Rebel (The Alliance Chronicles Book 4)

by SF Benson

  “We’ll meet up again,” Mark assures. “This mission ain’t over for the rest of us. You two, however, are done.”

  I sure hope he’s right.

  Mark leads us down a dark hall. The only thing back here is a wall of windows. He slides one open and clears the sill. Mark walks to the right and disappears for a moment. Seconds later, he returns and waves us on. Zared goes out the window first before helping me out.

  Mark lifts a finger to his lips and points to a townhouse community on the other side of some trees quite a distance away. I’m not looking forward to this walk.

  When representatives of your enemy come bearing compliments, it’s a sign that a truce is desired.

  —from “An Introspective on Combative Strategies” by Dawa Zhu

  Zared

  There’s no way in Hell I’m allowing my pregnant girlfriend to walk the distance to the airport. She doesn’t need that kind of stress on her body. Besides, if it weren’t for me, we’d be in a car right now. Fortunately, we’re standing on the backside of a residential area. So many cars to choose from. It’s like a shopping mall for thieves. I grab Tru’s hand, and we walk across the asphalt separating the building from the line of trees.

  I’m kicking myself trying to figure out how I alerted the authorities. I was careful. It wasn’t my first time hacking into R-Net. Maybe that’s the problem. They discovered my signature during a previous hack and put up a tracer. None of that’s important right now. What matters is both the AR and the Canadian authorities are after us. Not a good scenario. What we need is a car. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

  “Where are we headed?” Tru asks.

  I avoid making eye contact as I tell her, “We need to find a car.”

  “We’re not stealing a car,” she declares.

  I stop walking and face Tru. “Do you trust me?”

  “Yes, but—” Her voice is tentative.

  My heart aches when I realize she still has doubts about me. Does she doubt us too?

  “Listen”—I place my hands on her shoulders—“you don’t need to walk for miles trying to find a bus or a train. And we’re not walking to the airport.”

  Tru shakes her head vigorously. “No. We don’t steal from anyone.”

  A moan slips from my mouth. She’s infuriating. This isn’t the time to become law-abiding citizens of any country. “If you haven’t guessed it, I’m exhausted. We need the fastest way to get to our destination before I collapse.”

  “So what do you plan on doing?” Her eyebrow raises, and she folds her arms over her chest. “Are you going to show me the rest of your criminal skills?”

  I flinch. Her words are a low blow, but unfortunately, they ring true. “Yeah. Time to face facts. Your boyfriend’s a petty thief. I’m not proud of it, but my abilities have kept me alive.”

  I drop my hands and walk away. The last thing I need is for anyone, especially Tru, throwing my past mistakes in my face. I've lived with regret for too long to be reminded now.

  Up ahead, I spot a beige Toyota Camry under a tree. From the amount of rust and the boxy exterior, I’d guess the lone car is a relic from the nineties. Good thing—it’s easier to break into those cars. If the piece of crap starts, it might get us to the airport.

  A quick glance over my shoulder and I see Tru lagging behind. I clench my jaw but keep moving. When will she learn, everything isn’t perfect? Despite all that her mother and uncle did, Tru grew up sheltered. She has no idea of what it means to fight for the right to see another day. This shit we’re dealing with is serious, but we chose this battle. Life on the streets isn’t something I’d wish on even my worst enemy.

  I search the area, checking for anyone who might be outside. The coast looks clear. First thing I do is remove the antenna from the vehicle. Thankfully, the window is cracked. I slide the antenna into the opening and press the unlock button. The door opens with a squeak. I get behind the steering wheel and remove the plastic cover on the steering column. Before cars became steel artifacts on the streets of New Detroit, I used to break into them nightly to keep warm. It takes a few minutes, but I’m rewarded when the car rumbles to life.

  Tru comes up to the passenger side. I lean over and pop open the door. She flops down on the seat and greets me with a scowl, silently judging me. It’ll have to keep until we’re in the clear. I pull out onto the circular street.

  “Babe, talk to me.” I place my hand, palm up, on top of the emergency brake. Slowly, Tru gives me her hand.

