Selected
Twenty-Fifth

An alarm went off beside me, waking me with a start. I hadn’t remembered setting the clock last night. There was a thud and the alarm stopped. Arms wrapped tighter around me. Vox was here. I smiled at that. It felt like centuries since I had woken up with Vox laying next to me.

He sighed, his breath grazing my neck. He gave me a kiss on the cheek before making a move to get up. I rolled over and grabbed his arm. “Go back to sleep, Emmary.”

“No.” Everything was still a little hazy. I didn’t know what time it was or if we were in my room or his. All I knew was that Vox was leaving me again. “Don’t go.”

He chuckled, “I have to, Sweetheart.” He gave me another kiss on the cheek.

“I never get to spend more than a few minutes with you.”

“I know.” He sighed. “I know. And I’m sorry.” His voice sounded as though he was carrying the weight of the world. I could tell he was tense and stressed.

I sat up, the fog clearing from my mind. I was officially awake. We were in my room and the clock read 5:45 am. Did he really get up this early every morning? I know it was at least midnight when I had drifted off to sleep. What time had he gone to bed last night? “Come here.”

“I have to get ready.”

I patted the spot next to me, “Will you just humor me, please?”

He smiled and sat down beside me. I started to message his shoulders. All of his muscles were rigid and tense, but they started to relax under my hands. After a few minutes he turned to face me. “Thank you, but I really have to go. I already hit the snooze button four times.” He gave me a quick kiss and got up and left before I could protest anymore.

I laid back into all of the pillows. I closed my eyes and tried to drift off, but sleep wouldn’t come. I rolled over into multiple positions, but it just wasn’t going to happen. I gave up trying at 6:30 and decided to take a shower.

I trailed my hand along the banister as I descended the stairs. “- leaving.”

“You can’t leave now. Everything is right on track.” I stopped in my tracks when I heard Addeck’s hushed voice.

“You don’t understand. I’m leading the investigation-” Was that Captain Pike?

“Exactly. You’re in the perfect position to throw the detectives off our trail.” Investigation? Detectives? They weren’t talking about Mr. Bly’s murder where they? It was the only ongoing investigation that I could think of.

“I have been, but they are starting to get suspicious.”

“And how will it look when you just suddenly vanish? You need to stay where you are, and just gently guide them off our trail. No one will suspect a thing.” My head started spinning.

Were Addeck and Captain Pike involved in Mr. Bly’s murder? Captain Pike was a decorated soldier who dedicated his life to the Bly’s. Why would he suddenly turn on the family? What reason would Addeck have to kill his own father? I knew that they, like all Blys, were distant, but surely not so distant to warrant a murder, right?

“Fine, but as soon as the investigation is closed, I’m gone. You know I’ve wanted out of this for a long time. I’m not doing your dirty work any more.” I heard the stomping of feet and the slam of the front door.

Before I could move, Addeck rounded the corner and started up the stairs. “Oh, Emmary. Good morning. I didn’t think anyone would be up at this hour.”

“I, I um, couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d go for a morning ride.”

He nodded, “Very well, I won’t stand in your way.” He stepped to the other side of the stairwell. “I hope you have a wonderful day.” Addeck smiled but it didn’t comfort me in any way. In fact his smile was terrifying.

I decided right then and there that I didn’t want to sit idly by any longer. I swallowed down my cowardice and decided to question what I had just heard. “What investigation was Captain Pike talking about?”

Addeck didn’t miss a beat when he responded, “A government project that we are working on. People without the proper classification don’t understand and are trying to uncover it.”

“Why would that make Captain Pike upset?”

Addeck’s demeanor changed. There wasn’t anything in his face or this stance, but the energy that he was emitting was terrifying. It was as if I could feel his rage. He leaned in closer. “Listen, Emmary, since we will be siblings soon enough, can I give you some brotherly advice?” He didn’t wait for me to answer, “It would be in your best interest to stay out of everyone else’s business. It’s a dangerous world that you are stepping into, I don’t want to see you get hurt.” A chill ran down my back. He flashed another smile, “I hope you have a good ride, the weather is beautiful.” With that he turned and climbed the rest of the stairs.

I stood there frozen for I don’t know how long. I had always been a little creeped out by Addeck, but now I was terrified. He didn’t out right threaten me, but he might as well have. I carefully descended the rest of the stairs and made my way toward the stables.

My hands were still shaking as a brushed Walter, but his calming presence soothed me. I took him out for a ride around the property before going inside for lunch.

Hal sat on one end of the dining table and Mrs. Bly the other. I chose to sit next to Hal. She smiled up at me, “There you are. The new invitations were sent out this morning, so no more code red. Everything has been resolved.”

“Oh good.” A plate of food was set down in front of me.

“You don’t seem that excited about it.”

“I am, sorry. I’ve just been a little preoccupied this morning.”

