For now.
“Our name is the United Free Army. End of discussion.”
Varesh leans over the table, four of his arms making delicate circles on the smooth wood. “This is not a challenge, but more of a question. I would like to know, girl,” he asks in a sickeningly condescending tone, “why do you believe that you are more capable of leading this army than those of us with decades more experience? Just because you brought us all together does not make up for years of commanding in the field. Just because you got here first doesn’t make you the best. As much as you posture, you are still a child.”
The group falls silent. Varesh is the least liked of any faction leader in this alliance, which is why, I’m sure, no one has added to his dissenting voice.
But I’m also sure that they are all thinking the same thing.
“I don’t need to explain myself to you,” I tell him bluntly. “You can accept the terms or you can fuck off.” I can feel my new hand trembling, aching to jump over the table and strangle him.
“See?” Two of Varesh’s hands wave gracefully in the air. “That is the sort of vulgar answer a sullen adolescent would give. You are proving my point.”
I feel a growl begin to stir in my chest, but before I can say anything further, Navaa steps in. “Ryn,” she says brusquely. “I would like a private word.”
I whip my head toward her sharply, prepared to give her a piece of my mind for undermining me, but the look on her face is so grave that it gives me pause. “Now?” I demand.
“I apologize, but, yes, now,” Navaa says with grave determination.
“Fine,” I tell her as I push my chair back and walk out the door knowing she is on my heels. We end up in the far corner of the hallway, a far enough distance where we won’t be overheard. As soon as we get there I whirl on her.
“What are you doing?” I hiss. “Pulling me out of that room like I’m a misbehaving student who needs to see the principal! You’re making this worse.”
“No, Ryn,” Navaa says calmly, but her eyes are wide and serious. “You are doing that all on your own. I can accept that you are stronger than me and perhaps even smarter than me as well. I know that your Kir-Abisat gift is far greater than mine. We all know in theory that the humans possess a superiority that we do not.”
“Exactly!” I agree in frustration.
“But,” she says in an infuriatingly calm voice, “you have not earned these gifts. You didn’t work for them. They weren’t gleaned from years of hardship or experience.”
“I’ve experienced plenty of hardship and you know it,” I assure her, though now I’m deeply offended. “It’s not just what the altered Roones did to me either. That . . . that . . . person in the room, he cut off my arm, Navaa! And now he’s questioning my ability to lead and then you call me out here. It makes it look like you agree with him.”
“I do agree with him.”
I take a sharp intake of breath. I feel as though I’ve been slapped. “How can you say that?” I say in a whisper. “How can you think that when you know how much I’ve had to sacrifice to make this alliance happen?”
“Because you are seventeen years old and although you are a genius, intellect is not the same as wisdom,” she tells me kindly—and I hate her for it. And before I can come back with the vicious retort bubbling inside me, she holds up a hand for a moment more.
It takes all my strength not to tear her arm off and show her how that feels, but I listen.
“Now, I do believe that you are the only one who can keep us together as a cohesive unit because, as you said, it was your hard and diligent work that made it possible for us to be in that room in the first place. So I will back you as our commander . . . as long as you make a promise to me—right here, right now—that you will listen to those who have the wisdom you lack. That includes me, Iathan, and, yes, even Varesh. Do not let your ego and your need to prove that you aren’t a child make you act like one. This cannot be a democracy, but it cannot be a dictatorship, either. More importantly, do not let my suffering have been for nothing. Allow me to give you the insights I learned from my many failures.
“Please, Ryn.”
At first, I’m afraid that I might cry. Navaa’s words have triggered my greatest insecurities. She’s right. I am young. I am inexperienced compared to many of the others at that table. But I also truly believe that I am the only person who can keep the alliance together.
So what the hell do I do?
“If I back down now,” I manage to say, “they’ll walk all over me. They’ll take over. All Iathan wants is revenge, and Varesh is a bloodthirsty megalomaniac. You want them to be in charge? If I show them any kind of weakness, they’ll only see me as what they claim, a girl, and so will your people.”
“You are a girl Ryn; you are a woman and that is good.”
I shake my head, unsure of what she is saying. “How can that be good? What do you mean?”
“I have read much about human history,” Navaa begins as she grabs me lightly by both my shoulders. “It is not so different from ours, centuries ago. It has always been men, going to war, thirsty for battle, enslaving those weaker than them. So this is what I mean: do not lead like a man. Lead like a woman. Listen. Communicate. Empathize. Be vocal. These are strengths, not weaknesses. Compromise is not a weakness, if used to further your own end. You are coming from a place of fear instead of authority. But absolutism isn’t always the best answer.
“What I mean is calm down, Ryn. No one is going to take this from you, not if you act as smart as you claim to be, all right?”
I bow my head and take a deep breath. I may not be wise, but I am not stupid. Navaa is right. I’ve been so concerned about losing this newfound freedom I have and so terrified that someone will make me blindly follow orders again that I’ve forgotten that everyone here is worried about the exact same thing. That I am not alone in this. Being a leader isn’t just about telling people what to do; it’s about becoming the person that they need in that moment and then knowing who to be next when the moment passes.
