Chapter 14

After the sandwiches, we ended up going for a walk through the halls. “Are you planning on joining military after the storm and the pills are figured out?” Darren asked when we got to the mess hall for the military students.

“Definitely not,” I snorted.

“Why not? You are always calling me Price anyways,” he sighed, “You could study negotiations and law, stand up for the afflicted in that way.”

“I'd still be in a kill or be killed environment,” I shook my head, “I cannot get involved that deeply in the military, I need to focus.”

 

“You have your affliction more under control now, you need to fight,” he insisted, “I know you want to.”

“Who am I going to fight? The military leaders? The doctors? This isn't a physical fight it's mental,” I gave him a look, “Besides Seth and the girls want me to keep going to the meetings and with military school I won't have time and I want to be with them.”

“They make you feel safe,” he commented, “Well what is your plan?”

“Journalism,” I replied, “I want to write the truth or report it at least.”

“Writing is what you're hiding behind,” he told me, “That and your friends.”

“You are so sure that you're right all the time,” I said annoyed, “I am not a military girl by choice, I have military blood in me, but that doesn't mean I have to go to the institute and start taking those pills.”

“Again with the pills,” he groaned, “What is your real problem with them?”

 

“Emotions are what it is to human and the higher the dosage is the more you are susceptible to orders,” I explained, “You'll follow them blindly without any sense of right or wrong to stop you.”

“Who told you that?” he demanded.

“I told the leaders of our group what you told me, well I told Seth and he told them,” I said, “They did some research and that's what they found out, they need a sample to be sure.”

“You told Seth what I said to you in confidence,” he said loudly and people were looking at us.

 

“I was already part of the group I had to prove my loyalty, you would do the same thing for your leaders,” I said quietly.

“When did you tell him?” he pulled me aside.

“About two hours later,” I bit my lip, “Around 10 o'clock at night.”

“So that's why you were outside,” he growled, “You think I am taking advantage of you, Maya he is just as bad as I am.”

“Seth would never try anything,” I rolled my eyes.

“He is always touching you, do you not notice?” he hissed.

 

“He is just trying to comfort me, that night when I was in that old church I had so many flashes that I couldn't control anything,” I snapped back at him, “I couldn't stand, I couldn't stop crying and the pain was unbearable and Seth came and he made things better.”

“You think he is the only one who cares about you,” he took my hands, “I heard you scream in the church from a few blocks away and I went looking to see what was wrong, by the time I found you, Peck had already cheered you up.”

 

“You know I know my brother does not care that much about me, he would not encourage me to date someone with severe emotional problems too,” I commented, “He wants you to take those pills, he wants me to take them and for me to bring honour to family name.”

“Your brother is not as intelligent as he thinks he is, but you need to act nice to him,” he warned me, “Him and your family name keep you safe.”

“Nothing else,” I raised an eyebrow.

“A purple haired girl with mind reading powers, a navy girl with a fiery personality, my annoying little sister, your guardian angel and the selfish soldier will do what we can,” he muttered.

“You're not selfish,” I complimented him.

“Thank you for the compliment, Garnet,” he said then a group of military guys came striding over.

 

“Is this your latest fling, Price?” one of them said.

“Maya Garnet,” I told him, “You probably know my brother.”

“I heard his sister was infected,” another guy spoke up.

“Well you better run before I spread the disease,” I smirked.

 

“Honestly, Price,” Kelley joined us, “You could do a lot better, she is just a child you know.”

“Kelley, mind what is and isn't your business,” Darren commanded then Seth came walking into the hall, “What is he doing here? This is off limits for him.”

“I'll talk to him,” I said then Seth spotted me.

“Maya, we have to get back to our floor,” he grabbed my arm when he reached us.

“What's wrong?” I saw the scared look in his eye.

“Jeffery Waites was found dead on the military's lower level, we found him in the hallway with needles in his back,” Seth looked at Darren accusingly.

“Needles,” I said.

 

“They stopped his heart, he is one of our leaders, May they are trying to...” he looked at the military guys, “We need to go.”

“We are planning on getting rid of most of you,” one of the older male students joined us, “I'd take out the red haired boy now if I had a gun, at least the girl has a chance at recovery.”

“Watch yourself,” I glared at him.

“We are going back downstairs,” Darren started guiding me towards the door.

“I hope you enjoy you guys' break because with no asylums we'll just have to take you out one by one,” Kelley laughed and I ran at her. Darren grabbed me around my middle just as I got my fingers around her neck.

