Chapter 4

Chapter 4

There are voices.  They are hard to make out at first, but slowly they come into focus.

“…strong.  I nearly lost the fight.”

“But you didn’t.”

“She couldn’t do it.  She had me dead to rights.”

“Maybe there is hope for her yet.”

My eyes open slowly, blinking several times.  I am lying down on a bed in what is possibly a hospital or medical ward.  Except, something is off about it.  I try to sit up, but realize belatedly that my wrists are cuffed to the bed. 

No, no, no, no!  I pull at the restraints, but all that manages to do was get the attention of Professor Anders and Sam who are talking quietly in the corner of the room.  I try to back away from them in terror, but I have nowhere to go.

“She’s terrified.  That’s amusing,” says a voice that belonged to neither the professor nor Sam.  I look around until my eyes fall on an older man with a full beard and unkind eyes who I’ve never seen in person before be recognize immediately.  Chancellor Maynard.  He is one the Elemental Council members.  Outspoken about eradicating my kind.  Mom calls him an ‘evil douchebag’.

“She’s a kid,” Sam says snidely.  He seems to dislike the Chancellor as much as I do.

“As are you,” Professor Anders interjects.  “You should head to class now, we’ll take it from here.”

“I’m not leaving her.  She’s petrified.  I saw everything.  She was willing to jump into a fire to keep from being captured.  She thinks you’re going to torture her!”

“Of course we’re not going to torture her,” the man scoffed.  His eyes twinkle with something else.  A promise only him and I can know.  I glare back, trying to push the fear and terror away in order to project that steely confidence my mother has down so patently.

“Class is not an option, Mr. Mason, it is mandatory.  The girl will be dealt with.”  Anders gives him a placating smile.  “We’ll talk this afternoon.”

“Alright, but…” Sam hesitates.  He steps toward me.  I flinch at the sudden movement.  He slows down, but keeps coming, reaching out and touching my arm.  I am suddenly filled with the feeling that everything is going to be fine.  Professor Anders and Chancellor Maynard are going to take care of me.  Help me get away from the Abusers.  Then the feelings are gone and so is Sam. 

“Miss Valois, so good of you to finally wake,” the Chancellor says.  His voice is darker now.  I swallow and think back to everything my mother has taught me about the Elemental Council.  They will do anything to stop us, the rebels, the freedom fighters.  My heart pounds in my chest when I think about what anything might entail. 

“Let me go.  This is a mistake.  I was just playing a joke on Sam and it got out of hand.  Expel me if you want, but please just let me go!”  It is a weak story, but I have to at least try it.

“Miss Valois, I’m afraid we can do no such thing.  You are an Abuser.  Worse, you were sent here to kill a Cambridge Academy student.  One of our most promising warriors in training.  Expulsion is the least of your worries.”

My heart pounds against my ribs.  I knew this was a possibility.  All freedom fighters do.  It’s why they have torture resistance classes at our academies.  Only I haven’t reached those classes yet. 

“Please,” I start to beg, when suddenly the air pressed down on me, suffocating me.  I try to reach out for the elements, but nothing happens.  My head spins with panic and lack of oxygen.

“We’ve sedated you.  Your elemental magic will be impossible to grasp.  Now, Miss Valois, you are going to tell us why you were sent here to kill one of our students. 

Between the professor and chancellor, I don’t stand a chance.  Professor Anders steals the breath right out of my lungs while the Chancellor makes me feel as though I’m drowning.  I probably would have talked if they’d asked me any questions I could answer, but they don’t.  Instead they just assault me with questions about why Sam Mason was a target, how did I infiltrate the school and where is Joshua Bash, the leader of our movement? I have no idea on any counts.  I was given a mission and followed through.  My mother never offers details and I never ask.  I think this is why.  None of the information they want I can give to them. 

After a couple of hours (that’s how long I think it has been anyway) they let up and leave me alone in the medical ward, chained to my bed. 

When they return an hour later with new questions, I harden my resolve and prepare myself for the onslaught of elemental power.  My body is so exhausted, I don’t know how long I will last, but I have to at least try. 

“We need to know who sent you, Delilah,” the professor says.  She is using a soft voice.  I think they are going for good cop, bad cop now.

“Maybe we should bring in Professor Jenkins?” the chancellor suggests.  Jenkins is a fire wielder.  I feel my pulse race.  I want to beg them not to use fire, but bite my tongue to keep from shouting out.

“You want to burn her? Scar her for life?” Anders asks, her voice concerned.  “We’re not barbarians, they are.”

I laugh at that.  I don’t mean to, it is just too funny, and I am so tired.  They think they are so righteous.  We are the ones fighting for the rights of elementals.  Not them.

“Bring a fire wielder and she won’t be laughing,” the chancellor says darkly.

“Why are you laughing, Delilah?” Anders asks.

“It’s just funny that you call us the barbarian while you’re torturing me.  It’s hysterical.”

