Because We Were Different – Part 11

Hey everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful summer! Here is part 11 of my sci-fi story, and guess what! I finally have some art to go with it! If you enjoy the art and this part, please like and comment, I really appreciate it! God bless! ~ C.G

Part 11

 I saw the suspicion in Remington’s eyes, and I remembered that he still had control over my sister. I couldn’t be responsible for her death too… even if her death would be better than her perpetual enslavement to this socialistic society. I might be able to escape if I angered him enough for him to want to kill me, but she couldn’t. She wouldn’t even know what she had done wrong… she’d only be terminated mercilessly. The image of my sister’s body joining that of my parents made me shudder and sit down. 

I tried to look at the portfolios he had lying under his folded hands, to try to divert the attention off the awkward scene, but I didn’t know how well it worked. Raidon merely looked between us, wide eyed but silent. 

I wondered if we’d ever get back onto the subject then, or if Remington would just order us all to death. Yet Remington spoke, almost as if he hadn’t been bothered by the scene. I was amazed at how he could control his emotions…That was the only thing I admired about him — he could hold his tongue and his temper most of the time — at least outwardly.

  “All right, you know of your mission, Paine but I am going to reiterate it anyway, with more up to date details. Zainab, you listen.” Remington flipped open one of the folders, and pulled out a picture. It was a picture of a small little girl with white hair, reddish-brown eyes and a pretty dress on. She looked about ten in the picture. “This picture was taken a few years ago of the princess you are to capture.”

I dropped my mouth. “But she’s just a child!” I cried. “What possibly could a child do to harm us?” I had agreed to kidnap a princess… but I hadn’t realized she was a child!

  Remington raised his brow. “Are you questioning my expertise, Paine? The older that child gets, the more dangerous she becomes! You must capture her — the quicker, the better.”

  I looked at the picture, and thought of my own sister. I curled my hands into fists under the table. How could I trick and capture an innocent little girl and hand her over to these monsters to be killed or tortured, or who knows what?!

Remington seemed to suspect me again, as he nodded and said in that annoyingly soothing tone, “Remember why you’re doing this, Paine.” 

  I saw the other file he was fingering. My sister’s. I stiffened up again. The king had other daughters, surely. But I only had one sister. The king had money galore, freedom, a kingdom. Mai was all I had. “Of course.” I pushed the picture back, barely looking at it. 

  “Good.” He took it back and replaced it into the folder. “Her name is Princess Nicolette Jaxon, and she should be at her father’s castle in Shizari, but we have heard some disturbing rumors that she may be in hiding, so this may take you longer than you thought. If all goes well, you can somehow befriend the girl, and when she’s unsuspecting, lure her into a trap. If she’s in hiding, it’ll be much trickier to find her and gain her trust, but I believe that with your wits, you can manage a plan out. Bring her to me immediately upon capturing her, and then your sister will be freed.” He pulled a small black bag from his side then, and handed it to me. “There are two pairs of red color contacts in there for you and the guard I will order to accompany you for protection. Zainab’s eyes look reddish enough, so he can pass as a Shiarizian if needed.” 

I nodded slowly, trying to take everything in. I glanced over at Raidon, who was frantically trying to write everything down on a piece of scrap paper. 

  Remington noted that too as he sighed deeply. “Zainab, what are you doing?”

  Raidon looked up with a weak smile. “Note-taking?” he squeaked out sheepishly.

  Remington leaned a bit closer to him, and said in a low voice, “Zainab, this happens to be a top-secret mission, and in top-secret missions, we don’t note-take! Now give me that!” He snatched the note from his hands and ripped it up into little bits and pieces, scattered all over the floor. “No one else is to know about this mission. And if someone finds out about it, either by one of you two’s words, or even by a little note—!” He looked right at Raidon, who actually found it in himself to glare back. “Then you will both be sorry!”