The Complex Leader

by Heather Hayes

  Scott is all smiles. "She just squeezed my hand! I think she's going to make it."

  I kneel down beside her and put my fingers on her wrist. Her pulse is noticeably stronger than it has been since we brought her back. I whisper to her, "Avra, wake up. You're home and safe. Scott and I need you." I feel her arm twitch. "Where is my dad?"

  His deep voice answers from behind me. "I'm right here. How many times has she twitched?"

  "Four. She's twitched four times this afternoon. Will you give her a shot of adrenaline?"

  Father pulls a syringe out of a small box; he was expecting this, I think. "Adrenaline has a better chance of working now than any other time. Expose her thigh for me." I pull my friend's nightgown up her leg and watch my dad pierce the skin of her thigh with the needle. I force my eyes to watch as he pushes in the plunger. My stomach flips upside down. When he's done, he caps the syringe and feels for her pulse. I watch her still face expectantly, but nothing happens. Scott starts massaging her feet gently. I take the wet towel my mom keeps in here to wipe her with from time to time, and wipe her face. Still nothing. Feeling defeated, I sit next to Garth on the couch and lay my head on his shoulder.

  He tilts my chin up with his finger. "Don't give up; she'll wake up on her own time."

  "I hope so." Garth doesn't let my chin go, he leads my face closer to his and places his lips on mine.

  "Ahem, I don't think this is the time or place for that," I hear my father say. I haven't opened my eyes yet. If I get my way, I won't open them either.

  "It's not the time or place for what?" I hear a weak, tired voice ask.

  I open my eyes and turn to see Avra's eyes open and staring at me. "Avra!" I jump off the couch and hurl myself on my friend.

  "Ow! Not so tight, Elira. You're going to break me."

  "I don't care. My dad will fix you up if I do. I thought you were dead."

  Avra blinks her tired eyes over and over again. "So did I. I can't remember very much."

  My father puts a hand on her forehead. "Don't try to remember everything right now, just try to stay awake."

  "Can I have a drink?"

  My dad looks looks around the room. "Sure. Scott would you get her some water and a straw?"

  "Absolutely." Scott is back in a wink.

  My dad feels Avra's pulse on her wrist as he says, "Avra, do you want to sit up on the couch?"

  "Yes. But I need some help; my arms feel heavy."

  He and Scott lift Avra's skeletal form out of the bed and shimmy her to the couch. I move the IV pole behind them. Scott sits next to her like he did upstairs. My dad sits on the other side of her to keep checking her pulse. He is thrilled when she holds her own head up. "There, try a little drink."

  Avra takes a tiny sip of water, then lays her head on Scott's shoulder. "That's enough for now. My head is heavy."

  "I'm sorry, Avra. We had Maxine give you a powerful drug that made you appear dead so we could get you out of the complex. It worked a little too well on you. It may take some time to get you back to normal."

  "That's okay. Did Maxine give some to Jefrey too? I saw him in the needle room. He said he was sorry. He said the last thing he meant to do was hurt Elira."

  Chapter 14

  Damon calls Monday morning with a plan. He wants as many of us as possible to walk door to door starting on the poor side of each local city with buttons and pamphlets explaining how the truth about Brock's siblings prove how normal he is. We want people to know that Brock is really, just like them. I am for it. I will do whatever it takes to get Brock elected. I want people like Avra never to be tortured. I want Shasta and maybe even-Jefrey out. I want all of us to be free.

  Garth and Rocky want to help for sure. Scott says he'll stay with Avra. She had a little bit of oatmeal and orange juice this morning before falling back asleep, so we're all feeling optimistic about her recovery. My parents, Ernestine, and Greggory are helping too. The problem is having enough drivers to go to all the nearby little cities we want to cover. My mother is highlighting maps of the cities we were asked to cover for everyone. She gnaws on a pen in frustration. "I wish we had one more driver. Then we could cover all five cities Damon asked us to take care of."

