71. Holden
Chapter 71
Holden
I wake with a pounding headache, my body awkwardly draped over a narrow metal bed. The pain in my lower back tells me I slept in this position for a while. I roll onto my side, then sit up in bed, taking in the muted white walls and ceiling. It’s a cell. Maybe not the metal box kind from jail, but the small dimensions and scarce furnishings are the same, despite the bed having a halfway decent thread count on the sheets.
I’m alone in the room, my pockets empty, and my brow and tongue piercings are missing, but my laces are still in my sneakers. That’s something. Not that there’s anyway to use them to aid in my escape. My mind works over the last thing I remember. I was on campus, getting out of my car, and a security guard I didn’t recognize was on patrol. He asked me for my student ID. His ring poked me when he handed it back, then… nothing.
I close my eyes, doing a mental check of my body. Other than the stiff neck, back and shoulder, I’m fine. I don’t feel sluggish. I’ve been here long enough for whatever they used to knock me out with to work its way out of my system.
The camera above the door blinks red. They’re watching. Knowing that, doesn’t stop me from walking over to the door and trying the handle. I’m surprised when it twists and swings open into another room. One that reminds me of the visiting rooms you see inmates in on television. There are other doors around the perimeter of the room. One of them is the way out.
A door to my left opens. I spin around, guard up. I relax when Finn strolls out, eyes gleaming like he’s ready for a fight. “Any weapons?” I ask.
“They got them all.” Pointing to the doors, he asks, “Any guesses on what’s going on, and which one of these rabbit holes is the way out?”
“Not yet.” Moving to another door, I find a bathroom. The one after that is another room with a bed.
“Only two doors left.” Finn says walking towards the one on the left. It opens before he can reach it. He takes a step backwards and says, “I guess the fun’s about to begin.”
The woman at the door is wearing black boots, pants, a fitted shirt, and a weapons harness. There are no identifying patches or insignia anywhere on her. Is this a kidnapping or a challenge? “Let’s go.” She says. When neither of us moves, she adds, “You can walk, or get dragged where we want you to go. You tell me which one you prefer.”
There’s a rumbling sound. Misty vapors seep through the vents on the ceiling. Answering for us, I say, “We’ll walk.”
To plot our exit, we need to see where we’re going, which we can’t do if we’re unconscious. At the end of the hall, there’s another door. The man standing in front of it opens it and says, “Let’s go.” Out walks Pax, hands zipped tied behind him, looking like he just went a few rounds with Muhammad Ali.
“You okay?” Finn asks as we get closer.
“Yeah.” Pax grunts. “Fuckers jumped me at a race. You?”
I tell them I was on campus and Finn says, “They grabbed me out in the Annex. Shit. Thea was there.” His head whips left to right as if looking for her. “Did they get her too?”
Pax growls, “If she’s hurt-”
The woman leading the group cuts him off. “What? What’ll you do other than whine and bitch about it? Don’t waste your time or your breath with idle threats. Just stick to worrying about yourself. It’s what you’re good at.”
The last part is spoken with such certainty and conviction, as if she’s someone we’ve disappointed so many times in the past.
The next room we’re put in has four walls and a ceiling, and rubber inflatable chairs. “What the hell is this place?” Finn asks, kicking one of the chairs.
A different door opens from the other side of the room. The man entering tells us, “This is our trivia room.” He points to the inflatable chairs. “Would you like to sit?”
None of us move to do so. He’s unbothered by our rejection of his hospitality. “Suit yourself.” He gestures to the wall and a voice projects into the room.
Reality is an illusion. That keeps us in chains. How far will you go? What are you willing to risk? For freedom and truth.
Pax and Finn stand taller. This is the message that’s been randomly popping up on my Prospectus account and server on the dark net since the fall. Looks like they’ve been getting it too.
“Finley Jefferson Rhodes the Third, Paxton Cox and Holden Sullivan. You’ve been selected to take part in a very important challenge. One that has the potential to change the trajectory of the rest of your lives. A challenge that will test everything you’ve learned. Everything you know. A challenge that will lead you to a truth that few others know. A truth that most will refuse to acknowledge.”
“What’s the challenge?” I ask.
“You are challenged to readjust your thinking. To be open to new ideas. To choose.”
Finn says, “That’s a whole lot of double talk and you haven’t said shit. Who are you? Why don’t you show your face instead of projecting through an intercom like we’re Charlie’s Angels?”
The voice mocks, “You have to complete your challenge to earn the privilege of seeing my face, Angel. ”
Pax shakes his head and says, “I don’t like this, guys. We don’t know who we’re even talking to.”
The League has never gone through this much of a setup before. This must have something to do with their plans to appoint a fourth bloodline. They told us that things would be different moving forward. This actually reminds me of the chastity vow ceremony for Zeta Nu, right down to knocking out the pledges.
The trivia room would be the preliminary screening. Whoever’s running the show won’t tell us what the challenge is until we’ve finished these tests, and the tests won’t actually begin until we agree to the challenge. Knowledge is power and to gain this knowledge, he’s speaking of, I have to play along. “I accept the challenge.”
Finn says, “I’ve been bored lately. Maybe this challenge will be more exciting than the last ones. I’m in. I accept the challenge.”
Pax is silent. He must be thinking through his options, trying to see how to use this to his advantage. The man on the intercom says, “Mr. Cox, if you do not wish to participate, you are free to go.” The door we entered through opens, and the voice says, “You may bring in the next candidate.”
Pax says, “I’m not leaving my friends.”
“I’d be more willing to believe you if you hadn’t already shown you’re disloyal to them. Go on. I’m sure your companion is wondering where you are.”
Finn and I both look at Pax because the voice on the intercom has a point. Pax has proven that he doesn’t give a shit about us. It honestly surprises me when he says, “I accept the challenge.”
