by SF Benson
I cocked my head. “Who is it?”
“My… father.” Zared stared at the screen, clenching his jaw and his fists simultaneously.
I prayed time would stand still. He needed a moment to get a grip on what had to be his worst nightmare. I was inclined to help him, but what should I say?
He slammed his hand on the console.
I jumped.
“Zared?”
He just stood there with his mouth open and his eyes fixed to the screen. My heart ached for him. I tried to put myself in his shoes. He assumed his father was dead. Betrayal. Hurt. Anger. For me, betrayal would have been the biggest emotion. For Zared? Maybe he struggled with the hurt. His dad abandoned him when he needed him the most.
Zared said he had it hard on the streets. What parent would put their kid in that situation? If he hadn’t lived a hard life, he might find joy in his father being alive. I doubted he had any good feelings right now. How would he cope with it? I had no clue. But I did know we needed to move before security found us.
“Z, let’s go.”
“He lied to me. And he left me to fend for myself.”
I placed my hand on top of his. “I know.”
“And I suffered. Not him. All those years alone.”
I tugged on his sleeve. “Let’s go.”
He snatched his arm away from me. “You don’t get it, Tru. I thought he was dead. Hell, I used to hit the city morgue every day to see if his body would turn up. Eventually I gave up, but I never stopped thinking something bad happened to him. What other reason explains why he left me alone?”
“I…I don’t know what to say. I’m so—”
“Don’t say it.” Zared sent me a long, pained look before averting his eyes.
My heart crumbled in a million pieces. It would be well-advised for no one to leave me alone with his father. I would gladly deliver the man a serious reckoning.
He was right. I didn’t understand what he experienced, but I knew we couldn’t keep standing there. “We have to go now, Zared.”
He nodded. I took his hand and led him out the door.
Lights were on again, but it was still too quiet. My mind raced. We would be discovered. Soon. What would happen to us? No time to think about it. We needed to get to my mother. The hall remained clear. We needed to move.
“Which way?”
“I got this.” He pushed past me and turned in the direction of the room on the monitor.
We turned left at a corner and walked up another hall. It was like walking through a maze. Every hall dead-ended into another. The last hall led us to a metal door. Zared reached for the handle. He didn’t get the chance to open it.
“Make one move and I'll blow your damned head off!” A pistol pointed at Zared’s head.
He raised his hands. A soldier took his weapon. Another one apprehended me.
I kept my eyes on Zared as I surrendered. He clenched his jaw again. My muscles tightened. Fear gnawed on my stomach. This couldn’t be good. Was this the end of the line?
“That will not be necessary.” The voice came from inside the holding cell. “Let them go.” It was Zared’s father.
The officers withdrew their weapons and retreated. His father stepped to one side, allowing us to walk past him. The room had neither windows nor mirrors, just a fluorescent light bouncing off the shiny floor. Mom sat on one side of a gray metal table. The restraints were gone, and so was the black eye. How was that possible?
I rushed to her. “Mom, are you okay?”
“I'm all right.” She narrowed her eyes in Zared’s direction. Mom noticed how I held my arm. “You’re hurt. Who did this?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I knelt beside her. “We’re both fine.”
Mom stared at Zared. Did she think he injured me? Unbelievable! She always saw the worst in anyone I showed interest in. Granted, some of them deserved it, but Zared was different. She turned to his father. “Kat, you promised me the kids would be safe. Are you proud of yourself now?”
The man shrugged halfheartedly and placed his hands in his pockets.
Zared invaded his father’s space. “Answer her, Kat! Are you proud of yourself?”
“Son—” He lifted a hand.
“No!” Zared snapped and blocked his father’s grasp. “You lost that right the day you left me.”
Katsuo Aoki scrutinized his son. His eyes brightened, and a slight smile appeared on his face. Seconds later, his expression changed. He ran his hand through his hair and exhaled. So, that’s where Zared got that mannerism.
