by Lara Morgan
“We’ve only got about forty-three minutes before the surveillance kicks back in.” Gillian checked her timer. “Keep that in mind.” She led her to an iris door, coding in the entry so it opened to reveal a tubular hall intersected by several openings. The halls were lit by a faint blue glow that seemed to come from the metallic walls, and Rosie was uncomfortably aware of the tonnes of rock above their heads. They were so deep.
They took a left at the first intersection, followed it for a few metres then right, then left, then right again. Along the side of the tube ran a pale red line that shone with occasional positioning points, giving their location. Finally, Gillian stopped at another iris door. She pulled a slip of plas sheet from her pocket and pressed it to the opener. Inside, the room was dimmer than the hall but, as they entered, warm soft lighting flickered on and Rosie stopped.
She heard the door swish shut behind her, the sound of a steady machine beep, but it all receded. The room was not large and dominating it was a bed surrounded by medical machines and on it was Pip.
Her body went hot then cold. Had Gillian brought her here to see his body? She took a step back, horrified, but Gillian grabbed her hand. “No, Rosie, wait, it’s okay – he’s alive,” she whispered.
Alive? He looked like he was asleep, but paler than he should be, his hair mussed and dark against the white pillows. A sheet was pulled half up his bare torso and gel-like cell repair shields covered his wounds. Rosie went to him, hardly aware of her own movements. He was alive?
“Pip,” she breathed his name and touched his arm. His skin was warm. She was afraid to touch him further in case none of this was real and she woke up alone in the cell again.
“Is he–”
“He’s recovering,” Gillian said from behind her. “Alpha had him brought down here and told Sulawayo he was dead, but after everything you said to her, she did some poking around. She found out he’d lied.”
Rosie’s fingers shook as she dared to touch him again, to prove to herself he was real. She brushed back his hair from his forehead. A few grains of sand stuck to her skin. Jebediah must have thought of hiding him down here, of letting her think he was dead. He must have decided the MalX vaccine that he’d had stolen from Nation wasn’t enough. He wanted to be able to tap into the source and that was Pip. So he took him.
“Jebediah wants to use Pip for the MalX cure,” Gillian said. “It’s part of his plan, that’s what Sulawayo said. And she figured out how they knew Pip was in the ruins. He was picked up on the surveillance out there. Alpha had some kind of alarm set up. Then they waited for you to get to him and sent Freddie. That kid always did make my skin crawl.”
“I thought you liked him,” Rosie said in surprise.
“Yeah, I know,” Gillian said. “I’m a good actress when I want to be.” She rubbed the side of her face. “It makes sense now though – how Alpha let us go back into the regular routine, doesn’t it? He wanted you out there in the ruins so Pip would come out. Sulawayo said she also found out that Alpha knew about the message you sent from the medibay to your aunt. She says she thinks he let it go because he wanted to make sure Pip would find you and come out here.” She sighed and said bitterly, “It’s been one giant set-up after another, and we fell for it. I fell for it – just like what happened to my family.”
Rosie turned back to Pip. She was afraid if she stopped looking at him, he’d disappear.
She touched her lips to his cheek. It was rough with stubble and she smelled the despised lemon antiseptic. He seemed so vulnerable. She traced the line of his cheekbone.
“What do you want to do?” Gillian said.
“I have to get him out. I promised I would never let this happen again.”
“Sure, but how?”
“I don’t know, but I’m going to figure it out. We–”A sharp pain lanced through her skull and she fell against the bed with a cry.
“Rosie, what is it?” Gillian grabbed her shoulders as she slipped sideways, but she couldn’t reply. The implant was moving, opening. She saw a flash of the Pantheon file: the names, some of the locations, then an image of who she thought was Alpha and Dalton, but Alpha was too young, and they were standing together outside a building with Curtis and Co on it. No, it wasn’t Dalton; it was his father, Jebediah. Had the two men known each other that long? Then it was like someone was rolling knives along her spine and into her chest and the images vanished.
Rosie gasped for air. The nanos were moving, she could feel them, burrowing into the muscle alongside her spine, squeezing her lungs. She clenched her hands in the sheets of Pip’s bed, fighting it. One minute. Two. Then the pain receded and she could draw in air again. She leaned against the bed, shuddering.
