The plan was to meet Henry after work and sneak into the kitchen. He would wait for me and the both of us would check the secret niche for a letter of my brother's.

Time couldn't have passed more slowly.  Of course things would change drastically. Alexander asked for my personal assistance. Without protesting I made my way to his office where he escorted me to a back room that I didn't know existed.

A chair sat in the center of the room looking rather ominous. Glancing about I took in my surroundings. The walls were smooth concrete except for the lower half which was covered in small square sterile white tiles.

Two rustic looking monitors sat off to the side and a steel examiner's cart and tray was pushed off to the side with tools glistening on its surface.

Alexander made his way over to a metallic sink attached to the wall. Slipping off his suit jacket he unbuttoned his long white sleeves and rolled them up just above the elbow. After scrubbing his hands thoroughly he dried them on a towel draped over the edge of the sink basin.

"Wait here." Alexander walked over to the door and exited leaving me alone in the odd looking room. Deciding I should probably wash up myself I cleansed my hands as Alexander had before me.

The click of the door opening startled me and I turned to see Alexander pushing a trolley with a patient strapped to it. Their eyes glanced around trying to assess the situation.

"Relax. I assure you this will be painless." Alexander slowly undid the straps that rested around the patient's wrists and ankles and forehead.

At first I thought they were going to bolt but the door was at their back. They wouldn't make it by the time Alexander stopped them. At first I didn't recognize who it was but I slowly realized it was the boy I had seen yesterday rocking in the corner with the bloodied ear.

Alexander took him by the arm and escorted him to the chair pushing the boy into the seat and strapping him in place once more.

"Anna. Wheel the monitors over." Alexander ordered. Nodding I did as said grabbing the heavy equipment and pushing it to where he had gestured. I was both curious and concerned about what was going to happen.

Alexander opened a drawer at the bottom of the machines and pulled out circular pads connected to wires. He strategically placed them on the patient strapped to the chair. Two on the chest, two on the temples, one on either side.

"Turn them on." Alexander ordered pointing to the monitors. Unfamiliar with the machinery I fumbled around for the switch and at last powered it. The screens flashed alive and health signs decorated the screen. Pulse, heartbeat. That sort of thing.

"Hand me the clip board on the medical tray." Making my way over to the tray I grabbed the clip board and a pen that rested next to it.

"Here." I handed him his materials and he began to scribble on the charts. "What is it that we're doing to him?"

Alexander barely glanced up at me from his work. "We're going to cure mister Sarmiento here of his seizures."

"Right." I nodded but had no idea how such a thing was going to be accomplished. Alexander tossed his clip board back onto the medical tray carelessly. He pulled a set of gloves from his back pocket and slipped them onto his hands.

"Open the back of the monitor there. Hand me the devices inside." He instructed. Managing to pop open a panel on the back I removed two hand held devices. They looked almost like joy sticks but thicker with two circular metallic pads on the end. Cables ran from the end of the handles into the machine.

"What would these be for?" I asked passing them over to Alexander who held his hands out impatiently.

"Your questions are pointless. You need not know the extent of my work. You're simply here to assist. May I remind you that what happens in here stays in here according to new policy." Alexander flipped a switch on the monitor and the devices hummed to life.

Glancing at a gauge to the side of the screen I noticed the little dial was increasing in number. Alexander hummed a light tune walking over to the patient and standing behind him.

"Let's begin shall we?" And without any warning he pressed the two flat circular ends to the temples of the patient just above the pads wired to the vitals monitor.

I flinched as soon as the patient ,Sarmiento, began to twitch. His muscles tightened and a vein in his neck bulged. Back arched despite the restraints he convulsed. Alexander began to sing a popular song from the radio and at last pulled the two devices away.

He glanced at the monitor. "Record those vitals Anna make yourself useful dear."

"What just happened?" I asked not making a move towards the clip board.

"Treatment, rewiring of the brain, getting rid of the diseased parts." Alexander shrugged as if it didn't really matter. I was fairly certain he wasn't able to target the ruined parts of the brain. If anything he was cooking the poor man from the inside out. "Clip board. Now."

"Right." Swallowing hard I grabbed the charts once more and recorded the vitals.

"Hmm. We'll keep the voltage the same. See what happens." Alexander went back to humming and pressed the charged devices to the patient's head once more.

I tried to look away but I found myself watching in horror as the patient convulsed once more. This time however he knew what was coming and screamed loudly. His cries were cut off as his eyes rolled into the back of his head only showing white. He was unconscious.

"Vitals." Alexander called. With a shaking hand I scribbled down the numbers.

"Sir I-I don't recommend doing something like that again, you'll kill him." I explained. Alexander laughed.

"He's holding up fine. Aren't you buddy?" Alexander patted the unconscious man on the shoulder and leaned in like he was waiting for a response. "He says he's fine. Let's go again."

