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by Emery Hale

  The pair of them knelt down leaving the girl with raven hair standing in the middle, hands clasped in front and head held high.

  ‘Chan, care to explain what the fuck happened?’ the man asked. ‘You were a Carrier tonight and somehow a fucking terrorist managed to get past you, in your fucking area.’

  As he spoke I felt like I couldn’t breathe – was that what happened backstage while the performance was going on? Terrorism?

  ‘I don’t know, I didn’t see him.’

  ‘You should have fucking seen him!’ the man yelled; he was so close his spit landed on her face.

  The girl didn’t flinch, she didn’t move at all. I couldn’t believe my eyes. What I didn’t understand was how this man’s job included yelling at a bunch of students from a private school. Even so, they all seemed to know what he was talking about. Was that why Jessica looked so relieved to see me?

  The man sighed tiredly and swatted his hand in the air.

  ‘Take off your clothes.’

  ‘What?’ the girl asked, horrified. ‘You’re joking, no, I’m not –’

  ‘Chan, take off your clothes.’

  ‘Sir, with all respect –’ Jessica tried, but the man cut her off.

  ‘What did I say about questioning my authority?’ Then he knelt in front of Jessica, who flinched as he took her jaw, gripping it tightly before he slapped her across the face. ‘What did I say?’

  ‘Not to.’ Jessica said shakily, although there was a fear alive in her face that I had never seen before; that I had never seen on another human being.

  Her entire body shook for a couple of seconds but she didn’t look away from the man, even as he stood up and walked out of frame.

  ‘Get her fucking clothes off,’ he said.

  Two new figures came into view, both male, but their faces were turned away from the camera as one pinned the girl to the ground while the other ripped off her clothes. We watched her writhe and scream as her top was removed, then her leggings, then her shoes and socks. Her screams of protest echoed through the speakers, but neither my mum nor I moved to turn it down.

  ‘I want you to feel vulnerable, Chan, like we were tonight because of you. Your actions meant there was a suicide bomber in the theatre. Now that wasn’t very smart, was it?’

  ‘Leave her with a bra for Christ’s sake!’ I heard Jessica yell, but it wasn’t met with a response.

  The girl whose second name was Chan now lay on the floor completely naked. Shivering.

  ‘I asked you to take your clothes off Chan, no one was going to do anything to you. Why can’t you do as you’re fucking told?’ the man asked. ‘You do your job right or you don’t have a place at the Academy, do you hear me?’

  Silence. The girl quivered and shook from the cold; she shifted to a kneeling position but didn’t answer as she glared at the man. Her absent reply only provoked him further.

  ‘Find Eve Smith, she was in the ensemble tonight.’ The man addressed someone behind him. ‘Shoot her.’

  ‘No!’

  ‘Then answer the question, do you understand?’ the man barked. ‘Because believe me, your smart mouth is going to cost someone’s life.’

  ‘Yes! Yes I fucking understand, just don’t hurt her!’ the girl shouted.

  Suddenly the video cut out and it took us back to my mum’s inbox, the email still sitting there at the top.

  I didn’t know what to say, what could I? Mum sat back in her chair rubbing her slender fingers over her face. From those videos it was clear that the Academy wasn’t some prestigious school. It dealt with terrorists.

  ‘Mum –’

  ‘Don’t,’ she cut me off sharply. ‘There is a reason someone would send that live link.’

  ‘Yeah, cause it’s insane.’

  ‘Did Jessica tell you what was going on? Did she tell you this happened?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Then it was because she couldn’t. These girls must have been subjected to God knows what to keep them quiet about this. She didn’t tell you because if she did . . . I think what we watched was just the tip of the iceberg.’

  That was when I blurted everything out about what happened this evening: the earpiece, Kayson’s friend, the blood on Jessica’s tights, anything I could think of. She would know what to do, this was what she did for a living. Surprisingly, my mum didn’t seem shocked when I told her.

  With a solemn sigh she spoke.

