Page 5 of Chosen
I’m completely nude by the time I reach the secret room on the ground floor that has an exit leading directly to the back of the fortress. I step onto a moving walkway that transports me through the lush green fields of my property.
The foliage, grass, gardens and crops thrive because the biosphere which surrounds roughly 3 square miles of land that serves as somewhat of a greenhouse. It also protects the residents on the land from the harsh climate of this region. Because once one leaves the dome, the cold can cause instant frostbite to any nonesuperiouswithout protective gear.
It's cold for even my kind, but the temperature never bothered me. I was raised in the cold and fought for everything I have.
The walkway seems especially slow today or perhaps I’m just impatient, so I step off it and take off running until I reach the end of the dome. If it didn’t the sound of my voice to open, I would have shifted as soon as I left the main building.
“Open the dome,” I command.
“Please identify,” the voice of the artificial intelligence system responds.
“Sector Leader Draken.”
“Voice recognized. Please place your palm on the thermal handprint identifier.”
Red thermal lights in the shape of my hand appears. I place my palm against it, aligning with its contours.
“Identity confirmed.”
The biosphere slides open and the second I step out the cold hits me and sends a chill to my bones. I close my eyes and summon my inner beast. My bones snap and muscles contorts as thick white fur lines my skin. I drop to my knees when my hands and feet morph into paws.
My body lengthens and widens until my transformation is complete. A loud roar rumbles from my throat and finally my brain feels at one with my body. The cold no longer registers.
It’s snowing. It’s always snowing this time of year, but I claw my way through the powdery white precipitation.
If some of the governors in my region could see me now, it would confirm to them what they already think of me. Even some of the other Sector Leaders believe that I’m some evil monster who rules my area like a dictator.
Admittedly, in my first year as Sector Leader I faced many challenges, after all I didn’t have the pedigree to be a leader. I was just the illegitimate son of the former Sector Leader’syounger brother. My only saving grace, in my detractor’s eyes, I suppose, is my strength.
No one sees how hard I’ve fought to improve my sector through technology and introducing programs for the betterment of the citizens. To those on the outside looking in, I’m simply a brute. And perhaps I haven’t done a lot to dispel those misconceptions, but I’ve learned from an early age that allowing people to know your next move leaves you vulnerable.
I don’t care what most people think about me but being doubted by my own cousin sometimes makes me second guess myself. I often wonder if it wasn’t better off if he was Sector Leader. Perhaps sector 10 would be even more advanced than it is now. I’ve depended on his advice for as long as I’ve been leader. It’s been a comfort knowing I have someone firmly on my side whom I can trust.
But I fear in this matter on the breeder I have hurt his pride. I wanted to tell him that I understood his reasons for wanting me to wait. It would garner good will between my sector and sector 2 but knowing the history of my breeder, I don’t want to waste any time in retrieving her.
It seems Lord Magnus took a unique approach to how he handled the punishments of those who had lived on that off grid commune. For the ones who were young and heavily influenced by their guardians when they’d fled to the commune, mercy was granted. They were registered and given assignments. The others were sentenced to hard labor, many of whom were shipped to my sector.
My breeder falls in the former category.
Since the last Sector Leader Summit, I’d taken an interest in the cross-referencing program that purportedly creates more compatible matches that give pairings the best chance to produce stronger offspring. Because malesuperiousoutnumbered their female counterparts by a large number, we relied on humans with traces of superious DNA to reproduce.
After two failed courting attempts withsuperiousfemales, I realized I’d need to turn to the Registry if I wanted to continue my bloodline. I was surprised to learn I had a 99.1 percent match with my breeder. At least I knew my offspring would be strong.
I could have listened to my cousin’s advice on giving her the extra time to get used to the idea of her new assignment but I saw no need to wait. I’ve learned over time that the longer something is allowed to fester, the rottener it becomes. My breeder, Jamieshia Smith has already proved rebellious based on the details listed in the Registry. But there was something much more disturbing in her records that makes it necessary for her to be kept in my custody.
I wasn’t sure of the circumstances, but the less people knew about it the better.
She’s lucky to be alive because she’d committed an offense worse than not signing up for the Registry at the legal age.
Murder.
Chapter
Three
JAMIE
If one more person tells me everything will be alright, I think I’ll scream. It’s why I’ve spent the last five days in my isolation, with the lights off in the luxurious room I was given when me and my parents came to this manor. I don’t care about the large bath soaking tub in my bathroom, or the biggest softest bed, I’ve ever lain on.
