by Karen Carr
“Darling, how nice to see you,” Regulator Thorn says to Mom. She kisses her on both cheeks.
I glance around the room in search of Burke. He’s not here. Neither is Regulator Krish or Demi’s dad, Regulator Azarian. My stomach drops. I’m wasting precious time. I have to get out of here.
Regulator Thorn and my mother exchange pleasant and phony sounding greetings. I put my hand to my forehead while I try to figure out what to do. I need information.
“She sees the resemblance,” Regulator Thorn says with a thin smile. “She’s staring at me.”
I look from my mother to Regulator Thorn wondering what she means. Seeing Regulator Thorn next to my mother. It’s obvious.
“How come you never told her?” Regulator Thorn asks. She pets my mother on her shoulder.
“Not now, Mother,” Mom says as she flicks Regulator Thorn’s hand away.
My mouth drops open. Mother? I finally get the connection. I am not ready for a family reunion.
“I’m your grandmother, Aria,” Regulator Thorn says. Her voice is rich and thick. “Oh don’t look at me that way. I am not as ancient as you think.”
“Frozen embryos,” Mom says. “Hundreds of years old, right mother?”
“Don’t give away my secrets,” Regulator Thorn says. Her eyes betray anger although her face remains pleasant.
I can’t be distracted by a family feud. This is too much. I have to help Burke.
“Regulator Thorn, do you know where Burke is?” I ask. “Krish sent for him.”
“Burke?” Regulator Thorn glances around the room. She has an amazing grace, one that my mom inherited.
“I saw him with Krish earlier,” Regulator Thorn says. “I don’t see Krish either. He was here a few minutes ago. He must have left when I was saying goodbye to Regulator Azarian and his lovely children. Poor Jack.”
“Where’s the restroom,” I say. “I’m going to barf.”
I know they won’t let me use the Regulator’s private restroom. They’ll send me down the hall. Just as I expect, Regulator Thorn flutters her long lashes at me and points out the door.
“Aria,” Mom says. Her voice is filled with warning.
“Not now, Mom,” I say.
I cover my mouth, feeling like I might actually puke. I push past Mr. Wassillie in his colorful regalia and head out the door. I’m vaguely aware of two guards following me. Mr. Wassillie shouts for me to stop. I don’t have a hall pass. Mom shouts at Mr. Wassillie. I can’t stop. I have to run.
I pound down the steps of the stadium and away from the Regulator’s box. I take the steps two at a time and trip. I slide down the last flight on my rear and jump to my feet. I hear the guards stomping down the stairs. They are still after me. I have to keep going.
I dash out into the stadium’s field and cut across it, hoping to get lost in the few remaining people. I jog past Erwin and Jane, and dodge Vanessa and Mateo’s parents before they spot me. I don’t see my friends or Dad and Sebastian. Their absence scares me. The buzzing noise of the microdrones scares me even more. The tiny machines are alert and alive to my movements.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Outside, the cold weather and the bright sunlight hits me like a slap in the face. Barely any parents are left and dozens of guards remain, making me stick out more than I want to. Three of the guards have noticed me and are walking toward me. I wish I hadn’t rushed out of the stadium so fast. I have no chance of sneaking back to campus and up to the lab now.
Suddenly, two of the guards drop to the ground and the third stumbles over them. I notice large pine needles sticking out of their necks.
“Over here,” Vanessa yells.
I follow the sound of her voice to see her and Mateo standing behind a clump of trees. My friends took down the guards. They are going to be in serious trouble when this is over. I glance at the sky, hoping that there aren’t too many microdrones around. Thankfully, they all seem to be buzzing toward the Vactrain and the exiting families.
I do my best to pretend to be a scientist before any more guards spot me. I’ll just pretend I’m going to work to get my things. Test tubes. Chemical Formulas. The boy in the lab. I’ve almost reached Vanessa and Mateo when I run into a big bundled-up figure.
The giant man in front of me grabs me by the shoulders.
“Let me go,” I shout.
The man pulls down his scarf. I recognize his bushy eyebrows and red cheeks immediately.