  Father looks at Garth. "Florence, I think we could trust Garth to drive around Herrington. Greggory can take Tolsa, since he lives there, Ernestine can take Trenton, I can take Lancen, and you can take Rosett."

  "Are you sure?"

  Garth speaks up. "I can do it. I'll follow all of the speed limits and signs, and if Elira comes with me, she knows the roads around the railroad tracks really well."

  My mother shakes her head and covers her eyes with her hands. "I don't think that's a good idea."

  My father sighs. "Florence, the election is tomorrow. Elira and Garth want Brock to win. They won't fool around with the small amount of time we have left. Right?"

  I look as seriously as I can at my parents. "Right."

  Garth agrees with me. "Right."

  Mother throws up her hands in surrender. "Fine. Who is Rocky going with?"

  Ernestine pipes in. "Me. Of the five, Trenton is the next-biggest city to Herrington. I'll need his help. In fact, I may be able to get Frank to help, too."

  Mother nods. "Okay, it's settled. Everyone make your disguises as different as possible today. We don't want anyone connecting you to this house if we can help it. Go upstairs and get sack lunches and dinners for yourselves from Freda. We'll meet back here at 9:00 pm. I can't express to you how important this is. We have today and then it's voting time. Let's give our all for 12 hours and then we'll let the chips fall where they may."

  "Who's going to spill chips?" Rocky asks.

  Mother frowns. "Never mind. I'll call Damon to confirm the cities he's assigned us. I hope he can find volunteers for every city."

  •

  Garth and I climb into my car. Today I'm thankful that my parents have so many cars. We watch as my mother leaves in her sports car. My dad leaves in his gray car, Ernestine leaves in the black car, and Greggory leaves in his blue sporty-looking car.

  Garth leans over and gives me a kiss. "It's time to get to work. Do you know where you want to start?"

  "Yes, by Avra's parent's house."

  "Okay, let's go."

  I help Garth get to the housing additions by the railroad tracks without a problem. "Here is a stack of pamphlets. I'll take the right side of the road; you take the left."

  "Okay, I guess we'll meet back here when we're done." He leans close to me for a quick kiss.

  I wish our time together could be less busy, but we only have 12 hours to tip the balance so Brock wins. I will do what I can. I walk to the first house on my side of the street and knock on the door. I am curly red-headed Josie today. When the door opens, my smile and words are ready. "Hello, my name is Josie and I am here to remind you to vote tomorrow."

  The balding, overweight man who answers the door looks at me curiously. "My vote doesn't matter. I don't have a job. I don't have my kid anymore. No one in the government wants me anywhere near a voting booth."

  "That's exactly why you should vote. Brock Hamble knows how you feel. The government took his sister to the complex fourteen years ago. He's tired of seeing families ripped apart."

  "I didn't say my kid went to the complex. How did you know?"

  I smile at him. "It was a guess. What is your child's name?"

  "Uh, James."

  "Just between you and me, I know that Brock thinks the complex system is outdated and needs to end. He wants his sister Elira and your James to be free. The only way he can make that happen is if people like us get out tomorrow and vote for him."

  He looks skeptical. "Are you sure he wants to change the law?"

  I nod enthusiastically. "Yes, I am. He told me himself."

&
nbsp; The man scratches his shiny head. "He wants to let my James out?"

  "Yes, he does."

  The man's eyes look a little bit teary. "Okay. If my car starts, I'll vote for him tomorrow."

  The next house has a blonde woman with greasy hair and dull eyes behind the door. "Hello. I am here to ask you to get out and vote tomorrow."

  "It's drug drop-off day tomorrow. My husband will be... It won't be safe for me to leave the house tomorrow."

  I feel so bad for her. I reach out and squeeze her arm. "Have you seen what they're saying about Brock Hamble on the news lately?"

  She smirks at me. "He isn't as squeaky clean as he seems."

  "You're right, he isn't squeaky clean. He's human, just like you. What's your name?"

  "Madge."

