“As far as I know, no,” Ana said. “I’ve told Jax not to sign with anyone but me. I caught her making a sign for food at Jan the other morning and stopped it immediately.”
“What did you tell Jan?”
“That I think Jax is trying to learn how to communicate. But I said nothing about the signing.”
“Did Jan believe you?”
“I think so,” Ana replied, digging the hole deeper and hoping this conversation never left the room. Or not before she had a chance to talk to Jan first. “He tried to make the same sign, thinking it was a game Jax was playing. I’m certain he had no idea what Jax was doing.”
“I hope you are right, Ana. At this point, the only two people who should be communicating in sign language are your and the Ra-mur. Eventually, I expect you to teach others, myself included. But for now, we want to see how much the Ra-murs are capable of. We are placing a huge amount of trust in you and would be extremely upset if you betrayed us.”
Ana’s mouth had gone completely dry even though her palms were full of sweat. Swallowing several times, she nodded, wiping her hands on the front of the chair.
“Yes, sir,” she croaked. “I’ve kept Jax a secret and will continue to do so. No one has come to my room and I’ve refused to allow anyone to be with me when Jax is in my pack.”
“Good,” the Premier said, smiling again. “Please keep it that way.”
“You can trust me, sir,” Ana said. “I don’t want to lose her.”
“Nor shall you, if you continue to obey the rules. Now tell me. Have you ever wondered how the Ra-murs came to be? Or any of the other creatures?”
Ana’s mouth became even drier. She knew but could never admit it. Clasping her still damp palms, she looked at the Premier with a slightly bewildered look plastered on her face.
“Not really,” she said. “When I first saw Jax, I though she looked a little like the monkeys I sometimes saw in Flaga. And the dragons looked like ones I saw in a vid in school. I assumed they were related to the ones I had seen, maybe coming from other countries or something.”
Ana wasn’t sure she would be believed, knowing there was no way something like the dog-bear existed anywhere on Earth.
Premier Raven swiveled around again, staring out the glass that made up most of the back wall. Ana could only see the Premier’s reflection and wondered what was on the other side. Vice Premier Drake joined the Premier and stared through the glass as well. Ana took the opportunity to peer at the books, wondering if any had been reviewed by her father. The titles here were different, although some were just as odd sounding. One in particular caught her eye. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Ana knew what a mockingbird was and wondered why someone would want to kill one. She became so wrapped up in the books, she almost missed what Premier Raven said next.
“Every animal on the island was created here. As were most of the plants. Some of those creations didn’t turn out as expected. But they have all contributed to making the island what it is today. A self-sustaining ecosystem. But before they are delivered to the island, they have to have a trial period somewhere else.”
Ana suddenly knew what the dome was. Gripping her hands tightly, she pressed her knees against them, every muscle in her body tense. She had no idea what the Premier or Vice Premier were planning but instinctively knew it would not make her happy.
“Why don’t you join us, my dear,” Vice Premier Drake said pleasantly, not taking his eyes off the glass. “You might find this interesting.”
Reluctantly, Ana stood, wanting no part of what she was about to see. But refusing the Vice Premier was more dangerous than joining him, so she slowly stepped up to the glass, looking down at a jungle environment that was exactly like the hellhole she had spent over a month in.
The interior of the dome was gigantic. The floor was several stories below them, meaning the bottom had been sunk deep into the ground. A small river cut through the center with a dirt path like the one on the island running alongside. Ana could make out blood trees in the distance as well as a wall of vines blocking a good portion of the wall to her left. A small open area was situated on the right and Ana could vaguely make out what looked like several dragons lounging around inside it. The tree canopy hid much of the jungle floor, but Ana had no doubt it was the same as the island, harboring nasty creatures and other loathsome things among the trees. The only thing missing was the beach and the crabs, although it was possible something similar lay behind vines. Ana felt her fear rising and desperately tried to center herself. Premier Raven and Vice Premier Drake seemed oblivious to her distress, continuing to watch the jungle with interest.
