by G. K. DeRosa
Chapter 6
Solaris
Two quiet taps rapped on the windowpane, and I jolted straight up in bed. A pair of familiar smiles appeared through the glass, flashlights lighting up their faces. I hopped out of bed and heaved the window up.
“Welcome back, girl.” Isla shimmied through the opening and landed in my bedroom in a catlike crouch. She was in all black from head to toe, her chestnut hair pulled into a high ponytail and a small backpack slung over her shoulder. Her long arms draped around my neck as she hauled me in for a hug.
“Thanks, it’s good to be back.” I ignored the pang in my chest. I was sure the feeling of loss would go away soon. It had to.
Gavin crawled in after her, his wide shoulders struggling to fit through the small window.
I opened my mouth to speak, but Isla quickly lifted a finger to her lips. She shuffled through her backpack and revealed a black square device. It looked like an old TV remote control. She pressed a button, and a green light began to blink.
“Okay, now you can talk.” She pushed her thick black-rimmed glasses further up her nose.
I arched a brow. “What is that thing?”
“An interrupter. If anyone was listening in, they aren’t anymore. It’ll block the signal, but it only works for a little while so we have to hurry.”
I nodded and stuck out my arm.
“Let’s take a look at that beauty.” She yanked my hand up toward the light and twisted my wrist around. She grunted. “Yup, just what I thought. Those Collective bastards don’t mess around.”
“Is that bad?” My heart plummeted. “Does that mean you can’t get it off?”
She smirked and wiggled out of her backpack. “Of course I can. It’s just going to take some time. It’s very similar to one we’ve been working on in class.”
Isla was, like me, in her last year of high school, except she was in SciComm with all the other brainiacs. Gavin and I had chosen AirComm for our specialty, but Isla had always been into electronics. The Collective would surely swipe her up for their engineering team once she graduated. She was that good.
Isla, like Gavin and I, despised the Collective in general and Turstan most specifically. We each had different reasons, but this mutual hatred was our unifying force. I’d known Isla since we were kids. She and her sister, Carissa, were our neighbors growing up. Carissa had died in a car accident when she was young, and it had nearly torn Isla apart, but we had always remained close. Gavin was new to the crew, but he had immediately fit right in. After a couple of flight lessons with him a few years back, I knew he was one of us.
Isla pulled a little red case from her backpack. She opened it, revealing a dozen pintsize shiny metal tools. She took out a thin pointy one and got to work on my fancy bracelet. After a few minutes, she huffed. “Okay so this is how it works: the GPS receiver detects signals from the network of satellites in orbit and provides a pinpoint location to the mainframe at the Collective every thirty seconds. It’s using geofencing technology to define restricted areas—in this case, a twenty-foot radius around your house plus a second loop around what I’d guess is your school.”
I frowned. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“That’s not the worst part.” She snapped the cover on and sat back on her heels.
“What’s the worst part?” asked Gavin.
“It’s also tracking your pulse. So even if I get it off of you, an alarm would sound, alerting whoever’s in charge of monitoring you.”
I gulped. That was not what I needed to hear. “So what do we do?”
She patted my leg. “You sit tight. I have an idea, but it’ll take a few days to make it.”
“Okay…” I drummed my fingers on the floor. “What am I supposed to do until then?”
“Don’t you have classes or something?” asked Gavin. “Last I checked, I was the only one who’d already graduated.”
I huffed. I had zero desire to go back to school. How was I supposed to concentrate on class when Turstan was up to no good? Plus, I didn’t know if Kaige had made it back to Draconis or if the trials had even started. My mind spun with visions of Xander and Kaige locked in battle.
“I’m not even sure I can go back to class,” I finally said.
“I doubt Malcolm would’ve agreed to house arrest if it meant you not finishing your last year of school.”
Gavin was right. That would be very un-Malcolm-like. I’d have to ask him about it in the morning.
