Chapter 25
I’D BEEN THROWN curveballs before but even I blinked at the way
Harrison greeted me the next day. I was sitting in my cupboard of an office. It
looked like one of those storerooms that people shoved unused gym equipment
into. It had a window, which was nice but the walls were bare brick, cement,
and still blobby looking in places.
It was as if whoever built it was in a rush to leave. I didn’t
blame them, I felt the same way.
It was weird that stone and brick made up a lot of the buildings.
They weren’t the timber frames that I’d come to expect outside Oppidum. That
pointed to a European influence if Oppidum’s Welsh roots were anything to go
by. It made me want to ask Frei about it.
I shook my head at the funny need to know her better. Sometimes
things turned out opposite to what you would have figured in the beginning. I
was glad about the change with Frei but I still wanted to help her. I told Nan,
hoping she could hear, about it. I meditated on it in prayer, but without my
burdens I felt like I was missing something. Like I knew there was somebody on
the other side of the line but I couldn’t hear them. All I could do was keep
talking and hope.
Normal folks had it hard.
I was torn from my thoughts by the sound of high heels chipping my
gym floor. I scowled, wondering when I’d started to think of it as
my
place.
“Samson? Ah, there you are,” Harrison said as if I’d be any place
else during the work day.
“You need me for somethin’?” I kept my voice as respectful as I
could but after witnessing her irritation when the kids didn’t fail, I had no
time for her.
“About yesterday . . .”
I sat back in the chair and folded my arms. If she was going to
chastise me for it, she was going to see why a certain Doctor Serena
Smarty-pants Llys had once found me so prickly.
“Well done.”
That made me stare like she had performed a ballet in a mascot
outfit. “’Scuse me?”
Harrison nodded. “Wonderful work. Dislike selling to Crespo, too
cheap.”
Didn’t stop her from selling five of Frei’s group though.
“He get much luck yesterday?” I tried my best to unclamp my teeth
but it was no good. Either she’d think I was in severe pain or planning to
string her up.
Harrison took a step backward, confirming the latter. “Five from
Locks alone but she has a difficult task, you understand.”
“So there’s . . .” I raised my eyebrows for her to answer how many
of the age group were left.
“Twenty-one.”
“What happened to the other two?” Frei had told me before we
arrived that there were thirty. Harrison had said that Crespo had taken seven.
Even with my inability at math, I know that meant we were missing two . . .
somehow.
“Sawyer’s group. Shame they turned on each other. Terrible mess of
the floor. He’d been so pleased too.” She shook her head, I could tell more
about the mess than the loss of two young lives.
It took all the resolve I had not to hang my head. I couldn’t. I
wasn’t meant to care. I was supposed to be a vicious criminal. “Don’t care.
Mean, mean vicious criminal,” seemed like a constant dialogue in my head.
“Lost some good money then.”
Harrison nodded. “But he doesn’t have your skill with them. Slaves
rarely have that kind of intelligence.”
Her tone made me frown. “What do you mean?”
Harrison glanced back to the gym and then to me. A gossip. She
reminded me of Mary Goss from back in Oppidum which made me want to poke her.
“When they . . . lose their edge . . . the owners send them to
train others before selling them off to men like Crespo.” She glanced at the
door. “Locks is the exception of course. No doubt he would have preferred her
close.”
“You think?” I smiled as best I could without snarling. I wanted
to say, “No, she didn’t end up as nobody’s mistress. She became a hero. She
saves kids. She cares. In spite of what you did to her, she still cares.”
Instead, I tried not to growl and stared out my window instead. Didn’t help
much, it needed a clean. In fact, somebody had written in the thick brown gunk
covering it, “clean me.” Probably Jed.
“I can’t imagine why he would want her stuck here. She’s the best.
A waste if you ask me.” Harrison sighed, her nasal voice grating at me. “Megan
is probably behind it.”
“So what’s the issue between her and Sawyer?” My curiosity wanted
me to dig deeper about Megan. Frei said she would be trouble but I didn’t want
to ask Harrison. I didn’t want her to think I cared too much. Frei and Sawyer
was a safe topic. Anyone could see what he thought of her.
“Oh, one of her legendary moments.” Harrison crept closer and
perched on the edge of my desk with a reverent grin. “He’d been sent to steal
something by his owner Forsythe . . .” She glanced at me as if to check I was
keeping up. “They fell out over a poker game.”
“Makes sense.” Nan was intense about her card games. I guessed
criminal folks took that one step further.
