Volunteer (Selected Book 3)

by Robin Roseau

  "Let's check the cages."

  "Sure." We walked to the nearest and stood at the entrance. "There's no door."

  "Jasmine, is this active?" I called out.

  "It is," she answered.

  So I gave Audra a huge push. She went flying in and then hung, suspended.

  "Not funny!" she complained. She squirmed around, but she was stuck in mid air. "Um. We haven't even started yet."

  So I reached in and grabbed an arm.

  "Careful," Jasmine said. "Maybe let Posey do it."

  I turned, and Posey was walking over. She put a hand on the edge of the cage then eyed me. "If you push me in, you're going to regret it."

  "I wouldn't dream of it," I said. Okay, I'd been dreaming just that very thing. But she reached in, collected Audra, and pulled her to safety, steadying her so she wouldn't fall once she popped out of the cage.

  "You knew it would do that!" Audra said to me, her hands on her hips.

  "Oh come on, now you've been in the cage first. What are the chances you'll be first twice in a row? I was doing you a favor."

  "A favor. Right. I should ask Posey to toss you in."

  "But you won't, because you're more mature than that."

  "I'm not sure I am," Audra said.

  "All right," Jasmine called out before Audra could decide. "If you're done taunting each other, we have safety gear." So the four of us collected around her. Jasmine had put all of us in the stiffening suits, although she said it was to absorb any over-aggressive blows. But Audra's would stiffen, once the game began, if she were struck by a weapon.

  But then she gave us hoods. "These will absorb any strikes to the head or face," she said. "Put them on."

  We pulled them into place. She did something to activate them, and then she told Posey to hit Violet. Posey tried to hit the back of Violet's head, but the hood did something, and Posey's hand slowed to a crawl.

  "It's similar technology to the cages," Jasmine declared. "You can push, but you can't strike the heads."

  Then she made us put on gloves. They looked a little like boxer gloves, but the fingers were free. "These will protect your hands. You'll be able to clasp things, but if you strike with your hands, it will be padded, and if you take a strike to your hands, you won't break them."

  "I can't believe we're doing this," I said.

  "All right," Jasmine said. "I will give you a few more minutes for taunting, and then we begin. When I call out, you will each move to stand at the mouth of one of the cages. When I call begin, you may begin to compete."

  She strode from the grounds, and we watched her go, one of the barriers opening and closing as she passed.

  "She's having too much fun," I said. "I think we should toss her into one of the cages."

  "Go ahead," Violet said. "We'll watch."

  Audra snickered.

  But a moment later, Violet said, "Audra, could I talk to you?" She drew my sister across the arena, and the two began talking earnestly.

  Posey stepped up to my side. "So."

  "So."

  "You know, if Violet were going to conspire against me, she'd do it with you. So that means one thing."

  "Oh, hell. I don't want to go back into those jail cells. I had enough of that. Why'd Jasmine pick that punishment?"

  "She probably wants something from you," Posey suggested. "She'll let you bribe your way out of it, or at least into more privileges."

  "Maybe she wants something from you."

  "Skye, there is no way she's putting a Catseye into one of those cells. It's going to be you or Audra. Are you going to roll over and take it? Or are you going to see to it that it's your sister?"

  "Maybe it should be you to go into a cage first. And you can bribe your way out."

  "Well, from the look of it," Posey said, "They just reached an agreement." Both my mate and my sister were watching Posey and me, and they surely did look like they'd come to some sort of agreement."

  I turned to Posey. "I don't want to pick on Audra."

  "She's willing to pick on you."

  "I don't care. I don't want to pick on her. Will you help me against your sister?"

  "That's what you want?"

  "Yeah. We drive her in, and then the three of us separate and let the best woman win."

  "Deal," she said. "I don't get to use weapons, though."

  "We'll have to do our best. Promise to help if I get into trouble?"

  "I won't leave your side."

  A minute later, Jasmine called out and told us to take our places. I moved to the front of one of the cages and watched the others take their places. Jasmine called start. My visor immediately turned into tunnel vision, which was annoying, but I did my best to ignore it.

  I ran for the nearest weapons rack, picking up one of the long, padded sticks. Then I continued on to the middle of the arena, meeting up with Posey. Audra and Violet had each collected their own weapons. Audra had a stick like mine, and Violet grabbed a net. I figured she'd try to tangle me up and let Audra drive me backwards. I didn't think she expected Posey to help me.

  We came to a stop perhaps five meters apart. Audra was spinning her stick in circles.

  We eyed each other. No one said anything, but then we advanced.

  I tried to drive Violet, but Audra attacked with her stick. She got some good whacks in, and I found myself defending, although I continued to try to drive Violet backwards. Posey worked to interfere, but she wasn't effective yet. And as expected, Violet tried to tangle me with the net, but she didn't seem to be very good at using it.

  Neither team made much progress. I wasn't very effective at driving Violet backwards, and while Audra was able to hit me, I refused to give ground.

  And now we come to the point of this portion of the story.

  I had just fended off an attack from Audra. Then I felt tentacles wrap around me, and a moment later Posey had me completely wrapped in tentacles and arms, pinning my own arms to my sides.

