SHATTERED

by S. C. Deutsch

  “I am trying, Vice Premier Drake,” Ana ultimately responded. “But it’s very difficult. I was already a year behind when I entered and then was pushed ahead another one. Many of the classes require a previous one to completely understand the topics discussed. I’ve signed up for remedial courses to try and catch up.”

  “I’m glad you’re taking steps to help yourself. Too often, students feel it’s just too difficult and give up. It’s nice to see someone with drive for a change.”

  “I don’t want to go back to the island and live like Mikal,” Ana said flatly, her mouth thinning. “Since that’s my only other choice, you can be certain I’m going to do what it takes to pass these courses.”

  “My dear, I only have your best interests at heart. I knew you would push yourself. Your personality will not let you do otherwise. It’s why you were chosen. Because you do not give up. Ever.”

  Ana kept her mouth shut. She could feel the fire racing through her veins and the desire to hit the Vice Premier was almost overwhelming. Every time he did something she was grateful for, he followed it up by saying something that made her want to kill him. Clenching her fists, she glared, no longer caring if he saw how angry she was.

  “You are a treasure, Miss Swift,” he said, chuckling. “Even when faced with the second most powerful person in Atlantica, you don’t back down. Not many people would willingly show hostility to me. Not many at all.”

  Ana had no idea if he was goading her or not. The man was extremely dangerous, and she wanted to be gone from his presence immediately. Her exhaustion was creeping up on her and she was unsure how much longer she could keep from exploding. Gripping the arms of the chair, she held herself rigid as she continued to glare.

  “Am I free to leave, Vice Premier Drake?” she asked tightly. “My next class starts soon and it’s one I’m struggling in, so I’d rather not miss any of it.”

  Vice Premier Drake smiled inwardly once more. Ana was openly asking to leave, something else nobody ever did. He chose when to dismiss people, not the other way around. But this defiant young girl, fresh off of possibly being sentenced to death, was now pushing the boundaries of his authority. She would do well at what he had planned. Very well, indeed.

  “Yes, Miss Swift,” he said, waving his hand. “You are free to go. I will continue to monitor your progress and may visit you again soon. Good luck in your studies.”

  Ana stood and placed her right hand on her chest while bowing. Vice Premier Drake rose and bowed in return. She turned to go when he stopped her.

  “One more thing,” he said, his voice firm. “You are not to speak of what happened here today. No one is to know what really occurred last night nor what we discussed. As far as the students know, Rylen failed out and was sent to the military. Even if you hear rumors or are questioned openly, you’re to say nothing. As far as everyone is concerned, the last time you saw Rylen was at dinner. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, Vice Premier Drake,” Ana responded, bowing her head once more. “But what is the school being told? The reason why I’m not being sent away? They have to know what happened. It’s on the surveillance monitors.”

  The girl never gave up, Vice Premier Drake thought. Sighing, he came around the desk and laid a hand on her shoulder.

  “I’ll take care of that. They may not like it, but they will obey me.”

  Ana nodded, worried about what would happen to her. Sighing, she exited the office, grateful she wasn’t going to be sent into exile but very worried about what the next year held.

  Vice Premier Drake watched Ana leave the building, then quietly closed the door. Returning to the desk, he pulled a large vid-conference tab from inside her file. Standing it up so it faced him, he turned it on, waiting for the other party to answer his message.

  “Hello, Toma,” the woman said, smiling. “How did it go this morning?”

  “Much better than I anticipated, sir,” Vice Premier Drake responded. “She not only handled herself better than expected, her reasons for breaking the rules were flawless. And perfectly reasonable.”

  “Please do not call me sir,” the woman sighed. “Why do we have to go through this every time?”

  “I apologize, sir, I mean Nessa,” Vice Premier Drake responded, flustered at her insistence on such familiarity. “I will try to remember.”

  “Fine, fine,” Nessa responded, waving a hand in the air. “Has the room been secured?”

  “Yes. Our conversation is private. The monitoring equipment has been temporarily scrambled.”

  “Excellent. Tell me. And leave nothing out.”

  Vice Premier Drake spent the next half hour relaying his interview with Ana. Nessa listened quietly. When he was done, she considered everything he had told her, a thoughtful look on her face.

  “So, the test we set for her resulted in a far better outcome than anticipated?” she asked seriously.

  “I never had any doubts she would eventually be forced to kill Rylen. But she surprised me. Both with her willingness to smuggle contraband onto the campus as well as her reasons for doing so. In addition, the first encounter where she kissed Rylen to buy herself time showed initiative. It couldn’t have been easy for her to take that kind of action. Ana Swift feels very strongly about who she shows affection to and kissing someone like Rylen would likely have been abhorrent to her. Yet she not only did it, but I’m sure the idea was conceived on the spot. The girl is surprising. And if we do not handle her correctly, she has the potential of becoming very, very dangerous.”

  “I’m sure I can count on you to keep her on a tight leash. Anything else?” the woman asked.

