He slid the knife back into the sheath, then twisted himself around on the top of the wall until he was lying on his stomach and had his legs on the Midland side. Behind him, the balloon was lower than it had been. He let himself slide over the side until he was holding the wall with his hands, hanging there. Time to let go and hope for the best.
He let go and slid right down the wall a good six feet before the balloon caught him and pulled him away, back from the surface. But he was sinking fast, more like a guy in a parachute. He jerked at the harness above, hoping to keep himself over the road.
He was so close.
The tips of his shoes slid over the asphalt, but he was going sideways. The balloon was way ahead of him, pulling him fast toward the side of the wall. He just managed to hook his foot around the guard rail to stop himself.
He reached down with his hands until he got them around the guardrail too. Both arms and legs hugging that metal like it was life. He let go with one arm, slipped the knife out of the sheath, and started cutting the harness.
His hand was shaking, but he managed to cut through the first tether. The balloon continued to tug at him. It was sinking, but it was still stronger than he was. A few seconds later, he cut through the second, and the balloon sailed away into the dark night.
Omar let himself fall onto the icy roadway. There were streetlamps along the top of the wall, and they lit the road enough that he could see.
He’d made it. He’d escaped the Lowlands. Mason was a genius. Sort of.
He could see the city too, glittering and bright. He used to obsess over that city, desperate to come in and experience it.
It had nearly killed him, but he wasn’t dead yet.
Omar got up and jogged across the road. He removed the coil of rope from the back of his harness and tied one end to the guardrail. Then he climbed over.
But when he got his body over the rail, lying on his stomach, legs dangling over the edge, he found it hard to go all the way.
The Owl wouldn’t hesitate, he told himself.
He tugged on the cord, making sure it was securely attached and that he had a good grip, then slid back. The guardrail caught on his coat, snagging a bit, but he pushed past it until his body was completely over the side and he was holding his own weight by his grip on the cord.
He moved his feet until he got his toes on the wall, then let himself down a hand. His feet slipped, and he tried to get them on the wall again. No use. It was coated in frost and too slippery. So he twisted his body around until his back was against the wall, then he lowered himself, hand under hand, toward the ground.
When he reached the ground, he couldn’t tell exactly where he was. Way past Midland West. Could he take the train? Were there still ghoulie tags in locker 127? He sure hoped so.
Omar knocked on the door to Zane’s house in the Midlands. His heart was beating so hard, he wished he has his PV. But he was done with that now, and, hopefully, very close to seeing Shaylinn again.
Would she forgive him?
He heard footsteps behind the door. A deep mumble. The door swung in.
Zane. Looking totally shocked. Like he was seeing a ghost. “Now, I was not expecting you. How?”
Omar grinned wide. “Unhappy to see me?” He darted inside and Zane shut the door behind him.
“Omar?”
Omar barely saw Levi coming before he was tackled in a tight embrace. Levi’s body trembled, but it was laughter that he heard, not tears. When Levi finally released him, he looked around the room. Besides Levi and Zane, Ruston stood staring.
“Hello, Ruston.”
The man blinked and shook a smile onto his face. “Omar, you’re not dead! I mean, you are very welcome here.”
“But I don’t understand,” Levi said. “Where have you been? You were liberated, weren’t you?”
The three men stared at him, eyes eager for the answer to the biggest mystery in the Safe Lands. “Yes, but liberation isn’t execution. Everyone who gets liberated gets sent to the Lowlands.”
“The Lowlands?” Levi and Zane exchanged a look of confusion. “But . . . doing what?”
“Have any of you ever tried to visit the Lowlands? You can’t. Because it’s a task prison. Mason called it a penal colony.”
“Penal? What’s that mean?” Zane asked.
“Something to do with punishment, Mason says. As, of course, he knows more vocabulary than any normal person.” But Omar was thankful for his brother’s knowledge and the wisdom to apply it.
“Liberation is only punishment?” Ruston asked.