Gillian held onto her arm. “Was that the implant?”
“Yeah.” Rosie took in a long deep breath.
“Can’t you girls keep it down? A man’s trying to sleep here.”
Rosie’s heart leaped. Pip was awake.
“Hey.” He smiled, bleary eyed. “Was I dreaming or did someone shoot me? Twice.” He noticed then how she was staring at him and reached for her hand, frowning. “You okay?”
Was she okay? Rosie made a sound between a cry and a laugh, holding tight to his hand.
“I thought you were dead.”
“Nah, just went for a dramatic exit. Fooled you, eh?” Pip rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. Rosie wiped at sudden tears.
Pip’s grip tightened and a soft, scared note came into his voice. “I’m in the Enclave, aren’t I?”
Rosie nodded. “Yeah, but I’m going to get you out.”
“Hey,” Gillian half raised a hand. “I’m Gillian, roommate and general pain in the arse.”
Pip didn’t react. “She trustworthy?” he asked Rosie.
“Yeah.”
“Don’t know how we’re going to get you out though,” Gillian said. “I don’t think he can move yet, Rosie. He looks like crap.”
Pip coughed. “Gee, thanks, and I made such an effort.”
“I can’t leave him here,” Rosie said.
“I know, but right now we’re running out of time.” Gillian indicated the stylus.
Rosie hesitated, holding tight to Pip’s hand. What if Alpha moved him, took him away before they could get him out?
“Hey,” Pip tugged her forwards, “they want me alive.”
“For now,” Rosie whispered, and she saw the flicker of fear in his eyes. “I’ll come back and get you.”
“Rosie,” Pip’s breathing was shallow, “Cassie gave me something for your implant. It will help, stop it disintegrating. It’s with my stuff on my bike; I hid it in the ruins. If you can’t–”
“Don’t say it,” she cut him off. “I won’t leave you here.”
“Rosie, we’ve got to go.” Gillian’s tone held a warning.
Rosie leaned over, aiming to kiss him again on the cheek, but Pip turned his head so their mouths met, a brief brush of his dry lips against hers. “I’m coming back,” she said.
He tugged gently at a strand of her hair but his face was bleak. “Don’t be a hero for me.”
Only for you, Rosie thought but didn’t say it. She let Gillian pull her away, casting a last glance at him as he watched her go.
“How are you doing?” Gillian asked as they ran back through the hallways.
Rosie didn’t meet her gaze. “Thanks,” she said stiffly, “for taking me there, showing me.”
“It was the least I could do.”
A small ache was digging into Rosie’s left side and, with every breath, it felt like a weight was pressing on her lungs. “Did Sulawayo mention anything called Dark Star?” she asked.
Gillian frowned. “No, what’s that?”
“I don’t know. I heard Alpha talking about it with Jebediah. I think it’s important.”
“We can ask her.” Gillian pushed the stylus into the lift and they stepped onto the platform. The rush back up to the cold night air made Rosie’s head spin and she almost fel
l as it stopped abruptly.
“I’m okay,” she said at Gillian’s obvious worry.
“I think you need to get out of here as well,” Gillian said.
“Soon.” Rosie felt like her brain had been switched back on now she knew Pip was alive, and she couldn’t stop thinking about all she’d learned. “I’ve got to get to Dalton,” she said as they jogged across the silent courtyard.
“Jebediah’s son? I heard he’s here. What’s he got to do with anything?”
“He’s my friend, and if I’m getting Pip out, I don’t want to leave him here either. I think Alpha has messed with his mind.”
“Yeah, well, you might have to put that on the hope-to-do list.” They reached the outer doors and Gillian stopped to open them. “Sulawayo will want to see us tomorrow, but I don’t know how she’ll swing it to make it seem like we’re not up to something. And you still have to act like you think Pip’s dead.”
“I can do that.” She could do anything now.
They made it back to their room in time and Rosie lay in the dark, exhausted but unable to sleep. Thoughts cycled through her mind. Pip, Gillian, the implant, Dalton. How were they going to get out of here alive?
