by Sadie Turner
“Sorry about what?”
“This.” I grab the wrench from Magnum and swing it at Lachlan’s leg before he can react. There is a crack of bone. I have just broken his kneecap. He crumbles to the ground, wailing in pain.
“Let’s go, Magnum,” I say, tossing the wrench back to him. I don’t turn back. I can’t bear to see Lachlan in pain, but it is the only way to prevent him from coming with us.
“What’d you do that for?” Magnum says as he plunges into the water beside me.
“He’d slow us down,” I say cruelly. “This is a two-person job. He’s too old and too weak. We need warriors. Like us.”
As we swim further and further out into the ocean, we can still hear Lachlan’s cries.
I reach the pipeline first. While I wait for Magnum, I scan the empty shoreline. My only hope with my brutal action is that Kai and Sun were able to collect Lachlan before the Protectors could.
“That’s a long swim,” Magnum sputters as he hoists himself up on a pipe.
“Try doing it every day of your life.”
“What now?” Magnum is having trouble catching his breath.
“Beneath here is the pipeline to the Desalination Plant where the water is purified.”
“I thought it was purified in the plant,” Magnum says.
“It is. Then it flows through the section of pipeline below us where new ingredients are integrated into the water.”
“Wait. I thought we were swimming to the plant.”
“We are. This is the part of the plant.”
“But I thought—
“What? That our team was going to blow up the actual plant? What good would that do? Sobek would just build another plant.” I slide off the pipe, slightly distancing myself from Magnum as I tread water. “Besides, it’d be too easy for the Protectors to wait for us there. There are too many nooks and crannies for them to hide in before they take us down by tasering us and torturing us. Protectors are notorious for hurting their victims, not for letting them go.” I’m hurling my words at Magnum.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t you?” We stare at each other. “It was never Omri. It was you. It was you all along. You killed Rezz. She was my friend.”
Magnum realizes he’s been caught. “I’m going to kill you too, you dirty Hybrid,” he throws the wrench at my head. His aim is good, but my reflexes are lightning sharp, and I twist my body as the wrench misses me by millimeters. I then dive under the water.
Magnum is right behind me.
I weave through the maze of pipes below with Magnum on my heels. He clearly feigned being a slow swimmer before. Now, I can barely outswim him. I pick up the pace heading for a destination that I had never planned to visit again. En route, I pop up to the surface to take a long gulp of air before I dive under again.
I reach my destination and turn to see Magnum inches away from me. I let him grab me. His hand is wrapped around my arm, twisting it. His head has just squeezed through the compact area of pipes and his eyes are shooting daggers into me. He contorts his torso through the pipes until his body is wedged tightly between them. He cannot escape. He pounds on the pipes hoping to free himself. With each movement, he expels more energy and more air. Realizing what has happened, he thrashes his body violently in hopes of freeing himself. Eventually the fury in his eyes turns to fear. After a minute, his body stops fighting.
For the second time in my life, in this exact spot, I watch someone die.
“WHAT’S THAT?” Calix jumped up from his sleep as he heard a loud wail on the beach.
He and Blue raced from the cliffs around the shore just in time to see two rebels slowly moving up the shore. Kai was helping an older man who was limping.
“We have to stop them,” Blue said.
“And then what?” Calix asked earnestly.
“I dunno,” Blue shouted as she ran, “but we can’t just stay here.”
They approached the pair. “Stop,” Blue said.
“Hi Blue.” Kai grinned, “Fancy meeting you here.”
“Kai.”
“I see you’ve moved on.” Kai eyed Calix warily. His hand was on his knife, ready to throw it at any sudden move.
“Where’s Keeva?” Blue looked around.
“She’s a little busy right now. Why don’t you come back with us, and you can meet her new friends.”
“I was actually going to suggest the same thing. I’m sure Sobek would love to see you again.”
“And Taj would love to meet you.”
It was a standstill as the pair looked at each other. Everyone had his or her hand on a weapon. Within minutes there could be a possible bloodbath; yet no one was willing to make the first move.
“Can I suggest a trade?” Lachlan finally said. Everyone turned to the older man who was grimacing in pain. “It will make this all go a lot faster.”
I am myself.
Fifteen minutes after a citizen dies, his Third goes off the radar. I’m sure Sobek’s men are monitoring Magnum, so I have fifteen minutes to get the antidote into the carbon chamber and escape. The only problem is, I don’t have enough time to dive down to try to find the wrench where Magnum threw it. If I go back for the basin wrench, there is no way I will be able to finish the job in time, but if I don’t go back for the wrench, I may not be able to open the carbon chamber. I hesitate for a moment, deciding which course of action to take.
And I confidently swim directly to the carbon chamber.
If I am indeed a Hybrid with advanced powers, then I shouldn’t need a wrench to open the chamber. I spot the red-capped chamber in the midst of the maze and swim over to it. It has an octagonal socket, which the basin wrench could have easily opened. I use my fingers to try to turn the bolt, expecting my newfound super strength to kick in and help me. But my fingers slide away from the contraption, which hasn’t budged.
I go up to the surface to get more air and to think. Time is ticking away and I realize for the first time I may not actually complete my mission. I will be letting down the resistance. I will be letting down my sister.
