Arcadia

by L. J. Higgins

  Chapter Twenty

  Braven let out a loud sigh as we began striding away from the Captains tent. “That was intense.”

  “I guess he's trying to drill into us how serious the situation is,” I replied, the tension of the moment slipping from my skin.

  “Don't you think it's weird he didn't offer to take the pendant from you and send his own men to Elysium?” questioned Seth.

  “He knows if he tried to take it off me he'd lose his hand,” I replied.

  “He's right. If he thinks we're too young I wonder why he's letting us risk our necks to save everyone?” said Braven.

  “Maybe he wants us to fail?” suggested Seth.

  “Why would he want us to fail?” I asked, shaking my head.

  “Think about it. They can barely handle the number of people living in the two remaining camps as it is. Plus they obviously trade food, medicines and who knows what else with the floating cities. Part of him knows the survival of the people down here relies on those cities being up there.” He pointed towards Arcadia hovering in the air.

  He had a point. What did the military gain from us bringing down the floating cities other than a giant headache?

  “Maybe we shouldn't have been so candid with our military friends,” I said.

  “We should be careful from now on. I trust Richy, but he could've easily given them information about us and our dynamics,” said Braven. “We keep our heads down tonight and when we leave we need to make sure we aren't being followed.”

  “You think he'd send someone to watch us?” I whispered, slowing my step.

  Seth and Braven exchanged a glance before Braven replied with a 'yes.'

  “Right, we'll be careful,” I agreed.

  “And let's keep this between the three of us for now, I don't want the other's panicking unless there's something to panic about,” said Braven.

  * * *

  Boxes of jerky, apples, oranges, crisp bread and other food along with water bladders were delivered to our team's tent a few hours after we returned from our meeting with Captain Kormak. While the other's ensured we had everything packed and ready to go Braven and I pulled out the map Geoffrey had given us and went over our plan.

  “We told the Captain we'd be heading directly south towards Elysium, but now we have our suspicions he may not be on our side I think we head east first,” whispered Braven as we sat on the floor leaning over the map.

  “How much longer will it take?” I asked.

  “I have no idea how long either direction will take. But if Seth's right and he sends someone to follow us, I think we need to head east,” he replied.

  “Okay. East it is. I've been trying to work out how we're going to know if we're headed in the right direction,” I said.

  “Richy gave me a map, and compass before we got here. He was worried something like this might happen,” he said.

  “He thought they might try to stop us?” I asked.

  “No. But he knew we'd need to be able to read and follow a map.”

  “You two okay over there?” called Vega. “I don't have to get all crazy jealous Vega again do I?”

  I stood abruptly and stepped away from Braven with my palms up. “No thank you, I'm more than happy to see the back of her.”

  “Hey, I wasn't that bad,” she said striding towards us.

  I raised my left eyebrow in response.

  “Okay, I was batshit crazy. What can I say? I'm protective of my man.” Vega grabbed Braven's hand and dragged him to where she'd been packing.

  “Is everything okay?” asked Fletcher as he approached.

  “Sure is. We've got everything organised,” I replied.

  “With all of your secret squirrel conversations with Braven you're making us all uncomfortable,” he said.

  “You aren't going to start with the whole, 'Aurora likes Braven' thing again are you?” I groaned.

  “Hey, I'm an awesome guy, and there's plenty of me to love,” called Braven in response eliciting a round of head shakes.

  “No, I mean we know something must be happening you're not telling us. Something about the mission. You're not keeping secrets are you?” he asked.

  I pulled him close, whispering in his ear. “As soon as it's safe, I'll tell you everything.”

  He swallowed hard as I pulled away, his silence showing me he wasn't going to ask any more questions, for now.

  “Aurora?” Ebony's said from behind me and I turned to face her. “Are you sure it's okay for Seth and I to come with you?”

  I looked over at Seth whose cheeks shone the same colour as his hair.

  “Did he send you over to ask?” I quizzed her.

