A Crack in the Sky (18 page)

“Sebastian, I really need to speak with you.”

His brother rubbed his forehead. “Okay,” he said after a moment. “Ping me tomorrow. We’ll talk then.” He spun
around and started toward the door again. As he left the room, Eli couldn’t help thinking he looked more like Father than ever.

In Grandfather’s office an hour later, Eli and the old man were playing their usual game of checkers. By then Eli had mostly calmed down. After his frustration with Sebastian, he wondered whether he should say something to Grandfather about the masked boy. If there was anyone who had always been on Eli’s side, it was him. In the end, though, he decided to take Marilyn’s advice. Talking with Foggers was no ordinary transgression. It was safer to tread lightly.

But there was no reason he couldn’t ask a few innocent questions.

“Grandfather?” he began, as casually as he could manage. “How does the company know the world is cooling back down and going back to the way it was?”

The old man was barely listening. His eyes were fixed on the game board. Eli couldn’t help noticing how since the last time he’d seen his grandfather, his breathing had grown wheezier and the wrinkles on his face seemed to have grown deeper. “It’s what our scientists tell us. How else? Why, are you concerned?”

Eli shook his head. “No. It was just something I was thinking about.”

His eyes still on the board, Grandfather grunted. “Very good. Questioning assumptions is a sign of a sound mind.” Over his shoulder Eli could see the amazing music box shaped like a domed city, its people safely tucked in their houses and
office buildings. Grandfather reached out and jumped one of Eli’s red checkers with one of his black ones. He set Eli’s lost piece to one side of the board.

“Your move.”

But Eli wasn’t finished. “I have something else I wanted to ask. Have you ever heard of Outsiders climbing the domes to tap into the water supplies?”

The old man raised his bushy eyebrows. “What an extraordinary question. Why would you ask such a thing, child?”

“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug. “I was just thinking about Outsiders and where they must get their water from. I just wondered about it.”

Grandfather smiled. “Another outstanding line of consideration. The answer is yes. As a matter of fact, I have heard of such a thing. At least, I’ve heard of Outsiders
trying
to tap into our water supplies. But it’s not something they would ever get away with.”

“Well, let’s just say they tried and got hurt doing it, maybe even killed. Would the company ever want to hide the truth about that? Or about anything else?”

“Hide the truth? What exactly are you getting at?”

“I’m just curious, that’s all. Would InfiniCorp ever try to stop people from knowing something? Would we, say, use the CloudNet to keep their minds distracted?”

Grandfather eyed him. Eli had been trying to sound like they were just having a regular conversation, but he realized he’d probably gone too far. As the old man continued to take him in, Eli was struck once more by the gray pallor of his face and the dark circles around his eyes.

“Are you all right, Grandfather? You don’t look so good.”

Grandfather started to cough, a series of deep, raspy spasms that went on for a few seconds. It was worrying. Eli started to get up. “Should I call for someone?”

But the coughing fit soon subsided and Grandfather shook his head. “It’s nothing. I’m fine,” he said, waving his hand. “Are you planning to make a move sometime soon, or are we going to sit here all day and talk about my health?”

Eli considered what he should do, but Grandfather seemed okay again. Plus, he could tell he’d hit a nerve, so he decided to let it go for now. Instead he reached over, picked up a red checker, and jumped three of Grandfather’s black ones, including the one that had just jumped his own. Now his game piece was all the way across the board, on Grandfather’s side. “King me.”

Grandfather’s brow furrowed. He blinked at Eli and then glowered down at the board again. Finally he laughed. He placed the lost red checker on top of Eli’s victorious one. “Sharp move. You caught me with my guard down. You’re improving.”

Eli tried not to smile. “What about my question?”

The old man’s eyes stayed on the board. He chuckled. “Oh, you
are
a troublemaker, aren’t you?” he said, pulling an air-filter stick from his pocket and clamping it between his teeth.

Eli wasn’t sure what to think, but he was glad Grandfather was smiling.

