I then happen to see Perry, the medic. He’s the guy who didn’t perform the abortion on Val. I want to ask him where Val is, but he’s all the way on the other side of the bus, and he’s busy working on Taryn’s L-Chip. He places a small device on her forehead, connecting it to her L-Chip. It casts an array of colorful three-dimensional hologram images of graphs and charts that only a medic could understand. Perry places his fingers on the floating holograms and dials some of them up and some of them down. It all depends on what Taryn desires. She’s now inebriated, totally high. Perry takes off the device and the holograms disappear. He then goes off and mopes around the shuttle, asking different people if they also want their L-Chip tweaked. Perry’s a bit awkward. He’s tall and really skinny, and I mean freakishly skinny. Why would his L-Chip allow him to look so malnourished, and why would his L-Chip allow him to look so sad? He should be the happiest guy here. He knows all the ins and outs of the L-Chip, and yet he still looks so gloomy. Even with that cool looking designer plate on his forehead, it doesn’t cover up the fact that he looks like a complete loser. Maybe it’s because he’s a little older than most of us, and he’s about to age out of Youth Nation. Hell, if I were leaving Youth Nation I’d be bummed out too. Perhaps, that’s the reason why he looks the way he does.
“Hey Perry,” I call out to him as I push through crowd. “Where’s Val?”
He shrugs his shoulders, turns and walks away. What is up with him?
“Evan!” I hear someone shouting my name. I look and see Taryn dancing on a table. Her top is off and she’s showing everything she’s got. She’s grinding to the music for all to see. She looks hot, but not Val hot. She catches me looking at her. “You and me tonight, baby!” she shouts confidently. “You and me.”
I shake my head to let her know I’m not interested.
“It’s what the Senator wants!” she insists. “It’s an order.”
I turn away from her naked body; I don’t want to look at it. I’d rather look at Val’s. I head over to my bunk, hoping to find Val.
“She isn’t in there, Evan!” Taryn calls out to me. “She’s with the Senator!”
My stomach jumps. I feel strange. Val’s with the Senator? She’s with him?
Johnny, who has his arm around one of the hot new dancers, walks up to me.
“C’mon dude. Go fuck Taryn. It’ll be good for you.”
“Why does she have to be with him tonight?” I grumble.
“That’s just the way it is. Go get it on with Taryn, and get your mind off of Val. It’s what the Senator wants.”
I look over at Taryn. Her body does look good. Maybe I have been spending too much time with Val. Maybe the Senator is on to something. Maybe a night of partying could do me some good. Who cares if Val’s fucking the Senator, I’m a Youth Nationer, we’re supposed to have lots of sex with lots of different people.
I reach up and help Taryn down from the table. She wraps her arms around me and kisses me. I grab her waist and touch her flesh. We make our way over to my bunk and climb inside.
A mind-text comes flashing through my head. It’s from Valerie. “Hey baby, are you okay?”
I stop kissing Taryn and look around.
“What’s wrong?” Taryn asks.
“Nothing.”
I mind-text Valerie. “I’m fine, I guess. What’s up with you?”
“The Senator is on top of me,” Val texts back. “He’s really sweaty.”
“Does he know you’re mind-texting me?”
“No, not a chance, I’m just waiting for him to get done. He’s got his L-Chip tweaked to make him last longer. God, I just wish this would end. Are you having sex with Taryn?”
“No,” I text Val as Taryn pulls off my pants. “I didn’t know you hated having sex with the Senator.” I add.
“I used to like it, but now it’s gross. I only want to have sex with you.”
I look at Taryn at the foot of my bed. She slips off her panties.
“I love you, Evan,” Val continues to text.
Taryn begins to move up the bed. I’m so confused.
“Don’t you love me?” Val texts again.
“I don’t want to answer,” I text. “The Senator could be monitoring our chat.”
“He’s not, trust me. He’s busy doing something else. So tell me, are you in love with me, or not?”
Taryn kisses my neck.
“I don’t know. I don’t know what love feels like.”
