“Can we get to them?” I ask.
“You will need an army. Those people in the compound are the only way those living in Purenet can stay alive, and your father knows it. Most of our guards are down there. Your father has sent Purenet soldiers to every corner of the land to find Outsiders, those who can survive outside the domes. They are the key to surviving.”
“How long will they survive in the compound?” I ask, not sure I really want to know the answer.
“A few weeks … a month at the most. Just before they arrived, the army brought back hundreds of people they’d captured. They will test them first, because these may be different than the Grounders already tested.”
Gavyn pauses. “I must go now, but take this … I will call you on this; it's not safe for us to be seen talking to each other.” He passes me a thin white bracelet, and I clip it onto my wrist. Out of everything in Purenet, this is one thing I really missed—my own personal intelligence unit. Everything I need is stored in this one little device.
“Thank you, Gavyn,” I tell him as he heads toward the door.
“Be safe, Dax.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Skylier
Silently I lay in bed waiting for the seconds to count down. Rian and I have been messaging each other throughout the night, urging our bodies to stay awake, though I’m not sure we need the constant reminder. But it would be a lie if I said I haven’t enjoyed Rian’s mind freely running into mine, allowing me to escape from my memories and only have his. His mind is filled with happy thoughts, as he looks on the positive side of all this.
He told me about the training he’s been having in preparation for the Games. I feel bad that he’s never going to compete. I can tell that he would have loved to be in the games, even if the words he forces into my mind say the opposite.
We are both hoping that some of the skills he’s learnt, however few they are, will help us survive once we’ve been banished. I wish we had more time to prepare for tonight.
The low humming sound of the girls’ snores and the darkness remind me of the Cueva. The only things missing are the groans from the Cueva cave walls… Will I never hear them again?
Madison’s messy mass of pure white hair covers her face, just as it has done every night she has slept. They will never be able to change that part of her.
She knew I was leaving tonight though she didn’t even ask me. I didn’t need to tell her I was. Just one look between best friends told the whole story.
I squeeze a knot in my shoulder to relieve the pain, only to spread another shooting pain along my arm.
Frances had applied more of the thick, clear gel-like mixture onto my gunshot wound when she returned from her walk with Madam Uri. She didn’t tell me what happened, only telling me that the gel would heal the wound, but I would have a scar there for the rest of my life—which, to be honest, I don’t mind. It reminds me of being alive, not a cloned shadow of who I felt I was. The scar reminds me of what I can be.
Five, Rian says in my head.
Four, both of our minds say.
Three, two, one.
Time to rescue our family. Rian’s mind is filled with energy. It’s infectious. I can feel the adrenaline flooding my veins like a great overflowing ocean.
I want to leap from under the sheet and out of the bed, but instead, I gingerly move, trying to stay as silent as possible.
I slip my boots out from under the bed sheets; I’d gone to bed ready to leave. They had allowed us to keep our personal belongings in a box under our bed. All I had were the clothes I arrived in, much like the rest of the girls from Cueva.
There was no way my feet would survive in the wasteland wearing the stupid Purenet slippers; they aren’t good for anything except gliding instead of walking.
Only problem with the boots is that it is hard to be silent in them. Now is the time to find out if my boots will spoil the plan.
All my thoughts are on my boots, and not on the bed, which creaks with my movement.
I glance around the room. All the girls are still fast asleep except for Madison. She begins to rise up from her bed, but I shake my head.
Madison doesn’t stop moving. “I’m coming with you,” she says softly.
“Please, Madison, don’t,” I beg.
Madison pauses.
“You’re safer here. I can’t risk anyone else’s life,” I tell her.
“No.” Madison shakes her head “I’m coming,” she says, getting to her feet.
“You’re not invited,” I lie.
“You’re just saying that to make me stay.” She’s right.
“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I say, sitting back down, trying not to wake the others.
“Fine,” Madison says, lying back down.
I kneel down on the ground next to her. “They have my mother and Calista, and they killed Madam Enid because of me. Now they are going to kill Lowell and Hayden because of me. I can’t let them hurt anyone else I love,” I tell Madison.
“You need me,” she says.
“I’m tougher than I used to be, and Rian will protect me.”
Madison falls silent.
“Please let me go, I only have a small window of time and it’s closing.” I lean in and kiss her on her forehead.
Madison says nothing as I get to my feet and walk towards the door.
“Skylier, be careful,” she says softly.
“You too.”
Where are you? Rian’s mind asks. He must have already gotten out of his room.
Here, I say as I slowly open the door.
Rian’s blue eyes glisten from the lights running along the hallway guiding us towards the exit.
Rian takes the bag of food from me and places it in his bag. Madison had given me her bag—it was her mother’s, and one of the few belongings she’d brought with her. I had reluctantly and gratefully taken it from her earlier. That’s why she never said anything about me leaving—because she had planned to come with me.
The corridors are silent as night, with everyone in the compound sleeping. Rian and I silently walk towards the door.
Is he coming? Rian’s mind asks.
