Volunteer (Selected Book 3)

by Robin Roseau

  I encountered the trail again, crossed it, then knelt down to catch my breath and consider my choices.

  Violet's noises faded into the distance. I still had to retrieve the marker. I was sure Violet intended to wait for me again, but I wondered if I could lure her out of position. If I managed to set off one of the traps without actually getting caught by it, she'd come to investigate, and I could sneak past her.

  Could I find one of her traps? I didn't know.

  Then I wondered if I could climb a tree near her clearing. There were a lot of trees, and some of them looked easily climbable. I might be able to figure out where she was. I thought it was worth a shot.

  I stood up and turned back towards Violet's base, cutting through the brush. A minute later I stepped around a tree.

  And right into Azalea's waiting arms.

  She had my entire body patted down before I could even react. Having six limbs made that a lot easier. The body suit went entirely stiff, and my only movement was above the shoulders, my hands themselves, and my feet.

  "Fancy meeting you here," she said. "Now, I just have to get you to my base and you're captured."

  "I wouldn't suppose you would let me go."

  She picked me up and began walking. "Why would I do that?"

  "To avoid disappointing your eldest daughter."

  She laughed. "She had her chances. It was nice of her to make so much noise so I knew something was going on. She chased you right back to me."

  "Did you know Jasmine cheated?"

  "As I understand it, it was your mom who cheated," Azalea said. We reached the trail and she turned right. "Are you mad?"

  "What would it take to convince you to let me go?"

  She laughed. "I play to win, and I can't begin to tell you how much I'm going to enjoy having three daughters attending any event I request."

  "So Bluebell won?"

  "Not yet, but I'm pretty sure Posey is chasing Audra around, and Violet is still hoping to catch you. Jasmine told me I almost had your sister. She heard me and retreated back into your territory, then your mom got her lost."

  "She still doesn't have her marker?"

  "She didn't the last I checked, but that was a while ago."

  It took ten minutes to reach her base. I made several more attempts to strike a deal. She just laughed.

  But then she asked, "Are you upset about losing to me?"

  "No," I said. "But I wanted to win for mom."

  "I know. I'm sorry about that part. We probably should have offered something a little smaller." But then she brightened. "That's what Jasmine was going to offer to get your mom to lead the prey astray. She had to raise her offer."

  I laughed. "That's not so bad then."

  She set me down beside the base. My body suit was still absolutely stiff. "Now, you aren't captured until the pillar takes your hands. I will let you decide how you want to wait."

  "It has to take both hands?"

  "I'm afraid so," she said. "I suppose that means you can stand like we started, or you can lie down on your side, or you can lean backwards against it, but then your hands will be behind you."

  "Or over the back of my head."

  "True."

  "The suit won't bend."

  "I have control of your suit. It will do what I tell it to do."

  "I'd like to sit, I guess."

  "All right." She moved me where she wanted me. The suit let her move me, but it didn't let me move. She nudged me until I was leaning against the pillar then asked if I wanted my hands behind my back or over my head.

  "Over my head, I guess."

  "All right." She did them one at a time, lifting my hand and pressing it against the stone of the pillar. The hand was swallowed to my wrist, then the second one was treated the same way. She chuckled.

  "What?"

  "I imagine my daughters would take advantage of this vulnerable position." She reached out and ran her hands down my sides, and I squirmed.

  "Oh, you wouldn't."

  "I would, and you know it, but I'm interested in catching Audra." She stood up and stepped around the pillar.

  "Oh."

  "What?"

  "Her marker is missing. While I was catching you, she was retrieving her marker. Well, I caught one sister. I wonder if I have time to catch one more."

  Without a pause, she was off running.

  * * * *

  "I wouldn't suppose there's something for me to do," I said into the open air. "The game is over for me, so shouldn't I get visor control back? Isn't that our agreement?"

  "If you promise to be quiet, I can let you watch the others," Jasmine said. "But if you try to help anyone, I'll have to punish you."

