Price of a Bounty (Reliance on Citizens Makes Us Great!)

by S. L. Wallace

  “I have to go. But I’ll talk with her soon and find out what kind of flowers she likes. Good luck!”

  -Keira-

  Double Crossed for Sure

  It was still a little too early to leave, so I sat down in my shabby yet comfortable cranberry chair, leaned my head back and listened to some more music. “I’ve Got Rhythm” began to play. As the singer crooned about her man, a thought flitted through my head. Could Richard be “my man?” I chuckled. Could any man? Hardly. I knew it was better to be alone. Men were not to be trusted. The Elite were not to be trusted. The Gov was not to be trusted. Who was I kidding…most people were not to be trusted.

  I reached toward the end table and picked up a small wooden box. Inside rested a shiny silver locket in the shape of a heart. I opened it and gazed at two tiny photos: my mother and my father, young, looking very much like April and Scott. From long ago, I remembered feelings of safety and happiness.

  My father had given this locket to my mother shortly after they’d met. How did she know he was the man for her? What quality was it that allowed her to trust him with her heart and her life? Family has to start somewhere. Funny, I’d never thought about that before. I wished I’d had the chance to ask her about love. Did she really believe such a thing existed?

  I believed in loyalty, not love. Loyalty was built through trust over time. That was real. What was love in comparison? Oh, I believed there was a biological connection between parents and their children. I’d felt a strong connection with my mother and father, but I was only eight when first my father and then my mother had…I closed my eyes and stopped the tears. There was no point dwelling on pain like that. I gently set the locket back in the box for safekeeping and stood up. It was time to go.

  I approached Mrs. Ramsey’s estate with a small pink suitcase in hand. The butler opened the door. He looked down his nose at me.

  “Is the lady of the house available?” I politely inquired. He looked me up and down.

  “May I ask who is calling?”

  “My name is Miss Jones.” I smiled. “You may tell the lady of the house that I have perfume to sample.” I opened the suitcase and showed him my wares. He invited me into the front hall, then left to alert Mrs. Ramsey.

  When she arrived, she led me into the sitting room and invited me to sit on an uncomfortable white chair. She rang a small silver bell. The maid immediately brought in a tray with two steaming cups of tea on saucers, a porcelain teapot and matching creamer and bowl of sugar cubes. She placed the tray on a low glass coffee table and slid the pocket doors closed behind her when she left.

  “I was expecting money, not perfume,” Mrs. Ramsey said as she lifted her teacup to her thin pale lips.

  “You asked me to be discreet,” I said.

  “So I did,” she replied with a chuckle. “Do you have my money? Is it hidden somewhere in that suitcase?”

  “No. Unfortunately, it wasn’t there.” I added two cubes of sugar to my tea and took a sip.

  “What do you mean, it wasn’t there. Do you know where it is?” She smiled.

  She was no good at this game. It was obvious she knew exactly where the money was.

  “I mean it wasn’t there. Mr. Johnson seemed genuinely surprised that it was missing.”

  “Of course he would react that way. Madeline, I’m disappointed in you. Sergeant Maddock recommended you highly, and after our first meeting, I expected more.”

  After Scott told me about this opportunity, I had followed Mrs. Ramsey and learned her routines. When her chauffeur picked her up one afternoon, I was already in the car. I had clearly surprised both of them with this maneuver. Elaine Ramsey had hired me on the spot and offered a large bounty for the completion of this particular job.

  “Mr. Johnson accused me. He said I stole his money.” I paused and took anther sip of tea. “I had to deal with the situation.” I watched her closely. There was a sparkle in her eyes. She really did view other people’s lives as a game. I would not disappoint her.

  “What happened?” she inquired.

  “I finished him, per your request. The story should be in tonight’s news. Oren Johnson is dead, and nothing will be traced back to you. I’m sorry I was only able to complete half of the job.” I placed my teacup in the saucer.