Harrison nodded. “So, Sawyer breaks in. He sneaks to the bedroom
only to bump into Locks.” She shook her head with a smile. “Locks was there to
steal back the winnings that Huber had lost.”
The thought made me smile too.
“Sawyer tried to attack her. He was found hours later hanging upside
down from the balcony.” She chuckled. “No one knew
how
she pulled it off
but needless to say Forsythe got rid of Sawyer that same day.”
I had a feeling I wouldn’t find the next part so funny. “So what
happened to him?”
“Sold,” Harrison said with a wave of her hand. “Spent years cage
fighting for Crespo. Too old now of course.”
“So he’s bitter and twisted?”
Harrison nodded. “But he’s
always
been bitter and
deranged.” She stood up and tapped her ever present tablet. “She’s got some
tales that Locks.”
“No wonder he wanted to hold onto her.”
Harrison nodded again. This time with enthusiasm. “If I had that
kind of money, I’d buy her myself.”
She’s worth more than you could ever understand,
I thought as I
smiled up at her.
As a human being alone, she’s priceless.
Still, Harrison would never understand that. To her I was talking
about some pedigree animal with a bit of spirit.
She fired another “Well done” my way and tottered off as I stared
at the brickwork.
Two things rolled around and around in my head. One, we’d lost
nine kids somewhere along the line. Two had died and seven had been sold into
who knew what.
I still had all eight from my year group. Frei had lost five which
left her with five. Sawyer had one left, and Jones two. Renee and Owens had
five. Two of those were the supposed genius Kevin and Miranda the love-struck
super nerd. We were only half way through the term.
I had a feeling that Frei had known the pass rate for the year all
along. I could understand why she hadn’t told me. It was one of those horrible
realities that you best understood if you were living it.
Who, in modern society, would ever believe such places like this
still existed? Who would listen? She said that’s why she hadn’t told Renee.
That Renee would go after these people. That Lilia would go after these people.
I
wanted
to go after them myself but I knew from Serenity how things
weren’t clear cut. Guards there did despicable things. I’d learned not to speak
out. I’d learned to stay quiet.
I couldn’t let my group get shunted off to who knew where, I
couldn’t. No matter if Jäger stood in my way or not. There was no way I could
keep my mouth shut and watch it happen. It wasn’t in me.
In the deepest core of my being, I prayed that would never ever
change.
Chapter 26
ANYBODY WHO KNEW me well would know that I didn’t get visions.
Having dimmed burdens meant that I thought I would be free of all the fire and
fury of nasty flashes and dreams for a while too.
And that’s kinda what they were. Three different types in my
experience. The flashes—like ripples of thoughts, emotions, things that someone
was going through. The deep flashes—like I was living the experience with that
person—and then there were the terrifying dreams.
I knew what most people thought. Well, all those things sound a
lot like visions.
I didn’t see it that way. I got a snippet or two, sure. I got
flashes and pictures but I wasn’t my mother. She was welcome to the scary
stuff. Actually, I kinda found myself feeling for her a little bit. I didn’t
know how she wasn’t locked in an institution.
On rare occasions I had seen something that
might
be
construed as a vision to somebody else. When that happened, I thought a lot
about my mother. I thought about how strong she must be to bear that weight on
her shoulders.
Getting one vision was bad enough but getting one vision and a
flash in the space of a few minutes was not in my rule book.
I was meant to be free of it all.
It was unfair and downright mean.
Real mean.
A week after the mid-terms, I was running my guys through their
usual regime. Everybody was buzzed at passing and a new belief had filled them.
There were some furtive glances and hushed whispers about the kids who’d been
taken away.
Tension built throughout Caprock but to their credit, my group was
using it in a positive way. That same tension was poised to bubble over into
panic. I hoped my group could keep focused on what they could do and forget
what they couldn’t fix.
I’d been busy during the week, trying to help Frei not to freak
out herself. Her guilt felt heavy around her whenever I stood near. It was hard
to know how to make that better. I hoped that the people she’d contacted helped
those who were in Crespo’s grasp.
In class, the kids were all on their bikes, me on mine, spinning.
I can tell you now that I hated spinning. I’d rather row or cycle like a normal
person. I hated the noise the weird bikes made. I hated feeling like if I
slipped, I’d chop my toes off. Then there was the size of the things. I looked
like I’d stolen a bike from kindergarten. All I needed was training wheels and
tassels and I would be good to go.
