35. Chapter 35
Elias
Istretched my arms overhead, touching my tablet.
Private Message.
A grin stretched across my mouth, but when I opened it, it wasn’t Maryn.
Hey man. I have some info. Meet today? - Josh.
I sat up, throwing back the blankets. Last night hadn’t gone as planned, but that might have been better. Maryn wasn’t the kind of girl who accepted flattery and promises. She expected action. Soon, I would prove to her that I was a man of my word.
An hour later, I pulled up outside Josh’s house and stepped out, glancing up at the gray sky. It would rain today.
I’d told Micah I was only going to the gym, and he hadn’t questioned it. A few weeks ago, he would have double checked my story, but whatever was bothering him consumed him.
Josh met me at the door, throwing it open before I rang the bell. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.
“It’s good to see you.” He released me, and I stepped inside. “Everything okay?”
Josh moved through the living room to his dad’s office, and I followed, glancing around the space. He sat, rolling back in his chair.
“Close the door.”
I did, sitting across from him on the other side of his dad’s desk. “What’s up?”
“I know you’re here because of my text, but can I just be real with you for a sec?”
I took in the dark circles under Josh’s eyes, his stiff posture. “What’s wrong?”
He slapped a hand on the desk and chuckled darkly. I watched my easy-going friend as he looked up once more, his composure fraying at the edges.
He exhaled, looking up. “It’s Leila.” He laughed hollowly. “She’s pregnant.”
The words landed hard, and I tensed. “What?”
Leila had entered Josh’s Rite. That made her his—his responsibility, his to protect. Her purity wasn’t hers alone to guard anymore. It belonged to the Rite. To him.
If he didn’t claim her, she was finished. The child, too. If it was a girl.
“How?”
He stood, pacing the room, stopping beside the decanter in the corner. He looked up. “Drink?”
I opened my mouth.
“I need a drink.” He poured dark liquid nearly to the rim and took a long sip before returning to the desk. “It was one time.” His eyes met mine. “One fucking time.”
My hands fisted in my lap. “How do you know?”
He set his glass down on the desk. “She told me.”
“When did it happen?”
“It was our third date. I didn’t…” He took another drink. “I mean, we were just fooling around over the clothes stuff.” He sipped again. “But then…”
I leaned forward, elbows pressing into my thighs.
I had the sudden urge to punch him. To swing my fists and listen to the satisfying crunch of cartilage.
He could have waited a few more trials and sated his lust legally.
Now, she’d never pass a purity test, and if he didn’t claim responsibility, Leila was as good as dead. Unless the baby was a boy.
“You know what will happen to her if you eliminate her.”
He set the glass down. “The thing is… I love Ruth.” He dropped his head into his hands. “I was going to eliminate Leila in Trial Six.”
His fingers rubbed his forehead mercilessly.
“Josh.” I sat up. “You can’t.”
He closed his eyes. “Please don’t spout Covenant bullshit at me right now. This is the rest of my life we’re talking about.”
“Covenant bullshit?”
He stilled, eyes widening. “I didn’t mean it. I just meant—”
“I know what you meant.” My jaw ground together. “But you made a choice. It’s your responsibility to see it through.”
He reached for his glass, taking another swig. “Fuck man. What happened to the guy in college who kissed a Middle girl in the locker room?”
I flexed my fingers, standing. “I never should have told you about that.”
He laughed dryly. “I see. It’s fine for the president’s son to make a mistake, but not the rest of us?”
I leaned over the desk. Josh tipped back to stare up at me.
“I chose Rakel, I invited her to my Rite, and I didn’t sleep with her.”
Josh snorted. “You won’t choose her. No one does.”
Heat flared in my veins. “You’ll choose Leila, or you will be held responsible. A fine isn’t good enough. I’ll see to your punishment myself.”
Color drained from his face, and I met his gaze with all the steely resolve my father endowed me with. I looked at him and understood that I’d never really known him. He planned to let her die.
Not if I had anything to say about it.
He ran a hand over his face, sliding his chair back and opening the desk drawer. Reaching inside, he pulled out a small silver disk and tossed it at me.
“Here. It’s not what you asked for, but when I went digging around in my dad’s stuff, I figured it was what you really wanted.”
I glanced down at the disk.
“Just get out. And take your information.”
I hesitated only a moment before swiping the disk off the desk and turning for the door.
“Hey,” he called, and I halted in the doorway, not turning. “You knew about this shit, didn’t you? And you eliminated them anyway.”
My grip tightened on the disk.
“Never let them know they hold more knowledge than you.”