  “Half a job of this magnitude deserves at least a quarter of the pay. I’ll wire the gats to your account as soon as tonight’s news verifies your information.” She stood, obviously dismissing me.

  Is that why she hired two of us? So she could weasel her way out of paying? “I must insist upon half, seeing as how I completed the more difficult and dangerous part of the job.”

  Mrs. Ramsey rang the silver bell, and her butler returned in time to hear her response. “Keira Maddock.” She emphasized my real name. “You’re lucky I’m offering a quarter. You see, you weren’t able to find the money. You’re lucky I’m planning to pay you anything, you ungrateful.” She stopped herself, turned her head away and waved me toward the butler.

  “Thank you, Mrs. Ramsey,” I said, as I tilted my head in short bow. I picked up my suitcase and turned toward the door.

  Apparently, she wasn’t quite finished. “Keep in touch, Keira. I may require your services in the future.”

  This was seriously bad. It had been a test, and though I had passed, I had actually failed. I nodded but didn’t look back.

  On my way home, I located a public transceiver and called Scott. I needed to warn him. If Mrs. Ramsey knew who I was, she also knew that we were related. She could use that as leverage against him.

  “Maddock here,” he answered in his usual style.

  I didn’t identify myself and kept the vidscreen turned off. By doing so, he would know that this wasn’t a social call from his sister. He would know to listen for clues.

  “Scott, it’s me. How are you? Have they been keeping you busy? I’ve missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you too. We really need to get together soon. We have a lot of catching up to do.”

  “Yes, we do! Life has been crazy lately.” I was just about to tell him, somehow, that my cover had been blown when he interrupted, and I lost my train of thought.

  “I can’t wait to hear all about it. Does this have anything to do with a new man in your life?”

  Richard must have already contacted him. It was true then, they really were friends, but why hadn’t Scott ever mentioned him before?

  “Yes, I was surprised to learn that you two knew each other,” I said.

  “We met a long time ago.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about him?”

  “I’d rather discuss that in person.”

  Does Scott know that Richard is part of the Resistance? How much does he know about all of that anyway? The Resistance was a topic we’d never discussed. After all, Scott was military, and military personnel were loyal to the Gov. Scott only kept my secrets because I was family.

  “He was hoping to impress you with roses. How would you feel about that?” Scott asked.

  “That would be wonderful! I do love roses.” I really didn’t, and Scott knew that, but that didn’t matter because this wasn’t about flowers. What could Richard possibly have to tell me about Rose?

  “Then it’s too bad that he’s decided against them. He seems to think it might scare you off if he gives you roses so early in the relationship.” He paused. “Is this the beginning of a relationship?”

  “Relationship?” I laughed. “Do you really think I’m ready for a relationship with anyone?” Scott knew how I felt about love, but I had another question. “Do you think he’s worth it?” Will he understand what I’m really asking?

  He didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I do. You can trust this Guy. He wants to know what other types of flowers you like. I think he wants to give them to you in person.”

  This Guy? He did understand, and he knew about Richard’s ties to the Resistance. Apparently, Scott was willing to keep secrets for friends as well as family, or more likely, for close fr
iends.

  I looked down at my dress. “Daisies. You can tell him that I like daisies in the spring. I saw some beautiful flowers blooming in Liberty Park the other day.” Now I sounded like April. “Scott, can you get away this afternoon?”

  “Sorry, I’m heading out of town later today. I won’t be back until the middle of next week.”

  “Then let’s get together next weekend. It’s important.”

  For the first time, I was glad I hadn’t killed Richard. Scott never would have forgiven me for killing his good friend. He didn’t approve of my line of work. He’d wanted me to join the military. By working as a Freelancer instead of a soldier, Scott worried that I’d be placing myself in “unscrupulous situations.” I’d asked him if he even knew what unscrupulous meant because that’s exactly why I wouldn’t join the military. In my opinion, they were the Gov’s lapdog.

  -Keira-

  What Happened to Rose?

