Barden Compound - Hawkesbury River
Stage ONE Reproduction Facility (Post Abduction) - [DAYS LEFT: TWO]
...
Barden Hall swarms with people, however they steer clear of our little group as we await our turn to access the food dispensary machines.
"I'm so bummed I got kicked off logistics," Elias groans, his arm strung over my shoulders.
Teacup barks a laugh, "You should've known they'd catch you trying to steal the gate code."
Reid and Thaila watch Hito's table in the distance, their shared disinterest in Elias's story only making my stomach grip. The Prince of the Yakuza finally decided he wanted to meet me, tonight.
"I swear that supply gate is the only way out, though. Serious, on my heart. I swear." E avows.
"Yeah, we believe you, anyway. Vi, you never got to finish. What are War tribes?" Teacup quizzes me for the umpteenth time, her wonky teeth giving her smile a cute nature.
"War tribes are dangerous. There's cannibalism, slave trade, Zero trade... Scorpius had two good friends who were taken in so that's why he was there, but he's from Holders Bay where it's more drugs and sex." I answer, keeping my voice low.
"What is Zero trade?" Teacup gulps, and I crane my head to look down at her, Elias's megalithic arm weighing heavier against the back of my neck.
"Do you know what a Zero'd manic is?" I ask, observing when she picks at the eczema patch beneath her eye.
Beside me, Thai's face pales slightly like she's reliving a memory, but it strikes me as an odd reaction. How does she know what a Zero is? The tension that expands from her is tinged with grief, and I catch it when she glances at Reid. She grows uncomfortable with my attention, so she looks at the Yakuza soldiers seated throughout Hito's little territory stake in the Hall.
"Wait, there are types of Manics?" Elias balks.
"No, they're all Manics."
"What?" Elias scoffs, adjusting his arm atop my shoulders. The only thing missing from this picture is a dart pegged between his lips.
"Ok, imagine if someone gets M.A.D they also get this, this timer that's ticking toward Zero." I tug my top up slightly, revealing the tattoo on my right flank. It's a portrait of a woman with two zeros in her eyes, "When their timer hits zero they go Zombie."
"Fuck, when did you get that?" Elias tries to get a better look at the tatt but Teacup shoos him off, taking the hem of my shirt so she can get a better look. She doesn't seem too concerned with the fact that I have a tattoo of a zombie, and instead places her cold, dry fingers to my skin in awe.
"Wow." She peers. "What is M.A.D?" Gisselle adds, "Like, what really is it?" She drops my shirt, looking up at me.
"Uh... The bombs from the Unfinished War were a new generation of Radioactive weaponry-."
"Lost me." Elias shrugs.
"Ok," I inhale, "They made this bomb. Anywhere it hit, was uninhabitable for a month-."
"I thought radiation was unsafe for centuries-." Teacup starts to ask.
"But it's a new bomb," Elias catches.
I shake my head, "Ok. I'll start again. M.A.D didn't come from the bombs. The bombs caused this thing called R.V.I, a radioactive pathogen that fused with a disease that already knew how to consume human DNA. In a small enough dose, the human brain can change it's cell pass over-."
"Nope," Elias intervenes. "Lost me."
I can feel Reid's attention, even though he seems to dislike our current topic of discussion.
I sigh. "Ok, so you know how your skin is made of cells?" I ask.
"Yeah?" They chime in unison.
"And when you get a sun burn, your skin peels?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, imagine that's your cells choosing to die to prevent your body from catching cancer," I'm butchering the science of this, but at least they'll kind of understand. "Ok, so now, imagine, that the radioactive pathogen R.V.I is this, this, cancer, that eats brain cells."
"Ok." Elias squints, not liking the visual, but Ellie nods eagerly.
"You guys," Thai chides, gesturing at us to catch up.
"Yeah alright," Elias boos, tugging us in her direction.
"Now, imagine, as R.V.I eats the brain, all the infected brain cells can choose to die, like, like skin cells when you get burnt." I glance at E, and he crinkles his face up like he's got a thousand questions.
"Fine. Alright. Got it." He huffs as we fall in flank with Thaila and Reid again.
"So, the body kills infected cells to slow the pathogen down?" Teacup asks, beating me to it. "And the cells can't die fast enough, so R.V.I wins?" Her bright eyes and wonky-toothed grin prompt me to stifle a laugh.
"Yeah," we approach the front of the queue, "Kind of. So, when R.V.I consumes the brain it forces the person to develop new neuropathways, but as the brain gets smaller, function regresses until it's barely primitive."
