SMOKE (The Aurum Trilogy Book 2)

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Lauren

"I see you've met." Jonathan's voice echoed in the now silent room. I whirled around and faced him, a mask of fury as my expression.

"What kind of joke is this?" I cried out. I whirled back to face the man claiming to be P-0001. "You can't be P-0001." My mind recalls my foot connecting with his side, and him standing there, unhurt and unafraid. No. It can't be. He's an imposter, another pawn of Aurum to drive me to the edge of my wits, another attempt to make me take their side.

My eyes dart back to Jonathan and I storm towards him. Immediately, my wrists hurt and I see blood ooze from new wounds. I figured Jonathan must've been controlling something to inflict pain on me since I wasn't doing anything to trigger the sensors. "Do you think this prank will make me take your side? Well, you're wrong then. I'm loyal to my nation, and I will always be!"

"You are loyal." Jonathan said, nodding his head. He started pacing back and forth in an irritating manner. "But the question is," He took a deep breath. "Are they loyal to you?"

My fist flies up the air and pain shots through it. I drop it halfway before it even connected with Jonathan's jaw.

"Bastard." I muttered, clutching my wrist.

"Why, thank you." He replied sarcastically.

"Argentum has always been loyal to me."

"Is that why they haven't claimed you yet?" Jonathan shot back. "Is it why they'll leave you here to die?"

"No. Argentum will—"

"Come back?" Jonathan's voice rose, and I stepped back. "Wake up, Steel! They're not coming back. You think you're all so important to them? You think you'll win this war for them? You think you're they're hero? Wake up, Steel. You're nothing but an experiment. An experiment caused by my carelessness and their failure!"

Silence hung between us. I couldn't anything except look at Jonathan and wonder if he's right. Maybe I am just a pawn. Maybe they're not coming back, and they want me to die. Maybe I'm of no value to them than this man behind me claiming to have my identity.

Maybe it was my fault. I trusted them too much. Believed them too much. Believed them and found out that my whole life was a lie, from my childhood to my existence. From my composition to my purpose.

All of sudden, I remember Jonathan taking the blame too and couldn't help but blurt out my thoughts. "Your carelessness?"

"Forget it." He murmured hurriedly.

"I can't." My voice came out louder than expected, but I held firm. "You can't expect me to keep forgetting all the time."

"I don't want to be the one to tell you this, Steel, but," He paused, his eyes a flash of compassion and pity. I hate being pitied. I hate it when people feel sorry for me because there's nothing to be sorry about.

"But what?"

I want to know.

I need to know.

"Tell me."

Jonathan's gaze drifted from me to the man claiming to be P-0001. He rests his eyes on me, golden hazel orbs probing me and anticipating my next move. I look away, unable to stand his stare, and just as I do so, he walks away.

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The door swishes as Jonathan exits the room. I turn back to the imposter.

"Tell me what you know."

"What I know?" He said, his voice a tone of mock surprise. "I know a lot of things."