Endogenesis (Complete)

Chapter Twenty-Six

The clouds loomed overhead, threatening to unleash another storm. It was a good thing they never had class outside, though Nadia wouldn't put it past the Overseer to string someone up in the yard for days on end during the middle of winter. Nadia tried not to think about the shackles, always swinging freely in the wind. They hadn't been used during their short stay, but she was confident it would be only a matter of time.

Nadia rested against the building, hood pulled over her head. Gabriel had already left with Dante, Elijah and Meryl. He had yet to have any trouble making his way across the yard on his lonesome. Given how freely Adam moved around by himself, Nadia assumed that the children took the ranking system rather seriously. Combat in a controlled environment never compared to one for your life, but how would they understand when they had been caged for so long? If Gabriel's rank dissuaded even a single person from picking a fight, she would consider it a victory.

'How do you know that she isn't lying to you? She could spout any amount of horse shit to get you on her side.'

Nadia pushed herself off the wall and crept to the corner. While the Black and Green dorms were separated by a single empty building, she preferred to wait for Adam closer to her own.

Nadia remained behind cover as the pair moved closer. With how foul-tempered Lawrence sounded, Nadia assumed he was with Adam. Did the brothers fight often? Or had she spurred more hostility between them?

'Stop and think, for once in your life.' Adam snapped back. 'If the Wasteland is such a horrible place, why would they ever consider leaving here? We have clean water, food and shelter.'

'Because they're lawless savages. We wouldn't last a week if we left, and why should we? We're safe here.'

'Safe?' Adam paused, 'You want to throw your life away for the same people who have kept us locked up since birth. Better yet, do you want to stick around and let something happen to April or Arleen, like what happened to—'

'The adults punished him, and—'

'You think that matters?' Adam replied in a rage before he lowered his voice. 'You might not care about our sister's safety, but I do.'

'Fuck you. Not a day goes by where.... Screw this...'

Nadia's feet were rooted to the spot as Lawrence stormed off. Nadia had been freed from the cell for nearly a month and had already experienced enough to fear for her safety. How twisted were the Republic's lies about the Autonomous Zone for them to harbour so much terror?

Adam moved around the corner and sighed as their eyes met, 'You heard all of that.'

'Bit hard not to with the freakish hearing,' Nadia admitted.

Adam drew closer, reaching into his pocket, 'He won't change his mind no matter what anyone says.'

'And the other two?'

'Jonathan will happily ignore me in favour of his sister, and Bianca is blind to what's in front of her.' Adam said, sorrow in his eyes. 'Honestly, sometimes I'm not sure if Lawrence is a 'true patriot' or if Bianca has him so tightly wrapped around her finger he can't think straight. Maybe it's wishful thinking. He does seem concerned about the kids...'

Nadia had knocked heads with her brothers more times than she could count, but they were usually over petty matters. The notion of struggling against Gabriel or Dante about escaping from their prison was absurd. If she had to, it would have torn her heart in two.

'I'm sorry. It must be rough, fighting with him all the time,' Nadia said tenderly.

'Don't worry about it.' Adam hesitated. 'Shut your eyes and hold out your hands.'