Sold Away 19
Celise's warning.
Jackal handed me over to Kase pretty soon after that. I was mad, and let him know it."How could you do that to me?!" I hissed, infurated. Because we were still in the building and there were people all around, I was keeping my voice low.
"Authorities let me know that they had to shut down our internet system because you were talking to people you shouldn't have, even tried to contact Caden. Then they had to lock you in your room. They aren't sure anymore that you are trustworthy. This is the safest way to keep track of you, and frankly I'm surprised they haven't done it earlier. All citizens of Zone 33 have it, and you being a..*cough* guest of honor makes you all more liable to have one. But, you since were so high profile they didn't want to offend you at first."
"Am I a prisoner here?" I asked, furious tears in my eyes. I don't know why I even asked, I didn't know what else I thought I was.
"Don't you know who you are?" Kase asked sternly. "Overnight you've gone from being a nobody, to the whole world knowing your face. A celebrity, a VIP, what happens to you may guarantee the future of Zone 33."
"I'm a bargaining chip?"
He pursed his lips and nodded. "On a lighter note, there's a party tonight. Do you want to go?"
I didn't answer, sulking in the air rail vehicle.
"It's either that or sit in a dark house shut up in your room." That sounded way too much like an isolation chamber.
"I'd love to go." I mumbled.
Back at the house I changed and went to see what the other women were doing, still sulking. I peeked into Celise's room and saw her mom doing her hair. Celise's big round eyes were black, but after she put a few eye drops in they were dark, dark green. Celise's hair stuck up in curly black tufts, but her mom was pinning it back with little jade barrettes.
"You can come on in!" She was painting her face with dye, an intricate pattern of flowers, vines and birds. It looked pretty cool and I was sat on her bed watching. I was already dressed for the evening, with a rich brown dress sparkling with soft gold threads. Normally I don't like brown, but the color that assessor had chosen went complimented my skin and hair perfectly.
"What's this party for?" I asked dully.
"It's more of a meeting than a party." Kiara said in her husky voice. "But there's food and entertainment there, and everyone goes. They happen once a month usually."
We were all catching the same air rail vehicle. I guess you have to submit a claim on one online to go anywhere, but then they stop right in front of your house.
We all got into one that could hold six people, and it went part of the way to the main rail up above the concrete before stopping. A boy came out of one of the doorways, dressed in pale green.
"Homer's coming with us. His parents had to go early and his mom asked if he could." Kiara said.
I saw Serenity's face fall. "Homer?? Ewww!" She said just before he got in. Homer was even skinnier and paler in real life. He had thin, pink lips, brown freckles, brown hair and weird gold eyes.
"You dyed your eyes." Serenity remarked, unimpressed.
"Uh yeah." His deep voice again surprised me
I felt bad for the kid. "It looks good." I said and smiled at him. He smiled back.
"Are you really THE Carlita?" He asked, impressed. Now it was my turn to be embarrassed. "I didn't know that it was YOU talking to me online last night. It was only after you left that I put two and two together. Hey thanks for taking me guys, I could have walked though ."
"What are you talking about?" Kiara asked, shocked.
"I have a map of every section, every quadrant of this place. I even have maps of the underground parts of the facilities! I can get anywhere without having to close my eyes." He bragged.
"When you close your eyes and think of a place you can mentally see it in your head, the chip shows you a picture and helps you get there." Celise explained to me.
"We're going to have to confiscate those maps of the facilities." Kase said quietly. Homer's face fell and Serenity smirked. I looked out the window as we whizzed past the plain Zone 33 homes, and soon we were at the town hall. The building was plain on the outside, just like all the other buildings, but gorgeous on the inside. Black marble with gold rings around the bases of the pillars, silver chairs and tables, food set out buffet style and a podium. People sat down as a tall lady speaker came out and started a speech about Zone 33, how it came to be and who its main leaders were and their vision to harness the brain power of dangerous masterminds for the world's benefit.
"Since then Zone 33 has grown to be the most productive in the world in terms of ideas that fuel economies around the world and breakthroughs advancing technology and medical findings. Our horticulture is the finest and most developed among even Safe Zones. Zones in other parts of the world have long regarded Zone 33 has a mere prison colony, it is time to show them different." Applause.
"This year we've decided to take affirmative action, by creating several events that will cause media from all over the world to focus on us, and our accomplishments. The season will kick off with a... fashion show next month, with high profile models from all the zones, sponsored by the prison systems and featuring fashion from Zone 6 and 13. It will be a huge event and will need participation from all of you." I watched the lady, thinking how odd that pause sounded in her smooth flow of words.
