The Defiant

by Lisa M. Stasse

  I stare back at him. “Alenna,” I say.

  Gadya gives him her first name too.

  The boy nods. “You’re late.”

  “There are soldiers out here—haven’t you heard the gunshots?” Gadya asks.

  The boy nods. “That’s why they sent me. To find you.” He pauses. “There’s supposed to be more of you.”

  “They got lost on the way down,” I say. “They’ll be here soon. One of them is named Liam.”

  The boy nods again. “I know. The head of my resistance cell gave me the manifest for the flights.” Gadya and I exchange wary glances. We expected to meet rebels when we landed, but we did not expect that one of them would be a child.

  Jonah takes a primitive-looking walkie-talkie from his belt. “Short-range encoded signal. No one can intercept it,” he explains. Then he presses a button and talks into the device. “Two of them are here. Alenna and Gadya. I’m sending them to meet you. I’ll wait for the others and take them to the next convoy. Over.”

  A voice on the other end crackles back to us: “Tell them to get here fast. Over.”

  “Will do. Over and out.” Jonah looks back at us, finally lowering his gun. “Better start walking.”

  “Are you safe out here on your own?” I ask him, suddenly worried.

  “I’ve been on my own since I was ten. I’m an orphan. The rebels are my family. I’m safer than you out here. I’m smaller, faster, and I can hide better.” He looks at me intensely.

  “You heard the kid,” Gadya mutters, sounding almost amused. “We better move.”

  We hustle past Jonah as he watches us closely. Soon he is behind us. We hike for another five minutes. I consult the map again. We’re at the point where we need to cross the river.

  I tug Gadya’s sleeve. “Stop. We’re here.”

  I gaze up ahead. Here, the river makes a bend before it widens. This is its narrowest point before it grows to about forty feet in width and runs off as far as I can see, winding into the darkness of the forest. We just have to make it across without drowning.

  “Ready to swim?” Gadya asks.

  “I’m ready for anything.”

  I walk forward and kneel down at the edge.

  Gadya joins me, plunging her hand into the water. “It’s cold. Figures.”

  I start unlacing my boots. Gadya kicks off her boots and snatches them up in her hand.

  We quickly step into the water, clutching our boots. I shiver. Gadya is right. The water is freezing. It comes up to my thighs and to her waist. I realize now that it’s too deep to walk quickly in, but too shallow and rocky to swim.

  I take a step forward. The water pulls at our clothes, making foamy wakes around our bodies. We start wading across the river as fast as we can.

  We don’t talk much. We just keep pushing ahead. Our clothes are soaked.

  The river starts to get deeper and moves even faster. I’m worried for a moment that if I slip, the water might carry me away.

  I stare out at the bank. We’re only fifteen feet away now. I just keep trying to move forward.

  I hear a sudden yelp.

  It’s Gadya.

  “You okay?” I whisper loudly to her, over the sound of the water.

  “Almost lost my balance. Watch out—the rocks are slippery here.”

  I move closer to her. We help each other along.

  When we reach the muddy bank, we crawl out of the river. We both stand there, dripping with water and shivering.

  I don’t hear any more gunshots. The whole area seems deserted.

  We pause for a moment on the riverbank, getting our boots back on. I hope that Jonah will be able to find Liam and guide him to our convoy. If not, I suppose Liam will find the next one. I know how resourceful he can be.

  “We’re going to die if we just keep standing here,” Gadya grouses. “Someone will find us. C’mon.”

  We begin walking. The forest on this side of the river seems even thicker, like it’s closing in around us. I glance back and see the river receding into the distance.

  Soon, we reach a path that’s been cleared in the forest. It’s a narrow dirt roadway through the trees, wide enough for a car.

  “Is this it?” Gadya asks.

  “I think so,” I tell her. I take out the digital map and glance at it. “Yes, we’re in the right place.”

  “Where is everyone? Didn’t that rebel kid say they were waiting for us?”

