Chameleon (The Domino Project Book 1)

by K. T. Hanna

  “I would like to give a quick introduction to our newest recruit.” A light chuckle spreads around the room, and Sai feels her cheeks get hot at the attention.

  “Stand up, please.” Mathur makes a flourish with his hands as Sai does so. “This is Sai, delivered into our waiting hands by Bastian. You can sit down now,” he half-whispers to her, a twinkle in his eyes.

  She does so, able to feel how flaming red her face must be.

  “We’ll go clockwise around the table. Aishke is Sai’s first student. Next we have Trikel Sanien. She’s the current overseer of our psionic division.” The woman smiles at Sai, relief obvious in her expression.

  Mathur continues the introductions. “Next we have James Darson. He heads up defense systems, both human- and machine-operated. Next to him is Doctor Stephen Jeffries.”

  “I can speak for myself, Mathur.” The man’s tone is full of disdain, and Sai cringes involuntarily. “I’ve told you my feelings on the matter, and she should know them, too.”

  Mathur sighs and looks away. “We have talked about this.”

  “No, you talked and didn’t listen.” Jeffries crosses his arms and turns to Sai, his eyes trying to strip her soul bare. She shivers while she waits for him to speak. “I’ll be watching you. Regardless of what Bastian might think you are? I won’t believe you’re not a plant by GNW to infiltrate our ranks until you prove me wrong.”

  Sai blinks at him, and suddenly isn’t sure herself. If they’ve been mind-controlling everyone, doesn’t it stand to reason they could be controlling her, too? She clears her throat and pushes the thought to the back of her mind. “I trust Bastian.”

  Jeffries snorts derisively and looks away, terminating the conversation.

  “Next is me!” Iria pipes up, her exuberance overriding the previous man’s affect. “But you know me already, most people do.”

  “Hard not to.” Trikel smiles at Iria briefly. That small interaction is enough to calm the butterflies turning somersaults in Sai’s stomach.

  Iria grins. “Mason isn’t here today, or he’d be sitting up there with Mathur.”

  Sai pats Aishke on the hand when she feels the girl stiffen at her stepfather’s name, and Mathur steps in smoothly before Iria can run off with the conversation some more.

  “Next to Iria is Kayde Thaniel. She is our resident genius. The antidote for non-psionics, which should eventually help them to withstand mind suggestion is her brainchild.”

  “Antidote?” Sai clenches her fists to keep her voice from shaking. “Bastian mentioned it, but I don’t quite understand.”

  This time Kayde clears her throat. Her voice is a warm alto. “The Shine Bastian—and this time you—bring us isn’t generally used for what you think. We don’t have Shine addicts in the way you’re used to. The only people who use it here are those not amenable to their psionic abilities.”

  “They might not want their abilities, but it’s not like they’re out of control.” Sai crosses her arms and bites her lip, still trying to grasp her new situation.

  “True.” Kayde cocks her head to one side, her shoulder length blonde hair swishing as she continues, “The rest of it is used to ascertain the properties and break down the components so I can better learn to reverse the effect it has on non-psionics...”

  “Oh!” Sai interrupts, “You’re trying to harness a way to protect them from the thought manipulation they’re currently subjected to.”

  “Mind suggestion, thought-coercion, maniacally manipulating the populace into complacent drones…” Kayde grins, but the smile doesn’t reach her eyes. She holds up a hand as Sai opens her mouth to speak, stalling it. “This cure isn’t a fix-all; it’s just a stop-gap measure. Depending on how the Facilities have their grids cast, if they push with enough reserve power, even dormant psionic genes won’t hold up against thought-coercion.”

  Sai tries to swallow the sudden lump in her throat. “Yeah, I know.”

  “I told you she knew more than she should.” Jeffries smirks at her, and Sai clamps down on the immediate retort lingering on her tongue.

  Mathur claps his hands together. “Enough! Now we all know each other, yes?” His smile beams around the table, daring people to gainsay him. No one speaks up, not even Jeffries. “Excellent. Now, we can move onto business. I will answer any questions afterward. Some of us have limited time.”

