Branded

  A smaller picture also pops up of the remote transformation center and the lab where everyone is branded before entering the Hole. So this is where Wilson prefers to work. It strikes me as interesting that the transformation center is separate from the Hole. Not that it matters. It’s all for the purpose of torturing people.

  Sutton’s voice cuts through my inner thoughts, bringing my attention directly to him.

  “This is the only map of the Hole that’s ever been made. Not much has changed since it was constructed. A lot of people died for this, so please take me serious when I say this is top secret. I became a doctor because I love the human body and it gives me joy to help others. My mission started decades ago when I saw the injustices created by a system that accuses, brands, and tortures its citizens. My best friend growing up was an activist. He openly spoke with disgust of the Hole—”

  Sutton’s eyes focus on me in the crowd as he refers to my father. Please don’t let my courage fail me now. I nod at him, acknowledging and respecting his words as a torrent of emotions wells up in my chest. Pride. Pain. Memories.

  “My friend, my brother, was murdered for speaking openly in defense of those who couldn’t do it for themselves. Since then, I’ve dedicated myself to helping your people. The time of watching is over. It is time to act.” He pauses as everyone stands and cheers.

  I find myself standing and clapping along with the crowd. The people connected by satellite also stand and clap, their faces ranging from joy to fear. Keegan motions for us to sit, so we do.

  “Over the years, we’ve compiled an arsenal of weapons. We’ve finished digging the tunnels that we now live in. We’ve made a plan that will overthrow the current leader and install a new, fairer justice system for all.”

  Everyone stands to clap again. The thunderous applause echoes so loud that I look up at the ceiling, hoping the commander can’t hear us. As I drop my eyes, I catch Cole staring at me, and my heart rate increases.

  “We’ve broken everyone into teams with leaders. Each team has a specific goal to accomplish. After this meeting, the list of teams and their leaders will be hung in the hallway for you to see. You’ll meet with your team and leader to begin your specific training this week.” He motions to the large screens. “Those of you who aren’t present but are connected by remote satellite will be notified of your teams by your local team leaders.”

  Some of the faces on screen smile, while others look solemn. We all know what’s at stake. Relationships. Lives. The future.

  “Next week we begin the full offensive.” A hush moves across the room, and all eyes are glued upon Sutton.

  “I bear the full weight of my responsibility as a leader. I know some of you won’t survive, but take hope in the knowledge that you’re giving the younger generation a chance you never had. A chance to live freely without terror, without want, without injustice. You give them the hope that they can overcome anything—short of death.”

  The crowd roars as they stand and applaud him once again. The last sentence of his speech resonates with all, and I finger the ring on my hand, feeling my father’s presence. Wishing he were here. Wishing Alyssa could witness this.

  People start moving around, talking in loud voices, and crowding out into the hallway to see their groups. The lights come back on slowly, and the remote satellite links are disabled one by one. Men stand with Sutton and Keegan around the hologram in the center, discussing tactics. Zeus waits with me.

  “Of course you’re in Keegan’s group.” A familiar voice breaks into my thoughts.

  I spin and Cole stands before me. I drop my eyes, looking anywhere but at him. I can’t control my hands, so I twist them together. He eyes my ring, taking my hand into his, and playing with it. His touch sends ripples throughout my being.

  “Does that surprise you?”

  “No, but it pisses me off. You deserve the right to choose who you want to fight with. God, babe, I miss you. I’m going crazy. I think about you constantly. I’m worried that you’re hurt, worried that you need me, and worried that you’ll—”

  I put my hand on his chest to stop him. I know what he feels because I feel it too. The need, the desire to be together is almost overwhelming. It strips me of rationale and melts my resolve like fire bending steel.

  “I miss you more, but our feelings for each other are exactly why Keegan doesn’t want us fighting together.”

  “I’m still going to protect you.” He shifts his weight, dropping my hand, unsure of himself. “I’m still going to worry about you.”

  “No! You need to worry about keeping yourself alive. I can take care of myself now. If only you could see how good I’ve become, you’d see I don’t need your protection anymore.” My soul screams for him, longing to touch him back and desiring to rewind time. “I hope you know I never thought he’d force you to leave…” I stumble over my own words and he stops me.

  “No, don’t you dare blame yourself.”

  My insides crumble and I have to swallow my desire to jump into his arms. He still loves me. Instead, I kneel down and put my arms around Zeus, who promptly licks me from my chin up to my nose.

  “Eww, Zeus!” I laugh out loud, breaking the physical tension between Cole and me for a quick moment.

  “You look hot, by the way. Not that you weren’t hot before—you definitely were—it’s just now you’re filled out and your muscles are so damn sexy,” Cole says. He kneels down, patting Zeus’s head too. His hands make their way to mine until we’re both kneeling, gazing into each other’s faces and wishing for privacy. Why does this have to be so hard?

  Someone clears his throat, forcing me back to reality. Then I notice people are outright staring at us as we hold hands.

  I stand up stiffly, pulling my hands away, and shake my head. “We can’t do this. If Keegan sees us, he’ll never let you come back.”

