Peril

Twelve.

I heard people around talking. Their voices echoed around the room while I was silently lying on this metal board with my eyes closed. It's all I could think at the moment,I'm already dead. I'm not dead because I was bitten by a zombie but because my fellow skywalkers captured me.

It was all a lie, Colton and Edmund was right. I should have listened to them. They weren't the bad guys, the council is. That's why Edmund almost killed me because he abhors the affluents. That's it! I get it! Maybe Edmund also experienced what I experienced.

But what if not?

I'm really confused about what's happening right now. It's like life is playing mind games on me.

I decided to open my eyes slowly. I tried not to make any noise. I don't want to distract them and I still don't wanna die. For goodness sakes.

I tried my best to look at my surroundings and saw a group of men sitting around the corner, making a circle while playing cards. They weren't guarding nor looking at me. There were like four guards.

So that means... I have a chance to untangle myself from this machine and escape because they're distracted with their game. Which means, they might not notice me.

But how?

Ugh, what a dumb idea.

These cuffs are 100% metal and cannot be easily broken. And I'm not sure if the machine won't alarm if it can't detect my presence anymore.

I stuggled and thought of something useful so that I can get out from here.

Then unfortunately, one of the guards decided to stand up and check me. I closed my eyes and pretended to be still unconcious.

"Is she awake already?" I heard the other guard asked the man near me.

"Nope, not yet. But I'm hoping she'll be awake when the boss comes here." He said in a very scary voice.

What? When? Oh no, I really gotta escape this hell as soon as possible.

The man walked back towards their table and continued playing. I opened one eye and then opened the other.

"Come on Claer. Think! Think!" I whispered to myself. I was busy thinking when the alarm triggered, red lights were flashing, and a loud noise made me deaf.

"What's happening!?" One of the guards shouted.

"I don't know." The other one answered out loud. I could barely hear them because the alarm was too loud and the flashing red lights were making me a bit blind.

The machine where I was lying made a small sound then the cuffs were gone. My limbs were untangled and I am free. I ran outside as fast as I could

"Oh no! The prisoner has escaped!" The man shouted. "Get her!"

They all ran after me. I didn't know where I was going. All I did was follow the pavements. I decided to go inside the wall vent. "This is only the way out. You can do this Claer."

Ever since I was a child, my dad taught me that in case of emergency the only exit from this zone which is the center world, is through the vents. All the vents in this place leads to an opening.

I'm not sure if it's safe but I need to do this. I crawled my way out inside the vent and tried my best to find an escape.

Steven Wilson's POV

I turned the alarm off and closed it. I heard loud steps outside the door. The door slammed open and the sky patrol guards rushed in.

"Sir Wilson, the convict has escaped! It's because the alarm turned on. We didn't know what happened sir." One of the sky patrols told me. "We tried our best to follow and catch her but she was gone in a snap."

I placed my index finger on my lips and said, "Shhh. Don't worry. Everything's under control." Then I flashed my remote on the screen revealing Claer's location and her point of view vision.

"I implanted a micro chip tracker under her right ear and micro camera contact lens on her eyes. In that way we can track and know where she is going."

"Should we follow and capture her?"

"No, don't. It was my plan to let her escape. The reason is, she will be our experimental prototype to prove if the antidote works."

"The best part is she might lead us to someone who knows the cure of the virus very well." I glared at them.

"Who is that someone Sire?" One of the guards asked.

"His name is Edmund Malarky Arclord. The former Head Government Scientist." I looked at them and flashed his picture on the screen.

"How would that be possible Sire?"

"We all know that she has no other choice but to go to the exterior and hide there. She will find a safe place to stay. And I knew that she already met Edmund because she was exposed to the exterior for a long time. Didn't you notice that she was wearing a casual outfit not a black suit? " I said.

The men nodded their heads and gave me a yes look.

"If ever she'll find Edmund then this plan of mine would be a success and that means, there is hope that we could have our normal lives back. But this time there will be no more indigent destitues instead, it will be just us affluents ruling the world." I let out a small evil chuckle.

The other sky patrols cheered and celebrated a hurray.

I didn't notice that Ebony was standing by the door. She walked towards me and said, "Steven, I hope you won't fail with this plan of yours." She gave me a curious look.

"I promise, I won't. This time, I will succeed." I gave Ebony an insuring smile.

"Well, good luck." She stood up and exited the room. I know that I will be able to succeed this time.

Edmund Arclord, I will find you no matter what it takes.

I thought to myself and looked at the screen.

"By the way, Steven." Ebony walked back towards me.

"Yes?"

"The girl, what's her name again?" She asked.

"You mean her?" I pointed the screen.

"No, not Claeris. Her younger sister." She shook her head.

"Oh, Erine Martins? What about her?"

"Where is she?" Ebony raised her eyebrow.

"We already threw her away including her parents." I told her. "I also shot her brother, Felix Martin and threw him away with them."

"Find her." She surprisingly told me.

"What? Why? But that's impossible. I don't know where she is." I insisted.

"I said find her. Because we need her. She doesn't deserve to stay in the slums. She could be our weapon against her sister."

"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion.

"We all know that Claer Martins will be back and have a revenge against us." She explained.

I laughed. "A young and weak teenage girl versus us? Seriously Ebony? We're too strong for her."

"You don't know. Who knows? Just bring me Erine that's all I ask. Find her as soon as possible. I see potential on that child." She placed her hand on her hips then grinned, "Seems sweet and innocent but I know she's not."

Ebony turned around, "Don't fail me Wilson." Then she walked away.

-end of chapter 12-