by AR Colbert
Good. Because I need you to know something, and I can’t speak it aloud. This technology will destroy the Ember Society. It will be used for far worse things than just protecting Classen City. This is an offensive move—they’re not playing defense. Emmaline wants to kill them all.
I yanked the cap from my head and slammed it down on the table. Emilio’s eyes grew wide with panic and he gave a slight shake of his head. He pulled off his own hat and swiped a hand through his hair, letting out another nervous giggle as he regained his own composure.
“Cool, huh?”
I couldn’t respond. My words had escaped. What were we doing here in the Center when they knew the Embers were going to be wiped out? We had to get out there and warn them. They had to get away!
My knees were still shaking as I stood to follow Emilio back into the hallway.
“So we’ve taken that same basic concept, and we’ve been working toward using it in a broader sense.” Emilio continued as though he hadn’t just dropped a bomb into my brain. He opened another door to a room full of work stations, each with their own screen. I recognized them as computers, though I didn’t know computers were still in use in our society.
One wall was built out into shelves, with a locked glass case in the center. Emilio unlocked the case and pulled out a small rectangular black box with a thick loop coming off of one end.
“This is an amplification device. We’ve discovered that through constructive superposition, we can amplify the magnetic fields put out by the brain even at a distance, making them strong enough to reach some preexisting cellular towers Outside. Those towers then transmit the signals to our little headquarters here where we are able to interpret the thoughts and monitor the actions of the Outsiders from a safe distance.”
“Wow.” I didn’t understand a word of what he said, other than they would basically be listening in on the Outsiders at all times. “But you said the only thoughts I could hear from you were those you intended for me to hear. Does it work the same way with this technology?”
“No.” Emilio frowned. “Everything is a little bit blurrier with this. For example, the thoughts transmitted are a jumbled mess from all of the people within the amplified boundaries. And they don’t come through quite as clearly as they did with the caps. It gets much more complicated on a scale this large.”
Three knocks on the door drew our attention away just before a middle-aged man with a brown beard entered. “Emilio, good. I thought I heard your voice. Brenda was asking if you might be free to help her figure out an issue in the lab real quick.” He nodded in my direction, adding, “hello” as an afterthought.
“Sure, I’ll be there in just a minute.”
After the man left again, Emilio handed me the device in his hand. “So in a nutshell, we need you to get these amplifiers Outside into the most concentrated populations. It’s the only way we can stop them from attacking our people here in Classen City.”
His expression was blank, and I knew we must’ve been monitored by someone, somewhere. These were very different words than what he spoke directly into my mind just minutes earlier. I wouldn’t blow our cover.
“Okay. Whatever it takes to keep our people safe. I’m honored to help.”
Emilio flashed a sad smile. “Great. I’ll go into more details with you in a few minutes. I just need to pop into the lab for a minute. Are you okay waiting here until I get back?”
“Absolutely.” I returned his smile.
I could put on a good show, but inside I was screaming. I paced the room a few times after Emilio left, wondering how I was going to get out of this. If I put these amplifiers into the Ember settlements, they would be killed. Emilio was very clear about that. And I knew I could trust Emilio, because Felix told me to stick close to him. But then again, was I ready to trust Felix?
I didn’t have any alternatives. Because if I didn’t put the amplifiers Outside, the Leaders would know I was working against them. And I knew what they did to traitors. I’d be better off exiling myself to the Outside.
No matter how I spun it in my mind, there was only one answer. I had to get out. Now. If I could get outside to Frank and Raf, I could let them know what was going to happen, and we could all get far away from Classen City before anyone was able to get the technology out there. It was the only way.
I peeked out into the hallway and breathed a sigh of relief to find it empty. The entrance was just a few yards away. I dashed as quickly and quietly as I could out of the glass door into the main lobby for Triple-T. I was just a few steps away from freedom. Maybe James would help me hide once I got outside. He seemed like a good guy. Feeling more confident in my decision with every step, I excitedly swung open the door leading to the elevators in the main hall, and once again found myself standing face to face with Felix.
“You’re always in such a hurry,” he said with a crooked grin.
CHAPTER 5
Felix had an uncanny knack for ruining my plans.
“I thought you were in meetings all morning,” I said, looking over my shoulder to see if anyone else was coming.
“We wrapped up early, so I thought I’d pop by and see how everything was going here. Where is everyone?”
The glass door behind me swung open to reveal a panting Emilio. “Oh, hey Felix. I didn’t know you were here. I thought Claren was, uh...”
“Trying to escape?” Felix looked amused.
My face felt hot, but I knew any attempt to bypass Felix wouldn’t end in my favor. I slumped into one of the plastic chairs, resting my forehead in the palms of my hands.
Felix slid into the chair beside me and wrapped his arm loosely across my shoulders. He leaned over and whispered, “Please don’t go. We need you.”
I looked up to see Emilio’s sad eyes looking down as Felix rubbed a small circle on my back. And I knew. These guys really were on my side. This was hard, but maybe we could still find a way to stop Triple-T if we worked together. We sat together for just a moment longer while it all sunk in.