“It’s me,” Vladimir says.
“Where’s Burke?” I ask.
“They just took him onto the bridge,” Vladimir says.
My heart flutters. He’s near. I have time, but not much.
“Help me get past the guards,” I say.
Vladimir looks at the dozen guards in front of the bridge and takes my hand.
“Come with me,” he says. “Act sick.”
Act sick. I’m always acting sick. I’m always feeling sick. I can’t wait to get out of this circus. I can’t wait to go home.
I hold my ribs and double over as we march toward the bridge. I glance back at Vanessa and Mateo, but can’t see them anymore. When we reach the bridge, I see Burke’s pompom hat and a man with a purple cloak surrounded by several guards. Seeing Burke with Krish makes bile rise in my throat.
I spew on the ground just as we reach the guards.
“Let us through,” Vladimir says. “This girl needs the infirmary before she gets on the train.”
“No can do,” one of the guards says. “No students can cross.”
I bend toward the guard’s boot and make another wrenching sound. He quickly moves his book away.
“She can’t take a train ride without stomach help,” Vladimir says.
Suddenly, a shot rings through the air. Startled, the guards draw their guns and look around. They push Vladimir and me to the side and rush toward a tall boy with curly brown hair. Sebastian. My brother.
“I can’t take it anymore,” Sebastian yells. He’s swinging a gun over his head. “Too many of my friends have died.”
Where did Sebastian get a gun? He’s going to be in trouble for that. If he lives.
“Sedate him,” a guard yells. Another one raises a weapon. I hope it’s a stun gun.
“Come on,” Vladimir says. “Now’s our chance.”
“My brother,” I say. I can’t make a choice between Burke and Sebastian.
“Go,” screams Sebastian. The guards think he’s shouting at them, but I know it’s for me. A guard aims his gun at my brother and shoots.
Vladimir pulls me onto the bridge as I see my brother drop to the ground. As he drops, a swarm of microdrones arrives.
I must have faith that Sebastian is alive. Nothing less than faith will bring my feet forward. Two guards approach us. Vladimir tells me to get to Burke and then runs towards them. I watch my brother. He moans and rolls over. That’s all my feet need to start running.
The warm mist stabs at my cold face and stings my eyes. My feet feel as if they will slip under me on the glass surface. I use the rail of the bridge as a guide and jog forward. Even though it is day, the heavy clouds and thick mist make it hard to see.
I blink a few times and see Burke, with his wool sweater and pompom hat, haloed in a cloud of mist. He’s half way across the bridge. Right next to Burke, dragging him along, is a purple-robed Krish. If Burke wanted to cross the bridge on his own, Krish wouldn’t be dragging him over it.
I grasp the switchblade in my vest pocket and run forward. I am my mother’s daughter. I am slice.
Burke’s arms are pinned behind his back as if they are tied together.
“Burke,” I scream.
I no longer care if they see me. I want them to see me. I want them to stop.
Burke turns and twists out of Krish’s grip. He runs towards me, but slides on the slick bridge and falls to his knees. Krish turns and shouts at Burke. Guards from the far side of the bridge watch us. They don’t yet know what’s going on. They don’t understand that I
am trying to rescue Burke.
I run toward Burke with the switchblade in my hand, ready to press the button that releases the blade. By the time I reach Burke, he is back on his feet.
“Cut the rope,” Burke says. He shoves his tied hands toward me.
I press the button on the switchblade and watch the silver blade emerge from its sheath. Regulator Krish catches up to us, straightens his back, and thrusts out his chest. I realize how small Krish is, a few inches shorter than I am.
I grab the rope around Burke’s hands and pause. I’m scared to stick the double-sided blade between the rope and Burke’s flesh.
“It’s so nice to see you, Aria,” Krish says. “But you really must go home now.”
“Not without Burke,” I say.
Burke steps backwards towards the rail of the bridge.
“Aria, cut the rope,” Burke says. His voice is urgent and annoyed.
