Smoke (Smoke Series Book 1)

by Mariah Esterly

  “Gertie, you can’t do that.” Vail commented as she stalked into her living room and hit the power button on the radio. She didn’t know where he was standing in the room, so she kept facing toward the stereo.

  “I can do whatever I like.”

  She felt him come up next to her. “No, you can’t. It’s not safe.”

  She moved away from him, went to the kitchen and got a glass of water. “I was perfectly safe. Look, I’m fine. People can’t get into the building without living here, or without being with someone who lives here.”

  “I got in.”

  She rolled her eyes, bobbing her head in time to the music. “You’re invisible.”

  “Those men on Friday got in.” His voice was closer, quieter. She set her glass on the counter, and turned to lean against it with her back, facing where she knew Vail was standing.

  He was right, of course. Those men had been in the building before she was. She was right too. She was fine. Based on what had happened to the men that had tried to hurt her, she was pretty sure she would continue to be fine.

  But she could tell he was worried. So, she forced a smile and said, “You’re right, I’m sorry. I just didn’t think.” She felt his hands brush against her bare shoulders, but she pushed by him. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  She didn’t turn on the TV before she left the room.

  Over the next few days they settled into a sort of routine. They spent an hour in the morning in the bathroom, while Gertie slowly got ready for the day, silly really because for the first two days she wasn’t actually going anywhere.

  Vail stayed with her unless he needed to go to the Office to check in. They were working on getting a camera small enough that he would be able to use it while invisible.

  Graves had wanted them to push forward with the original plan, but Atkins had intervened on Gertie’s behalf, agreeing that it would be too great a risk. He had apparently heard of Mr. Saunders and said that the government only sent him out for high profile cases. He’d even argued against sending Vail to Gertie’s work with her.

  Graves and Vail had convinced him otherwise. Something that Gertie had called him an idiot for.

  On Thursday morning, they got up early and Gertie got ready for work, trying to hide her nervousness. Vail chatted away at her, doing his best to distract her, but failing.

  Gertie’s stomach was tied in knots, her palms sweaty. She responded to Vail’s comments with single syllables. Her whole being focused on whether she would have a job when she reached her office, or if she would be arrested as soon as she stepped foot inside.

  She needn’t have concerned herself about it. Mr. Lott trusted her, as strange as it seemed, and he apologized rather profusely for making her take two whole days off. “I was just putting on a show for Mr. Saunders.” He patted her hand. “I know you would never knowingly get mixed up with a terrorist.”

  She forced a smile to her lips. He seemed please as she said, “thank you, Mr. Lott. It means a great deal to me that I have your support.” He made her stay in his office for a bit longer, where he found every possible excuse to touch her. She gritted her teeth and continued to smile, feeling Vail bristle next to her. She began to worry that he might do something stupid and get both of them into trouble, when Kay appeared at the door and pulled her away.

  She wanted to know why Gertie was absent for two whole days, but Gertie just shook her head and lied about not feeling well. Kay didn’t push Gertie to tell her more, and soon they were both typing away at their computers.

  Gertie worked through lunch and well past the time that everyone else went home, until eventually Mr. Lott requested that she leave, so that he could as well.

  Gertie wedged herself into the corner of the elevator as they rode down together, praying that he would keep his hands to himself. She felt Vail standing between them, but knew that if it came down to it, he would have to move or risk Mr. Lott discovering him there.

  Mercifully, he maintained a normal amount of distance between them, and Gertie was able to bolt out of the elevator on the first floor, while he continued down to the parking garage, reserved for the managers and supervisors.

  The next day was much the same, though Gertie didn’t stay as late as she had the night before. She’d been able to make up for most of her missing work in one day.

  When they left for the weekend, Kay tried to get Gertie to go shopping with her, but Gertie shook her head and made her way home instead, Vail trailing behind her.

  She packed up what little extra food she had in her fridge and then headed out the door again, anxious to get to the tiny second floor apartment where she felt safe.

  Once she was there it didn’t feel right. Her mother nagged at her about not visiting last week. Her father raved about Chancellor Duncan and his recent decisions for the country. Her Grandfather kept glancing in Vail’s direction, making Gertie wonder if he wasn’t somehow able to sense that Vail was there.

  After transferring a good portion of her weekly earnings to her mother, she left earlier than she would have normally, allowing her grandfather to walk her out. He took her hand when they reached the street, his green eyes worried. “What happened this week, my girl?”

  Gertie didn’t know how he could tell that something was amiss. She’d done her best to act as she always did and the bruise on her cheek was all but healed. Still, he was looking at her with such concern that she knew somehow, he knew. She shook her head. “I fell and hit my head. It made me miss a few days of work. It’s nothing.”

  His eyes flickered to a point behind her, and Gertie felt in her heart he was looking at Vail. She squeezed his hand, drawing his attention back to her. “Trust me when I tell you everything is fine, Papa. I’m okay. I’ll be okay. I have friends in 3rd that watch out for me.” Gertie hoped she didn’t give too much away.

