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Darren and Jenna (holding baby Danielle) entered a room. Without bothering to turn on the lights, they crossed to the other side. Part of the back wall retracted, then slid to the side, revealing a door.
Darren opened it. On the floor inside the closet was a black metal box. Also, there was a glass shelf lit from above. On the shelf were three silver saucers. Each plate displayed a square microchip the size of a dime encased in a small transparent box.
Darren was reaching out to grab one when a voice startled him.
“I thought I heard somebody. What are you doing here?”
Jenna turned, with Danielle in her arms. A tall, dark-haired man and a slender, brown-haired woman, who was holding a baby, came out of an adjacent room.
“Oh, it’s just you, Mike,” Darren said.
“Yeah, who else would it be?” Mike smiled.
“Well, Isaac has escaped,” Darren said. “For a second, I thought you might be him. Anyway, we came here because I thought it would be a good idea to move the microchips and the decoder to a more secure location.”
Mike stepped closer. “That’s an excellent idea. Of course, that’s why I’d already thought of it. Great minds think alike, huh?” He smiled. “But, I wouldn’t take those chips if I were you.” He pointed to the closet. “They’re fake. I’ve already switched them. If Isaac does come to get the chips, by the time he realizes they’re fakes, we’ll have the real ones implanted.”
“Clever...” Darren paused briefly, as if pondering something.
“So, if these are fake,” Jenna pointed toward the closet, “where are the real chips?”
Mike pulled three glass cubes with microchips in them out of his robe. “These are the real ones. Take them to the western hospital. We’ll be able to implant the MSIs there. I’ll contact the others and let them know where you are.”
Mike gave the three boxes containing the microchips to Darren and then held out his arms to Jenna. “Here, let us take Danielle. It could be dangerous. You might get ambushed by some of Isaac’s men. After you get the operating room ready, give the all clear, and we’ll come with the children.”
“Fine.” Darren turned toward the closet while Jenna handed Danielle to Mike. “And, we should probably take the decoder, as well.”
Mike held out a hand, balancing baby Danielle in the other. “Wait. Maybe you shouldn’t have the chips and the decoder at the same time. It would be terrible to lose both.”
“We won’t lose either of them.” Darren was obviously offended.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just a little paranoid right now with Isaac on the loose.” Mike stepped back. “So, we’ll see you at Portulane hospital, then?”
Darren put the MSIs in his robe, took the metal box from the closet, and turned to leave. “Yes, of course. We’ll see you there soon.”
Mike waved. “Yeah. Sure.”
After Darren and Jenna left, Mike said, “Manasto. I have to meet with you right away. It’s about Isaac... okay, we’re on our way.”
“What did he say?” the woman asked.
“He said to meet him in the Council room. But first, let me get the microchips.” Mike turned and went toward the closet.
The woman said, “I’m glad you gave Darren the fake MSIs. I didn’t believe that excuse he gave about hiding them in a safer place, either.” She sighed heavily. “You know what this means, don’t you?”
Mike put the three chips, one by one, in his robe. “That I’m incredibly smart?”
She smiled. “Well, I’ll give you credit for being smart enough to marry me and for getting Danielle away from her parents. But, I was referring to Darren and Jenna being on Isaac’s side.”
Danielle woke up from the HST.