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Chapter Four

Chapter Four

First thing that comes into my mind is: What is he even doing here?

See, Jack is the oldest Victor in the Council. Everyone knows him. Everyone favors him. Everyone listens to him. His voice is probably the strongest one in the Council. No one dares to defy him, especially when it comes to the rules and authorizations. His decisions are like shackles on a criminal, dragging them down under a current of faults and accusations whenever he pounds the gavel against the podium and decides guilty! But sometimes, his decisions are a gateway for others to new life and beginnings when he subjects them into the state of no crimes and lets them go.

I guess you can say it all depends on him. His vote on the matter is always valued. Not overlooked but valued. Almost all the Homeless hates him since most of them are criminals released under parole from crimes they claim they’ve never even done. But no one cares what they say. Not when Jack is the opposite party.

Now, as he’s standing in front of us in a smart suit with a neatly pressed pinstriped coat and slacks, his wise-looking gray eyes scanning over us as if sizing us up from the head to the toes, his slicked back graying hair, everyone stops talking and all eyes are on him. If this was nighttime, I’d expect crickets to start making their unrequited noises which usually fills the night air.

Everyone’s holding their breaths, I realize. My eyes fall to Xavier, who looked bored, his fingers drumming against the tabletop. Does he even know who just arrived?

I stomp on his foot from under the table. His eyes flit to mine and he says, “What?”

That was the first time I’ve made contact with him voluntarily and I almost cringe, though I try to hold it back. I discreetly jab my index finger behind him, referring to Jack. He tilts his head, his expression confused. Is he trying to piss me off by pretending not to understand? I jab a finger again and finally, he looks over at the same time Jack smiles at us, reminding me of a lizard who just ate a fly. His outside demeanor seems intimidating, the air around him strict and complying. One must obey him with no questions. Well that seems likely with Xavier turning back to me, looking bored again. What is it with him?

Jack clears his throat. Then he says in a gruff voice full of authority, “Will the ones with their backs to me find seats where they can face me? Please,” and then everyone starts moving.

Candace transfers over to a seat with a boy not much older than me, and he gladly provides a space. Xavier stands up, adjusting his jeans and then moves over to me. How dare him. 

Without thinking, before he could even sit, I place a hand over the space and ask him, “What do you think you’re doing?”

He rests his one hand on the table and his other one on the remaining space beside my hands, his long and slender fingers almost touching mine. He leans closer, a smirk on his lips.

“Won’t you share?” 

“No.” I say strongly. 

“It’s a free country,” he counters and sits down anyway, before anyone can catch up with the silent feud we were having.

I snatch my hand away. “Well that’s ironic,” I mutter and scoot farther, pressing myself against the wood-paneled walls. 

He just smiles at me and drums his fingers against on the tabletop again.

Jack walks along the aisle, eyeing us all, a smile seemingly permanently plastered on his face. “I’ll make this quick everyone so as not to delay you more on your trip. Time is gold,” he taps on his gold watch.

“To start it off, congratulations to all of you! I’m sure you all feel happy right now and are eager to see the place where you will be spending all of your time as you train to be one of us,” he nods at all of us and we nod back. “So, as you all know, whoever wins will take a spot, right?”

Is he really talking to us like this? Like we’re kids? Maybe he didn’t notice but there’s even an old man who looked almost 70 years old sitting two seats away from him. Not that hard to find, in my case.

“Do we look like kids?” I hear Xavier mumble, and after a moment’s time, I realize he was talking to me. It’s like he read my mind. I feel my heart twist just a fraction as memories surge through my mind. I bite my lower lip. 

“I know.” I simply reply and focus back on Jack.

Now I really wish there were just crickets making sounds rather than this eerie silence hovering over all of us. 

Jack gives a short laugh, his eyes full with amusement. Then he raises a hand to stop the busy chatter. It does. Something in the way he did that feels almost creepy. Chills travel down my spine like I’ve been spilled with iced water. He’s so…controlling. I don’t like the word.

“This year, the Council had to do a very difficult decision. It took us days to finalize before the annual Choosing began. But in the end, we had to eliminate Ramil Jenks. I hope you understand. He was a great loss.” He hangs his head and places his hand over his heart. 

Ramil? Is there some kind of mistake? Next to Jack, Ramil’s the second strongest leader we ever had! Why is he out? Eliminated? What changed now? I feel my heart pounding as I vaguely remember my parents discussing about the fights between the Council members when I was young. It’s always been Ramil and Jack versus each other. I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but as a kid you never really know where to draw the thin line between right and wrong.

A hand shoots up into the air. “Yes?” Jack asks.

A man stands up and says, “Why Ramil?”

For a second, Jack’s eyes seemed to darken. Then he looks down, taking his time to look up again and says in an apologetic voice, “I’m afraid it is not in your place to ask the reasons of the Council. But I am with you for the loss.”

The man nervously nods and says, “I apologize.”

“Apology accepted.” Then he straightens up. “Okay everyone! I shall proceed with my second announcement!”

Everyone who started to talk quieted down and turned to him.

“For this year’s event, all of you will be divided. Into teams.” He smiles. “Your mentors will tell you what it means when you arrive. I should get going. Have a safe trip to you all! Good luck, I say to you.” 

Then he’s gone.

The moment he left, a buzz of excitement fills the bus. I look out the window and see Jack going in a car identical to the ones we used not too long ago. It speeds off right away at the same time the intercom voice reminds everyone to be ready for the trip. The bus lurches as it starts moving, passing through the dry fields. 

Teams? What did he even mean by that? Supposedly, they value teamwork in the competition at some time but to really take it to the next level; well that’s a big step. And in a team, how many will be there? Does this mean the spot will expand wider options?

I feel the cushioned seat lighten up and when I look over for Xavier, he’s gone off somewhere. I peek over the backrest, my neck straining as I scan the area. Not here.

Whew. And I thought I would be imprisoned in my little space until the trip ends. 

I look outside, my thoughts travelling over my family. What were they doing right now? Celebrating? Sulking? Though, that seems highly unlikely since my family isn’t the type to be downright sad all the time. They move on fast. I wonder what Koby’s doing now. Sleeping? Or maybe he’s out in the farms, chasing insects and creepy crawlies.

I lean against the window, feeling the coldness seep through my skin and dream of home.