by Terina Adams
“What about Ajay? Is he like me?”
“Persal? Likely.”
My heart seized. “That’s why Jax wanted to meet him. He wants him in.”
Holden pressed his lips together but never replied.
“He can’t do that. I won’t let him.”
“Jax won’t take him virtual yet. Ajay won’t show signs of his factional nature until puberty.”
“It doesn’t matter. He still wants him.”
“Ajay is their insurance policy.”
A sudden cold invaded me. I couldn’t breathe. “He’ll be recruited if I don’t play.”
“It’s likely he’ll be recruited anyhow, in time.”
“Who’s they?”
The sigh he gave told me he wasn’t going to tell.
“Who?”
He shook his head.
“You said six designed it. Jax, Tyren, and Elva, that’s three from Aris. You, and who are the other two?”
“Knowing won’t make a difference.”
“I want to trust you.”
“You can. I’m on your side, Sable. I’m Persal.”
“I don’t know what that means.”
“Jax brought you to me because I know how to help you. Your faction is your family. There’s no one else you can trust.”
“If that is so, then tell me.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea. Not now. Not after everything you’ve been through the last few hours.”
“Can you at least tell me what’s so important about playing?”
“A lot rides on the success of those who play Dominus.”
“What sort of answer is that?”
“The only answer I know how to give. I just don’t know what to tell you or where to begin.”
“At the start and the truth. It’s that simple.”
“Let’s just say this is more than just a game.”
“The game is designed to find those who have a factional nature.”
Holden looked beyond me as if that would give him space from my questions.
“Right or wrong? Say the word.”
He nodded. That was enough.
“But it’s more than that, isn’t it? It’s like a training simulation.”
“Smart.”
“Training for what?”
“You figure it out. I mean it, Sable. I’m not saying any more.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re not ready to hear it. I want you to learn Dominus. I want you to live it like it was your world. Then if you still don’t know the answer, I will tell you.”
“That’s not good enough.”
“That’s all you’ll get.”
I wanted to slap him, but since I knew what he was capable of, I perhaps wouldn’t get that far.
“I need to go home.”
Holden retrieved my bag from a hook by the door. At least it had come with me.
“I’ll take you.”
“I suppose you know where I live?” I quirked an eyebrow at him.
His guilt was in his silence.
“Who else knows everything about me?”
He shook his head.
“Don’t bother. I’ll find out on my own. And then I’ll find a way to leave Dominus and take my family with me.”
“I would help you if I could. I want you to believe that.”
Yeah, whatever. To me his words were hollow.
We stared at each other long enough for me to discover Holden’s iron will. I’d never had good friends, not really. I’d always wanted some, at least one close friend I could rely on who knew everything about me. It looked like that would never happen. Maybe it was time to stop worrying about something as mundane as making connections and focus on striving to be the best. Yeah, I sucked every time, but I had a damn good reason to not suck now.
Chapter 17
I slammed the car door without saying goodbye to Holden and walked the cracked paving to our door. Hopefully I wasn’t about to ruin my grand exit by tripping on something in the dark. I was five hours late returning home from school—at least that’s where everyone thought I’d been. And I’d missed Ajay at the bus stop. I’d never missed meeting Ajay at the bus stop. All because of this stupid game. Mum would go wild and then likely ground me. With everything going on in my life, hiding at home sounded like a great idea. But hiding was not the answer. Holden said once I started playing the game, I couldn’t pull out, and with Ajay a target for Jax, I didn’t want to give him an excuse to come knocking on our door.
I found a stranger in the kitchen, which stopped me dead in my stride. A portly woman of about forty with a long, straight nose pushed up from her chair at the table, leaving her magazine. She didn’t look the sort to be connected with Dominus, the only thing that saved me from screaming at her to leave the house.
“Who are you?”
Little thuds down the hall disturbed her reply.
Ajay burst into the room. “Where’ve you been? You’re going to cop it when Mum gets home.”
“I’m so sorry, Ajay. I couldn’t make it to the bus stop. Where’s Mum?”
The woman must’ve seen this as her cue. “Your mother was invited to attend a function with her prospective employer. It was a last-minute invitation.” She came toward me with her hand outstretched. “I’m Marleen. Your babysitter.”
“Mum tried to call you,” Ajay said.
I’d left my phone in my bag in Jax’s lounge when we entered Dominus. From there I was out cold.
“I was a last-minute stand-in.”
I ignored Marleen’s comment because I didn’t care. “Who did she go out with?”
“A man called Carter.” Ajay looked up at me with wide, innocent eyes, something Jax would see lost if he got the chance.
“You met him?” My family was being attacked on two fronts, by Jax, Holden, and Dominus on the one side and Carter on the other.
“There’s some dinner in the oven if you’re hungry.”
I barely acknowledged her friendly voice.