“Who sent you to kill Mason!” the chancellor erupts in anger.  I feel like I’m drowning.  Chancellor Maynard has pulled the water from the air and forced it into my lungs and windpipe.  I choke and gurgle, wishing desperately for air.  Spots form in front of my eyes.  Perhaps I will pass out.  Or maybe he will take it too far and finally just kill me.

“Chancellor!” the professor yells.

Suddenly I can breath again.  I cough and sputter, but the water is gone, pulled back by the Chancellor.  It takes a second to pull myself back together but when I do, I answer his stupid question because I’m so angry, and so tired and I actually have an answer to this one.  “My mother,” I finally spit, feeling almost delirious

“Who is her mother?” the chancellor asked Professor Anders. 

Anders shrugs, and I laugh again. 

“Delilah, who is your mother?”

I know it is a very bad idea to give them anything.  I should just shut my mouth and take what they give me, even if that means they will bring in a fire user.  I want them to know who I am, though.  I want them to know I am important.  I’m not just some ‘Abuser’ they can push around. 

“My last name isn’t Valois.”

They look at me like I’m an idiot.  Of course they figured that out. 

“I am Delilah.  Delilah Savage.”

It feels like the air had been sucked out of the room, but this time not because of an air user.  I laugh again.  Their expressions are just so funny, so dumbfounded.

“Your mother is Veronica Savage?” Anders asks.

“The one and only.  And she sent me to kill your precious little Sam Mason.”

“Why?”

“Why not?” I snap back. 

“He’s just a boy.”

“A strong boy.”  An image of Sam from last night flashes before me.  I shake him from my head—not wanting to think about him or my failure anymore.

“There are other strong wielders.  Why did she want Mason dead enough that she would risk her only child’s life?”

I wonder that same question myself, but when I asked she only said that it was important for the movement.  Said that he was too strong and that I was the only one powerful enough to do it.  It had felt good knowing my mother thought I was powerful.  I still hadn’t wanted to do this mission though.  I have never killed anyone.  I’m still in training, only a first year at the academy.  But she insisted it had to be me.  Now I am going to die at the hands of the Authority and I still don’t understand why I was chosen.

“This is bad,” Anders whispers.  “When she find outs her daughter is caught here…”

“We can’t just release her!” the chancellor snarls back.

If I had thought my mom’s name would possibly get me released, I would have tried it a while ago!

“Veronica Savage is the face of the Abusers, second only to Joshua Bash.  If something happens to her daughter, hostages all around the world will get hurt.  We are one breath in the wrong direction away from being in all out war.”

Hostages?  What hostages?

“Maybe we should be!” the chancellor rages.  “I’m sick of kowtowing to radicals!  This has been a war for a long time, Melissa.  We need to start acting it.  We need to make an example of out this girl.”

“Girl being the operative word.  She’s just a child and you want us to execute her?”

“She tried to kill a student.”

“And couldn’t.  Sam Mason said she’d had him, she could have killed him, but she didn’t.  Maybe we can salvage her.  Maybe we can turn her to our side.  If we have Veronica Savage’s daughter on our side, maybe the radicals would lose creditability.  What we are doing is right.  More people will see that if we weaken her.”  Anders finishes her little speech and then looks at me.  I glare right back at her, but that doesn’t do much. 

“I don’t like it,” the chancellor grumbles.  “We can’t control her.”

“We keep her on the meds,” Anders counters.  “She’ll be guarded day and night.  She’ll come around.  I know she will.”

“I still think an execution is exactly what she deserves.”  The Chancellor stares at me with unbridled hatred.  I’m not sure what I ever did to him personally, but I can see he wants to see me hang.

“Give it a chance,” Anders begs.  “This is an opportunity we can’t pass up.”

“It’s your decision, Melissa.  I’ll support you.”

“I know you will,” she says softly, laying a hand on his arm.  The small act of comfort unsettles me for some reason.  I look away and focus on the blank white wall to my right.

“Fine.  I’ll draw up the paperwork. The Council will have to approve of course, but you’ve always been persuasive.”

“Thank you, James,” Anders smiles.  “This will work.  You’ll see.”

I listen with quiet disdain as the whole conversation wraps up.  If they think they’re going to turn me against me mother, they are certifiable.  I love my mom.  I believe in everything she does.  There is no way I will betray her like that.  With my life hanging in the balance, though, I switch into survival mode.  If going along with this charade it will give me time to think of an escape, I will do it.  Rather than tell them they are nuts if they think I will betray my family, I sit silently by. 

The chancellor leaves shortly after, and I am left alone with Professor Anders.  I stare at her, taking in her ankle length dress, pinned up librarian hairdo with matching thick-rimmed glasses.  No one will be shocked hearing she is a history teacher.  She looks like she lives and breathes old books even though she is only around my mother’s age.  If only everyone knew how much of a punch she could pack using air.  I will have bruises for weeks.

“Do you understand who your mother is, Delilah?” Anders asks quietly.

What a stupid question.  “She’s my mother.”

“She is the leader of a terrorist unit that hurts people.”

“You hurt people,” I counter.  I couldn’t tell if I imagined it or not, but I was pretty sure she flinched at that.  It gave me a strange sense satisfaction.

“What happened today was different.”

