by Ann Bakshis
My stomach sinks. I know who he’s talking about. Gage and Tobin. They disappeared the night we met the Hostem at the Dormitories.
Vladim nods and Gage is dragged across the floor below the High Ruler’s platform. He’s bruised and bloody. His hair has been shaved close to his scalp and his clothes are torn.
“I wonder if they’re seeing this in Tartarus,” Vier comments.
I’m hoping no, but I doubt I’m right.
“People of Sirain, we will not tolerate defectors or instigators who want to see a divided country. Let this man be the example to all those out there who oppose our peace.”
Gage’s wrists are locked into binders attached to poles in the center of the floor. He’s too weak to fight when they secure his feet together. Two High Ruler guards stand before him, each holding a Levin gun. Vier pulls Piran away from the room just as they open fire. Instead of screams and shrills, the audience applauds and cheers.
“With death comes life,” Vladim continues, Gage’s body still on display. “Two of our soldiers have returned home successful after nearly thirteen years of captivity.”
Vladim motions to his right. A young man and woman cross the stage, stopping next to him. The woman’s face is familiar. She used to live in the Sable faction, but I don’t know her name.
“That’s Latro,” Vier pipes in, pointing to the man. “He was in the Byrrus faction.”
“Those two must have taken the kids,” I respond.
“Meet the newest recruits to the Tyrean Army. These two will be the pride of our country.” Vladim gestures to his left.
Mair and Thane enter, hand in hand, wearing army uniforms. Both with large smiles on their faces.
Where’s Grainne? is my only thought, not how Mair and Thane have traded sides, but where Grainne is.
“Please welcome Mair and Thane. They’re Antaeans who have chosen to fight for our country.”
The audience erupts into a standing ovation. Cheers and shouts echo around the room from both monitors. My head begins to pound as the rain intensifies. I feel suddenly very claustrophobic and run outside into the water, which soaks me completely. Thunder rumbles overhead, soft at first, but with a growing intensity.
“Trea, come back in here. You need to see this,” Lehen shouts to me from the doorway.
The monitor is now in split screen. The left side showing aerial footage of a dark blur, and Vladim on the right.
“We’ve located pockets of dissenters throughout the country as well as beyond its borders. Operations are underway to silence these individuals once and for all.”
The image on the left changes slightly as light reflects onto water below the craft.
“We have to get out of here,” I shout, diving for my bag to extract the journal and the tablet.
“Why?” Vier asks, Piran exiting out of the washroom.
“They’re coming for us.”
“How can you be sure, Trea?”
I tuck the journal in my waistband and hand the tablet to Lehen while I go to the door. Opening it just a crack, I hear the thunder growing from our south. The same direction as the lake. The noise grows louder, but no lightning. Just like before.
“We have to go, now,” I scream as the noise overhead has reached a deafening level.
We’re only a few feet away from the cottage when the first mortar hits, down by the pond. The night sky lights up, debris falling with the rain. Upon reaching the entrance, where the guards are posted, no one is in sight. They must have jumped into their vehicle the second they saw the flash.
Great, we’re going to have to run the twenty miles back to Tartarus.
A minute after the first explosion, a second mortar falls, hitting our cottage. Lehen slows his pace, saying maybe they’ll stop now that they’ve hit a target. I know better, so I grab his arm and drag him along. Moments later another mortar falls where we had just been standing.
It’s almost like they can see us.
We decide to split up. Vier and Piran continue to head north towards the city. Lehen goes east while I go west. Once I’m a good distance into the forest, I begin going north. Lehen should be doing the same. I don’t get far before another mortar hits just a hundred feet behind me. I feel the heat from the detonation. My skin burns slightly, and ash falls. I keep heading north, but the object above follows.
They can’t possibly see me in the thick foliage. There aren’t any lights, so what are they using?
