My brain is still whirling, but as the adrenaline crashes, the pain in my arm picks up. I need to move before I fall asleep in this chair.
Liam sinks down into the chair Tiroso just left. “I could do with some dandelion ale about right now.”
“I think I just need a walk.”
Liam smiles and nods. I stand up tentatively, still worried to break the spell, and Daniel and Eric follow me outside.
We walk aimlessly for a few minutes before I stop to really take in the scene around us. The rain has stopped, but puddles reflect the glow of street lights up and down the road. It’s like the city was washed clean.
“Now what?”
Daniel steps forward, and I follow him, moving at half my normal pace. “There’s so much to do. We’ll have to figure out a temporary leader until the people here can decide who they want in charge and what kind of government they want. We have to dismantle the PIT and set up the infrastructure so no one starves.”
I stop and stare out into the street. People are standing together in clumps, some of them laughing, but others looking around them for someone to tell them what to do. “It’s overwhelming when you lay it all out like that.”
“Yep, but right now, we’re ignoring all of it. First priority is a soft bed and lots of sleep.”
“Really?” I tip my head to the side and instantly regret it as my brain shifts and tries to knock me on my rear. “‘Cause I think my body could really use some rest.”
“I figure no one will starve in the next eight hours.”
“Lead on, my hero.”
Eric lets out a tiny cough beside me.
“Heroes.”
“Nah.” Eric stops to really look at me. “We’re more like the cleanup crew. Pretty sure you handled this one all on your own.”
I pull both of them in for a hug, my numb arm slung over Eric’s shoulder and the other tucked around Daniel’s waist. I’m exhausted, I’ve got a massive headache, and it’s freezing. But I don’t care. For once, the Cardinal loses, and the people I care about are all alive. This isn’t what the Machine intended when it flashed red lights and sentenced me to the PIT, but this is what it always predicted.
Thirty-Five
“Well, that was an interesting call.” Danforth walks into the makeshift command center and shuffles over to the table. “The European Union leaders are all pretending they never wanted anything to do with the Machine. They couldn’t put enough distance between themselves and the Cardinal. It’d be funny if the whole thing weren’t such a disaster.”
Clarence gets up and gets him a cup of stale coffee. “At least the new Machines hadn’t been shipped yet. Can you imagine?”
“No, I cannot.” He takes a sip of the coffee, grimaces, and then takes another sip. “If that were the case, you’d be looking for a new interim president.”
I walk behind him and wrap my recovering arm around his shoulders. Eric wasn’t kidding about how quickly it would heal. The doctors set the bone, and I didn’t even need a cast. Only a few hours, and it’s down to nothing more than a dull throb of pain if I use it too much. “Have I mentioned how grateful we are that you agreed to take the position? And I promise, organizing an election is a top priority for everyone. Clarence has been in touch with the other Territory resistance leaders all morning getting the ground work started.”
“Well, I’m only doing it for you and Daniel.” He nods at Daniel on the other side of the table. “Your dad would have done a better job, but you’re stuck with me.”
The screen on the far wall lights up with the afternoon broadcast. I reach for the remote and turn the sound down. It’s the same message that’s been playing all day. News of last night’s events, including the detainment of the Cardinal. Per our request, the reporters are asking everyone for patience during the transition.
The early reports from around the Territories are that most people are continuing their regular routines as asked. It’ll be a while before we can have people switching jobs or moving locations, and until then, we need to keep the country moving smoothly.
On the surface, it doesn’t look like much has changed, but I know just how different it’s all about to become.
“So where are we on the PIT?” Danforth glances at me where I sit next to him.
“At first, the guards there refused to acknowledge our communication. Seems most of them were pretty loyal to the Cardinal.” I shrug my shoulders, but I can’t ignore how much that hurts. That the people who had the most exposure to the Rejects were the hardest to convince that we aren’t really criminals. “It will take some time to get everyone organized, but we expect the prisoners to arrive at the Airtrain station here in the capital early tomorrow morning.”
“So are we just going to shut the PIT down?” Daniel addresses the question to the room, but looks at me. “What are we going to do with people who really will commit crimes? I mean the Machine did work the way it was intended to.”
“We can’t.” I shake my head. “That’s how this whole mess started. We can’t determine a person’s entire fate by their potential. Some have the potential for greatness and squander it.” I reach over and squeeze Eric’s arm. “Others have the potential to create chaos, but choose kindness instead.”
I meet the eyes of each person in the room and wait for them to acknowledge me. When it comes to the Machine, there can’t be any half-in, half-out arrangements. That much power should never exist.
“But there will be those who break the law.” I drum my fingers on the table. “We have to maintain some order.”
“President Tiroso has agreed to help us out there.” Clarence leans against the back of a chair, dark circles under his eyes a testament to how little sleep he’s had in the past few days. “He’s offered his assistance in setting up a criminal justice system. As for the PIT, maybe we should just tear the whole thing down.”
“What if we just tore down the fence?”
