"FBI Cooperation"

"FBI Cooperation"
Sarah's POV

Cold ocean water crashed over my face as our plane hit the water.
I had broken free from the ghost's control just in time to see the pilot sinking the airplane straight toward the sea.
"Maya! Elena!" I screamed over the sound of rushing water.
The plane was sinking fast. Water was pouring in through broken windows.
I saw Maya helping Elena toward an escape exit. Elena's legs were still hurt from the tunnel collapse, but she was trying to stay above water.
"Sarah, over here!" Maya called.
I swam toward them, but the plane was tilting sideways and beginning to go under.
"The life rafts!" Elena pointed to bright orange items floating near the exit.
We grabbed the life rafts and inflated them just as the plane disappeared totally under the water.
"Is everyone okay?" I asked as we climbed into the boats.
"I think so," Maya said, breathing hard. "But Sarah, what happened? How did you break free from the ghost's control?"
"I don't know," I admitted. "One minute I was a puppet, and the next minute I could think for myself again."
Elena was looking around at the empty water. "Where are we?"
"I have no idea," I said. "But we need to figure out how to get rescued."
That's when we heard the sound of a helicopter coming.
"Thank God," Maya said. "Someone's coming to help us."
But as the helicopter got closer, I saw something that worried me. It was black with no markings, just like the cars Vincent's people had used.
"Maya, Elena, that might not be a rescue helicopter," I worried.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean it might be more of Vincent's partners."
The helicopter hovered above us, and someone dropped a rope ladder.
"Sarah Kane!" a voice called down through a megaphone. "Climb up! We're FBI!"
I looked at Maya and Elena. We didn't have much choice. We were in the middle of the ocean with no other help in sight.
"Okay," I called back. "But my friends come with me!"
"Of course! All three of you!"
We went up the rope ladder into the helicopter. Inside were three people in FBI jackets.
"Agent Sarah Kane," one of them said, "I'm Agent Rodriguez. We've been tracking Vincent's worldwide network."
"How did you know where to find us?" I asked suspiciously.
"Your friend Marcus sent out an emergency signal when he discovered the global mind control plan," Agent Rodriguez explained. "He told us you were on a plane that was about to crash."
I felt relieved. Marcus had saved us.
"Agent Rodriguez, we need to get to that island where Vincent's partners are keeping the missing children," I said.
"We're already heading there," Agent Rodriguez said. "But Sarah, there's something you need to know first."
"What?"
"Vincent's network has agents inside police stations all over the world. We don't know who we can trust anymore."
Maya leaned forward. "Are you saying some police officers are working for the bad guys?"
"We're saying some police officers don't even know they're working for the bad guys," Agent Rodriguez stated. "Vincent's mind control technology has been used on law enforcement for years."
I felt sick. "How many police officers are compromised?"
"We guess about thirty percent worldwide. They've been programmed to cover up crimes, lose proof, and misdirect investigations."
Elena grabbed my arm. "Sarah, what if some of the officers in your own department are controlled?"
"That would explain why so many cases got buried over the years," I said.
Agent Rodriguez gave me a tablet computer. "Sarah, we need you to look at this list and tell us which officers in your department have been acting strangely."
I looked at the list. There were names of police officers from dozens of cities, all accused of being under mind control. "Agent Rodriguez, Detective Johnson's name is on this list."
"Detective Johnson has been receiving payments from Vincent's network for five years," Agent Rodriguez confirmed. "But he probably doesn't remember taking the money."
"How is that possible?"
"They erase the officers' memories after each exchange. The officers think they're doing normal police work, but they're actually following programmed orders."
Maya was looking out the chopper window. "Sarah, I can see an island ahead of us."
I looked where Maya was pointing. In the distance was a big island with several buildings and what looked like a landing strip.
"That's it," Agent Rodriguez said. "That's where Vincent's partners have been conducting their final experiments."
"What kind of final experiments?" Elena asked.
"They're trying to build an army of controlled activists who will spread their influence around the world. Every woman they kidnap becomes a mouthpiece for their cause."
I felt angry. "They're using people who fight for justice to spread injustice."
"Exactly. And Sarah, they're planning to broadcast a signal tonight that will activate mind control devices in big cities worldwide."
"Can we stop them?" Maya asked.
"That's why we need Sarah," Agent Rodriguez said. "Sarah, you're the only person who has broken free from their power twice. We think you might be immune to their technology."
"Why would I be immune?"
"We're not sure. But it might have something to do with your family background."
As we got closer to the island, I could see people walking around the houses. But they were all walking in straight lines, like robots. " Agent Rodriguez, those people down there are all being controlled," I noticed.
"Yes. And Sarah, some of them are world leaders."
"What?"
Elena pointed to a group of people near the main building. "Sarah, is that the President of France?"
I looked through binoculars. "Oh my God, it is. And that's the Prime Minister of Canada next to her."
"Vincent's partners have been kidnapping government leaders and replacing them with controlled doubles," Agent Rodriguez stated.
"For how long?"
"At least two years. Maybe longer."
Maya was staring at the island in fear. "How many world leaders are being controlled?"
"We think at least fifty, from thirty different countries."
That's when I realized the full scope of what we were dealing with.
"Agent Rodriguez, if they control fifty world leaders, then they've been controlling global politics for years."
"Wars, trade agreements, international laws - all of it has been influenced by Vincent's network."
The chopper started descending toward the island's landing strip.
"Sarah, when we land, remember that you can't trust anyone," Agent Rodriguez warned. "Even people who seem normal might be under control."
"What's the plan?"
"We find the main control room and shut down the global broadcast signal before it starts tonight. "
As we arrived, I saw hundreds of controlled people walking toward our helicopter.
"Agent Rodriguez, I think they know we're here," Maya said.
"Stay close to me," Agent Rodriguez said, pulling out her gun.
But as we stepped out of the chopper, Agent Rodriguez turned her gun on us instead of on the controlled people.
"Agent Rodriguez, what are you doing?" I asked.
Agent Rodriguez smiled, and her eyes started sparkling.
"Hello, Sarah," she said in the ghost's familiar voice. "Welcome to the Island. We've been expecting you."
I looked around desperately. The controlled people were surrounding us, and now our FBI relief team was working for the enemy too.
"Sarah," Maya whispered, "how did they know we were coming?"
That's when I realized something that made my heart stop.
"Maya, Marcus didn't send a rescue signal to the FBI."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean Marcus is still under the ghost's control, and he sent us right into another trap."