Free Exposed by Andrea Maller

here.”
         Jake couldn’t shake the feeling that his father knew something, but what?
         “What is he hiding? Does he know where Alyson is? How could he? He only met her the one time. Didn’t he? And why is he so determined to have me forget about her? He was just trying to get us back together a week ago and now...now he acts like she’s some kind of...I don’t know what? All I do know is he’s hiding something. Whatever it is, I’ll find it.”
         Jake searched the drawers in his father’s bedroom. He checked every scrap of paper, but came up empty. His suspicions didn’t lessen. On the contrary. Jake was more determined than ever to find out what his father was hiding. Downstairs, the tumbler clicked as his father’s key turned in the lock.
         “What the heck is he doing home so early? First, he doesn’t come home for days, now he’s home before lunch? He’s definitely up to something, but what?”
         The creak of the stairs alerted Jake. He ducked into his father’s closet and crouched down behind a moth-eaten windbreaker. Howard was almost to the top when the phone rang. Before he could pick up, the answering machine came on.
         “Howard, it’s Leonard. We have a situation at the lab. One of the subjects is not doing well. She’s...”
         Howard dashed into the study and grabbed the phone before Leonard could say another word.
         “Why are you calling me at home? You should have called my cell phone.”
         “I tried. The call wouldn’t go through.”
         “Well, you reached me now. What is it?” Howard said, pacing back and forth.
         “It’s Cassie. She had a severe asthma attack and had to be put on a ventilator. I barely got to her in time. The other one was screaming so I had to sedate her. It was complete chaos.”
         “You can handle it. I can’t be there every minute.”
         “I need you here, Howard. This project was your idea, not mine. I would just as soon set them loose.”
         “Do not let them go! Do you understand me? Not under any circumstance. You are just as deep in this as I am. Don’t think otherwise. If I go down, you’re coming with me.”
         “Just get down here, Howard.”
         “I’ll be there soon.”
         Howard slammed the phone down on the receiver. He shuffled through a stack of documents, then swiped his arm across the desk sending all the papers flying.
         “How can I work like this? All I asked him to do was keep an eye on a couple of clones.”
         “Did he just say what I thought he said?” Jake whispered to himself.
         He held his position until he heard the front door slam shut. One thing his father was not, was quiet. After Howard headed back to the lab, Jake called Alyson’s father.
         “Mr. Pierce?”
         “Jake, I’m so glad you called. Did you find out anything?”
         “I’m not sure yet. I might have a lead on where Alyson and Cassie are.”
         “How did you find out?”
         “I..I’d rather not say. I’ll call again when I know more.”
         “Stay in touch.”
         Jake hung up the phone and went into his father’s study.
         “What a mess! What was he looking for in here?”
         He thought back on his father’s phone conversation.
         “He asked Leonard to keep an eye on a couple of clones. It’s got to be Alyson and Cassie. Now how am I going to save them? Even if I can find what room he stashed them in, how am I going to get them out?”
         Jake thought for a while until he came up with a plan.
        “ I’ve got it. I’ll play him at his own game. I’ll tell him I want to help with his project. I just have to convince him that I don’t care about Alyson anymore. I’ll tell him he was right and there could never be a future for Alyson and me. It’s going to be the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s the only way.