Chapter Twenty-Two #2
“I’m a fast learner. I remember things once I’ve been told,” she says, stepping in front of the computer.
Mackenzie watches the code then she calmly turns back to the computer and starts walking Kathryn through it. To me, everything she says sounds like a different language. As they work, a timer starts counting down on the wall.
“What’s happening?” Elsie asks, a wobble in her voice. She’s tired and emotionally spent, and the day is nowhere near finished yet. My heart goes out to her, but I need her to stay strong.
“A bomb,” Mackenzie announces, like it’s no big deal.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Belle panics, and Maggie goes to calm her down. Everyone in the room starts to talk and the chatter is throwing Mackenzie off.
“Shut the fuck up!” she snaps. “Unless you all want to die.”
Everyone falls silent and Mackenzie continues to talk Kathryn through the steps, working together as a unit. The timer gets to ten, and Adrianne must start to panic also because she laughs maniacally before counting down quietly. Her mouth moves, but I can’t hear her voice.
I watch in anticipation as the timer hits five, four, three…
The timer freezes and both Kathryn and Mackenzie high five as a side door opens. They’re down to the last room, which is Maggie’s.
“Do you have any popcorn?” Baxter asks, and I reach over and pinch his leg, causing him to laugh.
This room is massive, and I’m not sure how it’s possible, but it looks like an outdoor training facility in the woodlands.
Handmade weapons and training spots are set up.
Maggie stills. She would have known it was her turn, but she seems thrown to be taken back to her childhood. How in the fuck would Baxter know this?
I watch as Adrianne goes to investigate but Maggie throws her arm out to stop her and holds a finger up to her lips.
“We are not alone,” she whispers and everyone nods.
Maggie takes them to the furthest wall and they all keep their backs to it. She stops at a pile of leaves and moves them aside. Finding a chest, she starts pulling out weapons – thank god they are all wooden training items. Except…there’s a gun.
My heart stops at the sight of it.
Maggie tucks a wooden knife into her jeans and holds the gun by her side, gesturing for everyone to follow her. My leg bops with nerves. Where the hell are they? I know they’re there, lurking somewhere, but I don’t think they will be expecting their mother to fight back.
“That gun better not have any bullets,” I warn Baxter.
“Calm down, it’s just a paint gun. I did consider wooden or rubber bullets, but they would still possibly cause damage at such close range. I didn’t want to have to console you if one of your precious boy toys was hurt.”
“I would kill you, just so we’re clear.”
“Noted, what if they killed me?”
I’ve never thought about it. Honestly, I figured if anyone was going to kill anyone that it would be Baxter killing them. “I don’t know, I haven’t given it any thought.”
“But you have thought about me killing them.”
“Them? No. Kalen? Yes.”
Baxter snorts and we focus back on the screen. How the hell did we miss so much?
They have five men tied to trees, two passed out and Elsie looks like she has war paint on her face as she runs screaming towards a smaller looking man dressed in camo and a face mask.
He has his back to her, and he turns just as she whacks him with a wooden bat.
I search to see if any of them are my guys, but I spot them gaining on the girls. They’ve kept to the shadows and waited.
The boys emerge from the shadows making themselves known. I can instantly tell them apart by the way they move.
I'm drawn to watching Adrianne; she must be able to tell them apart enough to target Kalen.
They circle each other, waiting for the other to make a move.
Kalen moves forward quickly. Adrianne isn't trained well enough to dodge his attack, but he plays with her, coming in fast but choosing to slap her on the ass. I can’t see his face but his body shakes with laughter as he runs circles around her.
Her face turns red with anger as she lunges for him.
He sidesteps away from her, poking her in the arm on his way. I snort at them.
She screams like a banshee and runs at him, and he must be laughing again, distracted, because she manages to make him falter, enough to make him stumble back a few times.
While he tries to right himself, she follows and just as he gains his footing she kicks him square in the nuts.
He falls to the ground and curls into a ball.
Adrianne stands over top of him with a big shit-eating grin on her face.
Slate is up against Emerson. I can tell it’s him and not Onyx because Onyx moves like a steam train.
Slate is slightly more graceful. She meets him blow for blow, though.
He throws a punch and she’s right there blocking it.
Elsie runs up behind him and jumps onto his back as a distraction.
He sways from side to side to try and knock her off, but she’s latched on.
I scour the screens and find Onyx. He is hunting his own mother. I find Maggie further ahead, moving around carefully and listening for his movements.
"I know you’re there, mother,” he taunts her. “I’m hurt, you didn't tell me you were such a badass.”
