Sovereign (Sovereign Series) (11 page)

A
truck pulls up to where we’re standing by the front gate of the compound.  “In
you go,” Nathan orders us.  We all pile into the back, which is covered with a
camouflaged fabric.  The captain looks reluctant, but as the truck starts
moving, she unzips a duffel bag. 

I
hear the metallic squeal of the front gate as we move closer to it.  The sound
grows louder and I realize what’s happening.

We’re
leaving the compound.

My heart cartwheels inside my chest, but
I have to keep calm.  There are two armed men in the front of this vehicle, as
well as Nathan and Marsi.  This is no time to be stupid.  I’m jolted from my
reverie by metal on my skin.  I look up at Marsiana, then down to my wrist. 
She has slapped a handcuff on me and let the other end dangle.  I look around
and see that she’s placed a handcuff on everybody’s right arm, except Sean. 

I’m
trying not to focus my attention on what she’s doing, but I don’t want to look
at Nathan, either.  So, I focus on the floor beneath my boots. 

“Dip,”
Captain says.  “Your whole hands.”  She wears a scowl while she holds a
container open and goes down the line, making each of us dip our hands into a
cool, green liquid.  It almost stings to the touch, but it dries quickly and is
soon forgotten.  Only a faint, greenish hue remains.  I have no idea what it
could be.  No one protests or asks questions, either. 

Next,
Marsi wraps a blindfold around Billy’s face.  I start to panic. 
What is
this?
  She makes her way back down the line blindfolding each of us.  When
my blindfold goes on, I begin to tremble.  I’m not sure if it’s in my hands,
but I feel it in my chest.  In my bones. 

We
ride in silence for what I estimate is fifteen minutes, then the brakes squeal,
and the truck stops.  A hand guides me off the truck and as soon as I’m down,
the cuff on my right arm is attached to someone else.  I have no idea who.  I
hear more clicking and realize the same thing is happening to everyone.  I’m
going to be led somewhere, we’re going to work together.  It’s just a teamwork
exercise.  I’m fine.  It’s going to be fine.

Click
.
 

Cold
metal touches me again.  This time on my left arm, and suddenly I’m trapped
between two
different people.  I need to see what I’m
up against. 
How did she tie this blindfold so well?

“I’ll
help you a little with the suspense.”  Nathan is standing close to me.  “You’re
all attached, one to another.  The two people on the ends are not wearing
blindfolds.  They’ll guide you, and it’s up to each of you to trust and follow
them.  None of you will survive this alone.  And the group will not leave
anyone behind.  How you accomplish this course will be up to your leaders.  And
the quicker you do this, the better.  For your own sakes...”  He seems to trail
off. 

Is
that it?

“These
premises are surrounded with armed soldiers who do not know you are here.  If
you leave the course we’ve made for you, they will most likely shoot you.  So
don’t get any wise ideas about avoiding the challenges we’ve set before you.” 
I can’t see him, but I’d swear Nathan is smiling.  “Your captain and I will
wait for you at the finish line--Oh, and don’t tamper with your blindfolds. 
They’re laced with poison that will activate if mixed with the chemicals on
your hands.  Trust me, blind for now is better than blind for life.”  A pause. 
“Good luck.” 

I
hear footsteps on rock--gravel, probably--and then I assume the two of them
climb onto the truck.  I hear it pull away. 

I’m
trapped. 
I can’t
breathe, I can’t use either of my hands.  I can’t take off my blindfold.  It’s
brilliant of Nathan, really.  He’s found a solitary exercise that confronts all
of my biggest fears.  Captivity.  Personal contact.  Helplessness. 

I’m
at the mercy of six boys, all of whom I’m pretty sure hate me.  I can’t see
them.  They’re close enough to touch me, and I can’t get away from them.  I
can’t run or shoot my way out of this one.  I’m abruptly aware that it’s not
Sean that Nathan is trying to break.  It’s me.

Billy’s
the first to speak.  “Who’s on the ends?”  His voice is close.  He’s the person
on my right hand.  Of
course
he is.  I curse Nathan under
my breath.  At least it’s not Sean.

“I’m
last,” Twig says on my left.  A wave of relief spends a moment in my
consciousness.  I’m next to last in line. 

