Selected

by Barb Han

  “He became so paranoid after that, and I thought it was because of being seen with me.”

  “It wasn’t a good idea for him to be linked to you anymore, in case we were caught,” she admits. “I cautioned Adalynn, too. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you what was going on, but I thought I’d be able to find my son without involving you.”

  “Why not? I mean, it’s not like I had anything to lose,” I argue. “I overheard Snyder and the Chaffees. They were planning my death.”

  It looks as though a bomb has exploded inside Annora’s head. “What did they say?”

  “Spencer said he’d go to market early. Go to market with what? What does that mean?”

  “Where do I even start?” she asks, but the question is meant for her not me. “He owns a company—”

  “DG. He mentioned it. What does it stand for?”

  “Dynamic Genetics.”

  “So, I’m part of some genetic project?”

  “I don’t know the details, but, yes. You and the others were Selected for your superior traits. I’ve seen your IQ scores. They’re impressive. That and your exceptional gift in dance make for a rare combination. One wealthy folks would pay large sums to acquire for their offspring.”

  Hearing this makes me sick to my stomach.

  “The what, why, and how are still question marks. Only three people have those answers.”

  “How long have you known?”

  “I’ve always been suspicious of the program. Those three wouldn’t help you or anyone else for the sake of goodwill,” she admits.

  “What about Jolie Bangor? Do you know what happened to her?”

  Annora nods. “Last I heard she’s safely across the border, lying low.”

  Relief washes over me. I didn’t know her, and yet it seems like I did.

  “How did you know where I was earlier?” Can I trust my teacher?

  “Adalynn came to me.” She locks eyes.

  “Why would she care about me? We’re not friends anymore.” I stare at the tea.

  “I’m sorry. That’s my fault. I warned her to stay away from you—”

  “Why would you do that?” A flash of heat rips through me like a rogue storm, leaving a hole in my chest.

  “Because I thought she’d be safer that way. If they believed she’d turned her back on you, she could keep better watch on what was going on.” There was so much sympathy in her eyes now.

  “And she agreed to it?”

  “Not at first. It took some convincing. But when she realized she’d be helping you the most that way, she finally came around,” she admits. “I’m sorry that hurt you.”

  I sniff back threatening tears.

  “I got over it,” I quip. “And Jax?”

  “He agreed to push you away at first, but when he saw what that did to you, he said he couldn’t go through with it.”

  I think about that for a minute. If he had played along, he’d be safe right now. Alive. More nausea threatens to pull me under. I grab my stomach, lean forward, and rock back and forth.

  “It’s my fault,” I say in barely above a whisper.

  “Never blame yourself for other people’s choices,” she says strongly. “Jax cared about you, and he couldn’t stand hurting you. He decided that he’d be more help if he stuck close by. I asked him to go underground. He refused.”

  That explained so much about how paranoid he’d become.

  “But why all this? Why hurt everyone because of me?” It makes even less sense now.

  “You’re the program’s poster child. If anything happens to you, the whole system they’ve put in place collapses,” she says, her green eyes penetrating me.

  “I’m nothing. I’m not important. I’m just a poor girl.”

  “You’re so much more than that,” she says. “To Snyder and the Chaffees, you’re the future.”

  Okay, that makes even less sense. What does she mean by that?

  “This is a lot to take in all at once,” she says, draining her cup of tea. “You’re tired. The sun will be up soon. We can talk more tomorrow after you rest.”

  “I deserve answers now. I think I’ve waited long enough.”

  “After the federal government was disbanded, everyone was afraid. Some people used that fear to blur the lines around our civil liberties, and we were too scared to notice. No one wanted another civil war, brother fighting brother. So, we formed our own government, the council, and now they’ve become the ruling class. Their power has been unchecked for two decades. The wealthy are taking what they want, erecting impenetrable walls. This program, you, have come to represent their abuses, their threat to all of us. They’re up to something. I haven’t been able to figure out what, exactly.”

  “They’ve been giving me new shots since before school ended. Then, in the lab, my stomach hurt. I’m pretty sure Dr. Mangrove did something to me, but I can’t find any incisions.”

  Annora’s face paled.

  “They might be harvesting eggs.”

  I’m at a loss as to what to say. It makes perfect sense, though. I have millions of eggs. Do they plan to sell them…essentially me…to the highest bidders? I can’t even fathom having pieces of me taken from me and sold to strangers. An angry fire burns inside me, flames licking through my veins. It fills me, threatens to consume me.

  I sit there, mute with my eyes wide open, wishing I could fall asleep.

  But when I try, I can’t.

  Chapter Nineteen

  The second I hear movement, I bolt upright.

  “It’s me,” Annora says, hands up, palms in surrender.

  “Sorry. I’m jumpy, I guess.”

  “Don’t be. It’s good to be on alert.” She pushes up to stand. “I’m making tea. You want a cup?”

  She’s wearing dark green cargo pants and a white T-shirt. She looks younger in these clothes. Her red hair is contained in a rubber band. Her ponytail makes me think of Adalynn. I’m glad that she did what she did. Otherwise, she’d be dead, too. The sacrifice Jax made punches me in the chest. Emotions slam into me, and I need to think of something else or I’ll break down, splinter into a thousand flecks of dust.

