A Hero in the Dark: 2nd Edition

Chapter 88: Private Custody

I startle with a gasp to find that I'm chained to a steel table, and a steel chair, in a grey room. It's unfamiliar, and there's nothing in here with me except a man in a black suit who regards me with a petite smile, an unfriendly smile. I have no idea who he is.

"What's going on? Where am I?" My ankles; they're stuck too.

"You're in Earth Garde holding," he explains, but I just stare, confused.

"For what? Why am I here?"

He laughs at that, a hysterical, annoying laugh that drives me up the wall. "Hm, let's see, where should we start? Running from the law, working with an alien maniac, threatening the Prime Minister of Australia, physically assaulting a young adult male—"

"I didn't even hurt him that bad."

"Really? Of all the crimes I listed, that's the one you're focusing on?"

"He was... He was tormenting another student," I note. "Surely, that's against the law too."

"Tormenting, huh?" says the man before he gets up in my face. "And who are you to make such a decision to put an end to it?" I grit my teeth and hold my tongue. "Exactly as I thought," he goes on. "You have no reply. You willingly struck out against him." He leans back, sparing me a glance over his shoulder, smiling slightly. "But perhaps you thought you had the authority to."

"What?"

"Don't play with me!" he shouts, slamming a fist down on the table. "We know who you are, Miss Emily De Silva: 'associate' to the Mogadorian Killer." My heart seems to stop at that. "Let's get something straight: You may think you can do whatever you want around here, but you are gravely mistaken. I know who you are; I know what you do. I have guards posted outside this room; they have their orders to subdue you should you escape, so try if you must, and you will receive what's coming to you. Understood? I have eyes everywhere."

For a while, I say nothing, refusing to look this man in the eyes or accept my situation. Is he claiming to have arrested me? After all the phone calls dad made to the UN, to the police, to Mr. Nally even... about allowing me to stay in Kingston without punishment? Am I out of luck?

I don't want to believe it. Finally, I manage to meet the man's eyes—they're deep green and burning with envy. "Who are you?" I ask, and at last he stands and gives me space.

"You'd like to know that, wouldn't you?" He bares his teeth. "Greger Karlsson," he spits. "Earth Garde liaison, and I'm going to make your life a living hell, Emily. I think it's more than just for what you've done these past years."

I swallow. "But... I haven't done anything," I murmur. "All I've ever tried to do was h—"

My cheek stings with the swing of a hardy slap, and I cry out. "What did I say?! Don't play with me, girl! You'll give me a confession one way or another; I don't care what it takes!" He pauses then, letting me sulk and catch my breath. "There's only one way this ends, Emily. You might as well be upfront. Now, tell me: Do you regret assaulting Lucas Brady?"

"Lucas..." I start, only realizing then that he must be the 'Luke' that attacked Gordan. "No."

He smacks me again, this time on the arm and with a baton. "Do you regret assaulting Lucas Brady?!" he yells. I don't answer, wheezing in breaths, and he smacks me again. His voice gets louder with every hit. "Do you regret assaulting Lucas Brady?!!"

"Yes!" I shriek, leaning away from the weapon as he raises it.

"What?" It hits me anyway.

"Yes," I murmur. "I knew it wasn't right. I could've handled it better."

"Or not handled it at all." I say nothing to that but shake my head. "Right?"

"He was mistreating a minor," I say in a harsh whisper. "I swore I wouldn't let that happen again—on my best friend's life. I swore it. I'm glad I—" SMACK!

"Mistreatment or not, you should've stayed out of it," he spits. "You think you can violate the Garde Accord to spite us?! You can't."

"I didn't even sign the Garde Accord."

"Does it look like I give a flying fuck?" he barks and smacks me again on the forearm. "Why did you do it, Emily?! Why did you do it?!"

"Do what?!" I cry.

"You know what," he spits. "Siding with that fucking terrorist and terrorizing the world."

"I didn't." SMACK! "I don't know!" Honestly. I don't know what to tell him. How can I possibly explain to someone in Earth Garde that it was an accident when it obviously wasn't? He sees me as the enemy; there's nothing I can possibly say to change his mind to get him to stop this, and that fact alone makes me want to shrivel up and cry into a ball. "Why... Why are you doing this?" I murmur, quaking. "You're Earth Garde. You—You're not allowed to treat us like this."

"Who's us?" he asks, as if he doesn't have a crying criminal aching in front of him.

"Us... I mean, well, us—Human Garde."

Again, he laughs. "You're more naïve than you think if you think that's how we operate," he says, only approaching when my tears settle and my vision clears. "It's a matter of security," he goes on then, "so answer the fucking question. Why would you side with someone like him?"

I shake my head. "I don't know," I say again, this time with more emphasis on the words.

But of course, the reaction I get is the same: a hardy, stinging SMACK! across both arms. My hands ball into fists as I try to breathe through the burning vibration, and through the gaps between my fingers, I catch the glint of the glow of my ergokinesis. I take a breath to fade it—what good will it do to use it now? But Mr. Karlsson must see because he wraps a hand over it. "Don't do it," he warns, another hand at the back of my head. "Don't fucking try me, Emily; just tell me what I want to know. Why the fuck did you do it? Why would you turn your back on humanity like this?"

Like this? What? Does he think I still side with... with Setrákus Ra? Even if he's dead? Surely, he knows he's dead, right? John and the others... they must've announced it. "I don't—" He lifts the baton, rests it over his shoulder, as if he's getting ready to deliver another blow. I drag in a breath and hold it for a second, thinking back to the day I officially pledged my loyalty to him. "I thought it was the only way; I swear. I didn't mean to. I knew it wasn't right, but he hurt me, and I—I didn't know what else to do. Please, you need to believe me." He twists the baton in his grip, and it's obvious his grip tightens in doing so. "I promise; I changed. I don't think the same as I did."

He drops the baton and lets it rest against the table, startling me, but I'm relieved when he leaves it be. I let out a long-held outbreath that I didn't know I was holding. But unfortunately, the moment doesn't last long; Mr. Karlsson holds me close by the shoulder and speaks right into my face, "You expect me to believe that after everything you've done?" I shake my head, seeing his knuckles graze the nightstick beside him. I'm relieved to see he doesn't take it again, but less so when he digs a nail into my wrist. "I know you have a history with that motherfucker," he continues. "My team and I re-excavated that wrecked mountain as soon as we could after the war was won. I know what he's done, and I know what he's done to you, more than anyone." He digs a nail further into the green of my wrists. "Now answer me: Why did you do it?"

My heart's in my throat. It's like little needles stabbing me under the restraints. I've tried so long to forget the scars over the past year, but ever since his sludgy stuff wore off—after I had no way of receiving my next augmentation—it's like they've been newly discoloured again, and it certainly doesn't help to have this guy touching them now. "I'm telling you," I breathe. "It was the only way... It was the only way to save myself. I'm sorry."

He tugs on my hair, and I cry out. "I'm losing patience," he spits. "You better tell me now, you little bitch, or I swear, that fucking boyfriend will be the last thing you see."