'Asil, calm down!' Vlad is stronger than his little brother and pins his arms to his sides, much like he did mine last night.
'How can you do this?! You swore you'd keep her safe! You promised you would – '
'I'm sorry,' Vlad speaks quietly in Asil's ear. 'I have to do this. For the Rebellion.'
'You promised me!' Lorna wails. 'You promised me I could be at the centre of the next phase! You promised!
'You slimy bastard!' I growl at Vlad, any gratitude or warmth I felt for him has disappeared in an instant. Lorna still cowers behind me, hiding so that Sir Alec can't see her. 'How long have you been planning this? When did you decide to – ' Suddenly it dawns on me, and I feel sick to my stomach. 'You – ' I'm shaking so hard I can't get the words out. I point a finger at Vlad, hoping that somehow the gesture will portray just how livid I am. 'When you spoke to Malachy in private in that pub, this was what you talked about, wasn't it? You asked him to send Sir Alec here.'
'Yes,' Vlad nods, hanging his head. He still doesn't let go of Asil. 'I'm sorry, Eve.' I stand, mouth agape, trying to process what's happening. One thought I just can't wrap my brain around is that Malachy knew what Vlad was planning to do – and he went along with it. He delivered the message to Sir Alec, knowing that in doing so he was sealing Lorna's fate. A fate I'd risked my existence to keep her from facing.
'She's not going!' Asil's voice takes a tone I've never heard him use before.
'No?' Vlad raises an eyebrow, not cockily, not with any kind of pleasure, but matter-of-factly. 'You all seem to be deciding Lorna's fate for her. Why don't we ask Lorna herself?'
'Are you crazy or just plain stupid?' I snarl. 'Lorna broke out of the Institute to get away from him!' I point at Sir Alec, who has remained silent throughout this outburst without a ghost of expression on his face. 'She risked her life to get away from him. Do you really think she's going back willingly?'
'Well, let's ask her,' Vlad repeats, peering past me to where Lorna stands trembling. 'Lorna, without Sir Alec on our side, we can never complete our mission. You want your mother's freedom, and we can't give that to you without this man's help. You have a choice: you can either go back with Sir Alec, or you can stay here. But if you stay here, the dream you've harboured for almost three years will never come true.'
'Lorna, don't listen to him. We'll find another way. There has to be – '
'This is the only way!' Vlad cuts me off. 'Take it from someone who knows, Eve. Someone who has assessed every angle of this with a knowledgeable Law Officer! Our plan is the only plan.'
'No wonder you were so desperate to have us join the Rebellion!' I spit, cursing myself for not seeing it before. 'When you told Kristoff that Lorna was a vital part of the plan, I thought you were doing her a favour. I thought you were exaggerating her importance so that no one would attack her. All along you were just using us, Lorna for her connection to Sir Alec, and me for my connection to Malachy. What an idiot I've been!'
'Could we possibly save the emotional outbursts until after I leave?' Sir Alec drawls.
'What were you going to do without Lorna, Vlad?' I ignore Sir Alec. 'If she and I hadn't wandered so willingly into your midst, what was your original plan?'
'I don't have much time and I came here to negotiate the release of my daughter.'
'She's not going with you!' I snarl at Sir Alec, so fiercely that I almost feel colour rise to my cheeks. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I know the fight is lost. Sir Alec knows too much already; about Malachy's connection to me and to the Rebels, and now about the plan for the Confine break-out. But I can't stop fighting for Lorna; I've spent too long doing it.
Behind my back, Lorna shifts slightly, so that her head is poking over my shoulder. 'Wait, Eve,' Her voice is quiet, but everyone on the island has heard it. 'Is what you said true, Vlad? About the plan?'
'Yes,' Vlad looks a little relieved, and it disgusts me. 'We need him. Without him, this has all been for nothing. This is the only way.'
Lorna pauses for a moment, staring at Vlad in a way I didn't think was possible of a human. I realise with a start that she learned that stare from none other than Sir Alec. Her eyes pierce Vlad's, as though she's seeing into his very thoughts. 'Then I'll go with him.'
