chapter 12
Through the use of mindscan and the segregation of Rejects, scientists believe we’re on our way to eliminating most major diseases by removing flawed humans from the mating pool. It is a way to cleanse society, of both mentally and medically inadequate beings.
- History of the Medical Revolution,chapter Six
I try to piece together what I know so far. My mother was here and became pregnant; though that isn’t an avenue it will do me any good to explore, according to O’Donovan. My father was a neuroscientist. I don’t really even know what that means, but apparently he was working for the government and was some hot shot with promising research. He no doubt betrayed them when he took up with a mental patient. I shudder to think what would become of someone who does that – betrays the government and their precious operation that way.
I also know that Will seems to be gentle with me when no one’s watching. I think of the time he visited me in the hospital, when he wiped away the blood on my lip, and how he takes a hands-on approach to teach me to protect myself when we’re alone. Then I remembered that isn’t entirely true. Rena was there the time he showed me how to fire a pulse gun. Did that mean Rena was someone to be trusted, too? I had to find a way to talk with her again. I know she knew more than she was letting on.
The last thing that was starting to become clear to me was that Will was preparing me for something. The training schedule here as well as the importance he placed on learning to use weapons. I didn’t understand what it was all for. It felt like we were preparing for something big, only I didn’t know what.
“Eve, you’re not eating; everything all right?” Alex asks, breaking my concentration.
I look up from the bowl of oatmeal I’ve been absently stirring with my spoon. It’s now a congealed mess of lumps. “Oh, yeah. Sorry.”
“Here.” Alex replaces my brown spotted banana with his perfectly ripe one.
“Thanks.” I take it and peel the skin back. Alex watches until I take a bite, then resumes eating his oatmeal, but his eyes keep flickering back to mine. “So, Will says we’ve got a big challenge coming up. Any ideas what it might be?”
“There’s one big challenge every fall,” Sabrina says. “It’s what we’ve been training for. Last year they went on an overnight camping trip through the woods. It was sort of like a survival test and everything rolled into one.”
My stomach drops at the thought that Will was giving me a leg up by taking me into the woods yesterday. I manage another bite of the banana, since Alex is back to watching me.
***
The bruises from my fight with Bryce have faded, as have the shadows in the crooks of my arms. But new aches and pains replace them. My legs are sore from all the running, my wrists still slightly chafed from struggling against the ropes, and the area around my chip is bruised and swollen, almost as if my body knows this thing is foreign and wants to expel it. If only it were that easy.
But I have no time to focus on my sore, tired body. We are running drills through an obstacle course set up in the gym today. My eyes dart to the end, but thankfully there doesn’t seem to be any fighting ring this time.
Kane has us line up at the starting line in groups of four. Drew and Bryce push their way to the front, wanting to be the first to go. I let everyone pass me by, and get in line at the very end, wanting to learn from those who go first.
Kane gives a quick blast into his whistle and the guys take off. They run full force down the length of the gym, and when they reach the first set of tires, they skip and raise their knees, hopping in and out of the tires. Next they reach the ropes suspended from the ceiling and aggressively climb hand over hand until they’ve reached the top. No one reaches up to tag it like I did that day. They slide down and drop to the ground long before they’re to the bottom. Bryce is now in the lead, and edges out his competition, as he charges into a big punching bag that’s on a rolling track. He shoves it back with everything he has until it slams to a stop at the end of the track. He then runs back to the start of the course. He scans his barcode at the time pod to record his time.
The whole course takes the guys about two minutes to complete. It’s clear they’ve done it before and are only trying to better their times. I look to the girls around me who wait for their chance. Sam is in the next group that’s just getting ready to go. She’ll be matched up against Jake, Alex and a guy I haven’t officially met yet. I can tell by her smile that she doesn’t care that she’s the only girl, or that she might not be as strong as the others, and the fact that she just doesn’t care inspires me.
So what if I’m the smallest one here? That I’m barely over five feet or top the scale at one hundred and three pounds? I try to think of how I could use everything I’ve got to my advantage. I decide maybe, just maybe, my advantage will be my size. I’m small and quick and my feet will fit easily within the openings of the tires, so I won’t get tangled up and trip like many of the others do. And suddenly, I’m itching to try this course.
I move up and join the group with Sam and the guys. I tap Alex on the shoulder, knowing he’ll let me trade places with him. He gives me a strange smile and steps back, letting me take his spot. Sam gives me a wide grin, like she’s proud of me. I’m proud of me, too. I won’t let people like Kane, Drew or Bryce make me feel weak. I know my mother would like this, too.
Kane brings the whistle to his lips, and I settle back on one heel, ready to spring forward when I hear it blast, but then he notices me and lets the whistle fall from his mouth. He squints, giving me a long, hate-filled look, then gives the whistle a sharp blast and we spring forward.
I don’t pay attention to anyone else around me, and instead sprint with everything I have for the tires. I’m the first one in my group to reach them and I easily step through the openings at their centers, navigating my way through. Sam and the others are getting closer. I hear them trip and swear under their breath as they try to catch up.
When I reach the ropes, I pick the one that will leave me closer to the next obstacle and take off upward. The ropes beside me begin swinging as the others start to climb. The guys quickly overtake both Sam and I on the ropes, but not by much. When I touch down on the floor, I tuck my chin to my chest and run harder than I ever have before, pumping my arms at my sides. I pass by Sam, and I’m right at the heels of Jake, when I slam into the punching bag. It nearly knocks the wind out of me. It feels like slamming into a wall, but I dig my heels in and push it little by little until it’s all the way across the room. When I reach the finish line, I come in second, right behind Jake.
Sam comes in behind me, out of breath, but still smiling. “Damn, Eve. Didn’t know you had it in you.” She claps me on the back, and we wait at the end of the line with Sabrina – whose group is up next. She hops nervously on the balls of her feet. “You got this, B,” Sam says, patting Sabrina’s butt.
I hear low voices, and glance behind me. Lexi is last in line, and she’s standing with Will, looking up at him, her hand on his forearm. His face is expressionless and after a second, his eyes flick over to mine. I turn just in time to see Sabrina take off from the starting line. I join Sam in cheering for her. Though I’m curious about what’s going on between Lexi and Will, the last thing I want is to be caught looking over at them. Lexi already doesn’t like me and I don’t want to give her, or anyone here, another reason to have a problem with me. I have enough enemies already.
Alex comes up beside me and knocks his shoulder into mine. “Good job, Eve.”
“Oh, thanks.”
I smile, and he places his arm across my shoulders. I feel like I’m being watched and when I glance up, Will’s looking at me again; actually, he’s looking at Alex’s arm that rests across my shoulders. A frown tugs one corner of his mouth down.
“Should we go to lunch?” I ask, and let Alex steer me from the gym.