Captives (20 page)

“Ladies,” Tyra said. “In a moment Luella Flynn is going to film an intro. It’s thrilling, I know. So I need you all to be quiet while we’re taping, but applaud when you’d like, okay?”

Shaylinn wondered how many of the girls would clap. Mia seemed to be enamored with everything around them, but Naomi and a few of the other Glenrock women were sitting with crossed arms, staring at the stage. Shaylinn decided she would clap only if someone made her.

Tyra greeted a familiar-looking woman who stood on the far right of the stage. The woman was wearing a blood-red sweater and a tight, black, knee-length skirt. Her brown hair was twisted into a mound on the top of her head and studded with what appeared to be diamond flowers. She held a microphone with the letters
SLC
displayed on a square box under the foam head.

“That’s Luella Flynn from the Finley and Flynn show,” Kendall whispered. “I guess we’re done with yellow and black. Just wait—everyone will be wearing those diamond flowers. And black and red. Jemma, you match her!”

Jemma groaned. “Now I’ll look like I mimicked her.”

Shaylinn thought back to the TV show she’d seen that morning. “But Luella had black hair.”

Kendall smirked. “She changes her hair a lot. The brown is new. And so is the length. Probably a wig.”

“Thirty seconds!” the cameraman yelled.

The women stopped whispering. Shaylinn continued to look back and forth between the stage and the men in the back, trying to understand what they were doing. Tyra ran onstage to retrieve one of Luella’s diamond flowers off the floor.

“Ten seconds!”

“I keep losing those little beasties,” Luella said, pushing at one of the flowers in her hair.

“In five, four, three, two …”

“Thanks, Finley,” Luella said, her smile radiant. “Precious viewers, I’m live at the Champion Theater in the Highland Harem, juiced to meet the new conscripts. But first, the task director general is going to present a short greeting to the new nationals.”

Luella went silent for a moment. “I haven’t seen our newest queen. Yet. Rumor is she’s
seven months pregnant
, which puts her delivery just two months behind Kendall Collin’s. Now, I’m as stimmed as the rest of the Safe Lands about the prospect of two infant nationals, so I promise to get to the bottom of this to
-day
so we can see this miracle woman for ourselves.”

The cameraman held up his hand. “We’re clear.”

Luella slouched and dropped the microphone to her side. “Just a little break for some product expos,” she told the audience. “Did I lose any more clips?”

“No, you’re fine,” Tyra said from the side of the stage.

“Is the new pregnant girl out there?” Luella squinted into the audience.

“Right here!” Mia waved and pointed to Naomi.

“Thanks a lot, Mia,” Naomi mumbled.

“Ug! I can’t see you, femmy! The lights are too bright.” Luella crouched and squinted at the audience.

“They aren’t going to make me go up there, are they?” Naomi asked.

“Of course,” Kendall said, “though they’ll make me go up first.”

“Why?” Shaylinn asked.

“Because I’m their spokesmodel. They want people to want to be like us.”

“Pregnant?” Naomi said.

“Exactly.”

“That’s
so
weird,” Shaylinn said. She hoped they escaped before
that Ciddah woman summoned her, but after she got the magical cosmetic consultation.

“No, that’s psychotic,” Naomi said. “These people are nuts.”

“Back in thirty!” the cameraman yelled.

“Kendall!” Tyra tottered up the aisle on her heels, waving. “I need you.”

“Here we go.” Kendall eased out of her chair and inched down the row, using the seat backs as a crutch. Tyra urged Kendall to hurry, but the girl had only one speed. Slow.

“In ten!”

Shaylinn watched Tyra help Kendall up the short flight of steps to the stage. A woman swooped in, fluffed Kendall’s hair, and applied something to her face.

The cameraman spoke from the back of the room. “And five, four, three, two …”

On stage, Luella lifted the microphone in front of her chin. “I give you the task director general of the Safe Lands, Lawten Renzor.”

Scattered applause broke out from the small crowd. Shaylinn wasn’t about to clap for the leader of her captors. The man walked to the center of the stage. He was wearing a black suit with a black shirt and tie underneath. He didn’t look very special.

“Greetings, conscripts. As Task Director General of the Safe Lands, I oversee all facets of our beloved city. As you now know, female nationals are summoned to serve a term in the Highland Harem every two years. Since you’re new to our city, we’ve asked you to serve immediately. This provides you with a safe place to learn our ways and a chance at a successful surrogacy.”

