Numbers Game (27 page)

42

I
cursed and retreated back into the shadows. A slow-moving vehicle hummed by, and the sidewalk went bright for a moment, then dark again. The entire monitor force seemed to be patrolling tonight, complicating my grand escape. I’d be miles past the wall by now on any other night. If Mills thought his protest tonight was a secret, he was a fool.

Wishing I could stretch my legs, I arched my back and looked up. Despite the streetlights, the sky was a deep black. Not a star in sight. I wondered how many citizens had even seen the stars in their lifetime. They’d probably never felt the need to gaze upward, had never weighed their singular insignificance against the magnitude of the universe.

Treena had, on our early morning walk. She would have loved my favorite stargazing spot up Lightning Creek trail, overlooking what had once been a fertile green valley. That would never happen now.

She made her choice. It’s her loss, not mine.

When the patrol vehicle was out of sight, I turned back to my escape plan. I’d been here dozens of times, but the massive wall was still daunting. Eleven feet thick and thirty feet tall, the metal slab extended the entire length of NORA’s eastern border. During the day, it reflected the hot sun like a giant mirror. Even now, in the cool part of night, it probably radiated heat. The electricity buzzing through the metal was deafening in the silence of a sleeping city.

Citizens thought it was to keep outlanders out. It was probably the other way around.

I pulled into the shadows again, letting out a long, frustrated breath. I hadn’t planned past this point. Any citizen trying to escape over the wall would be punished with their techband. Since I didn’t have one anymore, that wasn’t an issue, but I still had to deal with the electricity. There had to be a weakness, some way to disable the current and climb over. And I had to do it soon, before my clan realized I was escaping.

Laughter echoed through the empty streets. I carefully stuck my head out from behind the corner, just enough to watch the border wall guards shuffle off, replaced by two new ones—a heavy-set man and a tall, athletic-looking woman. I squinted as they took their positions. The soft glow of the light behind them illuminated what I’d never noticed in the daylight. A door. It was nearly invisible, but the shadows revealed some kind of handhold that looked like a doorknob in the surface of the wall’s metal.

I crouched, then shuffled around the corner, ducking behind a parked vehicle just as another patrol transport came by. Its headlights illuminated much of the road, making the shadows contort and rotate, and then it turned down the next darkened street.

The female guard swatted at her partner. “Quit looking so nervous. It took me forever to convince Blare to put us together. Just act natural.”

The man beside her grunted. “Not too hard considering nobody’s even told me what’s going on.”

“Oh, quit pouting. I only know the plan because Mills needed exact coordinates for his stupid missile. I’m the only one on the force who was qualified.”

I’d started to creep closer, but at the mention of Mills, I froze midstep.

“He really has one, then? I thought he was just pretending,” the man said.

“Far as I know. Not sure if it still works, though. I guess it doesn’t matter whether it’s seventy years old or brand-new—you shoot it, and it’ll explode somewhere.”

“Hopefully not in his face.”

“Why not? We’ve already been paid.”

More laughter. Without realizing it, I had retreated back to the parked transport. A missile? Mills’s plan didn’t involve a missile, and even if it did, why would the border guards know about it?

“What I don’t understand,” her partner said, “is why he hasn’t shot it yet. What could he be waiting for? Every second, the chances are higher that he’ll be detected.”

“That’s the genius of it. Mills sent some kind of distraction, something sure to draw the empress out. Probably the whole Council, too. In one strike he’ll take out both branches of government. ‘Like fish in a barrel,’ he said.”

The man paused. “Fish in a barrel? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“No idea. Must be an Integrant thing.”

I sat against the cold metal of the vehicle, anger burning through my body, hot and thick. Mills was an Integrant. Or rather, he was an outlander, and probably far outside the borders right now. That would explain why the guy refused to appear in person at meetings. How convenient that we had agreed to run his rebellion for him. All he had to do was sit back and orchestrate it all, with no risk to himself. Brilliant, actually. He’d throw the whole country into chaos by taking out the entire government at once. And its successor.

Treena.

“So when are we supposed to let him back in?” the man asked. “When the missile strikes?”

“Shh! Here comes another patrol. You don’t want to get thrown in prison tonight, believe me.”

“Hey, you’re the one who brought it up.”

