Chapter Six

"So, I know that everyone is too afraid to ask so I will," Mitch said at the dinner table after a couple of minutes had passed. "Mrs. Darach, you've gotten everyone into quite the conversations about the person that's here…" he said, smiling towards her, "So, care to tell us who they are?" he continued. One of the things I have noticed about Mitch is that after all these months, he has turned everyone's 'exciting situations' into some drama-filled rumor which has pissed off a lot of people here. He seems to hold onto the excitement for as long as possible to stay civil and it's honestly quite sad.

Everyone around the table kept their attention on their food, but occasionally looked up to see how Mrs. Darach would react. Me and Jaxon kept our gaze on each other seeing as we already met the person here. " All questions will be answered after dinner. Seeing that he has planned a meeting for everyone," Mrs. Darach said while chewing on a small piece of her cube. I could tell from Mrs. Darachs posture and aggravated glare towards me showing that she was very unimpressed with me. "Mrs. Montgomery, I would like to have a word with you in my office please?" she asked after she had noticed that we both finished out supper. " The rest of you can finish up and meet in the living area," she said standing and walking towards her office.

Looking around at everybody's faces i could tell there were coming up with multiple worse case scenarios in their heads as to what Mrs. Darach wanted to talk to me about. I pushed myself away from the table and followed Darach to her office. Once we were in there she politely asked me to close the door and I did so. When I looked back at her from closing the door she was right in front of me. She had this look of envie on her face which only made wonder. She then started to circle me like a lioness to its prey, I made sure to follow her by turning my head with her as she made herself around me. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked with a confused expression on my face.

"No. Not yet at least. Just curious about our unexpected tenant of the outpost Mr. Langdon." She asked, as she stopped in front of me. Although I know that HE… " she said with distinction, "is a high member within the co-operative. I am still your head mistress and you are to follow the rules of the outpost." At this point I knew what this was about. She believes in her insecure little mind that I am to start conoodleing with Michael.

I know she's made these rules up to believe that she has power. I have read the actual rules that were supposed to be in place, but in order to stay and not be suspicious or die I had to follow them. It also didn't help that everyone broke the rules considering Mrs. Darach could care less about what we were doing. "I have a question. Why was this only brought to my attention why not bring it up to everyone," I asked and she smiled.

"Well Michael Langdon came here with files that had all of your names on them with no pictures or defining features. So I knew that he would know everyones name here, but what I didn't know was that he would be able to put a name to a face." she said, going to sit down in her chair. "You two know each other. Another thing that was within your files was your family's income and how you were accepted. Now it said you paid 10 million dollars but if you look at your family income, your mother is deceased and your father works minimum wage at a computer company. It just doesn't add up unless you have a relation in higher places " she said

"Alright i'm finished with this conversation considering 1. You are wrong and 2. It would be none of your business," I said walking towards the door. She has no idea what is going on, but she is assuming and making her assumptions facts.

"Don't just walk away from me Mrs. Montgomery. This is exactly what i was talking about when i said you can't just break the rules, I am your authority and you my dear are a nobody! So you must listen to me," She said. I turned towards her to see her with a very mad expression on her face and her arms crossed over her chest.

" You have no right to speak to someone like that Mrs. Darach. Although you are an authority, it does not allow you to speak to someone that way. It shows poor leadership, so before you think about speaking to someone that you are incharge of, think of that first!" I said, stepping closer to her till I was in her face. As if she thinks she has the authority to call me a nobody and get away with it.

Just then a Mr.Eden has walking into the room and signaled to us that he was going to start talking "Sorry to interrupt Mrs. Darach and Mrs. Montgomery, but Mr. Langdon has requested everyone to meet in the living quarters which includes you both," He said holding his hand behind his back. Mrs. Darach sighed and walked beside me towards the door.

"This isn't finished, dear" she said as she left towards the living quarters. As if she thought she could just talk to me like that. Out of the many months that we have been here i have stayed fairly quiet and off the radar, mostly reading the entire library within the living quarters so Mrs. Darach didn't have any reason to suspect me, but if this is how she's been talking to people within the outpost i will not stand for it.

I walk towards the entrance of the dining table and as i enter the room falls silent and everyone looks towards me wondering what me and Mrs. Darach talked about. I ignored them and sat down beside Jaxon while he looked at me with questioning eyes but he knew I would tell him everything once we left this meeting. "She was only concerned about Langdon," I whispered to him.

At that point I heard the clicking of shoes from behind us and I turned to see the sharp and intense features of Michael looking at me. He remained quiet with his hands folded behind his back till he reached the front of the room, where he looked at everyone. "Outpost One so glad to finally meet all of you," he said, flashing a cheap smile. "I know you all have the underlying question of who I am and why I am here. Well I am a representative of the Co-operative, the company which has allowed you to keep civilization. You may refer to me a Mr. Langdon." he said as he watched everyone grow excited shifting in their seats at the mention of a Co-operative member. "Now I didn't come here to sugar-coat the situation, but humanity as we know it is on the brink of failure. Yourselves as well as Outpost Three are the only remnants of civil life." he explains leaving an uneasy feeling in the room at the thought that this very outpost could have failed like the other 8.

"So what is there left to do if all humanity is destroyed?" Stephanie's soft voiced asked from the wall at the back of the room, she looked terrified as all the colour in her cheeks flushed.

Michael sighed and started to walk around the room," Given the fact that we assumed this would happen, the Co-operative has built a failsafe, the Sanctuary. This facility has certain measures that prevent the risk of override." This made everyone in the room perk up and started to get excited.

