Mengliad (The Mengliad Series Book 1) Read online

  The way they glared at her, she could only assume her request had landed on deaf ears, but after an intense moment of silence, the man who appeared to be in charge muttered to the man who had brought her to the room hours before, “Take her back. And get them something to eat.”

  “Yes, sir,” he said in a proper, respectful tone. Standing, he gestured for Jessica to do the same.

  “Thank you.” Why she was bothering to be polite, she didn’t know.

  When he took her by the arm, it struck her as odd how he was almost gentle in how he handled her. Definitely not in keeping with the tone and expressions towards her he had been previously using.

  She recognized where she was being led to. Tuning out the hushed murmurs of conversation from others as they passed them, ignoring the strange looks and hostile stares, she allowed herself to be marched towards the small office room, where she hoped Craddock still was, waiting for her. Knowing her fate was already sealed, she just wanted to collapse on the filthy couch, in Craddock’s arms, and wait for death.

  Stepping up to the door, the man continued to hold her upper arm as he reached past her to open it, almost leaning into her as he started to turn the knob. Then, she heard his whispered voice in her ear.

  “You’re not alone.”

  There was no time to react. As soon as he’d said it, he threw the door open and pushed her inside, again, gentler than the action appeared. “Get in there, LC!”

  Catching her balance after stumbling inside, she quickly looked up and over at him, catching the faintest hint of compassion in his eyes before he turned abruptly and slammed the door.

  Craddock immediately rushed towards her, gathering her into his arms. “Are you okay? What happened?”

  She fell into his embrace, but she didn’t quite answer his questions. “I don’t understand.”

  Her confusion brought about his own, joining with his concern. “What do you mean? What don’t you understand? What happened?”

  “That guy just now. . .” Trailing off, she shook her head, struggling with how to explain. “He said—whispered—you’re not alone.”

  Bibi’s interest was piqued. “When?”

  “Right before he pushed me into the room.” Pulling back just enough, she looked up into Craddock’s eyes. “What does that mean?”

  “I’m pretty sure I know,” Bibi answered for him, then requested of Jessica, “Tell us everything that happened.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sitting on the couch, taking comfort in Craddock’s arms, Jessica recounted everything she could remember from her hours-long ordeal. By the end of her report, when describing the actions of the man who had left just minutes before, Bibi’s interest in what she was saying piqued further.

  “I don’t want to give anyone false hope here,” Bibi prefaced before sharing her thoughts, “but I think we might actually have a shot at getting out of this alive.”

  “Infiltrator.”

  Bibi nodded in response to Craddock’s whispered revelation.

  “Is that what it sounds like?” Jessica asked. For the first time since the Purists had shown up at her door, she felt a sense of hope, like there was a thread to grasp at that, however weak, offered the possibility of not being killed.

  Craddock nodded. “There is a group of people, who are basically a counter movement to what the Purists believe. They’re all about civil rights, and peaceful solutions, and promoting harmony between Humans and Mengliads.”

  Helping Craddock to explain, Bibi chimed in. “They’re called the Registry, and their objective is simple. Prevent violence.”

  “When the more violent groups started surfacing, the Registry stepped in, attempting to negotiate and reach nonviolent agreements.”

  “When that didn’t work, the Registry started sending agents out to infiltrate the Purists’ movement, to gain information before the violent acts were carried out, and hopefully prevent them.”

  “But they’re not always successful.” Craddock sighed, not quite ready to be too optimistic. “Just because they’re involved, it doesn’t mean there’s a guarantee that we’re going to make it out of this.”

  “Essentially,” Bibi elaborated, “to protect us means a war of sorts, between the two groups.”

  Jessica scowled. “Why would they go through the trouble?” It was difficult to believe that anyone would go to such lengths, just to try and save her.

  “Once validated,” Craddock answered, “you’ll be listed as the tenth proven case of accidental conversion ever in Mengliad history. Trust me, that’s a big deal.”

  “So if they are able to get us out of this. . . then what happens?”