My eyes are focused skyward, so I trip over a fallen tree, and the journal falls out of my waistband. When I bend down to pick it up, I notice a faint red light shining inside the cover. I open the book to find the red stone in the half-moon image shimmering. I rip it off the page and toss it to my left, then run to the right. A minute later a mortar hits where I’d thrown the gem. I stop and wait a few seconds. The thunder begins to diminish, then silence. Now we know how that other village was targeted.
But what does that symbol mean, and what’s the point of the red gem?
Again… more questions.
CHAPTER 13
I don’t know how long I’ve been sitting in the medical ward. There isn’t anything wrong with me, but I’m not being permitted to leave. Piran, Vier, and Lehen have been escorted back to their old beds in the housing unit. I sit in my filthy clothes on a lounge chair, waiting. For what, I don’t know
The broadcast from Vladim pirated all signals into Tartarus. Braxton said they had tried to disconnect the feed, but their monitors were being controlled by Tyre. Everyone saw it, even in the housing unit. It wasn’t until they saw the cottage get destroyed that Braxton came looking for us. I was the last to be located, still on the ground where I collapsed after the last attack, clutching the journal. Ares took immediate possession of it when we returned.
Rafer enters my room carrying clothing. He tosses me a long sleeved black shirt and matching pants. “Put these on,” he says, then steps out.
I see his shadow on the other side of the curtain. “When can I go back to the Sable faction?” I ask, slipping off my dirty clothes.
“You can’t,” he answers. “Ares is still trying to figure out where to put you.”
“Why can’t I go back to Sable?”
“Look at yourself, Trea. It was one thing when you only had the blue line on your right arm, but now….”
He’s right. There’s no way I’d be accepted into any of the factions.
“Where’s Braxton?”
“He’s working on reestablishing our connection with Sirain. Seems Vladim’s hijacking of our systems knocked out all our feeds.” He opens the curtain without bothering to ask if I’m dressed yet. Luckily, I am. “Ares wants to see you.”
It’s still late when we leave the medical ward. No one is around except a few exiting the spanner for a change in shift. Rafer and I are the only ones going over to the main building. The transport room is empty when we change lifts. Very few security personnel are working tonight. Rafer escorts me over to Holunder’s old living quarters, which I presume Ares now occupies. He knocks on the door and waits for her to reply before opening, then shoves me inside, closing the door behind me.
“So,” she begins, “where to put you.” Ares paces in front of me in her nightclothes. “Why do you always make things so difficult?”
“This isn’t my fault,” I protest.
“Part of it is, Trea. You allowed Ford to manipulate your stream. Your altered appearance makes it difficult to place you safely amongst the rest of the population.”
“You really think the Hostem would hurt me now?”
“I wasn’t talking about them hurting you,” she says, sitting down on the couch.
“I wouldn’t hurt them.”
“Probably not intentionally, but I need to find a place for you to make sure you won’t harm anyone.”
“Why not put me in the holding area with the rest of the traitors?” I say jokingly.
She only pauses for a moment. “What a great idea.” She stands, goes
over to an intercom, and calls Rafer.
“You’re not seriously going to put me in there, are you?”
“There’s plenty of room now that all the conspirators have been dealt with.”
A shiver goes down my spine with the tone she just used.
I’m afraid to ask what happened to them.
The door opens. Rafer doesn’t bother knocking. “Everything is ready,” he says to her.
I spy several guards behind him, looming in the doorway.
If they think I’m going quietly, they’ve got another think coming.
I bolt into Ares’ bedroom, locking the door behind me. The back wall has glass doors leading out to the small patio. I fumble with the lock on one of the doors as Rafer shouts orders on the other side of the wall. I get it open just as a guard bursts through the bedroom door. Running as fast as I can down the grove, I try several of the doom doors, but they’re all locked. The ground is slippery with mud from the rain that is still falling. My feet catch on tree roots that I can’t see, and I hear the guards shouting behind me. I know I won’t have far to run since the fence is just ahead of me, but I still try to locate a hiding spot.
