“I said get the envelope Milton,” warned Officer Banks.
Milton took another tentative step towards Dad and gulped. “The envelope Mr. Adams.”
With a loud roar Dad ran at Milton ducking down to grab him around the waist and throw him to the ground. Milton swung his arms and Dad punched back. I kept my knife traced on Milton as he scrabbled with my father on the ground, but Dad had the upper hand and I was afraid I would stab him instead.
“Benjamin,” Officer Banks' voice boomed through the room. “Get off him or I'll shoot her.”
Dad stopped and rose to his feet panting. “Kylie? You loved her once, now you want to shoot her?”
“Frank, please,” Kylie begged, tears streaking down her cheeks.
Officer Banks looked Kylie over as though realising who she was for the first time. “Yes, there was a time I thought I loved her. But then I grew to realise how weak you all were, all of us were. You thought you were making a difference, but you were simply puppets in the Elite's game. I chose not to be a puppet anymore, now I'm a puppeteer.”
“If you think you're not a puppet then you're kidding yourself,” I spat at him.
There was a flash of anger in Officers Banks' eyes as they drilled into mine. “If I was a puppet I wouldn't have ordered your mother's death. If I was a puppet I wouldn't have done this.”
As the click of his finger on the trigger of his gun sounded the whole world fell into slow motion. The boom that followed echoed through the metallic room, reverberating through the glass ceiling, Kylie's eyes widened as her body shuddered, blood spraying over the floor and she fell forward with a forceful push from Officer Banks, her body limp and lifeless.
Officer Banks wiped at his face with his sleeve, before levelling the gun at my dad.
I gasped for air, my chest constricted, my ears ringing. I'd stood by once again and let this man murder someone who was trying to help me. A growl began deep in my chest and rose up my throat as I leapt into a sprint. “You monster!” I yelled as I lunged towards him, my knife clattering to the floor.
His eyes widened in surprise as my shoulder rammed into his chest. I wrapped my arms around his torso and pushed with all my weight to throw him off balance. The gun flung from his hand clanging to the floor, and slid across the tiled floor.
Hands grabbed at the back of my shirt as I continued pounding into the man who'd murdered my mother until Dad had pulled me up onto my feet.
“Run,” he yelled in my face bringing me back from my world of rage.
Dad grabbed hold of my bicep dragging me towards the exit. Milton's motionless body lay to the side, and Officer Banks roared as he scrambled to get back to his feet.
Dad punched numbers into the panel beside the door and it slid open. The world was a blur when we stepped through the doorway, and I turned around as Officer Banks pointed his gun at my face and fired. The door slid closed in time, and the loud ping of the bullet sent fear racing through my veins where pure fury had been moments ago.
Hands shaking, Dad guided me through a number of halls and rooms until we arrived in a small store room. “Quick, help me with these.”
Heart racing, I helped him lift a few large boxes revealing a metal plate on the floor. Dad ran his fingers around the edge until he could lift it up much like the trap door at Domino and Lark's house. “Down here, it's a secret escape tunnel.” I couldn't help but notice the quiver in his voice as he let me climb in first. I scaled down the metal rungs of a ladder as Dad secured the door shut above us, plunging us into darkness. The adrenaline coursing through my veins made my movements too quick for my body to handle and I found myself slipping off steps and missing whole rungs. Drawing in deep breaths I did my best to calm myself, but my hands were shaking and the ache in my chest was unbearable. My heart was breaking for Kylie. We'd stormed into her life and now she was dead.
When my feet settled on the floor below me I breathed out a ragged breath, stepping back to let Dad step down in front of me. He flicked on his torch, the dull glow lighting up the small area around us.
His reddened eyes were full of sadness as he pulled me in for a tight hug. “You scared the hell out of me up there. What were you thinking?”
My mind raced with the clouded memory. I wasn't thinking. I couldn't stand to watch that man hurt one more innocent person. “I don't know I…”
“It's okay.” He pulled back and held my face in his hands. “You're safe now. But please, don't do that again.”
