I reluctantly open my eyes, expecting to see another darkness. But I find myself sleeping in a bed, and a soft blanket tucked under my armpits. Sunlight creeps in through the window frame from across the bed. I quickly sit up and realize I'm wearing new fresh clothes. They are too big for me, but they are comfortable. My eyes feel so heavy and swollen from crying myself out on the way out of the dungeon.
Shit, Sierra!
I jump off the bed, but my knees are wobbling. A strong arm catches my body before my face can hit the floor.
"Be careful, fumbly!" Liam helps me to regain my balance.
I push him away and sit back on the bed. My head hurts, and tears threaten to come out again from my puffy eyes.
"Ava..." he bends down before me and takes my hand.
"Don't!" I say, pulling my hands away from him.
"Would you please listen to me?"
I don't look up at him and keep my eyes on my lap. "Are you really going to kill my friend?" and cold Obels tears stream down my face.
I hear him quietly gasp before releasing the oxygen slowly in a sigh.
"She didn't do anything! She didn't deserve to die!" my words have become sobs.
"I know that." As he concisely says.
"How can you be so calm about it?" I push him out of my way and walk out of the room.
Liam catches up to me, "Ava, would you please let me talk?"
"Fuck off, Liam!" I snatch my hand from him, and he doesn't reach back this time. I reach for a random door on my left and quickly lock myself in there. I release a relieved sigh when I find myself in a bathroom.
"There's a new toothbrush in the top drawer," Liam shouts from the other side, and I slam my fist on the door right where I think his face might be leaning.
My hands can't stop shaking! Ava, breathe! Inhale...1...2...3...exhale! Repeat!
I turn on the faucet and splash cold water on my face. This is the first time I see my reflection after all the punches from those idiots! I am startled when I see all the lacerated wounds on my forehead are cleaned and bandaged. The bruises are still there, and someone has already put on an ointment to reduce the inflammation.
My eyes are red and blotchy. Ew, I look disgusting! I open the top drawer and directly find a new toothbrush. I quickly brush my teeth and wash my face carefully, avoiding touching the still-wet wounds.
"There's also a clean towel on the bottom cabinet on your left." What the hell? Why is he still there? I slam my fist again on the door, but harder this time.
I open the cabinet and find the thing he just mentioned. I turn my body around and slide the shower curtain open before skidding in.
I don't plan on getting out of here pretty soon anyway if I still want to avoid the person I was trying to find in the first place.
I step out of the shower when my skin has already turned into an ugly prune and the water has turned cold. After I dry myself, I stare at the reflection of my naked body before I put on my clothes. I see bruises all over my body, and the most severe one is around my stomach. James... I'm going to kill him for this!
The last time I looked like this was when Aiden found me on that ravine. My father and mother would be terrified to see me like this.
The thought of my family makes me shudder. I don't know how long I have been in the shower, but Liam is not there when I open the door. He finally gave up, huh?
I hurry myself to whosever bedroom it is. Once I enter the room, I quickly lock it.
What do I do now?
I run to the window to check how far I am to the ground. I know I'm on the second floor, and I can jump without breaking my legs. I might as well try.
Damn it, the window is locked! I should break it with something.
I look around the room for something to throw, but there's nothing here except a bed with two pillows and a blanket. I can't even find a single chair in here! What kind of bedroom the fuck is this? There are bedside tables, and I could use one of them. But to no avail, they're attached to the bed. Now, what?!
I throw one pillow as hard as possible towards the window. But of course, it doesn't break! What else can I use?! MY HEAD! It's already broken why not break it again?!
I take the pillow from the floor and put it over my head. Wait... I also grab the blanket from the bed and wrap it around my neck. I don't want any broken glass ripping the skin on my neck and causing me to bleed and die! With the pillow secured around my head, I walk across the other side of the room. But before I can run for the window, someone knocks on the door. Shit, I must hurry! I take in a deep breath and sprint to the window.
"What the hell?" a voice is heard from the suddenly opened door.
Before I can sprint halfway, someone grabs my waist, lifting my legs from the ground.
"What are you doing?" Liam muffles from the pillow I have pushed on his face.
"Get the hell away from me!" I kick him on the side.
He groans, but he still doesn't let go of my waist. How is he so strong?
"Quit being so childish!"
"NO!"
He uses his free arm to snatch the pillow from his face and throws it across the room. "Ava, stop it!" he growls in his Obel's authority tone. Instantly, my head receives the massage, and my body stops struggling.
"Go, sit down on the bed!" he says in the same tone. He releases me, but I still won't budge. "Now!"
I sigh in defeat and do what Liam tells me to.
He grabs a food tray from the floor next to the door, and after he enters the room, he closes it and locks it. How did he get in here anyway? I remember locking the door.
"I'm sorry," Liam says softer this time, in his usual tone. He puts his hand on my shoulder, and I shrug it off. "Here, eat your breakfast. Peter wants to see you this afternoon."
"Fuck off, Liam!" I can't believe it. I was so eager to meet him yesterday, but now I want to get away from him.
He sighs. The side of the bed staggers when he puts his weight on it. "I didn't kill your friend."
"You didn't. But your friends did."
"Nobody did, Ava! She's still alive in the cell."
I raise my head and turn my face to him. "What do you mean?"
"This is what I was trying to tell you," he shakes his head. "But I need you to keep it a secret, okay?"
I nod at him.
"I have a plan for you and your friend. You'll know the details soon after talking with Peter this afternoon. Peter still wants to kill your friend though, but..." he pauses, waiting for my reaction. But I don't show any, so he continued, "I managed to convince him that she might be useful."
"What do you mean?" I arch my brows at him.
"Look," he continues again. "Long story short, we all know about the Fighters. The camp that Lucas is leading now. Do you know why he is gathering the Rebel runaways?"
I shake my head in disbelief, and also I'm curious now.
"He wants to attack the Monarch. He and his Fighters will take down the Monarch and call out for war. The Monarchs knew about Lucas's plan but needed to know when the attacks would happen or where Lucas would build his camp. So, they picked us Obles and trained us to be what they called Warriors. Peter is the leader that the Monarch chose. So, he's the one in contact with the Monarch councils."
"Wait, hold on! I don't understand! What are these Warriors and Fighters? Why does Lucas want to attack the Monarch and calls for war? What about the people in Suburbia?" I talk as fast as a lunatic on drugs.
"Whoa, slow down! I know it is a lot to take in at once, but I don't have all day to tell you the full story. I'll do my best to answer your questions." He sighs. "Warriors are us, the Obels picked by the Monarch and trained here by Peter, your brother, me, and several others. We are trained to fight the Fighters, Lucas's Rebel runaways and recruits. As for the reason behind Lucas's intention, it's only fair if you hear it from his side of the story. The people in Suburbia don't know anything about the two camps, that's why the Warriors are here. We are formed to protect the Monarch and the people."
"So, you're like a secret organization?"
The edge of his lips turns up into a smirk. "More like a secret military service."
"Does Lucas know about the Warriors?"
"No," Liam's smile fades away as quickly as it was formed. "That's why we captured every Rebel we found for questioning."
"But you released them after they gave you the information, right?"
Liam stays silent for a second, and I can see guilt and sadness in his eyes. "No, we killed them."
A jolt of anger creeps down my spine. "Why?"
"We can't risk getting uncovered," he says matter-of-factly. "You have to understand that what we do here is to protect Suburbia."
"But you still kill innocent people, Liam! You're the bad guy, and the Fighters are the good guys. They never kill anyone!"
"You don't know anything," he exclaims. "Ava, I want you to be safe, and you can help us," there is something he's not telling me, and I need to make him talk.
"But how?"