  A couple of hours later, I sat on a wooden bench in Liberty Park enjoying the sunshine when Eberhardt walked by. I stretched, stood up and followed far behind.

  Eventually, he turned and entered an apartment complex in an Elite neighborhood, but I continued on. When I was sure I wasn’t being followed, I made my way back. Eberhardt stood waiting just inside the front door. He led me down the hall and up the back stairs to an elegant two-bedroom apartment. Richard sat on a royal blue sofa in the living room, watching a newsvid. I settled into a comfy blue chair while he paused the teleview embedded in the wall across from the couch.

  “Does this apartment have a whirlpool bath too?” I joked.

  Richard ignored my question. “I was just checking the news. I’m dead.”

  Does he always have to be so serious? “Yes, as expected, but that’s not why you contacted me. What’s up with Rose?”

  “She’s dead too.”

  “What?” Okay, this isn’t the time for jokes. Richard indicated the teleview, unpaused it and reversed the newsvid. Then he let it play from the beginning.

  A typical announcer’s voice spoke as footage of ambulances with flashing lights appeared on the screen. “In another tragedy, a hit and run caused the death of young Rose Brackaby, daughter of Minister Brackaby.”

  “Her father was in the Gov?” I mentally kicked myself for not knowing that.

  “I thought you’d done your research.”

  I continued to watch the news as I replied, “Only on you. It can make my job more difficult if I know too many details.”

  “You mean if you begin to think about your targets as real people?”

  What’s he getting at? I tried to make eye contact, but Richard looked back at the teleview and avoided my gaze. “Was she important to you?”

  “No.” Richard laughed sadly and rested his head in his hands.

  “What is it then? Do you think she would have joined the Resistance if Elaine Ramsey hadn’t gotten to her?”

  “I’d hoped so, but I’d recently decided it wasn’t to be. Rose was involved in a number of committees and charities: Deliverance from Hunger, Keepers of the Children, Redemption for Orphans, but I’d come to realize that she was like so many of the others. It was all surface, a way to look good and feel good without actually doing good. When I first met her, I had hoped that by making a connection, together we could redirect resources from the wealthy to those who most need help.”

  “Are you Robin Hood or something?”

  “Not exactly. My goal is to help others become more like Robin Hood. I try to cause a domino effect, people helping people by providing whatever they can, whether it’s money or skills. Unfortunately, that wasn’t Rose’s goal, and now she’s dead.”

  “You didn’t cause her death,” I assured him. “She has her own choices to blame for that.”

  Richard finally looked me in the eye. “Now she has no choices.” He held my gaze. I was the first to look away.

  -Guy-

  A History

  Keira looked away first. Was it a sign of remorse? I studied her. What was she thinking?

  “What do you expect from me?” Keira finally blurted out. “Unless someone steps in, bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. I’ve seen it over and over again. I try to change things, and I feel bad when people get caught in the crossfire, but I can’t spend time worrying about it. It just happens sometimes. You can’t let yourself get dragged down by that. Otherwise, you won’t be any good to anyone.”

  Is this my chance? Can I convince her? “You have a strength, Keira, a strength I don’t usually see in people. It’s a strength of spirit. No wonder Scott trusts you.”

  “Scott trusts me? I was beginning to wonder,” she replied sarcastically. “If he trusts me, why didn’t he ever tell me about you?”

  I decided not to answer her question, not yet. “Your anger adds to your strength, but it’s misdirected. You can continue to take out ‘the bad people,’ or you can use your strengths to serve ‘the good people.’ If you choose the second, you can live, truly live, and stop simply surviving.”

  Could I help her? I wanted to, I really did. Scott had helped me to see clearly. I hoped I could finally return the favor.

  “You asked how I knew Scott.”

  She nodded.

  “We met when I transferred to your high school. We’d both been going through a rough time. My father had just uprooted me. That’s how it had felt anyway. I was being relocated against my will. Scott was being relocated against his will too, but it wasn’t the same. He’d been told he would have to leave in just a few months. He was preparing to move on.”

