The Institute

by Kayla Howarth

CHAPTER EIGHT

  I want to ask him what he just said, but before I can find words, Shilah’s pushed into the room. I go to rush over to him, but Drew slams me back down in the seat and motions for Shilah to sit in the other chair. His hands are also cuffed. Drew has a crazed look in his eye, and I’m so confused that I’m not seeing straight. It’s like a switch has flipped, and I’m looking at someone I don’t even know.

  “I’m really disappointed it’s come to this, Allira.” Drew crosses the room, grabs Shilah by the shirt, and throws him into the seat opposite me. “I must be losing my touch.”

  To say that I’m dumbfounded is an understatement. Why does Drew have a two-way radio? Is he cooperating with them?

  “I can sense that you’re confused, don’t worry, I am too. I’ve never met anyone like you. You’re a puzzle I haven’t been able to work out, and that means I lost a bet. I’ve had a one hundred percent arrest record until you.”

  Arrest record? Drew’s looking at me like he’s waiting for me to figure out what he’s talking about.

  “Oh, dear sweet Allira, haven’t you worked it out yet? This is my job.”

  “What? Since when? How could you do this?”

  “Well, I’ve suspected you ever since you pulled me out of that car. You didn’t really think you could’ve got away with a feat like that and not draw any attention to yourself, did you? It’s a shame Jax had to die that day, but to be fair, he brought it upon himself. He found out who I was and that I was investigating him. He reached over and grabbed the steering wheel, crashing the car on purpose trying to get away. I was embarrassed to say the least, but I was just lucky enough to find my next case at the same time. You.”

  Ugh, he sounds so conceited. Vomit threatens to rise in the back of my throat.

  “Ahh, a feeling of disgust, not at all new to me, but entertaining nonetheless. I could never figure you out though, either you truly don’t know you’re Defective or your over-protectiveness for your brother was so strong that you never worried about yourself, only him, which in turn could never give me a proper read on you. That’s never happened to me before, Allira.”

  He’s looking at me as if he can’t believe a girl like me could fool a guy like him.

  “Was it all a lie? Why didn’t you just turn us in when the blood test was administered? Why bother putting us through this when you knew exactly what was going to happen?”

  “You mean, apart from it being fun?” A smirk crosses his face, and I’m beginning to realise just how twisted he is, and how deluded I was. “In all honesty, there’s only one person in this room who knew for sure how it was going to end.”

  I give him a confused look.

  He sighs at the fact I still haven’t worked it out. “You have been such a closed book when it comes to Shilah and your defect.”

  Shilah—who hasn’t uttered a word since being thrown in here—meets my eyes, but I quickly look away, ashamed that I fell for Drew’s lies and put our whole family at risk.

  “We had no idea what you two could do,” Drew says. “We couldn’t try a spontaneous capture and risk letting you get away. It’s always difficult to orchestrate an arrest when we’re dealing with abilities like Shilah’s. But then you gave me a brilliant idea. You told me before we left for our trip to the woods that Shilah can’t stay awake forever, so all I had to do was wait for him to fall asleep before I made my move. It worked extremely well as a last-minute effort to bring you both in. Of course, I would’ve loved the glory of bringing you in myself, but I guess you’re here now, and that’s all that matters. Although, I’m very disappointed you didn’t give it up to me by the lake that night. That would’ve made this moment so much more enjoyable.”

  He pauses for a moment to study my face. He really wants me to break down, get upset. Refusing to give him what he wants, I try to keep as emotionless as possible. But I’m in shock. You would think with everything that has happened, it would be hard to shock me, but obviously, life likes throwing curve balls at me.

  I’m reminded of my aunt’s words to me. “This is how strong people are made, Allira.” I just need to focus on that right now.

  “And now, honey.” His voice drips with condescension. “We’re going to play a little game.”

  He’s looking at me as if he’s a kid and I just told him we’re going to get ice cream. The sarcasm in his voice when he called me honey and the excitement in his eyes scares me.

  “I ask a question, and if you answer it honestly, your brother gets to keep his face intact. I must say though, after spending the last few days with him, I really hope you lie to me.”

  I force myself to look at Shilah.

  “Okay, let’s start. When did you become aware that you have a defect? Remember, if you answer honestly, Shilah doesn’t get hurt.”

  Okay, answer honestly, that’s all I have to do.

  “About an hour ago.”

  Drew turns and punches Shilah right in the nose so hard, his chair falls backwards, and he lands on the ground. I shriek and hear Shilah curse.

  “Oh, Allira, I’m so disappointed in you. How about we start with an easier one. When did you become aware of your brother’s defect?”

  Looking at Shilah on the ground, I don’t want to answer. I’ve spent nearly my entire life keeping his secret, and the last time I opened up to Drew about it … well, it got us here, but I don’t want Shilah getting hurt again. It’s my fault we’re here. I sigh, glancing away from Shilah’s gaze as I answer. I’m ashamed that I’m taking back the promise I gave him when he was a child that I would never talk about him to anyone.

  “When he was four years old.”

