A figure limps under the light source in the entranceway, illuminating him like a performer on a stage. He doesn't seem very tall—he can't be much taller than I—but the confidence he exudes makes him the tallest in the room. Though, it is in a way that makes my skin crawl. Matted, graying hair sticks to the side of his lean, skull-like face. His dark eyes stand off his face like beacons against the pale skin. They trace the room carefully.
When they land on me, my heart begins to race.
He stares at me for a long time. I almost think we've all been frozen in our places. Finally, Xander hurries forward. His echoing footsteps break the silence in the room.
"I-I have to go, uh, work." He turns back to me as an afterthought. "I'll come later to bring you dinner." I don't know what dinner is, but I nod anyway. As long as Xander is returning, I'm fine with whatever he may be bringing.
"I'll come with you." Brody starts after him, but Jeremii catches his arm as he hurries by. The boy jolts to a halt and flashes Jeremii an irritated glance.
"And I'll have a word with you at home tonight."
With a huff, Brody yanks his arm from his father and hurries past the entryway. As soon as he passes Michael, his venom returns and he shoots me a threatening glare. He disappears through the exit.
When the door clangs shut, Michael starts a slow saunter toward me. "Taeo Ramm," he says slowly, as if my name is foreign to him. The way he pronounces his vowels is different than I'm used to. Both aspects of his speech put me in a state of unease. An intrigued smile crosses his face, unveiling teeth the color of ivory. "I've been waiting to meet you for some time now." His eyes find my mouth and he stares at my lips with an odd fascination before finding my eyes again. Each word he says is deeply thought out. With how deep his voice is I have to listen closely to hear his words as they reverberate through the room.
I stare back at him, trying to make my gaze seem unwavering.
Michael continues, "Welcome to the Underground Infiltration Project. I thought I would personally wander down this way to introduce myself. I'm Michael Dennet, leader of the UIP." He holds his hand out to me. I stare at it, unsure of what to do with it. I almost hold my Tag out to him, but he already knows my name.
With a chuckle, he tucks his hand back at his side. He begins to circle me, limping at a slow pace. I don't move my eyes to follow him. I stare straight ahead. Maybe if I can act unfazed by this man he'll leave. His gaze and persona make every part of me uncomfortable.
After circling twice, he begins to talk again. I miss his first few words as his voice registers in my brain, or maybe he never said them. "—you have questions?" He laughs heartily to himself. "I know you have them. Ask away. This is your time, Taeo."
He stops in front of me. We are distanced by a foot of space, though it feels like Michael is on top of me. I gulp down a breath and clench my lips, hoping my eyes convey the stubbornness I want them to portray. Michael mutters to himself and glances at Jeremii, who I'd nearly forgotten was in the room. "What's wrong with 'im?"
"We don't think he speaks, sir."
"Ah." Michael raises his eyebrow and continues to circle me. The saunter makes me uncomfortable. I have to work to keep my breathing even. "How interesting this has become: the son of the beloved Movement leader doesn't speak. Maybe we blessed the Movement with your departure rather than hurt it."
I glare at him. Implying my nothingness makes my skin boil. I don't like the feeling--anger. I've only felt it once, and it completely changed me into someone I didn't like, someone who wasn't me. My last bout of Transmitters must be wearing off; it's past morning. I cross my arms over my chest as the anger burns through my veins. I've never wished for my Transmitters as much as I do in this moment. I can't even control my quickening breath any more.
Michael continues, "I'll answer the question you aren't asking, then: Why am I here?" He's stopped behind me and is faced away from me. I turn on my heels to find Michael is facing the back black walls. He tinkers with a small remote in his hand. "The Underground Infiltration Project is a Free Speak based project intent on breaking through to the Movement to stop their post-war experiment. We've tried a number of tactics, such as case-by-case conversion. We want to break into our own experiment for societal change, and my plan involves you. You'll know more as each leg of the experiment is reached, but for now you have a place down here. If and when we get what we want, we'll return you to the surface." He glances back at the room behind him, scanning the walls and cold, dark floor. "The accomodations are drab, but we're out of apartments for the time being. I can see to it that we get you a, uh, blanket or two."
