Awoken (The Lucidites Book 1) (11 page)

I look down at the table and try to pretend Ren isn’t present.

“I know this is all unexpected and a lot to digest,” Trey continues as he sorts through the folders. “But I think, with time, you’ll be committed to this mission, and to the Institute.” He throws a folder down in front of me. It’s loaded with papers.

“Yeah, maybe.” I pull the thick folder toward me.

Ren’s eyes bore directly into me. I feel them like a wall pressing against my skin. I fix on the table in front of me and refuse to look up even though an intense pulsing is starting to erupt in my chest. Trey’s talking to an alternate who has just arrived. Ren taps his pencil on the table and snickers. I maintain eye contact with the table. My instinct tells me to avoid him and pretend he hasn’t flustered me.

Ren’s doing something now but I can’t tell what it is. My curiosity gets the better of me and I flick my eyes up and immediately know my instinct was right. My attention, my focus, my consciousness is sucked into him like a vacuum. Ren’s covering a page on his notepad with cubes. I’m mesmerized by his drawing and can’t pull my eyes away as he makes one line, then another, and connects them. For some reason, watching him doodle cubes on paper is the most relaxing thing I’ve seen in a long time. I hate him, but I don’t mind watching him and he doesn’t seem to notice or care. Now his paper is completely covered with cubes and I’m even more engrossed as he starts drawing cubes overlapping each other.

“Ren!” a voice snaps beside me. “Why don’t you lay off?” Aiden takes the seat next to me, narrowing his eyes at Ren.

“Okay, Doc, just this once.” Ren flashes an evil smile. He looks at me and I’m locked on his every move without wanting to be. I watch every chad as it’s ripped from the notebook. Ren crushes the paper between his palms into a wad of broken cubes. I can’t pull my attention away from the compressed paper as he tosses it into the air and it soars briefly before missing the trashcan.

I shake my head, feeling dazed. The room is almost full by now, but I don’t remember the other people showing up, just cubes.

“It’s a pleasure seeing you again, Roya,” Aiden says, offering his hand to me. I avoid his eyes, feeling sedated, and instead maintain eye contact with the table. He gently wrings my hand. It’s warm pressed into mine. Steady, but soft. My heart gives an unexpected shudder.

I attempt to withdraw my hand from his when he clasps my fingers tighter and pulls me in closer. His eyes peer into mine, willing me to look up and into his. “Are you all right?” he asks.

I force my eyes to meet his and feign a smile. “Yeah,” I lie. “Just tired.” Pulling my hand from his warm grip, I stare off at the ceiling while my head swims in a marsh of penciled cubes.

Aiden gives me a slow nod, concern written on his face. Then he turns to Ren and they exchange rude glares. I avert my eyes from both of them, for different reasons. Determined to get my bearings back, I open my folder and busy myself by leafing through its contents. Inside: a training schedule for the month, FAQs for the Institute, packets of reference materials on a ton of different subjects, and a blank notebook and pencil.

Everyone’s gathered for almost ten minutes before Goat Girl decides to grace us with her presence. She breaks into the room holding a phone to her head and looking quite frustrated. When she sees we’re all sitting around the table looking directly at her, she lowers the phone and addresses Trey. “There must be something wrong with my phone.” She sounds annoyed as she jabs the screen. “I’ve been trying to make calls and it won’t work.”

Trey hands her a folder. “No, I’d expect it wouldn’t work since you’re underground.”

The alternates and Goat Girl look around in confusion. A dozen observations click into place in my brain all at once.
Of course we’re underground. That makes sense now.
I kept thinking something was missing from the Institute, but I couldn’t quite place it. Sunlight. Trey’s comment about level five now also makes sense. And the sheer size of this place is much easier to believe if it’s underground where it can spread out for miles.

“But I need to let people know I’m the challenger,” Goat Girl whines. “How am I supposed to do that?”

Trey points to the only open chair. “You’re not. Your friends and family will find out the same as everyone else, through the Lucidite news feed. Now have a seat.”

She rolls her eyes, slamming the heavy folder down as she takes her seat.

