by Gavin Zanker
‘Travis picked him up in Oldtown,’ a gruff voice said by Aiden’s ear. ‘Said to bring him straight to readjustment.’
‘I see,’ the woman said. ‘Well, what Travis wants, Travis gets, I suppose.’
‘So what happens now?’ Aiden asked, but his question was met with silence.
He felt a sharp pinch in his upper arm. He tried to recoil but his arms were held firm. A cold sensation crept into his arm, and his heartbeat quickened as he realised he had just been injected with something. He heard whispering but couldn’t make out the words from across the room as people spoke to each other in hushed voices.
‘What was in that?’ Aiden demanded, but still he was ignored.
‘Okay, you can leave him with me now,’ the woman said.
Aiden felt the hands gripping his arms release him, followed by the sound of the door clicking shut. He had no idea what was in the syringe, and the thought of what it could be sent his thoughts racing. The anxiety caused his stomach to cramp, and a tingling numbness spread along his arms. He pulled his blindfold away, leaving himself dazzled by bright lights.
‘Try not to panic, your eyes will adjust soon,’ the woman said.
Aiden squinted around the room, trying to make out his surroundings. He sat in a hard metal chair facing a table of the same austere design. The bare walls were painted a muted yellow, a similar shade to the endless sands of the Expanse. Across the table was a stern faced woman with beady eyes studying him from her own seat, while a broad shouldered man in a white uniform stood at ease by the door.
No longer restrained, Aiden took the opportunity to make a break for the door. His legs didn’t respond properly though, and he stumbled and fell to the tiled floor. The man in the white uniform lifted Aiden with ease and dropped him back in the chair. The woman caught the man’s eye and nodded. He left the room, clicking the door shut behind him.
‘I hope you’ll behave, Aiden,’ she said. ‘Acting out in this place will only make things harder for you.’
‘What did you just put in my arm?’ Aiden demanded, trying to keep his breathing calm as trails of light danced across his vision. ‘Who are you? Why did you drug me?’
‘Yes I imagine you have a lot of questions. The drug is just something to keep you calm and help you see without your usual preconceptions clouding your judgement. As for who I am, you should realise soon that the answer is irrelevant.’
Aiden frowned. ‘What are you talking about? Why am I here?’
‘But you should already know why you’re here,’ she said, her tone softer. ‘Why don’t you tell me?’
‘Because of the unfinished contract? I already told Travis, the contract was between me and the Seekers, it had nothing to do with your church.’ Aiden squeezed his fists together, the skin of his palms clammy. ‘And in case you didn’t notice, the Seekers died with Kane. So whatever time I had left to serve ended with him.’
‘Breaking a contract is a serious thing-’
‘I just told you, I didn’t break the contract!’
‘However,’ the woman continued, her voice calm but severe, ‘it’s not the only crime you’ve committed, is it?’
Anger rushed through Aiden, driving the knot in his stomach up to his palpitating heart. ‘I don’t remember committing any crimes,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘You want to tell me what it is I’ve done?’
‘So you admit you did commit these crimes.’
‘What? No.’ Aiden’s head ached as the woman’s face blurred slightly. He tried to pinch the bridge of his nose, but his arm missed his face. ‘I haven’t done anything wrong,’ he said, slamming his hand on the metal table with a loud thud.
The woman leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. ‘If you didn’t do anything wrong, then why are you here now?’
‘I’m here because…’ Aiden struggled to string the words together, his thoughts sinking into his mind like tar. ‘I’m here because Travis brought me here. But I did nothing wrong.’
‘Your denial only confirms your guilt. Emotionally, as well as in the eyes of these man-made laws you value. You realise that, don’t you?’
‘That makes no sense. How can I be guilty if I don’t know what it is I have done?’
‘Your conviction of sin is real, whether you know it or not. If someone causes a death, but doesn’t realise it, they still caused that death, did they not?’ The woman leaned back in her chair, pushing a strand of hair away from her face. ‘As one of the unenlightened in this city, how do you feel about your actions causing so much suffering to the future generations?’
