فصل 38

Chapter 38: Our Leader

“You said your name was Cassy, but who are you really?” Schema asked again.

“I told you,” Cassy said, slipping a dark sack over his head.

“Who are you with?”

“I’m with you.” She laughed. “Sorry, just messing with you. We’re with the resistance.” “The resistance,” Schema said slowly. “You mean Michael Vey?” “You know Michael Vey?”

“We’ve met.”

“Then you have one on me. I haven’t met him yet. But I’m looking forward to it someday. In the electric human world, he’s a rock star. I hear he can deflect bullets.” “You’re part of the same organization.” “Not really. Michael’s not really a company man, if you know what I mean.” “I don’t,” Schema said bluntly. “Could you please free me? I have an itch.” “For a minute. But don’t touch your hood. And if you try anything to get away, I’ll not only paralyze your body, I’ll paralyze your lungs and let you suffocate.” “I won’t try anything,” Schema said.

“Good decision,” she said.

Schema groaned out as she released her power. Cassy watched him carefully, then said, “So, like I was saying, Michael’s like a free agent, you know? We don’t control him or his friends. They’re helping us, I assume, because it’s the right thing to do. Or maybe because he doesn’t like you. Either way he’s on our side. And that’s a good thing.” Schema was quiet a moment. “He doesn’t like me, or he doesn’t like the Elgen?” Cassy shrugged. “Is there a difference?” “There’s a big difference.”

“Anyway, he freed you from the Ampere, so it must not be you.” “Is this hood really necessary?” “Yes, it is,” Cassy said. “So, you got me thinking. You’re kind of like Dr. Frankenstein, aren’t you? You created a monster, and it turned on you.” “It wasn’t my creation that turned on me. It was Hatch.” “Weren’t you Hatch’s boss?”

“Yes,” he said reluctantly.

“My point.”

Just then a phone rang, and the man in the passenger seat answered.

“Yes, we have him. Yes, sir. We’ll be there.” He put the phone back into his pocket and turned to Cassy. “He wants us to bring Schema directly to him.” Cassy turned back to Schema. “This is your lucky day,” she said. “He rarely, rarely sees anyone. And you’re about to meet him.” Schema swallowed with fear. “Who are you talking about?” “Our leader,” Cassy said. “We just call him the voice.”