I swallowed back the tears clenching my throat tight. “What do we do now? We didn't get the pendant. It was all for nothing.”
Dad fished the envelope out of his pocket. He peeled back the opening and slid out a round, flat object. “She gave it to us. This is the piece we needed.” He lifted the pendant from my neck and worked to click Kylie's piece to fit his. It sat a little heavier on my chest, but not as heavy as the burden it now carried. Kylie had died to give it to us, if we didn't make it to the other cities, her death would be for nothing.
Chapter Twenty-Five
A stillness settled over us as we climbed through the vents of Eden's undercity. Every creak and bump had my nerves on edge and I longed to be back on Earth, away from the madness of the floating cities. Even if it did mean hanging from under a helicopter again.
The labyrinth of vents linked and weaved together, making me thankful Dad had been the person to design them. He easily found his way around, and although we'd gone the long way around we soon found ourselves back in the small room where we'd toppled all of the boxes.
Dropping to the floor we realised no one had noticed we'd knocked them over, or if they had, they hadn't bothered to pile them back up.
A relief fell over me at being able to stretch my limbs, but it was met with Dad's grim expression.
“We need to keep moving,” he whispered.
“We're safe now aren't we?” I asked.
“Not yet. Officer Banks was once part of my team, he knows this city as well as I do.”
I rubbed at the back of my neck, pulling my crimson plait over my shoulder. “Then why didn't he follow us?”
“That's what I'm worried about. He must think he knows where we're headed,” Dad lowered his voice further, prompting me to do the same.
A heaviness twisted my stomach. “Do you think he'll be waiting at the launch pad?”
“I don't know.” Dad thought to himself for a moment. “You know, when he ordered his men to beat me until I was barely alive I felt so betrayed by him. He'd been my good friend, like a brother. I'd always known he craved recognition, but to go to such extremes? When I was exiled I was surprised when he let me go. He could've killed me, but he didn't.”
“Dad, you were as good as dead anyway from what Brent said.”
“Yes, but he couldn't bring himself to kill me. I thought it meant Frank was still in there somewhere, my friend who helped celebrate my daughter's birthdays.” Dad shook the thoughts away, staring at one of the boxes. “I was lying to myself, I don't know how they did it. How they brainwashed him and turned him into that, that monster. But Frank is gone. He wouldn't have murdered Kylie. Frank loved her.” Dad's lip trembled and tears slipped over his cheeks.
I wrapped my arms around him tight, swallowing hard to stay strong for him. All those years I'd looked up to him, seen him as my protector. Now there I was doing for him what he'd done for me. Despite the lies, he'd saved me, and treated and loved me as his own child.
For a moment I was safe. A twelve-year-old girl wrapped in her dad's protective arms.
Pulling away reluctantly I drew in a deep breath. “Sorry Dad, but if he does know where we're going then we better get moving.”
“Yes,” he wiped at his face with his forearm. “Let's get to Vault and hope he can get us safely onto the helicopter.”
I managed a small laugh. “Safely? You do know we'll be hanging from a rope underneath the thing right?”
Dad's smile broke his sadness. “You'll be fine. After what you
did back there, a helicopter should be a piece of cake.”
* * *
We made our way back through the vent we'd first climbed through when we'd reached Eden. As we climbed out of the vent into a small room, Dad cautiously climbed out and I waited until he was sure the coast was clear.
“No sign of the Guard,” he said, but his voice was tense. “Let's get off this floating monstrosity.”
Across the room Dad hesitated for a moment before opening the door as quiet as possible, looking once again for any sign of Officer Banks.
“What on Eden are you doing?” sounded a loud voice.
Dad and I both jumped, my hand slapping over my heart as Vault's voice disrupted the silence.
“We're making sure the guard aren't here. They haven't been past have they?” asked Dad, his eyes locked on the doorway behind Vault.
“They saw you? They know you were up here?” Panic echoed through Vault's voice.
