Numbers Raging (Numbers Game Saga Book 3)

by Rebecca Rode

  What a terrible situation I’d put him in. Did he regret leaping onto that air transport? Did he miss me as much as I missed him, or was he glad to be rid of me after our fight?

  “Love seems so cut-and-dried when you’re young,” my father said, watching my face. “If you love someone, you stay with them. If not, you leave. But in reality, that’s not the case. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone you love is leave for a little while.”

  “You think Vance still cares.”

  “I know he does.”

  I shifted in my seat, choosing my next words carefully. “You still love Mom, don’t you? Even though she won’t listen when you try to apologize.”

  “Very much, and I don’t blame her.”

  “What will you do if she never listens? I mean, if we make it through this and she still won’t forgive you, or she chooses to stay with Konnor. What then? Will you move on and find someone else?”

  “I’ve already seen what’s out there, Treena, and nothing can change how I see your mom. I miss her. I long for the family we could have been.” His face was twisted with pain and emotion. “All I’m saying is you and Vance have something special. I’ve seen how he looks at you. He wants to protect you and make you happy, and that’s not such a bad thing. Don’t throw it all away.”

  I think I already have. The words were too painful to utter aloud. Vance was a settlement leader hours away from NORA. I was a councilwoman in a threatened society. Even if we both survived this attack, citizens, settlers, and Integrants had never gotten along. Healing their mistrust for each other seemed as impossible as surviving an attack from the most powerful alliance in the world.

  Somehow I needed to do both.

  “I think I know what to do,” I whispered.

  Jasper, who had closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, looked at me with interest. “Hmm?”

  “I’m going to do it,” I said. “It’s time to overthrow Dresden.”

  An hour later, the low hum of the engines lulled me into a fitful sleep. I was five again and walking to school, my parents on either side. Jasper grasped my hand tightly, swinging my arm as we walked. Mom asked about my classes. A profound happiness settled into my soul, and all was right with the world.

  Then we rounded a corner and froze. My school was a raging inferno. Figures danced around the building like around a bonfire. I looked closer. No, they were fighting but stumbling over bodies and yelling over the dull roar of the flames.

  I looked up to find my parents gone. Richard Peak stood where my father had been, watching me with a sad smile. He looked just like the painting—worn, hopeful. His gaze was fixed on me like he waited for something.

  The peace that had encircled me a moment earlier fled, replaced by a darkness that filled me like smoke. I pulled my hand out of his and stumbled away. “I thought you were a hero. How could you do such terrible things?”

  His smile faded, and he turned to the destruction again. It drew my gaze as well, and despite myself, I turned back to what had once been my school. My playground, my world. There were far more dead than living now. The survivors battered each other, beating one another like they’d completely lost control of their senses.

  “I’ve asked myself the same question,” Richard said. “Countless times.”

  “You could have explained your plan to them,” I said. “You didn’t have to murder anyone. They were your clan, the people you were supposed to help protect.”

  “Someone once told me that weapons and power turned men into monsters,” he said. “But I’ve since learned she was wrong. It’s not power but fear. When people are afraid, they are capable of committing incredibly monstrous crimes. Sometimes it takes someone with neither power nor fear to unite them in a cause greater than themselves.”

  “I don’t understand.” I nodded toward the charred ruins of the school and the burned corpses dotting the fake grass. “What’s the purpose of all this?”

  He smiled patiently, waiting.

  “It’s happening again. The fear, the hatred. The end of a civilization.”

  Richard frowned at the carnage in front of us. “It’s nearly over, actually. You’ll arrive just in time.”

  I stared at him in alarm. “In time for what?”

  He placed a hand on my shoulder, and then I realized my body had changed. I was no longer a five-year-old but my seventeen-year-old self. Richard stood at nearly the same height now. Our eyes were level with each other.

  “In time to redeem our family’s name, to be better than I was. You have the potential to unite them in a way I never could.”

