Rebellion (10 page)

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A lump forms in my throat at the thought of entering Dr. Friar's office again after all this time. But I don't have a choice. Exposing the assassination orders is a good first step to showing who Mother really is, but it's also easily dismissed. However, if I can prove what happened to people's lost family members, it's not something they're likely to forget.

Luckily Father agreed it was a good plan and knew just who to give the commercial to, along with the orders. According to him, Mother wants to address yesterday's incident with the Citizens. He said she's going to hold an assembly tonight to quash the rumors that we were there and that will be the perfect time to disseminate the information. I have to admit, I'm a little worried about him playing double-agent, but he's the only one in Mother's inner circle that both Nadia and I trust.

Nadia helps me retrace my steps from last night. Following her through some tunnels that lead to Sector Two, I watch our path carefully this time. Even though it's dark, my eyes adjust quickly. I pull from my Enforcer training to create a map in my head of what we're doing.

Thick cables lay across one side of the tunnel, leaving just a small walk space on the other. “What is this place?” I whisper. My nerves are humming, but I'm pretty sure it's just stress and panic from the thought of going into a room that holds so many bad memories.

“They're the old conduits that run from Three to here. They would have powered the life support systems for the entire complex, but since it was never finished, it only powers the supplemental one now.”

Well, that answers my question about electricity, but only feeds my concern that Mother can easily get to us. “And Mother? She has to know this exists. Especially if you're pilfering her electricity to run your systems.”

“Mother knows nothing of how her ‘city' is run. And as long as she has what she wants, she doesn't question anything when it comes to power. Besides, there's no way for her to know the usage. It's not like there's a bill she has to pay.” She laughs at her own joke, but I don't know what a bill is so I don't join her.

“I'm sure she knows there's a tunnel here though.”

“We've taken precautions to make sure the entranceway into this particular tunnel is hidden, but yes, it is a concern of ours that it could be found.” Nadia shrugs. “We have measures in place should someone other than our own stumble across it.”

“And they are…”

“We are nearing the connector to Sector Two. It is best if we make as little noise as possible.”

I don't like that she didn't answer my question, but her advice is prudent at the moment. She peers through the small peephole, then presses a code into an apparatus hidden on the side of a junction box.

“I shall wait here for you as before. Same signal.”

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Like it won't be obvious I'm standing in the middle of a maintenance way, knocking on a wall. But I don't have a better idea and I know she won't leave the presumed safety of her tunnel again.

I'm at least a little relieved that the shafts are quiet since it's after curfew, but I still feel the tingly sensation in my spine that tells me I'm being watched. I don't know how many times I turn around to see who it is, only to find no one, but by the time I get to the exit into Sector Two my skin feels like it's just going to crawl right off my bones.

It's late, but not too late. Just after Mother's imposed curfew though, so Sector Two is as eerily quiet as Sector Three. I slide along the outside walls as close as I can, so I can stay in the deeper part of the shadows and hopefully avoid being caught in the crossbeam of the sensors of the turrets and cams.

Finally, I slip into the Tube of the Medical Sector. This is it, I think. This is the moment Mother's Enforcers ambush me. I'm trapped. There are only two ways out of the tunnel—back the way I came, or straight forward. But nothing happens. No one stops me from accessing the Medical Sector. Enforcers don't block the exit. The airlock doors on either side of it don't even close.

It's just like last time. Quiet. Almost peaceful. Dark. So I make my way to the hallway I've traveled hundreds of times to get to Dr. Friar's office. At his door, my panic returns. My chest pinches so I can't breathe. My heart attacks my ribs as it pounds away, announcing my fear for anyone to hear. I force my emotions down and take a deep calming breath before I push open Dr. Friar's office door. It's empty, but that looming doom feeling is back, so I make quick work of crossing the room and opening the cabinet.

As Dr. Moreau said, Friar's data cubes are in plain sight. Smug doesn't even begin to explain Dr. Friar. But, since his arrogance ensured I got what I wanted, I'm not going to complain.

With a quick glance to make sure, yet again, that I'm alone, I sweep the cubes from the shelf and into my satchel.

It feels entirely too easy, and I'm still not convinced that Mother doesn't know what I'm doing, but I'll take it and whatever comes next and hope it goes just as smoothly on the way back.

I'm heading back to the main waiting room to start the slow arduous path back to the Caverns when there's a flicker of light in the corner. My heart leaps into my throat when I see Mother standing there, but I stand my ground. Hiding isn't going to prevent the worst from happening, and I'll be damned if I go down easy.

My mind immediately starts to process escape routes and different scenarios of how this is going to go down. But then I see the telltale flicker of a holo-projection and realize that Father is next to her on one side and an Enforcer on the other. And she isn't looking directly at me. She's focused on the camera.

It hits me then. This must be the assembly she wanted to have. The one that Father was going to have someone interrupt with our commercial. I debate whether or not to leave, but curiosity gets the best of me and I decide to stay and see how she handles the intrusion.

“Citizens of Elysium! I apologize for the inconvenience and untimeliness of my announcement. However, I know many of you are concerned with the incident that happened yesterday during the hours of Request. The ‘Surface Dweller' seen in my chambers was nothing more than a Citizen, hand chosen by myself, to test the effectiveness of the new protocols put in place to prevent another such incident from happening. I'm pleased to announce that the new measures have worked perfectly and—”

Her image cuts out and is replaced by the opening image from the commercial. “Has the war got you down? Dive into the exquisite beauty of Elysium Towers…”

At that moment, the Slate on the nurse's desk beeps and flashes, lighting up the area around it.

That's it! I think, and rush to check it out. Sure enough, it's the Enforcer's orders, plain as day and not a thing missing, including who sent the order. Mother herself.

