Conspired: A Young Adult Dystopian Romance (The State Series Book 6)

by M. J. Kaestli

  Colin waved around his newly cuffed hands. “How was I not to view the situation as being a prisoner?”

  Lewis wished he could accelerate this process. It was clear the duo had a relationship. Judging by Colin’s build and smug attitude, he surmised Colin must be a Security officer. Those who lacked discipline ended up in Security, the worst civil duty under the dome, in Lewis’s opinion. He wanted nothing more than to get Colin into his cell where he would rot.

  “We could have done this the easy way, but you chose to make it difficult. I don’t want you to try to run.”

  Lewis bent down and cuffed Colin’s ankles, deftly slipped a chain between Colin’s ankles and wrists, and then stepped behind him, ready to flatten him if needs be. James nodded and Lewis took his cue and led Colin down the hall to his prison cell.

  “I would ask your name, but I hear people like you don’t have them.”

  Lewis wondered if this is what James’ warning had really been about. Did he want to see Colin receive extra torture? Or was he preparing Lewis to deal with an attitude most prisoners were too terrified to express? It seemed Colin would make Lewis the target of his cynicism.

  “We have names. We just don’t keep them for very long.”

  No matter what Colin said to him, Lewis wouldn’t give Colin the satisfaction of losing his temper.

  Colin wasn’t the first rebellion member Lewis had dealt with. He had to ensure he stayed in control of every situation. His career, his life, depended on it.

  I won’t let him get under my skin.

  “Well, if we are going to be spending lots of time together, you know, getting super close and all…”

  Without breaking his stride, he replied, “Right now, it’s Lewis.”

  “Lewis, eh? How long will you be Lewis for? I plan on staying Colin for, you know, as long as I can.”

  Lewis didn’t know how long this identity would stand. It could be until Colin stepped onto the spacecraft. It could be even less time than that. He was never aware of his mission’s intended timeframe. He doubted if his superior knew either. It was often difficult to determine how long he would be useful in an area with one identity. But to Colin, he needed to appear authoritative.

  “I have a feeling this name will stick for a while.”

  Lewis unceremoniously locked Colin in his cell. With his current task complete, he exited the holding area and jogged down the dank hallway, hoping to find James before he left the area.

  Lewis’ assignment information was incomplete as he was supposed to receive more detailed instructions from James, something he failed to give. As James came into Lewis’ view, he called out to him.

  “James!”

  He turned cautiously with a glint in his eyes as his gaze landed on Lewis. “Yes?”

  Lewis closed the gap between them, then breathlessly said, “I hope you don’t mind my asking, but I was only given instructions for this evening. Am I to receive more prisoners tomorrow?”

  “No.” James shook his head. “Colin is your only prisoner. You will visit him every mealtime to ensure he completes his training. I’m certain Colin will need some extra incentivizing. Most likely, torture will keep him compliant in his training. I hear you have a knack for this.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  James’s lips pulled into a wicked smile. “I leave it up to your discretion when it’s time to ensure he makes the right choices.”

  Lewis nodded. “Thank you, sir.”

  James walked away and Lewis let go of the steadfast demeanor. This day was an emotional whirlwind, leaving him deflated in an anti-climactic end. He had thought he would do something important in this mission, not get stuck babysitting a trainee with a bad attitude.

  Only one prisoner? I should have five at least. What am I going to do with all of my free time? I have the endurance for 10 prisoners.

  Lewis went to his bunk and cleared his head the best he could. He had to remind himself that promotions don’t come overnight. He was disappointed, thinking his role would be larger and more important than it was.

  At least this project is highly classified. It might be a steppingstone.

  He tried to convince himself he could make this work to his advantage. If James intended to closely monitor their progress, maybe he really had a chance for recognition.

  Lewis turned and dashed down the hall. If he wanted to excel in his duty, he first needed a proper night’s rest to keep a clear mind.

  The accommodations for this mission left much to be desired—it reminded him of when he was first inducted into the military at age 13. Bunk beds lined in consecutive rows, the stark scent of bleach wafting from the crisp white sheets.

  He stripped into his underclothing and dumped his dirty clothing into the communal bin at the end of the sleeping quarters. There were no bed assignments, the system running on a first come first-served basis. Military personnel held no entitlement, even for the place they lay their head each night. He stepped up and climbed into the top bunk.

  A ledge protruded from the wall near his head which mounted a small drawer containing pain medication, sleeping pills, and an eye mask with earplugs. Without hesitation, he popped the sleeping pills, swallowing them dry. He knew his mind wouldn’t settle enough for sleep, not tonight.

  The room disappeared into black as he slipped the taut mask over his eyes. His mind sifted over the methods of torture he would use on Colin. Thus far, nothing seemed as effective as water torture.

