Anita
Chapter 16

He started simple, asking questions like her name, her keeper, how long she’d been a Guardian, all things she expected they already knew.

He took a few notes then pressed on with more personal questions; relationships, keepers, other Guardians. She refused to talk about the other Guardians and he quickly grew frustrated. He grabbed one of her palms in his hand and, using the pliers, crushed one of the stones in her fingers. Anita hissed but still refused to answer his questions. He repeated the process a few more times but it was clear she wouldn’t budge and eventually he moved on, leaving her a shaking, sweaty mess.

“What happened here?” His hand brushed the blood on her side.

“We got attacked by an Alpha.”

“An Alpha?” His interest peaked and he sat down across from her again. “Tell me about it.”

She kept silent and he pressed on. “Did it touch you? Did you remove the corruption?”

“What do you think?”

He gave her a pointed glance and Anita grit her teeth. “Yes and yes.”

He crouched down, lightly pressing his fingers against the wounded flesh, making her hiss from the pain. “Did you pull them out or did she?”

“I did,” she spat.

“Have you ever been hit by an Alpha before?”

“Yes.”

“How many times?”

She had to stop and think about it for a minute. “Seven? Maybe eight times.”

He took a note and continued his interrogation. “Did you remove the corruption each time?”

“What is the point of this?” she grumbled.

“Just answer the questions.” He increased the pressure on her side until she spat out a response.

“Sometimes myself, sometimes other Guardians or Keepers.”

“How many Alphas have you killed?”

“By myself or what?”

“By yourself.”

“Five.” She paused. “Six now.”

“With others?”

“Fourteen, maybe more.”

He nodded and jotted down a few notes.

“Do you have any of the crystals on you?”

“In my pocket.” She frowned as he reached forward, patting down both sides and withdrawing the blackened crystal from her pocket and shoving it in his own.

“Now I’m curious as to why a mere threat to Ms. Hayes made you willing to cooperate.”

“She was nice.”

“She was nice?” He repeated with a snort.

“Yup.”

He stared at her in confusion when she offered no elaboration. “So...what? She offered you a place to stay and now you suddenly feel a deep need to keep her safe?”

Anita shrugged. “Nice humans are a dying breed. It’s like seeing a golden tiger.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Your point?” Anita calmly met his gaze.

“Protecting them is one thing, but you gave up your entire chance for escape for someone you met a few hours ago? Are you desperate or just stupid?”

“I never would have made it very far anyway. Not with the Herects and the government on my tail.” Anita leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes.

“That’s true.” He backed off and paced around in silent contemplation for a few minutes.

“Well then.” He finally broke the silence, “Let’s see if her story lines up with yours and we’ll be on our way.” With a mock salute he exited the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

Anita grumbled to herself, hoping Meriam wasn’t stupid enough to tell them the whole story. All that would do is dig her own grave. Not that they had truly done anything worth punishing. However, the HCU would take it as further evidence of their collaboration in her escape.

It didn’t take long for him to burst through the door again, his patience clearly wearing thin, evident by the deep scowl on his face as he stormed into the room. He knocked her chair onto its side and crouched by her head. “You’re not helping your situation by lying to me.”

“I wouldn’t be helping my situation by telling the truth either.”

“Try me.”

She kept her mouth shut and he hissed in frustration. “I have other methods of making you talk.”

“Try me,” she mocked.

He pulled her corrupted crystal from his pocket and, before she could react, shoved the stone into her shoulder. She gasped in pain and he pulled it back out, along with a few others that the corruption had begun to spread onto. “These,” he held the crystals in front of her face, “never lose the corruption inside them. They’re very useful.”

She still didn’t speak so he went on. “Do you know how we replace Guardians after they escape?”

She shook her head once.

He pulled her chair upright and spun it around, walking over to the wall she now faced and pressing a button.

An Alpha stood on the other side of the wall, trapped in a cage of glass. It’s dead eyes staring straight ahead and making no movements. He tapped on the glass once and the Alpha’s head shot up. “You remember how an Alpha never replaces a new target?”

The realization made her sick. They used them to hunt Guardians.

“They’re very human looking, don’t you think?” He shot her a sideways grin and disgust welled up in her stomach.

“You made them.”