  Jessica’s hesitant question was met by Bibi’s solemn reply.

  “We run. We change our identities, cut all ties, and start over again. Always looking over our shoulders. Always trying to stay one step ahead of the Purists.”

  “So basically,” Jessica summed up the situation as she understood it, “even if we don’t die, my actions, by leaving to go back to my apartment, have ruined everything for you guys.”

  “Pretty much,” Josiah grumbled, his stare remaining out the window and unbroken. With his arms folded across his chest, he continued the vigil he had self-assigned himself to.

  “Joe, this isn’t the time or place for this.”

  Bibi’s reprimand was calm, almost sympathetic, which seemed to placate him. As he sighed and nodded, relenting, Craddock reached for Jessica, bringing her back into his arms.

  “He hates me now,” she whispered, draping her legs over his and burying her face in his chest.

  “He doesn’t hate you.” Sliding his arm around her, he glanced at Josiah. “He’s just frustrated. And scared. We all are.”

  Josiah didn’t hear what had been said, mostly because he was distracted. “That guy’s coming back.” He turned away from the window, facing them. “Why don’t we just quietly ask him if he’s an infiltrator?”

  “Because, what if he’s not?” Bibi whispered sternly. “And even if he is, asking questions could blow his cover and fuck up our chances of making it out of this!”

  When the door flew open, all eyes in the room were instantly on the man entering, everyone tense as they watched him approach Bibi. The expression he wore seemed to be conveying compassion, or something bordering on reassurance, lending further support to their suspicions that he was, in fact, an infiltrator.

  Thrusting a plastic container towards her, he shifted positions, so that his back was fully to the door. “It’s a test of sorts. They’re watching.”

  She took the container from his outstretched hand, nodding, before dropping her gaze to the lid of it as the man spun around and walked out, slamming the door harder than necessary.

  “Why do I suddenly have a very bad feeling about this?” Jessica’s focus of attention was on Bibi, and the container she held in her hands.

  Scooting to the edge of the couch, encouraging Jessica to join him there, Craddock leaned in, his lips near her ear. “You can’t react negatively to this. Anything you do that seems even remotely Humanlike will make this whole situation worse.”

  Nodding slightly, Jessica took in a shaky breath, closing her eyes as she asked in Bibi’s general direction, “What are they?”

  “Crits.”

  Staring pointedly at Craddock, Bibi determined by his expression that he was thinking the same thing she was. Based on Jessica’s previous aversion to their dietary needs, the chance of her not freaking out was looking very unlikely.

  “What are Crits?” Jessica asked, forcing herself to appear neutral and unconcerned.

  “Crickets.” In an attempt to alleviate her anxieties, he answered her as casually as he could, as he requested the container from Bibi with a slight hand gesture. “Mind over matter, Jessica. You can do this.”

  The helplessness she felt intensified when he removed the lid, bringing the mass of squirming insects into view. “How?”

  “One at a time.” Grabbing one, he
popped it into his mouth, demonstrating. “Chew quickly,” he advised, “and just don’t think about it.”

  “Maybe if we distract her?” Bibi made the suggestion in the Mengliad language, purposefully, so that Jessica wouldn’t understand.

  “I don’t think that will work this time,” Craddock said, also in Menglianese. “She’s too scared, and self-conscious.”

  “I know you’re talking about me.” Jessica sighed, slowly reaching into the container to pluck a cricket from it. Staring at it, she asked, “Couldn’t I just say I’m not hungry?”

  Bibi shook her head. “You need to eat anyway. And it’ll seem suspicious to them.”

  Frustrated, Josiah finally lost his temper. “Just do it! Or we’re all dead!”

  “Josiah!” Bibi scolded. “Bullying her isn’t going to help anything!”

  Leaning in under the guise that he was just being affectionate, knowing they were being watched, Craddock nuzzled Jessica’s neck. “Mind over matter, Jessica,” he repeated, whispering. “Just pop it in your mouth and quickly start chewing. And don’t wince.” He planted a soft kiss just behind her ear before pulling back. “Please.” He urged her with his stare, trying to convey the importance of what he was asking of her.

