Escape: The Precinct

Chapter 9: Zuri

It was still early in the day and tasked with assembling various wigs, it was a very technical activity for some more than others. In the zone, the three children didn't utter many words to one another and kept their heads down, focusing intensely. No one wanted to be held back. Evan and Joel were in an unspoken race as to who would finish first, completely unbeknownst to Cassie.

A series of raucous cries in the distance managed to arouse their attention above the sounds of factory machinery. One particularly piercing scream was enough to create a shock wave or silence throughout the factory, hundreds of eyes scouring for the source.

The SAFE units swarmed at the precise location of a disheveled looking light-skinned girl, who was being restrained as she attempted to lash out at another girl in an equally disheveled state, except she looked terrified by the scene before her. With one particularly brutish tug, she managed to break free, punching one of the SAFE units in the chin, momentarily staggering them. In those brief seconds of release, the girl was a hair away from grabbing her victim again before she was subdued once more.

Silently, the SAFE units hauled the aggressor away, one of each on the girl's arms while she thrashed and spat unintelligible curse words at the other girl in Spanish that neither Joel, Cassie or Evan could recognise.

Evan's mouth down-turned and his brows shot up at the display in front of him, highly amused by the scene.

"My basic grasp of Spanish was not enough to decipher what she said. I'm sure you have no clue either, huh Joel?" he chided across the belt.

Joel paid him no attention. His mind was elsewhere. Instead, he couldn't take his eyes off the fiery girl who seemed to want nothing but a fight. He was beyond impressed, perhaps even a little smitten that she could handle herself against The Puppets, despite her small stature. To rebel during labour hours was the act of someone who truly had nothing to lose.

Cassie and Evan exchanged knowing glances and no words about the love-struck boy opposite them.

After the petite girl was dragged out, everyone was told to get back to work; the machinery wasn't enough to conceal the hushed whispers and gossip floating along the conveyor belts. Everyone knew where the girl was going, she went where all deviants were sent: Precinct 1.1. Acting out during labour hours got her a direct ticket and that was a place she was not going to be able to fight her way out of.

Cassie wondered if the girl would be held there for two days like Evan was, the circumstances were almost identical, except Evan didn't assault The Puppets as well. She made a mental note to keep track of her return and planned to ask how long she had been in there. There had to be some unknown trend to how Precinct 1.1 worked, perhaps an unknown set of rules that the residents were never supposed to know about.

Two days passed by swiftly, and Cassandra remained eagle eyed on her way to work, hoping to catch sight of the violent girl from Wednesday. She insisted Evan should go in before her and to save an extra seat, but she did not tell him why.

"Who exactly are you waiting for?" he asked, cocking a brow at a troubled Cassie.

"If I can find them, you will see," she responded swiftly.

The boy's green eyes lingered on her a bit longer. He had no idea what she was doing, or what she was trying to do.

"If you're not seated by 7:55 am, I'm coming to find you. So don't be late. Alright?" His tone was stern as he made sure to get eye contact from the girl in front of him, confirming she heard what he said.

It was one thing for him to get in trouble, but he didn't want Cassie to be like him, nor did he want her to ever be subject to punishment in Precinct 1.1.