984 (Complex Series, #2)

Chapter Thirty-Three

“I received a message from an Official, telling me that they want us to send Sienna back to them.” Miranda whispers. 

I struggle to comprehend what she is saying, “What?”

 “The Officials want us to put Sienna in one of the Rivie Drop-Off rooms and leave her there, all alone, so they can take her away.”

 “But…why?”

 “I have no idea.  This has never, never happened before.  My only guess is that they realized that she wasn’t dead and Ellen is very angry that someone evaded her poison. They mostly likely want to do some testing on her, to see why it didn’t work.”

Why does Sienna have to go? Why can’t we just not send her? Miranda told me that the Officials never come into the Unknown. As long as she’s here, she’s safe, right?

Miranda seems to realize what I’m thinking, “No, Piper, it doesn’t work that way.  Here’s something you need to grasp. The Heads are more powerful than us. The Heads have more resources than us. The Heads are always one step ahead of us.  If we don’t send Sienna, there will be consequences.  Maybe they will shut down some of our electricity, it wouldn’t be the first time.  Maybe they will send us even more dead Eekes and Rivies.  Maybe they will send Officials into the Unknown. The consequences will be worse if we don’t send Sienna, then if we do.”

I clench my hands into fists. “So, you’ll let Sienna most likely die just to avoid the possible consequences?” I nearly shout.

Miranda just calmly stares straight into my eyes and whispers, “Yes, to keep everyone else safe…yes.”

Tears rise in my eyes but I furiously blink them away. I’ve spend too much time crying in front of Miranda.

I want to laugh at my earlier naïve belief that Sienna would be safe due to her immunity. There are other ways to kill a person.

I whisper, “Does Sienna know?”

Miranda nods slowly, “The Nurses are telling her right now.”

“And then?” I ask.

Miranda struggles to keep her voice emotionless, “We take her back to the Rivie Drop-Off room, tie her to the chair, after that…leave. I’ll then have to send a message back to the Officials, telling them that she’s waiting.”

“Let me see her.” My whispered words come out raspy due to the tears climbing up my throat.

Miranda squeezes her eyes shut, “They…they are already in the Rivie Drop-Off room…tying her up. They might have already left.”

“What?” I whisper, near to hysterics. I say louder, “What?”

My voice cracks into a scream, “What?”

Miranda doesn’t even respond she just walks towards the door.

I stalk after her, shouting, “You are just going to walk away now? Aren’t you supposed to be the Leader? Aren’t you supposed to help people? You’re taking one of my closest friends to her probable death.”

Miranda slams her Notice into the scanner on the door. She glares at me, “They said that they needed her right away. Unlike you, I don’t put everyone at risks and mess around with Officials.”

The door slides open and Miranda strides out, leaving me to stumble after her. Charlotte wordlessly follows.

I taunt, “So, where to now? Are you going to lead Canton and Bridget to their deaths too?  Or have you already done that and not told me?”