Chapter Five: The Hero's Journey

Hiro shuddered as he pressed his back against the leather seat of the vehicle trying his best to get into a more comfortable position. The boy had a lot running through his mind, as the car jolted once more to a sudden stop. He could feel his insides churning, and he tried his best to keep his breakfast for dislodging its rightful place inside of his stomach, and onto the floor of the car. Though it was no surprise that the car was moving so jerkily; the sadist was driving it after all, and that woman probably had Intel on how easily he got carsick. He enjoyed carrides usually, but that was only if he was able to peer out at the scenery quickly disappearing into the distance... 

The current situation was quite the opposite. A black bag had been thrown over his head, and it was very suffocating to say the least. The elevator ride down had been a premonition to the horrifying driving he was forced to endure. Had this criminal organization decided not to suddenly move while in the middle of an operation, he might have gotten to stay in that incredibly hot and uncomfortable room with the massive computer systems constantly running. In all honesty, he thought at  first he was being kidnapped again; Normally, such a prospect would be weird: if one was kidnapped, and then kidnapped from the initial kidnappers, but the original strangeness of the entire ordeal had him believing all sorts of things. There was, absolutely no forewarning of this new adventure, up from the point in which he was suddenly seized, and taken into custody for the second time in a week. That was in till he could hear that slightly obnoxious, irritated voice, as the cool air filled his lungs of the outdoors.
 

“Get him in the car!” She had snapped, probably upset that she had to move such a lowly citizen at such an early hour of the day. And then, he was then forced into the vehicle, and taken away. Now he was here, in the middle of the most wretched car trip he had yet to experience. Not even that dare he got to spin on the tire swing for two minutes straight in elementary school, could compared to the situation he was in now. He was placed shoulder to shoulder, presumably, with two bulky guards that more than likely resembled that same delinquent looking man who had coaxed him into this entire mess in the first place. How many times do we have to stop before we get there? I’m surprised they didn’t throw me into the trunk, these bastards. I swear to god, I’m going to puke all over your car.
 

Then they turned onto a surface that was not paved. The sound of tires crunching over gravel could be heard. What is this? The outskirts of town? He pondered as they continued to roll over an uneven terrain, and finally they pulled into some sort of garage, and it was here that the doors finally opened, and he was dragged out of the car. His head was spinning, and finally the musty, suffocating air of the thick bag was removed and he sputtered, as he wanted to puke right then and there. “Welcome to your new home!” The woman stated cheerfully, which probably meant that something bad was going to happen. He was given a brief moment to rest, looking around at the gray smooth pavement that was similar to a garage. In fact, this actually was a parking garage; an empty one. Where the hell in town are we? It's not like there is an underground parking garage just sitting in the middle of the outskirts, or that is where I assume we are... 

He then was forced onto his feet, and marched along a passage which was directly linked up with the garage. Aside from the sound of the woman’s heels tapping on the smooth tiled surface, the rather large facility was soundless. He was instantly reminded of the hallway he had stumbled upon in the auditorium building, as the white pristine doors looked like they were taken from a spacecraft or something that would be in a sci-fi film. However, in  here, there were no sounds of distressed girls, a thought that despite his current duress, hadn’t left his mind. They turned a few corners, and he took note that they were steadily spiraling downward. The air was getting colder. The blonde woman was going on and on about how long it took them to build this, and the budget, and a lot of other stuff, that he didn’t really care about. “At least now you won’t be stinking up our equipment.” She said stopping before another large door that resembled the original he had been held in for a number of days. It had been overly hot before, and he had sweated profusely as he had continued to meet their demands, in exchange for his parents safety. As the door slid open, he could feel the refreshing cold air wrap around him, and here there was only two computer screens. Is this like a promotion for good behavior? He wondered, and the woman directed him to a chair. “You know what you are supposed to do.” She whispered into his ear, and the voice made him shiver with unease. “Yeah, yeah, just press the buttons that you tell me to do.” He said, hoping to get her to leave sooner by passively accepting her orders. She stepped back for a moment and stood there, examining him from behind as he scooted up to the dual keyboards. It would be a lot easier than the previous load.
 

