The Significant

by Kyra Anderson

  “I’m scared…” she choked.

  “What are you afraid of?”

  Kailynn closed her eyes.

  “I’m afraid of how I feel,” she said. “I’m afraid of how you are making me feel. I don’t know what to do.”

  “Would you rather take some time to yourself and think all this over?” Isa asked, her tone light and gentle. “Do you want to not see me for a while?”

  Kailynn’s eyes shot wide.

  “No, no,” she said quickly. “It’s not that. I just…” She swallowed hard. “I want you to be okay. I want everything to be okay.”

  “Everything is alright.”

  “How do you know that for sure?”

  Isa was silent on the other end of the line.

  “Kailynn, why don’t you come here?” she said. “Let’s discuss this in person.”

  “I can’t,” Kailynn said quickly, almost interrupting the Elite. She knew if she went to Isa, she would immediately tell her the truth about her brother’s plot. She did not want to betray her only living family. “I have a client tonight.”

  “I see,” Isa said slowly. “I made a promise to you, remember? I told you I would be safe. And I will be.”

  “People are trying to kill you, Isa,” Kailynn half-sobbed.

  “There will always be people who want to remove me,” Isa said, her tone even. “But I know how to keep myself safe.”

  Kailynn leaned her head back on the wall, her eyes closing tight. She remained silent, trying to keep her tears at bay.

  “Kailynn, I am very worried about you. Do you want me to come see you before your appointment?”

  “No,” Kailynn said, shaking her head quickly even though the Golden Elite could not see her. “No, I’m sorry…I’m acting stupid…” She sniffed and cleared her throat. “Just…promise me that you won’t leave Anon Tower unless you absolutely have to. And that your guards are always around.”

  “Kailynn—”

  “I have to go,” Kailynn said. “I’ll call you when I am on my way to see you.”

  She ended the call before she could say anything else and took the earpiece out of her ear, angrily throwing it across the room. She slowly sank to the floor, leaning against the wall and cradling her head in her hands, breaking down into tears once more.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  That night, and the two days after that, Kailynn was in a drunken stupor. She slept in between alcohol binges and got into two physical fights with Raphael when he tried to take the bottles away. They were thrown out of their usual club when Kailynn became too rowdy and tried to pick fights with the tourists, who cowered from her and looked on in fear as she was thrown out with the rest of the Cobalt Panthers.

  On the third night of her binge, she went to her brother and drunkenly demanded that he tell her the day and time of their plan. Theo took her aside, out of earshot of the rest of the Heart of Trid gang and forced her to drink water. She punched him in the stomach when he called her a drunk and told him that he needed to tell her his plan exactly or she would turn them over to the Officials.

  While Theo did not actually believe that she would do that to him, he did tell her that, in four days, they would shoot Isa as she was leaving a charity event.

  Armed with the information, Kailynn went to her apartment to get her phone, only to find Raphael there.

  “I have been looking everywhere for your drunken ass,” he snarled, irritated. “Come on. Let’s get you to my place and get you some water.”

  “Stop it, I have to call someone,” she slurred together, trying to walk away from his hands as they reached out to grab her.

  “Call someone?” he said, barking a laugh. “You don’t have a phone. Come on.”

  “I do have a phone!”

  “Sure,” he droned.

  “Oh…but it’s not here…” she said, her eyes sliding shut in sudden exhaustion.

  “Okay, we’ll find it when you sober up,” Raphael assured. “Come on.”

  He hauled her to his apartment as she incoherently babbled about needing to call the Syndicate with important information. He humored her until he got her to the apartment, where he forced her to drink water and lie in bed until she fell asleep.

  Of course, after several days of drinking, she felt horrible when she woke in the morning.

  She spent the entire day snapping at Raphael for being too loud and nursing her pounding headache.

  After a day of rest, Kailynn was back on a rampage, only it was of a different sort.

  When Raphael woke and saw that Kailynn was gone, he groaned and quickly got dressed, ready to search for her.

  He spent half of the day asking everyone he could think of if they had seen Kailynn. They all told him the same thing.

  “She’s looking for Theo.”

  Raphael became more frantic as the day wore on.

  Finally, he found Kailynn walking angrily down one street, her eyes on the ground.

  “Kailynn!” he snapped, darting across the deserted street and grabbing her arm, turning her around. “I have been looking everywhere for you.”

  “I need to find Theo,” she said, yanking her arm out of his grasp.

  “Why?”

  “Have you heard about his latest shit-brain idea?”

  “What?”

  “This stupid fucking plan he has to kill the Golden Elite,” Kailynn said sharply.

  “What the fuck—will you keep your voice down?!” Raphael hissed urgently, looking around to be sure that no one heard them. “Are you still drunk? What the hell is wrong with you?!”

  “Do you know about his plan?” Kailynn growled.

  Raphael looked over Kailynn’s expression, trying to figure out why she was upset about Theo’s idea. He thought that it was because Kailynn had just gotten him out of one botched plan and he already was concocting another. However, there was a fire in Kailynn’s eyes that gave him pause.

  “You know, don’t you?”

  “Yes,” Raphael said.

  Kailynn shoved him backward.

