The Gray Institute_Rebels' Hell

by Leanne Pearson

  Chapter Fourteen

  Eve.

  We arrive at the abandoned house just after sunrise the next morning. Most of the Rebels are already waiting inside, save Vlad and Vanessa, and most greet us with warm welcomes. There's an air of excitement surrounding the derelict building; a stirring sense of unease and eagerness filling the empty rooms. The Rebels have been waiting for this day for a long time and, now that it's here, they're itching with anticipation. Lorna is immediately swept up in the contagious agitation, talking animatedly with Stacey and a tall, bronzed girl whose name I don't know. But on my part, the electric charge makes me nervous given that I know virtually nothing about our plans. 'I can't wait to finally do this,' I hear Lorna babbling. 'To finally be doing something. It feels great, doesn't it?'

  'Are you going to tell her, or am I?' I murmur to Asil who's leaning up against the wall next to me. He smirks, eyeing Lorna with a certain fondness which seems entirely out of place.

  'Neither. It's Vlad's call.'

  'I don't envy him.' I snort, secretly pleased that it’s Vlad who will face Lorna’s wrath. A few moments later, our leader arrives in his dark car, parking it alongside the others clustered around the circular courtyard. We head outside to meet him, the crowd eagerly halting their conversations to watch him crunch across the gravel. His poker-straight hair twitches in the breeze, his ever-present leather jacket slung over one shoulder. He looks neither excited nor apprehensive, his expression set in its familiar, closed-off way.

  'Morning,' He nods to the crowd, his followers. He's alone, carrying nothing except his jacket and car keys. 'Is everybody here?' He directs his question at Asil, who nods once. 'Excellent,' Vlad smiles tightly. 'In a few moments, we will depart for Pattaya, but, before we leave, I need to speak with you all individually about the roles you'll be expected to play today.

  Until now you've been kept in the dark regarding the plan; this was a necessary precaution. It's not that we – I – don't trust you, but we can't afford any mistakes. Even now, you'll only be told the bare essentials, basic outlines of your individual responsibilities. Much of our plan will run on a need-to-know basis but, if you follow orders, everything should go smoothly.' He signals the end of his speech by stepping forward, taking certain Rebels aside in small groups and conversing with them quietly. He leaves us – Lorna, Asil and I – until last, and he looks apprehensive as he approaches.

  'Eve,' He nods at me, not quite meeting my eyes. 'You should really have been part of the second group I spoke to,' He jerks his head back to the other Rebels, who now stand segregated in two halves. 'But I thought you should be here for this. I'll need to talk to you about your duties afterwards,' He turns, a little reluctantly, to my human companion, who has already sensed something awry and wears a defensive expression. 'Lorna,' He nods at her the same way he did me. 'You'll be travelling with Asil. He'll take you to a safe place where Eve, myself and the rest of the Rebels will meet you afterwards.'

  'What?' Lorna's voice is a low growl, enough to contend with an Immortal.

  'I'm sorry,' Vlad looks uncharacteristically sheepish. 'I know it must be a big disappointment to you, not being able to join us in the mission. But it's for our safety as much as yours. Travelling with a human will hold us back; we won't be able to do what's necessary to escape quickly. Plus,' His gaze slides over to me. 'You may be a distraction for the old Rebels, who've been starved for a very long time. It wouldn't be fair to them,'

  Shamefully, the starvation of the old Rebels and Lorna's effect on them hadn't even crossed my mind, and it appears it didn't cross Lorna's either. Her defensive expression melts, replaced by acceptance. 'You have my word,' Vlad continues. 'That when we break into the real Confine, you'll be at the centre of the action.'

  'Fine.' Lorna sighs, her shoulders slumping in defeat. Vlad smiles, visibly relieved.

  'You know where you're going?' He turns to Asil, who nods, taking his car keys out of his pocket. Lorna eyes me sheepishly, dragging her toes through the dirt.

  'Good luck.' She forces a smile. She opens her mouth to say something else, but changes her mind, closing it again quickly.