There’d been something else weighing on my mind. Something I wanted to ask my friends but couldn’t figure out how without triggering their suspicions. I trusted Gavin and Isla with my life, but I couldn’t tell them all I’d discovered the past week.
I decided to just throw it out there. “Hey guys, has either of you ever donated blood?”
They both looked at me like I’d hit my head too hard.
“No. Why?” Gavin asked as Isla shook her head.
“Just curious.” I shrugged. “Have you heard of any blood donation campaigns even?”
Isla’s brows pulled together. “It’s funny that you ask that. My friend who’s training to be a med in SciComm spent her last rotation at the AirComm base hospital, and she told me that she got lost in one of the old wings. She ended up in a hallway filled with these big silver boxes. Some guy was loading them into the elevator when a lid popped open and a couple bags of blood spilled out.”
A chill skittered up my spine.
“It was the weirdest thing. Where would they be taking crates of blood? Wouldn’t they need them in the hospital? She didn’t ask her professor about it because she was embarrassed she’d gotten lost.” She shrugged and adjusted her glasses.
That made sense. If they kept the blood at the hospital on base, it would be easy to transport to the planes. Gavin and Isla stared at me expectantly. “So, the med students haven’t heard of any mandatory blood drives taking place either?”
“Apparently not, or else she wouldn’t have thought it was strange enough to tell me about it.”
“What are you getting at with this, Solaris?” asked Gavin. My friend knew me too well.
I fiddled with my hands in my lap, refusing to meet his gaze. “I had a lot of time to think about random things when I was trudging through the Shadow Lands.”
“So you thought about blood donations?”
“I was freaking out about a nocturne finding me and sucking my blood dry. I just wanted to make sure they had a back-up supply in case I’d need it.”
“Um-hmm.” He arched his brow at me but gave up the line of questioning. I had to be more careful around Gavin. He was smart, and I couldn’t let something slip.
My alarm rang, and I smacked the snooze button without lifting my head from the pillow. Who’d set that thing anyway? I squeezed my eyes shut and pulled the covers over my head.
I’d almost fallen back asleep when a knock at the door jerked me back to consciousness. “What?” I croaked.
“You better get up. We don’t want you to be late for your first day back at school.” Malcolm’s voice filtered through the door.
Seriously? How did he forget to mention this yesterday?
“You’re supposed to be on your best behavior, remember?”
Ugh. I threw the covers back and scooted to the edge of the bed. “A little warning would’ve been nice.”
“School started days ago, Solaris. You didn’t think getting lost in the Shadow Lands was going to give you an indefinite pass, did you?”
I trudged out of bed and opened the door. Malcolm leaned against the doorjamb, cleanly shaven and already sporting his beige suit. I glared up at him with that smug grin. “I thought I’d get a day to recover from my ordeal.”
He shook his head, rolling his bright green eyes. “I’m leaving for work now. Make sure you get to school on time.”
“Will do, sir.” I gave him my best salute.
He spun on his heel and marched straight out the door. I stared at my tracker and scowled. Is
la had been right about the second loop being for school.
After a quick breakfast and a shower, I hopped on my standard-issued blue bicycle and headed to school. I pulled my scarf up to my nose, the chilly wind biting my face as I pedaled. Each family was allotted one vehicle, which meant I wouldn’t get my own until I was married. My lungs deflated as if someone had let all the air out.
Kaige.
How was it that the first person I thought of at the mention of marriage was my prince of darkness? The one guy I could never be with. Unless we wanted to risk the end of both of our races.
I blinked, and Kaige’s face flashed through my mind. His unruly hair spilling over those smoky navy eyes pierced right into me. My pulse quickened as heat swarmed my body. The feel of his hands on my skin, and the fire of his lips against mine were emblazoned in my memory. I swallowed, my mouth suddenly dry.
Pain sliced through my chest at the thought of never seeing him again. I let go of one handle and massaged the spot in the middle of my chest. I missed him too much.