"Oh, so, as the brain tries to find a pathway around the R.V.I, it starts to freak out?"
I nod, "Which causes disordered psychological and physiological behaviour. Such as," I look for a simple example, "Such as the psychological phobia of water, or the physiological augmentation of the pain receptors."
Teacup nods quickly, "Wait, but my friend said it has to do with the survival instinct to earn endorphins and feel-good hormones by doing things like, like working as a group and eating, and fucking, but because the wires are backwards, they get endorphins from pain. So they chase violence-."
Elias splays his fingers out like his brain is about to explode. "Teacup. I'm a fuckin' tortoise, man." She most definitely is the hare in this scenario.
I smile at her, "Kind of," I agree, "M.A.D technically means Mutated Hyper-Analgesia Disorder, M.H.A.D."
"But that doesn't sound as cool so people just called it M.A.D." She adds.
I smile, wanting to laugh when I get the urge to wrap her up and rub a knuckle sandwich into her hair. "Slow down, kid, E's brain is gon' pop." I snicker.
"Nah it's cool, I think I get it. M.A.D is the disorder that results from R.V.I?" Elias clarifies.
"Hate to interrupt science class but are you's gon' pay attention?" Thai asks, glancing at the Yakuza tables ahead. She runs her hand along Reid's arm, but he glances at it blankly, disliking her attempt to soothe him.
Gisselle looks at Reid, then she drops her chin and studies her slender fingers like she's suddenly regretful for discussing the matter. It strikes me that she did the same thing when I first met her. She only does that when there's too much emotion in the air.
"No but seriously, Zombies? Like for real?" Elias misses the beat, "Surely that's just one of them stories they told us to make sure we stayed in the city." He used to say that about the fish worms in the Reservoir. 'Surely they just say that so we don't try teaching ourselves how to swim.'
"They're real, E." Gisselle mumbles, and I look at her.
"And they're not zombies, Zeros can run. They hunt in packs, pain stimulates them. They kill on sight. War tribes use them for a reason." Reid mutters.
"Do War tribes make them? Like, try to speed up the process? To get more Zero soldiers?" Elias asks.
"Yeah. War Tribes buy injectable doses of active R.V.I to turn people instantly." I answer, but then Thai stiffens. I narrow in on her cagey behaviour.
"So you can't Zero out from a bite?" He sighs in relief.
"Well, I only seen one person Zero out instantly." I admit, though my voice goes low as the brutal memory replays in my mind, "This, soldier, that I knew was mauled by six Zeros... That many bites put too much of the pathogen in her system, and her brain didn't have time to learn how to kill off the infected cells. "
"So she, turned?" Teacup balks, the blood draining from her fair skin.
"But you said you got infected once." Elias accuses me.
"I did."
"Are you manic?" Teacup coughs.
"No." It strikes me that neither Reid nor Thai have asked a single question. Akimitsu must brief his soldiers on what it takes to make a Manic.
"How?" Elias squints.
"That's an actual science lesson." I remark.
"Try us." Gisselle tries to alleviate the tension.
"No that part is actually gon' make his brain pop." I laugh.
"Vi," She whines, blinking at me earnestly.
I humour her, "So there's active R.V.I, that starts eating your brain. But, R.V.I is really sensitive, you know, needs a lot of nutrients and shit, so it can only survive in the brain."
She squints.
"So if R.V.I makes it into someone's blood, it's dead matter. Not infectious.... Call it, inactive R.V.I." I add as a label.
She nods.
"So. If someone like you and I get's inactive R.V.I in our system, our body sees it as poison and we reject it. Like, imagine the worst withdrawal, stomach bug, hallucination fit and body fever you've ever felt."
She nods.
"But, after a few hours, the poison is out of your system and you come good. Right?" I shrug. Simple enough. "But if a gang of Zeroes attacks you? Different story. Worst case, and mind you this is nearly fucking impossible, you Zero out like that soldier, best case, your brain figures out how to kill enough cells without causing a stroke or seizure, and you get a couple decades... then you Zero out." We approach the food machines, though it catches my attention when Reid scratches his neck, stiff and uncomfortable.
Thai's lip pulls down sadly. "So if, if someone gets a lot of M.A.D in their blood system, it's either a quick death or years of madness and violence?" She murmurs. The geek in me wants to correct her. If someone gets a lot of R.V.I in their system, they develop M.A.D, which causes years of insanity and violence.
