A door on the side wall slides open. An Official confidently strides in. Dirty blonde hair is pulled into the tight, tidy bun. Black pants, black shirt, perfectly spotless and orderly.
I stare in horror as the Official’s eyes scan over me. An Official saved my life?
The Official grins, “Don’t look so scared, it’s okay.”
I want to laugh. How can it be okay? An Official is paying attention to me.
The Official strides over towards me, taking a seat on one of the metal chairs in front of Miranda’s desk. An Official is sitting not two paces away from me. Talking to me.
I have no idea what to do.
The Official smiles at me. “I’m Piper. You’re Claire, right?”
I blink at her. An Official knows my name.
Piper bites her lip and glances at Miranda. Miranda just shrugs, and raises her eyebrows.
Piper rolls her eyes and addresses me, “Claire…you’re…you’re not normal.”
Miranda snorts.
“What?” Piper says defensively.
Miranda grins, “She’s not normal? Wow, how many people have you saved and you still haven’t gotten this part down. Is the supposed to make Claire happy that she’s ‘not normal’?”
Piper throws her hands in the air, “I never know what to say. Stop it, you’re messing me up/”
Miranda shuts her mouth, but the soft smile still stays on her lips.
Piper continues, “Don’t listen to Miranda. She just enjoys messing me up.”
Miranda shrugs and seems to agree with the statement.
What happened to the unreadable Miranda from yesterday? Is she friendly because this Official is here? Wouldn’t she be more cryptic with an Officialstanding right here? Didn’t Michelle say that there were no Officials here?
Piper sighs, “First of all, I’m not an Official.”
My eyes rescan her appearance. Everything about her screams Official, the uniform, the hair, the flawlessness.
I speak for the first time, “You look like one.”
“Well, I guess I am an Official, but it’s just, I’m only,” she takes a deep breath, “it’s all part of the plan. I never went to any Official training.”
Miranda injects, “How have you not been caught yet by any of the loyal? You’re horrible at this.”
“You know I can lie. There’s just so much to tell Claire, I don’t know what to say first.”
She’s admitting to being able to lie well. How do I know whether she’s being truthful?
Miranda advises with a hint of sarcasm, “Well, you could always start at the beginning.”
“Fine. Claire, you know those shots that you’ve received over time?”
I nod, “We get the red shots the most.”
Miranda and Piper grin simultaneously. I glance back and forth between the two of them, “Did I say something?”
Piper shakes her head, “Oh no, it’s just you have no idea what you’ve just confirmed.”
My eyebrows rise up, but I don’t say anything more. Have I admitted to some type of crime I didn’t know existed?
Piper explains, “The red shot is supposed to wipe away your memory. After someone does something that represents rebellion, they wipe your memory of the incident. They want you to think that everyone else is perfect. However, they allow you to remember a couple people being taken, just so you know the threat is real.”
YOU ARE READING
274 (Complex Series, #4)
Science Fiction-fourth book in the Complex series- Claire, known to most people only by her Complex number as 274, has always obeyed the Official's rules. You have to, unless you want to be sent away to the Unknown. Until, she meets Marie and everything changes. ...
