Selene couldn't believe what she was reading. She was wide awake now.
She'd curled over her tablet under her blanket. All the other bunks the kids had were pushed closer to hers so she had to be careful not to wake them up.
If what Dad said was true, then life on the colony was about to get very, very 'adventurous'. And not the kind she'd always secretly craved.
[Dad] - I put the cameras in class A on loop. The next time the guards shift change, you can sneak out. Just crawl over one of the barriers in the corner. If they catch you, just say you couldn't wait to be released tomorrow or something. They won't be too mad about it.
How was he doing all this? If he knew all this, what else did he know?
[Selene] - Is Camden really in trouble?
[Dad] - Yes, but we all are. They sent their fastest ship to get ahead of the curve but many more are on the way. Enough to put the entire planet on lockdown. The whole fucking colony is about to become a prison camp.
Selene peaked over the covers at the guard at the end of the hangar. He was leaned on the barrier looking down at his tablet. She might be able to sneak by anyways. Her tablet vibrated. She'd turned off her chirping notifications for now.
[Dad] - They keep lab coats in the examination tents. Find one first. It'll make it easier to get around. Once you got it, find to hangar 2-F. Text me when you're outside. Don't get too close.
She didn't know what to say. She was anxious. She wasn't ever a cowardly person, but this seemed like a whole process that was way too easy to mess up.
[Dad] - You can do this Selene. Worst case scenario you just get thrown back into class A and they tighten security. Are you doing it?
[Selene] - Fine. But this is fucking crazy dad. I'm not a secret agent. Who were you before you and mom came here?
The guard looked up from his tablet and started to scan the hangar. She ducked beneath the cover of her blanket. After a moment he tucked his tablet in a wide holster on his side and began to walk off.
[Dad] - I'll tell you after.
[Selene] - It's happening. I have to go.
His response was near instant.
[Dad] - Go go, you got this kiddo! :)
Selene shimmied out of her blanket and slipped on her shoes. She clutched her tablet close to her as she snuck across the hangar. She saw another guard was already heading towards the hangar, passing the other enforcer.
The midnight sun was far dimmer than the daily sun, but it was still easy enough to spot her.
"Shit." she whispered angrily. She'd have to wait until the next shift change and who knew when that'd be. Maybe she could distract them somehow?
"What?" another whispered voice asked behind her. A tanned face was looking over her shoulder at the approaching guard in the distance.
Selene just about jumped out of her skin.
"What are you doing?" Raymond asked. He was kneeling down next to her peaking over the concrete barrier.
What was it with this guy and choosing the worst possible moment to exist? Was he watching her constantly? Fucking creep. But then she had an idea. She could turn his obsession into something useful.
"I need to get out.."
Raymond scrunched his face into a confused expression; "If this is about earlier—I was being an ass, my grandma is in class D and I've been taking it out on other people."
Selene didn't hear a sorry.
"Like I said—I don't care. I just got a tip about something fishy going on and I need to get some proof."
Raymond scoffed; "You, the fucking girlscout? Huh. And you're pulling a heist on fucking puck?" he slapped his knees and stood up. "You son of a' bitch... I'm in. Just hide over there and I'll flag the guard down."
"You sure- cause-"
He waved her off complacently. "Psh, I've been looking for a way to get back at puck. Go, he's coming."
She crawled across the line of barriers to the opposite end of the hangars entrance. As she did she saw a few other eyes peaking at her. Seems like a few of them were having trouble sleeping. Makes sense, with everything going on. But no one seemed like they were about to snitch on her.
"I haven't been able to get ahold of my grandmother, what's that about?", Raymond asked as the enforcer approached.
"Not my department." they replied complacently. They started to turn and look down the length of the barriers.
But Raymond stepped in front of them.
"I deserve to know what's happening to her—she's my dependent, like legally. This whole thing is stressful enough to kill her, expect a lawsuit in the near future.", "You'll be granted visitation once you're released tomorrow. Step back. Now."
Selene took her opportunity to roll over the top of the barrier and move behind the side of the hangar in one fluid movement.
'Maybe I am a secret agent.' she thought to herself.
Seducing a unwitting accomplice, sneaking by security, and now she was on her way to secure a disguise. Just like the movies. It should be the graveyard shift about this time, but she had to hurry.
The camp was a quiet besides the hum of machines. The few murmurs of patrolling enforcers conversations. The dome overhead cast hexagonal shadows across the sea of tents and hangars. Selene snuck along the tents and lifted up a corner. It was dark within.
She pulled out her tablet and used the screen for light.
Her heart beat fast in her chest and she was worried any second now someone would notice her. Time seemed to slow. Nothing she did ever felt fast enough. She pulled open drawers, looked beneath desks, then she had to check other tents.