“Ah, here is our newest arrival now,” Vice Premier Drake said, a touch of excitement in his voice.
Ana scanned the area, wondering what the Vice Premier was talking about. Then she saw the girl. Ana was unsure how old she was but guessed about fourteen or fifteen. Ana sensed the girl had no idea what terrors the surrounding jungle held. She wished she could help but even if her voice could penetrate the glass, Ana knew any attempt to alert the girl would result in a swift and harsh punishment. She wanted to turn away but knew she couldn’t. Biting her lip, Ana steeled herself and watched the girl walk casually down the path.
The girl made it about halfway before she was attacked. Ana was surprised at the direction it came from, expecting something like the cat or dog-bear. Instead, several small, lithe animals slipped out of the water, slinking onto the path behind the girl. The animals, no more than two feet or so in length, were covered in a dark brown fur that glistened from the drops of water still clinging to them. Ana assumed their movements were silent as they trailed the girl closely, yet the girl never turned.
“Toma,” Premier Raven said, pointing down, “Are those the latest results of our recent experiments?”
“Those are the Mus-chors,” Vice Premier Drake replied. “They have been specially developed to be utterly silent. And they hunt in packs.”
Ana started trembling. If what Vice Premier Drake said was true, these creatures could completely overwhelm someone before they even knew the creatures were there. There were only three in the pack below but even three would be almost impossible to fend off with no advance warning. Ana unconsciously slipped into battle mode, wondering how she would deal with the creatures if it was her down there instead of the girl. She knew the girl was doomed but literally couldn’t help herself. She had spent so much time trying to survive she instinctively started planning how best to defeat the threat below. Vice Premier Drake glanced over and, seeing Ana’s intense concentration, lightly touched the Premier’s shoulder. She stole a peek, then turned to the Vice Premier with a smile, nodding in satisfaction.
Ana continued to watch. She noticed the animals didn’t travel in a straight line, weaving in and out between each other. She also saw them nip each other several times. The girl continued walking, pausing every now and then to peer into the trees before continuing. It was during one of these pauses that the animals attacked. Ana watched as they sunk back on their hind legs and raised their heads. Even from where she stood, she could see the gleam of white teeth as they snarled. As one, the launched themselves, landing on the girl’s back. Ana saw the girl throw her head back, mouth opened wide, and knew she was screaming. They had latched onto the girl with sharp claws and blood began pouring down her back. Reaching around, she attempted to grab one of the creatures and it promptly sunk its teeth into her hand. The girl started shaking her arm to try and dislodge it, but the creature hung on as it flew back and forth. The girl made her way to one of the trees and slammed her hand as hard as she could into the trunk, shattering the animal’s skull. Ana saw the blood splatter all over the girls face and arm, but the girl never hesitated. Turning around, she did the same thing with the two animals on her back, slamming so hard Ana was afraid she would snap her spine. One fell to the ground and lay unmoving. The remaining one let go and latched onto the tree, stretching forward and attempting to bite the girl.
The girl whirled and punched the creature in the side of the head, causing it to fall. Ana had been silently cheering, impressed with her sudden recovery, but then saw the girl make a fatal mistake. Instead of killing the stunned animal, the girl turned and fled. The animal stood and shook itself, then took off after the girl. It must have sent out some sort of call because Ana now saw at least four more animals exit the river, loping after the girl as she ran. Eventually she stumbled and the minute she fell, the creatures attacked again. The girl attempted to roll onto her back, but they were too quick, sliding off then resuming their attack on her chest and stomach.
It took the girl a while to die. By the time she stopped moving, she was covered in blood, even her hair dyed an awful red. Ana assumed once the girl was dead, the creatures would leave, but instead they began feasting, just as the dragons had done. Ana couldn’t take it anymore and turned away, clutching her stomach as she tried desperately not to be sick.
“Well, Miss Swift,” Vice Premier Drake drawled, an odd light in his eyes. “What do you think?”