“Be sure to follow the instructions exactly. If you fail to comply, we’ll do more than just hurt your family. Remember this Hero, don’t think that this will end. You’re going to be here for a very, very long time. So do yourself a favor. Get used to it.” Her words worked to make the room feel even more cold, as she felt the room and the door came to a close. He noticed that he wasn’t given a headset this time. Instead, it appeared as if the instructions appeared on one monitor, and would then be transferred to the other one. Why does it have to work that way? Couldn’t they just hook up the system automatically? He thought as he looked around the room. It was a lot smaller, and definitely cooler. He was underground, or that is how it felt, the damp air hung on his clothes, and it almost felt as if he were getting sick just sitting there. Yet on a more positive note, He hadn’t been completely idle in his time at the previous location. He had done a lot of work analyzing the code he was forced to type in. However, despite the extensive lectures his father gave him on precise scripting, he wasn’t able to figure out anything from the characters that flashed on the screen. At first he simply went with, if X really equals Y, and Y equals Z, and Z equals B, and so on, he could eventually decipher the entire program language by identifying patterns. He wasn’t given enough time, and now, as the first code appeared on the screen it became clear that it was written in a completely different format.
 

Please enter the data code: cT21124 –Ptf/: code23, 35, 73, 9bn, \reset point.
“Yeah okay.” He typed it in dutifully, and hit enter and watched as the code disappeared. This time around, the language appeared far more concise, and it used yet another new input: 'Ptf/:' which was then directed to the code and the number associated with that code. It was probably compressed, so when it was completely unpacked it would ammount to something larger. “Code twenty three it said first, so huh, that means twenty three could be a series of actions, and it appears first. I guess if you really wanted to think about it…that number could be assigned to an entirely different code language or something I don’t know. Why am I talking to myself?” The question reflected pure boredom, and loneliness. The absent of the guards made him relax, despite the fact that he was being watched, by cameras somewhere in the tiny room. When alone, people generally talk more to themselves, isn't that true? More codes would appear, but it was all very obscure—almost random. A code would show up on the screen, and then a good twenty minutes would pass by before another one came. Some were extremely long, while others were short. All in all it was hard to type out; especially when an entire paragraph of code appeared onto the monitor, with Please enter the data code flashing at the top.

The entire process was hard on his fingers and body. He was limited to a certain number of hours of sleep. Go to sleep at nine, wake up at four, eat breakfast at five, eat lunch at noon, eat supper at six. It was brutal. Because his diet was always of a similar composition, he always went to the bathroom at the same time. It felt as if his entire schedule was being controlled by these people. 

It’s times like these I wish I were some kind of genius. Then I could crack the code, and somehow find a way to get these guys on the defensive. I might even be able to get in contact with the police. Though it’s strange. My parents knew I was going off downtown, if they called the police, then they would have at least had a trail to follow. I mean, what happened to everyone else inside of that auditorium? They didn’t tell me, but if they didn’t let that guy leave, they must have wanted everyone to stay and watch. But why? Wouldn’t that draw suspicion upon their entire group? Senba is powerful, but the thought that they can make an entire group of people go missing is just absurd. I’ve heard of stories where the police are controlled, but how could such influence even exist? Senba wasn’t always like that was it? I wish I knew more about this city’s history. Ah! It’s not use, I can’t think my way out of this one can I? Okay, okay, calm down. Suppose that this was a faction that wormed it’s way into Senba, they could have worked their way up or something, and then, drawing everyone in to an auditorium…no, not just anyone, people who have influence. If they didn’t want people to leave, then…maybe they were trying to prevent people from coming and going during the duration of the show? If they were very specific to who they had brought…no, that makes no sense! If that were true, a mere student like me wouldn’t be allowed in. Okay, I’ve gone over this a hundred times in my head already, but maybe there is some kind of sensible pattern in all of this.
First of all, a man came and offered me a consultation using Senba as the legitimizing factor. That is pretty basic I think. I mean it isn’t uncommon for companies to bring interest to students, especially if they are showcasing a new branch or field that needs people of a certain technical degree. I know computers are a big deal for older companies that are trying to modernize. Senba must have started a while back, at least a couple of decades maybe? I just don’t know though…
 

While in thought, Hiro continued to monotonously type in the input code for each new directive he was given.
 

So the man offered me a card right? Yeah, and Senba, and…well okay, I’ve got that much already. Senba…they deal in chemicals mainly from my understanding, I’ve seen it on their commercials before. But that alone wouldn’t amount to much, they had to have some kind of expansion program? What was it that announcer was babbling on about? The last thing I remember that booming voice echoing was something about a god…Is this some kind of plot for one of those series? I may have misheard. What words sound like god? Mod? The world used to have no…moderation? I don’t think so, uh, god, mod, nod, sod, cod… maybe they are getting into a fishing industry? No, that condescending voice, it could have been just a…metaphor? Senba is climbing to become the god of the chemical industry! That would make more sense. Though I highly doubt they killed those people in the auditorium, that’s the real issue. What happened to those people? I mean it couldn’t have been something fatal or horrible, because there people in suits in there. Their own workers…
 

They never say anything…always following orders.
 