“It’s where they send strikers and old people — they have for decades. They task so the young people up here can play. And, Levi, everyone is there. Our mother and Aunt Janie, Avaci, Grandma Sarah, Grandma Marian, some older men and women from Jack’s Peak. Mom said Chief Kimama was down there with Shavingo’o. And Elsu too.”
“Elsu!” Levi cackled and clapped his hand. “That’s wonderful. Beshup will be thrilled.”
“And Richark Lonn is there,” Omar added.
“Lonn is alive?” Ruston said.
“And still running the rebellion. And guess what, Levi? Him and mom are, you know, together.”
Levi’s face went slack. “Together?”
“To-geth-er.” Omar crossed two fingers and held them up. “Yeah. Weird.”
Levi frowned and looked at Zane, who shrugged. “But — ”
“If it’s a prison,” Ruston asked, “how did you get out?”
All three men looked at him, mouths gaping slightly in anticipation.
Omar couldn’t help but smile, knowing what he was about to say would sound impossible. “I flew. Mason sent me over the wall in a hot air balloon he and Mother made.”
Zane’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t even know what that means.”
And so Omar did his best to explain how Mason’s balloon had worked. And then Levi insisted they go down to the basements right away so that everyone could hear the good news.
Omar followed Levi, Zane, and Ruston down to the basement where they entered a second secret storm drain. While they walked, Levi told Omar that Jemma had gotten caught.
“We’re planning a rescue, though,” he said. “Soon. And now that we know the secret of liberation, the Owl can tell the people. Oh, this will be good.”
“I don’t even have my costume,” Omar said.
“No, we’ve got another Owl.”
“What? Who’s running around in my costume?”
“Me.” Levi offered a sheepish smile. “It’s actually kind of fun.”
Omar gave Levi what he hoped was a stern look. “That doesn’t sound very practical or safe.”
“I know, but desperate times . . . Once they’d taken you and Mason, and once Jemma was caught, it was the only thing I could do.”
Ruston stopped at a watertight door and began turning the handle. They all stopped behind him, and Omar squeezed Levi’s shoulder.
“I was joking, brother. I’m sure you make a fine Owl.”
The door seal banged, and Ruston pulled open the door. They all walked into someone’s living room. The space included an open kitchen on the other wall, separated by a counter. A woman and small girl stood behind it.
“Father!” The girl ran up and hugged Ruston’s waist.
“This is Ruston’s house,” Levi said. “His real one.”
“Another one?” This from the woman, who was glaring at Omar.
“Omar, meet Tova, my wife,” Ruston said. “Tova, this is Levi’s youngest brother, Omar.”
“The father of Shayleen’s babies?” She squinted at him and her mouth quirked up at the corner. “Good. That’s excellent news.”
Omar looked to Levi. “Is Shay okay?”
Levi patted Omar’s shoulder. “She’s fine. Let’s go say hello.”
They made plans to meet up with Ruston and Zane in the morning to discuss what to do next, then left Ruston’s underground home and walked down a manmade passageway. Energy-saving
light bulbs hung from the ceiling ever four or five yards. They passed little indentations with doors that likely led to more underground homes. The doors were labeled such things as 17 – 4, 16 – 2, and Library.
At 16 – 1, Levi went inside. It was dark, lit only with a pale light over the kitchen stove. This home had a similar setup to Ruston’s, though the kitchen was partially hidden by a short wall rather than an open counter. There were two couches in the living room, and sleeping bodies occupied both. Omar recognized Trevon but not the other boy.
Levi nodded at the door behind Trevon’s couch. “That’s Shaylinn and Nell’s room there.”
Omar skirted the couch and peeked inside. The dim light that seeped through the door’s opening barely illuminated two forms under blankets on a narrow bed.
He closed the door. “I’ll wait until morning.”
“He’s not really the Owl.”
“Yes, he is! And he’s my cousin too, which means we’re related.”
“What’s related?”
“I swear you don’t know anything.”
“He looks dead.”
Omar opened his eyes to a pair of blue ones with thick lashes. Jake.
