by T. C. Edge
One by one, the Master comes down the line and shakes our hands. Professor Lane does the same. I appreciate their words of encouragement, but only feel they're delaying things. The Master reaches me last.
“You're a beacon now,” he says quietly, his words only for me. “You're giving the people hope. Of all your powers, the greatest you possess is now your name. Augustus Knight fears what you have become.”
He shakes my hand, leans forward, and kisses my cheek.
“Good luck,” he whispers, before standing back once more.
I'm the last to climb onto the plane. As soon as I do, the ramp retracts, the doors close, and the engines begin to rumble. I take a look outside of the window to see the Master and Professor Lane watching us leave, hands clasped together in front of them. All around the plateau, cheers ring out, hardly audible over the din, but visible through the many roaring faces and pumping fists of the soldiers.
“OK...are we ready?” calls Stein from the cockpit ahead.
He doesn't wait for an answer. The plane begins rising to a growing rumble, ten, fifteen, twenty metres into the air. Then, hovering in place, it shakes a little more, before suddenly shooting off skyward into the clouds. The plateau and mountain quickly disappear. Once again, it's just us against the world.
Strapped tight to my seat, the plane rises steeply, quickly gaining altitude before levelling off. From my seat at the front, I turn back and see a patch of red on the carpet at the rear of the plane. Theo's blood.
“I'm sorry,” says Ellie across from me. “I tried to scrub it out, but it was too set in.”
“It's OK,” I say. “It was sweet of you to think of it.”
She reaches over and squeezes my hand once more.
Soon, Stein's voice comes from up ahead.
“OK, we're reaching cruising altitude. You can release your harnesses.”
I'm quick to unclip mine. Everyone else does the same, except Link who appears a little uncomfortable in the air.
“He gets air sick,” says Ellie, sitting next to him and patting him on the leg. “Poor baby.”
I laugh as Link clings tightly onto a bucket, ready to fill it at the slightest jolt or movement.
From the cockpit, Drake arrives. He'll be acting co-pilot for Stein on this flight.
“It will take until late afternoon to reach our intended drop off point,” he announces. “Were we to fly straight it would be a lot shorter, but we're taking a special route designed by our analysts to avoid detection.”
“You mean, from their scanners?” asks Ellie.
“Yes. Our intel has revealed the scanning points along the wall. We're going to have to fly far to the south and then come up from there, and will maintain a high altitude until we get closer.
“We will go over the mission brief in more detail later. We will not strike until after dark, which will give us an advantage. If you're tired, get some rest if you can. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy the ride.”
He turns away and disappears back into the cockpit ahead. Link, still struggling, has gone deathly pale. Ellie, always attentive, helps to ease his discomfort as much as possible. Behind me, Markus and Troy sit in quiet discussion. Across from them, Athena looks out of the window in wonder. And at the rear, Jackson stares forward, rigid and upright, his eyes unblinking.
Trying my best to avoid eye contact with the blood stains at the back, I stand and go to Jackson. It takes a moment for him to realise I'm there, hovering above him.
“Can I sit?” I ask.
He nods.
I drop down into the chair beside him.
“What are you thinking about?” I ask. “Your family? We'll get them out, Jack. We'll get them all out.”
“I know,” he says, no doubt in his voice. There's no space for it.
Then he glances back behind him.
“I shouldn't even be here,” he says.
“Theo?”
He nods.
We share a moment's silence.
“He saved my life and gave his. I don't know what I can do to live up to that, Cy.”
“You can help change things, like you've already been doing. Don't second guess yourself, Jack.”
“I know, it's just hard sometimes. I feel guilty.”
“Don't. Theo made the decision to knock you down and take those bullets. It was his choice to sacrifice himself for you, for us. Do you know what he said to me before he died?”
Jackson shakes his head and looks at me forlornly.
“He said he wanted us to be happy together. So that's what we have to do, Jack. We have to be happy.”
