The Fence

Chapter 8: Meeting a Yukos

"Is anyone else going to see it?" I ask, a childlike excitement building in me. "The news report said it was captured a mile outside the fence. Where exactly did they find it?"

Ayumi looks amused by my elation, but Grey's face remains still as he leads us down a long, dark corridor. Considering the four of us bombarded him with questions the whole way up the elevator, it's no surprise that Grey is starting to get a bit annoyed.

"I'm sure others are going to see her, but we get to first," he says, throwing a glance over his shoulder.

Ayumi slaps him playfully on his arm. "Come on, this is their first encounter with a yukos! Let them be a little excited."

"I don't see what there is to be excited about."

A silence falls over us, but it feels louder than the echo of our voices bouncing off the hollow walls. As Ayumi falls back to join the Neveah, Merida, and Ky, I take her place at Grey's side. "What do you mean?"

His eyes meet with mine. "I hate this floor."

"Are we back on the top floor?" Ky asks, looking around. "We didn't see this area before."

I'm angry with Ky for interrupting before Grey could really answer my question. He nods. "The questioning rooms are up here. These rooms are used to hold any yukos taken into custody."

"Or if anyone decides to betray Gambos," Ayumi pipes up. "Even if you're human, you could end up here too."

"Let's just hope you four are smart enough not to do that," says Grey.

I look at the tags on each door, little bronze rectangles that gleam even in the dim hallway. Room 32, TDQR. Room 35, CBQR. Room 41, JDQR.

"They're initials. The person's first and last name, then QR, for questioning room. Makes it easy to know who's inside."

Ky adds. "And hard to forget how to get to a specific room."

"I think that's a good thing," Merida says. "This place is like a maze."

"What if one gets out?" Neveah asks, his blue eyes narrowing.

Ayumi shoots him a glare. "That won't happen. Our security is top notch."

I let the four of them argue over the door labels and try to get Grey's attention again. "Why do you hate this floor?" I inquire. I ask the question softly, as to not grab the focus of my squad-mates.

"Well," he laughs, but it's the laugh a crow would make on a rainy morning, or the laugh a shadow would have when imitating someone. "Capturing a yukos isn't sunshine and rainbows. Get ready. This is her room."

"Here we go," Ayumi says, rubbing her hands together. Grey holds his keycard in front of the sensor and leads us inside the dark room. A new wave of excitement crashes over me before I remember Grey's stony expression and the wave breaks.

"Grey, here already?" a silky voice asks. It belongs to a woman with mid-length, soft hair, who, despite being covered in sweat, is still beautiful. She unscrews the cap to a water bottle and takes a long swig before setting it down on a narrow wooden table behind her. "You missed the first part of the show. General Holt just left."

"That's okay, Bell," Grey replies. "I would actually prefer if my squad didn't meet him on their first real day."

Ayumi snorts and slaps his arm again. "You are so rude."

Grey shrugs. "You really think this bunch of newbies can handle him right off the bat?"

"You underestimate us!" I say, even though the prospect of meeting General Holt causes my stomach to twinge with nerves. As second in command of the resistance, General Holt has almost as much power as the Chancellor.