“Yes, but we shook them and they have no idea how we got up here.” Dad reassured him although we weren't so sure if it was the truth.
Vault's shoulders didn't entirely relax but he stood a little taller, trying to convince himself he believed us.
“What you do is risky Vault. Why don't you come back to Earth with Aurora and me?” asked Dad.
“Thank you sir, but this is my post. I'm a member of the Australian military and am here to support my comrades as need be. One day there will be a war, and they'll need men on the cities. And of course for jobs like this.” His posture became a little stiffer as he replied.
“With a name like Vault I thought you must be an Edenite?” I said.
“That's what you're supposed to think ma'am. My real name is Craig, Vault is a reminder no matter what happens I'm to keep my lips locked tight.”
Dad slapped him on the shoulder. “Good lad, I don't suppose you've called them to send the helicopter yet?”
“I'll get on it right away.” Vault disappeared through the doorway leaving Dad and me to ourselves.
Dad rubbed at his forehead. “Let's hope it doesn't take them too long to fly here.”
Vault burst back into the room, making Dad and me jump once again.
“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “You two are jumpy. Must've been some trip.”
“You could say that,” Dad replied.
“Let's get you kitted up so you're ready when the helicopter arrives.” Vault held up two harnesses, making my head light. I wasn't looking forward to hanging under the helicopter again.
It didn't take him long to fasten us into our harnesses and he lead us out towards the deck where he passed us masks to pull over our faces. As he lowered the door we spotted the helicopters spinning blades heading towards us. The thunderous sound grew louder as it approached, until air whipped around me and I pressed my hands over my ears.
Vault beckoned Dad to step towards the rope being lowered from the helicopter and clipping him onto it. Dad's shoulders relaxed with relief as he began to rise from the platform before a bang ricocheted through the metal room. In front of me Vault's eyes widened, before he dropped forward into my arms. Struggling to hold his weight I lowered him to the floor, my body shaking. Peering up I met the dark stare of Officer Banks. He adjusted his tie before cocking his gun and raising it to chest height. He yelled out something, but I couldn't make out his words over the sound of the helicopter.
Stumbling back, a hand grasped onto my harness and there was a whoosh as I was whipped off my feet into the air. Below me, the Earth's surface was far away, but I wasn't falling. Turning, I found Dad's bulging arms gripping onto my harness, his face turning red with exertion. Twisting around I held onto the rope and turned so my legs and arms were wrapped around my father's torso. Then Dad jolted, his body almost throwing me off him, and I gripped tighter as a look of pain and terror appeared in his glassy eyes. A warmth ran down my forearm and I looked down to find crimson spatter sprinkling off us into the swirling air. Glancing towards the deck we'd launched from, I caught sight of Officer Banks as he turned and beckoned his men to follow. He'd shot Dad, he'd shot my dad.
My head grew light as I rapidly inhaled the oxygen through my mask. Ignoring my clenching throat and aching chest I wriggled my arms up to press as hard as I could across his back where I thought the blood was coming from. My arms ached as the force of gravity pushed down on my body, trying to thrust me towards Earth. But I gripped tight with my arms and legs as we swung over the dusty, sandy landscape, back towards the military camp.
I nudged at his cheek with mine, trying to find some sign of life. But his head hung forward on my shoulder. The rush of air popping my ears made it hard to tell if he was breathing, and the whipping of the helicopters blades made it impossible to sense his heart beat or movement in his chest. Instead I held on as tight as I could, swinging beneath the contraption above us. I wasn't sure how long it took us to get back to the camp, but as they lowered us down a group of people rushed over to us with a gurney. Stickiness clung to my cheeks from the tears I'd cried as the helicopter hovered above us and my feet lazily hit the dirt ground. My legs had grown numb and I found it hard to put weight on them so two people pried my arms from around my father and carried me back inside the compound. Pulling the oxygen mask from my face I threw it to the ground, drawing in a deep breath of fresh air to stop myself from vomiting.
