Power Divided (The Evolutionaries Book 1)

by s. Behr

  While barely listening to Hailey correct my speech, it occurred to me; I was the first person she had talked to in ages. I wondered what all this time had done to her even if she was a talking computer. She seemed interested in everything I told her, but not entirely surprised. Was she just a visual cache of data and information, or was she something more?

  “How long has this Ark been here?” I asked when she had finally stopped talking.

  “The Ark was sealed in the year 2399.”

  “How many Arks are there?”

  “That information is classified.”

  “Classified how?”

  “This project was classified to the highest security by the last President of the United States of America, President Harding.”

  “The government chose to make these Arks instead of saving all those people who were not able to get into the colonies? No one was allowed in here, even with all these resources?” I was incensed at the very idea.

  Unfazed, Hailey answered, “No. The government only classified the existence of the project. This was a privately funded project, as were most of the colonies themselves. The island of New York City was evacuated to the mainland in 2308. The upper section of the city was converted into the colony, while the Ark was created here. Specific buildings within a three-block radius around the Ark were leveled to plant a forest to conceal this location. The coordinates were programmed into the colony data network only to be relayed once it had been rediscovered. The Ark was sealed with no life signs detected of any genome. You are the first living human, and fox,” she added, beaming at the kit, “to enter this facility in 13,718 years.”

  Slumping onto the floor next to the fox, I sat staring at the wall across from me. I thought about what lay on the other side, picturing the collapsed cave, the flooded river, and beyond that, Hattan City. The Ark was comfortable and clean, but everything we needed I had no access to. The idea of going back out there was daunting. The terrors of the Wild Steel Mountains were real, but at the very least there was water. I didn’t know how long it would take me to reach the upper lever or if the spring had survived the cave in. Going back the way we came suddenly felt futile.

  I turned to Hailey. “Is there another way out of here?”

  Her face morphed from her perfected smile to bewilderment. “There are alternative exits for the Ark, although it was determined nine thousand three hundred and four days ago that the southern gate was blocked by debris surpassing the estimated pressure that would deem it safe to excavate from within the Ark. The northern gate became impassable seven thousand two hundred and seven days ago. The eastern gate you came through was the last surviving gate.”

  “I guess that means there is only one way for me to go.” The fox snored softly. I closed my eyes and tried to find my inner voice for some words of encouragement, but something inside me was still off. I couldn’t feel him, and it made me nervous.

  I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the climb on the other side of the door. I stood, giving the A.I. an exasperated look that she ignored. “If you won’t give us food or water, I am going to have to go back out and get some. You wouldn’t happen to know if there is anything nearby, would you?”

  I held my breath, half expecting her to have a vague and not particularly helpful answer. “I am sorry, Princess Violet. Release from the Ark cannot be permitted. Not until Ark safety protocols have been followed. You will need to have the codes from your colony or elevated security clearance.”

  I stared at her, my mouth agape, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. I sat back down, my head falling into my hands and asked our new jailor, “And how long does that take?”

  For hours I answered Hailey as honestly as I could, hoping with each response the doors to the Ark would open. Either into or out of, I didn’t care which. I was more than ready to take my chances in the Wild Steel Mountains.

  The hologram didn’t seem to notice the hard looks and overt gestures beginning to pepper my answers as she continued in her cheery voice, “Why is Neyr the third realm of Amera?”

  “How many more questions do I have to answer before this is over?” My lips began to crack, and my mouth dried from overuse and lack of water.

  “As many as it takes for me to satisfy the safety parameters for the Ark,” she answered pleasantly as if she had no greater pleasure in life than to torment me with an endless interrogation.

  “What does my weekly breakfast menu have to do with the safety of the Ark?” My eyes narrowed, not bothering to hide my irritation.

  “All the questions are designed to better understand the society you come from. Cuisine directly correlates to the resources of a region. What is cooked along with the cooking techniques, shows me the agricultural, as well as the technological advances of your people.”

  “How can an omelet do that?” I huffed.

  “You described what was known as a frittata. The ingredients you listed are evidence of an omnivorous diet. That means access to animal proteins as well as a variety of vegetable crops. That shows diversity in farming. To create the breakfast food you mentioned indicates stability in farming over a large region as it would take at least three types of animals, as well as farms capable of supporting at least five types of vegetables to make that dish. The cooking method shows the use of applications such as range cooking as well as baking, demonstrating the technological comforts currently in use in your society.” She nodded in approval.

  “And that is important because?” My eyebrow raised as I tapped my foot.

  “The contents of the Ark were meant for historical reasons, as well as restoration of a lost species beneficial to the Earth. The society that will see the rebirth of the Earth must be one that can understand all that was lost and the strides that were taken in preserving civilization as it once was. The fate of the Ark must be guarded against those who might squander this precious gift left by the creators,” she explained with genuine concern in her voice.

  “I’m trapped here to see if I’m worthy? And how eggs are prepared for breakfast will help decide my fate?” I threw up my hands with disbelief. “Blooms, I am going to die here because of the last kind of omelet I had. Perfect!” Maybe I was getting what I deserved.

