Alt+Control 27

I stood up and started backing towards the door. “How do you know who I am, Mr. Sharpo? And how do I know that you’re not one of them?” I start hyperventilating. Could this be another trap?

Before I can blink, Marc has him by the collar, and hauls him out of his chair.

“Who are you, and what do you know about us?” he hisses, centimeters away from Mr. Sharpo’s face. I’ve never seen Marc this way before…it’s scaring me a bit.

“Marc!” Screw the fake names. We’re already uncovered. “Put him down, and we can talk! He can’t call security or anything to alert them.”

Marc slowly puts him down. Mr. Sharpo breathes a visible sigh of relief.

I walk over to Marc and whisper in his ear angrily. “What were you thinking? We need him alive, even if he’s a threat! Now calm down, and let me do the talking.”

I sit on the table, and stare Mr. Sharpo in the eye. “How did you know who we were?”

“I’ve been watching you two closely. Looked at your private files, had people watch you, everything I can do while under this restraint of power.” He clenches his fists, and looks nervously at Marc.

I look up at Marc, and see him pacing back and forth like a lion awaiting its prey. I shoot him a warning look, and continue my questioning. “Why would you do that?”

“Because I think…no, I know that the two of you will be the ones to bring this plot down. And you’re going to need my help.”

“Your help? I would’ve gladly accepted it if I knew I could trust you.” I pause. “And why us? Couldn’t it have been at least someone older?”

He just smiles at me. “Because you and Marc are special. Both of you have exceptional talents and intelligence. You remind me of a young man I met quite recently…now what was his name again?”

“We have no time for this,” snaps Marc. “Get on with it, or we’ll make sure you aren’t left with some unpleasant memories.”

“Marc,” I warn. “Don’t.” Marc backs down.

“Don’t rush me, young one,” he scolds. “Ah yes, I remember his name now. Lukas Morgenstern. He’s about your age now, I believe.”

I struggle to keep my voice calm. “Lukas Morgenstern? How do you know him?”

“I met him a month ago. He was brought to this building, and I just happened to be in the same waiting room as him. Quite the lively and intelligent conversationalist.”

“A month ago? How is that possible? He died a year ago!”

“Oh no, Kaya. He’s very much alive. And it seems like he’s being used.”

I sigh. This is getting more and more complicated! I think we need whatever help this man is offering us. Either he’s completely delusional, or very truthful.

“Mr. Sharpo, what do you have that you think will help us?” I ask.

“It’s in my office, one floor up. If you let me go get it…”

“Marc, go with him. Make sure he doesn’t escape,” I say immediately.

“Kaya, this isn’t a good idea. What if he makes a run for it?”

“You’re much younger, faster and stronger than him. You’d overpower him, no problem. Now go, our meeting is supposed to end soon.”

Marc gives a disgruntled nod and escorts Mr. Sharpo out of the room.

They’re back within a few minutes, and Mr. Sharpo holds a USB key in his hand.

“Can I use your tablet for a minute? I need to show you this,” waves Mr. Sharpo.

“I don’t have mine. Marc?”

“Yeah,” he holds out his tablet, and Mr. Sharpo takes it. He plugs in the USB key, and a blueprint blinks onto the screen.

“This is the blueprint of the Chronos headquarters. You’re going to need it if you’re going to stop them.”

“Chronos? As in the god of time?” I ask. What an odd name.

“It’s the name of their weapon,” said Mr. Sharpo, and presses his lips together grimly. “What a sick sense of humour.”

I don’t get it, but I don’t say it out loud. “So why would we need the blueprint? Do you expect us to just break in?”

“You’ve broken in before, haven’t you?” asks Mr. Sharpo with a twinkle in his eye. I blush in shame.

“But breaking in to somebody’s house isn’t quite the same as trying to break into the headquarters of some evil headquarters. And what if they have defenses?”

“Well, you’ve already experienced one. You’re quite adept at battling things in the most unexpected situations. You’ve fought off an android for goodness sake! And you’ve felt the warning signal, right?”

“What warning signals?”

“You feel like someone’s watching you. You’ve experienced that before, right?”

“Several times, actually. I can barely survive that though! How could I get through their more harmful defenses?!”

“You’ll find a way,” says Mr. Sharpo, and he pats my knee. “You’re very special.”