He said he would, my mind replies.
I anxiously look around the corridor for a clock, or something to tell me what time it is, but there is nothing.
He’s not coming, is he? my mind replies dejectedly before I can stop.
Rian’s teeth clench together. We’re not giving up, his mind tells me.
He waves the barcode on the back of his hand over the monitor; the red beam scans it as I hold my breath.
“Access denied” flashes in red letters.
Try yours, Rian’s mind says.
I try mine, only to be met with the same result: “access denied.” I arch my head up to the ceiling. Someone please help us.
I will help you, dear Skylier, Xander’s words devilishly dance in my mind.
Run, Rian. Run! Xander is here.
There is nowhere for him to run.
The exit door opens with a swoosh of cool air, revealing Xander and two guards. Adohnes is nowhere to be seen. He laid a trap for me and I fell right in.
“Do as your sister said, run along,” Xander says to Rian as he steps into the corridor.
“I’m not leaving her with you,” says Rian.
Skylier, tell your brother to leave now, or I will do the same as you made me do to Madam Enid, his mind tells me.
“Rian, go now,” I instantly blurt out.
Skylier, no, Rian’s mind says.
He will kill you if you don’t.
“At least one of you is listening. Guards, take him to his compound,” Xander orders. The guards are at Rian’s side along with their glowing blue guns charged up and ready to shoot on Xander’s orders. He has no choice but to go with them.
Xander pauses and stares at me for a moment, as if trying to read more than my mind.
If it weren’t for the mind reading, I really wouldn’t think we w
ere related. You are too dumb and stupid to share the same bloodline as me, Xander’s mind says. Each of his words sting my mind, drying any drop of hope I had.
Yet it is very clear that you and Dax are related. You’re both so naive, always trying to be do-gooders, Xander smiles. It’s like you two can’t see what you are really doing: killing everyone. You both think you are so righteous. Xander’s mind throws daggers at mine.
I place my mental block up, unable to listen to any more of his words. My mind feels scarred with him in there; these scars will never heal, either.
“Do you really think blocking me out of your mind will stop the truth?” he asks as he steps closer to me.
“Leave me alone.”
“So weak.” Xander shakes his head, disappointed. “Today you will see the results of not following orders. I will lash your friend until he can no longer stand. Then I will slit his ankles and wrists, letting him bleed to death, and the whole world will watch. His blood will be on your hands, and if you disobey any more of my orders, the rest of your family will face the same fate because of you,” the words pour from his mouth like liquid poison, killing everything in its path: my family.
“Now get out of my sight. I have executions to prepare for.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Dax
After Gavyn leaves I am unable to sleep. Too many questions are running through my mind, the main one being how am I going to save Lowell, Hayden and Reznor?
And the only answer I keep getting is I cannot.
*****
The crowd’s deafening cheers fill the arena. They are eager to see bloodshed—it's too easy for them to forget that war is what brought them here to live under a dome, away from the real world and the true meaning of life … being free.
The arena was built hundreds of years ago, and each Sanction has the same arena. The Emperor decided they would all be the same, so that when it was each Sanction’s turn to hold the event in the games it would be fair. Funny that our leaders want a fair playing field for their games, but not for people’s lives.
For punishment ceremonies, the people of Purenet stop everything they are doing. Schools and offices are closed, and everyone comes to the arena. Attending the ceremony is part of the Chancellor’s laws; disobeying could result in your being part of the ceremony. Because of this, everyone in Purenet attends.
All the plastic seats in the arena are filled with people happily cheering away, due to the fact that they are not participating in the ceremony. It's become a sick family social event.
The event will be live-streamed to Cueva, where Lowell’s loved ones can see him being punished.
A hushing sound ripples through the arena, as the large clock begins to count down. The show is about to begin.
The crowd falls silent and rises to its feet, as an army would for its commanding officer.
Unlike everyone else in the arena I stay seated, due to the fact that I am also a Untouchable … around me are empty seats that will soon be filled up with our families, Bazis, and the Hosts … and Skylier. They are a signal of my family’s wealth.
Deep emotional music begins to play, as my family does like a dramatic entrance.
“Please stand for the Chancellor of Purenet,” a male voice requests over the speaker. But the people of Purenet already know the drill.
I turn toward the spot from which they will enter, not to see them, but to see if Skylier is here.
Two servants stand at the grand white doors, and in time to the music they open them up to reveal my mother dressed in a white, figure-hugging dress. Father stands next to her in his full white military attire and his overly-stretched face. Neither of them look real. None of this can be real…
Chapter Thirty-Six
Skylier
Heavy emotional music drifts into our preparations room, where the other Hosts, Bazis and me have been held in for the last unbearable hour, waiting for the ceremony to begin.
I wanted every second of that time to slow down into a lifetime. Instead, time felt as if it was racing by.
“It’s time,” Frances says as she stands by the doorway, Luther by her side. I have not seen Adohnes, and don’t want to since he betrayed us last night. “Remember what Adohnes taught you. Be graceful, ladies.”
