Daughter 4254

Chapter 24

The irony was too much. I kicked at him and struggled to free myself but it was all in vain. His grip was iron tight and I could already see the largest man in black towering above him, my brother pushing in for a better view.

“Ha! It is her!” He cried in triumph and delight. In fact, I don’t think I’d ever seen him more pleased. “I told you sir. I knew she’d be heading for the forest or the train as soon as she could.”

“Excellent 4253, that is quite enough.” He sounded slightly annoyed with my brother. Like someone trying to handle an excited young one with patience. He turned to me then ”Citizen 669-3244-4254 you are under arrest for multiple infractions. You are to be detained until a tribunal is called to rule on the future of your life in the community.” He reached down to grab my arm but I punched at him, connecting lamely with his forearm. Might as well add assaulting a strange black clad leader while I was building my list of multiple infractions. He reached again, more quickly this time and caught both of my failing arms in his huge fists. The man holding my leg started blathering then.

“Don’t forget me. Don’t forget it was me.. I’m the one who caught her. Take me with you! I want a promotion. I caught her! Multiple infractions is good for something... at least a promotion. I want my due!”

The large man now holding me turned to him, “Unhand her legs. She is in custody now. You will be rewarded. 21, get his information.” Another man in black said, “Yes sir,” and turned distastefully to the slobbering citizen. I was pulled to my feet despite my struggling, and forced to face my brother eye to eye.

The triumph in his expression was more than I could bare. “I told you I’d be watching! I told you that you’d never make it.” His voice was even worse. “I saw everything you did and I reported it.”

“You must be so proud. What are you going to do with your time now? Watch me clean sewers? I doubt that will be half as amusing.”

“After what you’ve done, you’ll be lucky to get sewer duty. I saw it all and recorded it. Everything.”

“That’s enough.” It was the large man holding me that spoke now, “Let’s take her back to the school and sort things out there. 83, please call for assistance at the school. I’m sure they are in a lovely state of chaos.”

Back to the school. No. That was the one thing that had not crossed my mind. Once I was through those doors I didn’t think I would ever be back. I had felt a twinge of sadness in leaving the people I had come to care about, but my greater goals were waiting outside the school, beyond the forest. I had never thought I’d ever be back inside those walls.

The walk was long and took much longer than I would have liked. My hands had been secured with some sort of electronic cuffs that pinched at the wrists as they pulled my arms behind my back. Each step felt like I was moving at light speed away from the life I had, once again, been so close to discovering. People stared at me and my captors. My brother strutted like a rooster on display at mating season. I still couldn’t fathom the idea that he had actually watched every moment of my life over the past few weeks. How could he have gained permission to specifically spy on a family member? This and so many other things shredded my heart and mind as we finally approached the large entrance doors. They swung wide as we approached and I was shuffled inside.

The chaos that greeted us was overwhelming compared to the mild confusion I’d left before. Music was still blaring on the speakers. I was guessing it was at least the third time through Vivaldi’s Spring. The office was filled with Leaders and Professors and a few students. All shouting above one another. I was pushed to a chair in a corner as men in black uniforms were sent to dismantle my little project. Black clad reinforcements poured in through the front doorway talking on small black devices connected to their sleeves. They immediately began to silence students and sort those who were obviously confused from those who were protesting outright.

I had a clear view of the door from where I was perched uncomfortably on a chair, I thought about sliding down to the end of the row of chairs and making my way out the door again, running again. But my brother was watching me and must have read my face.

“You’ll never make it two steps out the door. Don’t even think about it. Those wrist bands are programmed to shock you into unconsciousness if you make one wrong move.”

I glared at him and looked back towards the door just in time to see 0203 push her way into the already crowded space. Our eyes met and an initial look of shock gave way to her usually calm demeanor. I guessed she was as surprised to see me there as I was to be there. She sat in the seat opposite my end of the row and waited silently, watching.

Suddenly, the music stopped. Just as it was heading into another round of the Monsters of Rock, the guitars were silenced and only the cries of angry, confused students were left to echo through the halls.

The largest man in black pushed his way back through the crowds and roughly grabbed me under my arm, pulling me to my feet. “Alright, let’s get out of here. A transport will be arriving in three minutes.”

My brother started to file out with us until the man turned and put a hand on his chest. “I want you to stay here 4253 and help clean up this mess. You can come back with the support crew. I’ll meet you at headquarters.” He paused then taking in the look of dejection added impatiently, “Don’t worry. You were right, and you will be rewarded accordingly.” This seemed to somehow heal some of the injustice my brother was feeling at not being the one to deliver me to the tribunal personally. I wondered what my mother would think if she could see both of her children now. I decided I was glad that she was dead and would never know what a mess I had made of her dream and how her son had set his life to ruining his sister’s. It wasn’t a situation I think any parent could bare. I wondered if my father would hear news of us. I’m sure he would at some point.

My brother saluted the large man, who let out an exasperated sigh and gave further command, “Go join 82 in Corridor B and try to be useful.”

“Yes sir!” My brother saluted again and gave me one last hard look before leaving the office, high steps, head held even higher. I watched his back, wondering if I would ever see him again. Still amazed at having seen him today. Not really looking forward to another meeting - ever.

I caught 0203’s eyes one last time as I was finally shuffled past the adults and towards the door. Some one was asking her why she was there.

“My ID pass was stolen, I need a replacement.”  She looked directly at me with only pity in her eyes. I shrugged in apology and was almost through the door when she called to my guards, “You’d better bring her back in one piece. She still owes me a rather large favor.”

“No I don’t, Marion.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” I made my voice harder than I thought I could. I was done here. I was done with these people and I was not going to spend any more time mourning anyone. I’d already done that with my mother. I wasn’t doing it anymore.

“Marion.” She said it under her breath and smiled at me, nodding.

They pushed me through the office door, the halls were quieter now, but no where near the silent and controlled corridors they had once been. I wondered if this could last, or if it would be back to normal, or worse, by tonight.

I was pushed through the front doors and roughly handed into the back of a large black truck of some sort. Another guard took my arm and before I could protest had jammed a metal stick into my neck. “Better safe than sorry.” He grinned into my already dimming eyes and all went black.