  I stare around at the darkness. I feel like we’re the last two people alive on earth. There’s only silence and the noises of the forest. “Maybe the kid was wrong.”

  We look in both directions. There’s no sign of a car.

  “Could be a trap,” Gadya says.

  We exchange worried glances. This is not a good start to our return to liberate the UNA.

  “We should hide—” Gadya begins.

  But the faint noise of vehicles approaching us on the dirt road stops her short.

  “Cars. Two of ’em. Heading our way,” I whisper.

  I can’t see them. Their headlights must be dimmed. I crouch down next to Gadya in the darkness, in the underbrush at the side of the road. We make sure to hide ourselves well, peeking out through the foliage.

  The noise of tires on the dirt road gets louder and then stops, just out of view. I hear car doors opening, followed by someone’s footsteps.

  “Can you see anything?” Gadya whispers into my ear.

  “Not yet,” I say back, straining to look.

  “Alenna?” I hear a voice call out from the road. “Gadya?” The voice is female, and it has a slight Southern twang.

  I don’t know if I can trust this person, although I assume she is a rebel. I get into a defensive posture, ready to run or fight if she does anything suspicious.

  Neither Gadya nor I respond.

  The silhouette of a person grows closer. I can see her now through the trees, walking down the road. She is illuminated by the faint glow of yellow headlights.

  “Alenna?” the woman calls again. “Gadya? Where are you? Jonah said you were on your way!”

  She’s going to find us in the underbrush anyway, so I decide to make myself visible.

  “I’m getting up,” I murmur to Gadya.

  “I’ll cover you,” she whispers back. “I’ll throw my knife at her heart and kill her if she threatens us.” I know that she means it.

  I stand up from the underbrush, with my blade in my hand. I still don’t say a word. I know that this woman is probably a rebel who is on our side, but I’ve also learned not to trust anyone in the UNA.

  The woman doesn’t look surprised to see me, or my knife. In fact, she’s carrying a rifle. It’s hanging loosely by her side. Behind her are two vehicles—a pickup truck and a sedan. Drivers sit in both of them, barely visible beyond the dim headlights.

  The woman staring back at me has red hair, tied back in a bun. She looks like she’s in her late thirties. Her face is pretty, but her eyes glint hard in the moonlight.

  “You’re Alenna,” the woman says to me. “I recognize your photo.”

  I nod. “Yes.”

  “You can lower that weapon. I’m here to help you. We don’t have much time.” She pauses. “I assume Gadya is with you? Probably hiding with a weapon aimed at me, in case I turn out to be a spy or something?”

  “Correct,” Gadya’s voice says from the underbrush.

  The woman smiles. “I’d expect nothing less.” Then her smile fades. “Come with me. Alenna, you’ll be riding in my vehicle. Gadya will be in the one behind us.”

  Gadya stands up loudly from the brush, her arm cocked to throw the knife if she has to. “We don’t want to be separated yet.”

  “I agree,” I say. “We’re supposed to stay together for now.”

  “There’s no other way to get past the government checkpoints on the highway. They’re worse than we thought they would be today. We’re going to smuggle you through as family members. Two teenage girls will look more suspicious than one.�
�� She eyes Gadya’s blue hair and tattoos. “Especially someone who looks like you. So c’mon. Alenna, follow me. Gadya, to the truck. We have fresh, dry clothes for both of you in the cars. You need to change right away.”

  “Are we going to the same destination?” I ask. “I mean, me and Gadya?”

  She shakes her head. “Not right away. We’re taking you to different safe houses. I’ll explain in the car.”

  She’s about to turn away, when I call out, “What about the others? We lost some on the way down. Liam—” My voice catches when I say his name. I have to be strong.

  “I know. I heard Jonah’s dispatch. We’ll send scouts to find them if they don’t turn up soon. Other vehicles will then come and pick them up.” She pauses. “You need to worry about yourself right now, not your friends. They were trained just like you, right? If they survived the jump, then they know what to do.” She turns back around again, and starts heading away from me. “Now hurry up. Get out of those wet clothes.”