I turned the corner and the familiar gray building came into view, yanking me away from my dark thoughts. Cobalt blue letters painted across the front in dull typography proclaimed the great P.S. 32 AirComm Academy. A handful of students rushed up the cement steps, tardy just like me. I rolled my bicycle into the bike rack and rushed up the stairs behind them. A girl turned around, and her eyes widened when she recognized me. She poked her friend and whispered.
Great. I bet the entire school knew about my little joy ride in the Shadow Lands by now.
I kept my head down and went straight to my locker. This was going to be a long day.
Chapter 7
Solaris
Gavin rolled up in a Hummer, the red and blue emblem of the Collective stamped across the passenger door. If I hadn’t been so happy to see him after a particularly rough first day at school, I would’ve totally objected to riding in that thing.
“Hop in,” he said with a big smile. “Isla called, and she’s meeting us at your place in five minutes. Malcolm’s gone, right?”
“Yup. He won’t be back from work till late.” I threw my bike into the trunk and climbed in. “Thanks for the ride, by the way.”
“Anything for my favorite co-pilot.” He squeezed my hand and for some reason I jerked it back. I didn’t mean to. It was like my hand had a mind of its own.
Gavin’s light brows knitted together, but he quickly schooled his face back to normal.
Well, that was awkward. “So what did Isla say?” I needed to change the subject fast.
“Nothing specific. She probably didn’t want to leave a trail of text messages.” He eyed my tracker.
“Smart.” I leaned my arm on the window ledge, feeling the cool wind through my fingertips.
Gavin turned to me as the car idled at a red light. “How are you, really? You seem different since you’ve been back. Was it horrible out there?”
I shrugged. “I’m okay. Nothing really bad happened. It was just … eye opening.” I hated lying to my friend, but no one could ever know about my days in Draconis. It was as much for Gavin’s safety as Kaige’s and mine.
“You know, I’m kind of jealous of you.”
I whipped my head toward my friend. “What? Why?”
“You know how much I’ve always wanted to see the Shadow Lands up close. And you got to spend a whole week there.”
“It’s not as thrilling as you’d think. It’s just a bunch of old dilapidated buildings.”
His hazel eyes sparkled, the little green flecks igniting like they always did when he was excited. “It’s still really cool that you got to see it in person. It’s like the only relic of a bygone era. Could you imagine what life was like back then? To live side by side with a bunch of blood-suckers?”
I cringed at his word choice. “I’m sure they’re not all bad.” Kaige’s warm navy eyes filled my vision. Then Xander’s sharp-angled face coalesced in the forefront of my mind, his fangs extended, eyes crazed. A shiver shot up my spine.
The light changed, and he turned his gaze back to the road. “You’re just lucky you didn’t get caught by some blood-thirsty nocturne.”
I chewed on my lip. “Yeah. Really lucky.”
Moments later we pulled up to my house. The gray, rectangular shape looked even more boxy and drab than usual, an exact replica of every other one on the block. I couldn’t help but think of Castle De La Divin. I’d never made it inside, but its exterior was the most incredible thing I’d ever seen. The grand turrets and spiraling towers were what I’d only imagined existed in fairy tales.
I jumped out of the car and rushed up the walk. Isla sat on the front step of my house, her nose buried in an e-reader.
My heartbeat accelerated with every step I took. “You’ve got something?”
She winked and stood up. “Let’s go inside.”
I led the way to my bedroom and slammed the door shut as soon as all three of us were in. Isla plopped down on the floor and held her hand up. Gavin and I both nodded. She rifled through her backpack and finally produced the little black device from the other night. She pressed a button, and the green dot blinked to life.
“Okay, we’re good.”
I crouched down beside her, anxiety eating at my chest, and Gavin sat across from us, his long legs folded underneath him.
“So?” I had to fight the urge to chew on my fingernails. Not that I ever had before, but today it was necessary.
Isla put a hand on my knee to stop the twitching. “Relax, Solaris. I told you I’d figure it out.”
“You did? In less than a day?”