The woman’s argument was sending Aiden’s head in circles. He tried to stand again, but his legs wouldn’t respond. ‘Unenlightened? But I didn’t cause…’
‘The only question now is whether you admit your guilt or not. If you do the right thing and take responsibility for your actions, your sentence will be lighter and your time here will be more pleasant. Once you are readjusted, we can then think about letting you back into the church to atone and make up for the damage you’ve done.’
‘What damage?’ Aiden asked, his voice echoing around his head. Had he hurt someone? He tried to focus but struggled to remember how he had come to be here in this room.
‘We’ve been over this already, haven’t we, Aiden?’ the woman said scoldingly. ‘You are the architect of your own misery. You yourself are the reason that you are here, and you need to understand that your only way out of here is to claim your guilt. That is your privilege: to stop denying the sins you have committed. Then you can wear them as a badge to remind you of your status, and to do only good from here on.’
Aiden closed his eyes and leaned back in the chair, trying to focus. Lights and patterns danced against his eyelids. He felt himself falling sideways and he snapped his eyes open. He was still in the chair, but the room was spinning now. Looking across the table, he saw the woman speaking to him was outlined in a pulsing orange glow as her mouth moved up and down mechanically.
‘I see you’re not ready to accept responsibility yet,’ she said, standing and moving to the door. ‘That’s enough for today I think. Don’t worry, we’ll have plenty of time together yet.’
Aiden watched her open the door, the smooth metallic surface leaving a blurred trail through the air. Then she opened it again. And again. He stared, unable to blink, transfixed by the sight of her opening the door in an infinite blur.
The uniformed man reappeared in the doorway. ‘Take Aiden to his villa,’ the woman said as the door finally came to an uncertain stop. ‘Let him rest a while and mull over his predicament. I’m sure he’ll make the right choice when we next talk.’
Aiden was guided out of the room and along stark white corridors. He struggled to walk as his legs floated around underneath him, making him feel like he was hovering above the floor. After what seemed like an eternity, he came around, realising he was in a new room. He turned to see the door slam shut behind him. It was solid, white, and had no handle. He pushed on the door, but it didn’t budge.
Soft classical music played in the room as he leaned against the door, rubbing his bleary eyes. The drugs they had injected him with were potent, but they seemed short-lived as the effects were starting to wear off already. He studied the unfamiliar room. The walls were painted the same shade of yellow as the interrogation room he was just in. A few canvases hung on the walls displaying the rising sun that the Dawnists took as their symbol, each in calligraphy style strokes. Neatly made beds were pushed up against the walls resembling a hospital ward, and beside each one, a potted plant, each wilted and tinged with brown. A large circular rug lay in the centre of the windowless room, the deep red pattern woven through it a glaring contrast to the rest of the room. On the rug, three people sat facing each other with eyes closed. He noticed they each had a shaved head and shared a serene expression, as if lost in meditation.
As feeling returned to Aiden’s limbs, his thoughts turned to Leigh and Hitch. He hoped she would be sensible
enough to find somewhere to hide. Hitch could look after himself, but Leigh was unpredictable and no doubt would end up getting herself into trouble. He put thoughts of them out of his mind. As much as he worried, he had his own problems to focus on at the moment.
He shook his head and composed himself, still trying to shrug off the effects of the drugs. He had lived in the compound for a few months when he had been part of the Seekers, but he had never been allowed through the restricted Zenith Gate. Seeing the place now, he was beginning to understand why. So what was his next move? He had to get out of here somehow. He checked through his pockets in case the search at the gate had missed something. No luck though, his pockets were bare.
The music ceased playing and a soft chime sounded out through a hidden speaker somewhere in the room. The three people sat on the rug opened their eyes, blinking slowly. None of them seemed to register Aiden’s presence as they each rose and glided to their beds.
Aiden frowned as he recognised Emily Kendrick among them, wife of Travis and one of the co-leaders of the church. The shaved head and faraway expression had thrown him at first, but it was definitely her.
