Specious

by Berkstresser, Robin

  She opens her mouth to object, but I speak before she can interrupt me. “Besides, I’m not going to risk all of us. I’m going by myself.”

  “Whether you accept it or not, this”—Jess motions widely with her arms to encompass the whole situation—“is reality. Your perception doesn’t change how things actually are.”

  I shake my head. “I can’t ask you to come with me. To be honest, I don’t want you to.”

  Jess scoffs and I continue anyway. “Even though you don’t agree about going to seek out Dominic, we do need some supplies for the delivery of the baby. I can get those items as well.”

  “So you expect me to stay here and let you run off and hope you come back?” Jess asks. Her tone is full of hurt and I suspect she views this decision as me choosing Matt over her.

  After last night, I can’t stand to have her look at me this way. I soften my tone. “I’m not trying to get away from you. I simply refuse to put you in a situation that has the potential to be dangerous. You’re the most important thing to me. But we can’t live in constant fear. There’s hope. I intend on going for it.”

  Jess studies me, expressionless. “So you admit that this is a stupid idea? You’re acknowledging that seeking out Dominic, after all it took to get away from him, is dangerous?”

  “I know there’s a strong possibility that it could go poorly,” I admit.

  “You’re so willing to die and leave me?” she asks.

  I look back at her pleadingly. I’m desperate for her to understand my viewpoint. “I’m not asking you to agree with me, Jess, I’m asking you to support my decision. If I sit here and do nothing, I’m not the person I want to be. You have to understand,” I say.

  Defeat takes over her face. “When do you want to leave?”

  I let out a breath of air. “Thank you, Jess. I’ll leave as soon as I can. I just need to gather some supplies.”

  “Okay, let’s let Allison rest for a little longer. I really am worried about all of the stress that she’s putting on her body and baby.”

  “She doesn’t need to wish me good-bye, I’ll be back soon.” I stand up and stretch and stare toward the direction of Matt.

  “Nobody is saying good-bye to anyone.”

  I look quickly back at her. “What?”

  “I’m not letting you go off without me. I can’t stand the idea of not knowing if you’re going to come back. We can’t very well leave Allison here to her own devices. Even if she manages not to get too close to the thing in her bedroom, she could go into early labor with all of this stress. We can’t leave her alone.”

  “You think you’re coming?”

  “I’m not happy about it and I don’t agree with you.” She takes a deep breath. “We’re not going to get separated. We need to stick together.”

  “No.” I shake my head. “You’re not coming.”

  “I’m not letting you go by yourself.”

  I try to stand my ground. “I won’t let you come.” For the first time since I decided to ask for Dominic’s help, I’m truly afraid. Putting myself in danger is one thing, but to drag Jess and Allison into it? That’s unthinkable.

  Jess clenches her jaw and I flinch. “You won’t let me come?”

  “You’re right. It isn’t safe. I can’t bring you and worry about you the whole time.”

  “We’re in this together, Elliot. Plain and simple. If you go, I go,” she says.

  I sigh. We both know she’s won. A small, satisfied smirk appears on her face before she hides it.

  Three important words float around my mind and I want to express to Jess how much she means to me, but a very loud bang from Allison and Matt’s room ruins the mood and Allison jets awake. Her eyes scan the room for the noise and focus on the door to her bedroom. Emotion floods through her face.

  “Keep relaxing here. We’re going to get everything ready,” Jess says to Allison.

  “Get ready for what?” Allison’s eyes dart to Matt’s room.

  “We’re going to try and find my brother,” I say. Saying those words still seems unreal to me.

  Hope radiates through Allison’s face. “Thank you.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  The ride back to Potentia passes without much conversation. Allison has rested her head in Jess’s lap the entire ride, leaving me alone in the front seat. Because their vehicle was for a government official, it can travel at higher speeds and we make great time. Almost too soon, I see the outline of Potentia’s skyline.

  My eyes widen as the walls come into view. After months of being away, they seem bigger than I remember. The barrier that was built years ago—in the event of an attack from Acroisia—has been enacted, completely sealing the territory. In school, they always spoke about how it was a last option resort, as it cuts Potentia off from the rest of the territories. This definitely qualifies.

  Even though I fought to come back, my stomach turns at the thought of seeing my brother again. I cling to the hope that he will be able to help us. If I’ve changed since the last time we met, surely he has had the opportunity to change as well. He could have shot me when I was escaping into the forest. He chose not to. I have to believe this.

  I push the commands to stop the vehicle just outside the walls of the territory. Very smoothly, it halts. I exhale. This is it.

  “Are we here?” Allison asks.

  “Yes,” Jess says, scanning the high walls with apprehension. I look at my old home and try to imagine going back to that life. Nothing is the same anymore.

  I steady myself. “You two stay here and I’ll be back as soon as I can.” I have little faith that it will work. I have to try, though.

  “That’s not happening and you know it.” Jess’s tone softens as she addresses Allison. “You should stay here.”

  I nod in agreement.

  “I’m not missing this. I need to hear from him if there is something we can do to bring Matt back,” Allison says. Her eyes dart between me and Jess, waiting for us to argue.

