Inner Circle

by Y A Marks

  Vogel yelled up at me. “Where’s Norwood? Did you kill him?”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “It’d be unfortunate if you did. I would have gone through a lot of work and might not get my payoff. He held Jonas’s contract.”

  “Someone else would know, right?”

  “Know that there was a price on his head, yes. Know who did the deed, no. I’ll be extremely upset with you if I find that Norwood is dead.”

  “Well then, plan to be upset,” I said.

  Norwood might show up at any time. I had only shot him right below the kneecap. However, if Vogel wanted him alive I would say otherwise. “I killed Norwood, but I have a way for you to still get out of here—get out of prison.”

  Vogel leaned forward. He didn’t seem convinced and took a few, sideways glances at his guards. “Okay, I’m listening. However, if I don’t like what I hear, I will make short work of the rest of your little friends down here and then who will protect you for the next thirty-six hours?”

  Jonas was right. Vogel was smart. He’d discerned or at least guessed that the likelihood of me having friends in this place was low. He had already killed or badly wounded anyone who would want to keep me alive. There was no telling if anyone in the prison would come to my aid, especially after the stunt I pulled yesterday shooting up Norwood’s office.

  Anxiety crawled on my skin. I glanced around, considering the best way to word my current plan. I couldn’t even make up my mind if it would work at all.

  “Fair enough,” I hoped my voice sounded a bit more solid than the crackles in my ears. “On your right, you can see the generator for the electric field has been destroyed. I just disabled all of the electronic security for the complex. Another one of our friends just took out the north wall with the same explosive that you witnessed earlier. All of this means, there is a huge open gap three miles north of here, in the wall. You don’t have to wait for Norwood or anyone else, you can leave right now.”

  “Impossible. No one can bypass the class security.”

  “I can. I’m—” I stopped myself. I didn’t want to give Vogel any information that he didn’t already have. I still didn’t know all of his contacts. Trivet was able to contact the outside easily, why not Vogel? After a few seconds, I continued, “I um, I have a way with computers.”

  Vogel mumbled something under his breath. His people turned to face him, each pleading to leave now and take advantage of the offer.

  “Why should I trust you?” he asked.

  “Well, why do you think we came all the way down here to blow holes in the walls around Circle One? Plus, I’ll still be around, as you pointed out, for another thirty-six hours if you want to kill me then.”

  He smiled and hobbled forward. “What’s stopping me from killing all of you right now and then running out of here?”

  “Nothing,” I said. “Except, I’m a great shot. I’ve been sitting here adjusting my aim toward your bald head. If you do anything to them, I’ll make my escape tunnel right through your skull.”

  He stopped smiling. He didn’t know how good I was with a gun. No one knew. I had a hunch that he wouldn’t want to take a chance, though.

  I nodded my head toward the north wall. “The window for our departure is closing. I’d advise you to get your people and start running now.”

  I prayed that he would take the bait. I’d have to deal with any double-crosses later. The thought of him being out of prison made me nervous. Like Norwood had said, some of these people were the worst of the worst. But I was out of options and the prison wasn’t large enough for me to lie and then have to deal with Vogel before I reached the wall.

  He bowed gracefully. “Well, here’s to never seeing you again.” He nodded to his people. One of the guards put his weapon down and picked up Vogel. The guard put Vogel on his back like Jonas had carried Pyra into Circle One earlier. Vogel and his group slowly backed away. When they got to the edge of Circle One, their footsteps picked up and faded into the distance.

  My heart steadied, and I lowered the gun. Without another thought, I turned and made my way down the side of the tower. Once on the ground, reality set in. Vogel was not a guy to play around with. Like Jonas had said, he was efficient in his work. The arrow in Shannon’s left leg went straight through to the other side, giving her two bad legs. Ares could stand and move, but he was bleeding badly. One of his eyes was sliced shut. Pyra hadn’t been touched, but she was already on Death’s door. Everyone else was dead.

  “Check on Jonas…” Shannon said as I jogged toward her.

  “What? Is he?”

  “I think so.”

