Utopia

by L. J. Higgins

  “So, he's going to join us,” said Lark.

  “Who would've thought the Elite boy would want to help us?” laughed Braven.

  “Why?” I bit at him. “He wants to rescue his sister.”

  Braven held his hands up in defence. “No offence intended. I mean, he's giving up a lot to come with us.”

  “It shows how important both Maya and you are to him,” said Lark.

  “He's going to help us escape, but he won't be coming with us. He doesn't want to abandon his mum.” I couldn't mask the disappointment behind my words.

  Domino placed her hand on my shoulder. “You two have a strong bond. But I promise we'll be there for you and hope that someday you'll see us as family.”

  I took a deep breath to calm myself and gave Domino a thankful smile. They'd been so good to me. It was time to stop relying so heavily on Fletcher and trust the people my dad was so close to.

  “So when are we doing this?” I asked.

  “Tomorrow evening, right after dark. I suggest you get some sleep, it's going to be a big day and night,” instructed Lark.

  “Guess I'll head to bed. It was nice to meet you again, Braven,” I said, rising from my wooden chair.

  “Likewise.” Braven rose from his chair and walked around to my side of the table before shaking my hand.

  “Do you want a hand with any of this?” I asked Domino, waving my hands over the dirty dishes.

  “No, you'll need your rest. I'll come close the bookshelf.”

  “Night, everyone,” I said before making my way to my room and sliding under the sheets of my bed.

  “You ready for this?” asked Domino from the doorway.

  “I think so. What other choice do I have?”

  She nodded, giving me a sympathetic smile before sliding the bookcase across.

  Sleep. Now that was a nice concept. How on Utopia was I supposed to sleep when I knew what I would be doing the following day? My life had always been so boring, so predictable, I wasn't used to all of the madness. But I would've been lying to myself if I said part of me didn't enjoy the unpredictability of it all. It made a nice difference to staring at a computer tablet all day in the school building before going home to my mother. The thought of her sent a pang of guilt through me and I decided to squash the thought down.

  Dad's locket rested on my collar bone. I ran my finger along its indentations. Who knew what secrets it held, and no one had a way to retrieve them. I was excited at the possibility of discovering what information it possessed when we arrived on Eden, but I also knew whatever was on it would turn the entire world I knew upside-down. More so than it already had been. Yes, it was as though I'd been thrown into a washing machine, tumbled around and spat out soggy on the tiled floor. But I was still somewhere I knew. Eden was a whole other floating city.

  Anytime I drifted off to sleep during the night, my eyes tired from staring at the steel ceiling, my head was filled with night terrors. Officer Banks torturing Maya while Mr. Saxby laughed at her through the bars of her cage. Alber sitting in front of a panel of blinking buttons and not knowing how to fly the airship. Fletcher reaching for me as I plummeted towards Earth, unable to stop me from falling to my death. Before I hit the bottom, I sat up in my bed and I wiped at the sweat beading on my forehead.

  Chapter Eight

  When Domino slid back the bookshelf the morning of the rescue I was already wide awake. I wasn't sure how long I'd been staring at the ceiling, but after my dream of falling to my death, I couldn't convince myself to go back to sleep.

  “Morning,” she chimed, a grin spread across her face.

  “Morning,” I groaned.

  “Rough night?”

  “I'll be fine.”

  “Well, I've got your clothes here. Once you're dressed, come meet us in the lounge. We're going over our plans to prepare for tonight.” Domino handed me a pile of folded clothes.

  Grabbing my towel, I made my way, half-asleep, to the bathroom hoping a cold shower would perk me up. Part of me was excited I would finally be leaving the house for the first time in days, but I also knew what I was leaving it to do. It was easy to believe we could pull it all off when it was all talked over and mapped out in theory. But putting the plan into action was the unpredictable part, and I couldn't help feeling like it wasn't going to go as smoothly as Lark hoped.

  The shower helped. The cold water sent goose bumps racing over my skin, making me feel more alive. Once out, I toweled myself dry and plaited my long auburn hair down my back, fastening my new necklace around my neck. I pulled on a pair of cargo pants, a tight green singlet and a pair of black socks before making my way to my room behind the bookcase.

  “Morning, Aurora,” called Alber as I walked past the group congregating in the lounge while I was showering.

  I gave him a wave and a smile. “Morning, Alber.”

  There was something endearing about the nerdy nice guy who didn't appear to fully understand what he was getting into. If it worked in theory, in Alber's head, it was going to work in practice. I laughed to myself and pulled on a pair of combat boots and a jacket. Grabbing a hold of my father's pendant, I took a deep exaggerated breath before exhaling and making my way out to the others.

  We all wore similar clothing and the only thing making any of us stand out was Vega's bright red hair, but she'd decided to omit the crazy makeup for today. Braven gave me a nod and a smile, which earned me a glare from Vega

  “Ah, Aurora. Did you want to practice any more of the combat we've been working on before we make a move this afternoon?” asked Lark.

  “You've been teaching her to fight?” asked Vega, looking me over.

  “I've been teaching her to look after herself,” Lark corrected her.

  “She's fast. And if we get into any trouble, I know she'll be able to defend herself.” Domino stood beside him.