'Lorna!'
'You can't!' Asil's cry is strangled in Vlad's grasp.
'I have to. If this truly is the only way, then it's up to me.'
'Lorna,' I lower my voice, turning to speak only to her. 'You're eighteen now, have you forgotten?'
'No, I haven't forgotten. I know what he'll do,' She glances at Sir Alec, hatred in her green eyes. 'So be it,' She lowers her voice, speaking directly to me. 'I was willing to sacrifice my life to rescue my mother, and that's exactly what I'll be doing.'
'What do you want in return?' Sir Alec turns, business-like, to Vlad. 'My sworn allegiance when you take Sirus' place?'
'That's not going to cut it,' Vlad snorts. 'Your word means nothing to me.'
'Then what? I don't have all day.'
'There are certain things we need you to do for us,' Vlad says, slowly releasing Asil. He watches his brother warily, waiting for him to attack again, but Asil rushes to Lorna's side, throwing an arm around her shoulders. 'But before I tell you what they are, I need to tell you what will happen if you refuse. You see, once I tell you these things, you'll have confidential information. Information that, if repeated to the Auctoritas, could put us in a sticky situation. So,' Vlad steps forward, turning away from Asil, Lorna and I. 'If you refuse to help us once you've heard our plan, your daughter will be killed.'
Asil releases Lorna, stepping around me to attack his brother again, but I hold him back. He kicks and thrashes and almost breaks free, but I hiss in his ear. 'Leave it, Asil. He wouldn't do that.' Sir Alec hears me, but I give him a look that lets him know I'm only saying that for Asil's benefit. I now have no idea what Vlad is capable of.
'It's okay, Asil,' Lorna places a delicate hand on his arm. 'It's the only way.'
'I understand,' Sir Alec's voice is measured. 'What do you want me to do?'
'You have a lot of influence with Sirus,' Vlad replies, not missing a beat, not even turning to witness the effect of his words on his brother or Lorna. 'He has allowed you certain leniencies in the past. Lorna, herself, is one of those leniencies. Sirus trusts you.'
'Yes, he does.'
'I need to use that trust. I need you to tell Sirus and the other Auctoritas to be in a certain place on a certain date. I need you to convince him. I leave the details up to you, whatever you think will most urge him to leave Mount Kamen. But he must not suspect.'
'Why do you need him to leave Mount Kamen?' Sir Alec frowns.
'That's irrelevant,' Vlad replies dismissively. 'Just make sure he does.'
'You could have used Malachy for this,' I hiss at Vlad. 'You needn't have got Sir Alec involved at all.'
'Sirus is already suspicious of Malachy, he told me that himself in the pub. And Malachy could not offer me the second part of the bargain.'
'Which is what?' Sir Alec frowns.
'A place to hide.'
'Is this a joke?' Sir Alec snorts, shaking his head. 'Where on Earth do you suppose I put you all?' He glances at the hundreds of Rebels surrounding him.
'That Institute of yours is pretty big, so I've heard,' Vlad shrugs casually. 'You could easily fit our group into it.'
'The Gray Institute?' Sir Alec's eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. 'It's absurd!'
'Why?' Vlad frowns. 'The Auctoritas don't set foot there; Sirus trusts you enough not to check up on you. Law Officers don't go there unless called or sent. Seems the perfect place to me.'
'And how long do you expect me to keep you there?'
'Not long. Just until the date I give you.' Vlad smiles. Sir Alec glares at him, figuring out his options. On more than once occasion, he glances at Lorna, trying to work out if he can grab her and run.
'Are you going to all hop on this boat?' He jerks his head at the tiny
sail boat. 'Follow me back to the Institute?'
'It's not your job to worry about transportation. All you have to do is convince the Auctoritas, and let us stay in your Institute. We can go below ground. We won't disturb the students.'