A stinging sensation enters my back, and I’m paralyzed, my jaw hits the ground hard with a crack as I collapse. Blood starts to trickle out of my mouth.
“Why do you always have to make things difficult?” Rafer says to me.
I’m rolled onto my back and see him stick my bicep with a small needle. My eyes feel heavy, then close.
I wake to find cool air blowing on my face. The room I’m in is small. I’m lying by an air vent near the floor. The walls are made of stone, except for one. The holding area is actually divided into two rooms. The wall separating it is made of cinder blocks with a long window in the center, so the two halves can see each other. Bevan, Ford, and another man I recognize as Iscariot, are sitting on the floor in the room next to mine. Bevan looks like he’s been through hell, though Ford seems to be holding up fine. Iscariot just stares at me, eyes narrowed, hands clenched. I drop back to the floor, getting out of sight.
I look around my room, but the only thing in it is a camera mounted just above the door and a small speaker with a button. I begin to wonder if this is where I’ll die. If Braxton even knows I’m down here.
Hours pass. A food tray is slid through a slot at the bottom of my door. I leave it where it rests since I don’t feel like eating. The glass above me shakes. I see Bevan saying something to me. The walls must be sound proof. I turn my face away, ignoring him. The window shakes some more, then stops. I curl up into a ball and try to think of a way out of my predicament, but nothing comes to me.
What do I do now? How do I get out of here? I need to get to Grainne, if she’s still alive. Why is this all happening?
“Trea,” I hear Braxton say through the speaker by the door. “Trea, hit the button to talk.”
I get up and push the button. “Help me,” I whisper.
“I can’t. The codes to the doors have been changed without my knowledge.”
“I’m going to die in here,” I say.
I’m overwhelmed by all that’s happened, and all that’s still happening: the death of Jagger, the mutilation of my body, Braxton’s feelings for me, and the assumption that Grainne is more than likely dead.
“I don’t want to die.” Tears roll down my face and I slide to the floor.
The thought of death or dying never bothered me before. I had accepted it, almost welcomed it at times. But now, I want to live. I need to kill Vladim. Sirain needs to be made whole again, but not by him. I can die once Vladim is dead.
“Trea,” Braxton says, but I’ve lost all focus on him.
I lie down, bringing my knees to my chest, and sob uncontrollably.
Red flashes bring me out of my stupor, followed by a harsh alarm. I look around and see smears of blood on the window between the rooms. I bolt up to see Ford’s face being smashed hard against the glass, his nose clearly broken. I stand up and back away. Small cracks are forming around Ford’s head as Iscariot continues to slam it into the barrier. I can barely see Bevan, who appears to be unconscious on the floor by the far wall. Ford’s neck breaks at the same time as the first pane of glass. Iscariot tosses the body aside just as his door swings open and security pours in.
It takes five men to subdue him. He’s led out of the room while medics are called down to assess Bevan. Ford is clearly dead. My door opens a moment later, Rafer and one security officer enter. I look past them and see Iscariot being ushered into a room across the hall.
“You all right?” Rafer asks, picking up my meal tray from the floor so not to step on it.
“What was that all about?”
“Iscariot was trying to get to you. Poor Ford, never had a chance.”
“What about Bevan?”
“They’ll take him over to the medical ward and then return him here. I’ll have someone take care of the mess and repair the glass.”
“I’m not leaving here, am I?”
“No, you’re not.” They exit the room, locking me in.
I spend the rest of the day watching people from both the Sable and Verdant factions clean and restore the room. Another food tray is shoved under my door mid-afternoon. I eat only the roll, as the rest doesn’t look appealing. Braxton comes to pick up my tray, which I push through the slat, before he turns in for the night. He updates me on Bevan. He’s alive, but has a broken collarbone and right wrist. He also tells me Iscariot is being held in the Assessment Chamber across the hall.
