Elevated (Book 1): Elevated (5 page)

“Not that. There was a high squeal,” she says as she enters the kitchen. “Almost like an alarm or something. You didn’t hear it?”

“No.” I place the bag of nuts back on the shelf.

“Did you hear an alarm, honey?” she calls out to the next room.

Mr. Robert’s voice strains from his exercise. “No I didn’t.”

Now he’s doing jumping jacks. It’s hard not to giggle at his body flopping around like a rag doll.

“There it is again,” says my mom. “Sounds like it was right next to me. You didn’t hear it?”

Mom often hears something that nobody else can, but usually she can tell if it’s from far away. “I don’t hear anything.”

“Listen this time,” she says. “Very carefully.”

I listen. The only thing I hear is Mr. Roberts’s feet pounding on the carpet. His shadow moves with the grace of a wounded elephant.

“You can’t hear that? You can’t—Rose.” She gives me a joking punch on the shoulder.

“What?”

 “Aren’t you a little old for these games?” she says.

“What games?”

“Cut that out. You were making that noise and you know it.”

“I wasn’t.”

“Ok, fine. You weren’t. Guess it was a ghost then.”

“I don’t under—”

She marches out of the kitchen. “I don’t understand teenagers sometimes.”

Now I’m confused. My mom seemed sure the sound came from me. How could I make a sound without realizing it?

 “OUCH!” echoes the injured voice of Mr. Roberts.

His shadowy form is grabbing at his hip. Must have thrown it out with his strenuous workout.

My mother’s voice thunders from upstairs. “Rose. Stop that. Really,” she yells. “It’s starting to get annoying.”

My reflection in the window of our microwave shows my wide-open mouth. I close it and the shadow in my head disappears. Then I think about Mr. Roberts and take a breath.

“Rose!”

I shut my mouth. “Sorry Mom.”

So it is something I’m doing. When I think about the next room, my mouth opens by reflex and makes a sound. A sound only my mother and the dog could—

Sonar.

That had to be it. I’m a Scanner.

Scanners aren’t common. Usually they are drafted into a life in law enforcement. The government isn’t keen on letting people with the ability of surveillance out into the general public. It creeps other people out too. At minimum, you’re stuck with a permanent device that alerts authorities when you use the powers to prevent you from becoming a peeping tom.

But how did I get the power? I try to think of an explanation. My best guess is something to do with that bright blue flash that came from Elliott. Somehow, he had blasted me with energy and—

I am a mutant.

My body freezes as I soak up the thought.

I am a mutant.

My entire struggle, all the fights against it, and here I am. I know my power. My hidden potential. There’s a swell of pride as it hits me that it’s a pretty good ability. But it’s still an ability. I can’t undo it. It’s a fact that will remain with me until I die.

I am a mutant. And worse, an undocumented one. If discovered, they’d throw me in jail and I’d have a permanent criminal record.

How could Elliott do this to me?

***

Aaron gorges down a handful of fries. “You ok? You’ve barely touched your cheeseburger.”

A trip to Basic Cuisine usually cheers me up, but today I feel like an outsider. “I have a question. Is there any way you can track someone based on their Elevation Day number?”

Aaron’s stuffed mouth mangles his words. “Random question. Any reason?”

“It’s just, I met this guy, see, and I—”

He rolls his eyes. “Oh no. Please say you haven’t done the whole ‘meeting your true love in line for Elevation Day’ thing. Expected more from you.”

“Not even close. I only want to find out about his power.”

If they discovered his power, they may be able to give me some answers. I secretly hope that whatever ability Elliott unlocked disappears after a short while. A GEMO boost of sorts.

He shoves in another handful of fries. “Why would you care about his freaky power? It’s just as screwed up as the rest of them.”

“You’ve never even met him!”

“Calm down, I was kidding.” Aaron takes a swig of his chocolate milkshake. “They try to keep stuff like that anonymous. Not a good idea to embarrass people when they get less desired powers.”

“So it’s impossible.”

Aaron gives me a mischievous grin. “I said they try, I didn’t say they were successful. I think I might know someone who can help.”

I know who he is about to suggest. “Ok fine. I’ll meet Jex.”

Aaron punches his fist into the air. “Victory. Knew you’d surrender eventually. Always wanted to show you headquarters.”