Maggie doesn't answer him; she knows he’s trying to get her to talk to give away her location. I watch on intently as Maggie camouflages herself and waits; she must be able to sense Onyx is close. He walks right past her, maybe five steps and she slips out behind him and raises her gun.
“Son.”
He turns, and I know him, he’ll play dirty. If Maggie understands her son at all, she’ll also know this. He slips off his mask and smiles at her. She doesn’t hesitate: she pulls the trigger, leaving a big red mark in the middle of his forehead.
The paint drips down his face. He is stunned silent for a moment before he laughs and runs to his mum, picking her up and spinning her around.
“She passed her test,” Baxter confirms.
“What was her test exactly?”
“It was the recreation of an ambush that happened when she was thirteen years old. She took out ten armed men on her own but she needed to remember a few key points to beat the guys in there because they knew most of what happened but not all, so she had to watch and see. To strike in their blind spots.”
“It really amazes me at the things you know and the things that you shouldn’t.”
He doesn’t bother to reply, slipping from the room on silent feet. Fucker. I need to get him to give me lessons in stealth.
I switch my attention back to the screen and flick between watching the other individual tests.
They’re far less dramatic, the standard intelligence and emotional IQ tests, as well as verbal and non-verbal reasoning, and a few others I don’t know the name of but which don’t seem to pose too much of a challenge.
Things look to be winding down when Monty and Sawyer return.
“I have to say, I’m surprised that they’ve all made it, Amelie.” Monty grins, shaking my hand. “Well done. I think you should be commended by the board for your excellent picks.”
“About that, I want to introduce the women officially at my inauguration,” I tell him.
“Are you sure? I wouldn’t want to detract from your night.”
“Thank you, but I’m sure. Nothing will show the doubters in our midst that I mean business more than introducing them to the new recruits.
And with a one hundred percent pass rate, they’ll have to eat their words and a slice of humble pie, or they’ll be eating bullets and getting fitted for their coffins. ”
Monty coughs nervously. “Well, yes…exactly. Excuse me, but I have some business to attend to. Well done again, watching Maggie was quite something…”
He leaves, and I turn to Sawyer. “Was that too much? What I said?”
“Not at all. You’re filling the role nicely. We all know the policy; we fall into line or we’re taken out. It doesn’t hurt my dad to show him that you know that and you’re strong enough to follow through.”
“Thank you.” I smile at him and give him a quick peck on the cheek before the doors open and all of the women enter. I beam at them.
“You did it! Congratulations! You passed!” I cry, hugging the crap out of Elsie.
She hugs me back equally as tight and a thousand words pass between us in that silent show of support.
I am so pleased I get to navigate this journey with her by my side, but I’m also happy that I’m able to give Elsie a family who won’t betray her, and a place that she can truly belong.
The same for the other women too. I’m relieved that they all passed with flying colours, happy that their success shows me in a good light, but happier still that I can give them the things they need.
“Well done everyone. It shouldn’t surprise you to know that I was watching and rooting for you every step of the way, and I have to say, I am seriously impressed.
You all surpassed my expectations and rose to the challenges thrown your way.
You worked together exceptionally well as a team, and I’m proud of the strength, courage and resilience you all showed when facing your deepest fears.
I know that can’t have been easy. I’m delighted to extend a formal invitation for you to officially join us within The Order. ”
“Oh my god, I can’t believe we all did it. We all passed!” Mackenzie yells.
“I know. Usually the lower percentages are culled during initiation challenges,” Maggie tells them. “So I’m impressed that we all made it.”
“I’m not surprised,” Elsie says, grinning. “Women are far superior in every way.” We all laugh but I have a feeling that she isn’t joking.
Just then, the guys come and join us, having obviously cleaned up from their simulation. Kalen rushes over to me and scoops me into a massive hug.
“Woo-hoo! Are we going to celebrate?” He lifts me up and spins me around. I smack his arm for him to put me down. I don’t want him goofing off in front of the new recruits. I need to be the boss around them.
Sure, I know that means that I can still smile and be human, but I don’t think they need to see me being twirled around the room like a rag doll by my boyfriend. Especially by his mother. It’s certainly going to add another facet to our already complicated relationship. Fun.
“We are, you’re not,” I tell him, linking my arm through Elsie’s. “Ladies, welcome to The Order. The first round’s on me.”
They cheer and we walk out of the warehouse where I have a limo lined up to take us to a nearby pub. We’re not going to go crazy, but I am going to celebrate making history with these women.
I love my guys, and I want to share all of my achievements and accomplishments with them. But tonight is about us. The women on the inside who are going to change the world.