‘Saving Darla’, that was the theme given to Maximillian Coultron III Dinner. All the people who supported and worked for the mission attended were on an Invite Only List. Private meetings and plans would be laid out for their next ‘step’ into ‘better’ services for the patients. And of course, the main agenda on the list, to find a cure. At all costs. Ironically, it also marked a complete full year of my existence in the Southern Home, a full year of my death, as my parents would have remembered me by. A full year of nothing but a life filled with torture and yet at the same time, a full year of gathered determination and spirit to fight to our death. Tonight, would be the turning point in our mission. - The librarian was David, a fellow patient of the Darla Home and safely enough, a member of his team. “I hear the storm is coming in tonight, may I recommend you a lovely read to keep yourself occupied?” David mocked, trying his best to sound like a trained, English butler. Eric laughed a little as he moved away from the window, pulling himself away from the calming view of the dark ocean that spread beyond the confinement of the home. The soft gentle sound of small waves hitting the shore. The lapping sound it made and the salty air that always soothed his troubles away. He wanted to go back there and consumed himself in it, wishing that he didn’t have to bother about anything else. The thought vanished as quickly as it had came. He knew better, this was his calling. “Just for tonight, I’ll take your recommendation.” David handed the black and blue paperback book to him. The picture was of the blue sky and what looked like a stretch of road, the background was black, giving it a dark edge. “Tell No One, it’s really…informative.” David winked, his dull blue eyes lighten up a little with a small smile that threatened to spread wider as if in hope. “And I expect it should be.” David nodded and left the room with the wheeled cart of books, he listened to his soft whistle slowly fading along the corridor, the soft knock on the next room and David’s voice cheerfully asking the occupant if he cared for a little reading. The same ‘storm’ prediction was retold. He went straight to his study table and put on his glasses, sitting on the wheeled chair, opened up the book. A sticky note greeted him on the first page, with a neat handwriting splashed on it in blue ink. ‘Eric, I especially enjoyed page 281 the most. Hope you like the read too. Nick.’ He smiled at the note. If I had known any better, I’m like stuck in a spy movie, his heart whispered. Turning straight to the intended page, he found a neatly folded piece of paper tucked nicely in between the pages. He took it out and then paused. He tucked it back in and went straight for the door. Slowly, he pushed the door closed and locked it. Feeling secure, he turned his attention back to the letter. Again, the same neat handwriting greeted him. Kevin and gang definitely had a lot of planning done. - He doesn’t know where the energy came from but he wasn’t about to stop and wonder. He was only grateful that he had it. Perhaps it was the growing tension that was dwelling in the pit of his stomach, that dangerous excitement of knowing that the actions he was doing could possibly kill him. The thrill. “Brian, slow down for God’s sake!” Nick whispered loudly a few steps behind him. He smirked, quickly being reminded of times when they were still in high school and had planned to skip a lesson together. Nick was a year his junior and was still conscious about going against the school’s rules. If we keep up with your pace wussy, it would be the principal and not AJ waiting for us by the gates, he had replied back then. That had immediately made his young friend sped off. “Slow down? But we’re so damn close Nick!” He replied, careful to duck even lower when they reached a row of windows by the side. There might be securities on the other side, who knows? He wondered where the cramps had gone to. It was amazing to know that he could still crouch like that. He heard his laboured breaths and concern etched on his heart once again. He slowed down and turned back to look at his friend. The hallway was dark and it was difficult to read the expression on his face. “Are you okay?” “I’m fine…just slow down, you’re not any better off than me.” Nick had replied in between catching his breath. “I don’t know what’s got into me Nick, I’m too hyped!” “You need to lay off those sugars.” Nick had scoffed in the dark and Brian could almost see his smirk. They continued, knowing that this was the only one time where opportunity was on their side. They have to get their hands on those files before it’s too late. Phase 4. We’re here, his heart whispered. He prayed that Kevin had taken care of security by that time or they would be faced with some serious problems. Dark hallways, tensed silence and chilling air that seemed to get a tight grip on his lungs. It was difficult to breath, more so due to the anxiety than anything else. If he survived this, he would made it a point to show everyone out there how it feels like to be in that room. One day, he promised, he will reveal this sinful secret to everyone. “Nick, are you ready?” Gone were the murky river of his thoughts and he found himself staring back at his friend stood facing him. Brian hadn’t been this energetic ever since he could remember. Even early that morning he was contented to be confined to bed all day, his muscles were sore and walking was something he wasn’t looking forward to entirely. Now, the same Brian was cutting in front of him and leading them to this room. “I’m fine, do you have to be so redundant Bri?” He joked, hoping to lighten up the situation. One false move and they’ll be as good as dead. “If you hadn’t choose right now to space out, I wouldn’t be.” Brian had rebut; he ignored