  "What are you doing?"

  At the same time, Audra threw the net, but not at me. She threw it over Audra's head. My sister didn't even see it until it wrapped around her. Violet took two steps forward, tugging on the line leading to the net and giving Audra a push. Audra fell, and Violet rolled her more firmly in the net, tangling her completely, then picked her up.

  "What are you doing?" Audra screeched. "Violet!"

  We each struggled, but we were entirely ineffective. Audra turned and carried my sister to one cage, then paused. Posey had a longer walk with me, but then she called out, "One!"

  "Two!" yelled Violet.

  "Three!" yelled Posey. And she threw me. From the screech, it sounded like Violet threw Audra at the same time Posey threw me.

  I hung in mid-air, right in the middle of the cage. I could squirm about, but the cage held me at the center. I had to watch the rest of the battle by looking over my shoulder.

  Violet and Posey met back in the middle. They were both laughing, and they bowed to each other. They seemed pretty pleased with themselves.

  I was pissed, and looking over at Audra, I didn't think she was any happier than I was.

  I didn't know how long they had that planned, but I didn't think it was done on the spur of the moment.

  But I watched the battle, and I couldn't decide whom I wanted to win. Violet had picked up two of the sticks on the way back to the middle, holding each by a hand and tentacle. Posey was at a significant handicap.

  They separated a short distance, then they went at it.

  In a way, it was impressive, as angry as I was. But the handicap proved to be too much, and soon Posey found herself pushed backwards and then shoved into a third cage. Violet was the winner.

  Audra and I were both losers.

  A few seconds later, my visor went black.

  I seethed, but I said nothing and didn't resist when arms pulled me from the cage then bound my arms behind my back. They brought me from the arena, and I continued to say nothing. In the cell, I let them stri
p the battle suit from me, and then, while I was still standing in my birthday suit, the guards left me there. My visor slowly brightened.

  Waiting for me were undies and a camisole. I pulled them on then moved to the front of the cell.

  Audra was in the cell across from mine. They'd given her the same clothes I had. I watched her put them on. Then she looked at me, stared for a minute, then moved to her bed.

  She looked severely dejected, and my mood wasn't any better.

  I moved to the bed, lay down, and tested the controls on the visor. I had limited control, but enough.

  I told it to make me sleep.

  The visor woke me with a note saying it was time for lunch. I took care of needs, glanced at the food, and then ignored it. I went back to bed and told the visor to make me sleep.

  Five minutes later -- I could tell by the clock -- the visor work me. There was a message. "Visor controls are locked until you eat your lunch."

  I stared at the words, didn't make a sound, but walked over, collected the tray, and ate quietly. When I was done, I politely returned the tray to the little nook and went back to the bed.

  "Visor controls enabled."

  I told it to make me sleep.

  It was hours later when the visor woke me again. "Incoming video call from Violet Beamer."

  I declined the call then went digging through the controls to see whether I could block her.

  I couldn't. I also couldn't find any control that would prevent incoming messages from interrupting sleep mode.

  A minute later there was another call request. Declined. A third was declined. Five minutes later, I declined two from Posey.

  Then one came from Jasmine, and there was no option to decline. I sighed and accepted.

  "What can I do for you, Administrator Brighteyes?"

  "You are not being gracious."

  "I do not understand, Administrator. I haven't said one word until this call."

  "Do not play games with me, Ms. Andrews."

  "I don't understand. You're playing them with me. I thought you were encouraging games. Did I misunderstand?" She didn't respond immediately, so I asked, "Are you going to tell me why you did this?"

  "Look at your sister."

  I looked over, and she was sitting on her bed, her knees pulled up, staring into space. "What is she watching?"

  "Nothing. She hasn't touched the visor controls."

  "Maybe she's as happy with betrayal as I am," I said.

  "You think I betrayed both of you?"

  "No. I think our opponents betrayed us. They set us up from the beginning."

  "Perhaps they did. Is this in keeping with the way they normally treat you?"

  I thought about it. "No. And maybe that's why Audra is so upset. Maybe she never expected either of them to cheat her in this fashion. I've been subject to more teaming up than she has been, so I'm angry but not as shocked. I also thinks she hasn't paid attention to your games as closely as I have. Administrator, this will be the last time I willingly accept one of these challenges. I understand I am committed to this one, but I will not willingly accept others in the future."

  "You are being decidedly ungracious."

  "Perhaps I am," I said. "Perhaps you can explain why I shouldn't feel betrayed. And you know, I think I'm adding you back in the list of people who betrayed me. I haven't heard why you did this. You're not the top on my list right now, but as far as I am concerned, you have violated the terms of our agreement from two years ago."

  "I never said never, Skye."

  "You knew I was going to end back in here, and you haven't explained why. You know I hate it, and you know I long matured past thinking this is romantic. And those two helped you do this, to both of us. They both promised they'd never do something like that to me again."

  "Maybe they were calling to explain."

  "I doubt it."

  "Take your phone calls, Skye."

  "Administrator, you have threatened me if I am ungracious. I can barely talk civilly. I will not be gracious."

  "Take the calls."

  I sighed. "Make me."

  And she did.