  “Last time I checked, Sutton’s in charge—not him.” Cole steps closer. “If I want to kiss my girlfriend, hug my girlfriend, I will and there isn’t a damn thing he can do about it.”

  “Please don’t make a scene. Things are already hard enough.”

  “Babe—”

  I can’t handle his pleading. I dart out so fast that I can’t remember which door I entered. I wish I could turn around and look at him one last time, but talking to him was enough torture for one day. I won’t choose between him and my brother.

  I push through people and find the lists in the hallway. Scanning the paper, I see my name under Keegan’s, as expected. I check and find Cole’s name under Sutton.

  This is killing me. I bang my forehead on the wall in frustration and leave. I rush back to my room and climb into my bed as the dam breaks and my tears flow freely.

  This is all moving at a pace so fast I can’t keep up. I feel weak, even though I’m strong. I feel incapable, even though I can do it. I know I’m doing the right thing for so many reasons. It’s not just about Cole. It’s for my father, Alyssa, and so many others I’ve seen die grisly deaths in the last few months. Now, more than ever, I want the commander to pay for all I’ve lost. And mostly, I want to fight for those people like me, who were branded sinners when innocent. Whatever the cost, I’ll fight. This is as ready as I’ll ever be.

  CHAPTER 20

  Air rushes from my lungs as his fist slams into my stomach. I double over and take a jarring knee to my forehead. Swirling flashes of white pierce my vision as I fall backward, covering my head to avoid the inevitable onslaught of punches.

  “All right! Enough for now.” Keegan’s voice sounds satisfied.

  My opponent, a stocky young man in his twenties, reaches down to me. I’m holding my head with one hand while he pulls me up with the other. I just got my rear end handed to me for the first time in a while. I didn’t even stand a chance.

  “No worries, he won’t kill you. But he’s the best fighter we have and therefore the best practice for you,” Keegan says as he pats my adversary on the back. “This is Sheldon.”

 
I nod my head and smile weakly. “Nice to meet you, I think,” I say.

  He smiles in return. He has a wide gap between his two front teeth and a large bruise covers his cheekbone.

  Keegan stands with his arm wrapped around Sheldon’s back. They look like two tough characters with their shaved heads, tattooed arms, and bulky muscles.

  “I’m assuming you’ve all met each other by now. If not, do so. As you know, I’m the leader of this group. I expect you to do everything as a team. We’ll train together, eat together, and yes, even sleep together. We must become one,” Keegan says.

  All thirty of us, including me, stand at attention while he speaks, and we all nod in agreement.

  “We’ll continue weapons training, but our concentration will be mostly close-quarters combat. We get to do all the fun stuff. Every group has an objective and ours will be to penetrate the commander’s main residence.”

  I struggle to maintain composure during this announcement. Fear creeps up my throat and tightens like a vice around my vocal chords. I survey the group of people around me. I don’t know anyone’s names, other than Keegan and Sheldon, although we’ve all fought each other in rotation, but all of them look physically ready.

  “As you already know, Sheldon’s the best combat trainer here, and trust me, you’ll hate him when he’s finished with you. But remember, it’s his job to put you through hell—to make you the best fighter you can be. I also want to take this opportunity to introduce you to Isaac, our bomb specialist. We’ll be fighting in close quarters for the majority of the time, but we’ll still need his expertise to conquer some aspects of the residence. We’ll go over all of this after dinner. In the meantime, pack up your crap and move it to wing C of the compound. You’ll all bunk together during this part of training.”

  Keegan dismisses us, and I walk back to my room to begin packing. I don’t own much—some clothing, my ring, Alyssa’s book, and Zeus. And Zeus isn’t really mine; he just showed up in my room late last night and comforted me while I cried. Which made me cry even more.

  I hate losing my privacy and losing my only outlet—painting. I only have one wall left, but it seems like such a waste. All that hard work for nothing.

  “What’s wrong with you? I can hear things being thrown in your room from down the hall. What are you so angry about?” I spin around, and Keegan stands in my room.

  “I keep moving from one place to another. I never get to settle in, and I feel like my mind is going to explode. It’s just my nerves freaking out… I’ll be okay,” I say. I throw the last few shirts I own into a worn duffel bag and carefully place Alyssa’s book on top.

  “Well, maybe this will help. I brought you something.”

  I look up again, and he’s holding an envelope.

  “What’s that?” I take it into my hands, running my finger along the seam to tear it open. Then I pull out a letter that looks like it was written a long time ago and my eyes begin misting over.

  Dear Lexi,

  My daughter. My heart. By now, you’ve probably figured out what happened to me. I apologize for keeping it hidden from you, but I hoped that in doing so, I’d protect you against those with evil intentions. If there were any other way, I would’ve moved heaven and earth to do it for you.

  There are so many things I want to tell you about life, but I know you’re an intelligent, brave, and compassionate young lady who will always find her way. I hope that you love deeply, as I have loved your mother. I hope that you strive for justice and integrity in everything you do. I hope you know that I always, ALWAYS loved you, regardless of the path I chose for myself.

