The Controller (The Securus Trilogy Book 2)

by Anthony Maldonado

  “How do you know this?” Sayda sneers, not believing him.

  “The same way Kagen knows I’m telling the truth about Securus’ failed expansion,” Aamon says.

  Sayda looks back to me, confused.

  “Wakil,” I tell her.

  We head back into the forest, determined to make it back to Securus as quickly as possible. Still, we are careful as we go. We do not want to attract the attention of any more animals. Unfortunately, being faced with an unmarked path makes the trek as uncertain as it is difficult. Our hike continues on for what must be miles. The scattered light peering through the tree canopy begins to fade. The sounds of the stream have long since disappeared, and each tree we pass looks identical to the one before it. With the fatigue in my legs mounting, I cannot take the hike much longer.

  Chapter 25

  The hike has taken its toll on me and my tired legs. “I need to rest.”

  “I was hoping someone would say that,” Hadwin says with relief as he immediately sits down on the moss covered trunk of a fallen tree. Radek and I join him. Aamon moves to sit further down on the same tree, but Sayda stops him.

  “You don’t deserve to sit with us. You sit there, where we can watch you.” Sayda points to the dirt in front of us.

  “How are you holding up?” Radek asks Sayda, with gentle concern in his voice.

  “I’m okay, but I’ll be better when we get this thing back in the Detention Center,” she says, motioning to Aamon. “How about you? Were you close to Edric?”

  “Not really, but everything about this day has been difficult.” Radek displays more emotion and candor than I have ever seen from him. He reacts differently to Sayda than he does with the rest of us. Hadwin watches, struggling to holds his tongue. He waited too long and now may end up losing Sayda because of it. Now is not the time for saying what needs to be said.

  After a short rest, I stand and look around for our direction. “Shall we get moving again?”

  “Yeah, let’s go,” Hadwin answers for everyone.

  Radek nudges Aamon to get up. We continue our trek through the seemingly endless clusters of trees. It didn’t feel like it was this far when we came out here, I think to myself as we trudge along. I notice a small tree branch bent in an unnatural position. It has recently been broken, so this must have been the way we came. For the first time in a while, we have an encouraging sign.

  “How much farther is it?” Hadwin asks.

  “I don’t know, but we have to be getting close,” I answer.

  I pull the communicator out of my pocket and try to contact Talia. No reply comes. We must not be close enough to get the signal to her. I choose to believe that because the only other possibility is something happened in Securus to prevent them from answering. The thought of what Braeden and his intentionally erratic whims could have done makes me shudder.

  Our march keeps going without any more visual clues to how close we are. As the day continues to fade, the sounds of the forest grow louder. More and more insects are welcoming the coming evening with their unique songs. I listen for any signs of larger creatures amongst the chorus of the forest, but none appear. Instead, a faint sound in the distance stops me in my tracks. At first, I am not sure if it is real. Dehydration has my head throbbing and gives me a constant dizziness. Overwhelming fatigue and aching muscles add to my impairment, making me question myself. Could I be imagining it? I ask myself.

  “Do you hear that?” I motion for the others to stop and listen.

  “It can’t be,” Sayda says, her shoulders slumping as she hears it.

  The others look all around us for the source of our concern. They have not isolated the sound we hear yet.

  “What is it?” Radek asks, with his hand moving to his weapon.

  “It’s running water. We’re back at the stream,” I tell him while leaning over against a tree, instantly feeling my remaining energy drain.

  Radek insists we go to check for sure, so we move forward. Soon we see the same rocks and formed path we crossed before, leading down to the stream. Somehow, we managed to make a big circle and have returned to where we started from. This is bad. Not only are we back to the area the mountain lions and wolves were, but we are far from Securus with nighttime rapidly approaching. On top of that, we have not had food or water for the whole day. That alone has taken a significant toll on us.

  “We need to drink some water,” I tell the others.

  “Is it safe?” Radek asks.

