After dinner, everyone gathered around the arenas that had been used for the challenges and waited for Anton to finish rounding up the horses before Will showcased his newest weapon.
It was a short, light, silver rod, but looks were definitely deceiving. Blue lasers shot out from the ends, so that the weapon could be used like a katana, which would only cause more damage to the victim. They flew faster than the blink of an eye and could penetrate three sheets of steel seventy meters away. A force-shield could extend from almost all of the sides in almost any shape, from circle to square to ten-pointed star. It protected from bullets and lasers, but it only worked best at mid-range around ten to thirty meters. Instead of redirecting the threats, it absorbed their energy, whether it be heat or impact force, and translated them to charge the weapon. It could also take body heat so the battery would not run out in the middle of a war. There was a small slit along its side for a dagger or humble knife. No one had ever seen anything like it, not even Matthew.
Will named the weapon 6359T. We were all eager to get our own, but we would have to wait until the following morning. Will also shared that he was working on getting a few 6359Ts to our allies as a sign of good faith to renew our alliance.
The crowd dispersed, and David approached me. “It’s about time I returned this.” He handed me my dagger, and I slowly slid it down the side of my boot. I then followed him to a brief meeting, where I received a long hover-board, one of Will’s newest weapons, a gun with ammunition, and contact lenses that allowed me to focus on three things at once. They multiplied the density of nerve endings by pulling them together, as if creating two more foveae. When wearing them, I could look around like I was observing a picture with all near, far, and peripheral visions being perfectly clear. They were too complicated to manufacture in large quantities, and only a select few soldiers received them.
David told me that Maxime could never wear the contact lenses because they made the program stronger. Something inside me withered away as I heard Maxime’s name.
“Alexia! Alexia!” someone screamed.
I looked around, but only saw people searching for the origin of the scream, just like me. The screeching voice echoed full of hate and desperation.
I ran between soldiers, slithering past those who stood tightly together like a herd. My eyes were scanning everyone, searching for the voice.
Suddenly, Sarah emerged from the crowd. “Alexia!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face. She stormed up to me and slapped me across the face.
“What’s going on?” David asked, and a crowd had formed around us.
“She killed Chris! He’s dead!” She brought her hand up again, but David stepped between us and caught her hand. He held her tightly, but she kept fighting to get away. After a few screams and some flailing, she fell to the ground, sobbing.
Thoughts of losing Maxime burst inside my mind.
“Alexia had nothing to do with that, Sarah, and you know that. Matthew killed Chris, not her. I’m so sorry. Did you tell anyone in Maria about Alexia?” David rubbed her back while she continued to choke on her tears.
Sarah shook her head and let out a harsh shriek of pain. David glanced at me quickly and motioned for me to leave, but I couldn’t move.
Chapter 35
I couldn’t sleep. Every dream became a nightmare. I would see Matthew torturing Maxime, slowly and painfully killing him. Matthew’s soldiers were slaughtering rebels, The Shadows, Maria, my friends. I had accepted death with war, but couldn’t accept loss or fear. I was in every nightmare, standing by, watching silently, not fighting, not even trying to defend or protect what I cared for. I was the monster.
I had caused so much grief and pain, and the future would be no different, yet I couldn’t bring myself to try to change it. I should have left The Shadows a long time ago. I remained half awake, half asleep, on the hard snow under a cold cover of night, surrounded by the people I would hurt.
I jumped up to the sound of the bell. Sam ran over. “You look terrible,” he said.
“Thanks. I didn’t sleep well.” I could hardly keep my eyes open. Every sound was too loud, every movement was too quick, and every light was too strong.
“I’m sorry. I have something that’ll help.” He handed me a small pill, and I swallowed it without even asking what it was.
“So this is how you manage getting up so early,” I joked.
“I wish, but no. These pills take care of the lactic buildup, so it helps, but they’re mainly used to keep soldiers awake after concussions. They’re not great for the brain if taken often, so you still need to get some sleep tonight.”
He patted me on the back and laughed.
The entire world seemed to fall to silence when David walked up to us.
“I’m sorry about last night. Sarah was helping to bury the bodies at The Shadows and had come across Chris. She’s . . . coping, but she’ll be fine. She understands what happened. She just needed to blame someone, and you were the easiest target. Don’t let it drag you down.” David didn’t look at me when he spoke, which made me feel worse.
“Did she go back to Maria?” Sam asked.
“Not yet. She’s sleeping. I’ll take her back around lunch.”
“Should I . . . speak with her?” I asked.
“I don’t recommend it. Maybe another time. I’d let her accept what’s happened first.”
I nodded, but in reality we all knew very well that there was no way to just accept what had happened, especially not for Sarah.
David said, “You need to shower and change. We’re having dinner elsewhere.” He took me by the arm and led me toward the shower cabin.
“What do I change into? You said last night—”
“You’ll see.”
David told everyone to look decent before pulling me into the shower cabin. Chills slid down my back, as I quickly became the center of attention. Although the men were wearing towels, I felt naked. I stared at the floor, avoiding everyone’s eyes, hoping it would help with the humiliation.
