Arcadia

by L. J. Higgins

  Baxter appeared to bounce on the spot before the Captain released his hand. “Yes Captain Kormak, took a little bit longer than expected but here they are.”

  “And Richy, good to see you son. Your father will be pleased to see you,” he spotted Richy who stepped forward to shake his hand.

  “I'm looking forward to seeing him sir,” he replied.

  “Unfortunately it will be a short visit. Eden's compound needs as many men on the ground as they can get. Lieutenant Marks has requested you return as soon as possible,” said the Captain.

  Richy gave him a sharp nod. “I'll rest for tonight and leave at first light.”

  Knowing Richy would be leaving us left a hollow emptiness in my stomach. He'd become part of our team on our journey to Eden and he'd protected us and kept us safe.

  “Which one of you is Benjamin Adams' girl?” asked Captain Kormak eyeing Ebony, Vega, Maya and myself.

  “Me. I'm Aurora Adams,” I said raising my hand a little.

  He pursed his lips. “I'm happy to hear from Lieutenant Marks your father is alive and well, but I can't say I'm impressed with the mess he's gotten us into.”

  I kept my face void of emotion but my fists clenched at my side. He didn't know my father; how could he judge him?

  “It's okay, I understand his intentions were good. Now Baxter here tells me it's important for you to get up to Arcadia. I think you're crazy with the chaos going on up there with their guard at present but he's insisted and it's rare for Baxter to be pushy. I'm happy to house those of you who can't take the trip until whatever you need to do is over. But know this. The safety and wellbeing of my comrades and civilians is my number one priority. If you bring any chaos down to our camp…”

  “We won't.” I cut him off.

  He relaxed back into his chair. “I'll let Officer Reynolds take you to your quarters. Richy, I take it you'll be staying with your father?”

  “Yes sir,” Richy straightened his spine as he spoke.

  “Report to me before you leave in the morning. And the rest of you report back to me when your plans are set.”

  Escorted from the tent, Officer Reynolds led us away from the main tent towards the quarters when a guy who looked like an older, greyer version of Richy called towards us.

  “Richy? Is that you son?” called the man as he hobbled towards us.

  Richy's face lit up at the sight of him. “Sure is dad.”

  They wrapped each other in a tight embrace for a moment before pulling away.

  “What happened to your face?” His dad looked him over.

  “Long story. Dad, I'd like you to meet my team.” Richy gestured towards us, arms wide.

  He introduced us one by one as we shook his father's hand.

  “You'll all have to drop in for a cuppa while you're here,” he said.

  “Thank you sir, but we don't plan on staying long,” replied Braven politely.

  “And I'm to return to Eden's camp first light tomorrow,” said Richy.

  “You'll be staying with me won't you?” sadness clouded his father's eyes.

  “Of course dad.” Richy turned to our group. “This is where I leave you guys.”

  “It's going to be weird not having you with us. It's been good travelling with you.” Braven slapped his hand on Richy's shoulder.

  “Thanks, Braven. It sure was an adventure,” said Richy.

  “It's a shame you have to head back to Eden's compound tomorrow. I think you deserve a month off after what we put you through,” I added.

  “I may not be with you. But I won't stop fighting this until you do,” he replied, his gaze piercing mine.

  “Thank you, Richy,” I replied.

  He said goodbye before leaving with his dad.

  “I wonder if we'll ever see him again?” asked Maya.

  “If he's going to be at the Eden compound I'm sure we will,” I replied. “After this is all over I'm going straight back to see how my dad and the others are.”

  “I'll be right behind you,” said Maya.

  “So will we,” added Vega.

  Fletcher's gaze met mine and I held it for a moment, understanding no matter what, he'd be right behind me.

  Officer Reynolds led us the rest of the way to the tent we'd be staying in before leaving us to our own devices. Inside, the tent was laid out with four sets of bunks, with a small sitting area to the side. The one thing missing was our friends who'd stayed behind in the Eden compound and now Richy.