“You’re asking serious questions, child, so I suppose I should give you serious answers.” He leaned back in his chair. “You need to understand that InfiniCorp is in the business of keeping people safe and happy. It’s no small task. And in the
course of normal events, sometimes situations arise that the company feels could cause unnecessary concern, needless interruptions in otherwise pleasant, productive lives. Do you follow what I’m saying?”

Eli didn’t, but he shrugged. He knew he would explain.

“Think about the many perils all of us face each day even in the relative safety of the domes. Unpredictable, often dangerous weather Outside. Exterior walls in need of constant repair. Continuous risk of attack from savages. The Great Sickness has passed, but we still live in troubled times.
Perilous
times.” He removed the filter stick and narrowed his red-rimmed eyes. “Do you have any idea how many threats the company has to deal with at any given moment? Can you imagine what would happen if the alarm was sounded for every incident, no matter how minor? Employees would feel perpetually vulnerable. In a vast and complex organization such as ours, few people understand the lengths the company goes to in order to maintain the feeling of security. Imagine the disruption, the civil unrest, if it weren’t there. What would be the purpose? The fact is, there’s no point in worrying if the company is taking care of everything. And if the CloudNet helps keep the general population focused on the things the average person can control, well, all the better.” He put the filter stick back in his mouth. “InfiniCorp’s job is to look out for everyone so all our honest, hardworking employees can live without pointless anxiety.”

Eli considered. It made a
kind
of sense, he supposed. What was the purpose of the company if everyone had to worry all the time? Even so, he wasn’t sure how he felt about it.

“But what if there were real danger?” he asked. “Like, what
if it turned out there was an apocalyptic storm coming, a hurricane powerful enough to destroy the domes, and we knew about it ahead of time? Wouldn’t not telling people leave them defenseless?” He realized he was pushing his luck again, but he’d already gone this far and, after all, this was Grandfather. Eli couldn’t think of a better person to ask.

“An apocalyptic storm?” The old man laughed, a deep, phlegmy chuckle. “Eli, if it was really the end of the world, then what would be the point in worrying? No, the domes are strong. Believe me, I made sure of that.” He gave a wry smile. “Now, what do you say we drop all this foolish talk and get back to the game? You’re about to beat me, child, and I can’t let that happen. I have a reputation to keep up.”

Eli was alone as he trudged up to the mansion roof, where a transport pod waited to take him home. Mother and Father had both left the celebration early, pulling him aside to say that important meetings had come up unexpectedly. It was unavoidable, they said. This wasn’t unusual for them. Even when they were at home, they often disappeared without warning to meetings too mysterious for Eli to understand or care about. It frustrated him each time they left him like this, just as it did now as he walked on his own to his ride home.

The moment he stepped out onto the landing pad, he heard a breathy voice: “Hello, Eli. I’m so glad I was able to catch you before you … 
flew off
.”

“Spider! What are you doing here?” His cousin’s spooky, blank gaze was only inches away, and it took Eli by surprise. Without realizing it he shrank back in revulsion.

If Spider was insulted he didn’t show it. “Many apologies. If I alarmed you it wasn’t my intention. I’ve been meaning to speak with you all afternoon. It’s difficult to talk openly, though, with so many … 
ears
around. You understand? Ears that might overhear something they shouldn’t?” He smiled. An insect smile.

Eli studied him. Did Spider know about the Fogger? He forced himself to appear calm. “Okay, you wanted to speak with me. So speak.”

“Your brother tells me you appear somewhat … 
overwhelmed
. It’s understandable, of course, with your fourteenth birthday coming up. Believe me, I know how difficult the pressure can be. But Sebastian thinks you’re more anxious than most. He’s concerned about you.”

Eli tried to keep his face expressionless. That was what all this was about? It had nothing to do with Foggers? But as relieved as he felt, the mention of Sebastian brought a fresh wave of irritation. Their conversation had been private. His brother shouldn’t have shared anything about it with anyone. Especially Spider.

“Sebastian doesn’t have to worry about me,” he said at last. “Nobody does.”

