984 (Complex Series, #2)

Chapter Thirty-Six

“But…” I continue, “How are you going to explain my sudden absence to the Council? And…what if the loyal Officials ask you to send me back, like they did with Sienna? What will you say?”

Miranda shrugs, “I’ll come up with something, I’m sure.”

 “But what if someone gets hurt?”

 “I’ll make sure that nobody gets hurt. It’s my Pros.”

When Miranda sent Sienna, she listed a bunch of things that the Officials did to people in the Unknown if they did something wrong. Poison in the water, deadly toxins on equipment, I can imagine that the list goes on forever. What if my disappearance caused something horrible to happen to the people in the Unknown?

Miranda seems to understand what I’m thinking, “No, Piper, you are going. You don’t have a choice and neither does Dana, Bridget, or Canton. All of you are going to save your lives and I will save everyone else’s lives. Don’t worry about the people here. There is more than one reason why I was voted to be the Leader. I didn’t blackmail my way in like Christopher plans on doing. People trust me, Piper. I can protect them, no matter what it takes.”

I nod, “Okay, but I can’t say anything to the Council?”

Miranda gravely shakes her head, “No, don’t even hint towards it.  I will tell Martin not to tell anyone. He trusts me, he won’t tell anyone.”

Miranda yawns and glances at her Notice, “Piper, as much as I would like to continue talking to you, I have to be getting to sleep.  It seems as though I’m going to have to not only attend a stressful Examination, I going to have plan a way for you to escape with two Eekes and a Kitchens.”

She leaves and I lay back down in bed.

Even though I’m anxious, I’m also exhausted. I can’t help thinking that by tomorrow night I’ll no longer be in the Unknown, and instead hiding from the Heads with rogue Officials.

˚˚°˚˚

When my eyes finally open to glance at my Notice, it’s half past the ninth hour.  Alarm shoots through me. I glance around the room, it’s empty except for a tray of oat meal. I eventually relax.  No Rivie Tours today.  Miranda wants me to just stay in here until the Examination. My hands immediately begin sweating at just the thought of it. Even though it doesn’t matter what is decided of me, I don’t want to spend the evening with Christopher slandering me in front of the Councils and Miranda. I certainly don’t want to spend my time futilely trying to defend myself.

As much as it doesn’t affect my future, I still want people to think of well of me. I don’t want to be that lying little Rivie.

I spend the morning watching the minutes tick away to hours on my Notice. Charlotte comes with my Mid-Day Meal.

I smile as she walks through the door, “Hey Charlotte.”

 “So, Piper, I heard you’ve gotten yourself in a lot of offie trouble.”

I roll my eyes as the door closes behind her and she sits on my bed, “So you heard?”

“Miranda told me everything, the Examination, Christopher’s offie jerkiness, how she believes your past. Didn’t I tell you she would see the truth eventually?”

I nod, “Yeah, yeah, you were right.”

I notice how she doesn’t mention my leaving the Unknown tonight.  Did Miranda not tell her? I thought Miranda told her everything.  But, if Miranda didn’t think it was a good idea to tell Charlotte, I won’t. I trust Miranda’s decision more than anything.