  “It's weird isn't it?” Maya stepped up beside me while Braven and Fletcher raced to the bunk closest to the back wall.

  Seth rolled his eyes and he and Ebony picked the bunk at the opposite end and threw their things beside it.

  “Yeah, it is,” I replied.

  “Seems like everything we do reminds me of Tyler and Alice,” she sighed.

  I pulled her in for a tight hug. We'd gained and lost so many people along the way, and we were about to be split up all over again.

  “You okay?” Fletcher's voice tensed my muscles and I stepped away from Maya.

  “All good, just having a moment,” Maya said. “Did you win the bed?”

  Fletcher groaned. “What do you think? Muscles barged me out of the way. He's sharing it with Vega.”

  I stare into the distance as they spoke, wavering between wanting to say at least something to Fletcher and never wanting to look at him again.

  “Can we talk?” he asked.

  “I'll leave you both to it,” said Maya before going to find her own bed.

  I continued to stare after Maya before Seth caught my eye. He gave me a little wave before sitting beside Ebony on his bed.

  “What do you want to talk about?” I asked, finally making eye contact.

  I regretted it straight away as the hurt emanating from his warm eyes hit me hard in the chest.

  “About our fight. About what you said,” he replied.

  “What I said? You made yourself quite clear Fletch. You think I'm too fragile to make the right decision about Seth.” I whispered Seth's name so as not to draw attention.

  “It's not like that,” he argued.

  “Isn't it? Why can't you trust I know what I'm doing?”

  “I do trust you. But these things are hard to judge when you're invested in the situation.”

  “How would you know?”

  “Because I have the same problem,” he argued.

  “You do? And who are you so emotionally invested in you can't see straight?”

  “You, you idiot.”

  I swallowed hard.

  “I'm acting like a freaking nut case because I feel the same way about you. It's how I know you need to be careful.”

  Closing my eyes I sighed before opening them. “I don't want to fight with you.”

  Fletcher's shoulders curled forward. “I don't want to fight with you either.”

  “You need to give me space. I need to work this whole Seth thing out and I can't do it with you butting in and trying to tell me how to think all the time.”

  “I'll give you, your space.” He reached out and wrapped his arms around me.

  Relaxing into his warmth I looked up into his eyes. “That didn't last long.”

  “What?”

  “The space thing.”

  I looked between us and a smile broke across his lips. “Yeah, well. That space I'm not willing to give.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “No way. You're not going up to a floating city without me again.” Fletcher paced back and forth across the length of the tent.

  “She's not going alone. I'll be with her,” said Braven.

  Fletcher stood still. “Why? Why do you decide who goes and who doesn't? Just because you have the biggest muscles doesn't make you the best person for the job.”

  “Fletch,” I snapped at him.

  He turned to glare at me, his jaw clenching tight. “What?”

  Braven stood in front of him. “The reason I get to decide who goes and who doesn't is
because Lark left me in charge. I've had years of training as both a rebel and a guard and yes, my muscles are amazing.”

  Fletcher rolled his eyes and sat down heavily on his bed.

  “We will do everything in our power to keep those you choose to accompany me safe,” said Baxter, visibly uncomfortable with the heated discussion. He'd arrived an hour earlier after we'd returned from the mess hall after breakfast and we'd been arguing about who would go with him and me up to Arcadia since.

  “I think I should get to pick. It's me Officer Banks wants dead,” I said.

  “Yes, Aurora should choose,” Fletcher rose from his bed to stand beside me.

  Braven through his hands in the air and turned towards Vega. “This is ridiculous.”

  Vega placed her hand on Braven's shoulder. “I know you're in charge here, and you've done an awesome job leading us. But Aurora's right, she should choose who will risk their lives to keep her safe.”

  When she put it like that it made the knot in my stomach tighten. If I had my way none of them would come with me. I'd sneak in and out and if anything went wrong, I would be the one to suffer the consequences.