  “No, he thinks me coming over and asking is embarrassing and stupid. Those were his exact words,” she replied crossing her arms over her chest.

  “It would explain his weird expression,” I replied.

  “Can we come?” she asked.

  “Do you want to? I mean, this isn't exactly your fight,” I replied.

  “Yes, it is. By revealing the truth you might be able to restore some sort of order to the world, a world where people like Brent can't get away with manipulating and hurting people,” she replied.

  “Ebony, I think there will be those people no matter what the world is like,” I said.

  “Plus Seth needs you,” she added.

  “Me? He got through the last sixteen years without me, I'm sure he'll be fine whatever you decide to do.”

  “The thought of you being alive on those floating cities is what kept him going. Pushed him not to give up when he lost his parents. Knowing you were still alive and up there, I think it was what kept him alive,” she said.

  I looked towards him again and he averted his gaze as soon as our eyes met. All he ever wanted was to be accepted by someone when he lost his parents. It wasn't his fault the first person who found him was the leader of some sort of cult.

  “I think you played a bigger part than I did,” I said watching a smirk tug at the corners of her lips. “But if you want to join us you have as much reason to want to end all of this as we do.”

  “Thank you,” she bounced on the spot excitedly before turning to give Seth the thumbs up.

  Seth's cheeks shone brighter and she turned back to me before returning to him. “Thank you, Aurora. For giving him a second chance.”

  Seemed I was giving my twin brother one more chance to prove he wasn't a bad guy. Please let it be the right decision.

  “You did the right thing,” said Fletcher who I'd forgotten was behind me.

  “Are you sure? The guy wanted to hand you over to the enemy.”

  “He's been taught to always find the way to manipulate a situation, it's what Brent taught him. We… you can show him things can be done differently. What it's like to have family and friends.”

  “Thanks, Fletch,” I said.

  “I can be helpful sometimes,” he replied. “Most of the time I'm annoying or being overprotective, but in some rare moments I say the right thing.”

  I gave him a nudge. “You say the right thing more times than you realise. Captain Kormak will send his man over to get us soon,” I turned to the group. “Is everyone packed and ready?”

  A chorus of yes's and murmurs replied and I carried my own backpack to the door of the tent.

  “Officer Trent here to escort you out,” a tall thin man appeared in the doorway before giving me a salute.

  “You heard the man,” called Braven. “Let's get out of here.”

  We helped each other load our backpacks onto our shoulders before following Officer Trent from the tent. Fletcher took a hold of my hand as we crunched along the pathway, the moon high in the sky before the sun had completely dipped below the horizon and a cool breeze tickled at my face.

  As we reached the front gate Officer Grant led us to an open-sided tent where a crate full of guns and ammunition sat.

  “Captain Kormak said you are entitled to one weapon each and to take all of the ammunition y
ou can carry,” he beckoned towards the crate.

  Braven and Fletcher dove in first, sifting through the weapons and pulling out two of the longest guns.

  “You guys grabbed the biggest ones,” moaned Seth.

  “It's because they're overcompensating,” said Vega stepping past him to take a look herself.

  “We needed something to match the size of our awesomeness,” added Braven.

  “You mean your ego,” Maya added.

  “Walked straight into that one,” said Fletcher, handing me a gun of my own.

  It was heavy in my hands, and I couldn't imagine being able to fire the thing. I hadn't had an ounce of training. “Do you have my knife?” I questioned Officer Trent.

  “Yes, your old weapons are here,” he dragged out a smaller box. “You're more than welcome to them, but Captain Kormak insisted you have a weapon each. He says it's the least he can do.”

  I swung the gun's strap over my shoulder to rest it against my back and peered into the box to spot the hilt of the knife Lark had given me. At least I had an idea of how to use my knife. Beside it rested my utility belt and I unravelled it to fasten around my waist.

  “Is my stun gun in there?” asked Braven.

