CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
THE DAY BELOW PASSED AT A SLOW PACE. I RECEIVED NO MESSAGES.
I didn’t really expect Hal to show up, not with how much pain he had been in yesterday, but a part of me was still disappointed each time I looked at my doorway and I didn’t find him leaning against the frame, half-smiling at me.
I reminded myself he was injured and needed rest. Still some part of me just assumed he would always show up regardless of the consequences.
When my shift finally ended, I found Lo in the atrium and was relieved to see that her complexion had more color. She had dark circles under her eyes, but her gaze was clear and her hair was clean and braided neatly.
“How are you feeling?” I asked. She hadn’t answered my knock this morning, and I hadn’t seen her on the way to work, and I had worried about her. Around us, Minors in gray scuttled about, their gazes dull.
“Much better. I’m actually hungry,” Lo said, and her smile reached her eyes before fading. “They’re actually drugging us,” she whispered, shaking her head. “How did you figure it out?”
“I didn’t realize at first. I stopped taking mine after the dinner. My HI said something about changing them to calm me. I thought initially it was only mine because of what happened at the dinner. Yesterday I figured it out.”
“So no one told you about them, not even Collin. Neither did your birth brothers?”
“No, our relationship isn’t like that.”
“But you didn’t have any of the effects I had?”
“No, I didn’t,” I said. “What happened this morning? I knocked on your door.”
“I woke up in the middle of the night. Felt really shaky. Started throwing up. This morning was rough. I sat in my shower for a long time. The moment curfew was done, I left to find Becca. Her shift ends around curfew. Found her and begged for a stimulant drink, hoping it would make me feel better. Can’t hurt, right? It’s not like Gregory has reached out.”
“They’re drugging us,” I stated, repeating her words. “Isn’t that more pressing?”
Lo shook her head. “No, I need a contract more than ever. They aren’t being drugged up there.”
They did receive their supplements as injections. There was no way to determine what might be in them. I couldn’t see them drugging the Elite. They didn’t need to. The Elite followed the Illum blindly up in their clouds.
I sighed. “Lo, I am sure he has his reasons. I can ask Collin the next time I see him.”
“Have you talked to him?”
“Not since the dinner.” I quickly changed the subject. “You shouldn’t have seen Becca this morning. What if they notice you left the area?”
“If I’m eliminated, I won’t have to worry about a contract.”
I grasped her arm. “Lo, don’t talk like that.”
“Fine, fine.” She patted my hand, and I released her. “Why do you think Collin hasn’t reached out?”
“I’m sure he’s busy managing all of this,” I said, gesturing to the Minors staring into space. “He’s an Illum after all. This came from him.”
“Emeline, thank you for getting me off those supplements. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”
“Of course. I know you’d do the same for me.”
We exited through the tall glass doors. I tilted my head toward the sun’s dying rays when a panicked gasp escaped Lo, her face pale as she looked toward the Pods.
“The Force is here. They have weapons,” Lo whispered, her voice quaking.
Slowly, I tracked her gaze to see dozens of green-clad men with guns walking around the women in gray. “Let’s get to the Pods.”
“Why are they here?” Lo asked, barely audible.
“I don’t know. Let’s go. Don’t look at them.”
I stared at the ground as we joined the line to the Pods shoulder to shoulder, Lo’s fingers brushing mine. The footfalls of heavy boots thudded in my ears.
My Comm Device dinged, and panic seized me.
“Whose device is that?” a voice rang out. The crunch of boots against the pavement drew closer. Dread squeezed my throat as my Comm Device dinged again.
Lo’s fingers flexed next to mine. Tighter surveillance, that’s what Tabitha had said in the Illum video. Apparently, drugging the Minors into submission was not enough. They had called in the Force.
“Look, come forward, and things will be nice and easy,” the soldier said, closer this time.
A man laughed. “I’d rather it be hard. Easy is no fun.”
“They won’t fucking hear you,” another drawled. “They’re not really there.”
“If one of them does, we’ll have bigger issues.”
“They’ll be the one with issues. The Illum is giving out promotions for finding Minors disobeying.”
If I said something, I’d reveal I wasn’t taking the supplements, but Collin was still my Mate.
I was an extension of him, of the Illum.
I alone might have some protection. Or would I be scrutinized further?
Regardless, I needed to buy Lo time to get into the Pod.
I gripped her hand and then released it, my heart beating furiously.
“It’s mine,” I said, stepping away from Lo. I heard her sharp intake of breath but refused to look over.
Three soldiers in dark green prowled toward me. They wore the same uniforms as at the Parting, their faces completely covered by intimidating helmets. They stopped in front of me, guns gleaming in the evening light.
“Why are you receiving messages at this hour?” one Force soldier demanded.
“It is likely from my Mate, a member of the Illum.”
The words tasted like ash on my tongue.
One of the other soldiers snorted. “All that time underground making you imagine things?”
Shock sent my heart beating harder against my ribs.
“Give your bag to me,” the soldier closest to me instructed.
They would find the white clutch, filled with supplements, the cuff, and the knife. True terror grabbed me.
“I won’t ask a second time,” the first one warned, stepping closer. Over his shoulder, another soldier trekked toward us as Minors moved in the direction of the Pods.
“Why are you just standing there?” the soldier demanded. I looked up. He was talking to Lo, not me. Cold sweat slid down my back.
Since my approved mating, I had put myself in many stupid situations. This was the dumbest of them all.
The soldier directly in front of me moved his head. My mismatched eyes reflected back in the shield covering his face. My clear eyes.
The large soldier approached, looming over the other three. “Look at her fucking wrist,” the man barked at his comrades. I swore I knew the voice. I held up my glowing wrist for them to see.
“So what?”
“It means she is, in fact, the Enforcer’s Mate, you fucking idiot.”
“Shit, Fredrik, are you serious?”
The large soldier nodded his head. “Yes.”
The other soldiers stumbled back, heads swiveling between me and the large soldier, Fredrik I supposed. I heard light footsteps. I didn’t turn to confirm Lo had walked away, but relief still found me.
“Why didn’t you say Enforcer?” the one closest to me spat.
“You didn’t seem inclined to believe me,” I retorted. The large one chuckled deeply, walking off.
“Get going,” the other soldier barked.
I didn’t need telling twice. I fled, searching for blond hair, my breaths shallow. I spotted Lo near the Pod, staring at her feet. I rushed toward her.
“I’m sorry I left you.” She was near-hyperventilating, her face white.
“Don’t be. Next time, run immediately. Collin’s status can spare me. I don’t think it’ll stretch to you.” I grabbed my Comm Device. I had one official message and another from a number I didn’t recognize. I shoved the device into my bag.
“Emeline, what’s happening?” Lo asked, terrified.
“I don’t know. I’m going to find out. Get on the Pod.” I checked over my shoulder. There were so many soldiers in green.
“Come with me,” Lo insisted, trembling.
Unease cloaked me. I knew I was being watched.
“It was an official message. When I scan my wrist, the Pod will make an announcement. I don’t want you here for that. Go.” I pushed her into the throng of Minors.
She boarded the Pod, and our eyes locked, her jaw tight. Be safe, she mouthed. The doors closed and the weight of terror lifted as the Pod took off.
The back of my neck prickled, and I whirled around to find the large soldier watching me nearby. I clambered onto the last Pod, shoving my wrist under the scanner.
The announcement filled the air. I took a seat, the doors closing. The soldier tilted his head as he watched me, like he was sizing me up. I felt the air leave my lungs as the Pod shot up, the weight of that stare searing me the whole way.