  “I agree with Vega,” added Maya.

  “Me too,” said Ebony.

  “Alright, you want to decide,” said Braven. “Tell us, which two of us do you want to keep you safe up there?”

  Looking between my friends I couldn't decide if the fear in their eyes was because I might pick them or because I might not.

  At the back of the room, Seth sat on his bed watching as everything unfolded.

  “I've made my decision. Braven, you'll be coming up with Baxter and me,” I said.

  Braven fist pumped the air in excitement before a glare from Vega and Fletcher reigned him in. “Who's the second?”

  Fletcher wanted to come with me. But he'd already admitted I clouded his thoughts and I couldn't risk him doing something stupid to save me. If anything happened to him because of me I wouldn't forgive myself.

  “Seth,” I said watching as Seth's eyes widened.

  “Are you serious?” Fletcher threw his hands in the air.

  Seth stood from the bed and pointed at his chest. “Me? Why me?”

  “You've spent your life fighting to stay alive and keep people safe. Plus it'll give you the chance to prove to all of us, prove to me, we can trust you.”

  “Thank you,” he replied quietly.

  Baxter clapped his hands together. “It's settled then. I'll organise everything for the three of you and report back this afternoon with more details.”

  Baxter left the tension of the tent while the rest of us stood in silence until it was interrupted by Fletcher.

  “Why are you angry at me?” he asked.

  “I'm not angry. I picked the two people I thought were best for the job. It wasn't personal,” I replied.

  “What? You think Seth is better for the job than the rest of the people who've gone on this entire voyage with you?” Vega rested back on her hip.

  “She's right Aurora. No offence Seth, but we've been with you from the beginning,” said Maya placing a hand on her brothers back.

  “Give her a break guys, it couldn't have been an easy decision,” said Braven.

  “Of course you don't care, you get to go up to Arcadia with her,” snapped Fletcher.

  Seth stepped forward. “Look, if you guys want to go, the spot's all yours.”

  Fletcher stepped towards him. “See, he's abandoning you the first chance he gets.”

  “Stop!” My voice sliced through their argument. “I made my choice. Braven and Seth are coming with me to Arcadia and that's the end of it.”

  They all stare at me as I turned on my heel and left the tent. Outside I began jogging before breaking into a sprint, making my way through the tents and people of the camp. People stared as I ran past them, trying to find somewhere to be alone. But the place was full of people, and tents, and noise. All of it kept in by a tall chain link fence. Slowing, I came to a stop, leaning over onto my knees and drawing in ragged breaths. I wiped at the tears running over my cheeks and sat on the dry grassy ground.

  “Aurora?” Fletcher's voice made me jump.

  I buried my face in my hands not wanting to look at him. He sat beside me without a word.

  “Why do you all want to go up there so bad? Didn't you see what happened last time? People died Fletch, and my dad got shot and nearly died too. Do you think I want to put any of you in danger?” I stare into his deep brown eyes. “You're the son of an Elite. What do you think they'd do if they got their hands on you?”

  He let out a sigh. “I didn't think about it that way.”

  “No, instead you assumed I was trying to upset you. People know your face Fletch. Especially people like Geoffrey Grant. And imagine the way Officer Banks could manipulate your father if he had you in his clutches.”

  “Sorry, Rora. I thought you were picking Seth over me.”

  “You need to stop this Fletch. He's my brother and I want to know more about him and my parents. But you've always been there for me, you're my best friend.”

  “Right. Best friend.”

  “I didn't mean it that way.” I groaned in frustration.

  “I'm back in the friend zone again am I? After everything we went through to get to whatever we were I didn't imagine I'd end up back here.”

  “You aren't being friend zoned. It doesn't matter how much I try to deny it, there's definitely more than friendship between us. But you will always be my best friend, no matter what's happening between us.”

  A small smirk quirked up the corner of his lips. “Can I kiss you now?”

  “No. Now you've made it awkward.”