I reach into the bandana to retrieve the pills. If only I could put them directly into the water and neutralize it that way. Of course the ocean is too vast. The only way to stop Sobek’s poison is to get inside that carbon chamber. But I don’t have any means to do it. I don’t have an eight-sided wrench. The only thing I have with eight sides is … .
I quickly dive down to the carbon chamber and focus on my talisman. My Celph. Myself.
In the same way that the eight legs curled back into shape when I discovered who I was, the eight legs lock onto the carbon chamber and turn. It works, and within seconds the bolt is off and I am able to deposit the antidote into the chamber. I use the bracelet to retighten the bolt.
And I swim away.
Epilogue
I am home.
I find the motorglide Kai left for me and drive straight to Sabbatical City. It is close to midnight when I arrive at the fountain and I duck behind the holo and into the maze, which leads me to the elevator.
I take the long journey down and expect to find a big celebration waiting for me. As the door slides open, I hope to see all of my friends. Instead I only see darkness. Underground City is all asleep, except for one small face who is waiting by the elevator as it opens: my sister. My Sun. She is better than any celebration. I hold her tightly, never wanting to let her go.
“It’s finally over,” I say. “We can be a family now.”
“It is now only just beginning,” she sighs, wise beyond her years. She puts her hand through mine and walks with me me to our tent.
“How was the trip back? How is everyone? Was the motorglide ride fun? How’s Lachlan’s leg? Where’s Kai? Has Taj started Phase Two?” I have so many questions and only Sun can answer them.
“We’ll have plenty of time to catch up tomorrow. Tonight, you must sleep,” she insists as we enter the dormitory tent and she tucks me into my hammock, t
he lost child becoming the found mother.
Patel’s snores still comfort me but Rezz’s empty hammock above me adds a foul bitterness to my victory. Tomorrow, I will comfort Gina. Tomorrow, I will reunite with Kai. Tomorrow, I will strategize Phase Two of the mission with Taj. For now, I am excited to finally enjoy uninterrupted dreams. I have won. I have saved humanity.
A voice enters my head and it doesn’t belong to Inelia. Or Taj. Or Lachlan.
This voice belongs to Sobek.
“Congratulations on your success Keeva, I always knew you were special. Just imagine how much better you could be with a partner. Oh, I don’t mean me, my darling, I’m too old. I’ve lived far too long already. I’m ready to give up my world to a deserving heir. A team of partners who can bring this world into the next millennium.
“Oh, yes, you must be wondering where Kai is. Poor dear. Well, the mystery is solved. He’s with me now. I’ve captured him. Come find us.
“I’m sure we can work something out.”
About the Authors
SADIE TURNER is a Los Angeles-based producer and writer originally from Brighton, England, who works in business development with several Hollywood entrepreneurs. She has various projects in development and also teaches yoga.
COLETTE FREEDMAN is an internationally produced playwright, screenwriter, director, and novelist who was recently named one of the Dramatist Guild’s “50 to Watch.” In collaboration with The New York Times best-selling author Michael Scott, she wrote the thriller The Thirteen Hallows. Her critically acclaimed novel The Affair was published in January 2013, and the sequel The Consequences was published in February 2014. Colette’s play version of the book earned great acclaim as it toured Italy from February through May 2013.
She has authored over twenty-five produced plays including Sister Cities, which was the hit of the Edinburgh Fringe and earned five-star reviews. It has been performed around the United States and internationally, including Paris (Une Ville, Une Soeur) and Rome (Le Quattro Sorelle). She wrote the screenplay that is currently in preproduction starring Jacki Weaver, Alfred Molina, Tom Everett Scott, Stana Katic, and Troian Bellisario. Her musical Serial Killer Barbie premiered at NoHo Arts Center in Los Angeles in November 2014 and opened in New Zealand in September 2015.
Colette has been commissioned to write several screenplays including an adaptation of the best-selling novel, The Last Girls, a modern adaptation of Uncle Vanya and the thriller, Mystery of Casa Matusita, starring Malcolm McDowell. She has co-written, with international best-selling novelist Jackie Collins, the play Jackie Collins’ Hollywood Lies, which begins its regional tour in 2017.
As a director, Colette has won over sixty awards for her commercial work, including the International Summit Award, Telly, and Communicator Awards. She was also first place winner in Creative Writing at the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference. She just co-produced her first film, Quality Problems, starring Jack McGee, Jenica Bergere, Brooke Purdy, and Doug Purdy.
For more information, please visit
www.colettefreedman.com
Table of Contents
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Dedication
Contents
Acknowledgments
Prologue
1. I am spinning
2. I am flying
3. I am stunned
4. I am a pariah
5. I am nervous
6. I am changing
7. I am excited
8. I am optimistic
9. I am terrified
10. I am running
11. I am safe
12. I am awake
13. “I am Kenzie.”
14. I am desperate
15. I am thrilled
16. I am overwhelmed
17. I am confused
18. I am conflicted
19. I am awakened
20. I am adjusting
21. I am learning
22. I am exhausted
23. I am ready
24. I am strong
25. I am home
26. I am angry
27. I am determined
28. I am confident
29. I am myself
Epilogue
About the Authors