“Oh, but he wants to help. And so do I.” Spider paused, sensing, it seemed, Eli’s doubt about this. “Look, I know you and I haven’t always been on the best of terms, but no matter our differences we’re still cousins, am I right? Surely cousins ought to help each other whenever they can? Oh, but perhaps you disagree. Maybe kinship means nothing to you.”

Eli wasn’t buying a word of it. “What do you want, Spider? Just tell me.”

He looked hurt. “Only what’s best for you, of course. And if only you had allowed me to, I believe I could have been
most
helpful. Unfortunately all I can offer at this point is a little information. Enlightenment to ease the mind.”

Eli didn’t know what kind of game this was, but he figured there was no getting away unless he played along. “All right,” he said. “Ease my mind how?”

“I thought it might comfort you to know that worrying is no longer necessary. Your position in the company has already been determined.”

“Already determined? How can that be? I haven’t even had my Final Assessment yet.”

“Yes, I know. But it turns out that as a member of the Leadership Council, I have a measure of influence over the assignment process. In fact, as head of the Department of Loyalty, my input is given substantial … 
weight
, shall we say? And it seems in your case there were special circumstances that demanded some departure from the normal procedure.”

Eli’s mouth went dry. “What special circumstances?”

Spider gazed down his long nose at him. His thin lips formed the faintest suggestion of a smile. “Ride the Bubble much?”

Eli’s guts twisted.

“InfiniCorp takes these things rather seriously. An incident like yours would normally compel the company to take action of the most serious nature. But you’re a member of the family, so this makes the situation a little less … 
straightforward.”
He tapped his long fingers together. “I’m not supposed to mention any of this to you—not yet, anyway. The plan is to wait until Grandfather and your parents have been
informed. Your brother doesn’t know either. But don’t worry—they’ll all find out by tomorrow.”

“What’s the company going to do with me?” Eli asked, his voice barely a whisper.

“Oh, I’m not supposed to say quite yet. And I wouldn’t want to break the rules. Still, I can point out to you that the dark vaults of the Department of Inventory aren’t exactly the most … 
pleasant
of places.”

Eli recoiled again.

“I’ve seen the underground warehouses, little cousin, and let me assure you there’s not much to stimulate the imagination down there. Just thousands of shelves to climb and endless stacks of products to count, I’m afraid. Some robot supervision, but that’s hardly real management, is it?” Spider leaned in closer. His grin was cruel now. “In a way, I feel sorry for you. Many would consider this a tragic fall from a great height, especially for a child so beloved by the man at the top. Such a disappointment. However, I understand you’re a creative boy. I imagine you’ll find a way to make it somehow … 
bearable.”

Eli wanted to throw up. This was far worse than anything he’d ever imagined. He took another step back and almost lost his balance.

“Now that you know, I hope you can rest easier,” Spider said. “And don’t forget that you did this to yourself.”

Eli tried to speak but nothing would come out. Behind Spider his transport still waited for him. He stumbled backward and then scrambled across the pad.

“Take care, Eli!” Spider called, smirking from ear to ear. “I wouldn’t want you to do anything rash!”

The door of the transport pod closed, and Eli threw himself onto the seat, burying his face in his arms. Even as the pod came to life and he felt the momentary vertigo that came with liftoff, he didn’t open his eyes. The sick feeling threatened to take over his insides. How could he face Mother and Father now? What would he say to Sebastian? He wanted to disappear.

Soon he heard a familiar hiss, the sound of a sky hole opening above the transport. Only then did he adjust his neck and crack open his eyelids, but the view through the window was far from encouraging. Dark clouds and vast emptiness. A sputter of rain. The beginnings of yet another Outside storm. The real sky, grim and unknowable, expanded in his view and grew wider by the second until it was everything there was to see. But he didn’t want to think about Outside anymore, just as he didn’t want to think about InfiniCorp or Spider or anything at all. The pod slipped through the hole, and Eli tried to concentrate only on the sterile, temperature-controlled oxygen passing in and out of his lungs. As he flew farther from the dome, into the bleak nothing, he closed his eyes again and tried to block out everything except the drone of the propellers and the sensation of cool leather against his cheek.

10
girls in boots crushing