"Mom, mom is that for real?" Serenity asked excitedly. "Here?"
Kiara leant over to Kase. "A fashion show, is that really going to happen?" She asked.
Kase shrugged. "That's news to me. I thought that she was going to be talking about the conferences with respected doctors and scientists from around the world. I hadn't heard anything about a fashion show."
"With our industry going, we have one of the fasting increasing job markets. A campaign has started showing the rest of the world what a family friendly place Zone 33 is, and how much opportunity there is for healthy careers. Committees have been formed to create more scenic parks and we're even introducing riding rings."
"Horsies!" Celise whispered excitedly.
The speaker went on for another twenty minutes or so and then directed everyone's attention to a classical band. As they started playing everyone got up and I headed towards the refreshments. I was helping myself to a plate of rice and curry when I noticed someone new come into the room. He was a tall man with black hair, dark eyes and pale skin. He was strikingly attractive and I saw he caught everyone's attention. The combination of handsome face and the self assured, masculine way he carried himself drew every eye. Several people went up to greet him immediately and I heard the conversation change, center around him. Serenity and several of her friends were nearby and they started smiling and whispering, "Ebanis is here!"
The pallid skin reminded me my handlers, and my lip curled involuntarily. He looked over at that exact second and we locked gazes. He had mesmerizing black eyes. They seemed to be assessing me, drawing me in and try as I might, I couldn't look away from his face. Then he broke eye contact as someone said something to him. I stared after him, completely absorbed, took a step forward and was held back. I looked down to see a small, brown hand fisted in my sleeve.
"Don't go near him."
I looked to see Kiara's smallest girl standing by my elbow. She was cute in her little jade barrettes and matching dress, and yet her face looked so serious.
"I just want to say hi." I explained.
"He's evil. Don't talk to him." She whispered. I frowned at her, not sure what to make of this. Celise's round eyes stared up into mine. "He's like poison." She repeated. "No one really believes me so I've stopped telling 'em, but I thought you should know. He can ruin everything."
As I stood there not knowing whether to laugh or take her seriously, Serenity looked over contemptuously. "Don't listen to her. She also thinks she can see angels." Celise's nose went in the air and she walked away from us, so I decided to follow her.
"Can you really see angels?" I asked, trying not to sound condemning. I knew angels were creatures from some old religion.
She turned around. "Uh huh. I see them coming in and out of buildings, good and bad ones."
"Are you the only one that can see them?"
"Yeah. You have one." She pointed at my shoulder. "He's right there."
I decided to humor her. "What does it look like?"
"Like a butterfly. But they can look like a lot of things." She looked over at the attractive newcomer. "His angel is bad. I can't even see it because he carries his inside, but I know it's there."
My stomach rumbled and I decided to ditch Celise for the plate I'd left behind at the buffet. 'Maybe she really is crazy.' I thought to myself. In any case, I didn't approach the handsome man that night.
***
"What is it that you wanted me to say?"
Justin smiled. He and Ebanis had been friends for a while. "Nothing will focus world attention on your zone more than a fashion show. They're hot right now, fashion is hot right now, now that the salt wars and level war is over. People want to rebound, they want something light and fun and sexy. Get all the hottest models over there and I guarantee you, for one week you'll have as much attention as Zone 6 ever did."
Ebanis nodded. "Well, the chair speaker is up there now giving her speech. But she's got an earpiece hidden just in case, so I can let her know what's come up." He touched his own earpiece and, as Justin looked on from the screen, whispered into it. "Change of plans, this is what you're going to say." When he was finished he looked at Justin. "Of course you'll benefit from this?"
Justin looked embarrassed. "Well, it's no secret one of the models is my girlfriend. It'll advance her career, and then too perhaps I can get you some of those materials for the simulation rooms you requested. It's been too hard to send them in with shipments of prisoners, but perhaps with a high class group of models and fashion experts...we might just be able to slip it in."
"Thanks Justin, you've always been a good friend to me. Well, I need to go rejoin the party here soon."
"Right, take care." The two men bowed, and as the screens flicked off
Justin looked over his shoulder to the people Ebanis hadn't been able to see.
"Very good." Tevaris said. "Who was that guy?"
"One of the most powerful men in Zone 33. He did some enhanced training and climbed levels pretty quickly, even though those types of people don't usually do that. Then again, his grandfather was one of the main parties that organized the genetics division."
