Chapter 4

T

rying to calm myself down didn’t help. I tried, but my heart was racing. I had to run into the bathroom and splash water in my face to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. That didn’t help, either. I looked at myself in the mirror. My black mop of hair sat on top of my head looked like it hadn’t been brushed in centuries, which is partly was true, but it’s still been a long time since a brush has touched it and wouldn’t  start brushing it now.

                How long had it been since I last saw my mother? Since I forgave Segreth? It seems like such a long time ago, with all that’s been happening.   I thought I’d go see her, tell her everything that I had found out. Maybe she’d be proud that I didn’t back away this time, or be happy that I helped some kind of cause. Either way, it would be good to hear her voice telling me something positive.

                I took a hair tie from the counter of the bathroom sink, tied my hair �" so she wouldn’t have to say anything about my appearance �" and ran out of my room as quickly as I could. Her room wasn’t far from mine, just right across the hall. This is why I wasn’t sure what was wrong with my mother. She would have checked in on me to make sure I wasn’t in any trouble, but she hasn’t done that.

               My mother is a very confusing person, but I think this is the most abnormal thing that’s happened between me and my mother. I could deal with the wining and the teasing and the motherly concern, but I really wish I knew what was going on with her.

                     I knocked on her door, but there was no answer. I knocked again, but there was no answer again. I’m also used to repeating myself over and over and over again, but right then I couldn’t deal with that. I had too much to get off my mind.

                    I tried the doorknob, and after a lot of pushing and pulling it finally opened. I saw Mother sitting in her bed with her head in her hands. Her lively olive skin was the palest I’d ever seen.

                    “Mother, are you okay?” I asked her?

                   “Oh, my dear Annabe. I didn’t hear you come in…I thought the door was locked, though.” Her voice wasn’t animated as it normally was either.

                   “Mother, are you okay?” I repeated. “You don’t look or sound good. Are you sick?”

                   She didn’t seem to hear me. “Oh, Annabe, I heard you saw that new boy…the one you saved. He seems like a nice boy. Young, though. Don’t know what he was going there in the hills. Seems very out of place, too. He-”

                   “Mother, stop. Please answer me. You’re freaking me out a little bit. Please answer my questions.”

                   “Annabe, oh, Annabe! Please, please! Let me explain! Let me explain!”

                   I ran over to her. “Mother, explain what?”

                   “Your father.”

                   My heart stopped and skipped a beat. My mother hadn’t talked about my father since the day it all turned upside down. Her talking about my father is something that has never happened before.

                   “What about him?” I asked. “Tell me anything. Tell me everything.”

                   “Your father was someone who was always mischievous, and very strong. That’s why his parents sent him to the Military School in Zilponla. He became one of the Uniformed when he was only 21 years old, and that’s how he met me. After we got married, he left the Uniformed, but he was still part of it. He was only on leave.

                    “When you and your sister were born, he wanted to leave for good. But they told him he still had the responsibilities as one of the Uniformed. When the Uniformed came on that dreadful day, your father thought he was being called to see Oltenae for his final leave recognition, but it wasn’t.

                  “He wanted to make sure we were going to be safe with everything we needed. That’s why we rushed. When we got the school he wanted to go with us, but the Uniformed made him stay behind. When the first bomb hit and he saw the bus turn over, they rushed him away. He was the one who got us here. He knew about this place, and he was the only one. The others in the bus went to the camps.

                  “But your father was afraid that with his knowledge that the Uniformed would use it against him. His superstitions were correct, too. I saw them send him to the camps with the others on our bus before he sent us….”

                  Her breath gave out, and she had to stop. Her breath was heavy and I could tell she couldn’t finish her story.

                  “My father was one of the Uniformed? And he isn’t dead?” I asked, tears filling my eyes.

                  “Yes, but he might….might as well be.” Mother said miserably. “Those camps are work camps. All of those people were sent there to work for Oltenae. I don’t know what your father is working on there, but I know it’s worse than what the others are doing.”