“Rebecca, I doubt anyone would want to live there.” Daniel quirks an eyebrow at me.
“There are a lot of Freemen out there whose villages were destroyed. Maybe they’ll want to move into the Territories, but not all of them will be ready to live in the cities. The PIT could be an alternative. The accommodations aren’t the best, but Freemen are pretty good at fixer-uppers. Plus, it’s got a great view.”
I close my eyes and picture black waves spilling over each other, bathed in white moonlight. I sway my head in time to the steady rhythm of waves crashing against the sandy shore. It would be a great place to live, but not for us. Even with the ocean, I could never see it as anywhere other than the place where too many innocent people died.
“Done.” Danforth claps his hands together. “We’ll let Liam and the other village leaders know so they can get the word out. Now, for you two.” He points his finger between Daniel and me. “I have an offer.”
“What kind of offer?”
“After my trip down to Mexico, I realized just how behind we are in technological advances. The Cardinal was so focused on maintaining power, he failed to put any focus on pushing innovation.” Danforth gestures to Daniel. “You’re the only person I know who could have pulled off the massive broadcast takeover that happened last night. I want you on the team here. You’ll have a lab and whatever you need to help move the Territories forward.”
Daniel’s eyes flash wide at the idea of a fully stocked lab. He’s worked miracles using whatever we could scrounge up in the PIT and back in Allmore. I can only imagine what he could accomplish with the right tools.
“As for you.” Danforth lays a hand on top of mine. “What this new government needs more than anything else is someone willing to ask hard questions and push for the answers. We can’t let ourselves fall back into any bad habits or take the easy route if it’s not truly in the best interest of the people. I want you to be that person.”
“Are you asking me to be your official pain-in-the-ass?” I give Danforth a sly grin.
“Until we can
find a more official title, I guess that works.” He squeezes my hand, and his expression turns serious. “I’ve been in this game a long time. I’m not sure I see the world clearly anymore. You have the ability to smell out injustice from a mile away. I need you to be the voice of the people.”
I stare back at Danforth. All I’ve ever wanted was a chance to make things fair, but I don’t know if I can be part of the government. I try to picture Daniel and myself living in one of the houses that line the streets here in town, and I can’t make the image come into focus.
“Can we think about it?”
“Sure, take a few days to talk it over. The two of you deserve a nice vacation for a bit.” Danforth stands and stretches his back. “But don’t take too long. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
I push back from the table and roll my head around my neck. “For now, I think I could use some food and another nap.”
Daniel stands and walks to my side of the table. “That sounds perfect.”
“There’s some food set up in one of the banquet halls downstairs and a ton of guest rooms all over the building.” Clarence waves his hand over his head to indicate the entire capital building. “Go get some rest, and we’ll let you know if there’s any news to report.”
I give him a quick hug that catches him a bit off guard. “Do me a favor and get a nap for yourself soon.”
He nods, though there’s not any sincerity in it. Daniel leads me out the door, into the red clad hallway. Already, most of the cardinal images have been removed. I have to imagine the man himself is being held somewhere in this building. But I have no idea where and, I realize, I don’t care. There is so much to be done, but already we’re seeing positive changes. And that’s all I ever really wanted. Watching everything he’s tried so hard to create dismantled in front of him is the best punishment I can imagine for the man who destroyed so many lives himself. I shouldn’t be gleeful at someone else’s misery. But just this once, I am.
Thirty-Six
The banquet room is bursting with activity. Freemen, recognizable only by their ragged clothing and braided leather bracelets, roam around the room, mingling with the resistance members.
It feels like a party back in Allmore, except instead of lantern lights between trees and dandelion ale, we’re in a room with plush carpet, rich curtains, and mountains of food.
Together, Daniel and I walk over to one of the long tables and fill plates with enough food to dull the hunger bubbling in my stomach.
“So, did they convince you to be the next Cardinal yet?” Eric pops up at my elbow with Elizabeth close behind him. They both carry their own plates.
“There’s a job I could turn down in a heartbeat.” I investigate the inside of a finger sandwich. “I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be in charge of anything for at least another hundred years.”
“Darn.” Elizabeth speaks with her mouth half-full of something. “I was hoping you’d be able to get me into all the fancy capital parties.”
Daniel snorts next to her. “I guess you’ll have to return that ball gown then.”
“Seriously, though, what are you guys going to do now?” Eric asks.
I flash back to Danforth asking me to stay on as his adviser, and a coppery taste develops on the back of my tongue. “We’ve got a few options to consider. What about you guys?”
Eric breaks out into a huge smile. “I already spoke to the resistance leader here in the capital. He’s going to help me enroll in the medical training program. Looks like I finally get to be a real doctor.”
“That’s great, Eric. I’m really happy for you.” And I mean it. “What about you, E?”
She swallows a mouthful of pastry puff. “I guess I’ll hang around here for a bit so I can drive Eric nuts. Then I’m not sure. I was thinking about starting a safe house of sorts. A place for people who are stuck in homes they don’t want to be in to come live.”