  “Sure is,” I grabbed it and held it up. “I thought you liked your flashy new one from Geoffrey.”

  “I do, but the old one and I go way back,” he stepped forward and I passed it to him, watching as he clipped on his own utility belt and slipped his old stun gun in beside the new one. “Remember the time we were sneaking through the Utopian Guard underground hallways? All the zapping and body jolting seems so long ago.”

  “You're ridiculous, you do understand you have issues?” Vega rolled her eyes.

  “Here, put some of this in your belt pocket,” Seth held out a box of ammunition.

  I took it from him, and slid it into a small compartment before zipping it up, hoping I never had to worry about using it.

  “All set, thank you, Officer Trent. We're ready to go,” said Braven.

  Officer Trent lead us towards the main gate, straight through the checkpoint where we'd been searched when we arrived and out onto an open expanse of grass and dirt.

  “Captain Kormak wishes you safe travels,” said Officer Trent before walking back inside the compound and ordering for the gates to be shut.

  “Do you think it'll be him who follows us?” I whispered to Braven.

  “Not sure, but let's head into the tree's across from here before we start heading east.” He raised his voice from a whisper and swirled his finger in the air. “Roll out.”

  “Everything okay?” Fletcher stepped up beside me, lowering his voice.

  “Fine,” I replied, looking back to where Officer Trent watched us from the fence.

  “You don't trust them do you?” asked Fletcher.

  I shook my head. “But I trust Braven and he's got it figured out.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Darkness had crept in around us as we continued walking through the bushland. Nobody appeared to notice the way Braven's eyes scanned the landscape around us. Nor did they see the way both of us turned towards every rustle, crack or whip of wings as a bird fled from a nearby tree, peering into the darkness in search of our pursuer.

  “Ouch!” cried out Fletcher, jumping up and down on one foot grabbing a hold of his toe.

  “Dad hated how you don't pick your feet up properly when you walk,” said Maya.

  “Thanks for the sympathy,” he groaned.

  “Anytime little brother,” she ruffled his hair as he let go of his boot.

  “I've never heard you talk about your dad before,” said Vega.

  “Yeah, well. I guess he wasn't the man I thought he was.” Shrugged Maya.

  “Does that mean I can say I told you so?” said Fletcher.

  “If only it wasn't too late,” Maya trailed off.

  “At least you have each other,” said Ebony.

  “Yeah, she's okay I suppose.” Fletcher laughed.

  “For Elites sake would you lot shut up,” hissed Braven swinging around to glare at our team.

  “What's your problem?” bit Vega.

  “You sound like a heard of rhinos stomping through the forest. People could hear us coming from a mile away. Haven't you heard of stealth?” he said.

  “Braven,” I stepped towards him attempting to calm him.

  “Okay, enough,” said Vega. “What the hell is this secret between the two of you? What's going on?”

  Braven looked towards me and my shoulders loosened. “Braven and I think we're being followed.”

  “And you lot are making it easy for whoever's looking for us,” he added.

  “Followed? Who by?” asked Maya, stepping towards Fletcher.

  “It's the military isn't it?” asked Fletcher. “It's why you were strange with Officer Trent.”

  “We think Captain Kormak will go to any length to keep his people safe and fed,” I replied.

  “But why follow us? What threat are we?” asked Maya.

  “He doesn't want us to bring down the cities,” said Seth.

  “The Arcadia compound rely on the goods they receive from the floating cities. It's what keep Captain Kormak's people safe. I think he believes if we bring them down, it'll risk the lives of his people,” I said.

  “Great, not only do we have to worry about Officer Banks the lunatic who'll kill whoever looks at him sideways and Mr Bolton with his, 'I want to dominate the world' attitude. Now we have Captain Kormak who thinks he's saving his people,” said Vega.

  “Look, we aren't certain. But I think we should keep a low profile and try to be quieter from now on.” Braven moved in towards us beckoning everyone closer. “We'll head south for a little while longer, until the moon's high in the sky, then we'll head east toward the coast and follow it until we reach Elysium. Or, what's left of it.”

