Annihilation: A YA dystopian adventure (The Mind Breaker Series Book 3)

by Marina Epley

  “I apologize for my brother,” Marcus says to Jessie.

  “Let’s go!” she commands.

  We leave the house, firing at the quickly approaching truck as we run. The vehicle stops and soldiers in camo jump outside. They return our fire. I focus on running toward the woods. It’s hard to move very fast because the field is flooded. We stumble through the mud and puddles. It’s still raining and my uniform instantly soaks through.

  We enter the woods, continuing to run. The soldiers give chase, firing their rifles above our heads. I realize Guardian must still intend to capture me alive. I suddenly think it may be better to be killed than recaptured.

  Kitty runs along beside me, breathing heavily. I’m out of breath as well, but we can’t slow down. Jessie and Marcus follow.

  A second squad of soldiers wearing respirator masks suddenly emerge from behind the trees just ahead. They toss small containers, and I hear loud hissing. I understand what’s happening, but it’s too late to do anything.

  White gas fills the space around us. My eyes begin tearing and my throat burns. I hear Kitty coughing loudly. I take a step forward but somehow wind up on my hands and knees.

  Elimination may have run out of sleeping gas, but Guardian’s soldiers apparently still have a good supply. I can’t resist the overpowering urge to sleep.

  I hope Holtzmann, Dave and Victor will use any opening to slip away. I hope Guardian won’t recapture the professor. As long as he remains free, there’s a chance to win this war.

  I worry for a few more seconds before everything becomes dark.

  Chapter 17

  I awaken to a splitting headache and dizziness. I strain to look around and understand I’m inside a large basement. The air down here is stale and dusty. Meager lighting comes in through a small window near the ceiling. I can hear the steady rumbling of thunder outside.

  Kitty, Jessie and Marcus remain unconscious on the floor, confined along separate walls of the basement. We’re all handcuffed in front to long metal pipes running alongside the walls.

  “What the hell?” Jessie groans, waking. She glances around, frowning. “What’s this place?”

  “A basement,” I answer. “They must’ve brought us back inside the house.”

  “Holtzmann and the others,” Jessie says. “Did they get away?”

  I shrug. I’ve no idea what happened to the others. I can only hope they managed to slip away.

  Marcus opens his eyes as well and sits up, swaying.

  “Damn,” he blurts out. “Looks like we’re in trouble.”

  “It could’ve been much worse,” I assure him.

  Kitty moves her head, letting out a weak whimper.

  “Are you all right?” I ask worriedly.

  “I feel sick,” she complains.

  Kitty has low body weight, so the gas must have hit her even harder than the rest of us. Her face is sickly pale and her eyes hazy. My chest aches for Kitty. I shouldn’t have allowed her to participate in this mission. What was I thinking?

  “All right then,” Marcus says. “Let’s try to think how to get out of this mess. Does anybody know how to unlock handcuffs?”

  “I do,” Jessie says. “But I need a safety or hair pin. Does anybody have one?”

  Nobody answers. We obviously won’t be able to unlock the handcuffs.

  “Darn!” Kitty groans. “From now on I’ll never leave my room without a few hairpins in my pocket!”

  I understand her exasperation. We were completely unprepared for capture. It’s useless to now begin having regrets.

  “Rex, your pipe looks old and rusty,” Jessie says. “Try to break it.”

  I get busy attempting to break the pipe. I manage to make it to my feet, standing in an awkward half-bent position. I grab the pipe tightly by both hands and pull. Nothing happens. I continue trying. I hold the pipe, working it back and forth, but it doesn’t give.

  “Damn it!” I groan in anger. “C’mon! Break already!”

  No matter how hard I shake the pipe, it remains intact.

  I hear voices and heavy footsteps upstairs. Somebody’s coming. I stop my idle attempts to break the pipe and sit back down on the floor. A group of five soldiers in camo enter the basement. A big muscular guy about my age approaches. A single glance at his face is enough to convince me we’re in really big trouble. He pulls a long sharp blade, smiling sadistically.

  “Remember me?” he asks.

  “Hello Butcher,” I answer.