As we got further away from the helicopter I began to hear voices, people discussing what to do with us, what to do with my dad. My head spun and my stomach churned, but all I wanted to do was be with my father.
“Bring her here, he's calling for her.” Came a feminine voice and I was lowered into a wheelchair and wheeled to my father's side.
I clasped his limp hands, staring into his sunken eyes. He was barely conscious. “Pocket,” he mumbled, and I reached in to find the envelope Kylie had given him. “It's Seth,” was all he managed to whisper before his eyes glazed over and he was ripped from my grasp and rushed away.
My body ached as he was thrust away from me, if only my feet would carry me after him. A hand rested on my shoulder and I turned to find the kind eyes of a young female nurse.
“Will he be okay?” My voice wobbled as I clutched the envelope in my hand.
Her sympathetic smile tore sent pain through my chest. “They'll do everything they can sweetheart. Come on let's go look you over and then we'll find out how your dad is doing. The pilot radioed in to tell us what happened.”
“Vault.” I swallowed hard at the vision and weight of his slumping body.
“He was a good man,” the lady said before she wheeled me back inside the military compound.
Chapter Twenty-Six
“You need to leave without us Aurora. If Officer Banks knows what you're up to, you don't want to give him anymore of a head start,” said Lark.
“But Dad…” I argued.
Domino reached out and took hold of my hands from her hospital bed. “He won't be well enough to travel for quite some time. He'd want you to finish this, don't let the Elite Guard win.”
The bullet missed Dad's spinal cord and his vital organs by mere millimetres. He was extremely weak and hadn't woken again in the past two days. The doctors said his body was recovering from the amount of blood he lost. I couldn't leave him when his condition was so touch and go.
I shook my head. “If anything happens to him while I'm gone-“
“He'll have us,” said Domino.
“You won't be alone,” Fletcher placed his hand on my right shoulder. “You'll have me, Braven, Vega, Maya, and Lieutenant Marks is going to send Richy along to help us.”
“It won't be the same without you guys. And it'll be sad to leave Tyler and Alice behind, but I get why they can't come. It's too dangerous for Alice.” I looked between Domino and Lark.
“Don't you worry, I wish we could be there to see you take down those bastards once and for all,” said Domino. “But this baby is a miracle in itself. We can't risk her life any more than we already have.
”
“Her?” I asked, my mouth falling open.
Domino and Lark exchanged a glance and a smirk.
“A girl. If you promise to look after yourself and bring her safely into the world, I promise to do everything I can to make it a world worth living in.” I leaned forward to wrap Domino in my arms.
“I have faith in you Aurora. I always have,” she whispered in my ear before we broke apart.
I drew in a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. “Guess I better go get the team together.”
“You'll do great Aurora. You all will,” assured Lark.
Fletcher and I left the medical tent after I dropped in to give Dad a kiss on the forehead and whisper my goodbye. He may not be able to hear me, but it wouldn't be right leaving without saying something.
Fletcher and I walked along the dusty path towards our makeshift home, people nodding with solemn polite smiles as they passed. The story of what we'd done on Eden had spread through the camp in hours, and I wasn't liking the attention it brought with it. It would be good to be back on the road, but not the same without Dad, Domino, Lark, Tyler, and Alice.
“We're going to be fine. I'll be with you the whole time, and Braven has been leading us with Lark the entire way. We're in good hands,” Fletcher took my hand, reassuring me.
His dark earthy eyes stare into mine and I couldn't help but believe him. We'd come this far, and no, it hadn't been easy. But I'd found my dad, discovered the truth about who I was and the floating cities. Now there were no more secrets, we could expose the truth about the Earth, the floating cities and the people who ran them. I squeezed his hand and he grasped it back firmly as we approached our tent and stepped through the doorway. Across from the entrance Maya sat on her knees tickling Alice who giggled in delight. Tyler jumped in, pulling a squealing Maya away from Alice to 'save her', the boy I once knew was coming back more each day. Maya had a lot to do with his progress and I feared he'd go backwards without her comfort.
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