“Then what is it you feel when you think of me?”
Taryn pulls off my shirt.
“I hate that you’re having sex with the Senator,” I text. “When I think of him on top of you, I get mad. I hate it.”
“You’re jealous, Evan. That’s love.”
“Jealous? That can’t be love.”
“Yes, jealousy is love. Isn’t it wonderful?” she texts.
“I wouldn’t say that.”
“I’m jealous that you’re going to have sex with Taryn, and I love that I feel that way.”
“You’re weird, Val.”
“You love me, Evan. Now text me that you love me.”
“I love you.” I probably shouldn’t have texted her that but I did anyway. It actually felt good.
“Now go fuck, Taryn,” she texts back.
“What?” I answer.
“Well, I’m having sex with Vinnie. I can’t expect you not to have sex.”
“It doesn’t seem right.”
“I’ll see you first thing in the morning,” she texts. “Good night, baby.”
Then Taryn gets on top of me, and we have sex. It’s fine, but I feel I did something wrong. We fall asleep.
CHAPTER 5
The vibration from my L-chip wakes me. It’s another day in another city and it’s time for the Senator’s daily devotion. Every morning, no matter what’s happening in the world, Senator Willenger streams his daily message. He films it on his Mobile Security Console that he carries around with him all the time. From every hologram billboard, to every communication device in existence, his daily devotion is broadcast across the land. Everyone has to watch it; it’s the law. And those with the L-Chip, like me, are lucky enough to just sit back and watch him wherever we are, in bed, at breakfast, in the shuttle, anywhere. He’s in our brains. Life stops when the Senator speaks. Normally, I really like his devotional, but after last night, I’m kind of mad at him, mad that he interfered in my life, mad that I’m with Taryn and not Val. I probably shouldn’t feel this way. I know he’s looking out for me.
The streaming message triggers my L-Chip, and the speech begins. I close my eyes and watch him.
“Good morning my friends,” the Senator says, smiling. “Our lives are not our own. Our lives belong to one another. I belong to you and you belong to me. We all belong to each other. Our lives belong to the Policies of the Government and the Policies belong to us. We are all one. The old way forced us into an oppressive system of cohabitation. One man, one woman, as if that’s all there is to life. It brought pain, misery and domestic abuse. But let me tell you my friends, we are free today, free from the shackles and traditions of the past. We are free to experience life, and experience life anyway we want. Put your faith in the Policies of the Government, for they give life and life more abundant. Our Policies have been honed and perfected throughout the history of humankind. They are beyond us. They are inspired by evolution. They have made us superior to previous generations. The world is more tolerant, more generous and more forgiving because of these Policies. Put your trust in the agencies, believe in the regulations and give yourself up to the Policies. For if you do all these things; your life will have meaning. For the Policies are good and moral, meditate on them day and night. Know their ways and laws. Submit to their will. For when you do all these things only then can you have a truly full life.”
The Senator clicks off the camera and the message ends. I open my eyes and lay there on my bunk; I think of Val.
Suddenly, the curtain is pulled ba
ck. I look up and there she is. She’s wearing her pink and green Youth Nation lounging suit with the zipper pulled down just enough to drive me crazy. She has no makeup on, her hair is disheveled and yet she looks amazing. She looks down on me and smiles pleasantly. She then glances over and sees Taryn laying next me. Her eyes immediately turn sad.
“Hey Val,” Taryn says brazenly, scooting closer to me.
Val shuts the curtain and runs off. I get up quickly and hurry over to the door before Val can get to it.
“Don’t leave.” I say.
“You had sex with Taryn.”
“So! You had sex with the Senator.”
“Fuck you, Evan! That’s not what I meant.” She pushes me aside and runs out the door.
I’m about to follow, but I have nothing on. I grab my green sweat pants from my bunk. I stumble out the door, putting them on. I run after her across the vast empty fields that surround our camp. I’m shirtless. Normally, being out here in the open can be dangerous, but since it’s so early in the morning, the news of our location hasn’t spread to all the regions yet. The One-Wayers have no idea we’re here.