‘Emily, is that you?’ Aiden asked, walking over to her, still unsteady on his feet.
Her head moved towards him before her glassy eyes followed. No recognition played across her face as she stared at him.
‘It’s Aiden. You remember?’
Her brow furrowed. ‘Aiden?’
‘Right, Aiden Fielding. We’ve met before. I used to be in the Seekers.’
‘Seekers… Kane…’ the beginning of a smile crossed her gaunt face. ‘I remember.’
‘You know Kane is dead, Emily?’
‘Yes. Dead. So are you. Lost in a battle. Left to die alone.’
‘No, I survived. That’s how I’m here now.’ Aiden gently sat on the bed beside her. ‘Emily, what are you doing here?’
She tilted her head slightly. ‘Readjustment.’
‘What is readjustment? What did they do to you?’
‘The same thing they’ll do to you. They’ll make you well again. Make you see the light.’
Aiden studied the lines on Emily’s face as her head wobbled around on top of her slender neck. ‘How long have you been here, Emily?’
‘Oh, I’m not sure. A while.’
‘Do you remember when Trent hit you in Kiln Commons? No one saw you again after you got back. Have you been locked in here since then?’
‘I’m not sure. Maybe.’ She turned to look at him and smiled, placing a hand gently on his leg. ‘Aiden, it’s nice to see you again. Don’t worry, we’ll get out of here soon. They just need to make sure it’s safe for us.’
‘Who needs to make sure it’s safe?’
‘My husband Travis. And Samuel, of course. They have big plans for the city. Don’t worry, they just want to help. They want to help all the unenlightened.’
Aiden felt the bed frame vibrating slightly. He rose in alarm, looking around for the source. A brown leaf fell from one of the wilted plants. He sensed the vibration through the floor from somewhere far away. ‘Do you feel that?’ he asked. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Big plans,’ Emily repeated. She took a deep breath and sighed. ‘I’m tired now, I think I’ll rest a while.’ She sank down onto the bed and closed her eyes.
Aiden rubbed his throbbing temples. His body ached, heavy with fatigue and the after effects of the drugs. With nothing else to do, he lay down on an empty bed. He had underestimated the Dawnists, and with a sinking dread, he realised he was in more trouble here than he had anticipated. This place was an asylum, and if he didn’t manage to escape, they would keep him here until they took his mind from him.
CHAPTER 15
EVEN IN THE fading light of dusk, Leigh could make out the vicious looking spikes that topped the high walls of the Dawnist compound. There was no way she could climb over, and even if she somehow could, she had no idea where Aiden had been taken inside.
‘There’s no way in,’ she said, slumping down sullenly next to Hitch.
Hitch whined softly, then laid his muzzle in her lap. The dog had pulled her through the busy streets and over walkways until they had arrived at the compound, just in time to see Aiden being escorted inside. Leigh summoned her courage and approached the gate, but the guards ignored her questions and told her to get lost. After that, she wandered away and found a pile of rubble on a ledge which overlooked the gate. After changing into her new clothes to keep warm, she had squeezed down behind it to get out of the chill wind that blew through the canyon.
It had been hours now, and there was still no sign of Aiden. She clutched his pack tightly, running one of the straps through her fingers. Remembering his warning not to touch his stuff, she had resisted the urge to look inside. She looked down and rested her hand on Hitch’s furry black and white head, glad that she wasn’t alone. With no idea what to do, she pulled the music box out from her pocket and wound it. She held it close to her ear and closed her eyes, letting the sound of the soft tune carry her away.
‘You all right there, love?,’ a gravelly voice said.
Leigh’s eyes flared open and she dropped the music box in surprise. She saw a dirty looking man with a patchy beard peering down at her from behind thick black welding goggles.
‘What do you want?’ she called out, her tone wavering.
‘What’s a pretty little thing like you doing on your own out here?’ the man said, taking a step closer. ‘Don’t you know it’s dangerous?’
‘I’m not alone,’ Leigh said, her heart hammering as she gripped a tuft of Hitch’s fur.