Wait a second, couldn’t that be something there? I might be onto something I think. They must be robots! Yet, no, that can’t be it, the man who recruited me was very much a human being of sorts. But  it would be ridiculous to assume that they knew exactly what I would do. The possibility of me not coming was fairly high, but I did out of a mere whim. Even if they could control the entire environment around me, the choice was still mine to show up there, and the choice to escape the fate of those in the auditorium as well…
 

A more likely story is that, that man, was probably just trying to fill his quota. I got his last card he said. He was even prowling around the school. That still doesn’t explain how that woman knew my name. That’s just outright ridiculous. Not only that, they had cameras inside of my house. How the hell did that just perfectly play out in their favor? There is no way that could happen. The only reasonable explanation is that they planted the cameras inside of the houses of those who received cards. But how did they get that in there? I don’t think my dad ever leaves the house. This is so damn confusing. The only way is if…
 

…no…
 

Mom. Dad? Which one? Would they seriously plant a camera inside of the house? Or wait, no, that is just me fantasizing some stupid plot twist. I know! The positioning of the camera, what was it? It was looking at the computer, the computer…someone over the door? I think if the camera didn’t look like a camera, and maybe a salesmen, someone who might be delivering computer parts, or something that could have my dad distracted, if there were two of them…ugh, well I guess it is possible then. But it still makes no sense! They would have to have had it in the house before I was even on my way to the auditorium…unless, they have sound as well as video. I remember telling my parents before leaving for school that I’d be home late, so…if they heard that, they could have put two and two together. But that would mean the camera was in there the same day I was handed the card! There is no way that could be…unless they had a reason to put it in there before hand…
 

Hold on a second. There might be something there, something to fill in the gap, I need something in order to proceed right? Since I can’t help…but think about this while typing away at this program.
 

A revelation then came to his mind as he finished typing in another code. It struck so suddenly, as the thoughts swirling in his head came to the very mundane task he was performing. It was indeed a script for some kind of program, he knew that much, but could it be? He had already explored the possibility of Senba expanding to keep competition with other companies and the computer rush which had begun about a decade previously, was still going strong as more technology was developed. Back, even five years ago, the company wouldn’t have any need for steady programmers to run their equipment, and…

A company like this, not the real Senba, but maybe a faction. It would take a lot of time for them to climb the ladder and reach into a position where they could pull off this stunt. It would be suspicious if they started hiring employees to their organization, new recruits who are unaware of criminal activities can later be pinned on it if they get busted along the way, a safety net so to speak. That would mean, it is very possible…that Dad was hired to temporarily programmer for them! That would explain how they know so much about us, and how the camera was placed inside of our house! I may have been added to their list of potential candidates for this kind of work…especially if Dad had any idea who these people were, he would know…ah that opens so many doors and windows, I think I should just leave that assumption alone, and try and figure this problem into a different direction…
 

Assuming he was ignorant of the situation, and that after I went missing he called the police and the whole nine yards…huh, isn’t that strange? Nine yards? I mean a first down is ten isn’t it? Wait, let’s not get sidetracked here. I would venture to assume that the police didn’t find anything. They may not have gotten a search warrant for the auditorium building, and that would then assume that the people who were present during the presentation came out absolutely fine. Let’s assume that the guy I saw trying to escape was actually working for them, it would only convince me not to return, and I would ultimately try and find another way out, and then that guy in the bathroom…he told me to leave…that would limit my hiding place to the basement, which probably would have been searched… it is possible to think that upon leaving the basement, that woman was in fact was on her way searching for me. If that is the case, then, suppose of the agents, or whatever you would call them, that the one who looks like a delinquent was a draw? God why do I feel like L or some anime detective? God this certainly is crazy. Even if my assumptions are correct, there are probably a billion holes in them…
 

Still, that doesn’t deny the fact that it passes the time. I suspect that there may have been a number of candidates. Was I an idiot for taking the bait? It didn’t seem unnatural at first. It wouldn’t for someone like me who often drifts from fantasy to reality and vice versa. A collection of people, maybe high school students, who could be threatened…no, they would have to be monitored, so their parents had a previous association or connection? This is all way to over the top I think…

His mind was suddenly torn away from his inner deductions, by the sound of high pitched scream of protest. He listened as it radiated throughout the neighboring hallway. “Not again, not again, stop, stop!”
“Shut up!”
 