  This was an area Lewis excelled at, something he enjoyed. The simplicity. The elegance. It lasted so much longer than electrocution—which he would also perform—and broke a person’s soul in a way that more direct pain never could.

  Once he finished with Colin, he would whimper like a five-year-old. This would break him, and possibly lead to the promotion Lewis felt certain he deserved.

  Chapter 3

  3 Weeks Later

  Lewis

  His eyes flung open to find only blackness. He let out the deep breath he drew in upon being jostled awake. Lifting his eye mask on one side, he gave a piercing glare at the perpetrators who’d crashed into his bunk while roughhousing.

  “Sorry,” one of the young personnel said with a laugh.

  “Yeah. Looks like it,” Lewis snarled in return.

  The group moved along into the hallway while Lewis adjusted his sleeping mask and flipped onto his side.

  Under the sleeping mask, his eyelids were tightly sealed as he fumed about the ruffians. The State assigned everybody sleeping in this bunk area to the colonization project; each with a rotating schedule.

  You would think they would take this assignment seriously.

  Not everyone selected for military life was as dutiful as he was, but he thought with something as important as this, they would straighten out their behavior. For some, colonization would be the peak of their careers. It was exhilarating, making some forget to keep their composure. But some lines shouldn’t be crossed, such as unsuitable behavior in the bunkroom.

  Regardless of their absence, Lewis seethed at their disturbance. If he couldn’t get a proper night’s rest, how could he perform to his optimum abilities?

  I’ll never get a response from James if he isn’t impressed by my performance.

  It had been three weeks since he last spoke to James, right after imprisoning Colin. Each night, he diligently filled his reports with no response.

  In his logical mind, he knew that James was a busy man—even before colonization—but he had shown special interest in Colin, which Lewis perceived as having a greater interest in Lewis’ progress than perhaps some of his other duties. Yet, there had been no response.

  In their brief time together, Lewis had broken Colin’s spirit, who was now taking part in his training without sharp remarks or his usual cocky, smug attitude. Sure, Lewis had tormented Colin longer than the average prisoner, even those containing information, but their progress was still remarkable.

  Lewis had continued to bring him broth
during Colin’s recovery. Eventually, Lewis delivered full meals. As Colin’s strength increased, so did the time and focus he devoted toward his training. At first, his progress had been slow and strained as his body and mind were broken, but he got faster every day.

  Lewis observed a shift in Colin, a shift he made a note of and reported to James. Colin not only worked hard at his studies, but he seemed to do it with enthusiasm. When Colin took a break from training, he focused on perfecting his physical form. He did pull-ups, sit-ups and push-ups to keep up his energy levels and always returned to his tablet.

  Upon pondering his observations, Lewis wondered if Colin had figured it all out—what this training, his imprisonment, was really about. Lewis had come to realize that Colin was brighter than he seemed.

  Does he know he’s going to a colony planet? Or at least outside? He seems to want this now, a result I’ve never seen before from torture. It is as if his goals now align with the State’s, which isn’t likely from a rebellion member after being tormented once. Something else is different. I must find out what it is.

  Lewis’ reports contained meticulous details on his triumph’s, eagerly awaiting a reply from James, but it appeared James was content with just reading Lewis’ reports. It was disappointing. Excruciating. How could he know if his work impressed James with so little feedback?

  Lewis awoke every morning feeling optimistic that a promotion was just around the corner. He went to bed every night feeling a little less optimism because of James’ lack of communication.

  As Lewis felt his mission would soon end, he decided to speak with James to ask for further instruction. He caught up with him one evening as James was strolling through the dejected military underground.

  “James!” Lewis jogged over to him. “Can I talk to you for a moment?”

  James turned around, unimpressed by the disruption. “What is it?”

  “Colin has almost finished his training. I have been sending in my reports… but I have received no instructions in return. What would you have me do with him when his training is complete?”

  Nausea instantly turned his core. Lewis had miss stepped. As soon as he started talking, he could just feel it. Naturally, James was reading his reports and responding accordingly.

  I have to get a handle on this. I keep showing them I don’t deserve a promotion.

  Despite Lewis’ insubordination, James’ gaze relaxed; he nearly smiled. “Yes, Lewis, I have received your reports. I was actually just on my way to have a little chat with Colin. I could use your special talents. You may join me with my team in this task. I’m on my way to collect them now.”

  James stepped forward in the direction he was originally headed with a casual stroll, his hands held behind his back. Lewis silently followed two steps behind. It appeared luck was on his side.

  James clearly didn’t think enough of Lewis to invite him to join in this task.

  What did I do wrong? Haven’t I earned his respect?

  The fluorescent lights continued to flicker on as they walked down the narrow hallway. Lewis’ mind shifted from relief to mild irritation. In a brief time, he had broken Colin and turned him into exactly what the State wanted him to be. With how attached James seemed, he expected James to at least include him until Colin stepped foot on that colony ship. Colin was his responsibility, his only responsibility, yet James failed to show respect for his calling.