  “Hacking into computers, breaking into cars… What else do I need to know?” Her hand trembles within mine.

  I wet my lips and carefully consider what I’m going to say. Excuses don’t absolve me, but it’s all I have. “I lived on the streets, Tru. You learn to survive or you die. There’s no in between. I’m nobody’s saint. Am I proud of the things I’ve done? Not really. But if I hadn’t done them, I wouldn’t be here now.”

  Tru finds her voice. “You should have told me everything.”

  I make a right turn and pick up speed. “Babe, I wasn’t trying to hide anything from you. But if I told you all that I’ve done, would you be with me now?”

  She looks out the window and says softly, “Probably not. But, Z, I never thought—”

  “Tru, don’t try to paint me as someone I’m not,” I warn her. Seeing me through some faulty-colored glasses won’t change my past.

  “Who are you?” her voice wavers.

  “I’m a man who loves you. Bottom line. I’ll do everything in my power to protect you and our kid.” I squeeze her hand. “I’m not a political wannabe or a power-hungry leader. The heart of the boy you met years ago still beats in me. Time and necessity, however, made him stronger and hopefully a little wiser.”

  “The verdict’s still out on how wise you are,” she says and looks at me with a smile on her beautiful face.

  “Am I forgiven?”

  She shrugs. “There’s nothing to forgive. I just don’t like being kept in the dark. I’ve had enough of that in my life.”

  “Agreed.” I remove my hand from Tru’s and reach for my phone. “Babe, I need you to find info for the airport. Let me know the best way to get there.”

  Unfortunately, the blue light flashing in the rearview mirror might delay us a bit.

  “Zared, what do we do?” Tru asks.

  “We play it calm. Do whatever I tell you to do. Understood?”

  “Yeah.”

  A white SUV with a red maple leaf emblazoned on its side cuts in front of us. Another one edges closer behind us. The siren squawks twice.

  The idiotic daredevil residing deep inside wants to chance it and make a run for it. The man who doesn’t want to go to jail, however, thinks it best to pull over. I let the car roll to a stop on the side of the road.

  Think fast.

  I roll the window down as a stout officer in a navy blue uniform steps up to the car. “Good day, officer. What can I do for ya?” I’m hoping my shoddy attempt at a Canadian accent isn’t too bad.

  “Did ya not see the stop sign back there, son?” The officer tries to look inside the vehicle. I move my hand, with the keys Mark gave me, close to the ignition.

  “I must have missed it. My girlfriend and I were arguing.”

  The man nods. “Been there before with the missus. I’ll let ya off with a warning this time. Where ya headed?”

  “The airport.” I jerk my head toward Tru. “Her mother’s coming to town. I’m not the woman’s idea of the best son-in-law.”

  The officer laughs. “How ‘bout I give ya an escort? Make sure ya get there in time.”

  I swallow hard. “Sure. Get us to the daily parking lot, and we’ll be good.”

  He returns to his vehicle.

  The SUV in front of us stays parked. Our escort taps his horn, and I pull away from the shoulder.

  “Z?”

  “I know, babe. Just stay calm. We’ll get to the airport and ditch the car. We might need to walk around for a minute to keep thi
s guy from getting suspicious.”

  “I don’t feel good about this,” she says.

  “Neither do I.”

  If your opponent is quick-tempered, try to piss him off. He’s sure to slip up and reveal his intentions.

  —from “An Introspective on Combative Strategies” by Dawa Zhu

  Tru

  It’s bad enough Zared stole a car, but now he’s tailing the police to the airport. How messed up is this scenario? I don’t know how Zared managed to pull it off, but the cop honestly believed his lie. Seriously, how many people fly through stop signs because of an argument?

  I watch the landscape change as the cop leads us onto an expressway. Signs of normal life—people rushing to and fro, and cars jamming the roads—bombard my sight. A lot of the highways were demolished during the AR’s Revolution. Most people get by with mass transit or simply walking. Only the privileged and Riza have cars. It’s obvious Canada still has its heartbeat. The place is full of life compared to the shell of the once-glorious AR.