  ‘There have been rumours about the Reign Academy ever since it was set up fourteen years ago,’ she said. ‘Rumours of misconduct and abuse from the faculty. It was never proven and any allegations were soon withdrawn, or something happened to them. It was one of the reasons I didn’t want you applying to that school.’

  Young Student Killed in a Hit and Run.

  ‘You knew this was happening?’ I asked. ‘So when I told you Jessica was going, you didn’t think to say anything?’

  ‘I didn’t think there was any truth to the rumours – the allegations were withdrawn, they claimed it was all a prank. If it’s Scotland Yard running the show then it would be easy to bury small leaks like that.’

  ‘Do you recognise anyone else in the video?’

  ‘No. Only him. I suspect Edward McDonald is a fake name he uses. Then there’s Jessica and I’m assuming those are her friends.’

  ‘Yeah, they were at the café when I bumped into them,’ I told her.

  I couldn’t wrap my head around this – it didn’t seem logical or even possible. I thought the police were meant to be on our side.

  Then a thought came to me – a really stupid, really crazy idea.

  ‘Kayson goes to the Academy.’

  ‘The secret date guy who you lied to me about?’

  ‘Yeah him, he knows all about this. If I show him that video then . . . ’

  ‘Then what?’

  ‘I can blackmail him.’

  ‘To do what?’

  ‘To get me inside the Academy.’

  CHAPTER 8

  Esoteric

  Private; secret; confitdential; belonging to a select few

  NAOMI JADE

  I didn’t want to believe what I’d seen the night before. Part of me wanted to forget everything, but I knew deep down I couldn’t ignore it. Those videos explained everything: why Jess had been so cold, why she never returned any of my calls, why there was blood on the back of her tights. The Reign Academy was an institution that dealt with terrorist threats. The abuse was another matter entirely.

  The way Jessica knelt down without question, the way she didn’t react when he slapped her, told me this wasn’t a new thing. Was that how so-called Edward stopped them from talking? The man mentioned that they didn’t have a place at the Academy if they didn’t comply – would the Chan girl end up in the news as just another hit and run? Today, I’d get those answers.

  After a lot of consideration and staring at the blank ceiling for a couple of hours last night, I’d come to the conclusion that this was an incredibly stupid idea. My mum didn’t fully agree with the plan and tried to turn me away from it but she soon gave up. I was eighteen, an adult in grand scheme of things. Although we both agreed that if we were to take this further, we needed someone on the inside. That someone being me.

  Much to my mother’s protest, this morning I was kitted out with a microphone taped under my shirt that would record any audio, a set of instructions in case of an emergency and my mum’s old video phone from the early 2000s. If I saw anything that could be used as evidence, I had to film it. That was the bit that set my set my teeth on edge – how exactly would I do that without being obvious?

  So as I sat in the noisy local pub, constantly checking my phone for any texts, my mind wandered to Kayson. He was my way into the Academy, it was the reason I’d asked to meet him again. Would he show up with bruises or fresh wounds?

  The pub itself was busy since it was a Saturday afternoon – there weren’t any tables left and most people were crowded around the bar. I’d picked a tab
le near the back next to the window: there were a few chairs around me, but everyone else was either too drunk or too busy in their own conversations to pay me any attention. I needed to be forgettable, my mum told me. She said to pick an area that’s filled with people – that way when I pulled out the video no one would hear.

  I didn’t even know what I should start with, I couldn’t just come out with ‘Hey Kayson, I know you’re going to a school that deals with terrorists but also threatens to beat and shoot you.’

  Yeah, that would go down well.

  When I brought it up I had to appear professional and factual because this wasn’t a date – to be truthful I don’t think I’d ever want to go out with this guy, considering what he’s involved in. Could he be like that man on the video? Like those men who stripped a girl of her clothes just to humiliate her? Were they the end result for students of Reign? Was that what Kayson would become?

  The clinking of glasses and clattering of plates put my mind at ease; this was just a regular pub with no connection to terrorism or Reign. I was safe here. The occasional shouts from the bartenders and idle football chatter gave me something to focus on, as my knees bounced up and down. I needed to focus on something otherwise I’d never be able to do this.