Before I could protest Alexander committed the same action for a third time but a weird smell wafted into the air. Like something was burning. Covering my nose with my hand I fumbled for the switch killing the machine.

Alexander frowned and tried to shock the man again before his eyes narrowed on me. "Turn it on."

"No. Sir he's burning." My eyes stung and the smell burned my nose.

"He's fine I've done this before." Alexander promised.

"Not everyone is the same." I argued. He sucked in a deep breath and set the devices on the medical cart. He appeared calm, but calm wasn't always good.

"Three shocks work on everyone. I'm simply playing with the amount of voltage." He said slowly peeling the gloves off of his hands. "But I suppose you're correct."

"I am?" I hadn't been expecting him to agree with me.

"We'll take him back to his room." Alexander set the gloves down. He turned his back and took a step forward as though he were going to release the fried human. Quickly however he turned and I felt the familiar sting of a hand against my cheek his knuckles cracking against my cheek bone. "Don't challenge my authority again Anna."

Biting my cheek to keep from crying out I nodded. He sounded bored, indifferent like none of this mattered to  him.

"Take him to his room. I have other work to do." By the tone of his voice I got the sense that he was mocking me. It occurred to me that I may have saved this man from death but what about others after him?

I hastily undid the straps keeping the poor victim in place who slumped forward onto my shoulder his head lolling and limp.

I was not strong enough to lift and resorted to dragging him to the trolley once more. With a great amount of awkward effort I managed to fasten his rag doll like body in place.

Eager to leave before I saw the after math of Alexander's experiments I hurried out the door. I did not know where this man belonged and resorted to asking the person at the front desk. After they simply shrugged and told me they did not know I was forced to find a relatively empty room for him.

He had yet to stir and I was beginning to worry that I was simply toting a corpse around for all to see. I passed room after room all of which were cramped despite their size until I at last reached one where only two were kept.

Opening he door I wheeled Sarmiento inside. The two men, one old, one young, looked on with fear and concern.

"I have no where else to put him. Please let him stay." I begged.

The old man frowned and his hands became active in a flash. Sign language. The other young man did the same. They were both deaf. I did my best to use what little sign language I knew to repeat what I had said.

In the end both agreed and I freed the man attached to the trolley resting him on the ground. His eyes fluttered open but they were glassed over and his mouth opened and closed no sound coming from his lips. Drool seeped out of the corner of his mouth. I prayed he'd recover though the deeper part of my conscience knew it was unlikely.

Removing the trolley I left it outside the door and began to make my way back down the halls. Alexander stood outside the same room we'd been in and raised his eyebrows.

"I trust you won't be so kind hearted this time around?" Alexander asked his tone cold.

"What are the consequences if I am?" I asked the stinging in my cheek had already numbed.

"You'll be fired. You interest me but that doesn't mean you can walk all over the place as though you own it. Know who your superiors are." Alexander's eyes held a dangerous edge to them. Fired. I couldn't be fired. What would I do with myself? Where would I go? I'd never learn what my brother was trying to say. I'd never be able to find Linnea and Edward.

It was clear Alexander knew this. What I couldn't understand however was why he wanted me to help? There were plenty of other people who could assist him.

"Come." Alexander opened the door and I headed back inside. It shut behind me and I knew that what I was going to see here today was not something anyone should witness. I was forced to bite my tongue through it all. I hated it.

Night time couldn't have come sooner. When it was finally time to leave I made a straight shot for the exit. The air outside was even colder than before. Shivering I'd purposefully left my coat inside so that I'd have an excuse to enter once more close to closing time.

That only meant I would freeze more while waiting. Pacing by the ivy covered wall I waited until Henry would arrive. He promised to make sure that he'd leave last out of his group. Just long enough so that his fellow work men would leave without him.

At last after a painstaking and numbing time I watched the group of men all in the same attire leave the building behind. Waiting a minute to space out their exits and my entrance I padded up the steps.

Opening the door I nearly ran into the front desk worker tasked with locking up for the night.

"So sorry to bother you but I left my coat." I tried for a pleasant smile but the man rolled his eyes and stepped aside.

"Grab it." He grumbled. By the tapping of his foot it was clear that he was impatient. Which was fine by me. Nodding I walked to the coat rack and grabbed my coat.

"You know I actually believe I forgot something else. It'll be real quick I promise." I smiled again which only earned me a huff of irritation.

"Look I gotta be somewhere kid. Lock up on your way out." The man tossed the keys to me and exited quickly wrapping a scarf around his neck.

I waited until the door closed and smiled to myself. I'd lock up sure. Locking the doors from the inside to keep anyone unwanted from entering.

Tucking the  keys into my coat pocket I hurried off down the hallways to where Henry explained the kitchen rested. Pausing at the door I knocked three times light, light, hard.