“Baby, where are you going?”
She doesn’t answer; she just keeps on running.
“Val, would you please stop! What did I do?”
She finally begins to slow down. “Nothing,” she says, softly. “Nothing.” She turns around to face me as I walk up to her. Tears fill her eyes.
“Oh Val, what’s wrong?” I ask.
A cool breeze blows down from the foothills. The golden colored grass all around us, sways in the morning sun, the sky is blue, birds are chirping, it’s a beautiful day. She takes my hand and places it on her stomach.
“Do you ever wonder what it could be like?” she whispers.
But I pull my hand away. “That’s not the Youth Nation way.”
“I know,” she sighs, turning away from me. I reach out and gently take her hand. I then notice, from across the camp, we’re being watched. Watched by the Senator. He stands in the doorway of his shuttle bus. He’s dressed in the same power suit that he wore for the devotional. Was he watching us the whole time? Did he see me touching her stomach? Does he know she’s pregnant? I attempt to let go of Val’s hand, but I can’t. She’s holding on to it out of defiance.
“Why make him angry?” I whisper. I wave to him in a friendly way, but he doesn’t wave back, he just stands there with his fists clenched. He then draws back inside his shuttle and shuts the door. It’s creepy.
“He wants to keep us apart, you know,” Val says under her breath.
“I know,” I say casually. “He’s just looking out for us, that’s all.”
Val looks at me like I’m nuts. “He’s jealous of you.”
“Of me? Why?”
“I told him I’d rather be with you, than with him.”
“Y-you told him that?” I stutter.
She grins, thinking it’s funny.
“This isn’t a joke,” I say. “How did he respond?”
“Furious, what do you think?”
“F-Furious? W-with me, or with you?”
She giggles as she saunters away. “Wouldn’t you want to know?”
“Tell me!” I panic. “Is it with me?”
“Take it easy baby,” she says nonchalantly, turning to face me, “He’s angry with me. He’s mad that I have a preference.”
“Well, you know the rules, Val.”
“Yeah I know them. I know them all too well. Why can he have a favorite, and I can’t?”
“Because he’s the Senator. He can do whatever he wants.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“What do you mean?”
“Are you okay that he can put his hands all over me whenever he wants? Are you okay that he can fuck me anytime, anywhere?”
I turn red. Rage rushes through me. I shouldn’t have these emotions.
“He’s a hypocrite, Evan,” she adds with disdain. “A goddamn hypocrite.”
“Don’t say things like that, Val.” I point to the L-Chip. “You said he could be listening in.”
“Fuck him. I don’t care. So what if I have a preference. We all have preferences. Some like chocolate; some like vanilla.”
“This is kind of different.”
“Is it?” Her expression turns cold. “Would you rather be with Taryn, or with me? Tell me Evan, who would it be?”
I know it’s an easy question to answer. It’s obvious, but I fear the Senator might be listening in. So like an idiot I utter, “I don’t have a preference, you’re both the same.”
Predictably, Val storms off. I run after her.
“Don’t be mad,” I whisper loudly. “You know I lov…” I stop myself and try to come up with something that won’t cause suspicion from eavesdroppers. I form a sentence in my head and begin to speak it, “I can’t…” Again, I stop. I just don’t know what to say. “I’m afraid, Valerie!” I finally blurt out. “I’m afraid.” And again, I point to my L-Chip.
She smiles then hugs me tightly, she understands. It’s a beautiful day.
“Get your shirt,” she says. “Meet me at the Food Shuttle. Let’s have breakfast together.”
I hurry back and find a green shirt that matches my green sweats. I put it on and step out of the shuttle, ready to run back to Val.
“How are you today, Evan?” someone says.
I stop to look. I see the Senator right outside the door.
“I’m… I’m fine,” I stammer. “I’m getting some breakfast.”
“Good. Good,” he says. He seems preoccupied about something; he doesn’t seem himself.
