by S. L. Baum
Behind his head, on two separate wall screens, photographs and video flashed of distraught Citizens fleeing the scene. Tear streaked faces, a street filled with smoke, and a child with blood running down his arm… the images assaulted the viewers. I had never, in my entire seventeen years, seen anything like it. Concord had never been attacked. The Citizens were never in harm’s way. Concord had always kept us safe.
Cimarron gasped and held onto my hands. “Just as we arrive here, this is happening. I can’t believe it.”
My heart wanted to leap from my chest. It was beating so forcefully I was sure she could feel it by just sitting next to me. “Cimarron, what will we do?”
“We are in a lock down state at this time,” the announcer continued. “If you are away from your home, you are instructed to go there immediately. Vehicles and pedestrians will be stopped and require a five finger scan to prove their Citizenship. In thirty minutes, anyone seen still roaming the streets will be considered an enemy to Concord and will be dealt with as such.
“Necessary force and necessary actions will be taken to assure the safety of each and every Citizen. Enemies of Concord will be flushed out and eliminated. Do not be afraid, loyal Citizens. If you follow orders, no harm will come to you. Protect yourselves and your family. Return to your homes, stay inside, and await further instruction.”
The man was reading from his tablet as orders were being passed to him. The way he stumbled on a few of the words, made me realize that he was just as disturbed by the incoming news as Cimarron and I were. He didn’t know anything more than we did… anything more than what The Council was telling him.
A picture flashed on the screen. “I’ve just been informed that a Peace Keeper was able to take down one of the aggressors. We don’t have a name yet, the photo is blurred, and we can’t see her face, but the Citizens should rejoice in the termination of this woman. She is responsible for at least one death this evening, when the Banished attacked our Citizens in such a public display of hatred for Concord. We are waiting to see if The Council is able to identify her from the records.”
I stared at the blurred image and blinked my eyes, trying to make the picture come into focus. The photo of the woman was taken from above. She lay on her side, in the street, dirty and fatally injured. She was dead. News and Information was plastering the image of this blurry dead woman on every screen and every tablet in Concord. Her eyes were closed, her wispy hair was covering most of her face, and no real distinguishable facial features could be detected. She was a nameless, faceless woman.
But the more I stared at her, the more she looked familiar. There was something about the color of her skin, it was too red and it looked irritated.
Of course it is, I told myself. She is a cast out. She has been overexposed to the elements with no real shelter or protection. And… there was some sort of explosion and fire.
But as I stared at her arms, something else struck me. I might not be able to see her face, but I could absolutely see her arms. The skin on the motionless woman’s arms was flaking away. The woman from the drug research room in Concord Two had dull, thin hair and skin that was flaking away from her arms. I closed my eyes and tried to picture that woman lying on her side, on the ground, dirty and lifeless.
I opened my eyes again and stared at the screen. It could definitely be the same woman. I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that I was right. But I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that I was wrong either. And after having that unbelievable conversation will Gill during the ride to Concord Three, I firmly believed that anything was possible.
Cimarron wrapped her arms around me and squeezed tight. “Bluebell, this is so horrible. I can hardly process what he is saying. We are under attack. How can this be?”
I hugged her back. “I don’t know. I just don’t know.”
“I have just received confirmation that the woman pictured is Gila 4.87 who was cast out of Concord almost twenty years ago on the day after her Citizen Branding. She attempted to obscure her brand with burn marks to her own skin. I’ve just been told to inform you to watch as we zoom in to her left arm. Yes. Look right there, Citizens,” he said, pointing a spot on the screen behind him. The patch of skin, where a distinct Brand should be, was mangled and scarred.
“The electronic barrier that protects our waters will now be added to. Armory Development has been creating a new land barrier that will offer more protection from these attacks. The perimeter will be closed, travel will be severely restricted, and Concord will keep its Citizens safe. More instructions will follow in the next few hours. Until then, remember that you must stay inside this evening. That curfew is in effect for all four Concords, not just Concord Three. Stay safe and Concur with Concord.”
“Concur with Concord,” Cimarron replied to the man on the wall screen. She turned to me, her eyes glistening with tears she refused to shed. She would remain strong. “Armory and the Peace Keepers will keep us safe.”
“Will they?”
“Of course they will. Concord Reigns. The Council will bring all of our brilliant minds together and solve this problem. The Banished will be flushed out and the threat to all Citizens will be resolved. I have every confidence that Armory and the Peace Keepers will crush the aggressors and bring order back to Concord.”
“Your confidence amazes me.”
Cimarron’s tablet beeped with an incoming message. She turned it on and stared at the screen. “You are going to be a key figure in this. The Council wants your name and your image out there, to comfort the Citizens and proclaim your confidence in Concord.”
“But how will that help?” I asked.