  “Good girl. That wasn’t so hard, was it? Now, why did you think it was okay for you and your precious little family to break the law and get away with it for over ten years?”

  Again I look down at Shilah. Blood is still gushing from his nose. I think Drew’s broken it. “He isn’t dangerous.”

  “He’s still Defective isn’t he?”

  “So are you,” I reply and then hang my head as soon as I say it. It’s probably not the best time to point out the obvious.

  What I’d like to know is how Drew’s able to work for them. They drill it into us for years that the Defective can’t live in our society, but they’re planting them in other people’s lives on the outside?

  “And you it would seem. Are you ready to tell me about your defect yet?” Drew asks.

  How can he be like this? How did I never see it before? How did I ever let that boy kiss me?

  But even now with his crazy eyes and sadistic personality, I’m thinking about those kisses, his tender touch, and loving arms. Why am I thinking of this now?

  “I’m starting to get impatient, Allira, and just think, the sooner you give us what we want, the sooner we’ll be able to start helping you settle in here.”

  The last thing I want to do is settle in here. Shilah’s lying awkwardly on the ground from when Drew punched him, and his eyes are filled with tears. I can’t bear to see him hurt.

  Fine. I’ll give them what they want.

  “Okay, I’ll tell you what you need to know. Just leave Shilah alone, please.” I have no idea what I’m going to say. I don’t have an ability. I can’t lie and say that I can do something that I can’t. What if they ask me to prove it?

  “Just tell the truth, Allira, that’s all we’re asking for.” Drew’s tone almost sounds like the Drew I know. But I am telling the truth, and that’s not good enough for them. I don’t know what to do.

  “Don’t do it, Allira, I’ve seen both outcomes. He’ll—”

  Shilah’s voice is cut off by Drew punching him again, but repeatedly this time. I can’t believe what I’m witnessing. Jumping out of my seat, I run over and try to push Drew up against the wall with my body, trying to get him to stop wailing on Shilah. He quickly turns and slams me into the opposite wall, hitting my head and throwing me onto the floor.

  “Stop. P
lease stop!” My pleading is being muffled by my sobbing cries.

  Drew goes back over to Shilah and starts kicking him in the stomach and ribs. I can hear shouts of pain coming from the floor between my gasping for breath and yelling, pleading for him to stop. A voice comes over the two-way radio.

  “Agent, that’s enough,” Drew doesn’t stop kicking. “Agent Jacobs, that’s enough!” The voice is more commanding this time, and it makes Drew stop and stand to attention. But Agent Jacobs? Stanley isn’t even his real name? Is Drew really his first?

  Drew … or whatever his name is, storms out slamming the door behind him. Struggling to get up, I rush over to Shilah’s side. His face is already starting to swell and is bloody. I think he’s passed out from the pain. I try rousing him, but it’s hard without the use of my hands. He makes a protesting noise as he comes to and tries to roll over.

  “Stay still,” I tell him.

  I feel so helpless. I can’t even comfort my own brother. Tears are still coming, and I begin to wonder just how many more I can shed before I become severely dehydrated. Surely, I’m running on empty.

  Two new men I haven’t seen before come in wearing white scrubs. They tell me to step aside so they can help Shilah, and I don’t hesitate to move. Shilah’s in a bad way. He needs medical attention. They take him out of the room, and I’m alone again. I take this opportunity to curl into a ball in the corner of the room and sob.

  Memories of the times I’ve spent with Drew flood my thoughts. I think about that very first day he ever spoke to me and how arrogant he was. Now I look back and realise it’s because he truly wasn’t interested in me. I wasn’t his target then. Everything changed the night I saved him from that car crash, how beaten down he was when he told me Jax was dead, and how sad he looked on the train that day. Was anything he told me the truth? I don’t understand how he could do this.

  Does this mean the Institute has other plants out there investigating people? How many Defective people are living a normal life under the watch of the Institute? Why does no one know about this?

  I’m so tired. How much longer are they going to keep me in this room? I have no idea what time it is, but it’s surely well into the early hours of the morning.

  I worry about where they’ve taken Shilah. I worry about what they’re going to do to me if I don’t admit what my non-existent ability is. I worry about my father. Did they take him too? If they did, I assume he wouldn’t have been brought here. He’s not the Defective one.

  It feels like I’ve been on this floor for hours when I hear the door open again. It’s two men in black uniforms, like the ones the people who arrested me were wearing. They pick me up off the floor and walk me out.

  Finally, I’m going to get a break.

  I’m escorted down long hallways that have security doors at the end of each of them. They buzz as we walk through them, and I recognise the sound from when I first arrived here.

  The guards don’t talk to me, and I’m thankful that it’s not the same men from earlier. Their grip on me is more casual. Maybe they know there’s no way anyone would try to escape from inside these walls. How the staff doesn’t get lost here is beyond me. I’ve lost count of how many turns and doors I’ve walked through.

  We walk through one more door and come to a set of stairs, and as they start walking me down, I see where they are taking me. They’ve brought me to my new residence … a jail cell.