Hadley looked around and saw everyone in the room was now looking at her. No one had watched the video; they had watched her reaction the whole time. She just stared at her own face, still plastered on the screen.
“Is that true?”
“Could we make this up?” Saul said sternly.
“When was that?” Hadley pried.
“The other video Elijah please,” Saul said in a strained voice, hurrying it along. Suddenly another image of Hadley popped up on the screen.
She was covered in mud; her shirt was tattered. There was blood running down the one side of her face, actually it was pouring down. She was holding the camera and it was shaking all over, as though the ground was moving beneath her. She held it up to her face and spoke into the lens.
“Hadley! If you are watching this then you followed my, our…whatever… clues. Thank god they haven’t taken all your brains away yet. Do not trust Hemmer or Kane or—” she paused out of breath, “Pax for that matter. You are the only one who knows the access code and you don’t even know it. RFE is the only way. Stop Hemmer and Kane! Do not give them what they want. Do not help them. We’ve lost too much to give in now. That will mean the end—”
Suddenly, Hadley dropped the camera because someone came up behind her.
Big, thick arms wrapped around her and she glanced backwards and saw Kane. Hadley was able to hit him in the stomach and break free but he slammed his fist into her face. He threw her to the ground, in pure and utter rage. He continued to slam his fist into her face until she was spitting out blood. Hadley was able to get to her feet and started to run but Jeremiah stood in her way. He had come out of nowhere.
Hadley turned around to see Kane run straight at her, he threw her to the ground and pinned her against the broken glass on the floor. Hadley was kicking and screaming but gun shots ran through the air behind her so it was as though she was silent.
Kane pressed his forearm against her throat. She couldn’t breathe and was struggling for breath. Jeremiah approached and Kane said something as Hadley tried to break free. Kane pushed his knee into her stomach. She started to scream as his arm came off her windpipe and was screaming at the top of her lungs but they weren’t listening.
Then it got worse than Hadley ever thought it could.
Kane’s face was pure evil. It was sadistic. He straddled her legs and undid her jeans in one swift motion. His hand reached under her already shredded shirt and he grabbed her breast. He took a deep breath and said, “I’m going to make it so even your husband doesn’t want you anymore.”
“Fuck you Kane,” Hadley said through the tears that were coming down her face.
He pulled her pants down with a quick yank and undid his jeans. In one swift motion he was right on top of her. There was a look of power on his face while silent tears ran down Hadley’s face. Jeremiah held her down and Hadley couldn’t do anything to stop what was going to happen.
“Stop! Kane please!”
“I’m going to hurt you Hadley like you hurt me.”
“That was your fault!”
“I wanted everything with you.”
“You threw it away,” Hadley spat in his face, she tried to get free by it didn’t work.
Kane reached his hand down to reposition himself and thrust inside of her. “I missed this,” he said smiling sadistically.
He was getting off on watching her in pain, watching Hadley be helpless. It was what he had always wanted. He always wanted control, that’s why he started dating his students.
He pounded against her. One thrust at a time. He pulled a knife from his jacket and she watched him cut open the front of her bra. He put his lips to her breast and the tears streamed down her face even more. When he pulled away her breast was covered in bleeding bite marks.
“Hope that hurt.”
He came a moment later.
He pulled out, did up his pants and inched back. Hadley lay almost limp unable to move. He tore off her pants the rest of the way and threw them aside.
“Now your husband will only think of me when he sees you.”
Hadley wasn’t going to say anything but she managed a whisper, “You loved me once.”
“That was before you—,” he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Kane glanced at Jeremiah and they both looked out into the street.
“Cut her throat and parade her through the streets; let them know they can’t win. Let anyone faithful to the government have a turn. I want this broadcast everywhere. We will make them know how badly we can hurt them.” Kane said kicking Hadley in the face.
Jeremiah took a knife and slid it slowly against her throat, the blood pooling around her head as the light left her eyes.
Then, the video stopped.
Back in the computer hall, Hadley noticed she had tears running down her face. She quickly wiped them away and in her head she determined herself to kill Kane, if it was the last thing she ever did.
No one spoke or moved. Many of the girls in the room were also crying. Hadley looked to Saul and noticed he was facing away from the screen and had not watched the video.
“Too much?” she croaked barely able to speak to him suppressing the urge to break down again. She wouldn’t be the victim they wanted her to be.
“I saw it once; you were live broadcasting to ensure that your message was saved; I don’t ever want to watch it again.” He shuttered.
Hadley curled her lip into a half smile that didn’t do anything but say she appreciated that and she looked around the room and saw pitying faces looking back at her. Saul just looked defiant.
“Thank you for helping me understand, and not looking at me like the rest of them do.” Hadley was really crying now, whimpering actually.
“It’s not your fault and I’m biding my time until I can kill Kane—”
Hadley stared into his dark eyes, “Why do you care?”
He just shrugged. He wanted to tell her something but couldn’t bring himself to and Hadley didn’t press any further.
It took a while for everyone to calm down and get back to work. But they slowly did, typing slowly on their computers. The room was only full of typing and squeaky chairs.
