“Well, no, it’s because there isn’t any information.”
“What?”
“The record for your dad has been tampered with.”
I get up out of the chair. “But why?”
“Let’s figure out the ‘what’ first. We can worry about the ‘why’ later,” Jex says as he sits at the desk. His fingers dash across the keyboard.
A photograph appears on the screen of a stern-faced middle-aged man. Wiry blond hair emphasizes his pale, sallow skin and contrasts with his dark black suit. I recognize the scrawny man immediately from Basic Cuisine. He apprehended the elderly man with three arms.
“Maddock Steele,” Jex says in between gulps of beer.
Shelly’s dad. I’d never seen him before, but I know his name.
“As far as I can tell, he made the entry about your dad. He works in GC&R, the GEMO Control and Regulation department. He should have the full story.”
“And how do we get the truth from him?” I ask.
“That’s where you come in. We’re going to track him together.”
“Spying?”
“If you want to look at it that way.”
“You want me to spy on a man who works in GEMO Regulation using my powers? That’s crazy. What if I’m caught?”
“You want to know, don’t you?”
“The whole thing sounds freaky to me. Following someone around makes my skin crawl. I thought you were going to help me control these powers.”
“I thought you wanted to know more about your dad.”
The whole idea is crazy. I haven’t even gotten comfortable with my power and now Jex wants me to use it to spy on someone? “But we’ve just started.”
“If something is up with your dad, we can’t just wait around. He could be in real danger.”
“I’ll have to think about it.”
“Understood. But don’t think too long.”
After a quick nod, I snake my way through the clutter and out the door. To take on such a dangerous mission would be idiotic. My dad wouldn’t want me to ruin my life pursuing some conspiracy theory. What if Jex is wrong? Maybe a computer glitch changed my dad’s entry. I try to rationalize it in my head, but a deep-rooted impulse tells me there are secrets to uncover. But there has to be a different way.
Especially one that doesn’t use my mutant ability.
***
“Ready to find out what exciting career options we have?” Aaron says, crumbling up the wrapper from his energy bar. “I’m hoping for grocery bagger myself.”
Shelly enters the classroom and marches right by us without a moment’s glance. She passes empty chairs next to us to take a seat in the back corner.
“Guess she’s still mad,” Aaron says.
I glare at him. “You think?”
The room becomes silent when Miss Laura enters. Everyone stares at their screens, hoping to get a glimpse of their results from yesterday’s assessment. Classmates fidget while she sits at her desk and types on the keyboard.
My screen refreshes.
Strong Quality: Abstract Reasoning
Prospective Job: Restaurant Management
I reread the words again, and then for a third time. Maybe the letters might transform into something better.
“That bad huh?” Aaron says, leaning over.
I twist the screen around and Aaron chuckles. “Well, this makes sense. Who knew we wasted abstract reasoning on food service? Explains a lot of the problems out there. And some bizarre menu choices.”
“What about yours?”
“Just as I thought,” he twists his screen around.
Strong Quality: Math Computation
Prospective Job: Accountant/Loan Officer
Aaron sighs. “All they can ever think of using Basics with math skills is for money. They must assume I’m anti-science since I didn’t get zapped.”
“It pays well at least. Could be worse.”
Like my result. I try to shake it, but the screen only confirms what I long suspected.
Aaron puts his arm around my shoulder. “Don’t let them tell you what you can do. And it’s not all bad, abstract reasoning is kind of cool.”
Abstract reasoning.
Something tells me it’s a bit like a participant ribbon for students who can’t score in real academic categories.
***
The school day drags. We endure an endless amount of mind-numbing assignments designed to prepare us to enter the workforce. The “touchy feely tests,” as Aaron calls them, begin to blend into each other. They consist of short phrases like “I like competition,” or “I am a self starter” with ratings for how much you agree with the statement. One test gives me the result of being a competitive, strong-willed leader and the other tells me I need to have more gumption and to take charge. I can only laugh. The good news is the lack of consistency in the tests calls all the results into question. I’m more than happy to challenge the validity of that first test.
“Well class, that completes our last test,” says Miss Laura to pathetic applause from the tired students. “Tomorrow, we can begin to go over how to build your strengths.”
“This class is such a joke,” whispers Aaron as she outlines the upcoming schedule. “It’s busywork. Guess they think no Basic is going to try for any sort of higher education.”
“Are you?”
“Yeah, I applied for Kingswell. They admit some Basics. I mean, provided you’re good enough.
“Right.”
I snap shut my screen, sick of the test result glaring back and mocking me with the promise of a career in middle management. Out of sight, my fate doesn’t feel so sealed.
The class finishes and we run out of the room like lightning, dodging students and desks. Only a few steps out, I smack hard into a large student, knocking her to the ground. A knot develops in my stomach as the large wings of a familiar Flier come into focus.
“Watch where you’re going,” yells Tessla, picking herself off the ground.
Her two Flier friends come over to help lift her up and I gulp as they face me.
“Hey, it’s that dumb kid from the restaurant,” says the Flier with sandy brown hair.