She nodded with a big grin and pushed her glasses up. “Yup. Once I figured out the frequency the satellites were on, it was cake. I just had to triangulate the data, bypass the geofencing, and—” She must have seen the confusion written across my face because she cut herself off. “Anyway, just give me your wrist.”
I held my arm out, my pulse beating so fast I swore I could see it pulsating through my skin. She got to work with her tools, popping the screen off and inserting a tiny Nano chip between a red and yellow wire.
As she tinkered with the tracker, I planned my next move. I had no idea where to start; my only lead was the Aircomm hospital. If Isla’s friend had really discovered the hideout for the blood bags, it was as good a place to start as any.
The snap of the screen clicking into place drew me back from my wandering thoughts. I glanced up at Isla and Gavin.
“Done,” she said with a pleased smile.
“That’s it?” This girl was way too good.
“Yup. Now, no matter where you are, the tracker will say you’re within the geofencing limits—either at home or school depending on the time of day.” She flicked the small black monitor, and it let out two beeps. “Oh, and while I was in there, I fried the listening device. If they call you in to get a new one, let me know.”
“Wow, you’re amazing!” I wrapped my friend into a big hug, excitement rushing through my veins.
“So where are you going now that you’re a free woman?” asked Gavin.
If he only knew. “Not sure yet. It’s just nice to know I can go wherever I want without being followed or listened to.”
Gavin stood and pulled Isla and me up with him. “I gotta get to work. My shift starts in an hour. Don’t get into any trouble without me, you two.”
“Never.” I shot him my best smile.
“I actually have to get going too.” Isla threw all her supplies back into her backpack. “We have a big project due next week I have to get started on.”
“Thanks so much you guys. I really appreciate it.” I put one arm around each of them. I’d forgotten how much I’d missed my friends. During my week in Draconis, I’d been so wrapped up in Kaige’s world that I’d completely forgotten about my own.
“You okay?” asked Isla. “You look like your puppy just died.”
I forced a smile. “Yeah, I’m totally fine. Go on; get out of here
. I should probably start catching up on all the school work I missed last week.”
My friends left and I locked the door behind them, taking a second to lean on it and collect my thoughts. If I was going back to the AirComm base, I’d need Malcolm’s ID badge. It was confiscated when I’d been searched at the detention center. Luckily, I knew where he kept a spare.
I rushed into his office and rifled through the top drawer of his desk. The framed picture of the three of us on my tenth birthday caught my eye. Mom looked so beautiful. Dad stared at me through the glass, and a pang of guilt jabbed at my chest. I slammed the frame face down. I had to do this.
My fingers closed on a small key, and I got down on all fours. I pulled up the carpet under the desk, revealing the hidden metal hatch. I slid the key into the lock, and it popped open. Underneath a few files sat the thin white badge. I shook my head. Malcolm was so predictable. How had he not figured out that I knew all his secret hiding spots?
I slipped the ID into my pocket and hurried out of his office.
Back in my room, I slumped down on the bed. Now I just had to wait. Slipping onto the base after midnight would be the best plan. It was when most soldiers left, leaving only the skeleton overnight crew.
I stared at the black bracelet around my wrist, the red light slowly blinking, almost mesmerizing. Not quite like Kaige’s eyes, though. Nothing could come close to their hypnotic powers.
I slid off the edge of the bed and pulled the bag of clothes out of my closet. Unzipping the bag, I let Kaige’s woodsy scent saturate the air, cocooning me in his musky fragrance. I held the flowing purple top against my chest and closed my eyes. It was almost like being in Kaige’s arms.
The flashing red light of the tracker caught my eye, and I froze. I knew Isla had disabled it, but I still felt like I was being watched. Was I being stupid, keeping these? I buried my nose in the top, taking one last sniff, then shoved it back in the bag.
I should bring it out to the trash chute. I stared at the old duffel bag, my feet stuck to the floor. No. Not yet. I threw it back in the far corner of the closet, burying it beneath some dirty clothes.