 

“You may be military, Kelley, but you're going to hell long before I am,” I shouted at her before Darren got me out of the hall and didn't set me down until we were on the elevator. “Did you know that they are targeting us? I thought we had an agreement between the two groups, we could freeze to death at any moment and yet the military with their medical pals are trying to systematically off us,” I yelled at Darren.

“I didn't know about any of this, Garnet I am a student still and since I started hanging out with you I do not have the connections to get that kind of information,” he threw his words back at me.

“You want me to be in the military when all this is over, they do not want us in their ranks,” I said harshly, “They just want ruthless killers.”

“Are you saying I am ruthless killer?” Darren looked almost hurt.

“Of course you are, you take advantage of people, you act superior, but you have no self control or backbone,” Seth piped up.

“Seth,” I said then had to stop Price from punching him, “Jeffery was a friend of Seth's he is just upset.”

“Don't try and reason with him, May,” Seth told me.

 

“Both of you back off, if either of you is on my side then you'll shut up now and let me talk,” I shouted.

“Fine,” Darren leaned against the wall, “I am staying in Nora's area until the doors are open again and she isn't a target.”

“My bunk is right next to hers, you get have the bottom bed,” I suggested and Seth opened his mouth, “Seth you're in the bunk next to mine anyways and he needs a direct line of sight to his sister and most of the beds are full.”

“He better stay on the bottom bunk,” Seth warned.

 

“She's sixteen, besides she'd just throw me off the bunk and I need to have all my strength to keep Nora safe,” Price remarked, “But if she's having trouble sleeping then you stay in your bunk unless called for, Peck.”

“You can't boss me around,” Seth argued then we reached our floor and I went right over to Eva who was crying.

“He was always so nice to me,” she sobbed and I ran over to hug her, “Maya, you're alright we were really worried about you.”

“Does Price know anything about the attack?” Kiara asked uncertainly, “His thought are bouncing around too fast for me to handle.”

“He only knows what Seth told us, you should have sent someone more prepared to get me,” I looked at Seth, “What if there was a conflict? You only know some self defence and stick fighting right now.”

“I would risk it again,” he replied.

“Jeffery, he had all of those needles in his back and his eyes were blank,” Eva started shaking and I saw the old fireplace light up.

“Eva, calm down they are looking for any excuse to come after us,” I stopped her legs from shaking, “Take deep breaths and tell me whether you felt a heartbeat or if he was stone cold.”

“He'd been dead for awhile,” she said, “His skin was so pale and he wasn't breathing at all, May.”

 

“It's okay, I won't let them get you,” Seth sat down beside her, “You have a military girl for a friend too.”

“I have two military friends, if that's alright with you Darren,” Eva looked over at him.

“Nora and Garnet are my first priority, but I won't mind a friend,” Darren said and I looked over at him surprised, “Allies are far and few between.”

“Well, if you have some kind of weapon I'll be the closest friend you've ever had,” Kiara said, “I hate needles and I am not getting them in the back like Waites.”

“Nora, there you are,” Darren said as the five foot nothing girl appeared out of nowhere.

“Sorry, I heard about Waites and I wanted to find out what happened,” she looked to me, “Are they trying to eliminate our leaders or just kill us?”

 

“We don't know, but you're going to be safe because your brother is staying in the bed beside you,” I informed her.

“But he snores,” she made a face.

“Nora, this is not the time or place for that, you're in danger and I am staying here,” Darren explained.

“Do I even get a vote?” she muttered.

“I'll keep him in line and I have ear plugs you can borrow,” I assured her.

 

“You're a just ruler,” she hugged me, “We should all band together, I wish the others upstairs would see that they are idiots, I can hear them up there and it's ridiculous.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” I chewed on my lip, “You don't think my brother is involved, do you?”

“Cass is a junior officer, he'll know more than the rest of us,” Darren said, “You should talk to him, you might get information out of him more easily and convince him to join the freaks, no offence.”

“None taken,” Kiara sang.

“Well I don't know where to look for Cass,” I reminded him then I saw the man in question step off the elevator.

“Maya,” he walked over, “I need to talk to you right now.”

 

“Do you need information, Officer Garnet?” Darren asked.

“No, I need to speak with my sister privately,” he insisted.

“Cass, is something wrong with you?” I saw how unfocused his eyes were.

“Come on,” he grabbed my arm and dragged me back onto the elevator.

“Where are we going?” I demanded.

“The bottom floor,” he replied, “Officer Warner wants to know some information.” He turned around quickly and stuck something in my neck.