When finally the next bulkhead hung over his head, he set Waverly down and jabbed at the intercom again. “Sarek? Next bulkhead.”
Without a word of answer from Sarek, the bulkhead doors slid open, and another fresh burst of warm air assaulted him. This time the wind was much stronger, and he had to fight hard against it as he pulled her up the stairs. But this air was nearly normal, and he sucked it into his lungs greedily. “Close them,” he said as he pulled her the last few inches, and the doors slid closed.
He lay down in the stairwell. The only thing he could do or think about was breathing in and out, that beautiful air, full of oxygen. His headache didn’t diminish, nor did his muscles stop their mad quivering, but his thoughts cleared, and he felt that he could go on.
He heard Waverly groan, and he sat up to find her hiding her eyes from the lights.
“Waverly,” he said, “you okay?”
“How did I—” She looked around, getting her bearings. “Did you carry me here?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“I’m sorry. I tried.”
“I know.” He struggled onto his feet, his legs shaky and unsure, and held a hand out to her. “Come on.”
She pulled herself up, leaning heavily on the railing. “How much farther?”
“I think we’re about halfway there.”
“Okay,” she said, and started up the stairs with Seth right behind.
The two trudged on in silence, the only sounds their footfalls and heavy breathing. Seth could feel his pulse in his neck, beating impossibly fast. The moons under his fingernails were blue, and his mouth was dry and sticky. Waverly was unsteady on her feet, and her breathing was rapid and shallow, but she seemed strong enough.
At the next bulkhead, the wind was even stronger, and the air tasted dewy and velvety. He sucked it in like nectar as the bulkhead doors closed underneath him, and Waverly smiled at him.
“That’s better,” she said.
They stood side by side on the landing, resting. Seth felt the strength coming back to his limbs, and his headache seemed a little better, too. He could think.
“Why did you come for me?” he finally asked her.
“What do you mean?” She looked at him quizzically.
“I mean you risked your life to come get me. Why?”
She looked away, discomfited. “You’d do it for me, wouldn’t you?”
“I know why I’d do it. I’m asking you why you did it.”
“Why would you do it?” she challenged.
They stared at each other in a standoff, until finally Seth had to look away.
“Fine. Just say you don’t want to talk about it, then,” he said, and started up the stairs ahead of her.
“A simple thank-you would suffice,” she snarled.
“No it wouldn’t, and you know it,” he said with a dark look over his shoulder. Her mouth got small, and two lines appeared between her eyebrows.
“You know,” she said, starting up the stairs behind him, panting her words, “this whole antisocial thing you’ve got going? It gets old.”
“You seem to like it well enough.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know exactly what it means,” Seth said, out of breath. “You just don’t like that I said it.”
“That’s right. I don’t,” she said, sounding like a spoiled, haughty little girl. “You’re arrogant, and you don’t listen, and you make people want to lock you up and throw away the key!”
He whirled on her. “What do you think? That it’s your job to tame the savage beast? I’m not into fairy tales.”
“Neither am I,” she said, looking him up and down, her arms crossed over her chest. “And I’m not into rehabilitating delinquents!”
“Oh, don’t pretend like you’ve never crossed to the dark side,” he said. “I’ve seen you do it.”
He watched her shrink down to a small, withered creature, and wished he could unsay it. She ducked her head as if she didn’t want him looking at her. All he could do was turn around and start up the stairs again.
He heard her climbing behind him, but even her huffing and puffing sounded diminished by what he’d said. Bastard, he called himself with every step. Bastard. Bastard. Bastard.
At the last bulkhead, Waverly ran to the intercom and pressed the button for Central Command. “Sarek? Open up.”
“Okay,” came the response, and the doors eased open. Here there was no difference in pressure, no change in the air.
When the bulkhead doors closed under them, Waverly went to the upper intercom switch and hailed Sarek. “We’ll meet you in the shuttle bay, Sarek, okay?”
There was no response.
“Sarek?” Waverly said.
When no answer came she turned to look at Seth. “He must be on his way.”
