The Gray Institute_Rebels' Hell

by Leanne Pearson

  'Luca,' He moves his head closer to mine. 'I swear to you, I don't know anything. I'm telling the truth.' He seems so sincere, so desperate for my help. And I love him so.

  'Alright,' I breathe, my voice barely audible. If Malachy searching for Ryder himself will help quash this rebellion, then it's for the greater good. Ryder will be punished either way. 'What do I need to do?'

  Malachy smiles. A real, genuine, beautiful smile aimed directly at me. I don't remember the last time he smiled at me that way. It makes me dizzy with elation. 'Thank you, Luca,' He releases my hand and touches my cheek gently, leaving the hairs on the back of my neck standing up. 'I need you to stay at the Institute and carry out father's wishes. But I'm telling you, Luca, the interrogations are senseless. There's really no point putting too much effort into them. Just do what you have to do to satisfy father. As for whether or not we're called back to Mount Kamen, I need you to be creative. Say whatever you have to to keep father at bay for as long as possible. You're so intelligent, Lucrezia, I have every faith in you. I know I can trust you.' He smiles at me again, and his eyes are so dazzling that I forget one key thing.

  If Malachy knows he can trust me, why does he still not admit his true involvement with Ryder?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Eve.

  The small island we arrive on is bathed in moonlight, sandy white shores shimmering against the darkness of the sea. Tall palm trees loom, clustered together in the centre, shielding half of the island from view. From the tree line – the highest point – I can see nothing surrounding us but blackened ocean. In a clearing on the other side is a white building, slightly larger than my parents' house with glassless windows and merely an arch for a door. Stacey tells me, as we traipse along with the other Rebels, that the island belongs to Vlad.

  After our lengthy journey, the old Rebels are weak again and collapse on the sand under the full moon. There are over eight hundred of us on this tiny scrap of land, but at the moment I'm simply overjoyed to have somewhere safe to rest. Vanessa organises the old Rebels into groups where she can keep an eye on each of them, assigning each group two new Rebels to keep watch while we wait for Vlad.

  Stacey and I take the group nearest the sea, stretched out on the sand, their toes dipped in the foamy surf. They talk quietly amongst themselves in various languages, and although they're limp and weak, they look far better than they did in the underground cave of the confine. The sea water has washed their bodies clean of dirt and grime, and their skin is already less yellow.

  One of them, I notice, keeps peering over the head of her friend to observe Stacey and I. She looks vaguely familiar with her long brown hair and dark eyes, but I can't place her. Her darting glances begin to unnerve me so I work my way around the group in the opposite direction; instead of taking the hint, though, she seems to see this as an opportunity. She stands up, a little wobbly, and winds her way through the Rebels until she's standing in front of me. She smiles, white teeth gleaming in the moonlight, and it's then that I realise who she is. She was the first Rebel I carried out of the cave. 'Bonjour,' She extends a slender hand and, reluctantly, I take it. 'I am Zoe.' She smiles.

  'Eve.' I try to smile back. She looks better, much better. There's a sparkle in her eyes now and, even though she's still stark naked, she holds herself with a confidence only naturally beautiful women have.

  'I wanted to thank you, Eve,' She stops smiling and, instead, regards me with a sincere frown. 'For rescuing me. I know that all of you – ' She gestures at the other new Rebels. 'Played your parts but I wanted you to know, yours was the first face I had seen in a very long time. You can not realise what that meant to me.'

  'Oh,' I nod, feeling suddenly abashed. 'Well, you're welcome. I can't imagine how... what you must have been through.'

  'It was terrible,' She shakes her head, her damp hair sending a cold shower over my bare arms. 'Even now, I am scared. The others tell me we've been underground for two hundred years. The world must be a very different place.'

  'Yes.' I nod, not sure what else I can say, what words of comfort – if any – I can offer.

  'It must have taken a great deal of bravery,' She continues. 'For you all to break us out. You will be hunted now, no?'

  'Yes,' I nod again. 'But we – they,' I jerk my head towards Vanessa. ' – Have a plan. Vanessa is a Law Officer.'

  'Is that so?' Zoe's head turns to observe Vanessa. 'She has taken a very great risk. She must be very brave.'

  'Yes,' I say once more, begrudgingly. 'I suppose she is.'

  Vanessa goes into the white house and emerges with a pile of cloth folded in her arms. She begins to distribute the light, mauve-coloured robes amongst the old Rebels and they take them gratefully, slipping them on and revelling in their gift of dignity. Maristella helps and by the time Vlad arrives, dragging a thrashing confine guard through the water, the old Rebels are clothed. Our leader trudges out of the surf, yanking the guard by the scruff of his neck and forcing him to his knees on the sand. He waits for Slav and the others, who aren't far behind him, and instructs Jared to watch both his own guard and Vlad's. 'You're surrounded,' He tells the guard. 'There's no point trying to break free. If you run, I'll make your life hell from this moment on.' The guard looks at Vlad with open disgust, but doesn't try to escape. Satisfied, Vlad turns to our large group, and allows himself a rare smile. 'Welcome,' He nods at the old Rebels, each group in turn. 'This island belongs to me, and for the time being, you will be safe here. For the moment, I would like to apologise for the rushed and heavy-handed way you were escorted from the confine; our numbers are few and our plan was the best we could manage under the circumstances. I'm sure you're all feeling disoriented and some of you possibly fearful, but I want to assure you that we will do everything within our power to keep you safe and healthy. Kristoff,' He turns to the tall blonde man, the leader of the old Rebels. 'I'm sure there are many things you'd like to say to your people, things you've wanted to say for years but have been unable to. Now is the time to do that.'