                   “Oltenae never stopped ruling…and he didn’t think about changing his name? And those camps are work camps. You mean they’re Oltenae’s…slaves?” I shuddered.

                   “Yes. The bombing was Oltenae’s idea, too. He thought that his people were becoming too independent and that our independence was hurting his power. He was right, of course, so he decided to bomb us and enslave us.”

                   My mind felt like it was about to burst. First I found that my father wasn’t dead, that the so-called ruler of Zilponla tried to wipe out his own people to make them become his own personal slaves, brings in new people from who-knows-where, and everything about my father. Everything my mother has told me �" every last thing �" has left me in a phase that made me shake on the spot.

                    I finally focused on the fact that this all was real, and that someone other than me and my mother had to know all of this. Sadly, this would mean for me to have to go to Slackley and tell her everything. She might just freak out like I had, but this was important for her to know.

                    I got up and sauntered to the door, telling my mother to stay where she was. If I hadn’t been in my awe-struck phase (and not a good one, to point out) I probably would have yelled and ran, but I honestly don’t think I had the energy.

                   Command wasn’t nearly as quiet and dark as it normally seemed. I saw people running around with piles of papers in their hands, different Commanders (of which their names I never bothered to remember) yelled orders to the Cadets who were trying their best to follow them. I see on their faces that they weren’t very happy about getting yelled at, especially by the Commanders. I could see Commander Slackley sitting in the back of the room watching all her Cadets run around like little ants running away from a big, ugly boot. Standing next to her was Segreth, who watched just as intently.

                   When I walked into the busy room, nothing stopped for me like it normally did. Everything was on fast-forward so I couldn’t focus on one thing. I tried not to bump into someone, but failed immediately. Well, actually, the Cadets ran into me and gave me a glare that said it was my fault all of their papers were spread across the ground, though I didn’t pay any attention to them. My focus was on telling Slackley and Segreth everything I had just learned.

                  I got to them in what seemed like eternity. Their attention was still pulled on the Cadets. Segreth and I would be part of the Cadets (future Commanders) if it wasn’t for our behavior issues. Well, my behavior issues. Segreth, on the other hand, seems to act like he’s already a Commander.

                  “Commander, Segreth, we need to talk now.” I asserted. “It’s about Oltenae and the work camps and Zilponla.”

                  “We’re busy, Annabe.” Slackley returned sharply. “We have no time for your games.”

                  “It isn’t a game, Slackley, I’m telling the truth.” I hesitated, waiting for a response from any of the two people who stood in front of me. None did. “My mother just told me everything. Everything you and your team would have never figured out without her. Oltenae bombed his own people so they could become his own personal slaves. It was planned, Oltenae’s plan, to bomb me and my family; why my sister is dead. My father isn’t dead like I thought. He’s still alive but he’s being tortured because he sent me and my mother here instead of to the camps. But those people are being forced to be slaves, forced to work like animals because they were becoming too independent. We need to help those people!”

                   “How can we believe you?” Slackley said. “Do you have any proof? Why should we trust a girl who’s whole life has been about making lies and-”

                   “How can’t you believe me? You have Narreed �" he said his father worked at the camps and told him about the camps before he died. Those people aren’t just being worked to death; they’re being exposed to radiation that is much more significant than what was found in Narreed. You have my mother. Her husband �" my father �" worked for Oltenae. He may not have known about the plan, but he knew enough to know that he wasn’t about to let my family work as slaves. My mother saw them take him away and torture him. She knows. You have to believe me!”

                   I looked at Segreth.  I saw the pity in his eyes, and it was too much for me. I felt the tears spill over my eyelids and pleaded, “Please believe me. My father is being tortured, my sister is dead, and those people are working as slaves to a tyrant who doesn’t deserve to live. Please!”