  'You, too.' I nod lamely. She smiles at me again – with a tinge of sadness – and heads towards the car. Asil clamps a hand on my shoulder, grinning down at me from his enormous height.

  'Godspeed, Eve.' He winks, not waiting for a reply before following Lorna. Vlad and I watch them roll down the gravel driveway before he turns to me, the apologetic, sheepish expression replaced with a brisk, business-like glare.

  'Listen closely,' He says firmly. 'We'll be meeting Vanessa at the south Pattaya harbour. From there we'll board a boat which will take us to Rebels' Hell. When we get to the island, you're to wait with the rest of us for Vanessa's signal. Once we're given the all-clear, you'll follow me to the confine. Your job isn't to worry about the guards, the others will take care of them. Your sole purpose in this mission is to bring the old Rebels out onto the island, and help recuperate them. There will be many – around eight hundred – and it will take time. Just do it as quickly and quietly as you can. The old Rebels will be taken in small groups away from the island. Vanessa will oversee that. Once all the old Rebels are revived, you're to follow me. You are not to ask questions, you are not to go off on your own,' He glares steadily at me, his dark eyes menacing. 'You are to stick by my side at all times whilst not on the island. Is that clear?'

  'Yes,' I nod. Once again, Vlad looks temporarily relieved. 'I just have two questions – '

  'Didn't I just tell you not to ask questions?'

  'You owe it to me, ' I growl, sudden anger flaring my nostrils. 'After what you did last night. And before you say it – ' Vlad closes his mouth, silencing whatever retort he had lined up. 'I'm well aware that I would have had to hunt eventually, but there was no need to treat me the way you did.'

  'Actually,' His eyes sparkle smugly. 'I was about to apologise. Stacey spoke to me afterwards... I suppose remonstrated me would be a more appropriate term. She reminded me that you are still a first year, and made me aware that I may have been a little harsh in the way I handled the situation. I apologise.' I'm taken aback to say the least; the last thing I'd expected was an apology. 'What are your questions?'

  'Well, there aren't very many of us,' I peer over Vlad's shoulder at the other Rebels. Vanessa included, there can't be more than twenty with Asil and Lorna gone. 'How are we going to overpower the guards?'

  'There are only five guards on the island,' Vlad replies. 'A rebellion isn't expected. This part will be like taking candy from a baby; the problems will come later.'

  'Five?!' I gape at him. 'Only five? That can't be right.'

  'I assure you, it is,' He grits his teeth, his patience waning. 'Vanessa's a Law Officer. She's visited Ko Phai many times. There hasn't been a break-in to either of the Confines in recorded history. The Auctoritas are more concerned about break-outs. Once the prisoners reach a paralysed state, the need for guards is reduced dramatically.'

  'Speaking of Vanessa – ' I ignore Vlad's jaw as it clenches with irritation. 'Won't she be outed after this? I mean, the Auctoritas are going to notice that eight hundred Rebels have escaped the confine. They know that Vanessa's visiting the island. Won't her cover be blown?'

  'Yes.' Vlad replies simply. I wait for him to elaborate but he doesn't.

  'Right.'

  'Are we done?' He raises an eyebrow, not waiting for a reply before turning his back on me, hurrying to split the Rebels into smaller groups.

  I'm travelling in Vlad's car with Vlad himself, Stacey and her tall friend – whose name I now know to be Jasmina – and Slav. The conditions are cramped and I'm relieved when the car finally stops outside a busy harbour, crawling with tourists. Vlad doesn't seem put off by the crowds, in fact he seems at ease as we weave through the families and the din of various languages.

  The harbour itself is situated on the south coastline, sandwiched between tall, glassy buildings and busy roads. It's not hard to spot V
anessa, her long, blonde hair billowing in the wind as she stands on the deck of a large, white yacht. It's expensive-looking with creamy white sails and a pretty blue pattern painted along the hull. Our party is the first to arrive and Vanessa sighs with relief when she spots Vlad hurrying towards her. We meet her on the foredeck and as she steps forward to hug Vlad, I turn away, alarmed by the obvious passion in her expression. She wears a red armband around her left bicep. 'Any problems?' She asks, resuming her haughty demeanour the moment she lets go of Vlad's neck.

