Free Minds

Chapter 108.

    As we all know, there are five stages of grief; denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.

   And–for the many superheroes and anti-heroes I've read about over the years– revenge.

   Denial.

"No." I shook my head, the only word that didn't dissolve on my tongue before I could utter it.

   Camila remarked, "Beth, everything you said about me and Speck was spot on. Wi–"

"No."

"With the exception of me being mind-controlled. I have complete control–"

"No." escaped me again while Rav and Dorian said, "Prove it." with a unified intensity capable of freezing hell.

   Camila, however, didn't even bat an eye. Making sure to maintain eye contact with each of us at intervals, she collected all her thick locks of hair into a messy bun. She bent down till she was face to face with Rav on the floor, then moved her head from side to side, giving him a full, up close view of her temples. Rising to her feet, she didn't move from her spot but did the same for me and Dorian on stage.

   The sides of her head were as flat and smooth as ours.

   She held up her finger, "Oh, and before any of you think I've covering up my 'placement scar'"

   Camila went through the process again, this time rubbing on her temples throughout. When she was done, both sides were blazing red.

"Is that enough proof for you?" she grinned.

   At that moment, I knew I was over the denial stage.

   I looked at Camila Mendez with a different set of eyes. The girl who'd been on this whole mission even before me. The girl who'd gone from Viola's best friend to my close friend. The girl I'd shared a room with–a bed with. The person who not only encouraged me to take it easy on Dorian, but also helped me get ready for my date with him. The person we'd sat at the dining room with in the motel for breakfast, lunch and dinner, planned with, laughed with, trained with...

   The beats of my heart picked up upon my blood boiling from the kind of insidious rage that can only be caused by being betrayed.

   I looked at Camila Mendez and I wanted to hurt her.

   Like she, by her actions, hurt Talise, Minji, Dorian, Rav and even Viola.

   Like she'd hurt me.

   Anger and Revenge. These were the stages of grief pounding within me.

   My mind and body were in sync as I proceeded to lunge at her with nothing but bad intentions.

   Camila, of course, was quick to notice that. On my second step down the stage, she was on Rav once more, pressing the gun to his face.

"You've seen what this gun can do, Beth," she gestured to the roof with her head. "If you don't want something similar happening to Rav, I suggest you stay put. I don't have to remind you of the countless lives depending on the safety of the Neuroskel, do I?"

   I couldn't stifle the sharp breath I inhaled when she threw the Neuroskel she was holding high up in the air, catching it with that one hand.

"So you're telling me that you would kill Minji and Viola, your cousin and your best friend?"

   The nonchalant shrug I received in response would have made my jaw drop if I didn't catch myself in time.

"The real Camila would never do that," I shook my head. Guess I was in the denial stage again. "Placement scar or not, you were at the dance and I don't care that I didn't see you when the glasses executed the placement. That doesn't mean you weren't there. I know you were and I know Speck has been controlling you every second since then."

"I've never denied being present during that time, Beth," Camila said. "I don't know what would make you think that."

   At this point, she was definitely trying to mind-screw me.

"So you're telling me that you were wearing the glasses during that time of the Virtual Dance and you weren't affected?"

"Exactly right."

"That's not possible."

   Not unless like me, she synced her device with Viola's malware ridden laptop which hindered the placement from taking place as the case had been with me and Talise.

   I glanced at Speck, wondering what the hell was going on. Had he made a Virtuo just for her in advance that was actually normal?

"Oh, don't let me ruin the fun." Our principal waved a hand in a dismissive gesture.

   Her stare showed how much she yearned for me to ask her the question everyone was dying to hear the answer to.

   Clearing my throat, I braced myself for the worst as I asked, "How were you not affected by the glasses, Camila?"

   For a moment, I felt that the eyes I was looking into weren't the eyes of a traitor, but of a conflicted friend. But that moment was as fleeting as the small smile Camila put on after her astounding reply to my question,

"The same way your boyfriend wasn't."

   As if she could read our minds and see our subsequent questions on what the hell that meant, Camila stood up to elaborate in the most earth-shattering way. 

A/N: How though? Any guesses? I may or may not have provided a clue. 

Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to vote and comment!