“I’m
first,” Sean groans.

Twig
is last, Billy is in front of me, and Sean is first.  The fate of this drill is
in Sean’s hands.  I dig my toes in the ground trying to tell whether or not
it’s gravel like I think.  I catch a rock with the tip of my boot and kick it. 
It clinks into more rocks ahead of me.  It’s gravel.  So it’s at least
partially man-made terrain.  That’s not to say it won’t change.

“What
are we up against, Sean?” Billy asserts, his voice remarkably steady.  I’m
surprised Sean hasn’t taken control yet.

“Follow
my lead,” is all he says. 

I
start to protest the lack of explanation but the line is already moving and
pulling me into the dark unknown.  I stumble forward and drag Twig behind me. 
If something happens to him, I can’t lift him. 

“Twig,
what do you see?” I ask.  No way I’m asking Sean.

“A
few more feet of gravel, then some kind of drop off.  Can’t see what’s down
there.”  He says just loud enough for me to hear, and maybe Billy.

“Hold
up,” Sean shouts, then I hear bumping and clashing ahead of me.  I bump into
Billy before I realize everybody has stopped.  “We have to climb down. 
Everybody just try to find things to grab onto.”

“Let’s
take it real slow, guys,” Billy adds.  So far, so good.  We sound like a team. 

Sean
tells Jayce when he’s at the ledge and directs him down.  Then Jensen, then
Matt.  Now I know the order.  Sean, Jayce, Jensen, Matt, Billy, me, then Twig. 
As we move closer to the ledge, it gets harder to hear Sean.  Something below
is causing a whirring sound that I didn’t even notice until I realized it was
drowning out other sounds.

“I
can’t see anymore, buddy,” Sean yells.

“Twig?”
Billy asks.  Still sounds calm.  Impressive.

“Six
inches forward,” he says, and I feel Billy inch forward pulling us to our
knees.  “Okay, you’re there.  Step over the ledge till you feel something to
plant your feet on.”

I
feel a quick tug from Billy, but Twig grabs my wrist and steadies me.  Billy
must’ve lost his balance, but he’s regained it. 

I
feel of the edge with the hand attached to Billy.  Twig says gently, “Same for
you.”  His sincerity catches me off guard.  I reach my foot over the ledge
while propped on my left hand and knee.  I can’t find the rock the others have
stepped on, so I stretch my leg a little farther but I find nothing. 

“What’s
the hold up, Cori?” Sean shouts.

Twig
grabs my arm and leans over me, I think he’s looking over the ledge.

Twig
whispers to me, “You can’t reach the stone.  I’m going to lower you down.” 
Humiliating.  I’m not short, but all the guys are at least a few inches taller
than me.  But why didn’t Twig just say it for everyone to hear?

“Coming.” 
My voice comes out unsteady, and I’m trembling even more now.  Twig grabs me
under both arms and shoves me into the air.  He lowers me and a split second
later, my tiptoe brushes across rock.  I fumble trying to find my footing,
while making room for Twig. 

He
lands with a bit of a thud, and tells Sean to keep moving.  Billy draws his
hand to the rock wall, so I follow suit, as does Twig.  We shimmy downward on a
ledge of uneven rocks that’s only about five inches deep.  More than once, my
shoe slips, and Twig holds tight. 

He’s
helping me, and I’m growing angrier every time I feel his skin on mine.  He’s
saving me from a drop I can’t even see.  And he’s saving the team from me
pulling them down.  All I can think is how I hate the feel of his sticky
fingers on my hand, but I’m sure he’s not helping me, he’s just trying to
survive.

“Stop,”
Sean says, and the whole line of us halts.  “The ledge is getting too narrow. 
We’re going to have to jump.”

“How
far down?” someone asks.

“Maybe
twenty feet, but it’s water below,” Sean explains.  “Can anybody swim?”

“Where
would we learn how to swim?” another voice calls. 

Groans
and sighs come all up and down the line before I speak up.  “I can.”

“Right,
the outsider,” Billy chimes in.  “Care to give us some pointers?”