Luther’s face lights up even more than I though was possible at Frances’s words. “Remember what I taught you, be the opposite of the Hosts,” Luther mocks as he opens the door, allowing the cheers and music to drown my thoughts.
The Bazis lead the group with the older Hosts. The rest fall into our Cueva order, following the Bazis towards the music. The volume has become ear shattering.
The hallway is stuffy, the cool air replaced with the intense heat emanating from all the bodies.
The front of the line disappears to the side, revealing the stadium.
I’ve never seen this many people in one place. The stadium is brimming with cheering people, and the sound is sickening. People for as far as the eye can see are circling the field, which the seats tower over. Everyone is excited, standing and cheering towards us, as if this is a joyful event, which it’s not. They’re here to watch the murder of an innocent man. I knot my hands forward with my two fingers resting over the back of my hand as Lowell’s would when we were sneaking a stolen touch from one another.
The girls move towards the rows of open seats reserved for the Bazis and Hosts. We are going to be seated around the Chancellor and his wife as their personal jewels.
In an unthinking state, I follow. Madison walks behind me.
Here, take this seat, Skylier, Dax’s thoughts drift into mine.
I sit down in the seat in front of Dax as he told me to, unable to accept that I’m going to have to sit here through this. I can’t.
Oh Dax, you have to get Lowell out of here… and Hayden, as well. They are going to kill them. Xander told me.
I know… I know… but I don’t know how. I spin around to face Dax. I can see the guilt in his face as my eyes glaze over. I’m sorry, he mouths.
A gasp of acknowledgement that Lowell is going to die escapes from my lips. I lower my head in my lap, trying to make myself believe this isn’t going to happen.
Skylier, we have to get you out of here. Dax mind says.
My mind pauses.
Skylier?
Xander told me how they will kill him: they will lash him until he’s unconscious, and then slit his ankles and wrists until he bleeds to death.
I’m sorry, Skylier, but we have to get you out of Purenet, Dax mind says.
Xander has a message for you, I tell Dax, I hate the voice of Xander’s mind running through mine, but even more than that I hate the words which he says.
If you try to take me, Xander will do the same to my family.
I lower my head into my lap, trying to block out Xander’s words, but the more I try, the clearer his voice is.
I have one month, I tell Dax, one month…
After that the implant will take place and Xander’s baby will be growing inside of me … you have less than one month to stop this nightmare from becoming reality and save our family.
The music in the stadium blocks out any more thoughts, which I’m grateful for. It steals Dax’s pleads to escape with him and Xander’s torture threats.
The relief from the thoughts doesn’t have a chance to lighten my heavy head before Xander and Shristi walk into the stadium. After a moment of sickening cheering from the crowd, it falls silent as Xander lowers his hands.
Xander and his wife, Shristi, stand in the middle of the stadium, reveling in their control over the Sanction.
The crowd cheers at the sight of them
“Skylier, it’s Lowell,” Madison says, hesitating with disbelief. Her hand rests on top of mine.
All I can do is nod.
Guilt weighs me down as I see Lowell walking into the Stadium surrounded by guards. It feels like demons have gripped hold of my stomach and want to drag me away for torture. I wish they
would kill me instead of Lowell. The scars on his face are a testament that the punishment began before he was sentenced.
Xander begins to address the waiting audience eager to listen to his foul words.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Dax
Mother taps me and says something, but over the cheers from the crowd it's impossible to hear her. I can only guess it's something about Shristi’s dress, or how handsome Xander looks … like I really want to hear that.
They stand in the middle of the arena, both smiling and waving, glowing in their moment.
Xander lowers his hands and the crowd falls silent. He smiles at his wife. Then he raises his hands and the crowd cheers again. Xander’s head tilts back as he laughs, eating the power up.
“He’s good … too good,” my father’s voice uncomfortably drifts into my head. He is scared of Xander’s power.
Xander lowers his hands once again, and the crowd stops cheering. “People of Purenet, I would like to thank my father and mother for allowing us to present the ceremony today. Please give them a round of applause.”
Xander joins the crowd in clapping their hands. My father rises to his feet and waves to everyone, then takes his seat again.
“Today we bring awful news,” Xander continues to the sounds of ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’. He paces back and forth, leaving Shristi standing on her own, tapping her finger on her crossed arms.
“Yesterday, there was an attempt on my life,” he says dramatically. The crowd begins to mumble to each other. “People came into our beautiful Sanction and tried to kill me!”
The crowd grows more restless, and Xander’s voice gets louder. “Purenet, we will not stand for this betrayal … may you rise and be united with me!”
The people immediately jump to their feet, cheering Xander’s name.
“Let the people see them!” Xander orders.
I stand up and crane my neck to see two guards bringing out Lowell and Reznor. Their faces are cut up, and they look as though they have already been punished. I start to wonder where Hayden is. Probably waiting for his turn.
Wasteland: Age of Sanctions (A Invasion Survivor Series) Page 16