The Corded Saga

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

  The new admission brought all sorts of new questions, questions I was afraid to answer.

  “Hello, my name is Dr. Morton.” I greeted the new admission the way I always did. Polite, but professional.

  “Hi.” She barely looked up.

  “I see you have been Corded. How did you come to be here?” I tried to make eye contact, but she wasn’t having it.

  “I was separated during the fire.” She looked down at her hands when she spoke, and I got the sense she was lying.

  “The fire at Sray Club?” I led her, but it seemed like the only way I was going to get any answers out of her.

  “Yes.” She nodded.

  The girl was stunning, yet familiar. She had hair just like Quinn’s, same color and texture. They also shared the same nose. There was no question the two girls were related. I had read over Quinn’s records dozens of times. There was no mention of a sister, but that didn’t mean one didn’t exist. “Why did you come here?”

  “I was turned in for the money.” She still stared down at her folded hands.

  “Yes… I see here.” I glanced at the manila folder holding her records. “But how did you come to be in the company of the boy?”

  “I already told you. I was separated after the fire.”

  “Yet you appear completely unconcerned to be here.” In fact she seemed almost relieved to be here. Maybe it was because her situation at Sray had been particularly bad, but considering her resemblance to Quinn, I had my own hypothesis about the situation.

  “Where else would I go? The Reine? At least you aren’t going to beat me here. I mean I assume you won’t.” Genuine fear crossed her face.

  “No. No. Of course not.” I didn’t like to see her fear. She was a relation of Quinn. I was nearly positive. Whether she was a sister or cousin was left to be determined, but either way I would make sure she was safe.

  “According to your intake, you are unaware of your breeding status?” I doubted two in one family could be breeders, but then again if they were actually sisters their family genes were rare already.

  “I have never conceived, but I have only had the potential for one cycle. I don’t think that’s enough time to make a determination.”

  “One cycle? You were only at the Sray that long?” The timing fit Quinn’s so closely. “Where were you before you moved to Sray?”

  “In the Rurals.”

  “Oh? Is that so?” Her answer matched Quinn’s. We’d already sent representatives out to the area she described. There was no one there.

  “And how did you come to leave your home?”

  “Kidnapped by traders. How else would I have ended up in the city?”

  “Sray doesn’t buy from traders last I checked.”

  She paled slightly. Another lie. I didn’t press her and instead waited.

  “I knew someone who was able to get me to a better club.” She ran her teeth over her lip.

  “And this personal Cording?” I gently lifted her arm. “Is it possible the man who branded you truly let you get lost in the shuffle?”

  “With all due respect, sir. Why does that matter?” She finally looked up at me with blue eyes.

  I tried to hide my reaction, but the resemblance between her and Quinn was uncanny. “Because we need to understand your history.”

  “Understand my history? Or what? If you don’t like it, you’ll just let me go? I am free to roam around?”

  “No, of course we will not turn you out. We are here to—”

  “Then what do you care about my history other than my breeder status?” she interrupted.

  “It is important to know of any specific abuse or—”

  “Oh really? You want to know about past abuse before you abuse me?”

  “I already told you, you are safe here.” I was exhausted, so my temper was running on a short fuse.

  “Save it. I am here for one reason and one reason only.”

  I braced myself, knowing full well what she was about to say. “And what reason is that?”

  “To save mankind.”

  I blinked. What? I was expecting her to mention Quinn. Quinn, and maybe Bailey if she knew about her, was why she was here. I was sure of it. “Are you sure that’s why you’re here?”

  “Is there another reason to be here? Is there something else you do here I’m not aware of?”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I’m sorry, but we must know as much as possible about our patients.”

  “Patients?” She clasped her hands together. “Is that what we are? I never knew I was sick.”

  “You aren’t sick. It’s only terminology.”

  “What happens next?” She adjusted her pillows to sit up.

  “You get some rest.” I reached over to help with the pillows, but her expression made me step back.

  “After that.”

  “We will do some initial testing.” I kept my words as vague as possible. I didn’t want to needlessly worry her.

  “What does that testing involve?”

  “You have a lot of questions.”

  “Yes I do. Is that okay?” She stared me down again.

  She was fiery. That was for sure. I’d dealt with other women with an edge since working at Central, but this girl was different. She didn’t even pretend to have a softer side.

  “May I ask your name?”

  “You just did.” She adjusted the pillows again and sat up more.

  “What is your name?”

  “Kayla.” She stared right through me again.

  “Kayla. Pretty name.”

  “Prettier than patient # 261. Isn’t that what my file describes me as?”

  “Of course. Those numbers are only to make things easier.”

  “Then why did you ask my name?”

  “They make things easier, but that doesn’t mean I want to call you by a number.” Maybe it was useless to try to explain my position, but I always tried with the patients.

  “Oh. I assumed by easier you meant it was easier to torture me if I I was just a number to you.”

  “That’s true too, but I don’t want it to be easier. And it isn’t supposed to be torture. You said yourself, you are here because you want to help save human kind.”

