The Unfortunates(101)

Vince whistled, loud and clear, and Moderators entered with a black sheet. They wrapped her body and picked up the scattered pieces of her brain and skull. Blood seeped into the rug, but there was no way he was going to have it cleaned and forgotten. No. Kade was going to have order a remodel for the room. With her gone, Kade still felt like shit.

“So the other girl knows nothing of the map? She’s not going to spread the word or try and run?” Rita asked.

“No,” Kade answered. “Even if she did see the map, after seeing what she saw… there’s no way she’d risk running.”

“Give me a few minutes with her and I guarantee I can make her spill any secret she has,” Vince offered, grinning widely.

“That’s not necessary. I’ve already dealt with her. She doesn’t know a thing.”

“We’ll just have to see what Father says about it when he comes out of his room.” He leaned forward in his chair. “If he gives me the go ahead, your whore is mine.”

Kade was unable to hold back a smirk. Michael was dead. Nine was safe. “That’s fine with me.”

“And what about the mine?” Albert chimed in. “Something has to be done.”

The rest of the Fortunates murmured their agreement and Kade had no choice. As the (soon to be) head of the Sario house, he had to take charge. “We’re going to blow the mine sky high. Tomorrow.”



∞ Nine ∞



I watch from my window as the last of the Unfortunates trail back inside their manors. Moderators litter the lawns, chatting and having a blast. They don’t care that Thirteen was killed. No one does. All day Unfortunates have been counted and tallied. Perimeters have been checked and laws enforced. Every now and then, I’d catch a glimpse of Kade walking around with the moderators pointing and explaining. He’s been busy… too busy to come back to the room and I’m thankful for it. His presence isn’t something that brings me comfort… not right now.

The sun has set. It’s like I blinked in the morning and the whole day has slipped away. I should be hungry but I’m not. The thought of food makes me want to puke. There are a lot of thoughts troubling me… more than I care to name. The most prominent thought, the one sticking out in my mind like a bright red dress in a sea of black tuxedos, is I have to leave. Thirteen tried to leave in search of a better life and to warn the Unfortunates in the mine, but she failed. Behind me, I hear the door creak, but I don’t peek over my shoulder to see who it is.

“Nine?”

Portia. Again. All day she’s been popping in and out to see how I am. She’s upset Thirteen is gone, but not like me. No one cares the way I care. No one knows what I know and no one saw what I saw.

“I’m leaving, Portia,” I admit. I don’t know why I tell her… maybe I want to hear it out loud. As my words vibrate through my ears, I know it’s the right thing to do. Silence falls. I almost think she’s gone until she speaks, finally.

“Are you leaving because of what happened with Thirteen? Or because of something else?”

I turn to face her. “What would that something else be?”

Portia runs her hands over her hair. “Master Kade. You’ve developed feelings for him and you’re afraid it’ll get you killed.”

What the hell? Can she read all that on my face? “Kaden is my Fortunate. I have no feelings for him.”

She cocks an eyebrow. “Kaden?”

Oh.

“I heard you two… the other night,” she confesses. “What you’re doing is dangerous. The cuddling, the jealousy, the sex, the disobedience—when people catch on, it’s not going to be good.”

“I’m leaving for Thirteen. Not for myself. Yes, I saw how they hurt her… I watched them as they whipped her and cut her skin, but it didn’t scare me out of loving my Fortunate. I don’t want to run from him.” Gosh, my words don’t even sound convincing.

“You’re free to make your own choices, Nine, but I want you to think about how your disappearance will affect Master Kade. It’s not often he trusts people… underneath all of the pressure and politics he’s a good man and I’d hate for one act to turn him into everyone else.”

With a tight smile, she leaves, leaving me with my brain in a jumble. What is this about, exactly? Am I leaving because I’m scared of my feelings for Kade? Yes, my heart answers, and it all makes sense. I never wanted to leave here… but now I suddenly do. I saw the way they treated Thirteen—the way they murdered her. I’m absolutely petrified of that happening and Kade trying to save me… or worse, pretending it doesn’t bother him. He can never love me like I love him because at any second I could die or I could be taken away, and to save his own life and the reputation of his family name, he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. That’d kill me more than anything… to witness him deny my love in front of everyone.