Chp. 56 "Shocking Secrets"

"I've never been so hungry in my life!"

I was currently having lunch with my three friends, like old times before Avery got sick and was bed-written. Max and Avery had been getting along better now that Avery was back to normal, but of course they still liked to push each other's buttons.

Old habits never die, I guess.

I continued eating and enjoying everyone's company, realizing I had been missing this a lot since we had gotten here. Max interrupted the silence, "So, training has been going super well for Gage and I."

I looked at him, remembering how I had started a couple of days ago with Roger. We had done a lot of physical training, and I knew once Avery gained more strength she would start as well. I had to admit though, Max and Gage definitely buffed up quite a bit since starting, and they were more defined than they used to be.

I was proud that they were actually being productive.

Avery nudged his arm, "Yea, you finally put some muscle on your bones. Good job."

Max made a sarcastic face and eyed me from across the table, and I knew there were things that he wanted to tell Avery. Avery had no idea what we three had heard the other day, hours before she had gotten her vaccine. She had no idea who was actually behind the disease, and who actually created it. Max seemed to want to break the news to her but I shook my head, hoping that he wouldn't bring it up.

Not now.

I wanted to be alone with her, where she wouldn't be surrounded by a bunch of people that most likely had no idea about the F.P.S. and what they had done. I didn't want to risk our secret as well, because we weren't even supposed to know in the first place.

We had been eavesdropping.

We finished up our lunch and we all exited the lunch room in silence, and I knew it was killing Max keeping something this big from Avery. He was begging me silently to tell her, and I indicated for him to wait till we were alone and out of hearing range.

We continued walking down the narrow halls as we made our way towards my room where we were all going to hang out.

And break the bad news to Avery.

I wasn't looking forward to it, mostly because I had no idea how she was going to react to it. I mean she literally had almost died from this disease, so finding out someone actually created it might shock her.

Or anger her, like it did me.

I unlocked my familiar room and allowed all three of my friends in, locking the door behind me. Avery seemed to be oblivious to what was actually about to happen, but I knew there was no pleasant way of doing this.

I sighed, "Avery, there's something we need to tell you."

She looked up at us with fear written in her eyes, and she shook her head, "Oh God, don't tell me I'm dead and this is all just some weird dream."

I laughed slightly towards her and shook my head, sitting next to her while Max and Gage stayed on the other side of the room. I placed my hand on her knee and responded, "No Avery, but there's something we found out yesterday while you were asleep before you got vaccinated."

Her eyes had worry in them, and she was scared, but I was to, because this was quite scary. The thought of someone in power creating a disease that could wipe out an entire human race within years was terrifying, and I was about to tell Avery this.

I looked at her, and then at Max and Gage, "When we were trying to find Henson, we walked in on him, Roger Boyd, and a couple other doctors talking. Apparently, according to them, the F.P.S. kind of created the BD3."

She looked taken back, which was something I pretty much expected. I mean I had been completely caught off guard when I had found out, and I had to run away to clear my head. She seemed to be struggling with this as she shook her head, "Are... what? Are you sure?"

I nodded, "I heard it with my own ears. We don't know all the facts but I'm planning on speaking with Henson soon-"

"That's not true, that can't be true Andy."

Her retort had cut my sentence off short, and I looked at her with shock written all over my face. I gazed into her eyes, utterly confused as to why she wouldn't believe me.

I spoke, "You don't believe me?"

She shook her head, "Why... why would people in power decide to wipe out a large amount of the human population on purpose Andy? Think about it, it makes absolutely no sense."

Gage spoke then, "Actually, it makes a whole lot of sense if you put it into context."

I couldn't get over the fact that Avery didn't believe what I had heard with my own ears, along with two other people in this room. Why wouldn't she believe me? Didn't she trust me?

I looked at Gage after he responded, waiting for him to continue because obviously Avery wasn't going to listen to me because I wasn't enough. I shook my head as I spoke, "How about you explain to Avery, since she doesn't trust her own girlfriend."

She looked at me then, and she seemed as if she was struggling with something inside her mind. I wanted to ask, but I wasn't going to because I was quite pissed at her at the moment. I looked at Gage, indicating for him to explain himself.

He stood suddenly and began talking, "Ok, so here's what happened in the first place. We were walking through the lab to find Henson, to give him the ok to give you the cure. We were walking down a hallway when we heard the four of them talking, and I swear to you Avery, I heard it with my own ears. Roger specifically said, '...it would put a fire in her ass if she knew that the F.P.S actually developed this disease in the first place'. Now if you choose not to believe us for whatever reason that's fine, but I'll explain why this makes so much sense."

I watched Gage pace slightly, as if he was nervous but excited at the same time. God he was such a cop.

"If this is true, because I believe it is, it would make complete sense and everything would add up. I mean, wasn't the whole ordeal of getting here by car was to avoid getting caught by the government?"

He looked at Avery, waiting for an answer. She nodded slowly, "Yes but-"

"Let me finish," Gage interrupted her, and continued, "We were hiding from the government, because they were searching for a Healer to create these Super Soldiers or whatever. But, Healers are so rare, so the only way to find them would be to cause a traumatic disaster to where they were needed, correct?"