  “A frittata, not omelet,” Hailey corrected. “While that is a crude way of looking at it, yes. It would be irresponsible and egregious to let the Ark become corrupted. A society that is capable of understanding and implementing the purpose of the Ark is paramount. The technological levels and economic stability are essential in meeting the qualifications for protocol standards.”

  “What is so important here that they would do all of this to just imprison the discoverer and risk starvation or death to that person?” I demanded.

  Hailey tilted her head, and if I didn’t know better, she almost seemed torn about letting me and the fox die. “I am sorry, that information requires a higher level of security.”

  Whoever the creators were, I did not like them. I stood, shouting, and waving my hands around. “You said that my finding the Ark was historic. Doesn’t that mean something? Isn’t it worth something? A glass of water? An apple? Anything? How can you claim this is an Ark meant to restore when you are willing to let us die of dehydration?”

  “Your Highness, please don’t be so upset. Of course, your discovery is important,” she said, appearing shocked that I might not comprehend the magnitude of the situation. “No matter what the outcome, you will always be remembered as the first.”

  Anger rippled through me. “Well, that’s comforting.”

  Hailey gazed at me with her round, innocent eyes. “Princess Violet, please don’t be upset.”

  “Upset? Really?” I sputtered.

  “The files in the colony archives were placed there to allow a faster transition through the protocols. As you are not officially affiliated with the colonies, I have initiated the secondary protocols. I can see you are discouraged, but I assure you, you are doing very well. But we can stop if you prefer; it i
s not mandatory that you complete the security evaluation.”

  We needed water, and memories of the spring just steps outside the door made the inside of my mouth feel like sand.

  “Would you like to continue?”

  “Do I have a choice?” I grumbled through my parched lips.

  “Yes, Your Highness, you always have a choice.”

  “Answer the questions or die here in this room. Not much of a choice.”

  “Yes, or you could signal the colony and get the codes from them.”

  “What? How?” I gasped.

  “When you first arrived, the therma-shield was lowered to allow you to enter, and it also allowed the communications system to send the recovery beacon to the colony. It was determined to be intact and fully functional.”

  “You were able to contact the colony? How? Where?” My mind raced, trying to figure out where the signal had been sent. Did it go to Neyr? Or was it sent to a neighboring realm like Maie or Exa? Did that mean someone was on their way now? I sat back down with a thud, not knowing if I should be relieved or worried.

  Dumbfounded, I asked, “Did anyone answer?”

  “The signal would not have reached a person; it was only programmed to contact the colony’s main server.”

  “But the colonies were abandoned centuries ago. The computer systems were all dismantled and repurposed,” I informed her.

  “The main server could not have been taken apart. Even if obsolete, it was designed to be needed to access any data vaults within the colonies. The solar and thermal skin design would have kept the system powered indefinitely. Only physical destruction of the colony or the server would have disabled the beacon. But in your case, it seems to have been repurposed.”

  “How do you know?”

  “The bounce rate suggests that the server is within four miles of the Ark. It is my estimation that the location of the server is now in what you called the Archives of Ancient America in your city of Hattan.”

  From the moment Hailey had announced a signal had been sent to the Archives in Hattan, a thousand scenarios played out in my mind. Would someone from Hattan come?

  Every emotion churned in my gut; fear, worry, even part of me felt some relief at the thought of being rescued. But still, Hailey’s questions marched on. I wish she came with an off button, I mused in case my inner voice was listening. But as much as I wanted to, I didn’t have room in my head to worry about where he was. My mind was ready to explode, and I was sure that had I not been so exhausted it probably would have.

  “How long have we been here?” I yawned, after an unusual pause in Hailey’s barrage of questions.

  “You entered the Ark sixteen hours, nine minutes, and thirty seconds ago.” It felt like days. “Your Highness, may I ask you a question?”

  “Isn’t that what you’ve been doing for the last sixteen hours, nine minutes and thirty seconds?”

  “Sixteen hours, ten minutes and two seconds, three,” she corrected with a smile that almost looked genuine.

  “I get it.” I interrupted with a sideways glance as I stretched out onto the cold marble floor.

  “But no, not the entire time,” she replied decisively.

  “After the last thousand questions, you are concerned about asking me another one?” my eyes narrowed surprised by her curiosity, and I couldn’t help wondering if she had feelings. Hailey had shown signs of emotions, but she was a computer. She was far more advanced than I had originally suspected, but the look on her face didn’t seem scripted. It seemed sincere. Was it?

  “This is a more personal query.”

  “Will it affect the outcome of this inquisition?”

  “No.”

  “I think you crossed personal when you asked if I had been betrothed, or if I was permitted to choose my own life partner.” I rolled onto my stomach, my chin resting on the palm of my hand.

  “You are entitled to your opinions.” Her gaze unwavering, she plowed on. “You mentioned earlier that your society deems it inappropriate to ask about one’s abilities.”