Anger boils up in me.  Despite my need to play it cool and get out of here, I can’t stop the words from flying off my tongue.  For two weeks I’ve been listening to her lies and propaganda.  I can’t stand idly by any longer. 

“It’s not.  She is fighting for the people’s rights!  You are fighting to enslave your own kind.  It’s sick.” 

“You’ve been heavily indoctrinated, Delilah.  It will take time for you to understand what is really going on.  I want to give you that time.  Once you see the truth—”

“I’ll what?  Come to the dark side?  Yeah right.”  The thought is absolutely laughable.  I will never come to understand their beliefs.

“It won’t take much for the chancellor to schedule an execution.  What you did…”

“Are you trying to scare me?” I laugh.  “I’m not afraid to die.” 

That is a lie. I am terrified.  But dying is better than betraying my mother.  I can never do that.  Just the thought makes me physically ache inside.

“You’re not?”

“No.”

“That’s exactly what Mason said.  He said you tried to jump into his flames even after you knew they would kill you.  Maybe because you knew they would.  That is either very brave or very stupid.  Why would you do that?  Why are you so willing to lay down your life?”

“I guess I wasn’t looking forward to being tortured.”

“It’s a war time.  We do what we need to do to protect elementals and non-elementals alike.  Though I abhor the practice, you endangered the life of a student and could have information to help save lives.  I’m sorry for what we did, but we are responsible for everyone at this school.  I will do anything to keep them safe.”

I roll my eyes at that.  They aren’t trying to protect elementals.  What a joke.

“Give it time,” Ander sighs and quietly leaves.

Left in the quiet and all alone, my situation settles upon me.  I’m really here, caught by the enemy.  My chest feels heavy and I think of Jason.  It’s not as comforting as I hoped it would be.

#

With the exception of the nurse who comes in and gives me a salve for my bruises and some painkillers, I don’t see anyone for the rest of the day.  I am grateful for the solitude in a way.   By now, my mother will expect me back.  The message I sent had been for extraction.  When I don’t show up, she will be worried something happened.  The information on who I am has bought me time.  Now I will need to think of a way to contact her and let her know where I am.  She will come for me then—that is the plan.

“I’m not ready,” I grumble, chewing mercilessly on my fingernails.  I am so nervous it is a very real possibility I will throw up.  That is the last thing I want to do in front of my mother.

Veronica Savage.  She is a legend.  An elite fighter, one of the most powerful air users in the world, and leader of the revolution—one of them anyway.  She has an essence about her…a presence.  One that makes it difficult for anyone to tell her no—even me.  Still, I have to try.  I not ready for a solo mission, let alone one of this caliber. 

“No one is ever ready for their first mission, Delilah.  You must overcome your fears and persevere.”

Easier said than done. 

“And if I fail?”

“You won’t.”

“But if I do?”

My mother smiles.  It is a cool smile, but, to be fair, mother has never had much warmth to her.  “I will come for you then, my beautiful daughter.”

She won’t leave me here to rot.  I just have to let her know where I am.  This time alone gives me a chance to come up with a plan.

#

The next morning Professor Anders comes back.  I want to protest her presence so when she brings food, I throw it across the room.  It splatters prettily against the glossy white paint and some even ricochets off the wall and onto Professor Ander’s lovely library dress.  It’s juvenile, but the best I can think of on short notice and supremely satisfying to have control over something—even if it is flying cafeteria food.

“You should eat, Delilah,” the professor says unaffected.  “You severely weakened yourself in that fight.  Your power is strong but your stamina needs tremendous work.  Between the fight and the inhibitor we’ve given you, you need to feed your body.  I’ll have the kitchen send you another plate.”

It’s unfortunate that she makes some sense.  If my mother comes for me, I can’t afford to be weak.  Even if I can’t access my element, I have to be ready to go. 

“Fine,” I say simply.

Anders watches me wearily, like she is reading my thoughts, but says nothing more on the subject.

“I’ve spoken with the Council and a decision has been made about your future.  Delilah, the Authority has decided you are an important asset in the scope of this conflict before us.  To kill you or let you go would be foolish.  But locking you up does nothing for our cause except bleed resources and convince you we are truly the barbarians your mother has made us out to be.  We think that if you could see and understand the truth, you would not be so quick to defend your mother or her cause.”

“You seem so sure you can convince me of this,” I reply calmly.

“You have no idea how sure I am that if you take off the blindfold your mother has placed around your eyes, you will see the truth.  We will do our part, but you will have to do yours.  For now, you will be assimilated back into the student population.  You will have a guard with you at all times. You will be given a shot once a day to suppress your elemental ability.  You will be unable to contact your family.  But most importantly, for the time being, you will have your life.  Give us a chance to give you our side of things.  That’s all we ask in return.”

“I know your side,” I spit, feeling venomous.  The Professor wishes me to feel grateful for her sparing my life.  For some reason, all it does it anger me. I have no wish to be indebted to these people.

Anders nods, but says nothing more.

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Author's Note: let me know if you're reading.  Drop me a note on twitter @WrittenDream. - Dani