Imperfection

Imperfection Chapter 17

I wake up in a bed.

It's soft and plush, lined with silky fabrics and luxury pillows.

God, I'm so tired of blacking out.

But at least this time, I'm not being thrown around in the back of a truck.

I sit up slowly, bracing myself for the pain in my shoulder, which, much to my surprise never comes.

I lean back against the headboard and try to get out of the bed. My body is too weak, fragile. I now realize that I am starving and thirsty.

Slouching backwards, I let out a moan and pull the blankets back up to my nose.

A soft, smooth chuckle makes me pull them back down and force myself back up.

I sit up to see a silver-haired woman staring at me, slowly stirring tea.

Before I can say anything, she drops her spoon and rests the mug in her lap, refusing to make eye contact with me. "Justice Beta-Centrum, or the Salvator, the Savior, as we call you."

I narrow my eyes at her.

"Secret daughter of Peace Beta-Centrum and Courage Beta-Orientem." She looks up at me, her eyes cold and serious. "You have no idea how hard your parents tried to keep you off of the Base. But you were never supposed to live in Beta. You were meant to come out and fight with us, were you not?"

I scoff at her. "What? They didn't try to-"

"From what we have seen from your time on the Base, we believe you are just beginning to be aware of your purpose and potential." She sighs, smiling and looking up towards the ceiling. "All of these years of work are rewarded with such magnificent outcome! Oh, how proud your mother would be!"

I sit up straighter, ripping the blankets off of me. "How do you expect me to just fall for this nonsense? What are you even saying? Who are you? What is my so-called purpose and why does it matter so much to you? And lastly, why on earth would Peace be proud of me?"

She narrows her steel-blue eyes at me; studying me for a second before squeezing them shut and throwing her head back with laughter. "I guess I do owe you some sort of explanation."

"Damn right,"

She chuckles and crosses her legs, sighing softly. "Let's make this short and sweet. I am Althea, a peacekeeper of the Liberatus. My job is to ensure stability and security within the walls of our compound. The comfort and happiness of the Liberatus is one of my main priorities." She pauses to sip her tea. "Of course, I am also the regional head of an underground organization that will destroy Beta's oppressive system and guarantee social and economic justice between all Betain communities. For the past 25 years, my colleagues and I have working on a project entitled Exitus that involves us destroying Beta from within and using their limitations to our benefit. Project Exitus is currently being used in all 5 Betain Colonies guided by the organization. It is expected to be successful, especially so if the other candidates turn out as well-prepared as you have."

I skin runs cold and numb. "Don't tell me I'm already a part of this project."

"Justice, dear, you've been a part of this project since before you were born. Your birth, placement, timing, everything was planned and carefully thought through." She stands up and walks over to me, her long skinny legs strutting with each step and her pointy high heels clicking fiercely. "Justice, you were made to destroy. You are a weapon, a cleansing fire that will wipe the farmlands clear of the sins of our ancestors. You have power. You have potential. And you will help us fight back."

Her eyes are round and widening. With excitement? Maybe. With craze and insanity? Most definitely.

"I don't have do anything for you." I hiss, standing to face her. "I'm not just going to believe whatever the hell you're saying just because you're from some secret organization and you happen to know things about me."

Althea smiles. "Your mother always thought you'd be like this. Stubborn, headstrong. Just like she was."

"Who the-"

"She filmed something for you and she wanted us to play it for you. Perhaps, it'll clarify things a bit, make things seem more... real?" She pulls a tablet from her coat pocket and with a flick of her wrist, a projection appears on the wall in front of me.

A woman is on the screen, her unruly red curls filling the frame and her warm green eyes smiling down at me. She looks tired, but satisfied. Happy, but nervous.

"Hello, Justice." She says. "By the time you see this, I will be dead and you will be preparing to go after my murderers."