Hal frowned and reached out, touching my hand, “This isn’t about what I said last night, is it? Because I’ve just been feeling awful since. I really am sorry, I just-.”

“Hal, you’re fine. I understand. I know that secrets aren’t just all spilled in one conversation. And besides, it’s not like I’ve told you all of my darkest secrets.”

Her eyes widened, “Like what?”

I smiled, “Wouldn’t you like to know.” I didn't have any dark secrets. Everyone knew of my love for Koontz, other than that, I didn't have anything to hide.

She nodded, “Yes, yes I would.“, and then popped a grape into her mouth.

We sat in silence as we both ate our lunch, the only sound was the television on in the background. It was playing a TV drama in which a lower Sector girl gets matched with the son of an aristocratic family. How ironic.

Our almost silent meal took a turn when a man’s voice abruptly cut off the drama. “Breaking news. I repeat, this is urgent and break news. A riot has broken out on High Street and 5th.” At the sound of the location both Mrs. Bly and Hal jumped out of their chairs and rushed to the television. The streets meant nothing to me, but I followed.

“It is strongly encouraged that everyone stay indoors. The riot has not shown any acts of violence, but that could change at any moment. Guards are already trying to try to calm the storm. We have a reporter on the scene to give us more details. Ahren, are you there?”

The screen switched to show a blonde man in this late twenties. He was standing out on the streets, flashing lights were in the background as was shouting. “Yes, This is Ahren Greenwhich, reporting live to you from 5th and High Street where a riot has just broken out. Many of you have seen the protesters that have been around the city, but until today they were passive bystanders with signs. Today they gathered on this corner and started a riot. Shouting and picketing.”

Hal and Mrs. Bly gasped. “Oh my word. Hal, call your brothers.”

“As you said before, they have yet to get violent, but they have been throwing slanders all morning. They have been protesting since the tragic death of Felicity Lightheart, who was murdered by her match earlier this month. They are calling for the abolishment of Selection. Most of them appear to be teenagers about to come of age for Selection. Some look to be adults that are fed up with the way Selection has been handled.”

Hal came back into the room, “Captain Pike answered, he said that he got Vox to safety. But Addeck left about a half hour ago and no one has seen him sense.”

Mrs. Bly didn’t answer she just sat in front of the television and waited for more information.

“The rioters have begun to move now. They are making their way across the street toward the Selection building. The guards seem to be holding steady against this ban of protestors.” There was a loud sound, almost like a crash, and then the scene behind the reporter erupted. “A rioter just threw a bottle into the building. The energy of the whole crowd is escalating now. Their chants are becoming more violent, and… and… THAT MAN HAS A GUN!” The reporter was shouting above the noise, trying to alert the guards. But it was too late. The gun started to fire rapidly. I could see a few guards fall to the ground, and then the screen went black.

The original reporter was back on air. He cleared his throat, “We will keep you updated as the riot continues. As you all know, there hasn’t been a violent protest in over 50 years. Today, everything has changed. As Ahren had previously said, protestors have been seen on street corners since the murder of Felicity Lightheart, a politician’s daughter who was killed by her match. This has lead people to believe that Selection is unsafe. If one child could be sent to the arms of a murder, how many others are there out there being shackled to their bedpost, or worse?”

“Wow. That’s a bit harsh.” I found myself commenting aloud. Both Hal and Mrs. Bly nodded, but didn’t comment themselves.

“Not to mention the suicide of Yale Plancy, Addeck Bly’s match, one of the Selector's very one sons. She threw herself off a bridge because she was so depressed after being forced into a life she never wanted. With the death of Lincoln Bly, the people of this country are calling for a new system, a new form of government, one not centered on the perfect gene, but instead on the people themselves.”

There was a pause as the news anchor touched his hand to his ear. Hal looked away from the television toward the window, “What’s that noise?” A grabble of yelling started to grow louder.

“This just in, another riot has formed outside the Bly family Mansion.”

Mrs. Bly didn’t miss a beat, “Quick, down into the basement.”

She left the television on as we raced down the stairs. I could still hear the news anchor relaying what was happening to his viewers. “The protesters are armed and have made it past the front gate of the Bly mansion. They-”

Mrs. Bly shut the door behind us, cutting off the anchor and most of the noise from the outside. “This way, come on girls.” She led us through the basement to a set of metal doors. She punched in the key code as it closed shut. I could hear the locking mechanism close.

“What do they want from us?” I turned to Hal who was an emotional wreck. There were no cameras around us. She was scared, Hal was truly terrified.

Mrs. Bly hugged her, “Shh. Hal, honey, it’s alright. They just want change and they think the only way to get it is to hurt those in charge.”

I watched the scene play out before me. Hal had never shown so much emotion the weeks that I had been here. And I didn’t know Mrs. Bly could supply such compassion. The only times I had ever seen either of them show nay kind of emotion were for the public. No one else was around this time. I was their only audience.