Damage Me

Chapter 12

Aaron comes into my room around 11:30am, without knocking, looking dumbstruck.

He closes the door, and heads to the bathroom.

I'm on my bed, reading—illegal, yes, but I do it anyways—when he comes in.

I carefully set down my book, and follow him into the bathroom.

He turns on the facet, splashing water on his face with his good arm.

He stares at himself in mirror for a minute, before shutting off the water, wiping his face on a towel, and turning to face me.

I raise my eyebrows, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Aaron still insisted on going out for rounds this morning, and I didn't protest.

He shakes his head, too many times. Then finally says, "I think I saw Juliette."

I widen my eyes, "What do you mean you think? Where did you see her?"

"In the compounds. She was dressed as a civilian. Now I could've been hallucinating, but I'm pretty sure it was her."

He says this all in one breath. "Well, then where is she? Did you let her get away?"

He looks slightly startled by the question.

"No-she-she disappeared. I was staring at her, right in her eyes, and then, just like magic, she was gone. But it obviously had to be one of the rebels, one with an ability, right?"

I give him a look of doubt, but still shake my head.

"Yeah, that makes sense."

I look into his emerald green eyes, mirror images of my own.

"You should rest. Neither of us has gotten much sleep lately, and we—"

He cuts me off, "You don't believe me."

He doesn't say it as much of a question, but more of a statement.

I edge my tone a little sharper, "We can't help her if we can't even help ourselves. And the only way to do that, is to sit down, and rest."

He looks as if he might protest, but decides against it at the last second, relenting.

"Okay. But only for a few hours, we can't bother to waste any more time than that."

"Agreed." I say. "Now, go to your room. I'll wake you up when it's time to head back out."

He nods, but only half-heartedly, as he trots away, into the connecting doors, joining our two rooms.

• • • • • •

Two hours later, I go to awake Aaron, my father trailing a few feet behind me into his room.

I sit on his bed, shake him slightly, and he startles, his eyes falling on our father.

"I have news." Our father says, with disgust filling his features as he looks at Aaron.

We stand up synchronously. "What is it?" Aaron asks.

"It's the girl. We got in contact with the rebellion, at a place called Omega Point. And they say Ferrars has agreed to meet with me, tomorrow at noon."

My blood goes cold. "Just like that?" I say, "No conditions, or blackmail? They just agreed?"

My father chuckles, his face breaking into a calculated smile, "Of course not. We've taken 4 of their men hostage. They think they will get them back, but I'm sure you both know that already."

We say nothing, he stares at us, an amused look in his eye.

"So, we've set up a meeting point somewhere on unregulated ground, and I would like both of you to be there," He says, "when I kill your precious project."

Aaron takes in an almost imperceptible breath. I respond, "You must know that they're planning on an attack—"

He cuts me off. "Of course I know that, I'm not ludicrous. We will have our entire army on standby, ready for any fight."

He looks at us, smiles a wide, despicable smile.

"Tomorrow, my children, we will start a war."

• • • • • •

The rest of the day passes by in a blur, and before I know it, it's already 2:30am, and I'm slowly sinking into sleep.

I end up collapsing on the couch in my office, as I reevaluate the events of today.

At one point, I thankfully drift into sleep.

I wake up to a banging on my bedroom door. I stumble out of bed, smoothing out my clothes and hair the best I can.

I open it to see Delalieu standing there, looking petrified.

He's not supposed to be down here.

No soldier is. "What the hell, Delalieu? It is a punishable offense to be down in my quarters without permission-"

I stop in my tracks when I see the look on his face; complete, unmasked fear.

"I k-know Ma'am, but it's th-the— supreme, he—he says he needs to s-see you—"

"Did he say what about?" I cut him off.

"No, he just—he said to be r-ready. For the—meeting."

I shake my head slightly, just once. "What time is it, Lieutenant?" I say.

"It-it's 10:30 Ma'am. He has-he's been trying to reach you for h-hours. So he sent me down here."

I widen my eyes. 10:30. How is that possible? I was sleeping for 8 hours?

I must be exhausted.

"I'm sorry—" He starts.

"Don't apologize. You are dismissed, Lieutenant. Tell the supreme I'll be right there."

I close the door before he can say anything else.

I'm breathing hard, chest heaving, as I run to my closet throwing on some clean clothes; a plain black long sleeve shirt, with a gray-lace cardigan, and blue skinny jeans.

I put on my black ankle boots, and take my hair out of its ponytail.

I touch up my leftover makeup from the day before, grab my coat, gun and knives, open the door, take a deep breath, and sprint down the hallway, as fast as my feet will carry me.

Oof, I know that probably got confusing but I really needed to get to the next chapter!

Again, copyright to Tahereh Mafi for Unravel Me!