Something about the conversation irks me so I wind it in, "Look cut it short you never wan' get lost in Zero territory. The only thing that'll put them down is a bullet to the head or if their body gives out from the wounds, but that usually ends in a frenzy. Safest option is the bullet."
Something in Reid's nerve snaps, and he prowls off. Elias's arm slackens as he straightens up in surprise. His questioning eyes fall on Thai who averts her gaze, so he looks to Teacup, but she meekly glances at the floor.
"What's with Myers?" He pushes.
I chew my lip, watching him go. "Yous ready?" Thai asks.
She takes our silence as queue, tugging Teacup with her.
"You get the feeling Myers and Miss Yakuza knew all that?" E whispers against my ear.
Ahead, Thai clears her throat. "Come on."
...
People hush when Thai and I enter the Yakuza section. It makes my stomach clench with nerves.
Hito watches as we approach. He uncrosses his muscular arms to flick his hand at his friend who instantly evacuates the chair. Hito's buzz-cut hair enunciates his masculine features. The gold jewellery adorning him is a new addition to his tattooed neck and arms.
Thai grits her jaw and narrows her feline eyes, "Remember what I said. Flirt to get more out of him." Her and Reid gave me three questions.
I keep my expression under control but my skin prickles in discomfort, "Let's make this quick." I say under my breath as we arrive but she nods slightly as she smiles down at Hito who cranes his neck up at me with lazy eyes. Two of his men sit atop the table, keeping watch.
"Ohayō." He smirks but I don't say anything when he lifts his hand. I glare at his offer of civility, until eventually, I extend my palm for him to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Violet. Strange to think we've only met now." He says, releasing me.
"It is... things could have been different before," I remark.
He grins, "How do you mean?" He thinks I'm gon' flatter him.
"If we were married, I would've shot you in your sleep." I make sure to razor my words with a smile, expecting an insolent glare of rage, but his masculine features spark. He liked that. Uncomfortable, I turn my attention to the vacant chair intended for me, feigning boredom.
He gestures obligingly, "So, you weren't happy with your father's deal." He remarks, but his eyes trace me.
I keep testing his nerve, "Hang on," I make a show of pulling my hoodie off before I pass it to Thai, "Will you look after this?" I make her catch my eye, silently apologising for my condescending tone, but I can tell she understands my subtle power play and simply nods.
"Of course." She smiles, looking over the table filled with people who probably used to be her friends. She swallows reluctantly and finds a chair.
Finally, I ordain to sit with Hito but his attention makes my skin prickle.
He watches me keenly before I finally entertain the conversation, "I didn't care, I was leaving."
His brow sparks with intrigue, "With the Manic."
I don't respond with anything but a curt smile. I gaze over his shoulder at the table in the distance where I can discern the outline of Reid who sits atop the table facing us.
"So it wasn't for love then." Hito assumes from my monotone expression before he leans back on his chair which silently brings attention to the bulk of his shoulders and chest. "That's good." At least we aren't bothering with a life history. But why would he insist on meeting just for small talk?
I look at him sharply, "Why?"
He smirks, "Because if you were going to the Heratix for love of this Scorpius Voytah, then you would've been the opposite of what I need. But you aren't, so I can only assume that you were going for hate of your father. Which makes you tengoku ga okutta." Heaven-sent. I look at Reid again.
I grit my jaw and lean on my knees, trying to use Hito's shoulder to block him from my view. He's distracting. "It wasn't that at first, it was for Lake Darling. I wanted to loosen my father's control on the trade routes." My stomach clenches. "When he's strong, Michigan Duncans is too."
Hito's grin is mesmerising, but it makes me hyper-aware that every rude word that leaves my lips seems to egg his flirting on. It's disconcerting. "So you did it for the people. Idealistic... but I'm not stupid, a long time ago Tokyo told me you were a born liar," he pretends to do a sum in his head, "so you were trying to take your father down. Is what I assume that means."
I pretend to glare at him but on the inside I stifle a satisfied grin, enjoying how easily he was led to believe my false loyalties. He's right that I hate my father, but I hate him in the way that makes me wan' get away, not spite him by taking the Ghouls. Hito seems to forget that I hate him and his father too, and they're not even my blood.
"Astute." I mutter, looking for a way to move on as I glance at the bustling hall sceptically, "Look, if people see me making nice with you for too long it's gon' start problems. You gon' hurry this up?"
He grins, "What harm could it do? The prince and princess of Lake Darling making friends will only show people who the real enemy is." I would've gagged at his self-proclaimed title but his tone chills me... The real enemy.