'You're forgetting one small detail,' Sir Alec grins. 'How am I going to explain Lorna's return to the Auctoritas?'
'That's simple,' Vlad shrugs. 'Your Institute Officials captured her after she and Eve decided to go their separate ways. Lorna was slowing Eve down so she went off on her own. You can choose where she was found, as long as it's not here.' Sir Alec looks stumped, and if it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, his expression would be comical. 'Oh, and just so you don't feel the urge to squeal on us the moment Lorna is in your clutches,' Vlad continues casually. 'We have something else to offer you in return.'
'What else could you possibly have that I want?' Sir Alec smirks, his eyes cold.
'We can offer you a place in the new government, once Sirus has been removed.'
Sir Alec closes his mouth, eyeing Vlad sharply. I gape at him, amazed that someone I thought I knew could turn out to be so different. 'The government?' Sir Alec frowns.
'We plan to overthrow Sirus and the other Auctoritas. Our plan is solid and achievable. And when we take over the Immortal world, where are you going to be? If you take Lorna and run, go to the Auctoritas and tell tales on us, you'll stop this Rebellion, that much is true. But then what? You're stuck as a mere headmaster for however long you can ride it out. Perhaps Malachy Beighley will want a new headmaster for that Institute. Perhaps not,' Vlad shrugs as if he couldn't care less. 'But if you join us, we can offer you what Sirus never will. A seat on The Board. A voice. A say in politics, laws, decisions that right now are no concern of yours.'
'That's not legal.' Sir Alec frowns, but I can see in his eyes that he's interested. This is something he's never been able to consider before.
'Not with this government. But with ours, we can make it legal.'
'How do I know you'll make good on your word?' Sir Alec raises an eyebrow.
'You don't. You'll just have to trust us. As we're trusting you now.'
Sir Alec and Vlad stare one another down for what feels like an eternity. I can see the cogs whirring in Sir Alec's head, and – as pissed off as I am with him – I have to hand it to Vlad, he's thought of everything. He's dangled the one thing that Sir Alec can never have – and craves so much – right in front of him. Power. Sir Alec glances at Lorna, and his jaw hardens. 'Very well,' Sir Alec nods finally. 'I'll join you. I'll do as you ask. But I want your offer in writing at the earliest convenience.'
'Don't be ridiculous,' Vlad snorts. 'There's to be no paper trail. You take my word or you leave it.'
'I'll take it.' Sir Alec growls.
'Excellent choice,' Vlad smiles, stepping away. 'Lorna?' He turns to her, as do Asil and I.
'I'll be all right,' She whispers to both of us, looking as though even she doesn't believe that. 'It's for the greater good. Hey, if you're coming to the Institute, maybe I'll see you again soon.'
'Lorna.' Asil looks like he wants to cry.
'It's okay,' Lorna nods bravely. 'I'll see you soon.' She touches both of our hands as she passes, walking to Sir Alec like someone walking to their death. Which, actually, she is.
'When shall I expect you at the Institute?' Sir Alec asks.
'We'll leave in groups. Expect us any time.' Vlad replies.
With one last nod, Sir Alec turns, placing a possessive arm around Lorna's shoulders. She glances back at Asil and I once more before turning to walk with him towards the boat. Asil and I stand side by side to watch them board whilst the other Rebels begin to move around us, bored now that the action is over. 'This is what you've been trying to tell me, isn't it?' I ask Asil without looking at him. 'That you and Lorna are... ' I trail off, watching him nod from the corner of my eye. 'When did that happen?'
'Whilst you were away freeing the old Rebels,' Asil replies. 'It was... unexpected.'
'You're telling me,' I snort. 'I thought she hated Immortals. Now she's dating one?'
'Well,' Asil takes a long, deep breath. 'Looks like she'll soon be one.'
'Asil?' Vlad's voice interrupts our conversation, and as much as Asil wants to watch Lorna leave, he clearly can't stand to be anywhere near his brother. He turns and stalks away into the palm trees.
