Elena

I’m so tired I’m having a hard time staying awake. But very soon I’ll be starting my long adventure, hopping a ride on however many flights it takes to get me closer to Earth. The only way I’d be able to get a straight flight back is if I traveled back with the diplomatic party that I came here with. But that won’t happen because according to the news I’ve been watching all morning, I was the only casualty of the bombing at the embassy. Go figure.

I still haven’t decided if I’m doing the right thing, but I was wrong to trust Bane the way I did and I have a feeling I almost paid the price. I’m a strong believer in women’s intuition. I don’t know exactly what Bane is caught up in, but something isn’t right. So I figure at this point the safest decision is to get back to Earth and share my story. Uncover the ugly truth about this treaty.

Revisit my original goal of delivering this story and proving my worth as a journalist. My device sits on my lap, my story almost written in completion. I wish I could have gotten more pictures of the actual events that took place in that lab but this is how a cover-up works. Most of the evidence of any wrong doing, or unethical practices, was buried.

My thoughts are interrupted by another announcement over the speakers. I look up, hopeful that it’s finally time for me to get going. The longer I have to sit here the more uneasy I get. But then again, if everyone already thinks I’m dead, maybe I’m safe after all.

I stand up to stretch my legs and take a short walk around when someone grabs onto my arm. It’s startles me because I thought I was alone. But when I look over, Bane is standing in front of me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask in disbelief. I never thought he’d be able to find me before I boarded a ship.

“You need to come with me,” he says, but I’m already shaking my head, trying to free my arm from his grip.

“No, I need to go back and give this story to the people on Earth.”

“You are not safe, Elena.”

“You’re right, I’m not safe…here. Just let me go back, Bane.”

I stand before him, pleading my case. I won’t deny that I’m mixed up inside about it. Whenever I look at him my heart drops into my stomach and starts to do these crazy flips. And then there’s the whole issue of me carrying his child. But that doesn’t change the fact that there’s more going on here than he has told me. No matter how I feel about him, I can’t trust him.

“I’m sorry, Elena, I can’t do that.” He grips my arm and starts to pull me behind him. I resist as much as possible but he’s way too strong for me. After a minute he stops and turns back to me, leaning down and talking quietly right into my face. “If you don’t come with me willingly, I will throw you over my shoulder and carry you out of here.”

After that, I only fight a little. I can’t give in completely but I know there’s no way I can get free of him without causing a scene. His hand grips my arm tightly as he leads me out. Not through the front entrance, but one of the side entrances used for the employees. He leads me to a utility van that’s idling right outside and I’m surprised to see someone else sitting in the driver’s seat.

“Who’s that?” I ask once we’re inside of the vehicle and he has closed the door.

“This is my friend Vruzzy. Vruzzy, say hello to Elena.”

“Hello Elena,” Vruzzy says, waving from the front seat.

“So where are we going?” I ask.

“Look at me,” Bane says. He’s sitting next to me in the back of the van but I’m trying to pretend he’s not here. Instead of humoring him, I cross my arms over my chest and look out the window. “Elena,” he continues.

Finally I say, “You lied to me.”

He doesn’t answer right away. Probably trying to decide whether or not he should continue to lie.

“Things are complicated,” he says after a moment. I get the feeling he’s about to explain more when Vruzzy interrupts from the front.

“We’ve got company, Bane,” Vruzzy says. I’m pressed back into my seat as he increases our speed. I have to grab onto the door handle to steady myself. Bane throws his arm in front of me as he leans over to look out the window.

“How many?” Bane asks. He’s up on his knees trying to get a better look out of the window at our pursuers.

“Three behind us,” Vruzzy says. A moment later the car swerves to the right. “Oh shit,” he says. I’m still holding onto the handle trying to steady myself and keep from flying off of the seat. The speed combined with sharp turns is making me nauseous and I worry if this keeps up for too long I’m going to get sick all over the floor. “And one in front of us,” he adds.

After a minute, Bane says, “Vruzzy, it’s okay. Pull over.”

“What? Are you sure?” he says.

“Yes, I’m sure.” I don’t know what the hell is going on but I do know that Bane won’t look at me. He’s focused on the cars outside of the window even after Vruzzy pulls our van off to the side. At a time like this, I want him to focus on me and tell me that everything is going to be alright. But he doesn’t and it makes me uneasy.

“Stay here,” he says. He glances at me for just a second before opening the door and stepping out of the van with his hands raised. That’s when I notice that we’re surrounded by men with weapons. Vruzzy also climbs out of the van and moves to stand by Bane. I decide to stay put like Bane told me but I move myself so I can see what’s happening just outside of the van.

Bane and Vruzzy are standing next to the side of the van, the door still open, when a man gets out of one of the vehicles. I suck in a startled breath when I recognize the man from the diplomatic meetings I’ve attended while on this mission. He’s Kosmora’s main representative for the treaty arrangements, one of the Suthune who has been working directly with our ambassador and high commissioner, Ambassador Chualhi.

“I’m not sure why we’re playing these games, Bane,” the Ambassador says. He walks up to him, standing in front of him while his men surround them. “Do you have the girl or not?”

“You agree to our arrangement?” Bane asks.

“Yes, yes, I told you I agree to it. Which is why I don’t understand why it has taken you so long to turn her over.”

It takes a minute but eventually Bane says, “Elena, come out.”

My heart starts to pound in my chest. I thought he would protect me. He told me he would protect me. It isn’t difficult to translate what’s going on. I’m about to be handed over so they can make me disappear, so my story will never get out.

“Elena,” he says, more forcefully this time.

I remember his words from earlier at the space station. If I don’t come out on my own, he’ll come in and carry me out. And after everything that has happened, and is about to happen, I guess I’d like to keep my pride. I summon up all of the courage that I can and step out of the van. A breeze blows at the exact same moment my feet meet the ground, sending a shiver through me. I try to fight it, holding my arms tightly at my side, squeezing my hands into tight fists.

Ambassador Chualhi looks me over with an air of amusement. “For someone so small you’ve sure caused a lot of problems.” He has a strange smirk on his face and then makes a motion with his hand to the car behind him. The door opens and out steps another man.

“Commissioner Daniels?” I say, not more than a whisper. It was clear to me from the beginning that these men were willing to keep their fair share of secrets in order to get what they wanted from this treaty. Whatever is going on here moves beyond doing what is best for your government.

“Elena, you are alive,” Commissioner Daniels says, walking up to me with a smile. “I knew you must be.” He leans down in front of me, putting his hands on my arms. I immediately step back, cringing away from his touch.

“What’s going on?” I ask him. He drops his arms at his side but doesn’t step back.

“You’re coming with us,” he says simply. “There’s nothing to worry about, I will make you very comfortable.”

My mouth drops open and my fight or flight instincts kick in. Fighting isn’t an option when surrounded by men pointing weapons at you and getting the hell out of here seems equally impossible. I told myself I would stay strong no matter what happened, but I’m filled with anger and regret over my choices that have led me to this point.

Bane won’t look at me and that’s what makes it even worse. Commissioner Daniels takes my wrists and locks them together using a variation of hand cuffs. Holding them, he tugs them, indicating I should walk with him to the car.

“Why?” I ask Bane before he can lead me away.

Finally, he looks at me. I’m not prepared for the pain I see in his eyes. And even still, I can’t forgive him for this.

“I told you, things are complicated.”

Daniels pulls harder on my wrists, pulling me along behind him.

“Well just in case this wasn’t clear to you, whatever it is that this was, it’s over.”

Daniels opens the door and forces me inside. Once it has closed and the car is moving, I force myself to stare straight ahead and I swallow the tears that threaten to consume me.