***Harper
The phone buzzed harshly on the desk, vibrating next to my elbow. I was reviewing the newly released footage of the mayor's daughter's last known movements when the name flashed across the screen in an encrypted text: UNKNOWN CALLER.
I stared at it. A chill rolled down my spine. I answered it.
'Harper', the voice said, distorted and taunting. 'It's time we had a little chat'.
My jaw tightened. 'What do you want?'
'Let's make a deal. Take down that little news story you and your pitiful uncle put out. It's causing a storm we don't appreciate'.
'You killed an innocent woman while she was looking for her daughter', I snapped.
'Cut the crap Harper, you and I both know that I didn't kill her'.
'Oh really?'. I sneered.
'Tch, tch, tch', the voice scolded. 'You really think you're going to save anyone with this hero act? Here's the thing, Harper: you take the story down.....or someone else dies'.
I didn't flinch, but my knuckles whitened. 'I'm not bargaining with a murderer'.
The voice chuckled coldly, 'Oh, but you will. You'll change your mind. Meet me at the old mirror grounds in one hour. Don't bring anyone. If you're late, she dies'
'Sophie?!'
'Oh, no, no, no Harper. Someone else'
'What?'
Click.
I froze, then bolted upright.
Chris's voice entered my mind, 'Harper? What happened?'
'I knew it! I should have been more careful'
'What's going on Harper, tell me!'
'They have Maisie'.
*********
The old mirror grounds had once been a public garden, but it had long since been abandoned. Its maze-like structure of hedges and broken glass walls cast eerie reflections under the pale afternoon light.
I stood at the entrance, hands clenched, heart pounding. No guards, no obvious traps, just silence.
Then a loudspeaker buzzed overhead.
'You have fifteen minutes, Harper. Maisie is somewhere in the maze. Reach her before time runs out-or she suffocates'.
A shrill, echoing cry cut through the hedge walls. 'HARPERRRRRR!'
'Maisie!' I screamed and sprinted in.
*Chris, what do I do?! Maisie is the only reason why I'm still alive in that house!*
*This isn't just a maze. It's changing structure. I can't get a read on it. Something's interfering....*
*To heck with the person! Please do something Chris!*
************
C.O.D.E'S HEADQUATERS
'Sir. The system is working on it's own!'.
Natalie was frustrated.
The gamekeeper on the other hand, was calm as usual.
'I can't do anything about it Natalie'.
'Ugh!'
********HARPER
Chris's voice echoed inside my head, his tone sharp and unsettled. I clutched the edge of the cold, moss-lined wall as the maze stretched before me like an endless, shifting puzzle. The walls trembled slightly, as if the entire place were alive and watching me.
My breathing quickened, 'Chris, what do you mean by someone's interfering? Is it the C.OD.E's system again?'
Chris hesitated. 'No. this feels..... different.
Someone is actually in the game mechanics-manually altering the environment. It's not just coded traps anymore-it's maliciously personal'.
Then the voice came again.
Maisie.
A scream.
'HELP!HARPIE!'
My blood froze.
I couldn't tell which direction it came from. It echoed from every corridor, bouncing off the stone in a twisted mockery. My hands trembled as I stepped forward.
'Maisie!' I shouted. 'Hold on! I'm coming!"
A timer appeared midair, glowing in red digital numbers: 14:58.... 14:57
A countdown.
********
The mayor's daughter sat by a screen and watched Harper's struggles while sipping wine.
'Ha ha ha ha! You have no idea of what I'm capable of Harper!'
Someone rushed in with disbelief on his face.
'How dare you enter without my permission!'
'S.....so.....sorry ma'am....I....'. He stuttered as he knew he was in trouble.
She was not wearing her mask and her face was now visible but he also knew the price to pay for seeing her face.
'Ma'am, I just wanted to give you update about the maze'
'Yes, I know what's going on. I've seen it myself, it is amazing but it's not strange. Such powers exist, I know it'. The mayor's daughter said, clearly not surprised about the way the maze was changing structures on its own.
'Then, madam...'
'Ugh. Forget it'.
BANG!!
The guard's eyes were wide as he breathed his last breath.
'No one sees my face and leaves alive. It's an honor for you to have seen it. Ha ha ha ha!!' she laughed crazily and blew on her gun.
**********HARPER
My legs sprang into motion. Every instinct screamed for me to go faster, to forget everything but Maisie's voice. But the maze was unpredictable. Some walls changed as I ran, others slammed shut, nearly taking off my shoulder.
'Chris, guide me-anything you can pick up!'
Chris's voice was strained. 'Something's suppressing my processing. I can't track the exit-or Maisie. Whatever's messing with the system is doing it from inside the game, Harper'.
********C.O.D.E's HEADQUATERS
'Sir, something is not right!', Natalie complained.
'You're right. I'm not in the game and I'm not controlling whatever is going on right now'.
The gamekeeper said then, a look of realization appeared on his face. 'It can't be him, right?'.
********HARPER
I skidded to a stop at a three-way fork. Each path looked identical.
Maisie's scream came again- closer this time.
I chose the left.
As I ran, vines sprang out from the walls, curling toward me with barbed thorns. I ducked and rolled through them, getting scratched on my arms. Blood dripped to the ground. I bit back a curse and pressed on.
Suddenly-
A flash.
The maze warped around me.
And I....saw it.
For a split second, the path ahead lit up in a strange white glow, revealing a curve in the route and the door behind which someone stood-guarding a crying child.
I gasped. 'What-what just happened?'
Chris's voice rang in my ears again. 'You unlocked something. I don't know how, but your mind is syncing deeper with the CODE system'.
My eyes widen. 'You mean I can...see things ahead?'
'Only for a brief moment. But yes. It's risky. You'll bleed energy fast using it'.
'I don't care. If it saves Maisie, I'll do it again'.
And I did.
I clenched my fists and focused on the left passage.
My head throbbed, and again, the world flickered.
This time, I saw the floor drop ahead-a trap.
I leapt over the area just in time as the tiles behind me collapsed into a spike pit.
I didn't stop.
Every vision drained me, every trap tried to kill me-but I pushed through.
The screams grew louder. The timer ticked faster.
01:07....01:06....
And then-
A door.
I slammed into it, heart pounding, vision blurred.
Inside, I saw a figure-
Holding Maisie.
The guard's eyes widened. 'How-how did you find-'
BANG! BANG!
'MAISIE? MAISIE!!!'