Vicious Memories

Chapter 101

"Nothing now," Bev said. "Now this trial is over, and we'll move forward. Tens of thousands of death row inmates and life sentence prisoners will be rehabilitated and put back into the workforce. They'll replace the labor we've lost over the past decade until a more permanent solution is found.

"Before I get to the matter of your specific fates, though, there is one more thing." She held up a single finger. "Ollie, will you come stand next to me again? It's time for you to take your rightful place by my side. There's no other option for you. I control everything here."

The unexpected words made the villagers around me bristle with surprise.

"What is she talking about?" Finn asked.

I didn't answer, refused to even meet his eyes. Alice moved a few inches closer to me.

If she was disappointed by my hesitation, Bev didn't show it. She turned and waved one of the men behind her forward, gesturing for him to bring me to her. He adjusted his grip on his weapon and stepped forward.

A shadow moved in front of me, blocking the guard's path, and I had to be the most surprised person in the entire clearing to see the firelight reflected off the back of Arun's shaved head.

"That's as close you're getting. He's one of us."

The soldier hesitated for a second, which was all it took for several more people to shuffle their feet, moving in front of me.

I looked from person to person slowly, the sheer gratitude bubbling up in my chest tinged with a flavor so bitter I felt tears prick the backs of my eyelids. Because I knew that it would only make this harder.

I reached behind me to check one more time that the gun in my waistband was still there. It was the only weapon we had that could possibly protect us.

Except it wasn't. Not anymore.

"It's okay, Arun," I said, walking forward. "I'll go."

"What?" Alice said. She grabbed my arm and managed to spin me around, and the only consolation I had when I saw at the betrayal written all over her face was the fact that I knew Bev could see it there, too. She would know it was real.

"Let go," I said roughly. "I have to do this."

"Do what? You can't go over there."

Before anyone else could say a word I shook myself free and walked across the open stretch of ground between the villagers and Bev's guards. I could feel Arun and Gabriel's glares burning into my shoulders as I went.

I felt sick, and rather than experiencing relief once I reached my destination, I was overcome with even more hate as I looked at Bev's beautiful face up close. She smirked knowingly, barely concealed glee straining to break free.

I pulled the gun from my waistband, and before the guards could do more than yell, I handed it to her, grip first.

"Ollie," Alice cried, "what are you doing?"

Bev took the gun contemptuously and handed it to the man behind her without even looking at him. She motioned to a patch of grass on her right, and I took up the position, counting down the seconds.

It should have happened by now.

"Thank you, Ollie," Bev said loudly, so the dismayed villagers could hear. "Now, where were we?"