  Sai nods and settles back to observe.

  “Sai’s role here will be to assist Trikel in the stages of voluntary psionics development. She will scout for, as well as see if we have any Rares capable of training to the level of Sai and Bastian. I will ask that everyone cooperate with her. Any questions?” The old man pointedly glares at Jeffries.

  It’s all Sai can do to stop her arm raising, even though the ones she wants the most are the things she feels the need to ask Jeffries.

  “Great.” Mathur opens an old-fashioned folder and pulls out a strange, long flat reader. “Then we will move on now. We are gearing up and getting ready to put the assault plan into action. I would like to hear from everyone as to where you are for your stage of the infiltration plan.”

  Darson clears his throat. His voice booms across the table, a perfect accompaniment to his stature. “I have fourteen scouting groups ready to go once Mason gives the word, not to mention twenty-five sets of reinforcements. My men are ready when the plan is.”

  “Ebony won’t be ready in time. We’ll have no way to mitigate their net’s impact yet, so they won’t remember any of it in a couple of days.” Kayde taps a stylus against her reader without looking up. “I can’t contribute much to this assault, but I will tap their surveillance and record it all for posterity, as well as a few other little tricks I should be able to hammer out. We have time, yes?”

  Mathur smiles grimly. “We have as much time as Sai needs to get her pupils ready.”

  It’s not the first time Sai understands the beauty of the facade taught to her by Bastian. Behind it she can be scared, while showing everyone else she’s as prepared as they think she is.

  She waits until they’re back in the medical wing before she lets the meeting get to her. “Sure. Of course, it’s extremely simple. Even though we don’t trust you, we’ll let you train every psionic among us to overthrow the stranglehold GNW has on the citizens of the UC.” She throws herself down on her bed and wishes she hadn’t, because it’s definitely not as soft as she’d thought.

  “You know...” Aishke ventures timidly. “That’s not exactly what they said, Sai.”

  “Really? That’s precisely what it sounded like in my head,” Sai grumbles, still pushing down on her panic.

  Aishke pauses. “My family would call you melodramatic. You’re overreacting.”

  “Sit down. I’m not about to bite.” Sai sits up and puts her head in her hands, weary after listening to people drone on for hours, debating procedures and tactics to infiltrate Central and then telling her how much of a relief it was to have her there, even if Jeffries rarely stopped glaring at her. “How did they say it then?” she asks, her voice tired.

  “Really?”

  Sai laughs. “Really.”

  “Okay” Aishke sits down and closes her eyes for a moment. When she opens her mouth to speak, it’s her voice that comes out, but Trikel’s exact phrasing.

  “I’ll need to work out a strategy with Sai before I can give my report. I’m quite certain with Bastian’s training behind her, we’ll have something worked out by the end of the week. I’m confident that between us, we’ll find the best way.”

  Sai gapes at Ash. “I guess that is a little different.”

  Aishke smiles, encouraged, and starts to speak again, and this time, she’s completely herself. “It’s not just different. You feel victimized. I understand it, but you can’t let Jeffries get to you. Bastian wouldn’t have sent you or put me in your care if he didn’t believe in you. Give yourself credit.”

  Sai lies back again. “I guess I’m a bit panicked.”

  “And maybe a b
it overwhelmed?”

  She raises an eyebrow. “You’re an eloquent little thing.”

  Aishke shrugs. “I’m my mother’s child.” Her bottom lip trembles and for a moment moisture wells in her eyes, but she blinks it back and continues. “No matter what she did or didn’t allow on her own premises, she was still my mother, and my family was something to be proud of. Not anymore, though. I’ve ruined that forever.”

  “I don’t think you’ve ruined anything, Ash.”

  “And I don’t think you have any right to doubt Bastian’s judgment,” Aishke returns slyly. When Sai goes to protest, she holds up her hand. “I feel brave right now, so let me speak. If they’re not busy duping people who don’t understand or are scared of psionics into committing themselves or others to this ‘better’ institution, GNW is busy pulling in the stronger psionics as soon as their powers awaken. You and everyone here have a chance to change that. To make it better, to take back what GNW has taken from everyone.”

