Saving Annabel

Chapter 1

Before mountain lions went extinct, they were the second heaviest cats in the American continents after the jaguar. A dangerous animal, they were very adept at keeping completely still and stalking their prey until it was just the right moment to attack.

Though the beasts may have died off hundreds of years ago, the Kings of the ancient world share many disturbing similarities with the watchful and heartless Officers of Indigne.

Every day, the Officers stalk the hallways of this underground country, keeping a watchful eye on everyone walking past. Their goal: to expose as many people as possible breaking the arbitrary rules of Indigne and further their social status.

The civilians of Indigne are the prey. The Officers are the mountain lions. And right now, I am the prey, being stalked by the mountain lion.

Like many others, the Officer following me has the frightening concentration and patience of a cat. His eyes have been trained on me, never—for the past ten minutes—wavering from the back of my head.

I watch his reflection in the side mirror when his eyes suddenly flick to the right—to the mirror— and we make eye contact for the first time. I feel my heart suddenly jump to my throat. His icy and unfeeling blue eyes stare into mine for only a second before I swiftly look away, focusing instead on the head in front of me and hoping, somehow, the Officer didn't see me staring at him.

I try to calm my ragged breaths. I'm lucky, I remind myself. There are lots of people in here—not that anyone will dare stop the Officer from hurting me—but hopefully the crowd will, at the very least, discourage him from it. But that won't matter if he chooses to follow me down to my floor--I'll be alone then.

Beads of sweat form on my forehead and I let my hair fall loosely around my face, creating a shield between me and his reflection.

I don't know why he's following me. My shift at the nursery is over. I've kept my head down all day, never having looked at any officers in an offensive manner—though sometimes that's been hard. I've been good. There should be no reason for him to follow me. Except, I realize, what if he knows of my special arrangement with Luca?

Chills travel down my spine and I involuntarily tighten my hands around the paper bag of food. The heat of the pasta adds moisture to my already clammy hands. It's suspicious enough that Luca, one of the head chefs, repeatedly makes special food for a commoner like me, but if the Officer also knows there is enough food in the bag for two people...he would know I'm hiding someone. And if he knows that, there is nothing to stop him from executing me and my sister. All he would have to do is banish us to the surface. We'd be dead within ten minutes of exposure.

I clasp and unclasp my sweaty hands. The elevators are only a few hallways away. Once I'm there, I can escape him—maybe. My heart beats sporadically against my chest, feeling as though waves are crashing over my body, threatening to sweep me away with them. I take a deep breath. Annabel's waiting for me to bring her dinner. I have to lose him. I advance, head-down, toward the elevators. If I hurry fast enough, I can hopefully beat him there.

I turn the corner into another less crowded hallway. After I've gone a while, I peek over my shoulder once. Several faces give me curious glances, but the Officer isn't one of them. A small bud of hope takes root in my chest, but it is squandered right away when my body collides with a stranger's back. I stumble and drop my package of food. A gasp escapes me and I stoop down to snatch the package of food back up, mumbling an apology to the stranger. Right before I reach it, another hand sneaks under mine. Freezing, my arm still outstretched, I stare at the newcomer's hand now gripping my package of food. My gaze travels up his arm and freezes at his shoulder when I recognize—out of the corner of my eye—who he is. As soon as I do, my heart stops. The newcomer, crouching only two feet away from me, is the Officer. He must have cut me off when I wasn't looking.