We are taken to a room in a basement. It is fortified. It's the only area that wasn't affected by the explosion. The terrorists hold us at gunpoint. As we go to the basement, we see that there are prisons. The holding cells are clear and the electricity seems to be active down here.
"Move," the terrorist says.
She nudges me forward with her gun. I look over at Rahmell. He's a little ahead of me. I notice at that moment the holding cell is full of men.
Rahmell and I are shoved in the large holding cell full of people. There is barely any place to stand. It is a common jail area. It's clear that they've taken this area over from the District.
"They aren't killing everyone," I tell Rahmell.
I'm a little relieved. I remember the dead bodies upstairs. I remember the piles of rotting flesh just above us. I don't know why it makes me feel somewhat better to know that they aren't killing everyone. Maybe Rahmell and I had a chance. Maybe we would survive after all.
Rahmell looks around the huge cell. It's so crowded with people. The room should just fit about 10 people at most but there are three times that many in this cell. The looks on the faces of these men are crazy. They are afraid.
Rahmell shakes his head, "These are all fertile men."
"Really?"
He nods, "I know them. Fertile men from the district. The feminists are gathering them up like a herd. They're killing everyone else."
"Well luckily you're a fertile man, they won't hurt you."
"What about you?" He responds.
"I'll be OK," I respond.
I'm lying to him. Sooner or later, they'll realize I can't have babies. Eventually I'll end up like Karington or Quincy or hell even Shaddius. They didn't need ambassadors. These women were only sparing men that were able to make babies. If you couldn't make a baby then you were useless. If you couldn't make a baby, they were going to kill you.
Rahmell doesn't seem too convinced about that.
He leans up against the wall at that moment. Rahmell isn't saying it but he's scared. He's afraid of what's going to happen.
"Excuse me?" I ask one of the guys in the cell. "How long have they been holding you in here?"
The men look me up and down. He doesn't respond. He turns away. I wonder if he recognizes me as an Amazon. I wonder if that's the reason, he's being so antisocial. I am beginning to notice that a couple of the other guys in the cell are giving me dirty looks as well. It's almost as though they know who I am...or at least who I was. The Amazons have turned on me. They've left me out to dry. I meant nothing to them.
My grandmother had used me. If these men knew that, they'd realize I was no threat to them. Not anymore at least.
Rah pulls at my shirt signaling the wall, "Just be quiet Gemmy. Sit with me. Don't mess with anyone."
He has a point. People are afraid. They are scared and even worse than that. They are angry. They are really...really angry.
"I have to use the bathroom," I tell Rahmell.
"There's one over there," Rahmell states.
He points to the corner of the room. There are several men around there.
"There are...people in here."
Rahmell shrugs, "You don't have that much of a choice Gemmy."
"I..."