  'No. The others should be here any moment.'

  One by one, the other groups of Rebels join us on the boat until the deck becomes too crowded and we make our way down into the suite below. As soon as the last group arrives, Vanessa heads off to set sail and, as the boat sways into motion, we take our seats on the luxurious sofas. The excited atmosphere has dwindled as we sit facing one another, immersed in silence. Vlad remains standing over by one of the windows, watching the harbour shrink further into the distance as we cross the calm ocean. 'This is it!' Slav rubs his hands with glee, oblivious to the anxiety of his peers. 'I can't wait to meet them. Imagine what they've been through. The things they've seen. Imagine their faces when they realise they're finally being rescued!'

  'Will you shut the fuck up, Slav?' Stacey groans. 'I feel sea sick as it is.'

  'Is that even possible?' Jasmina raises an eyebrow, nervously picking at her nails.

  'When we recuperate the old Rebels, you're not to bombard them with questions,' Vlad's voice silences all others. 'Just because they're Immortals, doesn't mean they won't be shell-shocked. They've been paralysed underground for almost two hundred years.'

  I wonder if Vlad and Vanessa expect to transport the old Rebels away in the yacht. It's enormous, certainly, but it's not big enough to fit eight hundred plus bodies inside. Without knowing for sure, I can only hope that Vlad and Vanessa have planned our mission down to the last, minute detail. It's funny how often my life appears to be in the hands of almost strangers these days.

  The journey takes a little under two hours, quite enough time for twenty odd anxious Immortals to be locked in one room together. By the time Jasmina spots the island of Ko Phai on the horizon, just about everyone wants to strangle Slav. I move with the others to peer out of the window, gazing at the small shadow in the middle of the sea beginning to take shape. As we grow closer, I see that Ko Phai is mostly covered in tall, bushy green trees. It's not a particularly high island, nor very large, though I can't tell exactly how long it is as we approach it from the east. The base is covered by white, sandy beaches, set a few feet below a hill which leads up to craggy woodland, but instead of anchoring, we continue around the island.

  Ko Phai's eastern side is deceiving; on the west, the coastline is dominated mainly by steep, rocky cliffs, not unlike those at The Gray Institute. On the summit sits a tall, white lighthouse overlooking the island and vast ocean surrounding it.

  'Everybody step back.' Vlad commands as we near the lighthouse, urging us all away from the window and back to our seats. Only he remains where he stands, his usually blank expression showing obvious signs of distress. The yacht comes to a bobbing stop some feet away from the base of the cliffs. After a few tension-filled moments, Vanessa appears, her brisk and focussed attitude lending us all a sense of calm.

  'Jared and Alfons with me,' She commands, gesturing to two of the biggest Rebels who stand immediately, trotting to Vanessa's side like obedient dogs. 'Wait for my signal.' She tells Vlad, offering him a small smile before departing with her henchmen. Vanessa takes her tranquillity with her and, in her absence, the questions begin, firing from the Rebels' mouths like bullets.

  'What happens now?'

  'Where will we go?'

  'Just wait. Be patient.' Vlad tries to keep order but he can't even hide his own angst.

  'What do the Auctoritas think Vanessa is doing here?' Stacey asks, twisting strands of her blonde hair around her forefinger nervously. 'Are you sure there's no chance they might send someone to check up on her?'

  'Regular inspections of Rebels Hell are carried out by Law Officers. Vanessa is a trusted Officer who has been with the Auctoritas for years.' Vlad assures her.

  'Why's she taking so long? Is something wrong? Is this normal?' Jasmina breathes shakily.

  'Everybody just calm down!' Vlad hisses, turning his attention back to the window. The rest of the Rebels fall silent, staring at one another with apprehension as the seconds tick by. Finally, Vlad jerks into motion, his dark eyes wide. 'That's the signal. Everyone just remain calm! Slav, Russell, Florence and Grier, you take the guards on the left. Ikraam, Chandra and Zeke, you take the guards on the right with me. Everyone else focus on moving the old Rebels. Follow me, do not fall behind.' Without waiting for anyone to speak, Vlad crosses the suite and exits. There's a flurry of movement as sixteen Rebels hurry to keep up with him, emerging onto the deck and diving behind him into the water.

