Thump. Thump. Thump.
There was knocking on my door. I wiped my sister's brow and left the bowl of soup by her sagging bed. I walked up to the door, about to open it, when my brother grabbed my shoulder and walked me back to Val's room.
"Shhh," he said quietly, motioning with his hands. He walked over to get the door, and as the flimsy thing creaked open, I heard three gruff voices talking. They stopped when my brother glared at them. "Can I help you?" He said stiffly, his voice and posture tense.
A video started playing, and I paled as I heard the audio for my fight, starting with me bumping into the boy and ending with Anahi taking us away.
"Do you know where this woman lives?" He asked gruffly, command in his voice. Holden shot a glance back at me despairingly. This man had rank, and as much as I knew he wanted to, my brother couldn't go against a direct command.
"Kaylee, people are here to see you," He said begrudgingly, turning to face the inside of the house. I sighed, and kissed my sister on the head.
"I'll be right back honey," I said, and stalked off to join our brother at the front door.
I took in the older man and the two Enforcers beside him, looking menacing with their shock batons tucked in holsters on their backs, and silver daggers on their hips. Their black gloves looked like a void that was sucking souls in, and they had matching genderless black uniforms and helmets.
"What do you want, my sister is in one of the worse parts of her illness right now, you'd better have a good reason," I asked bluntly. I was never one to dance around the true purpose of something like a posse of five-year-old ballerinas. The man looked grimly into my eyes. He held the holocaster flat in the air, and pressed a button on it with his finger. Immediately, a 3D version of my fight started playing above it.
"Is this woman you?" He asked, searching my face for any indication that I was lying. I nodded my head. He pressed a credit chip into my hand.
"You and your brother's application into the Challenge was accepted just before this incident happened. One hundred thousand credits for your win against..." He trailed off for a second. "My godson." All I could do was stare at him in shock, my jaw hanging open.
"Wha-what rank am I? How much closer to loving back to the Capital to care for my sister?" I blurted out suddenly. He just looked at me.
"Go and see for yourself," he said simply, and then turned around to leave. I was about to close the door when he turned his head to look over his shoulder. "Oh, and, Kaylee? Make my son's death worth it. Make a difference." Then, the man I now knew to be the Beta General walked away.
I turned to face my brother, surprise written on both our faces, clear as day. He was the first to speak.
"What. The. Actual. Fuc-"
"Language, Holden!" Val yelled.