I cast a look at the soldiers dotted throughout the hall, "You want the Ghouls and the Yakuza to get along?"
Hito gestures stiffly, "I want justice. I want to level the playing field, to give Lake Darling what it deserves." It strikes me that he's purposely avoiding any Lake-Darling slang like he's subtly pointing out that he has a better verbal repertoire than me. "What Newcastle deserves."
I catch Thai's pointed look from across the table, egging me to follow the line of questioning. "What Newcastle deserves." I muse, a genuine fantasy dancing across my eyes as I picture the desolation of Lake Darling ravaging Newcastle's perfect streets.
Hito likes my musings.
"What does that look like, Tanaka?" I murmur.
He leans forward, dark eyes trawling my face, smug and satisfied, "It looks like the chemical war they unleashed on us."
My stomach clenches, "Civilians?"
His satisfaction catches, disliking my faltering enthusiasm, "First." He avows, "Got to kill the city to take it."
I make myself muster a smirk, glancing over my shoulder as though I want to protect this false secrecy we've fostered, "What if the Manics take it before you?"
His features drop, "That a warning, or a threat?"
I bounce a brow, "Neither. I just know the way of the Voyteks. They bug everything," His dark glare relaxes at the mention of the Voyteks, like he knows they're not a threat, which is all I need. "They're not a problem?" I discern, and he smiles, bobbing his head like he's once again impressed with my analysis.
All that's left to ask is, "When?" My question earns the wrong response.
His glare hits me, and a chill runs down my back.
"That's for you to find out. Princess."
My skin prickles at the cruel twist in his tone, "I don't pretend to care. Tanaka. All I wan' know is what you want from me?" I mutter, glaring.
He finally cuts the shit, "I want your connections to the Heratix and Dr Jewel. He likes you, he's put a fire-wall on your identity file, and I want to know why."
I hide my reaction. Jewel? I haven't met him. All I know is he's Dr Abigail's superior, "News to me."
"Doesn't seem like it is." He smirks, but his misled arrogance makes me dislike him more.
"So, what are you gon' do for me?" I ask, "In exchange for my... relationship, with Jewel."
"Protection, in here... and out there," He holds my eyes for a moment too long, "This is not a deal Violet. This is a handoshēku." Handshake.
I extend my hand, smiling cooley, but Hito smirks and takes my fingers, seeming smug that I'm making an excuse to touch him.
"That is a handshake. Don't waste my fucking time." I drop his cold hand.
His glare cracks, angry, but before I can really dig my heels in and piss him off Thai announces her return by running her hand down my back.
"Hito, I assume you're done." She looks at the guards close by.
Of course, they're watching. They're always fucking watching and no one in here seems to find it as unnerving as they should.
As I stand up, I look over his shoulder again at Reid who seems to simmer with scepticism even from this distance.
I cringe when Hito follows my gaze, but his cocky features falter. Hate consumes him like a snake twisting under the skin of his face. He recovers with a perfect grin, "Reid?" He brings his attention to Thai, and my skin prickles.
His tone is calm, and his smile is cöck-sure and endearing, but his glare fixates on her and Thai's measured exterior faulters.
"あなたはそれを隠しました。" He says, but the Japanese is too fast for me to catch, and I cuss myself for paying so little attention at the kid school in the gardens.
Thai runs her hand down his bicep soothingly, "Hito, Kon'ya setsumei shimasu." I'll explain tonight. "Let's go, Violet."
"Not so fast, Tora," The lilt in his voice is heavy and intimidating but he looks at her like he wants to fück her over a table. It makes my skin crawl, but what's worse is she seems to like his perverse glare. He braces a strong arm on his chair, absently playing with a belt loop in her uniform.
He slides his attention to me. "Myers don' like me much. Ask him how Bloom's doing."
Something inside me snaps, like a little twig in my wrist. Thai's face remains perfectly still, "I'll see you tonight." Thai murmurs, turning away.
Sensing my budding dislike of him, he grabs my arm and I stiffen, "Violet, just remember that Tokyo is better than Trick."
I avert my gaze, following Thai. Hostile glares prickle my back, but one man watches me adamantly as Thai leads me through the maze of tables. When Hito can't see, the man wrinkles his nose, "fuck-doll," he utters at me.
...
Thai and I move in silence. What did Hito mean? Tokyo is better than Trick. Trick is the leader of the Voytek's. Why would he put my brother's name next to Trick's?