The implant worried her. The way those numbers had come and gone, she could be losing information and she only had one small card left to play. There was only one name and location left on the Pantheon files that she hadn’t given out. Alis Chan. And for some reason Jebediah still wanted it. She had to hang on to it. Jebediah had Pip, a possible vaccine start and the Equinox Gate plans to make that wormhole. He must think he had almost everything he needed. It was only her and the information about the last Pantheon member standing in his way – and she was sure he wouldn’t let that hang for long. He’d get it out of her, maybe use her dad to do it, or Aunt Essie. And then what use would she be?
None. Gillian was right. She had to get out as well. But the question that kept her up and wouldn’t leave her be was what was Dark Star? It had to tie in to Jebediah and Alpha’s plans. Alpha had talked about satellites and called it a delivery system. But delivery for what? Was it to do with the MalX or the gate? She had to find out.
CHAPTER 16
At breakfast the next morning Rosie struggled to behave normally. She knew she looked bad. Her skin was pale, almost grey, and there were dark bruise-like circles under her eyes. Everyone was staring at her. The rumour to cover what had really happened was that she’d almost been killed in training. It had gone round so fast, she thought the operatives must be spreading it as well. She kept expecting Alpha to come in and take her away. Why wasn’t he or Jebediah doing anything? Did they consider her so unthreatening they had stopped caring? Or did they think they’d won? Where was Sulawayo?
“Eat.” Gillian leaned across the table, her eyes bright with worry. Rosie stopped pushing her spoon through the warm bowl of grains and forced herself to take a scoop.
Stefan sat down with his overloaded tray. “You look like three kinds of puke. You gonna be okay?”
“Shut it, Stef,” Gillian said.
“Hey, I’m being friendly.” He took an enormous mouthful of grains, speaking around it. “You feen weddie?”
Gillian raised an eyebrow. “I don’t speak moronese.”
He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “You know what I said. Have you–”
“Forget about Freddie. He’s off since the ruins,” Gillian said.
“What? He was the one?” Stefan paused in shovelling in another mouthful.
Gillian flicked a glance at Rosie. “Yeah, it was him and he almost killed her, so forget about him. He’s gone to the psychs – probably be there for years.”
“Huh. Always was a weird kid.” Stefan kept chewing. “New boy.” He pointed with his spoon towards the door.
Dalton had come in, trailed by Hanto. Rosie dropped her spoon so it clinked against the bowl. Gillian frowned at her and said to Stefan, “You spoken to him yet?”
“Nup. Hanto doesn’t seem to like people talking to him. I heard he’s bunked in that empty room near the iris, and he doesn’t have to share.” Envy twisted Stefan’s mouth. “Must be good to be the son of Mr Richie-pants Curtis.”
Dalton saw Rosie, but his gaze was unreadable, moving off her fast. He nodded at something Hanto said and sat down at a table on his own, while the operative pointed at someone to bring him some food.
“Even gets his own servants,” Stefan muttered.
Rosie worried. Dalton was head and shoulders taller than most of the other students, and the fitted black shirt made him appear even taller, but he seemed diminished. He hadn’t lost his looks, not judging by the number of girls surreptitiously staring at him. It was as if the light had been dimmed inside. The flirtatious smile that had always hovered at his lips was gone, replaced by a watchfulness that made him look … She tried to figure it out, then felt a fearful jolt. He was more like the image the implant had shown her of a young Jebediah standing with Alpha.
What has he done to you? Rosie wanted to run across the caf to him, but she bit her lip.
“Hey,” Gillian said. “We got a bit of time before training. Maybe you should head to the bathroom and try and clean up a bit more. If Stefan’s noticed, it must be bad.”
Stefan’s eyes widened in protest. “I was only–”
“It’s okay.” Rosie stopped him. “Give me a hand?” she said to Gillian. She knew why she’d suggested going to the bathroom.
“Sure.” Gillian pushed their trays to Stefan. “Take these up will you, Stef?”
“Yeah, all right.” He began stacking them, and Gillian and Rosie went off to the bathroom. They were about to go through the door, when Stefan came pelting after them shouting their names.
“Keep it down,” Gillian said as he reached them, all elbows and flying hair. “What’s the deal?”
