How to Disappear Completely
Mentors.
Behind Carden's laboratory is another hallway. This one is filled with pictures of smiling men.
"Tyler Durden, Kate Durden's supposed 'father'. He started the resistance with hundreds of men. He wanted to destroy Big Brother and his associates, but he died before doing so. Big Brother made a deal with the remaining few, though. Since these men were bright, they got to choose the men with the most potential to be part of Big Brother. Of course, they had a different plan.
"The first five were Brian Ireland, Joshua Partington, Kevin Page, William Tell, and Andrew McMahon. They died when Mrotek was around twelve. We're here to prove to Big Brother we can't be defeated. It doesn't matter if you killed the master; you still have to deal with the apprentice."
"But the apprentice is nowhere near as skilled as the master." I glance at the smiling faces. "You all seem so happy."
"They were like fathers to us, in a strange sense." Strange is right; these men were so young...they couldn't have been real fathers to eight-year-old children. They could have hardly have toddlers at their age. "You seem confused, Rory. Are you okay?"
"They're so young." I touch the frame and trace the faces. Blue eyes. Brown hair. Gray suits. "How did they pick you?"
"Out of a litter of 'children'. We were just like you, Rory...except we didn't exactly turn out right." He points at his head. "I have curly hair and green eyes. Beckett has brown hair and eyes. Mrotek as curly hair. Carden has brown hair. Chislett doesn't have the best teeth. We had mistakes."
"Why out of the litter of mistakes? Why not out of the litter of...non-mistakes?" My steps echo through the small hallway. The small "click-click" outside now sounds like a sonic boom.
"Why pick the smallest puppy out of the litter? Why do butterflies land on dung?" Siska stops in the hallway and turns his head. "Besides, all the mistakes are fuel for Big Brother's kitchens. Might as well pick your favorites and then kill the rest."
Silence.
"...but why blond? Why blue eyes?"
"Do you remember that bastard, Hitler?" I nod distantly. "Yeah, because of him."
"That's no reason to--"
"Big Brother is a strange man. He has weird fetishes and worships weird people. He has a weird group of friends too." Big Brother has friends? This is unbelievable. A man like that could never befriend anyone; he will be alone forever.
"I can practically feel Big Brother's neck around my hands. I can feel the adrenaline rushing to my head. I can't wait to nab that bastard." Siska grins. "Rory, you don't understand how this feels."
"No, I don't." I don't plan on becoming like Siska. I don't want to become like Siska. No one wants to live a life of vengance; this consumes your life and ultimately leads to your downfall.
"There's no deep, hidden meaning behind Big Brother. He's just an idiot."
"An idiot who can kill you." I stop walking. "Be careful, Siska. These men are more dangerous than you think; they're out for you." These men quell rebellions in seconds.
"We're not seen as rebellious yet." Siska points to a picture of a man with curly hair and sunglasses. "This is Saporta. He's the enemy. He's out for us, and we know. Saporta doesn't believe we are as true as Big Brother believes." He shakes his head. "If we can get rid of him, then we'll be home free."
"But this is home."
"That's what I mean." Siska turns back around. "Are you ready to leave? I sure am; this place makes me angrier by the minute." We exit and make our way to the exercise room to run off our anger.
> >
Beckett and I sit down together in the library to discuss plans. We believe it will be time for us to make our move. Saporta is said to be vacationing far away with his crew. Of course, he will be leaving his pupils behind to make sure everything functions correctly, but we know they cannot handle much.
"What if this is a trap?"
"We've checked, and his flight plans are set, along with his friends. I've entered his room, and he's packing for the sunny, closed-off beaches. This place is too gloomy to live in." I think of the dark, red sky looming over everyone outside. "It looks legitimate. We just have to try our best to be careful."
Beckett leans over the table. "Rory, we will not take Durden with us; she must never know we are leaving for this. If we do not come back, that is how Deleon will know to describe the situation to Durden." He leans towards my ear. "Rory, have you noticed Durden's growing stomach?"
I furrow my brow. "I do not understand what you're speaking of."
"Her ever-expanding waist line." Beckett smiles. "I have a feeling she's pregnant, and has been for some time."
I blink. "That's impossible." I pause. "We are unable to have children; we're infertile, all of us--"
"Miracles, Rory. Believe in them." He winks, standing up and adjusting his leather jacket. "Speak to her about it; I think she's afraid. She could use another female voice to help her through."
"Through what?" He points to Durden discreetly, motioning to her abdomen. He pulls back a lock of hair from my eyes and smiles.
