Anomalies

by Sadie Turner

  Sobek was thrilled with his son’s enthusiasm. Once Calix developed a taste of what it felt like to feed off of energies, he became an apt pupil. He was insatiable and Sobek had him exactly where he needed him.

  Even though Calix was learning quickly, and put up a good front for his father, he was constantly miserable. Calix hated that he relished the taste of energies so much. He hated that he needed his father’s tutelage so that he could feed without killing anyone. The thing he hated the most was that he would need his father until he could completely master the skill. Until the time when the student could surpass the teacher.

  Calix eyed his father’s identity watch. It held all of Sobek’s secrets, all the keys to unlock the world leader’s plans. Yet it never left his father’s wrist. To gain access to it, Calix would need to convince his father of his loyalty.

  “I want more, Father,” Calix said easily. “I am ready to step into my role as heir apparent.”

  “All in good time, my son.” Sobek looked at a feed coming in on his tablet. There was word of a possible dissident in the Asias. Sobek grimaced. It was not the information he was waiting for. Months ago, he had managed to get one of his agents picked up by revolutionaries and taken to Underground City. But he had heard nothing since. It was as if the agent had disappeared. But Sobek would practice patience, one of his greatest gifts.

  Sobek turned back to his son. “Before you assume your place, we first have a resistance to quash.”

  “Aunt Taj.”

  “Yes, it will soon be time for my beloved sister to pay the price for her treason.”

  Calix smiled, hoping that his father would take his eagerness as a sign of loyalty. “Let me know what you need from me, Father. I am ready.”

  I am ready.

  After not talking to Genesis and Kai for a few days, I realize that I need their friendships, so I forgive them. Taj is another story. She may be the head of the revolution, but I don’t trust her and her warped way of schooling someone. Plus, I’ve mastered two of the three Brigades. I am discovering who I am and of what I am capable. And I know how to save myself. I want to tell Taj that I am ready to go above ground with the Bandit Brigade, but I can’t find her. Lachlan tells me that she is rarely in Underground City; she usually takes a flying machine through the Labyrinth and visits her captains in different parts of the territory.

  I’m impatient.

  I want to help, I really do. Maybe tending tomatoes is the best use of Genesis and Patel’s skills to aid the resistance, since they are both from Ecosystem. Rezz and Mick are born to represent the Craftsman Brigade, but I know that I am meant for more, and the only Brigade I haven’t tried is the Bandit Brigade.

  At the end of my fourth week as a rebel, I notice candlelight in Taj’s tent, and I finally summon the courage to talk to her. But before I can, word spreads through the city that Taj has called a mandatory meeting. All of Underground City collects in the dining tent where the elusive Taj holds court. She is back to her half-human, half-shimmery-Lien face and wears a top hat, a lavender taffeta gown that matches her eye, and a long silver glove on her right arm.

  I stop in front of her, “Hi Taj, can I talk to you?”

  “What do you want?” she snarls. She is in a bad mood. A very bad mood.

  “I was hoping that I could get some experience with the Bandit Brigade.”

  “Be careful what you wish for, Keeva.” She sighs, “Please sit down. I’m a little busy.”

  I obey. Perhaps approach her later about going above ground—when she is in a better mood. I head toward the back of the tent and grab a seat between Kai and Gina.

  “What’d she say? Can you go up with us?” Kai whispers.

  “I don’t know,” I admit. “She speaks in riddles. I can barely understand her.”

  Taj clears her throat, and we immediately quiet down as she says, “Enlightened Citizens, the time for Phase One of our revolution has begun.”

  A cheer goes up from the crowd.

  “Isn’t this too soon?” I whisper to Gina.

  “You’ve only been here a month, Keeva. Most of us have been here a lot longer.”

  I nod. It’s easy to forget that I am just a tiny piece of this puzzle, if I am even a part of it at all. Around me, everyone’s cheering finally settles, and Taj continues her speech.

