{Zedd}
"This is coming as a shock I must say"
I can hear the confusion in Martix's voice and his face is covered with it.
We are currently at the cafeteria where we - and my group of friends Kathy, Xavier and Eve (the walking seduction) - rendezvous to relax and also try to think.
The cafeteria is not as crowded now as it always is. Basically because everyone Is too down and moody to even come to spend some quality food time, which makes it a good place right now for me and Martix to just clear our heads.
I'm sitting facing Martix who's currently munching on a burger and talking with his mouth full. He has a habit of eating during mood swings or when he's just stressed. (something we both have in common)
The broadcast hadn't gone well for anyone this morning. It was clear then that something was wrong and as we left central Hall this morning, walking side by side, I had glanced at him and he'd narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows giving me this look that said 'don't even say 'I told you so'. We had then walked quietly, both looking very much deep in thought.
Right now, all every one has been talking about is the weird news so Martix suggested it'd be better to come here but since we arrived he's been going through theories and starting up the conversation he so wanted to avert in the first place.
I settle into my chair and let my eyes travel around the room, savouring the satisfactory silence. There's a couple sitting in a booth at the other end giggling and cuddling every once in a while. The boy whispers something into her ear and she immediately stares in his eyes, a smile perked on her lips. The look is gentle. It's as if she's staring down at his very soul. I wonder what sweet words he'd casted upon her beating heart. With their gaze still planted on each other, the girl begins to close the little gap between them. The movement is very slow but I know exactly what follows (I'm not stupid) so I decide that I've pretty much seen enough.
"Hey Zedd, are you even listening to me?"
"Huh? What was it you were saying?"
Martix groans, probably frustrated cause he has to repeat himself. "I said, I might have some very vital Information concerning..."
Martix is cut off as the bell over the cafeteria door jingles. Neither one of us moves, the conversation was just starting to get interesting so I nudge him to go on.
"Hey boys," calls a familiar feminine voice.
isn't that -
Martix and I pause spontaneously before simultaneously turning to face the direction where the voice came from.
Eve.
Of course it was Her. No one has as much sass and snark in their voice as she has.
"Hey Eve." Martix and I chorused.
She's just standing there, a couple booths from ours. She puts on a smirk and gives us a lidded gaze. Her waist is tilted to one side and her hand rests on a table while the other fumbles with locks of her dazzling black hair. Her skin glistens under the florescent lightbulbs in the room like she just finished bathing in Attar - won't be surprised if my assumption is correct - and she also has a gum in her mouth which she chews like it all complements her current appearance.
In fact, looking at her right now, i finally realize why she gets most guys drooling over her. She's hot and it's no wonder why Martix always calls her 'The walking Seduction', to which she never refrains from expressing her disgust. She has always been part of our little fun gang and we hang out together - probably why I've never really bothered over how much of a hottie she is. She's just a friend.
After what seems like an awkward moment of silence, Eve decides to join us at our usual table where I and Martix are currently seated - not like she doesn't have a choice, but it's cause of us she's here actually. She flicks her hair to the side and walks over gracefully and if I didn't know better I'll say she's forcing it a little too much.
"How's it going? I see you you both started with out us." says Eve as she grabs a chair and sits next to me. And by started, she meant food. I Wonder how she could love food and still have such a great body - not that I haven't seen better.
"oh nothing much, just pondering the significance of today's events." Martix responds before taking another huge bite.
"I'd rather not talk about that." Eve says with a rather dismissive tone.
"Why?" I glance at her a little surprised by her response. "it's all every one is talking about."
"Exactly," Eve throws her hands as if to make us see her point. "it's all everyone's talking about and I'm sick of it. So what if district six is on lockdown? It's not our problem is it? Bronzburg has its issue to deal with, don't you think?"
"It's the third lock down this year." I say a bit too quickly.
Eve scoffs, "Doesn't look like it's going to be the last either...and like I said, not interested in the topic." she grabs my French fries and munches away.
The beeps from Martix's smart watch draws our attention and he steals a glance at it before turning it off. From the corner of my eye I can see Eve beside me enjoying my delicious fries. It'll be less annoying to watch her if she wasn't eating like she was in a five star restaurant. She's lucky my huge appetite hasn't kicked in, she won't be savouring those fries right now.
"Kathy just texted me," Martix announces with his mouth full. "she says she's with Xavier and they're both on their way here."
"okay, cool. We might as well order something for when they get here."Eve suggests.
"Sure, that's a great idea Eve, that way they get to pay." we all laugh.
"I'll get something for everyone then," Martix offers before getting off his chair and walking to the counter.
I watch Martix leave then sink into my chair to relax. Since we're waiting for kathy and Xavier, I can at least close my eyes and breathe in the fresh air and maybe the silence (if that is possible).
Closing my eyes, I heave a sigh and let my mind drift to all the the good times - and bad - I've had. With all the fuss about district six what are the chances of something else going wrong or another new problem popping up. I might as well just relax. And maybe Eve's right, why bother about district six when we all have our personal problems here in Bronzburg to worry about. Right now, it's just me and the peace and quiet if you don't consider Eve's munching. Hopefully she's going to leave me alone.