My
heart pounds and my body trembles even more.  I can’t believe how badly I’m
trembling when I start to speak, though I haven’t even decided exactly how to
respond. 

“What
is that?” Twig asks, sounding a little frantic.  Then I realize it’s not me
that’s trembling, it’s the earth we cling to.  Twig is the first to lose his
balance.  He slips and drags me with him, then all of us plummet toward what I
truly hope is water below.  The churning becomes louder and louder, and then I
can’t breathe.  I’m submerged, being pulled deeper and deeper.  I squeeze my
eyes shut, and try not to let any of the water get in my mouth.  The way the
water tingles my skin makes me think it might still be toxic--even if just a
little bit--but I’m not sure.  We have to get out soon. 

I
try to get to the top, but I’m chained to six boys who can’t swim.  They might
as well be dead weight.  We can’t speak to each other.  We can’t see each
other.  I’m struggling to breathe, and I don’t know what to do.  I thrash as my
body begs for air, and I feel the back of my head hit something hard.  I draw
my hands above my head and my fingers lay around metal. 

I
guide Twig and Billy’s hands toward the metal, and quickly feel them latch on. 
The three of us use whatever it is to climb, but we’re running out of time. 
The water shifts and moves against us.  Billy has four guys to drag so I can
only hope they aren’t fighting him.

I
exhale what’s left of the breath inside me, and have no idea if we’re near the
surface.  I fight harder, kicking my feet as much as I can when the pole
vibrates.  It jolts upward dragging us with it.  Suddenly, I feel cold air on
my cheeks and cough up water I didn’t realize I’d swallowed.  I hear similar
coughs all around, and it feels like we’re all above water.  I rest for a
moment trying to figure out if I’m dying from exposure.  So far I’m fine.  Just
a little tingling in my throat, so it must not be
that
toxic, if at all.

“Sean?”
Twig yells, but there’s no answer.

“Guys,
where is he?” Billy struggles to say.

“I’ve
got him.  I think he’s unconscious,” Jayce says.  Everyone thrashes to stay
above water, and I don’t know how Jayce is holding Sean up, too.

“Backwards,
guys.  Looks like another pipe we can hold onto.”

“Kick
your legs,” I encourage them.  We move back until we bump into a pipe that runs
across the surface.  I latch on as best I can.  “Don’t swallow the water,” I tell
them.  No one objects, and I’m surprised how easy it is to be in control when
Sean’s unconscious.  But that’s precisely our next problem.  “Twig, can you get
me over to Sean?”

Twig
moves from the safety of the pipe and I follow, the two of us kicking
furiously.  “Where is he?”  Twig guides my hands to Sean, the last person on
what’s left of this humble planet that I ever thought I’d want to help.  But I
have to.  “Hold him against the pipe,” I order them.  I assume they grab him
by the shoulders to pin him in place, since I can’t see.  His chest is raised
above the water.  I realize quickly that I have nothing to leverage myself
against, so I wrap my legs around his waist.  Heavy breathing, body heat, and
water surround me completely.  I feel boxed in.  I’m not sure if I’m going to
be able to help Sean or if I’m going to throw up on him.

I
can’t feel a pulse, and he’s not breathing.  I push against his chest as hard
as I can and count, but I’m not sure how many I’m supposed to do.  I’ve only
seen this done once.  When my arms get tired, I squeeze Sean’s nose and force
my breath into his mouth a few times. 

I
let out a cry of frustration, and Twig pats my hand.  “It’s okay.  Keep
trying,” he whispers, again so tender it makes my stomach churn.  These guys
all hate me, but here they are holding me up, heeding the orders I’m barking
out.

I
complete another set of chest compressions, and a second set of breaths.  My
fingers feel weak and sore when I lace them to start compressions again, then
Sean coughs up water.  He makes a wheezing sound like there’s still fluid in
his airways, but he’s alive.  Relief floods me with waves more violent than the
rushing water around me.  I let go of Sean and fall away from him, feeling
exhausted.  I kick my legs to stay above water while Twig makes sure he’s
okay. 

“Where
are we?” I ask Twig.

“Some
kind of...reservoir.  Processing plant, maybe?  There are machines and pumps
all around.”

“What’s
it for?” Matt asks.