“Before we all catch the plague and die,” Naomi whispered to Jemma.

Shaylinn frowned. It was a morbid thought that seemed quite true.

“I’m sure you’ve discovered that the harem is a wonderful place to live,” the task director said. “Matron Dlorah informed me you’ve been through orientation, task testing, and have been ranked for surrogacy. Congratulations on making it this far.”

Jemma folded her arms. “Why’s he trying to turn being kidnapped into some kind of competition? It’s not like we chose to be here.”

“He’s just hoping we’re as dumb as the people who live here,” Naomi said.

But Shaylinn didn’t think that Tyra or Kendall were dumb. Tyra was blunt, but she knew her job and did it well. And Kendall was so nice.

“As you all know, Kendall Collin is our beloved queen,” the task director said. “You’ve likely seen her gorgeous face smiling at you from DigiBoards and Wyndos all over our city. My receptionist even has Kendall’s picture as the background on her GlassTop.”

This got a chuckle from the people in the front row.

“Let’s give a warm welcome to Luella Flynn and Kendall Collin,” the task director said.

Shaylinn looked back to the side of the stage. Arm in arm, Luella and Kendall walked toward the task director. He stepped back from the microphone and applauded. The Safe Lands nationals seated with the harem stood, cheering. One whistled. Another yelled Kendall’s name. Shaylinn wondered if she should stand. Mia had, but Jemma and Naomi were still sitting.

She stayed in her seat as Kendall and Luella reached center stage.

The task director hugged Kendall and kissed her cheeks. “How are you, Ms. Collin?”

Kendall peered at the audience and said in a thin voice, “I’m doing good.”

“You’re looking good!” Luella said into her microphone, and nationals in the audience cheered.

“Naomi!” a voice whispered. Tyra stood at the end of the row, waving.

“I’m not going up there!” Naomi said.

“Ignore her, then,” Jemma said.

But Tyra slipped down the aisle. “Naomi, I need you.”

“I don’t really care what you need.”

Something hard flashed in Tyra’s eyes. “I don’t like to do this, Ms. Jordan, but I’m told your lifer is being held in the Rehabilitation Center. Your cooperation will assure his good treatment.”

Jordan in prison? Heat flashed through Shaylinn’s chest. She hoped her brother would try to control his temper. It felt like a futile hope.

Naomi’s lips parted; her jaw twitched. “Did you just threaten me?”

Tyra swallowed and looked at the stage. “I’m afraid so.”

Naomi shook her head and stood, pushing past Tyra and knocking the tiny woman down into a seat. Jemma followed Naomi all the way to the side stage. Shaylinn didn’t want to be left alone, so she got up and followed. A lady with a brush approached Naomi.

“Don’t touch me,” Naomi said, and the woman skulked away.

Everything looked different from this position. Bright spotlights from the back of the room blinded Shaylinn, making the audience a white blur. She could see the stage perfectly, however, especially where the task director, Luella, and Kendall stood talking.

“Safe Landers,” the task director said, “this baby is coming and soon! He’s yours, and he’s mine. Thank you, Kendall Collin, for your service to our great city.”

Again the crowd applauded. Kendall walked off the stage, deflating a bit once she reached Shaylinn. “I
hate
being on the ColorCast,” she said. “Especially with that man.”

Luella spoke into her microphone. “Just yesterday, eight new women joined our nation. Like Kendall, they were once outsiders. And among them was their own queen.”

Naomi crossed her arms on top of her belly. “I’m
not
going out there!”

“A queen as lovely as our Kendall,” Luella said, though Shaylinn swore she’d heard the woman admit to never having seen Naomi. “A queen that brought with her the promise of a future. People of the Safe Lands, I give you Naomi Jordan, who’s carrying a precious baby boy!”

“Go!” Tyra pushed Naomi onto the stage.

“Boy?” Naomi staggered the first few steps after Tyra’s shove, then slowed to a standstill. Shaylinn understood why Tyra had insisted Naomi wear this fitted blue gown over the flowy one Naomi had preferred. They were putting her pregnancy on display for all to see.

“Come now, Ms. Jordan. Don’t be shy.” The task director held out his arms as if Naomi was his long-lost daughter.