  “Yes, tea would be nice. Can I help?”

  “I got this,” she responds, yawning.

  There’s movement behind me.

  “Caius.” I spin around. I’d slept on the floor below his cot. My heart leaps into my throat. Is he back? Is it really him this time?

  He opens his eyes and the corner of his mouth upturns in a grin. “Tori.”

  Hearing my name on his lips sends warmth through me. I bury my face in his chest as his arms wrap around me.

  “Do you want tea, Caius?” Annora asks.

  Pace and Keir stir at about the same time.

  He tries to sit up, but his skin pales, and he curls on his side. “I’m going to be…”

  Pace grabs a small pail and sticks it underneath Caius in time to collect the product of the first heave. He turns on his side and empties his stomach, and when everything’s gone, he dry heaves.

  Annora glances into the bucket, wrinkles her nose, and then places a rag on his forehead. I help, placing gentle pressure on the cold, wet cloth.

  “Looks like they gave him Phyloxicoton.” She glances up at the others. They move to the kitchen area, which is across the room.

  “I don’t even…what is that?”

  “A drug that will make him more compliant,” she explains.

  “How do you get rid of it?”

  “It takes time. They used that one because it makes you sick for a few days once you stop taking it. Your body goes through withdrawal.”

  It dawns on me why. “So they have time to catch up to you if you escape.”

  She nods.

  “Will that make him say things that he doesn’t mean?”<
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  “They threatened to kill your brother,” Caius says to me with a grimace, as though realizing how much he’d hurt me. “If I didn’t do what they said. It’s all a little blurry. Snyder said that she’d take everything away from you and they’d make you suffer. They said if I couldn’t convince you to go along with them, they’d have no more use for you. I couldn’t let them kill you. That’s why I said those things to you before. I had to sound convincing. But then I really looked at you, and I almost broke.”

  “You squeezed my hand.”

  He nods before another round of dry heaves hits. I put my hand on his back as he rolls over. His T-shirt is soaked. His eyes roll back in his head, and he starts convulsing.

  “Annora, what do I do?” I feel helpless sitting there next to him.

  “Pace,” she practically shouts as she bolts over and drops down on her knees beside him.

  He turns up a few seconds later with a bowl that has a brown, pasty-looking lump in it. He looks around for something to use, gives up, and then sticks his finger inside the murky paste, scoops some up and sticks a clump inside Caius’s jaw.

  “Caius.” I say his name in barely a whisper, stepping back to give Pace and Annora room to work. My heart is pounding so hard that my ribs hurt. I need him to be okay. I can’t lose him, too.

  His eyes flutter open, and he reaches out to me as the tremors rocking his body look like they’re beginning to ease.

  Pace holds the bowl in front of Caius, and he uses his finger as a spoon. He makes a screwed-up face when he eats it, but it calms his shaking body.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “His body is working out the drugs they gave him,” he explains. “He’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

  “Are we safe here?” I move to Caius’s side. He threads our fingers together as though he’s hanging onto me for dear life.

  “For the time being.” Annora’s gaze bounces from Pace to Keir. “But I have no idea for how long. We have to figure out how to get you far away from here.”

  I have so many questions. Where do I start? I open my mouth to speak, but Annora’s hand comes up to quiet me.

  Caius’s breath has grown even again, and his eyes are closed. His grip on my hand is still tight despite being asleep.

  “It’s not safe for me to show my face in town anymore. I’ll take the first shift,” she says to Pace and Keir. “We have no idea what will happen now that we have her, or how far they’ll be willing to go to find her. We have to assume this place is compromised and we’ll need to leave as soon as he can be safely moved.”

  Keir and Pace exchange a glance before nodding.

  “That’s going to be a few days,” Keir says.

  “I know. In the meantime, we’ll have to be extra vigilant.” Annora walks over to a large black duffel sitting next to the door. She pulls out a weapon and inserts what I assume are rounds of ammunition. The gun looks like it weighs almost as much as she does.

  With effort, she heaves it up to her shoulder and then points it out the window, looking into the scope. I’d never focused on her arms before, but I can see now that she has muscle definition.

  “We’ll check the usual places. See if word is out about her.” Keir glances at Pace. He’s wearing a serious expression and it looks like the two are related. If not brothers, then are they cousins? Or maybe looking alike is a coincidence? It’s odd that those are the random questions zigzagging through my mind.

  “Good,” Annora says. “My guess is that Mireille Snyder won’t want this to be news. She’ll sit on this as long as she can. We can work with that.”

  She sets the gun down next to the door and turns to face me. “Are you going to be okay sticking around here for a while on your own?”

  “Yes. Of course. But—”

  “You have more questions. I know. Food’s in the kitchen. We don’t have much, but there’s enough for a few days. I should be back around dusk. If not, and if the boys don’t return, no lights after dark. Keep a low profile, and if we’re not back by the time the food runs out, assume the worst and move on.”