  “Yes, that is probably the one common social rule in the nine realms.” I wasn’t sure where this was headed, but when it came to my abilities, a hackle of alarm ran down my spine. “What exactly do you want to know?”

  “You have stated the Union of Amera is made up of nine realms, and each realm was founded based on mutual and related abilities.”

  “I did,” I replied as I pushed myself back to a seated position.

  “You also said that Neyr is a realm based on people who can manipulate the growth and reproduction of most species of plants.”

  Suspicion crept over my skin as I nodded.

  “And said water was something your people had some control over, is that right?”

  My airway constricted and oxygen scraped my throat as I answered cautiously, still unsure where this was leading. “Yes. Irrigation is part of keeping plants alive.”

  “Can you give me a demonstration?”

  My spine straightened as I nearly jumped out of my skin. “You want me to what?”

  “Demonstrate your abilities,” she reiterated with enthusiasm.

  Maybe I was hallucinating. I hoped I was, but after an awkward minute, Hailey was still patiently waiting for my reply.

  “Why?” I finally asked.

  “If I am to believe what you are telling me about your realm, it seems that a demonstration would be the easiest way to know if what you say is true.”

  Twigs. How do I get out of this? I searched my brain, but it was blank. The disappearance of my inner voice was unnerving, and now I felt unhinged. Where was his calming voice? Where were his inspirational speeches? His endless optimism? Was I so dehydrated and hungry that I had brain damage? For the first time in my life, I felt truly alone.

  “I don’t think I am the best example of what my people are capable of,” I said as calmly as I could despite, cowering inside. If she learned what had brought me here, it would surely seal my fate, and worse, the fate of the fox as well.

  “Perhaps not, but a demonstration would be what I think one calls a win-win situation. You and your fox would get something you need, and I would learn something new.” She clapped in encouragement.

  Looking around the room, I saw there were intricately carved reliefs adorning the walls depicting lush gardens with plants and animals resembling much of the forest across the river. All of it was in marble, and except for the fox and me, there was little chance I could hurt anyone. But still, I deflected.

  “I’m not sure there is anything to work with here.” I held out hope that I could dissuade her; there was no telling what a failure to demonstrate my gifts would do to my chances of escaping.

  “Earlier, you were telling me about what children did in early education.”

  I studied her expressions. I wasn’t sure if it was fatigue or delirium setting in, but somehow, she seemed more human. Her facial movements were so real, she could have been any healer or teacher the way she studied me now.

  “I am not certain how it works, but you said that children in your realm were required to master water manipulation. The air inside the biosphere is no different than the air outside; we have the same balance of gases needed to support human life. The same building blocks you would use to funnel water out of the atmosphere. You have what you need to create your own water.”

  I sat there, both terrified and humiliated. The fox had barely moved in the last hour, and Hailey was right. I could have tried, if I hadn’t been convinced it was too dangerous.

  Fidgeting with nervous energy, I rubbed the fox’s ear. She stirred and opened her tired eyes. They were glassy and dim, and something inside me gave way. One glance at the fox, and I knew she was dying. I couldn’t make matters much worse for us than they already were.

  I stood and stepped away from the fox toward the center of the room. As I closed my eyes, my father’s face appeared in my mind. I saw his broken, bleeding body lying on the floor in a pool of blood and sque
ezed my lids tightly.

  “I’m so sorry, Papa,” I whispered. I forced the image of my father away until my mind was clear. Although my gifts had always been weak by comparison to most in Neyr, and in the last few days had become foreign and unstable, my inner voice didn’t have to say what I already knew; I had to try.

  My mind opened, searching for the molecules I needed to bond together to form water. A gasp escaped me because, for the first time in my life, it was everything my parents and professors had described. No suffocating band around my chest. Not the crushing weight that usually came when I tried to access my abilities. It was the opposite of that horrifying moment at the Criterion. The hydrogen and oxygen atoms were as easy to find as the sun would be in a cloudless sky. I envisioned everything coming together, two hydrogens to one oxygen, floating atoms binding together to make water. It was as easy as breathing.

  I felt a tear slide down my cheek. I could feel the power coursing through my veins, I could barely believe it was me.

  Opening my eyes, a ball of water the size of a grapefruit was hovering between my hands. I didn’t quite believe it until Hailey, who looked both genuinely surprised and happier than a computer should, asked, “Do you need something to put that in?”

  On the wall behind her, a panel slid open, and a small bowl appeared on a tray.

  I walked over to it, letting the ball go. I watched it splash neatly into the bowl, only losing a few drops to the ground.

  Still completely shocked and dazed by how simple this had been, to my inner voice, I cried, “Why now?” The horror of the truth made me want to scream. If I could have done this two days ago, I would be home, and my father would never have been hurt. I had conjured a bowl of water. It should have made me happy, but instead, I felt cursed.

  Picking up the water, I focused on the kit. I carried the bowl to her and coaxed her head toward its rim. My heart sank when she turned away, but I dipped my finger in the water and touched her mouth. She licked her lips, and I dribbled more water into her mouth until she began drinking on her own.