“Familiar faces are comforting. It will be part of your duties as Lush Ambassador. On top of your nightly public journal, you will now also have a nightly public address to the Citizens,” Cimarron explained as she read from her tablet. “The Council has declared that this uncalled for attack by the Banished will be quickly squashed, and they will restore order to Concord within the week. Oh, how wonderful. See, Concord has everything worked out already. We will be safe again in no time. Until then, every single rule and Mandate must be adhered to in the strictest and most precise way possible. Daily scans of the Citizens will be performed and possessions checked until we have been cleared for safety.”
Chapter Twelve
In Limbo
Cimarron and I went to the window and looked out. Far in the distance, we could see grey smoke rising into the air. Even though it was growing dark, the silhouette of the smoke was visible against the brightness of the full moon. The streets were almost empty, and the driving lights from a single Peace Keeper vehicle cut through the near darkness. The vehicle circled the area below us, searching for anyone who might be out while the curfew was in effect.
“They are cancelling our tour of the Concords,” Cimarron whispered. “We will not be going on to Four.”
“I think that might be a good thing,” I whispered back.
“Everything is on lockdown. Training Techs have cancelled all Visitation Days until further notice. The tunnels will be shut down to all travel other than what is absolutely necessary. Thankfully, getting you home is being considered a necessity. Otherwise, we would be stuck here in Three, indefinitely.”
I didn’t know whether to be afraid of the Banished or afraid of Concord. I think a little part of me was afraid of both. I just wanted to be home, near Thorn, near Lily, and near the rest of my friends. “When do we go back?”
“All travel is suspended tomorrow. We are tentatively scheduled to return to Two on Tuesday and then continue straight back to One. It will be an extremely long day of travel. I will tell you as soon as I know for certain.”
“I hope it doesn’t take too long.”
Cimarron nodded her head. “I agree. I want to be back home, and in familiar territory.”
“What happened to the smooth, confident Information Specialist?”
“She wants to get back to One, so she can do her job properly, and
make sure the Citizens are getting all the information they need.”
“Isn’t your assistant able to fill in for you?”
“I’m sure he is, but I am not willing to risk that man trying to move into my position. In a moment like this, I need to be at my home office, with direct access to The Council. This is a major event for Concord. And the moment of our Triumph over the Banished will be a victorious time, and a time that I need to be seen as a vital leader for the Information Distribution field. Do you remember what I told you about my job description?”
“Something about Citizens being aware that Concord is always doing good things for them and to not go against Mandates.”
“Very close, Bluebell. My job is to make sure all the people of Concord know about the numerous things that are constantly being done by The Council to make their very existence a more positive, safe, and secure experience. And I make sure the people are aware of the adverse effects of trying to go against the wishes of The Council. Every act of defiance has a consequence.”
I pointed to the smoke rising in the distance. “I bet there are many Citizens who do not feel very safe and secure right now.”
“It is my job to fix that,” Cimarron noted. “I think I will to go into my room now and contact my home office. I want to know everything they know about this attack, which at this point is probably a lot more than I do, seeing as they are at the seat of our government. This really is a terrible time to be away.”
I agreed with her. It was an absolutely terrible time to be away from home.
As soon as I was alone in my room, I took out my personal tablet and pressed the icon to request a video chat with Thorn. I thought that with the curfew I was almost guaranteed to connect with him. I was wrong. A message scrolled across the tablet – ALL NONESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN SUSPENDED… ALL NONESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION HAS BEEN SUSPENDED…
“Cimarron!” I flung open the door to my room and crossed the suite to hers. “Cimarron?”
“What do you need?” She asked through the closed door.
“My tablet won’t connect,” I said, using four knocks on her door as a meter for my words. “It says that communication’s been suspended.”
She opened the door and held out her hand. “Let me see your tablet.”
I held it up in front of her face.
She stared at the screen. I watched her eyes as she followed the scrolling message. “Yes. That is what it says.”
“Why are you able to contact people and I am not?”
“Sorry, Bluebell. I have an official tablet, it has greater access.”
I frowned. “I wanted to let my friends know that I am alright.”
“They’ll find out… eventually.”
“Eventually?” Eventually wasn’t good enough. I wanted them to know I was safe, immediately.
She nodded. “Yes. If your communication has been disabled, then all Citizens are in the same situation. So… eventually. Actually they will find out tomorrow when you appear in a live video broadcast in the late afternoon. All tablets and wall-screens will be tuned in for your address. And, since I have just been exchanging information with The Council… your father, mother and grandfather are all aware that we are safe here in Three. They are more important than your friends, anyway.”
“If you say so…”
“Bluebell!”
“What? My friends mean a lot to me. I barely see my family members. You would think that after leaving Training Tech the whole ‘family time’ thing would have improved, but it didn’t. And just so you know, I consider my friends to also be my family.”
Cimarron pursed her lips together and raised her eyebrows as she looked at me. “At this point in your life, all of Concord is your family. And tomorrow you will be able to let them all know that you are safe, and Concord Reigns.”
I matched her facial expressions. “Concord Reigns,” I repeated and spun around, to rush back to my room.