“Hello, Jake.” Omar rose up onto one elbow and saw another boy peek out from behind Jake. A littler boy.
“Trevon said you were bad because you brought the enforcers to Glenrock,” Jake said, “but he then said you tried to fix it by being the Owl. Is that true?”
“I suppose it is, though Levi has been the Owl lately, since I’ve been gone.”
“Levi?” Jake practically screamed.
The front door opened then, but it wasn’t Levi who came inside. It was a woman with blonde hair.
“Ciddah?” The medic.
She scanned the room. “You? You’re not dead?” She walked to where he lay on the floor and crouched at his side. “Is Mason alive too? Did he come with you?”
“He couldn’t,” Omar said.
“But he’s alive? He’s okay?”
“Yes. In fact, he sent a letter for you.” Omar sat up and reached into his pocket. He had to lie back down to pry the envelope out, and when he sat up and handed it to Ciddah, it was all bent out of shape. “Sorry. I didn’t want to risk losing it.”
She took it from him gently, like it was fragile in some way. “Thank you.” And then she stood and left the house, clutching the letter to her chest.
“Girls are weird,” Jake said.
“Sometimes,” Omar said.
“Not nearly as weird as boys.”
Omar twisted around. Nell stood behind the couch that Trevon was still sleeping on. “Good morning, Nell.”
“Levi just told Jordan that you’re back. Ciddah and her parents live at Jordan’s house, so that’s probably why she came looking for Mason. Shaylinn said she loves him, but Levi doesn’t believe it.”
“Why would Ciddah and her parents live with Jordan?” Omar asked.
“Because Levi and Jemma had all these kids to take care of, and someone needed to keep an eye on Ciddah in case she’s the task director general’s spy. Jordan thinks they’re all spies.”
“Ciddah is not a spy,” Omar said.
“How would you know? Shaylinn is waiting for you, by the way. I told her you were back. She’s in the bedroom but she’s awake. She can’t get out of bed, though, so you’ll have to go see her.”
“Why can’t she get out of bed?” Omar pushed up to his feet, a little dizzy with the sudden movement.
“Her water broke and Ciddah put her on bed rest because if the babies come early, they’ll probably die.”
“What?” Omar walked around the couch, but Nell was standing between him and the door to Shaylinn’s room.
“Did you know Jemma got taken?” Nell said. “It was Mia’s fault. She stunned Levi so Kosowe could have him. Kosowe wants to steal Levi from Jemma, but it didn’t work. He made her go live with her brother and won’t talk to her.”
Trevon threw the blankets off his head. “Stop gossiping.”
“He should know what’s going on,” Nell said.
Omar grabbed Nell’s shoulders and twisted around so that they traded places. The door to Shaylinn’s room was open a crack, so he knocked. “Hello? Shay?”
“I’m here.”
Her voice brought goose bumps all over his arms. He pushed the door in and peeked inside. Shay lay in bed under a thin blue-gray blanket, her belly a small mountain. The painting of Shay, Nell, and Penny hung on the wall over the bed.
He swallowed. “Can I come in?”
“Of course.”
He closed the door behind him and walked to her bedside. “Shay, what did you eat? Something doesn’t look right.”
“Ha, ha.”
She looked different. Rounder everywhere. “How much longer?”
“Well, they’re not supposed to come until the second week of March, but Jemma said your mom told her that twins are always early. And Ciddah says that she normally induced labor with twins at thirty-seven weeks, so that would be the last week of February. But then my . . . I had a problem, and Ciddah said it’s way too early, so I have to stay in bed until they come. It’s so boring.”
“Shay, I know you think I — ”
“How are you?” she asked. “You look tired.”
“I am. But I’m good. I got clean. From the PV.”
“That’s wonderful. Nell said you were in the Lowlands?”
“Yeah.” And he explained a bit more, how Shanna was there and excited about her three new grandchildren.”
“You really saw my mom?”
“She’s fine, Shay. And I’m back to tell everyone the truth. It won’t be much longer until we’re all free.”
“And then what?”