David turned a shower on, pulled a chair beside the shower curtain, placed my towel and wound dressing on it, and told me to clean up. I hesitated, but obeyed. David placed a black bag on the chair in exchange for my dirty clothes. He told me he would have them cleaned and took off.
The soldiers slowly went back to their business, and I felt less anxious. I let the water wash away the tension. The crowd fell silent again. I reached for my towel to find that it had been replaced with one half its size. I did my best to dry off and wrapped it around my hair. I put my underwear and wound dressing on, then grabbed the black bag. I pulled out a formal dress. It was a soft, light-blue, silk strapless with an open back, loosely tied by a long, flowing ribbon across my shoulder blades. The gown was generous and fit snugly. There was a pair of black stilettos that matched the dress.
Although the outfit was beautiful, I didn’t want to wear it. Not only did it take away my authority by revealing my femininity, but I felt trapped in it, unable to move or defend myself. I wanted to wear my usual attire, but couldn’t. I had three choices: a towel the size of a pillowcase, my underwear, or the dress. David had trapped me, and I fell for it. I slipped the gown on and took the shoes in my hand. I pulled my hair back so it wouldn’t soak the dress. I felt weird, bare, stripped. I couldn’t walk out dressed for a wedding, but there wasn’t another option. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, told the men to look decent, and stepped out.
I heard the shock ripple from one soldier to the next. My face turned red, and my heart pounded. I avoided everyone as I made my way for the door. I only wanted Maxime to see me like this, no one else.
The soldiers whispered as I marched past them.
“Now I remember why we don’t allow women here.”
“Is the weapon to distract every soldier?”
“Power is attractive.”
“She cleans up well.”
“I’ll follow her to war any day.”
I ign
ored the stupid comments. I was too uncomfortable to stay to argue.
David was waiting for me by the door. “What am I wearing?” I yelled.
“A very nice dress. You look great,” David teased.
“Why am I wearing this?”
“It’s expected where we are headed.”
“Expectations are overrated. This is ridiculous! You keep telling me to gain respect and then force me to wear this! I can hardly walk let alone fight in this!”
“We’re going to dinner, not war.”
“That’s not the point! What are you going to wear?”
“What I wore for Christmas.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Life’s not fair. Now put on your body-warmer before you freeze and Maxime murders me. I’ll see you at my cabin in ten minutes.”
As I headed over to his cabin, Sam and Nick ran into me, but I couldn’t face them. They hesitated before speaking, twirling their thumbs and exchanging looks as their eyes rested on me. I was being strangled by every gaze with no relief, not even from friends.
“You look amazing.” Sam smiled warmly and placed his hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me. I honestly appreciated the compliments, and for a moment I forgot where we were and tried to imagine that we lived a normal life.
“May I have this dance?” Anton walked up behind me and tapped my shoulder. I laughed, unable to contain myself.
Before I could answer, he swept me off my feet and twirled me around. I was floating over the snow. He led me around in circles without the slightest uncertainty, just enjoying the moment and letting go. Others gathered around, clapped, cheered, and sang small tunes, laughing at us.
“I wonder what Emma would think if she saw you now,” he whispered in my ear, and I felt flush as every ounce of embarrassment drained from me. I didn’t understand him anymore—he had changed completely, accepting me, helping me, comforting me.
Suddenly, everyone fell silent and out of nowhere David took me by the arm and pulled me into his cabin. He was furious, his glossy eyes narrowing. He couldn’t look at me or stand still. He sat me on his bed and paced in front of the door.
“What’s wrong?” my voice trembled.
“Alice, we’re at war and you’re dancing!”
My heart plummeted. I reminded him of Alice, his one true love. “I’m sorry.” I knew arguing wouldn’t help, so I sucked in the blame. “Relax.” His pacing was driving me insane. It was like watching a tennis game with the ball flying back and forth.
“Relax? How am I supposed to relax?” His anxiety was swelling.
“Well, for starters, stop pacing. Please.” I tried to remain cool, but my head was spinning.
He stopped abruptly, glared at me, and started pacing again.
“David . . .” I reached for his hand to get him to stand still. He turned around, shot his hands behind my neck, and kissed me. My heart dropped, and I pushed him away.
“I’m sorry, David, but I’m not Alice.” Tears clouded my vision as I thought of Maxime.
He swung around in embarrassment. “I’m sorry,” he muttered and stepped out.
I walked out to see David with his horse and five other soldiers mounted in different uniforms. I had never seen them before and had no idea who they were. One man in his late thirties with blond hair jumped down and came at me with handcuffs and a needle. I took a step back in fear.
David moved to stand between us. “What for? We were invited for dinner. This isn’t hospitality.”
“Sorry sir, but we were given orders. Until we run tests, we must take precautions, because she hasn’t been determined as an ally yet.” The soldier seemed afraid of David, but stood his ground.
“The Shadows is your ally, and she is a part of The Shadows!”
“Sorry, sir. Either she comes with precautions or stays.”
I slowly turned around and put my hands behind my back. The cold clasp bit at my wrists, then buzzed when it was turned on.
“Wait! Why the injection?” David asked.
“It’s only to numb her hands. Precautions, sir.”