I hated that my father’s words guided me in this moment, but he was right. I wouldn’t admit I didn’t know what Josh found.
“Do the right thing, Josh.”
I stepped into the hall and tugged the door closed behind me.
“Hypocrite!”
Sliding the disk into my pocket, I left Josh’s house.
***
I stopped outside an Upper-Middle home. Modest by Center standards, but comfortable. The kind of home a family with a son could expect.
Micah had grown up outside the wall, like Maryn. Different streets, different circumstances, but the same world. Had they ever crossed paths before joining mine? In another life, without me in it, would they have somehow found each other?
I shook the thought aside, striding up the steps and knocking.
Leland opened the door, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. “Elias. Come in.”
I stepped through the door, shaking his hand.
“Miriam! Get tea. Elias is here.”
Micah’s mom peeked her head out from the kitchen and smiled. “My boy!”
I had only visited Micah’s home a handful of times, but his parents never failed to make me feel like I was a member of their family. Coming here reminded me of Micah’s openness, his kindness.
I sat in the chair, and Miriam set a cup down in front of me. “How’s Micah? He hasn’t been home in weeks.”
I pursed my lips. “That’s why I’m here.”
Leland and Miriam exchanged glances.
“Something is bothering him.”
They knew. Whatever it was, they knew and didn’t want to tell me.
“I want to help. Please.”
Leland held up his hands. “It’s so thoughtful of you, but you know Micah. He has a big heart.”
“Too big,” Miriam chimed in.
My brows shot up, and I tried again. “Is it a woman?”
Leland shook his head. “He’s very private. He wouldn’t want us to say.”
I frowned. “But I could do something.”
Leland stood, holding out a hand. I followed, shaking it.
He ushered me toward the door. “Some things can’t be helped.”
We reached the door, and he turned to face me. “You were always good to our Micah. Just be patient with him. He’ll come around.”
I stared between him and the open door. I had never been hurried out by Micah’s parents. I glanced back at Miriam, at her tired eyes. I would get no answers from these proud people.
I had thought coming here would help. Instead, I left with the distinct feeling that whatever was wrong with Micah, it had something to do with me.
***
The sky broke open the next morning, affirming every Covenant belief that Monday was a day to be indoors.
I slid the disk into the reader, and the drone above my bed whirred to life. On screen, a red sixteen blinked to life in the corner, then lights flashed on. A room with a metal table at its center and Josh’s dad.
Gloria Caine, Nami’s mother, lay atop the table, glancing at her husband. He came forward, squeezing her hand.
“And if we agree, we get the money? Like you said?”
Dr. Silva touched Gloria’s shoulder lightly. “Yes, Mrs. Caine. And if we’re successful, you’ll get much more than that.”
She nodded.
Dr. Silva moved around the table, stopping beside a freezer in the room’s corner. He pulled a tube out and held it to the light.
I touched my tablet, scrolling ahead, speeding through the insertion. Another visit, then another. No success.
“Is there any risk of trying again, doctor?” Mr. Caine asked.
“Just another payment,” he assured the nervous couple.
I scrolled again. In the corner, sixteen never changed, even as the clothes did.
Finally, I stopped scrolling. Mrs. Caine sat on the metal table, lying back. Her full belly was proudly displayed as she stared up at the ceiling.
“It’s a miracle,” Dr. Silva announced. “Twins.”
The Caines stared at one another. “We can’t afford two.”
Dr. Silva clapped his hands together. “You don’t understand. They’re boys.”
Gloria screamed, hand flying to her mouth, and her husband leaned against the table.
I froze the screen. Sixteen.
Long moments passed before I scrolled ahead. People I didn’t recognize repeated the steps, new numbers illuminated the corner of the screen, but none had produced a child.
I continued scrolling.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Honey? Breakfast?”
“I’m not hungry. Mom. I’ll be out in a bit.”
Silence outside the door. Then…
“Okay.”
I listened for the sound of retreating footsteps before I continued scrolling forward.
I hit play.
A girl with red hair lay atop the table. It wasn’t Dr. Silva’s office, though, and there was no number in the corner.
I sat up.
Dr. Smith entered the room.
I stiffened.
“State your name.”
She whimpered.
“Your name. Miss.”
“Please. I want to go home.”
I leaned forward, heart pounding.
“Would you rather go outside the wall?”
Tears streaked her cheeks. “No.”
“Your choices are research or outside the wall.”
She nodded, wiping her cheeks.
“Jemmiah Turner.”
I mashed the pause button, swallowing hard.