“Of course not my dear, Artemis’ only concern is for himself and what will profit him. If he thinks telling me he knows where Kedua might be will get him more money, than that is what he will say.”
“Why would he need me to find her?”
“Because you will know her the moment you see her.”
“How do you know I will recognize her?”
“You’ll know.”
I doubt I will recognize her since I didn’t recognize Quin, but decide to keep that information to myself.
Vladim steps over to an end table and begins to scroll through a small tablet screen. A few moments later a door down the hall to the right of me opens up, revealing another private elevator. Vladim walks down the hall greeting the person who just got off.
“Trea, I would you like you to meet the Superior of the Asphodel Clinic. Dr. Hersher.” Vladim steps aside, but introductions are not required.
I know the man standing in front of me. He extends his hand out for me to shake. I hesitate, not sure of how to respond, wondering how much this person has told the High Ruler about me…about my past. I shake his hand gently, but I can tell he sees the tension in my face.
“It’s nice to see you again, Trea,” Dr. Hersher says to me. “That was quite a spectacle you gave today. Munera was one of my favorite fighters, but you bested her easily.”
“You work for them?” I spit out in disgust, as I point towards Vladim,
“Of course. Did you think I actually worked just for Artemis?” He laughs loudly, swinging himself back and forth. “Remember, I told you I designed the Antaeans. Who do you think I designed them for?”
“So that warning at the ranch about not revealing my true self to Artemis was all crap.”
“Not entirely. If Artemis had discovered your full abilities before I could relay to the High Ruler that an Antaean had been located, it would have destroyed my chances of claiming the…significant reward for your return.”
I swing wide with my fist, but I’m grappled from behind, taken to the floor mid-punch. I try and throw off my assailants, rolling onto my side, kicking fiercely, but only manage to cock my head to the side, straining my neck to see who is standing on me. The only thing I’m able to ascertain is a Regulator’s hat.
I’m hauled off of the carpeting with rug burns on my face from the tussle. The Regulators escort me over to one of the couches by the windows, each place a hand on my shoulder, and force me to sit down. Neither removes their hands once I’m properly seated.
Vladim remains standing while Dr. Hersher takes a seat on the sofa opposite me. Both looking pleased with themselves. I glower at them, imagining my hands snapping each of their necks, their tongues lolling to the sides of their mouths as their eyes go black.
I mentally shake my head before the images worsen as I’m itching to destroy these two. These thoughts must be coming from my programming, my design, as I don’t normally feel this way.
“What do you want from me?”
“Well, first of all we will have a demonstration tomorrow.” Vladim walks back over to the window, looking out at the now-empty seats. “Before the next round of battles, you will demonstrate your abilities to the entire country of Sirain. We will show the nation we are the first city to have successfully rescued one of the lost Antaeans, so we can show the public that all the time, money, and research our city put in to developing you wasn’t wasted.” He sits down next to Dr. Hersher, crossing his legs. “Then, we’ll begin looking for the remaining three Antaeans. Dr. Hersher will now escort you below to evaluate you.”
“He’s already done that,” I protest, trying in vain to stand up.
Dr. Hersher shakes his head. “Not completely, since I didn’t have all of the necessary equipment at Artemis’ ranch. The Care Room here at the stadium has all the items I need.” He stands up, retrieving his bag from the floor.
I’m lifted up from my seat and ushered down the hall to the other elevator where we descend to the Care Room, under the holding area.
We exit into a vast space that runs the entire length of the stadium. Harsh lighting fills the massive area, casting odd shadows in corners too dark to see. Dense gray columns line the interior, creating chambers, each containing soiled cots lined in neat rows. Several cots have injured fighters moaning as women in orange uniforms attend to them. As we move to the left and begin to walk the length of the room, I look beyond the wounded and spot a metal cage holding the group of people I tried to rescue. Terrance is one of them, his face pressing against the iron bars. I turn my head away; trying to hide the tears I feel beginning.
I hear old voices echo in my head.
An Antaean should show no emotion, no attachment to others, as they can be taken quickly.
I begin to recall the hours of emotional detachment training we endured as children at the Dormitories. How so often we were given something and then having it taken away. We would cry for hours and then they would give the object back to us, wait for us to get attached again, and then remove it once more. This went on for months until we finally refused to take the object.
I lift my head back up to see where we are going and spot two boards propped up on wooden stands at the end of the rows of cots. One board contains the body of Munera, her naked body exposed brazenly. The other is that of Aidan, face up, arms dangling down off the board. Two Levin gun blasts have ripped open his chest, disintegrating everything inside.
I thrash myself around, trying to get free from
