“They let you in just like that?”
“Well, at first Clarence was a little nervous. I mean, the man plays tennis with my father at least once a week. But when I told them about you, they understood why I came.”
“I’m really proud of you.” I grab Cheryl’s hands again and give them a squeeze. “You didn’t have to put yourself at risk like this.”
“I’m proud of me, too. I just wish there was more we could do. I want to shout to everyone about what is going on. I have a feeling there are tons of people out there who think the system is rigged. And I bet you made a lot of people sit up and take notice when you cut into the Acceptance ceremony. I can’t be the only one who really took the time to listen to you.”
“I don’t know.”
Cheryl squeezes my hands until I meet her intense stare. “I know they are out there. They want something more, but they don’t think it’s a possibility. So they stay silent and live in constant fear. They just need someone to tell them it’s okay to have a voice.”
Can it really be that simple? I thought our actions at the ceremony were a failure, but what if that’s not what happened? Maybe that first offering simply planted the seed, opened up people to the reality of what’s going on. Maybe they just need another opportunity to stand up. And if they’ll stand up to the Cardinal, surely they’d fight against President Tiroso, too. They just need someone to go first.
“Alright, that’s enough deep conversation for one night.” I stand up and reach for Cheryl’s arm. “Let’s go check on Daniel and see if there are any snacks.”
“You know I’m a sucker for snacks and cute guys.” Cheryl loops her arm through mine and leads us out into the main room while my mind whirls with thoughts.
Twenty-Seven
“I’m sorry we don’t have better accommodations, but house guests are a rarity out here.” Oster smiles at his own joke and spreads the thin sheet out on the small beds pushed together.
“Your son doesn’t have to give up his bed.” I clutch at the pillows Oster’s wife hands me. “Susan, I promise we would be just fine sleeping on the floor.”
“Nonsense. I told you I wanted to help in any way I can, and tonight that means making sure you have a comfortable place to sleep.”
“Thank you. To both of you.” Daniel takes the extra blanket from Susan and shakes hands with Oster.
“Try to get some rest.” Oster gives my shoulder a tight squeeze. “First thing tomorrow, we start moving everyone into and around Cardinal City, and it’s unlikely we’ll get another chance to sleep until this is all over.”
They leave and Daniel lays the heavy blanket over the joined beds. “Did you have a good visit with Cheryl?”
I add the pillows and climb up. “It was interesting.”
“Expand on interesting.”
“She thinks you’re cute.”
Daniel climbs up and rests back on his pillow with both hands behind his head. “Well, I’ll sleep better now.” He leans over and gives me a quick kiss and flashes an imitation of the smile I’ve missed for too long. “Anything else?”
I grab Daniel’s hand and take a deep breath. “We talked about last spring. She saw what happened during the Acceptance ceremony.”
“Is that why she joined the resistance?”
I nod and take another big breath. “I didn’t think what we did made any difference, but it did. For Cheryl. And she thinks it probably changed the minds of a lot of people.”
Daniel rolls over to face me. “I’m sure it did. You spoke from your heart and told the truth. You have a way of making people sit up and take notice.” He reaches over and pushes a lock of hair off my forehead. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. Honestly, I don’t know what would be enough to get people to act against the Cardinal.”
“I think I do.”
Daniel sits up and his smile disappears. “Where is this going?”
I close my eyes and think about saying nothing. I could wait until he’s asleep and leave him a note. Then we won’t have to fight about what I’m going to do, and I don’t have to figure out how to tell him goodbye. But I don’t have to do this alone. I don’t want to.
“We have one more day, and then the Mexican army is going to rush in here, take the Machine, and probably take over the country. We have no idea what President Tiroso’s plans are, but I’m pretty sure they don’t include destroying the Machine and letting everyone decide their own lives.”
“Everyone at the meeting tonight was confident that President Tiroso is going to come in like a hero on a white horse and rescue us. They’re so focused on getting rid of the Cardinal, they aren’t considering that he could be just as bad, if not worse.”
I stand up and shake out my hands. “That’s why we can’t let that army anywhere near the capital.”
“I know that look.” Daniel stands and places warm hands on my shoulders. “That’s the look you had when you first told me about your idea for hacking into the ceremony feed. What are you planning?”
“Look, President Tiroso thinks he can come in, oust the Cardinal, and take over. But that only works if the citizens still believe in the system. It’s not like everyone loves the Cardinal. He’s just the current face everyone fears.” I pull away and pace the small space beside our bed. “But Tiroso doesn’t stand a chance if the people aren’t sure about how everything works. If they can see the proof that the Machine has been abused, they won’t accept anyone who still wants to use it. And no matter how powerful he is, Tiroso doesn’t have the resources to take over a resistant country. Especially not if you add in all the Freemen.”
“But we don’t have proof. You can tell stories about the PIT until you’re blue in the face, but that’s not enough to get people to stop believing in a system that has kept them safe for the past century.”
“That’s why I need to break into the capital building.”
“What?” Daniel’s voice vibrates against the thin walls.
“Shhh…you’ll wake the whole house.”