I waited a moment and Henry knocked back in the same manner before opening the door. He pulled me inside shutting the door behind me.

"I got the keys. You were right. The front desk clerk had plans for the night." I smiled showing him the keys before locking the kitchen door.

"He's got a dinner date." Henry mused. "Now come on."

He walked off behind a dish washer that was silent for once. Racks of relatively decent plates lined the walls. A fridge rested off to the side and large pots rested on the stoves. The food was made in large quantities and distributed until it ran out. I had a feeling though that there was a shortage considering our increase in personnel.

"Did you find it?" I asked looking away from the room and following Henry. He was leaning against a wall his arm reaching between a machine and a sliver of space. His face took on a look of concentration as he felt around blindly.

At last he restricted his hand. "The board is loose but my arm isn't small enough to reach back that far."

"Here let me try." Henry stepped aside and I took up his position reaching into the space and feeling around. Sure enough I felt the loose board give slightly at my touch. Feeling around a bit more I was able to hook my finger tips into the sliver of space between the loose board and the others.

Grunting I pulled hard and the board gave with a satisfying snap as it broke free from its nail. Reaching into the new space I felt a wave of disappointment as I discovered nothing. I was about to retract my hand when it grazed against something small with edges.

Pulling it out I realized it was a carefully folded square of paper. "I knew it!" Henry smiled.

"It might not be what we think. We should read it first." I said starting to unfold it. There was very little on it but I recognized the careful scrawl.

Go to the basement~B.

"Basement? There is no basement." Henry frowned scanning the paper as if it contained something else.

"Still, it's signed by my brother. That's good, it means something." I smiled.

"Anna we have no basement. It doesn't mean anything if we don't have it." Henry handed me back the slip of paper and I tucked it into my coat pocket with the keys.

"Let's look." The idea didn't seem that ridiculous I mean no one else was here but us.

"I don't know." Henry scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Alright only for a few minutes. But I promise you we won't find anything. We are on the lowest level already."

"Isn't there some sort of storage compartment? I mean where else do we keep supplies?" I asked.

"Well yes there's storage, I helped manage that. I suppose we could look there. Follow me." Handing Henry the keys he unlocked the door before locking it behind us once we left. He paused for a moment before heading off to the left.

His footsteps were light on the ground and he walked with a slight bend in the knees to soften the impact of his feet on the floor. Taking a right down a dim lit corridor he made a left before silently pointing at a sign above a door.

Storage

He examined the key ring with an intense scrutiny before finally deducting the appropriate key. Slipping it into the lock he gave it a small jiggle and the door clicked open. Standing he smiled proudly and pushed the door open.

Inside the scent of musty boxes and metal greeted my nose. Henry flicked on a light switch activating the emergency lights that flickered to life overhead. Small clumps of dust particles floated into the air.

Rows and rows of shelving similar to that of a grocery store were contained in the large room. Everything from spare parts to broken items rested on the shelves. It was like a hidden junkyard.

"Split up. I'll go right you go left. Find me if you discover anything, even if it's doubtful." Nodding I watched Henry jog off to the right and disappear between a row of shelves.

Heading to the left I scanned the room trying to deduct any important details. There was a box of doorknobs brass, iron, steel, a hodgepodge of shapes as well. After that was a box of bolts all organized by various lengths.

Nothing of interest. As I neared the far wall it was clear that the room couldn't hold all that it was meant to. Boxes lined the walls nearly as tall as me. These seemed to contain useless items most covered in a thick layer of dust ancient it seemed. Like they'd been forgotten and pushed to the side.

Curious I glanced inside one box to find  an assortment of odd trinkets and decorations. There was a brass hummingbird broach. Its metal was tarnished with age and its eyes glazed over with a dusty film. Running my thumb over it I tried to restore some of its shine.

Holding the bird in hand I moved on. The farther along I went the more things seemed to make less sense. I couldn't understand how such seemingly senseless materials had been kept here.

However as I neared the end I noticed something quite obvious and peculiar. A clump of boxes seemed newer, the contents were similar to that on the shelves not like the broach I'd discovered.

Grasping the handles of the top one I lifted it with a quite grunt and set it aside. Shoving the other boxes aside all that I saw was the same sort of boarded walls as in the kitchen. Nothing seemed out of place and I felt disappointed. I wasn't sure what I was expecting but it wasn't that.

I was about to move the boxes back in place when I heard the faint click of the door shutting. Holding my breath my heart picked up speed pounding in my chest.

Ducking behind the nearest shelf I slowly crept along trying to be as silent as possible while peering through a gap whenever I could. It might have simply been Henry but I wasn't sure.

Crouching low at the end I peeked around the corner. It took all of my willpower not to make a sound. Alexander stood with a man I did not recognize.