  I dashed over to Jonas and gently turned him. His eyes opened, and he stared at me. “Good job, Paeton.”

  I glanced down at the fabric sticking to his stomach. My body froze. Jonas had to live, not just for Escerica, but for Rylan. “How bad is it?”

  “Don’t worry about me. You need to get out of here.”

  “No, I’m not leaving you.” Trembles nipped at my heels, and my knees bounded with worry.

  “Yes, you are. You have a Master Key. You can help millions of people.” His face was stern, eyes focused. Every muscle in his neck popped out as he strained.

  “But what about Rylan? You’re his dad. He needs you.” If he could live, then maybe, just maybe everything would be okay somehow.

  “He’ll be fine.”

  “No. No, he won’t be fine. Why do parents think that? He won’t be fine!” I stared at him. “I’m getting you out of here.”

  “You don’t have time, Paeton.”

  I stopped listening. I ran around his back and yanked him up. He was a lead sack. He had to be at least two-hundred pounds. As I pulled him a few feet, he wailed and grunted.

  “Ares!” I yelled.

  Grunting with every move he made, Ares hobbled over and kneeled down next to me.

  “We have to get Jonas,” I said. “Can you carry him?”

  “I can try,” he said. “What about Pyra and Shannon? Pyra can barely move and Shannon can’t walk. There’s no way we can make it to the north wall.”

  “Just leave us, Paeton. You’re the person everyone needs. We’re just not that lucky,” Shannon said.

  “No!” My mind spun as the vibrations in my legs moved into my torso and shoulders. “I’m not leaving anyone. No one is getting left. We’re going to make it.”

  “But…”

  “No!” I yelled. “No, no, no!”

  This couldn’t be happening. There had to be a way.

  My heart screamed that it was hopeless, but I refused to give up. I needed these people. For the first time since I found Mari and Miko, I had to have these people in my life. I couldn’t be some selfish bitch. I wouldn’t let myself be like that. I had to care, to love, to give myself—all of myself.

  I ran over to Shannon. In desperation, my fingers wrapped around her body, and my arms pulled. I could barely get her torso off the ground. I dragged her toward the middle of the field, but I only was able to get ten steps before I collapsed. I tried again and again, each time with her crying out in pain.

  “It’s no use,” Shannon said, her voice cracking. “Ow, Paeton, we won’t make it.”

  “It is. We can make it. We can. Somehow we can.” My lungs exploded inside me. The air thickened into mud. I faded in and out of awareness. Dhyla’s face took shape in my mind, but not her motherly face upon the top of Café Lanta—her tired face right before her death.

  I couldn’t keep losing people. I couldn’t make friends like Shannon and then have them yanked from my life. The pain was too much. The pieces of my cracked heart burned in my chest.

  “Paeton, go.” Shannon’s words were soft.

  I stood up again. My arms wrapped around Shannon’s torso. My body bent backward as my muscles strained. Ares watched me, waiting for orders. I got a few more feet before I tripped. I fell on the backward as tears blurred my vision. I didn’t have the strength. I was too tired. How could I move her thr
ee miles?

  Shannon, Ares, and Jonas’s voices rumbled in my ears. They were loud, stinging my mind. I put my hands up to my ears to block them out. I had to force the world out of my head. I had to think clearly.

  The situation wasn’t fair. If I left, Shannon might live through her injuries, but who would protect her for the next day and a half? I had already lost Dhyla. I couldn’t let Jonas die too. I wanted Rylan to have his dad in his life. I wanted him to have what I never had. Too many people’s lives were at stake. How could I save them? Every piece of my humanity rested with Shannon and Jonas living. My spirit bled over the ground through Shannon and Jonas’s veins. I had to keep them alive.

  An anguished howl started in my toes and fingers before blasting through my arched torso and out of my mouth.

  I collapsed back onto the ground, my hands still pressed to my ears. One of the sun’s rays gleamed off the building above me. Even with my mind in rambles, the building stirred my memories. It was the ten story arch that dropped the prisoners down onto Circle One.

