The Traitors

Present: June 4, 2031 Regret seeped throughout James’ body as he realized his mistake. He spent too much money at this restaurant. Too much money, in fact, that he worried his father would cancel all his credit cards.  When James received the bill after eating a very overrated meal with his girlfriend, his face did a double-take.  $4,670.08. Not including tips. Not including the $10,000 donation he promised. How could one spend so much money at a restaurant? He thought, but then cringed when he remembered how it became so much.  When he made reservations at Avery's restaurant, his excitement got the best of him; he offered to pay for everyone’s food there for the night. Much to his dismay, he might have also said he'd make a $10,000 donation. And of course, even though he saw how much it cost, he couldn’t back down.  In all honesty, it wasn’t like James cared about how much he spent. It was just that a few hours before he picked up Veronica, his father called him, demanding (and threatening) him to limit the amount of money spent. He was spending too much, too fast.   “If you continue spending this much, you will lose your credit cards. Don’t test me, boy.” Ah. The words of his scary father.  “How much is it?” Veronica, the love of his life, asked him.  “Don’t worry about it.” He turned the receipt over and smiled at his beautiful girlfriend. “I can afford it.” Veronica shortly stopped questioning him.  As they waited for the waitress, James started to get nervous. He still didn’t ask for her hand in marriage yet. He was planning on doing it traditionally; putting a ring in a wine glass or something like that. But again, he chickened out.  It was now or never. He cleared his throat. “Veronica, you know that we’ve been together for a while and-” “Are you ready to pay?” The waitress interrupted him, cutting him off from his sentence. James responded that he was and gave his credit card. Even if I get my allowance taken away, it’ll be fine, because I’ll be engaged, he reassured himself. His dad will understand. He was a young man once. The waitress started walking away but then turned her back towards the couple again. “Thank you so much for the donation.” Shit. He didn’t want Veronica to know. “Yeah, no problem.” He wanted to shoo the waitress away, but she kept talking. “You really did good tonight. What an amazing man you have here!” She smiled at Veronica, who although confused, nodded in affirmation.  “He’s amazing, indeed.” Her eyes darted towards him. He looked away, cleared his throat, and broke eye contact.  “He donated a lot to this restaurant. And made a lot of peoples’ night. Donating to helping those in need. You’re a good person. I respect you.” The waitress put her hand on James’ shoulder and gave it a squeeze. I don’t think that people able to get into this restaurant need the help. He thought while he smiled and nodded at the waitress. “Thanks, just want to help.” He fake laughed and turned to his girlfriend, who was clearly confused. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “So, how much did you pay?”  Veronica and James were walking down the street, swinging their combined hands back and forth.  “The price doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I was there with you.” He cheesily responded. She laughed and hit his shoulder. “You’re dumb.” He laughed then. It was quiet for a few minutes before she said, “So how much was it? A few hundred?” She guessed. James looked straight ahead. “Double that by a few.”  “Come on, tell me!” She persisted for a few more minutes before James finally gave in. He wasn’t going to mention the donation. “A couple thousand.” His girlfriend stopped walking and turned so she was facing him, blocking his path. “What, you paid a few thousand? Are you crazy?” Her dark blue eyes widened.  “Crazy for you.” He smiled, again being cheesy. She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Okay, yes it was expensive but I was so happy about the reservation. And I was kind of drunk. You know how I am when I’m drunk.”  “Yes, you spend too much money. But, you shouldn’t have bought it for the whole place! That was insane!” She exclaimed. James grabbed her hand and reassured her, “it’s alright. Don’t worry about it.” The price doesn’t matter, he reminded himself. Today was a night that he, and his girlfriend, would ultimately always remember. He was going to propose. Veronica and James have been dating a little over a year when they were both 23. Although James didn’t want to admit it at first, he was madly in love with Veronica. So madly in love, he decided that he wanted to marry her as soon as possible so that they could stay together forever.  Although it didn’t go as planned, he still wanted to propose. Even if it was in the garden a mile away, he would do it. Tonight was the night.  The ring he illegally bought was in his coat pocket, poking him and constantly reminding him of his mission. When the government was overthrown, the United States did not have connections with other countries. This is why it was hard to buy this necklace. He bought it from Spain. It was perfectly created the way his future wife would like. Although small, it represented her personality. Cute, simple, and sentimental. It was silver and shiny all around the band. In the middle was a small heart. He couldn’t wait to see her reaction.  