  For Reign to go untouched for so long they must have people in higher places than Scotland Yard; it must go way beyond that. What was I getting myself into? Were these two videos enough to cause a stir in the public eye?

  I didn’t have time to think anymore as I saw Kayson heading my way with a charming smile, which had to be his signature look. He wore a similar outfit to last night, but as he got closer, there was no sign of an earpiece or blood spatter.

  ‘Bit random, gorgeous,’ he said, leaning back in his chair. ‘You know if you didn’t like last night, you didn’t need to bring me out for an apology drink.’

  ‘It’s not that.’

  ‘Then what? Cause if this was meant to be a second date then you could have given me some warning, maybe let me take a shower after class.’

  The guy in front of me had a glow about him but nothing to suggest he needed a shower as his spicy scent floated over. Kayson was looking me up and down, like he was analysing me, but I had to hold off as long as I could. Despite everything, he seemed like a genuine guy and I couldn’t shake that feeling.

  ‘You made it sound like an emergency on the phone.’

  ‘It is,’ I blurted, and at that Kayson leaned forward, full of concern.

  ‘What? Did something happen at home?’

  At that I didn’t respond. Now I had to tell him – tell him I knew about the Academy. Sure I didn’t know everything, but I knew enough and I had proof. With one final glance to Kayson and a shaky sigh I opened my phone, pulled up the video and turned it around so he could see.

  As soon as Kayson saw the clip, all emotion dropped from his face. His eyes cast down to the table while his fingers drummed against it gently.

  ‘Naomi,’ he said, but this time the rich tone had vanished, replaced with something gritty and cold.

  Everything I thought I knew about this guy changed like the flip of a switch – he held himself higher, and flashes of the man from last night flickered over his face. His lips pressed into a thin line as his calculating eyes darted from me to the video. Suddenly his physique seemed larger, bearing down on me. What I theorised must be true: the man on the other side of the table wasn’t the charming one that walked in moments ago. It’s funny how certain words can shatter an entire persona.

  I knew I couldn’t trust anything he told me. I’d been so desperate to find the man of my dreams and then he just turned up out of the blue – of course it was too good to be true. Now Kayson sat there staring at me like a piece of meat, something to be toyed with, something he could control.

  The sinking feeling of embarrassment and shame settled deep inside my stomach as I pulled back the phone and swiped to the next video. I had to keep my mind focused, the guy in front of me was a walking lie and I held the high ground. Hopefully.

  ‘I know about the Academy. I know that it deals with terrorists and I know that last night . . . there was a bomb in the theatre.’

  Suddenly Kayson grabbed my wrist with a bone-crunching force. I let out a cry, trying to pull away, but he wouldn’t let go.

  ‘You have no idea what you’re talking about.’ Kayson’s voice grew low as his stare burned through mine. ‘You don’t know what you’re getting yourself into.’

  No one around us took notice of what was happening, too absorbed in their own conversations.

  ‘Let me go or those videos will be the least of your worries,’ I told him adamantly.

  I knew I had to stand my ground. I motioned around us to the poor unsuspecting bystanders, and his eyes followed. He hesitated for a second before the clamp of his hand released my wrist. I snatched it back and shoved the phone in my bag. His intense glare didn’t stop – in fact he moved closer, his head jutting forward.

  ‘The videos that you have in your possession aren’t –’

  ‘Are real,’ I corrected him. ‘Don’t try to spin some story about how it’s the drama department having a laugh. If I saw Jessica today, I know for a fact she’d have bruises on her neck.’

  That’s when he said something that sent a chill through my body.

  ‘You’re never going to see her again.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘You watched what happened – you seriously believe Jessica is going to come anywhere near you after last night?’

  All the small insignificances of the Academy finally came together to create a perfect picture: the small intake of students, the Ivy League status and the secrecy of it all. Everything Jessica had done now made sense – she pushed me away because she didn’t have a choice. I had to throw a spanner in the works. I needed answers.

