Luna on the Run (The Carmsborough Vigilantes #1)

Chapter 9

"You don't know what you've gotten yourself into this time, kid."

I stay silent, refusing to give Slaphand any more satisfaction. Not that it matters at this point. We're in his room now, behind large metal bars that restrict us to the corner.

According to Slaphand's taunts, as well as the otherwise empty space, Freckles hadn't been here for a few hours. Not long after Mary and I saw him while scouting earlier, he'd been loaded on an airship to be sent somewhere else in Carmsborough. A deep rage inside me threatens to pop the blood vessels in my head.

"By the way," he continues, "I've seen your handiwork. You're talented, I'll give you that. Not everyone can incapacitate five guards, not to mention the machine you've recklessly destroyed again. Now that we've lost progress a second time, I need to make an example of the two of you."

"An example how?" Mary asks him, speaking for the first time since our capture. Like mine, her mood immediately flipped when we were confronted by guns, and I can't tell if she's upset with me specifically or just in general.

"In all my years doing what I do, I've never been more frustrated with someone than I am with you two. Well, less you than the kid, Mary. I've taken the liberty to read your file a bit. It's honestly shocking you decided to help her out when your sentence was set to end in a month."

"Mary, you only had a month left?" I ask, incredulous.

"I did not do this for me," she replied.

"You, on the other hand, are a mystery to me, kid," Slaphand continues. "You've stepped in between me and my plans two too many times, and I don't even know your name."

"My name is Luna, and you're gonna learn to fear it."

"Oh, I'm sure I won't." He moves towards his desk, hovering one of his massive fingers over a red button beside a speaker, and daintily taps it.

"Attention all workers, I have a midnight announcement for you: two of your own have been apprehended sneaking around in the Administration building and wreaking havoc. In doing so, they've destroyed the machine we've been collecting parts and raw materials for. This means that we are even less likely to reach our goal on time, and therefore, must add another two hours to the workday."

"Another two hours?" Mary blurts. "We were only on ten a day for three days!"

"You may recall that we had moved to ten to meet our deadline a few days ago. That was because the first version of the machine had been sabotaged as well. Remarkably, you can blame the same person for both incidents: Luna, the new Overseer. If you have any qualms, please speak to her. Thank you, and enjoy your twelve-hour shifts."

Mary looks at me in disbelief. "Did I hear this man correctly?"

"You didn't want to hear why I was here, so I didn't tell you," I say, sheepishly. "I suspected it was the case when Renet mentioned it, but you were so sure it wasn't my fault that I didn't bring it up again."

She gives me a long stare before saying, "Well, I guess everything really is about you, Luna. You have proven this old woman wrong."

"Look, I'm sorry, Mary. I never should've dragged you into this mess, and now I've extended your workdays twice."

"I am not hurt, Luna. You have done what you thought was right. I am simply at a loss for what to do."

"There is nothing for you to do," Slaphand says, walking back to us. "You two will be stuck in here until I decide you're done causing damage to my people and property. Good night, trouble. Oh, and Merry Christmas."

He leaves the room and turns the light off, drowning us in complete darkness. I sit against the wall, defeated.

"What now?" Mary asks.