“Well, now that we’re all here,” Trey says flatly, “let’s go ahead and get started. First of all, I want to congratulate our challenger, Misty. Her performance on most all the tasks was exemplary. We were actually quite impressed that you were able to do so well on such a variety of tasks. Usually people have one or two areas in which they excel, but you appear to be a multifaceted individual.”

I itch to wipe Goat Girl’s smug look right off her face.

“I’d also like to recognize the extraordinary talent of our alternates,” Trey says quickly, glancing at the six of us. “Misty’s role in this is quite clear. She will face Zhuang and the fate of…well, the world rests on her performance.”

Goat Girl isn’t looking so smug anymore. A bit of fear and anxiety has crept into her eyes.

“However, she won’t be alone in these efforts. Much of her success will depend on the talents you’ll provide. You see, although she’ll face Zhuang alone, there are certain things I think you’ll be able to do to assist her. Each of you has a special gift or two, and we can use those to level the playing field Zhuang will no doubt have booby-trapped. Specifically, you’ll protect and possibly create the dreamscapes where Zhuang and Misty will face off.

“The Day of the Duel, as we’re calling it, is in a little over a month. Everyone in this room is critical to that day being victorious for the Lucidites, for the world. You all are a team. From this moment forward you’ll train to hone your skills. Misty”—Trey looks directly at her—“you’ll mostly train on your own with each of the coaches. Alternates,” Trey addresses the rest of us, “you’ll mostly train together as a team. The training schedule can be found in your packet.”

I open my folder and reference the first page.

“You’ll work with Ren for strategy.” Trey points at Ren, who smiles on cue. “Shuman for abilities.” He holds out his hand presenting her. “And Aiden for weapons and devices.” Aiden waves when his name is called. Trey clears his throat and continues, “Today you’ll move into your new rooms. You’re no longer in shared housing. You’ve each been assigned a room in the administrative lodging area. After this meeting you’ll have a chance to get set up and have lunch. Once you’re done with that then you should go directly to Aiden’s lab on the fifth level. You’ll be choosing your protective charms this afternoon.”

Excitement and approval explode around the room, neither coming from me. Trey waits until the enthusiasm dissipates before continuing, “Note on your schedule, training begins tomorrow morning. Please attend all assigned trainings and always be on time.” He stops, glaring at Misty who’s chewing on her nails and looking bored.

“One last thing before I dismiss you. Dream travel for four of the seven nights each week is your free time. Tonight is one of those nights. I encourage you to use this time to continue to hone this skill, traveling to new and different places. Many of you probably want to return to a familiar locations, but know they may now hold dangers. Zhuang may already know you’re on this team, and he could very well set up traps for you in places he knows you like to frequent.”

Hmm. I don’t like the sound of that.

Trey goes on, “Besides, traveling to new places and times will give you an opportunity to explore and this might prove advantageous for you in the future. And since I mentioned it, for those of you new to the Lucidites and our laws please know that traveling into the future is forbidden, unless approved by the Institute.” Trey looks around briefly, scanning each of our faces. “Well, that’s all for now. If you’ll please follow Shuman, she’ll show you to your rooms.”

Shuman strolls to the exit and turns, commanding us all to line up in front of her. Misty cuts around Joseph and Trent, taking the first spot. I file into the line, dazed and disoriented. Ren, Trey, and Aiden stay behind looking cautious, like they’re waiting for us to leave.

The shock is wearing off and now my mind is buzzing with questions. Does Zhuang still have control of my family? Maybe they’ve been released now that I’m not the challenger. What will they think of my absence? I don’t want to be on this team, but I also don’t think I have much of a choice. And I have to admit, I’m curious to learn more about the Lucidites and their Institute.

I’m halfway down the first hallway, following the group, when I realize I left my folder behind.

“Umm, Shuman,” I stutter to the ponytail leading the group.

She glances over her shoulder. “What is it?”

“I forgot my folder in the room,” I explain.

After a sigh of annoyance she says, “Go on then, go back and get it. You are in room Z, on this level. It is at the far end of this hallway and then through the double doors.”