"This will be good for us all."
"Tyler Durden, Kate Durden's supposed 'father'. He started the resistance with hundreds of men. He wanted to destroy Big Brother and his associates, but he died before doing so. Big Brother made a deal with the remaining few, though. Since these men were bright, they got to choose the men with the most potential to be part of Big Brother. Of course, they had a different plan.
"The first five were Brian Ireland, Joshua Partington, Kevin Page, William Tell, and Andrew McMahon. They died when Mrotek was around twelve. We're here to prove to Big Brother we can't be defeated. It doesn't matter if you killed the master; you still have to deal with the apprentice."
"But the apprentice is nowhere near as skilled as the master." I glance at the smiling faces. "You all seem so happy."
"They were like fathers to us, in a strange sense." Strange is right; these men were so young...they couldn't have been real fathers to eight-year-old children. They could have hardly have toddlers at their age. "You seem confused, Rory. Are you okay?"
"They're so young." I touch the frame and trace the faces. Blue eyes. Brown hair. Gray suits. "How did they pick you?"
"Out of a litter of 'children'. We were just like you, Rory...except we didn't exactly turn out right." He points at his head. "I have curly hair and green eyes. Beckett has brown hair and eyes. Mrotek as curly hair. Carden has brown hair. Chislett doesn't have the best teeth. We had mistakes."
"Why out of the litter of mistakes? Why not out of the litter of...non-mistakes?" My steps echo through the small hallway. The small "click-click" outside now sounds like a sonic boom.
"Why pick the smallest puppy out of the litter? Why do butterflies land on dung?" Siska stops in the hallway and turns his head. "Besides, all the mistakes are fuel for Big Brother's kitchens. Might as well pick your favorites and then kill the rest."
Silence.
"...but why blond? Why blue eyes?"
"Do you remember that bastard, Hitler?" I nod distantly. "Yeah, because of him."
"That's no reason to--"
"Big Brother is a strange man. He has weird fetishes and worships weird people. He has a weird group of friends too." Big Brother has friends? This is unbelievable. A man like that could never befriend anyone; he will be alone forever.
"I can practically feel Big Brother's neck around my hands. I can feel the adrenaline rushing to my head. I can't wait to nab that bastard." Siska grins. "Rory, you don't understand how this feels."
"No, I don't." I don't plan on becoming like Siska. I don't want to become like Siska. No one wants to live a life of vengance; this consumes your life and ultimately leads to your downfall.
"There's no deep, hidden meaning behind Big Brother. He's just an idiot."
"An idiot who can kill you." I stop walking. "Be careful, Siska. These men are more dangerous than you think; they're out for you." These men quell rebellions in seconds.
"We're not seen as rebellious yet." Siska points to a picture of a man with curly hair and sunglasses. "This is Saporta. He's the enemy. He's out for us, and we know. Saporta doesn't believe we are as true as Big Brother believes." He shakes his head. "If we can get rid of him, then we'll be home free."
"But this is home."
"That's what I mean." Siska turns back around. "Are you ready to leave? I sure am; this place makes me angrier by the minute." We exit and make our way to the exercise room to run off our anger.
> >
Beckett and I sit down together in the library to discuss plans. We believe it will be time for us to make our move. Saporta is said to be vacationing far away with his crew. Of course, he will be leaving his pupils behind to make sure everything functions correctly, but we know they cannot handle much.
"What if this is a trap?"
"We've checked, and his flight plans are set, along with his friends. I've entered his room, and he's packing for the sunny, closed-off beaches. This place is too gloomy to live in." I think of the dark, red sky looming over everyone outside. "It looks legitimate. We just have to try our best to be careful."
Beckett leans over the table. "Rory, we will not take Durden with us; she must never know we are leaving for this. If we do not come back, that is how Deleon will know to describe the situation to Durden." He leans towards my ear. "Rory, have you noticed Durden's growing stomach?"
I furrow my brow. "I do not understand what you're speaking of."
"Her ever-expanding waist line." Beckett smiles. "I have a feeling she's pregnant, and has been for some time."
I blink. "That's impossible." I pause. "We are unable to have children; we're infertile, all of us--"
"Miracles, Rory. Believe in them." He winks, standing up and adjusting his leather jacket. "Speak to her about it; I think she's afraid. She could use another female voice to help her through."
"Through what?" He points to Durden discreetly, motioning to her abdomen. He pulls back a lock of hair from my eyes and smiles.
"This will be good for us all."