The Garden of Eden (Silent Moments Series: Book 5)

Chapter 9

 "Let's go with the first," the woman prompted, her eyes fixed on me, expectant.

I began to recount the history as we knew it on the Ark. "They taught us that the war started as a Chinese first strike, but they were wrong. It was started by an AI called ALIE. Her intention was to reduce the popu—" My explanation was abruptly cut off by the radio.

"Colonel, we have five more hostiles. At least one is armed. Are we still playing nice?" The voice crackled through, urgent and alert.

Confusion and disbelief gripped me. There was no way. "Stand by," the woman replied, her tone controlled but her expression betraying a hint of concern.

She quickly issued orders to her team. "Find out where they are and reinforce their position." Then, turning her attention to McCreary, she added, "Not you, McCreary." Her gaze then shifted back to me, suspicious and calculating. "What did I tell you would happen if you lied to me?"

"I didn't lie," I said, my voice firm despite the growing uncertainty. "I—I don't know—" Her fist connected with my face before I could finish, the force of the blow jarring. I couldn't remember a day when I'd been subjected to such relentless physical assault.

"Take him outside. Use the collar," she commanded, a cold edge to her words.

McCreary's reaction was unsettlingly eager, almost gleeful. "I thought you'd never ask," he said, a twisted smile playing on his lips.

Shaw stepped in, his voice laced with concern. "Colonel, he's cooperating."

"Which is why he'll live," she retorted, her words directed as much at McCreary as at Shaw. Her gaze then returned to me, hard and unyielding. "His friends, on the other hand..."

She reached for the radio again, her decision final and ruthless. "Four of ours are dead. It's time to even the score."

The gravity of her words hung heavily in the air, a chilling reminder of the precariousness of our situation. As I was dragged outside, the realization that the situation was spiraling beyond my control was a bitter pill to swallow. The stakes were higher than ever, and the safety of those still in the woods hung in a dangerous balance.

The ground beneath me felt cold and unyielding, a stark contrast to the searing pain coursing through my body. McCreary's cruel enjoyment of my suffering was evident in his taunting smirk as he manipulated the collar, sending waves of electric agony through me. My muscles spasmed uncontrollably, each shock a brutal reminder of my helplessness. Yet, amidst this torment, my thoughts remained steadfastly on Madi, hoping against hope that she was safe.

My plea to McCreary was a desperate whisper, barely audible over the ringing in my ears. "Please, I wasn't lying." His response was a look of twisted satisfaction as he prepared to trigger the collar again.

The sudden arrival of the rover was a jarring interruption. My heart skipped a beat, fearing Madi's return, but instead, it was Bellamy. His familiar voice cut through the chaos, offering a momentary reprieve from the pain. "I'm unarmed. Just want to talk," he declared, stepping out with his hands raised.

The woman, skeptical and calculating, challenged him, her voice dripping with suspicion. "Talk? Give me one good reason not to kill you where you stand."

Bellamy's retort was a bold gamble. "How about I give you 283? That's how many of your people are gonna die if you and I can't make a deal." His casual hold of the coffee mug seemed almost surreal amidst the tension.

Lying in agony, I watched Bellamy navigate the precarious situation. His presence, a mixture of courage and strategy, kindled a flicker of hope within me. Tears of pain and relief mingled, tracing paths down my dirt-streaked face. Bellamy, after all this time, was still fighting for me, still a beacon in the darkness of our reality.

The woman weighed his words, her sharp gaze flicking between Bellamy and me. "283 lives for one, he must be important," she pondered, her mind visibly working through the implications of his statement.

Bellamy's affirmation was quiet but powerful. "He is," he stated, his commitment to our bond evident in his tone.

As I lay broken on the ground, the enormity of Bellamy's offer and its potential consequences became clear. This negotiation was more than a mere exchange; it was a pivotal moment that could alter the course of our struggle for survival. The tension in the air was palpable as the woman considered Bellamy's proposition. In that moment, the balance of power shifted subtly, the outcome of this standoff hanging precariously in the balance. My fate, along with that of my friends hidden in the woods, rested in the hands of these two adversaries, locked in a high-stakes negotiation where every word could tip the scales.