by Eliza Green
‘Well, that’s just it. I need those memories back.’
Carissa shook her head. ‘But Canya is dead. It’s not possible.’
Anya stepped closer, drawing a growl from the beast. He had raised his head again. Carissa turned and scolded the Guardian. He whimpered and lay his head back down. Anya waited until she had Carissa’s full attention before she spoke again.
‘Did you see what happened in Arcis?’ Carissa nodded. ‘How much?’
‘All of it.’
‘I know it’s a long shot, but could you pass the memories back to me in the same way Canya did?’
To Anya’s disappointment, the Copy shook her head. ‘Canya was able to do that because she was your Copy, right down to a molecular level. You were the same person, in a sense.’
Anya shivered at the memory of her Copy, a rude girl who had turned on them at a pivotal moment in their escape, only to be terminated for her insubordination.
‘But could we try?’
Carissa shrugged. ‘I guess.’
Anya held out her arm and Carissa grabbed it at the wrist. She did same thing that Canya had done to her—aligning their chips. While Anya had felt an odd sensation travel up her arm the last time, this time she felt nothing. The action didn’t pass on any memories or awaken her senses. Something about this felt different.
Then she remembered the chips they’d dug out of their wrists, after their escape from the city. ‘Might it work if we had the chips again?’
‘I don’t think it will help,’ said Carissa. ‘I’m not your exact Copy. Sorry, I didn’t mean to get your hopes up. I just want to be useful.’
Anya strode to the door before turning around. ‘So do I, Carissa.’
21
Dom
Due to the drama of the visiting orb, nobody except Dom noticed three trucks approach the mountain pass high above the valley. It was how he and the others had arrived—by truck along a cliffside road that avoided the anti-magnetic barriers covering the valley bed. He’d been too out of it to notice much, but a quick flash of the sheer drop and the crisp, clean air had alerted him to their height.
One by one, the trucks disappeared into the cliff face inside a service elevator big enough to carry the trucks down to the valley. The wall surrounding the camp, as tall as half a house, blocked the view of the exit at the bottom. A flurry of activity told him the trucks had been spotted.
Dom heard one soldier shout, ‘Turn off the anti-magnetic field and get Max!’
A minute later, the sound of tyres kicking up gravel followed. Soldiers manning the gate wheeled it back. Max marched out of the town hall, taking long strides to the gate.
He looked relieved as he waved the three trucks in and followed the last one to the grassy verge where the trucks parked.
These must be the rebels Max had been waiting on from another town.
Dom stood back as soldiers not much older than him, dressed in green, camouflage gear and heavy, black boots, got out. Then he saw Kaylie: a girl from his past with whom he’d been intimate once. She had long, blonde hair drawn back into a ponytail and a beauty that rivalled Sheila’s.
The male soldiers took a second and third look when she got out of the truck and walked over to a waiting Max. Dom remembered Kaylie as being shallow and vain, a person who had been shocked by his scars when she’d seen them by accident. He hadn’t stuck around after their night together to wait for her verdict on them.
She shook Max’s outstretched hand with the confidence of someone who commanded her own team of rebels. It was like she was a completely different person.
‘We’re here to help,’ she said to Max. ‘Where do you need us?’
‘We’ve just had an orb from the city breach our defences.’
Kaylie nodded, not shocked or disturbed by this news, as Dom would have expected her to be. He stared at this new, confident version of the girl he’d left behind in one of the camps. Maybe he’d pegged her all wrong.
‘Things are under control, for now,’ said Max. ‘Your team should eat something, and after I’ll get you up to speed. We’re working on a project to prevent more orbs from breaching our defences.’
Kaylie nodded and Max waved Dom forward from where he stood, out of Kaylie’s line of sight. ‘You remember Dom Pavesi?’
Even with her back to him, Dom caught the stiffening of Kaylie’s shoulders. The name had surprised her. She turned slow enough so as to wipe her expression clean.
‘Dom,’ she said with a friendly smile. ‘It’s been a long time.’