“Something’s come up, Evan,” he says in an upbeat tone.” They want you over at the Equipment Shuttle. There’s a Youth Patrol Uniform waiting for you.”
“Youth Patrol?” I answer. “Why?”
“C’mon, let’s go for a walk.” He puts his arm around me like we’re pals. We head in the direction of the Youth Patrol Military Vehicles (opposite of the Food Shuttle.) “I think you need a change of scenery, Evan,” he says casually. “You’ve wanted to join the Patrol for a long time, haven’t you. You even went through basic training during the winter months when we were not even on tour. That shows determination; that shows dedication to the cause. Well, I think its time for you to be rewarded.”
“Rewarded for what?”
“For your hard work. I’m granting you your wish. You’re a Youth Patroller.”
“Youth Patrol? Me?”
“Yep, you’ll be in Cheetah Squad.”
His answer makes me stop walking. “That’s Jeremin Jolt’s regiment.”
“Yes, yes it is. I wanted you to be in the best. And that’s not all, Evan, after tonight, Cheetah Squad has new orders. They’re back on Patrol Duty. Jeremin’s pretty happy about it. He hates Concert Duty. In fact most of the other squads hate it too. They like to be out there on their own, chasing down those pesky RF’s. Think about it, Evan, you’ll finally get your chance to chase down real religious fanatics, that’s what you’ve always wanted, right?”
I stand there, not saying a word. I’m really not sure how to respond.
“What’s wrong, Evan?” he says. “I thought you’d be ecstatic.”
“I’m leaving the tour?”
“Yes,” he smiles. “Cheetah Squad’s heading out tonight.”
Then a thought hits me. I won’t see Val for God knows how long. “Who’s going to replace me in the show?” I say, trying to find some kind of excuse to stay.
He laughs. “Don’t worry about that. Someone in the Jr. Youth Music Singers will step in. It’s no big deal.”
“I thought you wanted me in the music group, sir? You’ve told me that a million times.”
“I know, I know. But things change.
“Does this have anything to do with me and Val?”
His expression changes abruptly, from easy-going to rather somber. “Can I be honest with you, my boy?” His voice becomes deathly serious. �
��I’ve known you since you were a kid, Evan. You’re more than a Youth Nationer to me, you’re my friend. But I’ve got to tell you I’m pretty upset with you. I’m actually quite annoyed. I can’t have my two star Youth Nationers not following Policy. You’ve left me no choice; I have to separate you two. I have to send you away. I know you like her and she likes you, but you’ve got to let her go. You don’t want just one lover, especially at your age. Why settle for one, when you can have hundreds. That’s the natural way, that’s science. You don’t want to go against science, do you? You want to be free. I know you’re angry with me, and that’s okay, but this is the best thing for everyone involved, I promise. Don’t feel like this is a punishment, think of this as an opportunity, an opportunity to fulfill your dreams. I want you to enjoy this. Hell, maybe you’ll enjoy it so much you won’t want to come back to the music group.”
I flash a fake smile, and then look down. Does he know she’s pregnant? Did he listen in on our L-Chip?
“I’m not sending you alone, Evan,” he continues. “I’m sending Perry. You know Perry, don’t you?”
“Yeah. Are you sending Perry to spy on me?”
“No, no, no, not to spy on you, to look after you. He’s the best medic we have, and I want him in the squad you’re in. You’re too valuable to the cause; you’re too valuable to me. I don’t want anything bad happening to you.”
I continue to look down. I take a deep breath.
“It’s going to be okay, Evan,” he adds.
“Yeah,” I mutter. “Could I say good-bye to Val?”
“She’s an emotional girl. Just let her go. Let her get over you and move on. It’s what she needs.”
The words ‘move on’ hit me hard. I don’t want Val to ‘move on’. But maybe the Senator is right, maybe we do need to move on. If Val’s the Senator’s favorite and it makes the Senator happy, then that’s a good thing. That’s a good thing, that’s a good thing, I say over and over in my head, trying to convince myself.
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