  Kristoff nods and stands with an air of regality. He takes his position beside Vlad, and regards 'his people' with a mixture of pity and elation. 'Rebels,' He smiles, extending his arms as though he'd like to hold each of them. 'For two hundred years we have lain underground, guarded by those loyal to Sirus, paralysed in everything but mind. Our dream was ambitious, and unlikely, and we all knew the possible consequences from the moment we began. This fact has not made our imprisonment any easier to bear, but I have to believe that throughout these two hundred years past, you have clung to the hope that we may be liberated, and that it would be new Rebels who would liberate us. Well, my old friends, that day has come,' He beams at Vlad. 'You all heard Vlad's reasons for our rescue, and I'm sure he will tell us more about that in due course. This world is now a scary one for the likes of us; we are old and out of touch, but we are lucky that we have these young, hopeful Immortals to guide us. We owe them our freedom, our lives, and as your leader, I ask that you, at the very least, consider what Vlad is asking of you.' He turns and briefly touches Vlad's shoulder, a genuine look of gratitude on his handsome face.

  'Thank you, Kristoff,' Vlad nods, stepping forward again. 'We understand that, to you, this world is now an anomaly. Many things have happened since your imprisonment, both within the Immortal world and without, and, over time, many of you may develop a desire to go out and experience the modern world, see some of the things we speak of for yourselves. I'm well aware that what we ask of you; to join our forces and enter into yet another war so soon after being freed, is almost too much. But, despite the years and modernisations, our government is, unfortunately, much the same as it was in your day. Sirus Bathory still rules with a ferocity and injustice to rival his father's, our people are thrown into the Confine daily for the most menial of crimes, and many of them for no reason at all. We can not question our leader's decisions, can not voice our opinions, for fear of meeting the same fate.

  For too long our world has be
en a dictatorship, and, like all dictatorships, it needs someone who has the courage to speak out and go against the grain in order to topple it. We have Immortals whom are loyal to us out there – ' He gestures beyond the island towards the sea. 'But most are too scared to join us. We needed your numbers, but we also need your expertise. You were also ruled by Sirus, you know the way he operates, the way he thinks. With our forces combined, we may stand a better chance than you ever did of finally ridding our world of rulers like Sirus and Caruso.

  So I ask you to join us. Despite the two hundred years you have served in the confine, despite the foreignness of your own world, despite your own personal fears, I ask this of you because, if I don't, you may as well never have been rescued. The way our world is governed has not changed, and you will be just as unhappy within it as you were back then.'

  The old Rebels glance at one another once Vlad's speech concludes, communicating without words. Most of them appear fearful and confused, but a few of them are nodding emphatically, already decided on the matter.

  'What is your plan?' One of them – a male – asks from his place near Vlad's feet.

  'Our plan is complex and, for the time being, completely confidential. Even my own forces do not know every detail. But I would be willing to share it with Kristoff and, if you trust him, you can allow him to make an informed decision.'

  'Perhaps we should do that now,' Kristoff tells Vlad. 'If you need to know immediately whether or not we stand with you.'

  Vlad nods and leads Kristoff into the little house. The rest of us stay outside with the old Rebels, listening to them debate the topic openly amongst themselves.

  'I know not that I have energy for another war,' One of them says. 'We have just been released, why would we risk confinement again?'

  'I, for one, would like to see some of this new world. It is unfair to expect us to fight and be captured without having experienced any of it.'

  'But Sirus still reigns. You heard what Vlad said: you can go out and see the world, but when all is said and done, it will be just the same as it was.'

  'We need to help dispose of Sirus once and for all.'

  'We said it back then: the Immortal world can never be safe until Caruso and Sirus are gone.'

  'And whomever Sirus has chosen to succeed him will simply implement the same laws and practices as his father before him. This is what we stand for. It is what we have always stood for. Or did you join the Rebellion just for the fun of it?'

  Vlad and Kristoff are gone a long time and, during their absence, Vanessa hands out pouches of blood. She gives one each to the new Rebels, too, but I feel guilty drinking mine surrounded by so many starving. Finally, Vlad and Kristoff emerge, resuming their positions in front of their large audience. 'I have spoken with Vlad in great depth,' Kristoff says, his loud voice booming across the island. 'He has informed me of every last detail concerning his and Frau Foxton's plan and, after careful consideration, I conclude that this time – ' He pauses, his expression lapsing into one of genuine surprise. 'This time, we may actually succeed.' He looks as shocked at his own words as the other old Rebels do. 'It has long been our dream to strip Sirus of power. To make our world a fair one with a ruler we have chosen. Yes, we have suffered horrors. Yes, we have been imprisoned for two centuries. But has any of this changed what we once stood for? None of us have families, none of us have anything to return to. All we have is the future, a future Vlad and his new Rebels have given us – what kind of future would you like it to be?'