"You said you couldn't find the boy's file. Perhaps you didn't check the older records." Alexander spoke his eyes scanning the shelves. Quickly I ducked out of sight taking a step backwards for good measure.

"I didn't have access." I recognized the voice of the other man. It belonged to the same man I'd overheard on the phone. The same man who wanted my brother's file. The one who I supposed knocked me out.

Their footsteps echoed lightly and I turned my back hurrying down the aisle. I needed to find Henry. Glancing around another corner I bolted for the right side of the room.

Henry spotted me and opened his mouth to say something but I quickly covered it with my hand. Attempting to keep my voice quiet and steady I glanced about before speaking. "Don't talk, Alexander is here, he brought a friend."

Henry's eyes widened and he immediately scanned the room. Letting him go he nodded and crouched low as did I. It was imperative that we remained quiet. I could only imagine what Alexander would do if we were caught.

I could see the door through the gap in the shelves. It wasn't far but it felt like a mile away.

"Someone's here." I heard Alexander's deep agitated growl. "They moved the boxes."

I'd been right! Something was there. It lead to some sort of secret file room. One Henry hadn't known about. Henry swallowed hard and held up a hand to indicate we should remain in place for the moment.

"Now or never." I whispered. If we waited there was a good chance we weren't going to make it out by the time they spotted us. Bolting for the door I heard Henry's footsteps pounding the ground behind me. Grasping the handle I jerked the door open and continued to run.

I heard it slam behind us and I knew Alexander would follow us. He didn't like rats after all. Henry took the lead and grabbed my hand pulling me around a corner.

"I am never doing that again." He breathed as the two of us sprinted for the exit.

"There's something there. We were on the right track." I smiled enjoying the rush of adrenaline.

"Yes but I'm not keen on being caught by a mad man." Henry burst through the exit and the two of us ran down the path to the gate.

"This way. My place is closer." Tugging on his arm I dragged him by the shirtsleeve down the sidewalk and towards my apartment. The two of us pounded up the stairs of my apartment complex not slowing until the door was shut to my apartment room.

"Do you think he knows it was us?" Henry asked resting his hands on his hips, chest heaving for oxygen.

"No." I shook my head gasping for air but somehow finding the ability to laugh. "That was...exhilarating."

"To say the least." Henry slumped down into a chair and kicked his shoes off.

"We can go back. Not too soon. But eventually." Henry nodded his eyes closed and simply gave me a thumbs up .

Catching my breath I headed to my bedroom where I had stored the type writer Henry had given me. I had returned to my apartment earlier in he morning before heading to work.

"What are you doing?" Henry asked opening his eyes as I made my way to the kitchen table and set the machine down.

"Writing." He got up and walked over to where I now sat.

"So you found something to say?" He asked scooting a chair over to sit next to me.

"Yes." I told him about what happened earlier today, what Alexander had done frying he poor patient's brain. "It was horrible and the smell was putrid. I made him stop. But I'm not sure how much is left of the poor man. I think that maybe I should have just...let him die."

"No Anna, you did the right thing it just didn't work out perfectly." Henry assured me.

"The thing was I only saved him. When I came back Alexander was already preparing to do the same thing to someone else. And I just let it happen." As I spoke I felt an incredible guilt welling inside of me. "All because he threatened to fire me."

"Anna, listen to me. You're a good person no matter what. You can't feel guilty for what he is doing." Henry gave me a sincere look.

"You're write but, I can use this, to write or at least start exposing what's going on." Resting my fingers on the keys I was about to begin typing the first word when Henry gently guided my hands away from the keys and held them in his own.

"Understand that once you do this. If it works. If you succeed you will become his enemy. Alexander has tolerated you because you interest him, and maybe because you're useful but it won't last. Are you willing to be his enemy, to endure what may happen and suffer the consequences? I want you to be sure before you do this because there is no going back."

"I have never been more sure about anything in my life. If the public can finally understand what it is they claim to hate so much I can help the people I care about. I can help Edward, Linnea, and Kat, maybe more. Someone has  to start somewhere and it's going to be me." I insisted. Henry scanned my face as if he were looking for any sign of doubt but I didn't feel any doubt. I was sure.

This is what I was going to do, I had to do this. I could feel it deep within my chest this task calling to me. To speak for those who couldn't. Henry let go of my hands and nodded in consent.

"Get to work then. When you finish your draft let me read it. When the final copy is done I'll send it to John." Henry stood. "If you're okay with this then so am I. We're gonna tear down his image."

"I wouldn't like anything else." I smiled. Henry said a warm goodbye and left me in my apartment room having to head home for Rusty. Turning my attention back to he type writer I let my fingers skin the keys. After a moment of hesitation I knew what I wanted to say. I began to type.