But there might not be a next time. The Children had never trusted Charlie before. This was his chance. His chance to prove he was devout in his belief, confident in their cause. If he gave up now Onero would never give him another mission.
He pictured Katy's face. She'd smiled proudly at him when he was given the mission, when he accepted so eagerly. She would know he was a coward if he quit now.
Charlie kept his distance, watching the guards. A group of students crowded in front of the lift door, waited for the capsule to arrive, and went inside. The guards only watched. Charlie observed two more lifts come and go to confirm it: the guards weren't searching anybody.
He waited for more students to appear before stepping forward to join them. He slid between two girls in the middle of the group as they approached one of the lift doors. He absorbed the guard's stare, searching every face. Charlie stared straight ahead, trying to appear bored. Relax your jaw, he thought, they'll know if you're tense. He let his arms dangle at his sides, yawning with boredom, but nothing felt normal to Charlie. Everything felt artificial. He was sure the guards would pick him out, notice his behavior and take him away.
It seemed to take hours, but eventually the lift capsule appeared above them, sliding into place with a soft whoosh. The doors opened and everyone stepped inside. The guard remained still.
One student exited on level six--the cafeteria--but the rest were traveling to the presentation. The girls next to Charlie whispered excitedly; his ears perked up when he heard the name Commander Jayce, the lead pilot in the Gold Wing. One of the girls blushed.
Charlie stared straight ahead through the transparent doors, watching the levels zoom by.
Level forty-five looked like any other, with soft rubber-like floors and wide hallways, except the walls were opaque instead of clear, and decorated with the portraits of military leaders. Charlie let the crowd move him along, down one hall, turning at a corridor. They drew close, he thought, because the crowd grew thicker, slowing down.
They rounded another corner and Charlie saw the auditorium entrance, tall double-doors opened wide. More guards stood on either side of the doorway, watching the students shuffle past. Charlie wanted to stop, to stand to the side and make sure everything was fine before entering, but the crowd was pressed tight around him. As he was carried forward he saw the guards were uncaring, staring straight ahead without glancing at the students.
They didn't know. None of them had any idea.
Charlie took a deep breath and stepped into the auditorium.
Sword of Blue
APRIL 2015
The Ancillary (Tales of a Dying Star Book 2) Page 14
