فصل بیست و یکم

Chapter Twenty-One

Dr. Hatch and the Twin

The cell Taylor was placed in was windowless and rectangular, with the walls, ceiling, and floor lined in a soft, pinkish rubber coating that resembled the material that pencil erasers are made of. Mounted to each wall were surveillance cameras, speaker boxes, and other sensors designed to monitor the cell’s occupant’s activities. On one wall were two chrome bars that stuck out about six inches from the wall—similar to the testing apparatus in the exam room.

In one corner of the room there was a porcelain toilet and sink.

The only thing that looked normal was the bed, which was on a wood frame.

Taylor walked over to the bed. She saw that there was no metal of any kind used in its construction. The box springs were made from plastic and the mattress filled with down feathers. The bed had one other difference she didn’t fail to notice: leather restraining straps.

The room was lit by fluorescent lighting concealed behind thick plastic plates. There was neither a thermostat nor switches in the room of any kind, and she had no control over light, heat, or air.

The people watching her from the cameras would decide when she would have lights and how hot or cold she would be. She had no control over anything.

Taylor turned on the sink and was pleased that water came out.

She still felt nauseous from the car ride, and she washed her face in the cold water. Then she went and lay on her bed, looking up at the ceiling.

She wasn’t sure what time it was. She wasn’t even sure what day it was. Mrs. Shaw would be furious with her for missing cheer. Taylor shook her head. Had she not been so afraid, she would have laughed at the thought. If only Mrs. Shaw was the worst of her worries. Besides, everyone would know by now that she had been abducted.

They had to, didn’t they? Her friends would be calling each other, they’d organize search parties. Wouldn’t they?

She thought of how worried her parents must be. Just a few days earlier they had scolded her for being gone from home too much.

The argument had ended with her slamming her bedroom door. She regretted how she had acted. She’d give up everything she had to be home right now. Even cheerleading.

As Taylor lay on top of the bed thinking, she heard a quick burst of air followed by a sharp metallic click. Her door opened. Nichelle stepped inside, a tall man in a suit and tie behind her. He wore over-sized black-rimmed glasses with dark lenses that concealed his eyes, similar to the glasses the doctor had put on during her tests.

“Sit up,” Nichelle barked.

Taylor sat up on the bed. The man walked to the center of the room. “Hello, Taylor,” he said. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.” Taylor stared at him, her heart pounding loudly with fear.

“He said ‘hello,’” Nichelle said. A sharp piercing scream entered Taylor’s head.

Taylor grabbed her ears and let out a small scream. “Stop!”

“Stop it,” the man said sharply to Nichelle. “Go.”

Nichelle frowned. “Yes, sir.” She walked out of the room without looking at Taylor.

“I’m sorry about that,” the man said. “Nichelle gets a bit Draco-nian.” “I hate her,” Taylor said. She immediately regretted this, wondering if she’d be punished.

To her surprise, the man just nodded. “Be assured that you’re not alone in that,” he said. “Most of the students here do.” He smiled warmly. “Let’s start over. I’m Dr. Hatch. You are at the Elgen Academy. I hope your trip here wasn’t too unpleasant.” Taylor looked at him incredulously. “Why have you kidnapped me? You can’t hold me here. My father will find you and—” He raised his hand. “Your adopted father, Dean Charles Ridley of the Boise Police Department, thinks his little girl has run away. In fact you have already texted him twice today telling him how much you dislike him, and how you never intend to go home as long as he’s there.” Hearing this made her heart ache. Taylor began to cry. “Why are you doing this to me?” “Taylor, I’m sorry it had to begin this way. I really am. But once you see things for what they really are, I promise you won’t be upset anymore.” He stepped toward her and crouched down to look into her face. “Do you know how long I have been looking for you? You’re a very special girl. Not just because you’re a Glow, but because you have something that we can’t learn from the other Glows.” “What’s a Glow?”

“That’s our term for the electric children. You all give off that faint glow. Surely you’ve noticed it.” She didn’t answer.

“Of course you have. Anyway, that’s why I wear these glasses.” He took them off and held them up so Taylor could see. “We invented them right here. They are especially designed to magnify that glow.

I can spot one of you a mile away. Actually, 1.7 miles to be exact.” He rubbed his eyes, then he looked into her eyes and smiled. “Taylor, you’re a very special girl, and part of something that’s bigger and more exciting than you can imagine. We have a chance to change the world. I don’t mean slap a Band-Aid on it; I mean throw the past out and start fresh. We could create a society where everyone has enough to eat, sufficient medical care, and housing. A world where life is about personal growth and expression, not survival. No more wars.

No more hunger. A world where all your needs are met. And you can be a part of its creation.” “What are you talking about?”

“We are creating a world of people just like you—a race of supe-rior beings.” He let the statement ring off in the silence. “Taylor, do you know why you are electric?” “Because your machine didn’t work right.”

He nodded. “Very good. Exactly. You see, some people, particu-larly some investors, saw that as a failure. But they missed the bigger vision. We discovered something much, much more valuable. You know, many of the great inventions of our day were accidents. Microwave ovens, penicillin . . .” He smiled. “Even potato chips.” Taylor said, “You killed all those babies.”

Hatch stood. “I didn’t,” he said sharply. “The machine did. Ac-cidentally. Accidents with machines happen every day, don’t they?