I gulp down some soda. The Basic Brigade is more of a nuisance than an actual threat to anyone. It mostly consists of people who spread blog posts highlighting the supposed corruption within the government. They may be harmless but it seems like a terrible idea to spend the day after I discover an undocumented ability meeting the head of a militant Basic group.

A couple behind me starts making out, or at least that’s what I think from their shadows. I shouldn’t be able to see it. I want these powers gone.

“You ok, Rose?” Aaron asks.

I cover my mouth with my hand and fake a yawn. “Just a little tired.”

I’m going to have to remember that people can see when I scan with my sonar.

He raises an eyebrow. “Dreaming of lover boy, huh? Hope it’s worth it. Hacking the GEMO registration is not something the government particularly likes.”

I can’t imagine the government particularly liking me having an undocumented ability either. Of course, I can’t bring it up. How can I tell Aaron? Unintentional or not, I feel like a traitor.

Aaron polishes off the last few fries on his plate. “I’ll give Jex a call. I’m sure he’ll make time.”

He smiles. I force a smile. If the government detected Elliott’s ability, than I can explain my situation and at least not be an outlaw. And with any luck, my best friend won’t end up hating me.

***

My lungs pack up as I breathe the musty air of Brownwood Street. Tarnished garbage cans and broken benches line abandoned warehouses. Among the rundown structures stands a modest brick building with a large sign reading, “Home for Basics.”

My last visit here was on a school field trip. Seeing the students treat the people as deformed objects of curiosity merely for being Basics disgusted me. They showed a lot of pity, but little understanding. A couple of obnoxious students ended up causing some of the older Basics to cry after a lengthy discussion on how amazing their powers were going to be. It’s no surprise trips ceased after my class.

Aaron knocks on the door and an elderly man soon greets us. He grins warmly, but his many wrinkles reveal the worn-out man he has become.

Aaron gives him a hug. “Hi Frank! Are you doing ok?”

Frank taps Aaron on the back. “Been better.”

“Lillia?” Aaron asks.

Frank nods. “Her Elevation Day was yesterday. It didn’t go too well.”

I still remember her faint wave in the waiting room, her pensive expression.

“You hope so much, you want everything for your granddaughter,” Frank says in a broken voice. His smile vanishes and he holds back tears. “But she’s a tough kid. She’ll pull through.”

The two hug for a moment. When they pull apart, Frank looks up at me. “I’m sorry, kid, I didn’t see you there! You a friend of Aaron’s?”

“Best friend,” Aaron says.

Frank extends his hand. “Welcome.”

We enter to the sound of rousing oldies. Big hits from the youth of the residents. The flickering lights and wood paneled walls give a quaint feeling to the room. Posters on the walls depict elderly people enjoying life. On one, an elderly man is water skiing above bright colors letters stating “Basic but not Boring!” and on another, a couple eat a romantic dinner beneath the title “Back to Basics.”

The posters and music present an energy not reflected in the members. Most of them take naps or play card games in what appears to be slow motion. All of them with the same lifeless expression. They’re living the rest of their lives on autopilot.

Frank and Aaron lead me to a back door, which opens to reveal a dark hallway with another door at the far end. Frank raises an eyebrow. “She’s clean, right?”

Clean? What did that mean? Clean of powers?

“Of course she is,” Aaron says before I can respond.

Frank puts his hand on his shoulder. “Say hi to Jex for me. I tell you, that man is becoming a bear down there. Never comes out of the cave.”

Aaron chuckles as Frank turns back towards the main room. When he gets out of earshot, I lower my voice. “What did he mean by—”

Aaron taps a finger on the doorknob, which causes it to glow blue and then green. It unlocks and he steps in. The door slams behind him.

My hands shake as I reach towards the doorknob. Does the door detect powers? If so, I’m about to trip the alarm. The longer I stand here though, the more I worry Aaron might be suspicious. Pushing myself forward, my finger taps the doorknob. It glows blue. I hold my breath. My secret may be revealed in seconds.

Whew, a green light.

The door unlocks and I step inside.

Considering the large following for the Basics Brigade, the command center is tiny. Shelves of magazines and print materials slice the room into claustrophobic passageways. Even with my small frame, I find myself turning sideways. It’s more like a storage closet than a room. We emerge from the clutter into a small alcove of space housing a desk. A grubby middle-aged man sits in front of a computer. His dusty brown hair gives him the look of a hedgehog.

