The Elite

Six

Leon

"Do you understand the gravity of this situation?" Okeke hissed in my face.

"Yes, sir," I replied. "I regret it deeply."

I bowed my head, trying to act as submissive as possible, hoping he wouldn't notice that I was playing with his emotions, trying to make him more sympathetic towards me. I couldn't try too hard — Masozi would realize what I was doing — but a slight nudge would do. If it was anything too great, no amount of acting would save me from the consequences.

"I understand, Emote," Okeke said, relaxing his anger a bit but still remaining strong. "Many of your fellow Elites have found themselves with anger following the deaths of their friends. So, I'm not going to discharge you."

"Sir?" Masozi said, frowning. "You're just going to let Leon go?"

I found myself hoping beyond all hope that Okeke really was going to just let this matter drop. I didn't like having my career — and the career of my squadmates — in question.

"No, of course not," Okeke said. "Most people decide smartly to take their anger out on Offenders instead of the Elite. I know Black Hole is dead, but that's no excuse to turn that anger on us. I'm going to let Doomsday sort you out."

"Doomsday?"

Horror dawned inside me. One part of Doomsday's powers was to torture people with pain whenever they touched him. They couldn't possibly be letting him do that, right? Using powers against fellow Elites was why I was getting punished in the first place. It seemed so hypocritical.

"Yes. I believe Doomsday's skills will make you understand," Okeke said.

"I think I'd rather be discharged," I said, my mouth dry.

Surely Okeke couldn't be suggesting torture for such a small mistake. Surely the organization I worked for was better than that. Torturing people who didn't do well was something the Offenders did, not us. If we were the good guys, we had to be better than that. We wouldn't torture anybody.

"I honestly doubt you'd rather be discharged," Okeke said. "If I discharge you, I'll have to kill you, Leon."

As the meaning of Okeke's words sunk in, my body began to freeze in place, slowly being overcome with horror. I wanted to be comprehending wrong, for I just couldn't believe that the Elite would do something like that. Those words suggested they killed everyone who they discharged. No one really left the Elite. All those people who'd grown "too old" to be an Elite, all those people who wanted to quit, all those who'd failed, all those kids... dead. Just like that, so heartlessly, like an Offender.

I found myself really glad I took the blame for my squadmates. If I hadn't, they'd have been sent to their deaths. Just thinking about them dead made me want to use all the skills I gained during my time with the Elite to make Okeke hurt. He had no right to kill my squadmates — or anyone — simply because they expressed differing views. Such totalitarian control was what Offenders wanted, not us good guys.

"Do you kill everyone who leaves?" I forced out, needing to know the answer, needing to know if my dark thoughts were true, desperately hoping I was mistaken.

"Of course," Okeke said. "Except those who retire. Why? Do you disagree?"

The way he said it, I had a strong feeling I was supposed to agree. So, I pretended like I did, even if I was very much opposed to it.

"No..." I said, thinking up a good reason, "I guess it makes sure that they keep everything confidential."

"Exactly," Okeke agreed with a sinister smile.