  “We all say things we don’t mean.” She slumped down further in the bed.

  “Yes, we do.” I headed toward the door. “Rest well, Kayla.” I closed the door behind me.

  I was at a loss. There was no question she was closely related to Quinn. My first thought should have been about what a miracle it was that one family could have two girls, but it wasn’t. My mind was on whether this would change anything. Would this help me get through to Quinn? Convince her I cared about her?

  I still didn’t know why I needed Quinn to view me different than everyone else, but I did. And it wasn’t just for the hope she’d choose me as an active donor, even if the thought of such intimacy—though only for the purpose of procreation—thrilled me like nothing else in the world. It had been my superiors’ idea. Quinn had conceived naturally, but had that been an anomaly? There was only one way to find out.

  It wouldn’t be forced on her. Her other option was the test tubes, but I wanted her to choose the first option—with me. More than that, I wanted her to open up to me. Tell me what really happened to her. She’d been traumatized in ways I could never hope to understand, and I needed to help her.

  Quinn

  Something had changed. Dr. Morton was looking at me differently. Studying me in a new way. He always watched me, but this time was different.

  "Good evening, Quinn." He always used my name even when it was completely unnecessary.

  The change in his appraisal was odd, and a horrible thought occurred to me. "Is Bailey okay?"

  "Yes,” he reassured. “But she's sleeping."

  "Sleeping? Already?" His words gave me no comfort. Something was off.

  "It's after ten."

  "Oh." My windowless room also lacked a clock. It was easy to lose track o
f time.

  "I'm sorry I couldn't come in with her earlier. We had a new admission."

  "Oh?" I feigned indifference, but I always wondered about the new admits. I wanted to know who they were. I felt for whatever new girl was forced into this life.

  "Yes." He studied me again.

  "Is she, all right? Where did you find her?" He never told me anything about the other women, but I still asked each time.

  "There was a fire at a club. Sray club."

  I knew that name. That was where Ethan was. I tried to keep my expression neutral, but I feared I'd already let on that I was familiar with the name of the club.

  "Have you heard of it?" He walked further into my room.

  "I think an old friend is a member." It was too late to come up with a better explanation or reaction.

  "An old friend?" He raised an eyebrow and inclined his head in a way that said it all.

  "Not Bailey's father." Ethan and I had never been anything but friends. It was a Kayla who grabbed his attention. Or she did until he got tired of waiting and left. Kayla never admitted it, but his decision to leave hurt her in a way very few things could. Kayla was such a strong person, but his decision to leave hurt her deep enough that she responded by building walls.

  “I didn’t—” He started to protest.

  “Yes you did. Don’t lie. That’s exactly what you were asking.”

  “Quinn.”

  “Yes.” I crossed my arms.

  He said nothing.

  “Was there something you wanted to say?” My nerves were frayed.

  “Do you want to go for a walk?”

  “A walk?” I startled. The only walking I’d been doing was around my room. “Now?”

  “Yes. You might feel better if you weren’t cooped up.”

  “You mean I can go outside?” I hadn’t seen the sun, or even moonlight, since I arrived. Fresh air sounded good—but only if I could bring Bailey. I didn’t deserve the outdoors if she didn’t get it too.

  “I suppose I should have been more specific. I meant if you weren’t cooped up in your room. We can walk around this floor, or I can take you down to the atrium. There are some lovely trees and plants down there.”

  “Can you take me to see where Bailey sleeps?”

  He shook his head. “She’s sleeping.”

  “You already told me that. Why can’t I see her? Watch from the doorway?”

  He paled.

  “What aren’t you telling me? What’s wrong? What’s the real reason I can’t see her?” fear surged through me. I wanted to see my daughter.

  “She is fine. Absolutely fine.” He put his hands up as if in defense.

  “Then why can’t I see her?” Fear gripped me, and I could barely get the words out.

  “It’s not her you can’t see…” he trailed off.

  “Then what do you mean? The room? You told me she has a nice room.”

  “She does. But we can’t go there now.”

  “I’m not taking no for an answer.” I wasn’t going to back down.

  “Tomorrow. We can go tomorrow.”

  “Why not now?”

  He put his head in his hand.

  “Dr. Morton. I need an answer.” If something was wrong with my daughter, I needed to know about it. I wasn’t in the mood for theatrics or lies.

  He looked up. “My name is Maverick.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because I want you to know my name.”

  “Fine. I know it, now please answer me.”

  “I’m not allowed. A guard comes in after 9:30 PM. I’m not allowed in there because she isn’t my patient.”

  “Why not?”

  “Why not what?”

  “Why isn’t she your patient?” I wasn’t sure how things really worked in Central. I had met a handful of doctors the first few days, but after that Dr. Morton was the main one I dealt with.

  “She’s a child. I only take care of adults.”

  “Yet you bring her to see me every night?” The one bright spot of my otherwise dark existence.

  “I do before the guard comes. That’s why I always keep the visits short.”