  I sigh in frustration. They’re forcing me to do something I promised myself I would never allow. I’m about to expose them to my brother.

  “There’s no time like the present,” Allison says.

  She’s clearly anxious about meeting with the genetic engineers. I share that unease. Everything is riding on this.

  I open the door and gasp in shock. I hear similar responses from Jess and Allison when the smell hits them. Dominic did not exaggerate. I thought it was horrible with a small group of them, but this is simply unbearable. Death has marinated and seeped through. I can almost see it oozing through the air. I throw up in the grass by the car, with Allison gagging behind me.

  I recover slightly and stand up straighter. Jess comforts Allison and pats her on her back while she throws up. Jess looks to me with an expression full of disgust.

  I toss my hands up in resignation.

  “I imagine the smell is only going to get worse as we get deeper into the territory,” I say.

  Allison’s hands cover her nose in an attempt to hide some of the smell. “Hopefully we’ll get used to this.”

  “Is this really something we want to get used to?” Jess eyes the intimidating wall. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Jess supports Allison while they walk toward the giant barrier with me following closely behind them. Dominic didn’t disclose how they found him when he came back here after our mother died. I scan the area but see no signs of life. It’s startling that Potentia is void of the busy scurrying of life I grew up with.

  “Hello?” I call out.

  I’m astounded when I get a response.

  “Get back in your vehicle and leave. There’s no more room in our safe zone,” a female voice says.

  I look for the source of the voice and have no success.

  Allison pushes past me to get closer to the wall. “No, we need to get in,” she cries out.

  “We’re at capacity,” a deep male voice says. “There’s nothing we can do.”


  Although I would never admit it to Allison, I’m thankful we’re being turned away. Facing Dominic is one of my biggest fears and I’m relieved that I might be able to avoid it. That being said, I still have to do everything I can to bring Matt back to us.

  “I’m here to see my brother, Dominic. Can you at least let him know I’m here?” I say in desperation.

  “What’s your name?” The female voice excitedly asks.

  Her head appears at the top of the barrier. She’s wearing some sort of mask. Jess stiffens beside me.

  “My name is Elliot Greer, brother to Dominic Greer,” I respond, apprehensive toward her sudden, obvious interest.

  A beep echoes through the air and the barrier shifts slightly. A hidden staircase appears to our right.

  “Come up and we’ll take you to him,” she says.

  I automatically push forward, but Jess holds me back and asks, “I thought you were at capacity?”

  “Family is a different situation,” the male voice responds evenly.

  Jess turns to me and gazes into my eyes. “We should get in our vehicle and drive away right now before it’s too late. They’re looking for you.”

  Before I can respond, Allison marches toward the stairs and begins her climb. I rush forward to follow her lead. No matter what Jess fears, we can’t let Allison go by herself.

  The three of us make it to the top of the wall. The two strangers are wearing masks that make it impossible to determine any physical attributes, with the exception of their height and obvious strength.

  The woman holds out masks for us. “This will help with the smell,” she says.

  The relief is instantaneous. It doesn’t eliminate the smell completely, but it makes it tolerable.

  “Thank you,” I say. I’m not sure how long I could have lasted without it. The respite allows my other senses to strengthen.

  I take advantage of the high vantage point to study the territory. On the streets where there used to be a steady hum of traffic and vehicles, the slow, awkward movements of the Letum cover the ground. The female’s voice brings me back to the top of the barrier.

  “I remember the first time I smelled it without a mask on. It’s dreadful,” she states. “My name is Jocelyn. I’ll take you to your brother.”

  “I’ll stay here and keep guard on the wall,” the male mumbles through his mask.

  Jocelyn leads us away after a quick nod to acknowledge his comment.

  Jess walks slowly behind her, eyes narrowed in her mask. “Where are you taking us?” she asks.

  “Aren’t you a guarded one?” Jocelyn asks. She deliberately pauses. “We’re going to the main building where Mr. Greer will be. It’s a short walk from here. You’re lucky you came from this side.”

  The shadows of the living quarters where I began my life are just visible in the distance. My home from another life.

  “Did Dominic find a cure?” Allison asks, her voice is so full of hope and fear.

  “Dominic is an absolute genius. He’s so amazing,” she says. I roll my eyes. My older brother has placed his charms on her.

  She leads us down another staircase. I know Potentia well enough to recognize where we are. The education building looms just down the road. We’re going into the training facility where my brother studied with the other genetic engineers before the epidemic.

  “Did he find an antidote?” I remind her of the original question. I’m not in the mood to hear about how perfect my brother is.

  “I don’t know if I would call it an antidote, but yes, he did discover a way to bring the Letum back to themselves,” she says just as we reach a big door. She taps in a key code and it opens for us. Once we step inside, Jocelyn takes off her mask. We follow her lead and do the same.

  Jocelyn turns toward us to make sure we get inside. The heavy lines on her face give evidence of her age. She must be at least fifteen years older than I am. Her earlier comments of admiration are surprising. She isn’t Dominic’s typical type.

  She’s led us to a very large, grey room with a high ceiling. Our footsteps echo off of the walls. I’m very insignificant and small in here.