Two guards from the far side of the bridge stroll forward. Krish sees them and motions for them to join us. The rail feels cold and icy on my back. The updraft from the wind rising out of the gorge below blows my hair into my face.
“Come on, Aria,” Regulator Krish says. He extends his hand. “I am sure your mother is waiting.”
“No,” I say.
I touch the knife to the rope around Burke’s wrists and manage to cut through several layers. The knife is sharper than I expected it to be.
Regulator Krish steps closer to us, his purple robe blowing in the wind. The two guards have almost reached us.
Krish glances at the guards and sneers.
“You won’t get anywhere once the guards reach us,” he says.
“Yes we will,” I say. “I’ll tell them you are trying to kill Burke.”
Krish blinks rapidly. “You think they will believe you? I am a Regulator, Aria. Or have you forgotten?”
Burke frees himself from the rope. At the same time, a guard raises his gun and points it at us.
“Come on,” Burke says. He grabs my hand and we run away from Krish.
Vladimir is still holding off the other guards at the end of the bridge. There are too many of them. Soon, guards will be coming at us from both ends. It is hopeless. I have no choice.
I stop in my tracks and turn to Burke.
“I have to use my token,” I say. “I have to kill Krish.”
Burke looks both ways down the bridge. From his stone-cold face, I can tell he sees the same thing I do. The guards will be upon us from either side. They’ll surround us. I’ll get to go home. Burke will end up in Krish’s lab.
Burke grabs me and pulls me onto the bungee jumping platform, still extended from when Jane tried to kill herself.
“If you kill Krish,” he pauses to make sure I am paying attention. “They’ll be a debriefing. You may go to control.”
“But I may not,” I say. I tighten my grip on the switchblade.
Burke pulls me into his arms and brushes the hair from my face.
“You may not with the right defense,” he says. “But it’s too risky. I can’t let you do it.”
Krish reaches us. He steps onto the platform.
“Come on Burke,” Krish says. “You know what’s best for Aria. You know what’s best for the world. You agreed to help.”
“I didn’t agree to die,” Burke says.
“A technicality,” Krish says. He draws a small revolver from his pocket. “I was going to kill you later. I might as well do it now.”
Krish points the gun at Burke. I hear the buzz of the microdrones, but don’t see them in the fog. A red dot appears on Burke’s forehead. A guard reaches Krish’s side. I can’t think. I have to be calm. I breathe deeply and channel my mother. I am Aria Nova. I am slice.
“Just in time,” Krish says to the guard. “When he is dead, I want you to take him to the lab with us.”
I try to step in front of Burke, but he won’t let me.
“I can’t let you die,” I whisper.
“I can’t let you go to control,” Burke says.
“Get out of the way, Aria,” Krish says. “Your grandmother would be furious with me if I hurt you.”
I have no choice. I step toward Krish. The guard takes my place next to Burke, grabs Burke’s arm, and slugs him in the stomach. Burke lurches over, but doesn’t fight back. He’s doing this for me. I can’t let him.
Krish comes up next to me.
“You can’t help Burke,” Regulator Krish says. “Go home.”
“Yes, I can,” I say. “I am my mother’s daughter.”
Krish’s mouth slackens and he lifts his eyebrows. The wind whips his robe high in the air. Now’s my chance.
I push the knife under Regulator Krish’s bottom rib and feel the blade pierce his skin. I push hard to make sure the blade reaches his heart. I try not to think about the sound the knife makes as it slides through Krish’s body, or the repugnant smell of blood. I am not the killing type. I am a murderer.
Blood oozes out of Krish’s wound and covers my hand, my arm, and my jeans.
Krish staggers backwards with a shocked look on his face. I hold the knife in my hand in case I need to stab more. I am not the killing type. The knife shakes in my hand. Krish. Please die.
Burke struggles out of the stunned guard’s grasp and rushes to my side. Regulator Krish grasps the rail for balance.
“What did you do?” Krish asks. His eyes are bloodshot, as if every vein in his body has exploded and the blood is trying to find a way out. Any way out.
“I terminated you,” I say. I hold up my wrist so that Regulator Krish can see my bracelet. “With my amethyst token.”