I realized Gage was pitching a theory, but I let him continue as Avery answered, "I guess."

"Ok, so we're hiding from the government because they know a Healer is going to come to the rescue and try to get into the Bureau, which was their plan all along. It makes total sense Avery. They created the disease to smoke out someone like Andy so they could, in hopes, capture her and use her to accomplish their number one goal. The creation of this disease was just something to smoke out a Healer, the number one goal was to capture one and use them to create Super Soldiers."

Avery seemed to be taken back of course, because I knew she knew the truth, but it seemed as if she didn't want to accept it.

And for reasons I had no idea.

Gage sat again, "Do you guys remember ten years ago? I know y'all were young, maybe only 8 years old, but I remember because I was 14."

I looked at Gage curiously then, wondering where exactly he was taking us. What had happened ten years ago that would be relevant to now?

Gage folded his hands and leaned forward in his chair, "This wasn't the first pandemic scare the United States experienced. There had been one before that wasn't quite as bad as this one. It started out with a few cases up in Washington State, but they found a cure within months so it never really got bad. I remember because dad used to watch the national news and keep track of the death toll."

Then suddenly everything made sense as all the puzzle pieces suddenly connected in my brain. That time I heard Henson talking to the other doctor about how he had seen something similar in the BD3, and how it was 'much stronger now'. Ten years ago my dad, Fred, had died saving a Healer, who could have been Blaine because Blaine had been captured by the F.P.S.

But why would Blaine have been out in the open in the first place.

I leaned back on the bed, raking my hand through my hair, "Holy shit..."

Max spoke, "What Andy?"

I couldn't believe it, everything added up. I looked into my friend's eyes, wondering how I should tell them, and began talking. "Remember when we met Blaine, Max? And how he told us he had been captured by the F.P.S.?"

He nodded, allowing me to continue.

"Ok, and remember how my dad died ten years ago on that mission? He was saving Blaine; I know this because Roger told me so. And I overheard Henson days before yesterday talking to another doctor, and how some strands in the BD3 were the exact same to another disease. He was talking about ten years ago when the F.P.S. first attempted this fucking plan!"

Shit appeared to hit the fan when I revealed this, allowing my friends to see what I saw. We knew the truth, and the truth was ugly. I just couldn't believe this had happened, and because of the F.P.S. my real dad was dead, and this disease had nearly claimed my girlfriend's life.

How could they get away with something this inhumane?

Gage spoke, "So let me get this straight. The government has tried this already, but it didn't work the first time, obviously. So they wait ten years and try again?"

I nodded, hoping that they understood what was actually going on here. Whoever was higher up in the Security department had their priorities fucked, and they were convincing hundreds of people that this was ok, when in reality, it wasn't.

They were killing people again just to smoke out another Healer, just so they could attempt to kidnap them to try and make these invincible soldiers. The worst part about it was that they had tried it already ten years ago, and my dad had technically stopped them when he rescued Blaine, and had lost his life that night.

Then I heard Avery speak softly, "Max, Gage, can I speak with Andy alone, please?"

Her voice sounded calm but scared, and as I pulled myself out of my coma-like stare I watched Max protest. Gage seemed to see something was wrong with Avery though, and he spoke, "We'll see you guys later. Maybe we can talk to Henson and Roger soon."

I nodded, but now I was worried about Avery, who looked as if she was going to puke all over the floor. I watched her shift uncomfortably against my bed, looking at me but not really wanting to.

I questioned, "You ok? I know it's a lot to take in but I just wanted you to know-"

"Its fine, that's not what I need to tell you," she interrupted me, and for some reason there were horrible topics that were popping into my mind.

Oh God, what was she going to tell me? That she felt sick again? That she wasn't in love with me? That she wanted out of the Bureau and wanted to go home because she just couldn't take it here anymore?

What was I going to do without her?

I responded silently, "Avery... what is it?"

She seemed to shrink down into herself, as if she was preparing herself for something catastrophic. It was actually scaring me, but I was trying to keep my cool. There was no use losing my head over something I had no idea about, and I had absolutely no idea what she was about to say.

"Andy, I'm going to tell you something and you have to promise not to hate me ok? You have to promise."

Her voice was sad and scared, and this caused my heart rate to pick up in my chest. What could she possibly be willing to tell me that could make me hate her? I was terrified, and the more I stared at her the more I knew she was struggling with something huge inside her own mind.

I pressed, "I promise."

She closed her light green-blue eyes then, too afraid to look at me while she prepared to deliver information that might hurt me. I grabbed her hand for support, even though I had no idea what could possibly make me hate her.

Was she lying to me about something?

She breathed heavily, and I almost started crying because the pain and worry in my heart was overtaking me.

Then she breathed out and spoke quickly and quietly.

"My dad works for the F.P.S., Andy... I'm a Snitch."

***A/N***

HOLY SHIT GUYS! Did you all expect that? Or did I completely catch you off guard? What's in store for Andy and Avery, and has Avery just become Andy's worst enemy? Stay tuned to find out! And please VOTE and COMMENT if you're completely shocked and want to read more soon! ^_^