I couldn’t understand the rest of what they said. My breathing came hard and fast, and rage muddled my thoughts. Treena. She thought she was saving people, making peace. Mills obviously had other plans for her and the hundreds of innocent citizens supporting her. A lot of people would die tonight.

But both sides hated me—NORA’s citizens because I was a red and an outlander, my clan because I had changed sides. I didn’t belong in either world. If I was going to escape, the chaos that would ensue tonight would be the perfect cover. I could overpower the guards in seconds and escape out the door to freedom.

Keep them safe
,
my father had said. His last words. Well, I’d done that, practically selling my soul to NORA for two years and then making that stupid agreement with Mills—he’d arranged for my family to be smuggled out yesterday. They were already outside the wall somewhere, waiting for me to join them and start a new life. If we went far enough east, no one would ever find us. We could survive on our own.

If I stayed, I knew what my clan would do. In a small settlement where people depended on each other so much, treason was unforgiveable. I’d be executed.

Keep them safe.

Them.

My memory was clear, the words unforgettable. Dad hadn’t said to keep my family safe. He had said to keep “them” safe. Was he referring to his people or his family? If it was the clan, I had failed miserably. Even if I hadn’t spent the past two years rounding them up, I had just talked the remainder of my clan into joining the rebellion. They would be arriving at the square any minute, completely unaware that a missile was aimed in their direction. What was left of our clan would be decimated.

Keep them safe.

I had once asked Dad what it was like to be the clan leader. He gave me a thoughtful expression, set his book down on his lap, and said, “A leader doesn’t just order people around, Vance. He gives himself to his people, sacrifices his wants for the needs of everyone. My grandfather died serving in the Old American War. When the dust died down, my father built this settlement and welcomed any who wanted to join us in peace. I’m proud to call myself a Hawking, and you’ll make an even better leader someday.”

That future had been torn from me. NORA had nearly succeeded in taking who I was, but they couldn’t alter my DNA. If Dad was here now, there was no question what he would choose.

I crept away, waiting for the sound of footsteps and shouting behind me, but the night was still. The square was over twelve miles away.

Once I turned the corner, I took off running.

43

T
his
was the stupidest thing I’d ever done.

I adjusted my sequin-lined uniform dress as we walked, chilled by the cool night air and incredibly self-conscious. Mills had insisted I look the part of the successor tonight. I felt ridiculous. He’d placed me at the head of our mob—although the 230 worried faces behind me looked more like a death march than a mob—and insisted I make myself visible to unite the people. It wasn’t going so well.

We’d started at the store, shouting “Treason” to wake up the neighbors. Now, several kilometers later, our chanting had become a bit more subdued. Even our whispers echoed sharply against the hard surfaces of the roads and buildings. Mills had said our march would impassion and ignite the people, but nobody came out as we passed. Instead, we’d grown accustomed to the sound of locks being shoved into place. We were on our own.

A twelve-year-old boy marched behind me, unable to suppress a grin. He’d bounced along the entire way so far, excited to be a part of the excitement. To the other side of me was a gray-haired woman, and it was obviously painful for her to walk. She should have been relaxing in a comfortable chair, safe at home, rather than facing an uncertain future.

I glanced behind us, eyeing the patrol vehicle that had been tailing us for two kilometers now. Not only were we breaking curfew, but we were obviously headed for the palace. Why weren’t they confronting us? That worried me even more. Mills’s brilliant plan to “peaceably protest” now felt like a death wish, and dread permeated every muscle of my body.

We came to an intersection with a blinking light. I paused, then chuckled and marched through. What was a traffic law at this point? I was breaking pretty much every law possible, and there was no going back now. My followers had cut their bands off tonight with Jasper’s tool. That alone ensured a work-camp sentence at the very least, and at the most—well, I didn’t want to think about that. I rubbed my wrist again, wondering if I would ever get used to the exposed skin.

Another patrol vehicle pulled up and flanked us on the other side, and then another. They matched our speed like shiny escorts. Adrenaline pulsed through my body, and the chanting behind me was replaced by murmuring. We were only two blocks away now. I’d ridden this way in a transport on my first day in the city, gaping and nervous at the adventure that had awaited me. It seemed ages ago.