I felt a deep sting in the palms of my hands and then I couldn’t feel them. I couldn’t tell if my fingers were moving or not.
I turned around to face the escort and David, waiting for further instructions and unable to speak from mistrust and confusion.
“She’ll ride with Rhett,” the blond-haired soldier said as he pointed to an older man in a red uniform seated on a black horse.
“No, she rides with me. You drugged and cuffed her; she rides with me,” David cut in and pulled me closer to him. I was being dehumanized, hauled from one to the other without a say, but I treasured David’s guard as he looked out for me. The blond soldier couldn’t oppose David any longer.
Somehow I made it onto the horse’s back while wearing a dress and with my hands cuffed. David sat behind me with his arms on each side. He wouldn’t let me fall, but I was uncomfortable.
As we started to leave, I whispered, “Where are we going and why?”
“We’re having a meeting with one of our allies’ leaders. They haven’t decided if they still support us or not.” David still sounded irritated from the escort’s precautions.
“What do you mean?”
“They’re not sure if they still support The Shadows now that you’re a part of it. Just be patient. We’ll see how everything plays out when we get there.”
After that, every question was answered with David telling me to be patient, so I gave up.
We rode for a half-hour with two soldiers behind us and three in front. When we arrived, the place reminded me of H.S.H.S., with tall buildings and advanced technology. The Shadows was definitely the lowest-ranking camp. I also immediately noticed that I wasn’t the only girl, and that many of them were also soldiers with uniforms and weapons. I wanted to join them and show David how his laws and traditions were outdated, but knew I couldn’t. It wasn’t the time or place.
We stopped in front of the main building in the center of the city after having taken teleports. It was connected to surrounding structures by hallways, and bright lights emanated from every window. With its white and metal design, it reminded me of a hospital. It had heavy security, from soldiers to technology and advanced locks.
David helped me down, and we entered. I felt like prey walking into a trap. The blond soldier held me back, and David quickly pulled the man’s hand off my shoulder. They exchanged a glare but didn’t speak. The soldier pulled out another needle, stuck it in my palms, and my hands became warm again. I stretched my fingers and thanked him, but he didn’t respond. He called for three soldiers.
“You will be escorted to dinner while we run some tests to determine whether she is a threat or not, sir,” the blond-haired soldier said. I felt like a lab animal.
“No! This is ridiculous,” David said.
“Sorry, sir, but as long as she hasn’t been cleared, she’s considered a threat. Please follow these officers. Thank you.”
“No! I follow her. Wherever she goes, I go.”
We were taken to a white room. There was an examination table in the center surrounded by appliances of every shape and size and hooked up to thousands of outlets with power running through each of them. I was asked to lie down, and they cuffed my wrists to the bed. I was being observed and judged by everyone in the room. A man dressed in a lab coat carried an IV. I glanced to David for help, pleading with my eyes.
“What test is this?” he asked.
“This will allow her to dream memories so we can see whom she truly considers her friends and foes. We cannot hear, but the way she acts should suffice,” explained the doctor.
“Why dreams?” David asked.
“She can lie in interrogations, but seeing her memories is like looking through her eyes. When she dreams, she sees herself, so emotions won’t blur the images. The chemical will allow only memories to play, not fantasies, so they are like facts. We can also control the date and time as well a
s the subject of the memories. It’s our most sophisticated test,” the doctor said. He sounded like he was going to enjoy messing through my mind, like a game.
“What about my privacy?” I was scared of what they would see if they were in control. I needed to be able to hold onto some things without them being tainted.
“We’ll do our best to focus on what we need, but those lines can cross and get blurred.”
The doctor injected the chemical through the IV, then placed a strap on my forehead. He hit a switch, and a screen slowly drifted down in front of us and the lights turned off. He explained that the strap would relay my memories onto the screen and that they were being recorded on a nano-disc. He then told us that he was going to control the memories by telling me dates or specific words, such as names, so everyone had to be quiet.
More people walked in and sat in chairs behind me. I glanced at David, hoping he would ask them to leave, but he looked back helpless.
The doctor then announced that he was starting the test. My heart pounded. I had nothing to hide in the sense that I wasn’t their enemy, but I still wanted to hold onto my pride and dreams of Maxime.
I heard him say “Matthew,” and the screen instantly revealed him. I remembered him kidnapping me from Tamizeh, being locked in a cell at H.S.H.S., holding me at gunpoint. I saw him attacking me at The Shadows, then throwing a knife at Maxime.
I heard “assassin,” and remembered Nick, Sam, and Marc being shot. Then Orion and Keith showed up. David, followed by Zachary, flashed on the screen. I felt every stab, every bullet, every cut, and every punch again and again. I jerked with the memories, scratching my wrists with the cuffs. Tears filled my eyes. I felt like I was drowning.
“Stop! You’re hurting her!” David’s voice rang in my ears, but I couldn’t stop playing my thoughts and images of Anton interrogating me when I first revealed my identity. I felt him hit me, his rage burying me.
I heard “friends” and saw Lyli, Ryan, Nick, Sam, and David.
I heard “family,” and the screen went black. I was supposed to remember, but I didn’t know my family. I couldn’t show them anything.
Violet Path Page 30