  “I have no idea, but it looks like we’re gonna be stuck out here tonight. I do know if I don’t get any water soon, I’m gonna pass out,” I answer.

  “Let’s make it fast. We shouldn’t stay around here,” Hadwin says.

  We all agree with Hadwin. It feels too dangerous to remain in this spot for long. We force Aamon to walk in front. If we are going to risk anyone, it may as well be him. After all, he is the reason we are in this predicament. We move slowly, watching in all directions, and being careful to remain as silent as possible. If the mountain lions have returned, we need to see them before they see us. Aamon stops as he rounds the corner.

  “There’s something down on the other side of the stream,” he whispers back to us.

  I move forward to see what it is. When the animal comes into view, I let out a small sigh. The sight of a deer calmly drinking from the stream relieves me. Not only is this animal not a threat to us, but also could serve as an alternative target for any of the predators if they are nearby.

  “It’s fine, keep going,” I whisper back to the others while giving a forceful shove in Aamon’s back.

  When seeing us, the deer runs back into the woods, leaving us alone at the stream. We have no container to hold the water and no way to purify it. The water does look clear and flows at a fair pace. I remember reading stagnant water is more likely to be infested with parasites, though we have no guarantee this water is not. Right now, it does not matter. We all need to drink. If we become infected, I will treat us when we make it back to Securus. If we make it back, a voice in the back of my mind interjects.

  I take off my shoes and step in the water to drink from the center of the stream. The cool moisture feels good on my aching feet and legs. When I drink the first scoop from my hands, an icy sensation trickles down the center of my chest, settling in my stomach. Sayda is the first to join me. When we are done, Hadwin and Radek switch places with us. Aamon is allowed to drink only when the rest of us have finished. When everyone has their fill, we trace our steps back into the forest. The sunlight continues to dim and with it the temperature drops.

  “We need to set up some kind of shelter or get a fire going for the night,” I tell the others.

  “Sounds great, except how are we supposed to make a fire?” Hadwin asks.

  “I have an idea, but I’m not sure if it’ll work. Let’s get some wood and look for a good spot. I’m thinking one of the clearings we crossed a bit further back,” I tell the others.

  “If we do that, we need to make sure someone stands watch. Otherwise we’ll be too exposed,” Radek says.

  “We’ll take turns keeping watch,” Sayda adds while rubbing her hands together. “A fire does sound good though. I’m already getting really cold.”

  “Fire or not, this is gonna be a rough night,” Hadwin says as we move toward one of the small clearings.

  Aamon starts to say something, but Sayda again stops him before he forms the words. Eventually we reach a suitable spot. There are more plants on the ground here, but close to a large tree on the side is a bare area big enough to safely make our fire.

  We all collected pieces of wood as we walked, giving us enough to get started. I gather the pieces and form a pile with enough room for air to ventilate it. It is time to try to make a fire. There were many techniques from the survival guides we compiled for Taig. None of them looked easy.

  Radek carves a straight piece of wood for me to use. Next to the pile of wood, I set up some dried grasses and moss-like material to c
atch the fire if it does start. Luckily, we find a stringy vine nearby that will be helpful. I tie the vine to a curved piece of wood to make a bow and then wrap the string around the straight piece of wood Radek made. Next, I anchor the edge of the straight stick into a flat piece of wood while using a rock to protect my hand. As I pull the bow back and forth the movement makes the stick spin constantly, creating friction and heat.

  This sounds so straightforward, though it is not working well for me. The stick keeps jumping from the flat piece of wood. The difficulty frustrates me. Aamon snorts at my attempts, agitating me enough to make my hand slightly unsteady. Radek gathers more of the vine, tying Aamon’s hands and ankles together. The indignity of being tied up should keep Aamon quiet for the time being. Plus, having him bound will make the night safer for the rest of us.

  While I continue, Radek and Hadwin each move to stand at Sayda’s side, shielding her from the cold. Her smaller frame makes her more susceptible to heat loss, so she gets cold much quicker than the rest of us.