  He placed his hand behind my head and drew me towards him. His warm lips meeting mine and sending a tingling sensation down to my toes. Every muscle in my body relaxed into him as he kissed me harder and then he pulled away looking me in the eyes.

  “I can't risk losing you Fletch. If anything happened to you…” I couldn't begin to imagine.

  “I'm not going anywhere. If you trust Seth, I do too. Promise me you'll come back safe and sound.”

  “I'll do my best.” It was all I could give him.

  * * *

  Everyone had settled when I'd wandered back into our tent hand in hand with Fletcher. Maya beamed at the sight of us. Baxter arrived later in the afternoon with instructions to get our things together ready to leave at midnight.

  “Have you got everything?” asked Fletcher, sitting beside me where I fussed on the bed.

  “I think so.” I was running the list of things I needed over and over in my head. “Actually I forgot one thing.”

  “What's that?”

  “I want you to look after this,” I unclasped the pendant from around my neck and held it out to Fletcher.

  “This? Why? Aurora, if you think you're not coming back…”

  “I'm not saying I won't come back. I'll do what I can but I can't make promises. If Officer Banks were to somehow get this our whole adventure was for nothing. I want you to keep it safe until I can bring back the final piece.”

  “If you promise you'll come back to me it'd be an honour to hold it for you.” He clasped it around his own neck and leant forward to give me a kiss. “How are you feeling?”

  “Scared and anxious. My stomach keeps doing flips and I'm pretty sure if my heart rate gets any higher I'll have a heart attack. Imagine it, getting up there and dropping dead.” The memories from my visit to Eden were fresh in my mind. I couldn't let people die for this again.

  He gave a small chuckle. “You aren't going to have a heart attack. You'll be great. You've hung out of the bottom of a helicopter.”

  “Yeah, and look how well that turned out.” Gripping onto dad for my life while he almost bled to death flashed into my mind.

  “But you did it. And both you and Benjamin made it back. This time you have Baxter's help and Geoffrey Grant wants to help you.”

  “You're right. We'll be
fine.”

  “Plus you'll have Braven and Seth to keep you safe.”

  “Yeah, she will.” Seth approached us drawing our attention. “I understand why you don't trust or like me, Fletcher. I can't blame you. But I'll do everything in my power to keep Aurora safe.”

  “Thank you,” replied Fletcher.

  “We should try to get some sleep.” Seth gave me a nod and I returned the gesture before he strode away.

  “Sleep here with me?” I asked Fletcher.

  “I don't know, my bed is pretty comfy,” he replied earning himself a punch on the shoulder.

  I crawled into the bottom bunk and Fletcher slid in beside me.

  “Just get the pendant and get back as quick as you can,” he said, pushing a piece of hair behind my ear.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Baxter guided Braven, Seth and I through a warehouse packed to the ceiling with boxes, pallets and containers. He greeted a few people as they worked and lead us into a small room at the back end of the building. Inside the walls were lined with shelves, which were full to the brim of an assortment of items and in the middle of the room sat three large wooden boxes.

  “I haven't told you how we're sneaking you up onto Arcadia,” Baxter shifted his weight and rubbed the back of his neck.

  “And why do I feel like we aren't going to like what you're about to tell us?” asked Braven.

  “Like I told you. The security on Arcadia has clamped down on those leaving and entering the floating city. We can't exactly fly up there. We're loading you onto the airship as cargo.”

  “Cargo? You mean you're stuffing us into boxes or something?” My eyes wandered over the boxes in front of us seemingly shrinking with each pass.

  “Exactly. We need you to hide in a box each, we'll cover you over with a false interior to make it look like you are medical and scientific equipment and it's how we'll get you to the labs without being detected. At least, that's the plan.”

  Braven stepped towards the middle box peering inside. “Am I going to fit?”

  “I must admit, I was a bit concerned when Aurora picked you, but I've found a slightly larger box and you should be… well not comfortable, but you'll fit.”