“I guess I that was deserved. Would you like to hear me out?”
Zared backed away from his father with his hands up. He opened his mouth to speak but said nothing. My throat ached. I wanted to throw my arms around him. Let him know it was okay. He didn’t need this man. I drifted away from my mother’s side. She tugged my wrist.
No, she mouthed.
Why wouldn’t she let me go to him? Didn’t she see he was hurting?
“I'll take your silence as yes.” Katsuo Aoki spoke in the same careful, determined manner as his son. “Leaving you was for your protection. The New Order would have used you against me.”
“You’re lying,” Zared spoke in such a small voice. I pictured a little boy standing before an accusatory parent. “I saw your notes. I read your journal.”
“Uh, so you did.” Kat nodded. “You were always a curious child. You know what curiosity did for the cat?”
“After all this time, I’m not getting a real explanation?” Zared stared at him.
His father hit the wall with his fist.
I flinched.
Zared didn’t budge.
“No!” His father closed the distance between them. “Traitors do not deserve explanations.” The man took a deep, almost satisfying breath. “But I will keep you safe because I am your father. You will stay here on the island. I will make an allowance for your girlfriend as well.”
Zared’s nostrils flared. “I refuse—”
“You do not have a choice in the matter.” He strode to the door. “We shall talk again. I need to make sure your accommodations are ready.”
Katsuo Aoki left, and I sprang into action. No mirrors, but there could be listening devices. I climbed onto the table and checked the light fixture. Nothing unusual there. I scanned the room but had no idea where or what else to look for. I sat next to Mom.
“What's going on? What did he mean by allowance?”
“It's a long story.” Mom sagged in the chair.
I crossed my arms. “I think we have plenty of time for it, Mom.”
She ignored my tone. “It doesn't matter. You’ll be safe. Tru, do me a favor though. Let Zared handle the situation with his dad by himself.”
He approached us, his nostrils flaring. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means deal with your father on your own. Don’t include my daughter.”
He leaned over the table. "I'm not going to—”
“You’ve done enough.” Mom slammed her hands on the table matching his posture. “Tru wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for you.”
“Stop it.” I exploded from the chair. The constant bickering had to stop. We needed to figure out how to get off the island not nitpick every little detail. If the adults weren’t willing to fulfill their role…
I cleared my throat. “Mom, can you tell me why Dad set us up?”
Zared sat down. “I'd like an answer to that one.”
Mom glared at him. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“The hell it doesn’t.” He pounded the tabletop.
“Enough already. The two of you are driving me crazy.” I placed my hand on top of Zared’s, but I looked at Mom. “We could have been killed. We both deserve an explanation.”
Mom shifted in the seat and touched her throat. “I don't have an answer for whatever he did. I haven't had any contact with him.”
Zared pushed his chair away from the table.
I didn’t know whether to believe her or not. It was plausible. After all, Dad was pretty pissed at her. “What happens next, Mom?”
She lowered herself on the chair keeping her eyes down. “Kat promised me you wouldn't be hurt.”
“You trust him?” I glimpsed at Zared from the corner of my eye. He clenched his jaw and fists again. I’d seen him upset, but not this bad. Of course, he had plenty to be pissed about. I just worried how it would end.
“I convinced him that you wouldn't be a problem. Kat has a very nice room for the two of us. It's—”
No! I wouldn’t stay anywhere without him. My chin trembled. “What about Zared?”
“He's not my responsibility,” she announced as a matter-of-fact.
“We’re not splitting up,” I yelled.
Mom stood knocking the chair over. “You'll do as you're told.”
I cowered behind Zared. Surely, he wouldn’t let this happen. “Do something.”
His shoulders slumped. “Listen to your mother, Tru.”
“Are you kidding me?” I swallowed back a sob. Show no weakness. “We’ve been through too much to be split up now.”
He walked to the door and pounded on it. “Guard!”
“Why are you calling for a guard?”