A resounding crash could be heard, and then it began all over again. Wild thrashing and loud instances of physical abuse sent Hiro's hair standing on end. The blood in his veins boiled at the thought of some poor girl being mistreated by a delinquent agent. The clamor continued in till finally a door closed and Hiro was reawakened by the sound of sobbing. It was as if an air duct connected the rooms because he could hear it so clearly. Does that mean I can talk…? He pondered to himself, hoping that he might be able to alleviate the poor girl's broken resolve. “Hello?” he tried for a moment, looking around the ceiling of the room if there was some kind of opening where he should project his voice. Silence, and then after a while the sobbing stopped. “Hello?” He tried again in a different direction. “Who…?” the exasperated voice replied, and he was able to trace the sound from the left wall. Keeping an eye on the monitor he stood up to get a better projection from his voice. “I’m…” he started, not sure what to say. A prisoner? That might strike the wrong impression though, a hostage? Would that work? 

“I was kidnapped…” there was a pause before the shaken reply came. “Don’t lie to me!” the sobbing began to continue. “No—truthfully, I…ah hold on, I gotta…” he was dragged back to the screen for a moment. “Why don’t you tell me your name, I’m…”
“I don’t care!” She was growing more and more defensive, so he thought to change his approach. “What exactly are they doing to you?” He asked, and there was another long pause. “You should know!” Yeah well why do you think I’m asking? He shook his head, and sat down. Poor girl, she's been traumatized...I wish I could help her! These bastards...what kind of sick organization is this?! 

  

It was helpless. “I just wanted someone to talk to is all…but I won’t bother you…” He said. There was a good ten minute pause, before the shaky voice once more carried through the vents. “Tell me who you are again.” It asked, and he sighed turning. “My name is Hiro Reder, I’m just a normal student who got caught up in this place…” he replied.
“So they are still kidnapping students…” the voice echoed back. Though he couldn’t see the person, he had a feeling that it was a teenage girl. Probably someone who was a few years older than him, or maybe a drop out. He couldn’t be certain. “I was wondering if you knew anything.” He asked, wondering if this could help piece together his puzzle. That still remains a mystery…why torture these girls? I…I assumed they were raping them…why else would it be exclusively…well I can’t say that for sure.
 

“I-I don’t really know anything! Honestly…”
 

“How did they kidnap you? Was there some kind of interview or presentation that they just got you, or…” he tried to relate his experience with the girl’s. “No! It was nothing like that! It was just one day walking home from school, and suddenly…they came and grabbed me.” It seemed highly unlikely to him, but he couldn't see why this girl would lie to him. The bizarreness of it definitely fit with the current trend.. “Yeah? Well what about your parents? Didn’t someone call the police?” He asked.
“I used to think about that…but what are they going to do? It’s not like anyone knows who kidnapped me... Nobody knows where we are. What city this is, what state, there is no way any police action could find us.” Her words stuck a note of terror in his heart. If this girl wasn’t a part of this city, or even this state…
 

“Where are you from then?” He asked, knowing full well where he was. “Stadweld…you know that town it’s in…” He sighed with relief. She must not have known...
“Yeah, you haven’t moved anywhere.” He replied, typing away at the computer. “Really?” She sounded surprised. They must have knocked her unconscious in order for her not to know that. “What school did you go to?”
“Well, I was a member of Saxon, t-that new school you know? It was at the end of last term, when suddenly I was abducted…do you know…how long it’s been?” He could tell that a note of confidence was rising in her voice. “That was, probably around six or seven months ago then. It’s September now. I think, it might be October…” So they’ve been abducting people for that long? Or rather, it could be a test? If the police could track their activities to them the first time, then it wouldn’t…if it happened only periodically… He had to still his mind in order to concentrate on what she was saying.
 

“Wow…that long…t-thanks Hiro!” She sounded really sincere, and it made him smile for the first time since he had arrived. It made the dull monotony of his task seem more tolerable. A friend who appeared in the darkest of days. But how long would it last? He couldn't know for sure, if the blonde woman, who still remained a nameless menace, found out about this conversation, she would probably do everything in her power to make it otherwise.
“So, what’s your name?” He asked finally, wanting to know even more about this girl. What she had been through, what she knew, what her life was like before...it was a lot better than thinking of possible solutions to his own unsolvable problem. The shaky voice echoed once more through the air duct.
 

“I-it's...N-Nadia…”

~Next Time On Scratch~

A suspicious teacher at the middle school, and now a field trip?! What can two outcast student outlaws do about it? Wait, who are these two outlaws?! Find out in the next, [hopefully] exciting episode of scratch! [the world]