  Gadya and I look at each other.

  Gadya steps forward and hugs me hard. “I know we’ll see each other again. And Liam too. Soon.”

  “Definitely. I’ll contact you the first chance I get.”

  “I’ll do the same.”

  “This is the start of everything,” I whisper. “We’re going to get our country back.”

  “Or die trying,” Gadya replies.

  “Come on!” the woman yells at us. Her voice now has an edge of frustration. “We have to go. Other convoys will be coming soon.”

  I part with Gadya.

  I never expected to be alone like this so quickly. That wasn’t part of the plan. I thought we would have more time together with the rebels before going our separate ways. I am now isolated from Liam and Gadya. I hope this woman is the ally that she seems to be . I cling to that thought as I follow the woman and climb inside her waiting car.

  4 THE NIGHT DRIVE

  I HAVEN’T BEEN INSIDE a UNA vehicle in months. I’d forgotten how small and utilitarian they are, compared to that tram on the wheel. All new cars look pretty much the same now, mandated by the government. Gray metal sedans with curved hoods. They’re mass-produced cheaply by giant factories located in the place that used to be called Mexico. Older cars are on the road too, but they are clearly being phased out.

  I slide into the back of the car, and close the door behind me.

  A man is sitting behind the wheel. He doesn’t turn back to look at me. The woman sits in the passenger seat.

  As promised, there’s a pile of clothes and a new pair of shoes waiting there for me on the backseat. They are simple and utilitarian. A green blouse, a gray jacket, and jeans. Designed not to attract any attention. I start stripping off my wet shirt and pants.

  “Don’t watch,” I say, although there’s really no room for modesty. I awkwardly get my wet clothes off and the dry ones on.

  “Slip your old clothes into this bag,” the woman says, handing me a plastic bag. Then she takes the bag from me and tosses it out the window and into the forest. It disappears from view into the brush.

  “Won’t that leave a clue if someone’s looking for us?” I ask, startled.

  “The bag is coated with chemicals. It will disintegrate itself and the clothes within fifteen minutes.”

  I nod. “Good.”

  The woman hands me a passport and some documents. “Additional fake papers. Things they couldn’t forge on the wheel. Keep them safe.”

  I glance down at them. One of them is a very official-looking government ID card. It has my photo on it. A photo of me from before I got sent to the wheel . I look younger and more innocent in it than I ever remember feeling. It has the name “Elyssa Jones” on it, instead of my own. I put the documents into my jacket pocket and button it.

  “Take this too.” The woman hands me a government earpiece. “It’s disabled so you won’t hear anything through it, but it looks official.”

  I slip it into my ear.

  The middle-aged man sitting behind the wheel finally glances back at me without warning. He’s wearing thick glasses, and he’s balding slightly. His wide face does not look friendly. Unlike the woman, he doesn’t even look confident. Just pale and sweaty.

  “What’s the code?” I ask him, suddenly nervous about his identity. I need to check that he’s a rebel. I’d forgotten until now, but Dr. Vargas-Ruiz gave me and the other kids numbers to remember—codes we could use to confirm a person’s identity and make sure that they were on our side. We’re not supposed to use them except in emergencies, but without Liam and Gadya around, I feel vulnerable.

  “Seven-eight-one-four,” the man replies. “But you should save that for emergencies, remember?”

  I nod, relieved. “I know.” It’s the right number.

  “Let’s go,” the woman says.

  I think about Gadya, who is probably watching me right now from the truck. I glance back, looking for her out the windows, but it’s too dark. I know that both of us are worried about Liam.

  I want to ask this man and woman in the car with me a million questions. They are the first continental UNA rebels I’ve met, other than Jonah. The man pulls the vehicle back onto the road, the tires sending up a sudden spray of dirt and gravel.

  “Careful,” the woman cautions.

  The man nods. “Sorry.”

  We start driving down the bumpy dirt road. The headlights are completely off now. The man is navigating by a small LED screen mounted behind the steering wheel. It makes everything look surreal and green.

