Terra (14 page)

I’ve been gripping the armrest between Adam and me so hard that when Prime Whitlock ends her speech, my knuckles are white. An investigation? Plenty of people have crossed the quarantine line to the District in the past. Kids are always daring each other, and the raiders I met earlier clearly knew their way around. A violation has never elicited a response like this before.

“Representative Tallis will now take the stage to explain the restriction guidelines,” Prime Whitlock announces. “You may direct any remaining questions to him. Thank you.”

The screen goes black and withdraws into the ceiling as a dark-suited Tribunal official takes the stage in front of us. I can’t see him too clearly from this far up, but it is immediately evident that this is no Wompy. Tallis is broad-shouldered and imposing; he dwarfs the small metal podium in front of him.

“Questions,” he says, “will be held until the end.” His low voice booms with authority. The few people who were already making their way to the front of the auditorium to ask their questions, as is customary, all retreat immediately.

“First, I will review the new rules that pertain to the quarantine line…”

Adam’s hand brushes against mine, like he’s checking to make sure I’m still there, and I feel the tension rolling off him. My eyes point forward, watching Tallis intently, but his words rush through my ears unheard.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mica, ten rows in front of me and to the right. With a turn of his head, he meets my gaze. His eyes are wide with worry. He’s already told the guardsmen that he didn’t know where I was, and now we all know why they were asking.

I think back through all the people I’ve come into contact with today who might know I crossed the quarantine line. The raiders, of course, but they’re not exactly in a position to go tattling on me. The guardsmen at the North Gate—why did Adam insist on going through the gate? I should have stopped him. I should have insisted. We could’ve ditched the transport outside the wall, and then all those people we passed when we drove through town on that stupid thing wouldn’t be an issue either. But even if they suspect something, they can’t prove it. The only person who really knows what happened today is Adam, and he seems just as tense about this investigation as I do.

Did his research really necessitate him entering the ruins, or was it just a mistake he doesn’t want to own up to? With his interest in the raiders, my family, and Sixteen, his research seems like it’s more about the people down here than anything else. Maybe he didn’t even realize he’d crossed into a quarantined area when he got lost. I can’t imagine that most skydwellers know what the line looks like, or what it’s for; why should they? The plague isn’t a real threat to them, and they’ve worked hard to keep it that way. If they even suspected one of their own of being contaminated… whatever the consequences may be down here, I can only imagine what “decontamination” entails up top. Like it or not, we’re in similar situations.

Without thinking, I grab hold of Adam’s hand and clutch it tightly. He squeezes it reassuringly, but I can feel his unease. I can’t be sure, but I imagine we’re thinking the same thing:
What the hell have we gotten into?

Chapter 12

The walk home is tense and silent. Mica doesn’t dare ask in front of Adam what I know he’s dying to ask; and I don’t want to talk to Adam about anything while Mica’s around. But at least the walk itself is easy. Walking the streets at night used to put me on edge; it’s easy to feel vulnerable in the dark. After the pitch black I’ve experienced recently, however, I don’t think I’ll ever consider this dark again.

My stomach rumbles and I speed up as the apartment building comes into view, with the intent to head straight to the kitchen as soon as we arrive home. As we near the building, however, I know my plans will be further delayed. A white uniform is already there to greet us, this time paired with a familiar face. Guardsman Brant is waiting on the steps of the complex, his face illuminated by a street lamp overhead.

“Evening, sir,” Mica calls out politely as we approach.

“Good evening. I have a few questions for you.”

“Um, okay, but I’ve already answered the questions the other guards had. I’m not sure what else I can tell you.”

“Not you,” Brant says gruffly. He turns to me. “You.”

Mica glances at me nervously.

“Sure thing,” I say lightly. “Mica, why don’t you and your friend head inside? I’ll be there in a minute.” I make my voice as natural as I can. Adam keeps his head down as he follows Mica into the building.

“Hello Brant,” I say with a tentative smile. “How’s it going?”