  He nodded his understanding and wrapped her in a hug that squeezed the air from her lungs before leaning back and patting her cheek. “I imagine sometime soon you’re going to have a few questions. When you are ready to ask, I’ll be ready to answer.”

  Without waiting for her to respond, he turned from her and entered the building.

  “What was that about?” Vail asked, quietly.

  Gertie shook her head and started walking. “I have no idea.”

  They reached the checkpoint between 4th and 3rd about an hour later. Gertie felt her stomach tighten anxiously, knowing that Liam would be working, as he always was on Fridays.

  “I’ll meet you on the other side,” Vail murmured. Gertie nodded, and felt him walk away from her.

  The checkpoint was busier than it was when she normally went through, which made sense because it was a few hours earlier. She stepped up to the back of the line and scanned the guards that were working. Liam must be in the back, or maybe he had taken the night off.

  She let out a sigh of relief. The line moved slowly, and she tried not to let her impatience show, her fingers tapping her upper arms. She let out a small sigh as she stepped up to the table. The guard scanned her bracelet and typed into the computer. She heard the computer beep, and the guard nodded at her.

  She smiled. “Have a great night.”

  She had just pushed open the door to Section 3 when she heard, “Gertie!” called from behind her. She ignored it and kept walking, hurrying into the street.

  A hand grabbed her elbow, halting her progress, before spinning her around. “Gertie,” Liam said, concern clear on his face. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”

  Gertie didn’t answer, just stared at the black jacket of his uniform. He tipped her chin up with a gentle finger. “I’ve been worried.”

  Try as she might she couldn’t keep the anger from her voice. Granted she didn’t try that hard. “You’ve been worried about me?” She hissed. “Really? Could that be because you reported me to your superiors?”

  He shook his head. “I didn’t report you. They approached me. I couldn’t lie to them.”

  Gertie
felt her fist clench. “I was suspended for two days for telling them the truth. Because you said you didn’t believe me.” She took a step back. “I lost two days of work. I know that might not seem like a lot to you, but for me and my family, it could have been devastating.”

  He reached for her, taking her elbows to pull her closer. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think they would do anything to you. They told me that guy you were with at the bar is a known member of the resistance. I got worried that you might be wrapped in something that you shouldn’t. I just- I don’t want to see you get hurt.” His hands moved up from her elbows to her shoulders. He inched toward her, until their bodies were almost flush. “Please, don’t be mad at me. I didn’t think.”

  Gertie stared into his golden brown eyes. She thought that if she stayed where she was he might kiss her in apology. There had been a time not too long ago that being this close to him would have awakened butterflies in her stomach, that the thought of his lips on hers would have sent a thrill through her body.

  A pair of grey eyes flashed through her mind, and she became keenly aware that Vail was somewhere nearby watching.

  She clenched her fists and pulled away, taking few steps back so that she was out of reach. “I am mad.” She said. “No, I’m furious. That might go away in time. But you’ve lost my trust, and that is something that I’m not sure you’ll ever get back.”

  “Gertie, come on-” he started, but Gertie was already walking away from him, her arms wrapped around her middle. She heard him start after her, and expected to feel his hands on her again, but they never came. A quick glance over her shoulder showed Liam on the ground as though he’d tripped.

  She watched him get up, start after her and then stumble and fall again.

  Gertie took advantage and hurried down a side street, trying her best to blend into the crowd. Hoping that Vail would still be able to catch up with her.

  She needn’t have worried. As she turned a corner she felt his hand on the small of her back.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” Gertie mumbled under her breath.

  “Why? That guy’s a jackass. He would have kept following you.” She felt his fingers wrap around hers and a tiny thrill moved through her chest, setting her heart beating faster.

  “But he’ll know something’s up.”

  “How? I hardly touched him.”

  “He’s not the sort of guy who just falls for no reason. He has more control of his body then that.” He pulled her to a stop, she could feel him considering her though she couldn’t see him. She looked at the window display of the shop they’d stopped outside of, so that she didn’t look as though she’d just stopped for no reason.

  “How do you know what his body control is like?” She didn’t answer, but felt her face flush. The truth was that she and Liam hadn’t even kissed. But Vail didn’t need to know that. She heard him sigh and then felt him tugging her along while she tried to make her sudden motion look natural. When they reached an alley, he pulled her down it, ducking behind a dumpster so that they were hidden from the street. She felt him press her against the brick wall of the building behind her before he suddenly became visible, his grey eyes looking intently into hers.

  “Vail,” she gasped. “What are you doing? Someone might see.”

  He shook his head and glanced around. “No cameras.” He placed a hand on the wall on either side of her head, leaning in so close his breath brushed her face. “I don’t like the idea of you knowing anything about his body.”

  Her face flushed again, but she crossed her arms over her chest and raised her chin an inch. “Frankly, it’s none of your business.”

  “What if I want to make it my business?”

  “How are you going to do that?” She asked. He didn’t respond. She couldn’t help from prompting. “Are you going to kiss me, Vail?”