“I...I can do that. When all this is over.”
I smile, and kiss him on the cheek.
“When all this is over,” I repeat.
For a while, the plane falls to silence. Cruising at high altitude, the engines rumble gently beneath us, but hardly make a sound. The ride is smooth up here, the streamlined jet cutting through the air like a knife. I find myself drifting into a dreamless sleep.
When I wake, I see that Jackson has gone. Across from me, Troy appears to have moved back one set of seats from beside Markus. He looks at me as I stir.
“Bad dream?” he asks knowingly.
“Um...no,” I croak. “Not this time.”
He shuffles closer to me, leaning across the gap down the middle of the plane.
“Your dad tells me you once saw all the way into the Deadlands from Eden. Is that true?”
“Yeah, unfortunately.”
“That's quite impressive. I've never known anyone to see so far in a vision.”
“Except you,” I say. “You saw the battle in the valley from the west coast, didn't you?”
“I did. But only weeks before, not months like you. And the west coast is a lot closer to Petram than Eden is.”
“I guess I'm blessed,” I say sardonically.
“You joke, but it's true. It's no wonder Knight is so keen on you. You've become a very real threat to him. I mean, look at everything that's happened.”
I grimace at the sound of his name.
“Did you know he's a Watcher too?” I ask. “I don't think he believes anyone's a threat. I know what he's capable of.”
“I have had my suspicions,” says Troy. “Anyone who's achieved what he had must have some tricks up his sleeve. But he clearly didn't see my army approaching, did he? The Eden army had no idea what was coming. So...perhaps he's not as powerful as you think, Cyra. Perhaps you can see further than he can.”
“I highly doubt that.”
“Well, you should never doubt your own abilities,” he says. “It is self belief that gives us strength. The more I learned to believe in what I could do, the more powerful I became. The same is true of all of us.”
In the seat ahead of me, Athena shuffles. The movement catches my eye, and his too.
“She's a good example,” says Troy. “She told me about the progress she's made under you. I've never seen a girl with such total self confidence. Look at what it's done for her.”
He stands and closes the gap between us.
“Believe in yourself, Cyra. Set yourself free.”
With that, he smiles, and begins trotting casually up towards the cockpit.
I muse on his words for a time as I sit alone once more. It's never really occurred to me how self deprecating I can be. I've always been one to put myself down, rather than build myself up. Always quick to praise others before myself. But then, as I think of all the powerful Watchers around me, a theme emerges: they all have total belief in what they can do.
Athena, Link, Troy, my father, each of them steadfast in their determination, completely aware of the powers they possess and how to best use them. Ajax, as single minded as anyone. Knight, the definition of arrogance and pride, capable of forging the shape of an entire nation all to his own design.
And then there's me. Constantly questioning things. Constantly afraid that someone I love will die. Constantly doubting my place in this world, in this fight. My mind is
in constant turmoil, never settled, never at peace.
Maybe Troy is right. Maybe it's time for me to believe.
The gentle hum of the plane's engines helps me to drift off once again. Aside from the muted voices of a small assembly up in the cockpit ahead, everyone sits quietly, either in thought or sleep. This time, however, I don't enter a dreamless sleep but one peppered with fractured images.
The faces of my brother and sister, faces that have faded over the years in my memory, suddenly jump out clearly. But not as I remember them. Both look gaunt, afraid, their skin dirty, their once golden hair grubby and matted. They sit together in a group, surrounded by others, darkness closing in about them. Penned in like animals being prepared for slaughter.
Their faces remain with me as I slowly emerge from my slumber. We must be getting nearer, I think to myself. And they must be still alive...
The thought gives me hope. I rise quickly, shaking the cobwebs of sleep from my mind, and walk briskly towards the cockpit. Once again, the format of the plane's seating plan has changed. Jackson has returned, his gaze out the window. Troy and Markus are once more in quiet discussion. Athena, Ellie, and Link, remain in the same state as before.