  Perhaps James dealt with so many military personnel they were nothing more than a faceless mass. James didn’t think to invite him along and somehow didn’t take offense to Lewis’ abrupt appearance or inquiry.

  This was my assignment, mine. I did exactly what he asked, and in record time. Don’t I deserve some sort of accolade?

  Once they reached the barracks, James collected the other personnel and the five of them walked together toward Colin’s cell. Colin heard their approach as they entered the holding area and he immediately yelled out.

  “Lewis, my tablet is broken. You have to fix it!”

  James strolled casually with a sardonic expression. “It’s not broken. You have finished.”

  Colin’s eyebrows knitted together. “I’m done? Oh, did you bring the food?”

  Lewis winced at Colin’s question. Maybe he hadn’t broken him as well as he thought. Maybe there was a deep mutual hatred between them. It was possible Colin merely grew bored with pestering Lewis—or feared Lewis held the power to torture him out of irritation.

  James reached forward and rested his hand on the metal bars separating them. “No, Colin, there is no food for you tonight. I have a special finale for your training, just for you. I think you’ll enjoy it more on an empty stomach.”

  Lewis realized what James meant when he referred to Lewis’ special talents. James intended to have Colin tortured again, but Lewis couldn’t imagine why.

  It seemed Colin understood the implication of James’ words just as well as Lewis had. “No, you can’t do this. I did everything you asked of me!” Colin receded to the far corner of his cell.

  The corner of James’ lip curled into a wry smile. “Yes, you did. But I also know what a slow learner you are. I thought perhaps you might need to repeat the lesson I’ve been trying to teach you.” James leaned forward, his nose poking between the bars as he enunciated each word. “I need to know you really got it.”

  But Colin finished his training. If the State wants a rebellion member on the colony world, then why is James acting like such a jerk?

  Colin crumpled onto the floor, softly whimpering in the corner as James stepped back from his cell door with a sneer. He retrieved a set of keys from his pocket and gave a quick nod to signal Lewis and the others.

  Without hesitation, Lewis worked in tandem with the other guards to wrestle Colin into submission. Once they chained Colin, the four military personnel dragged him back to the torture room and James followed behind.

  Once Colin’s hands were chained above his head in the decrepit shower stall, James waved Lewis over to him, near the door frame. “I want this to go down exactly as you did last time. I want him to know exactly what’s coming.”

  Lewis nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  A jeering smile curled on James’ lips. “You’ve done well here, son.”

  James placed his hand on Lewis’ shoulder and mildly squeezed. It was luck for Lewis that James turned and left quickly thereafter, as a chill ran up Lewis’ spine.

  Another affirmative touch. He’s definitely trying to manipulate me because this is wrong.

  A sick feeling churned in his gut. James had lost sight of the mission because of a personal vendetta. A loyal soldier had to keep their focus regardless of personal relations.

  Lewis turned back into the room. Colin was stripped down to his underclothing, a hood covering his head. The other personnel filed out of the room as Lewis approached. A niggling pressed at the back of his mind. Lewis could tell Colin to pretend he was tortured but doubted he was worth the risk.

  Why am I doing this? Why does James want this? There has to be more at play here than just getting this kid with an attitude problem to step willingly onto the spacecraft.

  He shook his head. Never had he questioned an assignment. It wasn’t good for his health. Those who betrayed the State ended up dead.

  James may be a jerk, but he was Lewis’ superior. Lewis knew he needed this promotion to ensure that no one who would abuse their power like James would be in charge. Lewis had to fix the system. But, for today, he had a mission to complete.

  Chapter 4

  Lewis

  He stared down at his target. Without prompting, he lunged forward with a right hook; it landed squarely with a thunk. His fist sunk deeper into the large punching bag suspended from a chain secured in the ceiling.

  The mat beneath compressed as he bounced from foot to foot—a tactic to keep an opponent unaware of the next blow. He struck again, this time in a rapid succession. The bag jostled about, restricted by its tethers.

  Training wa
s once more of a hobby. Now, it felt like a full-time duty. It was the only way he could keep his boredom at bay. Maybe it was because of holding false expectations for this mission, but he had never felt so dissatisfied with a mission before.

  It ate at him.

  At first, he noticed how frequently he checked the time on his tablet. This mission seemed to slow the passing of time. The closer it drew to completion, the slower time felt. He wanted to crawl out of his skin.

  Training was the only thing which kept him sane. His muscular physique had erupted into rippling bulk surpassing his fitness aspirations.

  Maybe part of him wanted the extra bulk. His body was already thick, but maybe if he doubled in size, James might figure that he was capable of so much more than delivering meals.