  He was so close now she could feel his breath on her lips. Her heart beating fast in her chest in anticipation. She wanted to turn her face up, to press her lips to his, but he pulled away, ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not going to kiss you behind a dumpster in an alley. But someday soon, yes, I’m going to kiss you.”

  Her face flushed. “Is that a promise?” her voice came out breathy, as though he’s stolen the air from her lungs with his resolve.

  He grinned. “Yes, Freckles, that’s a promise.” And then he disappeared.

  20

  Liam

  Liam pulled himself up from the ground, glancing around to see if anyone had noticed him tripping over nothing, not once but twice. The weird thing is that he was pretty sure he’d felt a foot tangle between his ankles, and hands help him down.

  But there was no one there.

  He scanned the street ahead of him, trying to catch sight of Gertie but she’d slipped down and alley and out of his sight.

  Looking around again he headed back into the checkpoint. He hardly spared a glance at the guards there, having a laugh at their Captain’s expense. Instead, he went right to his office and closed the door.

  Moments later, he was scanning through footage of the surrounding area, looking for Gertie. Not really an official use of his resources, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that Gertie was in some kind of trouble. He knew someone had tripped him.

  He found her in an alley leaning against a wall. The guy from the bar was with her, leaning over her in a menacing fashion, pinning her in place with an arm on either side of her. Liam would have leapt up and run through the streets right then, he knew where that alley was, but Gertie didn’t seem to be frightened. So, he stayed put watching the scene in front of him.

  He let out a gasp when Vail blinked out, going completely invisible.

  He was an Extra.

  Liam’s eyes flew to Gertie’s face, anxious to see her reaction. His heart fell when he saw that she wasn’t surprised.

  She knew.

  She knew that Vail was an Extra and she hadn’t said anything to him. She hadn’t reported him.

  He watched as Gertie walked out of the alley, seemingly alone, feeling betrayal weigh on him so heavy that his bones felt like stones. He’d thought that… he didn’t know what he’d thought.

  From the moment he’d seen Gertie struggling through the checkpoint between 4th and 3rd, carrying all of her belongings on her back, he’d needed to know her. Not want, need. He’d felt that need in his very core, guiding his every action. He’d offered to help her find her new home, to carry her bags, but she’d refused, still distrusting of strangers offering kindness, as many people from the lower districts often were.

  He’d been happy to see her pass through the checkpoint so often. Once he knew that she went through each Friday to visit her parents, he’d made a point of working, just to be able to see her. He still got a little flip in his stomach when her honey colored head popped into view on the cameras in the checkpoint.

  It had taken months, but she’d finally relaxed enough around him to actually have a conversation with him, and he’d thought that he was making some real headway. He’d felt that she liked him, saw it in her shy smile while she brought him cookies each week, in the way she’d greeted him in the bar.

  But this… this was crushing.

  Maybe she doesn’t realize the danger she’s in, a voice whispered in him, trying to rationalize why she wouldn’t have said anything to him. Maybe the Extra has threatened her in some way.

  Or maybe she just doesn’t care, a bitter voice chimed in. Maybe she loves him. His lips compressed into a thin line as he tapped on the keyboard, pulling Gertie’s apartment building up on the screen, feeling only slightly like a creep.

  He just wanted to be sure that she was safe, Liam assured himself. Nothing creepy about that.

  He watched as she hurried through the doors, the smile on her face stretching nearly ear to ear. He had to talk to her, to get her to tell him the truth. It would be the only way to protect her when the Extra was caught. He needed to be able to say that she told him about Vail and his abilities. T
hen she could be considered an asset rather than a suspect.

  But he didn’t want to pull her in for questioning, that would go on her official record and she could lose her position in data entry. He didn’t want to show up at her house and interrogate her there. She probably wouldn’t let him in, and this was not a conversation that he wanted to have through a closed door.

  He ran a hand down his face in frustration, feeling the beginnings of a beard scratch against his fingers. He glanced at his bracelet and the time flashed across it.

  He came to a decision abruptly and stood from the desk. He would go and find Gertie’s friend, Kay. Gertie had frequently told him that her friend went out both Friday and Saturday, with any luck he would be able to get some information about Gertie’s plans this weekend, then he could casually run into her while she was out.

  With any luck, he would be able to save her from herself.

  21

  Gertie

  “Okay, try that.” Gertie and Vail were in the bathroom testing Vail’s capability to make the tiny camera the Office had found for him invisible. Vail blinked out of existence and most of the camera disappeared with him.

  She shook her head. “I can still see the lens.”

  He groaned and became visible again. “I’m not sure it’s something I’ll be able to do.”

  Gertie tilted her head to one side considering, reaching out to position his hand closer to his chest. “Maybe if we pin it to your shirt somehow? Rather than having you hold it? Maybe the closer to your body it is the better you’ll be able to cover it?”

  “Hmm, interesting theory.” He took a step closer to her. “I think we should test it.”

  Gertie tried to focus, to ignore the heat she could feel coming off him, but his nearness was so damn distracting. She took a step back, ignoring the flutter of her heart against her ribs and tried to think of the best way to attach the tiny camera to his chest.