She shook his hand—it was a slow pump, as though she was working this all out.
‘Kaylie, good to see you. We must catch up.’
He let go of her and was turning to leave when Kaylie said, ‘I’m free now. Not sure when we’re going to get another chance to talk.’
She emphasised the last word. Dom sensed a lecture brewing. Why? He’d been clear about his feelings for her. What was there to talk about?
Kaylie surprised him by linking arms with him. ‘Come on. You can show me this place.’
He stood frozen in shock while she waited for him to move. Not sure where to take her, he led her over to the courtyard.
They paused at the entrance. Inside, Dom saw a red-faced and sweating Sheila doing jumping jacks under Imogen’s command. Sheila stopped when she saw them. Her eyes widened in surprise. Smiling, she left the session for a moment and walked over to them.
‘Kaylie,’ she said, out of breath. Her eyes slid between her and Dom. ‘What brings you to this place?’
Kaylie let go of Dom’s arm and hugged Sheila. Dom caught the tension in Sheila’s stiff hug.
‘New recruits,’ Kaylie said, pulling back. ‘I didn’t know you were here too.’
Sheila shrugged. ‘We come as a package.’
Kaylie laughed. ‘You two were always as thick as thieves.’
Sheila matched her laugh. ‘Still are. What are you two up to?’
Kaylie slipped her arm into Dom’s once more, causing Sheila’s brow to lift. ‘Dom’s going to show me around the camp. Chat later?’
Sheila nodded. ‘Looking forward to it. Better get back to it.’
The second Kaylie turned away, Sheila’s mouth formed a perfect O. She knew the full story between him and this girl. Kaylie and Sheila had even been friends, before Dom had bolted after sex and never explained why. The reason always came down to his ugly scars. Sheila said Kaylie had asked her about them but when Sheila refused to say, Kaylie had stopped speaking to her.
As if things weren’t already interesting enough around here.
He walked her down the road that led past the workshop where Jason, Thomas and Jacob were working.
‘They’re creating a device to attract the orbs to it.’ He pointed down an alley. ‘That leads to a storage shed where we have one of the Guardians from Praesidium.’
Kaylie stiffened. ‘One of the wolves? Is it safe?’
‘As safe as it’s ever going to be.’
He felt her shudder right before she released a breath. ‘I dunno. If I was running this camp, I would have it destroyed. Not take any chances.’
‘It’s perfectly harmless,’ said Dom.
Kaylie idly massaged his bicep with her fingers. ‘Harmless? How can you be sure?’
‘Because we have the Inventor from the city here. He created the wolf. It listens to only him.’
She didn’t look convinced. ‘Well, if you say so.’
Dom bristled at her scepticism. They passed by several streets running perpendicular to the road they were on. The green perimeter fence sectioning the camp from the rest of the town loomed in the distance.
Dom pointed down one of the streets. ‘Charlie has a barber shop down there.’
Kaylie’s eyes widened and she smiled. ‘Charlie’s here? I must see him after this.’
Then Dom saw her: Anya. She was leaning against one of the buildings opposite Charlie’s place, perhaps waiting to speak with him. She looked
over at them, blushed, looked away. Dom pulled his arm out of Kaylie’s grasp. Her brow lifted at the move, but she said nothing.
With a small quirk of a smile, she said, ‘Show me the rest?’
Dom continued his tour of the camp, which involved them doing a lap of the place. They finished the tour back where they’d started.
Kaylie said, ‘I’m starving. How about you and I get reacquainted?’
Dom didn’t think that was a good idea. ‘I’ve some things to do.’
Kaylie swapped sides and hooked her right arm with his left. Pain blazed through him. It took all his strength not to flinch.
‘I won’t take no for an answer. Now, which way is the kitchen?’
He pointed through an open door. She pulled him into the dining hall and he gritted his teeth against the pain. They collected meagre rations of bread and beans, and found a table. Dom massaged the ache in his arm away as they sat down. Seeing Anya had rattled him enough for him to shuck Kaylie’s hand off him. But what they had was gone. Why was he still chasing a ghost?
