Group Z

Chapter 3

A day later I leave the Hub, long after the sun had set to head to Sector 3 under the safe cover of darkness.

The previous day had been spent reading through the package given to me and forming plans of action. The Master had arranged, unusually for a small helicopter to take me most of the way to Sector 3. This way it takes only an hour to do what would take me several under other circumstances. As we travel, I stand holding onto the opening and look out over the dense forest that separates each Sector, large concrete walls with ivy crawling all the way to the top effectively trapping all the citizens inside the separate living quarters. The five Sectors are set out like in a dice, several miles apart. The Hub, a large, imposing building sits at the head of the Sectors as if it is looking over them, judging the several thousand citizens. Far in the distance is the hazy reflection of a sliver of moon on a large lake. On the far side of the lake I can just make out the outline of mountains.

The helicopter drops me just outside the gate of Sector 3. This Sector isn't in abject squalor like Sector 5 but it doesn't include the mansions in Sector 1 and the extravagant wealth of the Hub, where the Master lives. The people here survive comfortably, there is plentiful work in manufacturing factories and raising produce. The reasoning behind the different wealth's of the Sectors is a mystery. Known only to the Master himself, and those before him.

I jump out of the helicopter whilst it is a few feet above the ground. It whirrs off silently almost before I regain my footing and show my barcode and chip to the hidden camera above the gate of the Sector, the only clear way in or out. The chip in my shoulder grants me access to every Sector, this is in case a hunt moves between Sectors, it also allows me easy access in the case of having multiple prey. No doubt also a way to keep an eye on our whereabouts. I slip through and, I'm on my own.

Once inside the gate I hear a small beep meaning that the alarm has been reactivated so if anyone left the Sector an alarm would sound and Revealers would swarm the transgressor. No one has ever escaped a Sector, that anyone knows of anyway. Or who have lived to tell the tale. Needless to say, no one ever leaves their Sectors unauthorised. And the only ones who get authorisation are Revealers.

Here the pavements are clean, and the houses are a modest size. Sticking to the shadows I walk through the streets until I come to the home of Malcolm and his family. It is a large two story house with wooden beams crossing the face of it, bigger than those others within the Sector. It doesn't surprise me, within the package I received I was told that Malcolm is the 'leader' of this Sector, all jobs go through him and he oversees everything. It makes sense that the Master would be uneasy about his potential treachery.

Outside is a well-manicured garden with bushes and trees of vibrant colours. A pretty row of flowers line all sides of the house. I kneel in the garden, in the cover of the bushes on a small patch of bare dirt.

Now comes the part of the plan that could easily make or break the Hunt. I take out one of the daggers and, taking a deep breath slice across my left arm, my not dominant one making a deep cut, so it bleeds heavily. I slice a matching gash across my right thigh although not making this one as deep, I don't want to die after all. Using my hands, I smear the blood all over my body and a bit on my face specifically my temple, picking at the fresh wound from the Revealer so that it bleeds again. Then picking up some of the dirt I'm sitting on I rub it all over myself, my face, hands, clothes adding a few leaves to my hair that are on the floor from the trees hanging overhead. Giving myself a look over I'm think I look grubby enough to pass for being on the run with wounds from a fight.

Feeling slightly woozy from blood loss and the pain of cutting into myself, I stand up and making as much noise as possible I walk up to the porch seeing the light flick on overhead and the door open slightly, then wider when they see me swaying on the porch, blood dripping down my face, arm and leg onto the floor.

'Please. Help me.' I whisper.

I let myself collapse to the floor and feel strong arms around me lifting me, when the air turns warm, I know we are in the house.

I hear running footsteps and then there's a warm soft surface beneath me, cool hands on my forehead.

'Who is she?' A female voice asks.

'I don't know!' Another voice responds. 'She was on the porch.'

I feel the presence of more people in the room and know I only have seconds before I lose consciousness. Maybe I did cut too deep after all.

'What's your name honey?' The same female voice asks.

I only have time to whisper one word before darkness closes around me. 'Zi.'