Awakened

by Morgan L. Busse

Kat took a step back. That’s why he had her in here. He knew seeing her mother, especially in that brass box, would trigger her. And it had worked. Almost. Even now she could feel the monster roaring deep inside her chest, demanding to be let loose.

  “Now I just need to find a way to harness and replicate it. And when that happens, I won’t need you anymore.”

  His hand came flying from his pocket. Kat raised her hands, the fire erupting toward her fingertips, but the needle was already plunging into her neck.

  “I’m sorry, dear.” For one brief moment as she struggled for breath, she thought her father actually looked remorseful. “You woke up before I was ready.” Then he took a step back and pocketed the glass syringe.

  “Father . . .” She raised her hands again, the dark power a flurry inside of her, but the medication was already taking effect. The room grew hazy and a hum started inside her head. “Please don’t . . .”

  “I can’t have you lighting this room on fire or throwing me against the wall. That wouldn’t do at all. But at least now I know how to coax that power out.”

  Kat slipped to the floor. Her father knelt down beside her. “That’s right. Go to sleep. The next time we meet, I want to see your power in full force. Until then . . .”

  She closed her eyes and fell back into the inky darkness.

  •••

  “Wake up, Kathryn.”

  Kat barely heard the words as she blinked against the dim green light and shifted her head. There was something inside her ears, like cotton, but not soft the way cotton would be. More like tiny metal balls covered in rubber. They were connected to thin metal rods that ran along either side of her face down to her chin, where they merged into a thick wire that draped across her torso.

  Kat shifted, then gasped. Her whole body ached, like a thousand needles had been pressed into every inch of her, except for her chest. As before, she could feel nothing around her heart, not even her heartbeat.

  Her father stepped back and wrote something across the board he carried. “Experiment seven. This time we will try a different kind of fear.” He turned and walked toward a doorway to the right.

  Her body stiffened on the cold metal table as the memories of the last few hours—or days—came back. First the test, something to push her emotions to the brink. Sometimes it was a hallucinogenic drug. Other times it was something real. No matter how she fought to stay calm, eventually she would react. Then came the high-pitched whistle delivered through the gadgets inside her ears, paralyzing her mind. Then sedation by needle. Over and over again.

  Metal bands wrapped around her wrists and ankles, trapping her against the flat surface. The door shut, leaving her in silence. It was starting once again.

  Kat licked her lips. Time had blurred into one long line of green light, heady incense, terror, piercing shrills, then darkness. With each experiment, she fought the monster inside her, barely reining it in. During the last trial, she had picked up the tables and lamps around the room and pulled them around her in defense before the earphones delivered a paralyzing whistle and a needle pricked her neck.

  Sweat trickled down the side of her head. She couldn’t keep this up much longer. Each experiment tore away what little strength she had left to fight the monster, and the numbness around her heart was spreading.

  She swallowed. That’s what Father wanted. He wanted her to lose control. He wanted her to access that power. He was testing her limits, and how to stop her, all so he could control her.

  As if sensing her thoughts, the monster shifted beneath her physical being, waiting to be let loose again. Her lip began to tremble. What would her father do this time? What would she do this time?

  The metallic smell of blood filled her nose, mixing with the ever-increasing scent of incense. Kat froze. Was it her blood, or someone else’s?

  One by one, the green lamps went out except for one, leaving the room in almost darkness. Kat looked to the left, then to the right. She couldn’t see or hear anything.

  There was a muffled creak, then a click, as if a door had opened and closed somewhere nearby. She wanted to tear the earphones out so she could hear better, but the piercing whistle helped her quell the monster inside her. Her cheeks burned at the thought. Just what Father wanted.

  Kat lay still, every normal sense stretched out. The urge to expand her power almost overwhelmed her, but she held it at bay, instead using her limited hearing and sight.

  Something skittered to her left. She twisted her head toward the sound, but could see nothing. Another scurrying sound. Like tiny claws clacking across a marble floor. Every hair stood on end. More skittering, closer, closer . . .

