CHAPTER
Fifteen
I awake the next morning and return to Dr. Finley’s room to try to retrieve the locked box, but it is gone when I return. The stranger from last night must have taken it. Whatever secrets it contained are forever gone. I will never know what questions it may have answered.
My stomach gives a rumbling growl letting me know that I am starving and I turn the corner to head towards the dining hall. When I enter the room the sweet aroma of sugary pastries fills my lungs and my mouth begins to salivate. I quickly load up my plate with a wide assortment of jelly filled doughnuts, crescent rolls, and other tasty treats.
I turn to face the rest of the kids in the dining hall already chowing down on the unexpected sweet breakfast. I see Tristis at the far table where we usually are and notice that someone else is sitting with him. It’s Cynthia. She must have gotten better enough to leave the bed.
I start to make my way over towards the table when someone steps in my way. It’s Percy.
“Mr. Briggs, up late now were we.” He says in a taunting voice.
Maybe it was him in the room last night. . .
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I say trying to convince him that I really didn’t.
“Listen, I’m not stupid ok, so let’s cut the crap. I know you and your buddy Tris were out wandering the building last night. For what, I don’t know, but just know that I am watching you and I know everything you do.” His words are malice and I can almost hear them grinding through his gritted teeth.
He leaves it at that and walks away.
My interest for the breakfast is quickly lost in the adrenaline rushing through my body from my run in with Percy and the excitement in seeing Cynthia up again. I plop my tray down next to them as they turn to see me. Cynthia’s face lights up with a smile undoubtedly mirroring the one I have on my face. She hops to her feet and wraps her arms around me.
“How are you feeling?” I ask her refusing to let go of her just yet.
“I’m feeling much better.” She says into my left shoulder. “The Doc says that I’ve been healing up quite nicely and I should be able to return to training in a few weeks for sure.” Our arms release and she sits back down and I take a place next to her.
“That’s great Cynth. Were glad you're back, we’ve missed you terribly.” I say gesturing towards me and Tristis both.
Tristis holds his hand out flat and begins to rock it back and forth in a so-so motion, “Meh-meh.” Cynthia slugs him right in the side and he hunches over gasping for air. We all bust out in laughing and it feels good to forget for a moment what has been going on. To drop the world and just live in the moment. This moment, where the only thing I have to do or think about is laughing. The moment lasts all but a few seconds but I’ll carry that moment as if it lasted for an eternity.
We return to our trays of food that taste of heaven. I systematically begin shoving bites into my mouth. Mixing flavors of the different pastries. Until I’ve nearly cleaned the tray completely. It reminds me of the night in the diner.
I wonder how Aubri’s doing?
“Did you guys hear about Valde?” Cynthia asks us between two jumbo sized bites that I’m even surprised she fit into her mouth.
Me and Tristis look at each other and his face fills with burning anger just at the mention of his name. We both nod our heads back and forth. “No.”
“Well when I was bed ridden Richard, Hilt and Dr. Finley visited me often to make sure I was doing alright. One of the times they came in I was half asleep and they were talking about final tests and who was ready.” She tilts her head downward while scanning the room as if she’s about to unleash a jar full of bees. “They talked about Valde and how he was in the prep period of the final test.” She lifts her head back to its original place and continues to load the doughnut holes into her mouth.
“final test? What placement is he in final training for?” I ask pausing my funneling of food into my mouth.
“Abolisher. I think.”
Tristis pretends to not be a part of this conversation even though he clearly hears everything that’s being said.
“I wonder what the placements are exactly. I wonder how they select us for them, and when they do.” I say thinking out loud at this point.
“The probably just take the jerkiest of the jerks and give them jobs and stuff.” Tristis says visible disturbed by Valde’s advanced placement. Cynthia turns to him and begins to rub his back gently. Tristis’ face lights up bright red not from anger but of bashfulness.
The room almost immediately falls silent. Not a conversation stirs as I scan the room for what is causing this noise blackout. I see Hilt entering the room and it makes sense. He is like a black hole that sucks up sound and joy. Eyes all throughout the room are fixed on Hilt tracking his every move, trying to figure out who he is here for. His journey through the dining halls places him right next to our table as he looks me straight in the eye.
“Mr. Briggs. Please come with me.” He says in a way that tells me he isn’t going to ask twice.
I nervously stand up looking down at Cynthia and Tristis for some assurance that I’m not going to die when I leave. Cynthia gives me a smile and nods her head. She reaches out her hand and grabs mine and squeezes it. It feels good to feel her touch again and it puts me at ease.
Hilt turns and heads towards the dining hall door and I follow closely behind. We quickly make our way to Richards office where I’ve only had the chance to see once. He opens the door and ushers me in. Richard is already there siting in his desk with Dr. Finley standing beside him. Dr. Finley greets me with a smile of what almost looks like mixed emotion. As if he is fostering something dreadful in his head.