“Terra Rhodon, I have been instructed to determine your whereabouts between the hours of 0400 and 1830 today.” He pulls out a rectangular device from his pocket, no bigger than the palm of his hand. A red light blinks evenly in the corner and I am suddenly very aware of myself. This conversation won’t be a private one.

“You are unaccounted for during that timeframe,” Brant continues, “and were last seen leaving your apartment building early this morning. Can you explain this?”

“Seen by whom?”

“That’s not relevant.”

“Of course it isn’t.” I chuckle under my breath.

“I assure you, Miss Rhodon, this is no laughing matter.” He lowers his voice. “The Tribunal is taking the quarantine violations very seriously. I need to record your official report.”

He deliberately looks down at the device in his hand and I’m just not sure what he—or they—are looking to hear.

“I’m going to ask you some questions, and you will answer them as best you can.” It’s not a request, but he says it gently.

“All right.”

“Did you go outside settlement limits today?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I… needed some fresh air. Cabin fever. From the rain, and all.” It feels strange to parrot back the same weak excuse I gave Ryk earlier, but it’s the one that makes the most sense. “I wanted to clear my head. My brother and I have been having some, er, disagreements lately. I needed some time alone to think.”

There,
I think.
At least I can say I kind of told the truth now.

“Explain your need to go outside the settlement limits.”

I shrug. “I just kind of started walking, and before I knew it I was at the wall. So I just kept going. It’s not like that’s unusual for me.”

Brant nods and looks down at his device for a moment, like he’s reading from it. When he looks at me again, his eyes are wide and his lips are set in a stern line.

“Did you, purposefully or accidentally, cross the quarantine line at any point today?”

I shake my head.

“I require a verbal response, Miss Rhodon.”

“Oh. Sorry.” I take a breath. “No, I did not cross the quarantine line.” My resolve hardens as the lie comes out. Time to go big or go home. Well, go big or go to a Tribunal holding cell for further interrogation, might be more accurate. Though it doesn’t have quite the same ring.

“I wasn’t gone that long. I just took a walk around the outside of the city. I don’t even think Mica was awake when I got back. It was early, so I went back to bed. When I got up again, he had left. Whoever you had keeping tabs on me must have stopped paying attention,” I say accusingly.

Brant’s eyebrows fly up as I speak. “Your own brother claimed not to know where you were all day. He reported as much to the guardsmen he spoke with earlier.”

“Well, Mica’s in school, so I don’t usually see him until later in the day anyway. And I guess I was out again when he got home.”

“We have no record of that.”

“You’ve already asked every single citizen if they’ve seen me today? Give me a break.”

“Why did you leave for a second time?”

“I didn’t realize it was a crime to leave my own house.” I force some harshness into my voice. At this point, anybody would be starting to get riled up, even if they weren’t blatantly lying.

“Is there anyone else who can attest to your whereabouts?”

“Considering how people have been treating me lately, I try to keep my head down,” I say with a shrug. “Whether or not someone noticed me is not my problem.”

“According to your brother, he looked for you fervently, without success. What were you doing that you were essentially unreachable?”

“Right. Because a thirteen-year-old boy is really going to spend his extracurricular hours searching high and low for his big sister. I can assure you he was not that worried about me.”

“Why would he have said he did, then?”

“Because teenagers are
never
melodramatic, right? They
never
stretch the truth, or try to get a rise out of someone. I told you we’ve been fighting. He was probably just trying to get me into trouble. Mission accomplished.”

“He will be able to corroborate this?”

“Well, he obviously won’t be thrilled to admit it. But yes, I’m sure he would.” As soon as the words leave my lips, I regret them. There is no guarantee that Mica will play along. It’s too late now, though. All I can do is hope that Brant really is on my side.

The device in Brant’s hand beeps twice, and he reads the screen quickly.

“All right, Miss Rhodon. There may be some follow-up, but that’s all for now. Thank you for your cooperation.”

He taps a button on the top edge of the device and slips it back into his pocket. Now that the device is off, I look up at Brant expectantly. For a moment, I hope he’ll offer another warning, some advice, anything. But Brant simply nods his head in silence, his eyes soft, before he strides off in the opposite direction.

