“Zacharya, sit yourself down immediately." he said with the sternest voice I had ever heard, and Zack complied instantly, looking distressed.
“We will talk about how we'll proceed with our mission, but you do not raise your voice. You do not talk to me like that Zack. You forget your place. You're too emotionally involved and not objective. That’s why I was reluctant to share our plans any sooner with you.”
Zack and Markus' altercation physically hurt me, it was that strong. Markus was resolute.
“I will have to discipline you for that disrespectful attitude and we'll have to resume our meeting after your punishment.”
Zack grunted and reluctantly got up when Markus ordered him to stand, trying to say something but was silenced straight away.
“I haven't given you permission to talk. Save it for later. You get to spend the next four hours in isolation. You're lucky we can't afford wasting time, otherwise it would have been at least a week. And as it's only four hours, you won't be allowed to sit down and you can face the wall. You can think of a fitting way to apologise there. The both of you.”
Zack looked up at Markus, not understanding and frustrated as he wasn't allowed to speak. But I was, so I did.
“Uh..., Markus. Me? Why? What have I done?" I said indignantly.
I surprised myself by daring to question Markus after having just witnessed Zack being reprimanded so severely.
“Well, Eliza. Even though you're making great progress, I've heard you have, at times, been less than respectful to Zack. He's been remiss not to pick you up on it. I think a little discipline won't go amiss for you as well, young lady. You're not to talk until you get back in to this room and you can apologise to him, in front of me.”
I was stunned. I didn't think Zack had said anything about that to him, but by the thunderous look on his face, it hadn't been him that had reported me.
“Oh, I..." I started but the incredulous looks on both faces made me shut up instantly.
“Samuel, can you please take them to the cell, both of them on opposite sides, facing the wall and switch the camera on please. Just as a word of warning to both of you, no talking or looking at each other. We may be pressed for time but make no mistake. I take insubordination very seriously, so I won't hesitate to prolong your time in isolation.”
He turned to attend to a phone call that had just come in and left us in Samuel's hands.
Zack sighed and resigned himself to be led away to the cell. I felt awful, I wasn't sure what felt worse. The fact I was being punished like this, or that, as it had dawned on me, it may have been Zaphire who had told on me and Zack. I also felt bad for Zack who was called out over having been lenient when I've disrespected him. It was all a bit ironic really. I decided to just let it go and get through the next four hours. It wasn't going to be very comfortable, especially as I was hungry too, and I needed the toilet. Pants.
The time couldn't go quickly enough. I wanted to know what the next part of the mission was and how we would be able to find out what my father's roll exactly was in this criminal organisation. It sounded bad. Very bad. However, time did not fly. It felt more like ten hours and the worst thing was that there was no way of telling the time. It was torture and in my previous life, a few weeks ago I may have cried. Not any more though. I just had to endure it.
CHAPTER 26
I could not believe what the fuck just happened. Why did I shout at Markus! I don't think I had raised my voice or sworn at him for at least five years, when I was just hitting puberty. I do believe I had forgotten my place. Damned Eliza. I feel so protective over her that I dared challenge Markus, my leader and carer. I could kick myself, I felt so stupid. I could have just calmly raised my concerns and Markus would have listened. We would have sorted something out, I knew that. But something had just snapped inside me with the thought of Eliza being thrown into the deep end, into danger at that.
I was worried about how Eliza would feel about being punished like this. I've had to endure plenty of it in the past, so though an inconvenient and humiliating experience, I was used to it. I wanted to talk it through with her but we wouldn't have an opportunity to talk until we were faced with Markus again. I think Eliza would have worked out by now that it was most probably Zaphire who'd informed Markus about her behaviour, and I'm not sure if she'd understand. I was annoyed with Zaphire, but she probably felt that Markus should know about Eliza's fiery side and to be honest he would probably have just had a quiet word with me about it, had I not challenged him. Zaphire couldn't have predicted that and I'm sure when she finds out it had landed Eliza in the isolation cell with me, she would feel mortified.
Four hours was a long time to just stand there. The muscles in my back started to ache and I could hear Eliza fidgeting behind me. I didn't risk taking a peak at her and I hoped she resisted as well. I didn't want to spend any longer in here than necessary, it was such a fucking frustrating waste of time as it was. I hoped she remembered the cameras, as we wouldn't get away with anything.
