The Cardinal by Elif Kaya (best romance novels of all time .TXT) 📕

Sasha

Air rebounds back to my face as my breath leaves my mouth in hitches. My arms and knees are hurt and swollen from wandering on them for nearly two hours. The cold steel gets warmer as my clothes cause friction. It is either the vent pipe I am currently in gets smaller and smaller with every minute that passes or I am claustrophobic. Who could know that the brilliant plan of Hunter -the prodigy of our mini team in his own words- would go wrong. I am way behind our schedule and his communication set has been sizzling since I swam across the River. He estimated that I would be by the center of the Academy by now and have made my way towards the technology lab to "borrow" some necessities. However, life is full of surprises and sneaking in to the Academy took longer than expected.

It is funny to look back on the events that unfolded during last year. Maybe I should start telling from the beginning.

***

Bang! Bang! Bang!

I slowly open my eyes since my eyelids are screaming in riot due to the brightness of my room. They feel heavier than usual because of the whole studying I did last night for the Test. According to rules, you can't study for the Test. Not that it is banned but because it varies for everyone and each Test is different from one another. After you meet your supervisors, everyone is taken to a room and electrodes are linked to your mind to conduct the waves your subconscious, in other words, "Depth" emits. Test doesn't assess what you can memorise and how well you are at Calculus. These types of information are already provided by your pre-Test educators. Test assesses how you cope with your own self. Your emotions, reactions and decisions in given circumstances which are created by your deepest fears, secrets and insecurities. Two weeks after the examination, you receive your results on a report card. You are not just given a score out of 100. On your card, your dominant personality characteristics are displayed as well and according to these dominant features, you are given some occupation options and faculty suggestions. You are free to choose any but generally it is suggested to choose the one your pre-Test educators confirm. 

As I said, before, there aren't a lot of sources you can use while getting prepared. However, in the black market, there are some dealers that claim to have a drug that activates and triggers your subconscious while you are almost-totally awake. My friend, Lisa told me about how it helped her. So, I decided to give it a chance. I really need to get a good grade from the Test, since I managed to hurt myself in the very first race and failed to make my childish dream of getting accepted to the Military department of the Academy - Phoenix Legion - come true. 

I am not oblivious to the fact that I am more advanced than most of my competitors. Most of the poor who lives on the other side of the River don't have access to the pre-Academy program. I have a tremendous head start but it only makes me feel even worse.

I had been on drugs for several hours, but I can hardly remember some foggy pieces of what I experienced. Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining. Even this small bit of information about the unknown suppresses the nausea I feel when I think about the Test. Like everything beautiful in the universe, it comes with a price as well. For instance nobody warned me about the disheveled aural abilities and an excruciating headache that makes me understand what would happen if someone decided to blast a nuclear bomb inside of my skull.

As the throbs get more prominent, it gets harder to distinguish the noises coming out of the door from the drums playing in my ears. I decide to get up and find my parents. Just when I was about to open the door of my room that leads to the hall, it opens abruptly, making me jump back with fear.

There stands mom and dad. They wear the same terrified expression on their faces. Mom embraces me tightly and tells me in a low voice that she loves me more than anything. As she retreats reluctantly, I slowly turn to my father, expecting a reasonable explanation. My mind is still cloudy but I know something is wrong. The people at our door isn't just a neighbor in need of help or the guardians on the beat that detect if every citizen obeys the curfew.

Dad looks me in the eyes intently and says:

"Sasha, it isn't safe here anymore. We have done a huge mistake and because we tried to fix it they are after all of us. I hope you will forgive us in the future. We are so proud of you and terribly sorry because of the burden we are going to leave behind for you to carry."

Mom avoids my gaze but I can see the tears shimmering at the brim of her eyes when she speaks.

"Honey, you need to get out of the zone as soon as possible. Here is a fake ID for you. You know about the experiments we have been performing in the government building, right? They are not what people believe them to be. We don't have enough time but when you are far away and safe enough, visit our safe heaven and you will find out everything you need to learn."