  A thought occurred to me. This wasn’t over. I hadn’t played every card I had.

  How long had it been? Ten minutes, fifteen? I grabbed my gun, put it in the holster, and made my way to Shannon’s side. I yanked on her arm. She started wailing about the pain in her leg, but I didn’t care. It was not the time for me to care, and I knew what to do.

  I pulled her until I got her into the center of the circle. My gaze locked on the gigantic, circular room above me.

  “Ares!” I yelled. “Can you get Jonas and Pyra into the middle of the circle?”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “I think I have a way out.”

  After contemplating my idea for a second, he nodded his head.

  I left him, dashed the few yards to get to the tower, and grabbed the first handful of brick to climb back into Norwood’s office. Before I could reach the crumbled stone, the light whump of helicopter rotors sounded in the distance. The first wave of the prison’s defense came alive. It was only a matter of time before every prison guard was on us.

  CHAPTER 24

  I scaled the broken tower as fast as I could. The rubble sifted through my fingers, making the climb seem impossible. My heart slammed my ribcage like a fist. The closer I got to the top, the louder the helicopter rotors whipped and my heart pounded. I didn’t know how much time I had wasted with Vogel. Everything went against me.

  My head slid through the broken boards in the bottom of the room. As soon as I broke the floor plane, I saw Norwood, working his way toward the office door, reaching out for the lock. Every few seconds, he banged on the door. He yelled a couple of times, but I don’t think anyone heard him over the alarms.

  A few grunts escaped my mouth as I crawled forward, and I sneezed out the residual dust from my nose. I grabbed the desk leg with my outstretched hand and dragged the rest of my worn body into the room. Once there, I moved to my feet as quickly as possible with the blaring alarms radiating in my ears. I circled the desk and slammed my hand over the door’s lock.

  Norwood turned. His face was pale, and his breath pulsed.

  “I thought you’d be long gone by now,” he said.

  “I thought so, too.” I pulled the gun out and pointed it at him. Trembles lingered in my bones. Caution I felt, but nothing more.

  His eyes widened before he sighed. One of his arms rose in compliance while the other hand continued to hold onto his knee.

  I swallowed the last of my conflicting emotions away. “I’m here to make a deal.”

  “Do I have a choice?”

  “Sure, I guess. But this works for both of us.” The deal I had was a good one. My chest warmed. I was on the right path.

  “What do I have to do?”

  I pulled out his PCD. His eyes glossed over the glass and metal. The handheld device gave him the ability not only to call for help but to get his prison under control.

  A knock at the office door startled me. I took a step back.

  “Here’s the first thing. Invite whoever it is in, but don’t let them know I’m here,” I said.

  I darted over to my hiding place from the last time I came into Norwood’s office. With any luck, the person would zip past me and tend to Norwood.

  I pointed the gun at Norwood’s face then slowly leaned over to unlock the door. The door slid to the side and there was a pause. I stared into Norwood’s eyes, making sure he didn’t try to alert the person.

  A man dashed into the room. “Where do you want us to—” He paused and bent over toward Norwood. “Mr. Norwood, are you alright?”

  The man had to be the tallest person I had ever seen in my life. He had to be at least twice my size. I hit the panels on the door, and it slid shut—locked. The man’s head swiveled around and his eyes focused on me.

  I took a step forward, gun raised.

  “Benjamin, meet Paeton,” Norwood said.

  Benjamin stood, his hands going for the gun at his belt.

  I cocked my head to the side and pointed my gun at Benjamin’s face. “I’ve had a really bad day. You really don’t want to mess with me right now.”

  His hands went up, and he took a step back.

  “Throw the gun.” I angled with my head toward the other side of the room.

  Benjamin complied, and the gun bounced on the hardwood, sliding to a stop against the far wall.

  A moment later, a quad-helicopter flew by, rattling the office and bouncing a few papers off Norwood’s desk. The little Statue of Liberty paperweight fell over. The One-Starred Flag, which was mounted open on the wall, lost a pin and folded into a draping position. The deep blue fabric fluttered as it fell to the floor.