As she was about to give up on the coat thing when she put her hand on one of the metal foldout dividers that each tent had to keep the hospital bed concealed. And she felt a lab coat hanging from it.
"Well, that's anti-climatic."
She pulled it over her dark red hoodie and left the tent. Now time to find hangar 2-F. She checked her tablet again. Yep. 2-F.
Every now there was an enforcer patrolling but she made sure to avoid them. Even if she had to go the long way or wait. She pretended to check her tablet for some doctorly thing. Was this how doctors looked like?
[Dad] - How's it going?
[Selene] - I can't find the hangar.
"Lost?" an enforcer asked. She flinched and looked up to see her. So much for the doctor disguise.
How did she sneak up like that with those heavy ass boots?
"You've been going in circles." they said after seeing her expression.
"Yeah... Looking for hangar 2-F. But they all look the same."
"...They told us in the brief that everything is sorted alphabetically. And it's staggered. See 1-A over there?" they pointed over the tops of the tent towards a looming hangar. "2-A." she said and pointed to the left on the opposite end of the air strip. "1-B, 2-B. And so on." her voice was a bit distorted by the visored helmet she wore.
"Oh, duh. Man I must be tired, it's the overtime. Thankyouandsorryforwastingyourtime." Selene attempted to duck away from the enforcer. But she was blocked.
"One more thing. Can I see your ID?" the enforcer had a hand on the but of the bulky rifle that hung from her shoulders.
"Uh, I uhm.." Selene mock patted down her pockets. "I must've left it in my other coat. My names Halsy though. Dr. Halsy."
"It rings a bell. But you better come with me. It'll just take a second to verify and you can get back to work. Help me help you, you know?"
"Oh wait, I think I just felt it. Hold this for a second?" Selene handed the guard her tablet. Her heart jumped up in her throat, but the enforcers guard was down. She shouldn't see this coming...
As soon as they took it Selene whipped a syringe out of her hoodie pocket and stuck it in the gap in their armor. And pushed the plunger.
The tablet clattered to the ground and Selene was shoved away hard. She tumbled along the ground and the enforcers weapon made a high pitched whirring sound as it's safety was disengaged.
"What was that!? What the fuck was that!?" she pointed her rifle at Selene but began to sway a bit.
Selene rolled over on the ground to face her, shielding her face with her arms; "Please don't kill me! It was just a sedative I think!"
Why didn't it work instantly like in the movies?
"Y-you think..?" the guard dropped to a knee and put her finger over the trigger. "Don't fucking move!" she warned then brought a hand up to their visor. No doubt to use her radio.
"Wait!" Selene shot forward and grabbed the enforcers hand while pushing the rifle aside. She wasn't strong nor did she have good cardio. But she's always been quick with good hand/eye coordination.
"Shh... Just go to sleep.", "Wut? ya crazy... Bish.." "Shh..." the enforcer tried to muster up the strength to push her away again but began to fall limp. "Enforcer... Need.." she fell over.
Change of plans. This enforcer had an ID. And a way to conceal her face. Talk about an upgrade. Selene only had the one sedative.
The enforcer was too heavy to drag outright. So instead Selene swiveled the enforcers unconscious body back and forth then rolled her into the tent next to them.
"Okay... This next part has nothing to do with anything weird, okay? Okayokayokay." she murmured to herself more than anyone else as she stripped the enforcer down. She had a soft-fabric bodysuit beneath it.
The body armor was half the woman's weight at least. The back unclasped open and she had to slip it on all at once. It felt like wearing bricks.
But Selene expected that. The armor was built to support itself once it's on. Then it activated. She pressed the same switch she had to deactivate to take it off the enforcer. And suddenly she felt normal again. Well, she seemed normal but she knew that if she was much stronger now.
The same system that supported the armor also enhanced the wearers strength.
[Selene] - I hope this isn't incrementing to send over text but I just knocked out an enforcer and took their armor.
[Dad] - It sure as hell is! What are you, an idiot?
[Selene] - Dad!
[Dad] - Now you really have to succeed. If the colony doesn't turn on puck then you're going to be charged with like five felonies. Did you hit them?
[Selene] - No, I used drugs.
[Dad] - I'm... Not going to ask anymore questions. Plausible deniability. You understand.
Selene couldn't believe he was joking at a time like this. She saw the speech bubbles that pop up when someone types.
[Dad] - Well the enforcer gear should make it easier at least. Did you find the hangar?
She followed the enforcers directions and saw a hangar draped in a red plastic curtain.
[Selene] - Yeah. But it's surrounded.
It was. Enforcers were circling it like sharks.
[Dad] - Yep. That's what I noticed too. Hopefully it's for a good reason. Time for phase 2.