Red {Wolf Rebellion I}

Chapter 11~Veil Of Confusion~

The veil of confusion gently falls away, revealing the path that lies there before me, to step forward or not, what will it be?

-Gabriella Goddard

Chapter 11~Veil Of Confusion~

After a much-needed shower, some new clothes, and painkillers I felt relatively human again. I hoped Roth would be able to figure out how our contacts had malfunctioned. That would be one unexplained mystery off the list.

I ventured down to the cafeteria a few minutes early, hoping to get some food and sit before anyone could bombard me with questions. Fortunately, my plan worked. I was the only one there besides a few older senior agents in the far corner.

I grabbed a plate and the first food my eyes landed on. Carmine's earlier warning- the one about not eating anything that was given to me- played in my ears as I made my way to our usual table.

I slipped my phone from my pocket, sending a quick text to Adam. While I waited for him, I studied my phone. It was simple, no extras like games or access to the Internet as per Red's standards. The only two capabilities it possessed were texting and calling, both of which were monitored frequently by Red.

It had always seemed strange that, with all of the tech available to Red, they only allowed these simple phones. When I'd first joined Red, Claret had explained it was for simplicity's sake. Phones weren't meant to be a distraction here, but rather a means of quick communication.

The more I studied my phone, the more paranoid I became. Great job Ruby, I thought. You're letting a concussion go to your head. Both literally and figuratively.

"What did that phone ever do to you?" Ginger's voice snapped me out of my thoughts, and I glanced up at her.

"I was just thinking." I responded as I slid the phone back into my pocket and cleared my thoughts. "Hey," I started, "why did Claret have you stay when we got back?" I remembered her and Phoenix staying behind when I'd left to go to the clinic. I hoped they hadn't gotten in even more trouble.

"She just needed more details about our side of what happened." She shrugged as she ate a grape. "She was really harsh on you though. I don't know why she thought we hadn't followed orders."

I frowned as Scarlett, Phoenix and Jasper joined us. Did Claret not believe our version of the Hunt? "Did she mention anything about the bad intel?" I questioned. I didn't understand her sudden change in attitude.

"Not paticularly." Ginger answered.

Jasper and Scarlett began talking with Ginger as I became absorbed in my thoughts once again. The old Claret would've been furious. Not at her agents, but at whoever had given her the intel. She would've put our safety above all else. Why had she suddenly turned on us?

When Adam finally arrived, I shoved all my problems and worries away and attempted to have a normal conversation for once. I caught up with Scarlett, and learned that Jasper was enjoying being a Runner more than he thought he would.

Toward the end of dinner, I realized I hadn't asked Adam about the contacts yet. After a few minutes, my curiosity finally got the better of me. "Adam, did Roth say anything about the contacts?"

Adam nodded, turning to me. "He said it was likely from wearing them for so long, the enzymes and amino acids in your eyes began to break them down."

"But we had them too." Ginger spoke my thoughts before I could. "Why didn't ours break down?"

Adam shrugged. "That's all he said. Maybe Ruby and agent Carmine's eyes have a higher concentration of the enzymes."

Not likely, I thought. If what Roth said was true, how had Carmine's and mine malfunctioned at the exact same time? And right as we stepped into the stairwell? I highly doubted it was a coincidence. Roth wouldn't leave anything to chance. It was something else, I was sure of it.