  Violet called only a few minutes later. I wasn't given the chance to decline the call. As soon as her image appeared, I closed my eyes. "I have nothing to say to you."

  "Skye-"

  "I have nothing to say to you or your sister. Leave me alone."

  "Skye-"

  "No!" I screamed. "Can you see Audra?"

  She paused. "Yes."

  "Does she look like she's enjoying herself? Or does she look like the love of her life just stabbed her in the back and twisted the knife. Is that why you did it? To get her over her infatuation with your sister?"

  "No, Skye," she said. "Listen."

  "I'm not interested in a single word with you. I might not be able to remove this visor, but I bet I can destroy it if you give me enough incentive."

  "You'll hurt yourself."

  "So be it," I said. "You and your sister set us up."

  "It's just a game."

  "Does Audra look like she feels what happened was just a game?" I screamed. "Did you think I was going to laugh? Did you think she was? You and Posey had your laugh. Oh look. We tricked the trusting, naïve humans. Congratulations."

  I banged the back of my head into the wall a few times.

  "You're going to hurt yourself," Violet said. "Stop that."

  "You know, I would probably have been upset if you two had won honestly. I was already suspicious, which is why I was snarky, but then Jasmine declared the punishments, and I just knew I was going to end up back in here. I would have been upset, but I wouldn't be fucking livid!" My voice raised, and I screamed the last two words. "Leave me the fuck alone."

  She begged for a few minutes, but I stared ahead, no longer responding. When she wouldn't go away, I began banging my head again, trying to distract myself from listening to her voice. Then she began begging me to stop hurting myself, and I screamed at her to leave me alone.

  The call ended.

  She never apologized or tried to explain herself or Jasmine.

  Jasmine removed my visor control. I wasn't surprised.

  Dinner arrived. I stared at it then turned away.

  You should eat.

  I stared at the words then closed my eyes. I saw light flashing in front of my eyes, but I just squeezed them closed tighter. So of course, Jasmine initiated a call.

  "Eat your dinner."

  "Make me."

  "How well did that work for you last time?"

  "What do you want, Administrator?"

  "Eat your dinner so we can determine the next challenge."

  "Feel free to do it without me. I already know it's going to end with me back in here again."

  "That's awfully defeatist."

  "Is there any chance at all that either Posey or Violet is going to land in here?"

  "No."

  "So it's either Audra or me, if not both of us. I concede the remaining events."

  "What?"

  "You heard me. Let her out."

  "I'm not doing that," she said.

  "And I bet you aren't explaining yourself, either."

  "No."

  "And you're not explaining your dishonesty, either."

  She didn't answer that.

  "I suppose you won't tell me whether all this was a plan cooked up by the three of you?"

  "Eat your dinner."

  "Or what?"

  "Do you really think I can't add more punishments?"

  "Our friendship is over. I will find a way of paying for my last term at school. Leave me alone, Administrator."

  "Skye, you are distraught and making poor choices."

  "Whose fault is that?" I asked. "Leave me alone."

  "You have to eat your dinner."

  "No, I do not," I said. But I rose to my feet, moved to the delivery nook that held the food, and pushed the tray deeper into it. Then I bent down and began banging the visor into the edge of the no
ok, trying to break it.

  "Stop that!" Jasmine said.

  "If I can't control it and I can't take it off, I can see if I can break it." Bang. Bang.

  It hurt.

  "You're going to damage your eyes, Skye! Stop that."

  "You're right," I said. "This hurts." And so I turned sideways and instead of banging from the front, I tried banging the side.

  "Stop! Skye, stop!"

  "What do you care?" I asked. "Oh, I suppose the visor is expensive. Disable it and I'll stop."

  "Skye!"

  I banged my head.

  "Stop it!"

  "Make me."

  "I'll disable it."

  I paused. "Waiting."

  "After we've talked."

  Bang.

  "Skye! I have reasons."

  I paused. "Explain."

  "No."

  Bang.

  "You have to trust me."

  "Why?"

  "Skye, you're blowing this out of proportion. It's just a game."

  "It's just a game," I repeated. "That's your excuse. It's a game. Well, to a human, games have rules. And we know those rules before we begin playing. They don't change. But you made sure I didn't know the rules before I agreed to play, and the only reason I let you was because my girlfriend wanted this as much as she did."

  "Skye-"

  "But what I didn't realize was that my girlfriend was in on hiding the rules from me even when she knew what they were. I didn't realize my girlfriend intended me to face a situation I would never have consented to. And I didn't realize the two people I considered my best friends would stab my little sister and me in the back. It's not just a game, Administrator. When someone loses a game, unless they are particularly immature, they don't get as pissed off as I am. And before you tell me just how immature you think I am, you better ask yourself if manipulation and betrayal are good reasons for an emotional reaction."

  "Skye-"

  "This conversation is over. Either give me full control of the visor or let me take it off."

  "If you agree to cooperate, I will give you full control."

  "Define cooperate."

  "Eat your meals and don't fight with the guards. And don't try to hurt yourself anymore."

  "Fine," I said. "But it is very unlikely you're going to get more than that from me."

  "Returning control. This is the most authority I give a mating candidate."