“Wha—?” Tessla says, brushing off her bright red pants, now covered with dust from the tile floor. A small trail of blood streams from her lip. “You cause a ton of accidents. Don’t think it’s safe to have a stupid klutz like you ‘round here.”
“I-I’m sorry.” My whole body shivers. “I wanted to go home. It’s been a long day. I shouldn’t have been running and—”
“Shut up! Just shut up,” Tessla says. “I think this school needs a little accident prevention. Don’t you agree guys?”
She glances over at the two Fliers next to her and gives a devilish grin, which they return. Chucking their wingvests, their wings snap out, sending feathers flying. Tessla’s red and black feathers dwarf her small frame.
The two male Fliers then pin Aaron back against the lockers and encircle him with their wings.
“Run!” he says.
“You run and your buddy gets it. This is for you, not him. Wonder how many flaps it will take?”
I’ve seen videos of gusting before. Groups of Fliers grab Basics or Lessers and take bets on how many flaps it will take to knock someone flat on their back using only the force of air.
The best do it in one.
Aaron scrambles to break free from the Fliers, but their grasp is too strong. Tessla barely has enough room to spread her wings out in the hallway. She takes a step back and I close my eyes.
A gust of wind blasts down the hallway, whipping my hair into a frenzy. In a blur, the two Fliers surrounding Aaron are knocked to the ground. Something strong lifts me off my feet and Tessla shrinks in sight as I hurtle away from her. Another Flier has me clutched in their arms. We tear through the school corridors at top speed.
“You ok?” Zach asks
“I-I-yeah.” I catch my breath from the sudden tug.
We careen
through the hallways in a flash. Racing past the school auditorium, rattling lockers as we speed around the corner, swerving through the doors towards the—
“Zach! That’s the pool!” I scream.
“Wha—?”
SPLASH!
Water shoots up my nose. I fumble around, muscles shocked from the frigid pool water. Our school desperately needs to invest in a heater. My arms find a rhythm and I surface to a violent surf. Zach swims next to me, flapping his wings, which send giant waves over my head.
“Slow down!” I fight to keep my head over the waves. “You’re splashing it all out!”
He stops flapping. “Sorry. And sorry to get you wet. Are you positive they haven’t moved the pool room recently?”
“No, Zach, they haven’t,” I say through chattering teeth.
I swim towards the edge and realize the water level is low enough that I need a ladder in order to climb over the side. We must have splashed a ton of water out. Halfway to the ladder, Tessla and her cronies show up. They stand at the edge and glare down at us, laughing.
“Figures,” she says. “The klutz master would end up with him. Not sure how a moron like him got to be a Flier. If you’re going to hang around loser Basics, Zach, then you really are totally washed up.”
They guffaw at her terrible joke as they leave the pool room. I pull myself up the ladder, swipe my drenched hair out of my face, and dread how it will look after it dries. Glancing back at the pool, I watch Zach. He has spread his large wings out and floats on his back.
“Fantastic. This makes swimming much more enjoyable,” he says.
I chuckle. “Hope I didn’t make you look bad.”
“No harm done,” Zach says. “They already hated me. They’re a nasty bunch.”
“Thanks for the help.”
“Anytime.”
Zach sings in an off-key voice as he drifts in the pool. His face is completely calm. It’s like, for a moment, he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks.
I’ve flown.
I’ve flown with Zach.
And it felt glorious.
***
“I can’t believe you emptied out the entire pool,” Mr. Roberts says as he chomps into a huge head of broccoli.
“Not the entire pool, just about two feet worth,” I say.
“The principal wasn’t very happy. I had to persuade him out of slapping you with a suspension.”
“Why were you talking to the principal?” I turn towards my mom.
“I’m sorry, I was worn out from work,” she says. “He asked if he could take it and—”
Mr. Roberts places his hand on hers. “I am legally able to—”
“You may be legally able to do whatever you want, but you aren’t my dad.”
“Rose. I’m trying to help. Your dad would want you to be taken care of.”
“Not by you. If my dad could be here, he would. I know it. Just like I know there’s something going on.”
I’ve said too much.
Mr. Roberts gives me that look again. “What do you mean, something going on?”
“It doesn’t make sense. How come we never found out what happened to Dad?”
“He’s an Unsound, that’s all you need to know.”
“Usually the family finds out why. Mr. Roberts, you’re a lawyer, what does it take to get put on the ‘Unsound’ list?”
“I don’t wish to discuss it.”
“I want to know.”
“It’s complicated. A lot of legalese you wouldn’t understand.”
“I understand plenty.”
“Oh, right. I forgot. You are a teenager, so you think you know everything. You can challenge everyone. No authorities.”
“Tom!” says my mom.
“Sorry,” Mr. Roberts says.
“I want to know, how can they be sure?”
“It is their job and they take it quite seriously. They should be respected and commended. It’s not an easy task at all.”
“But have they ever been wrong?”
“I know you mean well, and I’m certain your dad would appreciate the effort. But there comes a time when you need to accept reality and not live in a fantasy.”
“Like Mom did? When she decided to forget about Dad and replace him with you? I’m not going to do that.”
“That’s not true!” Mom yells with a teary face.
DING DONG!
“That’s Aaron. We’re going to Fowler’s Grove.”
