Chapter Twenty-One

Surrounded by the luxuries of their lavish throne room, the Clover Trine faces one another, their thrones facing one another in a triangular layout.

“The Amlovos seem to be multiplying in numbers by the day. John, what the hell is the Mako doing? You should be on top of this!” says Washo, the oldest and longest-serving Clover.

“The Mako are doing their job. It’s not easy to smoke out an enemy among our own, these things take time. I have it handled,” says John, resting his hand on his chiseled jawline.

“Ha!” cackles Washo, making him cough. “While you’re sitting around with your thumb up your ass, the Amlovos destroyed another pair of tirikas! They aren’t only amassing more supporters but also tainting our faith! And just three days ago, your informants claimed that the Amlovos bought another round of guns, ammunition, shards, and various technological gadgets off the black market! It’s embarrassing that you couldn’t intercept this transaction and expose those rebels! The Mako would be far better off if I were in control instead of you! This entire situation would’ve been dealt with already!”

“Oh, shut up, old man, you’re damn close to keeling over. You know… you look pretty stressed out now that I’m looking at your hideous appearance. I think I even see a new wrinkle today,” sneers John.

Washo grunts, “That wrinkle is from covering your f*cking ass. You shouldn’t be a Clover.”

John says, “Tell you what, Washo. I’ll set you up with some beautiful women, some drinks… it’ll take some real weight off your shoulders. Help you relax.”

“Enough of this. Elena, how’s Sorel's experiments going?”

Elena inspects a new diamond bracelet on her wrist, “My nephew has repeatedly expressed that this research will change the world as we know it. Of course, without my money, he wouldn’t have the means to run his tests, but it looks like he’ll be yielding quite a profit this time around. What’s the damage cost looking like for the two destroyed tirikas?”

John says, “What’s it to you? You’re among the richest in the world. Those repairs will cost you next to nothing.”

Elena replies, “I’m still the owner of over seventy percent of this nation's tirikas. Do you even have the faintest idea about what this will do to business? To the economy as a whole? I’m sure word has already begun to spread, and no person will want to attend services again if they’re worried about the roof collapsing on their head.”

Washo says, “Precisely, which is why you should be on top of this, John. By morning, this whole country will be in a panic.”

John says, “Alright, alright, I hear you. But seriously, Elena, we all know the real reason why you’re concerned. Without your precious tirikas up and running, a good portion of your equity tanks. And don’t start pretending like you don’t pocket most of the profits for yourself. That money is for the people. Honestly, do you even care about Nevism?”

Washo interjects, “Hold your tongue! How dare you mock the lord's name in his home!”

Curling her straight red hair, Elena disregards Washo and says, “Pocket is a strong word. I put forth available money toward investments to better our society, such as Sorel’s research at Soulbell. I’m helping the people, just not in a straightforward manner. At least I don’t spend my free time bringing home strippers off the street instead of actually giving a damn.”

Washo pounds his fist on his armrest twice, quieting the room.

He unfolds a paper, “While I enjoy listening to the two of you bicker most of the time, we have more concerning matters. This was sent by the rebels today… it seems they’re trying to ride off the waves they made earlier. I wouldn’t exactly call this a list of demands, no questions ‘til I’m done reading.”

Clearing his throat, Washo starts reading the letter:

“If we are to survive in this new era of iris, we cannot afford to look weak to the other nations of the world. Even worse, we cannot afford to be weak. Around the globe, thousands now possess supernatural abilities that pose a threat to our nation. Our country's unique environment will no longer offer protection from invasion. With these new iris abilities, other nations will be keen on seizing the advanced technology we’ve long withstood from fully sharing with them. Our theocracy promotes a nonmilitant agenda, and our citizens need to wake up. Nevism may have once existed as an honest religion, but through each of you, it’s become a ploy to control the country from the shadows. If we are to stand on equal ground in this new era, we must change. Our nation is weak, our people are ignorant, and if we don’t adapt now, we will fall.”

He pauses momentarily, “We request that the Clover Trine step down from their posts. From there, the current government format will be disposed of and replaced. A more militaristic regime guarantees our future, and with Nevism cleansed of its filth, this nation will stand tall once again. You have until the end of this week to follow through.”

