The Remnant

by Laura Liddell Nolen

  It was hard to run upright, and I didn’t even know where we were going. I kept stumbling, and the hallway pitched off-center. We scrambled toward the stairs, and I made most of the climb up to the Command Level with my eyes closed. Whenever I opened them, the world seemed to pulse along with my heartbeat.

  I wasn’t going to make it much longer.

  At some point, Eren jerked my good arm, and I opened my eyes.

  “We’re here. Guardian Level. Comm Con’s just a few doors away,” he said, pulling me through the door and turning quickly to the right.

  The lavish rug of the hallway was strewn with crystals that had broken off the chandeliers during the level’s field trip through zero gravity land. Eren guided me around a full chandelier, which had popped off the ceiling and was now decorating the floor of the hallway, and I realized that I’d closed my eyes again.

  I needed to wake up. Not that the terror was exactly sleep-inducing.

  “Almost there, Charlotte. Stay with me.”

  Eren’s voice was coming from somewhere to my right. I forced my eyes open in time for him to lead me through a familiar door and saw stars. The white lights of the holo danced before me.

  This was the room where Eren first kissed me. This was the room where we’d gotten married.

  Well, fake married.

  Really, Char? That’s what we’re going to think about right now? I shoved the memory to the back of my mind and attempted to stand under my own power.

  The room was empty.

  There was no Adam. There weren’t even any guardians.

  “He knows where we are,” I whispered. “Kuang bands.”

  “I have a weird feeling about this,” said Eren.

  Something tingled in my brain, but everything was fuzzy, all the way out to my skin, and I pushed it aside. “Let’s just lie down for a minute.”

  “No, Charlotte. Get up,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “We should get out of here. Maybe find Isaiah. Or your father.”

  “Dad? I don’t know. Something doesn’t fit. I can’t—”

  “Come on,” he said, punching the doorpad.

  Nothing happened.

  Eren tried again, and again, but the door didn’t move.

  “Here,” I said, pulling Jorin’s card out. I dropped it, and it fell to the ground in front of us. “Use that one.”

  It was no use. The door wouldn’t budge.

  “It’s a trap,” I said. “We’re trapped.”

  “Very good, Char,” said a voice. “You certainly are.”

  “Adam? Is that you?”

  “Maybe you should have listened to me. Maybe you should have paid a little more attention. Bet you’ll listen now. When I let you out of here, everything will be different. The Remnant will assimilate with Central Command, and you’re going to help them. You will recognize no leader but me.”

  “Adam!” I stumbled, hit a chair. “Wh—why? Why have you done all of this? Isaiah was good to you. You were loyal to the Remnant.”

  There was a pause. “You really don’t get it, do you? It was only a matter of time before he kicked me out. I had too many weapons. I got too strong. I could see it coming already. They always want their soldiers smart, but not too smart. If I learned one thing at the Academy, that’s it. The Remnant is no different.”

  “You were in the Academy?” I asked, hoping to stall him long enough for Eren to get us out of there. But in the back of my mind, I knew that wasn’t happening. Adam had been two steps ahead all along. He wasn’t likely to fall back now.

  “Too smart means bad soldiers. And I was a very bad soldier,” he said.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered. “What’s the plan, Adam?”

  “I’m taking over the world.” I heard a smile in his tone. “That’s my line, right?”

  “He’s insane,” said Eren.

  I couldn’t manage a response just yet. My arm hurt so much that I sat down heavily on top of the nearest desk.

  “That’s a matter of opinion, sir. But don’t worry, Char. I’ll take good care of you. As long as you cooperate, you’ll be safe.”

  “Safe?” I wondered what he meant by that. “I’ve been thinking, Adam. There’s no way you outpaced Asia’s technology single-handedly. So tell me. How long have you been allied with the Imperial?”

  There was a long pause, then a snort of laughter. “I guess you got me there! Oh, An and I. We go way back.”

  “She’s not a good ally. She’ll betray you, too.”