  Sayda sees my agitation and walks to Aamon. She kicks him in the thigh. “I’m not too cold to cut a hole in your lips and use more of that vine to sew your mouth shut.”

  Judging by her mood, it is hard to tell if that was an exaggerated threat or not. I return to the bow and stick in my hand. I have been at this for a while without any luck. There has to be a better way to stabilize the stick.

  “Hey, Sayda, may I use the knife for a second,” I ask, remembering an important step I skipped. She hesitates for a second, not sure if my intention is to use the weapon to help make the fire or to follow through with her promise. When she does hand me the knife, I use it to cut a notch into the flat piece of wood so the stick sits in it better. Now the rotating stick feels more stable, allowing me spin it faster than before. I keep pushing and pulling the bow, laboring to get enough heat for an ember.

  Even with the stability, my effort seems futile. Still, I keep at it. We need the fire. When my arms feel like they are ready to surrender, a small wisp of smoke appears. The excitement gives me enough energy to move the bow even faster. More smoke comes. Then I see it. A smoldering ember has formed in the wood. I carefully drop the tiny glowing piece onto the pile of tinder and gently blow air into it.

  “I can’t believe that worked!” Sayda shouts when the flame finally appears. Almost immediately after speaking, she covers her mouth, knowing she should not be too loud.

  I put my tinder bundle into the waiting pile of wood and gently coax the fire into it. It is hard to believe this actually worked. It was so much harder than it sounded when I first read about it. Watching the wood become quickly consumed by the flame makes me realize another problem.

  “We’re gonna need more wood. You guys watch the fire and make sure he doesn’t get away. Hadwin, come with me,” I tell them, waving Hadwin over. His step stutters briefly, before he makes a full stride. It takes me a few seconds to realize why. At first I thought he was scared of going back into the forest, but that is not the real reason. With a relatively calm moment he does not want to give Radek and Sayda time alone to talk. I want to help, except right now we have more immediate concerns. Keeping the fire going remains our highest priority.

  Walking amongst the trees at night is quite eerie. All around us, the forest floor has come alive with wriggling creatures. The moon gives off a pale white glow that barely penetrates the canopy, giving us scant bits of light to guide our collection. Since we have no intention of foraging for wood too far in, the luminescence is enough for our purpose.

  Off in the distance the wolves howl into the night sky. They cry out to each other, preparing for their own hunt. Not long ago they were running for their lives, just as we were. Now, they are back to being the predator instead of prey. After having enough time to think about it, that was a startling and unexpected scene for so many reasons. Mountain lions are supposed to be solitary, but I guess it would not be completely unheard of for a small pack to exist. It does not seem natural for them to intentionally hunt another pack of predators. If what Aamon said is true, they are no longer in their natural form. The deviant minds of Caelum have corrupted their biology to make them more dangerous. In a way, they are doing the same thing to us. Their perverse desire to keep us caged below ground forces us into lives and actions unnatural to us. That makes us more dangerous as well.

  “How are you holding up Hadwin?” I ask, wanting to keep my mind from wandering too far.

  “All right,” he responds after a long pause. Hadwin was so deep in thought he barely heard me.

  “What’s on your mind?” I ask.

  “Do you think she really likes him?” Hadwin’s question surprises me.

  “I don’t know. He doesn’t seem like a good fit for her, but sometimes that doesn’t matter to people,” I say out loud before realizing my words would probably make him feel worse. “I don’t pretend to know what women are looking for. You know what a bumbling mess I was and what it took for me and Talia to end up together. All I really know is if you care, you have to tell her. She can’t wait forever for you to be ready.”

  “I just want her to be happy whether it’s with me, him, or anyone else,” Hadwin says, almost sounding resigned to losing her.

  “That’s not what I was trying to tell you.” I look away and catch myself before letting out an irritated grunt. Hadwin can be kind to a fault. That will cost him any chance with Sayda if he does not stop it. “You need to take a chance soon. Stop being so worried about others and think about what you want for a change. You need to be happy too, not just everyone else. If you want her to be happy, then make sure you do everything you can to give her reason to be happy with you. Tell her how you feel.”