                   Segreth looked at Slackley. “Commander, you have to believe her,” he said sympathetically. “I can tell she really wants you to believe her, no matter how bad her attitude has been. And, based off the information we have already gathered, it’s actually starting to make sense. Commander, I know how it feels to loose someone you love. But she now knows her father is alive. Under her hard-core, I can tell she’s very happy….I would be, too.”

                   Segreth turned his attention to me. I smile weakly and mouth, “Thanks.” He nods and returns the smile.

                    Slackley sighed and said, “You mean to tell me that Oltenae made his people his slaves, then brought in new people like nothing happened? That seems very unlikely,”

                   “Which is why it was so easy to get away with,” I felt my voice quiver. “He knew people wouldn’t understand why he’d wipe his people out to make them slaves then send in new people.”

                   “He must have done something to another city-state;” Segreth put in, “Whatever he did to those city-states was masked. The leaders of the city-states didn’t know who caused the attack, and when he suggested having those people live in his city-state until they figured out he had done it, captured him, and fixed the mess caused by the attack, they weren’t thinking about the possibility of Oltenae causing the whole attack.”

                   “Wouldn’t they wonder where his own people went?” Slackley affirmed.

                   “Maybe. But they might be too busy trying to figure out who did it,” I said. “Anyways, they probably only made the decision right before Oltenae killed them off. The leaders who did not agree to let their people live in Zilponla would be dead in two seconds flat, and those people would be sent to the work camps.”

                   “Oltenae went power-crazy,” Segreth said firmly.

                   “Exactly. He wants to have so much power he’d let his own people suffer.” I said.

                   “None of this explains why the boy, Narreed, was going to be killed.” Slackley retorted. Why does she have to ask questions I really can’t answer?

                   “He had to have done something to make Oltenae want to kill him,” Segreth suggested. Thank god for Segreth!

                   “Yes, I could have guessed that. What I’m asking is what?”

                   “We won’t know until we ask him,” I said.

                   “Another interrogation?” Slackley returned.

                   “Yes, but I don’t see how it was so stressing on you, though. You did nothing but drop a cup and eat.”

                   The glare she gave me wasn’t forced.

                   I looked at Segreth again. He wanted to know as much �" or more �" about the subject as I did, but I didn’t know why. “Segreth, you will come with me again, right?”

                   His eyes softened. “Of course.”

                    “Slackley, I want no one else but Narred, Segreth and me in the room. Do you understand?”

                    “Excuse me?”

                    “Make sure no one else is in the room. No Commanders, no Cadets, no doctors. Nothing that would make Narreed afraid of giving anything away. Nothing.”

                      Her eyes narrowed and glared at me again, but I didn’t mind. When she nodded �" though it was a stiff nod �" I walked out of the room with Segreth by my side. I felt Cadet’s eyes following my every move, though I didn’t do anything to them. I chuckled at the fact that I could have been one of them. I can’t even imagine being as serious and polite, especially to Slackley!  I’m not polite as it is, and when I told Segreth he agreed with a light chuckle. It was the first time I’d actually saw Segreth really smile.

                       We got the hospital wing faster than I had wanted to. Having to do another interrogation on Narreed in less the two days seemed very wrong of me. The fact that I’m asking him why his parents’ wanted to kill him �" why they got the “job done” �" made it even worse. Despite all I’d been through my entire life, I figured his was probably just as bad. Maybe. It’s scary to think that my parents would abandon me, leave me with someone I barely knew, then kidnap me and try to kill me seemed more than barbaric. It seemed hostile.

                      Segreth opened the door to Narreed’s hospital room for me. We walked into the room quietly. It wasn’t dark; the lamp beside the bed was flickering, but Narreed didn’t seem to be awake.

                      “What do you want?” I heard him say. Oops. I was wrong.

                      The tone in his voice was vulgar. I didn’t want to bother him, especially with him in this type of mood, but I had to figure out what he did. It might be a clue to what Oltenae was against.