  “She’s fearless,” The Vice Premier replied, a hint of pride in his voice. “Even towards me. She started the interview by asking for a favor. Not for her, but for her Ra-mur. And that was while she still believed she was going to be killed for her actions. On top of that, she openly showed me how angry she was at what I had said, then asked for permission to leave. I don’t think she realized I’ve had men killed for less. And I truly believe that even if she did, it wouldn’t have mattered in the least. Her fear of me, and of others in power, only goes so far. As I said, it’s useful, but if handled incorrectly, dangerous.”

  The woman started laughing as Vice Premier Drake relayed Ana’s open hostility. She preferred to cultivate a friendlier persona but knew how important it was to Vice Premier Drake that people fear him. That a sixteen-year-old girl was not willing to give him that deference was actually quite funny, and the woman couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Yes, yes,” the Vice Premier responded, chuckling in spite of himself. “I know I usually prefer a more rigid and formal response. But I have to admit, the girl is refreshing. She is not afraid for herself, which is novel, but I do believe she can be controlled through her feelings for those she cares about. If she didn’t have those feelings, I’d have no choice but to terminate her. She will do as we ask, if not for herself, then for others.”

  “Thank you very much, Toma. It’s been very frustrating waiting all this time to find someone suitable. I was on the verge of giving up hope. Keep me informed. And make sure Ana Swift stays alive.”

  “I will, sir,” Vice Premier Drake said.

  “Again with the damn sir,” the woman said, the sentence trailing off as the vid-conference tab went dark.

  Vice Premier Drake placed the dark tab back in Ana’s file. Taking out his personal one, he sent a message requesting the office staff meet in one of the conference rooms. He then sent another message, this one encrypted, and sighed. Unwilling to take a chance that anyone would leak what really happened between Ana and Rylen, he was now going to have the extremely distasteful task of removing those people from the premises and disposing of them so their silence would be both absolute and forever.

  Chapter 12

  Month 2

  Week 2

  The commissary was extremely noisy. Loud conversation mixed with boisterous laughter, all overshadowed by the clang of meta
l trays and the pings of flatware striking plates. Every table had at least three students, some more. Every table, that is, but one.

  In the furthest corner, a small table held a lone occupant. Ana ate by herself, still shunned by her classmates. Every now and then, it still hurt, but eventually she decided it might be better if she remained friendless. She now preferred to be left alone, ignoring the pointed stares and whispers behind raised hands. Her sole intent was to pass with the highest grades possible and leave. She ignored the rest of the students, studying for the test that would admit her to the sim training facility.

  The tab was propped in front of the tray and Ana swiped the notes while methodically shoveling food in her mouth. Her request for noise-cancelling buds had been denied and she eventually learned how to tune the surrounding chaos out. Ana rarely noticed the comings and goings of other students and they no longer bothered to ask if they could take a chair, getting no response other than a wave. When she heard the soft voice ask if the seat across from her was taken, she assumed it was just another classmate and waved them off, never looking up. She dimly heard the scrape as the legs were dragged across the floor and hunched over a little more, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

  “Hello, Ana.”

  Something in the tone penetrated her self-imposed isolation. Looking up with the fork halfway to her mouth, Ana’s mouth dropped at the person seated across the table. The fork dropped from between her fingers, clattering onto the tray and splattering her macaroni and cheese across the table and onto the floor.

  “I’ve missed you.”

  That voice. That warm, sweet voice. The one she was sure she would never hear again. Ana’s heart soared before plummeting to her feet. What was he doing here? He was supposed to be someplace safe. Instead, he was seated in the middle of a facility run by the government. His sudden appearance rendered her speechless, mouth continuing to hang open.

  Jan lowered Ana’s tab so it lay flat. Reaching over, he gently placed one finger under her chin and closed her mouth. Taking his napkin, he mopped up the mess, folding it before laying it alongside his tray. Placing his elbows on the table, he rested his head on his hands, a huge smile wreathing his face.

  The noise Ana’s fork made got the attention of the students at the surrounding tables and they looked over curiously. The chatter ceased as the students realized someone was actually sitting with the outcast. The silence spread like ripples in a pond, eventually reaching the far edges of the commissary. All heads swiveled to look at the newcomer, the students at the far end of the hall standing. The stares became more admiring as the students took in Jan’s good looks.

  Neither Jan nor Ana noticed the stares or the silence. Jan’s eyes were dancing merrily as Ana’s flashed with irritation. Sitting up straighter, Ana glared as she placed both hands on the edge of the table, gripping it hard enough to make her knuckles turn white. Jan continued to watch her, the smile never leaving his face.

  “Why are you here?” Ana finally hissed, suddenly realizing how quiet the hall had become.

  “I told you,” he answered, the smile broadening. “I missed you.”

  “Jan, do you have any idea how dangerous this is?”

  “You seem to be okay.”

  “You have no idea what this last month has been like. This place is dangerous. I should have listened to you.”

  “Ana,” Jan said. Reaching across the table, he took one of her hands, gently prying the clenched fingers from the edge. Ana tried to pull it away but couldn’t make it obey. The warmth his touch generated was now spreading up her arm and she didn’t want it to stop. “I’m well aware of where I am and how dangerous it is. I tried to warn you.”

  “Shhh,” Ana said, not wanting her classmates to hear. “There are ears everywhere.”

