"Smile," Cassius Tarquin hisses as he stands next to me on the podium. In the square below, a crowd gathers as the Unwanteds make their appearance under the guise that they have spent the last few months using their superior intellect to help Environettix try to find new resources on the planet. They were more than happy to assist in the project given that Environettix "saved" them from being annihilated on Earth, or at least that's what Cassius claimed in his long-winded speech to the crowd. The Unwanteds compliance with his lie was a condition of their release, although none of them play the part convincingly, least of all Kelly, who stands out amongst the group of Unwanteds, at least three inches taller than the rest. He stands tall, but not proud, unwilling to shrink away cowardly. Kelly isn't afraid of what they'll do to him, but he's afraid of what they'll do to me which is why he falls in line with the others instead of racing towards the podium and snapping Cassius's neck.
He catches my eye and stares at me intensely, as if we're the only two people on this godforsaken planet. It's the first time I've seen him since he was in that cage. There's no way the wounds from when the guards shocked him have healed which means they've covered them up. His eyes dart over to Cassius who has placed his sweaty palm on the small of my back.
"Remember our agreement," he says, leaning in towards my ear. I can feel the heat of his stale breath just inches from my face.
I break eye contact with Kelly and force myself to smile through clenched teeth. I wave to the crowd. The appearance of my alliance with Environettix was a non-negotiable. Cassius seems to think it will keep the Unwanteds in line if they see me in agreement with him, but I think he underestimates my power and their willingness to follow my lead. But it's okay if he underestimates me. I plan to use that to my advantage when the time is right.
I look around for a familiar face. Coven stands below me near the edge of the crowd, flanked by guards. He seems nervous, on edge. He's been closely watched ever since he removed our research from the lab. The guarantee of his safety was my non-negotiable.
Vega stands on the step below us, to Cassius's right. Noticeably missing is my brother. I don't inquire as to his absence. I don't inquire much about him at all these days. He's taken sides and made his path clear.
I see a figure wandering amongst the humans headed towards the Unwanteds. I would recognize him anywhere. It's Wyler, heading straight towards Kelly. He smashes his shoulder hard into Kelly's. To the crowd, it simply appears to be an accident: someone not looking where they're going, but I know the truth. Kelly turns and Wyler steps forward, the two of them are an inch apart with matching fury in their eyes waiting for the other to make the first move. I guess the thought that they might actually get along now was a long shot.
It takes a few minutes for the Environettix employees to push their way through the crowd and separate the two of then, ushering Wyler away, pushing him deep into the crowd. He looks up at me, eyes rimmed red with sleep deprivation or pain, or maybe both; it's hard to tell these days. Then his eyes fall on Cassius Tarquin, instantly changing his demeanor. His eyes narrow and he furrows his brow as his suspicion grows. I have to keep up appearances, I think to myself.
I smile, to try and ease the tension but it does not lessen the tension in Wyler's forehead as he tries to make sense of my alliance. Cassius may be smart, but he was too stupid, or too cocky, to realize that my happy demeanor would be a dead giveaway to the facade of our newly formed friendship.
"That's a good girl," Cassius says in a way that makes my skin crawl. I shrink my shoulders trying to wriggle free from his hand on my back, but he grabs my shirt and balls his hand into a fist.
I imagine it's someone else pulling me closer, someone I would want to be near, only I can't admit to myself the face of who I see.
The cheers of the crowd dissipate as the Unwanteds make their way out of the square and head to their new homes in our quarter with the other non-humans.
"I'll see you tonight, my dear," Cassius smiles through yellowing teeth. "Do clean yourself up. I like looking at pretty things." The upturn of his cheeks seems so forced and unnatural that it's difficult to look at. What have I agreed to? What have I done?
Cassius may have been parading the Unwanteds around like fools, but I'm the fool for thinking I have control of him, control of my feelings for Wyler and Kelly, control of anything.