"He won't get in the way of our plans?" Caden asked.
"No, of course not." Justin assured them.
"Authorities let me know that they had to shut down our internet system because you were talking to people you shouldn't have, even tried to contact Caden. Then they had to lock you in your room. They aren't sure anymore that you are trustworthy. This is the safest way to keep track of you, and frankly I'm surprised they haven't done it earlier. All citizens of Zone 33 have it, and you being a..*cough* guest of honor makes you all more liable to have one. But, you since were so high profile they didn't want to offend you at first."
"Am I a prisoner here?" I asked, furious tears in my eyes. I don't know why I even asked, I didn't know what else I thought I was.
"Don't you know who you are?" Kase asked sternly. "Overnight you've gone from being a nobody, to the whole world knowing your face. A celebrity, a VIP, what happens to you may guarantee the future of Zone 33."
"I'm a bargaining chip?"
He pursed his lips and nodded. "On a lighter note, there's a party tonight. Do you want to go?"
I didn't answer, sulking in the air rail vehicle.
"It's either that or sit in a dark house shut up in your room." That sounded way too much like an isolation chamber.
"I'd love to go." I mumbled.
Back at the house I changed and went to see what the other women were doing, still sulking. I peeked into Celise's room and saw her mom doing her hair. Celise's big round eyes were black, but after she put a few eye drops in they were dark, dark green. Celise's hair stuck up in curly black tufts, but her mom was pinning it back with little jade barrettes.
"You can come on in!" She was painting her face with dye, an intricate pattern of flowers, vines and birds. It looked pretty cool and I was sat on her bed watching. I was already dressed for the evening, with a rich brown dress sparkling with soft gold threads. Normally I don't like brown, but the color that assessor had chosen went complimented my skin and hair perfectly.
"What's this party for?" I asked dully.
"It's more of a meeting than a party." Kiara said in her husky voice. "But there's food and entertainment there, and everyone goes. They happen once a month usually."
We were all catching the same air rail vehicle. I guess you have to submit a claim on one online to go anywhere, but then they stop right in front of your house.
We all got into one that could hold six people, and it went part of the way to the main rail up above the concrete before stopping. A boy came out of one of the doorways, dressed in pale green.
"Homer's coming with us. His parents had to go early and his mom asked if he could." Kiara said.
I saw Serenity's face fall. "Homer?? Ewww!" She said just before he got in. Homer was even skinnier and paler in real life. He had thin, pink lips, brown freckles, brown hair and weird gold eyes.
"You dyed your eyes." Serenity remarked, unimpressed.
"Uh yeah." His deep voice again surprised me
I felt bad for the kid. "It looks good." I said and smiled at him. He smiled back.
"Are you really THE Carlita?" He asked, impressed. Now it was my turn to be embarrassed. "I didn't know that it was YOU talking to me online last night. It was only after you left that I put two and two together. Hey thanks for taking me guys, I could have walked though ."
"What are you talking about?" Kiara asked, shocked.
"I have a map of every section, every quadrant of this place. I even have maps of the underground parts of the facilities! I can get anywhere without having to close my eyes." He bragged.
"When you close your eyes and think of a place you can mentally see it in your head, the chip shows you a picture and helps you get there." Celise explained to me.
"We're going to have to confiscate those maps of the facilities." Kase said quietly. Homer's face fell and Serenity smirked. I looked out the window as we whizzed past the plain Zone 33 homes, and soon we were at the town hall. The building was plain on the outside, just like all the other buildings, but gorgeous on the inside. Black marble with gold rings around the bases of the pillars, silver chairs and tables, food set out buffet style and a podium. People sat down as a tall lady speaker came out and started a speech about Zone 33, how it came to be and who its main leaders were and their vision to harness the brain power of dangerous masterminds for the world's benefit.
"Since then Zone 33 has grown to be the most productive in the world in terms of ideas that fuel economies around the world and breakthroughs advancing technology and medical findings. Our horticulture is the finest and most developed among even Safe Zones. Zones in other parts of the world have long regarded Zone 33 has a mere prison colony, it is time to show them different." Applause.
"This year we've decided to take affirmative action, by creating several events that will cause media from all over the world to focus on us, and our accomplishments. The season will kick off with a... fashion show next month, with high profile models from all the zones, sponsored by the prison systems and featuring fashion from Zone 6 and 13. It will be a huge event and will need participation from all of you." I watched the lady, thinking how odd that pause sounded in her smooth flow of words.
