CHAPTER 18

Damn... can you touch the table?" Kael asked, pushing his hair back.

Ren furrowed his brow, and curiously, he touched the table.

"Ugh!" He immediately searched his hand back, glaring at Kael.

Kael chuckled, "Sorry, dude. I couldn't be the only one electrified," he tapped Ren's shoulder and stood.

Ren followed him, "Why?" He asked, glancing back as the table stopped beeping.

"The beeping is to let us know that it's our time to go get food. The electrification was just a normal punishment for not obeying the order. It's not meant to harm you... Seriously," Kael explained as they walked toward the food counter.

Ren frowned, "That's not normal..." he murmured.

If it wasn't meant to harm then why did it hurt?

Ren stood behind Kael as they waited for their turn to take food. He was lost in thought as he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.

He turned, "Dr. Corvin, I thought you left." He said.

"You should mind the company you keep, Renault. Come with me, I got you a special meal," Corvin said, handing Ren a bowl of what seemed to be some kind of soup.

"My company is just fine, Doc., I don't act kind for selfish reasons. I'll see you around, Ren," Kael said and moved forward to get his food.

"Stay away from Kael, Renault. Eat up," Corvin pointed Ren to the nearest table.

Without speaking, Ren went over and sat down. Since he didn't see any spoon in the plate, he raised the strange soup to his lips.

It smelled like nothing, just warm steam hitting his nose.

He took a sip and slowly smacked his lips... tasted like nothing, just salt and some unknown vegetables.

However, Ren wolfed it down in one gulp, he was too starved to care about what was used to prepare the food.

Licking his lips, he looked up at Corvin, who was staring at him in amusement.

"Thank you," He said, placing the plate bowl on the table.

"Well, I should have asked for a larger portion, unfortunately, food is being rationed. You will eat again tomorrow morning -"

"Renault Caspian," Ren's name boomed across the cafeteria.

He immediately snapped his head to the entrance.

Rhys stood there, scanning the crowd for Ren.

"I'm here," Ren said, raising his hand.

Rhys walked over to Ren, his face stoic as always.

"The captain has asked for you to be placed in confinement. Follow me," Rhys said, not acknowledging Corvin's presence.

"Confinement?" Ren asked, his voice slightly shaking.

He thought everything was settled between Axtin and him?

Why was Axton still trying to punish him?

Ren couldn't understand what kind of confinement the Lieutenant was talking about.

Or, he might have let himself get too comfortable for a second and thought that he would be treated just like every other person in the Faction.

Well, his thought was a stupid one, he was supposed to know that they saw him as a threat, a criminal, a spy.

Of course, he should be locked up, not placed in a nice room with a nice, fluffy bed.

"Follow me," Rhys repeated and turned away.

Ren glanced at Corvin who gave him a small nod before he turned and followed Rhys away.

His mind raced with imagination, picturing the worst things on his mind.

Ren's eyes kept looking from left to right as they walked along a very long passage.

The doors on each side had numbers above them, and Ren wondered if he was being taken to a cell.

They reached a door and stopped, Rhys stepped out of the door and turned to Ren.

"This is where you sleep," Rhys informed and pushed the door open, "Get in." He commanded.

Ren slowly walked over to the dark room, his eyes glancing above to memorise the number above his door.

'294,' He memorised internally.

He stepped through the door and the light automatically came on to reveal a single bed placed right in front of him by the grey wall.

"This is the soldier's sleeping floor. Left to me, you're not fit to be here, but, it's the captain's order," Rhys said, holding the door's handle.

"I understand -"

"Follow the rules, or, I'll make sure your days are he'll," Rhys cut in coldly and suddenly shut the door.

Ren was startled as the metal door was shut behind him, leaving him alone in the room.

He sighed, "My days are already hell..." he muttered and looked around the small room.

Nothing else was in there, just a bunk bed and walls.

He wondered where the restroom was, he'd probably have to use the bathroom with the other soldiers.

"Great... my life really is already hell," he murmured.

He wished he didn't have to face those unfriendly soldiers; he'd even have preferred to be locked in the infirmary, since his only purpose here was for experimentation.

He did not want to be near anyone, he wanted to be left alone until Axton and Corvin were done with him, then, maybe... they'd set him free.

He blinked slowly and tiredly walked over to the bed.

Three good days, Ren was exhausted.

Seeing a bed intensified his tiredness, and, without thinking twice, he fell on the hard bed, swinging slightly from the springs beneath the bed, but he didn't care; he was too exhausted to check out what the bunk was made of.

Ren fell asleep in a few seconds. Having his body cleansed and drinking that unknown soup had him sleepy, he couldn't keep his eyes open for a second more.

He needed sleep, and he slept.

Meanwhile, at the very last floor of the silver building, Axton sat behind a screen on the small desk beside his bed, watching Ren's sleeping figure.

Axton was curious about Ren, and he didn't trust him.

Even though Ren had told him everything Reed asked him to do, he still didn't trust him.

No one would betray their Faction so easily, no matter the catch which in this case was the life of Ren's sister.

Axton wasn't about to let his guard down with the spy; it would be a shame if he got defeated by a simple spy of no rank of any sort.

He was curious, heavily curious. He'd never seen anyone like Ren in his entire existence.

How regenerative were Ren's cells? How was he unaffected? And, why did he affect Axton?