Broken

Chapter 19

"I suspect that the Association will be sending a representative to speak with you in a day or two, Miss Brogan." Stated Supervisor Nelson as we stood at the end of the corridor. He had left Laura in the exam room and offered to walk me to the exit. I assumed that I must have looked a mess for him to offer, given no one had done so the last time I was examined and found to be a No-Star. Then again, perhaps Three-Stars (or maybe the Selected) got better treatment like that.

"I'm sure they will be..." I said, sounding monotonous. I was still rattled as it was, much less with this ridiculous evaluation of having unlimited potential. There was just far too much to wrap my head around these last two days, and I'd been given no time to work through it all.

Nelson opened the door for me, and I'd hardly stepped out into the waiting room when I felt myself getting snatched by the wrist and pulled forward. I nearly struck out on instinct, but then saw that it was Eric who'd grabbed me. He should've known better than to surprise a fellow raider like that!

Then I saw the serious look on his face and froze mid tongue lashing. It was then I noticed that the lobby was a lot more worked up than it had been before I left. People were rushing around, many of them holding phones and pointing out something to one another, shouting, and seeming almost frenzied. What had happened in the last ten minutes or so?

"We got her." Eric stated, and I saw that he was talking to Nelson. The older man waited till I nodded my head, indicating I was fine, before he went back into the depths of the building. "Come on, lets go."

"What's going on?" I asked, feeling all the more drained now that the evaluation was finally done. I still didn't know if I could eat anything, but I at least needed to get some sleep. Even if I did have nightmares.

"We need to get out of here, fast." Greyson said, coming to my other side and taking my other arm. The twins were basically perk-walking me toward the main lobby at this point, Carson plowing ahead of us, looking like a wall since he was so broad.

"I've already sent Aiden to get the car. He should be right out front." Said the guild master, head panning left and right, as if he suspected an ambush.

It was then that I realized what had them all on edge. I had forgotten just how fast the Raider's Association updated their systems, and without a doubt my evaluation was already up for the world to view. With the people here likely constantly refreshing the site in the vain hope that they would be in the exact spot for their scoop, they would all know instantly that a Depraved had been found, and at which Awakening Center the Selected had registered at.

"Aoife Brogan?!" Some one called out in an excited tone.

It might have been because of exhaustion, or just a habit to turn ones head toward whoever calls out to you... But I was pretty sure the reason I instantly turned to look for the person who'd shouted my name was just out of sheer shock that someone I didn't know had pronounced my name perfectly on the first try.

Luckily Greyson was thinking clearer than I was at the moment, and just before cameras started to flash in my face, he had already taken off his hoodie and thrown it over my head, blocking my face from the view of the now swarming reporters and journalists. It hung over my head, and most of my vision was taken up by it. I felt the two men pick up the pace either side of me as the others crowded in.

"Damn bastards." I heard Eric growl, sounding like the bear he sometimes was.

"Miss Brogan! Are you really the newest Depraved?" I heard some one call out and I felt my heart sink. A warm hand on my back gently pushed me forward and I focused on following Carson's leather shoes ahead of me.

The desperate and excited journalists were not going to let me just vanish. Not after waiting all morning for the slim chance of reporting on the appearance of a Divine or Depraved.