Someone hesitantly calls out, “Jonathan?”
I try to see over the people blocking the door, but I’m too short. Derek, however, seems to have no problem.
He waves carelessly, as if this is a perfectly comfortable situation. “Ah, Canton. Good to see you again.”
The crowd parts and an Official appears. “I was talking to Jonathan, not you. What are you doing here? What happened to Piper? Why’d you lie to us?”
Derek answers quickly before Jonathan can say a word, “I see you are just as blunt as always. No problem, though. I’m here because you need me. I hate to break it to you, but you are rather unprepared.”
“Where’s Piper and Christopher?”
“They’re here, not to worry. Lucky for you, I was able to save them. They are in one of the Rivie Drop-off rooms.”
“What are they doing there? Why aren’t they out here?”
“Well…they might be unconscious, but it was necessary.”
Anger glows in Canton’s eye, but he sighs. “Fine. Could a couple Nurses go find them please?” Canton turns back to Derek. “Which room was it in?”
Derek smirks, “I don’t know. I don’t pay attention to that kind-of thing.”
Canton presses his lips together and turns back to the crowd. “Maybe three or four Nurses then.”
Four people slip out of the crowd. I only recognize two. Harry and Michelle. When they notice me in the background, I smile hesitantly back. Neither of them returns it. After Charlotte’s betrayal, I don’t blame them. After all, if they didn’t know I was immune. It looks suspicious that Piper and Christopher are unconscious and I’m not.
I want to plead my case, but I can’t find a believable way to do it without revealing that I’m immune. I still don’t know who the spies are and it’s not safe. I simply lower my eyes to the floor.
They disappear down the hall. Five more people slip out of the crowd. Brinn, Spara, Nikolas, and James, all with fear plastered across their face.
I barely recognize the fifth.
Bridget.
She smiles lightly at me. I only stare at her, unsure how to react. She’s the one who sent me to the Unknown. She’s the one who sent me down this path of tragedies. Without her, I’d probably still be in the Complex, inwardly grumbling about the Heads, but doing nothing for a change. Ellen would have eventually gone through our year, testing to see if any of us were immune.
I would have been killed.
Bridget saved my life, but made it full of complications.
I don’t know whether to thank her or hate her.
Canton asks, “So what happened? Why was Ellen here so early?”
Derek says, “You had a spy working for Ellen.”
Murmurs spill from the crowd in the Eating Hall, but everyone is too confused or scared to say anything to us.
Brinn’s voice is soft, hiding the words from the people gathered in the Unknown, “Yes, we know. Charlotte, the R.I.”
“No, she was not the problem. I intercepted all her messages, you see. I was able to keep all the important information from Ellen, giving her only enough little things to make her think she was learning something. It was…”
“Charlotte didn’t give away any useful information to Ellen?” Brinn’s face shows relief.
“No, no, of course not. She didn’t give away anyone that Ellen didn’t already suspect. But that’s…”
YOU ARE READING
274 (Complex Series, #4)
Science Fiction-fourth book in the Complex series- Claire, known to most people only by her Complex number as 274, has always obeyed the Official's rules. You have to, unless you want to be sent away to the Unknown. Until, she meets Marie and everything changes. ...
Chapter Forty-Two
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