  Ash takes a deep breath and looks Sai directly in the eyes. “I didn’t know this either. Not until I woke, not until I realized the gravity of the situation here. They need you, or someone like you, to make this possible. Have a little faith in yourself.”

  Sai feels pricks of heat behind her eyes and blinks away potential tears. “You’re far too young to be so wise.”

  Aishke blushes and laughs softly. “I may have cheated.”

  “Cheated?” Sai cocks her head to one side. “How do you mean cheated?”

  “I may or may not have heard my dad give my uncle almost exactly the same advice when I was very young.”

  Sai laughs. “And you remember it?”

  Ash’s grin is impish. “People hate conversations with me. I never forget them.”

  “I’ll have to keep that in mind.” Sai reaches over and squeezes Aishke’s hands. “Thank you. I’ll have to keep those words in my pocket and take them out when I’m particularly down. This isn’t going to be easy.”

  “Nothing worth doing ever is.”

  “Mason?”

  Ash shakes her head and her eyes mist over. “No, my mom.”

  Sai leans back again and studies her first official pupil. “One day, I’ll tell you my story. It takes some time to tell, but I hope it’ll help when I do.”

  “What about now?” Ash’s eyes look haunted again.

  “It’s not a good story for now. For either of us.”

  “Okay.” Just like that, Ash drops the subject and turns to the side-table next to her bed. “So you get paid then?”

  Sai shrugs. “Apparently. I don’t quite understand this currency thing.”

  Ash raises an eyebrow at her. “You’ve not had money before?”

  “My parents didn’t have any that wasn’t used for Shine, and GNW pays in: you’re allowed to live. I didn’t grow up in a wealthy environment.”

  The other girl’s expression is strange, and she chooses her words carefully, her eyes never leaving Sai’s face. “Despite everything, I think I was luckier.”

  “Maybe.” Sai smiles tightly and stands, retrieving the bag in one quick movement. It’s a small soft pouch. Money earned is credited to the identification bands which allow both her and Ash access throughout the Exiled Mobiles. She digs in and tosses Aishke’s to her, putting her own around her uninjured wrist. It fastens tight and attaches itself to her skin, not quite burrowing beneath, but camouflaging to it. She shivers at their similarity to the GNW tracking bracelets. If they want them removed, they’ll probably have to go see Kayde.

  “I’m going to get changed, and then I’ll go get us some food?”

  Ash suppresses a yawn. “I’m tired.”

  “Nice timing,” Sai laughs and dives into the small storage cupboard to grab out a change of clothes.

  She pulls on a training suit, with clean underwear and a tank top, and heads back out of her room. Aishke seems to have fallen asleep her bed, curled up in a ball with her hair over one eye, so Sai tries to be quiet as she exits the room.

  “Sai!”

  Only to have it spoiled with Iria waiting there. “Hey, Iria.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, Aishke is napping.”

  “Sorry!” Even Iria’s soft voice isn’t very soft. But it’s bright and cheery and improves Sai’s mood. “I thought I’d wait for you and see if you were going to do any shopping or wanted to find an apartment. There’s a great two-bedroom near the center.” Iria smiles and leads the way. “Apartment first?”

  Sai pauses for a moment. “Yeah. I have to take food back to Aishke.”

  “Excellent. This way!” Iria is quick and weaves around the corridors easily. They venture toward the meeting rooms and then past them and off to the left. Sai can see what looks like a gathering area surrounded by little booths open out from one of the exits and strains to see more. She almost bumps into the now-stationary Iria.

  “Here we are!”

  Sai pokes her head inside the open door. It’s simple. A small living room with two loveseats and a coffee-table in front of a kitchen with a table and two chairs. She walks in a few steps past the couches to see a hall with a bath directly in front of her and a room on either side.

  “Like it?” Iria’s voice is softer than usual, but when Sai glances up, the smile is still as big.

  “Mind if I take a peek?”