  The world lurched underfoot. The school’s fire brightened, then exploded across the sky. So bright. The heat singed my skin, and I shielded my eyes.

  “—can’t believe you can sleep through this,” Richard said.

  I squinted up at him, but it wasn’t Richard. Jasper’s tight smile greeted me. Reality crashed into my mind, and I sat bolt upright.

  The airship.

  “We’re nearly there,” Jasper said, his face a lighter shade of white than usual. His gaze flicked to the bruise on my temple, then away. “I would’ve let you sleep, but I think you should see this.”

  “Show me.” I threw the lap belt off and stumbled toward the screen, glancing toward the windows. They were dark. It was very early morning. The ship lurched, and I grabbed for the back of his seat to steady myself.

  Jasper did the same, his jaw clenched as he glared at the screen. “There. That’s the gate in NORA’s border wall, and there’s the Council Building. The hospital is a few streets to the right. See those flashes?”

  I stared in awe at the tiny pinpricks of light. “That’s gunfire.” NORA citizens used stunners, even the military. The only people who used weaponry like that were outsiders . . . and Vance’s settlers.

  “Vance is attacking the hospital,” I said. “Why would he do that?”

  “No idea. Does this change your plan at all?”

  We were supposed to land in secret, meet Jasper’s followers and alert Maizel’s guards, then storm the Council Building in the morning. We’d find Dresden and toss him in a cell until he could be tried. Meanwhile, I’d take control of NORA’s resources and organize the city for evacuation. But if Vance was here, something was definitely wrong. Why attack the hospital of all places?

  Maizel had said the streets were full of rioters and that Dresden was refusing to send troops to contain them. He wouldn’t sleep through an outlander attack, though. That was certain. I longed to land in the center of it all, to pause the fighting and stop Vance from putting himself in danger.

  But something held me back. Maybe Vance needed my trust more than he needed my help right now. And if Maizel was right about Dresden’s activities the past few days, I knew right where to find our so-called emperor. Once I had the throne, I could honor my great-great-grandfather’s request. I could end the fighting and unite them under a single leader.

  “No,” I finally said, watching the tiny dots flashing on the screen. Be safe, Vance. “We’ll keep to the plan. Vance knows what he’s doing.”

  We landed in a dark, empty street—or tried to, anyway. Jasper’s coordinates were slightly off, and we grazed the side of a store, leaving a huge gash in the concrete. The hatch slid open before the aircraft hit the ground with a jolt.

  The dry desert air warmed my chilled skin as I stepped onto the pavement. Home. Imperfect and hotter than I remembered, but still home.

  Maizel was right. There were several bodies scattered in the street, probably beaten and left for dead. Their foreheads still glowed green. It looked disturbingly like something out of Peak’s diary. I clutched my bag more tightly so the book wouldn’t accidentally fall out.

  “I’ll find Maizel and meet you at the Council Building,” I told Jasper and hurried away.

  It was a lie. I felt bad misleading Jasper, but he would never have allowed me to do what was necessary. If we waited until our followers arrived, Dre
sden would be waiting for us. But if I managed to sneak into his quarters now while he slept, I could detain him until everyone came to take over the rest of the building. It was just a question of whether I could get past his door guards.

  Please be on duty tonight, Maizel. I’m going to need your help.

  When I reached the Council Building, I threw the night guards a wave and dashed in. They seemed unsure whether to wave back or arrest me. I had about one minute before they woke Dresden to tell him I was back. I considered the lift and chose the stairs instead. Slower, but less chance of being seen.

  I hit the stairs at a sprint, my breathing labored and echoing in the deep concrete stairwell. Floor two. I burst into the hallway and surprised another pair of guards, who yelled at me as I ran. I didn’t stop until I arrived at Dresden’s door.

  Four guards stood outside, all staring me down with expressions of surprise and wariness. I tried to push through them, but they moved to block me.

  “I need to talk to him,” I insisted.

  “I’ll bet you do,” Dresden said from behind me.