  With a shriek, Kat pulled on the metal bands, reopening the wounds around her wrists and ankles. The table beneath her moved slightly, like something was climbing it.

  She gasped, her eyes wide but seeing little. She jerked her head left and right, trying to catch a glimpse of whatever was out there.

  Something wet touched her calf. Another creature crawled onto her midsection, just below the numb area.

  Kat screamed.

  Dark power filled her being, exploding across her body with the fury of a gale, blasting away everything touching her. The air filled with squeaks and thuds as the creatures hit the wall and floor. A moment later there was a rush of clacks.

  They were coming back.

  She sank deep into the dark power until she could feel everything in the room. Dozens of rodents were rushing toward her. With one thought, she gripped them in the air.

  Her hands caught fire, their orange glow surpassing the green light inside the room.

  Kat grit her teeth, her mind teetering on the abyss of fear. She twisted her wrists until her palms were up and spread her fingers wide. She would not let those creatures touch her again!

  A dozen screams and squeals ricocheted across the room as every rodent popped into flames. The smell of burnt hair and flesh filled the air.

  Kat turned and looked to her right, her senses expanding past the walls. Beyond the room were five people. She bared her teeth and squeezed her hands.

  “Now, now!” Someone shouted. “Now before—”

  There was a gurgling sound.

  Stop!

  Kat gasped and opened her hand.

  This is not you. Fight it—

  “I can’t!” she screamed at the ceiling. “I can’t keep doing this! I can’t keep fight—”

  A high-pitched whistle filled her mind until her eyes watered and she thought she was going to retch. The familiar sting entered her neck. The shriek faded, but her mind still pulsed with the sound as her whole body shivered from the coldness spreading through every vein in her body. With one last effort, Kat forced the monster back inside.

  “She is ready,” her father said nearby. “The council is demanding a demonstration. I think we can safely give them one.”

  A tear slipped down her check, her body relaxing of its own accord. She could still feel each rat die inside her head. She never wanted to kill anything, even creatures such as those. Yet her father was driving her to do things she would have never done.

  Her body grew cold and her hands came to rest at her sides. Only a sliver of her soul remained. She could feel it deep inside her, like the last ember of a dying fire.

  Did her father not realize what was going to happen once that ember went out? He thought he was controlling her with the earphones and sedatives, but the truth was they only helped her control herself. She was the one stopping her power each time. But she couldn’t do it much longer. Soon, the monster would be unleashed and it would envelope her and consume her soul.

  Then she would be the monster. And there would be no stopping her.

  Another tear slipped down her cheek. Someone walked by and turned the green lamps back on.

  She grasped at one last thought at the medicine took effect. God, if you are real, don’t let them do this to me. Don’t let them turn me into a monster.

  Chapter

&n
bsp; 32

  Stephen stood on the prow of the Lancelot as the wind whipped through his hair and duster. The airship coasted just above a sea of dark clouds and misty air rushed across his face and knuckles. He leaned forward as if that act would make the Lancelot fly faster. He had to get to World City in time. He had to get there before . . .

  How much time had passed? He ran a hand through his windswept hair. A week at least. Depending on Jake and the others’ mode of transportation, Kat had already been in World City for a couple of days, if not longer, locked in the Tower, experiencing who knew what experiments performed on her.

  She was already on the edge. Would her father push her past the point of no return? Would the other Kat emerge permanently? And if so, what could they do?

  He slammed a fist on the railing. He had promised to keep Kat safe. But what could he have done? Should he have started a gunfight right there in a military base?

  Yes. He sighed. No. Blazes, I don’t know! Every time he saw Jake in his mind’s eye, hauling Kat out of the medical tent, he wanted to draw his gun. But it was too late now. And deep down, he knew he had made the only choice he could have if he wanted to be free to pursue Kat at the present.