Kaylie made noises that were bordering on erotic as she ate. Other males in the room noticed and elbowed each other. Dom didn’t know where to look.
‘Are you enjoying your food?’
She looked up in surprise. ‘Like you wouldn’t believe. I haven’t eaten in twelve hours.’
His eyes flicked from her to the men, back to her. ‘You’re, uh, making a lot of noises... that the soldiers are noticing.’
Kaylie’s eyes widened as she looked around her. Then she faced him looking contrite, but Dom didn’t buy the act.
She lifted her brow at him. ‘Do my noises embarrass you?’
‘No, I’m just not sure they’re appropriate, that’s all.’
She leaned in closer. ‘You didn’t mind them that one night we got super close.’
How could he forget? He’d acted like an ass walking out like that. But she’d made him feel insecure about his scars.
‘That was a long time ago, Kaylie.’
She dropped her gaze to her plate and played with her food. ‘What happened, Dom? I seem to remember you enjoying yourself, then you upped and left in the morning.’
Kaylie reminded Dom of Sheila. Both were master manipulators.
‘It just didn’t work out. I’m sorry but there’s nothing more to say.’
Kaylie looked up and swatted the air with her hand. ‘Please, I’m over it now. I’ve moved on. I have a boyfriend back in camp.’
‘Really? That’s good.’
Maybe they could draw a line under this tension once and for all.
‘Want to know his name?’
Not really. ‘Sure.’
‘Jeremiah.’
‘Great.’
‘We haven’t been going out for that long, only a few months. But it could become something serious.’
‘I’m happy for you, Kaylie. I really am.’
Dom tore off a piece of bread and popped it into his mouth.
‘But that doesn’t mean you and I can’t have some fun like the old days.’
Dom choked on his bread. ‘What?’
Kaylie laughed and flicked the end of her ponytail back. ‘You heard me. We’ve still got chemistry. I see how you look at me. Wanna know if I’ve picked up any new tricks?’
Her eyes rounded as she stared at him. Kaylie was a beautiful girl with skin the same honey shade as Sheila’s. She had pouty lips and green eyes. And sat in her green uniform, she looked more confident than the girl he used to know.
But he didn’t want to lead her on. ‘I’m sorry, Kaylie. That’s probably not a good idea.’
She tossed her hair again and looked down at her plate. ‘Cool with me. I’ve got other things going on anyway.’
They sat in awkward silence until Kaylie got up and said, ‘I’d better get back to it. Thanks for the tour, Dominic.’
Dom gave her a nod and watched her walk over to the rest of the team. She spoke to them and left the dining hall. When she was gone, the rebels from her team resumed eating. It was clear to him she had earned their respect.
Dom finished up and went outside to the courtyard. There, he found Sheila now running laps—a pastime she claimed to hate because it ruined her figure.
Dom called out to her when she passed. ‘Hey, I thought you hated running?’
She slowed, then stopped. ‘I do, but ever since my time in Praesidium, I never want to be too weak to fight anyone off.’
It was a solid enough reason.
She grabbed a towel lying next to the room with the boxing bag and wiped her face and neck with it.
He’d asked her recently about her time in there, but she’d kept her answers vague. ‘Did anyone hurt you while you were their prisoner?’
Sheila shook her head. ‘They tried to force me to breed with a boy. But all he got from me was a punch to the nose.’
Dom smiled at that image but when he caught sadness in Sheila’s eyes, he dropped it.
Sheila wiped down her arms. ‘So Kaylie, huh? That must be a shock.’
‘It was. I knew one day I’d see her again. But she was cool about it.’
‘Uh huh. Did she proposition you?’
Dom laughed. ‘No, she didn’t proposition me.’
Sheila wiped her neck again. ‘Liar. I bet she did and you, mister goody two shoes, said, “No, thank you. I’m a priest.”’
Dom rolled his eyes. ‘Okay. She did, but she was cool about it.’