Veronica’s parents disapproved of her relationship with James. It wasn’t that they didn’t like him (well her father didn’t), it was just that they didn’t want Veronica to be in any relationship. They felt that James was “careless and not motivated to do any good.''  Hand in hand, the lovey-dovey couple walked the streets.  Veronica was still shocked by the price James paid, but James wasn’t thinking about it. He was able to afford the things that many people in the United States were not. Although he tiptoed his way to getting in trouble, he always found his way out with this weapon: money. Instead, he was focusing on when/how/where he was going to propose. His first idea backfired (mostly due to him chickening out. He was in so much thought, he didn't seem to notice the people gathering around city hall. “Aren’t the streets full today?” Veronica pointed out, lifting her hand (that was not in his) to the direction of crowds swarming towards the courthouse. “Yeah, more than usual. I wonder why that is.” James responded. He then directed them towards a bench a few feet away from them. The bench was closer to the courthouse, so all he could hear were the mob’s combined voices.  “Oh! I think there’s a trial today.” Veronica clasped her hands together, sitting up taller.  Today was not looking good for James. Especially with doing the proposal. He couldn’t do it with a group of people; it’d be too risky.  “Maybe we can go somewhere quieter.” He suggested, silently praying that Veronica would agree.  She shook her head. She was oblivious to James’ plan.  Instead, her eyes brightened as she said, “No, we should watch. I wonder what kind of person it is today.” James rubbed his face with his hand and huffed. Unlike Veronica, he hated trials, especially when people crowded together. It felt useless to watch one; it wasn’t like they decided the criminal’s fate. Staying out of it was the best thing to do, in James’ opinion. Maybe he could persuade her with his proposal. She wouldn’t want to watch it after she just got engaged! “Fine, but before we go, I just want to say something.” Veronica turned her full body towards him and stared at him eagerly with her dark brown eyes.  Standing up, James reached in his pocket and pulled out a box. He started to say the speech he practiced in the mirror earlier today: “ Veronica, I love you. And I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you-” Just then, a herd of people swarmed past him, knocking him hard onto the ground. He fell on his back. They didn’t seem to mind though, as they ran--with full speed-- towards their direction. Some stepped on him, knocking the breath out of him. “What the --” Veronica cut him off by rushing to him. “Are you okay? They came out of nowhere!” She exclaimed, checking his face and body for any injuries.  “I’m fine.” He groaned. “Will you marry me?” He blurted out and reached his pocket for the box. Veronica screamed out in joy. “Yes, oh my God, yes!” Veronica went to kiss him. Although it wasn’t as romantic as he wanted it to be, he still felt proud and excited. James quickly rummaged through his jacket and pockets for the box. He looked around the ground near him. The ring wasn’t there.  James’ heart dropped to his stomach as he staggered his way to standing. Where did it go? He looked around in all directions. If he gets caught- “I see it!” Veronica pointed to the street adjacent to them. There it was: in the middle of the road. Thank God. He made his way over there, almost there. Until he heard a loud siren from a police car. s**t.  He stopped in his tracks and let the police car drive past him. He hoped they didn’t see the box.  The police officer looked at the crowd and grabbed his baton. He unrolled the window and directed his attention at James. "You guys watching the trail?" His voice was drained and verbally tired. Veronica was about to speak when James cut her off. "No, we actually wanted to take a walk. It's so nice outside!" He gave a light laugh and nervously glanced at the ground. The box with the expensive ring was right under the car. "Seems like you're going to be busy today!" He immediately regretted talking when the police officer rolled his window and continued driving closer to the courthouse with little suspicion of James. Thankfully he didn't notice the box. However, he ran over the precious ring, causing the box to fly towards the crowd of people by the courthouse. James put his face in his hands. “Why me? Why today? Why me?” He cried.  He looked up and saw a woman dragged out of the truck. Due to the distance, it was hard to see her face. All he could see was her tangled dark brown hair.  This is the person the crowd was waiting for, and from the looks, it sounded like they didn’t like her. Guards had to hold them back as the girl walked into the room.  