Phantom Universe (9 page)

“
What’s an Outlander?” Jaden wonders before she tacks on, “And that law is stupid, by the way!” Paige gasps and Gage chuckles, gratifying in Jaden’s nonchalance at the laws. Summer has a feeling he doesn’t agree with the law.

“
It’s not important,” answers Gage. “Now where did you two come from?” He looks at Summer when he asks, as if he’s trying to read the answer in her eyes.

“
You wouldn’t believe it if I told you!” Jaden exclaims.

“
Let me guess,” Paige snaps, “you’re from the past?”

Someone chuckles behind Summer—she wishes they’d come around so she could see them. Not that she’d pay attention with Gage still crouched down in front of her with his absorbing green eyes. . . .

“
What?” Jaden’s face scrunches up, and her eyebrows come together. “No. That’s a little too out there.” She snorts. “Summer and I were slaves, and the ship we were on crashed about a week ago.”

Has it been that long?
Summer thinks absentmindedly.

Jaden continues, “And we both drifted to shore a few days after that. Summer got sick, and I couldn’t wake her; that’s when I began to search for someone to help us.”

She notices that Jaden’s left out the part about the light exploding out of her, which she’s grateful for because she has no idea what it was. Probably just a hallucination.

“
Slaves? Really?” Gage asks Summer, aghast. She nods solemnly.

“
That sounds like a load of splash,” Paige cuts in, disbelieving.

“
You think I burned myself for fun?” Jaden asks and shoves her arms forward, wrists together.

Paige finally walks into view, her face hidden behind a curtain of honeyed brown hair. Her frame is thin, though thick with muscles. It’s the first time she’s noticed their clothing. They’re wearing matching black and green uniforms with several electronic thingies on their belts. Summer doesn’t recognize any of it. They have on black boots that wrap tightly around their calves—but no laces. There are several multi-colored buttons on the jackets over their black undershirts.

Paige snatches Jaden’s wrists and stares at them carefully. “Looks like you got into a bad accident, eh? You could’ve got these scars anywhere.” She practically throws Jaden’s arm back at her. “Next time be more creative with your story.”

Paige twists around and glares down at Summer with her light brown eyes that match her hair perfectly. Her face is hard and angry.

“
Fine! If you don’t believe me, then explain the whip scars on our backs!” Jaden shouts, pissed off now.

There’s silence as Summer nods forlornly.

“
May I?” Gage asks so softly his voice is almost a whisper.

Summer doesn’t move, only gazes into his eyes as her breath picks up speed. He’s the one who ends up nodding, as if he can read her soul. He stands and circles around her before his warm fingers hook under her shirt—or rags, really. He lifts it just a little bit at first, pauses, and his breath grows rapid along with hers. He yanks the cloth up a little higher, and his fingers run along her scars. She flinches, and he quickly retreats.

“
Sorry. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he whispers in her ear.

She shakes her head, tears now trailing down her face as the memories of the whip biting into her skin assault her. She trembles and can’t stop. Again, she’s embarrassed by how weak she’s being in front of all these people. It’s all too much, and it was bound to leak from her one way or the other.

He lifts her shirt again, and his fingers tenderly trail over her scars. She can feel his hot breath on her neck. “How many times?” His voice chokes with emotion.

She shrugs as Jaden says quietly, “Until she quit screaming. And then until she quit crying . . . and then when she stopped talking altogether they finally stopped.”

The silence that follows her statement is so deafening and thick you can slice it into pieces and make a meal of it. Until Paige breaks it. “Hah. That’s the biggest sob story I’ve ever heard—and the biggest load of splash, too! I bet I can make her talk.”

Paige comes into Summer’s sight again and drops down in front of her. Gage lets go of her shirt so her back is covered again.

“
Don’t,” he commands, all emotion gone from his voice.

“
Please! You can’t tell me you believe this splash?” She stares at him with hate over Summer’s shoulder.

“
These scars aren’t fake, Paige. Just because it sounds unbelievable doesn’t mean it isn’t true.” At her back she can feel the tension radiating from Gage.

“
I’ll prove it,” she bellows and slaps Summer hard across her face. It stings fiercely, and Summer covers her cheek with her palm. Summer’s had worse done to her before, and there isn’t anything that Paige can do that’ll make her talk.

There are several gasps as Paige raises her hand to do it again. Summer looks into her honey eyes, refusing to flinch. Paige’s hand’s about to make contact again when Gage seizes her wrist. “That’s enough, Brooks. If you want me to pull the rank card on you I will. Do you want to be Paige around here, or Brooks? Cause I can make your life a living hell, eh?”

Daggers fly from Paige’s glare. “I’ve been in the League longer than you, Appleton. Don’t you start throwing last names around like you’re something special. You’re nothing but splash beneath my shoe!”

“
I don’t care how old you are, I am still your commanding officer, and you’ll do as I tell you. You are not to lay a single finger on Summer. Got it, Brooks?” Gage’s angelic voice darkens and roars with authority.

“
Yes, Lieutenant Appleton,” she replies reluctantly and a little sarcastically.

He releases Paige’s arm, and she backs away, glaring the whole time.

