Telling the Truth

Sunday, 8 March 2099

Anzalone stood there, on the staircase between the third and fourth floor of Inns Two; Meghan the Assassin stood two steps above him. Her sword was still in her sheath; however, Anzalone knew that could change in a matter of seconds.

"How did you get into the building?" he asked his friend.

"I'm an Assassin, Tyler," Meghan answered easily. "I can do stuff like that."

"Why are you doing this?" Anzalone asked next. "You were a Maid back in Adlington. How did you become an Assassin? We've been best friends since Teacher Mabel's primary school classes. How could you?"

Meghan pulled down her hood. Her jet black hair was pulled back in a braid; her eyes were a dark burgundy. There was something on her face.

"What happened to your cheek?" Anzalone noticed.

Meghan looked down at the steps. She looked nervous, weak now, as if she had forgotten she was an Assassin and hadn't already killed one person. Anzalone knew his friend wasn't dangerous, only when she had to be. Unfortunately, that time was now.

"Maximus used his Gift on me," Meghan answered. "Said he'd use it on my mom if I didn't kill you by tonight."

Anzalone knew about Sir Adlington's Gift; residents called it the Torch Touch. The Mining City's President could burn people with the touch of his fingertips. The Gift couldn't cause fires or scorch materials, just burn skin. Maximus branded all of his Vikings with the symbol of Adlington: a pickaxe.

"Are you going to kill me?" Anzalone finally asked.

"It's either you or my mom," Meghan said. "Aren't you doing the same? Julius or your parents."

Anzalone knew she was right, but, still, the Assassin never reached for her sword. The staircase was silent, no residents had entered yet. Meghan turned around, started to ascend to the fourth floor. Anzalone didn't say anything, didn't know what his friend was doing.

But he was alive and that's all he cared about at that moment.

. . .

Bruno barged into the Inns Two lobby. There were a few residents and Attendants roaming around. Anzalone obviously wasn't in the convenience store anymore (the cancelled Execution lasted some time).

He ran to the elevator and repeatedly clicked the up button. The screen above the double doors flashed 14, 13, 12...

Too much time! Bruno thought and he darted to the stairwell door.

. . .

Meghan stood by the fourth floor door; she had put her hood back up, hiding her obsidian hair and Torch Touch scar.

"Meghan?" Anzalone called.

"Maximus told me I can't kill you until after you see your parents die," the Assassin said. "And Espen hasn't called you yet, so they're still alive. So, I guess, I'll spare you your life for now."

"You don't have to kill me, Meghan," Anzalone said. "How about we run back to Adlington and kill Maximus ourselves, run away with our families. He has always been a dangerous President. Espen and Ake follow in his footsteps."

"I guess━"

The door slammed opened from three floors down. There were footsteps that stopped abruptly. "Anzalone? Is that you up there? Are you safe? What do you mean you're gonna die?"

The silver-haired boy looked at Meghan; her eyes were wide with appallment.

"Someone knows?" she said, pulling out her sword. "This needs to end."

Anzalone turned around and bolted down the steps. "Turn back, Bruno! Run back to the lobby!"

Bruno bumped into Anzalone near the second floor mark; the silver-haired boy turned him around and, together, they descended.

"I can't have the Espington Guard know I'm here," Meghan shouted, "or me and my mom will die!"

"What is she talking about?" Bruno asked, skipping every other step.

"Just hurry!" Anzalone ignored.

Bruno pulled the door open and, together, the boys went to run back into the lobby, but not before Meghan flung her sword.

The blade caught Anzalone's sleeve and pinned it to the sidewall. The door closed itself on the his arm.

"Bruno!" Anzalone shouted and Bruno turned around again.

Meghan bolted down the last flight of steps, right as Bruno pulled the sword out of the wall and threw it back into the stairwell. Bruno then closed the door before the Assassin reached them.

Katrina noticed the boys' commotion and trotted over in her turquoise heels. "Bruno, Anzaloney, what is with all the ruckus?"

Meghan must've seen Katrina walking over through the door window because she immediately retrieved her sword and bolted back up the staircase.

The Attendant stopped near the boys, crossed her arms, and stared them down. "What is going on?"