  But what if he had to make another choice between breaking the law and saving Kat? That just might be what he had to do to save her. Break into the Tower, shoot people, and go against everything he believed in as a lawman. And what if he was too late? What if Kat was already gone?

  Stephen pinched the bridge of his nose, his throat tight. Would he have to shoot Kat in order to save World City?

  God, don’t let that happen. Please don’t make me have to choose. Please save Kat. Heal whatever is wrong inside her. Don’t let her father destroy her.

  “Watching for World City?”

  Stephen opened his eyes and looked to the right. Dr. Latimer stood beside him, his eyes shaded by his hand, his gaze forward.

  “Yes. Grim said we are close.”

  Dr. Latimer nodded, then grabbed the railing when, as if in answer, the airship dipped down below the cloud cover. Minutes later, World City spread out below them, a sea of buildings, factories, and smokestacks with the Meandre River running through the middle. On the other side of the river stood the Tower, like a finger thrust toward the sky, and the Capitol building to the left, its glass dome reflecting the dark gray skies above.

  Minutes later the Lancelet banked to the left. A sky tower stood near the edge of the city with multiple platforms. It was as close as Grim could take them.

  Stephen’s heart squeezed tightly inside his chest. Somewhere down there was Kat. But where? His gaze settled on the Tower. His best bet was there. And that’s where that electric machine Dr. Latimer needed was located. But how in the blazes was he going to break into the Tower again? They knew who he was, probably had a warrant out on him.

  He closed his hand into a fist. It didn’t matter. He would find a way in, one way or another.

  •••

  Stephen stared out the smudged window as the motorwagon raced through the dirty streets of Southbrook, away from the sky tower and toward the Tower. It felt odd to be back in World City. Nothing had changed. People still rushed to the factories or home, newsies stood on the corners pushing their papers, and smoke covered the city like a thin gauze. Yet it felt different. Like Stephen was seeing it through new eyes. He was a different man now. No longer broken. He still had cracks inside his soul, but they were filled. Repaired. Kat had forced him to see how broken he was, and his time on the Lancelot and in Austrium had given him time to heal.

  The motorwagon bounced, sending a plume of steam into the air. Stephen caught the front seat and looked out. A ragtag cluster of kids raced across the street. The driver slammed on the brakes and yelled at them, shaking his fist.

  Yes, World City was as busy as ever.

  Stephen sat back and pulled at the hair below his lip as the motorwagon leaped back into drive. In the seat next to him, Dr. Latimer seemed lost in thought as well.

  “It’s been many years,” Dr. Latimer murmured.

  Stephen looked over.

  “Many years since I set foot in those halls. There’s a good chance no one remembers me. I’ve grown a beard since then, and I’m sure those who would recognize me will be in the labs or offices, not out wandering the halls.”

  “What are you saying?” Stephen asked.

  “I might be able to walk in and grab my invention.”

  “Just how big is this invention of yours?”

  Dr. Latimer held up his hands. “About a foot and a half tall, and half a foot wide. Not something I could conceal under a coat, but if I take the back stairs, there is less of a chance that I will meet someone.”

  “Except those who might know you.”

  He shrugged. “It’s a risk no matter how we do it.”

  “What about Kat? Do you think they are holding her at the Tower?”

  “I’m not sure. The Tower, the Bloodmayne residence, or perhaps the Capitol building itself.”

  “Blazes!” Stephen leaned forward and ran both hands through his hair. “How do we find out?”

  “Let’s start with retrieving my machine. Without it, it won’t matter if we find Miss Bloodmayne. It is the only idea I’ve been able to come up with that might help her.”

  Stephen shook his head. “I don’t like it, this ‘might’ business.”

  “Neither do I. Ideally, I could have studied her condition further, but we ran out of time.” Dr. Latimer sighed. “Given what she shared, I’m not sure if she had much time left anyway.”

  Stephen sat back, his insides clenching until he felt like a wrung-out dishcloth. No matter what, whether it was her father or time, he would eventually lose Kat without a miracle.