  Jan’s smile vanished, and his eyes turned serious. He lowered his voice, leaning his head over his tray as he tightened his grip on her hand.

  “Ana, I’m serious. I missed you. But I was also very worried about you. I knew what you were heading into. It’s why I asked you not to go.”

  “Jan. You shouldn’t be here. It’s too dangerous.”

  Jan sighed and sat back. Turning to the table next to them, he issued a smile full of teeth at the staring students. The group hastily dropped their eyes, looking away as they awkwardly resumed their conversation. Jan’s gaze travelled to the surrounding tables, ultimately forcing the rest of the students to avert their gaze. Once the conversations resumed, Jan turned back, smiling much more gently.

  “I couldn’t stop thinking about you after you left. I spent the entire afternoon wrestling with what I should do. I finally realized that if I left the following day, I would never have a day of peace for the rest of my life. So I decided to finish my sentence, then come here. To see you and to help you.”

  “Jan, I’m so happy to see you. Unbelievably happy. But this place is even more dangerous for you than it is for me. I’ve been able to get people to leave me alone. I was granted privileges others were not. While that’s caused a lot of resentment as well as a major problem, it’s also given me some protection.”

  “Please don’t worry about me, Ana,” Jan said. “I’m more than capable of taking care of myself. And you would be surprised at what I’ve been granted.”

  Ana stopped arguing, realizing it was getting her nowhere. Jan was here and nothing short of him failing out was going to change that. Sighing, she relaxed and picked up her fork, spearing a carrot and biting off a piece. Watching him as she chewed, she wondered how much trouble this was going to cause.

  “I see you’re still wearing the bracelet in your hair.”

  “I’m not allowed any jewelry. It’s the only way I can wear it.”

  “What about Jax?”

  “Shhh,” Ana whispered, casting a quick glance around. “I can’t talk about her.”

  “Why not?”

  “Part of my conditions.

  “Ana, can we go for a walk?”

  “We’re required to stay for a certain amount of time. When the timer on my tab goes off, we can leave. Not before.”

  “Really?” Jan asked, incredulous. “Why?”

  “I’m not really sure. But it’s one of the many rules. Weren’t you given a list before you came?”

  “They gave me two. One of the stuff I could bring. And the other was the rules. I only glanced at them. Probably should have read it through, huh?”

  “Oh, Jan,” Ana groaned, dismayed at his cavalier attitude. “Didn’t your coordinator go over this with you?”

  “Coordinator?” Jan seemed genuinely confused.

  “The person you met with when you checked in.”

  “I didn’t meet with anyone. I was given all my instructions on the yacht. They told me what to expect and delivered the school tab to where I was staying. My clothes were ordered at the detention center and I chose the rest of my supplies from a tab. Yesterday, I got my schedule and room info along with instructions on how to get in. I was dropped off out front and went straight to my room.”

  Ana stared. No coordinator? Was that unique to him? Or was her situation the one that was different? And where did Jan go after the yacht? He never mentioned going home, which she thought odd. She quickly finished her meal, pushing the tray aside as she pulled her tab towards her. Checking, she saw they still had several minutes before they could leave. Not wanting to venture further into dangerous waters, she decided to discuss safer subjects.

  “Which building are you in?”

  “Um, second building from the main path,” he answered, taking a minute to think about it. Ana stared. Jan was in the same building as her. This could be dangerous.

  “You?” Jan asked, missing the brief look of concern that flashed across Ana’s face. She hesitated, not sure if she should tell him, then decided it didn’t really matter. He would eventually find out anyway.

  “Same,” she mumbled, dropping her head.

  “Really!” Jan cried happily. “That mea
ns we’re neighbors. We can visit whenever we want. Study together. Pick up where we left off last month.”

  Ana blushed. Oh, how she wanted that to happen. But no one was allowed in her room without permission, and she doubted it would be granted just because she asked.

  Jan was smiling from ear to ear. Ana didn’t want to bring him down, but he needed to know the reality of what this place was. The easiest place to start was the rules. Since he hadn’t read them, Ana decided to fill him in.

  “Jan, please don’t be mad. But I need to tell you the rules. If you don’t follow them, you’ll be sent away. It’s already happened to at least one person since I arrived. I don’t want the next to be you.”

  Ana had no intention of telling Jan about Rylen. The last thing she needed was Jan appointing himself her protector. Vice Premier Drake would never stand for it.

  “Come on,” Jan said, still smiling. “You make it sound like a labor camp.”

  “It is,” Ana said seriously, burying the knowledge that labor camps didn’t exist. “The rules are strict. And the punishment for not following is severe.”

  “It can’t possibly be that bad. It’s a school. A government run school, but still a school.”

  “Okay, Jan, here goes. I’ll let you know what the rules are. You can always double check later if you don’t believe me.”

  Jan listened, mouth thinning and eyes flashing as she went down the list. When she stopped, he took a deep breath and let out a long hiss.

  “There’s one more. One unique to me. No one is allowed in my room without permission. And there has to be a very good reason for permission to be granted.”

  “Why, Ana? Why do you have that extra one?”

  “I can’t tell you. At least, not right now.”