The door opened, he glanced over his shoulder, and pushed his way out of the room. I deflated like an old balloon. Zared walked away from me. Which hurt worse? The pain in my shoulder or the raw ache in my heart?
I glared at Mom. This was the fault of her and her endless lies. She was no better than Katsuo Aoki. They put their children in harm’s way. They cut us open and watched our souls leak out. They weren’t parents. Beasts, maybe. Parents, no.
“This is your fault.”
She offered me a sad smile. “Tru, you don’t understand.”
“I understand more than you think I do. All of this—Cris’ death, Dad leaving, Zared walking out of here—is your fault. And I’ll never forgive you for it.”
“Hate, discrimination, call it what you want
I’ve heard it all; I’ve talked about it, walked about it,
Wrote a damned song about it, look at where we live.
People screaming, fighting, trying to climb the New Order’s walls.
Punch a door, shoot a Drone, blow it off, and just keep going.
Tired of the shit, give ‘em hell, show them what you’re working with.
Leave ‘em with the taste of synthetics.
See they can provoke, but they just don’t get it.
I’m going to make the New Order look stupid now.”
—from the Story of Us, P. Mix, rapper, 2023
Zared
My father set me up in a fancy prison cell with a window and a private bathroom. My father… The man was alive, and living it up on New Belle Isle in a renovated three-bedroom cottage. The CHA spared no expense—fancy chandeliers, overstuffed furniture.
I slammed my hand against the pale blue wall. The government should have eliminated him. Parents don’t abandon their kids. They don’t go off to live the good life, leaving their kids to fend for themselves in a land of perverts. I doubt if he ever missed a meal, ever struggled to keep warm on a cold night.
My neck was stiff as one of the marble fixtures in this place. I should relax, but I couldn’t get my father off my mind. He had a lot of nerve. He wanted to claim me as his son. Well, where was he when I needed a father? Someone to keep me out of prison? Someone to keep me from dying on the streets? I didn’t have his influence then, and I didn’t need it now.
An unfamiliar tremor rocked my body. I tried ignoring it, but it wouldn’t go away. Instead it became an incessant force willing my feet to move. I walked away from the window and paced the floor.
Deep down I wanted my father to hug me and apologize. Say he was sorry. No. Tell me he was in an accident, lost his memory, just got it back. Anything would’ve been better than not caring. I was a fool for thinking he might make amends.
I sank onto a chair and held my head in my hands. There had been hope in my life. Someone who made my days and nights worth fighting for. Tru wanted to help me. But, no, I pushed her away. She couldn’t see me this way. I was still learning to keep my anger in check. Sometimes things got ugly, and I lost it. Shit, to be honest, my temper got me in this situation. If walking away was possible, I wouldn’t owe anyone anything. I’d be free to live my life the way I wanted. Shutting Tru out was necessary. I couldn’t take the chance of saying or doing something to hurt her any further.
And now, I had to battle Gabriela and my father. I didn’t need their stress along with the mission. I was tired of it all. I hoped Tru would forgive me. Again.
“You can’t wait for justice and equality. People have to take what they need.”
—Malcolm Rivera, leader, The Alliance
Our living quarters. I shuddered at the thought. It didn’t matter that Katsuo Aoki gave us one of the nicer spaces with a sitting area and an en suite bathroom. The rose-colored room was guarded by Riza soldiers around the clock.
It didn’t matter where we stayed. House. Apartment. Hotel. Jail cell. A prison was still a prison regardless of the location. I watched the patrols from the window. We had to escape this place. Zared told me it wouldn’t be easy, but we had to try even if we were under surveillance.
I pressed my head against the cool window. My mind wouldn’t stop worrying about him. He didn’t handle the reunion with his father well. That man brought out Zared’s bad side—a dark, scary place I hoped never to witness again. He was entitled to his anger, though. Katsuo was fortunate his son didn’t punch his lights out.