  Be strong for the times ahead. Stand up for those who cannot. And remember, you can overcome anything short of death.

  Your loving Daddy

  I taste the salt as the tears drip down my face and onto the letter as I read it, over and over again. My father had faith in me, and after reading his own words, I’m determined to end what he started so many years ago.

  “Where did you get this?” I ask holding the letter against my chest.

  He sits beside me and puts his arm over my shoulder. Even his eyes tear up at the edges. “He knew he was running out of time, that one day they’d come for him. He wrote two letters. One to you and one to me. Before he died, he made sure they were safe with Sutton.”

  “I never thought I’d hear from Dad again, and here he is encouraging me when I need it the most.” I wipe the tears from my cheeks and hug my older brother. For the first time since the incident with Cole, I see him as just my brother. “Thank you. This means the world to me.” I kiss Keegan’s cheek, feeling regretful for being so angry with him.

  “I’m not always a jerk, you know. All I’m trying to do is what’s best for you, and even though you don’t see it now, one day you will,” he says. “Besides, this could be the last week we’re alive, and I thought you should read it before we go into battle.” The way he finishes his sentence makes me feel guilty.

  “You’re right. And here I am complaining about something that has absolutely no importance whatsoever.” I steel myself. I stand up straight and put my shoulders back, trying to be the soldier I know I need to become. “Do you really think we can get into the commander’s quarters?”

  “I do. We won’t all make it, of course, but it’ll be worth the cost when I put his head on a spear for all to see. Then we’ll have the power to do things the way we want. We’ll be able to take back everything we lost and make them pay.” He lifts my head with his hand and says, “Imagine that. Imagine the sweet revenge you’ll have for your branding. For taking our father—for taking everything away from us.” The change in his tone gives me goose bumps. His words are hard like steel and just as cold.

  “It’s not the revenge I’m interested in. I just want things to be right again. That’s all I want.” I shrug his arm off my shoulders. The hunger for violence in his eyes makes me uncomfortable. The brother I just recognized is again lost to the warrior he has become. “Thank you. Thank you for giving me this.” I hold up the letter and the tightness in my chest prevents me from saying anything more.

  He takes the hint and stops in my doorway on the way out. “Oh, just so you know, in two days we’re throwing a shindig to celebrate the revolt. Make sure you keep Cole and his idiotic dog under control.”

  My head feels scrambled. I tuck the letter inside Alyssa’s book and slide it into my small duffel bag. I may not have much, but what I own is priceless. I motion to Zeus, and he follows me out into the dim hallway one last time.

  A complex maze of tunnels link together, forming a vast underground network that I didn’t know existed when I first arrived. Wing C is small, though, and darker. Light bulbs dangle intermittently along the narrow tunnels. Water drips down and mud forms, immediately coating my boots with a thick crust.

  When we finish dinner, our group chooses bunks in a damp room. The doorway opens into a narrow hall between crude wooden bunks that line each side of the room. Metal dressers sit in between each bunk, but they’re barely big enough for three days’ worth of clothing. All of us—male and female—share the crowded space. Keegan takes the bed closest to the doorway. Sheldon bunks directly across from him and winks as I pass. I take an empty bunk at the back of the room because I don’t want to be too close to everyone. I place my meager belongings in a metal dresser that sits next to the bed. Zeus lies down uneasily and whines.

  After settling in, we meet with Keegan in the control room. He pulls up a hologram of the commander’s residence. It’s large, concrete, and attached to the main outer wall of the Hole. It looks familiar, and my memory of it is validated when I realize it’s located next to the entrance of the Hole. I saw it when Cole escorted me in.

  “The doors are made of thick metal. The only way to open and close them is the keypad. The entry into the main compound is at the top of the wall, so we’ll get there by using a back staircase. The stairs are loaded with guards, so everyone needs to stay sharp. Sheldon will go firs
t and scout it out. We’ll wait for his signal and then proceed. When we get to the doors, Isaac will detonate them. Unfortunately, we don’t have information on what we’ll encounter once inside. Sutton was able to get a rough map of the residence, but the copy is a few years old, so things could’ve changed. I want every single one of you to memorize it anyway. There’re enough copies for everyone. Look, I know it’s a lot to absorb, but we’re running out of time.” Keegan hands out maps to each person, and everyone studies them.

  “What are the other groups’ objectives? Are any of them joining forces with us?” A girl with purple hair asks.

  “Veronica, a few groups will be attacking the head training center on the ground floor of the hospital. Others will blow holes in the outer wall to free the citizens who can’t fight, and some will make roadblocks to prevent the guards from interfering with the whole operation. And so on.” He continues. “One other group is supposed to assist us, but it’s only for backup. Otherwise, we’re on our own. That’s why I selected the best of the best for my group.” We freeze as we listen.

  “What about all the innocent people in the hospital?” I ask. “We can’t just blow it to pieces without warning them. They deserve a chance to get out.”

  “That’s not our concern. Our main objective is to focus on the task at hand. That group will worry about how to handle the situation.” Keegan glares at me, and the others lower their eyes.