this comment, realising that it was true. He stared at the different shapes and sizes of the sharp tools and wondered if they even know how to use it to their advantage. Picking out the biggest, he handed it to Brian. “Start picking locks.” Brian had actually grinned at him. He was indeed hyped about the whole secret agent thing they were joking about earlier on. “I thought you’d never ask!” - In the back of our minds, there was a united voice of concern always warning us about the dangers and risks we were taking that night. It presented to us scenes after scenes of what could go wrong and what would happen to us should it did. This voice was a voice of caution and at the same time, a voice that could break our wall of determination and confidence and break us down. It was up to us to unravel the layers and take with us the positive vibe and discard the negatives. For Brian and I, the thrill of doing something adventurous, out of the norm and knowing that it could very well save our lives, were the things that kept us going. Through the cold, dark night armed with two double A battery charged flashlights, we grope the angry darkness and found our destination. The files were easily accessed since no one would have thought any of us had the guts to do what we did. And we got away with the copies, no problems at all. It was refreshing to see Brian that lively. I almost forgot how fast he could actually walk. The thousand watt smile he always flash around and the warmth and comfort he carried with him wherever he went. That night, surrounded by unknown risks and the familiar fears, I saw the Brian I once knew and loved as a friend. Will I ever see that again when we wake up tomorrow morning? The question etched somewhere inside of me. I didn’t even bother wondering for the answer, I knew very well what it would be. And I’d do anything just to prevent that little voice inside of me from screaming them out. - The advantage of being in charge of the Home was having the responsibility to all the keys and the security systems. Except for highly accessible places such as the ‘torture chamber’ to Phase 4 and the still mysterious Phase 5 and a few labs, he could go anywhere else. It was also a good thing that Phil the security guard was on his side. Just a little adjustments and Brian and Nick were ready to be the out of place lock-picker in the world. He smiled triumphantly as he saw their figures exiting the Phase 4 room, copied documents hastily shoved under their shirts. The door was locked again, as if it had not been broken into. “Sneaky devils!” Phil chuckled as he monitored them through the video. “Remember to erase that bit okay?” Kevin reminded him. They might have made it, but he wouldn’t let his guards down until all operations turned out a success. He had calculated and speculated every little detail of their plans just to ensure no last minute glitches from happening and yet, that churning feeling he felt at the pit of his stomach wouldn’t go away. The cold sweat that kept oozing out of his forehead and body and his clammy, cold hands; all of which presented the unspoken fear that was dwelling and growing in him. “Don’t worry, consider it done.” Phil replied confidently. “What’s taking Brad and Howie so long?” Kevin turned his gaze out the window, the silver coin of the moon offering it’s light to those who hated darkness brought no sense of comfort in him at all. “I don’t know…they should be here by now.” The plan was to have Howie and Brad made a duplicate of all the keys Kevin had got his hands on. It was simple, just some defroze dough from the kitchen and a little push of the key into it would make a perfect imprint of the original. Once that was done, it would be Mark’s job to pass it over to Josh, who was supposed to drive out to the hospital for new patience by nine. And all will be left for Josh to make the duplicates in between doing his job. It had seemed so easy when he had came up with the ideas. It was easier writing it down on paper. It was easy explaining it to everyone and having them understood what he wanted. But now, it sure looked difficult. He had not anticipated in having cold feet at the very last minute and cold feet he had. What if they were caught? What would happen to these kids? His cell phone rang. Almost dropping the phone to the ground, he recovered himself quickly and answered it. “Kevin, I’ve got something. But I need a sample of blood to prove this and it has got to be type O+, and fresh.” It was AJ and he was straight to the point. “Where are you?” He whispered. “I’m in Coultron’s office, he-” “You’re what! AJ, get your ass out of there! His guards are everywhere, they’re gonna blow your cover off!” “Chill Kev. The lists are with me, ready to go. But like I said, I need a tube of blood from any of the patient with type O+. And it has to be tonight, I’ll have to meet you somewhere. Get the blood and I’ll be in touch soon.” Click. No explanation, nothing. “Damnit!” “Not the kind of words we’d like to hear after busting our asses like that, but anyway, thanks for covering them.” Kevin looked up and found Brian and Nick standing at the entrance of the security room. Brian had a misplaced grin on his face. It had been awhile since he last saw him smile, it felt weird now. The smile. “Don’t mind him, I think someone gave him sugar or caffeine by mistake.” Nick joked as he limped his way in. Limped. Will he ever walk straight again? Whatever had they done to him in that room? Nick never told him. He was sure he never told it to anyone else either. When he’s ready, he’ll tell, he had assured himself. One day. “AJ just called.” Kevin said. “And he needs a sample of O+ blood by tonight.” “That wasn’t on the plan.” Nick frowned. “What the hell is he up to?” “Maybe Doctor Martin needs it last minute.” Kevin reasoned. “He was supposed to