𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭

10

A brief second of shock passed over the Chairman's face, but he quickly regained his calm. My mind swarmed with theories- what was so different about Chase that he couldn't hear the clanging against the walls day and night? The constant thump, thump, thump, like the beating of a drum, or the crack of lightning?
"And how would you know that, Miss Crest? Please, humor us." Chairman Marshall's tone was mocking, but I had seen the second of shock that had brushed over his face before he had wiped it off. Allison was correct. I could only fear what would happen to her.

"He doesn't have a Mason Chip," Azura interrupted, glancing over at Chase. "Why?"

He flinched, wringing his hands, and for the first time, his intimidating shell parted. "I took it off."

By the look in his dark eyes, I could tell he was lying. His gaze met mine, and he slowly shook his head, as if to say, don't question it. I'll tell you later.

I looked away as Joanne asked, "Why?"

"Doesn't the chip send a signal to the control center when it's removed?"Azura added.

"That's enough," Chairman Marshall ordered, his voice demanding to be listened to. "I only have one more thing to ask. Maia." his cold eyes turned towards me. "You say you saw blood on the governor's cheek?"

Slowly I nodded. "Clear as day."

"Simply a cold. Nothing to worry about."

And to go through all this to reassure me he had a cold? No- it's something more.

"I'll take you to join Jack in the testing room, then," Chairman Marshall said, looking pleased with himself.

I exchanged a worried glance with Azura, hesitantly following the Chairman out of the room and down a hallway. I craned my neck to get a glance of each door, but the windows, like the ones in the car, were darkened from the inside.

"Follow me, please," Chairman Marshall smiled, opening a steel door at the end of the hallway. We arrived in a wide room, cold and completely white and gray, that reminded me of some sick doctor's office. There were no windows, only starched walls and six medical tables with some kind of waxy paper laid over them. The icy floor seemed to seep through my boots as I made my way to one of the tables.

Jack was already seated on one, quivering and looking up at the doctor. She seemed friendly enough, with the bluest eyes I'd ever seen and blond hair pulled back tightly, but there was something about her that made shivers claw their way up my spine.

"Take a seat," she ordered, motioning to the four other tables. Reluctantly, the other Offerings did what she asked, awarded with a tight smile. "I'm Dr. Adra. We here at the Prime House will be running some blood tests before we let you outside, okay? We'll remove some tissue samples as well, but you'll be asleep for those."

I clenched my hands to stop them from trembling as a doctor pulled up my sleeve and cleaned off a spot on my arm. "Deep breath, Maia," he whispered.

I didn't flinch as the needle went in, but my heart slammed against my ribcage as I saw the syringe filling with blood. My blood.

Across the room where Joanne was, a doctor just barely managed to stifle a gasp, but I caught it. For a second I thought I had imagined it, but when I saw Chase and Azura looking her way, I knew it was real.

"What's going on?" I asked, calling across the room as Joanne's doctor called over Dr. Adra.

"Nothing to worry about. Miss Stowe, would you please come with us?" Dr. Adra motioned for her doctor to come along.

Joanne glanced back at us, probably looking for support, but could find none. I followed her with my eyes as she was led out of the room.