Token (Token Chronicles) (2 page)

Laurel was perhaps the most ardent rebel against Grodar, and she was also a quite persuasive and talented speaker. This was the precise reason she was brought in as on one of the founders of the alliance, to motivate and recruit soldiers. It, instead, turned out to be the root of their downfall. Although Laurel full-heartedly supported the revolution against Grodar, she didn’t agree with anyone else about how they should supplant them and what type of rule should be instated. Jackson believed the power of the country should be given back to the citizens of Knav, to let them choose their leader and the representatives who have say in their own governance. Laurel strongly expressed her desire for all of the Vurthoes Generals to rule the country together and create their own dictatorship. After all, they were the ones putting their lives on the line. She wanted to execute anyone who ever had anything to do with the Grodarian Federation. Jackson tried to reason with her that not everyone is guilty. Everyone deserves the right to a fair and just trial, and it isn’t their jobs to lay judgment. Rhetta is coldly reminded Jackson received no such fair treatment.

Jackson was no ordinary individual, however. His bloodline was extremely powerful, but dangerous. He was a Mortal God of Destruction, descended from the Fallen Titan of Perses. He was the last of his kind, and he, unlike so many others before him, found a way to ignore his destiny and forge a new path rather than hurt innocents. Regardless of his dormant abilities, he was a natural-born leader. He always maintained a sound mind and didn’t let his emotions tarnish his motives. Magnus and Rhetta agreed with him on how Knav should be run after a looming Rebel victory over Cromus and his Federation seemed to be on the horizon.

Laurel began to grow quiet and compliant over the next few weeks. It was completely uncharacteristic of her and should have been a major warning sign. But the rest of the Vurthoes Generals were blinded by their desire for finally having achieved agreement amongst themselves.

Laurel spent her time behind everyone’s back convincing a large majority of the Vurthoes forces to side with her, promising them the spoils and riches that would await them after the victory she guaranteed. She promised them the vengeance so many of them desperately wanted for the deaths of their loved ones and humiliations they endured just to provide for themselves and their families. She had converted too many of them before anyone else realized what was happening. It was too late. Her words used to ring through the Rebel ranks.

“Fight for your Family! Fight for your Fallen! Fight for your Freedom!” she would roar to the crowds of Vurthoes soldiers, civilians, anyone she could find who would open their ears to her.

She decimated the power of the Vurthoes alliance. The Rebel forces split into two different coalitions, Vurthoes and Dopicance. In no time, her forces were larger than Vurthoes. Cromus could not have been more ecstatic. To see the force of the angry Rebels bearing down on him with nothing to lose now divided, fighting each other. Vurthoes momentum came to a screeching halt, as now they were not only battling Grodar, but Dopicance as well. A tripartite war for power and control emerged.

The last thing Laurel did before she completely defected was eliminate her biggest threat. She was afraid of Jackson more than anyone else. If he were to ever embrace his destiny, she would be the first recipient of his wrath. In her cowardice, she hired a lowly soldier to put a bullet in his head while he was asleep. Rhetta only survived because she was with General Magnus Queen on a reconnaissance mission at the time. With Jackson eliminated, the Vurthoes Rebel forces fell apart. In no time, they were defeated. Most of the soldiers either gave up on the cause or joined Dopicance. But despite Laurel’s compelling recruitment tactics, she was no strategist. Dopicance was defeated, and Cromus and the Grodarian Federation retained power.

After Jackson’s death, Rhetta was inconsolable and out of touch with reality for months. She was not even the one who noticed the signs of her pregnancy. The battalion nurse Kloe, who fled along with Rhetta, noticed the signs weeks later. Rhetta’s son brought her back to life, and now she must give him the same. He must have an opportunity to live.

“We’re almost there,” Kloe says. “Are you sure you want to go through with this? It’s not too late to change your mind, maybe we can all get out of the…”

“Yes,” Rhetta interrupts. “I can give him a chance at surviving. If they ever find out we had a child, that Jackson had a son…” Rhetta chokes out.