meet her this morning for those names.” Brian shook his head, the frown on his forehead matched Nick’s. “No, there must be something more to it. AJ don’t just change plans last minute and not explain about it.” “I second that.” Nick nodded his head. Kevin sighed. What to do? What to do? Decisions. “Okay, I’ll get the dirt when I meet him later…somehow…” Kevin mumbled. “Right now, where the hell can I get the blood?” “The Lab.” Phil replied, pointing towards the room from the monitor. “Which is off limits to even you Kev.” “I know.” Kevin sighed. “Besides, he specifically asked for fresh blood. Beats me.” Nick shook his head. “No, we’re doing great so far, we can’t spoil this. If AJ wants the blood, then we’ll give it to him. I trust him that much.” - “We’ve got five minutes left before Josh leave.” Mark said as he watched Howie and Brad did their magic. “Don’t rush the man.” Brad said calmly, eyes fixated on the job at hand. “Damn this is harder than I thought.” “The dough is too lumpy!” Howie groaned. “You tell it Chef!” Mark mocked as he glanced over at the closed door. Footsteps. He thought he heard them. “What’s wrong?” Howie frowned as he caught the look on Mark’s face. “Saw yourself in the mirror?” “You can just look at us, we look alike.” Brad chuckled. “If we can just turn on the lights, it’d be easier for us to do this!” “Shhh!!!” Howie tensed. They didn’t need the extra tension in this room. What would they do if someone saw them? He didn’t even think of a back up plan! The footfalls became louder by the second, approaching their room. He could hear the heavy breathing of Brad next to him and Mark was surprisingly calm, standing in front of him. Howie couldn’t remember if he had been breathing all those time. It felt taboo to even breath then. But he remembered closing his eyes and feeling the heavy burden heaving on his chest being lifted when the footfalls walked pass their room and disappeared altogether soon after. That was close. “Okay that’s it, we’re done!” Brad hissed as he made the copy to the last key hastily, hands trembling, breaths coming out in small gasp. Howie watched him in a daze, watch how the jovial guy now had turned as scared as them in front of him. And how he admired his strength that even in time such as those, he had summed up enough courage to continue what they were supposed to do. Make the last copy. “Howie, you’ve got to clean these keys and dry them up. I’m going off to meet Joshua now.” Mark said, breaking his daze. He nodded and watched as Mark gathered the imprinted doughs and carefully placed them in a casing. In a matter of seconds, he was out of the door. Careful, he had whispered into the night. - -Northern Darla Home- Page 281 was filled with details of how David Becks had received an anonymous email marked as ‘The Truth About Samantha Becks’. In the email, David was given a link to a website of the same name. The story continued to a few more pages after that, describing how the website had detailed information of his supposedly dead wife and what had happened two years before the accident and years after it did. It was like reading about his life, the things that happened to him and his wife, pictures of them together and pictures of him looking worn out right after her service. The story of his life, the conspiracies, the lies and the truth. All laid out for him to see. Once confused, now he knew what to do and where to find the answers. Eric knew immediately what he should do. He had spent most of his day in the library section of the Home and now, the entire night there. People came and went and no one paid much attention to him. Library is a very useful place. The books and information they held there are priceless. It could teach you to do everything and realise that you could actually do it. The Internet was another thing. It not only teach you skills in a click of a button, it helps you to spread it to the masses around the world. For Eric, it taught him how simple it could be to create a convincing website. - Kevin couldn’t risk going out that night. He knew his responsibilities and he couldn’t jeopardise being caught. The director had definitely took a liking to him and thus had given him the task, or perhaps, like AJ had suggested, it was all a test to see if he would really screw things up. Either way, he couldn’t risk it. What AJ had asked of him was impossible. Where would he find the fresh blood? He didn’t even know how to draw blood in the first place. And the fact that it wasn’t part of their plan had already shaken him up. He hated changes at the last minutes. It made him unfocused. But Nick and Brian had decided to gang up with AJ, agreeing that Mc Lean would never do anything risky unless if it really meant something important. And Kevin found himself yet again succumbing to them. He hoped it was worth it. Brian decided that they should call Lisa and have her draw the blood. Nick had voluntarily offered his. Brian’s too weak for this, he had explained. The latter had complained his defiance, pointing out that he was the one running around and walking without a limp and Nick had pointed out that it was the same Brian who couldn’t do anything more than lye in bed the entire morning that day. But the bickering ended when Kevin had reminded them that he needed type O+. So Nick it was. Joshua had called him and was on his way to the hospital. Brad and Howie did an excellent job on the imprints, he had said. Mark made a smooth slip out of his room and meeting him at the car park at the back of the house, where Joshua was waiting. He calculated the journey and decided that by then, Joshua would not only have ‘delivered’ the new patients to both Homes, but had made the copies to all the keys required. Knowing that all the guys were safe back in their own rooms and Phil had erased all evidence from the tapes