The Iron Birds

Chapter Twelve

The car ride was particularly unpleasant. Raven got to listen to a half-hour of the Eagle and Vanka berating her for speaking to reporters.

"We're ruined," the Eagle kept saying, though Raven wasn't sure what she had said was wrong.

Needless to say, Raven had nearly been dragged by the ear to the facility, where the Flock leaders were waiting.

"We saw it on television," Stepanova said, not meeting Raven's eyes.

"It was a bad idea," Orloff said, glaring at the Eagle. "She could have been killed!"

She's standing up for me, Raven thought.

"Yes, well, they almost killed all of us," the Eagle said evenly. "And she wasn't supposed to speak!" She pushed Raven forward.

Stepanova's face had hard lines, but her eyes were exhausted. "Why did you speak?"

"They asked me questions," Raven told her. "That's what you always taught me. If you ask a question, I give an answer."

"You could have ruined us," Ivanova said. "One wrong answer, and everything we have worked for is done."

"I don't know what I did wrong!"

"You have cast more suspicion on the Birds. They think you're being held hostage!" the Eagle exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. "They're going to investigate us, and it's going to be even harder to gain their trust."

"You wanted me to come," Raven reminded her, resisting the urge to slug her, right in the jaw.

"Clearly it was a mistake," the Eagle said icily.

"Clearly!" Raven agreed.

I'm going to punch her.

"Detain her. I don't want to see her today," the Eagle dismissively.

The Flock leaders hesitated.

"Oy," Orloff said, rolling her eyes. "Leave her alone."

Kazova nodded loyally.

But Stepanova . . .

Stepanova didn't say anything.

"Did I stutter?" the Eagle demanded. "Get her out of here!"

"Raven . . ." Stepanova said.

Raven didn't let her finish. "Whatever. I'll go sit in my cubicle. You don't have to lock it. I'm not going anywhere."

She stormed off to her cubicle, slamming the door behind her. She hated them. She hated this place. She hated the Eagle.

She tried to remind herself that it would be better in the next facility, but after seeing Hawk and Falcon and Sparrow . . . They weren't even allowed to speak. They seemed scared. If that was what happened to you in the next facility, Raven wasn't sure if she wanted to go.

Lark passed her cubicle and waved. "What happened?"

"Got in trouble," Raven answered.

"That sucks."

"Yeah."

Lark stood there for a moment and lowered her voice. "I haven't said anything."

She had kept the secret.

"Thank you," Raven said, really meaning it. She placed her hand on the glass and Lark held her's out, then she walked away briskly when she heard footsteps.

It was only Heron.

She tried to open the door, but somehow the Flock leaders electronically locked it. Figures.

Raven told her about the car ride and the speech, and eventually that led to her saying how 'excited' she was to leave this facility, and she wasn't sure if Heron got the hint that she wanted to escape.

Heron didn't stay long. She said she had to go 'work on some files' but she seemed too eager. Raven would interrogate her later.

She took a nap, dreaming about dogs and cars and reporters. New memories wedged their way into her mind, and she knew the name of her father was Ben and the name of her mother was Katarina. Still, she couldn't pinpoint Heron's real name. She would have to ask.

There was a soft tap on the door, waking Raven up. Sleepily, she tossed her pillow at the window, not caring if it was Heron or the Eagle. Unfortunately, it was Stepanova, and she opened the door and stepped over the pillow.

"I brought solyanka," she said.

"Wait, really?"

Stepanova held out the soup and sat on the edge of her bed. "I had my cook make it for you. Unfortunately, I had to eat New America's cheeseburger." She shuddered. "I hope I never eat it again."

Raven laughed softly and accepted the soup.

"Are you okay?" Stepanova asked.

Raven shrugged. "I guess I'm just upset."

"I am sorry. Truly."

Raven went quiet, picking at her food. A thought occurred to her and she said, "Are you afraid of the Eagle?"

She scoffed. "Of course not."

"You are. I know you wouldn't have detained me if the Eagle hadn't said so. You don't want to lose your job."

"You do not know what you are talking about."

I'm not scared of the Eagle, Raven thought. I'd punch her in a split second.

"Anyway, I am unlocking the door. I am not sorry you missed dinner—you would not have liked it." She stood and pressed her thumb on a little scanner obscurely placed on the glass. "Do you know what the Eagle made the Birds do today?"

"What?"

"She made them march," Stepanova said. "They marched until they collapsed on the floor."

Raven's eyes widened. "Why did she make them do that?"

"To make them more strong," she replied. Before she left, she turned and said, "But between you and me . . . I think she wanted to make them feel weak."

Raven couldn't have agreed more.