  We swim in one large group towards the rocky cliffs, meeting the base and climbing the slippery stone towards the top. Nobody speaks, all of us focussed on observing and imitating Vlad. I realise now how impossible it would have been to bring Lorna along as I search with my feet and hands for likely crevices in the rocks. By the time I reach the cliff's edge, my clothes are almost dry and I follow the others behind Vlad to where Vanessa waits at the foot of the lighthouse.

  'Everything's okay,' She says, breathing hard though she can't be breathless. She doesn't quite smile, but there's a vague triumph in her tone and it gives the other Rebels the confidence boost they need. 'Jared and Alfons have the lighthouse guard pinned down. He's putting up a hell of a fight but he's no match for the two of them. Those of you who are on guard duty, be prepared for anything. You'll have to work hard for a very long time to keep them busy whilst the others recuperate the prisoners. Don't lapse your concentration for even a second. It only takes one of these guards to get loose and we're all in serious trouble. Good luck.' She doesn't pause throughout her speech, turning her back on the rest of us to walk alongside Vlad towards the woodland.

  'Those on guard duty, just concentrate on keeping them away from the prisoners. Fight, and ultimately pin them down,' Vlad speaks over his shoulder, his voice quiet though we can all hear him. 'The rest of you, follow Vanessa. She'll tell you what to do.'

  'Once the guards are down, Maristella and America are to go back to the boat. Go into the lower deck, you'll find two silver cases. You are to bring them back to the confine. It's the blood for the prisoners. You do it quickly and quietly, understood?'

  The two women singled out murmur their responses and then we fall silent as we march through the trees. The ground beneath our feet is muddy and crusted with shards of wood, the trees surrounding us so dense that it's impossible to see beyond a few feet ahead. We're heading to the north side of the island and here in the small forest, everything is eerily quiet and still. I try not to think about the task ahead; if I think about it, a bubble of anxiety creeps from my stomach into my chest, threatening to spill out of my mouth in a gut-wrenching scream. Stacey walks beside me and, more than a few times, we exchange glances of mutual unease.

  After what feels like hours but can really only have been minutes, the trees begin to thin and beyond their green leaves, the sea looms into view again. At the edge of the forest begins an expanse of white sand and up ahead, a grey mound of jagged rock lumped at the edge of the island. From my position just shy of the clearing, I can sense as well as see four Immortal presences, stationed dutifully around the edges of the rock formation. They're tense and prepared, their postures stiff as they sense a large group of Immortals heading their way.

  Without a word to us, Vanessa steps forward, shedding the safety of the forest and revealing herself to the guards.

  'My name is Vanessa Foxton,' She speaks clearly but quietly, knowing that the guards can hear her. 'I'm a Law Officer. I'm here to carry out an inspection.'

  'There are too many for an inspec
tion.' One of the guards' voices travels on the breeze back to us.

  'The Immortal world is in a state of unrest,' Vanessa tells them, not missing a beat. 'There has been an escape from The Gray Institute, and a dangerous human is at large. More security measures are required in troubled times.'

  The guard doesn't reply for what feels like an age, his eyes studying Vanessa and the red band on her arm. He knows he's outnumbered, and has little choice but to allow Vanessa to enter. Finally his deep voice travels back to us again. 'Very well. Come forward.'

  Vanessa obeys, followed by Vlad, Slav, Russell, Florence, Grier, Ikraam, Chandra and Zeke, preceding those of us who won't be touching the guards. On Vanessa's lead, they walk quickly but calmly towards the stone mass. The rest of us hang back a moment before following a few feet behind. I feel like a soldier in an ancient army, observing rigid battle formations. As we get closer to the jagged lump of rock, I notice a small, chiselled crevice in its surface, the width enough to allow only single file. The mound itself is almost nondescript with no real sign that it's anything other than a natural formation.