“I understand that this is a very stressful day, Bluebell,” Cimarron called after me. “But you will provide Concord with whatever it needs, tomorrow; so I expect you to be respectful, humble, and dutiful during our broadcast.”
“You know I will,” I called over my shoulder. “I always do exactly what is expected of me. Remember?”
I went back into my room and closed the door, swinging it with a little too much force. But it wouldn’t matter how much force I used, because the mandatory latch at the top of the door always caught, as it did on every single door in Concord, and prevented it from slamming, to allow for a quiet, soft close… every single time a door was shut. Regulated, Mandated, and Controlled doors for a Regulated, Mandated, and Controlled Concord!
I wanted to scream, but instead I fell back on the bed and closed my eyes. My hands balled into fists at my sides. I wanted to talk to Thorn, somebody who really and truly cared about what I was thinking and feeling. I was surrounded by people who only wanted to tell me how to think, and how to feel.
I jumped up from the bed. There was another option. I took the secret, unauthorized tablet out of its hiding place, from the bottom of my bag, and brought it to life. I hoped that since it wasn’t connected to Concord’s Information Systems I would be able to use it to contact Thorn. I wouldn’t be able to video chat with him, but messaging was just as good. Thorn was a step ahead of me, it seemed, because waiting on the tablet’s home screen was a message for me.
Please say you were not affected by the attack.
Please tell me you are safe in your room at Guest Accommodations.
Please say you were not harmed.
Please. Please. – MESSAGE SENT 20 MINUTES AGO
My heart swelled as I felt his genuine care for me… I knew it was something real, and not something manufactured for Concord’s sake.
I’m here. I’m safe. I’m good. I typed back to him, and waited for his response.
No more than two minutes had passed, before a new message came through.
YES! Thank goodness. That is the best news ever. All other communication is frozen. I was going crazy – imagining terrible things.
The attack wasn’t all that close to here. I can see smoke in the distance from my window, but that is about it. All travel is suspended, but I’m being sent home soon.
That’s wonderful news. When?
Cimarron said maybe the day after tomorrow.
I’ll be waiting for you.
Those words made me smile.
Has anything weird like this happened in One?
Not at all. Blue, you have to do something. You have to somehow give the tablet to Gilbert, your chauffeur, so he can properly destroy it. My father said that the checkpoints will remain at high security alert. Which means they will check absolutely everything. They’ll find the tablet.
I was afraid of that. I’m not sure how I’ll be able to sneak downstairs to get it to him.
Just wait until tomorrow. Don’t leave the room you are in tonight. I’m sure the Guest Accommodations building has security cameras.
You’re right. I didn’t think of that.
So what are they having you do tomorrow? We are all in a state of lockdown here.
We are in lockdown here as well. Cimarron told me I am going to address Concord in the afternoon. We will probably do that in another location, so we will have to be chauffeured there. I can slip the tablet to Gill then.
Be safe. Stay safe.
I will. The same goes for you. I’d better go. Cimarron likes to walk right into my room now; she rarely knocks.
See you soon.
I hope very soon.
As I typed those last words, my eyes misted over. Soon wasn’t soon enough for me. I wanted to be near him, to breathe in the scent of him, to touch him, but most of all to feel his arms around me. Then, I would feel safe.
I put the tablet back into its hiding place and readied myself for bed. Once I was able to crawl under the covers, shut off the lights, and sink into the pillows, my mind began to spin. I wa
nted to know if the Banished were really behind the attack. I wanted to know how that woman from Two could also be a Citizen that had been cast out of Concord so long ago. Either Concord was quietly maintaining communication with Banished Citizens, and using them for Medical Testing, or Concord was lying to its Citizens about the true identity of the woman. Neither of those two choices boded well for The Council. Whichever was true, it still meant deception.
I closed my eyes and tried not to think about anything else. I would think about it in the morning. It took nearly an hour for my brain to settle down, so my body could go to sleep. But once I fell asleep, the dreams returned.
“…I never want to lose you,” she looked at me with worry in her eyes.
I looked up at her, with confusion in mine. “That’s silly. You can’t lose a person,” I said. “You only lose toys and things.”
A small sound escaped her lips. I stared at her face and it almost seemed like she was going to cry. “You’re right, dear heart. We must go faster, though. Do you think you can walk a little faster?”
“I could try,” I smiled up at her, wishing she would smile again. She had the warmest smile.
Her eyes darted across the field. “What was that?” She looked around, her face frantic, and then she yelled, “Hurry!”
We started to run but I stumbled and fell. My knee hurt and I didn’t want to run anymore. She didn’t know I was no longer right behind her. She turned around and saw me on the ground, and then she looked away from me.
“Get up, Bluebell!” she screamed, looking right at me again. “They’re here.”
“What?” I yelled out. I didn’t understand what she meant. Who were ‘they’ and why would they be here?
“Get up, please. I don’t want to lose you! Get up, Bluebell. Get, up. GET UP, BLUEBELL!”