Laren jumped.
The beast began growling.
Silence! she commanded, even though Del would never have been able to hear her internal monster. But she needed to think. So she carefully arranged herself on the chair opposite his and forced herself to breathe deeply.
"I'm sorry," Laren said, her voice husky with emotion.
"You should be. Now what was it about?"
The room flashed red for an instant, causing Laren to fear that her alter would break free from her frozen prison. I am sorry, she said to Karra. I will do as you request, but I must keep you silent.
"I went to see a friend," she said. Karra had. "An unemployed friend with five children to support. Oh, if the two older ones quit school and found work, there would only be three to support, besides herself, the rent and furnal oil. And repairs.”
"Yes," Del said, sounding unimpressed. "Why does she not go in for sterilization?"
"Because she's virgin. The children are younger siblings."
She knew her voice sounded tired, but she couldn’t help it. She had ached with Karra who only wanted to hold her daughter and speak to her for a few minutes. She had not interfered when Karra crept up the front stairs to listen at the door of Suzin’s apartment. All the happy, busy voices met her, causing a smile creep across Karra’s face. Su apologized that the meal was only beans and flatbread, stating in a cheerful voice that once she found work everything would improve. And then Su had burst into tears. Karra had wanted to weep with her sister, but as always, silence reigned. Karra never shed tears. Instead, she usually released her emotions in more destructive ways. Laren finally convinced her to walk away her anger rather than acting on it. The effort had exhausted her.
“Virgin?” Del was asking. “Untouched?"
She managed to lift one side of her mouth in a sad half-smile. "You thought all Area women were like me, didn't you? See how wrong you can be by assuming you know all about us?"
He glared at her. "You want me to find someone employment."
"Yes."
"Is she afraid of hard work?"
"No. She's afraid of losing the apartment and going hungry, but she has always worked very hard."
"What's her name?"
But Laren could not answer right away. No matter what she said, this was going to cost. "Suzin Willo."
"Willo?" Excited, he rose from his chair and grabbed her arm. "You know the Willo family!"
"Just Suzin. What's the matter?" Her face felt drained, bloodless.
Del's grip hardened. "Do you know Karra Andra her sister, or Jem Hesson her brother?" His eyes glittered.
We're right on the tip of his tongue, Laren heard Karra thinking, and wondered if the prison would hold her. Karra’s thought fluttered like a wild bird caught in a snare.
Act. The beast’s words enticed Karra. She beat even harder on the frozen walls of her prison. Laren’s Del would see you dead before he would help your family, if he knew it was yours.
Laren clamped her jaw and gritted her teeth, forcing the beast down yet again.
"I told you,” she finally was able to say. “The only one I know is Suzin. She helped me once and I've never repaid her."
Disappointment blanketed his excitement. He let go of her arm. "What did she do?"
"She took me in for a couple of days. It's a long story."
He sat back in his chair and watched her through narrowed eyes, folding his arms across his chest. "Tell me."
Laren used an incident she had heard from Karra’s thoughts, the girl Su had taken in a couple of winters ago. Laren knew she could easily have been that woman.
"Living up here in heated homes, shopping on heated pads, walking on paths that melt the snow, you don't feel the worst of winter," she began. "But in order to work the streets you need to show off a little body. That day was especially cold. In addition, my last Drake didn't want to pay, and beat me up when I tried to collect. Suzin found me, half frozen and too injured to leave the alley. She helped me up the stairs and said I could stay with her awhile. But after a few days I felt guilty; their apartment was already so full.
"I owe her, Del."
"What about your brother? Did he not miss you?"
"Well, he was mad that I didn't have any money." Sami would have been.
Carlon made sure I understood that unless I paid my way I would never again be welcome in his home, Karra told her. It was the day I brought my baby girl to live with Su. I was fourteen at the time.
"Mad at you?" Uncomprehending, he stared at her.
"Del." Laren’s soft voice seemed to underscore her words. "Not all of us come from homes with people who care whether we live or die."
"Yet Suzin," he said in slow realization, "a stranger to you, cared."
"Yes. Do you understand now? She let it slip that she needed a job. Can you help?"
"No wonder you were upset with me. But if I get Suzin Willo some kind of work, I will expect you to stay out of the Area from this point on. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Del."
"The nightmare is over, Laren. You now have someone who cares about you very much."
"Yes, Del."
When he pulled her to him, Laren gave him the long, loving kiss he expected.
At the same time, she stifled Karra whose mind was on Chalatta.
Karra stopped beating on the icy walls of her prison and resigned herself to a long, cold silence. Laren had provided Chalatta with support, and for that she was grateful, but the knowledge that she could not also hold her daughter grabbed her by the throat.
Chapter 25
Sami never guessed, and Laren never told him, that she had arranged for Karra’s sister Suzin's job. He would have been furious with her for taking such a chance. He had no use for her. She could do anything Karra could do, he insisted, and they were better off without her. So she met with Sami at the Garden once each handspan the same way Karra used to meet with Jem.
For some reason, Karra had not surfaced once since the incident. Maybe she was gone for good. She hoped so, because she doubted she could control her the next time she broke out of the prison.