“I know you think I . . . that I cared about Kendall.”
“You kissed her.”
“Yes. I told her to stop, but she said you and I wouldn’t work. She said you wouldn’t want to be with someone who was infected.”
“That’s my choice, not Kendall’s or yours.”
“Not Kendall’s, true, but it is mine. Shay, I couldn’t live with myself knowing I’d infected you. I already have so much guilt. Those who died in Glenrock. But to see your face every day, to see you get sick and know that it was my fault . . . I didn’t think I could handle that.”
“So you were going to pick Kendall? Because of that?”
“No. But that’s why I let her kiss me. She got me thinking about what it would mean to marry you. And I was scared. But mostly I was stupid. I should have been stronger. And then you were there, and I’d hurt you again. So I just . . .”
“Ran.”
“I was a coward. I’m sorry. Everything was just so intense. And I didn’t know how to handle it.” His time with Rain came back to his mind, but he couldn’t tell her about all that yet. It sent another stab of guilt through him. “But I’ve been thinking a lot about it. About . . . everything. And I want to be there for you. I want to be a father to these babies. But I’m dying and I . . . I can’t ask you to die with me.”
“Omar, I’m dying too.”
His heart hitched at her words. “What do you mean? Mason said you weren’t infected.”
“The moment we’re born, we start to die. So you have an infection. So you might die younger than me. I might die younger than you. You never know.”
“Shay.”
“You don’t know. So why live your life in dread? Embrace life while you have it. Trust that — ”
Someone knocked on the door.
Not now! Omar gritted his teeth.
“Yes?” Shaylinn said.
The door opened and a man stepped inside. Nash.
“What’s wrong?” Omar asked.
Nash brought his hand out from behind his back. He was holding a bunch of bright orange and yellow flowers. He stepped past Omar, and the nectar from the flowers filled the room with sweetness.
“Oh, thank you.” Shaylinn took the proffered flowers and smelled the
m. The colors were amazing next to her tanned skin. Omar wished he could paint her like that, eyes closed, nose buried in blossoms. She opened her eyes and they were focused on Nash. Not Omar. She did glance his way, though.
“Nash tasks in the greenhouses,” she said. “You should see his apartment. It’s filled with plants and flowers.”
Omar’s stomach tightened. Shaylinn had visited Nash’s apartment. How foolish of him to assume she’d be waiting for him all these months. “Oh,” he said. “I see. I, um . . . I’m going to go.” Omar pointed at the door, backed up a step.
Shaylinn frowned, reached out a hand. “No, Omar, please stay.”
“Yes,” Nash said. “You were here before me. Don’t leave on my account.”
“Really, it’s okay.” Omar’s chest felt thick somehow, like a weight had been pressed down on it. “You two talk.”
“Omar.” Shaylinn’s voice was deep and firm.
But Omar was already out the door. A breath shuddered past his lips. It was better this way, really.
“Omar!”
He ignored Shay’s yell, strode through the living room, dodged little Carrie, who toddled out of nowhere.
“Omar, Shay’s calling you,” Nell said.
He pretended not to hear, opened the front door, slipped into the cool corridor, shut the door behind him.
He stood in the alcove, shaking. He patted his pockets, looking for his PV. No more PV. Sober. Clean. He had to deal with pain and disappointment on his own now.
The door opened, striking the backs of his shoes. He lurched out of the way and turned around to see who was coming out.
Nash.
He shut the door, grabbed Omar’s shirt, and pushed him against the wall.
“Whoa!” Omar grabbed Nash’s wrists and tried to push them away. The memory of Prav hitting him flashed through his mind. “What is this?”
“I have a message from Shaylinn for you. You ready?” He gave Omar a little shake. “You listening? Because I’m only going to give it once, then you’re on your own. Because I love that girl. And I think I could make her happy.”
Omar didn’t want to hear this. Who did Nash think he was, shoving Omar around like this and saying such things? “Then you should marry her. Shay’s a nice girl. She doesn’t pair up or anything like that.” Could someone even do that when they were pregnant?
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