“Fine.” Daniel lowers his voice, but the same intensity is there. “I’ll just stand here and whisper at you all night until you come to your senses.”
I turn away from him and sit on the side of the bed. “I know it sounds crazy—”
“Because it is.” Daniel sits next to me. “This isn’t an idea; it’s a suicide mission.”
“It’s better than sitting around here waiting for someone to come hunting me down.” I jump up again, unable to sit still and contain the anger that suddenly boils up in my chest. “Now that President Tiroso knows how far I’m willing to go, do you think he’ll just let me go?”
Daniel turns away and rubs his hands over his face. “So, what? You just march into the Cardinal’s office?”
“I don’t know yet. Maybe we can talk to Danforth about helping us.” I pace in a tiny circle in the cramped room. “All I need is a few minutes in the Cardinal’s office to find something that will prove to everyone what’s going on. I need some concrete evidence that he’s abusing his power. Something that shows the Machine isn’t what everyone believes.”
“Rebecca, listen to what you’re saying.” Daniel reaches for me, but I step away from him. “Even if we could manage to get you into the capital building and you were able to somehow get to that kind of information on the Cardinal, how in the world would we get you out?”
“I can take a video and stream it to your Noteboard.”
Daniel stops my frantic movements. “That’s not what I asked.”
I suck in another deep breath, because I know this is the part that I can’t sell. “I don’t think I’ll be able to get back out.”
Daniel freezes, his fingers digging into my arms until I’m sure I’ll find bruises there in the morning. “Don’t…you can’t say that.”
“It doesn’t matter if it’s the Cardinal or President Tiroso. Neither of them is going to let me live my life in peace. I’m a threat, and neither of them would ever stop looking for me.”
Tears pool in Daniel’s eyes, and his mouth hangs open, but no words come out.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t see it before. I kept thinking if I just ran far enough, someday I’d be safe. But that’s never going to happen. If I had known…” I choke back my own tears. “I never would have agreed to marry you.”
“Don’t you dare.” Daniel pulls me in to his chest, and I bury my head in his warmth. “Don’t you even think for a second that my life would be any better off if you weren’t my wife. If the powers that be want to chase you from here to China, I’ll be right by your side for every step. If we never see a day of peace without looking over our shoulders, so be it, but I’m not letting you give up. Not yet.”
I pull back and wipe at my eyes. “Then we need to come up with a way to get me in and out of that building, because this is going to happen.”
“Why?” Daniel searches my eyes for answers. “Why do you have to?”
“Because John David and Clarence and all the others still think this is all about the Machine. They don’t understand the Cardinal. They think they do, but they’ve never really seen how far he’s willing to go to keep his power.”
“Why can’t Danforth do it? He’s right there, and he has access to everything we need.”
“And no one is going to believe him. He’s part of the council. They’ll either think he’s gone senile or that he’s trying to get rid of the Cardinal so he can take over.” I suck in a breath and let it out in a trembling whisper. “It has to be me and you know it.”
Daniel takes my hands and squeezes tight. “I’m with you. I will always be with you. Sleep now, and tomorrow we figure out a way to do this and keep you alive. Deal?”
“Deal.”
I follow Daniel to bed and snuggle into his side while his breathing evens out and falls into the steady rhythm of sleep. We’ll get with the others tomorrow and make a million plans, and I’ll agree to all of them. Then I’ll step into the fire and hope that Daniel will learn to live without me.
Someday.
Twenty-Eight
“What you’re talking about doing is madness.”
John David paces the floor of the small cellar room while Clarence sits silently in a wooden chair that’s seen better days.
“It’s that madness that has gotten us this far. If not for Rebecca and her willingness to take bold steps, you’d still be sitting around in ignorance, unaware that the Cardinal was hunting you down.” Liam stares down John David without flinching, so I send him a silent “thank you” from my spot on the floor.
It’s been non-stop arguing since we all converged at the safe house in the capital. I’d be more amused by the number of Freemen currently roaming the streets of Cardinal City if I wasn’t so worried about what John David plans to do next. I still don’t have any proof that he wants President Tiroso to take over, but I can’t get Eric’s warning out of my head. All the Freemen village leaders except Liam defer to John David, so I have to get his buy-in if this is going to work.
I was able to convince Ethan, Elizabeth, and Eric to go with my plan within ten minutes of their arrival in the capital. Liam was slightly harder to convince, but only because he has the same objections as Daniel, and they are all personal. Clarence refuses to weigh in.
“They’re kids, Liam. Just kids.” John David stops pacing to throw his hand at the five of us sitting in a row on the floor.
“Kids who’ve seen more in their short lives than the two of us can ever imagine.”
“Enough.” Clarence finally stands and walks between the two village leaders. “We aren’t getting anywhere, and the Mexican army is going to be here tomorrow no matter what.”
“Exactly.” John David thumps his cane on the floor. “You’re so worried about what might happen, you’re willing to risk tipping off the Cardinal and ruining everything. Why not just wait until Tiroso gets here and see what happens then?”