Looking up from the paper, Washo’s brows knit together as John chuckles, “Who do they think they are? Thinking they can run this country better than us… those fools!”

“They may be fools, but they pose a legitimate threat!” snaps Washo.

Elena agrees, “To send a letter like this means they’re confident. We can’t only assume that they pose a threat… they are a threat. They must have thousands of citizens on their side that we aren’t aware of, and with the weapons they bought from the black market… hell, they probably have a plethora of iris wielders now, too. It’s hard to say, but the Amlovos might even overpower our current military with the Mako. While I disagree with most of that letter, they hit the nail on the head there. Our military is incredibly weak, and before the world exposes that, it seems the Amlovos are going to take advantage of that themselves. We must proceed with caution.”

John notes, “Oh shit! This isn’t like you, Elena! You actually seem unsettled!”

“I hope you understand that the Amlovos are directly challenging you the most,” voices Elena, meeting John’s gaze. “They pretty much just spit in your face, calling you and your military weak. If I were you, I’d stop displaying such an arrogant smirk and actually consider the dangers we’re facing.”

John’s mouth drops along with his tone, “Just to be clear, my men are more than prepared for this new world of iris. If the Amlovos want a fight, we’ll give it to them.”

“No," asserts Washo. "We mustn’t allow a civil war. It could put innocent people in danger.”

John says, “And how are we supposed to know those people are innocent? They could be spies for the rebels for all we know. I’m not about to just lie down and give these bastards what they want. If they want to take this nation by force, I say let them f*cking try!”

Washo says, “They’re not taking our nation, and we’re not stepping down either.”

“Do you propose we counter?" asks Elena. "The end of this week is only three days away; we don’t have much time.”

Washo shakes his head, “No. The Amlovos have been around for many years, and they’ve made it clear they aren’t willing to negotiate. But we still have an out, something those dastardly rebels won’t expect.”

Elena and John sit on that statement for a minute before Elena’s eyebrows rise, “Soulbell. The experiments should be producing some powerful iris wielders by now that could give us the edge in battle. We can use them.”

John adds, “Interesting. What makes it even better is that since the criminals at Soulbell are independent of our military and government, we can’t be to blame if they wreak havoc over our land. They'll just be some criminals that got loose during all the chaos. If the Amlovos fail their little uprising, we can blame the prisoners' escape on the Amlovos themselves. And if the prisoners are defeated, it’ll buy us time to bolster our defenses.”

“The only problem is that we are putting the citizens at risk, and that’s if the criminals will fight for us. The inmates already have a promise of freedom if they complete Sorel’s program,” says Elena, rubbing her conjoined hands together. “It won’t be easy convincing them to fight for our sake without showing our hand. We might even have to promise more.”

Washo says, “So let’s not extract the inmates in mass. We have three days to figure this out, or the Amlovos will storm our castle. Here’s my recommendation. We consult with Conall, informing him that we want to recruit five of the most capable and rational fighters that Soulbell has to offer. Conall and his judgment can be trusted, and these five individuals will be recommended to us solely by him. Of course, Elena, this means Sorel will be left out of the loop. Are you okay with this?”

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“I’m perfectly fine with it. My nephew may throw a small tantrum, but he’ll get over it. Pretty hard to argue with this reasoning when his entire research program is dependent on us holding our positions of power.”

“Of course, once we assess these five individuals and determine their worth, we may be inclined to recruit more inmates. That’s a bridge we’ll cross when we get there. If anything, this should buy us time. And John, if the Mako actually starts getting shit done, it’ll buy us even more time. We need locations, names, anything to give us the upper hand.”

“I don’t have much,” replies John, meeting Washo’s gaze. “But now that I’m thinking about it, I have something. It was a few years ago and seemed irrelevant then, but one of my men sniffed out a location where the Amlovos had previously met. It was just before the chaos of the shard shower, so I could never get around to it. Of course, the Amlovos constantly switch up where they meet, so there’s no way of knowing how long it’s been since they last used that place, but it’s a start. This officer of mine is religious, and he attends services quite often. Before he found the hideout, he attended a service a few weeks prior. While at a service, he picked up on a particular phrase that stuck out to him. I don’t exactly remember the contents, and I bet neither does he… it’s been years. However, I remember he mentioned where he thought the hideout's location would be. It makes sense with the timeline, but it could all just be a coincidence.”