“Okay,” I relent. “Thank you. I think probably . . . no, definitely . . .” I take a breath. “You are right. I will always appreciate your counsel. I might not take it,” I tell her with a smile, “but I promise to always listen to it.”
Navaa nods her head and we both walk back into the room. I calmly take my seat and address Varesh—who I still want to punch in the skull, but I manage to push that urge away. “Sairjidahl Varesh,” I begin. “I apologize for my rudeness earlier. Thank you for bringing your concerns to the table. They are valid. I am available to discuss strategy and any other concerns you may have at any time. Your experience, as is everyone’s here, will be invaluable. Shall we move on?”
Varesh knits his finely shaped brows. I have not disagreed with him, so there is no reason to fight any further. He knows as well as I that to insist how capable you are for a job only makes the person pleading their own case look desperate. Since I gave him part of what he wants, he can now no longer claim that he would make a better leader.
But of course he’s not going to take it lying down. “As long as you agree to listen to your betters, then, yes, we can move on,” he says.
“There are no betters here, Sairjidahl,” Navaa says icily. “In this room, we are all equals. Going against that fundamental rule is, as the humans would say, a deal breaker. Are you a deal breaker, Varesh?”
The entire alliance swings their heads around to look at Varesh, who has enough experience to know that this is not a battle he will win, at least not today.
“I am not,” he says proudly.
“Excellent,” Navaa tells us all brightly. “And for the record, I think the UFA is a fine name.” And with that, finally, the others relent.
Back in control, I say, “Get your people together.” The tone of that order is quiet, but undeniably firm. “We’re going home tomorrow. So you have twenty-four—maybe forty-eight—hours to get squared away.” I clear my throat and l
ook at all the different colors and faces around me, at the wings and bracelets and furrowed brows.
“I guess I’m supposed to make some really inspiring speech right now. But we all know what’s at stake. I don’t care about the past, and I suggest that if any of you are harboring grudges, let them go. They’re a distraction. The only thing any of us should care about is eliminating the altered Roones. As Varesh pointed out, I am young and I lack your years of experience. But maybe that’s a good thing. My ideas are fresh and my strategies are forward thinking. If we work together to shape those ideas with the experience you bring to the table, then that might just be the key to besting the altered Roones at their own game. In the spirit of that collaboration, I am happy to listen to any and all strategies and suggestions if you feel you haven’t been properly heard today. I hope, though, that you feel like you have. Make your peace with how we got here and get ready, because we are going to war.
“This meeting is adjourned.”
Each of the delegates jumps from the table and begins to move at a brisk clip. There is a tremendous amount of work to do and very little time to do it in.
I tell Levi I will meet him back in my room after I go over some particulars with Gomda and Yessenia about setting up a triage center on our Earth. When I’m done, I make my way quickly to my quarters. Levi and I have only had a handful of hours alone. For the past few days, sex has been off the table because, well, robot arm. Tonight, though, before we head home, things could be different. My pulse starts to race a little as I get closer to my door.
When it swings open, I see Levi on the bed. He’s on his back and his uniform is peeled down to his feet. That’s how far he got. I walk inside the room and, unsurprisingly, he is asleep. This kind of fatigue that we are both feeling settles deep, in the marrow. I take off my uniform and manage to get the rest of his off. He barely stirs with my efforts. I climb in the bed beside him.
Timing is everything and, now, time’s up.
Chapter 19
The first part of what is now officially called Operation Battle Ground Fury (but which I personally have dubbed Operation Fuck Those Fucks) begins with a special op, code-named Operation Sanctuary. Ezra, Levi, and I Rift back to our Earth just as dawn is breaking, blocks away from Meadow Glade. Ezra’s job will be to use a drone to scan for enemy surveillance at both my house and Violet’s. He will use a sensuit to go stealth to further aid his investigation. If the houses are clear, he is to knock on the door, introduce himself, and tell my parents and brother to wait there.
He will, without sounding like a deranged lunatic, have to convince my parents that something big is going on and that I will join him later to explain everything. I don’t know what exactly he’s going to say, but I’ve given him some anecdotes to help him gain their trust. He’ll also use the sensuit to blow their minds. Once they see him transform into a Franciscan monk or an Ewok or something, they’ll want to know what the hell is going on. They will in turn call the rest of Beta Team’s parents, along with Levi’s mom and sister, on a secure phone and tell them to come over. He is not, for any reason, to tell them the entire truth, no matter how hard they press him for answers. That is one thing they need to hear directly from me.
If the houses are being surveilled, he is to text me with the numbers 5–0. If that happens, then the timeline for Operation Sanctuary will need to be brought forward, though it also might mean that there is no way to accomplish the mission logistically. Luckily, twenty minutes after he arrives at my front door he sends me another text. This one is only the number 9. This tells me, with great relief, that my family has let him in and there is no one watching.
Levi and I arrive at Camp Bonneville. We don’t use the train or the gate. Instead, we hop over a fence deep in the thickest part of the forested area. I don’t want anyone to know that we are coming. I may not have absolute control over what’s about to happen, but in this one thing, I am granted total autonomy. I get to decide the terms of my homecoming.