I turn at once and head back to room 222. I’m glad to get away from the group. That guy named George has been stalking right beside me, giving angry sideway glances in my direction. Every time my gaze met his he’d part his lips like he was about to say something. I had the distinct impression I didn’t want to hear whatever was about to spill out of his mouth.

The button for 222 is under my fingertips when I hear someone shout from inside the room. Instinctively I hold my breath for a second and listen. It’s Ren. No big surprises there. Something tells me he has a bad temper, and it isn’t just the stereotype about redheads.

“You bloody well know she’s a prat. Why ever did you pick her?! She’s going to bodge this whole thing up!” he yells. I picture his face a bright shade of red, like his hair.

“Things like this have a way of working themselves out,” Trey says in a calm voice.

“Blimey!” Ren hollers again. “This isn’t the time for your Zen bullshit!”

They’re talking about me. Ren is trying to turn Trey and Aiden against me. Angry tears jerk in my eyes. I suppress them.

“I know we’re all shocked she made it as far as she did.” Aiden speaks in a soft voice that surprisingly cuts through me sharply. “Something definitely isn’t right about the situation.”

My fingers press closely against the button. One more ounce of pressure and the button will release the door. I prepare myself for what I’ll say when I charge in and tell the three of them off.

“We all know who should be the real challenger,” Ren says.

Silence swallows everything around me—the space, my thoughts, my tenacity.

Chapter Thirteen

I
forget about my folder and retrace the path I’d taken with the group minutes before. My mind races over the conversation I just overheard.
Were they talking about me?
If so, then that last statement Ren made doesn’t make any sense. They must be talking about Misty. I know I have a distaste for her, but is it possible that everyone else feels the same way? Trey said she’d performed well on almost every task. He said he was surprised by how well she did. Ren asked Trey why he picked her if she wasn’t right. Trey had to pick the person who performed the best, even if they weren’t likable, right? However, who did they all think should be the real challenger? My mind continues to dissect these questions as I arrive in the lodging corridor.

The door to my room makes a sucking sound when it disappears into the wall and a shush when it closes. It’s good to have a private place to think. The room has charcoal carpet and blue fabric rippling across the walls. This softens the space, especially since I’m guessing the walls are the same brushed steel as everywhere else. It’s set up like a hotel room with a queen bed in the middle, bedside tables, dresser, and desk. I pull open the closet to find it empty except for some wooden hangers. An abstract painting hangs over the bed. Splatters of blue, gray, black, and white paint cascade together on a canvas, creating an out of control composition.

I throw myself onto the bed and stare at the ceiling, completely exhausted and wishing I could just fall into a blissful state of sleep. My brain is full of questions and curiosities, and I can’t figure out where to start to unravel the whole mess. I press my fingers into my eyes.

The silver tunnel closes around me, tighter and tighter, until I’m wearing it as a dress. It’s strapless, fits tight, and flares out at the bottom. I turn around to find myself standing in the main hall in the buffet line. Behind me I overhear a girl make a remark that sounds like, “I only eat things that don’t make sense.”

I whip around, my dress flowing with my movements, and realize the voice belongs to Goat Girl. She has horns and looks embarrassed. “You didn’t hear me right. You misunderstood.”

“I didn’t say anything,” I say to her.

“You didn’t have to.” She looks down at the floor. “I see the way you’re judging me.”

Samara’s by my side now. She’s wearing a pink box. “Don’t believe everything you hear,” she says. Then she looks directly at me and I hear her voice in my mind. “I said you shouldn’t believe everything you think.”

Trent and Joseph argue at the next table. I hear Joseph yell, “But he died so you could listen to rap music.” He then throws down his plate and storms out of the room.

I’m about to run after him when a snake slithers in front of me. I jump back, knocking into someone. He wraps his hand around my shoulder. It’s warm and soft. “I’ll protect you.” I turn and look into Aiden’s eyes. For a brief moment they paralyze me. I sink into their blue, like I’m suspended in water.

“None of this matters. None of this matters. None of this matters,” I hear someone say over and over again.

Aiden gazes at me, hurt evident at the corners of his eyes. “Why do you keep saying that?”

I thrust a postcard at him. “Because of this.”

On the front of the card is a picture of my parents and Shiloh posing on a beach. He flips it over. It reads: