The Edge of Forever (32 page)

While Palmer grabs a blanket and tries to smother the flames, I yank against my restraints. They won’t give. I don’t know what to do. I need to get outside.

Smoke fills the room and I begin to cough. I squeeze my eyes shut, visualizing the yard outside, wishing with all my might that I was there.

Suddenly, the smoke disappears.

I look up to find the stars overhead. I’m stretched out on the ground outside the house. I blink several times. What is going on?

Through the window, the flickering flames make the house look like a jack-o’-lantern I quickly stand up.

Before I can figure out what happened, the door flies open and Palmer rushes out. His eyes lock onto mine.

I don’t think.

I turn around and run.

42

BRIDGER

APRIL 29, 2146

M
y footsteps slam against the floor as I stalk back and forth in my cell. I don’t know what time it is. The sun isn’t shining through the tiny excuse of a window anymore. It has to be late afternoon.

Closer to my sentence being carried out.

I didn’t get a trial. And now I’m scheduled to have my memories extracted today. I’m going to be nulled.

Everyone I requested for my final visitation has come, except for Professor March.

Mom was the hardest to deal with. She alternated from ranting about Dad and how he ruined everything to swearing she was going to appeal the sentence. And then she did something new.

She blamed me.

Her words still ring in my ears. “You’re just like your father, Bridger. You could’ve made something of yourself, but you had to ruin it, didn’t you?”

I said some not-so-nice things to her. I’m not sure exactly what I said, but I remember using the word “bitch.” I feel horrible about it now. Especially since Shan was with her.

Elijah and Zed visited next. I thought they would act all depressed or even pissed, but they weren’t. They were both full of nervous energy, pacing the cell. They tried to make small talk, but I couldn’t focus. Right before they had to leave, I finally asked, “Have you talked to Professor March?”

Zed and Elijah exchanged a look. Elijah shook his head. “Just in class.”

“Did he say anything about coming to visit me?” I was really trying to find out if the professor had said anything about helping me, but I couldn’t exactly say that out loud.

Zed glanced at one of the cameras. “No, not a word. Nothing.”

Now I’m sitting on my cot and rubbing my fist. My mind is fixated on Professor March. Maybe he’s still working on getting me out.

Or maybe he lied.

The door opens and my gut clenches. This is it. I’m ready to take action, but what if nothing happens? What if Professor March doesn’t help me? I hate not knowing for sure.

I expect the guards to enter. Instead, General Anderson saunters in like he’s on an evening stroll. He’s dressed in a black uniform decorated with pins and medals. Furing show-off. “Time to go, Creed.”

“What, are you here to gloat?”

The general pretends to think, stroking his chin. “Not at all. I’m just here to make sure your sentence is carried out.” He marches across the room and cuffs my hands behind my back. His voice lowers as he says, “Nothing is going to stop it.”

I swear, if I get out of this mess, one day I’ll get him back. I can imagine how good it’ll feel to wipe that damn smirk off his face.

I follow General Anderson to the outer courtyard while the two guards trail close behind us. Everything is bathed in the dull glow of the dying daylight. Now that I’m about to become a Null, a pang of regret pierces me. I’ll never be able to go to the mountains again. Or if I do, it’ll be as a mindless servant.

I’ll never be me again.

After a short ride on the transport shuttle, we arrive at a squat building. The lights of the transport glitter off the glass walls. We descend to a circular landing pad surrounded by a landscaped area. Two Nulls are working in the flowerbeds.

The general exits first. The guards usher me out next. I’m shocked to find Professor March waiting outside. He’s standing with a short woman dressed in a white uniform. She has bright blue hair.

The woman greets General Anderson with a slight bow. “I’m Dr. Santos. I’ll be conducting the procedure following the extraction session.”

I swallow hard and look at Professor March. He remains silent. I glare at him, but he continues to ignore me.

A cold sweat covers my body when we enter the building. Still, I check my surroundings, searching for an escape route. The lobby is large. A giant TeleNet screen takes up most of the left wall. A smiling woman appears on the screen as soon as we’re in the room and recites how to get to the various offices in the building. Three elevators line the far wall, while several chairs are spaced out on our right. A hallway stretches on both sides of the elevators. I wonder what’s down there.