"Mom, mom is that for real?" Serenity asked excitedly. "Here?"
Kiara leant over to Kase. "A fashion show, is that really going to happen?" She asked.
Kase shrugged. "That's news to me. I thought that she was going to be talking about the conferences with respected doctors and scientists from around the world. I hadn't heard anything about a fashion show."
"With our industry going, we have one of the fasting increasing job markets. A campaign has started showing the rest of the world what a family friendly place Zone 33 is, and how much opportunity there is for healthy careers. Committees have been formed to create more scenic parks and we're even introducing riding rings."
"Horsies!" Celise whispered excitedly.
The speaker went on for another twenty minutes or so and then directed everyone's attention to a classical band. As they started playing everyone got up and I headed towards the refreshments. I was helping myself to a plate of rice and curry when I noticed someone new come into the room. He was a tall man with black hair, dark eyes and pale skin. He was strikingly attractive and I saw he caught everyone's attention. The combination of handsome face and the self assured, masculine way he carried himself drew every eye. Several people went up to greet him immediately and I heard the conversation change, center around him. Serenity and several of her friends were nearby and they started smiling and whispering, "Ebanis is here!"
The pallid skin reminded me my handlers, and my lip curled involuntarily. He looked over at that exact second and we locked gazes. He had mesmerizing black eyes. They seemed to be assessing me, drawing me in and try as I might, I couldn't look away from his face. Then he broke eye contact as someone said something to him. I stared after him, completely absorbed, took a step forward and was held back. I looked down to see a small, brown hand fisted in my sleeve.
"Don't go near him."
I looked to see Kiara's smallest girl standing by my elbow. She was cute in her little jade barrettes and matching dress, and yet her face looked so serious.
"I just want to say hi." I explained.
"He's evil. Don't talk to him." She whispered. I frowned at her, not sure what to make of this. Celise's round eyes stared up into mine. "He's like poison." She repeated. "No one really believes me so I've stopped telling 'em, but I thought you should know. He can ruin everything."
As I stood there not knowing whether to laugh or take her seriously, Serenity looked over contemptuously. "Don't listen to her. She also thinks she can see angels." Celise's nose went in the air and she walked away from us, so I decided to follow her.
"Can you really see angels?" I asked, trying not to sound condemning. I knew angels were creatures from some old religion.
She turned around. "Uh huh. I see them coming in and out of buildings, good and bad ones."
"Are you the only one that can see them?"
"Yeah. You have one." She pointed at my shoulder. "He's right there."
I decided to humor her. "What does it look like?"
"Like a butterfly. But they can look like a lot of things." She looked over at the attractive newcomer. "His angel is bad. I can't even see it because he carries his inside, but I know it's there."
My stomach rumbled and I decided to ditch Celise for the plate I'd left behind at the buffet. 'Maybe she really is crazy.' I thought to myself. In any case, I didn't approach the handsome man that night.
***
"What is it that you wanted me to say?"
Justin smiled. He and Ebanis had been friends for a while. "Nothing will focus world attention on your zone more than a fashion show. They're hot right now, fashion is hot right now, now that the salt wars and level war is over. People want to rebound, they want something light and fun and sexy. Get all the hottest models over there and I guarantee you, for one week you'll have as much attention as Zone 6 ever did."
Ebanis nodded. "Well, the chair speaker is up there now giving her speech. But she's got an earpiece hidden just in case, so I can let her know what's come up." He touched his own earpiece and, as Justin looked on from the screen, whispered into it. "Change of plans, this is what you're going to say." When he was finished he looked at Justin. "Of course you'll benefit from this?"
Justin looked embarrassed. "Well, it's no secret one of the models is my girlfriend. It'll advance her career, and then too perhaps I can get you some of those materials for the simulation rooms you requested. It's been too hard to send them in with shipments of prisoners, but perhaps with a high class group of models and fashion experts...we might just be able to slip it in."
"Thanks Justin, you've always been a good friend to me. Well, I need to go rejoin the party here soon."
"Right, take care." The two men bowed, and as the screens flicked off
Justin looked over his shoulder to the people Ebanis hadn't been able to see.
"Very good." Tevaris said. "Who was that guy?"
"One of the most powerful men in Zone 33. He did some enhanced training and climbed levels pretty quickly, even though those types of people don't usually do that. Then again, his grandfather was one of the main parties that organized the genetics division."
"He won't get in the way of our plans?" Caden asked.
"No, of course not." Justin assured them.
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