Levi breaks for the Rift, to gather Beta Team. I walk right into headquarters and make my way to Edo’s office. All I’m going to do is tell her that I have returned, without Ezra. The next questions she asks will help us further strategize for Operation Battle Ground Fury. She is an absolutely stellar liar. Still, the manner of her queries will tell me if she is still mainly concerned with my Kir-Abisat gift or if somewhere along the way, the altered Roones found out what we are up to.
As I walk confidently along the maze of hallways that lead down to the med bay, I am greeted by many of my fellow soldiers. Some give me the knowing gaze I am sure stems from Henry’s covert ops. Some are just happy to see me returned. My boots pad along the short piled carpeting. I may well never see the inside of this place again. If we lose, I’ll probably die. If we win, I might insist this bunker be leveled to the ground. I don’t know if we’ll shut down the Rifts, but we’ll definitely need a new base of operations, one that hasn’t been fouled by ARC propaganda and tainted with childhood abuse.
When I get to the med bay, I swing open the door and ignore everyone else in there. I know where Edo’s office is and I don’t need to explain myself to a civilian. Although I doubt I would need to. Every person here has been brainwashed with the same drugs they used on us to keep us in line. When I get to Edo’s door, I stop and take a breath, centering myself. I put my pack, which is just filled with the basics, on the floor. I don’t want my SenMach laptop anywhere near her. I place my hand on the handle and push.
I see that Edo is standing behind her desk, her arms folded, chin tilted down. Her chair is swiveled away from me, and when I enter, I see genuine surprise on her face.
“Citadel Ryn,” she says. I clench my jaw slightly at the term Citadel. Ever so slowly the chair swings around and there, wearing the smarmiest of grins, is Christopher Seelye.
Shit.
He is not supposed to be here till tomorrow. I wanted to include every soldier’s family in Operation Sanctuary. It looks like it’ll just be the Betas—and Levi’s, of course.
“Mr. Seelye,” I say indifferently. “You’re here.”
“Yes. I was fortunate enough to conclude my business at the Myanmar Rift early. Good timing,” he tells me as he props his elbows on the desk and knits his fingers together. “I only just arrived.”
I look over to Edo, hoping that she’ll be able to give me some kind of a clue. When I left, we were all supposedly on the same side. She was going to help Henry cover for us so that I could escape. This was under the guise that she, too, was a prisoner, but now I know that was the biggest lie of all. Does she know that I know? “You just arrived? And you’re here in Edo’s office in the med bay? I’m surprised. I thought Colonel Applebaum would be your first stop.” I level my gaze at him, narrowing my eyes as I examine him. “Are you injured?”
“Well,” he says, his voice riding a sickening wave of contrived concern, “I think the more important question is, are you? You should be on duty.”
I don’t say anything. I look at Edo, whose bright blue neon eyes give absolutely nothing away. There are a few seconds of terse silence. “I had some pressing issues I needed to discuss with Edo,” Seelye tells me lightly, as if we’re old friends, in on the same joke. “Some unusual behavior at the other Rift sites. I was hoping she had discussed it with her colleagues. That’s why I’m here. But again, why are you here?” He leans forward, the chair he’s sitting on creaking beneath his weight. “Has something happened?”
The tiny hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. “No,” I tell him confidently. “I just had a question for Edo, but it’s not important. I’ll come back after my shift.”
“Yeah, sure,” he says as he sweeps his arms wide. I make my way to the door. “Ryn,” he says with an unmistakable edge. “I like the hair.” I fight the instinct to touch the arctic crop on my head. Instead I stand, perfectly still. “I always notice these things, even the tiniest details, when it comes to my favorite Citadels.”
I p
ut the biggest, fakest smile on my face. “Thanks,” I tell him with as much warmth as I can muster. I open the door, snatch up my pack, and make my way out of there. I do not run even though every muscle in my body is screaming at me to haul ass. I have to stay calm. I walk up to the level of the old escape hatch. This is the one I used to get away on the very first Earth I Rifted onto. The one where the Allies lost World War II. I disable the alarm and turn the tight wheel that releases the door. Once I’m outside, I radio Levi through my cuff.
“Seelye is here early and he knows. I don’t know what he knows, but he knows something is up. Both operations are now a go. Tell Beta Team that they have to get to my house. Right now.”
Chapter 20
I run so fast that I almost trip on a tiny fallen branch obscured by mud from a recent rain. Nothing is going to work here unless I calm down. I focus on my surroundings. I push my fears away and let muscle memory take over. Leap, dodge, run, jump. Okay, so Seelye knows something is going on, but I doubt he knows the full extent. I barely know the full extent and it’s my operation.
We all arrive at pretty much the same time. I practically yelp with relief when I see my teammates. After a brief group hug, I notice all the cars parked haphazardly in the driveway. One SUV is partially on our lawn. I press my palm into my uniform and run a hand through my short hair. My parents are going to lose their minds. I could cuff. I could show up wearing jeans and a sweater; that might be easier for them. They need to see it, though.
The Rift Coda Page 20