  "I'll behave," I promised.

  A moment later I was given a choice of camera views. The map overlay showed me where everyone was, and I could choose whom I wanted to watch besides.

  Bluebell in her territory.

  Audra was moving very slowly but was about to cross into hers.

  It looked like I was to be the only loser.

  "You feel bad."

  "How can you tell?"

  "I can tell a lot from your body telemetry, and you slumped besides."

  "I lost. They're both going to win."

  "Your mother got you a lot more lost than the other two, and you would easily have won if she hadn't."

  "They're going to tease me."

  "Probably."

  "If both Posey and Bluebell win, then there's a playoff to determine the grand champion. You're going to toss me back in the cell for another night, aren't you?"

  "Yes. Are you going to be able to be gracious, Skye?"

  I thought about it. I didn't answer her directly. "How do you feel about losing Mom's services?"

  "I haven't lost her yet. Your sister has another year and a half until graduation."

  "We won't see you as much if they both move to Boston."

  "We're friends, aren't we, Skye?"

  "Yes."

  "Friends make things happen. If Carmen doesn't work for me, then she'll relax a little more."

  "The most likely offer is from Bluebell."

  "Yes, but I'll pull strings. There are two Testing Centers in Boston. So she won't have to work for Bluebell."

  "Ultimately, she's still working for you."

  "I don't think your mom fully realizes that, but even if she does, maybe the work connection is far enough that it will be easier for her to be friends."

  "Isn't she right there, listening to you?"

  "She's still wearing a visor. I blanked my voice from her, and she's watching Audra. You haven't answered my question."

  "Why did you do it?"

  "Make her trick you?"

  "Let her go."

  "She's still bound to her contract. I don't have enough authority to cancel it. I'm only letting her be near her daughters."

  "Are you suggesting this was a small thing for you?"

  "A mother shouldn't be so far from her daughters."

  "But didn't it cost you something? Is this nothing for you?"

  "Skye, we're friends. Isn't that reason enough?"

  "My little sister is going to get something she wanted quite a bit, although I'm not entirely sure why. Mom is getting something she wanted, even if it wasn't what I tried to get for her. I'll have to attend events with Azalea, but do you think I mind at all?"

  "I think you won't always care for the events."

  "Do you think I'd deny either of them if they asked me to do something?"

  "No."

  "It would have amused me to beat Violet," I said. "But it wasn't that important to me. You saw. I couldn't even think of something, so I picked something mildly amusing, at least partly in retaliation for setting me up. But I'd probably have felt bad about it. I wouldn't want to see her in one of those cells."

  "Do you wish Violet had caught you instead of Azalea?"

  "I think Violet wishes she had," I said with a laugh.

  "No doubt."
r />   "But I think Violet is happier Azalea caught me than if I'd won."

  "That is certainly true."

  "It seems like everyone is winning something except Posey."

  "But she didn't win something even if you won, so Azalea catching you cost her nothing."

  "It cost her the chance to compete in the next event. And even if I'd won today, you'd still stick me back in that cell, wouldn't you?"

  "Yes."

  That was when Bluebell appeared at the edge of the clearing. She looked weary, but her tentacles were active, and she touched her base and then sat down, facing me.

  "Hello, Prisoner."

  "The prisoner could really use a hug," I said.

  "Oh, Skye," she said. She moved to me and wrapped around me.

  "I'm fine," I whispered. "I just wanted a hug."

  She held me tightly before slowly releasing. But then instead of sitting, facing me, she sat with her back to the pillar, tentacles up to pass between my arms and my neck, trailing across the available open skin.

  "I must taste terrible," I said.

  "Which is why I'm not tasting," she laughed. "I wouldn't suppose you know how Audra is doing?"

  I checked the map. "She's moving slowly, but she's escaped from Azalea. If she doesn't make a big mistake, she'll make it to her base in another ten or fifteen minutes."

  "Oh, you poor thing. The only one caught."