  “I worry she's a liability. Maybe she should go with Alber and Fletcher?” suggested Vega.

  “Why? Scared I'll show you up?” I bit at her.

  Braven laughed at my retaliation.

  “What are you smiling at?” snapped Vega.

  “Nothing. You ladies are highly entertaining,” he replied with a smug grin.

  “Okay you lot, we need to work together if this is going to go to plan.” Domino looked between us, neither of us dropping our glares. “Vega, we wouldn't be letting Aurora join us if we didn't think she was capable. She holds something important. It could help us when we leave Utopia.”

  “Yeah? Like what?” Vega asked eyeing me over.

  “Nothing for you to worry about,” I replied, but my fingers found their way to the odd pendant.

  Domino rolled her eyes. “So Braven, you think you've got this?”

  “Alber goes with the boy and I break the rest of us into the underground facility to rescue Maya. Easy, right?” he replied.

  Sure, too easy.

  Lark gave him a pat on the back. “Grab whatever provisions you need and we'll head down to find Edith in the Undercity. There we'll meet up with Fletcher and let him know where he sits in the plan.”

  We all nodded and everyone went about getting their belongings together. Domino handed me a pre-packed backpack and I thanked her. She'd been so kind to me during my stay.

  “Aurora, I've got a surprise for you,” said Lark as he approached me with a thick leather belt.

  It had pockets and compartments, one of which held the knife we'd been training with. I raised my hands and let him fasten the belt around my waist.

  “Now you're all set to go. How you feeling?”

  “Good. I've got this,” I said, trying to believe my own words.

  “I know you do.” He squeezed my shoulder before going to gather the rest of his belongings.

  After rehashing the plan one more time, the six of us made our way down the tunnel in the spare room to the Undercity. When Braven climbed in before me, I worried he wasn't going to fit, his shoulders were so broad and his arms so big, but he managed
to squeeze himself through until we each reached the bottom, landing on our feet with a thud.

  As per my last visit, no one paid any mind to the group of people dressed in their cargo pants and dark green singlets. They all went about their business as though we were invisible. Maybe they thought we were the Utopian Guard and wanted to fly under the radar? Whatever the reason, I was glad they weren't paying any more attention to us than we were ourselves.

  Without a word, Lark beckoned us to follow him. Domino patted my back before going after him. Vega gave me slight glare before following her, and I took up pace behind Vega. Why she didn't like me I had no idea. I didn't know the girl, and she didn't know a thing about me. She was older than me, at a guess in her early twenties. Maybe she'd liked being the only redhead, even if her colour wasn't natural.

  We weaved our way through the lean-to's and homes of the Undercity people until we found ourselves at the front of a small tin shack with curtains strung across the front. Maya's dwelling. I remembered the first day I'd met her. Only a few hours after I'd found out she existed, that the whole rebel and Undercity world existed.

  Lark waved for us to follow him inside, and I crouched over to follow Vega into the home. Inside we all huddled around in a semi-circle, around a familiar face leaning over a pot of boiling water.

  “Thank you so much, Edith, we're so thankful you could help us out,” said Domino, embracing Edith's small frame.

  Edith smiled and nodded before pointing at the boiling water. Alber, Lark and Domino nodded in response and Edith proceeded to brew them a cup of tea each. My stomach did a somersault, and I shook my head. I decided putting anything in my stomach wasn't going to end well. From the moment we arrived in the Undercity, a nervous energy began running through me. I was still a stranger in this world. These people were used to going on missions like this, but me? A week ago I would've been watching my tablet, being taught about math or English with Fletcher.

  Fletcher. Where was he? Wasn't he supposed to be meeting us there? What if his father had caught him sneaking out? What if he didn't make it to us?

  “He'll be here.” Domino placed a reassuring hand on my thigh as though she'd read my thoughts. She found a seat beside me and sipped at her tea.

  “Yeah, of course. I'm all good.”

  Her smirk showed she didn't believe a word of it.

  Edith placed the last cup of tea in front of Alber and, after wiping her hands on her long skirt, made her way to the other side of the room to fold some sheets.

  “Domino, why can't Edith talk?” I whispered.

  “She used to talk. The Utopian Guard took her husband away, and she never spoke again.”

  “Why did they take him?” I asked, curious.

  “She was questioned by the Utopian Guard about the rebels. They tricked her into giving away the truth about her husband's involvement, and they arrested him. He was never seen again. It was the year before we lost your father. She hasn't spoken since then. I think she feels as though it was her fault. None of us blame her. They manipulated her into giving them what they wanted.”

  I looked over at Edith as she went about her business. I couldn't imagine deciding never to speak again. Then again, no one would expect the mute to be part of the rebel cause. She may have felt guilty over her husband's death, but I found her to be brave. Most people would've rejected the rebels after what had happened, but she continued fighting her husband's fight.

  “Sorry, Aurora, but we can't wait any longer for Fletcher,” Lark said as he stood to address the group. “Okay, let's get started. Thank you to Edith for once again taking a risk to help out the rebellion. We appreciate your help more than you'll ever know.”