He leaned on his knees a minute to catch his breath. “Got a message for you.”
“Obviously.”
He gestured behind him with one wiry arm. “One of the operatives, what’s-her-name, Jai or something, said to say you two were to report for clean-up duty in the laundries, some order from Alpha or something.”
“Clean up?” Gillian said. “But that’s for zeroes who have no points at all on the training score. We’ve both got more than five. Well, I have anyway.”
“Hey, I don’t know, I’m just the messenger.” Stefan shrugged. “But you’d better go. I’m late for endurance testing. Thanks so much.”
“You should be thanking us. You know you suck at that.” Gillian took his arm, propelling him back up towards the main corridor with her. Rosie followed, wondering what new game of Alpha’s this was.
She’d never been in the laundry room. It was at the opposite end of their dorm rooms to the cafeteria and she’d thought all their cleaning was handled by the Enclave system.
“It is,” Gillian said when she asked. She waved at the security unit and the iris opened to admit them to the short grey corridor beyond. “But the room itself still needs cleaning. Usually, the cleaning drones do it, but when Alpha gets really pissed at zeroes he makes us do it. It’s like bottom rung of punishment. He must be messing with us.”
They passed a few narrow doors then stopped at a set of double doors. “In here.” She swiped the opener and the doors slid back. Immediately, the scent of lemon cleanser surrounded them, making Rosie cough with its stench. The lighting was bad: two weakly glowing orbs in the centre of the room, creating deep shadows in the corners. Along the back wall was a row of large machines making a low humming noise with indicator lights flashing. Half a dozen squat cleaning drones were loading clothes in, or taking them out, and another three were busily wiping the floor and sucking dirt from the corners.
“This is weird,” Gillian said.
“It’s the best I could do.” Sulawayo came from the shadows. “If Alpha or Jebediah see me talking to you, we lose any advantage we have. Did you see Pip?”
“How did you find out he was aliv
e and where he was?” Rosie asked.
“Still suspicious, I see.” The yellow light caught on Sulawayo’s cheekbones as she came closer, giving her the appearance of a predatory black cat. “Do you think I would surrender my goals so easily?”
“I think you’ve tricked me before. You didn’t believe me when I told you Alpha and Jebediah had been playing you, and now you do? It’s a pretty quick change. How do I know it isn’t you who had Pip shot and hidden?”
“I’m flattered you think I have that kind of power, but even I couldn’t have managed that,” she said. “Besides, as you suspected, the operatives I thought were working with me are really Jebediah’s creatures. It was easy for him to get Pip away and tell me whatever he deemed I should know. Only Gillian and Stefan are beneath his radar. They’re children; he doesn’t think they’re worth worrying about.”
“So nice to be ignored,” Gillian said.
“Be thankful he did,” Sulawayo said. “He would have made you disappear had you been a problem.”
“So Stefan’s part of this?” Rosie said. “Does he know what’s going on?”
“Not yet, but he will.”
“And Freddie?” Gillian asked.
“He’s been Alpha’s personal lapdog for some time.” Sulawayo rested her hands on her slim hips. “But I don’t think he was supposed to shoot Pip twice. I don’t know where he’s been taken, but I’m assuming it’s nowhere good. Re-education probably.”
“So what about you then?” Rosie said. “If they suspect you …”
“Do not worry about me, Miss Black. I have no intention of alerting either man to my knowledge of their actual plans.”
“So you found something?” Gillian said.
Sulawayo cast her dark gaze on Rosie. “Those names you gave me, of the Pantheon and their locations, I discovered exactly what Jebediah has wanted them for.” She retrieved a thin holo from her pants’ pocket and activated it. “I went to dangerous lengths to copy this from Alpha’s grid,” she said. “But I think you should see.” An image sprang from the holo, hovering in three dimensions above the laundry floor. Rosie felt ill. It was a man lying in a pool of blood, his throat slit open, clearly dead. The shadow of someone stood nearby. “And this.” Sulawayo changed the image and this time it was a woman. Her body lay beside a lake. Her skin was pale and bloated and another jagged scar showed her neck too had been slit. Gillian coughed and put a hand over her mouth.