“Hey, Jex,” Aaron says.

Jex crumples a can of beer and tosses it onto the floor. “Go away.”

“Jex, I brought someone—”

Jex continues to work on his computer as he speaks.

“No kidding,” he says, breath strong with the smell of beer. “I look at my scanners. Kind of the point. Let me guess. You came to see me. You need my help.”

 Nothing comes out of my shuddering mouth.

Jex opens a can of beer. “No answer necessary. It’s a given. We’re not exactly famous for our delicious cheese fries. And I’m sure you have a terrifically wonderful reason for disturbing me?”

Aaron coughs. “This is Rose. I told you about her.”

Jex glances at me for the first time, his dark eyes barely visible under his thick unibrow. “Sorry, sorry. Didn’t realize. Pleased to meet you.”

He extends his hand out and I step closer. My feet crunch the snack food and beer cans littering the floor. When I shake his hand, my fingers become covered with cheese puff residue.

“So what brings you here?” he says in a gravelly voice.

I want to wipe my fingers off, but there’s nothing around. “I need your help getting info on a certain Elevation Day person.”

Sensing my annoyance, he opens a drawer and passes me a paper towel. “Uh huh. And why do you want it?”

“She thinks he’s dreamy,” Aaron says.

I chuck the used paper towel at him.

“What? Isn’t that what you girls say?” Aaron asks.

Aaron has an annoying habit of using the term “you girls” to lump me in with those girly girls obsessed with makeup and chasing boys. “I don’t think he’s dreamy. Not at all. It’s just, I’m worried about him.”

Jex snickers. “I prefer the first justification. His number and sector please?”

“So you can do it?” I ask.

He shoots me an icy stare.

“Right, of course you can. A535, Sector 27,” I say, embarrassed to be making such a bad impression so quickly.

“Thank you. One moment.” He turns to his desk and types at a blinding rate.

Piles of papers on his desk mask the layers of drink and food stains, which dot the metal surface like modern art. The papers are drafts of posts for his blog, “The Basic News.” Only a few of the headlines are visible. “Unsounds: The Untold Stories” and “The True Death Rate of Elevation Day.”

“Scary stuff, huh?” Aaron says.

I nod. I’ve heard many of the arguments before from Aaron. How the government withholds information and how it’s only a matter of time before the Elevated start oppressing the Basics in horrific ways. Always read as extremist scare tactics to me.

“I retrieved the number,” Jex says. “Elliott Ford. Current status: Undetermined.”

I’m shocked. After what I experienced in the hallway, I thought they would have discovered his power after a few hours. “Undetermined? You sure?”

Jex spins his chair around towards me. “It’s very common. Regardless of what the government states.”

“I know that, but I expected—”

I stop myself a little too late.

Aaron is confused. “What, Rose?”

“Nothing. Had a feeling that’s all,” I respond.

“Sorry you’re disappointed,” Aaron gives Jex a pat on the shoulder. “Thanks Jex. We’ll let you get back to the blog.”

Jex’s tone becomes serious. “Aaron, can you do me a favor and grab some ice cream from the cooler upstairs?”

Aaron nods and heads back to the main room.

Jex yells out as Aaron leaves the room, “Make sure it’s the mint chocolate chip! None of that vanilla nonsense.”

I’m about to follow when Jex gestures for me to stay. His intense eyes peek out from his thick hair. The man terrifies me. “Are you going to tell him?” he whispers.

“Tell him what?”

Jex shakes his head. “You’re kidding right? It’s not as if I’m running a drive-thru restaurant here. My scanners picked you up.”

Busted.

I feel stupid. Of course a man with the technology to hack the government database could detect my power.

“You show in the database as cancelled. Sowhat’s a smart kid your age doing getting an unauthorized zap?”

Is he going to report me to the government? No surely not, since it’s not like he’s on speaking terms with them anyway. “That’s not exactly what happened.”

“Sure. You woke up one-day and—wait a minute. It has to do with him doesn’t it?”

He smirks in a way that indicates he has it all figured out. I decide not to argue with him. It’s too complicated to explain anyway. “He wanted me to become a mutant. I promised myself I wouldn’t and I missed my chance at Elevation Day. But here I am.”