Code, p.18
Code, page 18
Something in Payton’s voice told me he was afraid. This was my chance to get a feel if he would help me. I was taking a risk in trusting him.
After we rounded to the hallway, I said, “Payton, I need to get my friends out. Can you help me?”
A few heartbeats passed. He stopped in front of the washroom. “When?”
That one word gave me hope. I even lit a small smile. “When is Justine coming?”
“Tonight. But they’re not coming together. Justine has her own escort.” Payton glanced down the hall, then back at me. “Scoot back a little. Tilt your head down and speak to my chest. How do I help you?”
I stared at his sweater, which reminded me of the blue sweater Rhett had worn when we had separated at the Black Market, and my heart stirred uncomfortably. Focus, Ava.
“I need access to the prisoners’ cell, to my mom, and then to a glider. Can you arrange that?”
“It’s going to be difficult, but I think I can with Mitch’s help.”
I scrunched my nose. “Why would you ask Mitch?” I tried to play dumb, but Payton could read me like a street sign thanks to his gift.
“Follow me,” Payton said, stepping farther in. He pressed on the control panel and the shower rained down, then he scooted closer to me. “Mitch and I have talked. I know enough.”
I wanted to trust Payton, but this could be a trap, and Mitch wasn’t here to confirm. My nostrils flared when I recalled he was my father’s lackey. I had to make a judgment call.
“How much do you really tell Novak?” I said over the pouring water.
“Enough for him to be satisfied.” Payton cupped my shoulders. “I think a part of you always knew I was on your side, but you could never be sure. I had to play the part, like we all do, have been doing. I’m his pet—that’s the way people from all factions describe me, but they don’t know that I had no choice. I follow Novak like his shadow and gather intel. There are things I know that no one knows.”
“Like?” I drawled.
“Like how I don’t have parents.” He lowered his hands to his side.
I gave him a puzzled look and leaned against the wall close to the shower. “Most of ISAN’s assassins are orphans.”
“You don’t understand,” he whispered sharply, and his change from gentle demeanor to cold made me recoil. “I never had parents. I’m a CODE baby.”
My mouth split open. “You’re kidding me, right?”
When he lowered his head, I got my answer. My mind mulled with questions. Most important one: Had he been lobotomized? He was always docile and obedient. I didn’t want to ask him, in case he didn’t know.
“There are others like me,” he said. “Brooke, Ozzie, and Reyna, too.”
“What?” I blinked and blinked at this new revelation.
Brooke and Ozzie had said their past memories felt hazy, but Ozzie remembered Brooke from a facility. Reyna had never shared much about her past, either. Perhaps she too couldn’t recall and didn’t want to admit it. Now it all made sense. But how would I tell them?
“We were the first batch,” Payton added. “Then there was a gap. I don’t know the details. I speculate there were hiccups. Now, there are many of these CODE children. They’re based somewhere in the south. I also found out that there are international CODE babies. There’s a base in Sokcho in South Korea. Rumor has it, there’s a rebel team out there, too.”
South Korea? My next destination. “What do you know of that one infant in the hub?” I asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Novak showed me an infant in an incubation chamber. He told me the baby was special.”
“I don’t know anything about that baby. Sorry.”
I crossed my arms. “Why are you telling me all this? What’s in it for you?”
Payton looked offended and whispered sharply, “Nothing. I have nothing, Ava. No parents. No family. I’m a living machine, created for one purpose. What kind of life is that?”
“I’m sorry. There’s nothing wrong with you. Born from a real womb or not, you deserve better.”
The strain in his forehead eased. “This is why I’m risking my life. You’ve been nothing but kind to me. You made me see there are good people in the world and some things are worth fighting for.”
I snatched the collar of his shirt. “Help me escape and come with me. You’ll know the meaning of freedom and what it means to have a family.”
He flushed, either from the steam behind us rising like drifting clouds or he felt embarrassed.
“Do you think your friends would accept me? I’ve been helping Novak. Everyone has pegged me as his lackey, I’m sure of that.”
“Yes, they would accept you because they all escaped from ISAN. They would understand because they were once in your shoes.”
He dipped his head and shrugged. “Well, I meant ... I’m not normal. I wasn’t ... I was made.”
I cupped his cheeks, forcing him to look at me. “You just told me you’re not the only one. But I will never tell unless you want me to. Your secret is safe with me. To be honest, we’re all fighting our own battles to forget our past. We won’t be safe until ISAN is down and out of our lives. But first things first. We need to get out of here.”
He nodded. “Before I turn off the shower, you should wet your hair and change. Gene should be here soon.”
I rolled my eyes. “Great. What a way to make my day.”
Payton chuckled. “Your favorite person thinks the world of you.”
“Like hell he does.” I snorted.
“Ready to go?”
Reality and gloom replaced our tense camaraderie. Time to get serious and strategize.
Chapter Thirty-One — New Facility
Justine
Justine couldn’t get the image of Tessa being impaled by that creature out of her mind. No time to say goodbye to her teammates, but that was how ISAN operated. Nobody cared.