Sheila made a noise.
‘What?’ he said.
‘Girls are never cool with it. She was into you then; she’s still into you now.’
Dom dismissed the idea. Kaylie had told him she had a boyfriend. ‘Nothing’s gonna happen there.’
‘Not what she said.’
Dom stared at her. ‘When did you talk to her?’
‘I don’t have to actually talk to her, Dom. It’s written on her face and in her body language, even though she’s trying to hide it.’
Sheila was usually right about women. What the hell did he know?
‘Anya saw us together,’ he said.
‘So?’
Sheila’s response surprised him.
He frowned. ‘I thought you liked her.’
‘I do, Dom, but you’re a stranger to her. Stop pining after her. If being with Kaylie will get you over her faster, then maybe you should go for it.’
Dom narrowed his eyes at her. ‘Like you are getting over Yasmin?’
Sheila sighed and leaned against the wall. ‘Yas and I were an odd couple. We fought a lot. It was great when it was good, but she was hard work. Cold when she wanted to be. It made me realise that I need someone who complements my personality. Someone who won’t fight me on everything.’
Dom looked around the yard. It had filled with the new recruits. Imogen was talking to them, hands on hips. Dom looked back at Sheila to see her watching the other group.
Then something clicked. The running, the sudden interest in the courtyard. ‘Ah, so this is all for a girl, is it?’
Sheila whipped him with her towel. ‘Of course not! I’m not that transparent. I’m doing this for me, after what I went through.’
Dom didn’t disagree with that. ‘But it’s also for Imogen, no?’ He glanced back. ‘She’s a strong soldier. One of Max’s best.’
‘She is.’ He caught the faint smile on Sheila’s face. When she caught him looking, she hit his arm. ‘Stop distracting me, Dominic. Now go court Kaylie, or whatever you heterosexual lovebirds do these days.’
Sheila began another lap of the track. Imogen flashed a sweet smile at her as she passed.
Dom left the courtyard with a dilemma he didn’t need. Should he move on from the only girl who’d made him feel close to normal, and risk it with a girl who wanted to be with him?
22
Anya
Anya didn’t know where to look when Dom showed up at one end of the street with a girl on his arm who looked a lot like Sheila. As tall as Dom, she
had the same glow to her skin as him. The sun glinted off her golden hair, tied back in a high ponytail, to give her a halo. But she looked like no angel.
Anya stared down at her own pasty, white skin until they left. Then she followed.
She listened from a position of safety as Dom told her about the camp. She was dressed as a soldier, which meant she was a rebel. She hung on to Dom’s arm as though they were familiar with each other. Anya followed them to the storage area with the guns and ammo. Dom paused to explain where everything of importance was kept. On occasion, Kaylie would squeeze Dom’s arm and glance up at him when he wasn’t looking.
Had Anya met this girl before?
She still smarted from her and Carissa’s failed experiment to unlock her memories. She’d believed the Copy could pass back her memories to her, as Canya had done partially. Her only hope now was if Jacob could build a partial replication machine capable of reversing her amnesia. Jacob had said her memories were in remission only, not gone completely. She refused to give up hope that she could get them all back.
Jealousy tied her stomach up in knots. Dom and the girl continued to stroll through the compound as if they were an item. The interaction bothered her, even though it shouldn’t.
She shook her head and broke off her pursuit. With a new vigour, she would fight to restore the last three months, until all options were exhausted.
‘Hey.’
The familiar voice sent an icy shiver through her. She wheeled round.
Warren stood a short distance away. His hands were stuffed in his pockets, his shoulders rounded.
So much for her lack of memories. This was one person she had tried to forget.
‘What do you want, Warren?’
She stood tall, even though having him near made her want to crawl into the foetal position.
He nodded at the pair who had disappeared around the corner. ‘You two used to be tight in Arcis.’
‘Who?’ she said, even though she knew.
‘He was the reason things went wrong for us.’
Anya couldn’t believe her ears. ‘Wrong how? So it’s his fault that you attacked me?’