On our third “climb” I felt my stomach drop as if I’d fallen out
of bed.
Kevin. Miranda. Tied up. Taken. A hand on Miranda’s shoulder. Its
wrist bore a gold Rolex watch. Blue face. White gold. Distinctive.
“You okay, Miss Samson?” Jed shouted over the buzzing. “You need a
break?”
He was being a cocky jerk. I shook free the picture and flashed
him a smile. My fingertips were white on the grips. “For that, let’s all keep
climbing.”
I glanced at Miroslav on his recumbent bike but he gave me a
thumbs up. I could always count on his support.
The rest of the group let out groans, muttered snide remarks Jed’s
way, and glared at him. Jed responded by fixing his gaze on me. “Beat you to
the top.”
Ever the jock. It was hard not to like him.
I pushed it, enjoying the feel of the sweat trickling down between
my shoulder blades.
Another picture.
Smash
.
I hit the floor.
“Miss Samson?”
I snapped open my eyes. I’d been out. I didn’t
know how long for. Jed was over me, face ashen. I hauled myself up. The room
swayed as I did. My neck shot pain right down to my fingers and toes. My heart
launched into a sprint. I held onto Jed and turned to Miroslav.
“Sit down. I need to think.”
The rest of the group looked at me and at each other. I didn’t
have time to explain. I’d passed out. Why? I needed to remember.
Bam
.
I hit the floor a second time. This time my whole body shook. I
blinked up at the ceiling. Ouch.
“Jed, keep everyone inside. Keep together.” I hauled myself up and
launched into a sprint. I didn’t turn to see if he nodded. Instead I hurtled
out into the sun. Heat sucked the air from me. I ran. Legs burned from it.
Frei. I hauled myself up the porch to her building and burst through into the
icy cold corridor. Left. A long row of rooms. Right. Much the same. In front.
Double doors. She’d been in there before. Climbing. I cradled my head.
“Come on, where are you?”
Rope smells filled my nostrils.
I ripped open the double doors. Climbing wall. Girl on the floor.
Frei over her. She met my eyes as I ran over to her.
“Saw it happen.”
She nodded and turned back to the kid. Wide-eyed, staring up at
the ceiling like I’d done.
“She was pushed.” Frei’s tone sounded heavy with a hurt from deep
inside her.
“Neck,” I mumbled.
She nodded. “There’s nothing you can do. They’ll just take her
outside.”
Shock flew through my system. “What?”
Frei’s eyes were warm, she stroked the kid’s forehead, speaking to
her in another language. “Broken neck. They won’t pay for that. All we can do
is stay with her until they arrive.”
Tears threatened to rumble out from me so I took deep breaths. I
looked up to the ceiling and put my hands on her, praying that I could fix her.
I needed to fix her.
“You can’t,” Frei whispered as the other kids left us, not even
casting a backward glance in our direction. “It hurts you.”
“I don’t care.” I shut my eyes. Held my hands there but nothing.
No heat, no movement.
“I guess we now know what burden was taken away?” she whispered,
tears cracking her voice.
I kept trying, over and over but nothing would budge. I met the
girl’s eyes. “Do you want my help?”
Frei touched my arm, drawing my hands away. “She doesn’t speak English.”
Tears rolled down my cheeks. “Won’t they at least examine her?”
Frei nodded. Her eyes misted. She cleared her throat as if trying
to regain control. “A medical team will do a quick check here but they’ll find
what I did and follow protocol.” She stared up to the ceiling for a moment as
if to compose herself. “To them, she’s worthless.”
“Not to us she ain’t.”
Frei looked back down at the girl and talked to her once more. She
sounded so soothing, so gentle. The kid was comforted by her, I could feel that.
She felt safe with her.
“Why did they push her?”
Frei’s eyes grew icy and she flicked her gaze away. “My arrogance
long ago.”
That answered everything for me. “Sawyer.”
She nodded. “His group, yes.”
Bitter and demented. That’s what Harrison had said. I added coward
to that. He’d used kids to do his dirty work. “Does she know . . . does she
realize?”
Frei shook her head, smiling at the girl. “I told her it’s just a
precaution. All falls need to be checked out. She’ll be fine.”
The medics strolled in and Frei forced me to move back. They took
their time, not out of care but more to answer the tick-box form they had on
their tablets.
Frei stared into space, frozen. I knew that look. I’d worn that
look. I glanced from the medics to the kid and back to Frei. I couldn’t do it.
I couldn’t let them carry her outside and kill her.
