“I’m so sorry,” Rein said, reaching for her.
Ellyssa backed away, her chin dipping down. Blood pounded anger through her veins; she felt it feeding her. She wasn’t angry at Rein; she was angry for being complacent even when the fight didn’t involve an actual enemy. Something she wouldn’t let happen again…ever. There were some lessons The Center had taught that should never be forgotten.
Rein let his hand fall to his side. “I really am sorry.”
“No, my fault,” Ellyssa said after taking a deep, calming breath. She didn’t want to hurt Rein. “Come for me.” She beckoned him.
Shaking his head, Rein held his hands up in surrender. “No. I can’t and I won’t.” He turned away and went to stand by Woody.
Ann strolled to the middle of the floor, her red hair twisted into a braid. She gave a subtle glance in Woody’s direction before placing her green eyes on Ellyssa. “I was watching you,” she said. “I hope you’re better than that, or you won’t be much of a challenge for me after all.”
Taking in a deep breath, Ellyssa became aware of everything. The intensity with which Rein and Woody watched her. Loreley making her way over to them. The way Ann sized her up, the sprinkle of freckles across her nose, the flare of her nostrils, the challenging smile crossing her lips. Slipping into the comfortable skin of her training, Ellyssa drank it all in. This was more like it.
Narrowing her eyes, Ellyssa said, “I do not think you need to worry about that.”
The two squared off, then bowed. They dropped into fighting stances. Less than a second later, Ann struck. Ellyssa easily dodged. Dipping down, the redhead tried to sweep Ellyssa’s feet. Ellyssa hopped over. Ann came at her again and again, and Ellyssa blocked every move, never striking back.
Fury started to flick in Ann’s eyes. “You’re looking,” she accused. She propped her hands on her hips.
For a brief moment, Ellyssa was confused by the statement. Then, she understood that Dr. Loki had talked about them. And why wouldn’t he? Secrecy in this small population could lead to mistrust.
Ellyssa shook her head. “I am sorry, but I am not,” she argued, her tone stilted as it always was when her soldiering side came out to play.
“It’s the only thing that makes sense. Besides Dr. Ito, and I give him a challenge, no one can beat me.”
A grin popped onto Ellyssa’s face. “I hate to inform you of this, but you have just met the one person who will beat you without the aid of my…gift. To rely on a specific talent weakens your ability to respond. You never know when a certain capability might be rendered useless,” she said, thinking about her brother Xaver, or even Dr. Loki, for that matter. Although Ellyssa’s gift was unique, it wasn’t infallible.
Peering at Ellyssa through narrowed lids, Ann seemed to consider what Ellyssa had said. Finally, she removed her hands from the perch on her hips. “That makes sense.” A slight twitch curled the corner of her mouth. “Let’s see what you can teach me, then.”
With a renewed vigor, Ann brought what she had, and Ellyssa countered, practicing her blocks. She had to give the redhead credit; Ann was good, her strikes unrelenting and executed well. When Ann started to show signs of weariness, Ellyssa ended the training. Ann ended up on the ground with Ellyssa’s foot pressed against her throat.
Trista, who’d entered earlier with Dyllon, clapped. “That was awesome,” she commended. “You still have to teach me, like you promised.”
Smiling down at her opponent, Ellyssa removed the threat and reached down to help Ann to her feet. “You’re good,” she complimented.
“You’re not too bad yourself,” Ann said with an eye roll. Returning Ellyssa’s grin, she straightened out her top. “There is a lot you can teach all of us.”
Ellyssa laughed as they went to the side of the room where Rein, Woody and the others stood. She liked the redhead.
Maybe she’d made a new friend. Although she still didn’t care for the way Ann looked at Woody.
40
Commandant Baer shivered in the corner of the room, the furnace standing like an ominous presence in the center, serving as a constant reminder of all the dead people he’d fed through the metal mouth. Freezing wind whipped around the outside of the building, crawling beneath the crack of the door and penetrating through the grey bricks. Vapory breath escaped in puffs from between Hans’ lips. Another tremor rocked his body and clacked his teeth together.