  “I’ve appointed two reconnaissance teams of six for the initial attack on the Global Governance. Team One’s job is to neutralize the toxins in the Desalination Plant. Once this team has completed their mission, Team Two will be standing by to blow up the MC-5 building at Monarch Camp. When these missions have been accomplished, we will be able to wake up humanity and begin the end of my brother’s totalitarian rule. Team One’s mission will begin tomorrow at dawn. The zeppelin is standing by and ready to go.”

  Everyone turns and looks at the dirigible, which is sitting on the ground. The murmurs then start as the revolutionaries look around expectantly. Who will be chosen? I see some of the bigger boys sitting in the front, posturing expectantly. Takumi is with them. They are all in the Craftsman Brigade and are the biggest and the strongest members of the Labyrinth. It seems fairly obvious that some, if not all of them, will be selected.

  “Team One will be lead by Lachlan and Keeva.”

  A silence settles over everyone as all eyes turn to the back of the dining tent.

  The entire resistance is staring at me: the girl who spent her lifetime trying to be invisible is now the main attraction. I blush and lower my eyes. Is Taj kidding? I am the newbie, the last one to join the revolution. Clearly there has been some mistake.

  Whispers run through the group. Most of them don’t know who I am, let alone feel thrilled that a skinny redhead will be jointly leading the first phase of the revolution.

  “What makes her qualified?” one of the biggest boys in the front stands and shouts out.

  “Are you questioning me, Omri?” Taj’s face suddenly turns hard. Any pretext of softness and beauty is gone, and her true nature reveals itself. Like her brother, she does not like to be questioned. I see her long forked tongue snap out. A predator threatened.

  “Just asking.” Omri sits down shakily, his bravado quickly emasculated.

  “Keeva is more qualified than everyone in this city. Including me,” Taj says severely. “She and Lachlan will be joined by Kai, Rezz, Magnum, and …,” her eyes return to her inquisitor, “Omri. Team Two will be led by …”

  But I am no longer listening. How am I going to lead a rebellion? What did she mean I am more qualified than everyone else? I barely got out of the octopus pit and now I’m leading a rebellion. I feel sick to my stomach. Somewhere in the distance, I hear Taj finish her speech, “Meeting adjourned.”

  Everyone gets up and splits into their respective Brigades to begin their day’s work. I linger with Kai, to ask Taj why she put me in charge. We approach our leader who gives us the once over. Something is bothering her, and she turns and walks quickly to her tent. Kai and I scramble to keep up with her.

  “Um, Taj,” Kai persists.

  “What is it?” She stops, clearly irritated. Something is distracting her, and she wants to go.

  “I’m not sure Omri is right for the job.”

  “Why not?” she snaps.

  “It’s just a feeling,” Kai mumbles.

  “Well, why don’t you keep your feelings to yourself, and I’ll keep mine to myself. Deal?”

  She doesn’t wait for a response before storming off.

  “I JUST GOT A CONCLUSIVE TIP on the revolution,” Sobek confided to his son a few days later.

  Calix had been studying with his father, learning the tools necessary to be a strong future leader. And as a reward every day, Sobek brought one of his human staffers into the penthouse. He slowly tortured them and let his son feed on their fear.

  Each day Calix grew stronger, and each day Sobek became prouder of his heir.

  “Can I fight?”

  “No. But you can observe. I have a sleeper
operative on the inside. The rebels will rendezvous at a safe house that our people have been observing for weeks. The Protectors will be waiting to infiltrate their plan.”

  “Won’t we just kill them and stop them?”

  “Then we lose our advantage because we don’t know their end game. No. We will cripple them by decreasing their numbers and then once we learn of their ultimate plan, we will crush them. And then my sister and I will be able to have a little discussion for the first time in several hundred years. Oh, will it be lovely to see her again,” Sobek sneered.

  “Will I be on the front line?” Calix said eagerly.

  “You are too valuable to be a mere pawn, Son.” Sobek put his arm on his son’s shoulder, giving him a rare sign of affection. “Remember how I taught you to beat an opponent at chess?”

  “Stay at least two moves ahead.”

