He’s been an Enforcer for several years. He specializes in adaptive tactics. He was personally selected for this unit by someone he refers to as the Commander.
His manner is reserved but not cold; loosely professional without being rigid. It’s not what I expected from anotherEnforcer, though I’m not sure why I didn’t think they would be more casual with each other than they are with leadership and civilians. There’s an intelligence in his eyes that makes me uneasy—not because it’s threatening, but because it seems too perceptive. More observant than I want to deal with.
I’ll have to keep a safe distance from him.
My responses remain brief as I maintain what I hope passes for male stoicism rather than suspicious reticence. As the minutes stretch into hours, the ache in my shoulders deepens from the rigid posture I’ve adopted. My back is straight, legs positioned at what I hope is a natural, relaxed angle. The mask, which was only uncomfortable at first, now suffocates me, the air inside hot and stale. How the hell do they wear these all day?
Outside the window to my right, the landscape shifts from industrial zones to agricultural fields, before the more desolate regions near the perimeter appear. We’re moving much faster than I anticipated, the vehicle eating up distance at a speed I find both exhilarating and unsettling. My stomach lurches occasionally when we graze uneven patches of road, but I swallow the nausea and maintain calm.
“How far away is the Training Center?” I blurt, interrupting whatever Elias was saying about protocol. The moment the words leave my mouth, I wish I could take them back. I should have waited for a natural pause in the conversation.
Or better yet, remained silent.
If the other recruit is annoyed by my interruption, he doesn’t show it. “Not too far now,” he answers. “Six hours or so. We’re making good time. Our section of the city is closer to the center, so it’s a relatively easy drive.”
I nod and turn back to the window. I’m exhausted already, and all I’ve done is spoken to one person for a few hours. Thestrain of maintaining myself as Lachlan and my lack of sleep are catching up with me all at once.
Great start to your stupid idea, Cassia.
“Not much for conversation, are you, Ashford?” Elias says, and there’s something in his voice I can’t quite identify. Not mockery, exactly, but something lighter than his previous demeanor. “That’s alright. You’ll have plenty of time to get to know everyone once we arrive.”
I manage another nod, not trusting myself to form coherent sentences anymore. My eyelids are heavy, thoughts blurring at the edges. The rhythmic sound of the transport on the road and gentle vibration beneath me are oddly soothing.
I shouldn’t sleep. I need to stay alert, aware of my surroundings. What if I relax too much and my posture gives me away? What if I talk in my sleep?
Despite my best efforts, my eyes flutter closed. The last thing I see before slipping into unconsciousness is Elias, watching me with those thoughtful eyes.
I joltawake when the transport halts abruptly, my head snapping forward before I catch myself. For a disorienting moment, I have no idea where I am or why my face feels so hot and confined. There’s a weight on my chest that doesn’t belong there, pressing in, restricting my breathing?—
Then memory floods back: the uniform, the mask, the transport, Elias.
I straighten my spine, heart racing as I reorient myself. The interior of the transport is brighter, regardless that the overheadlights darkened at some point, as afternoon approaches outside the windows.
I fell asleep.I fell asleep in front of three men whose whole life is to hunt women like me.
I let my guard down completely. If I’d talked, shifted wrong, if my mask had slipped—I’m such a fool.
But none of that happened. Elias is still seated across from me, though he’s now facing the front of the transport where one of the other Enforcers speaks in low tones.
I swallow around the rock in my throat, wishing I’d thought to bring a canteen of water.
Too quickly does reality sink into me: it’s too late to change what I’ve done. My parents must know I’m gone by now, no doubt having found my note. They’re probably frantic, keeping Lachlan home to avoid questions, trying to figure out where I’ve gone and why.
A wave of guilt-ridden nausea washes through me. I’ve put them in an impossible position…if they come after me, they risk revealing my existence. If they don’t, they’ll be sick with worry, imagining all the terrible things that could happen to me.
But there’s nothing I can do about it now. I made my choice when I donned this uniform.
I can’t turn back.
Grabbing my pack, I tug it onto my lap, needing its weight. The few possessions I have—Lachlan’s sleep clothes, my notebook of lost things, a few essentials—is both comforting and a reminder of how little I was able to bring into this new life.
Elias stands, stretching slightly before looking at me. “Welcome to the Enforcer Training Center, Ashford,” he says, his voice neutral.
His steps pull him from the transport without waiting for a response. After a steadying breath, I follow, stepping from the vehicle into my new reality.
Whatever happens next, I’ve crossed an inescapable threshold—not just the one that separated me from the outside world this morning, but one that divides my life into before and after. Cassia Ashford, the hidden girl who watched the world through windows and books, is gone.
In her place stands Lachlan Ashford, Enforcer recruit.
