Chapter 30

Defectors

I'm still in the fuss, filling all the deep-holed questions with the answer I'm not sure of. I'm still trying to understand all the things had happened to me now. My intention was just to be a participant of the rebirth process and to achieve a better life but not joining a movement wherein wrecking our future is part of the terms.

I touch and felt the tracker on my neck, I still couldn't believe how in the world someone used me to talk with it. And at the thought of it, at the very start of my journey on the process, my tracker started to trigger and maybe in that way, the person whose manipulating my tracker was trying to talk to me. I just didn't know. I wasn't aware of things like this could exist.

I watched Barry left the operation room. After his order not to take out the tracker on my neck, Dilly and Manny started to act like I'm really one of them. They take me to the shower area, they even handed over fresh towels, clothes to wear. I'm still confused about how they treated me or maybe I'm gonna be a pawn once they furnished the plan.

The cold water coming from the shower running through my hair and skin refreshed me. I haven't felt clean for a long time. I scrubbed my skin. From the back of my neck, underarm, legs and feet. And when the waterfalls to wash my body, it all removed the dirt. The brownish with a mix of blood stains flows right into the drainer.

I closed the shower, pick up the white fresh towel and wipe my wet body. After that, I wrapped it around my waist and searched my way to the locker room area to wear the clothes they have given me. A plain gray v-neck shirt, cargo pants and also clean underwear. When I finished grooming myself, I took a deep breath looking myself into the shattered mirror.

"How do we end up like this?" I asked myself, but of course, no one answered. I don't have the answer.

The next thing happened, I heard footsteps coming into my direction and as I expected, Dilly and Manny come into my sight. I still couldn't forget how they deceive me and try to lure into their movement.

They just basically show people are manipulative and how I make myself fool just because someone needed help. Remember always that people who look horrible doesn't always in need of help, cause in some ways, they are looking a way to put you in despair and that's the power they had. And no one should earn that kind of power.

"The dinner is about to start, are you ready to meet everybody?" Manny said.

I nodded, "sure..."

Dilly placed her hands on my shoulder, "don't be scared Dylan, they won't bite unless you make trouble." She smirked, "but oh well, I'm starving. We need to get to the dining hall, everyone's waiting to meet you."

"You will be happy once you meet someone there." Manny teased.

Manny and Dilly escorted me out of the locker room and we head to the dining hall where the dinner would happen. I'm still trying to cope up with their environment. It is new to me, it is something I wouldn't live with.

When we reach the dining hall, the noise greeted me. All of them are having fun taking their dinner. There's a three long stained-steel table and every side are the participant who chooses to be against the High Council. They didn't mind my presence. Some are looking at our direction, some are just glances and some gives gossips to the next person they were seated with.

Manny patted my shoulder, "this way, Dylan."

I followed them as we lead the catering who holds the food. We joined in a line, picking up a tray. As we handed our tray and put a plate of food on it, I am amazed by the fact they were giving us some food we cannot have. Those are illegal and high prices and I can't believe I'm gonna get to taste it!

"You'll gonna love it your stay here, Dy," Dilly said, giggling.

"I'm not sure of that, Dilly."

"You will, I promise," Manny said.

I followed Dilly and Manny to the table and as we got there, there is no vacant seat for me. They just look at me and I'm wondering how could I eat my dinner when I don't have anywhere to the seat. And then I got to think to sit on the ground and that would catch much attention from everybody.

"You could have your dinner on the other table, Dylan," Manny said.

And when I look around, there is no vacant seat available for me. But on a sudden note, someone caught my attention and a familiar voice held me to find where she is. When I found the girl whose waving on me, I immediately walked straight to her direction. I couldn't believe I would see her in this place.

She stood up from sitting and when I get to her, she embraces me with hugs.

"Oh, gosh, I miss you." She mumbled.

I lose my hugged on her and held both of her shoulders, "so this is where you joined, Cha." I smirked.

"Well... it is the only I find for my sister's justice."

I shrugged off my shoulder, " it's your decision and I won't argue with it. I'm happy that you're here, at least I get to be with someone I know."