A huge grin spreads across my face. I can't wait to see Mother's reaction.

The entirety of the commercial plays out and then, without warning, the image cuts back to Mother, whose entire face is red as she yells at someone off screen.

“We're back,” Father mutters and Mother jerks back around to face the screen.

A laugh fights its way through my barrier as she visibly struggles to pull herself together, before finally wrapping composure around herself like a cloak.

“I apologize for the technical error. I'm not sure what that was.” She laughs as if it's just some funny glitch. She clears her throat. “As I was saying…”

I take advantage of the uproar I assume is happening and make my painstakingly slow journey back to the door where Nadia should be waiting. I knock the signal and wait for her to make sure it's me and I'm alone.

The door yawns open and I slide into the darkness to follow her back. Even though I know what we did is a good idea, that déjà vu feeling hits again and I can't help but feel like I've made a very big mistake.

 

C
HAPTER
E
IGHT

The boy has returned. However, he has not brought my son or the girl. He also refuses to divulge their location. However, necessity does make the strangest bedfellows. I will have an answer on their location by the end of the week!

—LETTER FROM
M
AYOR
S
T.
J
AMES TO AN UNNAMED INDIVIDUAL IN
R
USHLAKE
C
ITY

Gavin

It's late when I finally get to bed. I spend most of the rest of the night tossing and turning and missing Evie, but I wake as soon as the rooster crows. I have business in town and it's not going to wait.

I quickly check the traps I set last night and find two rabbits and a coypu. I clean them and put them where my mom will find them, then shower, dress, and search my weapons cache. I take my shotgun. I have no plans to use it, but I'm also not stupid enough to walk into a lion's den without backup.

I take my normal route from the house to the village. I'm not all that surprised to see two guards standing at the pass-through from the lighthouse. They look half asleep as they lean against the ruins of the old stone wall, but when they see me they immediately jump to attention.

I don't recognize them, but from their clothing I can tell immediately they're from the city. Flippin' fantastic. I don't know exactly what Tristan did to the mayor, but I'm strangely proud. If the mayor brought in guards from Rushlake, he must be at least nervous.

They block the pathway when I walk up to them. “Sorry, sir. No one can pass from this side. Mayor's orders.”

I nod like it's no big deal. “I understand that.” I twist like I'm about to leave, but instead pull my shotgun over my shoulder and point it at them before they even move. “What I don't understand is how the
mayor
can decide that two of the people in
his
township—the very people he's supposed to protect and serve—should be denied the basics that they need to survive.”

They swallow and stare at the gun, but don't say anything.

“So
I'm
going to clear up this little misunderstanding, and
you're
not going to stop me.” I rack the slide of the shotgun, getting a little personal satisfaction from the sound and the whitening of their faces. “Are you?”

They both lift their hands in the air and step to the side. As I pass I see one of them reach for something and I spin around, the gun still at my shoulder. He's holding a walkie. I grin and aim my gun at his groin. “If you value that part of your anatomy and don't feel like bleeding out all over the sand here, I would highly suggest
not
letting anyone know I'm coming.” I signal with my gun to have him toss it toward me.

The man's Adam's apple bobs. He tosses the walkie to the ground close to my feet. His partner's eyes are so wide I'm almost surprised they don't pop out of his head. I grab the walkie, shoving it into my pocket before taking their rifles and slinging the straps over my shoulder.

Can't be too careful.

But I'm not done yet. “If I find out that either of you tell anyone that I'm coming, I promise you'll be making a permanent blood donation to the sand. Understand?”

They both bob their heads.

“Have a great day.”

I give them my sunniest smile. It feels oddly awesome to not be afraid for once. I sling the gun back over my shoulder, still racked, just in case, but I'm sure I won't have any further problems.

As I walk through town, I'm surprised at how quiet it is. Normally people are walking around, greeting each other, passing gossip from one person to another. But now there's no one. It almost reminds me of the way Elysium looked when we first returned. A ghost town.

It gives me the chills.

What is the mayor doing?

Time to find out.

When I walk into the mayor's office, I instantly stop in my tracks as my body rebels against being here. It's the ingrained fear and hate of him I've had over the years. But I force myself to keep walking straight to the secretary's desk. To Asher's mom. She isn't bad most of the time. A little quiet and obviously scared of her own husband, but she's always been nice to me. Even when I stopped being friends with Asher.

She's typing away at something I'm sure the mayor thinks is important, but glances up as I walk to her desk. The look of surprise on her face when she sees me is almost comical. As is the sound her computer makes, since she's pressing down on all the keys at once. She jerks her hands off the keyboard immediately.

“Gavin,” she says, her voice almost a whisper. Then the shock gives way to hope—I can see it fill her eyes—and she peers around me. She frowns, then glances over her shoulder and gestures me closer.

“Asher?” Her voice is so quiet I practically have to read her lips to understand her.

At first I open my mouth to lie, but the look she's giving me reminds me so much of my mother's from last night, I can't do it. I lean closer. So close I smell the scent coming off her skin. It reminds me of Rushlake City, and all the women there that smell like flowers, without the flowers actually being there. Evie kind of smells like that. Except her scent came from actual flowers. Even when she was here, away from her gardens, it remained. Like the flowers had permanently soaked into her skin. I mentally shake myself when I remember Asher's mom is still waiting for me to reply. “He's not with me, but he's safe.”

She lets out a breath and leans back in her chair. “Thank you,” she mouths and I have to give her credit when I see real tears in her eyes, even if she doesn't let them fall—or maybe it's
because
she doesn't. It surprises me that she doesn't ask where he is. Considering what her husband did to my mom to get that information, it seems weird.