Outlier

Unravelling Occupation

I look into the cage that Mike lays in, the cell we constructed to house those who mean us harm, its strange to see someone I trusted in there, someone that once I would have died for, because he was one of us, because he was a friend.

Davey, he doesn't agree with this, with what is going on, I cant expect him to understand why but somewhere in his mind he knows what has to happen, he knows that this isn't normal people don't just come back from the hunters, you don't escape ever.

in my hand I have two sharp pen like items, their shiny metal exterior reflecting the dim light of the cell.

I look back at the door to ensure that no one is watching, to ensure that no one sees what is about to happen, because in there eyes I'm a leader and a leader needs to look strong and in control, and the best leaders don't use fear to control the masses, but I cant promise that what is going to happen isn't going to induce fear.

"wake up" I shout, jumping from my seat and dragging the metal spikes along the steel bars of the cell, Mike is hesitant to get up but as I continue to create the loud noise he is forced to an upright position.

he holds his hand to his eyes as they adjust to the light, "where am I" he asks, his voice that of someone I had spoken to many times before.

"you don't need to worry about where you are" I tell him, there is an inherent disappointment in my voice, but its hard to tell why, weather it is because of Mikes betrayal or what I'm prepared to do to discover it.

"Andrew, is that you, there here the hunters, the district they are here" he says in a frantic tone before realising where he is, as soon as he notices the bars in front of his face he goes quite for a moment, most likely weighing his options.

"Mike, I know what your thinking right now, but this doesn't have to turn bad, we can... we can move on from this, you just have to tell me the truth... please" I beg him, wanting for nothing more than to return to peace and calm.

"Andrew... what... what are you talking about, come on where are the others, this must be some kind of joke, come on where is Davey" he says his voice coming across defensive as I look down into my hands.

"Mike, we both know... we both know that there is no way out once your in, Davey said he sore you take a shot, he said he sore you go down, are you telling me that he would lie, I trust Davey with my life, so if your going to tell me he is lying your going to need some strong evidence to convince me" I tell him as I fiddle with the metal spikes in my hands, twisting them between my fingers.

before Mike can even reply I speak again in my creepily calm demeaner, "your the mole aren't you" I say, manufacturing a short silence.

"see I knew you were smarter than they gave you credit for, they thought that you would still trust me, they told me you were too naïve to think any different, but I told, I told them you wouldn't trust me after I came back, and I was right" although I predicted it its still a shock to hear, to know without a shadow of a doubt that the man you have been working with for so long has been working against you, and everything you stand for.

"why... how could you do this to everyone that trusted you" I shout at him, my voice becoming less calm and more emotional.

"the best leaders, they control there flock with fear, its a heavily effective method of control and they use it, the district... when jerry lane happened I was captured in the chaos, I met there leader, the man behind the curtain, he showed me what he was capable of and then sent me back, he assured me that he would kill me if I didn't give him what he wanted so I did" Mike says bringing a light to his betrayal of all of us.

"Mike, your going to tell me... everything, everything you told them and everything they told you, but before that I'm going to ask you to tell me", I ask him, I do this to justify my actions, it makes me feel uncomfortable, doing this again but its the best way to get everything.