She smiled, "me too, I've been adjusting quite for days now and I'm happy that you finally joined the movement."

I took a deep breath, "about that... you know what, we can talk about it later. Can we just eat, I'm starving already by looking at those foods."

"You really should and I'm gonna say it, it's not poisonous."

I smirked, "fried chicken as it is."

I seated beside Cha and started to pig out myself. She also introduces to me on some people on our table. Well, these participants of the rebirth chose not to fight for their survival instead they wanted to end the cruelty of the High Council and joined the movement. I know they have their anger and reason to do this and I can't argue with that but what if, all these things go wrong?

How would they cope up with the life they chose?

While we're eating, Cha asked if Al were with me now and I just answered her to the last time we see him. I don't know what happened or what they were doing to him but I just hope he's okay and didn't get to dump back on the Waste Land.

"When will this be over?" I asked Cha.

She shrugged off her shoulder, "I don't know Dy... I also just follow their orders."

I nodded, "okay... but did you also know that someone has been talking to me through my tracker?"

She shook her head, "never but I heard it now, Dy. It spreads fast."

"I see." I inhaled deeply, "do you plan on getting out of here?"

She shook her head, creasing her forehead. "Never had the idea, Dy. I wouldn't get out to the place to what I know will help me. And one more thing, we are safe here. I felt safe here and I think there will be no harm to staying in a group where you have one mindset. And that's putting down the High Council. Do you Dylan? Would you do that?"

I shook my head, "I don't know Cha. I don't know what to think anymore."

"Maybe you were just overthinking and didn't look deep into the purpose of the movement."

"I know what the purpose of the movement is, Cha. To put down the High Council. To what I'm afraid of, will there ever be peace after that?"

Cha came into silence and didn't get to respond to my questions. And so I just laughed to break the cold silence. She awkwardly laughs and goes back to her dinner. I also finish my plate and got satisfied after. I stretch my hands up in the air and I could really feel so good right now. Getting fresh and festive isn't something we can have on the Waste Land but without stepping a foot on the Noble Land, I get to feel it. And maybe, this is what they were asking to have.

Without the cruelty of the High Council, you can experience life in both ways.

Not too long when a commotion appears in the dining hall when Barry, their boss entered the hall. I wasn't expecting his presence on this hour but he walked directly on my direction and stopped right in front of me. All the other participants leave the table to give respect to him. Cha just gives me nod leaving the both of us.

"So you met your friend again," Barry said.

I nodded, "yeah, I never thought I would find her again."

He laughed, "the filed isn't that big for not everyone could see each other." He muttered and patted my shoulder, "but good thing that you were feeling like you wanted to stay here more."

"Possibly," I replied.

"You will, Dylan. And you will realize how this movement will gonna affect changes in our generation."

"And then why it didn't happen ago when the High Council weren't that much tech and powerful?"

Barry laughed, "we couldn't start the actual movement before but it's already happening, just not like this one."

"What do you mean, Barry?" I asked.

He reached out on me, place his hands on my shoulder and pointed to all the participants around. "We are called the defectors Dylan. And these people who joined are the fruit of what we did before. I was one of the leaders who structured the movement... I purposefully didn't make it to the nine months of rebirth just because we have been planning to this day to come. And I think the one who manipulated your tracker is our boss—our inside man on the Noble Land."

I suddenly get confused to his words, "what do you mean that? I still don't understand."

"You will suddenly, Dylan."

"Would you care to explain why the movement didn't happen before?"

"You still got a lot of days to know, Dylan but for now, you should know how to be friend with anyone because they are your family now. And what does family do to each other? Help and love and that's what we are."

"This is frustrating... you want me to be in the movement but you don't care to explain it to me."

He slowly nodded on me, "do you want to understand everything?"

"Of course."

"Then meet me at my office when everyone is on their sleep, understood." I nodded at him. "Okay, see you then..."

I sit back on my chair and look around thedining hall and find all these people with their smiles and laughs. Maybe thereis no harm joining this movement and if this is a better cause, I would fightwith them. Just to earn our place and what we deserve on the Noble Land, ifthis is the only way, I'm gonna be defecting to rule out this game.