The Hunt

Chapter 12

Darren:

My mind is still full of what happened yesterday. Meeting the director would have been a big enough deal on its own, but Mike being the head of the Director's guard on top of that makes it even more shocking. It's all a little unbelievable. More like a lot unbelievable. And he wants me to catch the girl, to bring her in. I've got no choice of course. Bring the girl and the treason charge will be dropped. Don't bring her in and, well I don't want to think about that.

I asked him why, but he told me nothing. I get the idea that there is something about her. Something special or important. Some reason why he's making me catch her specifically. But maybe it's just a test. I let her go after all.

Am I going to be able to shoot the dart? I hate doing it in usual circumstances. But now it seems worse somehow. I gave her freedom and now he wants me to take it away. Take it all away with pull of a trigger.

After he told me to bring her in we were dismissed, Jack and I. Mike stayed behind, so I couldn't question him further like I wanted to. He hadn't even finished the story about John's mum. I feel more forgiving of John now. I wonder if he knows his mum is here, or what he remembers of the whole thing. I don't know how old he was when it happened.

At the back of the office, on the opposite side from which we entered, was another door. I never noticed it until we were directed out that way. I'm not even sure it was there before then. Mike led us to the door and it opened up into the dining room. The door at the back that no one goes through. The door leading to the Director. I remember that conversation with Mike and Jack, sitting at lunch. The conversation that lead me to that room. They both knew already. Man I was really tricked.

It was late by the time we came out. I was ready to challenge Jack with a barrage of questions, to push him for answers. I felt the need to understand but he pre-empted me and cut me off before I started.

"Save your damn questions for tomorrow." He said. "Now's not the time. Meet me in the library in free time. We'll talk then."

I agreed.

Today was slow. I worked at picking weeds, we did combat training and I was thankful John didn't want to pair up with me today. I'm still in pain from the last time, though I'd more or less forgotten about it until then. I sparred with Jack, but I couldn't question him with our whole group there, it would be too easy for them to overhear.

And now we're here, in the library again, sitting at the same table we'd sat at with Mike. I haven't seen Mike since yesterday. I've seen no sign of him. I look at Jack and he looks back at me, there's a hardness in his eyes.

"Don't be so damn judgemental." He says.

"Tell me what the hell's been going on." I fire back at him. Despite all that's happened I can't help but still trust the guy. He's still the closest thing to a friend I have in here, and I think I'm going to need a friend soon.

"Right. But listen to the end. Then say what you damn well want." He says to me.

I nod my head. "Ok." I will hear what he's got to say.

"That bastard took my sister. He's got her held up in one of them damn cells."

There's anger in his eyes, and a sadness mixed in. The look of someone who wants to fight but is helpless.

"I was a bit like you. Foolish. Always questioning what we're doing here. When you started asking me if we were doing the right thing, I knew we were similar."

He looks at me, sadness seems to have won out by his expression.

"I signed up to help save humanity from the 'monsters'. That's what they said. But I started to think we were the damn monsters. Started driving John mad, he hated me for questioning it, hated me for asking."