Ana couldn’t help herself. What she had just witnessed was nothing short of murder. At least on the island, the detainees were given a weapon.
“It’s cruel,” Ana spat, no longer caring what she said. “How could you do that to that poor girl?”
“She committed a crime, Ana,” Premier Raven said quietly. “It was this or execution. She chose this.”
“No crime deserves this sort of punishment. And I am absolutely certain she was not warned about what she was walking into.”
Vice Premier Drake was watching Ana closely. Her temper was once again blossoming, and he found it quite riveting. The girl positively radiated fire and he wondered if he would receive a jolt if he touched her.
“Ana, I understand what you witnessed was upsetting,” the Premier continued mildly. “But there are laws for a reason. And the punishment must be harsh enough to deter anyone else from doing the same. Most people who commit the crime she did would not have been given a choice. But she was. This is what she chose. Had she survived, she would be attending the Academy next semester. In this instance, we were more than fair.”
“Fair?” Ana screeched. “Sending an unarmed girl into a hostile situation with no forewarning? Forcing her to fight against almost impossible odds? You call that fair?”
“You survived,” Premier Raven said simply. “Against the same odds. No, against worse.”
Ana almost slipped but caught herself in time. She wasn’t sure if the Vice Premier knew she had chosen to go back and was not about to confirm it. Clamping her lips shut, she stomped back to her chair and sat, crossing her arms as she glared at the Premier.
“Why I am I here?” she finally said, almost snarling. “Am I going back in there? Because of how wonderful everyone thinks my fighting abilities are, am I now going to be the person you use to test your creations?”
Premier Raven laughed, swiveling her chair around and placing her elbows on the desk.
“Oh, no, Ana,” she said. “We are not asking you to take any risks fighting our creations. No, we have something else in mind.”
“Then what is it you want from me?” Ana said, lowering her arms and giving the Premier a puzzled look. She was still angry but starting to regret her loss of control. But neither the Premier nor the Vice Premier seemed inclined to punish her for it, surprising her.
“We would like you to come and review the battles between the creations and the criminals here.” It was Vice Premier Drake who answered instead, standing behind the Premier’s chair as he looked at Ana. “Like the one you just witnessed. You will not be entering the eco-system and will not watch the battles in real time. Rather, we would like you to watch the vids afterwards.”
“Why?” Ana asked, feeling sick. It was bad enough she was forced to watch the ones in her Battles course. At least the kids in those survived. Somehow, she doubted the people here did.
“We would like you tell us two things. First, how you would have battled the creature yourself. And second, what weaknesses you see in them.”
Ana stared, hard pressed to keep her face neutral as she desperately sought a way out. What they were asking would cause even more nightmares than she already had.
“Please do not take this the wrong way, sirs,” she finally said. “But I’m overwhelmed with my studies. I have no free time as it is. I’m not sure spending time here every day is going to help me pass my courses.”
“You won’t be coming every day,” the Vice Premier replied. “Only one day a week and only for two hours. You will report here every Saturday, immediately after breakfast.”
Ana groaned inwardly. That was when she usually studied with Jan. Trying to hide her dismay, she looked at her lap, twisting her fingers nervously.
“And what do I get out of this?” she asked quietly. “I mean, how is this going to help me?”
“Why Miss Swift,” the Vice Premier said, “your punishment for taking Jan home with you is waived. And you will be serving your country at the same time. Your critique will save a lot of trial and error, saving the government time by allowing us to refine the creations immediately instead of after they do battle on the island.”
Ana wanted to scream. And more than ever, she wanted to kill the two people standing in front of her. She had no idea if this had been planned before she took Jan home or if it was just a convenient excuse, but it didn’t matter either way. They had her trapped, again, and she had no choice but to obey. Nodding, she continued to twist her fingers together, hoping that the vids wouldn’t be too terrible but not expecting to get her wish.