Kloe’s eyes dart to the ground because deep down she knows Rhetta is right. The child would meet the same fate as his father. Cromus and Laurel both would not take the chance. He would be killed immediately without hesitation, or worse, they would use him for their own benefit.

The dark sky finally begins to yield drizzling snowfall blurring their visions. Rhetta tucks her son inside her overcoat, wrapped in his pelt, and holds him even closer to provide protection and warmth. They come to a halt at a busy intersection. From there, they can see the hospital, one of the few buildings allowed electricity that doesn’t belong to the Elitists. The site is depressing. Sprawled all across the dried and mudded courtyard and ramps leading to the building are hundreds of people who are either dead or on the verge of dying. Payments these days are only accepted in the forms of food or whatever money can be scavenged, neither of which anyone hardly possesses.

Rhetta shudders when she sees the entrance to the hospital. Looped several times through the handles of the two doors are a couple of iron rusty chains with two separate locks to keep people from entering.

With such a large group of people so close to their position, Rhetta wraps her hood tightly around her face so she isn’t recognized. Next to the hospital, they see what they were looking for, the Hawk Station. The building is only two stories tall, constructed with solid black granite with five massive columns to support the large solid stone overhang. There is a set of steep white staircases that lead up to the large glass doors. The emblem inscribed on the face of the overhang confirms this is their mark; a hawk with its wings raised and feathers spread as if in mid flight with its talons curved and extended ready to strike down on its prey.

These stations were set up almost two decades ago as a means to funnel in money for the Federation. One of the grand ideas Cromus first devised to create a new and unique way to entertain the Elitists. At first, he seized all children in orphanages and foster homes and claimed them as property of the nation of Knav. The Grodarian Federation decreed this to be the policy for the future of all children should they have no guardian. The original strategy was for Grodar to steal or buy children cheap and advertise them as high end Tokens, men and women built to follow every order given without question. The perfect servants. Humans could be owned as if they were pets. These children were sent to the newly claimed Hawk Islands miles from any other countries. The children would be sold at auction years later, after extensive training to conform to every expectation of Grodar, to the highest bidders at auction. The Elitists became enthralled by this concept and began to develop numerous rivalries with each other to land the Tokens they wanted at every auction. None of the citizens are even aware of what the Tokens are used for after auction.

Of course, Cromus was the type of person who enjoyed challenging the status quo. He wanted to test the limitations of the desperate and starving citizens and see how far they would go for their own survival. He began offering 500 currens for any child, from birth to ten years old. Unfortunately, the amount of children being Hawked sky rocketed for an amount of money that may only possibly provide food for a few months. Cromus found this to be amusing, always toying with the exchange rate to see how low he could drive the price down. Kidnapping became a major problem. The Grodarian troops were the worst. Children were constantly being taken and brought into the Hawking stations and sold before the parents even knew they were missing. Whenever the parents discovered their children were gone, the first place they would go would be the local station. Desperately hoping their children were not already being shipped to the Islands, they would frantically describe what their kids looked like to the Hawkers. They didn’t care. If the child was healthy and breathing, they paid, no matter where the baby came from, and the deal was final. No names were ever taken.

Hawkers, themselves, were easily identifiable. They were all dressed in black suits with gray trench coats and a black fur and sheepskin hat stamped with a gray Hawk symbol. They all seemed to be of the same mold. All of them were around the same height, with the same brown-cropped hair, dark eyes, and pale skin. It’s as if they were all cloned from the same generic person.

Rhetta is depending on their callousness and lack of accountability. No questions, just take the child, and forget and where and who he came from. He will become just another Token, and no one will ever know who his parents were. They will never know he was the son of Jackson and Rhetta Maddox. It may not sound like a great alternative, but Rhetta is comforted by the fact she knows he will survive. She knows he will be protected and fed. He will at least get the opportunity to grow up and live.

