by Jackie D
Kaelyn wiped away the tears from her eyes and took several deep breaths. “So, everyone now lives like this?” She nodded toward the small colony. People were moving about, carrying baskets of vegetables back to their dwellings and talking amongst themselves in the community square.
“No,” Valor said. “We live like this. These people here are the descendants of the Americans who refused to swear their loyalty to the new president. At first, he attempted to kill everyone as an example. It was starting to become humiliating for him, though, because too many people were escaping and there was civil war in the streets. So, instead, thirty million of us were banished. It didn’t matter to him where we went, just that we stayed outside of the areas he designated. He erected an archaic wall around his kingdom to ensure we couldn’t slip back in and poison the minds of his people. As part of his wall, he used the force field that separates us from Canada and the sea wall in the Atlantic Ocean, which was initially erected to combat climate change, as three-quarters of the wall. The last quarter is four hundred and twenty-one miles of stone, fencing, and barbed wire. There are only four access points to get inside: Buffalo, New York; Erie, Pennsylvania; Morgantown, West Virginia; and Fredericksburg, Virginia. All those access points are guarded, but not with significant force. There really isn’t anyone trying to get in or out of the area. We fend for ourselves, and we’ve created systems to obtain food and water, but we aren’t allowed in what remains of the United States, or God’s country, as it’s called now. Eden is now the capital, but it’s what you knew as Washington, DC. We’re self-divided into four locations. Each location was chosen because it is where a Phoenix was housed, unbeknownst to the Hand of God. It was too dangerous to move any of you at that point, so we built colonies around you.”
“Eden? Like in the Bible?” Kaelyn looked dumbstruck.
“Yes. But if you ask me, it’s not very biblical.” Her attempt at a little humor to lighten the moment clearly fell flat.
“The Hand of God just lets you live out here now?” Kaelyn’s face was flushed. It was either anger or sadness; it was hard to tell which.
“The government leaves us be because they’re unaware that we’re a threat. They’ve banned socializing and even basic communication between them and us. I’d venture to say that some of the children there now aren’t even aware we exist. The government pumps a mild sedative through their water system. It keeps them complacent and agreeable. That doesn’t stop them from forcing us to provide their main source of food. It was an agreement that was struck between our leaders; they’d allow us an acceptable climate inside weather bubbles to grow and maintain a food source as long as we provided them with eighty-five percent of our yield.”
Valor’s expression was neutral, but his hands were tight on the steering wheel. “If the colony falls short of the required eighty-five percent, it’s added on to the next week’s requirement. If they fall short for a second time, a drone randomly eliminates one citizen.”
Kaelyn looked queasy. Her face had turned chalk white. “What you’re describing is slavery. I thought you said they leave you alone, for the most part?”
“They do. There used to be armed soldiers here, but we finally negotiated this agreement about thirty-five years ago. They still patrol the areas on occasion, harass and threaten people for no reason, but it isn’t anything like it used to be. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but this is an improvement.”
Kaelyn rubbed her eyes. “How do you know about the sedative?”
Arrow waited a moment before answering. She wasn’t used to giving away their intelligence. But this was Phoenix One, and she had to be informed appropriately to be effective. “We have a few moles. Families that for the last two generations have risked their lives to provide us with information. The issues with the water supply are just the beginning.”
Kaelyn’s eyes were full of pain and anger. She looked as if she felt betrayed. Her words were barely above a whisper. “I can’t believe it came to this.” She looked at Arrow, determination replacing the horror in her expression. “I want to get out to talk to these people.”
“You can’t.” Arrow winced at the look of disbelief in Kaelyn’s eyes.
Arrow was going to explain her point as to why this was a bad idea. It wasn’t authorized, there wasn’t enough protection, but she couldn’t seem to form the words. She thought back to everything she’d read about Kaelyn. Her work with the underprivileged classes from her world, her devotion to children, and her speeches about protecting the high-risk population. She understood the importance of Kaelyn getting to interact with people; she needed to understand what they were feeling and experiencing. Kaelyn needed the world to not just be tangible by sight, she needed to feel it as well. But this wasn’t something Arrow could give her right now.
“Bringing you here now, without the proper preparation, puts these people in danger. If word were to get out before we intend it to, these people would be seized and possibly tortured for information. The government sends out drones to keep an eye on everything that happens out here. They don’t directly interfere, but they’re aware of our fundamental comings and goings. If they managed to catch a glimpse of Phoenix One or hear mutterings about it, it could risk everything. Right now, we have the upper hand, but if you show up, the Hand of God is going to have questions that we aren’t ready to answer.”
“How would anyone know it was me?”
Arrow pointed to Kaelyn’s wrist where the blue and red tattoo stretched out around her wrist and hand. “Our people would know it’s you because you have the insignia of the Phoenix, something that’s become a kind of legend in our world. If the government heard the excited whisperings of a stranger, they’d come looking for you. Thinking you were either a defector, or worse, a secret.”