“Lucky,” Sami was saying. “So she doesn’t need to worry about supporting her family like she used to. The pressure’s off both of you, it seems. So do you think you could help out with a few hundred wens each handspan? I know living with that rich Nevian you’re good for it. You’ve always been good to your big brother. Now’s the time to show it.”
“Sami, I don’t have that kind of money.”
“Laren, Karra used to give Jem five hundred each moon cycle, half her wages. I know you can do better than that. Now that I’ve got a real job as Jem’s representative, I gotta show him that I’m at least as good as he was, especially now that she’s not bleeding us dry for that family of hers.”
“Sami, I can’t…”
"Lucky," Karra repeated, suddenly present.
Sami never noticed. “It’s your job, little sis, to take care of things. You know that. So you know you could help me out with a few hundred wens, right?"
Wens, Karra was thinking. Treasure.
"Yeah," Jem was saying, eyeing her curiously.
The treasure in the basement.
Laren followed Karra’s train of thought, suddenly excited. Karra could keep out of Laren’s life by using that little treasure. Keep herself occupied and out of Laren’s life.
"I should have mentioned this monocycles ago," Karra said aloud.
"Mentioned what?"
"Do you remember those handspans when Karra disappeared, right before you sold me to the King?"
Laren hid a smile while Karra pretended to be her.
Sami blinked at the change in direction. "Of course. Jem thought she was dead…"
"She found a printing press hidden in a secret room."
Excitement electrified the air around him. "Her father's?"
Although Laren was having trouble following the conversation, Karra understood Jem’s excitement. Long ago, while
their parents had been living, the city had been flooded regularly with pamphlets, copies of which Jem had collected to store with the rest of his father's things. The papers now resided in a hidden room only Karra knew about. Both she and Jem believed their father had printed them. A few cycles before he was arrested, the pamphlets stopped circulating.
"I didn't see any of those pamphlets. I'm afraid his secret died with him. But at least it's a printing press. Old style."
"Old style? No electricity?" All electricity usage went through MasterCom billing.
"Right. No way to trace an energy source."
"Huge purchases of paper and ink could still be traced," Sami said, thinking ahead.
“I knew you'd be interested." She watched in amusement as he considered and discarded ideas, his eyes flashing, lips working.
"Take me there."
"Not a chance,” Karra said, startling Sami with her obvious presence. “It's mine or it's no one's."
Sami frowned. "You can't do that in the Homelander Front. Jem told me everyone must submit…"
"Yeah. The Board. Well, just forget it, then."
"Sis," he whispered in warning. "The Front will not play games with you. They will want that press."
But she only stared through him. "I'll share it, as long as I can be in charge. I want that press."
"You can't make those decisions. The Homelander Front has already stretched some of its rules to accommodate you. Pushing them isn't wise."
Karra shrugged and rose to leave, dragging Laren with her. "It might not even work. You've got to admit, though, it was a nice idea."
"All right! I'll talk to the Board. But you'll be putting yourself in a dangerous position, possibly with A'nden as well."
At that Laren giggled. "Then you don’t know Del very well."
"If it works, you let me know. Immediately."
"Oh, I will," Karra said. She gave him a hard smile.
Several days later Karra gathered the courage to return to the old Nevian's building. She knew now that the resistance came from the beast, and for the first time wondered how much of her “reality” had been warped by that thing.
Telling the old Nevian the truth would never do. Any responsible citizen, especially a Nevian, would be legally bound to turn her over to authorities. But lies, which usually came so easily, evaded her.
It’s because I’m doing my best to influence you, Laren told her, surprising her. I think we’d make a better team if we worked together.
Laren knew how much Karra hated being left out. When did you come to this conclusion? Karra had to ask.
The press, Laren said. I want to do it with you. And I want to keep it hidden from Sami. Sami says he loves me, that he has always cared for me, but I don’t think so. He’s kind of like Jem. He says what he wants you to hear, and then finds ways to make you do whatever he wants. No. I don’t want either Sami or Jem to access this. I…I think it might be too important.
I thought you wanted me dead, Karra persisted.
I want… No, not you dead, but something else dead, something dark and mean and ugly. I thought it was you, but it’s something else.
The beast?
Maybe. I don’t know. The beast is kind of always there, so maybe not. But the beast, even though it threatens us, still protects us, so we can’t very well dismiss it, can we?
I don’t think so. No.
But she wanted to, a thought she did not share with Laren.
Peering through the slightly open door, she saw Gradi in his study. The room, bright with sun, seemed to emphasize the blue in his blue-gray skin. Unable to move, she stared at his fingers as they wrote at the desk, the computer unused beside him. She considered offering her keyboarding skills again, but knew he would want more from her this time. The beast threw a wave of panic at her, nearly causing her to run. But at the moment she turned the Nevian raised his head.
"Will you please come in?"
As they stepped over the threshold, Karra was convinced she was making the worst mistake of her life. "Do you remember me?" she said. "Security chased someone and nearly caught me instead. I'm Laren. I told you my name was Lollie."
He nodded. "You look much better than the last time I saw you." His smile was genuine. "Is life treating you well?"