  I met Butcher a few months ago back in the Retaliation camp. He’s a hardened criminal, one who acquired his nickname for his psychotic tendency to cut his victims into pieces.

  I relax my face, concealing any emotion.

  “Where’s the drug?” Butcher asks.

  I now know they haven’t yet captured Holtzmann.

  “What drug?” I ask stupidly.

  “The one you stole from us,” Butcher says.

  “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,” I answer. “I don’t use drugs.”

  “You were gonna use this one. So where is it?”

  I remain quiet. Butcher grins, crouching down beside me and flashing the knife. His soldiers silently watch the scene unfold, each of them wearing a nasty smirk. I’m sure they’re all itching to torture and kill me. I project out my thoughts toward them, but it has no effect. They’re too strong.

  “Come on, Rex,” Butcher says. “Answer me. Did the psycho professor take the drug with him? Where is he?”

  “I’ve no idea,” I answer honestly.

  “Really?” he asks, putting his blade close to my face. “Do you realize I’m a level 4 who can read your memories?”

  “Go ahead,” I offer. “I’ll just block you. Victor attempted to read my memories once and failed. But I believe you’ve heard that story. And you must be aware how Victor is a much stronger memory reader than yourself.”

  Butcher angrily glares at me. He must realize very well that he can’t read my memories.

  “I’ve never liked your ugly face,” he says. “But I’ve always wanted to cut it.”

  I feel the sharp blade slowly slicing across the skin on my chin, leaving a trail of blood. I remain motionless. I won’t let him intimidate me.

  “Leave him alone, freak!” Kitty shouts.

  Butcher doesn’t bother to acknowledge her.

  “Do you remember when I promised to cut out your tongue?” he asks me, licking the blood clean from the knife. “Now seems like a really good time.”

  “You definitely wouldn’t be hearing any answers from me in that case,” I answer calmly.

  Butcher punches me in the face. My head snaps back from the hard blow. I hear Kitty yell.

  “Where’s Holtzmann and the rest of your squad?!” Butcher shouts.

  “I don’t know,” I mutter.

  He hits me again and the room swirls in front of my eyes.

  “Do you realize what I could do to you?” Butcher asks. “Do you know why everybody calls me Butcher?”

  I spit out blood onto the floor, steadying myself.

  “I’ve heard some stories,” I assure him. “But we both know Guardian ordered you to deliver us alive and in one piece.”

  “I don’t really care much for taking orders,” Butcher answers.

  “I think you must,” I say. “Otherwise, he’d simply kill you along with the rest of your gang.”

  “How can you be so sure about that?” he asks, smiling.

  “I’m sure you know nothing about Guardian’s plans,” I answer. “Do you really think he’d allow someone to destroy half of his headquarters and steal the drug?” I pause, forcing a grin. “It was all staged.”

  “Don’t make me laugh,” he snorts.

  “Well, you won’t be laughing when Guardian learns that you captured my team,” I add, although I’ve no idea what I’m talking about.

  “He ordered me to capture you,” Butcher says.

  “That only means he chose the wrong guy for the job,” I answer.
“You’re too stupid to understand the meaning behind his orders. You obviously can’t read between the lines. Your squad were never meant to actually capture us. It was all just supposed to be staged for Elimination.”

  “What?”

  “Guardian ordered me to join Elimination. My objective was to gain their trust, so it would be easier to assassinate their leader. It’s all part of Guardian’s grand plan.”

  I pause, unsure what more to add. Butcher begins laughing.

  “Do you really think I’m such an idiot?” he asks.

  “I was actually hoping you’re not,” I say. “I hope you understand that you’re about to screw up Guardian’s plan.”

  “Why steal the drug then?” Butcher wonders.

  I don’t have an explanation to offer. There’s simply no sensible explanation.

  “That is privileged information,” I say. “Details I’m not allowed to share with outsiders.”

  Butcher watches me warily. Come on, I think, buy it and let my team go. I realize I can’t affect his mind. Butcher is too resistant.

  “Liar!” he exclaims, punching my face. Blood drips freely from my nose and the cut on my chin.

  I quickly understand Butcher won’t be believing my ploy. He grabs me by the hair, tilting my head back and looking straight into my eyes.

