Invisible

Chapter Seven - Challenged

Bree was in a spaceship. All she could see was the dark sky through the huge window in the front. The stars blurred as they zoomed passed. Before she could really comprehend what was happening everything went dark. Soon after Bree saw flashing red lights, there were sirens wailing and people shouting but she was stuck in her seat. It seemed someone had tied her down and the knot was just too tight for her to undo. She screamed for help but her voice was drowned out by the sirens. The sound of the escape vessels could just be heard over the noise. This is it, Bree thought. Then, everything went dark a second time.

Bree shot up in her bed. Just a dream, just a dream, she kept repeating to herself with a hand over her racing heart. Following her usual routine she slipped on her slippers and went to retrieve a glass of water from the kitchen. She'd been having the same dream since she was seven, the same year that her parents had died.

Shaking her head Bree set down her glass and headed for the shower. Once ready, dressed in her plain clothes, Bree headed off to class. She unconsciously chewed at her finger nails as she wondered how far behind she'd gotten.

                                                                                 ***

"Knock, knock."Jace smiled, strolling into the doctor's office on his morning break. "Whatcha got for me today Doc?"

"I need Bree, Jace. We need Bree actually." It was then that Jace noticed his own father clad in his uniform standing in the corner.

"Why?"

"Just a few questions son. Bree was in the main foyer during the a crisis, she might know something."

"And you want me to get her?"

"Actually we want you to question her."

"What!? How does that make any sense at all?"

"Look Jace," the doctor cut in,"we don't actually think Bree did anything but it's procedure to question every witness. Your father and the other officers thought it would be a good idea for you to ask her a few questions because you're less likely to spook her."

"And what makes you think she'll get spooked?"

"She's hardly seventeen, Jace. Wouldn't you?" 

Jace nodded begrudgingly, got the information he needed and left.  

Jace was shocked when he walked into the very training room he was scheduled to be in. He checked the paper his father had given him a second time but it still read Training room B. His eyes scanned the room three times before he finally found her. Training hadn't started yet so Bree was sat with her knees against her chest in the far corner. Jace felt his cheeks heat with shame. Just the other day he had been ranting about how no one had noticed her and it turned out he'd been sharing a training session with her for half a year and hadn't even noticed.

"Hey." Bree just looked at Jace when he greeted her. "We need to talk."

"Why?"

"Look this is official business not me just being annoying so we can either do this here or somewhere more private."

Bree just laughed in his face."More private? Ha! You actually expect me to believe you're on official business with a line like that? How about you just leave me alone, ok?"

Expecting a reply something like that Jace flashed the note that his father had equipped him with in Bree's face. When she had read the note she nodded and walked towards the door. "Aren't you worried about skipping class?" Jace asked once he had caught up to her.

"Trust me, Mr.Hodges won't even notice. I'll be marked present." She said, without looking at him.

Jace marveled at her. He had a sneaking supsion that she was used to being overlooked.Her mouth, shoulders and even her eyes were set with such a grim determination that he had to wonder what had happened to make her this way.

After walking for a few more minutes Bree stopped in front of a door he'd never noticed before. It opened onto a small grassy niche with a gushing waterfall and two rock formations that looked like seats.

"Wow, how did you find this place?" Jace asked when Bree took a seat. "I haven't even noticed the door before." He smiled at her and took the remaining seat.

Bree laughed but Jace didn't miss the slight bitterness in her eyes. "It's an old emergency exit door. Not many people notice it anymore. That was supposedly the problem, apparently people were having trouble finding the door during drills." She shook her head. "Sometimes we get so focused on the problem we overlook the solution, you know?" Jace nodded. "So what's this all about?"

"Well, do you remember anything at all from before you fainted?"

Jace watched as Bree's eyes became guarded. He noticed her fingers clench and her jaw tightened just a little before she said, "Didn't we already have this conversation?"

Jace sighed. "My Dad's a member of the guard, Bree, and on the day you were in the foyer there was an...incident. He told me this morning that they need an official statement from every possible witness. Technically, in their eyes, our conversation never happened. They sent me because you're so young that's all. Now do you remember anything from the time of the crisis?"

"No." Again Jace saw her eyes tighten. 

"On the record? No. What about if I said we talk off the record for a sec, does the answer change?"

"No."

Jace ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I've lived with a member of the guard my whole life, Bree, and I've picked up a few tricks. So, if you wanna play hard ball I say bring it on."

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Hey Guys,

So I'm extremely frustrated with this chapter because it got erased right about the middle and I had to redo it from memory so if it sounds a little off I'm sorry.

Otherwise I hope you like it and please leave some feedback! xo