I pass up through the plane and go straight into the cockpit. Stein, at the helm, and Drake both sit in silence. Ahead, little can be seen but an open expanse of blue sky, and down below, a thick blanket of white cloud.
It's Stein who first notices my arrival.
“Ah, Cyra dear girl, come to see the view from up here have you?”
“Not exactly,” I say.
“Well, not much to look at anyway,” he jokes. “What can we do for you?”
“Well, actually, I just need to talk to my dad.”
“Hmmm, say no more. I'm not one to poke my pointy nose in where it's not wanted. I'll give you some privacy.”
He stands from the controls and begins moving back to the main cabin. He notes the look in my eyes as he leaves the aircraft to its own devices.
“Fear not, young lady, the autopilot on this thing is quite smart. Probably a better flyer than I am, actually.”
He winks and continues on, leaving me alone with Drake. I slide into Stein's vacated seat.
“What's going on, honey?” asks Drake. “You look worried.”
“Actually, it's good news,” I say, shaking my head. “At least, I think it is. I just had a vision of Carson and Cassie. They're alive, dad.”
His eyes light up.
“You saw them? Where? How did they look?”
“They looked bad. Like they're not being fed properly...like they're being starved to death.”
His eyebrows drop into a deadly frown and his mouth curls into a grimace.
“We'll be there soon,” he says. “We'll get them out. What about Jackson's family?”
I shake my head.
“I only saw Carson and Cassie. It was just a snippet, but clear enough. They're alive dad, that's all I care about. They're still alive.”
A beeping sound makes me jump. I look at the controls and see a red light flashing. A second or two later, Stein re-appears, inspecting the source of the noise.
“Sorry to interrupt, but it sounds like I'm needed,” he says. “Do you mind, Cyra?”
“Oh, sure...sorry,” I say, slipping back out of his seat and feeling all the more comfortable for it. “What's the beeping about?”
“It's a atmospheric warning,” he says. “We're about to hit a spot of turbulence. I suggest you return to the back and strap yourself in. Tell the others to do the same.”
I do as ordered, finding a spare set of double seats and locking myself in.
“Strap up,” I say, loud enough for everyone to hear. “Captain's orders.”
If my words weren't enough to galvanise them into action, the first jolt certainly is. The plane rocks, dropping in the sky suddenly. Further shakes and rattles follow as the strange flow of air and wind outside sends us rocking and rolling in the sky.
After a short period of action, the plane levels out once again. Stein's voice rumbles over the speakers.
“Sorry about that folks. We're through the worst of it, so you can relax. Keep yourselves strapped up, though. We're going to be running a steep descent.”
The speaker clicks off again and, almost immediately, the plane begins to drop. I look out of the window and see the heavy clouds coming up fast. We plunge into the soup, the window turning white. Then, bursting out of the base of the canopy, we emerge into clear air again. And down below, I see the reds and yellows and oranges I've missed to much.
I press my nose up to the glass, and feel Jackson slip into the chair beside me, leaning over my shoulder.
“I never realised how much I missed it,” he says, staring out.
“Neither did I...”
The region of Agricola stretches out beneath us, far and wide into the distance. From so high up, the framework of fields and farmland are still visible, dominating the landscape below. We dive further down and more details emerge; towns filled with warehouses and great animal pens, wide roads cutting their way from one side of the world to the other, thickets of trees and woodland giving the dusty hues some much needed greenery.
Jackson's finger points one out.
“Looks like the Grove,” he says.
“It does,” I agree. “Do you think that's Arbor down there?”
“Hard to tell from up here. Never saw it from this view. Could be.”
I inspect it closer, try to imagine the layout of the town in my mind's eye.
“Nah, that's not it. The warehouses aren't in the right place,” I say.
“Oh...yeah, you're right. We could be anywhere in the region I guess. Arbor's probably a hundred miles from here.”
