“Where to begin,” the man says, “to integrate into society means that those who are approved by our Souls Council get to live amongst our people freely, however, your family are being guarded while being integrated, if that makes sense.”
“It does,” I answer, “and what about Samantha?”
“Oh yes, she was stopped by force, and you were apprehended falsely. Testimony was given by all involved and while you were intuitive, you did not cause any havoc.”
“Yes, Samantha is the queen of havoc,” I begin, “but you really should re-think her being let out. She isn’t a bad person; she is just more self-centered than anything else.”
“That was also the consensus of the group,” he smiles. “It is not often our council changes its opinions on a soul, however I am not opposed to bringing it before them this night.”
“Thank you,” I respond.
This man speaks like he is from a different world. It takes me a while to understand some of the things he is saying, because he is using some words that I am not familiar with. I open my mouth to ask another question when he puts a finger to his lip, telling me it’s time to be quiet. We walk over a glass walkway that is suspended over a large, white, open room. I freeze for a moment, because down in the room being followed by a group of guards are each member of my group, minus Samantha.
They are walking into a room marked Bath House. Smith just so happens to be one of their guards, no Johnathan in sight.
He must be more important than this Smith character.
I bang on the glass, trying to get their attention, but the glass doesn’t budge at all. No sound escapes, not even the slightest rattle.
“It is thick glass that doesn’t budge,” the man begins, “also, it is mirrored on the other side, so there would be no way they would have seen you if they were able to hear you.”
I know I must look deflated.
“You will be with them soon enough, my dear,” the man reassures me, most likely to stop the look of sadness from staying on my face.
“So, what do I have to do to get down there?” I ask, as I watch Jake walk through the doorway. He is in the back of the group.
“As I said, Miss Towers, all will be revealed momentarily.”
I take a moment to sober myself. This man has been nice to me, and I don’t want to be hateful towards him until I have reason to be.
“Would there be any way I could get you to call me by my real name?”
“Elizabeth Towers is your real name, isn’t it my dear?”
I stop in my tracks, turning towards the man in the suit. The guards jolt, pulling their white guns out of their holsters ever so slightly.
“Now gentlemen, does this young lady look like a threat to me?” R. J. speaks to his guards as if he would rather not have them. “Go on, my dear.”
“I haven’t been Elizabeth Towers for a long time now.” I look down, trying to remember the last time I felt like that girl. “My name is Liz Strong, and that is who I will always be.”
“Very well, Liz,” the man says with a smile, trying the name out for the first time. “It suits you, my dear.”
I nod, turning back toward the direction that we were walking and begin following the guards down the hall of The Facility. A small smile hits my face. Small victories are all I can think of, small victories!
We walk for a while before we arrive at a wall with three doors in it. On each door, a placard hangs, most likely identifying what the room is or who it belongs to.
The door on the left says, Intelligence of The Facility, Rebekka Jonni. The one in the middle says Vice President of The Facility, Johnathan Timothy. The last and final door to the right says, The Facility President, Rodney James Timothy III.
“As you were gentlemen,” R. J. says with a sweeping motion towards the guards.
The guards fall out, standing two to every door, standing on either side of each one. That leaves two guards, the so-called president, and me, standing in front of the door on the right.
“Welcome to my office, Miss Strong,” he says with a twinkle in his eye. I willingly follow him into his office, the two guards following us closing the door behind us.
Across the room, a woman in a white dress and messy hair stands looking out of a large window overlooking the stadium.
“Penelope,” R. J. calls to the woman.
She turns around after hearing him call out to her. All the blood drains from my face as I see Penelope Towers standing in front of me.
My mom!
Chapter Twelve
Once again, I clutch the necklace the wisp of a woman had given to me what feels like a lifetime ago. It is so hard to think of all the things that have happened since the feather pendant was placed around my neck. We both stand looking at each other. This woman is barely a memory in my head. The Force and all it has to offer takes everything from you, filling you full of its own kind of brainwash.
Neither one of us move. How did she get here?
“Mom?” I ask, in a barely audible whisper.
“Elizabeth?” she says.
My face contorts in a twist of disgust and anger.
“Liz,” I whisper.
“Liz?” she questions.
“Never mind. What are you doing here?” I demand.
“Your father came and found us,” she begins, while walking toward me. “He’s alive!” she