“You are not,” Mr. Roberts says.
“What are you going to do, ground me? Only Mom can do that.”
I turn towards Mom.
“You can go,” she says.
I run out the front door, wondering how Mom can stomach him living in our house. My hand grips the doorknob and slams the door behind me.
Aaron grimaces. “Mr. Roberts?”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t let him get to you. He’s a jerk.”
Aaron makes it sound so easy, but he didn’t have to live there and deal with Mr. Roberts. The days of endless nitpicking and harassment have reached a fever pitch. I can’t last much longer. But where would I go? Aaron’s offered to let me stay at his place for a while, but it’s too awkward to agree to that arrangement. Besides, once he finds about my power I’m not even sure we’ll be friends anymore.
I guess I’ll find out since I’ve decided to tell him tonight. Not sure how I can. This will be the hardest conversation I’ve ever had with him.
***
“You haven’t said much,” Aaron says as we drive towards the park.
“Guess not.”
I know I haven’t spoken for the last 15 minutes, but I can’t figure out how to start. It also doesn’t seem like a good idea to tell him while he’s driving. With the way he’s bound to flip out, we’d end up dead before we even made it to the park.
We reach a red light and the car stops. When the light turns green, Aaron tries to move forward, but the car won’t cooperate.
“Come on, Julie,” Aaron says as he cranks the car.
I snicker inside. I’ve long learned not to mock his car-naming. After some cranking and grumbling from Aaron, Julie decides to cooperate and a few turns later, we arrive at Fowler’s Grove. The park sparkles with the light of the glowdaises, now in full bloom. The grass looks so inviting that I wish I wasn’t here just to have this uncomfortable conversation. I still haven’t figured out a way to start it. I search for something pleasant to say.
“Nice evening,” says Aaron. He’s not one to talk about the weather, so he must be struggling with something to say too.
“Thanks for coming with me. I know strolling in the park isn’t your first choice.”
Aaron doesn’t appear to be listening, but instead focuses his attention on the glowdaises. “Sometimes I wonder what you see in these plants. They’re only mutants aren’t they? Manipulated by the government.”
“But they’re beautiful.”
“That’s what people say about Fliers.”
“And, well, aren’t they beautiful?”
“If you think gluing some bird wings to your back like an old-time circus freak is beautiful, yeah, I suppose.”
I swallow my words. This is going to be harder than I thought. Taking a deep breath, I let my eyes wander to the glowdaisies at my feet. Their haunting blue glow is both soothing and arresting. GEMO technology can be beautiful. Maybe it’s more beautiful than I let myself realize until now.
“But what if we’re meant to,” I say.
“Meant to what?”
“Meant to do this. Meant to use our brains to enhance the world.”
“Enhance the world? You’ve been hearing too much of that government prop—”
“Enough Aaron! I’m sick of you always bashing Elevateds.”
Aaron’s face goes blank. “What’s wrong?”
“I-I…”
I bury my face in my hands. I can’t tell him. He’ll hate me.
“Tell me, please.”
<
br /> “I can’t.”
I stare at the glowdaises and their stunning light. If Aaron can’t see the beauty in them, he’ll think of me as a monster.
His voice gets dark. “You got zapped. Didn’t you?”
“No! I mean, not exactly.”
“Not exactly?”
“Elliott, the boy who I wanted to know about. It seems his ability is, well, unlocking others and—”
Aaron clenches his fists. “He zapped you? I’ll find him. I’ll find him and make sure he pays.”
“No, Aaron. It’s too late. It’s not his fault.”
Aaron’s expression is eerily reminiscent of the look Mr. Roberts gives me. Aaron is judging me. “Not his fault? He got zapped on purpose. He wanted to be a freak. And he wanted you to be one too.”
“I’m not a freak!” Turning quickly, I dash away from him. My feet kick up glowdaises around me, sending sparks of light in the sky. In my haste to get away from Aaron, I hit a rock and tumble towards the ground. A bed of glowdaises catches my fall and more petals drift into the air like giant lightning bugs. I’m lying on my back when Aaron runs up beside me. I turn away. I can’t bear to see his judgmental face again.
He crouches down. “Rose, I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to react.”
My eyes focus on the glowdaisy petals still floating in the air. “I didn’t mean for this to happen, Aaron. But it’s happened. And the best I can do is cope. What other choice do I have?”
Aaron sits down next to me. He takes a moment before speaking again. “So what are you going to do?”
“Jex agreed to train me.”
“Jex?”
“He says that I can use my power to help my dad.”
“And are you going to?”
“Yes.”
“Ok.”
An unfamiliar quiet comes between us.
“You want to head back home?” Aaron asks.
I nod and, finally brave, turn back to face him again. His expression has changed from judgmental to one of complete shock.
The drive home is silent. Aaron occasionally peeks over at me before shaking his head. I’m a freak to him now. There’s nothing I can do about it.
We get home and I run upstairs to my bedroom, throwing myself onto my bed. Rolling myself on my back, I gaze back up at the star-filled ceiling. It will be another week before I speak with my father. I need him now more than ever.
Elevated (Book 1): Elevated Page 7