Marked

Chapter Thirty-Two

"So now what?" Juan asked. He tapped his head against the smooth, white wall behind him, one knee bent and the other stretched out in front of him.

"Now we pray that Rachel's actions don't get you two and the rest of the mountain survivors kicked out."

"Let them kick us out! It's not like they're doing anything to help us. They abandoned Hector in case you don't remember."

"Of course I remember," Yalina snapped at him.

"Really? Cause you talk like you agree with Abby."

Yalina sighed and turned away from her perch by the window to look at Juan.

"It's not that I agree with Abby, Juan, it's that I know we can do more good from here as opposed to being out there all on our own."

"It did my brother no good being here. Nobody cared that he's gone."

"You're wrong." Yalina replied. "Abby is making sure everyone knows how much of a hero he was. It's all over the bunker, it's all anyone can talk about. We may not be able to go back and save him but at least everyone will know how brave he was."

Rachel shook her head, red strands of hair tickling her cheeks with the motion.

"Of course she is. Making a martyr out of Hector is a sure way to keep the people occupied, too busy talking about how brave he was to ask why a new trainee was sent to the capital in the first place. It's so sad that you can't see that."

"Rachel's right. If anyone wanted to believe this place was good, it was me. But after seeing that board out in the lunch room—damn, I'm not sure what I feel anymore. I just know that back at the compound we would have never abandoned anyone, even if it meant getting ourselves killed in the process."

"It's a necessary sacrifice. For the greater good..." Yalina murmured back, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"She gave him a fake mark for fucks sake! It's all because of that call. I should have never let him do it."

"What call?" Rachel asked. 

"She was ready to let you and the rest of the compounders die. That bitch didn't want to authorize the rescue mission. Hector begged her while he was stilled quarantined and she said no so he got on his watch, broadcasted a call to the entire bunker and nearly told them about E-91."

"Then what? Tell me every last detail you can remember."

"She intercepted the call and she told him to stop. That she'd give in to his request."

It all made perfect sense now. "He...he forced her hand and that's why she let him go. Don't you see, Yalina? She gave him a fake mark to shut him up!" Rachel exclaimed.

"That...that can't be right. Abby wouldn't do that...she..."

"You keep telling yourself that but I think inside you, you know something isn't right. Why else would you have defended me?" Rachel urged.

Yalina didn't get a chance to reply when the cell doors opened up to reveal a guard on the other side. The white of his uniform merged into the white of the walls, making him look like nothing but a floating crop of hair.

"You're being released, Yalina. Abby wishes to speak to you."

Yalina glanced at Juan and Rachel, her eyes flitting back and forth, unsure.

"Go," Rachel encouraged. "See for yourself."

With a sigh, Yalina left the room and the doors hissed shut after her, kicking up dust and the scent of bleach cleaner.