Page 22 of Chained

non-combat but should serve to teach her what happens to people who endanger the population and so dissuade her from any similar course in the future." My heart stopped working. A pounding thudded in my head and my ears rang.

"Mr Jackson will also serve three months as a messenger but will have to spend one battle running messages to the front line." He looked away from us and turned around.

"Striving forward together," he said, moving back to sit in his chair.

"For the good of the population," everyone in the room replied instantly. My lips stayed motionless.

A flurry of approving nods from the audience followed and I locked eyes with Taylor. Our ha

nds were clasped together so tightly it was cutting off the blood to my fingers. The taste of blood was overpowering everything and I felt like I was about to be sick.

We were going to SubWar.

Chapter Eight

The trip back to my cell was a blur. I vaguely remembered them prising my hand from Taylor's grasp and leading him in a different direction.

"Will we be going together?" I whispered to Laurie as she showed me back into the cell.

She glanced up at the camera in the corner of my room before whispering back. "Yes, they send out new convicts once a week. Together." And she was gone.

Great, I was a convict. But at least Taylor and I would be together, we could keep an eye on each other.

There was a glass of milk on the table. I strode across the room and downed it in one before collapsing on the bed. Sleep could have me.

When I woke, there was no new tracksuit but my SubWar uniform had arrived. It comprised of a black and grey camouflage-print pair of thick, waterproof trousers and a matching coat. There was a dark green vest top to go underneath and a pair of sturdy black walking boots that buckled up tightly around my calves.

I got changed and surveyed myself in the mirror. The uniform I had seen so regularly on the news looked strange on me.

I pulled my long hair back and tied it tightly behind my head, taking a steadying breath. I concentrated on my reflection, forcing back the tears that were trying to escape and letting my expression harden. I wasn't going to let this beat me and I sure as hell wasn't going to die in some filthy pit with a group of criminals.

The suction release sound of the door opening drew my attention from the mirror. Laurie stood in the doorway with three other Wardens lurking in the corridor behind her, their backs to me. She was taller than me and looked formidable, as all Wardens did, but there was a softness to her face. Her mouth turned up at the corners as though waiting for an excuse to smile and her brown eyes sparkled.

I was glad to have Laurie to escort me. I really needed to see a friendly face even if she didn't have a choice about it.

"Ready to go?" she asked brightly, like we were off for a day out.

"If I say 'no' do I get to stay here, maybe go back to my apartment?" I asked, glancing around to see if I'd missed anything. Obviously I hadn't.

"You could give it a go," Laurie said. I looked from her mischievous grin to the gun at one hip and taser at the other.

"Maybe not," I said, walking from the cell without looking back.

It didn't take long for me to realise we were heading to the cable cars.

"No more helicopters?" I asked. Laurie glanced at the other Wardens before answering.

"No. You will be transported by underground vehicle to the SubWar complex," she said quietly.

"How do they know there aren't contaminants there?" I asked as they escorted me along the Walkways.

"It's a specially selected area which had a very low contamination reading originally and has been made safe for use in SubWar. It's protected like the city, though without concrete walls."

"Why don't people just run away then?" The other Wardens all gave me a stern look. "Not that I'm considering it, but the people who actually have to fight..." I trailed off.

After a long pause Laurie answered.

"Because the SubWar site is a safe zone but it is surrounded by an extremely dangerous contamination area. Only an idiot would run."