The guy who looked like he was in charge got up and said something
to another one that sounded like, “Outside.”
I stepped forward, not caring if it was protocol or not. The kid
was not being put down. “I will pay to fix her.”
Frei and the medics turned around and stared at me.
“Get her to the best hospital and get the best doctor. Fix her.
I’m paying.” The words were rolling faster than my brain could keep up. My
mouth had taken over again.
The medics exchanged looks but the senior guy shook his head.
“Do you want it in writing?” My voice sounded more dangerous than
I’d ever heard it. Even Frei lifted onto the balls of her feet with it.
“You’re not eligible,” the senior medic said.
“Ain’t I?” My voice got deadlier. “I ain’t no slave. She’s worth
nothing to you now.”
They whispered amongst one another. I glanced down at the kid,
trying to show her that I was on her side. If I had to beat every one of them
to get her out, I was not losing her.
“She’s no good to you. Saves filling out all those forms.” I
sounded so sure of my words. I had no idea what was going on.
The senior guy pulled out a pad from his back pocket and started
scribbling.
“Done.” He tapped the bottom with his pen.
I stared down at it. They had forms for selling kids. I took the
pen and signed.
He nodded, ripped off the sheet of paper, and the team launched
into action.
“Any of these chumps speak her language?” I asked Frei, unsure
what she was thinking. Her face was stoic.
She shook her head.
“You do though.”
She nodded.
“Can you translate for me?”
She nodded again.
As the crew attached all manner of restraints to the girl, Frei
followed me over to her. “You’re gonna get help now. They’ll look after you.”
I turned to Frei who blinked a few times before turning to the
girl and speaking.
“When you get there, someone is going to take good care of you but
you can’t tell others what happened here.”
I turned to Frei as she translated.
“When you’re all squared away, it’s up to you what you do. I just
bought your ticket out of here but it’s up to you to cash it and go enjoy your
life.”
Frei again stared at me. She cleared her throat and told the girl
the rest as the medics hoisted her up.
“You’re free,” I whispered to her, smiling down as Frei
translated. “Make it count.”
Frei’s voice cracked, tears pulsed down her cheeks. The girl
searched my eyes and hers showed that although Frei had reassured her, she’d
known. She’d known what they’d do.
The medics took great care as they wheeled her out and the second
the door shut behind her, Frei’s shoulders shook as she started to sob. I put
my arm around her and she turned and buried her head in my shoulder.
“God bless you,” she mumbled over and over.
“He has. If I can fix it, I will.” I chewed on my lip. “I just
need you to . . .” How did I tell her to call my mother? “You need to tell her
to go fetch the girl and check on her.”
Frei met my eyes. I knew she understood.
I squeezed her tight, wishing I could squeeze the pain from her.
“If I could give every cent I have and free these kids, I would.”
She clung onto me. “I know.”
“That’s the whole point of suffering anyhow, right?” I said,
guiding her out of the building to our villa. The school bell rang and Jed and
my group spilled out into the sunshine. Most of the students turned and watched
as a helicopter roared up and swung into the clear blue sky. Amazing what care
they provided when money was involved.
“Is there ever any point to suffering?” she asked as I led her
inside the villa and over to the chair she loved so much.
“Yeah, it helps you understand what it feels like, what it takes
to survive it, and how you can help others who are hurting.” I shrugged. “Stop
them giving up.” Frei stared up at me with such a lost look. “You can’t always
take the hurt away but you can be there to help.”
“Are you talking about me or her?” she asked in a strained, quiet
voice. I poured her a drink and added ice.
“Both. You suffered so you’re facing it to help others. That made
you ask me. So, even though the kid’s got healing to do, she’s got something
she never dared hope for before.” I smiled. “So you’ve helped her get freedom
because you suffered, see?”
Frei took the glass. “
You
did that, not me.”
“Nope. I just paid her medical bills.” I showed her the paper.
“They’d written her off. It’s just a form declaring I’d cover the expenses.”
Frei took it. “You played them. You waited until they assessed her
. . .”
I held up my hands. “I ain’t that quick.”
“It was incredible.”
It was a stroke of inspiration that came from desperation. “Turn
the situation to your advantage by presenting the person negotiating with an
option. Make it appear as though it is the only plausible cause of action.”
Frei’s mouth dropped open. “Did you swallow the textbook?”
“No, I listened when you were talking. You’re a great teacher.” I
was surprised I remembered it word for word but Frei had drilled it into me
during CIG training.