Chapter 11 : New member

THEO. My skin is crawling but I keep on smiling at Amarantha as she serves me some tea in her destroyed office. I know she likes me. We’re not so far in age for it to feel completely disgusting, but we are so far in status and morals that it’s quietly infuriating. But it doesn’t matter, because I’m doing this for the good of the camp and everyone in it. “It’s really nice having you here, Theodore,” she says as she takes our cups. “I would love to have you again here sometime.” “Of course, Overseer,” I say. “Have a wonderful day.” With that, I leave and head to the sewers to “work,” when in fact I’m just carving out a big surprise that would come in handy later on, when my plans for the Unclaimed have reached their peak. The hours pass and finally, it’s time for the only meal for the whole day: dinner. I go to the mess hall and find that everyone is already in line for the slop that they serve tonight. As usual, it’s potato mash and some dried vegetables as well as a slab of some unknown meat that I don’t want to know anything more about. I get my tray and my plate then I line up for the portions. Jonathan comes up to me with a disappointed look, and I immediately know what it’s about. “It’s about the Maxine girl, isn’t it?” I ask, smiling as we settle in our own table. Jonathan just nods with a sigh. I let out a short laugh and pat his shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I got it all figured out. Amarantha didn’t kick her ass and I will keep deflecting until she won’t think about it. Did you tell Maxine to get out of her hair?” Jonathan shakes his head. It’s not very common to see him like this, quiet and down, so it’s normal to assume that something is clearly bothering him. We’ve been friends for years. To be specific, we’ve been friends since he got here at the tender age of fourteen. I was only twelve then, but I lived in the Unclaimed camp for all my life. Yes, you heard that right. I lived here all my life. I watched people come… but no one ever really went, despite the promises they keep making. “What happened?” I ask Jonathan, and when he just shakes his head again, I sigh. “Look, man. I know you. I know something is wrong when you keep quiet like this. You usually don’t know when to stop. Don’t get me wrong, that’s what makes you you. But this is not good and you need to tell me.” “I’m sorry,” he says at last, and I have a feeling he’s not only apologizing for the silence but for something else as well. “It’s just that… I made a mistake. I told Maxine about the rebellion.” I drop my fork on my plate. “What, now?” He opens his mouth to repeat what he says, but as though it’s all perfectly timed by a sick entity, a girl approaches our table and sits right next to me with her ration. It’s Maxine. Up close, she looks… prettier. There’s a wild look in her eyes that I haven’t seen in anyone for a long time, and I find myself nodding in appreciation. She has that fire. But that doesn’t mean she has to be a part of my plans. “Hello,” I say politely. “You must be Maxine Kane.” “And you are Theodore Bailer, leader of the rebellion.” I smile dryly. “You should speak louder, and next time make sure to scream it into Amarantha’s ear just to be perfectly sure that she’s aware.” A triumphant look crosses her face. “So it’s true. You are staging something in the sidelines. And here I was thinking you’re just some kind of weird sleazy creep who’s trying to suck up to the megalomaniac in charge of this dump. Good to know it’s all real.” She sits back, obviously proud of herself, and I can’t help but shoot Jonathan a sharp look. “Dude, this is a big mistake,” I say through mind-link, pretending to pick at my food so she thinks I’m just searching for the right words. “You shouldn’t have mentioned anything to her. As you observed today, she’s reckless.” “I know, and I’m really sorry,” Jonathan replies, his guilt invading my mind. “I know it should just be me and a couple of—” “You guys are aware I can hear you, right?” Maxine suddenly interjects. Jonathan and I look at each other in awe. Mind-link messages between people should be private from anyone who’s not invited to join, so to speak. So this is shocking. I already heard that she’s different, from what she told Bianca and Vivienne, but this is strange even for her. First she turned with just a single bite and now she can invade mind-link messages between two other people. I want to wave it off and tell her she’s crazy, but I can tell by the look in her eyes that she’s not one to take some bullshit so easily. I either have to be good in lying or perfectly honest. I go with the latter. “You’re great. Okay, good for you. You’re obviously strong and creative and all that, but one thing is for sure. You are reckless. You don’t think before you act and you don’t have a single ounce of patience and charm in you. This is not how you survive this place. This is not how you join me.” Her eyes narrow into dangerous slits. “I refuse to be like these people. They obviously don’t think for themselves anymore and it’s sad. I don’t want to be here for a single day, much less ten years. I refuse to be a part of this hive-mind that refuses to function anymore. I need to get out—” “And that’s how you prove my point,” I say dryly. “Look, Maxine Kane. I don’t want someone who will just risk everything because they can’t keep their mouth shut. I want someone who can actually bow their head when they need to.” “And kiss ass?” “And kiss ass,” I confirm. “Get all up in that fucking crack. Because that’s how you avoid getting attacked. That’s how you avoid getting punishment.” I point at her empty tray. “It might be slop but at least it’s fueling me to work on something bigger. I can hear your stomach and it’s screaming in pain. All thanks to the fact that you couldn’t resist smacking someone in the face for giving you what you think you don’t deserve. So no, Maxine. I don’t want you in my team.” “Then I will tell Amarantha,” Maxine hisses. Desperation is all over her face and it’s raw in her voice. She sounds menacing but her eyes tell me the whole story. She needs an answer. She needs to be a part of something to keep herself sane. “I will tell her everything about you and your little rebellion. Maybe I can even tell her about what you’re really doing in that sewer. Maybe I can tell her about that secret excavation you’re doing.” My eyes go wide. She just stares back at me. So this girl has been following me. Observing me. I can’t help but feel a rush of grudging respect. “I admire the commitment,” I mutter. “But this is no child’s play. And you just proved my point about you being reckless by following me around.” “I know.” For the first time since tonight, she seems more resigned. More vulnerable and honest. “I… I’m sorry. I just need to get out of here. Everything is strange and weird and I don’t belong here. I never chose to be here.” “That makes two of us,” I whisper, and our eyes meet. Some sort of connection forms between us, almost visible in the night air. I can feel the energy coursing through her, and judging by her surprised expression, I can say that she feels it too. Something fiery and crackling, like lightning bolts poking through the clouds after a clap of thunder. “Very well,” I say at last. “I will let you in.”