The Rainbow Maker's Tale by Melanie Cusick-Jones
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The door to my room slammed open – I’m not sure when I’d begun thinking of it as my room, but that seemed to fit – and three men entered. All of them wore the same black day-suits as the ones from the apartment. In fact, as my eyes focused on the man in the centre of the group, I recognised him as the leader who’d injected me with the sedative.
“Hey,” I said, with a half-wave of my hand. With no real idea of what was going on, or what might actually happen to me, I had few words to share. I didn’t even bother standing up from the corner where I’d settled.
The group paused a few paces away. I thought the two unfamiliar men looked a little nervous. Not the one in the middle: he looked…odd. A strange mixture of anger and excitement coloured his features. I was so accustomed to adults with impassive, near-emotionless faces, that seeing someone agitated in this way was unusual. I won’t lie: it unnerved me.
“Where I am? What am I doing here?” I asked, directing my question at the man who was obviously in charge. With some effort I was able to keep the fear I felt from leaking into my voice.
“It’s not a time for questions, Balik – not yours anyway – we’ll be taking you elsewhere for an…interview…shortly.”
My heart sank at his words. The way he said it did not make an interview sound like a good thing.
“Where am I – why am I here?”
No one answered me and in those few, short seconds, I felt a shift in the atmosphere. I didn’t want to sit any more: it felt wrong to be looking up at the men from a position of weakness. Tipping myself forwards I intended to get to my feet, but that never happened.
The man who’d been speaking leapt at me, grabbing me roughly by the shoulders. I have no idea how it was possible, but he managed to clamp my arms to my sides immobilising me, at the same time as dragging me to my feet. His strength was abnormal. It was terrifying.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, I didn’t even try to fight back. They had me where they wanted me – wherever that might be – I just hadn’t expected more violence. It wasn’t necessary.
“What’s the matter, boy – no fancy kicks and punches now?”
His face was inches from mine, words sneering and filled with contempt. I struggled hard, hoping to break his grip on me, but it was useless.
“I’ve not lost anyone in years!” He growled, pulling me closer, squeezing me even tighter. “And then you come along – a little genetic freak throw-back – and with a lucky blow take out one of us.”
I opened my mouth to speak and then closed it. I had nothing to say.
His voice became a whispered hiss. “You’re going to pay for what you’ve done to me…and then you’ll tell us where your friend is hiding.”
For the first time since the men entered, I’d found out something useful. Cassie must still be out there: if they hadn’t found her, that could only be a good thing, couldn’t it?
He let go of me so suddenly that I fell backwards onto the floor, hitting my head, hard, against the wall behind me. The commander – that’s how I thought of him now – straightened up, a small smile twitching at his lips, and headed out of the room.
“Make sure he does as he’s told,” he ordered the two guards he left behind. His words were spoken aloud for my benefit, not theirs – he was threatening me.