"Dad, what are you talking about? You aren't going to leave me alone, are you? Why are you staying here? The men in front of our door... who are they? Mom don't just stand there. Let's get out of here together! Come on... Hurr-"

"Sash, you don't understand now, but you will, eventually. So just do what your father and I asked of you. Don't make it harder for us. I can't bear seeing you suffer because of our mistake or put you in danger by being near you. Believe me we don't have any choice. We love you so much."

She entangles her hand to my elbow and pulls me towards my window. Dad hands me a black, camper-style bag. As I hear a shotgun, which is coming from the entrance probably aimed at the lock of our apartment door, I climb down the pipe near my window. My brain stops functioning.

What am I doing?

Why are they staying behind?

Did they tell me anything about what they are going to do?

No.

How will they deal with the men at our door?

I land swiftly on the floor and start running. Tears are spilling from my eye sockets like fountains but I can't care less. The earth is sliding through my feet and I run for my life. A voice scolds me:

"You are weak and selfish. You just left the two people that love you the most. You could have fought with them. You could have fought for them. They are going to die because of you!"

I look around. My vision is blurry as if I am underwater. I stop dead in my tracks. A group of Guardians are running towards me. Are they here to help? I feel thankful and when I am about to make my way towards them ask for help, they lift their guns up at me. I stand dumbfounded in the middle of the road, pavement lying for miles, away from my home. My past. My family.

I focus on breathing. In and out... They are getting closer. There is approximately 200 meters between us now. I should start running but I feel like a puppet. Unfortunately, I am not the one who is pulling the strings. Fear clutches at my heart. I see mom and dad at the corner of my sight. They are uttering something. I can't hear. 

I ultimately lift my right foot up in the air, ready to start running as if I was running for the auditions all over again like I did a few months ago. I was dedicated and zealous to get an invitation from the Phoenix Legion and skip on the stress of the Test. I was so eager to be one of the men chasing after me at the moment. Life is full of wonders, isn't it? 

I make spur-of-the-moment choices. Turning left and right, delving into streets I had never passed before. I have never been successful in Geography during my Pre-Academy years program. However, the map of the city that I had been shown must have craved its way deep down my subconscious. My crippled ankle -another reminder of the day I performed in the auditions- causes me to lurch and lose speed. 

As the Fence surrendering the Neighborhood approaches me, a light of hope rises within me. The Guards keep telling me to stop. I ignore them since I know that the moment I stop I will have let down my parents. 

As soon as I reach the River, I start to contemplate how to get over the 2 meter high fence. I don't want to risk climbing but it is my only choice. I stretch my legs further and jump with all the strength I have towards the wire on the Fence. I firmly grip the steel. I hear a click. I estimate that it comes from the Fence since I am applying a lot of pressure on it. It doesn't take long that I understand I was faulty with my guess because one of the Guards fires his gun -as far as I can remember an UZI- and a warmness spreads through my left shoulder and I feel my sleeve getting wetter by each second. I look over my shoulder and see the unfamiliar shade of red.

Dizziness comes over me and I stumble towards the water. The cold water embraces my body. I relax and let the current carry me wherever it likes.

Axel

I have never known that walking in a hallway could be so unnerving and irritating. Everybody is staring at me with curiosity. I used to be proud of being stared at until a couple of days ago. I used to strut in the Academy with my Phoenix uniform on. Everybody looked at me with respect and dread. In the end they saw what I had done in the auditions. I am not proud of pushing that girl subtly who were running a bit faster than me. However, in the auditions there was no precise set of rules which would hinder me from causing that ebony haired girl to sprinkle her ankle. Actually, there was no rules. So I decided to do what I had to do and become a monster instead of a loser in front of the judges. As soon as I caught a glimpse of the glance full of hatred and disgust in those blue eyes of the girl, I averted my gaze ruefully.

Since my first day in the Legion, I have worked more than anyone with the aim of becoming a sergeant instead of