Like a common Renegade, Hans’ hands were cuffed together behind his back, where a chain led to another set of cuffs tightened around his ankles. His usually pristine Waffenrock was crumpled and dirt, his medals stripped from his breast.
The pain of the girl’s infernal fire and ice through his veins still raged unrelentingly within his memories. He’d thought, during his career, that he had known how to torture. He had no clue.
Aalexis was a master.
He had also had no clue what true pain felt like, and how there was no way to escape it. He’d tried. God, how he had tried. But he’d failed. At the time, he couldn’t think of anything but how much he hurt. It dominated his thoughts in a perpetual loop. Even now, he still couldn’t escape the phantom pain.
Hans hadn’t talked, though. Somehow through all the misery, he’d kept his mouth shut, refusing to answer any of the questions the little bitch and her bastard brother had bombarded him with. Not that he could have, anyway. Their words had meant nothing to him; he couldn’t grasp onto a single syllable, much less comprehend what they were saying. The intensity of the torment dominated his thoughts.
Maybe that was something Aalexis had never considered.
Hans had a new respect for the people he’d thought inferior. Their resolve was beyond commendable.
Taking in a deep breath that felt like ice picks nicking his lungs, Hans tried to concentrate on how to stop Aalexis and Xaver. How was it that the colonel and general, and all any of the other superiors, did not see that everyone would become extinct to make way for the new world order?
How could they be so stupid?
But Hans knew. The possibility of uncontested power beyond the scope of what was known blinded them with temptation. They were too thick to realize that they wouldn’t be able to control the young girl. No one could. Despite Aalexis’ own outward appearance, Hans doubted that even she had full control over herself.
Fruitlessly, he struggled against the cuffs, trying to yank his hands through the cinched metal. All he accomplished was pinching his skin. If he could somehow slip his hands through the connecting chain and under his feet, he could at least have them in front, where his movements wouldn’t be as restricted.
The chain limited his ability to bend forward, which would be much easier for a man his age to do. Instead, Hans fell to his side and tried bending his back in an awkward position. The chains clinked together, a tinny ring, as he struggled against his bindings.
Hans was getting nowhere fast. Frustrated, he thrashed about, bending back and forth until exhaustion grabbed hold and left him on the cold floor, panting.
What would happen if he got free, anyway? Burst through the door and end up with a significant hole through his chest?
Resigned, Hans settled on the cold floor, feeling the heat slowly seep from his body, like it was draining through a sieve.
41
Dr. Loki looked up from a map he had spread across the table when Ellyssa trailed behind the others into his office. Ann, Loreley and Dr. Ito were sitting in the chairs. Trying to be unnoticed, Ann stole a glance at Woody before turning away.
“As promised, an aerial view,” Dr. Loki said.
The map showed a detailed image of Amarufoss’ compound. Digital whites and dark browns showed the layout of the land, while greys and reds showed buildings.
“How’d you get that?” Woody asked.
“We pinged a satellite and downloaded it.”
Nestled within the crook of Dyllon’s arm, worry crinkled Trista’s brow. “Is that safe? What if they traced you?”
<
br /> “They didn’t.”
“But how do you know?”
“We have our safeguards. If anyone noticed, all they read was cyber-dust. Don’t worry. We’ve been doing this for years. Our computer whiz kid is good at his job.” Dr. Loki turned the image around so that everyone could see. “I wouldn’t jeopardize our establishment. Not for you. Not for anyone.
“To continue. On this side,” the doctor said, pointing toward the right side of the map, “are the male prisoners. Over here are the females. A brick wall separates the two. The perimeter exterior consists of a chainlink fence, and the interior is a four-meter wall. The main gate”—his finger slid across the map to another break in the perimeter—“and the delivery gate.”
“As for the buildings”—Dr. Loki started to point at the various grey and red buildings—“the main office of the Commandant, the garage, and here is a new addition, but I don’t have the slightest clue what its use is.”