right before his very eyes. The keys were cleaned and dried, back in their slots where they belonged. The securities sensed no foul play and the night gave no hint of their little 'rendezvous’ that night. Looking out the window to his little, private room, he fished out the cell phone and speed dialled the familiar number. “I need you to deliver a package tonight, ASAP.” - A night of truth, that’s what tonight would be for him. Making his way to his father’s study room, he kept telling himself there was no turning back. It wasn’t difficult to convince himself though, for the night of truth had showed him the real man who had always co-exist with him in that house. Linked by blood but always so out of reach, tonight he had came a giant step closer to the real man he had identified as father. And as much as he hated him for not always been there, he never knew he had the will to hate him with his whole heart. Tonight however, he did. And still he grasped for that fading light of hope. Tonight, he would give him the last chance to redeem back his love. As he had pictured it in his mind, Dad would be staring out the window, with red wine in one hand. Even after weeks or even months travelling the world, the scenery outside had always been more inviting than what was going on in his own house. His presence in Robert Mc Lean’s life definitely wasn’t worth checking out. Mom was another confusion. Why would she stick around after all these years? She was an independant woman, had wealth of her own and never to live out of her husband’s money. And she too had regarded him as just another existence to this world, nothing worth the trouble of having to cancel a few meetings just to be with him. He was used to that too. “We have to talk.” He said, startling the old man in the process. He turned and looked at him with that surprised look on his face. Still in his black tuxedo, the expensive cologne strong and lingering around the room. He took it all in, wondering if there was still compassion underneath all those luxuries. “AJ…what are you doing still up this late?” His father had asked, placing the wine glass on the table as he approached it. “And why are you in a waiter’s uniform?” “Why are you killing people?” He had replied. The old man frowned, not understanding a word he had uttered. He had expected that from his father. “You supported the funding to the Darla Home down South. They kill people down there and you support them.” He watched as the words sank in to his father. Acknowledging the look of understanding that had somehow pulled the fogs of confusion away from his mind, his stare never left as the old man retreated to his seat behind the table. “What are you talking about AJ? There’s no Darla Home down south. Where did you hear it from?” “I didn’t hear it, I know it.” AJ spat. “And don’t tell me it’s a lie, cause I have prove to show exactly what you did.” “What do you want Alex?” “What I want? You’re asking me what I want? You knew what they do to those kids in there and you could even give them the money to do it! I want you stop this! I want you to let those kids free!” His father had stared at him, not flinching even a bit to his yells. “I’m sorry Alex, but I can’t do that.” “What do you MEAN you can’t? Have you no compassion at all? What if Nick is in there right now? What if he isn’t really dead and suffering?” He asked, although honestly, he knew that Nick was indeed there and suffering. “Alex, listen to me carefully. You can’t bring this matter out to the public, they’ll never believe you or pretend not to. It’s too big Alex, you don’t know everything.” “I have enough to know that you’re a cold blooded murderer! To think that I called you my father!” He yelled. “THAT IS ENOUGH!” his father boomed, raising himself up from his seat while slamming his fist down to the rosewood table. “DON’T YOU EVER TALK TO ME LIKE THAT AGAIN! EVER! I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN HERE ALL THE TIME BUT YOU’RE MY SON AND I LOVE YOU!” AJ shook his head, smirking a little at the irony that was playing in front of him. Dad loves him. Funny how he showed it. Was this how Mom showed her love towards him too? Where was she anyway? She was there at Max Coultron’s dinner too, always holding hands with Dad, stroking each others’ arms lovingly as they talked to friends and sipping their wine. Where was she now? Was she in on this too? Were his parents really that cold? “Alex, what’s going on? Robert, why are you yelling this late at night?” Yes, mom was here, the family was reunited. “Do you love me mom? Dad said he loves me, how about you?” His mother had the softest brown eyes he had ever seen. Even though he rarely saw love radiating from it for him, he knew it was there. Perhaps the love was reserved for someone else, but no matter what, it was there. So how could this beautiful woman be so cold hearted? Why was he so surprised? “Alex, how could you even ask me that? I love you sweetheart.” AJ smiled, looking at his mother with her silky, pink night dress and her curly red hair flowing down her neck and covering her breasts, saving her modesty through that thin fabric. Then to his father, who was still frowning at him, his grey hair now evidently clear and yet still holding on to his charm. He wondered who’s features he had inherited. Or perhaps he was adopted. That would be their family’s darkest secret. “Okay then, tonight, you get the chance to show me just that.” - That night, AJ Mc Lean, standing in the middle of the study room that he hated so much, and in front of the two human beings that had gave him life to the world, did the one thing that I wish never happened. That night, he injected himself with my blood and became another victim of Darla. And for the first time in his life, he had looked at them both and truly meant it when he said, ‘Save me.’