There’s a pause before the voice asks, “Will you sacrifice your greatest possession for the truth?”
None of us answer. No challenge has ever required us to give up something for information. I say, “You’re offering us a supposed truth, meaning something we know or think is a lie. Is this a lie told to us, or a lie we’re telling ourselves, and how big is this lie?”
“Does it matter which way the lie was delivered or its size? All lies have the ability to wreak havoc in our lives.” There’s another beat of silence before the voice repeats, “Will you give up your greatest possession for the truth?”
Finn asks, “How do we know which high value item we have to give up? A ratty autographed t-shirt might mean more to someone than a car.”
“The thing will be of equal value to each of you. It’s a possession you already share. It’s what has allowed you to win all this time.”
Pax boasts, “We win because we’re The Trium and we’re the best.”
The truth hits me as soon as the words are out of his mouth. That’s exactly what we share of equal value. Pride. We’ve all been told since childhood that no one can compete with us. It’s our legacy to lead. We’re always right, even when we’re wrong. That’s sharpened our egos to outrageous proportions. “It’s pride.” I say. “The thing we all share is pride.”
Pax smirks. “You want us to confess we’re prideful for this so-called truth?”
Finn shrugs. “Sounds easy enough.”
“Is it?” The voice asks. “Do you know who your ego has hurt the most? Have you ever admitted it to yourself? Will you be able to humble yourself, no matter what it costs you?”
Appearing weak will cost us a lot. It will shatter the premise of our power. Pride always comes before the fall. This is why he had us accept the challenge before hearing the terms. I immediately want to retract my participation, which would only prove his point.
The man’s words and meaning are clear. Something I know is a lie. I want that truth. Does being powerful really matter? Does being the best matter? Right now, it’s the thing that’s keeping me from having exactly what I want. Power and the things I’ve done in the name of The Truim, the things I’ve accepted from my so-called friend, are keeping me from having who I want. So instead of withdrawing my participation, I repeat the words I’ve already spoken. “I accept the challenge.”
Pax
I don’t understand the decision Holden’s just made. This man we haven’t even seen is telling us to fail. I’ve never failed at anything in my life. My father doesn’t allow it. At least this time, Finn’s hesitating just like I am. He’s staring up at the vents on the ceiling. Probably imagining crawling through them. When I turn to Holden, he’s not looking at either of us. His attention is on the door across the room.
The faceless voice rushed me along the last time, but he’s silent now. We’re fighting to get things back to normal. I can’t let Holden down. He wants to do this challenge, it won’t be alone. The words rush out of me. “I accept the challenge.”
Holden’s shoulders sag when Finn finally answers. “I still accept the challenge.”
The voice says, “Gentleman. There are four parts to this challenge, each made up of obstacles, riddles, or tasks you must overcome together and alone. This isn’t about winning. It’s about honesty. The completion of each part earns you a part of the truth.”
“You expect us to lose each one?” I ask, seeking clarification.
“What’s losing a few games compared to what you will win in the end?” The door we entered through opens again, and the voice says, “Good luck, gentleman.”
The guard escorts us back to the hall with the rooms where Holden, Finn and I were kept. As I’m turning to ask how long they’re gonna keep us here, a pinching feeling blooms through the side of my neck.
My head jerks forward, jolting me awake. My stomach rolls from the sudden movement. How much did I drink last night? My eyes are crusty as I open them. The first thing I see is the barren landscape of the abandoned drive-in theater where I race. It looks different without the cars and bodies lined up around the makeshift track. The memory of what happened comes rushing back to me.
Groaning, I reach for my phone. According to the time, we were held for twelve hours. I text the group chat, making sure the guys are okay. They respond that they’ve been dumped at the place they were taken from as well.
On the drive to campus, I think about what happened and what we agreed to. I’m pretty sure I made a mistake, but I can’t back out now. There’s coffee waiting for me when I get to Holden’s room. He lets me get a sip in before saying, “I’m sure you guys are probably having second thoughts about this.”
“You’re not?”
“I am.” He admits. “It’s scary. We’ve never lost to anyone but each other. My dad. All of our dads are gonna freak out.”
“Then why are we doing this?” I ask.
“Because I need to know what this lie is.”
I suspected that would be his answer. “That’s assuming there’s a lie to reveal.”
Finn interjects, “There’s always a lie to reveal.”
“So that’s why you accepted too? You think we’re being lied to?”
Finn frowns at me. “You don’t? You think everything we’ve ever been told is true? That the council shares everything they know?”
With a sigh, I point out, “Secrets aren’t lies, Finn.”
“True, but they often go hand in hand.”
Holden scoots forward on his couch, placing his coffee cup on the table. “I know this is a big ask. We win. We excel. We work hard to make a name for ourselves, but what has that gotten us? How has being the best benefitted us? We can’t make decisions about our lives. We can’t pick our jobs, or the people we spend time with. Everything is chosen for us, just to maintain the power structure.” He looks at me. “You screwed us over for power, and I can’t even request to be matched with the girl I want because she’s not listed high enough on the scoreboard.”
“The girl we want.” Finn corrects, reminding him he’s not the only one who wants Thea.
I have to keep quiet on that matter, although secretly I’m agreeing with them both. Instead, I say, “You agreed because you think it’s a way to circumvent the matching process?”
Holden explains, “It’s a way to test just how much power we have. Are we The Trium, or are we our father’s avatars?”
Finn and Holden’s dads are nothing like my own. Embarrassing him comes with consequences. But not honoring what I said will too.
A hand grasps my shoulder. I look up to see Finn standing next to me. “We’re still pissed at you, Pax, but you’re not doing this alone. We’ve got your back, just like we always have.”
Taking a labored breath, I swallow and say, “Okay. I guess we’re doing this.”