"So this means we can leave!" Raven asked, showing her first sign of emotions since she arrived here. This made everyone start to talk louder to each other

Michael shook his head," Now although this facility was developed does not mean that we let just anyone come only a small amount of supplies are there to last for the next decade. The Co-operative would love to have everyone come to the Sanctuary but that would be the end of humanity as we know it, so we've come up with an interview system to see if you're worthy to be one of the fortunate few. We call it 'Co-operating'," he laughed. The once found excitement then turned back into fear, these people knew they would be tested on their personalities and behaviours, which meant that most of them would not be chosen.

He then stopped moving when he reached me and grabbed my hand making me stand up in front of everyone. "What are you doing?" I asked but he ignored me and walked me up to the front of the room where I was met with everyone's piercing gaze. Mrs. Darach glared at me and I swallowed the remainder of saliva in my throat and stood there awkwardly.

Langdons hand then released his hand from mind and placed it on the small of my back," Mrs.Montgomery is one of the few that has been chosen to accompany me to the Sanctuary and in turn will in turn help me in my decision." Michael said to everyone, which plant a whole target on my back for the suck ups. The thing that infuriates me the most though is that Michael had not discussed it with me beforehand for me to agree.

"We never discussed this?" I whispered in his ear, in a distraught tone.

"I just love seeing your squirm darling," he chuckled back to me. From the back of the room I saw Jaxon hiding his laugh at my uncomfortable state. Michael had noticed this and Jaxon stopped just as fast as he had started. "Our first interview will intervene in 20 minutes with Mr. Jaxon Foster. Do not be late, seeing as your life depends on it," He said as his hand left my back and her proceeded towards the door. Nobody knew what to say when he left, they all just stared at me and waited for me to explain myself .

I'm starting to believe that Michaels only ability is leaving people in uncomfortable situations when they need him most.

_____________________

*20 Minutes Later*

Me and Michael just sat in silence as we both waited for Jaxon to arrive for his interview. In all honesty he had no right to just decide this for me without my permission. I was standing near the fireplace when Jaxon arrived and Michael led him towards the chair. Jaxon looked at me with a sympathetic glance and he sat down. Before I came here to prepare for the interview I went to a private place to comfort Jaxon and Stephaine about the meeting with Langdon. I explained that Michael just wants honest replies to his questions that outline the real you. Although I went there to help I know that I just made the fear more intense. To know that you could be rejected based on your true self is disheartening.

Jaxon looked very nervous as he walked in, his hand together as he noticeably scratched at them and his head hung low. Michael walked over and showed him where to sit before sitting down himself. "Before I start it is under the policy that I must tell you that lying or confining information of any kind will not be tolerated. I will pick up on it and this interview will be over as well as your chances of survival," Michael said only to scare him further into telling the truth. Looking at Jaxon it was only clear that Michaels ploy worked considering I could practically hear the pool of saliva that had collected in Jaxons throat being swallowed.

"Well i say let's get started. First question, what is your sexuality" Michael started while clicking his pen in his hand. Jaxon had that same confused face I did when Michael asked me that very question probably asking himself what it has to do with the sanctuary. Jaxon then wrapped his arms around himself and turned back to me. I then made my way over to Michael to look at Jaxon.

Jaxon fumbled around with his words a bit before he took a deep breath and said "I'm only interested in women." His voice was quiet and not outgoing like it usually is. I understand what it was like to be under Michael's captivating glare but I never thought Jaxons personality would completely change in front of Michael.

"Would you care to elaborate on that Mr. Foster?" Michael asked, taking a quick note into Jaxons folder. Jaxons face faltered and he looked as if he was taken aback by what Michael was saying. Confused on what exactly Michael was asking him his eyebrows creased.

"What are you insinuating there is nothing much more to explain?" Jaxon said, looking toward Michael with pleading eyes almost like he was begging Michael that he does not want to further talk about the matter.

"Oh Mr. Foster we really shouldn't start this conversation without cooperation" Michael said obviously knowing that Jaxon had more to say about the topic. Michael only wanted to confess it, I don't know why Jaxon can't just speak up for his life. I know Michael wouldn't judge based on his sexuality as should nobody else.

Jaxon sighed and his tense shoulders fell. He took a quick glance at me with a face of embarrassment and then looked back at Michael "I'm polygamist." I shook my head quickly in astonishment, i always knew Jaxon was a charmer for women but i didn't expect him to come out with that. People that practice Polyagmy are in a way over judged as some people think that these people just say they are polygamist because they want to get with multiple girls but some people just fall in love with more than one person which is seen as totally acceptable and not under their control. Michael looked over at me and smiled all i could think was 'what is he thinking?'

"Perfect thank you, Now in my file it says you have a fiance that was left in the rubble Mrs. Melody Weegar," he said patting the distorted pages to be even. Jaxon tenses up again with his hands balled up, but it's hard to even comprehend the fact that Jaxon had a soon to be wife. Especially after he made such a fast acquaintance with Stephanie. Tears started to fill in his eyes and that's when I realized that this woman must have meant a lot for him to react this way.

" How did you know about Melody?" Michael asked, keeping his emotions hidden. Jaxon was broken with his shaky voice. He almost looked in pain to talk mention her name. All of this was astonishing. How did I not know my best friend here at all? He has never told me about anything in his previous life which is something that i have been trying to understand about him.

I almost felt like betrayal in a way that Jaxon didn't tell me about this considering everything that I have told him. This makes me slightly happy that Michael has allowed me to be in these meetings. I guess i'll be able to see the true selves of the people who have clearly been lying to me over the years.

"That's classified. Now please don't waste anymore of my time and answer the question Mr. Foster" Michael said sitting back in his chair.

At this particular part i saw it best to sit down beside Jaxon to listen