  'We stand with you, Kristoff,' An old Rebel male rises, nodding his head like it's a salute. 'What we want remains the same.'

  'But before we were all in it together,' A woman stands, too, her accent heavy. 'How are we to put our faith into a plan we are not allowed to hear? To follow Immortals we do not know?'

  'Those Immortals gave you your freedom.' Kristoff reminds her.

  'And I am grateful for it. But we are not equals in this Rebellion, as we were before.'

  'Vlad has explained his reasons for keeping the plan confidential; we can not risk a betrayal. I agree with him. You followed me before, and we failed. For that, I am sorry. But I never had anything but the best interests of our world at heart, and that has not changed. For the sake of that world, your world, I ask you to follow me again.'

  A rumble of agreement passes through the crowd, and more than half of the old Rebels stand, signifying their loyalty. After a few moments, more begin to rise, until all but two are on their feet.

  'Thank you,' Kristoff nods at his followers. 'From Vlad and myself.'

  The Rebels, now fed and at ease with our situation, begin to break off, some of them heading into the water, some hanging back on the island to talk and laugh, something else they've been starved of for a long time. Many of them crowd around the new Rebels, firing off questions about the modern world.

  'But how does it work? How can something have all the information in the world? It is impossible.'

  'Well, it's lots of different people who put the information out there – '

  'And how can you access it from a piece of plastic in your pocket? It is unfathomable.'

  'I do not understand, how does a sky-plane stay up?'

  'Aeroplane. And it's a range of different things, it has an engine but it's – '

  'What do you mean record music? I don’t know what that means.'

  Kristoff makes his way over to the two old Rebels who refused to stand. They sit alone on the edge of the island, dark expressions clouding their faces as they watch the others mingle. Their leader begins by talking to them together, but eventually moves away with one, coming back a few moments later to talk to the other. When Kristoff is finished, they both join us, but don't look altogether happy about it.

  'Things have gone as well as can be expected, don't you agree?' Vlad's voice in my ear startles me; there is so much Immortal presence on this island it's hard to distinguish one from the other.

  'Yes, I suppose,' I shrug. 'Though I'm not sure they're all going to stay when it comes down to it. They seem too interested in the new world.'

  'They'll stay,' Vlad says confidently. 'They won't have a choice.' I turn to ask him what he means but he's moved away already, towards Kristoff. He says something in the taller man's ear and he nods, following Vlad to their spot at the front of the crowd.

  'Everyone,' Kristoff calls the attention of his people, and those who are still out in the water swim quickly back. 'There is something you must know about what happens next. This information will come as a shock to you, but I must ask you once again to trust my judgement. Very shortly,' He pauses, taking a breath. 'A human will join us on this island.' He waits until the rumble of disquiet has simmered. 'This human is extremely valuable to the Rebel movement. She is the adopted daughter of Sir Alec Gray.'

  'Alec Gray?' One of the old Rebel women frowns. 'Alec Gray adopted a human?'

  'But that is illegal!' Another shouts. 'Only Auctoritas may – ' He breaks off when Kristoff holds up a hand.

  'Alec's reasons for adopting this girl are complicated and I will eventually explain them. But for now, all you need to know are two very important facts,' Kristoff pauses to make sure he has everyone's attention. 'One: This girl is a key part of our plan. Without her we may as well crawl back into that Godforsaken cave. Two: She is not a hostage. She is helping us of her own free will. Again, the reasons for this will be explained in due course but the main thing is that you understand that this girl is to come to no harm. You must maintain control around her at all times, at all costs. She will be treated with courtesy and respect.'

  I think Vlad has slightly exaggerated Lorna's importance within the Rebel movement, but I can't deny that I'm grateful to him for it. I had wondered briefly how exactly he was planning to keep eight hundred Immortals who have been starved for two hundred years in check around a defenceless human. It's a clever move on his part.

  After his speech, Kristoff moves off to tell the old Rebels, group by group, the
story of Sir Alec and Marcheline, the story of Lorna's fate, and her reasons for helping the beings she so despises.

  Lorna herself arrives with Asil the next morning on a small sail boat. She seems apprehensive as she steps ashore, staring into a sea of equally uneasy Immortal faces. Her expression changes to one of relief when she spots me, and she makes a beeline in my direction, the old Rebels parting for her, maintaining a safe distance. She lunges for me, wrapping her arms around my neck and I almost stumble, startled by her uncharacteristic greeting.

  'I was so worried,' She says breathlessly as she releases me. 'We didn't know anything. We didn't know what we were going to find when we turned up here. I was – ' A dark shadow crosses her features. 'I was dreading stepping onto an empty island.'