Finally I stop and tell him to turn around slowly.
“Sorry for the drama,” I wave the knife, “but I need some answers.” I feel stupid, threatening him, but for all I know he’s dangerous. Better safe than sorry.
“I’ve seen you watching the compound. Why?” I nod in that direction.
My pulse rises as I watch him carefully steel his face into a neutral expression.
“Why do you want to know that?” he asks, searching my face.
“Just answer my question.”
I take another step toward him, my knife hand steady.
He narrows his eyes at me, the only movement he makes.
“Just gathering intel,” he said. “Keeping tabs on the Kreon forces, that kind of thing.”
His answer throws me. I picture the others around the campfire, wearing combat clothes and sporting assault rifles. If he was really just gathering information, why did he need so much help? And why would the revolutionists be interested in the compound? Were they planning an attack? Was Jamie in danger?
“I don’t have time to interrogate you, but I could probably get several weeks’ worth of rations for turning you in. I hear they pay well for terrorists.” It’s a bluff, based on a rumor I heard once, but I see him wince.
“You wouldn’t dare,” he says nervously. I hesitate as I study him. Out here without anyone watching, he’s not as cocky as he was at the traders. I grip the knife tighter, in case he lunges at me. My father’s training races through my mind. But I don’t want to fight him. I just want answers.
“Tell me the truth. Why are you interested in the compound? What are you planning?” I pull out my second knife from my waistband. It’s larger, and I hope more intimidating. I square my shoulders, taking up as much space as I can. But instead of looking scared, he laughs. Actually laughs at me, which makes me angry. I take a step forward, pushing him up against a small tree. His smile fades.
“Why?” he asks again. “Why do you want to know?”
I switch the weight from one foot to the other. The knives are getting heavy, and in a minute my arms are going to start trembling. Maybe it’s time to change tactics.
“I think my brother is in there,” I say, laying my cards on the table.
He lets out a deep sigh, then rubs his hand over his face. His expression changes, all the edges melting away and turning into something warm and personal.
“That’s too bad,” he says. “I’m sorry.”
My face flushes warm.
“I don’t want your pity. Just answer my question.”
He gives me a small nod. “I have someone in there as well. Someone who has some very valuable information that I need.” He relaxes his arms a bit. “Maybe we can help one another.”
I search his face for any signs of malice. It’s almost too perfect. I wonder if he’s already figured out why I stopped him, and is just telling me what I want to hear.
“How?” I ask.
He points with one finger to my knives.
“Do you mind we talk without those?”
I frown. All my training says not to, but I’m out of options and every minute I waste, the Kreons could be doing who-knows-what to Jamie. I lower my knives and take a step back.
“If you try anything, I’ll scream. From this distance they’d probably have drones here in seconds.”
He studies me, then lowers his hands cautiously.
“Then I’d better be on my best behavior. I promise not to try anything you don’t want me to.”
***
His grin is back, but this time his eyes are grim and full of respect, rather than the condescending smirk he flashed at the market. I ignore his flirty innuendo, even though I feel my cheeks warming.
“So what exactly do you want from me?” I ask. I’m not planning on signing up for New Terra anytime soon, but I’m also not naïve enough to believe they’d help me without getting something in return.
“There’s a girl that works with our group.” He scans the sky overhead as he talks. My comment about drones probably made him nervous. “She went in weeks ago, but she hasn’t been able to make it back out without blowing her cover, and we need the information she’s gathered.”
“You have a spy, inside the compound?” Part of me was almost impressed. Whoever this girl was, she was brave. I couldn’t imagine going into the compound on purpose, unless I absolutely had to.
Elan nodded. There was softness in his eyes, and I wondered who this girl was to him.
“If you can find her, and get the information from her, I’ll help you get back out.”
“And my brother,” I add quickly.
“And your brother.” He frowns, and the shadows turn his face almost sinister. He’s got an expressive face that broadcasts his emotions—whether manufactured or real. I’m not sure if I can trust him, so I double-check the terms of our deal.
“He’s the whole reason I’d be going in, so it has to be both of us getting out.” My voice ends up louder than I intend, and we both pause to listen to the forest. Branches creak in the wind, and somewhere close, I hear the whisper of wings and terrified squeaks as a mouse is hunted by an owl.
“I understand,” he nods solemnly, holding out his hand. I only hesitate for a second before I shake it briefly. His palm is warm against mine, and his grasp lingers until I pull my hand away.
“Do you have a way to get inside?” he asks, leaning back against the sapling.
“Yes,” I pull the bracelet out of my pocket. “And do you have a way to get me out?”
He crosses his arms. “You don’t trust me?”
“Not even a little,” I say.
“Do you think I would put one of my team members at risk if I couldn’t get her out?”
I ignore his question, and swallow. I wonder if Elan and his friends are risking so much for this one girl, or for the information she as holding. Either way, as long as I found her and stuck close, they’d have to get us out eventually.
“Tell me what to do.”
