Stirring the caster sugar into the batter, I instruct ALEXA to turn the volume up on the TV. Oliver is fifteen tomorrow and I promised our mum that I’d make him a surprise cake whilst he’s at athletics. The news announcer starts talking about some new experiment that the military may begin, announcing it as a precaution without going into the specifics. They don’t mention what type of experiment it’ll be, whether it’s technological, biological or whatever, but they reckon it’ll be a step in the right direction for a new type of fighting, a better type of fighting. As if that’s even a thing. At the minute, the news anchors just seem to be guessing what it is. They reckon it’s a new type of gun, or tracking system, but they don’t go into a lot of detail. They probably have no idea what they’re talking about. Military grade crap is difficult for any trained person to wrap their heads around, never mind a normal citizen. That doesn’t ever seem to stop them trying though. Half listening to the debate about the ethics and legality of it, I add the eggs before switching to one of the music channels as I finish the cake.
The experiment is all anyone can talk about at school the next day. Walking the halls with my closest friend Esme, I hear my science classmates discuss their own theories about a super-serum that’ll enhance strength, kind of like in Captain America, of how it came about and how it’ll work. I listen as some people argue that it’s equivalent to athletes taking drugs before a competition. My I.T. classmates argue that it’s going to be some super complex weapon, or a hacking system. I can hear the excitement in their voices at the idea of enhanced computer software, some of them already discussing ways to find their ways into the military’s systems. Other students in the halls protest that it’s going to lead to more violence than we already have in the world, and how we should be putting all of this extra funding into something positive, like trying to save our planet.
I go to a private school, and the majority of students here are highly intellectual, and like me, they all watch the news. However, I have never witnessed the halls being filled with this much discussion about current events as it is today. I don’t involve myself in many of the discussions, simply because I don’t believe anything will come of it, it’s all mere speculation, or something that the British army is just now discovering, but has been under investigation in Russia or China for years. The news anchors seemed certain that it’s the next best thing, and it’ll solve our problems. I’m not so sure.
“Matty!” A voice hisses as I pass one of my science labs. My head jerks to the side and I’m faced with Jonathan hanging out of the doorway, beckoning myself and Esme to join him. He’s probably the smartest kid in our year, and I genuinely worry that he’s a supervillain in the making. He definitely has the skills if he ever goes batshit insane. As I follow him to the corner of the lab, my heartbeat quickens a little, nervous that he’s finally cracked. He had some kind of crazy, excited glint in his eyes, and he seemed like he was shaking a little. There’s already a couple of other people gathered in the corner, and I don’t realise that they’re surrounding a laptop and an intense looking radio until I’m right beside it.
“So, obviously everyone has been watching the news, and if you haven’t, you know what the deal is by now.” Jonathan begins, running his gaze past us all intensely. “Most of you know that my dad worked with the military before he died, and some of his stuff is still in our house. No one knew that he took some of the paperwork and radios and stuff to work on at home - he couldn’t think without my mother’s own special coffee drink, and sometimes he ran out of it at work. Anyway. I’ve subtly been keeping my eye on things over the past year or so, wanting to stay in the loop until I’m old enough to join their tech side, and so I started doing some work after the announcement last night.”
“Dude, that’s definitely illegal,” Esme interrupts, getting ready to leave. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble, and probably us too. I don’t need to be under investigation right now, I’ve got dance auditions coming up soon and I need to get into this programme.”
“They’re making a serum.” He blurts out, stopping Esme in her tracks, and making my eyes whip towards his. He has a slightly maniacal look on his face, loving the attention and the knowledge that he cracked it. “So far, the tests have been pretty positive, and from what I can gather, human trials are starting tomorrow. They’re literally making super soldiers.”
“But they can’t!” I can’t help but exclaim. “Surely there’s going to be some type of consequence. They’re unnaturally altering human DNA. It could make them brain dead, or maybe even kill them in a year! It can’t be safe!” The small group around us are all nodding, some of them with terrified looks on their faces, including Esme.
“We shouldn’t know about this. You’ve got to stop Jonathan, you’re skating on thin ice.” He just shrugs, acting almost nonchalant. But I know him. He won’t be able to stop. He’s up to something. He needs this. He thrives off information.
I catch his arm as the bell rings and the group begins to disperse.
“What are you up to?” I ask him, seriously.
“I’m just keeping an eye on it.” He sighs. “Okay, so I’ve set up a live alert system so I know what’s happening at all times. Look, it’s okay. They can’t trace me. I’ve been careful. By Friday, we’ll know if the tests are under control. It won’t be announced on the news because we obviously don’t want other militaries gaining access to it, but I’ll have my intel. Do you want to be kept in the loop or not?”
I hesitate. What Jonathan is doing is dangerous. It’s definitely illegal. But then again, I’m sure what the military is doing is also illegal, and it’s definitely risky. Jonathan is basically a genius. He may be obsessed, but he’s also extremely careful. I’ve seen him work before. And we’re mates. I don’t think he’d do anything to put me at risk. He’s not at that level of crazy yet. I lock eyes with him, and he seems pretty earnest.
“Yes.”
