Halo | 18+

chapter thirty

- AURELIA JONES -

I poked my powdered eggs, a heavy doubt lingering in my mind.

"Do you know Doctor Jacks wife's name?" I asked Jace. He shrugged, "Marion I think. Why?"

I shook my head, "No reason. I saw her with Lyza in the garden the other day but she was looking at me weird."

Jace looked at me with a mouthful of food, "Whoth Lyztha?"

"Jacks's daughter, I've told you this!" I said frustratedly.

He smiled, "You're cute when you're angry."

I glared.

The room suddenly went quiet as Hugo walked in with three of his 'escorts' behind him.

Great, another announcement.

"Friends this is not something I can say lightly and it is serious. I am officially putting the capitol on a stage four lockdown. No one comes in, now one goes out."

An uproar of profanities were spilled, screams and cries.

"What the hell is going on?" I said loudly, standing up as Jace reached for me. He held me close to him.

"I don't know but it could have something to do with this." Rez ran over, slapping a piece of paper onto the table.

It was a signed order from all the leaders in the state claiming a recession.

I shook with fear, anger and betrayal coursing through my veins.

"They're declaring a free-for-all basically. A suicide mission for everyone who isn't important."

I gritted my teeth, "No, he can't do that can he? There's no way everyone would agree to it."

The hairs on my neck stood up on end, it felt like someone was staring at me.

I turned around, seeing Marion slip out the door. I chased after her, ignoring my friends pleads.

I followed her into the stairwell, hearing her descending footsteps moving away from me.

"Stop!" I called, "Marion!" I yelled, pleading for her to stop. Why was she watching me?

I made it to the top of the stairwell, where Marion was standing with a heaving chest.

"There isn't much time, you have to get out of here before the whole places goes up."

What is she talking about?

"Is that a double meaning? What do you want from me? What is your husband hiding?"

Marion shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. She seemed genuinely scared.

"I don't know. I don't know anything, it's all them-"

"Them who? What is going on?"

"My husband, he's behind it all. Hugo knows but- he doesn't agree. Hugo is the good guy here, trust him please."

I believed her, maybe I feel bad.

"What is he up too, please Marion anything? Why do we need to leave?"

My heart is thumping against my chest so rapidly. "All I know is that if there were a government, this would be a state of emergency, martial law. Everyone fends for themselves. My advice? Get out while you have the chance, there are only so many days until people get desperate."

I haven't felt fear like this in a while.

Every inch of me was itching with curiosity.

Her words were tattooed across my eyeballs, running circles around my brain.