Page 101 of Ava: Part Three

“Now, where were we?” Mr Hansson said.

The Head of the Council’s eyes glowed, and seconds later, he found his body turned to face the panicking students. The guards had blocked them in and were herding them back, so it looked like no one had managed to escape.

The whole academy was trapped.

He sensed Ava appear next to him, also forced to face the students for whatever Mr Hansson had in store for them next.

“I really want to get this done today and get out of this shithole,” Mr Hansson said as he came to stand in between them, “so please do as you’re told. You won’t let me into your heads because you think that somehow that will protect you from what’s coming. But it won’t. Submit to me and make this transition a little bit easier on yourselves. Be on the right side of history.”

‘Stay strong, Ava,’ he reminded her.

“Shall we get on with this?” Mr Hanson said.

There was a grunt, and another student was plucked into the air.

Ava gasped, and he found himself torn as he looked into the eyes of the coward he was supposed to kill himself.

“You like this one, don’t you, Ava?” Mr Hansson laughed. “Let’s see if he will make you see the light.”

Jared didn’t make a sound as he was pulled over their heads by the invisible force to the spot where the last guy had lost his life.

Chapter 59

“Let’splayalittlegame.”

Ava couldn’t move her head, so she was stuck looking at the faces of the people who would die today if she didn’t pick five of them to sacrifice. They had all been forced back from the top of the road to witness the next murder. She sensed desperation. Terror. They were all looking above her at Jared, waiting for his life to be taken like Dexter’s. Even the teachers stood helplessly by. She had never seen the dean looking so scared.

Nobody should have to live with this kind of fear hanging over them. Fear that one wrong move and someone stronger than them would swoop in and end them.

Dexter had been innocent, and now his parents would have to come to collect his body as Emily’s parents had done.

Innocent. Gone all because of her.

‘It’s not your fault. It’s Hansson’s fault.’

Zeke’s voice was so clear in her head as if he had been listening to all her thoughts, but she couldn’t get anything from him except what he wanted her to hear.

“How many of these will I have to kill to make sure you know your role?” Mr Hansson mused.

“No more,” she whispered.

“I’ll tell you what. I will spare his life if Mr Michelson agrees with you that he should live. And not just today; I mean letting bygones be bygones so that young Mr Anderson can enjoy the rest of his life.”

That sick...

She felt herself being turned and came face to face with Zeke. Of course, he wouldn’t spare Jared’s life, especially since there was a chance that the next student chosen would be someone he cared about.

Zeke’s jaws clenched, and his eyes flashed red. It was a definite no. Though she still felt flashes of pain from whatever Mr Hansson had tried to do, their bond was still intact.

“Not something you would consider?” Mr Hansson laughed as he turned them to face him.

Jared remained silent, showing so much bravery when she knew he was terrified. She’d told him to stay away from her after what they had done to Emily, but he hadn’t listened. Now, she had no way of saving him when she couldn’t shift to fight her way out of this.

Zeke was right; this wasn’t her fault.

She met the purple gaze of the man responsible and felt her anger rise again. Nyx stirred, restless inside her as her anger rose, too.

“Are you seriously getting angry with me right now, child? What can you possibly do? You and everyone here are at my mercy. You’re all alive because I let you live. There is nothing you can do about it,” Mr Hansson snarled. “Perhaps it’s time I stopped playing games. I’ll give you a real choice to make.”

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