My eyes find Jeremii's. The formerly Unspoken man reads them instantly and answers, "We need to make a deal with your father. You're the only link we could use to get to him. We don't want to hurt you. We really want to let you go home as soon as we can."
I'm ready to help them then and there, anything to bring me back to my home and my life instead of this wretched place. I realize the complications quickly: when I leave here, nothing will be as it was when I arrived. The Free Speaks will either make a deal with my father that will change Movement law, or I'll be stuck with them forever.
"I have some ideas," Michael swears under his breath as he continues tinkering with his remote. "But I'm still working through them. The fact that you won't talk is a complication I didn't consider. However I need you, you'll need to help as much as you can. I can't make any promises about how you will leave our community if you don't."
My eyes widen and I take a cautious step back as Jeremii lurches forward. "Michael! You can't threaten him like that."
"I make the threat knowing it won't have to be done. I just want to let Taeo know that I'm taking my experiment seriously." He presses another button on his remote and an image projects from the top of it and onto the dark wall.
Illuminated on the wall is a map of the world, though a map that I have yet to see. I see the map I'm used to, but there is land present on this map that doubles what the Movement uses, land that doesn't exist. The Movement's land is in white, the remainder in green. I point to one of the green masses.
"That is where the Free Speaks live." Michael's eyes find mind. Though he makes me uneasy, and this information goes against everything I've been taught, I believe him. Everything so far surprisingly makes sense. If a society of Free Speaks didn't exist, why would I be surrounded by them? "After the war, the Movement experiment was granted one half of the planet to test, and Free Speaks the other to continue in their ways. They were not ameliorated."
Michael turns the picture off and tucks the remote back into his pocket. He begins to pace the room as he continues. Jeremii steps toward me and puts a hand on my shoulder, communicating through the touch how true Michael is. I'm put at ease as Michael's voice wafts through the room. "They kept Free Speaks a secret from you to make sure the experiment wasn't tampered with. They wanted the best results. The UIP was set up because Free Speak leaders started to believe that the Movement is moving past its experimental boundaries. It's time to put the society to a stop, but it is so strong that it's become impossible to do so without another war. Can't exactly attack a society put in place to halt warfare."
I can't help but feel some relief flood through me at his explanation. All of what Michael says explains so much of my growing distrust for the Movement. I don't fully trust the Free Speaks, either.
Michael limps toward me. His footsteps echo through the room. He puts a hand on my shoulder and holds my eyes to his. "I want to convince your father that it is in his best interest to end the experiment. We have reason to believe that the Movement is beginning to cause more harm than good. With more time, who knows what the Movement could do. We need someone from within the Movement to help. And that is you."
I shake my head. I can't do anything. I'm just some Unspoken kid. What does he expect from me?
"I don't think you understand, Taeo; your father has the power to end the Movement. He's our only option. We've deliberated for years now on how to get through to 'im. You're the link we've been searching for. We need you to help us convince 'im."
I point toward the door.
Michael laughs at my implication. "From down here. We can't trust that you'll help us from there."
Jeremii clears his throat behind us as I stare gravely into Michael's eyes.
Both of us turn sharply. Apologetically, he says, "Your next meeting's in five minutes. You should probably get going."
Michael nods. "I'll see you at a later date, Taeo. I do hope you consider my option and consider it well."
I step away and watch him go. He does not look back once. Jeremii does, with a sure flick of his head.
--
A/N: Posted this chapter before the week was up to celebrate THAT UNSPOKEN HAS ALREADY REACHED 100 READS! I know this isn't a huge deal, but for my first story it's a huge Wattpad milestone! Keep the reads coming and keep enjoying, friends! Don't forget to vote and comment, and if you like what you read, give me a follow! I have another story of mine I'm thinking of posting, and that'll come around in the next month, so stay tuned!