At that moment, James decided it was her fault that he lost the ring. If only she wasn’t a criminal and there wasn’t a trial today.  Good riddance to whatever happens to her, he thought.  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nina shivered, not from the air conditioning, but from all the nerves and anxiety that was spreading throughout her body. She was feeling claustrophobic, especially because she was unable to escape her fate. She didn’t deal with claustrophobia a lot, but when she did, it overpowered her mind. Only experiencing claustrophobia three times in her life— when she was 12, 15, and now at 22– it was hard for Nina to cope with it. She felt like the room was spinning. Her ears and vision felt numb; all she could hear were the scattered voices that surrounded her. This wasn’t her first time attending a trial, but it was the first time that she was the main subject of discussion. Most of the citizens of the Capital came to witness her fate; it was their voices that Nina couldn’t escape from. When Erik Handel overthrew the government in the summer of 2024, Washington D.C became more like a monarch, a place where he, the “king” lived. He made the rules; he was the one that reinforced this whole idea that this was something everyone needed to attend. His exact words were: “We need to see those that betray us, for they will suffer.” Due to that, this was their main source of entertainment, something they looked forward to when the daily news comes on, informing them that there’s a new traitor in custody. Most of the voices were women, discussing with their friends about the case. Lies whispered among the women, but many people believed them. This was because those that betrayed were not seen as human, but rather something unnatural. Something that no one wanted to associate themselves with. “I heard that she’s a witch...and that’s how she got into the building.” An older woman swung her thin arms in exaggeration. She was wearing a long pale blue dress with a black scarf hung tightly around her neck. Her friends opened their mouths in awe, surprised to hear that a “witch” is in town.  “Is it true that she has telepathic powers?” Another one of the older woman’s friends muttered. There was no evidence that this was true; these stories were made up to entertain the common people. Stories that would come to soon describe Nina. Nina decided to not listen anymore when she heard that she gains powers on the days Fridays and Saturdays. It was absurd. It didn’t make sense. So there was no reason to listen to the blatant lies anymore. Instead, she thought about her family. She didn’t normally pray, but she made a silent prayer in her head. She prayed about her family’s well-being and hoped that they didn’t hear about where she is and what she’s being prosecuted for. They were already disappointed in her; they believed in this new form of government. In fact, they invested in the rebellion that occurred  She wanted to kick herself for making such a dumb mistake that got her here. Instead of thinking rationally, she went on her emotions when walking inside the building. This is why she got caught. She should have been more stealthy. Everything she learned went out the window. Everyone was waiting. Nina’s heart was beating so hard against her ribcage she was afraid it’d stop beating. Blood rushed to her ears as she continued waiting. The claustrophobia was at its finest, especially with people swarming her, not giving her any space. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs to tell them how ignorant they were to follow blindly to what is happening to and around them. To handle the situation, they portray the “betrayers” as evil witches, out to get everyone. Once the judges walk through the doors, life will never be the same.  Nina wasn’t allowed to say any of that though. Her hands, which were scratched from fighting back, have been bound with iron clasps, and her mouth was covered. She wasn’t allowed to speak for herself or have a lawyer to defend herself. Lawyers did not exist anymore. It seemed like an eternity before someone walked into the building. It was a soldier, his dark brown eyes shone with satisfaction when he saw Nina. His lips pulled into a bright smile as he made his way towards her. “This is exciting!” He clapped his hands together. Nina recognized him immediately: he was the one that found her during the last mission; the one she failed. He’s been on her trail for a while, almost catching her a few years ago. She was smarter and more diligent then. Once he found her, which has been his mission ever since he saw her running from 10 guards 3 years ago (and successfully getting away), he knew that he wouldn’t let her go. It was his turn to shine in the public’s eye. He continued to talk when he noticed Nina didn’t have a response. “You know,” he moved his jet black hair out of his face, “I heard I am going to get promoted because of this. Chief commander. All because of you. I can’t thank you enough.” He put his hand on the top of Nina’s head, feeling the dark brown strands with his fingertips. In response, she shuddered and tried to move the opposite direction away from him, but wasn’t able to because her feet, which she forgot for a split second, were cuffed to the ground. As if she were a dangerous animal that people needed protection from. It was true though. No one has been able to catch Nina after she’d been on their radar for years. It was a mystery why guards couldn’t catch her. She was stealthy, sure, but so were the guards chasing after her.  