“Come, Ajay, I think it’s bedtime. How about I read you a story?”
“It’s only seven.”
“I’ll make it a long one.”
“I told Ajay he could watch some TV until seven thirty.”
I yanked Ajay around by the shoulder. “Thanks, but I’ll read him a book.”
“You sure you don’t want any dinner?”
“Later.”
I pushed Ajay down the hall, then tried to open his door, but there were so many clothes and toys blocking the way it took a few shoves before we were able to get in. Since the window was jammed, the smell of stale socks and shoes, not to mention unwashed clothes, brewed to a thick boil in the closed room. I flipped the light switch and got nothing. There was enough light from the hall to guide me across the obstacle-strewn floor for his bedside lamp.
“You need to clean your room.”
“Whatever.”
“Okay, buddy, sit.” I patted a space next to me. “I need to talk to you first and then I’ll read you a story.”
He heaved a sigh and dragged his feet over. “This sounds like it’s going to be boring.”
“It’s important, Ajay, so I need you to listen carefully.”
“Is Mum going to marry this guy?”
“No. She loves Dad so much she would never do that. And I would kill her before she did.”
He looked so relieved I ruffled his hair to make him smile. “Silly, did you really think that?”
He nodded, again with those doleful eyes. I wanted to tell him Dad would be home before Mum could get too lonely to look for someone else, but we’d both been lied to enough for me to add another on the pile.
“You remember how Dad always told you not to talk to strangers?”
“I’m ten, not two.”
“Humor me, buddy. We’re on our own now and we have to stick together.”
“What about Mum?”
“Her too. But we have to be honest with each other. T
hat’s how we look out for each other. Remember Dad always told you family was everything, and that we were to keep an eye out for each other.”
“You’re acting weird.”
“Ajay, I’m being serious.”
“Are you going to read me a book?”
“I will once you listen to what I have to say.”
He rolled his eyes, then swung his foot, rolling a shoe back and forth under his sole.
“You remember the guy who took us to see Dad?”
Ajay looked at the floor, kicking a sock onto another pile of clothes. Reminding him of that day was not the kindest thing I could do, but I couldn’t spare his feelings. This was too important. “He’s not a good guy, Ajay. This is me being really serious.”
“I liked him. He was fun.”
“He may be fun but he’s dangerous. You’re not to speak to him again if you see him. He may invite you to play a game.”
“What sort of game?”
“It doesn’t matter. You’re to say no. Do you understand me? It’s really important. And you’re to let me know ASAP if you see him again.”
“Okay.” Boredom and annoyance dragging out the word.
“And tell me if anyone else talks to you.”
“What about my teachers?”
“You know what I mean.”
He pulled a face at me, but I needed him to understand how serious I was.
“If you’re at school, you go tell the teacher a stranger wants to talk to you. If you’re on the street, then look for a responsible adult, policeman, store owner, bus driver, in fact, don’t even get off the bus unless I’m there waiting for you.”
“Did Jax dump you? Is that why you’re mad at him?
“What? No. Ajay this has nothing to do with—” I slumped, head bowed. I was making a hash of this, but I needed Ajay to be serious about this, cautious without being scared such that he didn’t want to go to school. “Dad made us promise to always be there for each other. This is what I’m doing, Ajay. I’m looking out for you. I’m protecting you. And I think there are some people out there who want to get to us now Dad’s gone.”
“Why?”
“Because people can be like that. Adults do stupid things. Some do terrible things.”
“Like Dad.” Now it was Ajay’s turn to look dejected. His comment wounded me too, mostly because I had never heard Ajay admit to thinking Dad had done a terrible thing. Dad was no longer my hero, but that didn’t mean I wanted him to slip from Ajay’s pedestal.
“Dad didn’t mean to. Adults do stupid things, but they also make mistakes they would reverse if they could.”
Closed hearts felt cold and isolating. Hating Dad hurt, too much.
My phone chimed a message as I was about to ask him to choose a book from his stack on the floor, which had toppled sideways. I’d ruined the mood and our special time together. I didn’t want him going to bed feeling like this. Holden’s name appeared on the screen.
“How about you choose a book and I’ll answer this message.”
What do u want?
Willing to tell u everything.
Truth or joke?
Truth u need to understand.
Finally.
Come to mine.
Before I could reply, another message came through. This time the caller ID was unknown, but I didn’t need a name to know who it was.
Want to show u something.
Not interested in your games.
Funeral is for Salvador.
Why did he tell me that? Did I know a Salvador?
“Here, this one.” Ajay thumped the book in my lap, upsetting my cell. It slid to the floor faceup.
“Looks good. Just let me finish this message.”
From amongst Ajay’s clothes on the floor, I read the return message illuminated on the screen.
Gamer
Of course, he was the guy playing with Tyren.
“How long’s that going to take?”