“Well, if this camp is in the North, then we're probably close. Arbor was quite high up in the region.”
We both continue to look out like kids, trying to point out places we know or have heard about. Wondering which town might be which as we descend lower.
Then, all of a sudden, things change.
We see smoke. Plumes rise up, black as coal, into the blue sky. The smiles on our faces fade, reality once more dawning. We fly lower still, and the source of the smoke becomes clear; warehouses and other buildings lie smouldering, pouring toxic clouds into the sky.
And then it dawns on me.
None of the other towns we passed were Arbor.
But this is.
Our home has been set alight.
19 - Lured to the Trap
We all gather together at the windows to look at the carnage outside. Jackson takes my hand. I hear him exhaling in anger behind me.
“They're doing this to get to you, to us. They're trying to send a message.”
I look down below and see the paths and buildings and fields I know so well destroyed. The orchards where I spent my mornings and evenings are nothing but ash. The long narrow barracks where I lived spew fumes into the sky. The warehouses, the market, the Grove, nothing remains.
“My house,” says Jackson, looking at the series of farmhouses dotting the edge of town by the fields. “It's gone...”
We stare together in shock and horror at the world we once knew lying dead in the earth. A once thriving place now blackening the soil, deserted.
Athena, in the seat ahead of us, mutters a few words.
“It's just like the Deadlands,” she says. “I thought it was different here. Why is Knight destroying his own towns?”
“Because this is where we're from,” says Jackson. “Cyra, Drake, me. This is the epicentre of everything. He wanted it gone.”
“But...where are the people?” she asks with a rare innocence.
I don't give voice to the answer in my head. I know, in my heart, they're either dead, in the concentration camp, or have been assigned to another town. All of them. Old Madge, Bette, the people from our block, the teachers at school, the pickers and packers and animals handlers. How many of them are dead already?
“And mine...” adds Ellie.
“I'm sure they're OK,” I say, as reassuringly as I can manage. The words are empty, though, baseless. In reality, it's just the sort of thing that Knight would do, stamp his foot down and show he's not to be messed with.
I know, too, that both Ellie and Link are worried about their families. Dylan was able to reveal the fate of my brother and sister and Jackson's family. None of the prisoners, however, were able to confirm the fate of Ellie's father, Link's sister and mother, their extended group of family and friends from Lignum and Fossor.
Again, the reality is probably not what they want to hear; that their families have been taken to camps too. Anyone at the heart of this rebellion with ties to the mainland is at threat.
We watch in mournful silence as the ruins of Arbor pass by beneath us. Soon, the plumes of smoke are fading into the distance as we advance further North towards the location given to us by Dylan.
Drake returns from the cockpit as we settle back into our seats.
“We're going to arrive shortly. We are in enemy territory now and our scans are showing a heavy presence of Custodians and soldiers on the ground. I want all of you to begin focusing and get ready. Hopefully we'll be able to land unseen, but be prepared for anything.”
As he returns to the cockpit, everyone begins to suit themselves up in their armour. Like before, when we masqueraded as Custodians on our journey across the mainland, this time we have the Eden military attire to work with. It's lightweight but durable, the body armour covering the chest and back, upper arms, midriff, and thighs. Sturdy gloves, boots, utility belts, and even helmets complete the outfit.
Then there are the weapons, ones we trained with on Eden. They, too, are more light, capable of holding more ammunition, and able to fire at a rate nearly twice that of the automatic weapons we had in Petram. Our sidearms are similarly efficient and effective. All in all, we're very much dressed for the part.
Soon, the call comes from ahead, Drake rushing back out with eager eyes.
“We've spotted the camp.”
Everyone leaps back towards the windows. There, down on the ground a few miles away, lies a sprawling camp on the open plains. Simple barracks, narrow and long, line up one after the after in two columns. Surrounding them appears to be barbed wire wall, with a more sturdy looking entrance gate at the front. At the rear, a large warehouse building is situated.