Subjects Vengeance // The Death Cure [2]

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T H E E N D ; P A R T O N E
"This is the start of how it ends.
They used to shout my name, now they whisper it."

MATAYA HAD BEEN CURIOUS ABOUT DEATH. What was it like? What came after? Being accustomed to it at such an early age, death was all she knew. It surrounded her, slowly crept up and wrapped itself around her body, leaving her to just sit and watch the others around her disappear.

The universe grasped the people she loved and took it away with a blink of an eye. Death was there, everywhere she looked, so what was it truly like? She never expected to live an old age, with the world in utter turmoil. She never knew what life could have been like if she hadn't been on the brink of death daily. Fighting a war, day after day.

And she had been on the brink of death, twice, but all she could feel was the sense of fear. The unfinished business lingered over her as she grew weaker and tired. Those times she wasn't ready, there were things she needed to do.

Fall in love, find a family to accept her, flaws and all. Find her place. Get the answers she deserved. Watch Ava suffer and burn. And, most importantly, win this war. It had seemed liked all of the boxes were ticking off so quickly all of a sudden and her time was nearing.

Death was ready for Mataya, but was she ready for it?

☼

SHE SHIELDED herself under the black hood as she walked through the big crowds of people, most of them on their way home from work as the night sky loomed above them. She was quick, weaving in out of the crowds as she made her way closer and closer to the place needed to be. The place that had all the answers. She patted her pocket, making sure the gun and knife were still there.

The tall glass building of WICKED loomed over her, as it had been doing since she left it. Always there, like a shadow. Her heart lodged in her chest as the light turned red and she stopped. The sidewalk was packed, and others across from her also waited patiently to cross. Her foot tapped against the concrete below her and then she saw the white walking sign flick on and she was off. Her coat swung behind her as there was a slight breeze that welcomed her warm cheeks.

Mataya stopped and took a moment to herself. She arched her neck back to get a full look at the building and then decided, it was time. She closed her eyes, practiced her deep breathing one last time and then pulled the hood off, welcoming her face to the moonlight.

She tugged at the glass door and looked at the busy building. She walked right up to the desk, her lips tightly pressed together.

"Welcome to WICKED, do you have an appointment today?" The lady behind the desk asked.

Mataya smiled, "I'm here to see Chancellor Paige."

The lady raised an eyebrow and looked at the screen in front of her, "You must be mistaken, Chancellor Paige doesn't have any meetings or appointments today."

"Trust me, she'll want to see me."

"Ma'am, I'm sorry but she's a very busy lady and does not have time for unwanted solicitors, either you can make an appointment to see someone else another day and we can go from there or I can have security escort you from the building." The ladies patience grew thin and she peered up over her glasses. She wore a white blouse and what seemed like black pants, her hair knotted into a bun.

"You must not understand, I'm Mataya Paige, Subject A9, Ava's niece and she will be seeing me now."

THE GUARD pointed the large gun at the girls back, pushing her forward towards the large double doors ahead. To Mataya's surprise, they didn't search her. It was as if they had faith that she was returning for a big family reunion, or finally turning herself in after this long manhunt.