  Zared glances at me and asks, “What’s on your mind, babe?”

  “Nothing much. Life is so normal here,” I say quietly and lean my head against the window.

  “We could always live in Canada. The thought crossed my mind before you were captured.”

  I wave a hand in the air quickly dismissing the idea. “I don’t think so. I’d appreciate things like real maple syrup and meat, but I think I’d feel too out of place. Plus, I’m not a fan of the Arctic Express that blows through the country.”

  Zared chuckles. “I get that. But, in all seriousness, we have a real problem once we get to the airport.”

  Understatement. We can’t just go to the hangar Mark mentioned. “Any suggestions?”

  “We play it by ear.”

  It’s what we’ve been doing this whole mission.

  “Babe, are you still mad at me?”

  “I was never mad, Zared.” A heavy sigh sneaks out. “I am disappointed in you. I thought we were past all our secrets. You keep proving that’s not the case.”

  “I’m not the only one holding secrets,” he mumbles.

  Great. We’re back to the notebook. “Okay. So we’re both hiding shit. You can’t get me to tell you where the notebook is, though.”

  Zared props his elbow against the side of the car and rubs his neck. “Why not?”

  “It’s for your own good. I’m trying to keep us safe. All this shit we’re going through”—I pound my fist against the car door—“is because I revealed the SIM card. If I had kept my mouth shut, none of this would have happened.”

  “You don’t honestly believe that?” Uncertainty rests in his words.

  “Yes, I do.” My recklessness, my inane obsession with the truth caused all of this. If I had stayed out of it…destroyed the card or at least listened to Cris and not looked at it, we wouldn’t be on the run.

  “You’re wrong, Tru. Keeping quiet would have only delayed matters. One way or another, my father and his cronies were going to have to deal with some turmoil. I have never believed for one minute the info on the card didn’t exist in some other form.” Zared adjusts his grip on the steering wheel. “Either the Alliance or some other group would have found the intel. It would have been leaked. We’ve done a good thing, babe.”

  I tilt my head. “How do you figure?”

  “Lots of people wanted the card, but not everyone had pure intentions. There are those who wouldn’t have stopped with simply revealing the government’s plans. They would have started a war.”

  “It might still happen,” I point out.

  “I don’t believe that. I won’t believe it.” The skin bunches around Zared’s eyes as he stares at the road ahead.

  I wish I shared his delusions.

  We don’t speak for the duration of the ride. Sometimes in life, you’re forced to choose between a rock and a hard place. I want to believe I’m doing the right thing by keeping the notebook hidden. I’m still agonizing over my decision when Zared exits the expressway. We continue tailing the squad car down Walker Road.

  In a matter of minutes, we take the turn into the airport. Zared edges the car into a spot near Hayes Road—where Mark told us to park—and disconnects the wires. The car shakes as it stops running.

  My stomach picks up the vibration. I let out a harsh breath. The police officer is sitting in a spot less than a yard away. If he runs the plates, he’ll realize the vehicle is stolen. Then what do we do? I know what will happen with the cops. They’ll haul Zared into jail and deport me. Before the AR instituted executions for cyber-terrorists, Canada hadn’t sentenced anyone to death since before 1990. But that changed when other countries saw the logic in the AR’s new law and followed suit. This could end badly for us.

  “Zared?” I can’t hide the tremor in my voice.

  His eyes dart to the rearview mirror. “I see him. Babe, we’re going to put on a little show for his benefit. Get out of the car and act like you’re still upset with me.”

  “Okay.” It won’t be much of an act.

  We exit the car, and I walk away from Zared. My strides are long and determined. He grabs my wrist and stops me. He pulls me against his chest and wraps me up in his arms. Zared nuzzles my neck as I struggle. Slowly, I calm down and relax. From a distance, it probably looks like we just ended a fight. For our sake, I hope I prevented one.

  Zared speaks close to my ear. “We’ll go over and speak to the officer. Just agree with me, babe.”

  The short walk to the squad car feels more like the long mile. I’m expecting the officer to hop out of his vehicle and slap a pair of cuffs on our wrists.

