The Colony

Tom

The chair I'm sitting on is cold and faded. The brown leather has been chewed away over time by dust mites and it now exposes the yellowing cushion underneath.

The walls of Chief Council Officer, Sonia's, room are drab and grey. There is a long dark desk in front of me with a little gold plated plaque that states her name.

Sonia herself is a stern looking middle aged woman. She was elected to Council because of her role in the Colony's last generation of embryos. Her eyes are a dark brown and I have never seen her wear anything other than a suit and a tight bun.

Behind me, the two officers that arrested me in the medic computer lab stand to attention. Their uniforms give off a foul odor like they haven't washed themselves in several days. Next to them, Toby wears a smug look accompanied with his arms crossed across his chest. His lab ID badge dangles loosely from his hand. No doubt he's going to get a promotion after this one.

Sonia leans forward on her desk so that the whole thing creaks under the pressure of her weight.

"Now tell me, Hades," she begins. "Toby tells me you were searching for pregnancy related things on the medic computers? Why?"

I nerviously look from side to side. My leg begins bouncing and I silently curse Hamilton for passing on the habit.

"I have a curiosity," I finally say, pulling my lips into a tight line and crossing my arms.

"But you're not on the fertility research team." She puckers her lips. There's a menacing glint in her dark eyes that suggests she knows the real reason.

"As I said, I have a curiosity."

"Tell me then." She clasps her hands together. "Being a medic I'm sure patients come to you with all sorts of grievances, no?"

I nod. Where was she taking this?

"And if anybody were to come to you with any concerns," she looks to Toby. "Of let's say, a period, you would come and tell me, right?"

I nod again.

She smiles. "Just as you would if anyone were in the Resistance?"

Again, I nod.

"So, then is there any truth to the rumours about a girl having a period?"

I stare blankly. Yes.

"No," I say as calmly as possible, hoping she can't hear the shakiness of my voice.

"Hmmm," she murmurs, pulling open a drawer. "And yet you were looking up how to do a pregnancy ultrasound, were you not?"

"As I said, pure curiosity."

She rumages inside the drawer for a brief moment then pulls out a folder.

"I think there's something you're not telling me, Thomas Hades."

I blink. This was getting dicey.

She points her finger down at the file. "Do you have any idea what is in this?"

I shake my head.

She smiles callously and opens it.

Inside it is a single piece of paper. It's torn and ripped, and put back together in a way that looks so delicate that one waft of air could dislodge it.

On it, in my handwriting, is Hamilton's name.

I gulp.

"Do you perhaps know who this Hamilton is?"

I shake my head.

"Really? But this is your hand writing, no?"

"It's not my handwriting, ma'am," I say cooly, hoping the blood rushing to my cheeks doesn't give me away.

"How odd. Well, I guess we'll just kill you both then."

She smiles a wicked smile.

"I-I don't think that's necessary."

"Really? Then tell me, where can I find Hamilton McKenna," she sneers. "Because I think he and you have a little secret."

If I tell her, she will find Beth and then surely they'd take her away.

Sonia gestures to the guard behind her and before I know it a shooting pain leaps from my shoulder and vibrates through my entire body. I can't breathe as my whole body convulses and I slide of the chair and onto the ground.

After an agonising minute the convulsions stop and I can finally draw in a deep breath.

"You see, Thomas," Sonia says, getting up out of her chair. I watch her feet as she walks around the table and stands over me. "The more you resist my questions, the more we will hurt you. Now, do you understand?"

I nod, breathing heavily.

"Good."

This couldn't get any worse. Beth was my everything and I shouldn't have been so hasty to get rid of Hamilton.

"So, let's try this again, where is Hamilton McKenna?"

I don't answer quickly enough and a bolt of pain shoots through my shoulder again.

"Where is Hamilton McKenna?"

"I'll never tell you!" I gasp.

Another shock wave vibrates through my body. My muscles tense and I feel the blood in my veins constrict.

"Level three, mechanical headquarters," I manage to choke out.

"Good boy," Sonia says with a smile. She gestures towards the two guards who promptly leave the room. All I could hope for is that Hamilton was still safe in my room with Beth.

"As for you," she continues. "I have one more question."

I gaze up at her from the ground.

"W-what?" I gasp out.

She smiles a wicked toothy grin. "Who is pregnant?"