“Everyone get ready,” I announced, although there was nothing to left to do. We had no weapons, no way to defend ourselves except to show that we were peaceful. That was critical, Mills had said. We were victims, not attackers. Someone waited at the square with Dresden’s camera, ready to capture our grand entrance and show the nation our struggle for justice. Everyone nodded at my words and steeled themselves, and a girl my age moved to stand beside me. She was about the same height as Tali.

Please
,
I thought silently.
Don’t let me lead these brave people to their deaths.

When we turned into the square, I stumbled to an abrupt stop. There they were—hundreds and hundreds of soldiers and monitors. The city had gathered its forces to protect the palace, just as Mills had predicted. Every single person was armed and had their weapons aimed straight at us. I glanced around but didn’t see any camera.

“Close in behind them,” a deep voice growled from within the enemy lines. The soldiers obeyed, and soon we were completely cut off from escape.

“Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air,” a voice said, the echo from the amplifiers bouncing across the hardness of the stone square. “Now.”

“We have no weapons,” I said. My voice wobbled, and I cleared my throat. “We come in peace to protest the empress’s illegal occupation of the throne.”

A figure emerged. A dozen guards surrounded him, so it was hard to tell who it was until he stopped in front of me. It was the commander himself, looking as fresh as if it were the middle of the day.

“You are all under arrest,” he said, his voice carrying easily over the stunned silence of the group. “Those who put their weapons on the ground now will be treated less harshly than those who don’t. The rest of you—put your hands on the backs of your heads.”

Clattering sounds echoed across the square as several rebels dropped stunners on the ground and raised their arms. They had just made me a liar. I completely understood, though. If I’d owned an illegal weapon, I probably would have brought it too. Not that it would make any difference now.

“That’s what I thought,” Denoux said. He motioned his soldiers forward, and an entire contingent broke off from the main group. They immediately kicked our stunners out of the way and started securing cuffs.

“Where’s the camera?” someone whispered behind me. “They’re supposed to be broadcasting this, right?”

A quick glance at our captors told me all I needed to know. There was no broadcast, nor was there a camera. The citizens would never know what had gone on here tonight. I’d just walked everyone right into a trap.

Mills had pored over every detail of our protest. There was no way he hadn’t anticipated this. So why hadn’t he warned us or given us a backup plan? Maybe he would descend at the last second in a dramatic rescue.

I thought back to that first time I’d met Mills, when Jasper had said something about his questionable past. If he was really working for NORA and wanted to crush the rebellion, this was a great way to do it. Fates. I’d fallen right into his hands.

“We’re dead!” a woman exclaimed. “It’s all over now.”

“Mills will come through for us,” a man said confidently. “We just have to play along.”

“You’re a fool. We’re alone.”

“Who’s the fool? This was all a setup, and you walked into it same as anybody else.”

The voices rose in pitch and intensity until I couldn’t understand them anymore. A few of them decided to fight back and stormed the soldiers. They just ended up in an unconscious heap on the ground. One guy in his fifties took down three soldiers with his fists before he was clubbed. He lay motionless on his stomach, a puddle of dark liquid pooling around his head. The guard who had done it simply stepped over him to the next person.

Rough hands grabbed me from behind and yanked my arms down, and then there was the all-too-familiar feel of steel on my wrists. Luckily, there was no techband to connect it to, which meant I could still move without pain. I considered fighting back for a moment. But then something shoved me forward so hard I tripped and landed on my knees with a startled yelp.

“Wait,” Denoux said. “Bring me that one.”

The guard lifted me up by the back of the collar like an unruly kitten, then practically dragged me over to the commander, who looked puzzled for a moment. When he saw my face, recognition finally dawned. “The wanted girl. I assumed you’d be involved somehow. An interesting outfit for such a night, don’t you think?”

I couldn’t agree more, but I met his gaze. “The empress is the one breaking laws, not us. You have no right to treat us this way.”

“No right? Bringing an army to the palace gates, especially at this time of night, breaks a multitude of laws. If you had applied to plead your case with the Council at their next meeting, you may have had a chance—”

“And I would have been arrested,” I cut in, “and then silently executed. You know it’s true.”

The haughty amusement in his face was now a cold, dark glare. People probably didn’t interrupt him often. “You thought this would bring about a different outcome?” He chuckled and turned to the man on his right. “Take her to the political prison, and inform Her Majesty that the girl has been captured.”