"Very well. See?" Laren turned around showing him her clothing. "I found a better lolliboy."
He frowned. A sadness filled his eyes.
"I came to thank you," Karra said, unsure how to turn the conversation.
“Then you are welcome. And your arm?”
"I have a lovely scar, but at least the arm works as well as it did before."
He nodded. "That seems to be more important to you. Does your male friend mind your scar?”
"Not at all."
"And the Security. I guess no one ever did catch you."
Karra laughed. "That was some night, wasn't it? As it turned out, they were after someone else all the time."
"Still, you were not exactly being good, or you would never have needed to run."
"Yeah. I guess you might say I was nearly caught in someone else's apartment." That was as far as she wanted to carry that particular lie. Karra inhaled slowly. "You and your wife saved my life. I, ah, would like to repay you somehow.”
"I am an old man, Laren, and I do not need to be repaid. If you still feel the, hmmm, how do you say it, life-debt I believe it is called, pass a favor onto someone else. Many people need miracles these days. A favor is a small thing to bestow."
"Yes, Master." He was making this easy.
He shook his head. "That part of my life is over. Sirra will do, Laren. Best, forget the title altogether and just call me Gradi."
"Gradi," she agreed.
When she remained, he asked, "Was there something else?"
"I want to borrow your storeroom."
He met her unwavering gaze just as steadily. “The purpose?”
"A friend of mine is pregnant. An illegal one. Sann’s is the only place in the Area that treats pregnant women for free. But if she goes to Sann’s, they will take it and remove her womb, so that means she must deliver her baby alone.” She hesitated. “Her lolliboy will help her. He would marry her except he has fake papers. Marriage would mean palmprints, and then Security would have his real ID." And I hope he hates the system as much as I think he does, she explained to Laren, or this plan won't work at all.
"So you are already returning favors. Naturally you may use it."
“Just like that? Don’t you want to rent it or something?”
"Rent? It is nowhere near good enough for expectant parents. But I will ask you to do one thing for me in return."
"Anything."
"Anything? I suppose a common price these days is anything. All right, but although my request may sound small, it may cost more than you can imagine. I want you to attend one of my regular classes."
Karra nodded. They were back to the day she had left him, running, terrified of something she could not name. Leave him, the beast encouraged, but without his usual force. For some reason her previous panic was also gone. I can handle him, Karra countered, grateful that the beast did not argue.
"One class meets tomorrow afternoon at thirteen-thirty, and the other three days later at nineteen hundred."
"I'll pick the thirteen-thirty class tomorrow afternoon."
"Once you join a class you are a part of that particular group, he explained. "In any other group you would be a stranger. No one would feel free to open up. Do you understand what I mean?"
"I think so. I can't just go to any one of the groups to fulfill our agreement."
"Correct."
“What about my friends? Are they required to attend the meetings too?”
"No. While in hiding, they will never open themselves to a group. You are the one paying rent on the room. The agreement is between the two of us.”
"All right." Sometime soon she was going to need to find a young man and woman to fit the other half of her
story. At least they could remain hidden without attracting Gradi's curiosity.
"Thank you, Sirra," she said. She bowed a formal farewell. To her surprise he returned the gesture. She had expected no more than a shrug of his shoulders.
"To be honored with such respect after all these years," he said.
He’s a Nevian, she thought. What else did he expect?
Several long minutes passed before she found the right panel to make the trapdoor drop as before. She studied its position in the room, wondering how to hide it from the inside door.
The next moment she found the perfect solution. If she pushed all Gradi's stored items toward the inside door, a curtain hung behind them would make an ideal wall to give the "expectant couple" privacy. She could enter and leave by the back entrance. Gradi may never know.
Karra reached the foot of the stairs, then panicked a moment when she could not find the lamp immediately. Suppose Gradi had known all along about the basement and its treasure, and had found a way to conceal it?
But under the lampglow she calmed completely. No one had been down here since she had. Her tracks through the xansitwebs and dust were the only ones in the room.
Since she planned to work in this room, she needed to make it much cleaner than this. She needed some thickweave work clothes, maybe a bulky set of overbodies to protect her new wardrobe. Dirt and grime, not to mention printing ink, would look conspicuous on her Nevian clothing.
"I have lost the press," Gradi told his wife later that afternoon. He tasted the soup she was preparing for supper.
"You seem rather pleased," she observed as she took the spoon away from him. “I thought its loss would devastate you.”
"The girl agreed to attend classes. I may be able to reach her after all." He chuckled. “She lied, saying she needed the storeroom for an ‘expectant couple.’ But I knew it was for her. I might have time to reach her, Megan.”
"Is she worth all the lives risked for that press?" Megan challenged.
Gradi was silent. He did not know. This time he had been able to silence the Moloch, using her own desire to control the press as the incentive. But he could not always be there for her. With a Moloch, who could anticipate what would need to be done? He sincerely hoped he could reach her, or… What will you do, old man? he chastised. Do you destroy the host, when it is the Moloch you wish to destroy?
Her Darkest Beauty_An Alien Invasion Series_The Second Generation Page 22