  Silence fell over us as we continued on our journey, the slither of moon about to reach the highest point in the sky. Fletcher stayed a little closer to my side than he had before, and my nerves settled a little knowing seven pairs of eyes and ears were searching the darkness for anything or anyone who may be stalking us.

  True to his word. Once what was left of the moon was high above us, Braven drew out his map and compass for a moment before cutting directly east. By the time the sun began creeping above the horizon in front of us, casting an eerie glow over the landscape of trees and what I assumed use to be dwellings but were now broken frames littered with wood and brick, each of us were growing tired and our pace had slowed.

  “Let's rest here for a bit.” Braven yawned before finding a half toppled brick wall to sit behind to shade our eyes from the brightness of the sun now peeking over the trees.

  “I'm wide awake if anyone wants to have a quick sleep,” offered Seth.

  “I think I'll take you up on that, I'm shattered,” replied Braven.

  He and Vega curled up on the grassy floor, using their bags as big pillows.

  “Will you be okay if I have a rest too?” My eyes were heavy and a rest would give me the strength to walk the rest of the day.

  “I'll stay up with him,” offered Ebony. “You guys all rest.”

  I looked between them for a moment, a small part of me still unsure if we could trust them. I hated myself for thinking it. Seth may've made mistakes, but they'd both joined us and done what they could to keep me safe.

  “Thanks, you going to have a rest?” I asked Fletcher who was eyeing them over like I had.

  “Yeah, that'd be nice. Thanks guys,” he replied.

  Maya joined us as we all settled down, my heavy eyes and tired limbs easily succumbing to sleep.

  * * *

  “Aurora, Aurora.”

  I awoke with a start to find Seth's face staring back at me. He held a finger to his lips and beckoned me to sit up. Around me my friends still lay fast asleep under the shade of the brick wall. Rising to my feet, I crouched into the same position as Seth and looked whe
re he pointed over the lowest part of the wall. Across from us, searching through trees and dwellings was a single officer, dressed in the same deep greens Captain Kormak's men had worn at the military compound. Sinking back below the wall I turned to Seth.

  “We need to wake the others,” I whispered.

  He gripped my arm as I attempted to stand holding me in place. “Waking them will draw his attention. Look again, he keeps looking at a device in his hand. It's like he's tracking us.”

  Peering back over the wall I spotted the device he was talking about, his expression became frustrated as the officer looked up from his screen looking around him.

  “Could they have microchipped us?” I asked.

  “Possibly.”

  “Our clothes?”

  “I've searched my own and found nothing. Let me check yours.” He helped me check my utility belt, my pants, my shoes. Nothing.

  “Where else could it be?” I asked.

  The footsteps grew closer, crunching through the overgrown grass. I could only hope he wouldn't spot my friends fast asleep.

  Seth's eyes widened and peered towards his gun. The realisation loosening my shoulders.

  “The weapons,” I sighed.

  “I think so.”

  Heavy footsteps drew closer.

  “What do we do?”

  “We need to get him before he gets us,” his whisper was almost inaudible.

  My eyes widened at his words. “We can't kill him.”

  “Not kill him. Incapacitate. Use the stunners.”

  He slid the stun gun Geoffrey had given him from his belt and I followed suit, gripping it tight in my clammy hand.

  “What's the plan?” I asked.

  “Stun him before he shoots us,” he replied.

  The crunching of boots was a few strides away and Seth held his finger to his lips before creeping to the side of the wall and pointing for me to make my way to the other. Risking a peek, I looked around the corner, watching the officer as he paced towards Seth's end. Looking back to Seth, he lifted three fingers. He dropped one, two. The muscles in my legs tensed as I readied myself, he dropped his final finger and I was bounding from behind the wall running at the man with the gun adrenalin pumping through every inch of my body.