  Edith responded with a grin and a nod before Lark continued. “From here the plan is to make our way unnoticed across the entire length of the Undercity until we reach the metal wall. It marks the end of the city. We'll travel one at a time so we don't raise any more suspicion than we already have. Those who live near our tunnel are used to our comings and goings and know to keep quiet, but I can't say the same for those who live closer to the wall. With the added pressure of the promise of extra rations these people desperately need, we can't assume they're all on our side. We also can't assume there aren't spies for the Elite down here.”

  The thought of making my own way to the wall made my stomach churn. How would I know where to go? One look from Vega showed she knew I had no idea what I was doing. Where was Fletcher?

  “Once we reach the wall, Braven will guide us through an air vent which passes through the wall and towards the Undercity facility,” instructed Lark. “The vent will pass over a hallway which links to the cells where Maya is being kept.”

  The sound of running boots gained Lark's attention, and we all turned towards the doorway with bated breaths. Silence fell over our group, and the rustling of the doorways curtain had Braven reaching for his utility belt.

  “Sorry I'm late.” We each exhaled a sigh of relief when Fletcher's face poked through the curtains, his disheveled hair almost making me laugh. “It wasn't as easy to escape the mansion as I'd hoped, but I made it out.”

  Fletcher's eyes found mine and relaxed. My heart kicked up a notch at the realisation that he'd made it. I may not have wanted to admit it to myself, and there was no way I'd ever tell Fletcher, but his appearance gave me confidence that I may be able to pull this off.

  “So happy you were able to make it, Fletcher,” said Lark. “I was telling the group the first step in our operation is to make it one at a time to the wall. Then you will be working with Alber.”

  Fletcher replied with a “sounds good,” before grabbing my shoulder from behind. He leant towards me. “You okay, Rora?”

  I turned and shot him a smirk and a nod, he returned the gesture before settling in his seat.

  “Any questions?” asked Lark eyeing over the group.

  “How long do we wait at the wall for stragglers?” Vega looked towards Fletcher and me.

  “We won't be leaving any man behind down here, and we have no reason to believe we have enemies in the Undercity. I just don't want to take any chances,” Lark replied.

  “How do we get to the wall?” Fletcher asked the question burning on my lips. Only I didn't want to ask to avoid the 'I told you she was useless' expression on Vega's face.

  “Look up. Once you leave through the back of Maya's through to Edith's place, you head left and follow the metal beams of the ceiling. They'll lead you straight to the wall,” said Domino.

  Okay, I could do that. I looked at Fletcher, who gave me a confident wink. We had this.

  “Domino and I will head out first. I'll take the left, Domino to the right, and then Alber, Aurora and Fletcher. Make sure you all fan out. Vega and Braven, I need you two to bring up the rear and make sure we all get there safe, understood?” He looked to Vega for the last instruction, who nodded. “We won't have the chance to do much talking once we get to the wall, so follow Braven's hand signals inside the building. Once inside, Fletcher and Alber will branch off to another part of the building. Make sure they have the bulk of your essentials when we part ways so they can load them on the airship. Let's do this.”

  Domino squeezed my leg again before following Lark out of the doorway and disappearing behind the flaps of the curtain. I waited a moment before rising from my chair and making my way through the doorway and into the harsh fluorescent lighting of the Undercity.

  “I'll take the right,” I instructed Alber and Fletcher, holding Fletcher's gaze a moment longer for courage.

  Alber took off down the middle of the room and I started at a fast walking pace down a narrow pathway to the right. It didn't take long for me to lose sight of the others, and I made a hard turn left to begin following the beam towards the far wall. It wasn't as easy as I'd thought. The dwellings built beneath the city didn't have any rhyme or reason. They'd been erected wherever the owner decided it was best suited, with little to no path between some of them. Each time I was conf
ident I had a clear run I would come to a dead end and either have to backtrack or make another turn.

  Staring up at the beams was making me dizzy and made it difficult to focus on where I was going. Coming to yet another dead end, I cursed under my breath and stopped to look up at the ceiling. If I turned left, I'd head towards the middle of the undercity and I could follow the beams again. Without looking down, I turned to take off in the new direction, but soon I was falling through the air and landing heavily on the ground, the force pushing all the breath from my lungs.

  “You okay, sweetie?” An elderly man approached me, offering me a hand up.

  “Yes, thank you.” I gave him a courteous smile and let him help me to my feet.

  “Where are you off to in such a hurry?” he asked. The gleam in his eyes made me think it was more than pure curiosity making him ask.

  “Nowhere, sorry.” I spun to take off down the aisle beside me, but he took hold of my wrist with a firm grip.

  “You should come inside. Let me make you a cup of tea,” he suggested, attempting to pull me closer to his small home.

  “No, I'm okay.” I replied, reaching for the pendant resting over my heart.

  “That's an intriguing trinket you have there. Where did you get it?” he questioned.

  “I need to go,” I said, trying to pull my arm from his grasp.

  “I insist you come and have a cup of tea with me,” his darkened eyes locked onto mine, sending a tremor through my limbs.

  “Jules, I've been looking for you everywhere,” Braven's towering frame emerged from behind one of the lean-to's.