  “Indeed. Well, I happen to be an excellent chess player … which means I can stay five moves ahead of my opponent as well as use the element of surprise.” Sobek spoke into his tablet, “Rika, you may send your sister in.” He turned to his son, “Sarayu has served us well, but I don’t think she will be a suitable queen for you. I believe that I have found someone who will … better suit our needs.”

  Calix’s eyes popped open as he watched the gorgeous girl with the long hair and thick bangs enter the room. He couldn’t help but stare at her emerald eyes.

  She smiled shyly, “Hi. I’m Blue.”

  I am strong.

  I stand with my team and prepare to board the dirigible. This airship will take us underground the entire way to the coast of West America. Rezz and Gina stand off to the side, whispering softly to each other, holding hands with their heads nestled together. This is the first time they will be separated for longer than a day and, last night I heard the usually tough Gina crying in her sleep. She made me give her my word that I would protect Rezz.

  I agreed, wondering who was going to protect me.

  Of the six of us heading out on the mission, I am the only variable. Omri, Magnum, and Rezz represent the Craftsman Brigade. They are skilled weapon makers and fighters. Kai is from the Bandit Brigade and is sneaky and fast, and Lachlan of the Sustenance Brigade is a natural-born leader, and he has the distinction of being Taj’s second-in-command.

  And then there’s me.

  “I’m going to miss you,” Genesis comes over to me. He hands me a pink orchid. It is fragrant and quite beautiful.

  “Thanks.” Suddenly, I feel very shy around him.

  “I always knew you were special and tough,” Genesis adds. “Ever since that first day at Monarch Camp when you and Kai were yelling at each other at the flagpole. You are so brave.”

  “Trust me, I’m not that brave.”

  “Then you don’t see what I do,” Genesis says before kissing me. The kiss comes as a shock. We only kissed once before and it was more of a performance for Claudia Durant.

  This is on the lips and it’s real. It’s very real.

  “Come back safely,” Genesis murmurs before turning and slipping into the crowd.

  I look out at the ship and see Kai watching us from the deck. I can’t quite make out his expression. Anger? Amusement. He is so hard to read.

  I am wearing my usual wardrobe: tall boots, equestrian pants, a leather vest, and a white shirt. My sword is hanging at my side and I wear the octopus bracelet with half of the legs now back in their original positions. I also have a canteen, a bathing suit for the mission, and now Genesis’s gift. I gather up my belongings and prepare to board. Omri hasn’t even attempted to leave. He is off to the side posturing with his friends, showing them the duffel bag filled with weapons that Mick has crafted specifically for our mission, including dynamite and a steel basin wrench to open the carbon chamber in the Desalination Plant.

  “Good luck, Keeva.” Mick hugs me just before I board, whispering in my ear, “Don’t forget, Aad Guray Nameh.”

  I look around. There is no one left to say goodbye to. Taj is standing far away from the gathered crowd. She and I exchange a look before I hear her voice in my head.

  “You are meant for great things, Keeva.”

  I nod, acknowledging that I can hear her message. I don’t like her being in my head, but at the same time I know this intuitive ability to read thoughts is a gift, and I do not fight it.

  “You’ve already begun to find yourself. Continue to believe and your possibilities will be endless. Remember, this is only the beginning.”

  “What if I can’t?” I silently question.

  “But you already have, Keeva. You have learned to live in the now, which is no easy feat. You must always focus on the present and be in the moment to see the opportunities in front of you.”

  I step onto the aircraft where Kai, Magnum, and Lachlan are already preparing to lift off. Omri and Rezz follow me. The airship slowly begins to rise. As Magnum steers the craft, the rest of us wave goodbye. Everyone has gathered below to send us off.

  “I don’t see Zilli,” I say to Kai as I wave to Gina, Patel, Takumi, and Genesis.

  “She was so mad you’re leaving her that she’s been sulking in her tent.”

  “Poor kid,” I say, realizing that I will miss my little shadow.

