by Julian North
“Jalen, I know Charlotte is in danger. Please, Alexander—”
“Alexander will be evacuated by v-copter along with our other assets related to this matter. I am seeing to that personally. The Southern government has no more pilots or aircraft to waste on him or you, so I must use my own resources. Do you understand?”
Jalen definitely didn’t sound like himself. I was missing something. “I think so. But Jalen… we are going to California. You could—”
“Going to California is treason. I will stay and do my duty.” I heard the real Jalen now—the one who spoke about duty, the one with quiet steel in his voice.
“Why?”
I heard only static for several moments. “You will hear more of that shortly, I think. There have been more betrayals from within. I cannot say more than that.”
“All the more reason to leave.”
“You do not understand. I hope one day you will—like when I spoke to Alexander at the White House.” I heard static again. For a moment, I thought he was gone. “I send Kortilla my regards, as she once sent them to me. Jess will convey the message. I’m glad your friend Nythan is safe and with you. Good luck, Daniela.”
The line went dead. I handed the device back to Jess, bewildered.
“What did he say?” Nythan asked.
I shook my head. “He was barely making sense. Not like Jalen at all.”
“Stress of war?” Nythan offered.
Jess scoffed. “Jalen has ice in his veins. There may have been others listening. Who knows what Jalen’s position in the South is anymore. When things go badly, the knives come out.”
She stared at her viser, puzzled.
“It’s vibrating like I’ve got a red ping, but there is no message. Just vibrations.”
It came to me immediately. “Morse code. Record the pulse pattern.”
Nythan was quicker. He placed his hand on Jess’s viser. “It’s nonsense… not words. It’s a code. Alphanumeric, sixteen digits. It’s repeating.” Nythan concentrated on the code until Jess’s viser became still again. “He has stopped transmitting. I’ve got it, but I don’t know what it’s for. There wasn’t any explanation.”
I rubbed my chin. “Back at the White House, he got a message to Alexander right under Virginia’s nose using double meanings and hidden messages. Jess must be correct that someone was listening. Everything he said meant something else.”
“What were the strangest things he said? Focus on the details.”
“He told me he had to take responsibility for failure and that he was one among many.”
Nythan nodded. “He was telling you others were listening—one among many. Then what?”
“That Alexander and other assets would be evacuated by v-copter. That he would see to that personally.”
“Too much detail. He wanted you to know those things.” Nythan’s head was bobbing up and down now. “He knows the South is finished, I think. They are desperately short of planes and pilots, so he’s donating his own. Sixteen digits. That must be what he was telling us to do.”
“What?”
“He was giving us the access code to his v-copter. With those, we would get control of its core computer system. We could reprogram the autopilot on the plane carrying Alexander, Harren, and whoever else he can get on board. We can send it wherever we want, even California.”
“What about the pilot?” Jess asked.
“Jalen said the Southern government has no more pilots to waste on us. He made it sound like a rebuke, but he was really telling me the people aboard would be inexperienced or not pilots at all.” A flame of hope lit inside me. “So we’re going to hijack Jalen’s plane to take us to California? Can you do it, Nythan?”
“V-copters are linked to the satellite navigation network when they fly on autopilot. I need access to a satellite transmitter. Luckily, I’ve already hacked one of those.”
It took a moment for me to catch up with Nythan’s scheme. “The Titan-Wind network? But they discovered us. They’ll have changed their encryption signatures by now.”
Nythan waved away my concern. “I created a back door the first time I had access. They might have changed the encryption and security, but I doubt they found that little baby. I am rather subtle when I want to be, you know.”
“Dare I ask why you did that? Why did you think you’d need access to their satellite network again?”
Nythan gave me a wicked smile. “I’ve told you many times: I never liked Anise.”
I managed a faint smile. “I wish I’d taken your advice. Let’s go hijack a plane.”
Alissa stepped into the room. “The door was open, and I heard what you said. It’s great to be getting a plane, but we better hurry. There was a flash alert on the public news feeds: President Hoven is dead.”
Chapter 18
The Newark safe house had a sophisticated terminal and network link hidden in the basement bedroom. It took Nythan less than five minutes to confirm that he could access the Titan-Wind private satellite network and reconfigure it to serve our needs.
“I’ve set the satellites to monitor North Carolina airspace for transponder signals. As soon as Jalen’s v-copter takes off, it will detect it. When the v-copter reaches cruising altitude, the autopilot will assume control of navigation and fly them to these coordinates.” The screen flashed a map of the eastern United States. “I’m going to set her down outside a tiny speck of a town called Emerson, in Kentucky.”
“Why Kentucky?” Jess asked. “Why not someplace closer to us?”
“Kentucky has cleverly declared their loyalty to the United States of America, while dodging the question of which government they are referring to. Rather than staying out of the fight, they have sent supplies to both sides and kept their borders open. According to the map, there’s an abandoned coal-gas processing facility near that location that nobody should have any reason to visit. We can land the v-copter there, board her, then fly the rest of the way to California, assuming Frost-Bell’s passcode works.”
“You did all this in five minutes?” Jess sounded both impressed and skeptical.