Regulator Krish’s eyes flutter as he collapses into the guard’s arms. The guard is stunned, frozen by my actions and the knife wound in Krish’s’ heart. I know the feeling. Death up close is unbelievable and stunningly painful.
The guard flips open her visor and our eyes connect. A woman. Her agony reflects back the feelings I had when Jack was shot. She will blame herself for Krish’s death. She will feel guilty for the rest of her life.
I am vaguely aware that someone is shaking me.
“Aria,” Burke says. “Snap out of it. I have to go.”
I feel a hand on my back and lurch forward, pointing my knife at any movement.
I turn to see Vladimir staring at me. He’s next to my mother.
“Vladimir told me everything,” Mom says as she wraps a protective arm around me. “How come you didn’t tell me about your amethyst token?”
I turn to Burke.
“How does Vladimir know?” I ask.
Burke brings me into his arms and hugs me. I smell campfire and blood. Vladimir glances at my knife. I wipe the blood on my pants, retract the blade, and put it in my mom’s vest. I am done with killing. Forever.
“Burke we have to go,” Vladimir says. He yanks Burke’s sweater. “We don’t have much time. They’ll never let us escape this one. They’ll blame us for everything.”
“I know,” Burke says.
I glance down the bridge, toward the stadium, expecting to see guards rushing toward us. Instead, I see a pile of guards on the ground and a cloud of microdrones above them. No wonder there aren’t any around us.
“Vanessa and Mateo’s work,” Vladimir says. “And a little bit of mine.” He chuckles. “More will come any second. Some of the guards don’t appreciate Burke as much as we do.”
Vladimir gestures down the other side of the bridge, toward Kill School. More guards are coming this way. Tears well in my eyes and I bite my lip as Burke presses his cheek against mine.
“Your mother will keep you safe,” Burke whispers. I can feel the pain in his voice. He presses his lips to my forehead. “I’ll see you at your debriefing. Don’t worry about anything.”
“I’m going to worry about everything,” I say. Tears sting my eyes.
Burke takes both of my hands and kisses my fingers. “So am I.”
“You two knock it off,” Vladimir says. His voice is gruff as i
f he’s choking back his own tears. He clears his throat. “Time to go.”
Burke wraps his arms around me one last time. I slide my hands under his sweater and clutch at his back, pressing him closer to me. I feel his heartbeat as his mouth presses against mine and our tongues intertwine. For a brief moment, we are on the bank of his secret lake, touching as lovers do. He pulls away from me, leaving my face cold.
“I have to go,” he whispers.
I nod, scared that I won’t be able to speak without crying.
Burke goes to my mother and hugs her, which startles both of us. Vladimir takes Burke and they run down the bridge. I watch Burke and Vladimir disappear into the woods, feeling as if I’ll never see them again.
My mother takes my elbow. Her grasp is firm.
“Walk as if you’ve done nothing wrong,” she says. “You are a Regulator’s granddaughter. She will protect you.”
Mother and I march down the bridge with a sea of guards following us. We reach the other end and step off into the gathering crowd.
The next few moments pass in a blur. Vanessa and Mateo appear with their parents and act as if they have no idea what happened. More guards show up from inside the stadium. Some remaining parents, the counselors, and teachers hover around us. The guard, the woman who caught Krish’s body, walks off the bridge carrying him in her arms. The other guards surround her in a semi-circle.
It takes a few short seconds for everyone to understand that I just shoved a knife into Regulator Krish’s gut, causing his heart to stop.
One of the guards comes up to me and yanks me from my mother’s grasp.
“Get your hands off her,” Mom says, smacking the guard in his helmeted head.
Mr. Wassillie joins us. He’s furious with the guard.
“Release her immediately,” Mr. Wassillie says. “As the director of this camp, I command you to do so.”
I’m too confused to thank Mr. Wassillie for sticking up for me. Mom grabs my wrist, unhooks the bracelet, and pops out my amethyst and slightly turquoise token. She holds the token up to the sunlight streaming through an opening in the clouds.