  “I like to think we respect each other. I can handle her, Char. Just like I can handle you.” There was a hissing sound, and I felt myself begin to suffocate. “Don’t worry,” he said gently. “I’m just going to knock you out a little. Shouldn’t be too permanent. I hope.”

  “Adam!” I gasped. “Your sister is dead. Did you know that? Guess how she died, Adam. Take a guess.” Amiel’s face flashed before mine, her brown eyes huge, thin shoulders weighted with sorrow.

  The oxygen returned.

  “Speak.”

  “A bolt of lightning,” I coughed. “You killed her, Adam. She’s dead because of you.”

  “You’re lying.”

  “Am I? Something tells me you’ve figured out how to hack my k-band by now. Is it green, or what?”

  There was a long silence, then the oxygen began to drain from the room in earnest. “You’re going to regret that, Char. You really, really will. So remember this when you wake up: there will be consequences for your insurrection. Fall in line, and remember what I’m capable of. Remember who controls the air.”

  There was a sharp click, and the transmission ended. I held my band close to my lips. If they were anything like Eren’s, they’d been blue for several minutes. “An, are you there?” I muttered feebly, but there was no answer. “How could you. How could you.”

  Eren was staring at the holo. “The hoppers are leaving the Ark. Look at that.”

  I wondered if my family were on them. Eren continued. “And something else, too.”

  “Another Ark?”

  “No, it’s much bigger. A planetoid, maybe. Doesn’t matter. The war is over. We lost.”

  The room slammed sideways, and I realized that I’d fallen out of the chair. I wondered whether the tingling in my cheeks was because of the rough carpet pressed into my head. Eren’s face came into view, and I watched as he settled himself next to me on the ground. Our faces were inches apart, and his fingers found mine.

  “Charlotte,” he whispered. He smiled, a real smile. “I wish I could have saved you.” His grip tightened on my hand, and I felt my heart break as he struggled to speak through blue-tinged lips. His smile was, somehow, unaffected.

  “I wish I could have been your wife.”

  He laughed, gasping. “You are.”

  “It wasn’t real. I’m sorry about that.”

  “It was, Charlotte. The lights were green. On the kuang bands.”

  I looked at him. “Both of them? Both our bands?”

  He nodded with visible effort. “Whatever it was, we meant it.”

  I laughed, a gasping, raspy sound. “I think that means we’re married.”

  “I think you’re right, Mrs. Everest.”

  I had reached my last breath, and it was a struggle. I tried hard not to think about dying. “What makes you think I’m not going to keep my name?” I said.

  Then I couldn’t see anymore, and I lost all sense of feeling, except for the weight of his hand.

  And then there was nothing.

  Forty-one

  Dark dreams hunted me.

  Meghan. Helen. Judge Hawthorne, whose face was too close, and whose glasses were cracked. Amiel. My mother.

  My mother.

  Nameless soldiers and a pale pregnant woman. Each haunted my sleep in their turn. The greediest among them took more than their fair share of my sanity, pulling apart the delicate threads of my consciousness until I had no choice but to scream, even as my mouth refused to obey.

  In those
moments, only my mind could react, and its screaming was all I had.

  There was no peace, although the strongest dreams I suffered were not nightmares. Not exactly.

  A flash of red hair.

  A warm, familiar hand against my own, and the low tones of Isaiah’s softest whispers, mouthing reassurances I couldn’t hear. It was just as well, on that account.

  I would not be reassured.

  Something cold touched my face, and a muted sound made its way into my consciousness. Now Eren’s hand was heavy against mine, and I told my hand to squeeze it. My hand obeyed.

  The deep, melodic noise continued, encouraged. It was a familiar sound, one I was glad to hear. But it was not Eren, and I couldn’t place it.

  I strained my ears. In response, it increased in intensity.

  “Doctor! She’s waking up. Alert the Commander.”

  No, not the Commander.

  Another voice came onto the scene. “Mrs. Everest, can you hear me?”

  I could. I just didn’t know how to tell her so. I moved my mouth. Not the Commander.