Elan describes a girl about my age who entered the compound to meet with a deep cover operative. He doesn’t know what she’s calling herself inside, but he describes in great detail what she looks like and some of her quirks, including a scar on the inside of her left arm. We walk back to the main path as he talks, and I wonder again what she is to him. Whoever she is, it’s obvious that he’s been paying close attention.
We part ways at the main path, him going toward the compound to do another check, and me keeping inside the tree line until I reach the edge of the woods. I find a large tree and climb it until I find a good couple of sturdy branches. Even after making the deal with Elan, I’m not ready to just rush in. I need to see what I’m getting myself into first, and confirm Jamie is really even inside.
From here I can see the lights of the compound. There’s something almost comforting about the warm glow of the human settlement. Everywhere else we keep our lights off at night, so the landscape is always pitch black. I realize, the compound is the only place where nobody has to be afraid of the dark.
My heart feels heavier and darker than it ever has, but the tears won’t come. I take a few pieces of dried meat out of my pack and chew on them as I study the compound. It’s quiet at night, almost peaceful. I hear the night creatures come out and a chill settles across the valley. I cross my arms to stay warm and settle against the rough bark of the tree.
I jerk awake at dawn and grab onto a branch to keep myself from tumbling out of the tree. From my vantage point, I watch the guards and the hover cars, and take notice of the activity inside the settlement. I don’t see Elan again, but I’m all right with that. I know I can’t count on him anyway. I’m trying to get a feel for the patterns and rhythms, so I can time my escape.
But by noon, I’m anxious and starting to wonder if I’m not just wasting time. I’ve yet to learn anything useful, other than the camp has tight security. A few older humans pa
ss through the gates, but they scan their bracelets every time. The entrance is narrow and surrounded by mech guards and cameras. Each day, nearly a dozen new recruits get dropped off by hovercraft.
My stomach rumbles. I’m about to climb down the tree to forage for some fresh berries when I see Jamie’s dark, shaggy hair. The Kreon guards have him grouped with other children for some kind of orientation, but he’s not crying or fighting back. My heart soars as I see him safe and unhurt. I push away a tear, leaving the back of my hand streaked with dirt. I haven’t showered since yesterday, and it shows.
I hear a noise behind me in the forest and freeze. I peak through the branches of the tree and spot one of the Kreon patrols coming down the main trail. The tree shakes as the mech guards stomp closer. Every instinct in my body is telling me to run, but I hold my ground. As they get closer, I can see past the two mechs in front. Behind them is a line of human prisoners, all looking as tired and hungry as I feel.
I shimmy down the tree, and quickly fasten the ID bracelet on my wrist before I can change my mind. It beeps twice as it locks on tightly. I imagine it burns against my skin, and I take a deep breath as I watch it glow green. It feels like a restraint, like a collar. This one was probably scavenged off a dead body. What have I done?
I tuck my extra knife inside my pants, tight against my skin. I leave the backpack in the bushes and heft a large rock to block it from view. As the guards get close, I stride toward them, hoping to sneak into the line without getting seen.
A thread of doubt radiates painfully through me. What if Elan is lying? What if the bracelet doesn’t work? I clench my jaw and walk slowly toward the Kreon patrol. I inhale the fresh pine scent of the forest as I get closer to the mechanical monsters that have plagued my dreams since I was little. This close, I can see the beady red lights of their optic lenses as they scan the terrain.
This is a choice, my choice. No matter what happens, I swear to myself I will do everything I can to get Jamie out of the compound. Just before I merge with the line of prisoners, I’m spotted by one of the guards. He snaps up his weapon, an extension of his metal body, and pain tears through my body. Bright orange electricity ripples over my skin as I convulse on the ground, sharp twigs scratching at my cheeks. Right before I black out, I see a familiar face hidden in the woods. Elan’s eyes watch as I fall.
SIX
I WAKE WITH A SPLITTING headache. I try to rub my temples but I can’t move my arms. My eyes snap open and I find myself strapped to a hospital bed in a brightly lit room. I turn my head frantically from side to side, but all I see is a machine displaying my vitals and rows of blinding fluorescent lights. The lines on the machine bounce erratically, and alarms shrill as I thrash around trying to get free.
My first thought is that Elan tricked me. Our plan was for me to walk in with all the other prisoners, not get shocked unconscious. But he wouldn’t know the Kreons would taze me, right?
I soon hear the click of a door and footsteps behind me.
“Calm down, please.”
I freeze at the monotone human voice.
A woman dressed in white comes into view and pushes a few buttons to silence the machine. She checks the leather straps around my wrists and ankles.
“What are these for? Aren’t I in the compound? I was coming here on my own.”
“The guards shouldn’t have stunned you.” She touches my wrist, her fingers icy cold. “The straps are just precautions against the effects of the energy that went through your body. I’ll take them off in a minute, as long as you promise to settle down.”
I lie still and take a good look at the nurse. She’s human, but her expression is dull and there is no life behind her light brown eyes. She seems unfazed by the alarms and checks the machine methodically until it quiets down to a low buzzing.
Reeducated? Drugged? Both? My lip curls back as I see for myself what the Kreons have done to our people. Compliant, empty. Just waiting to do the bidding of their masters. The perfect servants. And I could be next. My stomach threatens to heave and I try to sit up. The restraints only allow me to curl up slightly.