“It’s good to be around you again, Nythan,” Alissa said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He jumped—just a little. Enough that Alissa noticed it. Nythan craned his head around, and the two old friends looked at each other. Neither said anything, but there was pain in Alissa’s eyes. Nythan’s head moved almost imperceptibly before he got to his feet.
“It’s a long drive to Kentucky, so we better get started.”
The timing of the plan worried me. “Things seem to be falling apart in the Southern States. We don’t know how long it will take Jalen to get everything organized. What if the v-copter takes off before we get to Kentucky?”
“The autopilot can take them on a circuitous path, or circle over the landing site if necessary. I’ve got an uplink established—even using this creaky, secondhand viser you bought me, I can handle it remotely. I’ll make any adjustments once they take off, but strange flight paths attract attention. Therefore, we should get moving immediately and drive quickly.”
“There is a suitable vehicle in the garage,” Jess said. “Too bad about your motorcycle, but two vehicles will attract more attention. I will grab some supplies. We leave in ten minutes.”
Alissa’s mom had been standing at the back of the group the entire time the rest of us had been speaking, subdued and silent. I had only met her once before, at dinner at her house, when she’d been a fount of energy. I didn’t know much about her, except she’d come from California and had lost a child in the Red Bus attack. I heard her whispering as I walked past.
“We never wanted this for you, Alissa.”
Alissa didn’t hear her. I’m not sure if Sung wanted her to or not. It wasn’t any of my business; I followed Jess upstairs.
We didn’t have much in the way of belongings—just some food and a few additional jackets in case we got stuck outside. Jess told us the car had sensor shielding, so we took our we
apons. I rode in front with Jess. She programmed the autodrive for the corporate highways—speed was more important than staying off the main roads.
The smooth private roads had only light traffic. Military convoys passed us several times, always moving in the opposite direction, toward the east coast. It was mostly troop transports, but I spotted several flatbeds carrying artillery and battle tanks.
“Serious equipment,” Nythan said.
Jess watched a covered transport rumble past us, a yellow torch fluttering on the flags flying from its roof. “Those are Ohio National Guard markings. More of the military and the western states must be declaring for Virginia now that her ultimate victory seems inevitable. Better to call your favorite team in the fourth quarter than after the game is over.” She said it with an indifference that reminded me of me.
“You are less of a believer than your sister.”
Jess kept looking forward as she answered. “Katrina danced around the world. I grew up here, knowing people. I heard a lot of promises. Then my sister got killed, for a lost cause.”
I was silent as I considered her words. “I have a brother who believes as well. One who is dying from the Waste.”
“Then you get it.”
I did understand, but I was also thinking about Mateo. He’d gotten as raw a deal as someone could dream up: dead parents and a disease that would take him before he got to live even a fraction of his life unless Nythan came up with a miracle, but he was still a believer. And he had always been a far happier person than me.
Alissa leaned forward. “It’s not just Ohio that’s coming over from the Northern side. Lots of chatter on the net about impending victory. Some footage of Virginia Timber-Night visiting soldiers and promising this will be the last Thanksgiving they’ll have to spend away from their families.”
“Thanksgiving, huh? I’d better get a message to my dad when I get to Cali,” Nythan said, almost absentmindedly.
Alissa smiled at him. “He’ll be worried, but he’s a survivor. It seems you got that from him at least.” Nythan looked out the window as Alissa continued to talk. “Lots of chatter about finally dealing with California when the civil war is over, accusations they provided weapons to the rebels.”
“Not enough to make any difference, clearly,” Jess said.
Alissa continued to scan her viser’s feed. “It seems that Jeffery Titan-Wind will be appointed ambassador to Korea when relations are formally reestablished. A bill has been introduced to Congress to reopen trade with the chipping countries. The slave embargo is at an end.”
I shook my head in disgust. “This is the new highborn world, Virginia Timber-Night’s world.”
Alissa stopped reading. “It’s our world as well, Daniela. Even if we get asylum in California, that isn’t the end of it. California cannot hold out forever.”
She was right. If Virginia could turn hard-core enemies from the South into traitors at her whim, she would likely be able to do the same with California’s army. They had the better tech, but people were still an essential ingredient to win wars. I checked my pocket to confirm that Havelock’s viser was still there. I hoped we’d find the answers we needed in California.
Night snuck up on us as we drove. Talking stopped and people fell asleep—everyone except Jess. There wasn’t anyone among us who wasn’t exhausted. I didn’t realize that my eyes had closed until I was awoken by Jess’s hand shaking me.
“Sorry to wake you, but you were trembling, as if you were freezing. With you… I just want to make sure you don’t have a problem. It didn’t seem… normal.”
I realized she was afraid of me, at least a little. Or horrified. Even though she was highborn, what I could do to others frightened her. I knew others would feel the same about me, but I presumed Virginia scared Jess more, since she was coming to California with us.
“I was dreaming of a friend, Alexander.” Only it hadn’t been a dream. It had been a memory—Kristolan’s memory: the day Alexander had defied her. The day he discovered he was alone in the world. It had been freezing that day, far colder than today. I had lived it, I had been her, and Kristolan’s thoughts and anger lingered in my mind. She was becoming more a part of me.