“Excellent,” the Vice Premier said. “We knew you’d do what’s best for Atlantica. Your reviews will start next week. A special security tab will be delivered to your room. It will allow you access to this facility, but only for the time scheduled. A guard will lead you to a secure office and supply you with whatever you require. You will review the vid assigned, delivering the report via the tab. We have allotted two hours per session but if it takes longer, all you need to do is let the guard know.
“If you finish sooner, you will not be allowed to leave. Instead, we will find something else for you to do. Please do not rush through the report as we expect it to be both detailed and credible. Do you have any questions?”
Ana shook her head. She wanted out of this room in the worst way. She needed Jax. And more than that, she needed Jan. Raising her head, she looked at Premier Raven and shook her head once more, then stopped herself.
“I will do as you ask,” she said quietly. “But I do have one question. What’s on the third floor?”
“The labs, of course. It’s where the animals are created and housed.”
“Thank you. I promise to be thorough.”
“No, Ana, thank you,” the Premier said gratefully. “You are truly one of a kind and we are lucky to have you. I promise, someday, all this will pay off. Before you go, are you hungry? I know you missed the midday meal, and we can provide something if you like.
“I’m fine. It’s not too long until dinner and since I have to go even if I’m not hungry, I’ll just wait. If you don’t mind, that is.” Ana had zero appetite and the faster she got out of here, the better.
“Then Toma will escort you back. I look forward to seeing you again.”
Ana stood, clenched her fist to her chest, and bowed.
“Good day, kind lady,” she intoned. “Thank you for the pleasure of your company.”
“The pleasure was all mine,” the Premier said, rising. Stepping in front of Ana, she kissed her on both cheeks. Ana held her ground, trying not to move. Keeping her head bowed, she fought the urge to scrub her face.
“Come, my dear,” Vice Premier Drake said, gesturing to the door. “Let’s get you back. I’m sure your Ra-mur will be glad to see you.”
Ana dropped on the bed, curling into a ball with her hands wrapped around her knees. Jax hovered, running a claw down Ana’s face or nuzzling a cheek. Ana drew
Jax into an embrace and buried her face in the fur. She shut her eyes, hoping to find an escape by sleeping, but the images were worse behind her closed eyelids, causing her to snap them back open immediately. Pushing herself up, she hung her head until she noticed Jax signing urgently.
It took Ana a little while to figure out what Jax was trying to tell her. Apparently, the tab on the wall had come on while she was at the dome, an important message flashing on the screen. Jax loved watching the tab and Ana tried to keep her from viewing what the government played, covering the screen so Jax couldn’t see it. She had been in too much of a hurry to do it before she left but what Jax signed caused her regrets to dissipate immediately.
Jax signed the words for rain, wind, ocean, and building, putting heavy emphasis on ocean and wind. Ana signed back, asking if she meant heavy wind and large waves. Jax knew what those words were but hadn’t mastered them yet and nodded emphatically. Ana flipped on the wall tab immediately. Quickly running through the channels, she eventually found a government site that ran headlines continuously. She waited impatiently for the home and living segments to end and when the weather finally came on, leaned forward, watching intently.
Penncony had been struck by a major storm. It had been predicted days ago but was only supposed to deliver gusty winds and heavy rain. Instead, it had combined with another storm system flowing up the coast, causing it to double in strength and devastate the sector. Much of the southern and eastern part of Penncony had been flattened. Ana scrutinized the pictures, moaning when she saw the market had been decimated. The narrator relayed the death toll, stating the area had not been evacuated as it was out of the potential flood zone. The local emergency services, along with hundreds of volunteers, were looking for survivors, but the outlook was grim, and military forces were being sent to assist with the search and rescue. The report ended and Ana switched the tab off.
“Jax,” Ana said softly, her heart heavy. “The government left those people to die. The market flooded every time it rained. My gut is telling me the government knew there were people opposed to them there and used the storm to eradicate the threat. That little old lady is almost certainly dead.”
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