  “Yet you couldn’t tonight because of a new admission. I see.” I felt undeserved anger toward the new girl. It wasn’t her fault, I knew that, but anger isn’t always rational. More often than not it’s the exact opposite.

  “Don’t be angry.”

  “Of course I’m angry. She’s my daughter. I’m her mother.” I put my hands over my heart. “I need her.” Bailey was my only reason for breathing anymore.

  “I may have some information for you.” He pulled up a chair and sat down.

  “Information?”

  “And you might not be so angry with me for being late.”

  “Why do you even care if I’m angry?” I struggled to compose myself. I was tired, angry, and fed up.

  “Because I care about you, Quinn.”

  “Oh yes, you care about the patients you torture. We’ve been over this, that’s impossible.”

  “Quinn, I am going to go out on a limb here.”

  “Yes?” I waited.

  He opened his mouth and then closed it as if torn about whether to say anything at all. He opened it again. “Do you have a sister?”

  Time, the room, and everything else in the world stood still. It was several moments before I could compose myself enough to respond. “Why do you ask?”

  He didn’t hesitate this time. “Because she might be here.”

  “Might?” My hands shook as I tried to take in the new information.

  “Yes. Otherwise she’s a cousin. The resemblance to you is clear as day.”

  “Can I see her?”

  “So is that a yes? You do have a sister?” He scooted his chair closer to the bed.

  I hesitated. What if this was some trick? What if they were trying to figure out if Kayla was out there hiding?

  “I promise no one is going to hurt her.” His reassurances weren’t helpful.

  “You make a lot of promises.” I struggled to calm my rapidly beating heart. Kayla? In Central? I was hit by conflicting emotions. Relief she was nearby, worry for her well-being, and guilt that my relief was stronger than my worry.

  “And I keep them.”

  “Where is she?” Now that the possibility was there, I had to know.

  “Answer me, Quinn. Is she your sister?”

  “How do I know if I can’t see her?” I could barely sit still. I wanted to jump from my bed, run from my room, and find her. I was already building a fantasy in my mind of us running off with Bailey and starting a new life.

  “Do you, or do you not, have a sister?”

  I nodded, letting the day dream fade away.

  “And she looks like you?”

  “Kind of.” I needed to be careful. This could all be a trick.

  He smiled. “I will find a way for you to see her.”

  “Now?” A mix of emotions once again bubbled inside me. I needed to try to keep my hopes in check.

  “I can’t take you in to see her now. She’s new. She will be under close surveillance for at least 24 hours.”

  “Only twenty-four hours? I’m not constantly under surveillance?” I highly doubted that.

  He looked away.

  “What?” I groaned. “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I am the one who controls the surveillance once you’ve been here longer than a day.”

  “Oh.” I thought about the way he watched me. Was that his excuse? Did he do that with all the women?

  “I know you don’t trust me, but I am trying to help you.”

  “The only way to help me is to get my family out of here.” I pushed back my covers and tugged down on my nightgown.

  “Your family? Not you?”

  “Kayla is stronger than I am. Bailey will be safer with her.” I let her name slip out, but there was nothing I could do once it was done.

  “But she’s your daughter.”
/>
  “Which is why emotion can’t be the ruling decision maker. If we can’t all get out, I want Bailey with Kayla.” Bailey came first, and that would never change.

  “Why wouldn’t you all get out?” He turned his head to the side.

  “Because there’s no way you’re going to do that.” I could day dream all I wanted, but the three of us getting out wasn’t going to be the outcome.

  “Why would I let any of you leave? There is important work being done.”

  I let out a long deep breath, hoping I was right. “Dr. Tardale came by to ask whether I would like to participate in a new study, one that didn’t involve test tubes.”

  He loosened his tie.

  I continued. “He mentioned you as one of the options since your family has a history of producing children.”

  “Yes?” He rubbed the back of his neck.

  “You get Kayla and Bailey out, and I will agree on the condition that it’s only you for as long as it takes.”

  “Quinn, I don’t know what to say. To think you believe...” he trailed off.

  “Am I wrong? Are those thoughts not going through your head every time you come in here?”

  “Of course they do. But I would never act on them.”

  “Not without permission.” Everything in Central involved rules. The question was how hard would it be to convince him to break some.

  “And you wouldn’t agree to that if Bailey were still here?” Maverick asked.

  “No.” I made direct eye contact so he’d understand how serious I was. “No. I will agree to nothing until I know for sure my daughter is safe.”

  “She will never be completely safe.” He spoke softly, but the words had their intended effect.

  “Please leave.” I pulled the blankets back over my legs. Any desire to go for a walk was gone.

  “Quinn, I…” he started.

  “You heard me. Get out.”

  He nodded. “As you wish.”

  As soon as the door closed behind him the tears started to fall.

  Mason

  I was about to put someone else at risk. And not just anyone—an innocent, a girl I’d sworn to protect when she was brought into Sray. Yet here I was ready to lead her into guaranteed danger? No. I couldn’t do it.