During the ride, the driver sealed her window and she couldn’t see out. Pleading with him was useless. She thought about playing the Novak-is-my-daddy card, but decided otherwise. Father would lecture her, or worse—punish her.
After they landed, Justine’s escort covered her head with a black cloth. She felt like she was being kidnapped. So she did what any ISAN trained assassin would do—counted the steps and listened with her powerful hearing. And she did it without Helix. An advantage for her.
Rushing wind slapped her hair. A pungent stench stung her nose—heaps and heaps of trash, she guessed. Her boots crunched on dried earth.
A crank. Metal grinding on metal.
Cool air caressed her face, and dim light appeared when her mask was removed. She blinked to adjust to her vision and was floored to see a wholly unfamiliar underground base.
“Justine. Welcome.”
She spun. Her father smiled with his arms extended. He always looked like he was going to a business meeting wearing a suit and a tie. But he had lightened his hair. He looked like a different man.
Justine glanced over her shoulder. There was no one behind her. The guards who had escorted her in were gone too. Novak was actually smiling ... at her. She swelled with bliss, but at the same time she was terrified.
He wants something. Or this is a test.
“Mr. Novak.” Justine plastered a fake smile.
“Come. Let me show you around.”
With every step toward him, her knees wobbled. He clasped an arm around her and guided her down the dim hallway. Unless her eyes were deceiving her, his dark eyes were now gray. Contacts? Why on earth would he change his appearance?
Her instincts told her to get out, but then what? She had no transportation. Worse, she had no idea where she was or where to go. Justine certainly couldn’t return to ISAN if she was on the run.
Justine had no family. No friends. No 4Qs. She would be a fugitive, a traitor. Oh, for the love of God, she would be in Ava’s shoes but with no help. She shoved back the unwelcome thoughts.
Novak brought her out of her mental frenzy when he spoke. His gentle voice sounded strange, even made her nauseous. Someone had flipped the rules and forgotten to tell her.
“There are a couple of people I would like for you to meet,” he said.
“Why? Who are they?” Apprehension seized her. Her pulse jumped and she broke into a panicky sweat. What he said next spun her world inside out.
“Your family.”
“Family? You mean you found Mom?” Justine shoved her trembling hands inside her training suit pockets.
“Not exactly. I’ll explain about your mom very soon, and then you’ll meet your brother and sister.”
Justine halted, refusing to take another step. Her temper skyrocketed. “Why didn’t I know before?”
Novak’s gentle expression faltered as his lips thinned. His true self coming forth. “Everything has its time. You shall see. Now, are you going to come with me or do I have to make you?”
Justine knew he couldn’t keep up that phony, loving father act for long. She was surprised he’d held up the facade the length of the hallway.
“Seems I have no choice.” She mimicked his tone, surprised she was bold enough to do it.
An excited little butterfly fluttered inside her. All this time Justine had thought she was alone. But indignation ate away the little happiness. Novak had kept them from her all these years.
They entered a sophisticated lab.
“This is pretty impressive.” Justine gave a wolf whistle, admiring the hubs and monitors. “What are all these used for?”
“Come. I want to show you a miracle.”
Too busy admiring the high-tech equipment, Justine hadn’t realized Novak had walked away. She strolled leisurely to him, elated he wanted to show her something. She leaned over an egg-like silver pod, humming. Thick, clear liquid filled the tank.
“What is that?” Justine’s voice left her in a squeal.
She knew what it was. In shock, she blurted the words, and she needed to know that her father saw the same thing, that this was his great secret.
“She’s a CODE baby. CODE stands for Constructed Ovum Designed Engineering
“But how does it ... I mean ... You can’t make babies ... That machine ... It’s impossible.”
“Yes, I can, Justine. I created this machine, and this infant.” He patted the hub.
Justine’s father was brilliant, perhaps too much for his own good. She believed he was capable of building anything, but this ... Oh dear God, what was he planning?
Justine stared at the sleeping infant. So innocent. A chill prickled along her arms. Little did this baby know she would be ISAN’s assassin. Little did she know her life was not her own. For now she was safe in a bubble home, but after birth, she would become a weapon.
“How many?” Justine asked, terrified of the answer.
“Enough. And there will be more.”
“Why do you need them?” Justine continued to stare at the little girl. The little girl curled up as if tucked in a mother’s womb.
Novak droned on about how there weren’t enough soldiers and how they needed the numbers in case of World War III. She only half-listened, still mesmerized by the infant, and she disliked history and never paid attention in class.
“So, what’s your answer?” He shifted one foot to another as if running out of patience.
Justine caught the last sentence and bristled. An answer? For what? When had he ever asked her for anything? He only ordered.
“Sorry.” She recoiled sheepishly. She had to think of something to say. “I—I was too mesmerized by how the infant’s fingers are curled toward its mouth.”
Novak grinned, his eyes set on the hub. “Some infants suck their fingers. This proves the infant is sustainable and would never know the difference between a real and designed uterus.”
“That’s amazing,” she said only to say something, but felt sick to her stomach.