  The quadcopter wasn’t low enough for anyone to glance in, but I was more concerned that whoever was on board was surveying the ground below with Jonas, Shannon, and Ares.

  I glanced down at Norwood. He took a moment to grieve over his fallen flag. After a moment, he made eye contact.

  I was happy because I had all the pieces in place that I needed. However, something stirred in the back of my mind questioning whether I could pull this off. I wasn’t a strategist like Jonas said Raj was, but I was still a thief. My costumes may not have fooled Trivet, but they had fooled countless officers before him. What I was about to do was going to be either the dumbest thing I had ever done in my life or the smartest.

  I glanced at the giant Benjamin-guy. “Take off your clothes.”

  “Uh, what?”

  I put my free hand on the gun to steady it. I had no problems shooting him. I wouldn’t allow myself to have compassion for anyone who didn’t follow my orders. Benjamin sensed it and exchanged glances with Norwood. He took a deep breath and then started to unbutton his shirt.

  I waved him back a little from Norwood. “Shirt and pants are all I need, please.”

  I moved within a whisper radius of Norwood. “You have prisoners trying to escape. I’ll tell you where they are. All I want you to do for me is tell everyone in the building to go there. That’ll give you what you need. Most of the prisoners will be recaptured.”

  Norwood forced an eyebrow high despite the tightness of his face. “And…”

  “And you will accompany me to the top of the arc so I can get my friends and go. That’s all I ask. I don’t want to hurt you or anyone else. I just want to get out of here.”

  Benjamin stood with his hands out. He had his slacks and shirt hanging on his arms. I glanced over at his boxers. They were for an old, middle-grade, movie series called The Messengers. It was weird to see something like that on a grown man, but I just shrugged. I would hopefully laugh about it later with Rylan.

  “Take the cuffs off the belt and cuff yourself over to the…” I glanced around for something solid. There was a metal pipe for some kind of pressure valve near one of the windows. “Over there on that pipe.”

  I watched him walk over and lock himself in. When I heard the last click of the metal cuffs, I put the gun in my belt. I picked up Benja
min’s clothes, then ran around to grab Norwood’s office chair. I put the clothes in the chair and pushed it forward to get the chair as close to Norwood as possible. I took a tie off the man’s belt and tied Norwood’s free wrist to the chair’s arm rest.

  “Sorry, can’t take a chance,” I said.

  “Smart girl,” he replied.

  After the one hand was locked, I helped Norwood lift himself up and into the chair. I let him have his free hand to cradle the wound in his knee. Once that was complete, I stripped out of my black jumpsuit and coat to put on Benjamin’s trousers and shirt. I looked like a child draped in the massively baggy clothes, but I cuffed the slacks and the shirt. It wasn’t my best disguise, but it would have to do. At least I didn’t look like a prisoner anymore. Hopefully, anyone from a distance would ignore me.

  I went back to Norwood’s desk and shuffled around trying to find his gun. It wasn’t that hard to find because I had already seen him reaching for it on the right side of his desk. I checked the bullet count and changed the clip in the gun I already had. After I stuffed my gun into my pants, I gave the PCD to Norwood.

  “Tell them to go to the north wall,” I said. “Yell like it’s an emergency that the prisoners are escaping at the north wall, and you want everyone over there now.”

  He rolled his eyes but gripped the PCD. A few seconds later, I heard his voice echoing over the intercoms. “We have prisoners escaping at the north wall. All personnel, I mean everyone, report to the north wall immediately!” He repeated the statements a couple of times before craning his neck toward me. “Satisfied?”

  I took a few quick steps toward the windows of the office. A few guards dashed north through the fields. The quadcopter outside circled a few times, then flew off into the distance.

  I followed the events for a few seconds before I came back to Norwood. “Yes, I’m very satisfied. Now, for phase two. All you have to do is point me in the right direction and stay quiet.”

  I rolled Norwood out into the hallway. A few guards still ran around. They paused when they noticed his knee. Norwood shooed them with his free hand.

  “It’s just a scratch. Get to the damn wall. Do you want half the prison population to escape!”