  “How are we supposed to do that?”

  She picks up something from the bag and moves closer, holding a gun. “Use this if you have to, but don’t shoot one of us.”

  “What about Caius? Does he need any more of that antidote?” I can feel pressure mounting in my chest as my fingers search for the hem of my shirt. I’m here alone with someone who can’t move and everyone’s leaving? I roll around the soft material in between my thumb and forefinger.

  “We gave him enough. He’ll feel better by nightfall.” She picks up the weapon and hoists it onto her shoulder. “The water is from a well, so it’s clean, safe to use. If I run into trouble, I’ll whistle.” She pulls a plastic whistle from her pocket and holds it up. “If you hear it, don’t come to me. If he can walk, leave.” She motions toward Caius. “If he can’t, hide as best as you can.”

  Pace and Keir have cleaned up and changed clothes by the time they return to the living room.

  “You’ll be fine. She gave us the same speech when we first arrived,” Keir says. In the light, the gold streaks in his sandy-blond hair shine. He has light eyes, an athletic build and lightly bronzed skin.

  Pace was the opposite. Tall and wiry with beautiful brown eyes and thick almost jet-black waves. He rakes his fingers through his hair. In this light, the guys don’t look related.

  “Thanks,” I say. I’ve already lost so much. I can’t think about Jax without my legs giving out and my body shivering. The fact that my two best friends were doing what they could to keep me safe even when it meant putting themselves at risk nearly cracks my chest in half.

  “We’ll be back by lunch,” Pace reassures me. “No problem.”

  I smile.

  “He’ll be hungry when he wakes.” Annora motions toward Caius. “Have him take it slow.”

  All I can do is nod. I don’t feel qualified to take care of him in his current state.

  “See you soon.” Pace winks.

  Annora pitches the vehicle key to him, and he effortlessly catches it. For some reason, I think about my grandmother and baseball. She’d hold me and tell me stories about how she used to love to watch my grandfather play when they were young and in college. Thinking about my family causes a stab of pain so fierce I struggle to take a breath. Pace would’ve made a great player with that catch.

  …

  It’s dark before I hear noises outside. My heart is in my throat because my boyfriend is asleep and I’m helpless. I can’t lift him, so I toss the blanket over him and grip the handgun Annora left for me. There’s nothing else I can do.

  “Caius,” I whisper, shaking his shoulder.

  His body is limp, and he doesn’t budge. He ate earlier and drank two full cups of water. I’d managed to get him to the shower where he was able to clean up. He was like walking dead.

  Seeing him lifeless is hard.

  The door opens, and I hunker down, ready for whatever walks through it.

  “It’s me.” Annora’s voice is barely a whisper.

  I let out the breath I’d been holding as I remove the covers. “We’re here.”

  “Where are the boys?” She shuts the door behind her.

  “They’re not back yet.”

  She takes in a sharp breath. “It’ll be fine. They’ll show.”

  “Anything going on out there?”

  “Nothing out of the ordinary.” The light is off, and I can hear her making tea. “Did he sleep all day?”

  “He ate earlier. I got him on his feet to clean up, but he won’t wake up now.” I hate how my voice shakes.

  Annora comes over and sets down two cups before saying, “My mother used to give me tea every time something bad happened. Now, every cup reminds me of unconditional love, and I feel comforted.”

&nbs
p; “Your mother sounds like a wonderful person.” I take a sip and enjoy the warm burn on my throat.

  “She was.” She sits across from me, crossing her legs underneath her. “I often wonder what she would think of everything that’s happened. The program seemed like a good idea at first, nurturing the talented. None of us saw what was on the horizon, what it would become.”

  “I haven’t seen my family in…” I perform a quick mental calculation. “One thousand, one hundred and nineteen days.”

  “I’m sorry,” she says without missing a beat. “You must miss them very much.”

  I nod, unsure if she can see me or not. My eyes have already adjusted to the dark.

  “I was told your brother vowed not to stop until you were safely out of Easton. You two must’ve been very close.”

  “We are.” I’m so tired of stifling my emotions that my body aches.

  Quiet surrounds us as we finish our tea.

  “Let’s get him moving, shall we?” She motions toward Caius.

  “Okay.”

  “I’d wanted to see what was in his system before giving him more tonic, but I think it’s safe to say that there isn’t anything else.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “He stopped vomiting.” She moved to his side and pulled a small package out of her pocket. She unwrapped a small object and placed it behind his ear.

  “What will that do?”

  “Send tiny electrical impulses to his brain. It stimulates his cerebral cortex and should basically act as caffeine.” She sits back on her heels.

  “I don’t think I ever thanked you for helping us,” I say, and I mean it.

  “You’re welcome.” She stares at Caius, and there’s worry in her voice.

  It makes the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. I don’t say a word because I can’t even think about him not being okay.

  There’s a small knock at the door, a rap, rap, rap-rap-rap, rap.

  “It’s the boys.” Annora exhales.

  Pace and Keir slip inside single file and then close the door quietly behind them.

  “What’s happening out there?” Annora asks in barely more than a whisper.