“Alexander is the one who is chipped,” Jess remembered. “The person who is worth risking so much for.”
“Yes.”
“You love him.” It sounded like an accusation, or maybe that was my imagination.
I stared out at the darkness rather than answer her, even though I knew what I would say if I was forced to admit the truth. But those weren’t feelings I shared with strangers in a dark car, or anywhere else.
“I understand,” Jess said anyway. She spoke softly. “Even the toughest togethers are better than being alone in this world.”
We drove along dark roads for several more minutes without speaking. The last corporate highway must’ve ended while I slept. This road was deeply rutted and deserted. The vehicle’s tires rumbled over uneven ground. We were close to the rendezvous point, I realized. A rising claxon that sounded like a whistle came from the back seat.
“Kirk here.” It was Nythan’s groggy voice.
“Rise and shine, Nythan. What is the status of the v-copter?”
His viser shone in the sedan’s dark interior. “I’m getting an update. They’ll reach the landing site a few minutes before us. I’ll have them do a circle around beautiful eastern Kentucky to enable us to arrive first and get in position.” He flicked at his viser.
Alissa and Sung awoke while Nythan perfected his scheme. I was focused on any danger on the road ahead until Alissa’s voice got my heart moving.
“I know that look—something’s wrong.”
I turned to see Nythan’s brow scrunched in familiar concentration. I too recognized the frustration on his face. It appeared only at the worst of times. “What is it, Nythan?”
“Someone is trying to override me.”
“How is that possible?”
More finger flicking. “It’s happening on board the v-copter. Someone is trying to disengage the autopilot. I’m better with machines, but that person is physically present at the controls. It’s a bit of an advantage.”
“Jalen said there wouldn’t be a pilot on board.”
“That’s what he thought,” Jess chimed in. “Who knows what happened down there, or what he had to do to get your friend aboard his aircraft.”
“Jacks-of-A’s!” Nythan yelled, slamming his fists into his legs. “The link has been cut. Whoever it is has control of the aircraft.”
Chapter 19
“What now?” Alissa asked.
“It is likely an ambush,” Jess offered. “They lured you here with the v-copter. There could be troops on board. You are all bargaining chips to the desperate people in the South—they can trade you to Virginia for amnesty or whatever else they want. We should turn around, get as far away from here as possible.”
“I thought you trusted Jalen?” I said.
Jess shut down the autodrive but kept the car moving. “He may not have had a choice. He is one man in a collapsing government.”
“If it’s an ambush, they would’ve waited until we got closer. They would’ve met us.”
“Not necessarily—when Nythan tried to alter their course, they must have thought we had discovered them. That is probably why they seized manual control.”
I didn’t buy it. “If it’s a trap, they wouldn’t just be on the v-copter. They’ll be sure to cut off our escape as well. Kentucky might not have fully declared for Virginia Timber-Night, but they aren’t going to stop her troops if they come after us either. There could be another explanation. Alexander and Herran might still be on that aircraft.” I peered into the night sky, looking for the v-copter. “Let’s keep going.”
Jess stopped the car instead of listening to me. “That’s a mistake, Daniela. I know how you feel about the boy, but you need to face a hard truth: he is likely lost. Think clearly—let’s make for Cali.”
; “My father could be on that plane,” Alissa said. “I’m not abandoning him. I’m with Daniela.”
I turned to Jess. She met my gaze with defiant eyes. I could’ve pulled my pistol, but she was faster than me. Instead I spoke—softly. “Start driving again. We’re less than a mile away. Leave us at the coal facility if you wish, but I need you to take us the rest of the way. After that, you may do as you please.”
Jess studied me carefully as she weighed her options. She couldn’t cross the Californian border without us, and she knew it. “Okay.”
The car started moving again, covering ground as fast as it could over the uneven road. We spotted a flashing blue light in the sky as we drove.
“They’re turning on their landing lights,” Nythan said. “There is definitely a person at the controls. The autopilot wouldn’t bother with lights, and it makes them far more visible to people on the ground.”
The local road brought us to a rusted link fence outside the coal facility. It was sheer black beyond, except for the running lights of the landed v-copter in the distance. They hadn’t mined coal in Kentucky for decades. Maybe people like Jeffery Titan-Wind thought slave labor could bring it back; it was just a question of making the economics work. Those were the type of people drawn to Virginia and her dark promises.
I got out of the car and cut the ancient lock off the gate with a laserSlice that Jess had brought along. When I was done, I walked back to the window on her side of the vehicle.
“We can part ways here, if you wish, but I hope you’ll come with us. I don’t think you’re as different from your sister as you claim.”
Jess stared at the blinking lights of the v-copter directly ahead. She answered without looking at me. “Get back inside. I’m coming; I don’t really have a choice.”
We drove toward the v-copter. The road ended and became loose rock ground. The car shook as we continued closer, and pebbles kicked up against the vehicle’s bottom. If it was an ambush, they were taking their time in springing it. The v-copter propellers were still. It was just sitting there, its lights on, its hatch closed.