The movement makes me realize I’m wearing nothing but a thin paper gown. The horror of someone stripping me naked while I was unconscious turns the revulsion into anger.
“Where are my clothes?” I demand. She’s just standing beside the bed as if waiting for something. She tilts her head, looking at the glass panel against the wall. I thought it was a mirror at first, but now I wonder if someone else is on the other side watching us.
She blinks, then looks over at me as if seeing me for the first time.
“Let me scan your bracelet again and I’ll get the appropriate clothes for your level.”
Again? If they already scanned me, it means they know my secret identity, and I don’t. I keep my mouth shut, afraid asking too many questions will conflict with my cover. I hear the door open and heavy footsteps cross the room. My mind conjures images of repulsive Kreon monsters, and I lean back in terror. But I relax as I watch a man walk around the machine. He looks human enough, with a gray beard and glasses. Unlike the woman, he gives me a warm smile. For some reason I find this even more terrifying than the woman’s stoned expression.
The stories around the valley say if you come here willing to live by the Kreon rules, they won’t reeducate you. But it’s hard to believe anybody would be here by choice. The doctor stands next to me and holds a small machine. He unfastens one arm strap and passes the machine over my bracelet.
My heart races. The monitor betrays my nervousness with its increased beeping. I squeeze and release my hands to calm down. The bracelet flashes between red and green and finally stays yellow. I breathe out and watch the doctor. He stares at the machine a second longer, then addresses me without making eye contact.
“Lila Larsen. Age 16. Green eyes. Both parents deceased. No siblings.”
He stares at me, waiting for confirmation.
“Umm, yes? My eyes seem green or blue depending on the light.” I say quickly, forcing myself to look between him and the nurse. I feel like my heart is going to beat out of my chest.
The doctor nods, and scribbles a note on a clipboard.
I’ve never been very good at lying, so I’ll have to be careful. Lila Larsen. I repeat the unfamiliar name in my head. I guess it’s mine from now on, or at least until I’m out of the compound.
The doctor turns toward a cabinet on the wall and pulls down a few items. “She’s a yellow, apparently. Someone must have started processing her in another compound.”
“Yes, doctor.” The nurse disappears behind the machinery. I strain my neck, hoping she doesn’t go far. I’m not comfortable with this strange man, strapped to a bed and nearly naked.
The doctor turns back to me and pushes the ID bracelet up my arm. I narrow my eyes as he sprays my wrist with sanitizer.
“What are you doing?” I try to pull my wrist away, but he holds onto it firmly. The sharp scent chemicals makes my eyes water.
“We’re just giving you the compound identifier. That way if you get lost again, the sentinels will know where you belong.”
That must be what they call mechs here. I’d have to be careful not to speak too much. While still holding my arm, he pulls a rolling table out from behind the other side of my bed. It has a small mechanical machine on it shaped like an elongated horseshoe.
The nurse comes back with a clear plastic package and lays it across my lap.
“These are your clothes. You’ll start with yellow, which are level one privileges, but it shouldn’t take long to earn your way up the higher levels, if you behave.”
While my attention is on the nurse, the doctor fits my hand and wrist through the small machine at my side. I feel an intense, burning pain like a thousand bees stinging me all at the same time.
I can’t help but cry out, but the doctor holds me firmly until the machine beeps. He finally lets go of my arm and I hold it up to the light.
There’s a perfect, thin yellow line tattooed around my wrist. I turn my palm up and see one black slash through the yellow line at the top of my wrist.
My mouth gapes as the nurse unlocks my arms and legs. I’m too stunned to move. I expected my new identity to be temporary ruse, but this feels permanent. I’m now branded forever as a traitor to my kind. A mark like this could get my killed in the wild.
“We’ll step out so you can get dressed. I’ll send one of the girls to come get you and show you around the compound, Lila.”
“What did you do to me?” I hold up my wrist, my outrage outweighing my caution. “I already had a citizen’s ID. You scanned it and it read just fine. What’s with the brand?”
“That was just your general ID tracker. The Kreons updated protocol this year, to keep better track of loyal citizens. The mark shows that you belong to the New Elmira Compound. Each level you achieve, you’ll not only earn more privileges, but another slash mark and colored band and clothing. This should have been explained to you—”
“Right, sorry, I think I’m still groggy from getting zapped.”
She smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. She looks plastic somehow, but maybe it’s just because she’s so clean. She holds up her arm, and I count the five thin colored rings encircling her wrist; yellow, orange, red, green, and purple. She turns her palm up and I see five black slashes. So she’s a level five. I look over at the doctor who is putting the tools away. He’s wearing a white jacket and navy shirt that fit him perfectly. As he moves I can see a glimpse of a blue band, which marks him as a level six.
The doctor and nurse say nothing further. They just both turn and step out of the room. I rip open the plastic package and find underclothes, pants and a shirt. All yellow, even the underwear. I slide off the table and get dressed quickly. The clothes are stiff but are warmer than I’m used to, and made from a smooth fabric I can’t quite place.
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