  “What do I call you?” I ask. “What are your names?”

  “I go by Kelley,” the woman says. “You can call me that.”

  “Call me Shawn,” the man says.

  “I’ll never know your real names, will I?” I ask. “Doesn’t seem fair.”

  “You’ll know our real names when we defeat the UNA,” the woman replies.

  We keep driving.

  We pull out of the forest, and suddenly I see wide roads and a city sprawling before us in the distance. We’re on the edge of a construction site near the forest. The man slows down, driving the car down another gravel road, mostly hidden from moonlight in the shadows of trees.

  “Are you sure people aren’t watching this place?” I ask. I glance behind us to see Gadya’s vehicle, but it’s not there. “Where’s the truck?” I ask.

  “Waiting for three minutes. We’ve timed everything perfectly so that we won’t both get caught if there are any roadblocks.”

  We continue driving. It doesn’t take us long to reach a two-lane road. We pull out of the construction area and stop in front of a chain-link fence. It’s a gate. Two figures rush out and open it for us. Both of them are dressed in black and wearing stocking masks, obscuring their faces. Our car starts moving again, through the opening.

  “They’re with us,” Kelley says, in response to the masked men.

  “I figured as much,” I tell her.

  I stare back out the window and see the men racing to close the gate again and lock it. They disappear into the shadows.

  “You have to relax,” Kelley says, sensing my nerves.

  “Would you be relaxed if you were me?” I snap back.

  “Probably not, but I’m not you, am I? If you’re nervous and tense, and we get stopped, then that will cause a problem for all of us.”

  We reach another larger road, this one with four lanes. Shawn pulls onto it. I look past the reflections through the curved windows of the car. There aren’t many cars on the road at this time of night. Yet I see a few headlights behind us, and a few up front. This is not a Megaway, or even a large highway. It’s just a regular road, winding its way around the city.

  “Maintain a constant, steady speed,” the woman cautions Shawn. “Not too fast and not too slow.”

  “That’s what I’m doing.”

  I wonder if this is a married couple. She seems to be the one in charge. I realize they are risking their lives to do this for me, and to hel
p the revolution. I’d almost forgotten what a huge risk they’re taking. If they get caught, they’ll probably get tortured right along with me.

  “Thank you,” I suddenly say.

  “For what?” Kelley asks.

  “For taking this chance on me, and on the others.”

  “Thank us when we get to the safe house,” the woman replies, without turning around. “We’re not out of danger yet.”

  We keep driving. On the side of the road are trees and then, set farther back from the road, monolithic gray towers. Government housing, like the kind I grew up in with my parents, before they got taken away. It will be the people living in these buildings, the everyday inhabitants of the UNA, who will be the ones to help us reclaim the country. Or at least that’s what I hope.

  I still can’t believe that I’ve returned here. It’s been six months since I set foot on the continental UNA. In a weird way, Island Alpha feels more like my home now.

  “Look up ahead,” Kelley says to Shawn.

  I peer between their heads to get a view out the windshield. I see a row of cars slowing. Some have already stopped in a line far ahead of us. “What is it?” I ask nervously.

  “It’s a roadblock,” Shawn says. I can hear the fear in his voice. He turns to Kelley. “Maybe they know.”

  “They don’t know,” Kelley replies, her voice calm and firm. “Keep driving. Don’t slow down.”

  “But—”

  “Do what I say.” Her voice is unflinching.

  “It’s not too late to turn around,” Shawn says softly. “We could find another road. Try to avoid detection.”

  Kelley looks straight ahead. “Anything we do now will draw attention to us. We don’t have a choice. We must keep going.”

  Shawn doesn’t say anything. He just keeps driving.

  I clutch my knife, ready to fight if I have to. If this car is overtaken by UNA troops, then I’m going to take some of them out with me.

  I remember what Gadya once told me—that she refuses to be taken alive. That she would turn her weapon on herself if she had to. I know I have the strength to fight. I also hope I have the strength to end my own life like that.