“So what do you think about the project so far?” It was like a switch flipped. Friendly Felix was gone and the Senator-in-training Business Felix was back as he stood and crossed his arms. Emilio stood a little taller as well. I looked cautiously around the room, trying to locate whatever it was that prompted them to switch gears, but I found nothing out of the ordinary.
“Honestly, it’s a lot to take in.”
“It is. But you don’t have to do it alone. In fact, the rest of your team is scheduled to meet here shortly to introduce themselves.” Felix and Emilio began moving back toward the hall with all the offices. I stood to follow them.
“So when you say ‘team,’ you mean the guys who will be going Outside to place the amplifiers?” I asked.
Felix and Emilio exchanged a glance.
“Well they will be assisting you, yes. But you are going to be responsible for physically placing them Outside.”
“Me? You think they’re going to just let me waltz in with a team from the Center after what I—”
Felix reached up and gave my elbow a firm squeeze as we walked down the hall and around the corner toward a conference room. Thankfully I shut my mouth just in time to see Dimitri and Justice Hines waiting at a table with two other men.
“Oh good. It looks like almost everyone is here,” Felix said loudly with a plastic smile displaying his perfectly straight white teeth. “We’re only missing one. I’ll go downstairs to escort him up. He should be here any minute.”
Felix gave my arm another quick squeeze before turning and leaving me there with two of the most intimidating Leaders in Classen City. I wanted to grab Emilio and run after him, but one failed escape attempt was probably enough for the day.
“Hello again,” I said to the room full of blank stares.
Dimitri grinned. “Hello, Claren. Glad to see you. I’m looking forward to finally getting down to business.”
Justice Hines rolled her eyes. The normally composed Peacemaker su
re seemed to be losing her cool a lot lately. I wished she would reveal a little more of her raw emotions, but she knew better than to show any weakness. Which made me wonder if the outward displays of disrespect for Dimitri and the others regarding Triple-T were actually a power play of some sort.
There wasn’t time to dwell on that now, though. Dimitri opened a folder laying on the table in front of him, clearly ready to get started.
“Should we wait on Felix and the other member?” I asked.
“No,” Justice Hines replied flatly. “Some of us have more important things to get back to.”
“Very well, then. Emilio has given me a basic rundown of Triple-T. I understand the technology, which is remarkable, really, and I’m certainly on board with putting a stop to anyone who poses any danger to our people.”
I sat tall in my chair. My friend Margo from the Peacemaker training program had dreamed of designing sets and costumes for our local performers. She loved the art of storytelling. I tried my best to channel my own inner storyteller and put on the performance of a lifetime. Because truly, my life and the lives of everyone Outside may depend on it.
If I was going to lead this project, I had to play the part. And with Justice Hines being one of the best-skilled Empaths in Classen City, I had little room for error. So I put up the walls to block my fear. I plastered on a smile as fake as Felix’s. And I played the part of a Leader with an aggressive agenda and false pretenses of keeping our citizens safe. I think even Margo would have been proud of my performance.
“We can’t have any more disappearances,” I continued. “But I need more details on how to execute the plan. The Outsiders won’t take too kindly to me walking into their camps with technology from the city, especially after I tried to take down their leader a few weeks ago.” I looked pointedly at Justice Hines. “I’m hoping you all have prepared a few different scenarios and action plans. I trust that you both have experience in situations like this?”
I turned toward Dimitri with a sweet smile and my brows slightly elevated, signaling that it was his turn to speak. I don’t think he was expecting me to launch right into the thick of the matter. That, or maybe he wasn’t used to playing second fiddle. But this was my task, my team, and my project. I needed to make sure they knew I wasn’t going to roll over and follow their lead. I was in charge.
He looked back at the folder before him and scratched the side of his eyebrow with one finger. “I think Ms. Greenwood may be a better fit than we gave her credit for,” he said to Justice Hines.
But she didn’t return his sentiments. She kept her stare focused on me, eyes narrowed, her emotions still fully blocked. I tried to stuff my own anxiety down deep, filling my mind instead with the lust for justice I had against her. Helping the Embers to grow stronger, to resist pressure from the New American government, and pull more of our citizens to the Outside would be a bigger slap in the face than I could ever deal to her physically.
Hopefully she’d pick up on my determination and desire for revenge and assume it was against the Outsiders. I needed her to believe I stood beside her, not against her.
“While I appreciate your enthusiasm,” Dimitri continued, placing the tips of his fingers together in front of him, “perhaps we should start with some introductions.”
I looked at the other two men in the room as Dimitri gestured toward them. The first was a younger man with broad shoulders and medium brown hair pulled into a bun near the top of his head. He wore a long sleeved black t-shirt that barely contained his biceps, and he grinned arrogantly as he saw me notice them. I tried hard not to groan.
“This is Aiden Karp. He was selected as a Protector eight years ago, but he quickly rose to the top of his training class. He moved into the Center four years ago, and he has consistently proven himself to be the best of the best when it comes to physical altercations. His strength is unmatched, he is loyal to a fault, and I want him to act as your personal bodyguard for this project.”
“Sorry, boss. That job’s taken.” Dax strode into the conference room with Felix, and I swear everyone in the room felt more annoyed. Felix may have made a mistake in placing Dax on my team. Not only did I not want him there, but it looked like no one else in the Leadership wanted him to be a part of the project, either.
