Page 90 of Anarchy Chained: Alpha Thomas

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX - SADIE

“Come on,” the Sheila calls. “It lights up as you walk so you won’t trip. I had some complaints from the last girl.”

“Last girl?” I say, still dubiously staring down into the stairwell.

“Lulu. She has a lot of ideas,” Sheila says, tapping her… head. Which makes her light pattern shudder. A chill runs up my spine because everything about her is… wrong. “She said someone could trip and fall when we lead them up and down those dungeon stairs. So, being the accommodating entity that I am, I had the bots install motion sensor lights. Now when you step, the next step lights up so you can see where you’re going.”

“Where am I going? It’s not really a dungeon, right? You’re messing with me, right?”

Her eyes twinkle. And I realize she’s made of lights so most of her is twinkling, but… “Just walk down the stairs. But don’t worry, Sullivan is coming as soon as your boyfriend calms down.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” I say. I don’t even think he’s my friend at this point. But I tuck that little detail down. I’m not sure these people are my friends either.

I have only two options though. Go with the computer woman or go back to Uzi. The thought of being stuck with Uzi all night instead of Sullivan is just… no. I don’t trust him. Something is off with Cyan too. And Iziah. Why is he so quiet? Uzi wasn’t so in charge before. Not that I remember. Am I remembering it wrong? No, I decide. Something is off with Iziah.

But something is off with you too, Sadie.

Yes. Something is definitely off with me.

So I step through the secret doorway, which immediately closes behind me, and the steps begin to light up under my feet as I spiral my way down.

“Almost there,” Sheila calls out from the bottom. “Only a few more turns and you’re done.”

There’s a shimmering pattern on the wall. Like there’s a pool down here. It’s creepy and soothing at the same time. But when I step out into the room I realize it’s a giant aquarium filled with rainbow-colored luminescent jellyfish.

“Wow, that’s some tank you have there.”

“Lincoln loves them. We originally got them for experiments, but now they’re just pets. Come this way. I have a room ready for you.”

The rest of the… laboratory is filled with a mixture of science equipment and tools. There’s a huge screen on one wall with lots of complicated-looking controls. But there’s also a black muscle car up on a lift.

“Is he a mechanic or a mad scientist?” I mutter under my breath as I pick my way through a maze of toolboxes and try to avoid stepping on all the little scurrying robots.

“Which do you prefer?” Sheila asks. “Pick one. That’s what he is.”

“Great.” I finally make it to the… operating room—what the hell am I doing here?—and wait for Sheila to tell me what to do.

“Lie down,” she says. “I’m just going to do a quick brain scan and—”

“Wait,” I say, grabbing her arm because I forgot she’s not real. Touching her is a weird mixture of heat and vibration. I pull my hand away instinctively, which makes her chuckle. “I don’t want to be unlinked from… Thomas.”

“Cut the Thomas crap, Sadie. We know he’s Sullivan. And don’t worry, no such procedure even exists. I’m not sure how this whole linking thing works because Thomas was never one to let me poke and prod him much. But I do know there’s no protocol for unlinking in our records.”

“So why am I here?”

“Well, I am going to run some tests on you just to get a handle on this whole illusionist-mentalist dichotomy. I’ve never had that opportunity before. But mostly, Sadie, you’re here so Sullivan can have his way with you tonight.”

“Oh.” I smile. “OK, then. On the… what is that? A chair? An operating table?”

“Both, really. Do you like it?” Sheila asks. “I designed it myself. It’s been customized for Lincoln, since he’s usually the one on there. But it worked fine for Case too. It’s to give my robot minions proper access. Since, you know, I don’t have arms.”

And that’s when a small army of robots roll into the room. Some of them are walking on metal legs, like spiders. One tries to climb up my pant leg, but I kick it off and it goes flying into the wall.

“Don’t be rude, Sadie. That’s just me in another body.” Her words make me shiver. All this is so weird. “Now climb onto the table like a good girl and let me get my readings.”

I hesitate. Everything in me is screaming, Run! But to where? I’m in the goddamned dungeon.

“Trust me,” Sheila says. “I’m not going to hurt you. It would make Sullivan mad. And I like Sullivan. Not as much as Thomas, but he’s the default lead while Thomas is… vacationing.”