Something didn’t feel right about the whole situation. Earlier, he insisted the mission wasn’t over. Then, his father makes a miraculous reappearance, and he gives up. I thought he had a boss who needed Intrepid. Wouldn’t that boss rescue his employee?
I was angry too. Why the hell was my mother blocking my relationship with Zared? There was something…no, there was a lot she wasn’t telling me. And what about my relationship made Dad sell us out? I always trusted he’d never willingly risk my life.
The questions were giving me an awful headache. I tried to raise my arms but something stopped the motion. The sling. Zared’s father offered me an injection, which would instantly take care of the pain and heal the injury. I settled on an old-fashioned method. I wouldn’t risk being anyone’s lab rat while the possibility of being inoculated remained.
“Come here, Tru.” Mom waved me over to the bathroom. My heart thudded dully in my chest. She closed the door behind me and turned the sink’s faucet on.
“I’m sorry, but I couldn’t talk to you earlier.” Her voice cracked.
If that was a heartfelt apology, she’d need to try harder. “That’s fine. I don’t want to talk now.”
She pressed on. “Just listen. Katsuo is watching us. There are two cameras in our room. One in the bedroom and one in the sitting area.”
I was still pissed with her. Yet I lacked the strength, the desire to fight anymore. “What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t like your tone, young lady.” Mom exhaled. “I know you have questions. Ask me whatever you want. I won’t lie to you.” She sat on the side of the tub.
Hadn’t we done this dance before? Was she being honest this time? Or would she resort to another pack of lies?
I was tired of everyone making assumptions about me. The New Order decided I was old enough to vaccinate and become a responsible adult. My parents thought I was old enough to leave the learning center, get a job, and marry a stranger. Cris figured I was old enough to trust with dangerous tech. Even Zared assumed I was capable of helping him with a risky mission. But no one considered me old enough to be told the truth. They were all wrong.
“Okay, Mom. Let’s start with an explanation. Why did Dad stab us in the back?”
“You would start with the hard one.”
I plunked down on the closed toilet lid.
“He didn’
t. The CHA was watching Fred. He was followed. Right after he dropped off those plans, Eden—”
Not again. That damned little voice said, Brace yourself.
“Please…don’t tell me…” A sour taste rose in my mouth.
Mom’s quivering chin filled in the blanks for me. “I’m so sorry, Tru. He loved you dearly.”
My world ebbed. The heaviness in my chest made no sense. My heart burst earlier with the loss of Cris. Tears cascaded down my cheeks. I wanted this to end. Mom reached for me, but I pushed her hand away.
The last time I saw Dad, he gave Zared his…Oh God! Bile shot up my throat. I stood and held my head over the frosted jade-glass sink. Everything I’d eaten made a violent reappearance. Dad was defenseless because I had his gun. His death was my fault.
When I lifted my head, Mom passed me a fluffy ivory towel. “Tru, I promise you, Eden will pay for this.”
I slid to the floor and hid my face in the towel. “No. This one’s on me. I had Dad’s gun.”
“No, filha. It’s not your fault.” Mom joined me on the floor and put her arms around me. I didn’t push her away this time. “Having a gun doesn’t always protect you.”
“But—”
“Stop punishing yourself.”
I shifted my position and scrutinized her. Something wasn’t right. Mom sounded sad about the news, but she was just a little too, I don’t know, composed. My length of time with Zared was brief. But if anything happened to him, I’d be devastated. Mom’s reaction was all wrong. And, then, it hit me with such force I gasped. “You didn’t love him.”
“What?” Her forehead puckered.
“You. Didn’t. Love. My. Father.” I enunciated each word in case she didn’t understand.
She didn’t even try to hide it. “He’ll always have a special place in my heart.” A flush crept across her cheeks. “But, no, filha, I didn’t love him.”
“But he was my father?” I shouldn’t have had to ask, but I was learning that with my mother anything might be possible.
“No. He wasn’t,” she finally admitted.