Chronicles of the Unknowns: Division

Chapter 15

Jason POV

I followed as Augustus took me to the Supreme.

Although I was surrounded by silence, my mind was filled with thoughts.

I could still hear Delaney's thoughts. She admired Augustus. It was hard for her not to. He showed genuine concern for anyone he crossed paths with. Plus he didn't turn her away in her time of need. Since he was her superior, she wasn't sure if friend was the right word to use to describe him, but she undoubtedly looked up to him.

Augustus's thoughts were all over the place. He was thinking about the Supreme's wellbeing and why she'd wanted me. His mind mused over my abilities. Irritation flowed through him at his peer's inaction.

We arrived at the door and I was taken aback at the scene. I saw a young woman sitting in the corner, with a book in her hands. The pages were turning rapidly, yet her hands never moved. She never looked up from the book, and yet I could tell she was fully aware of who we were and why we were here.

It wasn't lost on me that I could only see into her mind because she allowed me to. And even then, my depth perception was only so far.

As I began asking questions it became obvious that she wanted to speak with me alone. Eventually she sent Augustus away and it was just me and her.

"Augustus. I will need some alone time with Jason," she said

Even though I remained focused on the Supreme, I knew that Augustus was looking at me. He wasn't sure how I felt about being alone with her by myself.

I'll be fine, I said. My use of telepathy was simply a symbol of privacy. We both knew that nothing went under the Supreme's nose.

As Augustus left he came to the realization that the Supreme was preparing for battle. It made him uneasy as he pondered over what could possibly lay ahead. It had taken him a long time to come to this conclusion. I'd realized it a long time ago.

You want me as part of whatever army you're trying to prep, I thought.

Giovanna is the result of me trying to prepare for the next generation. I wanted someone who could take my place a rule accordingly. It takes someone extremely powerful to do that. She is not yet as powerful as me, but with proper grooming she may very well become so.

I didn't like the sound of that. The Supreme had always ruled with an iron fist, and had zero tolerance for defiance. To meet her face to face right now it was hard to believe that this was the being that instilled fear in so many Unknowns. But as I peered into her mind, there was no doubt that this was her. I could see bits and pieces of memories floating about. Gruesome deaths and bloodbaths.

This woman had killed many people in her lifetime.

I'm assuming that since Giovanna didn't work out, you think I'm your next best bet, I responded.

In a way you could say that. Believe me when I say I am the only person who could possibly defeat her single-handedly. But at the rate I am deteriorating even that statement might not prove to be true for very long.

So if no one can but you can beat her then why are you building an army? Why am I here?

You must listen more carefully when I speak Jason.

Her tone made me pull out of her mind a bit. I looked up and she was looking directly at me. Her black eyes were frightening, but not scarier than some of the memories I'd seen in her head.

I said that I am the only one who could possibly defeat her single-handedly. My deck has already been stacked - the cards already played. The only problem is that I will not be here much longer to play the game. You are here because I am going to teach you the rules and pass everything I have onto you.