Free Minds

Chapter 25.

"That's what we were trying to tell you!" Camila yelled at the same time the door slammed shut behind Dorian and me.

"Try the door!" Rav cast a worried glance over our shoulders.

   We rushed to do so. It was hard to believe that the door we had just come through was sealed like a steel trap.

"It's locked!" The panic laced with my loud response matched everyone else's reaction.

   We all tried to avoid the glow of the light which emanated from the completely black bite-sized cube box at the centre of the room by backing into a corner. All efforts were in vain, however, when its bright beam began to move across the room, widening into a paper-like sheet as it did so.

"What the hell is it doing?" Dorian murmured from the back.

"Scan completed." An authoritative, masculine voice from the cube engulfed the bunker. "Analysis of biographies available. Aarav Hooda, 16 years of age, 35th Platinum Street..."

   We stared at Rav when the voice went on to reveal his address, race and creed.

"Camila Mendez, 16 years, 21st Term Street-"

"Someone do something!" She shrieked over the electronic voice mentioning her details.

"Beth Simmons, 16 years, the Classic Suburb of Ridgeton, African-"

"Quick, look for something to break this thing!" Rav bellowed.

   After Rav's eyes travelled round the bunker for a short while, he broke away from the cluster we had still formed in the corner. The rest of us looked on as he acquired Camila's infamous head concussioning stick. I let out an audible gasp when he shoved it into my hands in a rushed panic.

   For some reason though, my body was instantly responsive and took action. It was a blur after I laid the first hit on the flashing device. Once I began, however, the only thing that could make me stop was when the room turned dark and the device was finally soundless.

   Knowing hands held mine to slowly pry the battered stick from my death grip.

"You got it," Dorian said. "It's okay."

"Let's get out of here," Camila breathed. Her face, like ours, was coated with profuse sweat.

"The door is still refusing to budge!" Aarav, who had returned to the door, could barely keep his composure as he fumbled with its handle.

"Do you realise how ridiculous you all are?"

   Our worst fears were heightened when we traced the unidentifiable speaker to the shattered cube.

"You actually think your two drones and sorry excuse of a plan is enough to stop the inevitable future."

   I frowned. This recent voice wasn't the continuation from the other that just spoke. It was masculine sounding alright, but didn't have the authoritative huskiness.

"Guys," Dorian did not look or sound good as he revealed, "That's one of my classmates' voices."

"My micro cams have been recording your juvenile attempts from day one..."

   It wasn't the same voice speaking. The other male had now been replaced by a feminine drawl.

"That's a girl from my Alien Studies class," Rav choked, leaving his position at the exit to come closer to the cube. "What the hell is going on?"

"The Yunitides are using the voices of the students to get their message across!" I raved. "They can't speak, remember?"

   How stupid were we to think the Yunies didn't know we were under their noses the whole time? We had been so busy trying to break into the devil's den, we didn't realise we were already in it. Deep.