Kaelyn traced her fingers over her wrist and stared out the window. “I understand. I’d like to know as much as possible, whatever you can show me, without putting anyone at risk. I know you kept me inside to let my body acclimate. I understand why you did it, but I feel behind now. I need to catch up.”
Seeing the pain on Kaelyn’s face burned in the bottom of Arrow’s stomach. She’d spent her whole life with the sole intention of protecting her and eventually placing her in power. She’d never considered the thing that could hurt her wouldn’t be a physical threat. “Drive slowly through the colony. Head over to the training facility.”
Valor, to his credit, didn’t question her decision. He kept the transport on manual drive and moved toward the center of the dwellings.
Chapter Six
Kaelyn was trying to take everything in as quickly as possible. After the recording of her father, she remembered everything that had brought her to that point. But nothing could prepare her for what she saw now. A world ravaged by climate change, people pushed out of their country, and a society built out of necessity and fear.
Arrow had moved closer to her in the seat. Kaelyn knew it was so she could point to things through the window and explain their existence, but it still felt nice to have her near. Kaelyn understood intellectually that Arrow was there to protect her and her nearness was out of necessity, but the close contact felt good all the same.
The empty, crumbling shells of long-forgotten casinos and hotels in the distance were an eerie reminder of what once was. Dozens of small houses, which Arrow called dwellings, lined the street. They appeared to be made from concrete, but Kaelyn assumed it was the same material that was used inside headquarters. There were doors and windows, but everything looked identical. There was no individuality, no décor, no way to identify one home from another.
“Is there a monetary system in place?” Kaelyn asked
“The government deals with electronic funds, but there’s a hefty tax associated with each transaction. We have access to it, but most of our people barter, not wanting to give the Hand of God any more than they already take. The salaries for their jobs are essentially nonexistent. The community works together to produce enough good
s to share amongst themselves. But the majority is picked up at the end of each week and taken to Eden.” Arrow’s voice grew angry as she explained; bits of vengeance seemed to cling to her words.
The transport was starting to head out of the colony and toward a much more massive building. They passed four young girls with shield insignias on their left arms.
“What does that insignia mean?”
Arrow leaned over her to get a closer look. “They’re healers; they’ll grow up to be the colony’s version of nurses and doctors.”
One of the young women waved at the transport, and even though Kaelyn knew they couldn’t see into the window, she waved back. “They seem happy. How can that be?”
“This is all they know. Their jobs are chosen for them through aptitude tests early on in their lives. They can decide to persue something different, but it isn’t usually done. They’re loyal to the cause, and the cause requires them to perform certain functions. It might be hard to believe, but these girls have it better than the women of Eden. The women under the eye of the government can’t work outside the home. They’re seen as little more than property of their husbands, fathers, and MacLeod. Our girls consider themselves lucky.”
Her words, as accurate as they might be, stung. Just a few years before she’d entered her cryogenic state, the Women’s Rights Movement had a rebirth in the United States. Feminism was starting to be seen as an admirable attribute instead of the way it had been viewed just a few dozen years before. Kaelyn had imagined a future where women were free the way men were free during her time. They’d be making the same money and choosing birth control methods that were suited for them, and not selected by the government. She had imagined women being titans of industry and making up a significant portion of all levels of government. They’d be inventors, scientists, and whatever else they damn well pleased. But sixty-seven years later, and a large section of the female population had been forced back into the service of the patriarchy.
“Why don’t they fight back? There have to be women there that still remember a time when things were different.” Kaelyn wasn’t sure she wanted to hear the answer.
“They don’t have a choice. It’s one of the reasons we need to reunite the country and toss MacLeod out of office. Fighting back would mean death or public beatings. Plus, they lead comfortable lives there. They want and need for nothing. They have unlimited entertainment, beautiful homes, and are never hungry. The only time there is any strife is when someone steps out of line.”
Kaelyn sat back, her mind whirling. “And then what? Let’s say we overthrow MacLeod and take back the government. You think the minds of the people inside Eden will be easily swayed? You’re going to undo generations of thinking with a single act? Not to mention, from your own account, they aren’t suffering.”
Arrow looked both hurt and surprised by her questions. “What other choice do we have? We must remind them there’s another way. Despite what they may think of us, they’re still our brothers and sisters. Complacency isn’t freedom. Keeping people’s minds soft and entertained isn’t the same things as living. At the very least, they should be making that choice for themselves. If MacLeod was confident in the lives he’d given them, he wouldn’t keep them drugged. He seizes their businesses and property in the name of God, makes them keep working and then sells their goods to other countries, keeping the profit for himself. Other countries that he offers no refuge for, no protection. He takes the women he wants for himself, regardless of their relationship status. So, yes, everything might be fine on the surface, but the evil that festers underneath cannot be allowed to stand.”