Let’s keep things in perspective, Taylor. During that time frame, more babies died in car accidents on the California roads than were harmed by our machine. But you don’t hear an outcry about that, do you? You don’t accuse the car salesmen or automotive engineers of being mass murderers, do you? Of course not. Accidents are the price of civilization. Blood oils social progress. Sure, it was awful, but was it worth it? Believe me, it was.” He looked carefully into her eyes to see if she was buying his argument. He decided she wasn’t. “Still, it was unfortunate. And that’s where you can help us—and help save the lives of future babies. Would you like to help save babies’ lives, Taylor?” Taylor swallowed.

“Would you?”

“Yes,” she said softly.

“I thought so. You’re a good girl. I like that about you.” He leaned toward her. “We want to study you to see why you lived and they didn’t. You can help us learn what’s the difference between your body and theirs. If we can isolate that factor, we can create electric children without endangering their lives. And you, Taylor, hold a very special key to that discovery—something that the other Glows can’t help us with. Do you want to know what that is?” Taylor slowly nodded.

“You did well in science,” Hatch said. “I’ve seen your transcripts.

You got an A- on Mr. Poulsen’s last biology test. Not bad. So you know that one of the tools we scientists use to study genetics is identical twins. Especially those who have been separated from each other at birth. It teaches us things about genetic influences versus environmental factors—what you’re born with compared to what you pick up along the way. You, Taylor, are one of those identical twins.” “I’m not a twin.”

“Au contraire,” Hatch grinned. “I’d like you to meet someone.” He turned back toward the door. “Nichelle, please ask Tara to come in.” At his command, a girl stepped into the room. Taylor froze. The girl looked exactly like her. Before she could say a word, Tara walked up to her and smiled. “Hi, sis.” Taylor’s eyes darted back and forth between Hatch and Tara. “I don’t understand.” Hatch smiled. “Ah, the learning begins. There are a lot of things you don’t understand yet,” Hatch said. “But you will.” He smiled at Tara. “Have a seat, Tara. Just there on the bed.” “Thank you.”

Hatch’s voice came softer, almost gentle. “Taylor, you were born a twin. When your biological mother, a teenage girl named Gail Nash of Monrovia, California, gave you up for adoption, Tara was the first to be adopted. She went to a home right here in Pasadena just three miles from the academy—right here in our own backyard. We found her almost nine years ago.” He looked at Tara, who nodded enthusiastically. “Nine years this coming June.” Taylor just stared at the girl in astonishment. Could this be some kind of trick?

“You, Taylor, on the other hand, were adopted by a family in another state. And everyone knows how inefficient government bu-reaucrats can be. Your records were lost in the transfer between state agencies. You vanished like a grain of rice in a rice patty. We might never have found you had you not come looking for your birth records.” Taylor felt sick. Ostin was right; she had exposed them.

“There were seventeen electric children. We had located them all except for two. You and Michael Vey.” Taylor jumped when he said Michael’s name.

Hatch smiled. “Yes, you know Michael, don’t you?”

She didn’t answer.

“Don’t worry. You did him a favor by leading us to him. We might never have found him without you.” She felt even worse. “He’s here?”

“Not yet. But he soon will be. In fact, he doesn’t know it yet, but he’s about to start planning his trip to see us.” He turned to Tara.

“That’s all for now. Why don’t you come back a little later and show Taylor around.” She stood. “Okey-dokey.” She smiled at Taylor. “It’s so exciting to finally see you. You’re going to love it here. We’re contributing to the world in a way you never dreamed possible. And Dr. Hatch is the smartest man alive.” Tara looked back at Hatch and he nodded his approval.

“There are some really cool benefits to being here, like we’re not treated like children. Also, we have family vacation twice a year. I’ve been all around the world. And we get cool presents.” She flashed her diamond watch. “How many fifteen-year-olds have a twenty-three-thousand-dollar diamond Rolex watch?” “Thank you, Tara,” Hatch said. “You can tell her all about it later.” “I’ve gotta go. I’m so glad you found us. I’ve waited years for us to be together. Ciao!” She walked out of the room.

“Beautiful girl,” Hatch said. “Of course, you know that, since you’re an exact replica.” He leaned forward, his face taking a gentle demeanor. “So let me tell you what you can expect while you’re here.

Over the next few days we’ll be doing some general kinds of physi-ological testing. Basic stuff—blood work, an electrocardiogram, and a full body scan. We also have some special tests we’ve designed to help understand your special gifts. Nothing painful; we just want to make sure you’re healthy. The doctors out there don’t understand special individuals like you, and so they miss things. We’ve already saved the lives of some of your colleagues.” “I just want to go home.”

Hatch moved closer to her. “Taylor, I know it’s hard right now.

You’ve been plucked from all you know like a rose from a weed patch. Change is always hard, but that doesn’t mean it’s not good.

Usually the hard things in our life lead to good.”

Taylor wiped her eyes. “You’re not going to let me go home?”

“Look, just five minutes ago you didn’t even know that you have a sister, and now you do. And soon your friend Michael will be joining us. You need to stop thinking of this as an abduction, and think of it as a long-awaited homecoming—a family reunion, if you will. This is your home.” “For how long?” Taylor asked.

Hatch looked at her with a perplexed gaze. “For the rest of your life.”