  “Remember Roger offered you to join our gang?” he asks. “I’m glad you declined. You could never become one of us. We respect only strength and power. And you’re miserable and weak. I despise you. Do you know what we did with cowardly boys like you in prison?”

  For a split second I consider spitting in his face, but realize that would only lead to further beatings. I regain my composure and say calmly, “Do you know what I do with guys like you Butcher? I killed your former leader. And I’m going to kill you as well.”

  Laughing, Butcher slams the back of my head against the wall. The room spins.

  “Your stubbornness won’t do you any good,” he says. “I’ll capture Holtzmann on my own. He couldn’t have gotten away too far. And then I’ll come back and give you and your little friends a time to remember.”

  I don’t buy into his threats. If Guardian wasn’t interested in capturing us, we’d already be dead. I’m quite certain he ordered Butcher to bring us in alive and unharmed. I’ve no idea why though. Maybe Guardian wants to personally torture each of us, relishing every moment of our pain.

  Butcher commands the other four soldiers to stand guard, while he takes the rest of his gang go to search for the escaped professor.

  “Snake, you’re in charge,” he says to a big heavy guy. “Don’t touch the prisoners. We need to keep them in somewhat presentable condition.”

  After he finally leaves, the four soldiers go upstairs. I continue trying to break the pipe, becoming ever more frustrated at my failure. No matter what I do, the dang pipe remains intact. Marcus also attempts to free himself with no avail. I plop down onto the floor, exhausted from the effort and having no idea what else we might try to ease the situation.

  The guards return a couple hours later. They speak too loudly now and walk somewhat unsteadily, which gives one the impression that they’re drunk. I also notice they’ve left their guns upstairs. If we could only free our hands, we might knock them out and escape. The problem is that we can’t free ourselves.

  The biggest guy, Snake, takes a long lingering look at Jessie.

  “Recognize me?” he asks, breaking into a nasty smile. Jessie remains silent. “I saw you back in Hammer’s camp. Always liked you. But I think you were too uptight to notice. You probably thought I wasn’t good enough for you.” He pauses, staring down at her. “You don’t seem so good and proud now,” he adds.

  Jessie doesn’t answer, gazing coldly back at him.

  “You’re sure a pretty thing though,” he says. “Like to have a little fun, bashful?”

  “Leave her alone!” Marcus shouts.

  I become really anxious suddenly realizing what Snake has on his mind.

  “Butcher gave you an order not to harm us,” I firmly say.

  “Shut up,” he answers. “We don’t care about his orders. We do whatever the hell we want around here.”

  I watch as he steps closer toward Jessie, the same broken smile spread smugly across his face. She remains silent, watching him without emotion. She’s got to be one of the bravest people I’ve ever met.

  “All right,” I say, grinning. “I don’t really care what you’ll do with her. I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show.”

  Snake looks over at me, obviously surprised. Seems he wasn’t expecting such a reaction.

  “I think you care a lot,” he insists.

  “Why should I?” I say, continuing to smile. “That nasty, arrogant girl never noticed me either. I tried to be nice to her, but she always thought she was too good for me. She’s not even a friend. To tell the truth, I kind of despise her. So I won’t mind in the least if you teach her a good lesson. She really deserves one.”

  “You jerk!” Jessie yells back at me. “I’ve always hated you. And I’ve always known you’re just as bad as these stinking criminals.”

  I realize Jessie must have caught on and is now helping me confuse the soldiers. I’ve no idea whether it may work or not.

  “Shut your mouth, stupid girl!” I shout back at her. “I’m really sick of your uppity attitude. Somebody needs to put you in your place. I’m glad these guys are about to straighten you out. Come to think of it, I’d kinda like to have a turn with you myself.” I look up at Snake. “What do you think, boss? Butcher wouldn’t have to know.”

  I pause, waiting anxiously. If they were only silly enough to unlock my handcuffs, I would… do what? How would I fight the four of them? I don’t know, but it’s our best shot anyway.

  “Do you think I’m that stupid?” Snake asks, smirking. “I admit it was a nice little act you two just performed. But we all know she’s your best friend.”

  I almost groan in frustration. Damn it! I can’t fool anybody today. Looks like it’s time for plan B.