  I whirled to find him standing in the doorway directly across from his quarters, smirking. Edyn’s quarters. She stood at his side with a smug, if sleepy, smile. More guards emerged from the lift, all leveling their stunners at me. They must have seen our transport land and awakened Dresden as I sprinted across the city.

  Dresden’s tone was light, as if he were simply making conversation. “You should have told me you were coming back. I would have had the doctors here, all ready to reimplant you after your epic failure. Although your score isn’t as high as it was, sadly. I had to adjust a few things.”

  “There’s gunfire at the hospital,” I said, ignoring his pompous comment. Did he really still care about Ratings? “You need to stop the fighting.”

  “Your boyfriend shot first, I’m afraid. He’s finally showing his true colors. I invited them to take refuge here, and he repaid me with an attack on the hospital. Good thing I stationed extra guards there tonight. Integrants are so predictable.”

  “Hold on.” Dresden’s words weren’t connecting. Jasper said Vance’s people had been poisoned. So Dresden had offered them refuge? “So you agreed to help, but denied them entrance into the hospital.”

  “The settlers are going to die anyway,” Dresden said. “Eight percent died before they even got here. We offered those ungrateful people shelter, but they refused and demanded hospital beds. In case you haven’t noticed, we have our hands full. The hospital is overcrowded and understaffed as it is.” He wrapped an arm around Edyn, who leaned against him with a pointed grin.

  “Or,” I said, “you were happy to take advantage of their misfortune if it meant bringing them in. For protection, right? Since you’re so worried about the safety of your people.”

  His smile tightened. “I’ve taken care of that. The only danger in NORA is what’s happening in the streets.”

  “The only danger is you trusting Chiu. He’s coming, Dres, and he intends to kill everyone. Starting with you.”

  “I don’t have to listen to this.” He pushed past me and headed for his door, pulling Edyn behind him. The four guards hurried to open the door for him. “Someone lock her up, will you? Stun her if she won’t shut up.” Then he walked inside, and the door began to close.

  The guards at the door seemed surprised at this strange turn in the conversation. I took that moment to bolt for the door Dresden had just walked through. The guard closest to me finally recovered and raised her weapon. I swiped the stunner out of her hand and shot her in the stomach. She buckled and slid to the floor, unconscious. I’d already shot the next guard before she even hit the floor.

  I leaped aside to avoid another soldier’s blast and hid behind a fourth man, returning the shot as the hallway filled with startled shouts. Then I placed the stunner to his head and pretended to flick it to fatal mode. “Don’t move.”

  He froze. The hallway fell silent.

  I shoved the soldier forward and slipped into Dresden’s room as a shot flew past my head. I slammed the door and bolted it. Dresden and Edyn were watching me with wide eyes. Edyn looked a little unhinged by my sudden presence, armed and alone. Dresden smoothed his features until he seemed as overconfident as ever.

  I raised the stunner. “You know why I’m here.”

  Someone pounded on the door behind me. “Your Majesty, the door is locked!”

  Dresden’s gaze focused on the stunner. To his credit, he hid any concern he felt and even smiled. “To think I brought you back from the desert. Stupid of me to think you’d make my reign easier.”

  Just stun them and wait. Jasper will be here soon.

  I stepped closer. “If you were a true leader, things would be different. I never wanted to be empress.”

  “And you won’t be. Things will be a little strained with the ECA here among us, but I’ll make sure things go smoothly. Meanwhile, you’ll spend the rest of your days in prison for threatening the emperor.”

  Edyn had begun to sneak away from Dresden, heading for the other side of the room. I sent a quick shot her way, but she dove behind the sofa.

  I cursed. “You make me sick. I can’t believe I wasted so much of my life with you. You’re a greedy, despicable excuse for a human being.”

  Edyn tossed something into the air, and I spun to get another shot off. She dove behind the couch again. The object spun and flipped for a moment as Dresden snatched it out of the air. Then he smiled and aimed his stunner at me.