Bruno peered at Anzalone before answering. "We were just racing down the steps, Katrina."

"I can tell by the sweat on Anzaloney's forehead," she pointed.

"Anzalone," the silver-haired boy corrected once again.

"Just please be careful," Katrina said. "The Inns Two stairwell is not also a jungle gym."

The boys nodded and speed walked out of the building without any more words. Katrina shook her head, but not before taking a second glance at the sidewall.

And the piece of Anzalone's sleeve caught at the door.

Bruno and Anzalone sat in the far corner of Espington Eatery; they both had just ordered coffee and cinnamon rolls.

"Explain everything," Bruno demanded, "now!"

Anzalone did exactly that. He explained how Sir Adlington planned the entire carriage explosion with the Islington gear he and his Vikings mocked (also mentioning how people like Alec and Roger should not have died, that the explosion was supposed to be small). Anzalone told Bruno that Espen did all the work: the plan, the modification of the Miners list, and the breaking of Anzalone's pinky finger.

"He just snapped it?" Bruno had asked.

"Quickly," the silver-boy had whispered. "Like a toothpick."

Anzalone continued with the story of his escape from Espington, how he was treated poorly in the Mines and needed to flee (plus the part where Ake and Maximus had caught him and threatened to end he and his parent's lives unless he assassinated Julius).

"All this is for your parents," Bruno realized. "You're really not an Adlington Spy."

"Exactly," Anzalone has answered. "This is all for my parents."

The memorial accident was fully explained. Anzalone had informed Bruno that Faulkner had been ordered to shoot Julius and lie saying he was aiming for Schmidt. Faulkner had never wanted to leave Adlington, which was why he agreed to shoot Julius; Faulkner wanted to be Exiled and taken back to his home City by Maximus.

"I ran up to the roof to look like the hero," Anzalone had said. "But you knew something was up."

"And I was right!" Bruno had cheered a little too loudly, earning him a few stares.

Anzalone clarified everything else to Bruno: Uncle Dixon, why he had switched to the Armory, and his friend/Assassin, Meghan Geneux.

"I knew something was up," Bruno finally said. "But we need to do something now."

Bruno noticed Anzalone's smile and eyes widen. "Finally, we're on the same page! But we can't turn Meghan in because she's an Assassin looking for me and if the Guard find out I'm not one of the original Miners, I'm dead."

"We needa stop her ourselves," Bruno realized.

"But Espen―"

It was as if Anzalone read the Viking's mind because the silver-haired boy's mobile rang with Faulkner's caller ID lit on the screen. Anzalone hit the green ACCEPT button once again.

Espen's face appeared this time with his scruffy, black beard and soot-covered face. There was a lot of commotion in the back, but Espen was close enough to the mic to be heard properly.

"It's a shame you answered your mobile," the Viking said.

"Meghan's a lousy Assassin," Anzalone retorted.

"Now's not a time to joke, Tyler," Espen grinned. "Not when I have both of your parents."

The Viking moved the mobile's camera over to the right and that was when Anzalone gasped at the table, started to breathe heavily.

A man and a woman stood tied to a tree. Another Viking―Anzalone noticed that it was Ake―stood near the trunk with his brandished, steel sword.

"Ed and Stacey hadn't cooperated when I retrieved them back at your shack," Espen explained. "That was when I knew I needed to use force."

Anzalone could see the welt on his father's bald head and the scrape on his mother's cheek and chin. Ed and Stacey were crying; they couldn't wipe their tears because the rope held down their arms.

"I'm just calling to see if you had any last words for your dear and soon-to-be-dead parents?" Espen asked. "I want them to hear you before Meghan finishes her job."

"Die off, Espen!" Anzalone said into the mobile's mic. "I know you really don't want to be helping Maximus, especially because he accidentally killed your best friend!"

The Viking's eyes watered; Anzalone knew he had just hit home. Espen looked down at the ground, then at Ake, and then back at the screen.

"Roger knew the plan, too," the Viking sniffled. "His death was meaningful."

"Hmm," Anzalone started. "Seems like his death was pointless and partially on your hands. Weren't you the only Viking to know where the bomb was planted? If you had steered Roger slightly more to the right or left maybe he would still be alive."