  “Guardian will kill every one of you, should you so much as lay a hand on her,” I say. “I can guarantee that.”

  Snake ignores my threat, grabbing Jessie by the hair. The situation is becoming desperate.

  “That’s a really bad choice,” I comment. “You’re practically committing suicide this very second. Have you ever seen a head explode? Guardian is gonna blow your head into a thousand tiny pieces. He’ll break every bone in your body. You must not be aware of what he’s capable of.”

  The guy remains oblivious to my threats. He begins undoing his belt. Jessie rolls her eyes, demonstrating just how unimpressed she is. The other soldiers laugh, watching the scene develop. I feel sick. I have to do something, so I take a deep breath and begin cussing Snake. I can’t free my arms, but can at least try to divert his attention. Kitty stares at me open-mouthed. She never heard anything so obscene coming from me.

  “Shut the hell up or you’ll take her place!” Snake snarls, turning to face me. He releases Jessie.

  I become stunned for a split second, having never received a threat of this nature before, but then continue the insults even louder. Angered, Snake quickly approaches and kicks me viciously in the stomach. I lose my breath.

  “Don’t touch him!” Kitty screams.

  “Leave him alone!” Jessie demands. “I’m not finished with you yet!”

  “You’re a dead man,” I say. “You hear me? I’m gonna kill you.”

  Snake kicks me again. I groan. The pain is intense, but it’s still better than letting him attack Jessie.

  “You coward!” Kitty yells. “I said, don’t touch my Rex!”

  “Shut your hole, fleabag!” Snake commands.

  “Why don’t you come over here and shut it yourself?!” she continues. “Do you think I’m scared of you? You’re just an ignorant freak, one who obviously thinks way too much of himself. You can do nothing to me!”

  I know precisely what
Kitty is doing. She’s trying to divert his attention away from me as I did for Jessie.

  “Kitty, be quiet!” I exclaim.

  “I’ve warned you, girl,” Snake threatens.

  “I’m waiting,” Kitty says, grinning. “Or maybe you’re the one afraid?”

  “Shut the hell up!” Snake growls. He approaches Kitty and slaps her hard across the face.

  “Don’t touch her!” I yell, frantically jerking my arms. The pipe remains solid.

  “Is that all you’ve got?” Kitty mockingly asks. “I could hardly feel that little slap.”

  Snake snarls, punching her in the face. Kitty lets out a moaning sound, becoming slack. I shout more insults, continuing to pull at the pipe. Nobody pays me any attention. I hear Marcus also begin to yell something. Kitty curls her split lips into a challenging smile, staring down Snake.

  “You hit like a little girl,” she says, laughing.

  A moment later she kicks his leg. He cusses furiously, punching Kitty again. I become desperate. I yank my arms so hard that the cuffs begin to rub the skin off my wrists. I yell at Snake to leave her alone, but he’s not listening.

  “I’m fed up with you, little one,” he says, pulling a set of keys from his pocket. He turns to face me, grinning. “I understand she’s your girlfriend, right? I’m gonna borrow her for a little while.”

  Kitty becomes quiet. Snake unlocks her handcuffs, grabbing her around her waist. He quickly raises Kitty up, throwing her over his shoulder. He’s at least twice her size.

  “Stop!” I shout. “Don’t do it Snake! I’ll kill you! You hear me?!”

  “Beat the hell out of that fool,” Snake commands the others as he heads out the door.

  “No, please. Let me go,” Kitty whimpers, although she doesn’t seem to be putting up any real resistance. Her face is strangely determined and calm. She catches my gaze and winks at me a moment before Snake carries her out of the basement.

  “Come back, coward!” I shout so loud that my throat hurts.

  “Don’t worry, hero,” one of the soldiers says. “Your gal will enjoy this. She needs a real man to help settle her down.”

  I desperately grab the pipe with both hands, pulling as hard as I can. I begin kicking at it, cussing angrily. The three remaining soldiers laugh loudly, enjoying my predicament. I continue with the effort, ignoring them. I have to free myself and somehow rescue Kitty. The pipe suddenly gives. I stagger backward, almost falling, now holding a large section of rusted pipe in my hands.