* * *
After school, I go back home to finish off Oliver’s cake. He has boxing straight after school for an hour, so I have plenty of time to complete it and set the living room up with his presents. Before I start, I put the music channel on and turn the volume high. As I’m decorating the cake, Sofia gets home and comes into the kitchen to see if I need any help. She’s just turned thirteen, but I’m definitely closer to her than anyone else. Whilst leaving the cake aside for the chocolate to set, the two of us move Oliver’s presents out from Mum and Dad’s hiding spot and into the living room. It’s all set up half an hour before Dad gets in, closely followed by Mum and Oliver.
“Happy birthday!” I shout, giving him a huge hug and pulling him into the living room. He begins opening all of his presents immediately, some of which have already been put up in our gym room. He hasn’t been allowed in for the past three days which has seriously annoyed him, but he gets over it once he sees what we’ve all got him. Mum and Dad always buy us amazing gifts for our birthdays as they’ve both got such incredible, prestigious jobs.. I wouldn’t necessarily call us spoilt, although some people definitely would, and have done so to my face. Mum tells me to bring Oliver’s birthday cake in and I do so, much to his delight. We all have a small slice before we begin to get ready to go out to his birthday meal. We’re going out to our favourite special occasion restaurant, and I haven’t even picked my dress out yet. I run upstairs and head to my walk-in wardrobe, turning around to get a full view of my dresses. My eye catches a dark green dress that I’ve never worn and pull it out to have a proper look. After admiring it for a minute, and coming up with a full look, I hang it up in my room and head to my en-suite.
I curl my hair into perfect, red curls before placing them in a silk scarf to hold them back whilst I do my makeup. I only do the basics as well as some winged eyeliner and red lipstick. Once I slip my dress on and pair it with some black heels, spritz a bit of Chanel perfume on my neck and wrists, accessorize with my Swarovski set, I pick up my clutch bag and remove the scarf from my curls. I shake them out and head downstairs to wait for everyone else.
“Matilda, are you ready?” Mum asks coming into the room.
“Have been for ten minutes, is everyone else still getting sorted?” I reply.
“Matty, I’ve borrowed your black bag if that’s okay?” Sofia enquiries as she enters in her favourite red playsuit.
“Of course, it goes well with that outfit.” I nod my approval. We’re waiting another five minutes before Oliver and my Dad come downstairs and we all pile into the car.
* * *
On the Thursday, two days after Oliver’s birthday, Sofia and I are practising some dance routines in the living room. We’ve pushed the couches back so we have more space for it all. Our house is quiet enough for an hour or so after we get home, we have plenty of space and a great sound system. We’re doing a show in a couple of months, I have a solo and two duets with her, all of them contemporary. It’s always been my best style, although I’m trained in ballet and tap. Outside of actually dancing, I don’t train. Unlike my siblings, I’m not passionate in any other sport other than dance, and I dance either at school or at home often enough that I’m not required to do any other training. I did trampolining for a couple of years, but I stopped two years ago as I just didn’t enjoy it anymore. I’m not as focused on it as Esme, but I do adore the sport. She’s part of every club possible, and she’s desperate to make it into the dance programme she’s auditioning for. For Esme, dance is her life. For me, it’s a way to express myself, but I don’t want to pursue it. I don’t really know exactly what I want to do yet, maybe Law, or STEM.
Sofia and I practise the dances for about an hour and a half, taking breaks every so often or observing the other to give pointers. Mum, Dad and Oliver get in just before we finish. They all watch the last few rehearsals whilst Mum begins to make our dinner. After moving the sofas back, I make myself a coffee to drink whilst watching the news. I sit down cross-legged next to my Dad. The news begins as normal until the announcer receives a message through her earpiece.
“News has just come through from the Department of Military Science and Weapons.” She announces. “The new experiment announced on Monday has had some unanticipated drawbacks. The lab claims to have everything under control, but they warn us to stay alert in the event that conditions go south.”
“I had a feeling there would be some side-effects,” I mutter under my breath. I turn to my Dad and say, “Before you get mad, I had nothing to do with it, and I’ve already warned him to be careful. Someone at school has a way into the military systems, and he says they’ve been making a serum to make some kind of super soldier bullcrap. Think soldiers on steroids. I had a feeling the serum would have altered the DNA too much for the brain to keep up with, and I’m guessing that’s exactly what these ‘drawbacks’ are. They probably gave the volunteers a large dosage, whereas they should have started small. I assume it’s quite bad, I don’t think they would have interrupted the news like that otherwise. They would have just waited until tomorrow’s slightly less secretive discussion. I might message Jonathan and ask him what’s really going on.” My voice trails off and my eyes drift to my phone briefly before my dad speaks up.
“Don’t get involved, you can’t plead innocence if you have texts about the situation. And don’t worry about it. If it was anything serious, they wouldn’t have said everything was in control. They’re professional scientists sweetie, the military has geniuses working for them, they won’t have messed anything up that much.” He replies confidently. My Dad is a psychologist and is very good at reading people’s movements and expressions. He would have told me if he’d picked up on anything peculiar, and he wouldn’t have lied to protect me from panic, we have a mutual respect that I’m old enough to be told when things are wrong. After the news, we watch regular TV shows and all have dinner together. I run myself a bath to relax after the dance rehearsal, adding a bath bomb and lighting a jasmine candle before having an early night, but I still can’t seem to ignore this queasy feeling in my stomach.