  With a curse, I leaped sideways and returned fire. It went wide. Dres’s shot blew past me with a heavy whoosh that reminded me of the drone. I positioned myself behind a fluffy chair near the door, breathing hard.

  Dresden’s stunner was on fatal mode.

  “You were supposed to stay there longer,” Dresden said from behind the sofa. “We could have finished this much easier without you.”

  “I thought you were excited to reimplant me. I know how much you love to label things.”

  Reimplant.

  His Rating. It glowed in the dark.

  “You’re trapped,” Dresden said. “May as well give up now. Or I can just shoot you, I guess. More fun that way.”

  I reached a trembling hand up to the wall closest to the door. If I could only find the manual control dial . . . there. “Lights off,” I commanded.

  The lights obeyed, and the room was plunged into darkness. I turned the dial to the off position.

  “Lights on!” Dresden snapped.

  Nothing happened.

  Unlike my own quarters, there was a single window in here, and it had been boarded up. Yet another sign of a paranoid leader—one who feared assassination. As he should, because now I was here to claim the throne that rightfully belonged to me.

  And unlike him, I was unrated and therefore invisible in this darkness. His claim to power was now the weakness that would take it from him.

  Someone began pounding on the door somewhere behind me. “Your Majesty! Are you all right?”

  I half hoped Dresden would reply so I could identify exactly where he was, but he didn’t. He’d eventually make his way toward the door, though, and he’d have immediate—and armed—assistance. I had to take him out before then.

  My lungs burned for air, and I realized I’d been holding my breath. The whispering in the corner had to be Edyn, probably turned away so I couldn’t see her Rating. I stepped out from behind the chair and headed toward the sofa, circling wide.

  Somebody kicked a piece of furniture, and I heard a sharp intake of breath. “Ouch!” Edyn. She was closer now, probably headed for the door to open it. I sent a shot toward the bobbing green glow and was met with a gasp but no thud of a body hitting the ground. I’d probably nicked her.

  “You’re shooting at my girlfriend now, Treena? Maybe there’s still a little jealousy there.” His voice was closer than I expected. A dim green shone from between his fingers. The old cover-the-forehead trick. I’d used that one myself a long
time ago.

  I sent a blast his way, but he was ready for it. He stepped aside and returned fire. I ducked just in time.

  “Your Majesty!” the guard called from behind the door. “Stand back. We’re busting it down.”

  I scrambled back toward the door before Edyn could reach it and let the guards in. This was taking too long. Once those soldiers blasted their way in, they’d gun me down immediately. I’d be useless when Jasper’s followers arrived, and my grand takeover would fail. Or I’d be dead.

  Time to take Dresden out.

  I crouched behind the chair again and sent off a wild series of shots. None of them connected. It was completely quiet, and the familiar green glow had disappeared. I strained for the sound of gentle footsteps.

  Another shot smacked into the chair next to my head, sending a strange vibration through the fabric. I pulled back.

  “Maybe after I take you out,” Dresden said—he was near his desk now, closer—“I’ll go look for Vancey-pants and end him too. I never liked him. You guys can rot with the fates for eternity.”

  I gritted my teeth, aimed my weapon in Dresden’s general direction, and let the shots fly.

  He swore but must have found cover, because I didn’t hear a body fall.

  A metallic click sounded right next to my head.

  “Gotcha,” Edyn said, and I heard her finger slide on the trigger of what had to be a pistol. The brat had a settlement weapon—the lethal kind.

  I swung my arm past my head, slamming the weapon aside just as it went off. A deafening blast sounded. I threw myself to the ground as my ears rang.

  I lay there, chest tight, unable to breathe. A moan sounded through the thickness of my ears. I reached out and felt something sticky beneath my shoulder. I sat bolt upright and felt around, but I wasn’t injured. The blood wasn’t mine.

  Edyn sucked in a labored breath from the floor. I found her shoulder and jerked back. Warm blood soaked my fingers. My throat constricted until I had to gasp for air.