  "Madge, Brock Hamble knows what it's like to have drugs affect his family. He wants to help people like his brother and your husband come clean from their addictions. He's just like us. If you get out and vote tomorrow, he will change things. He will change the laws that keep us prisoners in our own country. Would you like that, Madge?"

  "Yeah, actually, I would."

  "Find a good time to get out of here unnoticed, and vote for Brock." I feel sorry for stretching the truth, but I didn't say Greggory is a drug addict, just that he has an addiction of some kind.

  The woman nods at me determinedly. "If I can get out of here unnoticed, I will vote for him."

  "Thank you so much, Madge."

  I pause when I get to the yellow house I have memories of dropping Avra off at. My knuckles are braver than my brain. Knock, knock. The man that I know to be Avra's dad opens the door a few inches. He looks at me cautiously and then looks at my car. I think he recognizes it. "I know who you are behind the red curls. I didn't do it."

  "I know, Mr. Brown. May I please come in?"

  He looks down both sides of the street before he lets me in. "Okay, but I can't do anything to help you."

  I slip in the door before he can change his mind. "I know you didn't turn Avra in for the money. Our friend, or used-to-be-friend, Jefrey, did."

  Avra's dad pulls a hard, wooden chair away from the battered table in the corner and squeezes the top of it with his hands. "The peace officers keep a close watch on me now. I wish I could help her, but I can't." He gestures for me to take a seat on the couch that has lost some of its stuffing since the last time I was here.

  I sit down slowly on the broken couch. "I only have one thing I need help with, and that is your vote for my brother, Brock Hamble, for the senate tomorrow. He wants to repeal the Complex Law. He wants Avra and me to be free.

  Mr. Brown covers his eyes with his hand. "She didn't look too good when they took her away. I don't know if she is still alive."

  I lean forward. "She is. We broke her out, and she's alive. She's terribly weak, but she's alive."

  Mr. Brown sits down on the hard kitchen chair. "She's alive. Will she be okay?"

  "She'll get better sooner if we get the law changed. She'll be able to walk outside in the fresh air and come and go as she pleases."

  Avra's dad narrows his eyes at me. "I haven't heard anything about a breakout."

  "It's a long story, but they think she's dead and buried, but she's not."

  Mr. Brown looks at me with his mournful eyes and chuckles. "You do beat all, little girl. I want to see her again."

  I don't think that is a good idea. "I'm sorry, but she's too weak to walk right now, but when she's better I'll bring her to visit. Will you and your wife vote for Brock tomorrow?"

  "If he will change the Complex Law, then yes. We will do it."

  I stand up. "Thank you. That's all I can ask."

  Avra's dad takes my hand and shakes it slowly. "Please take care of my Avra for me."

  "I will."

  An hour later I meet Garth back at the car. He smiles at me. "I think I convinced half of my side to vote for him."

  "That's great," I say as I scratch beneath my wig.

  He takes my hand and kisses it. "How did it go for you?"

  "I convinced all but one."

  Garth sets my hand down slowly. "Wow. Good job. You have more flair for this than I do."

  I allow myself a little bit of pride when I say, "I'm just getting started. Ten hours to go! I'm having a soda. Would you like one?"

  Chapter 15

  "I'm sorry, ma'am, what you're saying sounds great and all, but I am Leonard Bloxhouse's great-uncle once removed. I have to vote for him or I'll get kicked out of my family."

  "I understand, sir. You have to vote for Bloxhouse, even if he wants to keep everything we all hate about the government the same. You have a nice day now." The elderly man looks bewildered as I smile and wave goodbye to him.

  Garth overhears that last conversation as he joins me on the sidewalk. "Man, you lay the guilt on thick, don't you?"

  I snicker as I plop into the passenger seat of the car, completely exhausted. "It was my last house. I wanted to end on a win."

  Garth yawns as he pulls out onto the road. "So, what do you think? Is Brock going to win tomorrow?"