“
Gage, they could still be Outlanders,” a male says unwillingly.

Gage lands on his knees in front of Summer again, sweetly checking her cheek for any permanent damage. “Are you okay?” His breath tickles her cheek.

She nods, though she doesn’t want him to stop touching her cheek. Her face flushes at the thought, and she’s glad the burning slap mark conceals it.

“
Gage,” the male’s voice says again in warning.

“
I heard you, Bruce.” He sighs. “What year is it?” he asks Summer, again using his hypnotic green eyes to stare into her soul, seeking the answer.

“
Did you lose your calendar?” Jaden asks, confused.

“
Just—tell me what year it is.”

“
It’s 2010. Duh.”

“
No it’s not sweetie,” Cameron says and steps into Summer’s view. Her face is much softer than Paige’s, and her dark eyes are kinder, too.

“
Cameron—” Gage begins, but is cut off.

“
They have a right to know,” Cameron says softly.

“
They don’t have rights at all,” snaps Paige.

“
Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Jaden folds her arms.

Cameron places a tentative hand on Jaden’s stiff arms. “Honey, it’s 2210.”

CHAPTER
10: IMPLANTS

16 years old

“
Real funny,” Jaden says with a laugh. “You must really think we’re stupid, don’t you? We were slaves, not slow.”

“
It’s not a lie,” replies Gage, his voice unfaltering.

“
And next you’re going to tell me the Canadians have taken over.” She goes into a fit of giggles. “And instead of the mounties riding horses they now ride unicorns!” More laughter.

Humorless silence greets her.

Jaden’s laughter trails off as she meets the eyes of everyone around her. “What? There really are unicorns?”

Summer is curious—unicorns are another one of those mythical creatures she believes in that Landon tells her aren’t real.

“
Hardly.” Paige snorts arrogantly. “The Canadians have taken over.” Her hand rushes through the air in welcoming. “This is the Canadian Federation. It has been for a hundred years after we fought those Yankees.”

“
Except New York,” adds Bruce.

Jaden can’t speak; she mouths a few words, but nothing comes out.

“
Why is it that all of the Outlanders find this so unbelievable?” asks Cameron as she takes a seat in the sand next to Summer.

“
Oh, I don’t know,” says Jaden sarcastically. “Could it be because the Canadians are neutral and have no army? They just aren’t territorial!”

“
Of course we have an army!” disagrees Cameron.

“
Hah! Not one that could take the U.S.” Jaden sits in the sand across from Cameron.

“
When the American’s were destroying the world, one stupid bomb and war after another, we had to stop them,” Paige jumps in crossly. “World War Three? Disastrous! Add in the Fourth and Fifth and we couldn’t take it anymore! Everyone’s eyes were so focused on the U.S. that they didn’t even see us coming.” She places her hands on her hips with a huff, towering over Summer, Jaden, Gage, and Cameron.

Summer looks to Gage for answers.

“
It’s true,” he admits. “We took Washington with no problems. There were even Americans who joined our side when they found out about our invasion.”

“
Prove it,” says Jaden curtly.

“
This was invented only twenty years ago, so maybe this will prove it, eh?” Gage leans forward and points at his ear.

Jaden leans forward. “What am I looking for?”

“
You’ll know it when you see it.” He taps his ear again. Summer also leans in, holding onto his shoulder gently to steady herself as they stare into his ear.

The sunlight catches the tiny piece of metal that looks as if it’s crawling out of his ear, its fingers stuck deeply into his skin. Summer can’t help herself as she raises her fingers to his ear, wanting to feel the thing. It actually appears to be a part of him. She touches the metal, and Gage jerks. She pulls her hand back quickly.

“
It doesn’t hurt—just tickled,” he says as he sits up straight, smiling.

“
What is that thing?” asks Jaden with awe.

“
It’s a neural implant so we can telepathically communicate with others,” he explains. “It’s also a tracking device and required when you join the Canadian League.”

“
Telepathically? Then why do you even need to talk to each other?” asks Jaden in an awe-struck daze.

“
Because—” Cameron rolls her eyes. “—Gage hates the technology and won’t accept our communications when we’re in talking distance.”

“
Well,” he defends, “I think it’s lazy to not just talk . . .” he trails off and chances a glance at Summer. “Sorry.”

Summer shrugs and smiles at him. She knows it’s not because she’s lazy, but because of her anxiety. Actually, she’s quite interested in this technology—maybe she’ll never have to speak again. She can just mind-to-mind it with people.

“
Let’s quit playing games,” a male says behind her. She jumps, unaware that there is anyone else.

“
True, Gage, they’re Outlanders. We have to bring them in,” Bruce agrees, though a little more reluctantly.

“
I know,” he says grudgingly. “Let’s eat first, eh?”

“
And risk them running off?” snaps Paige.

“
Summer can barely sit up, and Jaden’s not going anywhere without her, are you?” Gage glances at Jaden who shakes her head.

“
I blew up a ship to save her—I’m not leaving now, especially if she’s going to basically be imprisoned again if I do.”

“
Blow up a ship?” asks Gage, but is quickly interrupted.