  I opened my eyes, and a face came into view.

  “That’s good! It’s about time, isn’t it?”

  I frowned at her. She was entirely too bright, just like the rest of the room.

  I was lying on a white sheet, several feet off the ground. Around me, everything was white: white beds, white uniforms, white walls. The room went on and on, punctuated every few feet by a bright overhead light.

  “Where am I?”

  The nurse smiled. White teeth. “You’re on the sickbay.”

  “The Remnant?”

  She made a face, then disappeared.

  A moment later, Eren hovered over me.

  I breathed him in, relieved. “What’s going on?” my voice was hoarse, dry. But it worked. I could speak. It was enough, for now. “Where is everyone? How long have I been asleep?”

  “Charlotte.” His face was drawn, his eyes rimmed with red. He hadn’t been crying, but he definitely hadn’t been sleeping, either.

  “You look awful,” I croaked.

  He laughed, a real laugh, and I tried to smile. Nothing happened.

  “Three weeks. That’s how long you’ve been out.”

  “My family. Where is—?”

  Eren made a noise like a grunt, like someone had bumped into him unexpectedly, throwing him off-balance. “We can’t find them. No one knows. Adam found out about your father’s Arkhopper. He destroyed it. He destroyed all the hoppers except his.”

  “West,” I said voicelessly.

  He wet his lips. “Adam was ruthless about the refugees. He wanted cooperation. I’m pretty sure I’d know if he’d found them.”

  I considered that. My father was far from helpless. If he didn’t want to be found, Adam was out of luck. “What else has he done? Tell me everything.”

  “Just shh. I will. He held an election. I think he must be working with An somehow. He promised absolute stability. He won by a low margin and forced the Remnant to assimilate.”

  “How’s that going?”

  Eren shook his head, and I thought I saw a hint of a smile cross his face. But his features were shaded by some other emotion. Something worse than exhaustion. “Not so great.”

  “Good,” I coughed.

  “He’s… he’s put me in charge of things. Sort of like a lieutenant. I think he’s expecting me to give him some extra legitimacy.”

  “You said yes?”

  “It’s the reason you’re alive, Charlotte.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but he stopped there.

  I considered that. “Not worth it.”

  “He monitors everything. He’s listening to us right now.”

  “The k-bands? Surely we can—”

  “On me. Not you. Charlotte. There’s something else. This will be hard to hear.”

  I nodded, telling him to continue, but he took a long time before speaking again. His eyes were so blue, untinged by his lack of sleep.

  “The doctors weren’t able to save your arm,” he said at last. His tone cut short, as though he were going to tell me something else, but changed his mind.

  I stared at him. My arm? I fought the urge to look down at it. Not able to save my arm?

  “Charlotte, I’m so sorry.”

  So many people had lost so much more than an arm.

  Surely, I could at least look at it. I turned my eyes downward, but stopped at the last second. Inside, my head was screaming, screaming that I couldn’t have heard him. My arm?

  Somewhere, an alarm went off.

  “It’s okay! It’s okay,” Eren was saying, but strong hands pulled him away.

  “Heart rate’s up. Blood pressure too elevated.” A nurse pressed a needle into my IV, and I began to plead with her.

  “No, no, not that. I don’t want to go back to sleep.”

  Eren was shouting from across the room. “It’s okay, Charlotte! I’ll be back here as soon as I can. You’re not alone!”

  I awoke again to an empty room.

  No, not empty. My younger brother had come to see me. I’d long suspected he was afraid of me, but that wasn’t it, exactly, the thing that had grown thick and gnarled between us.

  I didn’t know how he’d gotten there, and I wasn’t able to ask. But it didn’t matter. I looked at him, and my heart was so full that I could only press blue-tipped fingers into the rail of the bed. Eren was wrong, of course. My family hadn’t gone.

  West had come to see me.

  The years lay heavy between us, but West was young and clean and so tall he’d nearly had to duck to enter the room. He had the same short haircut he’d sported since he was eight, but his once-wide eyes were strained with cynicism. In the time since I had seen him, he’d gained a lifetime’s understanding of the things I’d done, the things we’d both been a part of.

