Species Traitor: A Science Fiction Dystopian Novel by Kate Mary (books to read to get smarter txt) 📕

the chips had been successfully implanted only a short time later, but still nothing happened. After that, the guards retreated to the edges of the stadium where they silently watched over the prisoners, not telling us a thing, bringing us nothing to eat or drink, and leaving us totally in the dark about what would happen next.

Still, Finn hadn’t reappeared.

I kept an eye out for him as the day wore on and grew more and more anxious with each passing minute, so that by the time the sun was hidden behind the stadium walls, I began to fear the worst.

“She wanted someone else to make an example of,” I said, voicing what I’d been thinking since I first woke to find him gone.

“No.” Ione shook her head. “If that were the case, she would have broadcasted it.”

I couldn’t deny the truth of that statement, but it didn’t give me any real comfort because Finn was still missing.

By the time Brentwood came into the stadium to relieve another guard, only a small amount of sunlight remained. I’d been too focused on other things before now to really mull over the things he’d done, but suddenly all I could do was replay how he’d acted while bringing me here. He’d been kind and gentle, not rough like the other guards, and had allowed me to say goodbye to Finn. Brentwood had even seemed sorry about what I was facing.

There was something else, too, something I hadn’t thought much of before now. On Landing Day, he’d been in the square, and he’d helped Veilorians get away.

Maybe he could tell us something.

I watched him, trying to get his attention, and eventually managed to catch his eye. Brentwood frowned, but only a second later said something to his fellow guards before heading my way.

My heart thumped harder and faster the closer he got. Why this guy had shown me any kindness, I didn’t know, but I felt certain I was about to get some answers. And not just about where Finn was, but also about what would happen to us next.

Brentwood acted like he was going to pass me, but then stopped suddenly and turned, raising his pulse rifle. “What the hell did you just say to me, species traitor?”

My already pounding heart leapt in fear, but I told myself I had nothing to worry about. He was only playing a part, trying to come up with a logical reason he would be talking to me.

“Nothing,” I said, doing my best to act penitent.

Brentwood pressed the barrel of his pulse rifle into my stomach, forcing me to step back, and the sound of metal clanging against metal rang through the air when I hit the chain link fence.

He kept his rifle against my stomach while moving closer to me. “You better watch yourself, you alien loving scum.” I nodded, not having to pretend to look terrified because I was, while under his breath Brentwood said, “Finn is okay. They’re interrogating him. I don’t know why, but I know he’s all right. As soon as it gets dark, all of you will be escorted back to the District.”

“Finn, too?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah.” The guard stepped away, and in a louder voice said, “Next time I have to tell you, it will be with an energy pulse through your skull.”

He spit at my feet before heading off.

Ione rushed to my side. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” I watched Brentwood for a moment, wondering who he was and why he would help me. He didn’t look back once.

“What was that all about?” Ione hissed.

“I don’t know why, but I think we can trust him,” I said then in a quiet voice relayed what I’d seen on Landing Day, as well as what Brentwood had told me.

My cousin’s hand tightened on mine. “I can’t wait to get out of here.”

“I know.”

I just prayed Finn would be with us.

Just like Brentwood said, the guards began corralling us toward the exit shortly after the sun had set. The half-humans walked beside us, our two groups separated by the chain link fence until we made it to the street. There we converged, and cries of relief rang out as children and parents were reunited.

The guards urging us forward didn’t allow anyone to stop longer than a few seconds, but the relief on the faces of those around me was as clear as day. My own relief at being on the way back to the District was half-hearted, though, because I still hadn’t seen Finn.

Like on our way to the stadium, hover cameras followed our progress as we marched through the city. People, too, had come out to watch, and just like before, they hurled insults at us every step of the way. Rocks were thrown as well, and the crowd shifted so the youngest among us were in the center. I pushed Ione deeper into the group as well, making sure to put myself between her and the onlookers. We passed reporters focused on hover cameras as they pointed toward us, describing the scene for those watching at home, and once again my mind wandered to my sister.

Lena was watching this play out, I was sure of that, but not at home. She’d always avoided it, and now that I was gone, she had even fewer reasons to go there. But I couldn’t imagine my sister watching this at a friend’s house either, especially knowing I was in the crowd.

Feeling certain Lena wouldn’t be sitting on the couch with our mother or at a friend’s, I found myself searching the faces we passed. She would want to be here, mixed in with the humans who’d come to jeer at us. I knew it.

It wasn’t until we’d turned onto the street leading to the District that I finally spotted her. Lena stood at the front of the crowd, her hood pulled up and her arms wrapped around her body like she was either cold or trying to hold herself together.