“I need to sit down.” Hadley sunk to the floor and put her head between her knees, the tears relentlessly running down her face now. She couldn’t hold back. She rocked back and forth. In and out, in and out, in and out. She regulated her breathing.
She stared at the stone ground and ran her hand against the dust build up. It was as though she was covered in ice water. She was shivering. She felt disgusted in herself even though it wasn’t her fault. How could she have let that happen?
Hadley felt arms around her and looked up to see the strong muscular form of Saul. His body basically encapsulated hers and she was fully enrobed in his arms. She leaned her head into his shoulder. She was lost for a moment thinking only about his breathing and her own, focusing on anything else but what she had just seen. Though more so the feelings it had stirred deep inside her. He was shaking with anger but trying to suppress it.
As the moments past, Hadley could feel eyes looking at their crumbled ball on the floor. Both of them couldn’t seem to stop shaking. The tears started again down Hadley’s face. She could feel him crying into her shoulder as he picked her up into a cradle.
Hadley glanced up through blurry eyes and saw Maggie staring daggers at her. Maggie’s face was red and if it were possible smoke would be coming out of her ears.
Hadley moved away from Saul. She tucked her hair behind her ear and scratched at the side of her face. She started to chew on her lip.
Elijah evidently had run out of the room whilst Hadley sat crying and ran back into the room with a basket cradled in both his arms. He was so kind and had a big grin on his face. Hadley smiled brilliantly back at him. Maggie and Saul looked at each other as though she was crazy and again Hadley looked down.
“I got stuff to make Hadley feel better!” Elijah exclaimed as he stopped out
of breath in front of them all. Hadley looked up at the bottom of the basket.
Saul got to his feet. “Elijah let’s bring that to the conference room.”
“All right!” Elijah exclaimed and was off without another word. Saul grabbed Hadley under her armpits and hoisted her to her feet. Hadley almost fell over when he let go, so he steadied her around her waist. They walked after Elijah, and Maggie followed a few feet behind them.
The four of them got to a small room with a board table. There was a small projector and a computer in the corner. The light coloured wood table stood out against the dark walls. A single light hung over the table and it rocked back and forth from the breeze of them opening the door.
They all sat down and Elijah started to unload the basket. He handed everyone bottles of water and juice. He threw them all organic chocolate bars, candy, chips and a full apple pie. Lastly he pulled out a homemade jar of ice cream. He was very pleased with himself.
Hadley looked at it for a moment in awe before she took a spoon and dug it into the ice cream. She swirled her spoon for a second and got a giant spoonful. She looked at the ice cream. This was something she hadn’t had in a very long time and missed dearly. She popped the spoon in her mouth and savoured every second of it. Her eyes rolled back and she felt her body relax. When she opened her eyes they were all staring.
“What?!” she snapped
“Nothing!” they all murmured at various times.
“Are you all right?” Maggie whispered.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever be all right.” Hadley shrugged angrily. She could hear the venom in her voice.
“We didn’t want to show you—” Elijah murmured, no longer his happy self. He looked like a twelve-year-old boy.
“Is that why you brought me here? To show me that video? Was it supposed to get me on your side?” Hadley stood up slamming her fists against the table.
Saul stood up. He was angry. “Do you think I like seeing that video? Every bloody time I have to watch it, I feel as though I am getting stabbed over and over and over again. You are on our side. Not theirs! You need to realize that!”
“Why do you care?” Hadley screamed.
“Because— because—” He sunk back down into his chair.
“Because?” Hadley practically screamed. She was sick of him not telling her whatever it was he wanted to.
“I can’t tell you—” He whispered.
“You can’t tell me?!” Hadley threw a muffin at his head and he moved just in time.
“You,” he stressed the word, “made me promise not to.”
Hadley stared at him blankly. She threw her hands in the air and turned towards the door. “I have to get back.”
Maggie decided to join the conversation, “Hadley you don’t understand!”
“What don’t I understand?”
“I’m your husband.” Saul said simply.
Chapter Forty-Six
“I should go.” Hadley said unable to think of anything else.
She stood up but couldn’t bring herself to leave the room.
Elijah scanned the room and grabbed Maggie pulling her to her feet. She tried to struggle against him.
“We’ll give you two some time alone.” Elijah stated, pulling a basically kicking and screaming Maggie out of the room.
“She’s not happy being forced to leave,” Hadley said gently.
“No, she wouldn’t be.”
“Are the two of you involved?”
“We have been.”
The statement hurt Hadley to her core and she looked down ringing her hands together uncomfortably, “Oh.”
“You have to understand Hadley. I thought you were gone. They took you from me.”
“You don’t have to explain anything Saul,” Hadley said convincingly.
Saul smiled at her, “I’ve missed you every day. Though I’m sure you don’t remember anything.”
Hadley started to unwrap a muffin because she couldn’t bear the awkward eye contact. “I do remember the Science Awards. It’s where we first met right?”
Saul’s face lit up, “You remember?”
“Things are coming back slowly,” Hadley said popping a piece of muffin into her mouth.