  “Why the hell didn’t you try to talk him out of it?!” Kailynn bellowed.

  “Kailynn, please, keep your voice down,” Raphael said, holding his hands up peacefully. “You know how your brother is. He’s set on it.”

  “Where is he?” Kailynn growled. “We have a few days to try and talk him out of it.”

  “Why?”

  “Why?!”

  “You know that the only way the Trids will get anywhere is by removing those in power and starting a revolution,” Raphael hissed. “We’ve dreamed about this since we were kids, remember? We were going to start the movement to bring down Anon.”

  “And it’s fucking stupid!” Kailynn snapped. “If we get rid of one Elite, then others will come to take her place. And they won’t do nearly as much good as she has!”

  “Wait, what?” Raphael gasped, his eyes shooting wide. “Are you…you support Elite Isa?!”

  Kailynn stared at Raphael for several long moments, her eyes showing her turmoil.

  “I’ve just learned enough to realize that we’re ignorant of what revolution actually means,” Kailynn whispered.

  Raphael stared at Kailynn, slowly shaking his head.

  “Who are you?”

  Kailynn began walking away.

  “I’m going to find Theo.”

  “It’s too late, Kailynn,” Raphael called after her. She stopped and turned around quickly. “Theo lied to you.”

  “What?” She quickly walked back to him, her heart sinking.

  “He didn’t want to risk your life again,” Raphael said. “They’ve already left. They’re going through with it tonight.”

  Kailynn’s eyes shot wide and she turned once more. This time, Raphael grabbed her wrist and yanked her back.

  “No, Kailynn!”

  “Let go of me!”

  “What are you going to do?!” Raphael barked, yanking her back once more. “You think you can just stroll up to the Elites and tell th
em what’s going on?!”

  Kailynn managed to yank her wrist out of Raphael’s grasp.

  She stared defiantly at her childhood friend for two long seconds before turning and walking quickly along the sidewalks toward the towering structures of Anon.

  Raphael did not follow.

  Kailynn rushed to Companion and grabbed her phone, quickly trying to call Isa’s phone. However, the Elite did not answer. Her attempt to call Tarah also failed.

  She called Rayal’s phone, pacing and quietly pleading for him to answer. Her heart was racing and frightened tears were welling in her eyes. She was worried that, if she did not warn them immediately, Isa would be killed.

  As Kailynn listened to the beeping, waiting for someone to answer, at the charity event, Isa, Remus, and Rayal were sitting with the other Elites at a large table watching the art auction pieces pass silently as the bids were tracked electronically. The hall was silent, everyone in their respective seats in front of the Elites, bidding on the pieces that were wheeled in front of them.

  When Rayal’s phone lit up next to Isa, she slowly lowered the wine glass from her lips, turning to look at the screen. Rayal’s eyes also fell on the phone before slowly turning to Isa.

  They both had been expecting the call.

  Isa’s eyes lifted to look at Rayal before she reached over and pressed the ignore button on the phone.

  “She’s trying to warn you,” Rayal whispered.

  “I don’t want her in danger,” Isa breathed.

  “She knows something,” Rayal said. “Let her tell you.”

  “No,” Isa said, shaking her head. “There is a reason she did not tell me earlier.” She turned to Remus and nodded once. He nodded in return and stood, walking out of the hall silently.

  Kailynn hung up the phone and looked around her room, desperate to find a way to warn Isa.

  She ran downstairs to Jak’s office and rapidly hit the call button on the outside of the door. When he did not answer, she began furiously pounding on the door with her fist.

  Finally, Jak opened the door, taking the earpiece out of his ear and looking at her incredulously as she barged into the office.

  “Have you lost your fucking mind?” Jak growled, closing the door immediately.

  “We need to get in contact with Syndicate Intelligence, now.”

  “What the hell has gotten into you?”

  “There will be an assassination attempt tonight,” Kailynn said breathlessly.

  “How do you know this?”

  “Something I remember from my last client,” she lied, pacing, her eyes frantic and her breath caught in her throat. “I didn’t think anything of it until I heard there was a charity event today.”

  “Yeah, it’s an annual art auction. They do it every year. Security is ridiculously tight.”

  “Someone is going to try and kill Elite Isa,” Kailynn said seriously.

  “Jacyleen, take a deep breath. Explain yourself.”

  “I can’t get in contact with Isa,” she said quietly.

  “Are you on a first-name basis with her?” Jak said, his eyes wide. “Jacyleen, tell me what the hell is going on.”

  “I can’t,” Kailynn said, shaking her head.

  “You’re scaring the shit out of me,” Jak said, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’re shaking.”

  “This is really complicated and I really need you to work with me on this.”

  “Okay, I will. Just…take a deep breath.”

  “Call Syndicate Intelligence and tell them that someone will try to shoot Golden Elite Isa when she leaves the auction.”

  Jak stared at her, a million questions running through his mind. Deciding it was best to do as Kailynn asked in an attempt to calm her, he went to his phone and commanded it to call Syndicate Intelligence. When he was connected to the tip line, he explained that one of his Significants heard from a client that someone would try to shoot Elite Isa when she left the auction. Kailynn listened to him explain, continuing to pace, running her hands through her hair multiple times.