“What was that about?” Mica asks as soon as I walk into the apartment.

I stroll past him and try to make my way to the kitchen, but he blocks me. I debate trying to shove past him, but the thought alone is exhausting. I flop down into a chair at the kitchen table instead. I need to go to bed.

“Is everything all right?” Adam asks guardedly.

“For now, at any rate,” I say.

“What did he want?” Mica persists.

“What do you think?” I reply. “Apparently the Tribunal is getting a head start on their quarantine investigation.” I look at my brother sheepishly. “And I’m going to need you to do me a favor.”

“What kind of favor?” Mica eyes me skeptically.

“If they come by to ask you any more questions… I’m going to need you to tell them that you made up all that stuff about looking for me.”

“But I did look for you.”

“I know.”

“Then why—”

“Because I told Guardsman Brant you only said that because you were trying to get me into trouble.”

“And I would do that because…?”

“Because you’re pissed at me.”

“What?” Mica is incensed. “You really think I’d be so petty—”

“Oh, calm down. Of course not. I just needed to tell him something to make him back off. So my story would be a little more plausible.”

“Why does your story need to be more plausible? What the hell you were really doing today?”

“Hey, language,” I scold.

Adam walks over and stands behind me, placing his hands on the back of the chair. His knuckles press gently into my shoulder as I lean back.

“Let me get this straight,” Mica says. “You lied to that guardsman, and now you want me to lie too. That about cover it?”

“Well, if you insist on making it black and white like that,” I say with a grin.

Mica stares at me.

“Fine. Yes. I lied. I am a terrible role model. Go ahead, call Brant back and have me arrested.” I turn to Adam. “Aren’t you glad you’re getting such a classy introduction to life in Sixteen? I’m sure the rest of your research team will just love hearing about this.”

Adam looks at me with concern, but after a moment, he shifts his expression into one of amusement.

“Look, Mic,” I say. “Who knows if they’re actually going to bother coming back to ask you more questions. I’m clearly the one on their watch list. I’m just asking for your help in case they do.”

“Okay,” Mica says.

I raise an eyebrow. “Okay?”

“Yeah, okay. I’ll play along. But only if you tell me what you really were doing today.”

“I…” I trail off, unsure of how to respond. I don’t want to burden Mica with everything that’s happened.

“Come on, Terra. You know you’re going to tell me eventually. You’re not great at keeping secrets.”

“Maybe that’s just what I want you to think. Maybe I’m actually so good at keeping them that I led you to believe I wasn’t,” I jibe.

Mica looks at me expectantly. I shoot Adam a questioning look and he nods.

“All right,” I say, stifling a yawn. “We’ll talk about it in the morning, okay?”

“No way,” Mica says. He swings his leg around and falls into a chair on the opposite side of the table, interlacing his fingers on the tabletop. “Spill.”

* * *

Adam and I spend an hour detailing the events of the day to Mica while we scarf down some Rations. I’m so hungry that I don’t even care that all we have left are a couple cans of glug. I shovel spoonful after spoonful of beige curdles into my mouth, only pausing between bites long enough to chuckle at the look of revulsion on Adam’s face.

“What did you say this was again?” Adam says, swirling his spoon in the mess on his plate.

I swallow the portion in my mouth before responding, barely shuddering as I do. “D-T04U. But everyone just calls it glug.”

“I can see why.” He uses the back of his spoon to push the glug into three piles, then sweeps the spoon across the bottom half of his plate in a crescent-motion. I rise out of my seat slightly to see what he’s doing, and almost spit when I see the frowning face he’s drawn in his food.

“What are you, five?” I say, choking down a laugh. “Just eat. If Mica can stomach the stuff, you should be able to suck it up, too.”

Adam glances at Mica, who looks back at him with an expression that I imagine says something like,
I feel your pain.

Adam recounts our journey back to Sixteen as I scrape my plate clean. My ravenous hunger, as well as the addition of Adam, causes us to work through the last of our Rations faster than I had predicted. The next Rationing isn’t for another few days; I’ll need to pick up some food from the shops to tide us over until then. At least Mica will be elated about that.