  ‘About that, are you and Jess part of a little murder club?’

  ‘If this is about when I left, I told you I went to the bathroom.’

  ‘So you both just happened to have blood on you?’ I said, courage finding me for a moment as I leaned forward.

  Kayson let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

  ‘You saw that, did you? Well, you’re not a complete idiot.’

  ‘You’re unbelievable,’ I scoffed.

  ‘Come on,’ Kayson said, his face now home to a winning grin. ‘You actually went on a date not knowing me at all, practically fell into my lap when I brought up the theatre, loved the fact that I’m into maths. You were like a lost puppy.’

  At that I paused. Of course I knew things about him, we talked for almost a week before the date. His favourite movie was Die Hard, I knew that! Was that all a lie?

  ‘Why?’ I asked, the embarrassment flushing through me once more. It was true, I had followed him blindly. I’d assumed so much: his parents, his personality.

  Kayson sighed.

  ‘Well, Jess told me you liked guys who wore leather, who were spontaneous.’ He laughed. ‘Honestly, I wasn’t a fan of black jeans or combat boots before I started this, but now I’ve tried it I might stick to it.’

  I felt utterly mortified. Jess had told him what kind of guy I liked then, he became that guy – of course she was right, but this! This was insane.

  ‘She –’

  ‘Jess asked me to look out for you, after that whole incident with your school friends,’ he admitted. His intense glare started to fall but it didn’t help me gauge him at all, as underneath, his face was completely unreadable. ‘She was worried about you, and with everything going on, she didn’t have time to babysit you.’

  ‘So she sent a random guy to date me?’ I exclaimed, horrified. Kayson tried to shush me, take my hand, but I pulled away. ‘No, no – don’t do that. You dressed up and took me on a date because Jessica felt sorry for me?’

  ‘I wouldn’t say sorry, more concerned.’

  ‘So through all that concern you thought it was a great idea to take me to a theatre where there was a bomb?�
��

  ‘She was right, you are sensitive.’

  At that I shook my head. He’d called me sensitive, and basically stupid. I knew that I wasn’t the smartest in the country but I wasn’t stupid. Was I? No, no, I wasn’t. Just because Kayson and Katie told me I was didn’t mean it was true, but given the situation, did everyone think that?

  No! I held the cards, I held the evidence in my own frickin hand and I could discredit the Head of Scotland Yard. I wasn’t the brightest, but now this story was in my clutches, I wasn’t letting it go. Sure, I couldn’t figure out quadratic equations or chemistry, but I could chase a lead. I’d been chasing Jessica for the last couple years – I didn’t see why I should stop now.

  ‘Get me into Reign,’ I blurted.

  ‘What, are you crazy as well as stupid?’

  I pushed past his insults, knowing the charm he gave off last night didn’t count for anything. Now he was a stranger and his opinion of me didn’t matter.

  ‘If these videos go online, you seriously think they won’t go viral?’

  ‘What, with the amazing friends you already have, you counting on them to share it? Those videos will be taken down and there’s nothing you can do about it.’

  Then finally I let out smile, because I knew something he didn’t.

  ‘Oh, so you don’t know that my mother is a journalist for one of Scotland’s biggest newspapers?’ I planted my feet firmly on the ridges of the bar stool, crossing my arms. ‘Or that she has a blog with over three thousand followers? So sure, if you want to take the chance of the whole city reading about this, be my guest – but part of me thinks that you, along with your fucked-up teachers, wouldn’t like that.’

  I’d said my piece and now I had to deal with the man in front of me. Kayson himself looked stunned but he didn’t say anything. If he thought I was stupid he could think again, asshole!

  ‘Why are you defending them?’ I asked, now I had the upper hand and could pose any question I wanted. ‘What, do they beat you?’

  ‘Just shut up.’

  ‘Oh come on, no one can hear us,’ I shook my head. ‘Besides, we’re going to be seeing each other a lot more now.’