“Don’t bother looking for a way out,” General Anderson says.

My head snaps in his direction and I snarl, “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

When we reach one of the elevators, Professor March finally enters my thoughts.
Bridger, it’s time. Good luck.

Adrenaline floods my body. But before I can ask what he means, I see a movement through the outer glass door. The two Nulls are heading in our direction. That’s not normal—Nulls don’t go anywhere without an overseer directing them to their next task.

They break into a run and crash through the entrance, firing stunners. They hit everyone except me. I start to run for the hallway, but one of the Nulls gets to me first. He grabs my arm and yells, “You idiot! Come with us.”

We sprint across the courtyard and board the transport shuttle. Behind us, several guards appear from around the med facility. They fire their weapons at us.

Once we lift off, I peer at the ground. Someone will undoubtedly follow us. But nobody does.

I turn to the Nulls and grin. They’ve removed the helmets.

It’s Elijah and Zed.

43

ALORA

JULY 4, 2013

B
y the time I break out of the forest, I’m panting so hard I can barely breathe. I’ve got to get in the house. I need to get to the landline phone since mine is missing.

I run to the back porch and try to open the door, but it’s locked. Aunt Grace never leaves the house open when she’s gone. I close my eyes for a second.
Think. Think
. My eyes snap open as I remember the spare key under the back porch steps. A noise startles me, and I whirl around.

Palmer is tearing across the backyard, closing in fast.

My heart pounds as I run down the steps and race to the front of the inn. I know it’s useless, but I have to try the front door. It’s locked. I jump off the left side of the porch and duck behind the shrubs. Maybe Palmer will think I ran down the driveway and head that way. Then I can go back and get the spare key.

But I can’t move until I know where he is.

The seconds stretch into infinity. Sweat trickles down my back and I start shaking. His footsteps grow louder and louder as he searches for me. His heavy breathing gets closer and closer.

“Come out, Jane. There’s no point in hiding.”

Oh, yes there is.

I wait until the footsteps start to fade. I wish I could see where he went.

My mind goes back to the cottage and how I got out. I wished I was outside, and then I was. Bridger was right—I have some kind of ability. But he said I could travel in time. I didn’t do that. I just made myself go somewhere else, like I did every time I blacked out. I squeeze my eyes shut and wish to be with Aunt Grace.

Nothing happens.

Damn! Why didn’t it work now? I try again and again, but still nothing happens. I want to scream. I want to get away from here.

After what feels like a century, I force myself to crawl out of the shrubs. I feel naked and exposed. I push away the urge to crawl back in there and stay hidden. Stay safe. Which is stupid, because I’ll never be safe with Palmer prowling around.

I try to pretend I’m weightless as I make my way around back again. I crouch by the bottom step and feel under it. I can’t find the key.

I sweep my hand back and forth, my head jerking in every direction. Every little sound I hear could be Palmer coming to get me.

Please don’t let him come.

Finally, my fingers touch something small and smooth in the dirt. I snatch it out and almost gasp in relief. It’s the key.

I fly up the steps, careful to avoid the second one from the bottom that always creaks. I’m almost to the door—almost inside—when Palmer rounds the side of the inn, his breathing labored.

I freeze. Maybe he won’t see me.

But he does.

He bolts across the yard. I barely have time to register that he’s holding something.

A gun.

My hands shake, and I nearly drop the key. It’s so hard to see the lock. The shadows are no longer my friend. I fumble and finally the key slides in. I twist the handle, push open the door, and slam it shut just as Palmer reaches the top step.

He bangs on the door and screams, “You better let me in. I swear things will be a lot worse for you if you don’t.”

I back away, horrified. How can things get any worse?

My legs almost crumple as I hurry to Aunt Grace’s study. That’s where she keeps the landline. The pounding on the door is thunder throughout the house. I try to ignore it and open the study. But the knob won’t turn. This can’t be happening.

The thunder from the door grows louder, more forceful. Suddenly it bursts open and Palmer staggers inside.