Bruno couldn't believe Anzalone was retaliating so violently when his parents were bound to a tree near two armed Vikings. The man named Espen looked aggravated, especially when a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Say goodbye to your parents, Tyler," the Viking growled.

"Mom, Dad―"

That was when the background commotion strengthened with a prominent crescendo. Espen lowered his wrist, making his mobile's camera face the ground. Anzalone could only see his parents' feet at the base of the tree trunk. Adlington residents were shouting and screaming in the background. Bruno could have sworn he heard a crash or two and some sort of small explosion. What was going on?

That was when Ake the Viking fell to the ground, in front of the camera. A long, thin arrow stuck out of his chest. Espen's face appeared again, but the Viking quickly ended the call. Anzalone's mobile went blank.

"Did you see that?" Bruno asked.

Anzalone nodded. "Adlington was just attacked by Piners."

. . .

The silver-haired boy got up from the table, hitting the siding with his hip as he did so. The mug teetered a bit, sending droplets of coffee onto the tablecloth. Anzalone continued to pace back and forth near the table. Other residents in Espington Eatery were staring intensely now.

"Anzalone, calm down!" Bruno whispered loudly. "Are you sure it was Piners?"

"We need to go to Adlington," Anzalone said. "Right now."

Bruno stood this time and now majority of the customers were fully interested in what was going on between the two. Bruno could have sworn he heard someone whisper "Is that the famous Rich Bruno?"

"How are we going to get to Adlington?" he asked. "There's miles of Pines between us and if Piners did attack our home City then I don't think the forest is safe."

"Maybe the sewers like your sister," Anzalone thought.

"She said it was all of twenty miles," Bruno retorted. "Took the whole day. We'd be too late."

"We need to get to Adlington and if that means stealing a Humvee, I don't care," Anzalone said, walking to the exit of the Eatery.

Bruno thought of something right when Anzalone mentioned the idea of stealing the Guard vehicle. He had totally forgot that someone in particular could help them get to Adlington without getting in trouble.

"Excuse me?" A Waiter asked. "You didn't pay for your brunch."

"Oh, sorry!" Bruno noticed; he placed his ID Card onto the table tablet. He darted out the Eatery doors, not waiting for a receipt.

Anzalone was outside sitting on a bench, hands massaging his temples. Bruno could tell the silver-haired boy was worrying about his family's safety as well as Adlington in general. Did they die from the Piners? Or did Espen kill them before the arrows did? Bruno walked up to the boy, nudged him on the shoulder.

Anzalone looked up, his eyes red from too much rubbing and crying, "What? Adlington is doomed. The Piners got them."

"That's not true," Bruno said. "We only saw Ake get shot by an arrow, and he may even still be alive. You're right, we have to go find out. My family could be in danger, too."

"How, Bruno? That's the problem."

"My best friend just got the position of Sergeant Guard," Bruno answered. "They man the trips outside Espington."

"Valinoti?"

"Yes!" Bruno smiled. "Let's go!"

And the two boys headed back to Inns Two, hoping Valinoti could get them out of Espington and back to their home City.

. . .

Katrina noticed Bruno and Anzalone dart into the lobby and head straight for the elevator. Both boys looked anxious and their cheeks were bright red. Anzalone looked around the lobby before entering the elevator as if he believed someone was watching him. Katrina held the part of Anzalone's sleeve that had been caught between the stairwell door and sidewall. She had grabbed the piece of clothe because she had not known how someone could get caught in a door and have their sleeve jaggedly torn off. Amanda Binetti, the Inns Two Convenience Manager, walked up to Katrina.

"You okay, Kat?" she asked.

"Think so," Katrina answered. "Something is going on with Bruno and Anzaloney, but I'm not sure what."

"They're just being boys," Amanda chuckled. "That Anzalone kid is my number one customer. He buys a lot of notepads."

"Hmm...I guess it is nothing," Katrina said.

But she still held onto the piece of Anzalone's sleeve.

⚔

Bruno and Anzalone ran down the fourth floor hallway, passing the picture frames of Sir Julius Espington and the former Espington Presidents. Bruno pulled out his ID Card from his back pocket and swiped down through R9's door slot. The two boys darted into the room and they could not believe what was standing right in front of them.

