“Well, I thought we were friends. I know that I’m not my brother, Sodie, but I’m as good of a sounding board as he is. I’m probably better at talking you out of self-destruct mode.”
My head whips toward Skunk. He’s Sodie’s brother? He has the same dark brown hair, except for the blond stripe down the middle that he likes to sport with his faux-hawk, and they have the same eyes. I finally notice his familiar smile. How did I not see the family resemblance before? Does that mean he knows who I really am? Did he know the whole time?
“Some people say that we are a lot alike,” he says softly.
“Wish you told me sooner. Didn’t really see the family resemblance until now,” I reply. I lean my head back against the bars and close my eyes, trying to hide the tears threatening to form. Right now, I’m in so much trouble, even if Skunk heals my ribs. I don’t know how I will get out of this mess. Even if by some miracle I do, will Anders allow me to remain in the program?
It feels like we're in the holding cell for a long time. No guards come to check on us or question us. None of our parents show up. I know why I'm here, but I can’t understand why Odyssey and Skunk are too.
With nothing else to do, we talk. First, we review what happened in the bar—what I remember, what they remember. I told them that I ended up at Whitemore plantation. Without an alibi, I’m screwed, but I can’t bring Shadow into this. Both Odyssey and Skunk saw the five men I fought with leave the bar in the town guard’s patrol cars.
The man I supposedly murdered was found in the alley behind the bar around three in the morning. Odyssey overheard the town’s head guard tell Anders that they received a phone call from an anonymous caller who said they watched me stab a man in the alley. I was nowhere near the bar at that time.
Besides, who knows me by the name Jessie G. Whitemore? I only ever used that name on my application for the recruit program. Everyone just calls me G. I don’t really know if Sol knows my name, and I never really talked to the waitresses before. Whoever made the call knew my name. It must be someone in the program, but I keep that information to myself.
I don’t fully trust Odyssey. In the end, nothing about this situation makes any sense. I am most definitely being set up for a murder I didn’t commit. We fall into silence, trying to put the pieces together in our own minds.
A guard finally calls Odyssey’s name. “Odyssey Mitchell, your brother, Ares, is here. Please come with me.” Odyssey cringes before he stands from his position on the bench. He follows the guard with his head bent forward.
“Ares is his older brother. He’s the captain of the town guard in his territory,” Skunk says when they are completely out of sight. “I wouldn’t let Odyssey intimidate you. He just thought that being in the recruit program was going to be easy for him because he has a strong history of guards in his family line and both of his older brothers are high up in the chain.”
I didn’t know any of that. Truth is, I don’t really know much about the other recruits. I’ve been so engrossed in training and trying to prove something to myself that I really haven’t made any friends. With the way everyone picks on me, it made me notwantto make friends. I guess Odyssey spoke some truth.
Skunk slides closer to me. “Which side is broken?” I sit up straighter and indicate which side hurts. “I’ll have to place my hand over the area,” he states.
I move my arm, and a warm feeling tingles over my ribs. For the first time since the pain started, I feel like I can take a deep breath. “Thank you.” I sigh with relief.
He squeezes my shoulder before sliding back across the bench.
Not long after, the guard returns to collect Skunk. He hesitates at first, almost as if he doesn’t want to leave me here alone.
It’s fine. I’ll be okay,I say through a mind link. Without looking my way, he follows the guard.
I must doze off because the clanging of the cell’s door startles me.
“Let’s go,” the guard barks, indicating with his head for me to step out of the holding cell. As I leave, another guard escorts Peaches in, with her arms restrained in handcuffs. Her face is covered with bruises and cuts that are healing. What the hell happened to her?
“Peaches,” I gasp.
“Hey, sugar,” she replies meekly, casting her eyes down, refusing to look at me. The guard nudges her into the holding cell. She hangs her head in shame. I reach into her mind.I killed him. I killed him, and that poor boy almost took the rap for what I did.
I stop in my tracks. Worry and concern for her fills my heart. Did he go back for her? What will happen to her now?
The guard pushes me forward. I watch her as I walk out of the room. “You’re free to go,” the guard says. “No charges were made so you have a clean record.”
Is it all really that simple? Not that I am ungrateful for the guards finding the real murderer, but all of this just doesn’t seem right.
He gazes at me. “Do me a favor, Shorty. Keep your nose clean and stay out of trouble. Picking fights just because you can doesn’t always make you a hero.”
I snort. “Says the six-foot guard who slammed me against the wall,” I retort and roll my eyes.
Elias, with arms crossed and a stern expression, waits behind the station counter. Chris idly stands nearby with an amused look on his face.
I offer them a guilty smile before walking in their direction.
Chapter 48
Meeting Contestant No. 20