“Like Molly.” Sweet Molly who lived with an abusive father for years because there was nowhere else to go.
Elizabeth nods and wipes at a tear threatening to fall. After all this time, Molly’s death still haunts her. Maybe this safe home is what she needs to find some peace.
“Alright.” Elizabeth tosses her plate into a bin of dirty dishes and wipes her hands on the back of her pants. “I’m going to see if I can’t hunt down a shower and some clean clothes.”
Eric shoves his last bite in his mouth, his eyes lit up with excitement. “Sweet mother of the Cardinal. Hot water and real soap. We’ll talk to you guys later. Let’s go.”
They walk off arm in arm, and I send a smile after them. They’ve both been through so much. Too much. Surviving the PIT and losing the people they love. I’m glad they found a way to be brother and sister again. Maybe they can help each other heal.
“Do you want to talk about Danforth’s offer?” Daniel picks around at the food on his plate, not meeting my eyes.
“I’d rather talk about literally anything else right now.”
“There you are,” Cheryl shouts from several feet away. She rushes over to me, tugging Ethan behind her. “They’ve had you locked up in meetings all day. I was worried I wouldn’t get to see you before we leave.”
“Where are you going?” I set my plate down on the table next to us, my appetite vanishing at her words.
“Just back to MidWest. Barton left this morning with both of our mothers, so I really need to get back and check on her.”
“Of course, that makes sense.” I turn to Ethan. “What about you? Are you heading back to Allmore?”
Ethan smiles and ducks his head, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. A pink tinge spreads across his cheeks. “I was thinking about taking a trip up to MidWest. Other than the past two days, I’ve never been to the Territories. Cheryl said she can show me around, introduce me to all the things we don’t have back in the villages.”
Cheryl threads her arm through his. “First stop, the tailor for a suit. With your coloring, I can picture you in gray pinstripe, purple accents.” She squints her eyes and nods knowingly.
“What do I need a suit for?” Ethan’s face is shocked at the idea of wearing something other than his sturdy corduroy pants and flannel shirt.
“First impressions are everything, Ethan. This is a brand new world, and you can be anything you want to be, but not if you’re dressed like a lumberjack. Then you can only be a lumberjack.” She flashes him a smile that’s hard to resist. “Besides, I think a man in a suit is ridiculously sexy.”
“So, first thing first, I’ll be getting a new suit.”
Cheryl laughs from deep in her belly, and I can’t help but laugh along with her. For the first time in forever, I can really enjoy the moment without the threat of the Cardinal hanging over me.
“You should come back with us.” Cheryl’s words pull me right back into the moment.
“To MidWest?” I hadn’t even thought of it.
“It’s been almost two years since you’ve seen your parents. I thought you’d want to check in on them. Your dad at least.”
I’m suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to go home and see them. To eat in my mom’s outdated kitchen and sit on the porch swing with Daniel, sipping lemonade and listening to the sounds of the world around us.
I squeeze Daniel’s hand and ask him with my eyes. A sliver of guilt pierces my heart. He doesn’t have a family to go check on, even though his old home is only a few blocks from where we are.
Daniel squeezes my hand back. “We should go.”
I turn back to Cheryl. “The Airtrain from the PIT gets here tomorrow morning. We can leave right after then.”
Saying the words makes me surprisingly excited, but also anxious. I can’t imagine what my parents’ reaction will be to seeing me after all this time. What did they think when their night’s sleep was interrupted by the video of my conversation with the Cardinal? I imagine nothing there will be the same, but then, I guess that was the point of all of this.
T
hirty-Seven
The morning air is cold against my face, but the rest of me is warm in the layers of new clothing and thick coat Danforth found for me. They’re nicer than even what he’s wearing, and I can’t help but think he’s trying to butter me up so I’ll agree to sign on as his adviser. I should just agree to help him, but something is holding me back, and I need to wait and see if I can find out why.
Daniel is equally decked out next to me, and he wears the clothes well. I imagine this is how he always dressed before the Machine Rejected him. Our lives were completely different in so many ways. I guess I have the Machine to thank for bringing us together, but I’m still glad it now sits in pieces in a dark warehouse.
Danforth finds a spot on a bench in the station, and Clarence is nearby, his face its usual state of calm acceptance. He’ll be going back to MidWest shortly after us. Oster is keeping order until he gets back, and then Clarence will take over as the liaison between MidWest and the capital. Eventually, the Territories will each vote on their own representative, but MidWest couldn’t ask for a better voice than Clarence.
I stare down the track, but there’s still no sign of the Airtrain. Taking a deep breath, I work to push down the sense of anxiety that’s been bubbling in my gut all morning. Getting everyone out of the PIT has been a priority since I managed to escape. Now that it’s happening, my emotions are on overdrive. I won’t be able to breathe easy until the train pulls up and I can welcome them all back to their freedom.
“We’re not too late, are we?” Constance hurries down the station platform, arm in arm with Thomas.
Rite of Redemption (Acceptance Book 3) Page 22