  Already feeling guilty over the trouble she had caused them, wanting to spare them and herself more, she took a second, mustered the courage, then popped it into her mouth and quickly started chewing. The flavor wasn’t bad, but the texture was. She had to struggle against reacting when the thing started wriggling in protest as it hit her tongue.

  “It was moving,” she complained, whispering through barely opened, mostly still lips. Craddock nodded, snatching another cricket from the container and popping it in his mouth, encouraging Jessica to do the same.

  “Chew quicker. And the larger ones are less squirmy.”

  Following his advice, she chose a larger cricket from the container, scarcely hesitating before eating it, surprised by how easy it was to do. It hardly moved once it was in her mouth, not that she gave it much time to react, but the thing that she noticed most about it, was how the taste was different. The littler one she had first eaten was almost sour, whereas the larger one was not.

  “Yeah,” she peered in to select another, “I like the larger ones better.”

  The comfortableness she showed started to relax Bibi and Josiah, allowing them to be at ease enough to join Craddock and Jessica in the meal, though tensions, in general, were still high.

  “What happens now?” Jessica asked, breaking the minute long silence. “I mean, if they’re feeding us, doesn’t that mean they don’t plan on killing us? If they were, why would they bother to?”

  “It’s not as cut and dry as that,” Bibi answered. “Even if they don’t plan on killing us now, they still might eventually.”

  “What will the spies do if they decide to?” Jessica dropped the cricket she held back into the container when she realized her hunger had been sated.

  “If the Purists do decide to kill us,” Craddock answered, “the infiltrator, or infiltrators, if there’s more than one of them, will probably announce themselves as such, and try to negotiate a deal.”

  She threaded her fingers through his when he reached for her hand. “And if that doesn’t work?”

  “All holy hell will break loose.” Bibi snapped the lid on the container, setting it aside. “These people are prepared to die, both sides, for the cause they believe in.”

  Staring back at Bibi for a moment, Craddock eventually asked, in Menglianese, “You told the Registry about her, didn’t you?”

  “Not officially,” Bibi said, also using the language. “But, yeah, they’re aware.”

  “I thought we agreed to wait to tell them,” he challenged her, “until after she was better adjusted.”

  “I only told who I had to, and only because I needed to use their computer.”

  “Why didn’t they insist on picking her up?” he asked, catching the irritated sigh Jessica gave over not being able to understand them.

  “They didn’t want to freak her out.” Bibi caught Jessica’s exasperation as well, but continued in spite of it. “They trusted me to handle it, and bring her in, like we discussed, once she was more at ease with everything.”

  “If they were monitoring the situation, then how could they let this happen?”

  “She wasn’t supposed to leave, Craddock!” she snapped at him defensively. “They thought she was quarantined!”

  Jessica pushed away from Craddock and moved to stand. “Stop it! Stop fighting! And stop using that language! You know I can’t understand you!” Her bitterness dissipated as she wrapped her arms around herself, guilt taking its place. “I know you’re talking about me. I know I fucked up.”

  Craddock inched to the edge of his seat, dropping his elbows on his knees as he folded his hands in front of him. “We weren’t talking about that,” he told her, his head hung low. “We were talking about the Registry, and possible ways they could have learned about you, and known we were here.”

  “Maybe Shea and Stacy got to Ni—?” Jessica stopped herself before saying Dr. Brady’s name, knowing Bibi had issues with it.

  Craddock continued to stare intently at his hands in front of him. “Yeah, maybe.”

  “However it happened,” Bibi moved on, “things will probably be escalating pretty soon. We need to be ready for whatever is about to take place.”

  “I fucking hate this!” Jessica exclaimed all of a sudden, fear blending with anger. “Being held like prisoners! The not knowing! I would almost rather they just kill me now! At least then the damn waiting would be over!”