  As we fly away from the Labyrinth, I explore the ship. The holding area is made of wood, and there are few frills. Food supplies and a large pile of blankets take up one end of the ship, and Taj’s desk and supplies sit on the other end. The main platform is a large, open area with two long benches. Our journey will take six hours underground. Once we arrive at the coast, the tunnel ends at a defunct volcano, and we will fly the airship into its holding cell and climb the ladder through the mouth of the volcano. This will deposit us just off the coast near a deserted road about two hundred miles away from our destination. About two hundred miles away from my old home.

  Suddenly, I hear music. I turn. Kai is playing with an old-fashioned, Victrola-like machine.

  “What’s that doing here?” I wonder. I’ve seen pictures of record players, but have never seen one in person.

  “Maybe Taj listens to music to relax when she’s out on her reconnaissance missions.” He pulls out a flat circular disk and puts it on the machine, gently placing a needle on top of it. As the music begins to play, Kai bows.

  “May I have this dance?”

  “Seriously?”

  “Hmmm. Well, Rez is reading in the corner with her headlamp, Lachlan’s sleeping, and Omri and Magnum are up front. I don’t see anyone else around. It’s just you and me, kid.”

  “Kid? We’re the same age.”

  “Age is relative. C’mon, Keeva. Dance with me.”

  “You sure you don’t want to push me over the side first?” I jokingly nod to the side of the craft. “Any more lessons left for me to learn?”

  “That’s a cheap shot.”

  “Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.” I smile, take Kai’s arms and dance with him.

  “What song is this?”

  “One of my favorites. Years ago, when my grandpa was a boy, he used to listen to this group, the Beatles.”

  “Like the bug? Gross.”

  “Keeva, once upon a time music wasn’t regulated by the Governance. It wasn’t considered subversive … well, OK, maybe it was … but no one stopped people from listening to it. There used to be so many different groups that could all express themselves through their music. It is where they found their voices.”

  “Blue’s in a band,” I say offhandedly.

  “I know.”

  “You do?” Why am I jealous? I don’t understand my feelings when I’m around this boy. Sure, we’ve become better friends, but that’s all we are. Friends.

  Kai pulls me closer. “This is called ‘Sexy Sadie,’ it’s a classic.”

  I keep up with him as he spins and turns me. Annika, Rane and I used to dance together in anticipation for the day when we would dance with our intended partners. Now they will dance with Dante and Edward in an oppressive society
where they don’t even know they are prisoners. As I keep discovering more truths about Sobek’s rule, I am even more determined to free them.

  When the song is over, Kai and I flop down on the floor; flushed and exhausted. We lay on our backs, looking up at the makeshift sky. Eventually, I ask what no one has broached, “How hard do you think this is going to be?”

  “I don’t know,” Kai sighs. “So far we’ve been lucky. All the Anomaly extractions have been fairly easy. Now we’re moving it to the next level. I suppose it depends on whether we have the element of surprise. I’ve been thinking. Taj has so many double agents embedded in Sobek’s world. Who is to say that he doesn’t have traitors in the Underground?”

  “Who?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe, Omri. I’m just speculating. What if someone knows that we’re coming?”

  “Omri seems too—I can’t figure out the word to describe him … simple. He doesn’t feel like someone who is undercover. I think what you see is what you get with him. All brawn, little brain.”

  “Maybe, but he rubs me the wrong way.”

  “What about Magnum?” I ask. “Do you know anything about him? I’m surprised Taj chose him instead of Gina or Takumi.”

  “He’s also Craftsman Brigade. He’s quiet. Quiet but effective, even though he’s so big. He’s just a teenager, but he already looks like a man, and he knows how to use his size and strength to his advantage. Always beware of a boy with a man’s physique.”

  “I’m better off trusting a boy with a boy’s physique?” I joke, pushing Kai.

  He pushes me back, and we get into a wrestling match, laughing and fighting until we fall over, exhausted.

  “Save it for the mission,” Lachlan yells from across the ship, never opening his eyes.

  “Sorry,” we giggle and lay back down.

  We’re silent for several minutes, and I have yet another déjà vu as I remember lying with him on the salt flats our last night of Monarch Camp. It was the last night before everything became so complicated.