  “I remember. I was still at the junior high, but I remember how quiet and withdrawn Scott was at home. I was afraid he would leave, and we’d never see him again, or worse that we’d already lost him.”

  “I think most teenagers are selfish and self-centered. I was. Everything I wanted had always been provided, and until our move to Tkaron, I’d always gotten my way.”

  “You think Scott was being selfish?”

  I shook my head. “Scott wasn’t like anyone I’d ever met before. And he was never selfish. From what he told me, it sounded like he didn’t expect anything to go his way. He worried that he was at the end of his life, not the beginning. Even so, even as everything he knew was ending, he put you first, you and your sister.”

  That was all I was willing to share with Keira for now. Would it be enough? Scott had changed my life. Would this conversation be enough to change hers? While she sat deep in thought, I remembered.

  Scott and I had eaten lunch together every day for the rest of the school year. Our lunchtime conversations had allowed me to see the world from a different perspective.

  That summer, Scott was hired to do yard work at a few wealthy estates. He was trying to earn as much money as he could to leave behind for his sisters. I began to work alongside him, but I refused payment, making sure Scott took 100% of the earnings. I didn’t need the money – he did. I only wanted to experience what life was like for the majority of citizens who had to work hard to survive.

  Later that summer, my father took me on a business trip to the Realm of Mediterra. We’d needed a special pass to be allowed inside their borders. My father had explained that most Mediterrans didn’t like to do business with Terenians. We were fortunate that one of their corporations was willing to negotiate with our company. I saw possibilities in Mediterra that I’d never before imagined. If they could do all that, why couldn’t we?

  In just a few months, my views about life had changed completely. I’d decided that I wanted to devote my life to improving our realm. I began by using my family’s influence and wealth to serve the less fortunate in any way I could. My father would have forbidden most of my actions. That only forced me to find creative ways to finance my projects. That was the start of it all, of everything that was important.

  -Keira-

  Crossroads

  I thought about Richard’s words. “You can live, truly live, and stop simp
ly surviving.” It was an invitation.

  I’d had opportunities to join the Resistance before, but no one had ever given me a good reason to even consider it. Help people I didn’t know? Why? No one had ever helped me or anyone I knew unless there was something in it for them. No, that wasn’t entirely true. Richard had just reminded me that Scott had helped me and was always willing to help me. But that wasn’t the same as helping strangers. I wondered, had Scott helped others, besides me and April? I sensed that my life had come to a crossroads, again.

  The first time I’d been at a crossroads had been about a month before my sixteenth birthday. Scott and I had had a conversation in which he tried to convince me to join the military. He said I could easily pass the same tests he had.

  I knew what he meant. He meant blood tests, genetic tests. I’d heard the rumors about Ramsey Corps and the military. It was common knowledge that a number of corporations dabbled in genetics, but some lines should never be crossed. I believed the rumors that said Ramsey Corps had crossed the line, and I didn’t want any part of that! Every part of me belonged to me, and I wanted to keep it that way.

  ***

  Late one night, we sat on the window seat in my bedroom. I stared at my reflection in the glass.

  “I’ve heard the rumors. Can you tell me they aren’t true?”

  Scott was silent. I shifted my gaze to look at his reflection.

  “Are you really all right with them taking parts of you, owning you in that way, after what they did to Mom and Dad?”

  “Ramsey Corps is independent of the Gov,” he insisted. “They didn’t do anything to Mom and Dad.”

  During the last few wars, leaders of corporations that designed weaponry and scientists who dabbled in either germ warfare or genetic screening had become wealthy and powerful, the crème of the Elite. Toying with genetics had allowed germ warfare to reach new levels. It had been reported that our military could now target specific populations. And, genetic screening was the best way to determine which people could be trained and medicated to be the fastest, the strongest, the best. Because of genetic studies, Terene had won the last world war.