“I wish we could go to the habitation levels and get some stuff,” Seth said wistfully. There was a picture of his mother he wished he could have.
“I know,” Waverly said, the anger gone from her voice. The two looked at each other.
“Waverly,” he started.
She held up a hand. “Don’t.”
“I just … I’m sorry.”
“I said don’t,” she snapped, but she looked at him with remorseful eyes. “I should have listened to you.”
“That guy. He was a kid killer. He deserved it.”
“Maybe,” she said, but her eyes were still troubled. Because she knew, like he did, that’s not really the point, whether they deserve it or not. “I told myself I was doing it for information, but that’s not really why.”
“Why then?” he asked.
Her lips quivered, and she dropped her head, letting it hang on her spine like dead weight. Her voice was brittle. “Because it felt good at the time.”
He put a hand on her shoulder, a small gesture that wasn’t enough. But he couldn’t think what to say.
She said nothing, nor did she look at him, but he felt her soften under his hand as the hardest part of her gave way a little.
When they got to the shuttle bay, it was quiet. Two shuttles were gone, but there was one lined up at the air-lock doors, ready to go. That little spitfire Sarah Hodges stood at the base of the ramp, her arms folded over her chest, tapping her toe angrily. Waverly started toward it, and Seth followed, for the first time able to think about what came next.
“So I guess we’re all going to the New Horizon, then,” he said.
Waverly shrugged. “I’d almost rather kill myself, but I think this ship is finished.”
“Yeah,” Seth said. “But I guess from now on that lunatic Mather woman will be calling all the shots.”
“She’ll probably throw me in the brig.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Maybe I’ll see my mom there. Or Amanda.”
“Amanda?”
“She’s one of the people who helped me escape.”
“You think that’s what will happen, then? You and anyone dangerous will go in the brig, and everyone else will have to—”
“Act like good little puritans,” she said angrily. “You’ll last about five minutes.”
“Then I guess I’ll see you in the brig,” he said, but he slowed down. They were almost to the shuttle, but he was starting to get an idea. Waverly broke into a staggering jog, and he sped up to keep pace with her as she crossed the huge shuttle bay.
“I thought you weren’t going to wait,” Waverly said to Sarah, who shook her head furiously.
“I almost left about a dozen times,” Sarah said disapprovingly. To Seth she said, “I hope you’re happy. I almost died so she could come get you. Not that you deserve it.”
“It’s nice to see you alive, too,” Seth said.
Waverly started up the shuttle ramp, but Seth grabbed her by the elbow.
“What?” she said angrily.
“I’ve got something to say to you,” he said through his teeth.
“Say it on board, then!” Waverly tried to pull
away from him, but he laid his hands on her shoulders. She felt solid, but small, and when he pulled her closer, she stumbled into him.
“Now is not the time!” she started.
“I’ve got something to say to you, and you’re going to listen.”
“What!” she shouted, looking at Sarah, at the staircase leading to the passenger area of the shuttle—everywhere but at him. “Seth, we have to go!”
“I don’t care anymore that I’m not good enough for you,” he said.
That got her attention, and her eyes finally landed on his. “What are you talking about?”
“I said”—he pulled her closer, until his breath rustled the fringe of hairs at her brow line—“I don’t care that I’m not good enough for you.”
She stared at him, openmouthed, speechless for once. So he kissed her.
It didn’t start out the way he’d imagined it. It wasn’t tender or loving or gentle. It was angry and needy and desperate. At first she stiffened, but then she gave in little by little, until she was leaning entirely into him, letting him breathe her in.
“For God’s sake,” Sarah said. “Let’s go!”
Waverly broke away from him, looking mussed and bewildered. Beautiful. She took two backward steps, and he backed away, too.
“I’m not coming,” Seth said as he stepped off the shuttle ramp.
“What?!” Waverly screamed. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I’m not coming, Waverly,” he said.
“Suit yourself,” Sarah said, and pressed the button to close the ramp.
Waverly dropped to her knees as the ramp began to rise. “What the hell are you doing?”