‘You look alone to me.’ The man didn’t move but continued staring. ‘What’s in the pack, love?’ he said, all pleasantness gone from his voice.
‘None of your business, leave me alone.’
‘Leave you alone? Why would I do that? Nah, I think I’ll take you home with me.’
The man stepped down into the gully and reached a coarse hand towards her. Immediately, Hitch jumped up and nipped at his fingers. The man snatched his hand back, clutching it to his chest.
‘Bloody rabid mutt, came out of nowhere. Damn thing should be put down. Look, love, pass me up that pack and I’ll leave you be.’
Hitch let out a deep, menacing growl, and even Leigh felt the hairs on her neck stand on end at the primal sound. The man’s face dropped and he turned and rushed away, his anger forgotten.
Leigh put her mouth close to Hitch’s ear and whispered a thank you. She picked up her fallen music box, putting it back in her pocket and started playing with the strap on Aiden’s pack again. She knew he didn’t want her to go through his stuff, but she also knew he’d want Hitch cared for. After a few minutes of deliberation, she reached into the pack and found the smoked chicken they had bought from the market earlier. She unwrapped the plastic film and tore a piece off for Hitch, which he gently ate from her palm.
The sun was falling below the horizon now, and a shiver passed down Leigh’s spine as the shadows deepened. Glad of her new fleece pullover, she stretched the sleeves down over her hands and scrunched down, hugging Aiden’s pack as she nestled against Hitch.
She was surprised at how much she missed Aiden already. She wanted nothing more than to see him roll his eyes at her again. He must be so close, just behind that wall, but she couldn’t get inside to help him and it made her feel useless.
She squeezed her eyes closed to try and stop the silent tears running down her face. She gripped Hitch’s soft fur tightly, feeling his heartbeat beside her until she eventually drifted to sleep.
THE MOON HUNG brightly in the sky as Travis exited the empty chapel. He gazed around the dark compound, silent except for the wind howling between the buildings. He jumped as he registered the shadowy figure of Samuel leaning against the outside wall of the chapel, his rectangular glasses glinting in the moonlight under his neatly parted brown hair.
‘You’ve developed a very irritating habit of sneaking up on me lately,’ Travi
s said, shaking his head.
Samuel stepped forward out of the shadows, the light spilling out from the chapel doors illuminating his face. ‘Someone has to keep an eye on you,’ he said. ‘Were you in the chapel seeking guidance?’
Travis smiled. ‘Not quite. I went back to pick up some notes I left in there during my sermon earlier.’
Samuel nodded, but his disapproval was obvious. ‘You should try to set a better example. People look to you as a role model.’
‘So you’re just out here to lecture me?’
Samuel ignored the question as he stared upwards at the starry sky. ‘It’s a peaceful night.’
Travis looked up as a cloud sped past the full moon causing him to shiver and pull his jacket closer around him. ‘A little windy for my taste. So what are you doing out here? I assume it’s not to talk about the weather.’
‘We have a problem.’
‘Let’s walk and talk then, it’s cold.’ Samuel fell into step alongside Travis as they walked across the compound. ‘So what’s wrong?’ Travis asked. ‘Surely it’s not the Syndicate again, we already tipped off the police to their safe-house in the Rusts.’
‘No, it’s not the Syndicate for once. I heard you were in the city visiting some families today, also that you picked up someone while you were there?’
‘That’s right. Just an old Seeker. I assumed he died years ago so it was a surprise to run into him. He was quite capable as I remember, so I figured he could be useful. I had him sent to readjustment.’
Samuel pushed his glasses up his nose. ‘For someone that used to be so… adverse to readjustment, you don’t seem to have much of a problem with it these days.’
It was true, readjustment had become a necessary measure these days. Travis wondered what that said about him as a person. ‘What’s your point, Sam?’ he asked as they came to the Zenith Gate.
The two guards posted there unlocked the gate and parted to let them pass. Travis followed Samuel into the bare white corridors of the inner compound. All the years he had walked these corridors, yet he had never become accustomed to the sharp scent of disinfectant that lingered here.