  When Jak fell silent, Kailynn turned and watched his expression.

  He turned to look at Kailynn, but the look confused her.

  “I see,” he said. “No, that is a relief. Thank you.”

  He disconnected the call.

  “Where did you get this tip?”

  “From the last client, the one who was arrested,” Kailynn said.

  “He must have told them, too,” Jak said, looking at her seriously. “He said they already received the tip. They were working on apprehending the group.” He walked back around his desk and looked at her seriously. “Do you want to tell me what the hell is going on? Why are you so frantic?”

  “I just realized there was a plot on Elite Isa’s life.”

  “I know, but showing such intense reactions when you would scoff at any Elite a few months ago…” He studied her expression, slowly shaking his head. “Please tell me that you obeyed all the ruled when you were there.”

  “Of course,” Kailynn snapped, indignant. “But, she did make me realize that the Elites are not that bad, so I’m worried about her.”

  Jak stared at her, clearly not convinced.

  “Okay, I understand,” he finally said. He sighed heavily and shook his head. “Well, seems like the Intelligence Agency has this under control. You can go.”

  “Oh, uh…right…”

  Kailynn walked out of the office, standing in the hallway for several seconds. She finally turned and half-ran to the elevator to get to the greeting salon.

  Ignoring the sneers from the other Significants, she ran outside and pressed the button to hail a taxi. One of the taxis owned by Companion drove to the front of the building. She got in and told the automatic computer to go to the charity art auction. After several failed attempts to get the right location, the taxi asked if she wanted to go to Anon Convention Center for the Annual Charity Auction, she agreed quickly and the taxi began its path.

  She sat in her seat, bouncing her legs rapidly and fidgeting. She was terrified. She did not know when the auction would end or when her brother was going to be there to attempt his plan. Being in the dark worsened her anxiety.

  She nearly jumped out of her skin when the car’s automated voice sounded.

  “Apologies. There appears to be damage repair,” it said as it slowed and pulled over. “Recalculating route.”

  Kailynn closed her eyes and let out a pained breath.

  Every passing moment was making it more difficult to breathe.

  “All routes to Anon Convention Center are showing one hour delays,” the car explained. “Do you have another destination?”

  “No,” Kailynn said quickly, inserting her card into the slot on the dashboard quickly before opening the door and getting out among the other cars pulled over on the highway, the car warning her about the dangers of pedestrians on the road.

  She began running along the side of the road, ignoring the strange looks that she was sure other automobile passengers were giving her. At the nearest garage, she darted in and found the elevator, quickly ascending to the street and running along the deserted walkways between the buildings, looking up and hoping to spot the Convention Center.

  When she came across a large, rounded building with several neon holograms flashing around it, she stopped and caught her breath, sure that she had found the Convention Center.

  As she tried to find her way to the front of the building, glancing around for any sign of Theo or the others of the Heart of Trid gang, she could feel eyes on her.

  It was then that she realized how suspicious she looked to any security detail that was looking for those plotting against the Golden Elite. She stopped and looked around, trying to spot guards.

  A loud clank caused her to jump and turn to the opening door in the parkway in front of the Convention Center. A car drove out of the opening and pulled in front of the building. As it slowed, Kailynn saw several robots and black-clad guards walking towa
rd the car. Kailynn’s heart was in her throat, choking her.

  Isa was leaving the Convention Center.

  The moment she spotted the blonde-haired woman walking among the guards next to Rayal, she took a step forward and began to take a breath to yell at Isa, when the ear-piercing sound of a gunshot sounded.

  Kailynn watched in horror as Isa’s torso was pushed backward with the force of the bullet. Rayal stepped in front of her immediately as the guards and robots closed the area around the Golden Elite, who was crouching on the ground.

  Kailynn was barely able to see Isa, her blue eyes scanning the building across the street, one hand clamped over the bullet graze on her shoulder. Rayal lifted his wrist to his mouth.

  “Take any shot you can.”

  The robots lifted their guns to the area where the bullet had originated, some firing when they saw movement in the windows.

  Kailynn backed away from the area, ducking around the nearest building and peering out to watch in horror.

  When she had heard the first shot fired, her mind went blank. She could not even form the questions of how severely Isa had been injured, or the state of the Heart of Trid gang in the other building.

  Bullets were flying in the space between the two buildings, the shots echoing around the buildings as Kailynn remained still, watching helplessly. She dared not run to Isa, sure that she would be shot as well. She could only wait for the chaos to abate.

  Almost as suddenly as it had begun, it slowed. The bullets were no longer being fired in rapid succession, but in short bursts when movement caught the robots censors or when those shooting from the other building thought they had a clear shot.

  It felt like hours to Kailynn, but two minutes after the first shot was fired, the bullets stopped.

  When Rayal got the clearance from those in the other building, he stood, as did Isa.

  Kailynn was relieved to see the minimal graze on the Golden Elite’s left shoulder. The Golden Elite was holding the wound to slow the bleeding, but she was clearly not in severe pain. She looked up at the windows of the other building and told Rayal she wanted to see the attackers.