Franny's last words

Jordan came back about an hour ago.

"Peter," he began, without preamble, "do you remember Franny saying anything about Allen?"

"No," I answered, running through the few conversations we had enjoyed with Franny before she escaped.

"Think," Jordan urged, "think hard Peter."

I racked my brain.

"I'm sorry, Jordan, but she never mentioned Allen that I can remember," I said, frustrated that Jordan wanted something I so clearly did not have.

"But there is one thing I do remember....." I trailed off, not sure if it mattered.

The air seemed to get very still around us as I remembered Franny's first day down here, and how I was covertly watching her.

I remembered Allen making his usual rounds with the memo's, but when he stopped at her desk, he had put a memo on her desk, then lingered. I had only caught her putting something in her pocket.....

"Did Allen give it to her?"

I shut my eyes, trying to slow the memory frame-by-frame.

"ATTENTION!" the crackle of the loudspeaker shattered my thoughts.

"TOMORROW AT FOUR O CLOCK THERE WILL BE A NEW MEDICATION TESTING. PLEASE FILL OUT FORM 366B AND HAND IT IN BY THE END OF THE DAY. THANK YOU."

"Peter, " Jordan whispered, "you have to remember everything you can before tomorrow at four."

I nodded, my scalp tingling.