“Not long, promise.” I scooped my cell from the bundle of clothes as another message came through.
The other funeral was for a gamer.
Was this supposed to be significant? Which meant…?
Do u want to know the truth?
Suddenly everyone was coughing up the truth.
u willing?
God, I hadn’t replied to Holden yet.
Sure.
Tomorrow.
K.
“Come on.”
“I’m almost done, okay?” Hearing the sudden harshness in my voice, I glanced at Ajay to catch his surly look in the dim light of the lamp. “Sorry, buddy, this is important, but I’m almost done.”
Jax’s next message came through.
It’s time.
For what?
For u to know the stakes.
For who?
ur family.
I dropped my cell onto the book and palmed my mouth as the acid in my gut turned so acidic I was sure it burned holes in my stomach.
This was not about me replacing Ajay. Jax wanted both of us. Wasn’t that what the message meant? And what about Mum?
The book and cell slid to the floor as I launched to my feet.
“What’re you doing?”
“I’m sorry, Ajay, just give me a minute,” I said as I paced.
Holden and Jax were both in on this. And Holden knew Dad somehow, and Carter worked with Dad. I slowed, my head buried in my hands.
The stakes for my family. It felt like doors were slamming around me, leaving me walled within, caged.
“Sorry, Ajay. I’ve got to go somewhere.”
“You said you’d read me a story.”
I dropped down in front of him, my knees cushioned by the mess on his floor. “I will, buddy, I will, but this is really important.”
“You’re not allowed.”
“Mum doesn’t need to know.”
“But you promised me a story.”
“I know, I know. I’m so sorry.” I touched his temple with my own.
“I don’t want you to go.”
I sat back on my heels. “You like hero stories.”
“So?”
“This is a hero story. What I’m doing. I’m going to save someone.”
He slid backward, away from me, farther onto his bed, his expression closed. And I didn’t have the time to try and pry him out of himself.
“I’ll make it up to you. I promise. I won’t ask you to lie to Mum, but please don’t tell Marleen, okay? It’s none of her business.”
Ajay slumped down on his bed and refused to look at me. I thought of giving him an excuse to tell Marleen. Something about me being unwell and going to bed, but I wasn’t about to have him tell my lies for me, not a second time. I would just face what punishment Mum gave when I returned.
I gave Ajay a kiss on the head and left before his mournful face made me feel too guilty to leave.
Standing in the hall, for a split second, I contemplated returning to the kitchen and telling Marleen I wasn’t feeling well and would disappear to bed. In case she turned motherly and insisted on fussing over me, I decided to get going and face the consequences later. I tiptoed across the hall into my room, where I pocketed a couple of coins for the bus ride there and back, then opened the window and slipped outside.
It felt like I was stuck in Dominus, running from the enemy, attacked on every side. And I shouldn’t think like that because I was stuck in Dominus, and I didn’t know what that meant.
Chapter 18
The large slate-gray curtains of Jax’s apartment were drawn. Only a thin line at the edges revealed any light from inside. At least someone was home.
On the bus trip over, I’d talked myself out of confronting him a dozen times, then a dozen times more talked myself into continuing. I should wait for tomorrow and listen to what Holden had to say, not Jax. Why was I listening to Jax? But I couldn’t wait all night. I was not who I thought I was. The life I’d led was fictional, yet I knew nothing about the life I was supp
osed to lead, knew nothing about the person I was supposed to be. I didn’t want to know. But regardless, whether I was strong enough or not, the truth was coming for me. Not knowing meant I would face it blind.
I stared at the intercom button for long enough to feel the cold creeping under my sweatshirt. Just do it. Everyone would be there, perhaps playing the game, maybe with other innocents like me. With that idea, I pushed the button and stood in front of the screen so he would see it was me. With the clunk of the lock unlatching, I pushed through and across the foyer to the lifts.
The lift doors opened to an empty room. The sound of my boots punctured the quiet as I left the lift and moved deeper into the apartment.
“Hello.” The security door did not unlock by itself.
I listened for any indication someone was home, but the place sounded like a morgue.
“He isn’t here.”
I turned to find Elva standing in a doorway on the opposite side of the room from the kitchen, hands on hips. She wore her customary tight jeans, spiked-heeled boots, and lush lips painted a deep purple to blend with the thick black outlining her eyes.
“Where is he?”
“Anywhere you’re not.”
This was going to be a prickly conversation, but I wasn’t leaving until I got what I wanted even if it was only directions to Jax. Elva scared me. I wasn’t equipped to deal with people like her, but I possessed two qualities at the moment that fed steel into my legs and bolted them to the spot, determination and desperation; both made me bold. “I just want to talk to him.”
She came toward me with her usual exaggerated hip sway. I refused to take a step back.
“Word of advice. Men don’t like limpets.”
“I’m not hanging on. He owes me some explanations.”