I back away, but he’s pointing the gun at me.

“I’ve got you.”

Three little words, and yet they shatter me into a thousand pieces.

“Now come here,” Palmer says. I don’t move. I can’t. He advances toward me, saying, “I
said, come here.
”

And then he’s right in front of me. Before I can process what’s about to happen, he slaps me. I fall to the floor, tasting blood on my lips. The blood does something to me, brings up a wild part of me that I didn’t realize existed. He’s going to kill me, but not without a fight.

I jump to my feet and lash out at him. My fists connect with his chest and his face.

My body feels electric. Maybe I can stop him. Maybe I can get the gun away.

I should have known better. All it takes is another powerful slap from him, and I’m back on the floor. This time I hit my head against something. I lay there, stunned, and stare up at him. He towers over me with an arrogant expression on his face.

I want to curl up and cry. So this is it. This is how I’m going to die. But something behind Palmer moves.

I cock my head to the side and gasp as someone steps into the hallway from the foyer.

It’s the same girl I saw earlier, the one who looks so much like me.

44

BRIDGER

APRIL 29, 2146

“I
can’t believe you two just did that,” I say.

“Don’t look so shocked, man,” Elijah says. He extracts a key card out of his pocket and swipes it across the cuffs binding my hands together. The lock releases with a click. I slide the cuffs off and then he does the same to the Inhibitor around my neck. When I remove it, I feel lighter.

Free.

“Yeah, you look like you’ve seen some real ghosts.” Zed twists around from the pilot seat and laughs. “I wish I could’ve taken a digigraph.”

“What . . . how did you do it?” I ask, sinking down on the nearest chair. I remember Professor March’s message just before they burst in the med facility. “So Professor March helped, right?”

“I’d like to take credit for this whole ingenious plan, but I can’t lie. Professor March was indeed the mastermind. We were merely his instruments of chaos.” Zed puffs out his chest and waggles his eyebrows. “But I won’t turn down any pledges of your undying gratitude.”

“Hey, how about stick to the piloting?” Elijah shakes his head and takes the seat across the aisle from me. “So are you okay, man? I know all of this has to be a shock.”

I don’t speak for a few moments. Something isn’t right. I ask Zed, “Are we being followed yet?”

“No. We’re in the clear.”

“Are you sure? They can track the transport.”

“It’s all part of the plan,” Elijah interrupts. “Professor March made sure they wouldn’t be able to track us. We’re safe.”

They’re fired up about the plan, but I can’t relax. The whole thing reeks. I know how much General Anderson wanted to have my memories extracted. He couldn’t wait for me to become a Null. He’ll move the heavens to get me back in his custody.

Unless he
wanted
me to escape. And if that’s the case, then Professor March is working with him. Against me. I lean over like someone punched me in the gut.

“Are you sick?” Elijah asks.

“Not like you’re thinking.” I can’t believe Professor March would betray me. My suspicions spill out like vomit.

Elijah lets out a low whistle. “So March didn’t tell you anything? That is weird, but I don’t think it means he’s working with Anderson.”

“But don’t you think this is too easy?”

“Not if March is stalling them,” Elijah reasons. “That’s what he said he was going to do.”

I want to believe him. Professor March was Dad’s best friend. It doesn’t make sense for him to use me to get info about where Dad went.

I go over everything I’ve learned so far about Alora. The pieces of the puzzle are sliding in place. If I could only find the last few. Adalyn mentioned that Nate thought he was cloned. Why would the DTA do that when cloning was outlawed so many years ago? And when did Dad shift to the Foster Assassination to tell me to save Alora? Before his death?

Or is he really dead?

I know Adalyn asked Dad to go back and save Alora, but I wonder if there’s another reason he was there. I mean, he risked throwing his whole career away.

And I think of Alora’s death date. My heartbeat quickens—that’s where I’ll find Dad. Alora doesn’t belong in the past, but what if I can’t save her? Dad obviously didn’t. If he couldn’t, how can I? Losing Dad and Vika so close together was the worst thing to ever happen to me. I’m not sure what I’m feeling for Alora, but the thought of losing her forever makes my stomach lurch.