  Still, he wasn’t angry.

  He simply watched as I spoke at him. “West, they took my arm. The Commander took my arm away. But there’s always a silver lining. No k-band. See?”

  No response.

  “I know you can’t talk. I know the room is bugged.”

  He looked at me in careful silence.

  “West, are you real?” I whispered finally.

  But instead of answering, he glanced over his shoulder and fled from the sickbay, and I was alone again.

  I awoke again in the half-light of the twilight program. Or the dawn.

  A dark, familiar figure hovered barely out of sight. I craned my head and saw Isaiah. One hand held a syringe, which he slipped out of the IV tube. The other hand lifted a finger to his lips. “Shh. We don’t have much time.”

  “What is that?” I squinted at the syringe.

  “Wake you up a little. You’ll be asleep again soon. Sorry, little bird. Couldn’t do it any other way.”

  “Fair enough.”

  Isaiah leaned in close, then looked back toward the door. Black hair. No gray. “You made it.”

  “Well. Most of me.”

  He slid into a chair and pulled it so close it was touching the cot. “They’re gonna have to try a little harder than that.” He tapped the bed rail, the blanket. My arm. Long fingers slid down to the silver cuff around my wrist. It was like seeing a friend in a crowd, then realizing you’ve got the wrong person. Isaiah never fidgeted.

  “So,” I said. “You’ve come to tell me something.”

  “I have,” he said, and there was a long silence. He pursed his lips, took a breath. Laced his perfect hands together, then separated them.

  “And I’m not going to like it,” I said.

  “No.”

  “I’m a big girl, Ise.”

  He smiled.

  “I know about the Remnant,” I said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

  He looked down. “It was all for nothing. Everything I did. Everything we did.”

  “You can’t think like that. Adam and An didn’t kill them all. They’re assimilating.”

  “The ones who keep qui
et. The ones who behave. He’s taken everything.”

  “No!” I tried to sit up, but my back hit the bed a second later. “Now they’re everywhere. They’re legitimate. They won’t forget what’s possible. This is bigger than you, Ise. It always was. We won’t give up.”

  “Not me, little bird.”

  I blinked. “What are you saying?”

  “I’m out. I need a break.”

  “That—what? You can’t.”

  “You’re not hearing me. He took everything. What more can I do?”

  “This isn’t you! Look. Fine. You take a break. We lost, and it hurts. I get that. But we’re not done yet, surely. We can still find a way to—”

  “That’s not what I came to tell you,” he cut me off, and his dark frown deepened. His hand found mine. I squeezed back, and he enclosed both his hands around it, pulling it toward his lips. “I kept my end of the agreement, Char,” he said, sounding suddenly out of breath. “And I’m sorry.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, I made your family safe.”

  I stared at him. “That wasn’t the agreement.”

  “Citizenship. I know. But Marcela is a target. She went to the Academy. Adam knows she knows too much. And she and West—”

  “Are children.”

  Isaiah raised an eyebrow. “Now that doesn’t sound like you, Char. You know better.”

  “Isaiah. What have you done?”

  He set his jaw. “I evacuated them. West, Mars, your father. That new kid. I got them out. That’s what I owed you. Your family, right?”

  “My family is gone? You took my family?”

  “I made them safe. I didn’t have a choice. You and I—I don’t know, Char. But I know what they mean to you. And I know that I owed you that. So I saved them.” I looked from Isaiah to my severed arm. I flinched, and he gripped my hand more tightly, lowering his voice. “But I’m not giving up on everything. Come with me.”

  “I’m being watched. We wouldn’t make it past the door. Adam probably already knows you’re here.”

  “Oh, we’ll make it out.” He took a deep breath. “I set a bomb.”

  “A—Isaiah. No. No.” My hand moved in his, and he released me. I pulled away, but the motion was stopped short by the cuff. Isaiah sat back in his chair. A bomb?