Richard tells me to sit down and I do. Hilt goes and joins the two on the other side of Richard.
“Mr. Briggs how good it is to see you. It’s been some time now. How have you been?” Richard asks catching up as if we are old friends.
“I’m doing fine thank you.” I keep it short and sweet returning to an instinctive response mode like I had used all those years on the move.
“Splendid.” His face grows into a wrinkled mess as he smiles. “As you may have already noticed training has slowed down a bit and we are now heading into the final stages of your training. This portion of the training is by appointment only. Only selected students move on at this point. It takes a recommendation from the staff to enter into the final stages of training and Dr. Finley here has recommended you for the position of harvester.”
I look to Dr. Finley who seems to have some trouble looking me in the eyes.
Why would someone who recommends me have such a hard time looking at me?
“Now the question I have for you is, are you ready to continue your training?” Richard folds his hands on the desk awaiting my answer. His calm collected pose tells me he is ready to wait forever for my answer.
I figure that Dr. Finley has his reasons for selecting me and I better not disappoint anyone at this point. “Yes. I am ready.”
“Wonderful. Your training will continue tomorrow with Mr. Hilt here.”
My stomach turns a little at the mention of working with Hilt. A sadistic smile appears on Hilt’s face as he walks by me and out of the room behind me.
Dr. Finley places his hand on Richards shoulder and gestures his other towards me, “May I?”
Richard nods a yes to Dr. Finley and turns towards me, “Make sure you get some rest tonight Mr. Briggs. You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.”
Dr. Finley drapes his arm over my shoulder and pulls me along with him as he leaves the room. We walk in hasty silence. I feel an eager tension coursing through Dr. Finley’s body while it is pressed next to mine as we walk.
We make it to his room and he thrusts me inside as he spins to close the door behind us. He stands holding the door shut for a moment and I begin to feel uneasy as he stands there unmoving holding the door in place. He engages the door lock and then turns to face me.
His breathing grows heavy as he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handkerchief. He proceeds to wipe off the veil of sweat now casing his forehead. His face is beet red and it continues to grow reader every second.
“What’s going on Dr. Finley? I ask not really sure if I even want to know the answer.
“I don’t have much time to explain Alex.” His voice is sincere and disturbing all at the same time. “This must be done now.” He moves towards his desk on the opposite side of the room and begins to rummage through his desk.
I debate whether to go over there with him or to unlock the door and run away. Before I consciously make the decision my feet begin to move me towards where Dr. Finley is frantically digging through his desk.
“I knew this day would come. I just knew it. But I’m not ready. . . Not yet.” He begins muttering under his breath. His desperate shuffling through the desk’s contents is ended abruptly as he slowly pulls out his hands from the desk drawer. In one hand he now holds up a key. The lock box immediately comes to mind as he pulls out his other hand revealing the box.
My body fills with an explosive excitement and my hands begin to grow sweaty. My heart pounds hard against my chest and I’m afraid for a moment that I may actually die right here and now from over excitement. Dr. Finley on the other hand looks as if he may pass out. His face is now growing paler and paler every second.
He drops the box onto the table and inserts the key. He turns the key and the top of the box is immediately released. I’m tempted to reach over, grab the box and tip it over emptying it of its contents, but Dr. Finley beats me to it. He lifts the box and tips it on its side spilling out its contents. A roll of paper and a Bag of what looks like pills and a few other unidentified items come tumbling out of the box.
Without even a hesitation Dr. Finley transfers the items to a small duffle bag and zips it up. “ Sumus Exitium.” Dr. Finley says as he continues to avoid eye contact looking at the wall. “You want to know what it is. Correct?”
The question catches me off guard but I collect myself quick enough to answer, “Yes.”
“You ever heard of the illuminati? The freemasons? Opus Dei? The Knights Templar?” He pauses for a reaction from me but I have none as I am frozen in place. I have heard of some of the things he named but I don’t quite see how they connect to Sumus Exitium.
“As each of these are organizations formed many, many years ago for a common purpose or cause. So has the Sumus Exitium been formed. Some of these societies have been known for their conspiracies and trouble making tendencies. The society of Sumus Exitium is not unlike the rest in this matter.” His face grows tired and sad as if he is on the verge of tears. “Sumus Exitium is far more dangerous than all of these societies combined. If I had known then what I know now…” His stare on the wall grows more entrancing as it seems he is almost being lost in hypnosis.
“Dr. Finley.” I say breaking him away from his trance. His body is full of tiny tremors as his focus is retrained on me. “What does this have to do with anything?”
He stares at me for a moment, peering into my very soul it seems. He steps closer to me and gently places the duffle bag with the contents from the box in my arms. He grabs my hands and gives them a tender pat. “ Alex My dear boy. It has everything to do with you.”