“So, what’s your answer?” He crossed his arms. “Would you like to be the captain of my CODE soldiers?”
“A captain?”
Justine about fell on her knees. How many times had she wished to be a team leader? How many times had she put in a request only to be shut down? Justine had lost her hope when her father had placed Payton as their lead. Had Mitch put in a good word for her?
She’d known it. Her father believed in her. He loved her. Novak didn’t want to show favoritism—that had to be the reason why he’d never made her the leader. But away from the others, he showed her his love. Justine could hug him. She longed to do it, but he began to speak again.
“Well, don’t look so surprised, Justine. I understand your reservations. You have to know that I have a plan for everything. You were meant for better. If you don’t want this position, I could assign another.”
“No,” she said in a rush. “I would love to. I will make you proud, Father.”
You were meant for better. She couldn’t stop smiling.
“I know you will. It’s one of the reasons why I wanted you to come here before you were sent to one of the South bases. There are two. The second one was designed for CODE soldiers, hidden from the other quadrants. After we are finished here, you’ll come with me.”
She beamed.
Novak paused briefly to look at a message from his chip, then met her gaze again. “Do you have any questions?”
Justine had many, but decided to ask the most pressing ones first. “How was the infant created? There had to be an egg and sperm?” She blushed at her comment.
Novak frowned, then eased. “After we rebuilt from the devastation, many families were still separated. ISAN created a system to bring lost families together through DNA matching. In the process, I discovered a special marker. I asked for donations, eggs and sperm, to research the effects of radiation. People were so concerned about saving our people and rebuilding our world that they never asked questions. They weren’t aware of my motives to build an army. And that is how I met my wife.”
Justine’s mouth slackened. “That’s how you met my mother?”
“You’re special, Justine. It’s the very reason why I asked you to lead these soldiers. You can relate to them. I know you will make me proud.”
Not an answer.
You can relate to them. Her veins chilled. She planted her hand on the hub to keep her grounded.
“What do you mean I can relate to them?”
“Know that I care for you just the same as my own children.”
His own children? She was not the only one. He had two others. He had mentioned a brother and a sister. None of this made sense.
“What do you mean?” Justine balled her fists, bracing for the answer. Novak was full of surprises. “Am I ... Was I ...” Her attention went to the infant and something in her middle ripped open.
Novak’s eyes were stone cold, his voice harsh and commanding. “You are one of the CODE babies, and you are my daughter. Half of you is my genetic material, and half came from your mother.”
Justine’s eyes stung and she shook with rage. She never cried because Novak didn’t approve, but she felt tears pooling. Novak had tossed a bomb at her. Now he watched, waiting for her to die at this unfathomable truth.
“My mother was just a donor?” Her voice cracked and she clutched her fingers tighter on the hub.
“Yes,” he said.
Justine retreated a step, her soul crushed. A part of her felt repulsed. “The picture of you and the blonde woman. You told me she was my mother. She isn’t, is she?”
“She is your mother, but she never wanted children. She had the special marker, so I asked for her eggs. I never loved her. The picture was part of my cover.”
He said it like it was inconsequential, as if none of it should affect her in any way.
“Why are you telling me this? You should have let me believe—”
“A lie, Justine? You need to know the truth. Knowing you are a CODE child, the others will follow you without question. You will be easy for them to relate to.”
Justine grappled for words, but none came. Everything made sense now. Why she couldn’t recall her mother’s face. Why she couldn’t recall a childhood or any part of her past. She only recalled Novak visiting her in a facility, something that looked like ... this one.
When Ava, Brooke, and Tamara had talked about their past, she’d wanted to share hers too, but she hadn’t, but not because she wanted to be standoffish. If she had told them she couldn’t remember any of it, they wouldn’t have believed her. She was sure of that.
Acid rose up to her throat and nausea undulated through her. At least he’d told her the truth. Better late than never, she supposed.
Novak was giving her a chance to lead his CODE soldiers. It was more responsibility than Ava had ever had. Justine bet the CODE soldiers were more capable than any of the girls in her compound. She’d bet those soldiers weren’t wild and crazy like Ava and the others.
Perhaps Justine could handle this team well. Her father believed in her. The thought gave her confidence. Regardless of how she had been born, created or designed, she was still a human being in every way.
“Fine, I’ll do it,” she said with a stern voice, straightening her spine.
Novak smiled. “You made the right decision.”
Justine glanced at the infant and said, “What if I said no?”
He simply replied, “You never say no to the person who has your life in the palm of their hand.” A short pause gave her time to digest his words and his mocking smile. “Justine, it’s time to meet your siblings.”
Chapter Thirty-Two — Sibling reunion
Ava
I had been anxious about a lot of things in my life. Going off on a mission and having to kill was one thing, but seeing Justine face-to-face and knowing she was my half sister ... my heart pattered out of control.
A sick part of me couldn’t wait to see the look on her face, but the other part didn’t want her to know. Another sibling who didn’t care about me, or I them. What was the point of having a family if we hated each other?
“Are you ready?” Payton asked, not the usual soft tone, but harsher.