Around the corner, a small group of ten Grodarian troops come marching around most likely surveying citizens if they have seen the woman who is within a mere stone’s throw. While they are gaggled up talking, Rhetta knows it’s now or never.

Kloe must be the one who goes in to make the exchange. Rhetta is putting her in another dangerous situation. For the last time, Rhetta promises herself.

Rhetta never would have survived her pregnancy without Kloe. She was the only one who ever ventured of the room for food and supplies because the citizens had no reason to recognize her face, as striking as it was, as they did Rhetta’s. She safely delivered Rhetta’s baby into this world and took great care of both them as if they were her own family. Rhetta will forever owe Kloe her gratitude, and her only hope of repaying this debt is to keep her alive. Rhetta hasn’t told Kloe yet, but she means to separate from her once they finish their task. Kloe will be safer without Rhetta’s bull’s eye hanging over their heads.

Rhetta turns to Kloe and says, “When you go in, be as brief as possible. Make the exchange and take whatever amount of money they offer you. We don’t want them to be suspicious of our motives.”

Rhetta embraces her child close to her bosom, kisses his soft forehead, and promises, “I will see you again one day sweet child.”

She hands him over to Kloe. Kloe pulls him in close to protect him from the bitterly cold falling snow.

Kloe tries to comfort Rhetta.

“You will see him again one day. I know it. He will understand you did what was necessary to protect him.”

Rhetta smiles and pretends for a moment it might actually be true, but she is brought back down to reality. She knows there is no way she will survive. She will die just as Magnus and her husband before her. She has embraced her impending death, but she wants to reassure Kloe she still believes there is a chance.

“When I am no longer the most wanted Rebel, I will find a way to get him back. And we can live in peace away from it all.”

Kloe brightens at the thought of such a time being a possibility.

Rhetta gives her son one last kiss on his forehead and hugs Kloe tightly.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be okay,” Kloe says.

“I know, but just be careful. Take care of yourself.”

Kloe looks back at Rhetta with confusion. Rhetta fears she has said too much and revealed her plans to leave her.

She rebounds quickly and assures Kloe when she says, “It shouldn’t take longer than ten minutes. I will wait for you here when you come out, and we will make our way out of the city.”

Rhetta reminds her, “Give me your weapon. They scan bodies before you are allowed to enter the building.”

She promptly hands her gun over and begins to make her way across the street ensuring there are no Grodarian ground transports coming before she crosses over. Rhetta pulls out an extra bag, begins to stuff Kloe’s weapon, half of their rations, and the note she had already prepared explaining her actions and thanking her for everything. Rhetta drops the bag where they are supposed to meet. She looks up just as Kloe is crossing the threshold of the white steps and entering the door. She sees her son’s deep blue eyes stare back at her as Kloe disappears from view. Rhetta almost crumbles to her knees with the realization that may be the last time she ever sees him.

After Kloe enters the building, Rhetta catches sight of three of the troops from the corner come sprinting down the sidewalk toward the station.

NO!!!
.
It can’t be. There is no way they could possibly know whose baby that was. Scenarios come crashing through her head of how she might have given any indications she was here, of if anyone knew she was with child, that she and Jackson had a son. No. She had been so careful. The troops keep coming towards the steps increasing with speed. This can’t be happening.
THEY KNOW!!!
She can’t help it. She begins to venture out into the street. She has to stop them. She doesn’t care if she dies. She has to try. The thought of them murdering her child engulfs her. An almost inhuman-like sound escapes from her mouth. Then she sees why they were running. They were chasing after one of the men’s hats being blown down the sidewalks by the heavy gusts of cold winds. But she has caught their attention now. She was too loud. Another onset of strong winds erupts, and her hood is blown off her face. There she is, standing in the middle of the street completely out in the open. Exposed. The string of emotions runs across the troops’ faces. First confusion, then surprise, and finally recognition. They know who she is. In an instant, they are barreling down on her with their weapons raised.

Chapter 1

Hawk Islands