He sat in the chair directly opposite Aiden, and Aiden’s shirt sleeves grew even tighter. This guy was a joke if he felt the need to flex in order to put himself ahead of Dax O’Neil. Dax was just an eighteen year old screw-off with a horrible attitude.
Felix was unfazed by the tension in the room. I was almost envious of his ignorance. Sometimes I thought it would be nice if I could stop feeling, too—at least to stop feeling everyone else’s emotions.
Felix naturally commanded the attention of the room just with his presence. His voice was clear and deep, comforting more than booming. It was hard not to sit back and listen when he spoke.
“Now, now, Dax. I’ve appointed you to the team, but ultimately the decision is up to Claren. I’m sure Aiden would make a wonderful bodyguard, but Claren needs to trust the head of her security with her life. Dax was also the top of his class this year, and with the history he and Claren have back in Morton borough, I think she would be happy to have a familiar face on her team.”
“With all due respect sir, I’m not sure Ms. Greenwood has the experience necessary to make that decision on her own. Aiden is clearly the better choice. I’ve agreed to allow him,” Dimitri lifted his chin and looked down his nose in Dax’s direction, “to be a part of the team, but I refuse to send this technology out into the wild without the support of those who have proven their skills and trustworthiness. Aiden will go on this mission, or there will be no mission. Sir.”
I expected Felix to snap back with something clever or witty. I wanted him to put Dimitri in his place. But he didn’t. He nodded, thoughtfully, instead.
“You’ve got a point there. This project is of the utmost importance. We’ve got people’s lives on the line.” Felix turned toward me, business-like as ever. “As Dimitri is the expert on security and Defense, I think we should definitely weigh his opinion heavily. But I also need the VIP of this mission to feel comfortable enough to do her job well. So Dax and Aiden can share the role of the Head of Security. Co-heads. If that’s alright with you, Claren.”
I didn’t know what to say. Things had started off so well. I had control of the room and may have even earned some respect from Dimitri, himself. But as soon as Felix showed up everything was out of my hands again. Suddenly the decisions were being made for me as though I wasn’t even there. He could ask if it was alright with me, but I knew I didn’t really have a choice in the matter.
Feeding off of Felix’s confidence and determination, I mustered enough strength to play a convincing part. “Of course. I would love to have Dax by my side, but I can’t possibly turn down a guard as well-suited for the mission as Aiden. I would be honored to have them co-head my security team.”
Dimitri looked pleased. He turned next toward a taller, leaner man sitting beside Aiden. “The final member of your guard is Rider Chelton. Rider grew up in the Center, and his father was the personal head of security for Senator Walsh for many years. Rider is the sharpest shooter I’ve ever seen—even more skilled than his father, if I’m being honest. Felix, I think you can agree that Rider would make an excellent addition to round off the team for Triple-T.”
Felix nodded, but something was off. Neither he nor Rider made eye contact with each other or with me. Rider had been sitting quietly throughout the meeting, almost blending into his surroundings. But now with all eyes on him, he appeared agitated. And Felix was clearly uncomfortable about something.
Justice Hines must have sensed it as well. The corner of her mouth twitched upward a fraction of an inch and she leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms in front of her. I made a mental note to ask Felix what in the world was going on with this Rider guy later when we got home.
But just as quickly as it c
ame on, Felix brushed any negative feelings off as he continued with the meeting. “Perfect. So we have Dax and Aiden protecting our most valuable assets—Claren and the amplifiers. Rider will go out with them as a backup in case more force is needed against our enemies. Emilio will go as our tech expert in case anything should happen to the devices themselves. And Dimitri and Justice Hines can coordinate with Emmaline back here at the project headquarters to ensure everything is running according to plan.”
The thought of Rider bringing his “force” against our enemies sent a shiver down my spine. I highly doubted that force was with stun guns. These people intended to kill any Outsiders that got in our way.
“I’m glad we’re all on the same page.” Dimitri grinned again. “But as fine a shot as Rider may be, I’d love for you all to brush up on your defense skills before going out. I need to know that the entire team is comfortable with wielding firearms.”
Emilio let out an audible gulp beside me.
Felix clapped his hands together. “Yes. Absolutely. It’s imperative that we do as much as possible to ensure this mission’s success.”
My chest felt hot. I knew Felix was playing his part, but he was playing it a little too well. I didn’t like seeing him so agreeable with Dimitri. Why wasn’t he flexing his power here? He was practically begging us all to shoot the Outsiders. To take the lives of real people. Good people. It was disgusting.
“I think we should be able to get everyone proficient with the weapons in about a week’s time,” Dimitri said, shuffling through the papers in front of him.
“We’ll need to make sure Claren has plenty of time to learn the technology as well,” Felix said. “There’s a lot to it, and I think she’ll be able to find more effective placements of the amplifiers if she understands how exactly everything works together.”
“No.” Justice Hines spoke for the first time since we’d entered the room. Where Felix’s voice had naturally soothing qualities, Justice Hines’ voice was like sandpaper on my skin.