Ellyssa memorized the details as Dr. Loki continued showing the prisoner barracks, soldier barracks, another office and the building believed to be used for the extermination of what society considered dregs. A knot formed in Ellyssa’s throat as she thought about Mathew, about all the others, wondering who had survived and who hadn’t. The rest of her Missouri family must have shared her sentiment, because they all looked away. Trista covered her face with a hand.
Dr. Loki paused, apparently sensing the dark cloud that had settled over the room. After a few seconds had passed, he cleared his throat. “We haven’t gone anywhere near the base since they doubled the patrols. It was safer to keep away, for obvious reasons.” He opened a folder. “Based on collected data, perimeter patrols are conducted every ten to twenty minutes. Both gates are always manned.
“There is a port between the fences filled with razor wire, and both fences have it strung on top. The bad thing about razor wire is, if you get caught by it, it will slice you to ribbons. The good thing is, when cut, the two ends will lie over, leaving a small opening.”
Studying the map, Woody ran a hand through his hair. He looked at Rein and Ellyssa with grey eyes filled with hopelessness. “How are we going to breach that?”
Dr. Loki said, “My advice is to go in at night. As I’ve already stated, we can’t help you, but we can give you the tools needed to cut the wires, clothing that will conceal you in the dark, and quieter weapons.”
Ann frowned. “What do you mean, we aren’t going to help them?”
“Ann, you know we can’t. We can’t jeopardize this institution.”
“And you speak for all of us?”
Leaning over the table, Dr. Ito said, “Our time will come.”
Ann flashed the sensei an irritated glare. “When? When exactly is that? You’ve been telling us that for years. Loreley and myself, and everyone else for that matter, have trained for something like this since we were little children. Right now is the perfect time to test our skills.”
“I’m with Ann,” Loreley said, pushing her chocolate-brown hair behind her ear. As soon as she moved her hand, the piece fell forward again.
Dr. Loki shook his head. “Now is not the time.”
Leaning back in her chair, anger carved in her face, Ann crossed her arms. “I’m going.”
“Me, too,” Loreley added.
“No, you’re not,” the doctor said, an exasperated note in his tone.
“Are you the dictator now, too?”
Fury chiseled deep lines between Dr. Loki’s eyebrows, his eyes narrowing into thin slits, his jaw working the tendons in his neck. “How dare you?” he sputtered, his words seething between thinned lips.
“How dare I?” Ann said, standing, her fists clenched at her side. “How dare you decide what we are going to do without ever putting anything up for a vote?”
“You know we can’t risk the possibility of you being captured. That’s not a secret. Think of all the lives you’re endangering for a few outsiders.” His eyes moved to Ellyssa’s group as if sorry for the way he said the words, although, judging by his look, he’d meant what he said.
“Which is exactly what we are supposed to do, isn’t it? Aren’t we supposed to change things? Isn’t that the whole purpose?”
“Yes, but not now.”
“Then, when?”
The doctor’s harsh stance deflated, like someone had let all the air out of his anger. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he said, “I don’t know.”
Loreley said, “Then how do you know now is not the time?”
Sitting back down, Ann nodded her agreement. “Look, we understand the risk, and we appreciate everything you have accomplished. Without the knowledge you brought from the outside world, from your work at The Center, we wouldn’t be in the position we are now. You, of all people, know what it’s like above ground. You lived it. Before you veto the whole idea, please give me a chance to explain how we can help without risking The Pit.”
Dr. Loki glanced at Dr. Ito, who just shrugged. “Hear her out,” he advised.
He took in a deep, slow breath and let it out. “Okay, the floor is yours.”
“They need help getting over the fence, right? So what if Loreley…” Ann stopped, looking at her caramel-skinned friend before continuing. Approving, Loreley lifted her chin. “…and I help them over the fence and give two extra sets of eyes. No one else has to come. We won’t go into the compound at all.”
“And what if you’re caught?”
Leveling her gaze at the doctor, Ann said, “We know the consequences.”
“I don’t like this. Not at all. You and Loreley are the best Dr. Ito has produced. It would be a hard blow if we lost either of you.”