Meghan, the Adlington Assassin, had her sword to Valinoti's throat.

"Guys, what's goin' on?" the boy asked.

"How did she get in here?" Bruno asked.

"I-I opened the door..." Valinoti shouted. "...I-I didn't know she was a frickin' Assassin!"

"How did you know we lived here, Meghan?" Anzalone asked.

"Simply asked a woman on the elevator," the Assassin answered, grinning. "Apparently you're one of the most talked about person in Espington, alongside Bruno."

"Please, don't kill me!" Valinoti cried.

"Oh, I may have to," Meghan said. "Unless I trade you for Tyler."

The silver-haired boy walked forward, but Bruno grabbed his forearm right away.

"What, Bruno?"

"She could be lying and kill you both," he whispered. Then, "Where's Jojo?"

Valinoti must have known what the boys were talking about because he rolled his eyes to the mudroom door, which was closed shut.

"Where's Lee, Schmidt, and Cariddi?" Bruno asked.

"They are getting food at the Inns One Buffet," Valinoti said. "After your sister was almost Executed, I didn't really have much of an appetite. Now get me away from this sword!"

"Caroline Bruno is here? In Adlington?" Meghan asked.

"Oops," Val muttered.

"Yes," Bruno said and thought quickly. "And I told my friend, um, O'Neill, that you are here. I texted him that you were here and he's getting the Guard now!"

Bruno could see the panic in Meghan's eyes. She was looking back and forth at the two boys. "Give me Tyler now!"

"Then, what?" Bruno asked. "Once they are swapped, all three of us can attack you. Even though you're an Assassin, I don't think you could take on three men."

Meghan was nervous so she pressed the sword to Valinoti who was doing something with his mouth. Bruno noticed that Anzalone was studying Val's lip movement. What were the boys doing?

"Give me Tyler right now or your friend's blood will be sprayed like a sprinkler!" Even Meghan seemed uneasy saying that to the boys.

Valinoti nodded ever so slightly to Anzalone, the sword's blade snipped his skin a bit causing a drop of blood to trickle down the boy's neck.

Anzalone whistled a staccato-ed tune that was mostly high-pitched. Meghan looked at the silver-haired boy with confusion.

"What was that, Tyler?"

But Anzalone did not answer. Instead, the mudroom doorknob shuddered for just a second and then the entire door swung open. Jojo the Great Dane bolted out, bearing teeth and barking loudly. Meghan Geneux was caught completely off guard by the gigantic canine heading directly straight toward her. Valinoti knew she was distracted because she had loosened her grip on the sword. He quickly headbutted her and dove forward, away from the bloodied sword. Meghan fell back onto the floor before Jojo even reached her. The Great Dance pounced but Valinoti whistled highly and Jojo sat down, mouth closed.

"She's unconscious," Valinoti noticed.

"You knocked her out," Bruno realized.

"Or the floor did...Now what the hell is going on?"

Anzalone and Bruno looked at one another, but Bruno was the one to speak.

"We'll explain everything on the way to Adlington."

. . .

Katrina and Amanda watched as Bruno, Anzalone, and now Valinoti speed walked out of Inns Two. Again, the boys looked nervous with their blushed cheeks and sweaty forehead; Katrina even noticed a small bandage on Valinoti's neck. Did he have that at the Execution?

"I'm tellin' you, Kat," Amanda started. "They're just being boys."

Maybe that's the problem, the Attendant thought.

Valinoti kept asking Bruno and Anzalone questions as the three walked across Espington Square. The City was busy again after the site of Carth's cancelled Execution had been cleared; only a few Guard were cleaning up the last of the chairs.

As Bruno ignored Valinoti's questions, ("Why are we going to Adlington?" and "Who the hell is Meghan?") he thought about his twin sister―his pregnant twin sister. How was she holding up in a jail cell again, without Ms. Lupo and probably with a dangerous cellmate? Bruno needed to see her before he left for Adlington, if he was going to leave for Adlington.

Anzalone led the way; he was walking directly towards the Guard House. Valinoti was looking around, hoping Meghan would not pop up anywhere.