Kaelyn knew that it wouldn’t be as easy as Arrow believed it would be. You couldn’t and wouldn’t change people’s minds when they had nothing to gain from it, and if going against the current government could land them here, they wouldn’t risk it. People weren’t wired that way. Change wasn’t something people typically gravitated toward if there wasn’t any reason for them to need it. Sure, the idea of it was romantic, alluring, but it was difficult.
Kaelyn tried to tap down her annoyance, but she could hear it in her words. “And what makes you think they’ll fall in line with the Resistance? What makes you think they want to give up their comfortable way of life?”
Arrow sat straight up, apparently surprised by the question. “The same reason their ancestors fought for their freedom from the King of England without the promise of success. The same reason their ancestors risked their lives for generations to protect what was once the United States. Because people desire freedom, it’s as much a part of their genetic makeup as the color of their eyes. They all have a hole in them right now, and they don’t know what it’s from. They can’t pinpoint it. You, Phoenix One, are going to point it out, and then they’ll have no choice.”
Kaelyn hadn’t realized she’d crossed her arms over her chest until she looked down. Arrow made her feel vulnerable, questioning and testing her moral compass. “You’ve been reading too much poetry.”
Arrow’s brow furrowed. “Everything I just said was taken directly from one of the classes you taught at Duke.”
Kaelyn felt her arms drop slightly. “You listened to my classes?”
Valor started turning the transport around. “She has them all memorized.”
Arrow pulled herself forward into the front seat. “It’s my job to know everything about you.”
Kaelyn wasn’t sure how she felt about that revelation. Really, it made sense that she’d been studied to the extent that Arrow had apparently taken. The Phoenix Project had been their hope and what they hung their dreams on, for almost seventy years. Plus, she was used to having every part of her life looked at under a microscope. Being the First Daughter had brought cameras, fans, and enemies into her life. And now she was about to take on an even bigger role. The enemies would increase exponentially. She was always in a significant amount of danger as the First Daughter, but it would be nothing like this.
“I need to talk to your president,” Kaelyn said.
Valor gave her a thumbs-up from the front seat.
Chapter Seven
“This is terrible, disgusting, and insulting.” President Adon MacLeod pushed his dinner plates to the floor. “Bring me something else.”
A thin, shaking girl hurried over to pick up the mess. “What would you like, Mr. President?”
He looked down at her frail frame. She wouldn’t make eye contact with him, just the way he liked it. It was infuriating to have to explain to these idiots how to do their job, yet here he was again. “It doesn’t really matter. Anything has to be better than this crap.”
The girl bowed her head. “Yes, Mr. President. It’s just that, I don’t know what to tell the chef to prepare.”
Annoyance crawled up his body, like a spider rushing to his mouth. He pulled his gun from his waistband, ready to take her out at the knees. A voice from the other side of the room stalled his movement.
“That would be the second one this month. Please don’t.” Nora MacLeod was beside him a moment later.
“Stop sending me incompetent idiots then.”
“Dad, just tell her what you would like and there won’t be any more issues,” Nora said.
He slid the gun back into his waistband, fighting the urge to smack the servant over the head with it. “Soup. Bring me soup. And not that bullshit you tried last time. Just regular chicken noodle soup.”
The young girl scurried out of the room, and he could hear her crying as soon as she was out of sight.
Nora sat on the couch. She ran her hands down her form-fitting red dress. She was perfect. Hell, if she hadn’t been his daughter, he probably would’ve tried to sleep with her by now. She tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear and smiled at him, slowly swinging her crossed leg up and down.
“Those young women have to go through months of training to work here. It’s not good for your public image when they keep turning up maimed or dead,” Nora said.
He leaned back in his seat, putting his feet on the desk. “Like I give a shit. What’s going on?”
She pushed a few buttons on her tablet and then brought the images up on the projector module in front of him. The translucent imaging allowed him to still see Nora while looking at the charts and reports. “The prime minister of England has petitioned us, again, to help with the global climate crisis. Their sea wall has started to fracture, and their weather bubble has been malfunctioning. England has been without the sun for almost two hundred days.”
“No. What else?” He pulled a string from his shirt.
She sent the next image up. “The colonies have been producing their regular amount of fruits and vegetables. But our consumption has gone up almost seven percent, and we’ll need to cut back to stay on track.”
He rolled his eyes. “No. Tell them we need more. Hungry people are angry people, and we don’t need to deal with that right now.”
“We already take eight-five percent of their total production. If we increase that to ninety-two, they won’t survive,” she said.
He walked over to the couch and put a hand on her knee. “Then they’ll just need to produce more or reduce their population size.”
Nora didn’t look pleased with his answer, and he hated to disappoint Nora. “What do you suggest?”
Nora sat up in her seat a little straighter. She turned to him and looked him in the eye. “I think it’s time to consider bringing them back into the fold.”
“The Resistance? They’re traitors; they turned their back on this country decades ago.”