  "Yeah. Mom got me more lost than the rest of you, or so I'm told. I wouldn't suppose you can talk Jasmine into skipping the whole jail cell thing until the run-off."

  "Not much chance of that," Jasmine said. She must have said it to both of us, as Bluebell chuckled.

  "Sorry," she said.

  "Do I at least get to watch the run-off?"

  "Of course," said Jasmine.

  "In person?"

  They both laughed. "Perhaps," Jasmine said. "I might not even demand a price."

  "I don't have anything you want."

  "Oh, I always think of something."

  "Jasmine, could you give us some privacy?"

  "Certainly," Jasmine said.

  Bluebell waited a moment then asked, "Are you upset?"

  "Jasmine and I were just talking about that before you got here. I feel a little ragged and, well. It's a little embarrassing my little sister won, but I didn't."

  "And yet, that's not an answer."

  "I'm not upset. This was fun. In fact, all of it was fun except the damned jail cell."

  "You could study for next term."

  I thought about it. I didn't want to study. I was temporarily studied out. What I wanted was to sleep while wrapped in Violet's arms. I wanted to spend time with Mom and Audra. I didn't want to lose a night crammed into that jail cell.

  "Did you have fun?" I asked.

  "Changing the subject?"

  "What's the thing you like most about my personality?"

  "You're usually very upbeat."

  "Right. Do you want to know my secret?"

  "There's a secret?"

  "There is."

  "I'd love to hear your secret."

  "When I get stuck thinking about things that turn me mopey, I change the subject running through my head. I hate moping."

  "I had a very good time, Skye. The only thing that would have made it better was if you and Audra weren't stuffed into your cells during the evenings."

  "Do you think Jasmine heard that?"

  "I don't think that woman truly knows what privacy is, so I wouldn't be surprised." We both chuckled.

  "I'm going to be mopey tonight and probably in the morning, but I'll break out of it during whatever game happens tomorrow." Then I had a thought. "Oh god, tell me it's tomorrow."

  "It will be tomorrow. Want to know a secret?"

  "I love secrets."

  "Azalea and I are going to let Posey and Audra win the run-off. We want to let them pick where we go."

  "Oh. That's sweet."

  "Don't tell."

  "I won't. Bluebell?"

  "Skye."

  "I wouldn't suppose you'd scratch my nose. It itches. I'd do it myself, but this body suit is filthy."

  She laughed and took care of my itch.

  * * * *

  Audra made it to her base, officially winning her portion of the challenge. Jasmine announced the results then told everyone to come here. She guided them, so no one would get lost.

  Azalea appeared first. She sat down on my other side. "That was fun. The only thing that would have made it more fun would have been catching Audra."

  "You shouldn't have been able to catch me," I said. "Consider yourself lucky."

  "I am definitely going to enjoy having caught you," she said.

  "Wait. I just thought of something."

  "Oh?"

  "You two offered Audra a scholarship if she won."

  "Why, I believe we did," said Azalea.

  "Did you even try to catch her?"

  "Why, Skye, are you suggesting we would let her win? I was waiting for her, figuring you were long gone, but then we got that flash that showed me where you were. It was blind luck I caught you. In hindsight, I should have continued to wait for your sister."

  "Did you?"

  "Of course I tried," she said.

  "How hard?"

  "I spent two hours watching this field, Skye. She got her token while I was catching you."

  "Bluebell, do you notice she hasn't actually answered me?"

  "Do you fault her for pursuing you when she had a chance? After all, it worked out."

  "It shouldn't have. I made a mistake and let Violet chase me back this way. It was random luck."

  "Do you fault her?"

  "Probably not."

  "Do you fault her lying in wait for Audra? Should she have roamed aimlessly?"

  "No. Lying in wait is the right strategy."

  "So what exactly could she have done better?"

  "I don't know. But that still doesn't tell me whether she pursued me when continuing to wait for Audra may have been a smarter choice."

