Invade

Chapter 1 -- Thrree

Where am I?

Fabric still covered my vision. I could barely see through the thin crossing fabric lining. I knew I was in a poorly lit room. Petty light seeped it's way through the micro-squares of the cloth to my eyes.

I could still breathe. My breathes were paced and content. I didn't want to lose my cool in whatever situation I was in, wherever I was. The cloth moved inward and out with each breath.

Shallow murmurs surrounded me. I wasn't really sure where they were coming from. It was like people were all around me. The voices hushed. I could hear my own heart pound against my chest. Contraction after contraction.

I tried moving my arms but they were restrained on to whatever I was sitting on. Chains dug deeper into my wrists, cutting off circulation. The rattle of the links clinking together from me trying to loosen them echoed within my brain.

How could I let this happen to me? I thought I was tougher than this. I'm a Zyto!

I jerked my body around on my seat trying to loosen the chains. They rattled around but loosened to no prevail. I yelled in frustration. The people around me started chuckling at my anger and attempt to get free.

"You think this is so funny" I shouted. I stopped moving and sat up "I think it would be funny if I shot you in the head".

People around me started howling at me with laughter. "You're so scary! I'm shaking uncontrollably" shouted a male behind me. I started shaking my head back and forth to get the bag of my head.

People still laughed at my attempts to get free.

"Everyone shut up" a female voice shouted out to the others. They went dead silent. "That's more like it" she snapped. Her voice echoed off the walls around me. I still shook violently trying to get free.

"And you. Quit freaking out" she shouted towards me. I obeyed and stopped, staying still on the seat.

"This is our esteemed guest" she started talking to the people around me. "You will treat him as one of us. He is very important to us" the woman called out.

He is very important to us.

What did she mean?

"I'm your guest? Well this someway to treat your guest" I snapped. This was ridiculous, I shouldn't be here with these people. "Do you do this on birthdays? Must be some party"!

"Shut up. I could easily kill you in that chair right now, but the leader and I are feeling generous today. Besides, we need you. Don't screw it up" she sounded flustered.

"Well if you're feeling generous then why am I tied and blinded on a chair"?

"Because we know you Thrree. You're with the Zytos, we knew it would be a difficult task to get you here and keep you here without you killing any of us".

"How do you know about me? Why do you need me" I shouted at the woman. This was becoming weird. I didn't know where I was, who these people were, and why they needed me. Me out of the ten thousand people in the city.

"That will all be explained later Thrree. First let me introduce myself" she paused. In one swift movement the cloth bag was taken off my head. The light flooded in quickly, blinding me for a quick second. My vision restored to reveal the room around me.

I was in a large and gloomy room. Beds were placed randomly throughout the room. Each of them had a chest or bag next to them. I was in some sort of old abandoned factory. Conveyor belts were frozen in place. Each belt leading into a strange machine. There were separate built out rooms with perfectly fixed glass. The ground, walls and roof were a clear and shiny white. Light beams were built on the roof to light up the room.

Rafters were overhead on the right and left of me. All sorts of people stood on the walkways looking down at me. I was in the center of the room sitting on a chrome chair. Behind me were tables with game pieces on them that were neatly organized.

Tons and tons of people sat around me. It ranged from children to adults. Male and female. Some were civilians of the city and some were different faction members that I knew. Their eyes looked at me with curiosity and wonder.

Red flags hung down from the ceiling with gold emblems on them. The golden emblems were large gold circles with all of the faction symbols in it. Above it was a golden 'V'.

A woman stood in front of me. She looked to be the same age as me. She had long brown hair that covered one of her eyes. The eye that I could see was a pale blue iris. She wore a black long-sleeve shirt and black pants. A holster was strapped around her hip with a handgun in it.

"My name is Hazel North, and I'm in second command of the Virtue".

I couldn't help but to laugh.

"What is this? A new secret faction" I couldn't help but to laugh.

"What's so funny"? Hazel crossed her arms and gave me a even more serious look.

"This is so ridiculous" I murmured to myself. All of this was silly to me. It must be some dream. Everything that happened must have been a dream. The meeting with Zoe, killing Shawn, Fivve hitting me, following Zoe, seeing Zoe's father die, the book, the key and now this. It's all one big dream.

I closed my eyes and opened them again.

Everyone and everything was still there.

"No Thrree this not a new faction and no this is not a dream" she smirked. "I promise you, all will be explained soon, all of your questions will be answered" she clapped her hands together.

"Roman open the lock" Hazel called out. A boy stood up with a key and went behind me. The lock on the chains popped open and fell to the floor with a loud clink.

I brought my arms up to me and started rubbing my wrists. Red indentations from the links were imprinted on my wrists.

"Come on. You're having dinner with the leader".