Page 79

24

A hammer poundedagainst my temple from the inside. At least that’s what it felt like as my eyes strained to flicker open. At first I thought I hadn’t succeeded, but then I realized that wherever I was, was pitch black.

I groaned against the pain in my head and automatically reached for my temples, when I realized my hands wouldn’t move. The world around me came into sharper focus, at least for my senses other than sight. Ropes bit at my wrists and ankles. I seemed to be suspended in the air by another rope that wrapped around my middle. I wiggled as hard as I could, but all I managed to do was make myself swing in cool, open air.

Wherever I was it smelled like dead fish.

“Where am I?” I demanded, and my voice echoed back to me.

“Interesting, though predictable,” the computer said. “It is simple psychology. Self-preservation takes precedence over the welfare of others.”

My stomach twisted, and I fought the urge to hurl. “Where’s Mason?” I asked, horrified that the computer was right.

“He is near but unable to speak at the moment. It would sully the results of the first experiment.”

“You can experiment on me all you want,” I said. “Let him and the others go.”

“Do you honestly think I will believe your lies, Miss Meadows?”

“I’m not lying,” I said. “I’ll do anything.”

“Why don’t we test that then?” the computer mused. “Welcome to the experiment. It is imperative I see what effect extreme fear has on physiological and emotional drives.”

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, now spinning in place.

“I am obeying my programming,” the computer answered. “I must make it as safe as possible for humans.”

Blinding light exploded everywhere, and I pressed my eyes closed with a groan, trying to get used to it before opening them again.

I wished I had kept them closed.

I was suspended from the glass ceiling of what was clearly a large room inside the aquarium. The first thing my eyes focused on was the great white shark circling across from me in swirling water behind the thick, blue glass. Fish of all sizes moved around me, above, and even below. I’d never made it this far in before. I’d never seen that the floor became part of the exhibit, fully immersing the visitor in the ocean.

My mouth went dry. My vision blurred. My chest cramped.

“Specimen ceased verbal communication,” the computer said.

I rotated slowly on the rope. Everywhere I looked, my worst fears surrounded me. I couldn’t breathe. I was sure of it. I was in the ocean, suffocating.

Then I twisted enough to see Mason. He was in what looked like a glass coffin, pounding on the inside, face red from screaming that I couldn’t hear.

“What are you doing?” I forced out the words, closing my eyes as I spun to the point where he was out of view. “What is this? What do you want?”

“Subject has found her voice again. Perhaps because of closed eyelids.”

I counted the seconds and opened my eyes to find Mason before me again, face red, but still, hands pressed against the glass, oceans of fear in his eyes.

“I want to know how far you will go to save him.”

“I’ll do anything. You said so yourself.”

“Ah, but my analysis shows that the outcome becomes less certain when we add certain variables. For safety and protection purposes, I must understand the extent human outliers like yourself will put themselves at risk. Tell me, Miss Meadows, how is your head?”

“It hurts,” I breathed. It was hard to focus on anything, just to close my eyes, count, and reopen again when Mason was in sight.

“It will grow worse by the minute. I calculate approximately fifty minutes until you pass out from the pain.”

“How do you know?” I asked.