Sign On The Dotted Line

Chapter 3

Part 2

Sign On the Dotted Line

"Heifer, are you insane?!!" Zaylee asked her voice higher pitched than normal as she shrilled. Elvira's cold yellow eyes landed on her, narrowing. "I can assure you I am quite sane," Daisha interjected waving a hand to pause Zaylee before she could make the situation any worse. Her braided dreads clinked as she leaned forward. "That tournament is for the full-grown adult Bios. We will be killed before we even have a chance to notch an arrow or throw a knife."

"Not to mention the fact we have low based abilities with a team of five. You are sending us in to fight higher class Bio's in that arena are trained to kill, have powerful enough abilities to level the very dome we train in, and with teams that range from 8 to 10 people. We are taught to subdue or use excessive force when necessary with Bio's like us. We are trained by your very methods to test their limits and see if they can survive in your White Snake Armada. Not to be slaughtered by other Bios in a tournament." Daisha paused, blinking at Elvira with wide eyes. "Especially ones who come from the Bio-prisons. You will be literally throwing us to the wolves with no teeth to back us up, but you already knew that, didn't you, Elvira." Masha interjected. Her face as hard as stone. The room grew silent. The tension in the air rising to the point of near suffocation. No one moved. The link didn't even twinge with a thought. Zaylee abruptly stood from her chair. The static in her hair going erratic as she curled her fists. Her eyes bleached to a solid blue. White Electricity sparking out the corner of her eyes.

"You son of…"

"Zaylee." Daisha warned.

Zaylee eyes narrowed to thin slits. "Masha just stated it all. We will be slaughtered like virgin lambs, and you don't even care."

"Not an ounce. This is about her and her need to expand her reach in the Northern City. Expanding her reach means expanding her budget on the Armada. Isn't that right Elvira?" Masha's pupils lengthened slightly. Her nail-like claws raked through the arm cushion of the chair. Stuffing poured out of the holes as she made deep gashes. Elvira frowned at the damage. Next to me, Kira huffed, shaking her head. Her face screwed up in disgust as she stared daggers at the tyrant in front of us. I chose to stare at the ground. Thoughts running wildly through my head. How the hell was I supposed to escape now? I didn't care if Elvira knew I was trying to escape that early attempt was a test run to see how secure this place was. My plan was almost complete. Everything I had was finally falling into place. I had all the scheduled guard routines. Camera rotations mapped out, so I could go unnoticed like Masha's cloaking ability. I had found the poison sleeping flower earlier before I went to watch Team Kaji. I was going to use it against Elvira. She wouldn't stand a chance against the poison. I would know she developed the poison, specifically for the purpose of using against her enemies. How fitting would it be for her to die by her poison? Everything was planned out, and now it was all be taken away from me because of this woman sitting in front of me. I gradually rose my head, glancing at Elvira. She still had that plastic smile on her face. Her yellow eyes connected with mine and the smile on her face grew bigger. I froze, steeling my face from revealing emotion. She knew. She fucking knew! It explained everything. The fact that my teammates were here and not on their splurging trip. She knew I couldn't act without my repercussions, affecting them as well. She understood, how much I truly cared for them, but...… How? I was careful I didn't reveal anything to anyone. No one in this room knew of my plans except for Masha. An idea clicked in my head. Elvira might have been keeping a close eye on me, but I didn't comprehend that she might have been keeping a closer eye on Masha as well. I gritted my teeth as my blood boiled. The guard from the cave, he must have searched me for the poison while I was knocked out. It all made sense. That was why my plan I had failed because of my connection to this team, specifically Masha. I had failed. Elvira's eyes flashed with victory as they unlinked from mine to connect with Zaylee's.

"Sit down Zaylee. Now." Elvira's smile turned sinister, her eyes glancing over in my direction as a warning. Zaylee balled her hands into fists, but she slowly sat down. Elvira clasped her hands together. "Girls, I get this is overwhelming, but you have to understand this is a chance of a lifetime. Lower Bio's would jump for a chance like this."

"Like hell, they would." Zaylee rebutted but this time over the link. "As for what Masha said. Yes, we do need the funding for the Armada, but think of this as an opportunity to help the greater good. Your fellow Bio-students who grew up there, and I have to say your reactions were expected, but I didn't think you guys would act this selfish." Elvira leaned back in her large chair. She shot us all disappointing looks, pouting. Like we were the ones being stupid here. She reached forward, picking up the papers in front of her. That's when I realized what they were. They were transfer requests. She had already planned this whole shebang when our team started winning in the training exercises. Zaylee scoffed, staring toward the wall as she bounced her knee up and down. "As for your training. We will be dropping you off at the nearest tarmac and from there. A hover copter will be here tomorrow to pick you up to take you to Biotech's own Glacial Training Dome. From there, your team will meet with your very own personal trainers, and team members. They have even given you the best of the best. Kalum Trite and Drakson Valor." She clapped her hands together, applauding our doom. "Even with Professional Trainers with their level of skills, we still don't have enough time nor enough power level to win. Especially, when the tournament is a month away." Daisha spoke her eyes wildly searching the ground for an answer. Elvira's smile slipped completely for the first time since I've been here. Her face hardening. Her yellow eyes flashing. "Enough! The decision is made. If I hear one more protest, I will make good on my promise and slit Mute's throat right in front of you." She cleared her throat. "Now, sign these papers on the dotted lines." We all gathered around the desk. Each one of us receiving a turn to consent to our horrible fate. When it was my turn, I hesitated. My grip on the pen turning volatile. I could do it. Fuck the consequences. I could plunge this pen into her neck and just run from there. I looked up from the paper locking eyes with Elvira. She leaned forward and whispered. "Don't even think about it, Mute. Even if you had the chance to stab me in my neck. The White Snake Armada will have you in chains and drifted before you could even blink. Including your team." Her smile turned vile, but then it slipped. "I have protected you from him long enough. You are on your own now." I blinked at her as she used a hand to gesture toward the paper. With regret, I signed Mute on the dotted line. Elvira ignored our exit going over our transfer papers. Her smile renewed on her face as she took a pen and began signing the sheets. Sealing our fate as the ink on the paper dried. The door slid open, and I sidestepped as one of the sentients from the school stepped through. I didn't have to see his face to know; it was the same guard who had bruised my arm earlier. I glanced at him; he didn't even spare me a look. I stepped through the door, and it closed behind me with a clink. I knew the guard would only come back out in a drifter pod.