“I don’t know yet,” Seth said. “You’re better off not knowing anyway.”
“This is crazy!” she screamed, and lunged toward the controls for the ramp, but Sarah wrapped her wiry arms around her and pulled her back from it. “Seth! What the hell is this?!”
“I’ll see you soon,” Seth called.
She dropped onto the floor of the ramp, which left only enough room for him to see her face, florid with rage. “You get yourself killed, Seth Ardvale, and I’ll never forgive you! You arrogant son of a bitch!”
If there was anything else to say to her, now was the time as the shuttle ramp edged closed between them. But he couldn’t make the words. So he held up a hand, and tried to smile at her. Her mouth dropped open, and she just looked at him, her eyes brimming, brow wrinkled with anger and hurt.
The ramp closed and the engines sputtered to life, lifting the shuttle off the floor and into the air lock. The doors sealed behind it with a ringing finality, and Waverly was gone.
Arrogant, she’d said. He liked the sound of that.
Seth turned and, with one last look at his home—the empty OneMen hanging on the walls, the shuttles perched like prehistoric birds on the floor, the flickering lights overhead, and all that quiet—he headed for the nearest OneMan.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Sincerest thanks to Victoria Hanley and Michael Ryan, who gave valuable feedback on the manuscript. Thanks to Kathleen Anderson for being such a terrific agent. Thanks to Jennifer Weis, Mollie Traver, Rachel Ekstrom, Sarah Goldstein, and the entire team of wizards at St. Martin’s Press.
Also by Amy Kathleen Ryan
Glow
Zen and Xander Undone
Vibes
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amy Kathleen Ryan earned an MA in English literature at the University of Vermont, and an MFA in creative writing from the New School Creative Writing for Children Program in New York City. She is also the author of two widely acclaimed young adult novels, Zen and Xander Undone and Vibes. Visit Amy online at www.amykathleenryan.com.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
SPARK. Copyright © 2012 by Amy Kathleen Ryan. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design by Michael Storrings
Cover photographs: running man © Ojo Images/Alamy; running girl © Alejandro Rivera/Getty Images; all other images © Shutterstock The Library of Congress has cataloged the print edition as follows: Ryan, Amy Kathleen.
Spark : a Sky chasers novel / Amy Kathleen Ryan. — 1st ed.
p. cm. — (Sky chasers ; no. 2) ISBN 978-0-312-62135-3 (hardback) ISBN 9781250014160 (e-book) [1. Science fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.R9476Sp 2012
[Fic]—dc23
2012004631
First Edition: July 2012
Stay tuned for the next thrilling installment in
The Sky Chasers!
Available Summer 2013
Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Part One: Pride
Escape
Hero
The Burdens of Leadership
The Trail
Galen and Eddie
The Past
Clues
Official Investigation
Part Two: Power
New Rules
Unofficial Investigation
The Shepherd
Dissident
The Girl
Attack
The Central Council
The Observatory
Part Three: Justice
Recovery
Release
Talk
Inmates
Clash
Wild Justice
Hints
Damage
Part Four: Spark
Practice Run
The Last Amen
The Party
Best-Laid Plans
Cat and Mouse
Flash
Blind
Trapped
Panic
Blade
Acknowledgments
Also by Amy Kathleen Ryan
About the Author
Copyright
Table of Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Epigraph
Part One: Pride
Escape
Hero
The Burdens of Leadership
The Trail
Galen and Eddie
The Past
Clues
Official Investigation
Part Two: Power
New Rules
Unofficial Investigation
The Shepherd
Dissident
The Girl
Attack
The Central Council
The Observatory
Part Three: Justice
Recovery
Release
Talk
Inmates
Clash
Wild Justice
Hints
Damage
Part Four: Spark
Practice Run
The Last Amen
The Party
Best-Laid Plans
Cat and Mouse
Flash
Blind
Trapped
Panic
Blade
Acknowledgments
Also by Amy Kathleen Ryan
About the Author
Copyright
Spark: A Sky Chasers Novel Page 30