As if on cue, a quiet alarm pinged through the complex.
“Sunrise.”
“I should get back,” Hadley said standing up.
Saul paused for a moment, “You don’t have to go.”
Hadley smiled softly, “I need more answers from them.”
Saul shook his head trying to not break down, “Can we ask you to do something?”
Hadley smiled, sensing a plan, “Anything.”
Saul pulled out a coinet and opened a picture of a stunning woman. He showed it to Hadley and asked, “Do you know who this is?”
“No? Should I?”
Saul just laughed, “You should, but I know you don’t. This is Liani, she used to be a major force in RFE until she went rogue. Our intel inside the complex says Hemmer is planning a visit to a GOV complex out West once the storms come in. Kane has been sending him updates and Hemmer has been communicating with the other GOV stations. I wouldn’t hold it against Liani to try something. Can I ask that if you get the chance, kill her? She’s trying to take down everything that both we and the GOVs have worked for.”
Hadley was stunned and raised an eyebrow, “I can’t kill her.”
“If you remembered everything you would. So I guess I’m asking: do you trust me?” Saul smiled a memory obviously flashing through his mind. Something Hadley no longer remembered.
“I think so.”
Hadley’s statement made Saul grin from ear to ear. Then he said, “Just think about it.”
Hadley nodded and Saul led her out. Then they heard footsteps behind them.
Maggie ran up to them. They knew it was her because her heels clicked distinctively. “Hadley, Hadley! Hadley!”
Hadley looked back and Maggie was waving her arms, “Hey Maggie?”
“Your clothes!” Maggie said placing a neatly folded bunch of clothes into Hadley’s arms.
“Thanks,” Hadley said.
“Oh Saul, Elijah needed you for something.” Maggie said nonchalantly with a sarcastic look on her face.
“I better go then, you ok Evans?” Saul said looking into the depths of Hadley’s soul.
“I’ll show her the way out!” Maggie hooked her arm through Hadley’s and started to walk down the hall. Hadley gave a glance back to Saul who eventually turned back.
Maggie was happy Hadley was leaving. She didn’t want her anywhere near Saul. Her sympathy and kindness was out of jealousy. She led Hadley outside where they had entered.
“I’m not going to give him up as easily as you’d think Hadley.”
Hadley couldn’t think of anything to say and apparently didn’t need to because Maggie went back into the complex shutting the door hard behind her.
Hadley was left alone on the street with her thoughts as she walked back to the complex.
Chapter Forty-Seven
2228
“It would make this so much easier if the population of the planet was say one billion as opposed to ten—” Hadley said nonchalantly across a long boardroom table. Hemmer, Kane, Vanya, Jeremiah, Stephen and Pax sat at various places.
“You think so?” Hemmer replied with genuine interest. He studied her closely as he always did. She looked down at her notes fiddling with her pen.
“I didn’t mean it as a genuine suggestion— I was nearly stating my frustration at the problem. We’ve been here for decades.” Hadley fumbled and started to stutter. At last she composed her thoughts into words, “We’ve been at this for weeks and there is no climatological model that will not send the earth into the next ice age. We have so much smog. Half the ozone layer is gone. It’s been years since the last ice sheet melted. In my lifetime I’ve seen almost every major coastal city destroyed. It’s frustrating— there’s nothing we can do but tell people to stop consumin
g. We’ve changed almost everything. But it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. There’s no way we can get rid of everyone—”
There was a moment of silence. Everyone just stared at her. She hadn’t meant for that outburst to happen, it just had and she felt the color drain from her cheeks.
“Well put Hadley,” Kane said genuinely.
“A lot to think about. You may have to start looking at other alternatives,” Hemmer stated.
“Like what?” Vanya laughed as she popped her gum. She thought Hadley’s idea was preposterous and was basically laughing at the fact Hemmer was taking any of it seriously.
“Shutting off all the power everywhere—” Hemmer suggested. Hadley hadn’t thought of that before— she knew he was joking but it was a better last resort than killing off ninety percent of the population.
Hadley and Hemmer locked eyes and his eyes glittered. Little did she know that she had set off a chain reaction of ideas inside his brilliant brain and where those would stop she would never know.
Chapter Forty-Eight
It was what seemed like a long time later that Hadley managed to find a way into the complex, through an open doorway on the far east side. It was cold and musky inside the room as she pulled the ancient looking door with dusty handles.
She grabbed the brass door knob and pulled it open. It led to a set of marble stairs. She ran up the stairs taking them two at a time and ran across the marble floor to the main doors. She looked around her and noticed the room seemed to have too many elements that didn’t fit together.
The floor was a combination of pinks and whites glittering in the moonlight that was shining in through the picture windows on either side of a thick and heavy steel door. She slowed down as she walked towards the doors and felt something was wrong.
`Her brain flashed to the room filled with people, the doors were massive wooden doors and there were statues strewn about the room. Unconsciously she walked to a spot just to the left of the doors and looked down. There was a definite circle imprinted on the ground. It was about 4 feet wide.
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