Footage Concluded

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

JEFF SAMPSON is the author of
VESPER
, the first book in the Deviants series. He is also a pop-culture fanatic with an abiding love of TV and movies, much like his main character, Emily. Jeff lives in Tukwila, Washington. You can visit him online at www.jeffsampsonbooks.com.

Visit
www.AuthorTracker.com
for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins authors and artists.

OTHER WORKS

VESPER

A DEVIANTS NOVEL

CREDITS

Cover art © 2012 by Ali Smith

COPYRIGHT

Balzer + Bray is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Havoc: A Deviants Novel

Copyright © 2012 by Jeff Sampson

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

www.epicreads.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data