Chapter 48: Chapter Forty-Six

Alex was carried to a nearby medical lab. When she was placed on the table, she pretended to suddenly become conscious again.

“What happened? Where am I?” she mumbled.

“You’re onboard the Pegasus. You must have blacked out from the Doomsday Virus, but you’re safe. I’ve alerted our medical staff to your situation. They will be here shortly to give you a complete examination and treat you as best they can. Just stay here and rest,” Maxim said.

“Sir, if I could have a moment of your time please.”

Maxim kissed Alex on the head then exited the room with Agent Archimedes. They walked down the corridor and entered a room to keep Alex out of earshot.

“What is it Archimedes?”

“Sir, I’m not sure you want to hear this news, but I feel that I am duty bound to tell you.”

“Tell me what?”

“If you follow the facts, it will lead to the obvious conclusion that your daughter has ulterior motives for being onboard this vessel.”

“What are you talking about?”

“First, she breaches a restricted government database. I catch her and send her to prison. Once in prison, she meets her estranged mother after not seeing her for 18 years and together they orchestrate a hostile escape. They go underground and the next time she pops up, she releases a video exposing the truth about the Doomsday illness. She then breaks into the Facility and steals some kind of device, then breaks into your secured compound, and winds up on the Pegasus.”

“Archimedes, I’m the Leader of the New World, give me a little more credit than that. I know she did all those things.”

“Did you also know that she brought that strange device onboard the Pegasus?”

“No, but she’s just a teenager, what could she possibly do?”

“I wouldn’t underestimate her, sir. She has exceptional abilities that far exceed the average human.”

“So do I. Look, I’m not too worried about her. I was the one who gave her those gifts, remember? I’m also the one who has been keeping an eye on her for her entire life so I’m well aware of what she’s capable of. You don’t have to worry, I have everything under control.”

“Well then, we should keep an eye on her at all times just to be careful.”

“Tell me more about this device that she has.”

“She doesn’t have it with her, she left it in the transporter room. I thought it was a little peculiar how she was fine up until we came upon the transporter room, then just as we were about to enter, she happens to collapse on the floor. I was programmed to recognize these acts of deception. When I looked inside the room, that’s when I discovered the device. I’m unfamiliar with its function and when I scanned it, there were no records of it in the global knowledge database.”

“So what do you think it is?”

“I’m not sure, but whatever it is, it can’t be good. I think you should see for yourself.”

The two men walked back to the transporter room, but when they arrived, the device was no longer there.

“It was here a minute ago, sir. She must have moved it.”

“Agent Archimedes, are you sure you are feeling okay? Maybe you should lie down.”

“I’m fine. I’m telling you it was here.”

Agent Archimedes stormed out of the room with a hurried pace and headed toward the medical lab where Alex was last seen. Maxim Morrison followed closely behind. When they arrived at the lab, Alex was no longer there.

“Still think you have everything under control?” Archimedes asked. Maxim did not answer.

Instinctually, Agent Archimedes looked at his arm in order to access the security feed on his access pod, but forgot it had been stolen earlier. He then ran back to the main control room to watch the security monitors and notify everyone on board of Alex’s agenda.

When he arrived at the main control room, he noticed something strange on the security monitors. He saw himself running down one of the corridors.

“Computer, disclose the date and time of the feed,” he instructed.

The computer announced the date and time and he knew right away what was going on.

“Sir, she hacked into the feed.”

“We don’t know that,” Maxim responded.

“Sure, it was someone else on the ship who has knowledge of computer hacking, has a personal vendetta against you, brought a strange device on board, and created an act of subterfuge to disappear with it.”

“You’ve made your point, Archimedes. Let’s notify the others of her apparent disloyalty.”