'Eve?' Vlad turns to me, his dark eyes pleading. It makes me sick. I step forward and see hope light up his eyes. The sound my palm makes when it connects with his cheek satisfies me as much as I can be satisfied.
Chapter Twenty
Eve.
Vlad begins organising the Rebels the moment Sir Alec and Lorna have sailed out of sight. I listen to his instructions – I don't want to risk being caught on the journey – but I make it clear that, other than for Rebellion-related purposes, I don't want to talk to him.
It's too dangerous now to use the airports; they'll be policed heavily by the Army and/or Law Officers, and whilst the new Rebels – aside from Vlad, Vanessa and I – are unknown to the Auctoritas, the old Rebels will be much easier to spot. They're recognised throughout the Immortal world for their parts in the French Rebellion, but aside from that, their unfamiliarity with modern technology – such as aeroplanes – will quickly give them away. To sail would take too long, over a month, and we could never commandeer enough boats for all of us. That leaves only one option; a daunting, seemingly impossible option – swimming.
Vlad has mapped out the journey down to the very last detail. The distance from our island to the Antipodes Islands – south of New Zealand – is around 10,000 kilometres. An Immortal can swim around 140 kilometres per hour. This means it will take us just over three days of non-stop swimming to reach our destination. Being an Immortal has its perks, but swimming for 72 hours still seems an almost impossible feat. We won't get tired, we won't drown or die of thirst or exhaustion, but what impact the mission will have on us mentally is beyond my understanding.
Vlad mentions that it's highly likely the waters are also being policed, so it will be safer for us to swim below the surface. Having already experienced this sensation as an Immortal, I'm not looking forward to doing it again; remembering not to draw breath is much harder than it sounds.
Asil is sent out for supplies before each of our trips begin; I don't know where he gets the blood – and I don't want to ask – but my best guess would be a hospital or blood bank on account of the sterile, well-sealed pouches. It makes me slightly sick that we're stealing from humans in need, but the memory of the man I killed's face is enough to quiet my morals.
Each group drinks their fill right before they begin their journey in order to maximise their strength. The average Immortal can go three days without feeding, but as we near our destination, we will be weak and hungry.
Slav and Jared are sent out with the first group of old Rebels. Vlad tells them to keep land within sight and to their left, and to watch out for Law Officers. One hundred Rebels wading into the sea from our little island is a strange sight and I watch as they dip under the calm water without re-emerging. Separated into eight groups, it will take eight days for the last group to reach the Institute. How Sir Alec plans to keep the students from noticing one hundred bedraggled Rebels entering is anyone's guess.
Vanessa leaves on the second day with her band of old Rebels, and the guards from the Thailand confine, each gripped tightly by a designated Rebel. Vanessa is the only person besides myself who is at most risk of being caught; we're both the most wanted Immortals in the world. After her, it's mine and Vlad's turn.
Typically, on the day we choose to leave, the sea is choppy and overhead the clouds are an angry grey. Even Vlad admits that a storm could be brewing but he doesn't cancel the trip, if anything it seems to spur him on. Despite their differences, Vlad leaves Asil in charge of the others, instructing him to vacate the island last. I was under the impression that Asil's part in the Rebellion would stop with the island, but
Lorna's capture must have driven him to become a fully-fledged part of it.
Of the hundred old Rebels accompanying Vlad and I, I know none of them by name. Having freed so many, it's been virtually impossible to properly meet them all in such a short space of time. I'm not altogether happy about being lumped in Vlad's group, but a small, secret part of me is glad. Vlad is the most knowledgeable of us all, even Vanessa, and as angry as I am with him, I have to admit his presence makes me feel safe.
Early in the morning, Vlad, myself and the others drink our fill of slightly warm blood, feeling the welcome rush of energy hit us like lightning. Asil takes my hand just before we leave, his brown eyes staring intensely into mine. 'If you see Lorna... ' He trails off, staring out to sea with a morose expression.
The Gray Institute_Rebels' Hell Page 24
