Victory for the People

Chapter 8

Ava POV

"Beep! Beep! Beep!" The alarm goes off, ear-shattering loud. I start my day: make my bed, brush my teeth, get dressed, and report to my superior, Griffin. Since Judgement Day, Griffin has been strange; he's been more anxious and involved in the recruits' activities, requesting more and more reports.

I enter the training room, familiar with the surrounding cool greys. I breathe in and further acknowledge my surroundings, there are more guards than usual. Uncertainty crept in my chest, breathe in and breathe out, it'll be okay. Staying to my usual schedule I resume my drills and continue my day as if there was nothing wrong. Inside, I know something is wrong. After all the years I've known Griffin, this is out of his character. Extra reports? More guards? Did he think I wasn't doing my job properly anymore? I feel the panic flourish in the pit of my stomach. Keep cool, this isn't you. It's nothing.

The day continued as a blur, but something started unconsciously grasped my attention, the voices of the guards:

"Griffin is apparently suspicious of a certain someone here." He subtle nodded his head, towards me? Panic, no fear struck my heart. Griffin doesn't trust me?

"He's getting more and more pushy, persistent? He went from barely caring to caring too much. We can be doing better things than watching these hopeless children. Especially the Collin kid. It seems like all he gets is a rough time." He scoffed in pity, making eye contact with me, realising I heard everything; silence filled the room between us. Where was he getting at?

I finish my job like I'm supposed to, I don't want to upset Griffin more than he was. I think about going straight to my room, but would that bring more bring more attention to me. Why do I feel so anxious, am I supposed to feel this anxious when I'm innocent? The seed of fear started to sprout into questions, taboo questions: What is Griffin hiding? What does he think I know? Is he going to try to "silence" me?

I scolded myself in silence, he would never do that to me. He brought me here himself, he raised me, he made me the person I am today.

"Ava Smith." A voice boomed behind me, startling me.

I hold my ground, showing no emotion, putting no emotion in my voice, "Yes?" I turn around to see Griffin. Griffin hair was messy his suit crinkled, and a unfamiliar glint in his eye. I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was but all it did was further fueling my taboo thoughts.

"I have a favor to ask you."

"Yes sir?" Sweat trickled down my forehead. The feeling in my stomach was taunting me.

"Be sure to have the recruits ready for the Gauntlet, would you?" A lazy smile went across his face, "Anything new to report?"

"No. But sir?" My voice wavered a bit, "Why is Collin still here? I would like to request a discharge. His scores weren't high enough on Judgement Day, and I believe this program is too much. As a trainer, a recruiter, I can't watch one of my recruits keep failing." I stand up taller, regaining my confidence.

His face turned to stone, "Are you questioning my judgment?" His eyes were felt with anger, "You're the last person I would've thought of that would question me. Continue to your room Ava Smith. Have a goodnight."

Griffin leaves me, alone to my thoughts once more. I walk to my room slowly, keeping the facade of silence and strength. No one can know my weakness.

When the night creeps up, I lay there. my thoughts keeping me up. I sneak out of my room, being wary of the camera and guards, I make my way to Griffin's office. He had to be hiding something from me. Why would he question me? I had to know, my own curiosity eating at me from the inside out.

I reach Griffin's office, of course it isn't open, just my luck. I fiddle around with it for a second, just for the door to open in my face. I hurriedly make it to the corner, before whoever ,or whatever, it was saw my face.

"Hello?" It was Griffin. "Who's there? I saw you, now come out and maybe, just maybe I won't inflict punishment on you." Griffin walked out of the doorway. Judging by the sound of the footsteps, he was coming closer to me. I started debating whether or not if I wanted to run or act like I was walking down the hallway. I won't run. I will stand my ground and I won't scurry like a mouse.

He inched closer and closer, until by pure luck a guard came up to Griffin. They whispered so low that I couldn't hear, both stormed off and I returned to my personal mission. Entered the office, it was empty. Everything was neat and orderly; I gently look through the office contents, being sure I returned everything back in place when I finished. Then I stumbled on something strange: written paper work.

I grabbed it, and carefully returned to my room, shaking.