by C. M. Owens
“I did. Believe it or not, not all full bloods are bad guys.”
“Most of them are. We’re the forgotten,” a boy murmurs.
“The forgotten?” Brazen muses.
He truly doesn’t know that much about me.
“It’s what we call ourselves,” I mutter in explanation with pain stinging my eyes. “As a child, you need a bond of some sort in order to make it through the day. All we had was each other. All forsaken hybrid children call themselves the forgotten.”
His eyes burn more, and he shakes his head in disbelief.
“I thought we had evolved to be better than all of this.”
“We will. I’m launching a hybrid program which will change the way hybrids are taught. The school will be meant for children instead of breathing weapons, and they will be installed in every compound under the order of the United. The living arrangements, the teaching, and the day to day life will change - leaving them with a better quality of life,” Hale boasts, and I smile affectionately as I stare into his eyes.
The children will still be the forgotten though.
I’d never say that to Hale though. He’d paint himself a target in order to find a way to make the laws change to allow hybrids to be adopted. He’d end up getting himself strung up for treason just to please me… to make my dreams come true. What he’s doing is far more than anyone else has ever done.
“I didn’t know about that,” Brazen mumbles, his eyes falling away from mine as though they’re weighed down with shame.
“I did,” I almost whisper, my eyes falling on the hybrid man who still astonishes me with his heart, and Hale’s lips softly graze mine in appreciation for my admiring tone.
“This is quite possibly the first time I’ve ever felt naïve,” Brazen sighs. “The captain of this compound, is he full blood, hybrid, or human?”
“Full blood,” the boy in my lap says with a shiver.
“Does he hurt you?” I ask compassionately.
I shouldn’t have asked that. I know the answer, and I know the laws won’t allow me to do a damn thing about it.
“He gives us lashings without blood if we don’t comply,” an older girl answers. “Please don’t tell him that we didn’t go when we heard the sirens.”
“He does what?” Brazen releases in disbelief, horror striking his face to taint his naïve notion of the way he believed the world worked.
It’s not just old world full bloods that hate hybrids, my sweet full blood.
“Lashings,” I answer with tears threatening to pour. “When hybrid children disobey, a whip with a uranium tip is used to slash through our skin until we bleed almost to death. They deny us blood until we can’t breathe any longer. It’s their way of exercising authority.”
“Not in my fucking compound,” Hale snarls.
“Can we come there?” a girl asks with hopeful tears.
“We’ll make sure no one else gives you lashings,” Brazen murmurs with pain etched in his tone.
I remove the sweet boy from my lap to lie him in the arms of a sweet, older girl, and then I go over to pull Brazen from the floor as all the kids gush in excitement over his empty, impossible-to-fill promise.
“Don’t give these children false hope. They can’t take it. You can’t force the compounds to run differently if they’re not breaking the law. Believe me, I would make it my fucking mission to free them all if I could, but we can’t do anything without risking them further harm.”
“I can,” Hale says as he joins the private conversation.
“No you can’t,” I huff out. “You know the damn law.”
“Araya, I’ll fucking do whatever I want to do. When we leave here, these kids will be safe.”
“I’ll get in on that action,” Brazen adds as he stares at the excited children who feel hope just within grasp for the first time in their lives.
My finger becomes a threatening weapon as I point at the both of them - my eyes narrowing to emphasize my cautionary tone.
“If you two lead these kids on, I swear I’ll never speak to either of you again.”
I walk away from them, and my sweet little boy comes to join me once again as the storm outside rages on.
“How did you guys make it over here?” a girl asks Hale.
“We followed Araya’s lead, and we walked with ground treaders. It was a very clever idea,” Hale murmurs adoringly while taking his place beside me once more.
“And you’re gifted too? And you’re a captain?” she gushes, and I can see her swooning eyes as she props up to revel in the beauty of my man.
“I am and I am,” he snickers out.
“And you’re a captain too?”
“I am,” Brazen murmurs proudly.
“What’s your compound like?”
“I’m a field captain, so I don’t run a compound. I go to other places, and I keep an eye on things going on outside the walls that could affect the lives within the United and sometimes outside the United.”
“That’s awesome. I want to be a field captain,” a boy utters with adoration oozing out.
“I want to be a compound captain,” Hale’s admirer coos.
The rattling above us turns into thunderous crashing, and all the children - young to teenage - come to seek refuge in our protective circle.
“How much longer will this last?” a girl shivers out.
“Not much longer,” Hale answers, and we start hearing the creaking fading into a duller threat as if on cue.
“I’m glad you came,” the little boy that has been with me all along utters.
I kiss the top of his head, his eyes lighting up all the more from the simple show of affection he never feels. Then we hear the winds almost dead outside.
“We’re all glad,” a girl almost whispers, her eyes hiding the scars not shown on her body.
She’s the keeper - the one who cares for them like a mother.