Washo says, “No, we must treat it like it’s not. Why the hell did you keep your mouth shut about this?! If this is all true, the Amlovos have been using the tirika services to organize their meetings and gain supporters! Their destruction of the tirikas has been a cover-up to deflect our attention, and they’ve mainly been targeting retired teprans. It adds up. Damn it, they’ve been right under our noses this whole damn time, and we couldn’t see ‘em!”

“Which tirika did this service take place at?” asks Elena.

John says, “Everstrong.”

Elena’s gaze drops, “For the most part, I let the teprans run their tirikas without my involvement. I allow them flexibility, and we build trust through communication. I even allow them to take some time off every year per their request. The tepran at Everstrong is a woman named Raven, and she’s been a tepran for many years. I’ve even spoken to her several times; however, she requested two weeks off only five days ago, and all her upcoming services were canceled. Damn it… just how long has she been playing both sides?”

Washo asks, “Are there other teprans that requested time off recently?”

Elena’s head sinks into her hands, “Yes… you must understand I own hundreds of tirikas... know thousands of teprans. It’s completely normal for multiple tirikas to be closed at once. I couldn’t have possibly known this had to do with the Amlovos.”

Washo demands, “We understand, but who are the other teprans?”

Elena answers, “There’s Yannick from Keepers Hope, Maya from Spring of Life, Deniz from Crosspoint, Carys from Nevis Faith… those are the ones I remember, but there are others I’m definitely forgetting. I need my notes, but as far as I’m aware, none of their tirikas have been touched by the rebels either.”

John says, “That’s enough for me. I’ll order the Mako to inspect every nook and cranny of those tirikas and their homes. We’re bound to find something.”

Washo stands up, “And I’m going to make a trip to Soulbell tomorrow. John, make sure to get something. Wash whoever you have to, kill whoever tries to fight back. Do whatever it takes. Elena, follow up on those leads and hold this place down. We may not agree much, but we’re all in the same boat right now, so I’m willing to cooperate more than usual. We don’t have time to waste… our rule as Clovers hangs in the balance.”

***

A metal baton clatters against the bars of our cell, jolting Makani and I awake.

Rubbing my eyes, I ask, “What’s going on?”

“Both of you are to come with me,” says a guard, unlocking our cell. “The warden wants to see you.”

Getting out of bed, we follow the guard to Conall’s office. The morning thunderbell has already gone off, so most inmates are at least half-awake. Eyeing some of them as we pass by their cells, I receive scowls, glares of contempt, or terrified glances that hide themselves away a moment later.

Facing forward again, the edges of my mouth slightly lift.

As we enter the warden’s office, Joey, Ayden, and Tori are already inside with tired faces.

“You two as well?” grumbles Ayden, rubbing his eye

Dismissing the guard with a tilt of the head, Conall leans forward in his chair as the guard exits the room. He waits until Makani and I have seated ourselves before he begins speaking.

“Good morning. I summoned the five of you for a reason. You’ve made quite a name for yourselves around here… the Scouts of Soulbell.”

“We didn’t do anything wrong,” says Joey.

“I know, you’re not in trouble.”

“So why drag us out of bed so early?”

Ray suddenly bursts into the room, and Conall says, “Ah, Ray, perfect timing.”

Ray is here?

Visibly tired like us, Ray looks at the Scouts and then at Conall, “What’s this about?”

“Nothing bad, just sit.”

As Ray sits beside Conall, the warden begins, “I brought you all here because today we have a special visitor. One of the Clovers is coming to Soulbell, and he’s looking to recruit a group of inmates for a unique task. I’m recommending the five of you.”

“What’s a Clover doing coming all the way down here? I don’t remember the last time they visited this place," says Joey.

Conall replies, “As Ray informed you, an uprising is brewing. The Clovers are looking to recruit capable fighters to squash this rebellion.”

Joey mumbles, “I… see…”

“Please listen. One way or another, you’ve each earned my respect. Not only have you become some of the best fighters within these walls, but you don’t allow yourselves to stoop down to Sorel’s level. Some of you have gotten a little more rough than others,” says Conall, eyeing me. “But I’m grateful you haven’t caused any unnecessary casualties. You may not know it, but you’ve become models that not only the other inmates look up to… but also some of the guards.”