  A couple minutes later, the motorwagon pulled up to the Tower. The sky grumbled overhead, threatening to drench the city in a summer rain.

  “Can’t stay,” the driver said, hopping out of the front seat and pulling his goggles up across his forehead. The grime from the motorwagon left his face covered in soot save for two circles around his eyes.

  “Here, then.” Stephen pulled out two bills. He was running low on funds and wasn’t sure when he would be able to stop at his office.

  “Thank ya kindly, sir.” The man stuffed the bills into his front pocket, slapped the goggles back down, and with a grind and whine, the motorwagon started down the street. It certainly was not as elegant as a phaeton.

  Stephen turned to find Dr. Latimer staring up at the Tower, a nostalgic expression on his face. The dark clouds made the Tower look more menacing and less like a place of academia. “I do miss this place, even after all that happened to me years ago. I once read that God has placed eternity in the hearts of men, that it is our prerogative to search out meaning and understanding. Only now I realize that means doing so with the Creator by our side. That in our exploration of the world around us, we come to understand God more. When we search for knowledge on our own, it only leads us to greed, not to glory.”

  Dr. Latimer stuffed his hands in his pockets and sighed. “What if Alexander had explored matter in the light of the God who made matter? What might he have accomplished?”

  Stephen glanced away, imagining how Kat’s life might have been different. Dr. Latimer placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him a wistful smile. “Come. We should be going. Please excuse the musings of an old man.”

  Stephen followed Dr. Latimer toward the entrance to the Tower. Was the doctor right? Did it matter how a person approached their understanding of the world? He shook his head. Science was not his strongest suit. But he did find some comfort in knowing that Dr. Latimer had a respect for God and that he would not be performing the procedure on Kat just for knowledge, but in the desire to save her.

  A woman exited the double doors and hurried down the stairs, a stained lab coat over her blouse and skirt, and small wooden crate clutched in her hands. A glint of red hair showed from beneath the dark scarf she wore. Stephen stopp
ed. He knew that woman.

  He raised his hand and waved. “Miss! Wait!”

  She turned and looked at him.

  Yes, she was the woman he’d encountered in the Tower weeks ago, the one he’d run into on the top floor and who had recommended that he escape through the storage room.

  Her face blanched at the sight of him.

  He paused. Not a good sign.

  She turned to leave, but Stephen ran up to her, his hand outstretched. “Please, wait. You work at the Tower, right?”

  Her shoulders sagged and she turned around. “No. Today was my last day.”

  “Oh.” Well that put a damper on the plan forming inside his head.

  “Wait, I remember you. You were here weeks ago. You rescued Kat.” A glint of life came back into her eyes. “How is Kat doing?” Then her face wrinkled. “And why are you here again? Are you here to stop the experiments?”

  Dr. Latimer came up beside Stephen. “Did I hear right? You work here?”

  The young lady glanced at Dr. Latimer and back to Stephen. “No, not any longer. The Tower and I did not agree on certain . . . methods they were employing.”

  “Then you and I have something in common.” Dr. Latimer gave her a short bow. “Dr. Joshua Latimer, at your service. I was once a scientist here a long time ago. I also had issues with some of their—er—methods.”

  The lady looked at him with wide eyes. “I am so sorry to hear that. Then you also knew about the”—she looked around fearfully—“the experiments?”

  “If you’re asking what I think you’re asking, then yes.”

  She staggered back and let out a slight moan.

  Stephen grabbed her by the elbow, steadying her as Dr. Latimer took the crate from her hands. “Are you all right?”

  She covered her mouth, closed her eyes, and nodded. “No one believed me.” Her eyes popped open, a look of sorrow touched with indignation filling them. “Not even Papa. When the Tower found out I was asking around, I was called up to the head office and released from my apprenticeship. I came this morning to pick up the last of my belongings.” She gestured at the box in Dr. Latimer’s hands. It contained a photograph of herself with an older man and a small pile of books, along with a few beakers and glass tubes.