I hear the sorrow in Braxton’s voice. He doesn’t want me in here, but he’s unable to get me out. I look down at my hands, seeing the waves of the Quantum Stream slowly churn. I hear Braxton’s footsteps retreat just as an idea comes into my mind.
I wait until I think it’s after midnight. The light in the other room is off and the door propped open to vent the paint fumes, since the walls had to be recoated. I place the palms of my hands on the glass and push. I remember Quin doing this back at Hatchery Nine. The stream doesn’t penetrate the glass, but it does cause it to vibrate. I push harder and in a few minutes the window breaks. I do the same with the newly installed pane. This one doesn’t take as long since the adhesive hasn’t fully dried yet. I move quickly out the door and over to the Assessment Chamber. The door isn’t locked and Iscariot isn’t in there. I step inside as I hear the lift descending.
On the back wall is another door. This one has a security pad next to it. I lean my ear against the wood and can hear light breathing on the other side. I go back to the first door, grip the handle in my hand, and melt it to prevent anyone from entering. Once I reach the keypad, I place my fingers on the numbers and hold them there. The stream enters through the gaps in the keys, setting the wiring inside ablaze. The smell of burning plastic and electrical wires fills the air. In a minute, the door cracks open.
Iscariot is sitting against the wall, his clothes soaked with sweat. Heat from the fissure is entering the room through small slates in the wall, no thicker than a book. The smell of sulfur is strong, as well as the odor of death and decay.
I grab him by the arm, drag him out of the room, and drop him next to a small metal table in the center of the room. He’s currently unconscious, so I slap him hard in the face to wake him up. He comes up fighting, swinging both fists at me, but he doesn’t have a lot of strength. I take one arm, pin it behind his back, and slam him on top of the table.
“Why?” I spit at him. “Why did you take them?”
“Who?” he whimpers.
“The kids. Why hand them over to Vladim?”
“So, they made it.”
I slam his head into the table. “Why?” I ask again.
Pounding begins against the door. I hear Rafer calling my name, but they can’t get in. Iscariot’s body goes rigid as his strength returns, but I don’t let go.
“For Sirain.”
He thrusts his head back, hitting me in the nose. Blood begins to run down in
to my mouth. My hold loosens. He turns and shoves me into the wall with his free hand. He reaches for my throat. His strength is something extraordinary, Antaean almost. He lifts me off my feet. Grabbing his wrists with both of my hands, I notice his arms are swathed with old scars.
“You Antaeans think you’re the ones who will bring peace to Sirain. The Keons are much stronger, and there are more of us.”
He squeezes, and my air supply is cut off. I tighten my clutch on him as the Quantum Stream starts to flow. Iscariot begins to scream as his skin burns. He drops me to the floor, cradling his damaged limbs. I cough, trying to get air back into my lungs. The yelling on the other side of the door has escalated. I hear Rafer giving orders to get something to bust the door down.
My time is now limited. I pin Iscariot to the floor.
“Tell me everything, or I’ll continue to burn you,” I hiss, hatred in every syllable. “Who are the Keons and why does Vladim want the kids?”
“Fine,” he concedes. “The Keons are children warriors. We were sent out into Sirain to infiltrate every unregulated village, prospect, or habitat. I was eleven, as were my friends. Hostem traveling in the northern section of the Wasteland picked us up, bringing us here.”
“Your only goal was to gain access to these places?”
“No. After ten years, when the children had grown, Vladim was to send his army to collect us, to take control of where ever we were living. But that didn’t happen. It’s been thirteen years since he sent us on our mission.”
“Why would he send in children?”
“Come on, Trea, how old were you when you were being trained as a soldier? Children don’t pose a risk. The inhabitants would trust us, so when it came time for the army to arrive, the capture would be that much easier.”
“How many were sent?”
“Twenty, but I don’t know where they are, and even if I did I wouldn’t tell you.”
The door begins to bend. I have very few moments left before Rafer and the others will be in here.