“What about the rest of them, sir?”

“Run the food test to find out which ones are confirmed smugglers. The rest can go to the work camps.”

“Yes, sir.” The soldier put his fist over his heart and strode toward me. He gripped the back of my neck and shoved me just like the first guard had, but I managed to stay up this time.

“Commander!”

Denoux turned as a runner shoved his way through the crowd. It was one of the empress’s personal guards, a stone-faced guy with wide shoulders. He pulled up in front of Denoux. “Her Majesty orders that the girl be delivered to the gates. She wants to speak to her.”

I should have been terrified, or at least scared, but my mind was simply numb. Empty.

All our hard work and I was right back at the beginning, in the empress’s hands. Would she execute me publicly like Tali, to make a statement? Or would she lead me to the shadows and do it in secret?

The commander gave an exasperated sigh and nodded. Each soldier took an elbow and guided me through the chaos of prisoners and soldiers, monitors and gate security guards.

The gate looked like rod iron, but I could tell by a soft buzz that it was electrified. It opened automatically when we reached it, swinging outward, and I gazed up at the palace. Such a beautiful building to be at the center of so much strife. Hundreds of lights shone on its surface, which gave off a strange orange hue.

“Should’ve known it would be you,” the empress said. It took a second to see her through the shadows, but there she was, leaning casually against the guard post. “I could sense a certain rebellion in you, a stubbornness, on that day we met. Although I never thought your treason was quite this . . . extreme.”

“Forgive me for not dying,” I spat. “I’m sure three failed murder attempts can get pretty inconvenient.”

“Higher positions require tougher choices, and that’s something you’ll never understand.”

“Because you’ll finish the job yourself?”

“Not necessarily.” She motioned for someone to join her. Two bulky guards stepped forward, supporting someone between them. The figure was incredibly skinny and shook as if barely able to stand. A gray sack covered the face and neck. The empress put one manicured hand on the person’s shoulder. “There’s something I want you to do, and this prisoner is why you’re about to cooperate.” She whipped off the sack. The prisoner blinked at the sudden light.

I felt my knees buckle as I stood there, gaping. Her body was broken and shaky, her head bald, and her face bruised almost beyond recognition. She looked exhausted, scarcely able to hold herself up. But I’d know my friend anywhere. “Tali?”

“Hi, Treen,” her hollow voice said.

This wasn’t happening. I’d watched her die that night, and then dozens of times afterward in my dreams—stumbling forward, glaring at the camera, the fire of rebellion in her eyes. There was only a spark of it now, but it was there. She could hardly hold her head up to meet my gaze.

Of course. The Raters knew everything, so they would know Taliyah was my best friend. The empress had turned down the intensity of Tali’s punishment a bit, allowed her to suffer nearly to death, then stopped punishment mode when she’d blacked out. It did explain how she’d lasted longer than her friends on the broadcast. But it didn’t explain what the point of it all was.

“You tortured her.” My voice shook with barely controlled rage.

“Insurance,” the empress said. “A backup plan. I knew she may come in handy if my assassins failed. “

I felt my eyes widen at her bluntness. She was surrounded by guards and didn’t seem to care what they overheard. Her mouth curved into a smile. “Oh yes, they know, Ametrine. They’re loyal to me. You don’t think I’m the first ruler determined to secure the throne, do you? Some reports say Emperor Ashford executed sixty-one people he deemed a threat to his position.”

My mind raced, processing every horrible word. How many people had this woman killed? I didn’t stand a chance against such brutality. I had to buy myself some time. “There’s one thing I don’t understand. Why make me a red and have me killed? You could have easily given me one handicap, or even two. Nobody would have suspected a thing, and I wouldn’t have been a threat.”

Her lips pursed as she considered the question. “Someone I loved once betrayed me, and it made me realize how much hurting you would hurt him.”

“My father.”

“Jasper. At first he was just a brilliant coworker with advantageous bloodlines. I knew we could be powerful together. And we were.” Her expression was strangely vulnerable, but it soon turned sour. “I thought it was real until I caught him looking at his wife’s image one day. He didn’t know I was there, but the look on his face was so gentle, so tender, that I knew what we had was a lie. All those years—gone in an instant.”