  As she was in mid-rant, Craddock jumped from the couch and towards her, bringing her into his arms before she was even finished. He shushed her in a consoling manner as he stroked her hair.

  “Freaking out won’t help the situation, Jessica,” Bibi cautioned, watching out the window to see if her outburst called additional attention to them.

  “Nothing will help the situation, Bibi,” Jessica griped, sounding more annoyed than anything else, but then, out of nowhere, she burst into tears again.

  “She’s just overwhelmed right now.” Craddock’s apology for Jessica’s tone, said in Menglianese, prompted another emotional swing of mood.

  “Stop that!” Jessica hit his chest weakly, just once, as she continued to cry against him.

  “I’m sorry.” Sliding his hand up over her fist, he held it still and to his body. “I just said that you were overwhelmed,” he told her honestly, shushing her again as he pulled her tighter to him by the arm he had snaked around her waist.

  They had been so focused on Jessica’s breakdown, and on their previous argument, that they didn’t hear the door open, nor did they see who had walked in, until a voice broke through the tension.

  “I’m here to draw her blood.”

  All four of them turned instantly at the sound, visibly startled by who was standing before them.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Shock made way for confusion, a dozen questions begging to be asked, but no one had the sense to ask them. Eyes that were initially locked on the newcomer to the room slowly started to drift and wander to the others within their group, all of them silently wondering who would, or should, be the first to speak up.

  It was Bibi, whose gaze eventually shifted back, who finally shattered the awkwardness, her words dripping with venom. “What are you doing here, Lilith?”

  Rolling her eyes, Lilith repeated herself, but with more authority, as if she hadn’t been heard the first time. “I’m here to draw her blood.”

  “Why?” Craddock asked, stepping forward, almost in front of Jessica, protectively shielding her.

  “Because they asked me to.” She huffed, exasperated, both dismissing him and gesturing for him to move aside with the same wave of her hand.

  Bibi crossed her arms over her chest and glared hard at her sister. “And, of course, you always do what they ask of you, right? After
what happened to Dad, how could you even think of associating with these people?”

  Lilith just rolled her eyes again. “Arm,” she demanded of Jessica, who complied reluctantly as she watched her produce a tourniquet from the small black bag she was carrying. Placing the bag on the floor at her feet, she then immediately put the extracted item to use, tying it around Jessica’s bicep before leaning down to retrieve a needle and vial.

  It all happened insanely fast after that. Jessica felt the needle go in, but almost instantly, it was pulled back out. Then, as Lilith removed the tourniquet, she shoved it and the vial she held into her coat pocket. When she pulled her fisted hand back out, she placed a different vial, one already filled with blood, into the hub attached to the needle.

  Surprised, Jessica looked up at her, but Lilith’s eyes remained on her supposed task, giving nothing away in her still serious expression, offering nothing in the way of a clue as to what was happening. Confused, Jessica then glanced over at Craddock and Bibi, to see if they showed any inkling of understanding, but they didn’t appear to be aware of anything being amiss at all, their attention instead on each other as they mouthed words silently back and forth.

  Feeling Lilith remove the needle from against her arm, Jessica lifted her gaze, startling when their eyes locked. For a split second, a tiny smile appeared on Lilith’s face, but as quickly as it showed itself, it was gone.

  “Hold your arm like this.” Lilith bent it at the elbow, leaning in to whisper so that no one but Jessica could hear. “If they think you’re pregnant, your chances are better.”

  Having no idea how to respond, or even if she should, Jessica just watched numbly as Lilith stooped to collect her bag. She dropped the used items into it, then snatched it up and headed straight for the door.

  The moment she was gone, Bibi and Craddock started applying quiet volume to their previously inaudible conversation, but Jessica scarcely heard a word as she stared off at nothing in particular, her brain buzzing with what had just transpired.

  It was Josiah nudging Craddock, and throwing an upnod in her direction, that finally clued him and Bibi in to Jessica’s odd behavior. Their whispered discussion ceased as the focus of their attention was given to her solely.