The pale shock on Naomi’s face hardened. She straightened, tossed her head back, and marched to the center of the stage. “It’s
Mrs.
Jordan,” she said.

The task director embraced her and kissed both her cheeks, though Naomi may as well have been a tree.

“Oh, you darling creature!” Luella said, taking Naomi’s hands and holding them out to the side. She let go of one and twirled Naomi under her arm. “Finley, isn’t she stunning?”

The audience applauded. Finley’s reply, wherever he was, wasn’t heard in the theater.

“What a joy,” the task director said to the audience, “to introduce Naomi Jordan, our new Safe Lands queen.”

“I’m not your silly queen,” Naomi said. “What have you done with my husband?”

Immediately, majestic music rose, drowning out Naomi’s unamplified voice. The task director turned to the left side of the stage. Shaylinn followed his gaze and saw two men walk out from the curtains, shirtless! One carried a fat red pillow that held a crown and a long ribbon. The other carried a bouquet of flowers.

The men stopped beside the task director, who picked up the crown with both hands and settled it onto Naomi’s head. Then he put the ribbon over her head, which turned out to be a sash that fell across her body. It bore the words
Safe Lands Queen
in gold glitter. He took the flowers from the second man and handed them to Naomi.

“Surrogacy,” the task director said. “Giving life. This is true beauty. This is true patriotism. This is the highest glory to be had in our nation. Naomi Jordan, you are highly favored. We thank you for your service. You’re a Safe Lands hero. May Fortune bless you.”

“Finally,” Kendall said to Shaylinn. “Maybe now they’ll start leaving me alone.”

T
hat evening Shaylinn and the other harem girls attended the entertainment orientation, which was held in several ballrooms on the second floor of the Highland Harem. There was a room for dancing, a room for singing, a room for playing musical instruments, and a room for learning how to act. Tyra informed them that they must try everything once as part of their task training.

Kendall had been given the night off, due to what Tyra had called “the upcoming momentous occasion of giving birth,” so Shaylinn stayed close to Jemma and Naomi. They decided to get the acting out of the way, then do the dancing, and end with instruments and singing, which they thought would be more relaxing. Mia tagged along too.

The acting room seemed twenty degrees hotter than the rest of the building because of all the bright lamps pointing at each of the stations. There were four stages set up in this room: a kitchen, a dance club, a living room, and a restaurant. Each had a row of seats for spectators.

“It’s like a life-sized dollhouse!” Mia said.

Naomi pointed out a small table of food and filled a plate with stuffed chicken rolls. Once they all had something to munch on, the
group sat by the living room station and watched Eliza, Jennifer, and Chipeta read a scene about three friends in the Safe Lands Boarding School. Shaylinn found the process of filmmaking fascinating, and asked one of the men running the station about camera crews, lighting, scripts, and how they put it all together.

“There you are!” Tyra said from behind Jemma. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Naomi growled low, like a dog whose territory had been invaded.

Jemma flashed Tyra a hopeful smile. “You’re going to let me take Naomi back to the dormitory because a pregnant woman needs her rest?”

“No,” Tyra said, “but I’ll make you a deal. The director wants to film some of the harem girls reading a scene for a thriller movie. He thinks it’ll make great outtakes for today’s ‘behind the scenes with the new nationals’ bit Luella’s going to run on her show.”

“They’re filming this day?” Shaylinn looked around. She didn’t want to be on TV.

“Of course!” Tyra said. “They film everything for the ColorCast.”

“Good.” Naomi shoved three chicken rolls into her mouth. “Whurs duh camma?”

Shaylinn cackled at how silly Naomi looked. The perfect woman for her brother.

“Be serious,” Tyra said. “If you do this, and do it well, you can go back to the room.”

“Done,” Naomi said, gulping down her mouthful. “Where’s my script?”

“Excellent!” Tyra handed them each a sheet of white paper. “I want Jemma and Naomi to read Mielle’s parts and Mia and Shaylinn to read the kidnapper. Then if you want, you can switch. It’s being filmed on the kitchen set. Byran Kester is the director. He’s waiting for you.”

“I want to switch,” Mia said. “I’d rather play the victim over the kidnapper.”

Shaylinn rolled her eyes and settled back to read it over.