My heart almost breaks as I watch the children snuggling into her. She strokes their hair just as I once did to my younger forgotten family. She’s been the one to comfort them, be strong for them, and stand up for them. I can see her spirit barely unbroken. I can see her reason for living being only the young ones congregated around her. I’ve felt that before.
I have to look away and my eyes fall on the boy still clinging to my waist. My fingers stroll over the boy’s tags disguised as a necklace - something the forgotten are required to wear at all times. His identification number, his room number, and then his name are engraved on the metal. Rex Marx.
“That’s a strong name for a strong boy,” I whisper into his ear, and that sweet, glowing smile emerges to show his soft dimples.
“It should be safe to get out of here now,” Brazen says while standing to his feet.
He continues holding onto the hands of the children that should fear him, but they feel as safe as I always have in his presence. Hale continues to be adored, and he keeps a small girl on his hip while holding the hand of another when he stands.
“How much olophine is still in your system?” I almost whisper.
“Enough to blast us out of here without consequence.”
“Why do you need olophine?” Brazen asks curiously.
“Because I lose control of my sanity I if I don’t. If I ever use it to its full potential, it takes a hell of a lot more than one vial. I’d appreciate it if you kept that out of other circles though,” Hale murmurs as he hands him the small girl he’s holding.
Even he feels safe in Brazen’s presence. He’s never revealed that to a full blood before. He wouldn’t feel so safe if he knew what Brazen was trying to do to me - or with me rather.
“I have no reason to share it with anyone,” Brazen says to ease Hale’s concern.
Hale stands in front of the rubble that has accumulated since we hid down here, and it explodes and sizzles into ash so that we can emerge effortlessly. We climb up the stairs to see the destruction of the prison-like school - or what’s left of it. Hands grip tighte
r to all of ours as we near the center of the compound, and relieved faces begin to emerge.
“Who is the captain here?” Hale barks, shocking me with his fury surging forth without warning.
“I’m the captain,” a full blood asserts as he approaches with his pompous strut and imperious air.
“Would you like to explain why you left a school full of children alone, scared, and in danger while you cowered inside?” he blares.
“They heard the sirens just as we all did. If they didn’t comply, then it’s on them, not me. We have regular drills to ensure everyone knows the procedures to follow, per our outlined orders. I can’t go through the compound to check on each and every individual to make sure they do as they’re supposed to.”
“No, you’re right. You can’t. But you can go to the fucking school to take care of the children who don’t have parents looking after them. I’m pretty damn sure you didn’t overlook the fact these children were missing.”
Especially since he forbid anyone else from going over there. I should keep that to myself. Hale might show this asshole his savage if he finds that out right now.
“You have no right to address me the way you are. This is my damn compound, not yours. According to the stripes on your badge, you’re no higher ranked than I am.”
“Actually, he is,” Brazen says while strutting over very smugly. “He’s a captain inside the government of the United which gives him far more rank than you carry. Don’t be fooled by the stripes on his badge matching yours.”
“Who the fuck are you?” the captain barks.
“I’m someone else that out ranks you, so watch your tone. These children shouldn’t have been left unattended, and I’m putting forth a vote to strike your stripes from your badge. You’ll be nothing more than a civilian within the United nation from this day forth,” Brazen says with an eerie, secretive smile.
I lean over to Alex who is standing with a mouth gaping open in disbelief.
“Can he do that?” I ask.
“Yes, but he has to have two others that out rank the captain here to back him before it goes into full debate.”
“I’d like to add my vote to strike his stripes,” Hale happily interjects while leaning over on a crumbling piece of wall, his eyes burning into the air gulping full blood now squirming under scrutiny.
“I cast my vote to have them stricken as well,” Clay asserts as he walks up.
“You can’t fucking do this to me. I’ve been a captain for longer than some of these United members have been alive. You can’t pull my stripes for being in distress. It was just an oversight in a stage five storm!”
“It’s up to the seven other full blood and hybrid United officials here to decide whether or not it’s carried out,” Clay explains.
Brazen’s eyes glare at his full blood comrades, and it’s not exactly rocket science what the hybrids are going to vote.
I quickly cast my vote by texting Clay, my smile unable to be contained. This feels better than Christmas.
“Well,” Clay prompts.
“We’re unanimous. The captain should have his stripes stricken. It’s important that all United compounds show all their people the same compassion and concern. It’s also imperative that a captain have the will to risk his own life to save just one life inside his compound. We don’t feel as though he has lived up to the expectations that qualify one to hold such stature,” a hybrid proudly announces after reading the verdict.
“You’d fucking side with their kind? You’re just like me,” he growls at Brazen.
“I’m nothing like you, and your whip will never touch the body of a child again,” Brazen whispers threateningly.
Hale lets a proud, smug smirk free, and then he winks at me as he walks my way. The demoted captain’s eyes swirl with a violent, malevolent promise as his growl simmers ominously low in the back of his throat. I can almost read the foolish plan of action he’s about to take. He starts to charge Hale from the back, but suddenly he’s gasping for air as I use my gift to slam him into the wall. His frantic eyes scramble around to try and grasp what’s going on, when finally they find me. I smirk, the power rising, consuming, and intoxicating me. He should die. He should die very, very, painfully.