"Relax, Val," Bruno said. "She's tied up in our room with Jojo. Lee texted us saying that he and the guys won't be back for another two hours or so; they have an hour wait at the Buffet."

"Hm, thanks, Man," Valinoti said sarcastically. "It's not like I'm worrying about everything else that's going on. Maybe like why we're going back to Adlington!"

"Keep it down," Anzalone said. "Adlington was attacked by Piners so we needa save our families. You're a Sergeant Guard. You have access to the keys for a Humvee, correct?"

"Y-Yes."

"Then that is how we're gonna get to Adlington."

"No! I have no use for the Humvee! I just got the job for Lord's sake!" Valinoti yelled.

"Your family could be dead," Anzalone quickly added.

Valinoti didn't respond. Instead the boy led the way into the Guard House, opening the doors and walking to a backroom behind all of the cubicles and secretaries.

Diggs happened to be at one of the copier machines; he noticed both Anzalone and Bruno once they had entered. The Guard walked over with a smile; he had seemed to have gotten over his friend Melvin's death.

"Well, hiya, guys!" Diggs said, putting his hands out for the boys to shake. "What brings you to the Guard House?"

"Hey, Diggs," Bruno said. "I was wondering if I could see Carth, that okay?"

The Guard's smile went away, replaced by a totally stern expression. Diggs turned to the copier machine, picked up the stack of papers, and looked back at Bruno and Anzalone.

"Yes," Diggs grinned. "But only for a few minutes. Visiting hours end in five."

"Thank you," both Anzalone and Bruno said.

Diggs led the boys down the hallway of cells; Bruno looked back but could not see Valinoti anymore.

The boys passed O'Neill and Benson's cell, but luckily the two bullies were fast asleep. Bruno knew that the next cell was going to be Mavers'; he braced himself for a pair of hands to lunge out of the bars.

But no hands appeared.

As the boys walked past the cell, Bruno only noticed Boris Rossi. The shirtless killer was doing push-ups on the ground.

"Where's Mavers?" Bruno asked.

"Clinic," Diggs said without looking back. "Rossi accused him of stealing a pea from his food tray so he broke his arm."

Anzalone and Bruno looked at one another, Bruno feeling especially guilty. He really did do this to Mavers. Diggs continued to the end of the hallway until finally arriving at Cell 29. Carth was lying on the same mattress, reading a magazine.

"Someone is here to see you, Miss Bruno," Diggs said.

Carth turned and immediately started to cry. A woman shot up out of the neighboring mattress shouting all sorts of cusswords.

"I'm trying to sleep, Arthur!" the cellmate growled, her curly hair blocking her eyes and majority of her face. "Shut up!"

"Sorry, Chrissy."

The cellmate didn't respond, just groaned and slammed back down on her mattress and pillow, blanket over her entire body.

Bruno turned to Anzalone and Diggs. "Do you mind if I spoke alone with my sister?"

Anzalone didn't hesitate turning around; he walked back towards the Guard House lobby, back to where Valinoti was last.

"Two minutes, Bruno. No more," Diggs said, and walked away near Cells 20 and 19.

Bruno turned his attention back on his sobbing sister. Her hair was messy, eyes bloodshot, not to mention her breath reeked. When was the last time she brushed her teeth? Bruno had to whisper loudly because Chrissy the Cellmate was already snoring.

"Adlington was just attacked by Piners," Bruno said right away. "Val, Anzalone, and I are going there to help."

"Piners? That has never happened before! Are Mom and Dad, Jack and Alanna, okay?"

"I dunno. Dad would be safe in the Slammer and Mom would know to hide in the cellar. I'll be back tomorrow."

"Come back as soon as you can," Carth said, wiping her eyes.

"How did you get pregnant?" Bruno asked abruptly.

Carth looked down at the concrete floor and then back up at her brother. "I met a boy. He's a Miner, but he just started so you wouldn't know him. I made a mistake, Bruno. I can't be a mother! That's why Julius voted to Execute me, because he knew I was pregnant."

"Wait, what?"

"Time's up, Bruno," Diggs said.

And the Guard was already pulling the boy by the forearm, Carth silently watching.