Free The Unlocked (Charlie Hartley Series Book 1) by J.D. Stonebridge Page A

the entire town seemed to be at a standstill. The only evidence of
life were the cars parked outside the establishments, and even those weren’t
conclusive.
    The bus cruised along a familiar forested road with side
paths that looked a bit menacing but calming, too. For some reason, Charlie had
a distinct, almost nostalgic feeling she had been there before.
    "Princess?" Charlie had completely forgotten that
her parents were on the phone.
    "Sorry, Mom. I zoned out for a bit." Curious
whether her instincts were correct, she asked, “Mom, did we ever visit here
when I was a kid?”
    “No, sweetie. Your father and I went to the Kit Carson Peak
once, but you weren’t around then.”
    Something about that road made her uneasy. She scanned her
brain for similar places she had visited but came up with nothing.
    “I think I'm here, Mom.  Love you," Charlie said, tracing
her fingers along the lines on the map. This was her bus stop. She produced a
piece of paper where the address was written down. “38 Avalon Street, Kit
Carson, Colorado.” Charlie approached the driver to ask the direction of her
destination.
    "It's a ten-minute walk south," he said. Pulling
her suitcase behind her, she started in the direction he gave. Soon she stood
in front of an imposing black gate that towered over her. The number 38 on the
brick panels that secured it in place matched the address.
    For a moment, she didn't move a muscle. Charlie catalyzed
mobility when she pressed the button and a mechanical-sounding voice answered.
“State your identification and purpose.”
    Wow, this school is even more uptight than Mom ,
Charlie thought to herself. She spoke out loud: “Charlene Hartley, incoming
freshman student at the American National Development, Research and Education
Institute.”
    Without another word, the gates opened slowly and Charlie
made her way inside. This place had no resemblance to Hogwarts. It was drab and
geometrically precise as far as Charlie could tell. Geometry wasn’t her best
subject, but she understood calculated measurements and architecture when she
saw them. For a fleeting moment she hoped she was at the wrong place because she
knew she could never enjoy studying in a glass enclosure. But as she moved
closer to her destination, it all made sense to Charlie.
    “This is not a normal school and these are not normal
students,” Charlie reminded herself. Whatever conventional ideas Charlie had,
she must leave them behind. She had made a choice and would stand by it.
    Heaving a deep sigh, she stared at the tall, white building
in front of her. At the top were the letters “GEN.” Amanda emerged from inside
the building with Hilary trailing behind her, a big grin on her face.
    “Welcome to Genetic Engineering and Neuroscience
Laboratories,” Amanda greeted quietly.
    Charlie looked at her in confusion as someone in a white
uniform gathered her suitcase.
    “Don’t worry, I’ll explain everything. Please follow me,”
Amanda ushered them in. When the automatic glass door parted, a gush of
conditioned air met Charlie. They walked through the halls and she saw a lot of
people garbed in white lab coats. The place was bustling with activity; no one
paid them any attention. They climbed two flights of stairs and headed for a
walkway with windows overlooking the field. Upon reaching the other end, a
white door scanned Amanda’s ID and eyes before it opened. They passed through a
couple of doors and stopped at one with a sign that said ‘Headmaster’s Office.’
    “Come in, Charlie, make yourself comfortable,” Amanda
ushered.
    Charlie’s first observation was that Amanda’s office was
spacious and lacked any person touches like photographs or a coffee mug.
Charlie remembered Principle Bowman’s office: full of framed photographs of his
children. Amanda’s office was devoid of any personal mementos save for the
framed diplomas and a passage painted in black on the wall. It read:
    The A.N.D.R.E.I.
Manifesto:
    We know of