  I look back to Allison and Jess. The same excitement coursing through my body is replicated in Allison, whereas Jess looks anxious. A familiar voice calls out from a speaker on the wall.

  Dominic’s voice rings out. “Jocelyn, why are you back early? I am too busy right now for another one of our getaways.”

  Jocelyn has the grace to blush and at least appears to be embarrassed.

  “I have Elliot and two of his companions with me,” she says. She puffs her small chest out in pride.

  “Are you sure?” he breathes through the system.

  I announce to the speaker, “It’s me, Elliot.”

  No response comes from the speaker system. My heart pounds in anxiety over our reunion. I twitch my fingers to expel some of my energy.

  Finally, a door opens up and Dominic enters the hallway along with three other people in lab coats.

  “Elliot, I never thought I would see you again.” His voice is so full of relief. “And you brought Jess and…” He pauses when he gets a better view of Allison. “How far along are you?”

  “I’m around seven months pregnant. That’s why we’re here, in fact. You see my baby’s father just turned and—” Allison says.

  Dominic interrupts her. “Was he bitten?”

  “No. That’s why it was so sudden. Please, I need your help. We left him tied to a bedpost—safe. Jocelyn mentioned you found a way to bring him back. Can you help? Please, my child needs a father,” Allison begs.

  “Of course, I can help,” Dominic admits. “I have been working on this for the last few weeks. We actually just recently made great progress.”

  One of the men claps him on the back. His movement draws my attention. It’s Phillip, the man who was with Dominic the day they killed Chris and Andrew. Jess tenses next to me, making it apparent she recognizes the same man.

  “So it’s possible to bring him back? He can be himself again not some mindless creature?” Allison asks and breaks my train of thought.

  Dominic smiles at her desperation. “Yes, it is possible.”

  “Will you help us then?” Jess asks.

  Dominic considers her. A small smile plays at his lips. That look brings back memories of him taking advantage of me and tormenting me over the years. This is the man who killed my two best friends.

  “First things first. It is about time we finally get past the mistakes both of us have made.” He reaches out to me with one hand extended for a handshake. Despite the small seed of rationality present in my mind, I return his handshake without question. There’s a small prick in my neck. I pull away in confusion. Dominic looks very pleased with himself.

  “You bastard,” Jess screams at him. “What was in that syringe?”

  “Something to help him relax. He seems a little stressed,” Dominic says and shrugs.

  Jess runs toward him in anger. Phillip pulls a gun and points it at Allison’s stomach. Both of them freeze.

  The world loses focus and it becomes increasingly harder to concentrate. I should care that he just injected something in me, but all I want to do is sleep. The drug tugs at my awareness. It would be a lot easier to just give in and let the darkness take me.

  “Take him to room B6.” Dominic’s voice sounds like it’s coming from far away even though I know he’s right in front of me.

  The two strangers drag me out of the room and I struggle to remain conscious. My vision narrows at an alarming rate. I focus all of my energy on raising my head to get one last glimpse of Jess.

  Just as I’m able to finally lift my head up, we pass the corner. My head drops and I give in to the unknown.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  I find my way back to reality very slowly. It feels as if a huge weight is on my chest. After an unknown amount of time passes, I gradually become more aware.

  I lie on a lumpy mattress. The more I focus on tha
t, the more uncomfortable the bedding becomes. A wire pokes out and jabs me in the side. I attempt to move and am unable to. This worries me greatly. Even though I tell my body to move, it won’t cooperate. I’m too heavy.

  I wonder if I can open my eyes. The effort turns out to be a major struggle. Much to my relief, I’m finally able to accomplish this simple task. The room I’m in is completely dark. I impatiently wait for my eyes to adjust.

  Before they’re given a chance, a door opens and light floods into the room.

  My brother’s voice greets me. “I thought you would be coming out of the effects of the drugs around now.” His voice echoes slightly. I don’t know if it’s from the drugs in my system or the room or the high ceiling.

  His footsteps bounce off the walls. Each one is louder than the previous.

  He appears in front of me so I can see him. He looks so smug. A wave of frustration hits me. How could I have led everyone here? Why didn’t I listen to Jess?

  “Because we are family, I am going to give you two choices. Blink so I know you understand.” After a moment’s hesitation, I blink. “Good. In my pocket, I have two syringes. One of them will put you back out. It is the same drug that I gave you already. The other one will let you regain some of your strength. Notice, I said some and not all. Blink once for the first one and twice for the second option.”

  The idea of escaping, at least mentally, is appealing. But I know I need to focus. If I’m going to have any chance of getting us out of here, I need to have as much function as I can. I blink twice.

  “So you still have hope,” Dominic mutters, amused. “That will change once we get started.” He pulls out a syringe from one of his pockets. “As promised.” He waves it tauntingly in front of my face.

  The medicine leaves my field of vision. I focus on Dominic’s face. His expression reminds me of the time he came back from the hill. He looked just as arrogant then as he does now. It isn’t that surprising, though. He won then and he won now. He got what he wanted.

  There’s a small prick in my neck as the medicine enters my body.