Genesis

Chapter 49

The room is suddenly filled with a flurry of activity. Men and women clad in black bulletproof vests and equipped with guns brush past me on either side. Two female voices shout over the top of all the clamor, giving orders to everyone else. 

I recognize those voices. 

As if they were in slow motion, Camryn and my old friend Celethe walk through the crowd of people. How they met is a mystery, yet here they are, and they brought Celethe's entire force of rebel friends. 

I look around. The One is lying on the ground, in a pool of blood that I assume is his own. Drayk and Ximon are still in their cell. They're alive. I choke back a sob of relief. 

My eyes wander over to Camryn. She's surveying the room, seeing where she can help, and commanding the rebels alongside Celethe. She looks like a leader. Meanwhile, me, Kaze Alio, self-proclaimed leader of an expedition outside the dome, is stuck tied to a chair, crying his eyes out. How weak and pathetic I look in comparison to my practically-shining girlfriend. I don't deserve her at all. 

"Hey, Kaze," says Celethe's voice in my ear, abruptly shifting my attention away from Camryn. I jolt away from her lips, which were practically touching my skin. 

"Hi," I say, annoyed. "This isn't exactly how I imagined seeing you again." 

"Me neither. Let's break you out of this chair, shall we?" says Celethe. 

My bonds fall to the ground as Celethe cuts them away. 

"Thanks," I mutter. 

She grins, dangling my X-acto knife in front of me. Figures. She must've pilfered it to cut the bonds. What an arrogant woman. 

"Yeah, yeah. Save your thanks. We've still got to bust out of this place. We went through hell trying to get in, and I'm sure that bastard has a lot of reinforcements," Celethe says, gesturing to the One.

He seems to have gone unconscious, perhaps from the loss of blood. Good. He can die for all I care. 

I stand up on shaky legs, immediately going to check up on my two beloved cellmates. I stride over to the cell and drop to my knees next to my brother. I want to hug him and cry and apologize over and over again, but I don't. Instead, I simply grab his hand and hold it. 

I've already caused him enough pain. I don't want to cause any more. 

"Hey, bro," Drayk says. His voice sounds like its scraping his throat on the way out. How long has it been since he's had a proper drink of water? 

"Hey," I say tentatively. 

I'm not sure what to say next. It looks like he's content to sit in silence, however, and that's fine with me. Drayk closes his eyes and we sit together. I carefully look over my brother's condition, now that I'm closer to him. 

He's been bruised and beaten to a bloody pulp. Every inch of his skin houses a scratch or cut. His face is puffy and purplish. His once-beautiful braided hair is thick with blood, sweat, and who knows what else. 

The longer I stare at Drayk, the more enraged I become. 

How dare the One treat him like this. How dare he beat my brother like an animal, just because he's the leader of the dome. 

I look over at the One's still body again. I feel no mercy. This man deserves to pay for what he's done to my family. He'll pay for every last drop of blood from my brother and mother. I'll make sure of it. 

"Everyone, listen up!" Celethe yells, clapping her hands to get her people's attention. Camryn stands next to her, like a lieutenant. 

I snap my focus onto the two of them. I probably look like I'm glaring at them with the amount of rage I'm feeling. Hopefully neither of them take it personally.