The Result of a Change

Zoey

I still can’t process it. How come there are so many secrets? Does that mean I’ll be hanging this way for ever? I’m no more a Poliner, nor will I ever be a human. I’m just... foreign, alien and inhuman. To them, I’m nothing but a mistake. Why do they care? I take a long breath and sit up straight, looking sharply into her eyes.

“If I’m really a mistake, why do you care?” I snap at her.

“You’re not a mistake, you’re a special condition. Jonathan is scared of you. Your ability doesn’t vanish. To him, you’re the strongest, Zoey. You can penetrate into others’ minds, break our connections with your chip and know our plans before we put them into action. In short, you’re a perfect spy element. Your fighting skills too, are agent like. Yes, we do have technology and we’re much stronger than you, but we can’t deny how dangerous for us you might be.” She utters, “If we’re against you, which I’m clearly not.” She adds with a smile.

“So, why did he agree to my deal?” I question her.

“That’s his plan, to send you away. It’s all a trick. He wants to get rid of the base, so the building crumbles.”

“I don’t get you.” I mutter.

“Here’s the thing.” She says before clearing her throat, “Once you step on Polina and push everyone into the gate, it ex-“

A shuddering sound of a bullet fired rushes into the air, cutting her midway through her sentence. Her lips part away and her eyes widen, not in fear or astonishment but in pain. Realization hits me like a sword and I stare back at her, glancing over at the blood pouring out of her shoulder. Despite my spinning head, I crawl to her and lean her softly against the bottom of the Bookster.

I instantly look up at the source of it, only to find a gun pointed at me. I visibly gulp after seeing him.

“I thought we were on a deal.” He speaks up.

“And so did I.” I reply coldly as I hold the gun with my fist and get back up on my feet. I stumble a bit but regain my balance and give him a sharp glare.

“Why are you here?”

“I would ask you the same thing, but I have a better one. Why for heaven’s sake did you shoot her?” I snap at him pointing at Roxy.

She mumbles the word ‘traitor’ after realizing who attacked her. I turn my gaze back at him.

“Look who’s talking.” He snaps at her.

“How di-d you f-ind us?” she asks as she struggles to get the words out.

“I’m not as stupid as you think I am, Roxy. You have got a chip too, my dear. And you, “ he pauses to look at me, “Stay out of it.” He warns.

I smirk. As I really would after all.

I open my mouth to give him a reply but before I even know it, a flying punch connects with my stomach making me flinch. I stand back up on my trembling feet and kick at the back of his knee, watching him fall backwards.

He gets up as fast as he fell and runs towards me with his infuriated eyes. He pulls me up by my collar, making my feet struggle in its attempts to touch the ground. I hold his arms and squeeze them, trying my best to let him free me. But instead, I was pushed against a shelf feeling the effect of it connecting with my head. A hot liquid drips on my neck, burning me as it slowly reaches my back. Despite the pain and the punches, I flash out a smile making him furrow his eyebrows in confusion.

“Why are you smiling?” he hisses.

“Does is it really matter after all?” I reply questioningly.

“Listen, Zoey,” he warns wrapping his hand around my neck, “you either forget what you heard, or I’ll let everyone forget you once existed. Do you hear me?” he threatens.

That’s it. I can’t stand this anymore. I dig my nails in his arm and kick him in his chest with my foot. He groans and falls onto the floor, making the wood creak and echo all over the place. With him letting go off me, I collapse in a sudden impact. Pain rushes through my body and I stay there almost lifeless.

The wood below me vibrates. I look up checking the source and find Edward glaring at me with concern. The view gets blurry, and I smile at him in assurance. After that, my eyelids get heavy and everything fades away into darkness.

Edward

I rush up the stairs, ignoring the creaks of the old wood below me. I look around trying to see any glimpse or a sign that leads me to her.

“It’s a library. Are you sure you heard her here?” Peter asks doubting me.

“Yes,” I say nodding, “I’m sure she’s here.”

“Fine, but we can’t fi-“

I hear it again, her groans and the creaking of the floor. I glare at Peter ushering him to follow me. I run up following the direction of the sound and that’s when I see it, the last thing I ever wanted to witness. Looking at her as she lays helpless on the floor, with her knuckles worn out and bruised, a warm smile spreads on her face before her eyes shut off.

I turn my gaze to Jonathan, only to find a proud smirk plastered on his face. I head towards him clenching and unclenching my fist.

“I see, the who-” He gets cut off as my fist connects with his nose. I massage my knuckles and glare at him as he holds his nose from the pain.

He gives me his death glare and takes his gun out. I flash out a smile and cross my arms around my chest challenging him.

Suddenly, the floor underneath me vibrates, no it shakes. I turn my head and in a matter of few seconds, I see Peter holding him by his neck and pushing him against the shelf.

“What have you done to her?” he demands behind gritted teeth.

As Peter is in charge of him, I make my to Zoey. Leaning on the floor, I touch the blood on her scar and find it dry.

“Is it deep?” Peter asks in concern.

“I don’t think,” I murmur, “but, something must’ve happened to her, she doesn’t lose her consciousness for no reason.”

He nods and digs his nails in Jonathan’s neck. His groans and cries of pain, pass through my ear torturing.

“Peter,” I hiss, “Enough.”

He nods again and to my surprise, he untightened his grip. It’s his first time to actually lis-

Jonathan collapses on the floor and lies just as lifeless as Zoey.

I glare at Peter in disbelief.

He shrugs, “I just punched him, I didn’t know he’s that weak.” He utters coldly as if nothing was just happening. I couldn’t help but chuckle at that.

“What’s funny?” he questions.

I shake my head, “Nothing, just come and help me out here.” I say.

He quickly leans down but, before doing anything, he looks at me in absolute confusion.

“What do I do?” he asks looking around, and when he sees the other one lying beside Zoey, he looks back at me, “And who’s this?” he inquires pointing at her.

“I think she’s Roxy. Let’s take her with us.”

“Okay, you carry Zoey and I’ll follow you with Roxy.”

I nod and reach for Zoey’s arms, wrapping them around my neck until I take a firm grip on her shoulders and at the back of her knees. I stumble as I get on my feet but quickly balance myself. I carry her horizontally and slowly get out of the room with Peter walking behind along with Roxy.

I proceed to the stairs and take each step carefully, in fear of tripping and dropping her to the floor. After a couple of minutes, we’re all down and moving towards our rooms. I turn to the left and walk few more steps until I reach her door. I kick it open and slide inside.

I place her on her bed and pull the covers on her. Peter walks inside and puts Roxy on the couch. I throw him a pillow and a blanket which were previously on Zoey’s bed and he catches them. He raises her head, places the pillow and covers her with the blanket.

I take a breath, “We need to nurse them. She’s shot and I have to make sure Zoey is all right too.” I utter.

“Yeah, I’ll go search for someone.”

“Okay.” I mumble.

Just as he was turning back to leave, I remember something important.

“Peter,” I call stopping him, “We must leave after Zoey wakes up. To hell with the deal, we can beat them in a fight.” I mutter out.

He smiles, “We will.” He affirms before grasping the door handle and stepping out.

I take a seat on the floor and lean my back at the side of the bed wondering about the question that I haven’t stopped thinking of.

What’s next?