Anger pricks at me, like burs stuck in my skin.
Fuck-doll.
That whole discussion was Hito formalising his interest in me—a public meeting so he could practically piss a territory line around me.
Finally, we pass the first table of Ghouls and Thai clears her throat, "You didn't like him."
I don't say anything.
"You rattled him." Her cheeks are flushed, and she scratches the pink scar on her eyebrow reflexively, "It's why him like you so much. Tell him no and he stiff on you for good."
It stokes my anger, but a trickle of terror dribbles down my back like cold sweat, "Bull."
"No word a lie. Problem is you didn't want him to like it. So, you tried to scare him off like you been doing with Reid." Thai prickles with pent up emotion, like she's trying to mull through her own crop of problems.
I scoff, "Oh yeah?" When do I get to ask her why Reid gets tiptoe and antsy about Zeroes?
"Testin' him to see if he gets fucked off and gives up. Problem is Hito not gon' stop till you break for him." Fuck she's smart.
"Is that what you did? You broke for him?" I wince as soon as the harsh question leaves my lips because she flinches.
Thai chews her lip, looking away when her face twists into a war of shame and sadness, "I wouldn't be talking to you like this if I let him break me."
I open my mouth, but we arrive at the table and Thai walks to Reid. "How'd it go?" E asks, but my response dies when I realise Hito is watching me.
Reid nudges himself off the table when I approach, his shoulders wound up and the muscle in his jaw flagging like he's trying to crack his teeth or stifle some sort of aggression. I arrive beside them, and Reid stands over me, but he doesn't acknowledge my presence as he glares the rampant dining hall down.
I turn to Elias, but then Reid snags my hand. He passes me my hoodie, turning so his broad shoulders block my vision. I accidentally look at the plethora of tattoos and scars running up his muscular arms, or the gold chain hung around his neck, but then I make myself look at his eyes.
Sensing my budding defiance, he places his hands on my waist, and in a huff, I admit defeat, pulling the hoodie on quickly. Thai has mine, and if I'm honest, my tank top makes me feel like a fuck-doll.
"Vi?" Elias repeats, concerned.
"It went alright." I finally answer. My skin tingles with paranoia like I can somehow feel Hito staring at me through Reid, and I shrug the last of the hoodie on hastily.
"I'm gon' dip." Thaila's voice is snarky at best. She turns on her heel, Gisselle looking after her.
Elias realises that I don' wan' talk yet, "Alright. Vi, that's your food. Here, everyone else gimme your plates. I'm going up too."
Gisselle passes her cold, half-picked food, "Curfew is soon, have you eaten yet?" she asks me. I push my hair back and take Elias's old seat.
She bounces her knee, looking this way and that like she's developed a twitch.
"No," I frown, "You good, kid?"
Gisselle looks at me quickly, then she gives me a sheepish shrug, "Fine." She chokes up, but when Reid takes the seat beside me, she flinches like a kicked dog.
What changed in the last ten minutes?
I rub her arm, "What's wrong?" I nearly wrap the kid up in a hug when I realise that she's battling to stop her bottom lip from wobbling.
Elias pulls Reid aside, uttering something too low for me to hear.
"It's nothing, I just, the penalty for Soldiers who rape subjects has been reduced to a point on their record." She breathes out quickly. "Lieutenant Hinkley been staring at me all week, an' my friend said-."
My blood bubbles with discomfort, pulling her to my side. "You're Lake Darling, you can handle a soldier... an' when you're not sure," I gesture, "any of us can."
Ellie crushes me in her bony arms, nodding against my shoulder, before she pulls away, "Thanks, Vi. I'm gon' go back with E. Unless you wan' me to stay?" She scratches a patch of eczema on her wrist.
I shake my head but when she tries to offer again Reid intervenes, "Elias said you had a big day, I'll sit with Vi."
"Okay," She rises from her chair.
Reid slides a plate at me, but I observe the hall which drains of people like a bath without a plug. My gaze narrows in on two tribes of gangers gathered either side of the main door.
I take a forkful of food.
Far ahead, Ellie falls into stride with Elias, the pair of them heading for the main doors.
From across the hall, I catch eyes with Trent, his brutal and twisted glare fixed on me, arms crossed, head low.
"Reid." I mutter, and he looks up, but within seconds he realises that our window to leave just closed with Ellie's exiting stride.
Now the hall harbours soldiers, Hounds, Yakuza, and Ghouls... but not the ones who think I'm their Princess.
...
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