  He looks at me like I am crazy, saying nothing more. I hope he will listen. But in the end, the decision is his alone. Either he goes after her or watches her fall for someone else. We have been steadily collecting wood while talking, so now our arms are full. We return to our camp and pile the wood near the fire so we can continuously feed it through the night.

  We did not end up having enough time to build a shelter, so we will be exposed to the elements for the night. To stay warm, we nestle at the base of the tree. I line multiple rocks next to the fire to collect and reflect the heat. Still, there is a chill in the air and the ground feels like it constantly drains us of our heat.

  Radek has agreed to take the first watch. Even with Aamon’s limbs already bound, Radek ties him to a tree. Keeping Aamon completely immobile will make the watch much easier. The rest of us lay close to the fire. The heat keeps us warm enough to stop the shivering, allowing us some sleep. The fatigue in my muscles welcomes the rest, but the hunger in my stomach, combined with the cold night, conspire to keep me from sleep. I lay on the ground, futilely attempting to clear my mind as one thought continuously returns. Talia must be so worried right now with all of us out here unable to communicate with Securus.

  I find myself watching the fire. We never get to see a naked flame in Securus and watching the dancing flow of it is oddly mesmerizing. My mind clears and eventually, I sleep for a short time. The sleep is restless, but allowing my aching body to recuperate helps. When Radek sees my eyes open again, he comes over and whispers to me. “Hey, can you take over watch for a while?”

  I agree and take a position near the tree to get the best view of our surroundings. The darkness of night out here is nothing like in The Caves. Here the moonlight keeps the total darkness from obscuring all sight. Even so, our eyes are not well adapted to the dim light and I am glad we did not attempt to hike in it. Doing so would have been dangerous even if there were no predators roaming about. We need a better plan for getting back to Securus tomorrow. There has to be a way to move in a straighter line so we do not circle back again.

  If Securus is even there by the time we get back, the voice in the back of my mind again reminds me. We have not removed Caelum’s poison boxes and Braeden could have already rendered his judgment. The thought of The Agent
being released into Securus haunts me as I stare into the somber night, waiting to see what the morning brings.

  I keep watch for the rest of the night, knowing it would be impossible for me to fall asleep again. Besides, the others need the rest. I spend the time stoking the fire, patiently waiting for the Sun to come and erase the cold of the night. Occasionally, I hear a crack in the forest and prepare for an attack, but thankfully no animals come close enough to see. Soon the haze of the night dissipates, being replaced by sparkles of light from the sky above. For most of the night, I did my best to pretend Aamon was not here. Unfortunately, now he stares right at me and cannot be avoided.

  “Things aren’t going the way you planned, are they?” he asks with a satisfied smile.

  “Did I give you permission to speak?” I say.

  “You should be nicer. Considering how your navigation skills worked out yesterday, you need all the help you can get. Do you have a plan for today or are you hoping for some dumb luck?” Seeing I am not going to respond, Aamon continues. “I know how to get back.”

  Chapter 26

  I turn away, not able to look at Aamon’s pompous smile.

  “Really? If you know how to get back, why didn’t you say so yesterday?” Radek asks. I had not noticed the rest of the group had awakened.

  “I was enjoying your buffoonery as well as my last moments spent outside of the Detention Center. Now it’s obvious if I don’t help, we’ll be starved or hunted down by those animals. So my fun is over. We no longer have time for your incompetence,” Aamon says with his usual arrogance.

  “You do realize no one would think twice if we tied you up and left you out here to rot, don’t you?” Sayda says, with a malicious intent in her eyes.

  Her harsh tone calms down some of his arrogance, but does not silence him. “Did any of you notice the direction I chose when we first left the facility?” No one replies, so he answers his own question. “We went directly westward. So all we have to do is head due east and we’ll make our return quickly.”