The air in his lungs almost evades him completely as I press against him harder, his eyes threatening to close for all eternity. Hale’s suddenly at my side, his eyes gauging my pupils as he speaks.
“He’s not worth it, baby. He’ll spend the rest of his days in a cell just praying for death,” he murmurs softly. “That’s a far more suitable punishment.”
I let a wry smile cock up to one side as I drop him to the ground. He starts heaving for air while grabbing his throat, his prayers only thought to be answered.
“Prison?” a woman I can only assume is his full blood wife spouts.
“Yes, prison. He just attempted to attack an officer of the United while in one of our facilities. The punishment is life in prison without release,” Brazen says with a triumphant smirk spreading across his face to emphasize his gloating moment.
I lean over to the full blood still gasping for air, and I whisper, “You’ll be in a prison where ungifted hybrids also dwell. Do you know what they do to full bloods like you? They break out their whips, and they fuck you up until the guards break it up. Then they wait for you to go to sleep before they do it all over again. Those kids will finally feel freedom, but you… you’ll be suffering the torture you forced them to endure from now until forever finally ends.”
Hale’s hand takes mine when I start walking away, and Clay walks over to one of the United hybrid officers.
“Until I can find a new captain to take his place, I’d like for you to stay here and clean this mess up. Make sure these kids are cared for,” he murmurs softly.
“You know I will, Sir,” the man obliges, and then he walks off to start directing the capable men where to go and how to start.
“You’re leaving?” the small boy asks as he tugs on my pants.
I smile as I kneel down, and I hand him my card.
“This is my number. You can call me anytime at all. I’ll be here if you need me, but this man isn’t like your old captain. He’s like us,” I say, making sure to whisper the last part.
The boy smiles big, and then he jumps to me. I pull him up in a hug, and a tears sting my eyes when I lower him back down.
“Don’t lose that,” I say while stroking his hair, my eyes pointing to the card.
“I won’t,” he says with his adorable dimples shining through from the smile he so rarely has a reason to display.
“Let’s get going,” Hale murmurs against my ear.
I smile as we head out, and I lean over to rest my head on his arm. I can feel his proud breaths coming in and burning out as they brush across my face.
“I love you so much right now,” I say when we escape the crowds.
“I love you, babe.”
He jerks me to his body before his lips attack mine. I want so badly to jump up and throw my legs around his waist. It wouldn’t take much to make my dreams come true. All I would have to do is break the skin with my two devious little blood bringers.
Hale. Definitely Hale.
“Don’t even think about it, vixen,” he whispers into my ear.
My salacious smile grows, and I roll my eyes when he narrows his at me.
“I have to stay focused on this damn girl with a hood and her mysterious caretakers,” he grumbles.
“We’re probably too far behind them now, and our rides have been thoroughly fucked up. Any chance we can go by air?” I ask while dropping my seductress antics.
“It’s too risky. It would be far too easy for them to shoot us out of the sky. Besides, our drones haven’t been able to pick them up yet despite the direction we gave them.”
“They could have deliberately left those tracks to throw you off,” Brazen interjects as he walks up.
“If they did, then they’re damn good pros at it. I usu
ally catch a fake trail pretty easily no matter how good the falsified tracks.”
“How are we going to get out of here with our rides being destroyed?”
“We’re not going after the hooded mystery people,” Clay asserts as he walks over.
“Why?” Hale and Brazen ask in unison.
“Because the storm took them out. One of our drones finally caught up with them, and now we’ve got these.”
He hands us his phone, and we look at the shots of the dark sedans and the armored truck left shredded in pieces.
“They couldn’t have survived that,” Hale murmurs while staring intensely at the pictures.
“Exactly. That’s why we’re going to jump in on Araya’s case. The Rising has just struck again, and this time they killed an entire colony of hybrids caring for a colony of humans. Both colonies were outside our jurisdiction, but now everyone else is panicking. I’m getting calls from every unaligned compound pledging allegiance to us if we bring our forces to aide them. I’ve already instructed an army to set up near the next two human colonies.”
“Was there an infected outbreak?”
“A bad one. The fires have taken care of the corpses. We need to stop this massacre from happening again.
This doesn’t sound like the Rising I know.
Everyone turns to face me, and I suddenly feel a little on the spot. Hale takes a step away so he can join everyone in their expectant waiting.
“I had a lead before I left Javeline, but I don’t know how cold that trail has gone now. There’s a man at the Selma compound who might can put names to the faces my suspect drew for us. I’ve got them all saved to my files. We can start there,” I murmur a little bashfully.
Hale smirks as he rejoins me, and then several hummers emerge from under the ground as the secret hatch opens.
“We always keep extras on hand in every compound,” he whispers.
“Let’s go,” Brazen urges while climbing into the back seat of the one we’re getting into.
“Are you really going to ride with us?” Hale huffs.