Colourless

Chapter 34

Airel's POV

We walked to the staircase leading down to the basement, Skye is walking close beside me, a seemingly permanent scowl etched on his face.

I tried to press my lips together to hide a bubbling laugh as I looked at his face. It is justified though, we didn't have hoverboards or any shield that means no transport, so Zane had to call Jarek to give Skye a lift. He had whined a lot about that but had ultimately swallowed it.

We stepped down, each step controlled, giving us, Skye to calculate our surroundings. The same graffiti lined the wall but today the lights were off, a necessary measure to not draw any unwanted attention when something important is going to go down today. The light from my phone guided us down,

The faint glow through the door came into view and I clicked off the flashlight slipping the phone in my pocket. Jerek pushed open the door and stepped inside, I followed with Skye. Zane entered the last locking the door.

We both eyed the lock with suspicion, Skye glanced at me with an intense look before breaking the stare.

Stay on guard, be ready for anything. With years we have mastered the art of communicating without words and it comes handy.

I didn't had a chance to analyze my surroundings or even the occupants when I had first come here, my mind had been too heavy with questions and answers.

Jarek guided us ahead, he is not muscular not by any chance, he gives off the tech guy vibe with his glasses and concentrated glance. I have met people like that so it comes easy to read him just by the way he carries himself, not too confident in himself.

Kids and teenagers of all the ages were spread all around, occupying a seat on the ramps and benches. Eyes following our every move, they had different reactions to us, the kids were unbothered but the older ones, they calculated us, trying to read us, not too cold nor too warm just cautious.

They are all awake in the dead of the night when the whole country sleeps, plotting for their freedom.

I continued to walk, shoulders squared in confidence, steps self- assured but eyes warm and understanding. I poked at Sky's hand with my pinkie finger, communicating with my eyes to soften a little. He meets my gaze and followed my silent request, changing his scowl into a blank expression.

Oreana came into view, her green asymmetrical bob and lip piercing giving her the look of a rebel.

Just what she is, what I am willingly going to be a part of.

She is standing with crossed arms, a single unoccupied chair beside her. Her message was clear, we are not welcome, yet. And this meeting is going to decide if we are going to be.

We both stopped simultaneously, a foot gap between me and Skye; and Oreana. Jerek walked to stand beside her, demonstrating which side he is on but Zane. Zane walked to stand between us, choosing to remain neutral as a representative from both the sides.

" Do you believe us now Ariel?" Oreana asked with a blank look getting straight to the point.

I tried to mimic her keeping my face devoid of the emotions that had been eating me from the inside. Spending some time with Zane had eased, made me forget about it but ultimately we have to come back to it.

" Did you know about that" I answered her with a question, agreeing with her but not voicing it. Her eyebrow twitched at this.

" No we didn't but for some reason I believe that that is not the reason you came to Urydale?" I tensed at her question, with every eye on us I felt the tension grew as I didn't respond.

" No and what reasons you have to believe that the government is responsible" Skye countered from beside me, shifting forward to intimate them.

Something flashed in her eyes, Oreana narrowed her eyes at us and a hush fell in the room. A dark look appeared on Zane's face.

Maybe we have asked the wrong question, after what they have told me, what Nanu said their hatred towards the government is clear.

"I heard them interrogating someone" I interjected, looking at Zane for some explanation.

He gave me a nod to continue, " He, he sounded like a child" I hesitated not knowing what to say that won't offend them.

" Everyone is brought here when they test colourless, generally at ten. But some have always been here" she replied, gesturing a hand at Zane.

" You found your grandfather here, did he tell you the reason why" I felt a lump grow in my throat, the topic is like a fresh wound that I have not yet covered with a bandaid.

I give her a slight nod " Then there you have it, there is no reason to beat around for any proofs when you have one alive and breathing" her jab at the end hurt and I gritted my teeth, my fingers itching to release a dagger.

" What do you want from us," Skye asked with an angry edge in his voice.

" You are our link to outside Urydale" Oreana answered simply as a matter of fact. But we already knew that.

"And what do you plan to do with it" Skye questioned again with an integrating stare.

She didn't answer and we didn't budge, the answer was clear as the day. She wanted to bring down the government. But she refused to voice it, it was written in her blazing eyes, in her clenched fists.

This is not going to work, we can stay here all night and reach to zero conclusion. We don't have time to waste, we have a train back to Athesy tomorrow afternoon.

And an association or not nothing is going to convince me to bring Ash here. There is no point unless she gives me a reason to believe otherwise.

She has to do something to convince me, I am already on her side. Being righteous and fighting for rights is good, something I want to be a part of but I don't want my family pulled in the middle of.

But it already is.

" Will you help us?" she asked, looking at us intensely. I know what she is doing, she needs a confirmation from us.

I think back to everything I have witnessed in this town. To all the broken families.

And I find that I already have the answer to that, it can be our family in that interrogation room, if not now than two months later. I can't stay in school forever and cover for Ash.

" Yes" I answered and I saw Skye nod beside me in confirmation.

She didn't smile, instead releasing a silent breath of relief. But aside from her everyone's face lit up.

Hope radiates from them, the children and teens, soothing the tense hall with a warm assurance of a brighter future.

Oreana gave a small smile at last, just a curve of her lips. She raised her hand sideways to the empty chair, closing her fist in a motion of grabbing the chair. I looked at her in confusion, is she expecting the chair to move by herself. I was going to step forward to help her with a chair, irritated by the now present smirk on her face.

I stopped before I could make any advancement.

The chair rose up above the ground, floating in the air as if an invisible force was keeping it up, it glided across to us, landing down soundlessly in front of me.

And I watched, mouth still parted open and eyes wide in disbelief