That was the past, and it seemed like Nina’s luck had run out. Now that they have her in their hold, she is going to be trialed, and possibly face a horrible sentence.  Receiving punishment for doing unlawful things is different now. Before, if someone went over the speed limit on the highway, they were given a ticket. Now, if someone even had a car they were condemned to death. There are only two fates for traitors like Nina: eternity in jail or death. There’s never been another option. Nina told herself to take a deep breath. She felt faint as thoughts scattered across her brain. Her sisters, Lily and Emily, were safe the last time she saw them. But, Nina was forced to leave without a proper goodbye. She couldn’t help but think about what would become of her family, especially when they hear this news. They might even become outlaws, or judged, by the city.  These heartbreaking thoughts caused tears to form in her blue eyes. Guilt struck her core, and Nina tried to shake her feelings away.  She should have listened to Mason. She wondered what her team thought once they heard of her capture. Were they going to get her out of here? What were they thinking? Nina quickly blinked away her tears, hoping no one saw her cry. Don’t show emotions, she reminded herself. Don’t let them break you. “Hey! Witch! You’re disgusting!” The same old woman that created a story about Nina being a witch spat. People then started to chant their own phrases, saying how Nina deserves to “be hung”, and reciting “witch” over and over again. Although this was a traumatizing experience, Nina thought it was very interesting knowing that these women, the common people of the city, thought that she was actually a witch with telepathic powers. One lady even said, “We are so lucky it’s not Friday or Saturday though. She really would have somehow escaped then!”  When Nina heard that, a smile started on her lips at the absurdity. It gave her satisfaction knowing that they believed that Nina was strong and capable of destruction. If only it was a Friday, then they’d all be terrified of me. She thought to herself. Although it was not a good place to make light of the situation, Nina couldn’t help but do so. I am strong. I will get over this. She repeated to herself. The guard’s face contoured in irritation when he heard the crowd’s words. Of course, this girl wasn’t a witch--he shook his head--she has just been lucky. Lucky enough to escape her destined fate for the last few years. “Dumb asses”, he muttered to himself. He could and would not jeopardize his career, nor would he fall for any antics that Nina or the crowd would bring his way. Alex fixed his posture while Nina slouched down when they heard the double doors open. It was the judges. After discussing the severity of the case for hours, they were here to decide Nina’s fate. These three particular judges were seen as the harshest. No matter how severe it was or how innocent the person may seem, they were never off the hook. They all had papers in their hands and were smiling as if they had good news. Nina knew that it wasn’t good news, at least not for her. They all sat in their selected seats. “Nina Reyes, we looked over this case very carefully and came to a conclusion,” one of the judges started talking. He was slightly overweight with long stringy gray hair in a tight low ponytail behind his back. “We believe that you knew exactly what you were doing when you planted those bombs.” “We tried to work with you. You refused to cooperate and tell us who you are working with.” The judge in the middle stated, his voice raspy and eyes deadly. They did try for days, which felt like years for Nina, to find out who else she was working with. But Nina refused to budge. She wouldn’t betray her team, especially Mason and Liam. She had bruises throughout her body to prove it. The third judge decided to stand up when he announced Nina’s fate: “You, Nina Reyes, have been found guilty of treason, murder, and terrorism. You will be sentenced to death under articles 11, 15, and 23. In 48 hours, you will be executed by means of hanging. Take her away.”  The crowd roared like animals, screaming their satisfaction. The guard aggressively grabbed her upper arm, and she let him drag her out of the courtroom. Nina felt numb, empty, and just shocked. She knew her fate was going to be bad, but she didn’t know that she was going to die. Especially in such a bad way. The crowd followed Nina out of the building, all shouting her face. Nina started to feel lightheaded. She could feel the blood rush away from her face. The last thing she saw before hitting the ground was the guard’s stern face.