“More like they fear us,” I say, garnering a side-eye from Joey.

“Perhaps, but your presence and commitment to iris have ultimately benefited Soulbell.”

Makani asks, “But why are the Clovers gambling with criminals? Surely there are other options.”

“Because they’ve been backed into a corner. They have no other options, and the very fact that the Clovers are forced to depend on utilizing criminals is humiliating for ‘em, so this is all a big secret.”

“I don’t buy it," I say. "There’s no way they can trust us. We’re the bad guys here… convicted felons. They gotta be expecting us to defy their orders and retaliate once the chance arises.”

“They do, but as I’ve learned over these years... what determines a good person from a bad person is simply perspective. Mateo, I learned your story a while back, and I would like to apologize. You don’t deserve to be here. The odds and evidence were against you, but even still, our justice system failed you. No… our nation has failed you. And the person you’ve grown into is because of those faults.”

Shooting Ray a glance, Ray nods.

Conall says while scanning down the line of faces, “Being framed for a murder you didn’t commit, avenging your friends and speaking the truth, being forced to survive on your own as a child, serving justice to a woman who went mad, and having all the blame pinned on you by your own family… these actions are what got you all thrown in here. You are all different, but I believe each of you is a good person. And that’s why I’m recommending you to the Clovers.”

“What’s in it for us?” asks Joey. “Sounds like they’re just going to take us off some shelf, use us for our strength, and then put us back like we're some kind of tool.”

Conall replies, “Don’t be mistaken. You hold all the power right now. The Clovers are at your mercy, and your unwillingness to cooperate could result in the Amlovos seizing control of the nation.”

Ayden says, “To hell with the Clovers. I say let the rebels overthrow ‘em.”

Joey raises his hand slightly, “Hold on, Ayden. If what he’s telling us is true, we can probably negotiate ourselves out of Soulbell.”

Conall says, “Not probably. If you demand freedom, the Clovers will have no choice but to pardon you from your crimes. The Clovers are beyond desperate. I’m sure they’ll be willing to comply with any of your requests as long as you initially prove your worth. I’m on your side in all this, and I’ll back whatever you say, but there’s something else you should know.”

“Go on,” voices Joey.

“When Washo arrives around noon, the five of you will be escorted to the right by Sorel and myself so you can demonstrate your abilities to him. While you're around Washo, you must distance yourselves from one another. If Washo sees you all acting as friends, he’ll grow suspicious. Sorel hasn’t ever cared about learning who you guys are outside of the arena, and as for today, he believes that the Clover Trine is only interested in seeing how far his research has come. He doesn’t know what's actually happening, and we're keeping it that way.”

The soulbell rings to make it seven in the morning, and Conall rises, “We’re out of time. Ray will be around the left if you have questions. I’m sorry. I know this is sudden, but if you take this opportunity, this can be your ticket out of here. Good luck.”

***

After leaving the warden's office, we split up on our way back to the block. As I’m walking side by side with Makani, she asks, “Are you sure we can trust the warden?”

“Yeah, Ray wouldn’t lie. Plus, at the rate we’re going, we all would have eventually earned our freedom back from Sorel’s games anyway. The problem there is, who knows how long Sorel will decide to stick around? We don’t even know if Sorel will follow through on that guarantee if somebody ever does rack up ten wins. Today might be our only chance... we can’t mess this up.”

“And if we succeed…” says Makani. “You’ll be able to see your mother again.”

“Yeah… I... Ray said she’s hanging in there. I thought… well, I honestly accepted that I probably wouldn’t make it out of here in time, but…” I stop and hide my face, guilt and shame ripping through me. “I still– want to see her.”

Makani slaps me on the back, “Knock it off, man. We can’t be crying today. We gotta show that son of a bitch that he needs us! You’ll see your mom before you know it. No sweat!”

“I know… I know.”

Makani looks down the hallway where inmates are passing by, heading toward the mess hall.

“Conall said Washo won’t be here until around noon, so we should still be able to eat breakfast together.”

I nod, and Makani begins jogging down the hall, “Come on, we gotta blend in. Plus, I’m starving!”

Barely able to force a ghost of a smile, I run after her.