“I had to!” he shouts. The pacing stops and springs squeak as if someone suddenly stood up. “They left me no choice.”
“What about Tilda? She wasn’t a threat to you, and she was the only person who actually gave a damn about Max as a person.”
“Again, I had no choice.”
“That seems to be your excuse for everything,” Cil says loudly. Springs squeak again and footsteps approach the door I’m near. “Don’t be surprised when this all comes crashing down on you. It’ll either be the Patrician, the Dracken, Fallon, or perhaps Max herself who will be your executioner. I just hope you put in a good word for the rest of us before you die.”
I press against the wall as the door opens, almost smacking me in the face. Cil storms out the front door and into a night filled with rain. I push the door away, step around it, and walk into the study.
“Why?” I ask as Edom is sitting with his back to me.
He jumps upon hearing my voice, dropping his drink onto the floor, shattering the glass. “Max, how… how did you get here?” he stutters.
“Answer my question,” I say louder, stepping a little closer to him.
“You don’t understand what’s at stake, Max.” Edom stands. His bathrobe hangs open over gray pajamas. It looks like he’s been living in those clothes for days.
“Then explain it.”
He moves himself towards the back of the couch, then leans against it. “Leader Fallon and the Patrician need you to stop this realignment that the Dracken are trying to cause.”
“That part I got,” I say, anger dripping from my tongue as I show him my hands.
“So, you know what you can do now.”
“It was more than just my hands if I’m able to loop away from Tarsus. Looper was selected for me on purpose, so is Hammond one of yours also? I know Vern is, since he gave me away to the Aedox, and Matron Ancilla because she noticed my trick with the Deer Horn knives and didn’t tell anyone.”
“No, Hammond isn’t on anyone’s side. He only cares about what’s going to benefit him, so he’s waiting to see who has the upper hand before deciding where his loyalties will be.” Edom leans his head back, shoving his hands in the pockets of his robe, and swings the garment around himself. “Our way of life is dependent upon the Patrician. If the Dracken start a war, we’ll all die.”
I cross my arms in front of my chest and place my weight on my leg. “Explain.”
“Can I pour myself a drink first?” He gestures towards a bar behind the desk I’m next to.
I nod and move out of the way as he crosses the floor. He pours himself a drink, gulps the contents, and pours another.
“We aren’t the first to live here, but we may be the last.”
“That’s cryptic.”
Anger creases his face. He slams the glass down on the top of the desk. “The Patrician are very particular on what kind of society they want. Any signs of rebellion and they will do anything to stop it, including killing millions of their own people.”
“That’s how the Dead Zone was created.”
He nods, picks up the glass, and refills it. “The Outer Limits and Tarsus only exist because of the destruction done to the people who lived in the Dead Zone. Only back then it was called Pentras.”
“What a minute? The winner of the event gets to go to Pentras. Are you saying they’re reopening the Dead Zone?”
He sighs. “I don’t know what the Keepers are doing, honestly. It may be their way of reigniting the past.”
“And the Patrician are trying to prevent this by using me?”
“Yes.”
“But why?”
“So they don’t have to nuke another one of their civilizations.” He begins to sway the more he drinks. He sets the glass down and goes back to sit on the couch. The roar from the blaze in the fireplace is causing the temperature in the room to soar to an uncomfortable level, but Hammond seems to be enjoying the warmth. I can’t see his face, but his posture is showing he’s relaxed.
“What about my parents?”
“They’re dead. And if your next question is who killed them, well you’re looking at him.”
“Why?” I ask trying to sound angry. I don’t really remember my parents, so I can’t conjure up any real feelings on the matter.
“For our safety, Max. I thought if the creators of the Dracken were dead, the whole group would cease to exist, but I was wrong. You joining them only solidifies their existence.” He turns to face me, laying his arm over the back of the couch. “If only you would see the danger you’ve put everyone in.”
“It looks to me like society did it to itself.”
“You may have a death wish, but I sure don’t.”
He turns his back to me. My hand grips into a fist, but it doesn’t close around air. I feel the texture of the handle for my Kopis. The Keepers must know I’m here, and they’ve given me a task. I walk around the couch, placing myself between Edom and the fireplace.
“What about Tilda? Where did you take her?”
He sees the weapon, and his eyes widen. “She’s with your parents.”
I thrust the blade into his stomach. “Cil was correct I am your executioner.” I twist the blade, driving it in deeper.
He gurgles as blood escapes his lips. I pull out the Kopis and Edom falls to the side. I hear the front door open followed by heavy footsteps. I know it’s the Aedox, so I loop back to the training room. Matron Kaniz is waiting for me when I arrive. She points towards the shelf, so I place my Kopis on it. In seconds it’s gone, probably back in the weapons room, or being cleaned.
“Did you learn anything useful?” Matron Kaniz asks as she’s in the process of opening the door.
“Only that