  Iria shakes her head, and Sai walks into the room on the left. It’s patterned in blues. The closet is to the right of the bed, while a side table is on the left. She opens the doors to the wardrobe and lets out a low whistle. Eight suits of body armor hang inside, along with several sleek black training suits like Aishke’s grey one. Not to mention underwear, T-shirts, and tank tops in the three drawers. Several pairs of training shoes adorn the floor of the closet.

  Suddenly, Sai feels very lucky, despite the fear Jeffries instilled nagging at the back of her mind. The body armor is a cut above what she wore back at the facility, too. She brushes her fingers over the material. It’s stronger, more supple. With a sigh, she shuts the wardrobe, and walks back out.

  Iria is leaning against the main door. “So?”

  “It’s perfect.” Sai smiles this time, fighting back a yawn. “But now I need food.”

  “Good. I’ll have Kayde set this as your locks.” Iria pushes herself away from the door. “We can go grab food, and I’ll bring Aishke back here.”

  “Sure.” Sai walks with her toward the center. The booths appear to be little stores. At first they seem uniform, but there are subtle differences in decorations which allow each shop a distinct appearance. Iria leads her over to one with fresh salads and fruits behind a counter.

  “Hydroponically grown,” Iria offers as Sai helplessly tries to pick something. “Try something simple. We’ll take two salads, please. Just the house special.”

  “That’ll be twenty-six credits,” the woman behind the counter says.

  Sai glances at the almost invisible band around her wrist and, with Iria’s help, finally figures it out. She passes her wrist over the sensor on the counter and feels a faint click. “Thanks,” she adds hurriedly as they leave the stand.

  “There’s a place for everyone somewhere, Sai. You just have to be open enough to finding it.”

  “Doesn’t seem like Jeffries wants me to.”

  Iria studies her for a moment, her tone more gentle than usual when she speaks. “One dissenting voice doesn’t mean anything. Forget him and just be you.”

  “What’s with everyone giving me wisdom today?” Sai says, a little hotter than she intends. “Sorry, I’m just...”

  “Overwhelmed? Confused? Lost?”

  Sai nods.

  “A lot of us are, but we’re doing what we know in our hearts is right. Sleep on it and see how you feel tomorrow.” Iria hugs her quick enough that Sai can’t react. “I’ll go fetch your starving roommate, and if you need me, just call.”

  And she’s running down a corridor before Sai can blink.

  “She’
s what?” Deign doesn’t raise her voice. She doesn’t even blink. Only her jaw tightens, almost imperceptibly.

  Bastian almost takes an involuntary step back, but checks himself in time. Dom is to his left, staring evenly at the GNW chairwoman. One thing Bastian’s learned in the years he’s known Deign: her anger simmers in a quiet, white rage.

  “She’s dead.” Dom’s voice is devoid of any of the emotions he’s exhibited over the years Bastian’s known him. Perfectly hollow and inhuman.

  “How?” The skin under Deign’s left eye twitches ever so slightly.

  “They knew we were coming. An explosion was planned. I didn’t sense it until she was halfway in, and by then, it was too late to stop her.” Dom’s voice echoes through the office.

  Deign glances down at the reader in her hands, gripping it so hard her knuckles are almost transparent. They watch her as she views the very convincing footage for a third time.

  “How did this happen?”

  Glass shatters as the reader flies through Deign’s once-delicate desk. Those screens cost a fortune to build and will cost more to replace.

  “Well?” Her tone lowers to a whisper as she stands, hands on hips, facing Bastian.

  “I can speak now?” He knows it’s foolish, but it’s irresistible.

  “Bastian,” she grinds out, the warning clear.

  “We hear the information, which means others will be aware of it, too, Deign. Your sources have never been from infiltrators, always from plans overheard in places our own staff don’t frequent.” He pauses for a moment to let the words sink in. “It’s not necessarily those who gather information for you, but perhaps the delivery of said information itself.”

  She mulls it over, her eyes never leaving his face. Deign has never been a stupid woman, but her pride often gets in the way of good judgment. On occasion, Bastian counts on it. “They’ll pay for this, Bastian. I need you to see to that.”

  “Security is Zach and Markus’s responsibility, Deign.”