Zone Zero (Book 1 of 3)

Chapter 34

I am woken from my slumber during the darkened hours of the night by a large oaf as he stands hovering over me with a dirty smile.

This must be some sort of special occurrence since it's not a doctor rousing me with a full syringe ready to inject.

I roll over with my back to him showing that I will not be going willfully today.

"Get up." He commands.

I stay where I am but cheekily display my middle finger to him hoping to antagonize this behemoth.

"I said get up." He is now livid as he pushes at my back hoping to rouse me once more.

Again, I don't move until I feel his fingers slide through my hair and grab a large handful before yanking me upwards.

I hold in my screams of agony and let him think he has me under his control.

He leads me like this all the way to the interrogation room where, like always, I am pushed onto my steel throne and shackled down.

I watch him intently as he exits the room leaving me alone with another empty chair facing me.

Why in the middle of the night this time?

I sit and wait for another fool of a soldier to enter and begin our regular game of 'answer me or I'll hurt you' in silence but taking in every inch of my surroundings.

I have to escape this place and through this room may be the best way.

Suddenly the only door in and out opens, as the oaf from earlier steps in. He is being followed by someone smaller than him, dressed in a military officials garments.

Max.

Our eyes meet and I see only sadness fill his murky hazel eyes as he crosses the floor and takes his seat, motioning for the oaf to leave us be.

We are alone and silent as we sit opposite each other only a meter or so separating us. The tension in the room feels palpable as he watches me closely waiting for me to give a hint as to what I am thinking. I give nothing away.

Amongst the silence, a few questions ring clear as if they were spoken aloud; what is he doing here, what does he want from me and why come to me now?

"You're probably wondering why I came to see you." His voice is soft with just a hint of pity.

I nod slowly but do not say a word.

"I heard that you have broken your vow of silence. I figured you might actually answer a question that has been bugging me for some time now."

I raise an eyebrow to his words as he peaks my interest.

"I want to know how you sleep at night?" he leans forward as he speaks closing even more distance between us.

I look at him through squinted eyes as I try to decipher the meaning to his bizarre question. What does he mean?

"How do you sleep at night knowing that you caused the death of so many good people?"

I shake my head and look away. He can't be serious. He is trying to make me feel guilty for everything that happened the night of the ball. If I recall correctly, I was not the one with the gun.

"I didn't kill anyone." I respond taciturnly.

I sit my emotions to the side and pretend that the faces of those who were killed don't still haunt me. I pretend that I don't see them each time I close my eyes and that I don't hate myself for letting such decent people die just because they were doing what they were ordered to do. I try not to think of Steele and the sight of his lifeless body as it fell to the floor.