I immediately feel a poke and Eve whispers, "hey, Zedd. There's something I need to talk to you about.
I take that back.
I sigh heavily and reluctantly open my eyes to see Eve leaning towards me with her eyes wide and a spark of urgency in them. I have a feeling she might be serious. But still-
"Whatever this is about, it better be worth interrupting my relaxation period." I have to let here know before leaning in to listen.
Eve just rolls her eyes. "Remember last month's case?" she decides to stick with whispering so I just nod. "well turns out the guy involved, Robkin Sor, has a brother. His name's Navan Sor."
"OK, and you're telling me this because?" I find myself whispering too.
"Remember when Robkin was caught, He was taken to the Dome."
"Right, I remember, we were both there that day. You had insisted we go watch as he was being taken." I remind Eve while grabbing some fries from her.
"yeah, did you notice he was covered with sheets on a stretcher, lying still while they carried him away?" Seriously, Is she really asking me this?
I have eyes and I'm sure that every other person Present that day had noticed that. "Well yes," I resist the urge to add a 'Duh'. "the dude was crazy. I think they mentioned that he was suffering from something and that was why they were taking him away, not because of his act of defiance."
Eve adjusts as she prepares to speak again. Her top slips alluringly, she leans further, exposing the top of her breasts. Geez! Do they have to be so packed up like that?
"But what if he wasn't?" she questions, her eyes demanding my opinion. I'm not sure I heard her though.
I blink rapidly. "What if he wasn't what?" stupid distractions.
She sighs and rolls her eyes. "crazy, what if he wasn't crazy or sick like they claimed he was?" The Council is never wrong. We've been taught to believe that, the words repeated over and bored deep into our very being.
"well, that's a big 'If'. Everyone believed he was either really sick or just crazy."
"yes. But maybe that's what they wanted us to believe." she hissed.
I'm about to respond when I notice something.
"where did Martix go?" I ask Eve, letting my surprise register in my voice.
"Weird," Eve says, glancing over at the counter. "thought he went to get us something." she shrugs then turns to face me.
"Did You See him leave?" I ask.
"No," she huffs then shrugs again. "maybe he had to do a number two."
"yeah maybe, that burger must've gone right through."
I'm starting to consider what Eve was trying to tell me. She may be unto something, but what. "So are you saying you think they wanted us to believe that Robkin was crazy?" the words protrude my mouth in a whisper and there's more doubt in them than I actually feel. Could the Council have lied?
"yes, that's exactly what I'm saying." she pulls out something from her purse and slides it over to me before I can say anything else. "that's Navan." she points to the picture in front of me.
I pick the picture up to see that it's a little rough and old looking. Is that lipstick I see? Girls, always makeup ready. The boy in the picture is wearing a red leather jacket and there's a hint of a smile on his lips. Someone else stands beside him but I take no note of them. I focus on Navan. His brown hair is rough in a way that suits him. But even with the little smile he'd been forcing in the picture, I can see that his blue eyes give away what he was feeling at that moment. Fear.
"And what makes you say so?" I ask Eve, ignoring any comments I have on the picture.
"hold on I'm getting to that," she raises her hands. "I'd heard some rumours few weeks back that Navan had been blabbering about something, not sure what it was but I think the Sor brothers knew something and the District Heads plan to keep it a secret. He's scheduled for pick up to the Dome tomorrow or the day after. They claim his sick too and will be taken for treatment. That's what triggered my suspicions."
"Or maybe the sickness runs in the family." I suggest, raising a brow.
"Not funny Zedd," Eve's face falls and now I wish I didn't say that. It really wasn't funny.
"sorry." I apologize.
"I want you to talk to Navan and find out as much as you can about what he knows before he's taken away."
I still don't understand why Eve wants me to do this.
When she'd said we had other problems to deal with here in Bronzburg, was this what she meant?
"What has this got to do with either one of us?"
Eve leans even further and our eyes are locked on each other. "Zedd We both know something's not right and if we want to find out what, we'll have to work together," she pauses and places her hand gently on mine. "please."
I don't know what surprises me. That Eve just asked that we work together, or that she too thinks something is off somewhere or maybe it's the fact that she's gently squeezing my arm right now and staring at me with utmost intensity.
"I will..." I don't get to finish as a tray with burgers and drinks Plummets down on the table. Eve pulls her hand away but as slowly and gently as she'd placed them in the first place and we both look up to see Martix.
"What did I miss?" He asks crashing down on his sit.
Well that was one quick number two.
Eve and I don't get to answer the question as the cafeteria bell jingles and our attention is diverted.
Xavier and Kathy have arrived and they each grab a spot at the table. As we greet Xavier and Kathy, I catch Eve's gaze and give her a slight nod.
"So," Kathy starts as we all grab something from the tray that Martix brought. "who else was present at Central Hall this morning?"
not this again.
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