  I shove a stale cookie in my mouth right as he asks his question; I answer him with my mouth full. "I don't know. I convinced a lot of people who were disgusted with his siblings to still vote for him, but I don't know if it's enough."

  Garth takes my hand. "I would say the houses I visited were about 50/50 for and against him. It's going to be close."

  I open my map and look at the nearest road sign. "Do you know where to turn? It's hard to see in the dark."

  "Yeah, I'm just going back the way we came."

  "You remember all of that?"

  "Of course, don't you?"

  "Um, mostly, but I've been to Avra's parents' house a few times. This is your first time on this side of town, isn't it?"

  "Yep."

  My heart fills with pride for my boyfriend. "Your memory is amazing."

  Garth smiles and shakes his head. "Your ability to get people to see things your way is amazing."

  I think about my dad's hands and Avra and frown. "Whatever."

  Garth squeezes my hand. "What's the matter?"

  "When we escaped from the complex, I felt like a leader even though I didn't want to be. I made myself be strong for Avra's sake. Now I want to be a leader. I want to make this world fair for everyone, but I am a terrible driver, I'm responsible for both Avra and my dad's injuries, and I couldn't even stand up to the complex chief while in disguise the other day. I can't even find my way back home. I'm not a leader after all."

  Garth comes to a stop at a stop sign and turns to me. "Wait a minute. I remember what you said you told the complex chief; that took guts. You got the peace officer off everyone's trail the day we took Avra back. You just convinced almost every house you visited, for 12 hours straight, to vote for your brother. You have Jefrey, me, and probably Damon, from the sound of it, following you around like puppy dogs. That sounds like someone being a leader to me."

  "When I think of a leader I think of someone like Brock, who is loved and admired by the people."

  "That's funny, because I just see him as a smiling face that represents the true unseen leaders who stand behind him."

  I shake my head in bewilderment. "Who are the leaders who stand behind him?"

  "Your parents and Ernestine, for starters."

  I wave my hand dismissively. "You just have a parent-worship thing going on. They aren't leaders."

  Garth is silent for a moment. "Did I include my parents in that list? No, I didn't. Don't get me wrong, they are good people, but they don't stand up for what they believe in-like your parents do."

  I throw my hands up in exasperation. "No one but us knows what they do; I don't know if that is leading."

 
"Some leaders, like your mom, don't need to be seen to do the right thing and convince others to do the same."

  "But is what she's doing changing the world?"

  "It's changed my world, and yours, and Avra's, and Freda's."

  I pause as I think about that. "I guess you're right. My dad seems so quiet to me, but he came up with the plan to save Avra's life. That was being a leader, right?"

  "Yes! Think about Ernestine. She helped us escape and found my parents even at great cost to herself. She's been trying to start this rebellion for years. She's a leader, too."

  I find myself deep in thought. "I never realized how many different kinds of leaders there are."

  "It takes all kinds of leaders to connect with people and make things happen. Even Greggory is showing some leadership these days. He's going to get the country on our side."

  We pull up to my parents' house with so much on our minds. I imagine my brother, who was a selfish jerk just a few months ago. "Yeah, he said he would put the tape on even if it cost him his job and even if Brock doesn't win." I gather up the few remaining pamphlets in the car and stuff them in a bag. "I sure hope Brock wins tomorrow."

  Chapter 16

  Everyone but Avra and Scott are going to Brock's banquet at the Herrington Event Center to watch how the vote turns out. I am going as Josie again. My nerves are extremely on edge. The consensus of our group is that our door knocking turned out about 50/50. It could go either way.

  I give Avra a hug before I leave. She is on the couch in the great room for the first time since we broke her out. She takes my hand in her skinny one. "I wish I could go with you, Elira, but I don't think I'll be able to walk for a few days yet."

  "I wish you could come too, but it'll be more comfortable for you here. We'll have to be careful not to get on camera too much. That would give us all away."

  Avra whispers into my ear, "Greggory says that someone named Damon will be there, and he likes you."

  I roll my eyes. "Yes, he will be there, but he said he was fine with being friends."