Defect - By Ryann Kerekes Page 0,85
my feet. Will?
As they talk, I learn the compound is now being completely being run by Will. Rena is his second-in-command and all of the previous officials having turned-tail and ventured to the capital city to be spared any violence at the hand of those they’d kept locked away for so many years.
Wilson says we’ll be admitted into the compound as long as we can agree to keep the peace and show them we’re working on their side. He instructs us to keep our hands off our weapons and we make the trek closer to the fence, coming into plain view to whoever might be watching.
As we approach the fence, a group of patrol guards appear and beckon us forward. There are at least a dozen of them and I scan their faces, wondering if I’ll see one of my old friends. Kane is standing in the center and my skin crawls when I spot him. He grins a toothy smile and shakes his head slowly.
“Eve’s back. Send word to Will,” he says to the guy beside him. The young guard nods, and takes off in a jog for the compound.
Kane’s attention has turned all eyes on me. So many questions are unleashed in my mind. Has Will been expecting me? Will he be happy to see me? Will I be happy to see him, or will my heartbreak outweigh any chance at a happy reunion we might have had. But before I can even consider any of the this, Kane motions our group to the section of fence containing a padlocked gate and directs a guard to open it for us.
Being back inside the halls of the compound is completely surreal. It doesn’t seem quite so big, or nearly as menacing knowing that all the officials are gone and that this time I know how to protect myself. We’re led into a conference room that I’ve never been in before. It must have been used for official business – before this place became overrun. They offer us water and food. Most of the men, Kai included fill their bellies and their bags with food. I pick at a bagel, unable to stomach the idea of eating. I want to know where Will is, what his reaction was when he heard I was here. I want to know why he hasn’t shown up yet.
Kane returns over an hour later. Apparently Will is too busy to even make an appearance. The anticipation is killing me, but maybe this is better. I don’t know how I’d handle seeing him right now, especially in front of a roomful of people. I’d probably break down sobbing and make a fool of myself.
Kane leads us down a hallway where private dorm rooms branch off in every direction. “You can rest here.”
Kai takes my hand and leads me inside of one of the rooms. I can feel Kane watching us and my skin revolts at his inspection.
Once inside, Kai motions for me to take the bed. “Lie down. We should rest while we can.”
I know he’s right, and my body has been fighting the exhaustion, but knowing Will is so close makes it hard to relax. I don’t want to explain that to Kai though, so I just nod, slip off my shoes and sit down on the bed. Kai sits on the floor, his back to the wall and knees drawn up to his chest. He doesn’t need to stay with me in the same room, but rather than put up a fight, I lie down, facing away from him and stare at the wall.
What if Will doesn’t even care to see me? What if everything I thought we shared was nothing more than a military tactic designed to gain the upper hand. I was the capital’s most sought after possession, and Will undermined them by sending me away. Was I just a pawn in his games, or did he ever really feel something for me? Even if he doesn’t want to see me –he owes me an explanation.
I’m awoken later by a series of firm knocks against the door. When I roll over to face the door, I see that Kai has pulled it up just a few inches and is talking to someone.
“Now’s not a good time, she’s in bed,” I hear him say.
“Who the hell are you?” I hear the other voice ask. Its Will. My heart jumps and I leap up, pushing my hair back from my face and crossing the