                      “All I need to know is-”

                      “Why my parents were trying to kill me?” He asked suddenly.

                      “…Yes…”

                      “Money, of course, and for the fact that I had done something to Oltenae. Something he didn’t like.”

                      “What did you do?”

                      “I didn’t really do anything,” Narreed started, “but I guess if I hadn’t done anything, it would have made a big difference in the situation I’m in right now.

                      “My mother and I were called to Oltenae’s mansion for the bravery medal he was awarded for dying. It was huge, bigger than anything I’d ever seen. Anyways, we were sent to separate rooms until the Ceremony of Valor, but on the way to my separate room, a man in handcuffs was being escorted to a different room. He looked like he was distressed; like something significant had happened to him very quickly. He had bruises running up and down his bare arms. I knew he wasn’t the happiest man in the world, but when he whispered help as he stumbled by, I knew something was not right. Oltenae was standing at the end of the hall, watching the man being escorted by the guards. I couldn’t help but wonder who the man was. Oltenae certainly did not like him for whatever reason. Knowing Oltenae’s reputation, it couldn’t have been a very good reason.

                       “Once the guards brought me to my room, I had this urge to go searching for that same man. I knew he was in trouble �" Oltenae has a way with executing trouble for other people �" but I didn’t know why I wanted to help him. I still don’t. Yet, even with the voice nagging at me to stay in my room like I’d seen nothing, I went ahead out of the room. Of course the guards were right outside my room �" one guard on each side of the sill �" and when I told them I needed to go to the bathroom, the escorted me to the bathroom! I knew Oltenae’s defense system was great, but I didn’t know how amazing. Crazy, though, that I found a way out without the guards seeing me, but it was hard.

                       “I fled from the bathroom as fast as I could, but as soon as I heard the terrible, eerie screams and yells coming from the other end of the hall I had to stop. It went on for minutes that felt like hours. I will never get those screams out of my memory; no matter how hard I try it will stick in my memory for a very elongated time. When guards came out the room I heard the screams coming from, I hid behind the closest curtain. I can’t tell you just how surprised I was to find Oltenae walk out behind them, straightening his tie, brushing off the dirt on his suit, and ridding his hands from the blood that stained his handkerchief. What I couldn’t understand is why, and how, he looked at straight at me through the curtains. At that moment, a shiver went down my spine.

                       “Once the guards and Oltenae was gone from my view, I ran over to the room they had come out of.  I pushed open the door and found the man sprawled across the floor, arms and legs bleeding horribly. I knew I had to do something to stop �" or at least slow down �" the bleeding from his wounds, but I couldn’t think. The sight of the blood made me freeze. The first thing I remember doing was asking the man if he was okay, which he obviously not, then trying to get him out of there; away from the mansion, definitely away from Oltenae. I noticed a window and a table at the other end of the room, so I gently grabbed the man from the floor and tugged his arms around my shoulder. I broke off the leg of the table, grabbed it, and ran �" or struggled to run �" to the window. I smashed the window with the table leg and shoved the man onto the ground. Luckily, we were only on the first level (of many), so he only flopped onto the ground with a big thump.        

                       “I didn’t get anywhere near my goal of getting the man away from the mansion. Guards caught me dragging his limp body across the hard, wet ground. I was confronted, not by Oltenae �" thank God �" but I was to stay in prison until my mother could bail me out. The night after she bailed me, my real, horrible parents kidnapped me while we slept. I can only imagine what my mother felt when she woke to find me missing…”

                       Narreed’s voice trailed, probably thinking about his mother, missing her. I saw the tears he was trying to fight back so hard.

                       The room was quiet for a long while. Segreth came up to me and Narreed, putting a hand on my shoulder. When I looked up into his eyes, I could tell he was thinking the same thing.

                       The man Narreed tried to save, the man that asked for his help, had to be my father. My mother was right, he was being tortured. For eleven years. I never knew someone could be so evil.

                       Eleven years.