  "I will admit," said Azalea. "If I could pick which sister to catch, I'd have picked you. But I didn't intentionally go easy on Audra. She got past me only through luck of the timing."

  "Oh. All right then. Why did you offer such a large prize?"

  "Do you ever listen, Skye?" Bluebell asked. She rapped the top of my head with a knuckle. I complained. "We consider this one big family of seven, not a family of four and our daughter's girlfriend. We're working on getting Carmen to feel at home, but you're there, and Audra isn't far behind. We'd have found a way to pay for her school."

  "You do so much for us."

  "No more than we have done for Violet and Posey."

  "I love you both."

  "And we love you," said Bluebell. "I especially like that you're our prisoner. You know, she looks exceedingly vulnerable, Azalea."

  "She does," Azalea said. "But she's emotionally vulnerable, and I think hugs are a better idea right now."

  "I suppose that's true."

  Posey was the next to arrive. She took one look at me and laughed.

  "Don't even think it," I said.

  "You look cute down there," she said. "I can't believe I didn't catch anyone."

  "Violet didn't, either," I pointed out.

  "There's no room next to you," she complained. "Can I put my head in you lap?"

  "Sure."

  So she lay down then squirmed until she was comfortable. Her tentacles then went looking for open skin, finally resting with just two tips against my neck.

  "Jasmine, you could let my hands loose," I called out. "Everyone knows I was caught."

  "But yet, not everyone has seen you caught. You will wait. If you ask again, I will remove visor control later."

  I shut my mouth. I didn't think Jasmine was one to bluff.

  Violet and Audra arrive together. At one glance, I could tell my sister was both weary and on cloud nine. She was a bigger mess than I was, but she was grinning wid
ely. When she saw my hands, she giggled.

  "I beat you."

  "No. Azalea beat me. You beat Azalea and Posey."

  "Fine. I won. You didn't."

  "Even better, Squirt? You beat me at a physical challenge."

  "I did. I really did." She began bouncing even more, turning to Violet and hugging her tightly. Her pleasure helped to give more back to me.

  Then Audra turned back. "You look..."

  "I've already had three threats to tickle me, some more serious than others. A smart woman knows when to tickle and when not to tickle. Tell me, Squirt. Are you a smart woman?"

  She plopped down in the grass. "I'm too pooped to tickle. But I'm not sure Violet is feeling all that smart."

  Violet was eyeing me, but I didn't look like an I'm-going-to-tickle-you eyeing. "Hey," I said. "I'm not exactly mobile here. If you want to touch me, there's a half a lap left."

  "Sold," she said, and soon she was the mirror image of her sister. But she snuffled. "I really, really wanted to catch you."

  "You might have if you hadn't made so much noise when chasing her," Azalea said. "Thank you for that."

  Violet grumbled about that.

  "Violet, did you want to catch me, or did you want what you won if you caught me?"

  "Well, both."

  "Which is more important to you?"

  Her tentacle reached higher and caressed my face and lips. "I'm not kissing that until we're cleaned up," I said. "And you really don't want to taste me right now." I paused. "We can talk about it."

  "Talk about it?"

  "Tasting my face."

  She sat up and spun around, looking into my eyes, and I knew this was a lot more important to her than I realized.

  "I'll make you a deal," I said. "I'll let you taste my face occasionally, if you can convince Jasmine I never have to see the inside of that cell again."

  Immediately Jasmine was in my ears, "Is that a serious offer, Skye?"

  "Who else can hear you?"

  "Everyone here," said Violet. "And probably Jasmine and maybe your mom. Plus the viewing audience."

  "Oh. Jasmine's talking to me. Yes, Jasmine, it was a serious offer."

  "How occasionally?" she asked.

  "I don't know. I want to see how badly she ends up marking me. If it's subtle, I'll probably let her do it often. If it's really obvious, then I'll want her to be discrete on timing. I don't want to walk around with my face marred all the time."