  The man lowers his car window. “I see ya two made up, eh?”

  Zared places a kiss on my cheek. “Yeah. My girl here is pregnant. Her emotions are all over the map.”

  A smile crosses the ruddy-complexioned officer’s face. “I have a few of the little rug rats at home myself. Children are definitely a blessing. Congratulations!”

  “Thank ya. We’re gonna head inside to meet her ma. Probably should get her something to eat, too.”

  “There’s a cafe inside. Not a lot to choose from, but hopefully, there’s something she’ll eat.” The cop pauses, and his eyes drift from us to where Zared parked. “Are ya forgetting something?”

  “I am?” Zared runs a hand through his hair. “Um…babe, help me out here.”

  The officer laughs. “Parking. If ya got a credit card, ya can pay at the station. Or ya pay when ya exit.”

  My boyfriend releases the breath he’s been holding. He moves my ponytail to the side and kisses my neck. “This bill is on her ma.”

  The officer nods, and his gaze darts to his computer screen. “Ya two have a good day. Take care of that baby and stop arguing while driving.”

  “Sure thing, officer.” Zared pulls me along. I’m so glad I didn’t have to say anything.

  Once we’re out of earshot, Zared says, “Just keep moving and act like a couple of normal residents. We’ll grab something to eat before planning our next move.”

  YQGood, Windsor International’s cafe, is on the main concourse. The space is basically a counter offering a variety of sandwiches, pastries, and salads. There’s also coffee, tea, and some other beverages. Zared purchases a couple of ham and cheese sandwiches on wheat bread. He gets a coffee for himself and a carton of milk for me.

  We find two vacant seats in a corner in the pre-security area. Zared rips the wrapping off the sandwich and devours it in silence. The freshly ground coffee speaks to me, but I open the carton and drink the cold beverage. I watch the people dashing to their destinations while we eat. Every so often, police officers stop near us. Low squawks come from their radios. Unintelligible sounds. Suspicious stares.

  “Z?”

  “Yeah, babe?” he says around a mouthful of food.

  “What’s your plan? This place isn’t Metro. We can walk the entire place in a few minutes.” From my vantage point, I can see nearly all the gates. There
are only three exterior doors to the parking lot—one behind us and two to our left.

  “We wait. The officer can’t stay here forever.” Zared picks up his trash and tucks it inside the bag. He adds my half-eaten sandwich and empty milk carton. “You should have tried eating.”

  “I’m good.” I wave away the smelly sandwich. Bile threatens to erupt. “Too nervous to eat.”

  “There’s a rental car lot. All I need to—”

  “No,” I cut him off. “You’re not stealing another car. Find another way.”

  Zared yawns and rakes a hand across his face. “If you have any bright ideas, please clue me in.” He pushes off the seat and walks away leaving me to ponder how to get the hell out of dodge.

  “Take the time to find someone who can rule this country the way it should be led. Someone who will care for its citizens and allow us to lead the lives we all deserve to have.”

  —from Tru Shepard’s Address to the American Republic

  Zared

  I don’t like arguing with Tru, especially when I know she’s right. I hold the door for a woman pushing a stroller and step outside. All I’m doing is protecting the girl I love. She thinks I’m simply exercising some penchant toward crime. My life would be easier if I could be a common crook hellbent on my next thrill. It’s not like I want to steal a car. I’m just trying to find a way for us to get out of this place. If we could just walk…

  That’s it!

  I rush back inside the terminal. Tru is exiting the restroom. Even worn out and in need of a shower, she’s beautiful. I could get lost in her chocolate brown eyes.

  Soon.

  One day very soon, I’m giving that girl what she deserves. Normalcy. I’ll spend every day making sure she’s happy. But she can’t have it if we don’t get the hell out of this place.

  “Babe!”

  Tru turns toward me. A faint smile graces her face. It only takes a few seconds for us to meet up. My mouth opens. I close it when I see the bags beneath her eyes. She’s exhausted. This is my fault. I’m fixing it right now.