Knowing she had won, Ann smiled. “If you are so sure of Dr. Ito’s success with us, then you have nothing to worry about. With all the chaos going on at the camp, we’ll return without anyone the wiser.”
Leaning back, Dr. Loki stared at the overhead light, his hands propped under his chin. Silence settled in the room as he thought. Ellyssa watched all the different scenarios playing out in his head, one after another, and almost all of them ended with the facility being raided, everyone being killed, and all the intelligence they’d gathered throughout the years ending up in the hands of the State. A mental shrug later, Dr. Loki came to a surprising conclusion.
“If I’m risking two of my best soldiers, I guess I might as well extend the invitation for you all to return here—we really could use your expertise, Ellyssa—but only if you are successful. If you are discovered—” he gave Loreley and Ann a hard look for emphasis—“none of you can come back here.”
Slowly, blinking in disbelief, Ellyssa said, “Thank you.” Her group had discussed somewhat where they would go with their rescued family, but nothing concrete had been decided, besides going west, where the population wasn’t as dense. The invitation Dr. Loki extended was a blessing.
The doctor sat up and gestured for them to all move closer. “I suggest two groups,” he said, his words infused with uncertainty as he struggled with the possibility of all the things that could go wrong. “One for the females and the other for the males. From past surveillances, there have always been more males than females.”
Huddled around the table, the small group made plans. Once again, Ellyssa would find herself as well as the people she loved on the move and risking their lives. Only this time, two more had gotten dragged into their mission, and if the doctor’s fears proved true, two hundred and fifty at risk.
42
The moonlight glinted over the snow, like a scattering of diamonds. A strong wind captured the icy dust and tossed it in the air. Floodlights swept back and forth, cutting a bright line through the inky black.
Aalexis stared out the window of her newly acquired office. Xaver stood at her side. His hand drew patterns on the small of her back, out of sight where no one could see.
“Soon,” she whispered, as if the sound of her voice would shatter the peaceful setting.
Xaver nodded.
<
br /> “Can you feel it?”
“Yes,” Xaver answered, his voice soft.
Quickly, he brushed his nose against Aalexis’ hair and inhaled, then withdrew. If any of the imperfections happened to be looking through the window, they would’ve seen the loving gesture. That would usually anger Aalexis, but she didn’t care right now. Everything was going to plan, and soon, Ellyssa would return home without a fight. Her sister’s wrongly placed love would betray her as Aalexis had planned it would.
“I wonder what her face will look like when she sees us—ghosts from her past.”
“I do not know,” Xaver answered, pulling her away from the window. When they were safely out of view, he placed his hand on her cheek and traced the curvature of her bone with his thumb. “I have never said these words before, but I am now. You are beautiful.”
As confusion played tug-of-war between what had been instilled in her and what she’d opened her heart to feel, Aalexis leaned into his hand. The warmth from Xaver’s touch was pleasing and too seductive to ignore.
“I want all of our creations to look just like you.”
Aalexis smiled. The emotion displayed so freely on her face felt so foreign, but Xaver’s words made her feel…happy. She closed her eyes. “They will be a combination of both of us.”
For a long moment, Xaver didn’t say anything. Then she felt his soft breath wash over her skin. She opened her eyes to find him close, leaning over her, the pupils of his eyes dilated to the point of almost covering his sky-blue irises, and his lips pressed in…indecision. Before she knew what was happening, her brother closed the gap and brushed his lips against hers. Pulling away, a smile played with his lips and lit his face.
Aalexis’ mouth tingled, pleasantly, and a warmth she’d never experienced before clenched in her stomach. Disbelieving, confused, shocked, Aalexis shoved him away. Hurt replaced the happiness Xaver had just held on his face.
Her hand covering her mouth, Aalexis backed away. “You kissed me,” she stated. A mix between anger and desire twisted in her muscles. She fought between the desire to fling herself into his arms and flinging herself with a knife-strike to his throat. “Why?”
Flawed (Perfection) Page 29