“You mean, wait and see if he puts you in charge.” Proof or not, I can’t sit silently anymore. I push off the floor and march to where John David stands in shocked silence. “That’s the plan, right? Help President Tiroso take over and then collect your favors for a prime leadership position.”
Clarence turns on him. “Is this true, JD?”
“It’s true.” Eric stands and joins me. “I overheard him when he thought I was knocked out on pain meds.”
Every eye in the room is focused on John David, who looks like he just swallowed a bug that’s slowly crawling down his throat. “I’m the only one in here with a lick of common sense. It’s called a backup plan, and shame on you for not having one.”
“Get out.” Clarence flings his hand at the door.
“What?”
“Get. Out.” His voice booms in the small room, bouncing off the concrete walls. “That’s not a backup plan. That’s a plan for our failure. Now get out of here before I have to throw you out.”
John David stomps toward the door, but stops, dipping his face at me until we’re nose to nose. “I’m not fooled by you, Rebecca Whatever-your-name-is. You’re the one who spent all that time in Mexico. I bet you’re the one in Tiroso’s back pocket. The two of you are probably planning to take over and use the Machine together.”
I stand up to my full height and stare right back at him. Ethan and Elizabeth jump up to help, but I wave them off. I have this. “You can say that because you’ve never had to live in fear of being found unfit, and I hope you never do.”
“Is that a threat?”
I laugh. I shouldn’t, but I can’t help it. “You’re not worth my threats.”
John David spins and storms out the door. The room lets out a collected exhale, and Eric and I sit back down with the others. Clarence finds a chair and takes his time to think over all the new information before he speaks. “I think Rebecca is right about President Tiroso. Based on his prior behavior and what we know about his own quest for power, we have to assume he’s going to try a takeover.”
“So you’ll help with my plan to break into the Cardinal’s office?”
He shakes his head at me. “Your plan has enough holes to sink a freight liner and is destined for failure. From what I hear, this is your standard course of action. Run in and hope for the best without taking the time to ensure success from the beginning.”
I cringe at his words hitting a little too close to home.
“What do you suggest?” Liam leans against a rickety table and gives Clarence his full attention.
“We need more information. In order for this plan to be viable and ensure we aren’t sending you to certain death, we need to know more about the Cardinal’s plans for you.”
I grab my bag and dig out a thin scrap of paper. “I can get that for you, but I need you to trust me.”
Clarence nods his head, so I reach out and contact the one person I know who can tell us exactly what’s happening in the capital behind the high walls of the Cardinal’s home.
After a series of quick responses, I turn off my Noteboard and stand up, wiping the cold cellar dust off my pants.
“Okay, we need to get moving. We need to be at the coffee shop on Lincoln Street in ten minutes.”
“Is it really a good idea for you to go out there?” Liam stares at me with only concern.
“Time to stop hiding.” I grab my bag. “Except for the part where I wear a scarf and a big hat. Let’s go.”
Clarence leads Daniel and me through the back streets of the capital to the out-of-the-way coffee shop I was told about. Liam agreed to stay back so we wouldn’t attract so much attention, but Daniel refuses to leave my side, as if he has to keep one hand on me to make sure I don’t run off toward the capital unannounced.
We open the door and I immediately spot Danforth tucked into a corner on the other side of the room. I turn my head to speak over my shoulder at my escorts. “This is where you’ll need to trust me.”
I march in and head right to Danforth’s table. Clarence grabs my arm when we’re still a few
yards away. “Are you crazy?”
“There’s a distinct possibility.” I pull my arm back and walk the remaining steps over to Danforth’s table.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet on such short notice.”
Danforth looks me up and down and casts an unsure eye on my chaperons. “I told you I was willing to help, and I meant it. It doesn’t hurt that at my age, I can get away with needing a nap, and no one says a word about leaving the office before lunch.”
He gestures to the table, and the three of us sit down. The room is warm, but I don’t take off any layers just in case another customer takes too close a look.
A server bustles over with coffee, and I pull my hat a little tighter, but he barely glances at any of us before moving on to the next table.
Danforth takes a deliberate sip from his cup, sets it down, and folds his hands in his lap. “What can I help you with?”
Speaking in hurried whispers, I give him a brief rundown of my plan to expose the reality behind the Machine.
“Well, that’s one way to do it, but how about we come up with a plan where you actually stand a chance?”
“Thank you.” Daniel reaches across the table and squeezes Danforth’s hand.
“The Cardinal wants you dead for sure, but his ego won’t allow for it to happen in any way but on his terms. He gave orders to the men searching for Freemen villages that you were to be brought back to the capital alive. The good news there is that if you’re caught, you won’t be killed on the spot. The Cardinal will need time to get the presentation of your death in order.”
“Well, that’s cheerful.”
Danforth clears his throat and takes a tiny sip from his delicate china cup. “Getting you in isn’t an issue. I’m positive that the Cardinal will lock you up until he can make a spectacle of your death. Meanwhile, I can let you out of wherever he holds you so you have the chance to photograph evidence from his office, which I can make sure is unlocked. I would suggest waiting until the end of the day so you’ll have overnight to work.”
Rite of Redemption (Acceptance Book 3) Page 18